SYSTEM, CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR ACTIVATING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100003944A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: ORR, Kevin, Fyke, Steven, Mak-Fan, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3237 by disabling clock generation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The disclosure provides a system, circuit and method for activating an electronic device from a low power state. The circuit comprises: a microprocessor; a first accelerometer; a second accelerometer which is activated upon receiving a movement signal from the first accelerometer, indicating a movement of the electronic device; a threshold circuit connected to an output of the second accelerometer to allow only signals generated by the second accelerometer that exceed a threshold to pass; an input device; and a monitoring circuit connected to the input device and an output of the threshold circuit. The monitoring circuit comprises a latch circuit utilizing signals from the threshold circuit and a reset signal from the microprocessor to generate a trigger signal to activate the input device. The monitoring circuit selectively generates an activation signal to activate the electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from the input device.

Claims

1. An activation circuit for an electronic device, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a first accelerometer;

a second accelerometer which is activated upon receiving a movement signal from said first accelerometer, indicating a movement of said electronic device;

a threshold circuit connected to an output of said second accelerometer to allow only signals generated by the second accelerometer that exceed a threshold to pass;

an input device; and

a monitoring circuit connected to said input device and an output of said threshold circuit, comprising a latch circuit utilizing signals from said threshold circuit and a reset signal from said microprocessor to generate a trigger signal to activate said input device and thereafter the monitoring circuit selectively generates an activation signal to activate said electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from said input device.

2. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a timing module to generate a pulse timing signal for a timing window after detection of said notable movement,

wherein said latch circuit also utilizes said pulse timing signal to determine when to generate said trigger signal.

3. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a slow clock signal is generated by said timing module indicating when said microprocessor is in a lower power state.

4. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activation signal is also used to reset said monitoring circuit to allow it to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.

5. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device is activated by a power signal generated by said monitoring circuit.

6. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device detects movement of a finger by a sensor.

7. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a wake-up software routine operating on said microprocessor to selectively bring said electronic device to said higher power state upon receipt of said activation signal,

wherein said activation signal is provided to an interrupt line of said microprocessor which is associated with said wake-up software routine.

8. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said activation signal is provided to an interrupt line of said microprocessor which is associated with said wake-up software routine.

9. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said monitoring circuit further comprises:

a module to monitor signals from said input device to analyze signals from said input device to determine when said notable signal from said input device has been received.

10. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first accelerometer is a low-g MEM accelerometer.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a first accelerometer;

a second accelerometer, activated by a signal from said first accelerometer;

a threshold circuit connected to said second accelerometer to filter insignificant signals produced by said second accelerometer;

an input device; and

a monitoring circuit connected to said input device and an output of said threshold circuit, comprising a latch circuit utilizing signals from said threshold circuit and a signal from said microprocessor to generate a trigger signal to activate said input device and thereafter the monitoring circuit selectively generates an activation signal to activate said electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from said input device.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a wake-up software routine operating on said microprocessor to selectively bring said electronic device to said higher power state upon receipt of said activation signal; and

a timing module to initiate a timing window after detection of said notable movement,

wherein said input device is activated during said timing window and if a sufficient input signal is provided on said input device during said timing window, said activation signal is generated.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said activation signal is also used to reset said monitoring circuit to allow it to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first accelerometer is a low-g MEM accelerometer.

15. An activation circuit for an electronic device, comprising:

a first accelerometer;

a second accelerometer which is activated upon receiving a movement signal from said first accelerometer, indicating a movement of said electronic device;

a threshold circuit connected to an output of said second accelerometer to allow only signals generated by the motion detection device that exceed a threshold to pass;

an input device; and

a monitoring circuit connected to said input device and the output of said threshold circuit, providing power to said input device when said threshold circuit passes said signal to monitoring circuit and thereafter the monitoring circuit selectively generates an activation signal to activate said electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from said input device.

16. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a microprocessor;

a wake-up software routine operating on said microprocessor to selectively bring said electronic device to said higher power state upon receipt of said activation signal; and

a timing module to initiate a timing window after detection of said notable movement,

wherein said monitoring circuit for said input device is activated during said timing window and if a sufficient input signal from said input device is detected by said monitoring circuit during said timing window, said activation signal is generated.

17. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 16, wherein said activation signal is provided to an interrupt line of said microprocessor which is associated with said wake-up software routine.

18. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 17, wherein a slow clock signal is generated by said timing module indicating when said microprocessor is in a lower power state.

19. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 15, wherein said activation signal is also used to reset said monitoring circuit to allow it to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.