Patent Publication Number: US-2012042175-A1

Title: Motherboard with an energy saving function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a motherboard and more particularly to a motherboard with an energy saving function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     European union regulates that power consumption of a product must be less than a predetermined value. If the product conforms to European union regulations, the product is referred to as an Energy Using Product (EuP). The EuP is frequently misinterpreted as an energy saving instruction. In fact, the EuP is an eco-design instruction. The focus of the EuP is to reduce the environmental impact during the manufacturing phase. 
     When a designer designs a product, routine factors and ecological factors must be considered according to the regulation of the EuP. The routine factors comprise functions, performances, materials, structures, appearances, commonality, security, package, cost, standards and certification. When a product is manufactured, the energy source, environment and natural resources are affected by the manufacturing procedures of the product. The affected degrees serve as the ecological factors. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a motherboard with an energy saving function is coupled to an external power supply. The external power supply provides an operational power. The motherboard comprises a battery and a processing device. The battery provides a standby power. The processing device receives the operational power in a turned-on mode. The processing device does not receive the operational power and receives the standby power in a turned-off mode. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an operation system; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the processing device; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the operation system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an operation system. The operation system  100  comprises an external power supply  110  and a motherboard  130 . The external power supply  110  is disposed out the motherboard  130  and provides an operational power V OP  to the motherboard  130 . In this embodiment, the motherboard  130  is an energy using product (EUP) and has an energy saving function. The motherboard  130  comprises a processing device  131  and a battery  133 . 
     The conventional functions and structures of the motherboard  130  are well known to those skilled in the field such that  FIG. 1  does not show the conventional structures, and the conventional descriptions of the motherboard are omitted for brevity. In addition, the invention does not limit the structure of the processing device  131 . Any electronic device can serve as the processing device  131  if the electronic devices can receive the operational power V OP  generated by the external power supply and can receive a standby power V ST  provided by the battery  133 . 
     When the operation system  100  is in a turned-on mode, the processing device  131  receives the operational power V OP  provided by the external power supply  110 . When the operation system  100  is in a turned-off mode, the processing device  131  does not receive the operational power V OP  and receives the standby power V ST  provided by the battery  133 . 
     In the turned-on mode, since the motherboard  130  does not receive the operational power V OP  provided by the external power supply  110 , AC consumption of the operation system  100  is approximately 0 W. Thus, the operation system  100  achieves the energy saving function. Additionally, the AC consumption of the motherboard  130  is less than 1 W. Therefore, the motherboard  130  serves as an EUP defined by the European union. 
     In other embodiments, when the operation system  100  enters S 3  mode (i.e. a standby mode or a dormant mode), the processing device  131  does not receive the operational power V OP  and receives the standby power V ST  provided by the battery  133  to avoid the AC consumption. 
     The invention does not limit the type of the battery  133 . The battery  133  can be an alkaline battery or a rechargeable battery. For example, assuming the battery  133  is a rechargeable battery, although the processing device  133  receives the power of the rechargeable battery in the turned-off mode, the processing device  133  charges the rechargeable battery in the turned-on mode. Therefore, the power of the rechargeable battery is sustained and maintained. 
     In the turned-on or the turned-off mode, the processing device  131  detects whether a specific condition is occurring. When the specific condition is occurring, the processing device  131  executes a predetermined action. In one embodiment, the specific condition is that the processing device  131  receives an activating signal issued by an external device, such as a mouse, a keyboard, an internet. 
     Assuming the operation system  100  is a computer with an encryption function. When receiving a correct password, the operation system  100  executes a turn-on action. In this case, the specific condition is that the correct password is input and the predetermined action is to turn-on the operation system  100 . A user utilizes a keyboard or a mouse to input the correct password. Since the processing device  131  receives the standby power V ST  in the turned-off mode, the processing device  131  (e.g. a keyboard controller) can detect whether a correct password is input. If the input password is correct, the processing device  131  does not receive the standby power V ST  and again receives the operational power V OP  such that the turned-on mode is again entered. 
     In another embodiment, the processing device  131  is a storage unit. The invention does not limit the type of the storage unit. In some embodiments, the storage unit is a Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR SRAM), a flash or hard disk. When the operation system  100  is in a standby mode, since the storage unit receives the standby power V ST , data stored in the storage unit can be maintained. 
     In other embodiments, the processing unit  131  can be a detector to detect whether an activating signal is issued. The activating signal is issued by a remote control device. In this case, the processing device  131  receives power in the turned-off mode such that the processing device  131  is capable of detecting whether an activating signal is issued by a remote control device. The processing device  131  executes a predetermined action (e.g. turning on the operation system) according to the received activating signal. 
     Assuming the motherboard  130  connects to a remote control device via a network line. When the remote control device issues an activating signal (e.g. a turn-on signal), since the processing device  131  receives the standby power V ST  in the turned-off mode or in a standby mode, the operation system  100  can be switched to enter a turned-on mode from a turned-off mode. 
     In another embodiment, the processing device  131  receives the operational power V OP  or the standby power V ST  according to a power on signal (PSON) received by a central processing unit (CPU). For example, when the CPU receives the power on signal, the processing device  131  only receives the operational power V OP . When the CPU does not receive the power on signal, the processing device  131  only receives the standby power V ST . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the processing device. In this embodiment, the processing device  131  comprises switches SW 1  and SW 2 , a control unit  210  and a main unit  230 . The switch SW 1  is coupled between the external power supply  110  and the main unit  230 . When the switch SW 1  is turned on, the operational power V OP  is transmitted to the main unit  230 . 
     The switch SW 2  is coupled between the main unit  230  and the battery  133 . When the switch SW 2  is turned on, the standby power V ST  is transmitted to the main unit  230 . The invention does not limit the kind of the main unit  230 . In some embodiment, the main unit  230  is a keyboard controller, DDRSRAM or other electronic devices, which need a standby power. 
     In this embodiment, the processing device  131  comprises a detection controlling unit  210 . The detection controlling unit  210  determines whether to turn on or off the switches SW 1  and SW 2  according to an activating signal (i.e. PSON). The invention does not limit the kind of the activating signal. Any signal can serve as the activating signal if the signals relate to a turned-on action or a turned-off action of the operation system  100 . 
     For example, when the detection controlling unit  210  detects the signal PSON, the switch SW 1  is turned on and the switch SW 2  is turned off. Thus, the main unit  230  receives the operational power V OP . In this embodiment, the motherboard  130  executes a turning-on action and the operation system enters a turned-on mode because the signal PSON is issued. If the signal PSON is not detected by the detection controlling unit  210 , the switch SW 1  is turned off and the switch SW 2  is turned on. Thus, the main unit  230  receives the standby power V sT . In this embodiment, the motherboard  130  enters a turned-off mode or a standby mode because the signal PSON is not issued. 
     In another embodiment, a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is utilized to turn on or off the switches SW 1  and SW 2 . In this case, a user decides whether to activate an energy saving function of the BIOS. If the energy saving function is activated, the switch SW 1  is turned off and the switch SW 2  is turned on in the turned-off mode. Thus, the main unit  230  receives the standby power V ST  such that the AC consumption of the operation system  100  is reduced. 
     The invention does not limit the method of activating the energy saving function. In other embodiment, a switch is disposed in the case of the operation system  100 . A user turns the switch on or off to determine whether to activate the energy saving function. When the switch is turned on, the energy saving function is activated. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the operation system.  FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 1  except for the addition of an indicating device  335 . In this embodiment, the processing device  331  provides a control signal V C  according to the usage state of the battery  333 . The indicating device  335  is controlled by the control signal V C . A user can obtain the usage state of the battery  333  according to the indicating device  335 . 
     The invention does not limit the kind of the indicating device  335 . Any devices are capable of serving the indicating device  335  when the devices are capable of noticing the usage state of the battery  333 . For example, the indicating device  335  comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) in one embodiment. The different colors of light emitted by the LED indicate the different usage state of the battery  333 . In one embodiment, the LED can emit a red light, a green light or a blue light. In another embodiment, the indicating device  335  is a display panel. The display panel shows a notice which provides the user with information pertaining to the condition of the battery  333 . The notice information indicates that the battery  333  is charged or not charged, or experiencing failure. 
     In the above embodiments, the indicating device  335  utilizes a visual method (e.g. emitting light or display image) to indicate the usage state of the battery  333 . In other embodiments, the indicating device  335  utilizes a voice method to indicate the usage state of the battery  333 . For example, when the battery  335  has a failure, the indicating device  335  sends a warning voice to immediately warn the user. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.