Information Handling System Docking with Cable Based Power and Video Management

• US 20150082061A1
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramirez, Ernesto, Critz, Christian L., Quinn, Liam B., O'Neal, Sean P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,400,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/261 PC controlled powerstrip
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A docking station connects through a docking port and docking cable with an information handling system to support communication between the information handling system and docking station peripherals. The docking cable includes an integrated input device, such as a mechanical button or fingerprint scanner, which accepts an end user input to command a power state transition at the information handling system, such as a transition between an on state and a reduced power state. The power state transition is sent directly from the integrated input device to the information handling system or, alternatively, from the integrated input device to the docking station and then from the docking station to the information handling system.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed in the housing, the processor operable to execute instructions for processing information;

memory disposed in the housing, the memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions and information;

a docking manager disposed in the housing, the docking manager operable to manage interactions with an external docking station through a docking port;

a docking port disposed in the housing and interfaced with the docking manager, the docking port plural data lanes to communicate information with the external docking station; and

a docking cable adapted to couple to the docking port at a first end and the external docking station at a second end, the docking cable having an integrated input device proximate the first end, the integrated input device operable to accept an end user input and initiate a change in a power state of the processor in response to the end user input.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the change in a power state of the processor is a transition from a powered down state to a powered up state.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the change in a power state of the processor is a transition from a powered up state to a powered down state.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the integrated input device comprises a mechanical button that initiates an interrupt for communication through the docking cable to the docking port.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the integrated input device comprises a fingerprint reader powered from the external docking station that validates an end user fingerprint and initiates the change in the processor power state in response to validating the end user fingerprint.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the integrated input device comprises a mechanical button that accepts an end user input and sends a signal to the external docking station in response to the end user input, the external docking station operable to command the change in power state of the processor in response to the end user input.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the external docking station commands the change in power state of the processor with a signal sent through the docking cable.

8. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the external docking station commands the change in power state of the processor with a wireless networking interface between the external docking station and the docking manager.

9. A method for initiating changes to a power state of an information handling system, the method comprising:

inserting a docking cable into a docking port of the information handling system to interface the information handling system with an external docking station through the docking cable;

activating an input device integrated in the docking cable proximate to the information handling system;

communicating a signal in response to the activating from the input device to the information handling system; and

initiating a change to the power state of the information handling system in response to the activating.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the change to the power state comprises a transition from a reduced power state to an on state.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the change to the power state comprises a transition from an on state to a reduced power state.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the signal comprises a signal sent directly from the input device to the information handling system through the docking cable.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the signal comprises a first signal sent from the input device to the external docking station and a second signal sent from the external docking station to the information handling system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second signal comprises an interrupt communicated from the external docking station through the docking cable to firmware of a docking manager of the information handling system.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the second signal comprises a wake on wireless local area network signal.

16. A docking station comprising:

a housing;

one or more docking ports disposed at the housing, each docking port configured to interface with an information handling system docking cable;

one or more peripheral ports disposed at the housing, each peripheral port configured to interface with a peripheral device;

a docking manager disposed in the housing and interfaced with the one or more docking ports, the docking manager operable to coordinate communication of information between an information handling system and the peripheral ports; and

a docking cable coupled to one of the one or more docking ports at a first end, the docking cable having an integrated input device proximate a second end, the second end adapted to interface with an information handling system, the integrated input device operable to accept an end user input and, in response to the end user input, to command a transition of the information handling system from a first power state to a second power state.

17. The docking station of claim 16 wherein the integrated input device comprises a fingerprint scanner operable to validate an end user fingerprint and to command the transition of the information handling system from the first power state to the second power state in response to detection of a valid end user fingerprint.

18. The docking station of claim 16 wherein the integrated input device communicates a command directly to the information handling system to transition from the first power state to the second power state.

19. The docking station of claim 16 wherein integrated input device communicates a signal through the docking cable to the docking manager and the docking manager communicates a command to the information handling system in response to the signal, the command initiating the transition from the first power state to the second power state.

20. The docking station of claim 19 wherein the command comprises a wake on wireless local area network command issued from the docking station to the information handling system.