Patents by Inventor Kevin R. Mullen

Kevin R. Mullen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8612782
    Abstract: A power control manager includes a processor to compute available power from a power source and a comparator to compare the available power to an amount of power to concurrently operate a plurality of sub-systems of an electronic device at full or a predetermined power. The processor generates one or more control signals in response to a decision signal output from the comparator. The control signals may indicate that a maximum power setting is to be set for a first sub-system and a reduced non-zero power setting is to be set for a second sub-system of the plurality of sub-systems. The sub-systems may be different sub-systems of a smartphone or another electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Reed D. Vilhauer, Darren S. Crews, Paul S. Durley, Kevin R. Mullen
  • Publication number: 20120254633
    Abstract: A power control manager includes a processor to compute available power from a power source and a comparator to compare the available power to an amount of power to concurrently operate a plurality of sub-systems of an electronic device at full or a predetermined power. The processor generates one or more control signals in response to a decision signal output from the comparator. The control signals may indicate that a maximum power setting is to be set for a first sub-system and a reduced non-zero power setting is to be set for a second sub-system of the plurality of sub-systems. The sub-systems may be different sub-systems of a smartphone or another electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Reed D. VILHAUER, Darren S. Crews, Paul S. Durley, Kevin R. Mullen
  • Patent number: 8228038
    Abstract: A power management system includes a sensor to detect current output from a battery, a first comparator to compare the battery current to a first reference value, and a burst controller to perform a first power control operation based on said comparison. The power control operation reduces power consumed by the battery in order to cause the battery current to fall below the first reference value. This may be accomplished by reducing or shutting down power to one or more functions or features of a host system that includes or is coupled to receive power from the battery. The host system may include or correspond to a mobile phone and/or any of a number of other electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin R. Mullen, Kuriappan P. Alappat, Don J. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20110148383
    Abstract: A power management system includes a sensor to detect current output from a battery, a first comparator to compare the battery current to a first reference value, and a burst controller to perform a first power control operation based on said comparison. The power control operation reduces power consumed by the battery in order to cause the battery current to fall below the first reference value. This may be accomplished by reducing or shutting down power to one or more functions or features of a host system that includes or is coupled to receive power from the battery. The host system may include or correspond to a mobile phone and/or any of a number of other electronic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin R. MULLEN, Kuriappan P. Alappat, Don J. Nguyen