Method and system for standby auxiliary processing of information for a computing device

• US 7,240,228 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chandley, Adrian, Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Crosier, Dale C., Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Westerinen, William J., Schoppa, Chris, Bear, Eric Gould
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Application Number:
  US10/429,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 345/1.1
• 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 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method and system for auxiliary processing of information for a computing device. By simplifying the user managed power states to On and Standby, the computing device preserves its execution context by default when the machine is powered down. As a result, the computing device is made available for use even when it appears to be powered down. The computer hardware and software is capable of responding immediately to network or communication activity, user input, and other events. While the computer is in Standby, it is alert and able to handle background tasks that do not require user interaction. Activities such as answering phone calls, handling voice mail, displaying new e-mail, record voice messages, browsing the Internet, recording TV shows and so forth occur without the user having to turn on the computer.

Claims

1. In a computerized environment that includes a main processor, an auxiliary processor, a main display, and an auxiliary display each coupled to the same computing system, a system configured for auxiliary processing of information while the main processor is in one or more standby states, the system comprising:

a computing device housing a main processor for processing information, the computing device having power states comprising off, on, and a plurality of standby states;

a task manager enabled to perform background processing of incoming communications;

a power manager, the power manager enabled to manage system power states and device power states and is further enabled to communicate with the task manager to inform it of wake-up events; and

an auxiliary processor, the auxiliary processor configured so that, when the computing device, including the main processor, is powered down into a standby state of operation by the power manager, the auxiliary processor processes at least some of the information directed from an outside source to the main processor.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary display coupled to the computing device, the auxiliary display controlled by the auxiliary processor to output representations corresponding to data received from the computing device using at least one member of a set consisting of visual, audible, and tactile representations.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary display coupled to the auxiliary processor, the auxiliary display controlled by the auxiliary processor to output representations corresponding to data received from the computing device using at least one member of a set consisting of visual, audible, and tactile representations.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a main display coupled to the computing device is turned off when the computing device and main processor are powered down into a standby state of operation;

and, during the standby state of operation, an auxiliary display coupled to the computing device provides display output of data that would otherwise be displayed through the main display.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein a fan coupled to the computing device is turned off when the computing device is powered down into a standby state of operation.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein any disk drives not accessed by the auxiliary processor are spun down when the computing device is powered down into a standby state of operation.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input device coupled to the auxiliary processor for controlling output to an auxiliary display.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input device coupled to the auxiliary processor for inputting user commands for execution of applications.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the execution of the applications is performed by the auxiliary processor.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the execution of at least one of the applications is partially performed by the auxiliary processor and partially performed by a main processor of the computing device.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input device coupled to a main processor for receiving input for the main processor and for the auxiliary processor.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary processor is integrated within the main processor of the computing device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary processor performs auxiliary processing of information received from the computing device.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary processor performs auxiliary processing of information received from an input device coupled to the auxiliary processor.

15. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of standby states include at least one of service, sleep or hibernate.

16. In a computerized environment that includes a main processor, an auxiliary processor, a main display, and an auxiliary display each attached to or housed within the same computing system, a system configured for auxiliary processing of information through an auxiliary processor while the computing system and main processor are in one or more standby sub-states, the system comprising:

means for processing information in a computing device at least in part through main processor housed within, the computing device having power states comprising off, on, and a plurality of standby states;

means for performing background processing of incoming communications;

means for controlling the power states of the computing device including the standby power state of operation, said means for controlling the power states comprising a power manager that is enabled to manage system power states and device power states and that is further enabled to communicate with a task manager to inform the task manager of wake-up events; and

means for performing auxiliary processing of the information, at least in part through an auxiliary processor , when the computing device is powered down to the standby state of operation, the auxiliary processing means further operable to process data directed from a remote source to the computing device when the computing device, including the main processor, is in a standby state.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary processor is integrated within the main processor of the computing device.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary processor of the computing device displays information through an auxiliary display regarding internet communication even through the main processor is in a standby state and a main display is powered down.

19. The system recited in claim 16, wherein the plurality of standby states include at least one of service, sleep or hibernate.