Low power email functionality for an electronic device
First Claim
1. A method usable for an electronic device that can operate in a standby mode, a low power mode, and a higher power mode, wherein the standby mode uses less power than the low power mode and the low power mode uses less power than the higher power mode, the method comprising:
- in the higher power mode, operating an email application to obtain at least a portion of a first email under control of a first processor in a high power processing module;
displaying the portion of the first email on a first display controlled by the high power processing module using the first processor, wherein the first display is viewable when the electronic device is in an open configuration;
transitioning the electronic device to the standby mode, wherein transitioning includes deactivating or reducing power to the high power processing module;
monitoring for an event representative of a transition from the standby mode to the low power mode;
in response to detecting the event, activating an email component to operate during the low power mode;
deactivating at least a first component of the electronic device that is to be unused for obtaining at least a portion of a second email during the low power mode;
activating at least a second component of the electronic device that is to be used in conjunction with the email component for obtaining the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode;
using the email component to obtain the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode;
deactivating the second component after the at least a portion of the second email is obtained;
loading the portion of the second email to a memory associated with a low power processing module separate from the high power processing module by a second processor in the low power processing module; and
using the second processor, displaying the loaded portion of the second email from the memory on a second display controlled by the low power processing module, wherein the second display is viewable when the electronic device is in a closed configuration,wherein the electronic device has a lid and the first display is located on an inside surface of the lid, and wherein the second display is physically separate from the first display and the second display is located on an outside surface of the lid.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Low power email capabilities are provided for an electronic device, such as a hand-held portable computer having capability to operate an application during a low power mode. During the low power mode, portions of hardware, software, services, and/or other components of the portable computer that are not necessary for email-related operations, such as polling a server for new email, are suspended or otherwise deactivated. At least a portion of a new email is stored in a memory of a low power display module (LPDM) of the portable computer. The LPDM is provided with its own low-power processing unit, user interface, and other components to allow access to and manipulation of the stored email while other components of the portable computer remain deactivated.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method usable for an electronic device that can operate in a standby mode, a low power mode, and a higher power mode, wherein the standby mode uses less power than the low power mode and the low power mode uses less power than the higher power mode, the method comprising:
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in the higher power mode, operating an email application to obtain at least a portion of a first email under control of a first processor in a high power processing module; displaying the portion of the first email on a first display controlled by the high power processing module using the first processor, wherein the first display is viewable when the electronic device is in an open configuration; transitioning the electronic device to the standby mode, wherein transitioning includes deactivating or reducing power to the high power processing module; monitoring for an event representative of a transition from the standby mode to the low power mode; in response to detecting the event, activating an email component to operate during the low power mode; deactivating at least a first component of the electronic device that is to be unused for obtaining at least a portion of a second email during the low power mode; activating at least a second component of the electronic device that is to be used in conjunction with the email component for obtaining the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode; using the email component to obtain the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode; deactivating the second component after the at least a portion of the second email is obtained; loading the portion of the second email to a memory associated with a low power processing module separate from the high power processing module by a second processor in the low power processing module; and using the second processor, displaying the loaded portion of the second email from the memory on a second display controlled by the low power processing module, wherein the second display is viewable when the electronic device is in a closed configuration, wherein the electronic device has a lid and the first display is located on an inside surface of the lid, and wherein the second display is physically separate from the first display and the second display is located on an outside surface of the lid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article of manufacture usable for a portable electronic device that can operate in a standby mode, a low power mode, and a higher power mode, wherein the standby mode uses less power than the low power mode and the low power mode uses less power than the higher power mode, the article of manufacture comprising:
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a machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon to cause a processor to process email during a low power mode, by; in the higher power mode, operating an email application to obtain at least a portion of a first email under control of a high power processing module; displaying the portion of the first email on a first display controlled by the high power processing module, wherein the first display is viewable when the portable electronic device is in a first configuration; transitioning the portable electronic device to the standby mode, wherein transitioning includes deactivating or reducing power to the high power processing module; monitoring for an event representative of a transition from the standby mode to the low power mode; in response to detecting the event, activating an email component to operate during the low power mode; deactivating at least a first component of the portable electronic device that is to be unused for obtaining at least a portion of a second email during the low power mode; activating at least a second component of the portable electronic device that is to be used in conjunction with the email component for obtaining the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode; using the email component to obtain the at least a portion of the second email during the low power mode; deactivating the second component after the at least a portion of the second email is obtained; loading the portion of the second email to a memory associated with a low power processing module separate from the high power processing module; and presenting the loaded portion of the second email from the memory on a second display controlled by low power interface associated with the low power processing module, wherein the second display is physically separate from the first display and wherein the second display is viewable when the portable electronic device is in a second configuration, wherein the portable electronic device has a lid and the first display is located on an inside surface of the lid, and wherein the second display is physically separate from the first display and the second display is located on an outside surface of the lid. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An apparatus that operates in a standby mode, a low power mode, and a higher power mode, wherein the standby mode uses less power than the low power mode and the low power mode uses less power than the higher power mode, the apparatus comprising:
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a network access device; an email component operable to communicate with the network access device to obtain at least a portion of an email during the higher power mode and the low power mode, to be inactive during the standby mode, to monitor for an event representative of a transition from the standby mode to the low power mode, and to transition to the low power mode in response to the event; a memory communicatively coupled to the email component to store the obtained portion of the email; a high-power processing unit configured to control the display of the portion of the email during the higher power mode; a first display associated with the high power processing module, wherein the high-power processing unit is configured to control the first display to display the portion of the email during the higher power mode; a low-power processing unit coupled to the memory and configured to control presentation of the portion of the email stored therein during the low power mode or the standby mode; a second display associated with the low-power processing unit, wherein the second display is physically separate from the first display and wherein the low-power processing unit is configured to control the second display to display the portion of the email during the low power mode; and a housing having a lid for at least partially carrying the network access device, the memory, the high power processing unit, the low power processing unit, the first display, and the second display, wherein the housing is sized to be held within a user'"'"'s hand, wherein the first display is located on an inside surface of the lid, and wherein the second display is located on an outside surface of the lid, wherein the apparatus is configured to deactivate at least a first component of the apparatus that is to be unused for obtaining the at least a portion of the email during the low power mode, activate at least a second component of the apparatus that is to be used in conjunction with the email component for obtaining the at least a portion of the email during the low power mode, and deactivate the second component after the at least a portion of the email is obtained. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification