System and method for activating an electronic device

• US 7,606,552 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven, Mak-Fan, David, Orr, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/270,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343.1, 455/344, 455/424, 455/425, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/561, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/574, 455/572, 455/127.1, 455/556.2, 348/154, 348/155, 713/320, 713/300, 345/156, 345/158, 715856-864, 340/522, 340/554, 340/567, 340/7.32, 340/669, 340/670, 3406932-6934
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3237 by disabling clock generation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for activating an electronic device from a low power state. In the system, an activation circuit for an electronic device is provided. The circuit comprises: a motion sensor circuit; an input device; and a monitoring circuit connected to the input device. The monitoring circuit provides power to the input device when the motion sensor circuit detects a notable movement of the device and selectively generates an activation signal used to activate the electronic device to a higher power state in response to receiving a notable signal received from the input device.

Claims

1. An activation circuit for an electronic device, comprising:

a first accelerometer;

a second accelerometer which is activated upon receiving a movement signal from said first accelerometer, indicating a movement of said electronic device;

a threshold circuit connected to an output of said second accelerometer to allow only signals generated by the second accelerometer that exceed a threshold to pass;

an input device; and

a monitoring circuit connected to said input device and the output of said second accelerometer, providing power to said input device when said threshold circuit passes said signal to monitoring circuit and thereafter the monitoring circuit selectively generates an activation signal to activate said electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from said input device.

2. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a microprocessor;

a wake-up software routine operating on said microprocessor to selectively bring said electronic device to said higher power state upon receipt of said activation signal; and

a timing module to initiate a timing window after detection of said notable movement,

wherein said monitoring circuit for said input device is activated during said timing window and if a sufficient input signal from said input device is detected by said monitoring circuit during said timing window, said activation signal is generated.

3. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said activation signal is provided to an interrupt line of said microprocessor which is associated with said wake-up software routine.

4. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein a slow clock signal is generated by said timing module indicating when said microprocessor is in a lower power state.

5. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activation signal is also used to reset said monitoring circuit to allow it to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.

6. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device is activated by a power signal generated by said monitoring circuit.

7. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input device detects movement of a finger by a sensor.

8. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein if said time window elapses, said power signal for said input device is removed.

9. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an additional input device connected to said monitoring circuit, providing additional signals to said monitoring circuit for evaluation for generation of said activation signal.

10. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first accelerometer is a low-g MEM accelerometer.

11. A method for activating an electronic device, comprising:

monitoring for signals from a low-g MEM accelerometer to indicate an initial movement of said device and then activating a second accelerometer;

monitoring for signals from said second accelerometer and then activating an input device if a signal from said second accelerometer surpasses a predefined threshold;

waiting for a notable signal to be received from said input device for a predetermined length of time;

if said notable signal is received within said predetermined time, generating an activation signal for activating said electronic device to a higher power state; and

if said notable signal is not received within said predetermined time, deactivating said input device and said second accelerometer.

12. The method for activating an electronic device 11, wherein:

said step of waiting for said notable signal to be received from said input device utilizes a slow clock signal to track said predetermined length of time.

13. The method for activating an electronic device 11, further comprising:

deactivating said input device if said predetermined time elapses without receiving said notable signal from said input device.

14. The method for activating an electronic device 11, wherein:

upon generation of said activation signal, it is provided to a microprocessor associated with said device; and

said microprocessor reacts to receipt of said activation signal by transiting to a higher power state.

15. The method for activating an electronic device 11, further comprising:

using said activation signal to reset a monitoring circuit associated with said second accelerometer to allow said monitoring circuit to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.

16. The method for activating an electronic device 11, wherein said input device detects movement of a finger by a sensor.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a first accelerometer;

a sensor second accelerometer, activated by a signal from said first accelerometer;

a threshold circuit connected to said second accelerometer to filter insignificant signals produced by said second accelerometer;

an input device; and

a monitoring circuit connected to said input device and an output associated with said threshold circuit, providing power to said input device when said threshold circuit detects a notable movement of said device and selectively generating an activation signal used to activate said electronic device to a higher power state utilizing a notable signal received from said input device.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a wake-up software routine operating on said microprocessor to selectively bring said electronic device to said higher power state upon receipt of said activation signal; and

a timing module to initiate a timing window after detection of said notable movement,

wherein said input device is activated during said timing window and if a sufficient input signal is provided on said input device during said timing window, said activation signal is generated.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said activation signal is also used to reset said monitoring circuit to allow it to process subsequent signals from said second accelerometer.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first accelerometer is a low-g MEM accelerometer.