POWER MANAGEMENT METHOD AND RELATED POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20110231682A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Original Assignee: I O Interconnect Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Johnny Hsiang-Yu, Zeung, Ping-Shun, Kakish, Musa Ibrahim
• Granted Patent: US 9,310,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A power management method is disclosed. The power management method comprises the step of a computer system checking existence of a manufacturing identifier (ID) of a human interface device (HID) when the computer system is operated in a first mode; the computer system continuously detecting whether the HID exist when the manufacturing ID exists; the computer system starting a timer when the computer system detects that the HID does not exist; the computer system entering a second mode when the timer expires; the HID determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode, when plugged into the computer system; the HID performing state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode; and the computer system entering the first mode when detecting the state transition.

Claims

1. A power management method, the power management method comprising the step of:

a computer system checking existence of a manufacturing identifier (ID) of a human interface device (HID) when the computer system is operated in a first mode;

the computer system continuously detecting whether the HID exist when the manufacturing ID exists;

the computer system starting a timer when the computer system detects that the HID does not exist;

the computer system entering a second mode when the timer expires;

the HID determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode, when plugged into the computer system;

the HID performing state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode; and

the computer system entering the first mode when detecting the state transition.

2. The power management method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining existence of the HID according to the manufacturing ID.

3. The power management method of claim 1, wherein the step of starting the timer when the HID no longer exists further comprises popping up a message window.

4. The power management method of claim 3 further comprising the step of disabling the timer according to a feedback signal of the message window.

5. The power management method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode when plugged into the computer system comprises determining the computer system is operated in the second mode when no bus activity has been detected on a data bus of the HID during a first predetermined time.

6. The power management method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode comprises performing the state transition on the data bus connected to the computer system when no bus activity has been detected during the first predetermined time.

7. The power management method of claim 6, wherein the step of performing the state transition on the data bus connected to the computer system comprises:

forcing the data bus into a J state of a universal serial bus (USB) protocol;

forcing the data bus into a K state of the USB protocol;

holding the data bus in the K state for a second predetermined time; and

turn the data bus to a no-force state that triggers the computer system to enter the first mode.

8. The power management method of claim 1, the first mode is an operational mode and the second mode is a power-saving mode.

9. A power management method for a computer system, the power management method comprising the step of:

checking existence of a manufacturing identifier (ID) of a human interface device (HID) when the computer system is operated in a first mode;

continuously detecting whether the HID exists when the manufacturing ID exists;

starting a timer when detecting that the HID does not exist; and

entering a second mode when the timer expires.

10. The power management method of claim 9 further comprising the step of determining existence of the HID according to the manufacturing ID.

11. The power management method of claim 9, wherein the step starting the timer when the HID no longer exists further comprises popping up a message window.

12. The power management method of claim 11 further comprising disabling the timer according to a feedback signal of the message window.

13. The power management method of claim 9, the first mode is an operational mode and the second mode is a power-saving mode.

14. A power management method for a human interface device (HID), the power management method comprising the step of:

when plugged into a computer system, determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode; and

performing state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode;

wherein the state transition operates the computer system into the first mode.

15. The power management method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode when plugged into the computer system comprises determining the computer system is operated in the second mode when no bus activity has been detected on a data bus of the HID during a first predetermined time.

16. The power management method of claim 14, wherein the step of performing the state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode comprises performing the state transition on the data bus connected to the computer system when no bus activity has been detected during the first predetermined time.

17. The power management method of claim 16, wherein the step of performing state transition on the data bus connected to the computer system comprises:

forcing the data bus in a J state;

forcing the data bus in a K state;

holding the data bus in the K state for a second predetermined time; and

turning the data bus in a no-force state.

18. The power management method of claim 15, the first mode is an operational mode and the second mode is a power-saving mode.

24. The power management system of claim 18, wherein the control unit performs the state transition on the data bus connected to the computer system when no bus activity has been detected during the first predetermined time.

25. The power management system of claim 24, wherein the control unit further forces the data bus into a J state of a universal serial bus (USB) protocol, forces the data bus into a K state of the USB protocol, holds the data bus in the K state for a second predetermined time and turns the data bus to a no-force state that triggers the computer system to enter the first mode.

19. A power management system for a computer system, the power management system comprising:

a human interface device (HID) for triggering a mode switching of the computer system from a second mode to a first mode, the HID comprising;

a first detection unit for determining whether the computer system is operated in the second mode, when the HID is plugged into the computer system; and

a control unit for performing state transition on the computer system when determining that the computer system is in the second mode; and

an application unit installed in the computer system, for triggering the mode switching of the computer system from the first mode to the second mode, the application unit comprising;

a timer; and

a second detection unit for checking existence of a manufacturing identifier (ID) of the HID when the computer system is operated in a first mode and continuously detecting whether the HID exist when the manufacturing ID exists; and

a power switching unit for switching the computer system from the first mode to the second mode when the timer expires, and switching the computer from the second mode to the first mode when detecting the state transition.

20. The power management system of claim 19, wherein the second detection unit further determines existence of the HID according to the manufacturing ID.

21. The power management system of claim 19, wherein the application unit further pops up a message window when the HID no longer exists further.

22. The power management system of claim 19, wherein the timer is disabled according to a feedback signal of the message window.

23. The power management system of claim 19, wherein the first detection unit determines the computer system is operated in the second mode when no bus activity has been detected on a data bus of the HID during a first predetermined time.

26. The power management method of claim 19, the first mode is an operational mode and the second mode is a power-saving mode.