Dynamic power control apparatus, systems and methods

• US 6,885,974 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Holle, Matthew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick J.
• Application Number:
  US10/356,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/60, 702/61, 702/62, 702/63, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/321, 713/323, 713/324, 713/330
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Dynamic power controller apparatus, systems and methods are provided which utilize system and user data to control power to components. The present invention employs dynamically controlled idle timeout values which are based, in part, on the historical use of the component. It can also employ user settings, event occurrences and available resources of a system to dynamically control the power to one of the system'"'"'s components or a remote component. In an instance of the present invention related to hard disk power control, it is employed in an operating system'"'"'s kernel where disk idleness is monitored. When the hard disk'"'"'s idle time meets a dynamically computed power control idle timeout, the disk driver is commanded to power down the device.

Claims

1. A system facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising:

a power control device that provides information associated with component power control, based, at least in part, upon historical component usage information; and

a component controller that controls power to a component, based, at least in part, upon the information from the power control device, wherein the component controller formulates a dynamic idle timeout value which includes accounting for user settings related to the component and wherein the user settings are reduced substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 95% when component power is removed a first time.

2. The system of claim 1, the component comprising a hard disk.

3. The system of claim 1, the component controller comprising a disk controller component.

4. The system of claim 1, the power control device comprising a disk idleness component in an operating system'"'"'s kernel.

5. The system of claim 1, the component controller comprising a device driver for the component, interfacing to both the component and power control device.

6. The system of claim 1, the power control device comprising:

a component power controller for sending, receiving and analyzing information pertinent to power control of a component; and

at least one subcomponent interfacing with the component power controller, providing data related to the power control of the component.

7. The system of claim 6, the subcomponents provided by an operating system hosting the power control device.

8. The system of claim 6, the subcomponents comprising:

a current idle time monitor subcomponent; and

a component usage monitor subcomponent.

9. The system of claim 8, the component usage monitor subcomponent comprising, at least in part, inputs relating to a user'"'"'s status for determining if the user is present.

10. The system of claim 6, the subcomponents further comprising a user settings subcomponent.

11. The system of claim 6, the subcomponents further comprising a resource monitor subcomponent.

12. The system of claim 6, the subcomponents further comprising an event monitor subcomponent.

13. The system of claim 12, the event monitor subcomponent comprising:

an application monitor entity; and

an event request monitor entity.

14. A system facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising a power control device that provides information associated with component power control, based, at least in part, upon historical component usage information, wherein the power control device formulates a dynamic idle timeout value which includes accounting for user settings related to the component and wherein the user settings are reduced substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 95% when component power is removed a first time.

15. The system of claim 14, the power control device comprising:

a component power controller for sending, receiving and analyzing information pertinent to power control of a component; and

at least one subcomponent interfacing with the component power controller, providing data related to the power control of the component.

16. The system of claim 15, the power control device having a capability to send power control information to at least one remote component controller.

17. The system of claim 15, the power control device having a capability to send power control information to at least one remote component.

18. The system of claim 15, the power control device residing within an operating system'"'"'s kernel.

40. A device employing the system of claim 14 comprising at least one from a group consisting of a computer, a server, a handheld electronic device, a photocopier, a scanner, a fax machine, a digital camera, and a digital video camera.

19. A method for facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising:

determining a component'"'"'s usage; and

formulating a dynamic idle timeout value based on the component'"'"'s usage, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for user settings related to the component and wherein the user settings are reduced substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 95% when component power is removed a first time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a component'"'"'s usage is based on a previous duration of a component'"'"'s power removed time.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a component'"'"'s usage is based on a previous duration of a process requiring utilization of the component.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein determining a component'"'"'s usage is based on a previous duration of a component'"'"'s power applied time.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for resources available to a system.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for resources available to the component.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for events requiring utilization of the component.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for system settings related to the component.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value includes accounting for a user'"'"'s status.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

comparing the dynamic idle timeout value to the component'"'"'s current idle time value; and

providing notice when the dynamic idle timeout value approximates the current idle time value.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising interfacing with a component controller to relay information related to dynamically controlling power of the component.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising interfacing with a component to relay information related to dynamically controlling power of the component.

26. A method for facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising:

determining a component'"'"'s usage; and

formulating a dynamic idle timeout value based on the component'"'"'s usage, wherein formulating a dynamic idle timeout value include accounting for user settings related to the component and wherein the user settings are reduced in an approximate range of 5% to 20% when component power is removed alter a first time.

32. A method for facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising:

monitoring power states of a component;

monitoring events requiring utilization of the component;

weighting the events based on a priority level;

determining component'"'"'s usage;

formulating a dynamic idle timeout value based on the component'"'"'s usage and weight of the events requiring utilization of the component;

comparing the dynamic idle timeout value to the component'"'"'s current idle time value;

providing notice when the dynamic idle timeout value approximates the current idle time value; and

determining a weighting threshold, wherein the dynamic idle timeout is increased substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 200% when the weighting threshold is surpassed.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein monitoring power states includes at least one from a group consisting of power applied, power removed, power apply request, and power remove request.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein monitoring events includes at least one from a group consisting of application requests for utilization of the component and system requests for utilization of the component.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein weighting the events is based on at least one from a group consisting of frequency of the event, predicted frequency of the event, and priority of the event.

36. The method of claim 32, further including determining if power resources are limited for the component.

37. A method for facilitating dynamic component power control, comprising:

monitoring power states of a component;

monitoring events requiting utilization of the component;

weighting the events based on a priority level;

determining a component'"'"'s usage;

formulating a dynamic idle timeout value based on the component'"'"'s usage and weight of the events requiring utilization of the component;

comparing the dynamic idle timeout value to the component'"'"'s current idle time value;

providing notice when the dynamic idle timeout value approximates the current idle time value;

determining a weighting threshold; and

determining if power resources are limited for the component, wherein the dynamic idle timeout is increased substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 200% when resources are not limited and the weighting threshold is surpassed.

38. A computer readable medium storing computer executable components of a system for controlling power of a component, comprising a power control device that provides information associated with component power control, based, at least in part, upon historical component usage information, wherein the power user settings related to the component and wherein the user settings are reduced substantially in an approximate range of 50% to 95% when component power is removed a first time.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, the power control device comprises:

a component power controller for sending, receiving and analyzing information pertinent to power control of a component; and

at least one subcomponent interfacing with the component power controller, providing data related to the power control of the component.

41. A dynamic component power control system, comprising:

means for receiving usage information of a component;

means for determining a dynamic idle timeout value, based, in part, on historical usage information of the component;

means for comparing the dynamic idle timeout value to a current idle time value;

means for notifying the component when the dynamic idle timeout value approximately equals the current idle time value; and

means for determining a weighting threshold, wherein the dynamic idle timeout value is increased substantially in an approximate 50% to 200% when the weighting threshold is surpassed.