Methods and systems to dynamically manage performance states in a data processing system

• US 8,230,124 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: de Cesare, Joshua, Cox, Keith, Dyke, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Chun-Kuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US13/189,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 710/8, 710/14
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Data processing systems which operate in different modes, including a mode which supports providing an output of images through a port on the systems. In one embodiment, a data processing system includes a processing system, a cellular telephone transceiver, and a port which is configured to provide, as an output from the handheld data processing system, data representing movie video images. Methods and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. A handheld data processing system comprising:

a processing system;

a cellular telephone transceiver coupled to the processing system;

a port coupled to the processing system, the port and the processing system being configured to provide, in a first mode, as an output from the handheld data processing system, data representing movie video images,

wherein different components in the handheld data processing system are operated at different operating frequencies in the first mode as specified by a first set of frequencies and the different components are operated at different operating frequencies in a second mode as specified by a second set of frequencies.

2. The handheld data processing system as in claim 1 further comprising a battery coupled to the processing system and wherein the port is coupled to the battery and is configured to allow recharging of the battery when the handheld data processing system is coupled to a power source.

3. The handheld data processing system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a display integrated into a housing of the handheld data processing system and coupled to the processing system;

an input device coupled to the processing system; and

wherein the movie video images are provided in a sequence of at least 15 frames per second to an external display.

4. The handheld data processing system as in claim 3, wherein the handheld data processing system occupies a volume of less than 6 inches by 4 inches by 1 inch.

5. The handheld data processing system as in claim 3, wherein the data representing movie video images are transmitted through the port to allow playback on the external display in response to determining that a system controlling the external display is configured to not copy, in a permanent storage, the content of the movie video images.

6. The handheld data processing system as in claim 3, wherein the data representing the movie video images are transmitted through the port to allow playback on the external display if a system controlling the external display is authorized, under a digital rights management system, to retain a copy of the data representing movie video images.

7. The handheld data processing system as in claim 3 further comprising:

a storage device configured to store the data representing movie video images and wherein the storage device is also configured with software to store and view music, calendar information, contact information, and text messages.

8. The handheld data processing system as in claim 1, wherein a first device driver, for a first component of the different components, causes a notification to be provided to a second device driver in response to a transition between the first and second modes.

9. The handheld data processing system as in claim 8, wherein the port is configured to provide a communications channel for synchronizing data between the handheld data processing system and a host system.

10. The handheld data processing system as in claim 1, wherein the first mode is configured to operate at least one different component beyond a specified normal operating parameter and the second mode is configured to operate the different components within normal operating parameters.