Selecting a startup condition of an electronic device corresponding to available power

• US 9,423,852 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation (Kioxia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujisaki, Koichi, Kimura, Tetsuro, Kanai, Tatsunori, Toyama, Haruhiko, Segawa, Junichi, Shirai, Satoshi, Tarui, Masaya, Haruki, Hiroyoshi, Shirota, Yusuke, Shibata, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): POUDEL, SANTOSH RAJ
• Application Number:
  US13/742,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20130219203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 713/323
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a power control device includes a storage unit, a monitor, a determining unit, and a controller. The storage device stores a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of an electronic device including a plurality of modules. The start-up condition of the electronic device is determined from the needed power consumption in the look-up table and specifies a power on/off status of the modules in the electronic device. The monitor monitors a voltage or available power supplied by a power source when the electronic device is activated. The determining unit determines a start-up condition corresponding to needed power consumption, which corresponds to the voltage or available power monitored by the monitor, with reference to the table. The controller sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the start-up condition determined by the determining unit.

Claims

1. A power control device, comprising:

a storage that stores therein a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of an electronic device including a plurality of modules, the start-up condition of the electronic device being determined from the needed power consumption in the look-up table and specifying a power on/off status of the modules included the electronic device,

a monitor that monitors a voltage or available power supplied by a power source when the electronic device is activated;

a determining unit configured to determine a start-up condition corresponding to needed power consumption, which corresponds to the voltage or the available power monitored by the monitor, with reference to the look-up table;

a controller that sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the start-up condition determined by the determining unit; and

a receiving unit configured to receive a wakeup event signal of exiting a sleep mode in which the number of the modules supplied with power is limited to a predetermined number and an operation of the electronic device is stopped,

when the receiving unit receives the wakeup event signal, the monitor monitors the voltage or the available power supplied by the power source, the determining unit determines a condition corresponding to the power monitored by the monitor, and the controller sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the condition determined by the determining unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power source includes a solar cell.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device goes into the sleep mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monitor monitors a voltage or available power supplied by the power source when a signal causing the electronic device to be activated is received.

5. A power control method, comprising:

monitoring voltage or available power supplied by a power source when an electronic device is activated, the electronic device including a plurality of modules;

determining a start-up condition corresponding to the voltage or the available power monitored through the monitoring with reference to a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of the electronic device, each of the conditions indicating an operation state of the electronic device, the start-up condition of the electronic device being determined from the needed power consumption in the look-up table and specifying a power on/off status of the modules included in the electronic device;

setting the start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the condition determined through the determining; and

receiving a wakeup event signal of exiting a sleep mode in which the number of the modules supplied with power is limited to a predetermined number and an operation of the electronic device is stopped,

when receiving the wakeup event signal, monitoring the voltage or the available power supplied by the power source, determining a condition corresponding to the power monitored by the monitor, and setting a start-up condition of the electronic device to start UP the electronic device in the condition determined.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a voltage or available power supplied by the power source when a signal causing the electronic device to be activated is received.

7. A computer program product embodied therewith a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program that causes a computer to execute:

monitoring voltage or available power supplied by a power source when an electronic device is activated, the electronic device including a plurality of modules;

determining a start-up condition corresponding to needed power consumption, which corresponds to the voltage or the available power monitored through the monitoring, with reference to a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of the electronic device, the start-up condition of the electronic device being determined from the needed power consumption in the look-up table and specifying a power on/off status of the modules included in the electronic device;

setting the start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the condition determined through the determining; and

receiving a wakeup event signal of exiting a sleep mode in which the number of the modules supplied with power is limited to a predetermined number and an operation of the electronic device is stopped,

when receiving the wakeup event signal, monitoring the voltage or the available power supplied by the power source, determining a condition corresponding to the power monitored by the monitor, and setting a start-up condition of the electronic device to start UP the electronic device in the condition determined.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a voltage or available power supplied by the power source when a signal causing the electronic device to be activated is received.

9. An electronic device including a plurality of modules, the electronic device comprising:

a storage unit that stores therein a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of an electronic device, the start-up condition of the electronic device being determined from the needed power consumption in the lookup-up table and specifying a power on/off status of the plurality of modules included the electronic device,

a monitor that monitors a voltage or available power supplied by a power source when the electronic device is activated;

a determining unit configured to determine a start-up condition corresponding to needed power consumption, which corresponds to the voltage or available power monitored by the monitor, with reference to the look-up table;

a controller that sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the start-up condition determined by the determining unit; and

a receiving unit configured to receive a wakeup event signal of exiting a sleep mode in which the number of the modules supplied with power is limited to a predetermined number and an operation of the electronic device is stopped,

when the receiving unit receives the wakeup event signal, the monitor monitors the voltage or the available power supplied by the power source, the determining unit determines a condition corresponding to the power monitored by the monitor, and the controller sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the condition determined by the determining unit.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the monitor monitors a voltage or available power supplied by the power source when a signal causing the electronic device to be activated is received.