Power management system for a computer

• US 5,958,055 A
• Filed: 09/20/1996
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hicok, Gary D., Evoy, David R., Simmons, Laura E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thlang, Eric S.
• Application Number:
  US08/717,478
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750.03, 395/282, 395/750.04, 395/750.05, 395/750.06, 395/750.07, 395/750.02, 379/93, 379/413, 379/102, 379/98, 379/102.02, 379/82
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/004 Error avoidance G06F11/07 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

An off-hook state of a telephone associated with a computer is used in order to disable the power management unit of the computer to prevent premature power shutdown while the telephone is being used. A power-managed computer system includes a bus system, and a central processing unit coupled to the bus system. The central processing unit has a normal power mode and a power saving mode. A telephony interface coupled to the bus system has a port for coupling to a telephone system network. A power management unit is also coupled to the bus system and is responsive to bus system activity and to indicia of telephony interface activity. The power management unit causes the central processing unit to be in a power saving mode when both bus system activity and telephony interface activity are less than a predetermined level of activity. Additionally, the power management unit maintains the central processing unit in a power mode greater than the power saving mode when either the bus system activity or the telephony interface activity is greater than the predetermined level of activity. An off-hook signal is directly sampled from the modem and provided to activity detection logic within the power management unit. Alternatively, modem interface logic interprets any number of signals provided by the modem to deliver an off-hook signal to the power management unit. Alternatively, telephone interface software includes an off-hook identifier that records the off-hook state of the telephone and an enablement/disablement register in the power management unit is either set or reset. System or user activity is also emulated in order to indicate to the power management unit that activity is occurring within the computer.

Claims

1. A power-managed computer system with telephony capabilities comprising:

a bus system;

a central processing unit coupled to said bus system, said central processing unit having a normal power mode and at least one power saving mode;

a telephony interface coupled to said bus system for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, said telephony interface including a port for coupling said telephony interface to a telephone system network;

a power management unit coupled to said bus system and responsive to bus system activity and to telephony interface activity, said power management unit being operative to cause said central processing unit to be in said power saving mode when both said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity are less than a predetermined level of activity and said power management unit being operative to maintain said central processing unit in a power mode greater than said power saving mode when at least one of said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity is greater than said predetermined level of activity;

telephone circuitry for allowing said computer system to function as a telephone and capable of transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal;

telephone interface software for managing said telephone circuitry, said telephone interface software providing an off-hook identifier to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode; and

an enablement register in said power management unit capable of being arranged to disable said power management unit from shutting down power to said computer.

2. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein said telephony interface includes a modem for transmitting or receiving said telephonic signal, said modem providing an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity.

3. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 2 wherein said power management unit includes activity detection logic for detecting said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system, and wherein said telephony interface is arranged to provide said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer system.

4. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

activity detection logic in said power management unit for detecting said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system; and

sensing logic for determining the status of said telephonic signal and for generating an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.

5. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

activity detection logic in said power management unit for detecting said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system;

a modem for transmitting or receiving said telephonic signal; and

telephone circuitry that includes modem interface logic, whereby said modem interface logic is arranged to interpret the status of a plurality of modem signals provided by said modem in order to generate an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.

6. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein said bus system activity is produced by emulating system or user activity in order to maintain said central processing unit in a power mode greater than said power saving mode.

7. A power-managed computer system with telephony capabilities comprising:

a central processing unit having a normal power mode and a reduced power mode, said central processing unit being a contributor to general system activity;

at least one peripheral coupled to said central processing unit and contributing to said general system activity, said at least one peripheral having a normal power mode and a reduced power mode;

a telephony interface for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, said telephony interface including a port for coupling said telephony interface to a telephone system network;

a power management means for determining telephony interface activity and for monitoring said general system activity, said power management means being operative to put at least one of said central processing unit and said peripheral in a reduced power mode in the absence of both a predetermined level of telephony interface activity and a predetermined level of general system activity, and said power management means being operative to return said at least one of said central processing unit and said peripheral to its normal power mode when at least one of said telephony interface activity and said general system activity is greater than respective said predetermined levels of activity;

telephone circuitry for allowing said computer system to function as a telephone and capable of transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal;

telephone interface software for managing said telephone circuitry, said telephone interface software providing an off-hook identifier to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management means such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode; and

an enablement register in said power management means capable of being arranged to disable said power management means from shutting down power to said computer.

8. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 7 wherein said telephony interface includes a modem for transmitting or receiving said telephonic signal, said modem providing an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity.

9. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 8 wherein said power management means includes activity detection logic for detecting said general system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system, and wherein said telephony interface is arranged to provide said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management means such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer system.

10. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

activity detection logic in said power management means for detecting said general system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system; and

sensing logic for determining the status of said telephonic signal and for generating an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management means such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.

11. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

activity detection logic in said power management means for detecting said general system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system;

a modem for transmitting or receiving said telephonic signal; and

telephone circuitry that includes modem interface logic, whereby said modem interface logic is arranged to interpret the status of a plurality of modem signals provided by said modem in order to generate an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management means such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.

12. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 7 wherein said general system activity is produced by emulating system or user activity in order to maintain said central processing unit in a power mode greater than said reduced power mode.

13. A method for managing power in a computer system having general system activity and telephony interface activity, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring both general system activity and telephony interface activity of said computer system running in a normal power mode;

determining a level of general system activity and a level of telephony interface activity by sampling an off-hook identifier;

placing said computer system in a reduced power mode in the absence of both a predetermined level of telephony interface activity and a predetermined level of general system activity as determined by said monitoring, whereby said computer system is prevented from being placed in a reduced power mode when said telephony interface activity is greater than said predetermined level of telephony interface activity, wherein said computer system includes;

telephone circuitry for allowing said computer system to function as a telephone and capable of transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, and telephone interface software for managing said telephone circuitry, said telephone interface software providing said off-hook identifier, and

a power management unit for shutting down power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time; and

setting an enablement register in said power management unit in order to disable said power management unit from shutting down power to said computer.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said computer system includes a modem for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, and said determining step includes sampling an off-hook signal provided by said modem.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said computer system further includes a power management unit for shutting down power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time, said power management unit including activity detection logic for detecting general system activity and telephony interface activity within said computer system, and wherein said computer system is prevented from being placed in a reduced power mode by providing said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer system.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said computer system includes sensing logic, and said determining step includes sensing the status of a telephonic signal using said sensing logic.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said computer system further includes a power management unit for shutting down power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time, said power management unit including activity detection logic for detecting general system activity and telephony interface activity within said computer system, said method further includes the steps of:

generating an off-hook signal from said sensing logic, and

providing said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.

18. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said computer system includes a modem for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, telephone circuitry that includes modem interface logic, and said determining step includes interpreting the status of a plurality of modem signals provided by said modem using said modem interface logic.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein said computer system further includes a power management unit for shutting down power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time, said power management unit including activity detection logic for detecting general system activity and telephony interface activity within said computer system, said method further including the steps of:

generating an off-hook signal from said modem interface logic; and

providing said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer.

20. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said computer system further includes a power management unit for shutting down power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time, said method further comprising the step of directing said telephone interface software to disable said power management unit.

21. A method as recited in claim 13 further including the step of emulating general system activity, whereby said computer system is prevented from being placed in a reduced power mode.

22. A method for preventing the shutting down of power within a computer system, said computer system having telephone circuitry for allowing said computer system to function as a telephone and capable of transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, a power source providing power for said computer system and said telephone circuitry, and a power management unit for shutting down the power to said computer system after a predetermined amount of time, said power management unit including activity detection logic for detecting activity within said computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

enabling said power management unit of said computer system such that if no activity is detected by said activity detection logic said power management unit will shut down power to said computer system;

enabling said telephone circuitry such that said computer system functions as a telephone, said telephone circuitry being in an off-hook state when said computer system functions as a telephone;

determining whether said telephone circuitry is in an off-hook state; and

wherein when it is determined that said telephone circuitry is in an off-hook state, preventing said power management unit from shutting down power to said computer system, such that said power source still provides power to said computer system and said telephone circuitry while said telephone circuitry is in an off-hook state.

23. A power-managed computer system with telephony capabilities comprising:

a bus system;

a central processing unit coupled to said bus system, said central processing unit having a normal power mode and at least one power saving mode;

a telephony interface coupled to said bus system for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, said telephony interface including a port for coupling said telephony interface to a telephone system network, said telephony interface includes a modem for transmitting or receiving said telephonic signal, such that said modem provides an off-hook signal that is arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity; and

a power management unit coupled to said bus system and responsive to bus system activity and to telephony interface activity, said power management unit being operative to cause said central processing unit to be in said power saving mode when both said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity are less than a predetermined level of activity and said power management unit being operative to maintain said central processing unit in a power mode greater than said power saving mode when at least one of said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity is greater than said predetermined level of activity.

24. A power-managed computer system as recited in claim 23 wherein said power management unit includes activity detection logic for detecting said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system, and wherein said telephony interface is arranged to provide said off-hook signal to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer system.

25. A power-managed computer system with telephony capabilities comprising:

a bus system;

a central processing unit coupled to said bus system, said central processing unit having a normal power mode and at least one power saving mode;

a telephony interface coupled to said bus system for transmitting or receiving a telephonic signal, said telephony interface including a port for coupling said telephony interface to a telephone system network;

a power management unit coupled to said bus system and responsive to bus system activity and to telephony interface activity, said power management unit being operative to cause said central processing unit to be in said power saving mode when both said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity are less than a predetermined level of activity and said power management unit being operative to maintain said central processing unit in a power mode greater than said power saving mode when at least one of said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity is greater than said predetermined level of activity;

activity detection logic in said power management unit for detecting said bus system activity and said telephony interface activity within said computer system; and

sensing logic for determining the status of said telephonic signal and for generating an off-hook signal arranged to indicate said telephony interface activity to said activity detection logic in said power management unit such that said activity detection logic interprets said off-hook signal as activity within said computer and prevents said computer system from being placed in a reduced power mode.