System and Method for Remote Use of Information Handling System Audio Components

• US 20080082838A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Achariyakosol, Art, Konetski, David, Peeler, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An information handling system plays audio provided from a portable audio device at an information handling system audio subsystem in operating and powered down states of the information handling system. In the operating state, digital audio information is communicated from the portable audio device through a serial link for rendering at the information handling system into an analog audio signal presented by the audio subsystem. In the powered down state, digital audio information is rendered at the portable audio device and communicated as an analog audio signal through the serial link to the information handling system. A system module at the information handling system selectively switches the serial link to interface with the audio subsystem and play the analog signal as audible sounds. The system module supplies power to the audio subsystem to support playing the analog signal with the information handling system in the powered down state.

Claims

1. A method for presenting audio information at an information handling system audio subsystem, the method comprising:

interfacing the information handling system with a portable audio device through a serial link;

processing digital audio files at the portable audio device to generate an analog audio signal;

sending the analog audio signal through the serial link to the information handling system audio subsystem; and

presenting the analog audio signal as audible sound from the audio subsystem.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

powering down a CPU of the information handling system.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

powering up the CPU of the information handling system;

stopping the processing digital audio files and the sending the analog audio signal;

sending the digital audio file as digital information from the portable audio device to the information handling system though the serial link;

processing the digital audio file with the CPU to create an analog audio signal; and

presenting the analog signal as audible sound from the audio subsystem.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the serial link comprises a USB link.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

monitoring the playback state of the digital audio file at the portable audio device; and

sending the playback state from the portable audio device to the CPU;

wherein processing the digital audio file with the CPU further comprises processing the digital audio file at the playback state.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein sending the playback state from the portable audio device to the CPU further comprises:

sending a power on reset from the information handling system to the portable audio device;

detecting the power on reset at the portable audio device;

switching an analog output of the portable audio device from an interface with the serial link; and

sending the playback state through the serial link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the analog audio signal through the serial link further comprises:

switching an analog output of the portable audio device to interface with the serial link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital audio file comprises an MP3 file.

9. A system for presenting audio information at an information handling system connected by a serial link to a portable audio device, the system comprising:

a player module associated with the portable audio device and operable to selectively interface analog or digital output of the portable audio device with the link; and

a system module associated with the information handling system and operable to selectively interface an audio subsystem or a link controller of the information handling system with the link;

wherein the player module is further operable to detect a power down state at the information handling system and to interface the analog output with the link; and

wherein the system module is further operable to detect a power down state at the information handling system to interface the analog output with the audio subsystem to present the analog output as audible output from the audio subsystem.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the player module further comprises:

a switch operable to selectively interface an analog audio headset signal to the link; and

an application running on the portable audio device operable to control the switch.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the system module further comprises:

a switch operable to selectively interface the link with the audio subsystem or the link controller; and

an application running on the information handling system operable to control the switch and to provide power to the audio subsystem in the powered down state.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the system module is further operable to interface the link controller with the link and retrieve digital audio information from the portable audio device for rendering audible sound at the information handling system.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a synchronizer operable to monitor power state changes of the information handling system, the synchronizer determining a play state of the digital audio information at a power state change to coordinate transition between rendering of the digital information by the portable audio device or the information handling system.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the link comprises a USB link.

15. An information handling system comprising:

a CPU operable to process information;

memory interfaced with the CPU and operable to store the information;

a device interfaced with the CPU and operable to perform a predetermined function with the information;

a power supply operable to supply power to the CPU, the memory and the device;

a serial link interfaced with the CPU and operable to connect through a serial link cable with an external device to communicate digital information between the CPU and the external device; and

a system module interfaced with the serial link and the device, the system module operable to selectively interface digital information received over the link with the CPU and analog information received over the link with the device.

16. The information handling system of claim 15 wherein the device comprises an audio subsystem operable to play audible sound from analog information, and wherein the system module selectively interfaces digital audio information received over the link with the CPU for rendering an analog audio signal to present at the audio subsystem or interfaces analog audio information received over the link with the audio subsystem for presenting the analog audio signal.

17. The information handling system of claim 16 wherein the system module is further operable to:

detect transition to a power down state at the information handling system;

direct power from the power supply to the audio subsystem for use in the power down state; and

interface the audio subsystem with serial link to play analog audio signals by the audio subsystem in the power down state.

18. The information handling system of claim 18 wherein the system module is further operable to:

detect transition from the power down state to an operating state;

communicate a request at the serial link to send digital audio information instead of analog audio information; and

interface the CPU with the serial link to render the digital audio information.

19. The information handling system of claim 18 wherein the system module communicates the request to send digital information by performing a power on reset at the serial link.

20. The information handling system of claim 19 wherein the serial link comprises a USB link.