Wake-up-on-ring power conservation for host signal processing communication system
DCFirst Claim
1. A host signal processing communication system comprising:
- a host processor;
a device for connection to communication lines, the device being operable in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the device periodically asserts a first signal while operating in the first mode;
software for processing information transferred via the communication lines and the device, the software being executed by the host processor in response to an interrupt signal; and
selection logic coupled between the device and the host processor, the selection logic being coupled to select the interrupt signal provided to the host processor, wherein the selection logic selects the first signal as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the first mode and selects a second signal from the communication lines as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the second mode.
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Abstract
An communication system such as a host signal processing modem includes a host computer and a device that is coupled to communication lines and a host processor in the host computer. In a normal operating mode, the device generates periodic interrupts that cause the host processor to execute a software portion of the communication system. The software portion communicates with the device and implements protocols required to maintain communications with a remote system via communication lines. In a wait mode of the device, interrupts from the device to the host processor are suspended and selection logic in the device selects a communication signal such as a ring signal from the telephone lines as an interrupt to the host processor. While in wait mode, a power management system can place the system in a sleep mode because the periodic interrupts are suspended and do not indicate system activity that would prevent use of the sleep mode. However, since an incoming ring signal interrupts the host processor, the HSP communication system can activate and respond to an incoming communication even if the device is in the wait mode when the incoming communication is initiated.
232 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A host signal processing communication system comprising:
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a host processor; a device for connection to communication lines, the device being operable in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the device periodically asserts a first signal while operating in the first mode; software for processing information transferred via the communication lines and the device, the software being executed by the host processor in response to an interrupt signal; and selection logic coupled between the device and the host processor, the selection logic being coupled to select the interrupt signal provided to the host processor, wherein the selection logic selects the first signal as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the first mode and selects a second signal from the communication lines as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the second mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for operating a communication system, comprising:
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generating periodic interrupts to a host processor, wherein a device connected to communication lines generates the periodic interrupts while a communication link is active on the communication lines; executing a software portion of the communication system in response to the interrupts from the device, wherein the software portion processes information transferred via the active communication link; suppressing interrupts from the device when no communication link is active on the communication lines; and connecting a signal from the communication lines as an interrupt to the host computer while interrupts from the device are being suppressed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A host signal processing modem comprising:
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a host computer including a host processor and a device bus; modem hardware coupled to the device bus of the host computer, the modem hardware including; a device for connection to telephone lines, the device being operable in a first mode and a second mode, wherein the device periodically asserts a first signal while operating in the first mode; and selection logic coupled between the device and the host computer, the selection logic providing an interrupt to the host processor, wherein the selection logic selects the first signal as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the first mode and selects a second signal from the telephone lines as the interrupt signal when the device is operating in the second mode; and software for processing information transferred from the modem hardware via the device bus, the software being executed by the host processor in response to the interrupt signal from the modem hardware. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification