Power saving features for computing systems

• US 20030159074A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Oar, Jeffrey R., May, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

A computing system responds to an event that wakes the computing system from a sleep mode. The computing system recognizes the event and responds to the event. The response includes generating an event notification message that is transmitted to an external device separate from the computing system. The transmission is performed via wireless communication. The computing system then returns to the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method by which a computing system responds to an event that wakes the computing system from a sleep mode, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) recognizing the event by the computing system;

(b) responding to the event by the computing system, including the following substeps;

(b.1) generating an event notification message, and

(b.2) transmitting the event notification message to an external device separate from the computing system, the transmitting being performed via wireless communication; and

,

(c) returning the computing system to the sleep mode.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein in substep (b.2) the external device is one of the following:

a personal digital assistant;

a cell phone;

a pager;

a dedicated display device.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the event is one of the following:

an incoming call to the computing system;

an alarm from a calendar program operating within the computing system;

an incoming fax communication;

an incoming e-mail communication;

an inquiry from the external device;

receipt of positioning information.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein in substep (b.2) the transmission is made by the computing system directly to the external device via a wireless network.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein in substep (b.2) the transmission is made by the computing system to the external device via a wireless modem.

6. A method as in claim 1:

wherein the event is an inquiry from the external device; and

wherein in substep (b.2) the event notification message includes a response to the inquiry from the external device.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the event is one of the following:

an access by the electronic device into a database within the computing system;

an access into a calendaring program within the computing system program.

8. A method as in claim 1:

wherein the event is an incoming phone call to the computing system; and

,

wherein the step (b) additionally includes the following substep;

(b.3) providing a pop-up window that displays information pertaining to the phone call, the pop-up window being displayed to a user upon the user awakening the computing system.

9. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising the following step:

(d) queuing up the event notification message for retransmission when no receipt acknowledgement is received by the computing system.

10. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising the following step:

(d) retransmitting the event notification message when no receipt acknowledgement is received by the computing system.

11. Storage media, the storage media storing software which when executing on a computing system performs a method by which the computing system responds to an event that wakes the computing system from a sleep mode, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) recognizing the event by the computing system;

(b) responding to the event by the computing system, including the following substeps;

(b.1) generating an event notification message, and

(b.2) transmitting the event notification message to an external device separate from the computing system, the transmitting being performed via wireless communication; and

,

(c) returning the computing system to the sleep mode.

12. Storage media as in claim 11 wherein in substep (b.2) the external device is one of the following:

a personal digital assistant;

a cell phone;

a pager;

a dedicated display device.

13. Storage media as in claim 11 wherein the event is one of the following:

a incoming call to the computing system;

an alarm from a calendar program operating within the computing system;

an incoming fax communication;

an incoming e-mail communication;

an inquiry from the external device;

receipt of positioning information.

14. Storage media as in claim 11 wherein in substep (b.2) the transmission is made by the computing system directly to the external device via a wireless network.

15. Storage media as in claim 11 wherein in substep (b.2) the transmission is made by the computing system to the external device via a wireless modem.

16. Storage media as in claim 11:

wherein the event is an inquiry from the external device; and

,

wherein in substep (b.2) the event notification message includes a response to the inquiry from the external device.

17. Storage media as in claim 11 wherein the event is one of the following:

an access by the electronic device into a database within the computing system;

an access into a calendaring program within the computing system program.

18. Storage media as in claim 11:

wherein the event is an incoming phone call to the computing system; and

,

wherein the step (b) additionally includes the following substep;

(b.3) providing a pop-up window that displays information pertaining to the phone call, the pop-up window being displayed to a user upon the user awakening the computing system.

19. A method performed by a computing system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) waking the computing system from a sleep mode upon receiving a cellular phone call to the computing system;

(b) providing a pop-up window that displays information pertaining to the phone call, the pop-up window being displayed to a user upon the user awakening the computing system; and

,

(c) returning the computing system to the sleep mode.

20. A method performed by a computing system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) waking the computing system from a sleep mode upon receiving an inquiry sent to the computing system from an external device;

(b) responding to the inquiry by the computing system, including the following substeps;

(b.1) generating an event notification message, and

(b.2) transmitting the event notification message back to the external device, the transmitting being performed via wireless communication; and

,

(c) returning the computing system to the sleep mode.

21. A method as in claim 20 wherein the inquiry is one of the following:

.

an access by the electronic device into a database within the computing system;

an access into a calendaring program within the computing system program.

22. A method as in claim 20 wherein external device is one of the following:

a cell phone;

a pager;

a dedicated display device.