1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital computer system executing a scheduled operation with the system having the apparatus and method to execute the sceheduled operation. More particularly, the present invention relates to the digital computer system having a power management function that senses the request of a wake-up source, executes the scheduled operation by waking an operating system, and stands by in a hibernation state.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Interruption of computer operations (by powering on and off) concerns today's computer systems. Typically, when an interruption of electric power occurs during a computer operation, the data (along the operating system in process) are lost. On this matter, among the exemplars of the contemporary practice in the related arts is Yamashita et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,860, Monitoring System In Auto-Restoring Image Reproducing System, Sep. 3, 1996) discussing a monitoring system in auto-restoring image reproducing system. It involves display by an image reproducing machine of the system in connection with fault diagnosis and auto-restoration processes by the image reproducing machine. Hsiang (U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,087, System For Selectively Operating In Different Modes Depending Upon Receiving Signal From A Host Computer Within A Time Window Upon Power Up, May 28, 1996) discusses a system for selectively operating in different modes depending upon receiving signal from a host computer within a time window upon power up. A control available time window of prearranged duration is set up in the local device in response to a power on start condition. Ikeda (U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,847, Power Saving Control System For Computer System With Feature Of Selective Initiation Of Power Saving Control, Dec. 12, 1995) discusses a power saving control system for computer system with feature of selective initiation of power saving control. Patsiokas et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,558, Method And Apparatus Having Time Dependent Sleep Modes, Oct. 24, 1995) discusses a method and apparatus having time dependent sleep modes. A remote meter reading system includes a group of meter interface units in which cach meter interface unit operates between periods of activity and inactivity. Oshiba et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,500, Integrated Circuit Device With Stand-By Cancellation, Apr. 26, 1994) discusses an integrated circuit device having a processing unit with a plurality of input terminals and adapted to cancel its stand-by mode when a pulse-like control signal having a predetermined duration is received by one of the input terminals. Brown, Jr. et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,782, Energy Management System With Responder Unit Having An Override, Jul. 11, 1989) discusses an energy management system provides energy managing signals over a medium, such as TV cables, power lines, telephone lines or free space radio frequency transmissions, to a plurality of subscriber units. Iijima et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,352, Process Control System And Method Thereof, Apr. 25, 1989) discusses a process control system having a timer circuit which fixes operational periods by issuing an instruction for starting each of a plurality of time periods in such a manner that the computation of control blocks will occur during periods of fixed duration. From my study of these exemplars of the contemporary practice and of the prior art, I find that there is a need for an effective digital computer system--having a power management function that senses the request of a wake-up source, executes the scheduled operation by waking an operating system, and stands by in a hibernation state--that functions with the features of the present invention.