Adaptive power-reduction mode

• US 7,383,457 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Knight, Brent E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Application Number:
  US11/087,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system comprises monitoring an idle time period associated with a device and providing an adaptive power-save mode based upon a determination that the idle time period has exceeded a predetermined threshold. Providing the adaptive power-save mode comprising detecting a power-up response subsequent to an initiation of a power-save mode and modifying the predetermined threshold based upon the power-up response.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring an idle time period associated with a device; and

providing an adaptive power-save mode upon a determination that said idle time period has exceeded a predetermined threshold, providing said adaptive power-save mode comprising detecting a type of a power-up response subsequent to an initiation of a power-save mode and modifying said predetermined threshold based upon said type of power-up response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting said type of a power-up response further comprises detecting a time-period between an initiation of said power-save mode and said power-up response and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up response.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting said type of a power-up response further comprises determining that an annoyance factor threshold has been met in response to a determination that a force relating to a key strike is greater than a predetermined force threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting said type of a power-up response further comprises determining that an annoyance factor threshold has been met in response to a determination that a time period between an initiation of said power-save mode and said power-up response is below a power-up delay threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying said predetermined threshold comprises increasing a time period associated with said predetermined threshold relating to an idle time preceding an initiation of a power-save mode.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising modifying said predetermined threshold based upon said annoyance factor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying said predetermined threshold based upon said annoyance factor threshold factor further comprises increasing said time period relating to said predetermined threshold relating to an idle time preceding an initiation of said power-save mode.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying said predetermined threshold based upon said annoyance factor threshold factor further comprises decreasing said time period relating to said predetermined threshold relating to an idle time preceding an initiation of said power-save mode.

9. A method, comprising:

initiating a power-save mode associated with a device;

determining whether a power-up response has occurred subsequent to said initiating of said power-save mode;

characterizing said power-up response based upon the type of said power-up response; and

modifying an idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon said characterizing of a power-up event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein initiating said power-save mode associated with said device further comprises dimming a display associated with said device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein characterizing said power-up response further comprises determining that a threshold has been met in response to a determination that said time period between said initiation of said power-save mode and said power-up response is below a power-up delay threshold and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up response.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying said idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode further comprises increasing said idle time required to initiate a subsequent power-save mode.

13. A method, comprising:

monitoring a device for detecting a power-up event subsequent to an initiation of a power-save mode associated with said device;

determining whether said power-up event occurred before a predetermined time period; and

delaying an initiation of a subsequent power-save mode based upon a determination that said power-up event occurred before said predetermined time period and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up event.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

means for monitoring a device for detecting a power-up event subsequent to an initiation of a power-save mode associated with said device;

means for determining whether said power-up event occurred before a predetermined time period; and

means for delaying an initiation of a subsequent power-save mode based upon a determination that said power-up event occurred before said predetermined time period and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up response.

15. A system, comprising:

a device adapted to initiate a power-save mode based upon an idle time associated with an operation of said device; and

a controller operatively coupled to said device, said controller adapted to determine whether a power-up response has occurred subsequent to an initiating of said power-save mode, the controller also being adapted to modify an idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon the type of said power-up event.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said device is at least one of an interactive keyboard, an interactive mouse, a set of front panel switches, and a touch screen interface.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an operating system to control an operation of said computer device; and

at least one driver operatively coupled to said operating system to control an operation of said device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one of a display interface, a hard drive interface, a network interface, and a peripheral interface.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an adaptive power-save mode control unit, said adaptive power-save mode control unit being adapted to modify said idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon said characterizing of said power-up event.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said adaptive power-save mode control unit is integrated within said operating system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said adaptive power-save mode control unit is integrated within said driver.

22. A computer system, comprising:

a peripheral device adapted to initiate a power-save mode based upon an idle time associated with an operation of said device; and

a controller operatively coupled to said device, said controller adapted to determine whether a power-up response has occurred subsequent to an initiating of said power-save mode, the controller also being adapted to modify an idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon said power-up event and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up response.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein further comprising an adaptive power-save mode control unit, said adaptive power-save mode control unit being adapted to modify said idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon said characterizing of said power-up event.

24. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:

monitoring an idle time period associated with a device; and

providing an adaptive power-save mode upon a determination that said idle time period has exceeded a predetermined threshold, providing said adaptive power-save mode comprising detecting a type of a power-up response subsequent to an initiation of a power-save mode and modifying said predetermined threshold based upon said type of power-up response.

25. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 24, wherein modifying said predetermined threshold further comprises increasing a time period associated with said predetermined threshold relating to an idle time preceding said initiation of a power-save mode.

26. A method, comprising:

receiving data relating to a power-up event relating to a device in a power-save mode;

determining whether said power-up event occurred before a predetermined time period; and

delaying an initiation of a subsequent power-save mode based upon a determination that said power-up event occurred before said predetermined time period, and upon at least one additional characteristic of said power-up event.

27. An adaptive power-save control unit, comprising:

a controller adapted to determine whether a power-up response has occurred subsequent to an initiating of said power-save mode, the controller also being adapted to modify an idle time period associated with initiating said power-save mode based upon said power-up event, and upon at least one additional characteristic of said power-up event.

28. A computer readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, provides for an adaptive power mode, the computer readable storage device, comprising:

a delay table comprising data relating a power-save mode, wherein said data comprises information relating to determining whether said power-up event occurred before a predetermined time period and delaying an initiation of a subsequent power-save mode based upon a determination that said power-up event occurred before said predetermined time period, and at least one additional characteristic of said power-up response.

29. The computer readable storage device of claim 28, where said data relating to said power-save mode comprising at least one of an idle time period, data relating to a power-up activity, at least one penalty point relating to initiating said power-save mode, a time interval between said power-save mode and said power-up mode, a number to tiers associated with said time interval, and a value associated with said time interval.