Low power access to a computing unit from an external source

• US 6,922,788 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Eberhard, Raymond J., Feeney, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Eric
• Application Number:
  US09/955,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/324, 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• 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

A method for conserving energy in a computing unit and transferring data between the computing unit and an external source. The computing unit is in a power saving mode. The method includes receiving at the computing unit a request from an external source, determining which components of the computing unit are required to respond to the request, selectively activating, from the power saving mode, the components of the computing unit necessary to respond the request, and responding to the request using the selectively activated components of the computing unit. As one example, the computing unit may comprise a laptop, and the external source may comprise a PDA, and the request may include a request from the PDA to retrieve data from or store data on the laptop.

Claims

1. A method for conserving power in a computing unit, the computing unit including a plurality of components, the method comprising:

during a power saving mode, receiving at the computing unit a request for service from a wirelessly coupled, portable external source, wherein the request for service comprises a request to save data on one of the components of the computing unit or a request to retrieve data from one of the components of the computing unit;

determining which components of the computing unit are required to respond to the request for service while maintaining the power saving mode;

selectively activating, from the power saving mode, the components of the computing unit necessary to respond to the request, wherein the components do not include a central processing unit of the computing unit;

receiving at the computing unit file location information from the external source to facilitate processing of the request by the selectively activated components of the computing unit; and

responding to the request using the file location information and the selectively activated components of the computing unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to synchronize data between the computing unit and the external source.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the request, placing the computing unit in a power saving mode.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising returning the components of the computing unit to the power saving mode after responding to the request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein only the components necessary to respond to the request are activated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein responding to the request comprises transmitting instructions to the activated components necessary to respond to the request.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the instructions include retrieving data stored in one of the activated components.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the instructions include storing data in one of the activated components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises authenticating the source of the request.

10. A system for conserving power in a computing unit, the computing unit including a plurality of components, the system comprising:

during a power saving mode, means for receiving at the computing unit a request for service from a wirelessly coupled, portable external source, wherein the request for service comprises a request to save data on one of the components of the computing unit or a request to retrieve data from one of the components of the computing unit;

means for determining which components of the computing unit are required to respond to the request for service while maintaining the power saving mode;

means for selectively activating, from the power saving mode, the components of the computing unit necessary to respond to the request wherein the components do not include a central processing unit of the computing unit;

means for receiving at the computing unit file location information from the external source to facilitate processing of the request by the means for selectively activated components of the computing unit; and

means for responding to the request using the file location information and the selectively activated components of the computing unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the request comprises a request to synchronize data between the computing unit and the external source.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of components are in a power saving mode before the request is received.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for selectively activating the components of the computing unit activates only the components necessary to respond to the request.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for transmitting instructions to the activated components necessary to respond to the request.

15. Computer executable software code stored on a computing unit readable medium, the code for conserving power in a computing unit, the computing unit including a plurality of components, the code comprising:

during a power saving mode, code to receive at the computing unit a request for service from a wirelessly coupled, portable external source, wherein the request for service comprises a request to save data on one of the components of the computing unit or a request to retrieve data from one of the components of the computing unit;

code to determine which components of the computing unit are required to respond to the request for service while maintaining the power saving mode;

code to selectively activate, from the power saving mode, the components of the computing unit necessary to respond to the request, wherein the components do not include a central processing unit of the computing unit;

code to receive at the computing unit file location information from the external source to facilitate processing of the request by the selectively activated components of the computing unit; and

code to respond to the request using the file location information and the selectively activated components of the computing unit.

16. The code of claim 15, wherein the request comprises a request to synchronize data between the computing unit and the external source.

17. The code of claim 15, wherein the plurality of components are in a power saving mode before the request is received.

18. The code of claim 15, wherein the code for selectively activating the components of the computing unit activates only the components necessary to respond to the request.

19. The code of claim 15, further comprising code for transmitting instructions to the activated components necessary to respond to the request.

20. A computing unit comprising:

a central processing unit and a plurality of components in a power saving mode, each of said plurality of components being configured to perform specific functions of the computing unit;

a power management subsystem coupled to said plurality of components, said power management system being capable of activating from the power saving mode at least one of said plurality of components; and

a server, said server being adapted to receive a request for service from a wirelessly coupled, portable external source, wherein the request for service comprises a request to save data on one of the components of the computing unit or a request to retrieve data from one of the components of the computing unit, and to determine therefrom which component of said plurality of components other than the central processing unit should be activated by the power management subsystem to respond to the request; and

wherein the server is further adapted to receive file location information from the external source to facilitate processing of the request.

21. The computing unit of claim 20, wherein the request comprises a request to synchronize data between the computing unit and the external source.

22. The computing unit of claim 20, wherein the power management subsystem is instructed to activate only the components necessary to respond to the request.