Power management system

• US 7,389,436 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Laboratories-Cambridge Limited (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Laboratories-Cambridge Limited (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Osborn, Paul Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US10/916,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713320-324, 713/330, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A power management system for electrical and electronic apparatus has a number of components which may be switched to a low power state. A power controller (20) is coupled to each component in the apparatus and a plurality of power modules (22, 24, 26) are each associated with a component. Each power module is coupled to the power controller for each component its associated component makes use of. It sends signals to that power controller indicating whether or not its associated component wishes to make use of the component coupled to that power controller. The power controller switches its component to a low or high power state in dependence on the received signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus which communicates with other apparatuses over radio frequencies, the apparatus comprising:

a first component configured to be switched between low or high power states, the first component operatively coupled to a first power controller; and

the first power controller, including a first plurality of power modules, configured to switch the first component between low or high power, states, each power module of the first plurality associated with an associated component configured to use the first component;

wherein each power module of the first plurality sends at least one signal to the first power controller indicating whether or not the associated component associated with the power module is currently required to be in a high power state,

wherein the first power controller is configured to switch the associated component associated with the power module between low or high power states in dependence on the at least one signals received from the power modules,

wherein the first power controller switches the first component to the low power state after a predetermined delay and a re-examination of a status of the at least one signal received from the power modules.

2. An apparatus which communicates with other apparatuses over radio frequencies, the apparatus comprising:

a first component configured to be switched between low or high power states, the first component operatively coupled to a first power controller; and

the first power controller, including a first plurality of power modules, configured to switch the first component between low or high power states, each power module of the first plurality associated with an associated component configured to use the first component;

wherein each power module of the first plurality sends at least one signal to the first power controller indicating whether or not the associated component associated with the power module is currently required to be in a high power state,

wherein the first power controller is configured to switch the associated component associated with the power module between low or high power states in dependence on the at least one signals received from the power modules,

wherein upon switching the first component to the low power state, the first power controller is further configured to monitor input signals from the power modules, and, upon detection of an input signal indicating that the associated component associated with the power module that sent the input signal is currently required to be in a high power state, the first power controller is further configured to switch the first component to the high power state.

3. An apparatus which communicates with other apparatuses over radio frequencies, the apparatus comprising:

a first component configured to be switched between low or high power states, the first component operatively coupled to a first power controller;

the first power controller, including a first plurality of power modules, configured to switch the first component between low or high power states, each power module of the first plurality associated with an associated component configured to use the first component; and

a system timer to schedule predetermined switches between low and high power states,

wherein each power module of the first plurality sends at least one signal to the first power controller indicating whether or not the associated component associated with the power module is currently required to be in a high power state,

wherein the first power controller is configured to switch the associated component associated with the power module between low or high power states in dependence on the at least one signals received from the power modules.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the system timer only causes the first component to switch to the low power state in the absence of any contradictory signals from power modules.

5. An apparatus which communicates with other apparatuses over radio frequencies, the apparatus comprising:

a first component configured to be switched between low or high power states, the first component operatively coupled to a first power controller; and

the first power controller, including a first plurality of power modules, configured to switch the first component between low or high power states, each power module of the first plurality associated with an associated component configured to use the first component;

wherein each power module of the first plurality sends at least one signal to the first power controller indicating whether or not the associated component associated with the power module is currently required to be in a high power state,

wherein the first power controller is configured to switch the associated component associated with the power module between low or high power states in dependence on the at least one signals received from the power modules,

wherein the first power controller is further configured to indicate to the first plurality of power modules that the first power controller is ready to switch the first component to the low power state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first power controller is further configured to detect receipt of at least one signal indicating whether or not the associated component associated with at least one power module of the first plurality is currently required to be in the high power state.

7. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a first power controller, a first input signal from a first power module associated with the first power controller, the first input signal indicating whether to power down a first component;

monitoring, at the first power controller, a second input signal from a second power module associated with the first power controller, the second input signal indicating whether to power down the first component;

determining whether the first input signal indicates to power down the first component;

determining whether the second input signal indicates to power down the first component; and

switching the first component to a low power state based upon determining that the first input signal and the second input signal indicate to power down the first component,

wherein switching occurs after a predetermined delay and a re-examination of a status of input signals received from the power modules.

8. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a first power controller, a first input signal from a first power module associated with the first power controller, the first input signal indicating whether to power down a first component;

monitoring, at the first power controller, a second input signal from a second power module associated with the first power controller, the second input signal indicating whether to power down the first component;

determining whether the first input signal indicates to power down the first component;

determining whether the second input signal indicates to power down the first component;

switching the first component to a low power state based upon determining that the first input signal and the second input signal indicate to power down the first component;

monitoring, at the first power controller, a third input signal from the first power module associated with the first power controller, the third input signal indicating whether to power up the first component;

monitoring, at the first power controller, a fourth input signal from the second power module associated with the first power controller, the fourth input signal indicating whether to power up the first component;

determining whether the third input signal indicates to power up the first component;

determining whether the fourth input signal indicates to power up the first component; and

switching the first component to a high power state based upon determining that the third input signal or the fourth input signal indicate to power up the first component.

9. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a first power controller, a first input signal from a first power module associated with the first power controller, the first input signal indicating whether to power down a first component;

monitoring, at the first power controller, a second input signal from a second power module associated with the first power controller, the second input signal indicating whether to power down the first component;

determining whether the first input signal indicates to power down the first component;

determining whether the second input signal indicates to power down the first component;

indicating, from the first power controller to the first and second power modules, that the first power controller is ready to switch the first component to the low power state; and

switching the first component to a low power state based upon determining that the first input signal and the second input signal indicate to power down the first component.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting receipt of a third input signal from the first power module or the second power module indicating whether not power down the first component.