Abstract: A power management module electrically coupled between an AC/DC switching power supply and an electronic apparatus comprises a memory device, voltage and current detecting units, a writing unit, and an alarm signal generation unit. The memory device generates an output data to the electronic apparatus. The voltage and current detecting units detect voltages and currents of the output terminals of the switching power supply, respectively. The writing unit writes a new input data and the voltage and current data to the memory. The alarm signal generation unit generates an alarm signal to the electronic apparatus according to the data stored in the memory device and according to the operation condition of the switching power supply.

Abstract: Approaches for updating a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) program used in a computer system. The computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory is used to store the BIOS program, and the BIOS program includes a booting area and a program area for storing a first BIOS image file. The update method includes: duplicating a second BIOS image file from an external storage device of the computer system to a designated area of an internal non-volatile storage device of the computer system; changing a flag from a first status to a second status after the duplication is completed; checking the status of the first BIOS image file when the computer system is booted; and booting the computer system by the first BIOS image file or the second BIOS image file according to the status of the first BIOS image file.

Abstract: Approaches for updating a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) program used in a computer system. The computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory is used to store the BIOS program, and the BIOS program includes a booting area and a program area for storing a first BIOS image file. The update method includes: duplicating a second BIOS image file from an external storage device of the computer system to a designated area of an internal non-volatile storage device of the computer system; changing a flag from a first status to a second status after the duplication is completed; checking the status of the first BIOS image file when the computer system is booted; and booting the computer system by the first BIOS image file or the second BIOS image file according to the status of the first BIOS image file.

Abstract: A power management module electrically coupled between an AC/DC switching power supply and an electronic apparatus comprises a memory device, voltage and current detecting units, a writing unit, and an alarm signal generation unit. The memory device generates an output data to the electronic apparatus. The voltage and current detecting units detect voltages and currents of the output terminals of the switching power supply, respectively. The writing unit writes a new input data and the voltage and current data to the memory. The alarm signal generation unit generates an alarm signal to the electronic apparatus according to the data stored in the memory device and according to the operation condition of the switching power supply.

Abstract: An embedded controller (EC) is a microprocessor having a firmware storage for use in a notebook computer (NB) to control keyboard, touch pad or other user interfaces. When the NB is just powered on or before the south-bridge chip (ICH) is activated, the EC is switched from a slave to a master, and the whole or part of firmware codes can be downloaded from the BIOS storage via LPC/SPI bus. Then, the whole or part of the firmware is updated using an in-circuit programming function of the Firmware Storage. Thereafter, the EC is switched back to the slave, and the NB is powered on or the ICH is activated. It is not necessary to update EC firmware corresponding to different version of BIOS when manufacturing an NB, and unexpected errors encountered during the EC self-updating can be effectively repaired to protect the EC firmware.