Method of pre-activating network devices based upon previous usage data

• US 7,249,269 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cribbs; Malcolm D
• Application Number:
  US10/938,306
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 713/330, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An approach for pre-activating network devices includes using prior usage of a network device to estimate times when the network device will be used in the future. The network device is then pre-activated, i.e., transitioned to an active operational state, prior to the estimated times so that the network device will be ready when needed. This reduces or eliminates delays in processing attributable to having to wait for the network device to transition to the active operational state.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a network device, the method comprising:

retrieving usage data that indicates which of a plurality of operational states a network device operated in during a first plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, wherein the second plurality of time periods is both different than the first plurality of time periods and occurs after the first plurality of time periods;

detecting whether one or more individuals associated with the network device are in a building;

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are in the building, then causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods, so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at a start of each of the one or more time periods; and

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are not in the building then not causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, includes determining, based upon the usage data, which of the first plurality time periods the network device operated in the first operational state.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving additional usage data that indicates which of the plurality of operational states the network device operated in during a third plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a fourth plurality of time periods, a second set of one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in the first operational state from the plurality of operational states; and

causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the second set of one or more time periods so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at the start of each of the second set of one or more time periods.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network device consumes relatively more power when operating in the first operational state than any other of the plurality of operational states.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network device requires relatively more time to transition to the first operational state than to transition to any other of the plurality of operational states.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining which time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated in the first operational state at least a specified number of times.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining a specified number of time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated the most in the first operational state.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising verifying that the usage data for the first plurality of time periods reflects at least a minimum number of times that the network device operated in the first operational state.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein when operating in the first operational state, the network device is able to process requests.

10. A machine-readable medium for managing a network device, the machine-readable medium carrying sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

retrieving usage data that indicates which of a plurality of operational states a network device operated in during a first plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, wherein the second plurality of time periods is both different than the first plurality of time periods and occurs after the first plurality of time periods;

detecting whether one or more individuals associated with the network device are in a building;

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are in the building, then causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods, so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at a start of each of the one or more time periods; and

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are not in the building, then not causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods.

11. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, includes determining, based upon the usage data, which of the first plurality time periods the network device operated in the first operational state.

12. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause:

retrieving additional usage data that indicates which of the plurality of operational states the network device operated in during a third plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a fourth plurality of time periods, a second set of one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in the first operational state from the plurality of operational states; and

causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the second set of one or more time periods so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at the start of each of the second set of one or more time periods.

13. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the network device consumes relatively more power when operating in the first operational state than any other of the plurality of operational states.

14. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the network device requires relatively more time to transition to the first operational state than to transition to any other of the plurality of operational states.

15. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining which time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated in the first operational state at least a specified number of times.

16. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining a specified number of time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated the most in the first operational state.

17. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause verifying that the usage data for the first plurality of time periods reflects at least a minimum number of times that the network device operated in the first operational state.

18. The machine-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein when operating in the first operational state the network device is able to process requests.

19. An apparatus for managing a network device, the apparatus comprising a memory storing sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

retrieving usage data that indicates which of a plurality of operational states a network device operated in during a first plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, wherein the second plurality of time periods is both different than the first plurality of time periods and occurs after the first plurality of time periods;

detecting whether one or more individuals associated with the network device are in a building;

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are in the building, then causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods, so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at a start of each of the one or more time periods; and

if the one or more individuals associated with the network device are not in the building, then not causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the one or more time periods.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states, includes determining, based upon the usage data, which of the first plurality time periods the network device operated in the first operational state.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the memory further stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause:

retrieving additional usage data that indicates which of the plurality of operational states the network device operated in during a third plurality of time periods;

estimating, based upon the usage data, from a fourth plurality of time periods, a second set of one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in the first operational state from the plurality of operational states; and

causing the network device to transition to the first operational state prior to each of the second set of one or more time periods so that the network device is operating in the first operational state at the start of each of the second set of one or more time periods.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the network device consumes relatively more power when operating in the first operational state than any other of the plurality of operational states.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the network device requires relatively more time to transition to the first operational state than to transition to any other of the plurality of operational states.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining which time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated in the first operational state at least a specified number of times.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein:

the usage data indicates, for each time period from the first plurality of time periods, a number of times that the network device was operating in the first operational state; and

the estimating, based upon the usage data, from a second plurality of time periods, one or more time periods when the network device will be operating in a first operational state from the plurality of operational states includes determining a specified number of time periods from the first plurality of time periods that the network device operated the most in the first operational state.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the memory further stores additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause verifying that the usage data for the first plurality of time periods reflects at least a minimum number of times that the network device operated in the first operational state.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein when operating in the first operational state, the network device is able to process requests.