Patent Publication Number: US-2011055606-A1

Title: Computer system, integrated chip, super io module and control method of the computer system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to computer resource management, and in particular, to access privilege control of a computer system based on user location. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Availability of public computer use is increasing. In offices, schools, commercial establishments and internet cafes, computers are always used by numerous users. The computer can be used by multiple users at home too. Under such circumstances, computer resource management issue becomes important. For example, the electricity is wasted if a user leaves a computer on when the computer is not used. Additionally, if a user locks a computer console on a public computer, the next user may have trouble accessing the locked console. Furthermore, user passwords or private information may be made available to following users, if proper steps for security are not taken by a user on a public computer. 
     Restricting user privileges to public computers is one of conventional computer resource management method. Additionally, for public computers in schools, an implant recovery mechanism may be applied. Thus, once the public computer is rebooted, the system is automatically recovered to its initial state that resets every modification made by a previous user, and all the occupied computer resources would be released and available for a next user. However, the recovery mechanism does not reduce electricity consumption if the computer is unoccupied. Moreover, by automatically resetting the system, permanent data loss of the original user may not be a desired outcome. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of a computer system is provided. In the computer system, a wireless module detects whether a mobile device is within a range of a predetermined distance to the computer system. A super Input/Output (IO) module is electrically coupled to the wireless module, managing the computer system&#39;s status based on the detection performed by the wireless module. When the mobile device moves away from the range of the predetermined distance, the super IO module sends a first management signal to switch the computer system to an inactive status. When the mobile device moves into the range of the predetermined distance while the computer system is in the inactive status, the super IO module sends a second management signal to switch the computer system back to a normal operation status or power up the computer system. 
     An embodiment of a control method adaptable for a computer system is provided. A wireless module and a super IO module are provided. The wireless module detects whether a mobile device is within a range of a predetermined distance to the computer system. When the mobile device moves away from the range of the predetermined distance, the super IO module sends a first management signal to switch the computer system to an inactive status. When the mobile device moves into the range of the predetermined distance while the computer system is in the inactive status, the super IO module sends a second management signal to switch the computer system back to a normal operation status. 
     An embodiment of an integrated chip (IC) adaptable in a computer system is provided. The IC comprises a power control pin electrically coupled to a power module in the computer system for controlling a power status of the computer system, a wireless module detecting whether a mobile device is within a range of a predetermined distance to the computer system, and a controller electrically coupled to the wireless module and the power control pin. When the mobile device moves away from the range of the predetermined distance, the controller sends a first power management signal to direct the power module to switch the computer system to an inactive status. When the mobile device moves into the range of the predetermined distance while the computer system is in the inactive status, the controller sends a second power management signal to direct the power module to switch the computer system back to a normal operation status or power up the computer system. 
     An embodiment of a super IO module for controlling serial ports, parallel ports, PS/2 ports, and a keyboard control module in the computer system, comprising a wireless module and a controller, is provided. The wireless module detects whether a mobile device is within a range of a predetermined distance to the computer system. The controller is electrically coupled to the wireless module. When the mobile device moves away from the range of the predetermined distance, the controller disables the serial ports, the parallel ports, the PS/2 ports and the keyboard control module. When the mobile device moves into the range of the predetermined distance, the controller enables the serial ports, the parallel ports, the PS/2 ports, and the keyboard control module. 
     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 reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a computer system according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart of the control method described in one embodiment according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     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. 
     The embodiments of the invention assume the following premise: that a computer is safe if a user is nearby, otherwise, a security mechanism must be imposed. Following, a computer and a control method thereof of the invention will be described. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a computer system according to the invention. A computer system  120  substantially comprises a central processing unit  102 , a north bridge  104 , a south bridge  106 , a main memory  112  and a firmware  114  each serving different functions. Since the structure of a computer system  120  is generally known to those skilled in the art, detailed description is omitted herein. 
     In the embodiment, the computer system  120  can communicate with a mobile device  110 . Since a mobile device  110  is usually carried by an owner, the presence of the mobile device  110  represents the presence of the owner. The computer system  120  comprises a wireless module  140 , receiving and transmitting wireless signals through an antenna  130  to communicate with the mobile device  110 . Thus, the wireless module  140  can detect whether the computer system  120  is within a range of a predetermined distance. The wireless module  140  can be an infrared transmission module, and radio frequency identification (RFID) module, a Bluetooth module, or even a magnitude card sensor. The mobile device  110  can be a wireless module having a certificate, such as a Bluetooth mobile phone, an infrared remote controller, an RFID card or a magnitude card. Distance detection can be actively implemented by the wireless module  140  by broadcasting beacon signals and listening echoes, or passively implemented by waiting for receiving the wireless signal sent from the mobile device  110 . Note that Bluetooth follows a broadcast standard, and the RFID is a non-contact sensing mechanism. Various detection technologies are applicable in the embodiment. 
     The wireless module  140  can comprise a verifier  142 , and the mobile device  110  has a certificate (not shown). The certificate can comprise authorization information that can be identified by the verifier  142  to determine whether its owner has access privilege to the computer system  120 . The access privilege can be a list of allowed/disallowed applications, or permissions to use peripheral devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a CD-ROM driver, and a floppy disk driver. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the computer system  120  can comprise a super IO module  108 . The super IO module  108  is electrically coupled to the wireless module  140 , the south bridge  106 , and the power module  116 . Specifically, the super IO module  108  can comprise a controller  150 . The wireless module  140  can be integrated as a subunit in the super IO module  108 . Thus, the super IO module  108  can control the status of computer system  120  according to the distance detection performed by the wireless module  140 . In a further embodiment, the super IO module  108  can further comprise a firmware  152  coupled to the controller  150  and adapted to support the controller  150  by performing status switching processes for the computer system  120 . 
     For example, when the mobile device  110  is beyond the range of the predetermined distance to the computer system  120 , the super IO module  108  can send a first management signal to switch the computer system  120  to an inactive status. When the mobile device  110  moves into the range of the predetermined distance while the computer system  120  is in the inactive status, the super IO module  108  can send a second management signal to switch the computer system  120  back to a normal operation status or power up the computer system  120 . The inactive status can be a standby status, a sleeping status or a powered off status. The normal operation status mentioned herein, as opposite to the inactive status, can be just a restored status from the standby status or sleeping status, or a cold start/restart of an unpowered computer. 
     Particularly, the first and second management signals are power management signals. The super IO module  108  has a power control pin  118  for outputting the power management signal #PWR to the power module  116 , which is electrically coupled to the power control pin  118 . The power control pin  118 , specifically, can be a PS-ON pin as defined in the Advance Technology Extended (ATX) standard, and the power module  116  following the ATX standard, changes the power status of the computer system  120  in response to the power management signal #PWR passed through the PS-ON pin. In the embodiment, the super IO module  108  has a controller  150  for generating the first and second power management signals. Furthermore, a firmware  152  can be included in super IO module  108  and adapted to support the controller to power up the computer system or switch the computer system  120  to an inactive status or back to a normal operation status. 
     The super IO module  108  can operate independently without being controlled by the operating system or software of the computer system  120 . For example, when the computer system  120  is powered off, the central processing unit  102 , south bridge  106  and north bridge  104  are also shutdown, but the super IO module  108  can still keep operating to sense the presence of the mobile device  110 . When a mobile device  110  moves into the range of the predetermined distance, the controller  150  in the super IO module  108  is triggered to deliver a power management signal #PWR to the power module  116 , directing the computer system  120  to power up. 
     In another embodiment, the first and second management signals initiated from the super IO module  108  can be sent to the central processing unit  102  through the south bridge  106 . Upon being triggered by the management signals, the central processing unit  102  can execute certain driver programs (not shown) to power up the computer system  120  or change the status of the computer system  120 , such as switching from an inactive status to normal operation status, or vice versa. 
     In another embodiment, the super IO module  108  can be connected to the south bridge  106  and firmware  114  through a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus or a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus. The firmware  114 , for example, can be the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). The super IO module  108  can be controlled by the firmware  114  to perform to a status switching procedure that generates the first or second management signal to change the status of the computer system  120 . 
     A particular example is provided to better describe the invention. The wireless module  140  continuously senses the presence of the mobile device  110 . If the presence of the mobile device  110  goes from a detectable status to be undetectable, it is assessed that the mobile device  110  is moved out from the effective range of the predetermined distance. In such a circumstance, the super IO module  108  sends a management signal (such as power management signal #PWR) to the power module  116  to trigger an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) mechanism that can switch the computer system  120  to an inactive status. If the predetermined distance is 10 meters, that means the computer system  120  can remain active while a user is within a 10 meter distance. The predetermined distance may also be defined to have a stricter range, such as 1 or 2 meters. 
     Meanwhile, if the presence of the mobile device  110  goes from undetectable to being detected, it is assessed that the mobile device  110  is approaching, and if the computer system  120  is inactive, the super IO module  108  may immediately send a power management signal #PWR to the power module  116  to trigger the ACPI mechanism that can power up the computer system  120 . The inactive status mentioned above may be variably defined by the operating system, driver program or firmware, to a status such as sleeping, standby or powering off status when a power control pin (e.g PS-ON) is triggered. Thus relevant applications of status changing/switching are not limited in the embodiment. 
     Through the embodiments of the super IO module  108  and the wireless module  140 , the computer system  120  can be switched from a power off state to a power on state, and vice versa. Furthermore, the wireless module  140  can verify validity of the certificate carried on the mobile device  110  to implement further security controls. For example, the wireless module  140  can comprise a verifier  142  for determining whether to grant access privileges (such as a list of allowed or disallowed applications) to the owner of the mobile device  110 . If the certificate does not pass the verification, the controller  150  in the super IO module  108  would not send any power management signal #PWR to the power module  116 . Additionally, the certificate can be adapted as a ticket for use with shared public computers. For example, one particular certificate may be granted for use with one particular computer. 
     Further, referring  FIG. 1 , the super IO module  108  is dedicated to control peripheral devices such as PS/2 ports, serial ports, parallel ports, game ports, floppy drivers, and a keyboard control module. Thus, in one embodiment, the super IO module  108  can partially or fully implement permission control on the peripheral devices based on the presence detection of mobile device  110  performed by the wireless module  140 . For example, if the mobile device  110  is moved out from the range of the predetermined distance, the controller  150  in the super IO module  108  can disable the PS/2 ports, serial ports, parallel ports, or/and the keyboard control module. Conversely, when the mobile device  110  moves into the range of the predetermined distance, those disabled peripheral devices may be enabled again. While the peripheral devices are disabled, the audio and video functions may not be affected, thus the computer system  120  may keep operating to output video and sounds. Such an approach is particularly adequate to public demonstrations or exhibitions where any unauthorized input to the computer system  120  is unwanted. The wireless module  140  can also be implemented in the super IO module  108  to form a single integrated chip. 
     Since the super IO module  108  controls input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, it is possible to implement a further embodiment as follows. For example, if the mobile device  110  moves into the range of the predetermined distance, the super IO module  108  can generate a simulated keyboard input string as if it was input through the keyboard (not shown), making the computer system  120  switch back to normal operation status from the inactive status. The simulated keyboard input string may serve as a password to unlock a console lock that requires the password. The keyboard control module (not shown) may be directly connected to the wireless module  140 , reacting directly in response to the detection results from wireless module  140 . The simulated keyboard input string can be predefined and stored in the firmware  114 . 
     The aforementioned various functions can be combined together. For example, when the mobile device  110  leaves an effective range, the computer system  120  does not have to immediately switch to the standby or power off status, instead, it may lock the console or logout of the operating system. Following, when the console lock or logout status is sustained for a predetermined period of time, the super IO module  108  can further send a power management signal #PWR to switch the computer system  120  into the sleeping status, the standby status or the power off status. 
     The aforementioned embodiments are summarized in a flowchart as shown in  FIG. 2 . In step  201 , the computer system  120  is activated. In step  203 , the wireless module  140  detects whether the mobile device  110  is located nearby the computer system  120 . If the wireless module  140  fails to sense the presence of mobile device  110 , the mobile device  110  is assessed as being out of range, and step  205  is processed to switch the computer system  120  to an inactive status. 
     In the embodiments, the inactive status is generally referred to as any limited status function such as console lock, logout, standby or powered off status. If in the step  203 , the presence of mobile device  110  is sensed, with a certificate having valid privileges, step  207  is processed, wherein the computer system  120  is switched back to the normal operation status from the inactive status. Further in step  203 , if the mobile device  110  is valid and the owner of the mobile device  110  is different from a previous user, step  207  further includes a logout process to logout the previous user, such that privacy of each user can be ensured. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. 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.