JPH08166839A - Automatic power source control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To power ON a computer from a remote place through an ATM-LAN network and to know whether or not the computer can be powered ON. CONSTITUTION: A communication protocol required to automatically power ON the computer is defined for the use through the ATM-LAN network and then interpreted by a communication control part 33 and when power-ON operation is commanded, a program in a ROM 32 is started to turn ON the power switch of an outlet box 5 through an I/O control part 34. After the power source is turned ON, it is reported that the power source is correctly turned ON by using the communication protocol at the time of the power-ON operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic power control system, and more particularly to a remote computer to an ATM-LAN (A
synchronous Transfer Mode
The present invention relates to an automatic power supply control system for controlling power-on of a destination computer using a Local Area Network).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a device or a mechanism for turning on a power source of a computer from a remote place via a communication network, a public line or a dedicated line which is the communication network, or an L-specification unique to each manufacturer.
This is implemented by monitoring changes in electrical signals on the AN control signal line and the like. Therefore, the DDX packet network, Ethernet, FDDI,
Such a system cannot be adopted for an interface having no electric signal such as ATM-LAN.

Therefore, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-74709 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-343115, instead of monitoring changes in electric signals, power-on control of a destination computer is performed according to a normal information communication protocol. Techniques for doing so are disclosed.

That is, an information frame in which power-on command information is inserted is transmitted from a remote computer to a power control device on the destination computer side via a communication network, and the power-on command of this information frame is detected to detect the destination. It is designed to power on the computer.

[0005]

The prior arts disclosed in the above publications can be applied to a communication network without electric signals such as ATM-LAN, but in a computer at a remote place where a power-on command is generated, There is a problem that it is unknown whether or not this power-on command is normally made.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ATM-LAN compatible automatic power supply control system capable of generating a response to a power-on command.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automatic power supply control system having a power supply control device for controlling power-on of a destination computer from a remote computer using an ATM-LAN network, The remote computer has means for sending a transmission frame indicating a power-on command to the destination computer, and the power supply control device responds to the reception of the transmission frame indicating the power-on command by the destination computer. There is provided an automatic power supply control system characterized by having means for turning on the power supply of (1) and means for sending a response frame for reporting the power on to the remote computer.

[0008]

[Function] A response for executing the communication protocol required for automatic power-on, interpreting this communication protocol in the power supply control device, extracting a power-on command, and reporting whether or not the power is correctly turned on after the power is turned on. I will try to send it back to you.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is an ATM-LAN network, 2 is a computer that issues a power-on command, and 3 is an automatic power control device that controls the power supply of the computer 4. 5
Is a power outlet box.

The automatic power control device 3 is always in a power-on state, and when a power-on command is issued from the computer 2, the power of the computer 4 is turned on and communication between the computers 2 and 4 is enabled.

Next, the power control method will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the operation of power supply control between the automatic power supply control device 3 and the computer. Computer 2
Then, the power-on command is transmitted to the automatic power control device 3 (). The device 3 interprets this on command, turns on the power of the computer 4, and sends a response indicating that the power was turned on correctly to the computer 2 that issued the power on command (). Then, inter-computer communication is performed (). If the power is not properly turned on, this response is returned together with code data indicating that.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a frame format of the power-on command and its response. Generally B-ISDN
Although there are various communication protocols above, the automatic power supply control device 3 is defined as one node on the network. That is, if the control format of only the power-on command is defined and transmitted only to the node address of the power supply control device 3 (destination address DA of FIG. 3 is set to the node address), the communication of other computers is affected. It can be realized without any form.

FIG. 3 shows the same format as the information frame format on the ATM-LAN. DA is the destination address, SA is the source address, Length is the information indicating the effective data length, and Type is the power control frame. , And Control is control information.

If this frame is a power control frame, DA is a unique node address assigned to the power control device 3. Further, SA is a node address of the computer 2, Length is "0" because there is no valid data to be transmitted, and Type is a code (0001) indicating power control. And Contro
l is a code (0001) indicating a power-on command. In case of response to power-on command, this Con
troll becomes (1000), and when the power is not properly turned on, code data indicating that is set.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the automatic power supply controller 3. This device uses a CPU 31, and this CPU 3
1, the communication control 33 and the I / O control 34 are performed.
A program for performing this control is stored in the ROM 32 in advance. As described with reference to FIG. 2, the automatic power supply control device 3 receives the power-on command from the ROM.
The program 32 instructs the automatic power supply control device 3 connected to the power supply of the computer to turn on the power supply by an I / O command. As a result, the I / O control unit 34 turns on the physical switch of the outlet box 5 and turns on the computer 4.

After the power of the computer 4 is properly turned on, the device 3 returns a response to that effect to the node address that transmitted the power on command. When the power is not turned on, a response to that effect is returned, but a code indicating the cause can also be returned.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, A
When controlling the power supply of the computer connected to the TM-LAN, by connecting the device capable of interpreting the power-on command to the computer, the ATM-LAN connection computer from a remote place, which has been impossible by the conventional method. Since the automatic power-on can be performed and the result of the power-on processing is returned as a response, the computer which has issued the power-on command can confirm whether or not the other computer is powered on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a concept of a power-on command operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a frame format of a power-on command and its response.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an automatic power supply control device 3.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ATM-LAN 2,4 Computer 3 Automatic power control device 5 Outlet box

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A remote computer to ATM-LAN
An automatic power control system having a power control device for controlling power-on of a destination computer using a network, wherein the remote computer sends a transmission frame indicating a power-on command to the destination computer. The power supply control device includes means for powering on the destination computer in response to reception of the transmission frame indicating the power-on command, and a response frame for reporting the power-on to the remote computer. An automatic power supply control system comprising: a means for sending out. 2. The automatic power supply control system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply control device has means for inserting and sending a message to the effect that the power-on is not performed correctly in the response frame. . 3. The power supply control device has input / output control means for controlling a power supply switch, and is configured to turn on the power supply switch of the destination computer via the input / output control means. The automatic power supply control system according to claim 1, wherein the automatic power supply control system is provided.