Dynamic power management in a portable media delivery system

• US 8,615,089 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dorogusker, Jesse L., Novotney, Donald J., Krueger, Scott, Michelet, Robert, Hammerstrom, Jeffrey Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/944,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 381/55, 381/58, 381/59, 381/77, 381/79, 381/111, 381/124, 381/94.1, 381/94.5, 700/94, 713/300, 713/320, 713/324, 713/330, 713/340, 330/51
• US Class Current: 381/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices

Abstract

A consumer electronic product (e.g., a portable media player ported to a media delivery accessory) is powered by a limited capacity DC power source (such as a battery or mini-fuel cell). The consumer electronic product limits the maximum allowable sound pressure level (SPL) that can be produced by the speakers. In one embodiment, the maximum allowable SPL is based upon an amount of stored energy available in the limited capacity DC power source.

Claims

1. A method of avoiding generation of audio artifacts while shutting down a consumer electronic product, the consumer electronic product comprising a plurality of electronic components, the method comprising:

determining that a shutdown is imminent,

muting an audio amplifier prior to powering down the plurality of electronic components;

providing a user feedback indicating that a loss of power is imminent;

powering down the plurality of electronic components in the consumer electronic product; and

discontinuing the user feedback when a residual power is exhausted.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining that a shutdown is imminent comprises:

receiving a shutdown signal indicating the imminent loss of power.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising;

receiving residual power from a stored charge in a capacitor coupled to an internal power supply used to monitor a charge status of the internal power supply prior to shutdown.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein when the stored charge is depleted, then the residual power is exhausted.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that a shutdown is imminent comprises determining that a voltage across one of the plurality of electronic components remains below a threshold voltage after a pre-determined length of time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining that a voltage across one of the plurality of electronic components remains below a threshold voltage comprises monitoring a charge status of an internal power supply.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the residual power is exhausted.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein determining that the residual power is exhausted comprises monitoring a charge status in the internal power supply.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein determining that a shutdown is imminent comprises determining that the voltage across one of the plurality of electronic components is below a second threshold voltage lower than the threshold voltage.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein monitoring a charge status of an internal power supply comprises coupling a step up voltage converter and a step down voltage converter to a capacitor, in the internal power supply.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a user feedback indicating that a loss of power is imminent further comprises continuing the user feedback until the residual power is exhausted.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a user feedback through a user input control in the consumer electronic product.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if a power cable is connected to an external power supply.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer code that when executed by a processor circuit in a consumer electronic product causes the processor to shut down the consumer electronic product so as to avoid generation of audio artifacts, the consumer electronics product comprising a plurality of electronic components, the method comprising:

determining when a shutdown is imminent,

muting an audio amplifier prior to powering down the plurality of electronic components;

providing a user feedback indicating that a loss of power is imminent;

powering down the plurality of electronic components in the consumer electronic product;

discontinuing the user feedback when all residual power is exhausted; and

storing the computer code in the non-transitory computer readable medium.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the computer code for determining if a shutdown is imminent comprises:

computer code for receiving a shutdown signal indicating the imminent loss of power.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising;

computer code for receiving residual power from a stored charge in a capacitor coupled to an internal power supply used to monitor a charge status of the internal power supply prior to shutdown.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein when the stored charge is depleted, then the residual power is exhausted.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein determining that a shutdown is imminent comprises determining that a voltage across one of the plurality of electronic components remains below a threshold voltage after a pre-determined length of time.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein determining that a voltage across one of the plurality of electronic components remains below a threshold voltage comprises monitoring a charge status of an internal power supply.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises determining that the residual power is exhausted.