System and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system

• US 8,370,673 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Stedman, Roy W., Sultenfuss, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALEY, CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/261,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/330
• US Class Current: 713/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A system and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system are disclosed. In a particular form, a method of utilizing an information handling system can include detecting an operating state controllable by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating environments including a host environment and a reduced power environment. The method can also include detecting an event operable to alter the operating state to enable an operating environment of the plurality of operating environments. According to an aspect, the operating environment can be used separate from a host system operable to enable the host environment.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing an information handling system comprising:

detecting an event by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating states for a host system and a processing module; and

enabling by the state controller a respective operating state associated with the event in response to detecting the event, wherein the operating states include a host system power on state, a host system power off state, a host system standby state, a host system reduce operating state, a processing module power on state, a processing module power off state, and a processing module reduce operating state;

detecting the event further comprises;

detecting a processing module power on event;

detecting a processing module reduce operating event; and

detecting a processing module power off event; and

enabling the respective operating state further comprises;

enabling the processing module power on state in response to detecting the processing module power on event, wherein the processing module controls a shared resource and a processing module non-shared resource in the processing module power on state;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to detecting the processing module reduced operating event, wherein the processing module controls the shared resource in the processing module reduce operating state; and

enabling the processing module power off state in response to detecting the processing module power off event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a user activity time out event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a standby event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a processing module power button selection event over an interval;

enabling the processing module power off state in response to a processing module power button selection over event an interval;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a processing module power button selection event over an interval;

enabling the processing module power off state in response to a critical battery event;

or

enabling the processing module power off state in response a processing module access button event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the processing module power on state in response to a keyboard event;

enabling the processing module power on state in response to a mouse event;

enabling the processing module power on state in response to a lid open event;

enabling the host system power off state in response to a host system power off button selection over an interval event;

enabling the processing module reduce operating state in response to a host system power off button selection over an interval event;

enabling the processing module power off state in response to a host system power on event;

enabling the host system power on state in response to a host system power on event;

or

enabling the processing module power off state in response to a critical battery event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a processing module power button event; and

enabling the processing module power on state in response to detecting the processing module power button event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the host system power on state;

enabling the host system standby state in response to a host system standby event;

enabling the host system reduce operating state in response a host system hibernate event;

enabling the host system power off state in response to a host system power off event;

or

enabling an operating system run mode in response to an operating system event.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

enabling the host system standby state in response to a user activity timeout event;

enabling the host system standby state in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the host system standby state in response to a standby event;

enabling the host system power off state in response to an alternate programmed power button event;

enabling a host system hibernate state in response to a hibernate event;

enabling the host system power off state in response to a host system power event over an interval;

enabling the processing module power off state in response to a host system power event over an interval;

enabling the host system hibernate state in response to a processing module power button event;

or

enabling a processing module power on state in response to a processing module power button event.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling the host system standby state in response to a lid closed event;

enabling the host system hibernate state in response to a processing module hibernate setting; and

enabling a processing module hibernate state in response to a processing module hibernate setting of a host operating system.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling the host system reduced power state in response to a processing module power button event;

enabling the host system power on state in response to a lid open event;

enabling the host system power on state in response to a mouse event;

enabling the host system power on state in response to a keyboard event;

or

enabling the host system power on state in response to a host system power on button event.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling the host system power on state in response to a lid open event;

enabling the host system power on state in response to a host system power on button event; and

initiating the processing module power on state in response to a processing module power on button event.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

initiating the host system power on state in response to detecting a host system power on button event; and

initiating the processing module power on state in response to detecting the processing module power on button event.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling the host system standby state in response to an operating system standby event;

enabling the host system hibernate state in response to an operating system hibernate event;

enabling the host system power off state in response to an operating system shutdown event;

or

initiating a diagnostic operating mode at the processing module in response to a processing module update utility event.

12. A state controller comprising:

a memory logic configurable to store a plurality of state entries operable to enable a plurality of operating states of a host system and a processing module, wherein the state entries include a host system power on state, a host system power off state, a host system standby state, a host system reduce operating state, a processing module power on state, a processing module power off state, and a processing module reduce operating state; and

a processor configured to;

enable the host system power on state;

enable the host system control of a shared resource and a host system non-shared resource in response to the host system power on state;

disable the host system control of the shared resource and the host system non-shared resource in response to a request to enable the processing module;

enable the host system reduce operating state in response to the request to enable the processing module;

enable the processing module power on state;

enable the processing module control of the shared resource and a processing module non-shared resource in response to the processing module power on stat; and

disable the processing module control of the shared resource and the processing module non-shared resource in response to a request to enable the host system.

13. The state controller of claim 12, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a processing module power on button event while in the host system power on state; and

enable the host system standby state in response to the detected processing module power on button event.

14. The state controller of claim 13, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a host system power on button event while in the host system reduce operating state;

enable the processing module reduce operating state in response to the detecting the host system power on button event; and

enable the host system power on state.

15. The state controller of claim 12, further comprising the processor configured to:

detect a lid operating status;

enable a first resource of the host system in response to the lid operating status including a lid open status;

disable a first resource of the processing module in response to the lid open status;

enable a second resource of the processing module in response to the lid operating status including a lid closed status; and

disable a second resource of the host system in response to the lid closed status.

16. The state controller of claim 12, further comprising the processor configured to:

access an operating system setting of the host system in response to detecting a lid closed event;

detect a suspend setting;

initiate a suspend state of the host system in response to detecting the suspend setting;

detect a hibernate setting in response to detecting the lid closed event;

initiate a hibernate state of the host system in response to detecting the hibernate setting; and

initiate a hibernate state of the processing module in response to detecting the hibernate setting.

17. An information handling system comprising:

a host system configurable to enable a host environment operable to use a shared resource and a host environment non-shared resource;

a processing module configurable to enable a reduced power environment operable to use the shared resource and a reduced power environment non-shared resource; and

a state controller configured to enable a plurality of state entries, wherein the state entries include a host system power on state, a host system power off state, a host system standby state, a host system reduce operating state, a processing module power on state, a processing module power off state, and a processing module reduce operating state, the state controller being further configurable to;

enable the host environment using the host system power on state;

enable the host environment control of the shared resource and the host environment non-shared resource in response to the host system power on state;

disable the host environment control of the shared resource and the host environment non-shared resource in response to a request to enable the reduced power environment;

disable the host environment using the host system reduce operating state in response to the request to enable the reduced power environment;

enable the reduced power environment using the processing module power on state;

enable the reduced power environment control of the shared resource and the reduced power environment non-shared resource in response to the processing module power on state; and

disable the reduced power environment control of the shared resource and the reduced power environment non-shared resource in response to a request to enable the host environment.

18. The information handling system of claim 17, wherein the state controller is further configured to:

access a memory configurable to store the plurality of state entries;

enable primary control of the host environment, wherein primary control includes control of the shared resource;

disable primary control of the host environment in response to a request to enable the reduced power environment during operation of the host environment;

enable primary control of the reduced power environment, wherein the primary control of the reduced power environment includes control of the shared resource; and

disable primary control of the reduced power environment in response to a request to enable the host environment during operation of the reduced power environment.

19. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the state controller is integrated as a part of the processing module.