System and method for accessory device architecture that passes via intermediate processor a descriptor when processing in a low power state

• US 10,678,743 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Drasnin, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Peyton, Tammara R
• Application Number:
  US15/960,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An accessory device architecture is described. In one or more implementations, data is received from an accessory device at an integrated circuit of a computing device, the data usable to enumerate functionality of the accessory device for operation as part of a computing device that includes the integrated circuit. The data is passed by the integrated circuit to an operating system executed on processor of the computing device to enumerate the functionality of the accessory device as part of the integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a first processor configured to execute an operating system of the computing device;

an interface supporting communicative coupling between the computing device and an accessory device; and

a second processor communicatively coupled to the first processor and the interface, the second processor being configured to;

communicatively couple to the accessory device via the interface;

operate when the first processor is in a low power state;

receive data usable to enumerate functionality of the accessory device when the first processor is in the low power state; and

communicate to the first processor information regarding the functionality of the accessory device described in the received data;

wherein the first processor is configured to communicate with the accessory device through the second processor.

2. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the functionality of the accessory device is communicated to the first processor as functionality of the second processor so that the functionality of the accessory device is made available to the operating system.

3. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the functionality of the accessory device is communicated to the first processor as functionality of a separate device so that the accessory device is viewable by the operating system.

4. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to use a wireless connection for the communicative coupling between the computing device and the accessory device.

5. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the second processor is configured to provide reports including sensor data obtained from one or more sensors of the computing device to the accessory device that cause the accessory device to perform power management.

6. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the second processor is communicatively coupled to the first processor via a communications interface that is clocked when actively engaged in transport but is not otherwise clocked.

7. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the received data identifies a data format for use in interaction between the computing device and the functionality of the accessory device.

8. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the received data identifies a device type of the accessory device.

9. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the received data includes one or more of a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device or a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device.

10. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the received data identifies a version of the accessory device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first processor of a computing device, data usable to enumerate functionality of an accessory device communicatively coupled to the first processor while a second processor of the computing device is in a low power state;

communicating, from the first processor to the second processor, information regarding the functionality of the accessory device described in the received data; and

communicating between the second processor and the accessory device through the first processor based on the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the communication of the information includes passing the received data from the first processor to the second processor without modifying the received data.

13. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising communicatively coupling the accessory device to the computing device using a wireless connection.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device identifies one or more of:

a data format for use in interaction between the computing device and the functionality of the accessory device;

a device type of the accessory device;

a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device;

a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device;

a version of the accessory device.

15. A first processor configured to:

be communicatively coupled to an accessory device;

be communicatively coupled to a second processor;

receive data usable to enumerate functionality of the accessory device when the second processor is in a low power state;

communicate to the second processor information regarding the functionality of the accessory device described in the received data for use by the second processor to interact with the functionality of the accessory device via the communicative coupling between the first processor and the accessory device; and

operate when the second processor is in the low power state.

16. A first processor as described in claim 15, wherein the first processor is configured to:

communicate the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device to the second processor as functionality of the first processor so that the functionality of the accessory device is made available to an operating system executed on the second processor to enumerate the functionality of the accessory device as part of the first processor;

or

communicate the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device to the second processor as functionality of a separate device so that the accessory device is viewable by the operating system.

17. A first processor device as described in claim 15, wherein the communicative coupling between the first processor and the accessory device is a wireless connection.

18. A first processor as described in claim 15, wherein the first processor is configured to be communicatively coupled to the processor via a communications interface that is clocked when actively engaged in transport but is not otherwise clocked.

19. A first processor as described in claim 15, wherein the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device identifies one or more of:

a data format for use in interaction with the functionality of the accessory device;

a device type of the accessory device;

a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device;

a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device;

a version of the accessory device.

20. A first processor as described in claim 15, wherein the first processor is configured to provide reports including sensor data obtained from one or more sensors of the computing device to the accessory device that cause the accessory device to perform power management.