Method and system for performing remote maintenance operations on a battery powered computer

• US 20050138470A1
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Locker, Howard Jeffrey, Springfield, Randall Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A method and system is described for remotely managing a battery powered client computer. A data packet, which includes a set of instructions, is sent to the client computer from a managing computer. Included in the data packet is a field indicating how much computing time is needed to execute the set of instructions. If the client computer is operating on battery power, the client computer determines if there is enough battery life remaining to execute the set of instructions. If not, then the set of instructions are disregarded.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a transmitted packet of data, the transmitted packet of data including;

a destination address for a data processing system that is powered by a battery,

a set of instructions to be executed by the data processing system, and

a power requirement to execute the set of instructions on the data processing system;

comparing the power requirement to execute the set of instructions with a remaining power in the battery;

in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is sufficient to complete an execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, executing the set of instructions on the data processing system; and

in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is not sufficient to complete the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, prohibiting an initiation of the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a message from the data processing system to a managing computer informing the server that the set of instructions was not executed due to an insufficient amount of remaining power in the battery powering the data processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is a portable computer designed to be powered by the battery during normal operation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the portable computer is a device selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a cell phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is a server designed to be powered by the battery only during a primary power failure.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a wake on lan (WOL) message to wake up the computer, wherein if upon receiving the WOL message, the data processing system determines that insufficient battery power is available to wake up the data processing system, non-complying with the WOL message.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

notifying the managing computer that the data processing system was not awakened because of an insufficiency of battery power.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the WOL message is in the transmitted packet of data.

9. A system comprising:

a network interface for detecting a transmitted packet of data, the transmitted packet of data including;

a destination address for a data processing system that is powered by a battery,

a set of instructions to be executed by the data processing system, and

a power requirement to execute the set of instructions on the data processing system; and

a management module for comparing the power requirement to execute the set of instructions with a remaining power in the battery, wherein, in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is sufficient to complete an execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, the management module directs the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, and wherein, in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is not sufficient to complete the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, the management module prohibits an initiation of the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a network interface card for transmitting a message from the data processing system to a managing computer informing the server that the set of instructions was not executed due to an insufficient amount of remaining power in the battery powering the data processing system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the data processing system is a portable computer designed to be powered by the battery during normal operation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the portable computer is a battery powered device from a group consisting of a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a cell phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the data processing system is a server designed to be powered by the battery only during a primary power failure.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for detecting a wake on LAN (WOL) message to wake up the computer, wherein if upon receiving the WOL message, the data processing system determines that insufficient battery power is available to wake up the data processing system, non-complying with the WOL message.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for notifying the managing computer that the data processing system was not awakened because of an insufficiency of battery power.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the WOL message is in the transmitted packet of data.

17. A product comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable program code stored therein, the computer readable program code in said product being effective when executing to;

detect a transmitted packet of data, the transmitted packet of data including;

a destination address for a data processing system that is powered by a battery,

a set of instructions to be executed by the data processing system, and

a power requirement to execute the set of instructions on the data processing system;

compare the power requirement to execute the set of instructions with a remaining power in the battery;

in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is sufficient to complete an execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, execute the set of instructions on the data processing system; and

in response to determining that the remaining power in the battery is not sufficient to complete the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system, prohibit an initiation of the execution of the set of instructions on the data processing system.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein the code is further effective to:

transmit a message from the data processing system to a managing computer informing the server that the set of instructions was not executed due to an insufficient amount of remaining power in the battery powering the data processing system.

19. The product of claim 17, wherein the code is further effective to:

detect a wake on LAN (WOL) message to wake up the computer, wherein if upon receiving the WOL message, the data processing system determines that insufficient battery power is available to wake up the data processing system, non-complying with the WOL message.

20. The product of claim 19, wherein the WOL message is in the transmitted packet of data.