Computer system and control method thereof capable of changing performance mode using dedicated button

• US 10,101,875 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyoung-youl, Park, Min-sun, Cho, Keon-young
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng Ai T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huaracha, Willy W
• Application Number:
  US14/086,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 718102, 718103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4818 Priority circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4831 with variable priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4893 taking into account power or heat criteria power management in computers in general G06F1/3203; thermal management in computers in general G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An electronic apparatus comprising is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a keyboard to receive a user input to switch from a normal performance mode to a high performance mode, a processor to reassign a higher priority to a program, which has been active with a priority in the normal performance mode, such that the program is executed with the higher priority in the high performance mode that otherwise would have been executed with the priority previously assigned, and a display screen to display a mode indication visibly indicating at least one of the normal performance mode or the high performance mode.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus for changing a performance mode among a plurality of performance modes using a dedicated key, comprising:

a keyboard configured to receive a single keystroke input from the dedicated key to switch between performance modes, the performance modes including at least a normal performance mode and a high performance mode;

a display screen; and

a processor coupled to at least one of an optical disk drive (ODD), and a fan, and configured to;

run processes of a program of a plurality of programs, which are currently active and executing according to a priority order corresponding to a current performance mode,

determine whether a keystroke input from the dedicated key to switch between the performance modes is received via the keyboard, and

in response to the determination that the keystroke input is received, display

an indicator of the current performance mode on the display screen,

wherein, when the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within a predetermined period of time, the processor is further configured to switch the current performance mode to execute the processes according to a high priority order corresponding to the high performance mode,

wherein, when the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within the predetermined period of time, the processor is further configured to switch the current performance mode to execute the processes according to a normal priority order corresponding to the normal performance mode,

wherein the processor, when switching between the performance modes, is further configured to increase or decrease an operating speed of at least one of the ODD, and the fan according to the current performance mode, and

wherein a user is able to select the normal performance mode or the high performance mode with the single keystroke input through the dedicated key without calling for a task manager dialog box, which is provided from an Operating System (OS) of the electronic apparatus, on the display screen.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to increase or decrease a priority order for the processes being performed by the processor based on the current performance mode.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

if the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode, execute the processes according to the normal priority order in which threads of the processes are performed in a normal order, and

if the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode, execute the processes according to the high priority order in which threads of the processes are performed in an order other than the normal order.

4. A method of an electronic apparatus, comprising:

running processes of a program of a plurality of programs, which are currently active and executing according to a priority order corresponding to a current performance mode;

determining whether a single keystroke input from a dedicated key to switch between performance modes is received via a keyboard;

in response to the determination that the single keystroke input is received, displaying an indicator of the current performance mode on a display screen,

when the current performance mode corresponds to a normal performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within a predetermined period of time, executing the processes according to a high priority order corresponding to a high performance mode;

when the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within the predetermined period of time, executing the processes according to a normal priority order corresponding to the normal performance mode;

when switching between the performance modes, increasing or decreasing an operating speed of at least one of an optical disk drive (ODD), and a fan according to the current performance mode; and

in response to the determination that the single keystroke input is received, displaying an indicator of the current performance mode on the display screen,

wherein a user is able to select the normal performance mode or the high performance mode with the single keystroke input through the dedicated key provided in the keyboard without calling for a task manager dialog box, which is provided from an Operating System (OS) of the electronic apparatus, on the display screen.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising executing an application that allows changing a priority order of the processes.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

if the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode, increasing a clock speed of a processor; and

if the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode, decreasing the clock speed of the processor.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the receiving of the single keystroke input further comprises receiving a command including a set of system control information capable of indicating a plurality of system performance parameters in addition to the current performance mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the set of system control information indicates a setting for the processor, a system environmental control, and a drive speed.