Peripheral power saver

• US 5,594,672 A
• Filed: 05/20/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro Energetics Corp
• Original Assignee: Micro Energetics Corp
• Inventors: Hicks, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOISE, EMMANUEL LIONEL
• Application Number:
  US08/247,138
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 364/707, 364/234, 364/238.3, 364/264, 364/492, 364/493, 364/926.93, 364/928, 364/948.6, 395/275, 395/800, 395/550
• US Class Current: 713/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A device that saves energy by turning on power to a peripheral device such as a printer only when a host computer sends data to its I/O port. When the peripheral device requires a warm-up period, the device will mediate the transition of the peripheral between a power-off state and a ready state by using a hold-off timer function.

Claims

1. An apparatus for turning on and off a computer peripheral, comprising:

a. a means for monitoring the data from a computer data port;

b. a means for supplying power to a regulated power outlet when data is present at said computer data port;

c. a means for turning-off power to said regulated power outlet in the absence of data at said computer data port for a period of time; and

d. a means for mediating the transition between a power off and peripheral ready state through the use of a hold-off timer function, comprising;

a. requesting at most, the maximum number of bytes that can fit in one computer register from said computer data port at intervals to maintain a peripheral ready state in said host computer;

b. buffering requested data;

c. monitoring said computer peripheral for a ready signal; and

d. sending data from the buffer when peripheral is ready to receive data.

2. A process for controlling the power usage of a computer peripheral through the activity at a data port, comprising:

a. monitoring the host computer'"'"'s data port for activity;

b. supplying power to a computer peripheral when said computer data port is active;

c. controlling data flow from host computer using a hold-off function comprising;

a. requesting at most, the maximum number of bytes that can fit in one computer register from said computer data port at intervals to maintain a peripheral ready state in said host computer;

b. buffering requested data;

c. monitoring said computer peripheral for a ready signal; and

d. sending data from the buffer when said computer peripheral is ready to receive data;

d. monitoring the host computer data port for inactivity; and

e. removing power to said computer peripheral if the computer data port has been inactive for a period of time.