Energy-conserving communication apparatus remotely reachable for establishing instant communications
First Claim
1. An energy-conserving computer remotely reachable for establishing instant communications, comprising:
- (a) a switchable power-supply system comprising switching means, for selectively providing switchable power;
(b) a group of switchable circuit means in power connection with said switchable power-supply system, said group of switchable circuit means comprising main microprocessor circuitry and nonvolatile memory storage;
(c) a keep-alive power-supply system for continuously providing keep-alive DC power;
(d) a group of keep-alive circuit means in power connection with said keep-alive power-supply system, said group of circuit means comprising a keep-alive communication circuit, keep-alive memory circuitry, and keep-alive control means; and
(e) keep-alive operating instructions stored in said keep-alive memory circuitry;
whereby said keep-alive operating instructions are provided for allowing said keep-alive control means to request said keep-alive communication circuit to detect a communication signal in a keep-alive state in which said switchable power-supply system is deactivated for conserving energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy-conserving computer or information communication apparatus is rendered to comprise a keep-alive communication circuit, keep-alive memory circuitry, keep-alive control means, and keep-alive operating instructions so as to be remotely reachable for establishing instant communications without consuming main energy. Most preferred is to utilize a power source carried on a signal-transmitting phone line or cable as keep-alive power. Also disclosed is an energy-conserving operating system capable of selectively entering a keep-alive state in which only limited instructions are resident on keep-alive RAM circuitry, and a normal state in which operating instructions are fully loaded to main RAM circuitry for execution. Further disclosed is an Internet communication system capable of sending ring signals to the energy-conserving communication apparatuses or computers, so as to enable an Internet service provider to offer requested communications thereto. Consequently, for the first time, the energy-conserving communication apparatuses or computers can stay normally offline (like telephones) for establishing instant and universal communications therebetween via the Internet.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. An energy-conserving computer remotely reachable for establishing instant communications, comprising:
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(a) a switchable power-supply system comprising switching means, for selectively providing switchable power;
(b) a group of switchable circuit means in power connection with said switchable power-supply system, said group of switchable circuit means comprising main microprocessor circuitry and nonvolatile memory storage;
(c) a keep-alive power-supply system for continuously providing keep-alive DC power;
(d) a group of keep-alive circuit means in power connection with said keep-alive power-supply system, said group of circuit means comprising a keep-alive communication circuit, keep-alive memory circuitry, and keep-alive control means; and
(e) keep-alive operating instructions stored in said keep-alive memory circuitry;
whereby said keep-alive operating instructions are provided for allowing said keep-alive control means to request said keep-alive communication circuit to detect a communication signal in a keep-alive state in which said switchable power-supply system is deactivated for conserving energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An energy-conserving communication apparatus remotely reachable for establishing instant communications, comprising:
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(a) a switchable power-supply system comprising switching means, for selectively providing switchable power;
(b) a keep-alive power-supply system connectable with a signal-transmitting medium that carries a keep-alive power source, for providing keep-alive power from said keep-alive power source; and
(c) a group of keep-alive circuit means in power connection with said keep-alive power-supply system, said group of keep-alive circuit means comprising (i) a keep-alive communication circuit coupled to said signal-transmitting medium, and (ii) keep-alive control means for controlling an activity of said switching means, so as to enter a keep-alive state in which said switchable power-supply system is deactivated while said keep-alive communication circuit remains operable for detecting a communication signal initiated from a remote communication system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An energy-conserving operating system comprising the steps of:
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(a) activating a set of keep-alive operating instructions continuously operable for governing when to activate a set of main operating instructions that requires more random access memory than said set of keep-alive operating instructions, so as to selectively enter an energy-conserving state and a main operating state;
(b) powering down to said energy-conserving state in which said set of main operating instructions is rendered inoperable, if selectively detecting no activity for a preset period of time or detecting a power-down signal; and
(c) powering up to said main operating state in which said set of main operating instructions is rendered operable, if detecting a power-up signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An Internet communication system comprising:
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(a) communication means connected to the Internet and rendered operable for sending a ring signal and thus for initiating an outgoing communication link to an offline communication device;
(b) a control system for controlling operation of said communication means; and
(c) operating instructions available to said control system for requesting said communication means to send said ring signal in accordance with a request submitted through an incoming communication link from a remote communication device, so as to allow said Internet communication system to provide requested communication from said remote communication device to said offline remote communication device via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for enabling an Internet service provider to provide requested communications, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing communication means operable (i) for establishing an incoming communication link to the Internet when receiving an incoming ring signal from a remote communication device and (ii) for initiating an outgoing communication link through sending an outgoing ring signal to an offline remote communication device;
(b) providing a control system for controlling operation of said communication means; and
(c) providing operating instructions available to said control system for instructing said communication means to send said outgoing ring signal and thus to initiate said outgoing communication link in accordance with a request submitted from said remote communication device, so as to allow said remote communication device to communicate with said offline remote communication device via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A communication operating system for enabling an Internet communication system to provide requested communication links, comprising the steps of:
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(a) allowing said Internet communication system to establish a plurality of incoming communication links each to be initiated by a remote communication apparatus to access the Internet;
(b) determining if said remote communication apparatuses each submits a request for communicating further with an offline communication apparatus; and
(c) if yes, instructing said Internet communication system to send an outgoing ring signal to a respective one of said offline communication apparatuses accordingly so as to establish another plurality of outgoing communication links. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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Specification