DATA PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING STATES THEREOF

• US 20090217071A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: DING, Xiaojian, CHEN, Xingwen, HUANG, Maolin
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands

Abstract

The present invention provides a data processing device and a method for switching states thereof. The data processing device comprises an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state. The method for switching states comprises the following steps of: detecting whether the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information; determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface, and generating determination information; generating a system state holding command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and controlling the operating system to stay in the operating state of the operating system based on the system state holding command. The present invention can not only secure communication via the data communication interface, but also allow the operating system to handle normally and stably an interrupt, so as to reduce the system power consumption.

Claims

1. A method for switching states of a data processing device, the data processing device including an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in an operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state, said method comprising the following steps of:

detecting whether the communication interface stays in an operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information;

determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface, and generating determination information;

generating a system state holding command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and

controlling the operating system to stay in the operating state of the operating system based on the system state holding command.

2. A method for switching states of a data processing device, the data processing device including an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in an operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state, said method comprising the following steps of:

detecting whether the communication interface stays in an operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information;

determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in a non-operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information;

generating a system state frequency-reduction command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and

controlling the operating system to enter into the low-power-consumption state from the operating state of the operating system based on the system state frequency-reduction command.

3. A method for switching states of a data processing device, the data processing device including an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in an operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state, said method comprising the following steps of:

detecting whether the communication interface stays in an operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information;

determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information;

generating a system state frequency-ascending command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the low-power-consumption state; and

controlling the operating system to enter into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state based on the system state frequency-ascending command, and controlling the communication interface to be enabled when the operating system enters into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state.

4. A data processing device, comprising:

an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in an operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state, said device further comprising;

a detection unit for detecting whether the communication interface stays in an operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information;

a system state management unit, connected to the detection unit, for determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information, for generating a system state holding command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system, and for controlling the operating system to stay in the operating state of the operating system based on the system state holding command.

5. The data processing device according to claim 4, wherein the system state management unit comprises:

a first determination unit, connected to the detection unit, for determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information;

a first management unit, connected to the first determination unit, for generating the system state holding command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and

a first execution unit, connected to a first command unit, for controlling the operating system to stay in the operating state of the operating system based on the system state holding command.

6. The data processing device according to claim 5, wherein the system state management unit further comprises:

a second determination unit, connected to the detection unit, for determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in a non-operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information;

a second management unit, connected to the second determination unit, for generating a system state frequency-reduction command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and

a second execution unit, connected to a second command unit, for controlling the operating system to enter into the low-power-consumption state from the operating state of the operating system based on the system state frequency-reduction command.

7. A data processing device comprising an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state, said device further comprising:

a detection unit for determining whether the communication interface stays in operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information; and

a system state management unit, connected to the detection unit, for determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information, for generating a system state frequency-ascending command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the low-power-consumption state, and for controlling the operating system to enter into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state based on the system state frequency-ascending command, and controlling the communication interface to be enabled when the operating system enters into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state.

8. The data processing device according to claim 7, wherein the system state management unit comprises:

a determination unit, connected to the detection unit, for determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating determination information;

a management unit, connected to the determination unit, for generating a system state frequency-ascending command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the low-power-consumption state; and

an execution unit, connected to a command unit, for controlling the operating system to enter into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state based on the system state frequency-ascending command, and controlling the communication interface to be enabled when the operating system enters into the operating state of the operating system from the low-power-consumption state.