Reducing power consumption of an electronic system having a communication device
First Claim
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1. A computer system, comprising:
- a host CPU; and
a wireless module coupled to said host CPU via an electrical connection to permit the computer system to communicate with a wireless network;
wherein, at first predefined periods of time, said host CPU polls said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any input data from the wireless network, but, at second predefined periods of time, does not poll said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any Input data from the wireless network.
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Abstract
A computer system comprises a host computer coupled to a wireless module via a digital interface. The wireless module permits the computer system to communicate with a wireless network. The host computer repeatedly polls the wireless module to determine whether it has received any incoming data from the wireless network, but preferably does not poll the wireless module all of the time. Periodic cessation of polling advantageously helps to extend battery life in the case of a host computer that operates off battery power. This concept, however, can be applied and is useful in the context of desktop electronic systems that operate from AC power.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A computer system, comprising:
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a host CPU; and
a wireless module coupled to said host CPU via an electrical connection to permit the computer system to communicate with a wireless network;
wherein, at first predefined periods of time, said host CPU polls said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any input data from the wireless network, but, at second predefined periods of time, does not poll said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any Input data from the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer system, comprising:
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a host CPU; and
an interface electrically coupled to said CPU and adapted to be electrically coupled to a wireless module to thereby permit the computer system to communicate with a wireless network;
wherein, at first predefined periods of time, said host CPU causes said interface to poll said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any input data from the wireless network, but, at second predefined periods of time, does not poll said wireless module to determine whether said wireless module has received any input data from the wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of managing power in a computer system that contains a wireless communication module that permits the computer system to communicate with a wireless communication network, comprising:
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(a) transmitting a request for data to the wireless network;
(b) beginning to poll the wireless module over an electrical connection for the presence of incoming data from the wireless network; and
(c) ceasing polling the wireless module over the electrical connection for the presence of data that has been received from the wireless network at a defined point in time. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method of managing power in a computer system that contains a wireless communication module that permits the computer system to communicate with a wireless communication network, comprising:
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(a) transmitting a request for data to the wireless network;
(b) waiting a time interval following (a);
(c) beginning to poll the wireless module over an electrical interface for the presence of incoming data from the wireless network upon expiration of the time interval in (b); and
(d) ceasing polling the wireless module over the electrical interface for the presence of data that has been received from the wireless network at a defined point in time. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification