System and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system

• US 8,769,328 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• 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., Loadman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALEY, CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US13/567,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• 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 method of utilizing an information handling system includes detecting an event by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating states for a host system including a host system power on state and a host system power off state, and a plurality of processing module operating states including a processing module power on state and a processing module reduced operating state, and enabling an operating state associated with the event, including enabling the processing module power on state where the processing module controls a shared resource and a processing module non-shared resource in response to detecting a processing module power on event, and enabling the processing module reduced operating state where the processing module controls the shared resource in response to detecting a processing module reduced operating event.

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 including a host system power on state and a host system power off state, and a plurality of processing module operating states including a processing module power on state and a processing module reduced operating state; and

enabling by the state controller a respective operating state associated with the event in response to detecting the event, including;

enabling the processing module power on state in response to detecting a 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; and

enabling the processing module reduced operating state in response to detecting a processing module reduced operating event, wherein the processing module controls the shared resource in the processing module reduced operating state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing module power on event includes at least one of a keyboard event, a mouse event, a lid open event, and a processing module power button event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing module reduced operating event includes at least one of a lid closed event, a user activity time out event, a standby event, a processing module power button selection event over a first interval, and a host system power off button selection event over a second interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the host system power on state in response to detecting a host system power on event, the host system power on event including at least one of a lid open event, a mouse event, a keyboard event, and a host system power on button event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the host system power off state in response to detecting a host system power off event, the host system power off event including at least one of an alternate programmed power button event, a host system power event over a first interval, a host system power off button selection event over a second interval, and an operating system shutdown event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of processing module operating states further includes a processing module power off state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the processing module power off state in response to detecting a processing module power off event, the processing module power off event including at least one of a processing module power button selection over event a first interval, a critical battery event, a processing module access button event, and a host system power on event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of processing module operating states further includes a processing module hibernate state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the processing module hibernate state in response to detecting a processing module hibernate event, the processing module hibernate event including a processing module hibernate setting event of a host operating system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of host system operating states further includes a host system standby state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the host system standby state in response to detecting a host system standby event, the host system standby event including at least one of a user activity timeout event, a lid closed event, and an operating system standby event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of host system operating states further includes a host system reduced operating state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the host system reduced operating state in response to detecting a host system reduced operating event, the host system reduced operating event including at least one of a host system hibernate event and a processing module power button event.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of host system operating states further includes a host system hibernate state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the host system hibernate state in response to detecting a host system hibernate event, the host system hibernate event including at least one of a host system hibernate event, a processing module hibernate event, an operating system hibernate event, and a processing module power button event.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

12. An apparatus including a processor and a computer-readable medium for instructing the processor to carry out a method, the method comprising:

detecting an event at a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating states for a host system including a host system power on state and a host system power off state, and a plurality of processing module operating states including a processing module power on state and a processing module reduced operating state; and

enabling a respective operating state associated with the event in response to detecting the event, including;

enabling the processing module power on state in response to detecting a 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; and

enabling the processing module reduced operating state in response to detecting a processing module reduced operating event, wherein the processing module controls the shared resource in the processing module reduced operating state.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing module power on event includes at least one of a keyboard event, a mouse event, a lid open event, and a processing module power button event.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing module reduced operating event includes at least one of a lid closed event, a user activity time out event, a standby event, a processing module power button selection event over a first interval, and a host system power off button selection event over a second interval.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of processing module operating states further includes a processing module power off state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the processing module power off state in response to detecting a processing module power off event, the processing module power off event including at least one of a processing module power button selection over event a first interval, a critical battery event, a processing module access button event, and a host system power on event.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of processing module operating states further includes a processing module hibernate state;

enabling the state controller further includes enabling the processing module hibernate state in response to detecting a processing module hibernate event, the processing module hibernate event including a processing module hibernate setting event of a host operating system.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, the method further comprising:

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

18. An information handling system comprising:

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

a processing module configured 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 and a host system power off state, a processing module power on state and a processing module reduced operating state, the state controller being further configured to;

detect an event; and

enable a respective operating state associated with the event in response to detecting the event, including to;

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

enable the processing module reduced operating state in response to detecting a processing module reduced operating event, wherein the processing module controls the shared resource in the processing module reduced operating state.

19. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the processing module power on event includes at least one of a keyboard event, a mouse event, a lid open event, and a processing module power button event.

20. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the processing module reduced operating event includes at least one of a lid closed event, a user activity time out event, a standby event, a processing module power button selection event over a first interval, and a host system power off button selection event over a second interval.