SYSTEM AND METHOD OF UTILIZING RESOURCES WITHIN AN INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM

• US 20100115303A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sultenfuss, Andrew T., Loadman, David, Stedman, Roy W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A system and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system are disclosed. In a particular form, a method of utilizing an information handling system can include detecting an operating state controllable by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating environments including a host environment and a reduced power environment. The method can also include detecting an event operable to alter the operating state to enable an operating environment of the plurality of operating environments. According to an aspect, the operating environment can be used separate from a host system operable to enable the host environment.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing an information handling system comprising:

detecting an operating state controllable by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating environments including a host environment and a reduced power environment; and

detecting an event operable to alter the operating state to enable an operating environment of the plurality of operating environments, wherein the operating environment can be used separate from a host system operable to enable the host environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a processing module power on event;

enabling a processing module power on state routine in response to detecting the processing module power on event;

detecting a processing module reduce operating state event;

enabling a processing module reduce operating state routine in response to detecting the processing module reduce operating state event;

detecting a processing module power off state event; and

enabling a processing module power off state routine in response to detecting the processing module power off state event.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a user activity time out event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a standby event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a processing module power button selection event over an interval;

enabling the processing module power off state routine in response to a processing module power button selection over event an interval;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a processing module power button selection event over an interval;

enabling the processing module power off state routine in response to a critical battery event;

or

enabling the processing module power off state routine in response a processing module access button event.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

initiating the processing module power on state routine in response to a keyboard event;

initiating the processing module power on state routine in response to a mouse event;

initiating the processing module power on state routine in response to a lid open event;

enabling a host system power off state routine in response to a host system power off button selection over an interval event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state routine in response to a host system power off button selection over an interval event;

enabling the processing module power off state routine in response to a host system power on event;

enabling a host system power on state routine in response to a host system power on event;

or

enabling the processing module power off state routine in response to a critical battery event.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a processing module power button event; and

enabling the processing module power on state routine in response to detecting the processing module power button event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a host system power on state routine;

enabling a host system standby state routine in response to a host system standby event;

enabling a host system reduced power state routine in response a host system hibernate event;

enabling a host system power off state routine in response to a host system power off event;

or

enabling an operating system run mode routine in response to an operating system event.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling the host system standby state routine in response to a user activity timeout event;

enabling the host system standby state routine in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the host system standby state routine in response to a standby event;

enabling the host system power off state routine in response to an alternate programmed power button event;

enabling a host system hibernate state routine in response to a hibernate event;

enabling the host system power off state routine in response to a host system power event over an interval;

enabling a processing module power off state routine in response to a host system power event over an interval;

enabling a host system hibernate state routine in response to a processing module power button event;

or

enabling a processing module power on state routine in response to a processing module power button event.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

enabling the host system standby state routine in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the host system hibernate state routine in response to a processing module hibernate setting; and

enabling a processing module hibernate state routine in response to a processing module hibernate setting of a host operating system.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

enabling the host system reduced power state routine in response to a processing module power button event;

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a lid open event;

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a mouse event;

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a keyboard event;

or

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a host system power on button event.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a lid open event;

enabling the host system power on state routine in response to a host system power on button event; and

initiating a processing module power on state routine in response to a processing module power on button event.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

initiating the host system power on state routine in response to detecting a host system power on button event; and

initiating the processing module power on state routine in response to detecting the processing module power on button event.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

enabling a host system standby state routine in response to an operating system standby event;

enabling the host system hibernate state routine in response to an operating system hibernate event;

enabling the host system power off state routine in response to an operating system shutdown event;

or

initiating a diagnostic operating mode at the processing module in response to a processing module update utility event.

13. A state controller comprising:

a memory logic configurable to store a state entries operable to be used to enable an operating state of a host system and a reduced power environment; and

a processor configured to;

enable a host environment using the host system;

enable the host environment control of a resource of the reduced power environment;

disable the host environment control of the resource of the reduced power environment in response to a request to enable the reduced power environment;

disable the host environment in response to the request to enable the reduced power environment;

enable the reduced power environment;

enable the reduced power environment control of a resource of the host environment; and

disable the reduced power environment control of the resource of the host environment in response to a request to enable the host environment.

14. The state controller of claim 13, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a processing module power on button event during use of the host environment;

hibernate the host environment in response to the detected processing module power on button event; and

enable the reduced power environment.

15. The state controller of claim 14, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a host environment power on button event during the reduced power environment;

disable use of the reduced power environment in response to the detecting the host environment power on button event; and

enable the host environment.

16. The state controller of claim 13, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a lid operating status;

enable a resource of the host environment in response to the lid operating status including a lid open status;

disable a resource of the reduced power environment in response to the lid open status;

enable a resource of the reduced power environment in response to a lid closed status; and

disable a resource of the host environment in response to the lid closed status.

17. The state controller of claim 13, further comprising the processor configured to:

access an operating system setting of the host environment in response to detecting a lid closed event;

detect a suspend setting;

initiate a suspend state of the host environment in response to detecting the suspend setting;

detect a hibernate setting in response to detecting the lid closed event;

initiate a hibernate state of the host environment in response to detecting the hibernate setting; and

initiate a hibernate state of the processing module in response to detecting the hibernate setting.

18. An information handling system comprising:

a host system configurable to enable a host environment operable to use a shared resource and a host environment non-shared resource;

a processing module configurable to enable a reduced power environment operable to use the shared resource and a reduced power environment non-shared resource; and

a state controller configurable to;

enable the host environment using the host system;

enable the host environment control of a shared resource of the reduced power environment;

disable the host environment control of the shared resource of the reduced power environment in response to a request to enable the reduced power environment;

disable the host environment in response to the request to enable the reduced power environment;

enable the reduced power environment using the processing module;

enable the processing module control of the shared resource of the host environment; and

disable the processing module control of the shared resource of the host environment in response to a request to enable the host environment.

19. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the state controller is further configured to:

access a memory configurable to store a plurality of state entries operable to be used to enable the host environment and the reduced power environment;

enable primary control of the host environment, wherein primary control includes control of the shared resource of the reduced power environment;

disable primary control of the host environment in response to a request to enable the reduced power environment during operation of the host environment;

enable primary control of the reduced power environment, wherein the primary control of the reduced power environment includes control of the shared resource of the host environment; and

disable primary control of the reduced power environment in response to a request to enable the host environment during operation of the reduced power environment.

20. The information handling system of claim 19, wherein the state controller is integrated as a part of the processing module.