Method, apparatus and system for operating data processing devices

• US 20050044427A1
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunstan, Robert A., Laney, Clifton W., Nowlin, Dan H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system to enable a data processing device to operate while seemingly “off”. According to one embodiment, a data processing device is configured to recognize a new system state, i.e., Visual Off. On such a data processing device, when the power button is pressed, the request to turn off the device is intercepted by a module and the device is transitioned to a Visual Off state. To the user, this transition appears instantaneous. During the transition, audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on human interactive devices (“HID devices”) coupled to the data processing device may be turned off and/or disabled. While in the Visual Off state, the device may be fully operational, or in an alternate embodiment, the device may be placed in a low power state. When the user presses the power button again to “wake up” the data processing device, the device may transition from Visual Off into an “on” state (“Visual On”), i.e., all audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and HID devices coupled to it may be turned back on and/or enabled.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data processing device, comprising:

configuring the data processing device to recognize a visual on state and a visual off state;

identifying a request to turn off the data processing device; and

transitioning the computing device to the visual off state instead of turning off the computing device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein transitioning the data processing device to the visual off state includes turning off audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on at least one human interface device (“

HID device”

) coupled to the data processing device.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein identifying a request to turn off the data processing device further comprises intercepting the request prior to receipt by an operating system on the data processing device.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

identifying a request to turn on the data processing device; and

transitioning the data processing device from the visual off state to the visual on state.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein transitioning the data processing device from the visual off state to the visual on state further comprises turning on the audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the request to turn off the data processing device is generated by one of a power button on the data processing device, a button on a display coupled to the data processing device, a predefined key on a keyboard coupled to the data processing device and a button on a remote control device coupled to the data processing device.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the request to turn off the data processing device is generated automatically based on input from one or more devices coupled to the data processing device.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the request to turn off the data processing device is generated automatically upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

9. The method according to claim 2 wherein the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device includes at least one of one or more display devices, a keyboard, a mouse and a speaker.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein transitioning the data processing device to the visual off state further comprises transitioning the data processing device to a low power state upon receiving an instruction to do so from an operating system on the data processing device.

11. The method according to claim 2 wherein transitioning the data processing device to the visual off state further comprises turning off a computation process that generates output to the at least one HID device.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the at least one HID device is a display device and turning off the computation process that generates output to the display device further comprises:

turning off a portion of a graphics controller capable of performing graphics computations;

intercepting messages from an operating system to the graphics controller; and

storing at least one of the messages from the operating system to at least one location.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the at least one location includes at least one of a memory and a hard disk.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:

turning on the audible and visual indicators on the display device;

turning on the portion of the graphics controller capable of performing graphics computations; and

executing the at least one of the messages from the operating system stored in the at least one location on the data processing system.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the at least one HID device is a speaker and turning off the portion of the computation that generates output to the speaker further comprises:

turning off a portion of an audio adapter capable of performing audio computations;

intercepting messages from the operating system to the audio adapter; and

storing at least one of the messages from the operating system to at least one location.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

turning on the audible and visual indicators on the speaker;

turning on the portion of the audio controller capable of performing audio computations; and

executing the at least one of the messages from the operating system stored in the at least one location.

17. A system, comprising:

a data processing device configured to recognize a visual on state and a visual off state;

at least one human interface device (“

HID device”

) coupled to the data processing device; and

a module capable of intercepting a request to turn off the data processing device and instead transition the data processing device into the visual off state.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a power button coupled to the data processing device, the power button capable of issuing the request to turn off the data processing device.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the module transitions the data processing device to the visual off state by turning off audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein the module further intercepts the request to turn off the data processing device prior to receipt by an operating system on the data processing device.

21. The system according to claim 17 wherein the module is further capable of:

identifying a request to turn on the data processing device; and

transitioning the data processing device from the visual off state to the visual on state.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the module transitions the data processing device from the visual off state to the visual on state by turning on the audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device.

23. The system according to claim 18 wherein the power button includes at least one of a power button on the data processing device, a button on a display coupled to the data processing device, a predefined key on a keyboard coupled to the data processing device and a button on a remote control device coupled to the data processing device.

24. The system according to claim 18 wherein the power button further includes an input device coupled to the data processing device wherein the input device is capable of capturing and transmitting user information to the data processing device, and wherein the user information is processed to generate the request to turn off the data processing device.

25. The system according to claim 18 wherein the power button further includes a timing mechanism capable of automatically generating the request to turn off the data processing device upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

26. The system according to claim 19 wherein the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device includes at least one of one or more display devices, a keyboard, a mouse and a speaker.

27. The system according to claim 19 further comprising an operating system, wherein the module is further capable of transitioning the data processing device to a low power state upon receiving an instruction to do so from the operating system.

28. The system according to claim 19 further comprising at least one of a graphics controller and an audio adapter.

29. The system according to claim 28 wherein portions of the at least one of the graphics controller and the audio adapter capable of performing computations are turned off.

30. The system according to claim 29 further comprising at least one storage location and wherein a driver corresponding to each of the at least one of the graphics controller and the audio adapter are capable of intercepting messages from the operating system and storing at least one of the messages from the operating system to the at least one storage location.

31. The system according to claim 30 wherein the at least one storage location includes at least one of a memory and a hard disk.

32. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

configure a data processing device to recognize a visual on state and a visual off state;

identify a request to turn off the data processing device; and

transition the computing device to the visual off state instead of turning off the computing device.

33. The article according to claim 32 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to turn off audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on at least one human interface device (“

HID device”

) coupled to the data processing device.

34. The article according to claim 32 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to intercept the request to turn off the machine prior to receipt by an operating system on the data processing device.

35. The article according to claim 33 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

identify a request to turn on the data processing device; and

transition the data processing device from the visual off state to the visual on state.

36. The article according to claim 35 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to turn on the audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device.

37. The article according to claim 32 wherein the instruction, when executed by the machine, that causes the machine to turn off the data processing device is generated by one of a power button on the data processing device, a button on a display coupled to the data processing device, a predefined key on a keyboard coupled to the data processing device and a button on a remote control device coupled to the data processing device.

38. The article according to claim 32 wherein the instruction, when executed by the machine, that causes the machine to turn off the data processing device is generated automatically based on an input from one or more devices coupled to the data processing device.

39. The article according to claim 32 wherein the instruction, when executed by the machine, that causes the machine to turn off the data processing device is generated automatically upon expiration of a predetermined period of inactivity.

40. The article according to claim 33 wherein the at least one HID device coupled to the data processing device includes at least one of one or more display devices, a keyboard, a mouse and a speaker.

41. The article according to claim 33 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to transition the data processing device to a low power state upon receiving an instruction to do so from an operating system on the data processing device.

42. The article according to claim 33 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to transition the data processing device to the visual off state by turning off a computation process capable of generating output to the at least one HID device.

43. The article according to claim 42 wherein the at least one HID device is a display device and the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

turn off a portion of a graphics controller that performs graphics computations;

intercept messages from an operating system to the graphics controller; and

store at least one of the messages from the operating system to at least one location.

44. The article according to claim 43 wherein the at least one location includes at least one of a memory and a hard disk.

45. The article according to claim 43 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to turn on the audible and visual indicators on the display device and execute the at least one of the messages from the operating system stored in the at least one location.

46. The article according to claim 42 wherein the at least one HID device is an speaker and the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

turn off a portion of an audio adapter capable of performing audio computations;

intercept messages from an operating system to the audio adapter; and

store at least one of the messages from the operating system to at least one location.

47. The article according to claim 46 wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

turn on the audible and visual indicators on the speaker;

turn on the portion of the audio controller capable of performing audio computations; and

execute the at least one of the messages from the operating system stored in the at least one location on the data processing device.