Computer power mangement architecture and method thereof

• US 20050246561A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Corel TW Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: Corel TW Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Wu, Tung-Peng, Liu, Chi-Min
• Application Number:
  US11/055,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246561A1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer power management architecture and a method thereof is disclosed. A first operating system and a second operating system with lower consumption of system resources are installed in a computer system. When a multimedia presentation unit installed in a first operating system or a second operating system runs programs, a power control unit installed in the multimedia presentation unit or the second operating system retrieves related data from a power management data unit according to the programs being executed by the multimedia presentation unit. Thus the hardware devices necessary for running the programs are switched on while unemployed hardware devices of the computer system are shut down by the power control unit. Moreover, the power control unit adjusts frequency of a central processing unit of the computer system according to the programs executed by the multimedia presentation unit so as to reduce the electricity consumption of the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer power management architecture of a computer system comprising:

a first operating system with at least an application program installed in a computer system;

a second operating system with lower system resource consumption installed in the computer system;

a multimedia presentation unit for running audio/video programs;

a power management data unit for storing data regarding hardware devices necessary for each of the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit;

the hardware devices necessary for programs are switched on while others are shut off; and

a power control unit for retrieving the data from the power management data unit according to the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit and turning on hardware devices of the computer system necessary for the program run by the multimedia presentation unit and switching off other idle hardware devices according to the retrieved data corresponding to the program.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power management data unit further stores data of frequency of a central processing unit in the computer system, corresponding to each programs run by the multimedia presentation unit and the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit according to the data of frequency.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit further detects current loading of a central processing unit of the computer system for adjusting frequency of the central processing unit according to the detected measurements of loading.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second operating system shares the application program with the first operating system.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first operating system is a Windows operating system.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second operating system is a Linux operating system.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is installed in the first operating system.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is installed in the second operating system.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is used to play compact disk (CD), MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3), digital versatile disc (DVD), Video Compact Disc (VCD), broadcasting, TV programs, or photographs.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the multimedia presentation unit.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the second operating system.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the computer system further having a basic input output system (BIOS) for initiating the second operating program.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing CD and MP3 music.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a TV audio/video processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing TV programs.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing unit, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing VCD and DVD.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a broadcast audio receiving and processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing broadcasting programs.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing photographs.

18. A power management method for a computer system comprising following steps:

installing a first operating system and a second operating system with lower system resource consumption in a computer system;

retrieving data corresponding to programs from a power management data unit by a power control unit when a multimedia presentation unit in the computer system displays audio/video programs;

switching on hardware devices of the computer system necessary for running the programs in the multimedia presentation unit and switching off the rest idle hardware devices by the power control unit.

19. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the data stored in the power management data unit is corresponding to each of the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit, regarding the hardware devices which should be turned on or turned off in the computer systems.

20. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power management method further having a step:

the power control unit adjusting frequency of a central processing unit according to the audio/video programs run by the multimedia presentation unit.

21. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 20, wherein the power control unit retrieves data from the power management data unit while the data relates to frequency of a central processing unit in the computer system, corresponding to each of the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit.

22. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power management method further having a step:

detecting current loading of a central processing unit of the computer system and adjusting the frequency of the central processing unit to a lower level according to the detected measurements of the loading by the power control unit.

23. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 22, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 30% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 0%˜

25% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit.

24. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 22, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 60% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 25%˜

50% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit.

25. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 22, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 80% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 50%˜

75% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit.

26. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 22, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 75%˜

100% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit.

27. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first operating system having at least one application program.

28. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 27, wherein the application program of the first operating system is capable of being used by the second operating system.

29. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first operating system is a Windows operating system.

30. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second operating system is a Linux operating system.

31. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is installed in the first operating system.

32. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is installed in the second operating system.

33. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is used to play compact disk (CD), MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3), digital versatile disc (DVD), Video Compact Disc (VCD), broadcasting, TV programs, or photographs.

34. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the multimedia presentation unit.

35. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the second operating system.

36. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing CD and MP3 music.

37. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a TV audio/video processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing TV programs.

38. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing unit, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing VCD and DVD.

39. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a broadcast audio receiving and processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing broadcasting programs.

40. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing photographs.

41. A computer power management architecture of a computer system comprising:

a multimedia presentation unit for running audio/video programs;

a power management data unit for storing data regarding hardware devices for the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit;

the hardware devices necessary for programs are switched on while others are shut off; and

a power control unit for retrieving the data from the power management data unit according to the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit and turning on hardware devices of the computer system necessary for the program run by the multimedia presentation unit and switching off other idle hardware devices according to the retrieved data corresponding to the program.

42. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power management data unit further stores data of frequency of a central processing unit in the computer system, corresponding to each programs run by the multimedia presentation unit and the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit according to the data of frequency.

43. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit further detects current loading of a central processing unit of the computer system for adjusting frequency of the central processing unit according to the detected measurements of loading.

44. The device according to claim 41, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is used to play compact disk (CD), MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3), digital versatile disc (DVD), Video Compact Disc (VCD), broadcasting, TV programs, or photographs.

45. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the multimedia presentation unit.

46. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit is disposed in one of the operating systems in the computer system.

47. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing CD and MP3 music.

48. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a TV audio/video processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing TV programs.

49. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing unit, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing VCD and DVD.

50. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a broadcast audio receiving and processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing broadcasting programs.

51. The device according to claim 41, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing photographs.

52. A power management method for a computer system comprising following steps:

retrieving data corresponding to programs run in a power management data unit by a power control unit when audio/video programs run by a multimedia presentation unit in a computer system operated by users;

switching on hardware devices of the computer system necessary for running the programs in the multimedia presentation unit and switching off the rest idle hardware devices by the power control unit in the computer system.

53. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the data stored in the power management data unit is corresponding to each of the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit, regarding the hardware devices which should be turned on or turned off in the computer systems.

54. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power management method further having a step:

the power control unit adjusts frequency of a central processing unit according to the audio/video programs run by the multimedia presentation unit.

55. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 54, wherein the power control unit retrieves data from the power management data unit while the data relates to frequency of a central processing unit in the computer system, corresponding to each of the programs run by the multimedia presentation unit.

56. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power management method further having a step:

detecting current loading of a central processing unit of the computer system and adjusting the frequency of the central processing unit to a lower level according to the detected measurements of the loading by the power control unit.

57. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 56, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 30% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 0%˜

25% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit

58. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 56, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 60% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 25%˜

50% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit

59. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 56, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into 80% of the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 50%˜

75% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit

60. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 56, wherein the power control unit adjusts the frequency of the central processing unit into the maximum frequency of the central processing unit when the current loading of the central processing unit is between 75%˜

100% of the maximum loading of the central processing unit

61. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the multimedia presentation unit is used to play compact disk (CD), MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3), digital versatile disc (DVD), Video Compact Disc (VCD), broadcasting, TV programs, or photographs.

62. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit is disposed in the multimedia presentation unit.

63. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit is disposed in one of the operating systems in the computer system.

64. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing CD and MP3 music.

65. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a TV audio/video processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing TV programs.

66. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing unit, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing VCD and DVD.

67. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, a broadcast audio receiving and processing device, a hard disk, a transmission control device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing broadcasting programs.

68. The power management method for computer systems as claimed in claim 52, wherein the power control unit turns on a central processing unit, an optical disk drive, a hard disk, a transmission control device, a video processing device, an audio processing device, an amplifier, a speaker as well as an input device and turns off the rest hardware devices while the multimedia presentation unit is playing photographs.