Systems apparatus and method for blocking power transition in response to a comparision with present system state

1. A system for blocking a power transition within a computer, comprising:

a power button;

a power control circuit;

a controller; and

a power control module to:

compare a present state of the computer to a predetermined set of blocked power-transition states; and

selectively set the power control circuit to a first mode in response to the comparing indicating that the present state is one of the blocked power-transition states, and selectively set the power control circuit to a second mode in response to the comparing indicating that the present state is not one of the blocked power-transition states,

wherein the power control circuit is to:

if the power control circuit is in the first mode, disable a power transition indication from being provided to the controller in response to user actuation of the power button, and

if the power control circuit is in the second mode, provide the power transition indication to the controller in response to user actuation of the power button,

wherein the controller is responsive to receipt of the power transition indication to transition the computer from the present state to a lower power state.

2. The system of claim 1 :

wherein the lower power state is selected from among a power-off state, a standby state, and a sleep-mode state.

3. The system of claim 1 :

wherein the blocked power-transition states include at least one from a group including:

BIOS update;

a boot-block update;

a computer element is in a current predetermined state;

a computer element is transitioning between operational states;

a computer element is being loaded, installed, updated, repaired, or restored within the computer;

a predetermined computer code is executing;

a predetermined computer hardware is in a predetermined operational state;

the computer is in one or more predefined temporal states; and

the computer is in one or more predefined network states.

4. The system of claim 1 :

wherein the power control circuit is to enable a power transition from a power-on state to a power-off state if the present state of the computer is one from a group including: a non-functional state, an error state, and a hung state.

5. An apparatus for blocking a power transition within a computer, comprising:

a blocking circuit; and

a power control module having:

instructions for setting the blocking circuit to a first mode in response to determining that a present state of the computer is one of blocked power-transition states; and

instructions for setting the blocking circuit to a second mode in response to determining that the present state is not one of the blocked power-transition states,

wherein the blocking circuit is to:

if the blocking circuit is in the first mode, disable a power transition indication from being provided to a controller in the computer in response to user actuation of a power button in the computer, and

if the blocking circuit is in the second mode, provide the power transition indication to the controller in response to user actuation of the power button, wherein providing the power transition indication to the controller is to cause the controller to transition the computer from the present state to a lower power state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 :

wherein the blocking switch is included in a keyboard controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 :

wherein the power control module is part of a BIOS.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power transition indication is a power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button, wherein the power control circuit includes a blocking circuit that is selectively settable to one of the first mode and the second mode, wherein the blocking circuit in the first mode is to block the power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button from being passed to the controller, and wherein the blocking circuit in the second mode is to pass the power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button to the controller.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power control circuit includes a blocking circuit that is selectively settable to one of the first mode and the second mode, wherein the blocking circuit in the first mode is to prevent generation of the power transition indication in response to user actuation of the power button, and wherein the blocking circuit in the second mode is to generate the power transition indication in response to user actuation of the power button.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined set of blocked power-transition states includes a boot code update state corresponding to a condition when boot code in the computer is being updated, and

wherein the power control module is to set the power control circuit to the first mode in response to the comparing indicating that the present state is the boot code update state.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the boot code is one of BIOS code and boot-block code.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the power control module is part of the boot code.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the power transition indication is a power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button, wherein the blocking circuit in the first mode is to block the power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button from being passed to the controller, and wherein the blocking circuit in the second mode is to pass the power transition signal activated by user actuation of the power button to the controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the blocking circuit in the first mode is to prevent generation of the power transition indication in response to user actuation of the power button, and wherein the blocking circuit in the second mode is to generate the power transition indication in response to user actuation of the power button.

15. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the blocked power-transition states include a boot code update state corresponding to a condition when boot code in the computer is being updated, and

wherein the power control module is to set the blocking circuit to the first mode in response to the present state being the boot code update state.