Thermal and power management for computer systems
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for managing operation of a computer, the computer including at least a processor and a fan for cooling at least the processor, said method comprising:
- configuring the computer to utilize a first power management policy when the computer is powered by a battery;
configuring the computer to utilize a second power management policy when the computer is not powered by a battery;
setting an operational speed of the fan based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies;
monitoring a temperature of the processor; and
setting an operational speed of the processor based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies and based on the temperature of the processor.
0 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved approaches to providing thermal and power management for a computing device are disclosed. These approaches facilitate intelligent control of a processor'"'"'s clock frequency and/or a fan'"'"'s speed so as to provide thermal and/or power management for the computing device.
151 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for managing operation of a computer, the computer including at least a processor and a fan for cooling at least the processor, said method comprising:
-
configuring the computer to utilize a first power management policy when the computer is powered by a battery; configuring the computer to utilize a second power management policy when the computer is not powered by a battery; setting an operational speed of the fan based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies; monitoring a temperature of the processor; and setting an operational speed of the processor based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies and based on the temperature of the processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computing device, comprising:
-
a battery for providing a power source; a processor configured to operate at an operational speed; a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of said processor; a fan for cooling at least said processor; and a power management module configured (i) to operate said processor in accordance with a first power management policy and based on the temperature of said processor when said computing device is being powered by said battery, and (ii) to operate said processor in accordance with a second power management policy and based on the temperature of said processor when said computing device is not being powered by said battery; wherein said computing device is further configured to control an operational speed of said fan based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for controlling an operational speed for a processor of a computing device, said method comprising:
-
configuring the computing device to utilize a first power management policy when the computing device is powered by a battery; configuring the computing device to utilize a second power management policy when the computing device is not powered by a battery; and controlling an operational speed of the processor based on the appropriate one of the first and second power management policies that have been configured, wherein the first power management policy includes at least a first condition based on a temperature of the processor, and wherein the second power management policy includes at least a second condition based on the temperature of the processor, the second condition being different than the first condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification