System and method for accessory device architecture that passes via intermediate processor a descriptor when processing in a low power state

• US 9,959,241 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Drasnin, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US15/050,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 710 14, 710 72- 74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4415 Self describing peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An accessory device architecture is described. In one or more implementations, data is received from an accessory device at an integrated circuit of a computing device, the data usable to enumerate functionality of the accessory device for operation as part of a computing device that includes the integrated circuit. The data is passed by the integrated circuit to an operating system executed on processor of the computing device to enumerate the functionality of the accessory device as part of the integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processing system configured to execute an operating system for the computing device;

an interface connectable to an accessory device; and

an integrated circuit device connected to the processing system and the interface, the integrated circuit device configured to;

operate when the processing system is in a low power state; and

enumerate functionality of the accessory device by;

receiving descriptors indicative of functionality of the accessory device from the accessory device via the interface; and

communicating with the operating system to pass information regarding the functionality of the accessory device as indicated by the descriptors for use by the operating system to enable communications with the accessory device via the integrated circuit device.

2. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the functionality of the accessory device is communicated to the operating system as functionality of the integrated circuit device so that the accessory device is invisible to the operating system.

3. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the functionality of the accessory device is communicated to the operating system as functionality of a separate device so that the accessory device is viewable by the operating system.

4. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit device is configured to receive a report indicating a status of the accessory device and configured to manage power of the accessory device based on the indicated status.

5. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit device is configured to provide reports to the accessory device that cause the accessory device to perform power management.

6. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit device is connected to the processing system via a transport mechanism that performs clocking when transporting data between the integrated circuit device and the processing system but does not perform clocking otherwise.

7. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the descriptors indicative of functionality of the accessory device identify a data format for use in communications between the computing device and the accessory device.

8. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the descriptors indicative of functionality of the accessory device identify a device type of the accessory device.

9. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the descriptors indicative of functionality of the accessory device include one or more of a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device or a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device.

10. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the descriptors indicative of functionality of the accessory device identify a version of the accessory device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, at an integrated circuit device of a computing device, information that is indicative of functionality of an accessory device connected to the integrated circuit device while a processing system of the computing device is in a low power state;

passing, via the integrated circuit device to an operating system executing on the processing system of the computing device, information indicative of the functionality of the accessory device while the processing system is in the low power state; and

enabling, via the integrated circuit device, communication between the operating system and the accessory device based on the functionality of the accessory device while the processing system is in the low power state.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the passing is performed by the integrated circuit device without modifying the information indicative of functionality of the accessory device.

13. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising receiving, by the integrated circuit device, a report indicating a status of the accessory device and managing power of the accessory device based on the indicated status.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the information indicative of functionality of the accessory device identifies one or more of:

a data format for use in communications between the computing device and the accessory device;

a device type of the accessory device;

a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device;

a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device;

a version of the accessory device.

15. An integrated circuit device configured to:

receive descriptors indicative of functionality of an accessory device via an interface of a computing device that supports a removable physical and communicative coupling between the computing device and the accessory device;

communicate, with an operating system executed on a processor of the computing device, to pass information regarding the functionality of the accessory device as indicated by the descriptors for use by the operating system to enable communications with the accessory device via the integrated circuit device; and

operate when the processor of the computing device is in a low power state.

16. An integrated circuit device as described in claim 15, wherein the functionality of the accessory device is:

communicated to the operating system as functionality of the integrated circuit device so that the accessory device is invisible to the operating system;

or

communicated to the operating system as functionality of a separate device so that the accessory device is viewable by the operating system.

17. An integrated circuit device as described in claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit device is configured to receive a report indicating a status of the accessory device and configured to manage power of the accessory device based on the indicated status.

18. An integrated circuit device as described in claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit device is communicatively coupled to the processor via a transport mechanism that performs clocking when transporting data between the communication circuit and the processor but does not perform clocking otherwise.

19. An integrated circuit device as described in claim 15, wherein the information regarding the functionality of the accessory device identifies one or more of:

a data format for use in communications between the computing device and the accessory device;

a device type of the accessory device;

a vendor identifier (VID) of the accessory device;

a product identifier (PID) of the accessory device;

a version of the accessory device.

20. An integrated circuit device as described in claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit device is configured to provide reports to the accessory device that cause the accessory device to perform power management.