Method and apparatus for a computing system having an active sleep mode

• US 7,117,379 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Tony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, VINCENT HUY
• Application Number:
  US10/219,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713320-322, 713323-324
• 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 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• 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

An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a computing system having a normal active mode and an active sleep mode. The active sleep mode consumes less power than the normal active mode. The computing system also has a high end system and a low end system. The low end system executes one or more tasks during the active sleep mode.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transitioning a computing system from a normal active mode controlled by a main CPU into an active sleep mode controlled by an active sleep mode CPU, wherein said main CPU activates said active sleep mode CPU and deactivates itself;

transitioning said computing system from said active sleep mode to said normal active wherein said active sleep mode CPU activates said main CPU and deactivates itself;

receiving information wirelessly through an active wireless I/O component of the computer system during said active sleep mode; and

inactivating a graphics controller of the computing system during said active sleep mode.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying at least a portion of said information on a display unit during said active sleep mode.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said display unit displays said information through a first window having an area that is smaller than a second window area, said second window area used during said normal active mode, said first window smaller than said second window in order to consume less power with said display unit during said active sleep mode as compared to said normal active mode.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing at least a portion of said information on a magnetic storage medium during said active sleep mode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said information further comprises an email.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said information further comprises information sent from a server.

7. The method of claim 1 where in said information further comprises information received from the Internet.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said information further comprises information from a Internet web site.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said information further comprises video information.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting information from said computing system with said wireless I/O component during said active sleep mode.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising decompressing said information.

12. A method, comprising:

transitioning a computing system from a normal active mode controlled by a main CPU into an active sleep mode controlled by an active sleep mode CPU, wherein said main CPU activates said active sleep mode CPU and deactivates itself;

transition ma said computing system from said active sleep mode to said normal active mode, wherein said active sleep mode CPU activates said main CPU and deactivates itself;

reading information from a non volatile data storage device during said active sleep mode; and

inactivating a graphics controller during said active sleep mode.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying at least a portion of said information on a display unit during said active sleep mode.

14. The method in claim 13 wherein said display unit displays said information through a first window having an area that is smaller than a second window area, said second window area achievable during said normal active mode, said first window smaller than said second window in order to consume less power with said display unit during said active sleep mode than said normal active mode.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said non volatile data storage device further comprises a CD-ROM drive.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said information further comprises video.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said non volatile data storage device further comprises a magnetic hard disk drive.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said information further comprises video information.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein said non volatile data storage device further comprises a FLASH memory.

20. The method claim 12 further comprising decompressing said information after said reading.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising writing said information within said non volatile data storage device during said active sleep mode prior to said reading.

22. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving information wirelessly during said active sleep mode.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a computing system comprising a main CPU to operate said computing system in a normal active mode and an active sleep mode CPU to operate said computing system in an active sleep mode, said active sleep mode consuming less power than said normal active mode;

said main CPU to execute tasks during said normal active mode, said active sleep mode CPU to execute one or more tasks during said active sleep mode;

said main CPU coupled to said active sleep mode CPU;

wherein said main CPU is to activate said active sleep mode CPU and to deactivate itself;

wherein said activate sleep mode CPU is to activate said main CPU and to deactivate itself; and

said main CPU coupled to a graphics controller, said active sleep mode CPU not coupled to said graphics controller.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 where said active sleep CPU coupled to a wireless I/O component to receive and send wireless information.

25. The apparatus in claim 23 where in said active sleep mode CPU coupled to a hard disk drive to read and write information.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said main CPU and said active sleep mode CPU coupled to a display unit.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 where one of said one or more tasks that are executed during said active sleep mode further comprises displaying said information on said display unit.