Proximity based method and apparatus for reducing electrical energy consumed by a personal computer with a sleep mode

• US 20030051181A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sahasrabudhe, Rohit R., Magee, Timothy David
• Granted Patent: US 7,017,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A personal computer that enters sleep mode to conserve electrical energy is responsive to a proximity detector and a proximity timer. As long as a user is near the computer, as determined by the proximity detector, the computer is controlled by an activity timer, and enters sleep mode upon being idle for a predetermined period of time. When the proximity detector determines that the user has left the computer unattended, the proximity detector starts the proximity timer. When the proximity timer expires, the computer enters sleep mode. Because the proximity timer operates only when the user has left the computer unattended, the proximity timer may be set to expire earlier than the activity timer. Consequently, the computer may enter sleep mode earlier than would otherwise be possible, and thereby consumes less energy.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reducing electrical energy consumption, the apparatus comprising:

a personal computer that enters a sleep mode responsive to a control signal;

a proximity detector for determining whether a user is away from the personal computer; and

logic for generating the control signal when the proximity detector determines that the user is away from the personal computer.

2. Apparatus for reducing electrical energy consumption, the apparatus comprising:

a personal computer that enters a sleep mode responsive to a control signal;

a proximity detector for determining whether a user is away from the personal computer and generating a proximity signal when the user is away from the personal computer; and

logic for starting a proximity timer responsive to generation of the proximity signal, comparing a value of the proximity timer to a value of a proximity timer threshold, and generating the control signal when the value of the proximity timer exceeds the value of the proximity timer threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the proximity detector is responsive to an electromagnetic signal emitted by a wireless key.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electromagnetic signal carries a serial number associated with the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless key is included in a cellular telephone.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electromagnetic signal is emitted by a Bluetooth transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless key is included in an identification badge.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein battery power to the wireless key is switched on when the user presents the identification badge to a security system.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wireless key responds to a poll from the proximity detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless key includes a passive transponder that delays and returns the poll to the proximity detector.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleep mode is a full state sleep mode.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleep mode is a component sleep mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleep mode is a display sleep mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleep mode is a processor sleep mode.

15. A method of conserving electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

determining, by a proximity detector, whether a user is away from a personal computer; and

putting the personal computer into a sleep mode when the user is determined to be away from the personal computer.

16. A method of conserving electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

determining, by a proximity detector, whether a user is away from a personal computer;

starting a proximity timer when the user is determined to be away from the personal computer;

determining whether a value of the proximity timer exceeds a value of a proximity timer threshold; and

putting the personal computer into a sleep mode when the value of the proximity timer exceeds the value of the proximity timer threshold.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the proximity detector is responsive to an electromagnetic signal emitted by a wireless key.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless key is included in a cellular telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless key is included in an identification badge.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless key responds to a poll by the proximity detector.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic signal carries a serial number associated with the user.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the sleep mode is a full state sleep mode.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the sleep mode is a component sleep mode.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the sleep mode is a display sleep mode.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the sleep mode is a processor sleep mode.

26. A method of conserving electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

starting a proximity timer and an activity timer;

determining, by an activity detector, whether a personal computer is idle;

when the activity detector determines that the personal computer is idle, determining, by a proximity detector, whether a user is near the personal computer;

when the proximity detector determines that the user is near the personal computer, resetting the proximity timer, and comparing a value of the activity timer to a value of an activity timer threshold; and

when the value of the activity timer exceeds the value of the activity timer threshold, putting the personal computer into a sleep mode.

27. A method of conserving electrical energy, comprising the steps of:

starting a proximity timer and an activity timer;

determining, by an activity detector, whether a personal computer is idle;

when the activity detector determines that the personal computer is idle, determining, by a proximity detector, whether the personal computer is unattended;

when the proximity detector determines that the personal computer is unattended, comparing a value of the proximity timer to a value of a proximity timer threshold; and

when the value of the proximity timer exceeds the value of the proximity timer threshold, putting the personal computer into a sleep mode.