Low power dual processor architecture for multi mode devices

• US 7,450,963 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ludwin, Albert S., Krishnan, Ranganathan, Gardner, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US10/229,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,268 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/574, 455/557, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 455/347, 455/351, 455/343.1, 701/226, 716/16
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0287 changing the clock frequency of a controller in the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile computing device with multiple modes, for example, wireless communication and personal computing, has an application processor and a communication processor. In the computing mode, the application processor is the master processor. In the communication mode, the application processor is deenergized to conserve battery power, with the communication processor functioning as the master processor by accessing the device'"'"'s peripheral bus using the memory interface of the communication processor.

Claims

1. A multi mode mobile device configured to switch between a communication mode and a computing mode, comprising:

a communication processor configured to facilitate wireless voice and data communication when the device is in the communication mode;

an application processor configured to execute at least one personal computing application when the device is in the computing mode;

a configuration module configured to switch the device from the computing mode to the communication mode in response to user input of at least part of a telephone number;

wherein the application processor functions as a master processor and the communication processor functions as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode and the application processor is deenergized when the device is in the communication mode to enable the communication processor to function as the master processor;

wherein the application processor is associated with a processor local bus (PLB), the device further comprising a PLB bridge processor configured to enable the communication processor to function as the master processor when the device is in the communication mode and to enable the communication processor to function as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode; and

wherein the communication processor is associated with a memory bus communicating with one or more memory devices, and wherein the PLB bridge processor is configured to bridge the memory bus to the PLB.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one peripheral hardware component connected to the PLB.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the communication processor is further configured to access the at least one peripheral hardware component when the device is in the communication mode.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one peripheral hardware component includes at least one of a touch panel controller and a storage interface.

5. A method for operating a multi mode mobile device in a computing mode and a communication mode, comprising:

executing at least one personal computing application by an application processor in the computing mode;

switching from the computing mode to the communication mode in response to user input of at least a part of a telephone number;

facilitating wireless voice and data communication with a communication processor in the communication mode;

wherein the application processor functions as a master processor and the communication processor functions as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode and the application processor is deenergized when the device is in the communication mode to enable the communication processor to function as the master processor;

wherein the application processor is associated with a processor local bus (PLB), the method further comprising using a PLB bridge processor to enable the application processor to function as the master processor and the communication processor to function as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode; and

wherein the communication processor is associated with a memory bus communicating with one or more memory devices, the method further comprising using the PLB bridge processor to bridge the memory bus to the PLB.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising at least one peripheral hardware component connected to the PLB.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising using the communication processor to access the at least one peripheral hardware component when the device is in the communication mode.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one peripheral hardware component includes at least one of a touch panel controller and a storage interface.

9. A multi mode mobile device configured to switch between a communication mode and a computing mode, comprising:

application processing means for executing at least one personal computing application when the device is in the computing mode;

communication processing means for facilitating wireless voice and data communication when the device is in the communication mode;

means for switching the device from the computing mode to the communication mode in response to user input of at least part of telephone number;

wherein the application processing means functions as a master processor and the communication processing means functions as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode and the application processing means is deenergized when the device is in the communication mode to enable the communication processing means to function as the master processor;

wherein the application processing means is associated with a processor local bus (PLB), the device further comprising a PLB bridge processing means for enabling the application processing means to function as the master processor and the communication processing means to function as a peripheral processor when the device is in the computing mode; and

wherein the communication processing means is associated with a memory bus communicating with one or more memory devices, and wherein the PLB bridge processing means comprises means for bridging the memory bus to the PLB.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising at least one peripheral hardware component connected to the PLB.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the communication processing means comprises means for accessing said at least one peripheral hardware component when the device is in the communication mode.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said at least one peripheral hardware component includes at least one of a touch panel controller and a storage interface.