Computer with low-power secondary processor and secondary display

• US 20080320321A1
• Filed: 08/19/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• 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: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• 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

A computer having an active mode and an inactive mode includes a primary processor and a primary memory. A primary display is associated with the primary processor and the primary memory. The primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display are operated when the computer is in the active mode and are powered down when the computer is in the inactive mode. A secondary processor dissipates less power than the primary processor. A secondary display communicates with the secondary processor. The secondary processor and the secondary display are powered up when the computer is in the inactive mode, and the secondary processor processes at least one of wireless network data and disk drive data when the computer is in each of the active mode and the inactive mode.

Claims

1. A computer having an active mode and an inactive mode, the computer comprising:

a primary processor;

a primary memory;

a primary display associated with the primary processor and the primary memory, wherein the primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display are operated when the computer is in the active mode and are powered down when the computer is in the inactive mode;

a secondary processor that dissipates less power than the primary processor; and

a secondary display that communicates with the secondary processor, wherein the secondary processor and the secondary display are powered up when the computer is in the inactive mode, and the secondary processor processes at least one of wireless network data and disk drive data when the computer is in each of the active mode and the inactive mode.

2. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a secondary memory that communicates with the secondary processor, that is powered up when the computer is in the inactive mode, and that has a lower storage capacity than the primary memory.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the secondary processor and the secondary display support at least one of text messaging, e-mail delivery, securities quote retrieval, and hot zone identification while the computer is in the inactive mode.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is a laptop and the secondary display is integrated with an outer surface of the laptop.

5. The computer of claim 1, further comprising:

a primary input/output (I/O) interface that communicates with the primary processor and the primary memory; and

a secondary I/O device that communicates with the secondary processor.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein the secondary display supports touch pad operation.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is a desktop computer that includes an enclosure and wherein the secondary display is integrated with the enclosure.

8. A system comprising the computer of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:

a wireless network interface that communicates with the secondary processor;

a distributed communications system that communicates with the wireless network interface;

a server that communicates with the distributed communications system; and

an agent module that is executed by the secondary processor and that retrieves at least one of e-mail messages and securities data from the server.

9. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a hot zone module that is executed by the secondary processor, that identifies when the computer is in a hot zone, and that provides a visual indication of the hot zone on the secondary display.

10. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a graphics processor, wherein the graphics processor is powered down when the computer is in the inactive mode.

11. The computer of claim 1, further comprising:

a primary battery; and

a secondary battery, wherein the primary battery powers the primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display and the secondary battery powers the secondary processor and the secondary memory.

12. The computer of claim 11, wherein the primary battery charges the secondary battery when the computer is in the active mode.

13. A method of operating a computer in an active mode and an inactive mode, the method comprising:

operating a primary processor, a primary memory, and a primary display of the computer when the computer is in the active mode;

powering down the primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display when the computer is in the inactive mode;

operating a secondary processor and a secondary display when the computer is in the inactive mode, wherein the secondary processor dissipates less power than the primary processor; and

processing at least one of wireless network data and disk drive data using the secondary processor when the computer is in each of the active mode and the inactive mode.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing secondary memory that communicates with the secondary processor, wherein the secondary memory has a lower storage capacity than the primary memory; and

powering up the secondary memory when the computer is in the inactive mode.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the secondary processor and the secondary display support at least one of text messaging, e-mail delivery, securities quote retrieval, and hot zone identification while the computer is in the inactive mode.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the secondary display supports touch pad operation.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

executing an agent module with the secondary processor; and

retrieving at least one of e-mail messages and securities data from a server with the agent module.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

executing a hot zone module with the secondary processor;

identifying when the computer is in a hot zone; and

visually indicating the hot zone on the secondary display.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising powering down a graphics processor of the computer when the computer is in the inactive mode.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

powering the primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display with a primary battery; and

powering the secondary processor and the secondary memory with a secondary battery.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising charging the secondary battery with the primary battery when the computer is in the active mode.

22. A computer having an active mode and an inactive mode, the computer comprising:

a primary processor;

a primary memory;

a primary display associated with the primary processor and the primary memory, wherein the primary processor, the primary memory, and the primary display are operated when the computer is in the active mode and are powered down when the computer is in the inactive mode;

a secondary processor that dissipates less power than the primary processor; and

a secondary display that communicates with the secondary processor, wherein the secondary processor and the secondary display are powered up when the computer is in the inactive mode, and the secondary processor processes disk drive data when the computer is in each of the active mode and the inactive mode.

23. The computer of claim 22, further comprising a disk drive, wherein the secondary processor is integrated with the disk drive and the disk drive is powered up when the computer is in the inactive mode.