Providing power to an accessory during portable computing device hibernation

• US 8,756,445 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Walsh, Robert, Terlizzi, Jeff, Minoo, Jahan, Bolton, Lawrence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/793,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20110167287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 713/323
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

A portable computing device (PCD) can selectively supply power to an accessory during PCD hibernation. In some embodiments, the PCD'"'"'s default behavior is to disable accessory power output during hibernation, and this default behavior can be overridden in response to a request from a connected accessory. The accessory can use the power supplied during PCD hibernation to detect user input (or other) events and wake the PCD from hibernation in response to a detected event. Some accessories can wake the PCD by emulating accessory detachment and reattachment.

Claims

1. A method of operating an accessory, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to a portable computing device that is external to the accessory;

receiving operating power from the portable computing device via the connection;

communicating a command from the accessory to the portable computing device indicating that the accessory should continue to receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in a hibernation mode, wherein communicating a command indicating that the accessory should continue to receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in the hibernation mode includes specifying a level of power that should be provided to the accessory during the hibernation mode; and

while the portable computing device is in the hibernation mode;

continuing to receive operating power at the accessory from the portable computing device via the connection in response to the command;

detecting, by the accessory, an accessory event; and

in response to the accessory event, sending a wake event signal from the accessory to the portable computing device, wherein the wake event signal signals the portable computing device to wake from the hibernation mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein signaling the portable computing device to wake from the hibernation mode includes generating a signal that emulates detachment and reattachment of the accessory to a connector of the portable computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessory includes a keyboard and detecting the accessory event includes detecting a user pressing a key of the keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessory includes a reader for a removable storage medium and detecting the accessory event includes detecting insertion of a removable storage medium into the reader.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a hibernation notification from the portable computing device when the portable computing device enters the hibernation mode.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, in response to receiving the hibernation notification, operating the accessory at a reduced power level.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions which, when executed by a controller of an accessory, cause the accessory to execute a method comprising:

establishing a connection to a portable computing device that is external to the accessory and that has a plurality of hibernation modes;

receiving power at the accessory from the portable computing device via the connection;

communicating a command from the accessory to the portable computing device indicating that the accessory should continue to receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in a first one of the plurality of hibernation modes, wherein communicating a command indicating that the accessory should continue to receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in the hibernation mode includes specifying a level of power that should be provided to the accessory during the hibernation mode; and

while the portable computing device is in the first hibernation mode;

continuing to receive power at the accessory from the portable computing device via the connection in response to the command;

detecting, by the accessory, an accessory event; and

in response to the accessory event, communicating a signal from the accessory to the portable computing device, the signal signaling the portable computing device to wake from the first hibernation mode.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein communicating a command indicating that the accessory should continue to receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in a first one of the plurality of hibernation modes includes specifying a first power level to be provided when the portable computing device is in the first hibernation mode.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises communicating to the portable computing device that the accessory should receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in a second one of the plurality of hibernation modes and specifying a second power level to be provided when the portable computing device is in the second hibernation mode.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein the first power level and the second power level are different power levels.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the method further comprises communicating to the portable computing device that the accessory should receive power from the portable computing device when the portable computing device is in a second one of the plurality of hibernation modes.

12. An accessory comprising:

an input/output (I/O) interface configured to connect to a portable computing device that is external to the accessory and to receive power from the portable computing device, the I/O interface including a wake event generator; and

a controller coupled to the I/O interface, the controller being configured to;

send a request from the accessory to the portable computing device to request that the accessory receive power while the portable computing device is in a hibernation mode, wherein send a request includes specify a level of power that should be provided to the accessory during the hibernation mode;

receive a notification from the portable computing device indicating that the portable computing device is entering the hibernation mode;

receive power from the portable computing device via the input/output interface while the portable computing device is in a hibernation mode in response to the request;

determine that the portable computing device should be awakened from the hibernation mode; and

control the wake event generator to generate a wake event signal in response to determining that the portable computing device should be awakened.

13. The accessory of claim 12 further comprising a user input device configured to provide user input signals to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the portable computing device should be awakened in response to a user input signal.

14. The accessory of claim 13 wherein the user input device comprises a keyboard.

15. The accessory of claim 12 further comprising a storage medium receptacle configured to receive a removable storage medium and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the portable computing device should be awakened in response to a removable storage medium being inserted into the storage medium receptacle.

16. The accessory of claim 12 further comprising a second interface configured to connect to a second accessory and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the portable computing device should be awakened in response to a signal received from the second interface.

17. The accessory of claim 12 further comprising a second interface configured to connect to another device and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the portable computing device should be awakened in response to detecting that another device has become connected to the second interface.

18. The accessory of claim 12 wherein the I/O interface comprises a connector including a plurality of pins, a first pin of the plurality of pins being used for accessory detection, and wherein the wake event generator is configured to open and close a connection to the first pin.

19. A method of operating a portable computing device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to an accessory that is external to the portable computing device, wherein establishing the connection includes providing power to the accessory via a power pin of the portable computing device;

determining whether the accessory requests hibernation power and whether the request specifies a level of power that should be provided to the accessory during the hibernation mode; and

entering a hibernation mode, wherein entering the hibernation mode includes continuing to provide power to the accessory at the specified level of power if the accessory requested hibernation power and discontinuing providing power to the accessory if the accessory did not request hibernation power.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

while in the hibernation mode, receiving a wake event signal from the accessory; and

transitioning from the hibernation mode to a normal operating mode in response to the wake event signal.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein transitioning from the hibernation mode to the normal operating mode includes re-establishing the connection to the accessory.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein re-establishing the connection to the accessory includes strobing the power provided to the accessory via the power pin.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein continuing to provide power to the accessory includes providing power to the accessory at a reduced power level.

24. A portable computing device comprising:

a processor;

an accessory input/output (I/O) interface coupled to the processor and configured to connect to an accessory that is external to the portable computing device; and

a power manager configured to deliver power from a power source to the accessory I/O interface and the processor, the power manager being further configured to put the portable computing device into a hibernation mode and to return the portable computing device from the hibernation mode to a normal operating mode,

wherein the processor is configured to;

instruct the power manager to provide power from the power source to the accessory via the accessory I/O interface;

receive a request for hibernation power from the accessory via the accessory I/O interface, the request specifying a level of power that should be provided to the accessory during the hibernation mode; and

in response to the request, instruct the power manager to continue to provide power to the accessory at the specified level of power while in the hibernation mode, and

wherein the power manager is further configured such that upon entering the hibernation mode, providing of power to the accessory is discontinued unless the instruction to continue to provide power to the accessory was received prior to entering the hibernation mode.

25. The portable computing device of claim 24 wherein the accessory I/O interface includes an accessory sensor configured to detect an attachment signal from an accessory and wherein the accessory sensor is further configured to send a wake event signal to the power manager in the event that attachment of the accessory is detected while the power manager is in the hibernation mode.

26. The portable computing device of claim 24 wherein the power manager is further configured to provide power to the accessory at a first level while in the normal operating mode and to provide power to the accessory at a second level while in the hibernation mode, the second level being a lower level than the first level.