Multiple-CPU portable terminal with communication function and control method

• US 20050101283A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kimata, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0293 having a sub-controller with a low clock frequency switching on and off a main controller with a high clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In response to the occurrence of an application event in a portable terminal with the communication function that has an application control CPU (ACPU) and a communication control CPU (CCPU), the operation of a control target unit, which is under control of a CCPU and which operates at an intermittent reception time, is detected. During the operation period of the control target unit, an ACPU sends a transmission request to the CCPU to start the CCPU. When the CCPU is in the sleep state in the intermittent reception cycle, the CCPU is not started by the ACPU.

Claims

1. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception mode of said portable terminal; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in response to a detection of the reception period operation.

8. The portable terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a unit for sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

13. The portable terminal according to claim 8, wherein the necessary information is sent within the reception period.

2. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for detecting a reception period operation during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the reception period.

9. The portable terminal according to claim 2, further comprising a unit for sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

3. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception cycle during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the next reception period in the intermittent reception cycle.

10. The portable terminal according to claim 3, further comprising a unit for sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

4. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for detecting an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal;

a unit for detecting an operation of a control target unit that is under control of said first CPU and that operates in an intermittent reception mode; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the operation period of said control target unit.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 4, wherein said control target unit is a low-noise amplifier provided in an RF unit of said portable terminal.

11. The portable terminal according to claim 4, further comprising a unit for sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

5. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for detecting an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal;

a unit for detecting an operation of a control target unit that is under control of said first CPU and that operates in an intermittent reception mode; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the next reception period of the operation period of said control target unit.

7. The portable terminal according to claim 5, wherein said control target unit is a low-noise amplifier provided in an RF unit of said portable terminal.

12. The portable terminal according to claim 5, further comprising a unit for sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

14. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in response to an occurrence of a first-priority event of an application in said portable terminal during an operation in an intermittent reception mode;

a unit for detecting a reception period operation in the intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of a second-priority event, said second-priority event being an event of an application in said portable terminal, said second-priority event being lower than the first-priority event in priority;

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the reception period;

a unit for detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception cycle in response to an occurrence of a third-priority event, said third-priority event being an event of an application in said portable terminal, said third-priority event being lower than the second-priority event in priority; and

a unit for causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the next reception period in the intermittent reception cycle.

15. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a first CPU core unit for performing the function of said first CPU, said first CPU core unit being in a sleep state when a communication is off in an intermittent reception mode;

a first control interface unit for starting said first CPU core unit, said first control interface unit being in an operation state in the intermittent reception mode;

a second CPU core unit for performing the function of said second CPU, said second CPU core unit being in a sleep state when a communication is off in the intermittent reception mode;

a second control interface unit for starting said second CPU core unit, said second control interface unit being in an operation state in the intermittent reception mode;

a unit for detecting a reception period in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal during an operation in the intermittent reception mode; and

a unit for sending a transmission request from said second control interface unit to said first control interface unit in the reception period,

wherein, in response to the transmission request, said first control interface unit starts said first CPU core unit and said second CPU core unit supplies necessary information to said first CPU core unit.

16. A portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said portable terminal comprising:

a first CPU core unit for performing the function of said first CPU, said first CPU core unit being in a sleep state when a communication is off in an intermittent reception mode;

a first control interface unit for starting said first CPU core unit, said first control interface unit being in an operation state in the intermittent reception mode;

a second CPU core unit for performing the function of said second CPU, said second CPU core unit being in a sleep state when a communication is off in the intermittent reception mode;

a second control interface unit for starting said second CPU core unit, said second control interface unit being in an operation state in the intermittent reception mode;

a unit for detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception cycle in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal during an operation in the intermittent reception mode; and

a unit for sending a transmission request from said second control interface unit to said first control interface unit in the next reception period of the intermittent reception cycle,

wherein said first control interface unit starts said first CPU core unit and said second CPU core unit supplies necessary information to said first CPU core unit.

17. A control method for use in a portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception mode of said portable terminal; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU.

22. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 17, further comprising the step of sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

26. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 22, wherein the necessary information is sent within the reception period.

18. A control method for use in a portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a reception period operation during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the reception period.

23. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 18, further comprising the step of sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

19. A control method for use in a portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a reception period operation in an intermittent reception cycle in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the next reception period in the intermittent reception cycle.

24. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 19, further comprising the step of sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

20. A control method for use in a portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal;

detecting an operation of a control target unit that is under control of said first CPU and that operates in an intermittent reception mode; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the operation period of said control target unit.

21. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 20, wherein said control target unit is a low-noise amplifier provided in an RF unit of said portable terminal.

25. The control method for use in a portable terminal according to claim 20, further comprising the step of sending necessary information from said second CPU to said first CPU after said first CPU is started.

27. A control method for use in a portable terminal including a first CPU for primarily managing and controlling a communication function and a second CPU for primarily managing and controlling an application, said control method comprising:

a first control step comprising the step of causing said second CPU to start said first CPU during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal;

a second control step comprising the steps of;

detecting a reception period during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the reception period; and

a third control step comprising the steps of;

detecting a reception period of an intermittent reception cycle during an operation in an intermittent reception mode in response to an occurrence of an application event in said portable terminal;

waiting until the next reception period in the intermittent reception cycle; and

causing said second CPU to start said first CPU in the next reception period,

said control method further comprising the step of;

making said first control step correspond to a first-priority event, said second control step correspond to a second-priority event that is lower than the first-priority event in priority, and said third control step correspond to a third-priority event that is lower than the second-priority event in priority.