Method and system for optimizing power consumption in a mobile environment
First Claim
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1. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system comprising a network interface and a host computer, the method comprising:
- determining, by the network interface, a power mode of the host computer from a plurality of possible power modes; and
selecting, by the network interface, a network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based on the determined power mode, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in a battery power mode, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface provides access for the host computer to the network, and wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from the plurality of possible network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said network interface.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method adapted to optimize power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment. The method comprises determining at least one power mode of a host from a plurality of possible host power modes. The method further comprises selecting at least one network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based, at least in part, on the determined power mode.
35 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system comprising a network interface and a host computer, the method comprising:
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determining, by the network interface, a power mode of the host computer from a plurality of possible power modes; and selecting, by the network interface, a network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based on the determined power mode, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in a battery power mode, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface provides access for the host computer to the network, and wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from the plurality of possible network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said network interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment comprising:
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determining, by a network interface, a power mode of a host from a plurality of possible host power modes; and selecting, by the network interface, a network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based, at least in part, on said determined power mode, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in a battery power mode, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from the plurality of possible network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said network interface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment comprising:
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determining, by a network interface, whether a host is operating in one of the group consisting of a full-on power mode, a battery power mode, and a travel power mode; and selecting a network interface power management state, based at least in part on said determined power mode, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in the battery power mode, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said network interface.
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24. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment comprising:
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determining, by a network interface, a host power mode; and selecting one of a first, second, third and fourth network interface power management states based on said determined host power mode, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in a battery power mode, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said network interface.
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25. A method for optimizing power consumption in a communication system comprising:
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detecting, by a network interface, one of an amount of traffic, a link, an absence of AC power and a power state of the communication system; and selecting at least one network interface power management state from a plurality of network interface power management states based at least in part in said detection, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in an absence of AC power, configuring a physical (PHY) layer module to perform auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the network interface locally selects the network interface power management state from the plurality of network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the network interface, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to said detected amount of traffic.
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26. An interface card for optimizing power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment comprising:
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a PHY module adapted to detect a host power mode from a plurality of possible host power modes, and select, based on the host power mode detected, a network interface power management state from a plurality of network interface power management states for operation of the system, wherein selecting further comprises responsive to determining that the communication system is operating in an absence of AC power, performing auto-negotiation and increment advertised capabilities until link presence is detected, wherein the interface card locally selects the network interface power management state from the plurality of network interface power management states based at least in part on a volume of traffic received by the interface card, wherein said power consumption is scaled in relationship to an amount of traffic detected by said interface card; and a MAC interfacing with said PHY module through a physical connection. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification