Method and apparatus for power management by user needs

• US 20060143483A1
• Filed: 12/24/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank Liebenow
• Original Assignee: Frank Liebenow
• Inventors: Liebenow, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,363,519 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 portable computer system with a battery and a processor, a memory, a display and storage device; all powered by the battery which includes a power management circuit configured to control the operation of the processor and memory in order to vary an amount of power consumed. The power management circuit is configured to accept a requested operating time and is configured to signal the power management circuit to modify the operation of the processor, memory, storage device and display so that the portable computer system can operate from the battery for said requested operating time.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a power source;

at least one electronic component configured to operate using power provided by said power source;

a power management device configured to control a power consumption setting of said at least one electronic component; and

an input device configured to accept a time specification, connected to said power management device, said time specification being indicative of a desired period of operation by said electronic device using power supplied by said power source;

wherein said power management device adjusts the power consumption setting for said at least one electronic component to provide a period of operation by said electronic device that is substantially the same as said time specification.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power source comprises a depletable power source that has a finite amount of power to supply to said electronic device prior to any recharging of said power source.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power management device is configured to provide a user with a range of time periods for operation.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power management device is configured to perform, during an actual period of operation, a comparison of an estimated rate of power consumption to achieve the desired period of operation and an actual rate of power consumption to determine the accuracy of the estimated rate of power consumption.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power consumption setting is selected from a group consisting of a device timeout, a clock speed, a logic power supply voltage, a motor speed, a fan speed, a display brightness setting and an indicator brightness setting.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time specification is entered on said keyboard in terms of hours and minutes.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time specification is entered by adjusting the position of an indicator within a range of values.

8. A method of controlling power management settings comprising:

obtaining a requested amount of operating time for a device powerable by a depletable power source;

determining a set of power consumption settings for achieving said requested amount of operating time for said device using power from said depletable power source; and

setting power consumption settings for a set of hardware components of said device to said determined set of power management settings.

9. The method of controlling power management settings as claimed in claim 8, wherein said obtaining includes prompting a user to enter said requested amount of operating time.

10. The method of controlling power management settings as claimed in claim 8, wherein said obtaining includes presenting a range of possible operating times for selecting by said user said requested amount of operating time from said range.

11. The method of controlling power management settings as claimed in claim 8, wherein said determining includes inventorying a current power charge of said depletable power source and determining said set of power consumption settings that will achieve said requested amount of operating time based upon the current power charge of said depletable power source.

12. The method of controlling power management settings as claimed in claim 8, wherein said depletable power source is selected from a group consisting of a battery, a fuel cell, a capacitor and a super capacitor.

13. The method of controlling power management settings as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the step of:

monitoring a power charge status of said depletable power source; and

if said step of monitoring indicates said depletable power source cannot achieve said requested amount of operating time, creating a modified set of power management settings and resetting power management for said set of hardware components to the modified set of power management settings.

14. An apparatus adapted to execute code to manage power consumption in a computer system, said computer system having a processor for executing said code, comprising:

an input module configured to receive from a user a requested amount of operating time for said computer system; and

a power management module configured to determine power consumption settings for at least one subsystem within said computer system, said power consumption settings being configured to achieve said requested amount of operating time for said computer system.

15. The apparatus adapted to execute code to manage power consumption in a computer system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said input module is adapted to present a prompt requesting user input and said input module is adapted to accept an input of said requested amount of operating time.

16. The apparatus adapted to execute code to manage power consumption in a computer system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said input module is adapted to present a range of time requesting user input and said input module is adapted to accept selection within said range of time for said requested amount of operating time.

17. The apparatus adapted to execute code to manage power consumption in a computer system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said computer system is configured to obtain power from a depletable power source.