Power Sequencing Patents (Class 713/330)
  • Publication number: 20130145195
    Abstract: A method of managing power distribution between a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station is disclosed and may include determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station, switching a power supply to the PCD from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery, and powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery. Further, the method may include determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition and charging the PCD battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition. The method may also include monitoring a PCD docking station battery power, determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition, and transmitting a first warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: QUALCOMM Incorporated
  • Patent number: 8458495
    Abstract: A disk array controller detects disk drive power-on-reset events that may cause a disk drive to lose uncommitted write data stored in its cache. When an unexpected disk drive power-on-reset event is detected, the disk array controller may initiate an appropriate corrective action. For example, the disk array controller may initiate a disk drive rebuild operation, or may re-send a set of write commands to the disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Summit Data Systems LLC
    Inventors: Christophe Therene, Paul R. Stonelake, Alex Ga Hing Tang, Richard L. Harris
  • Patent number: 8448849
    Abstract: An automatic banking machine operates responsive to data bearing records. The machine includes a card reader for reading user cards, and at least one of a note acceptor and a cash dispenser. The automated banking machine carries out financial transfers related to user accounts based on information read from cards. The automated banking machine provides a printed receipt for transactions conducted. The machine carries out transactions when operatively connected to a source of power and a transaction network. The machine also carries out functions to control the power status of devices in the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems division of Diebold, Incorporated
    Inventors: Randall W. Jenkins, Vincent L. Owens, Gregory Fockler, Jerry Cox, Tom Ertle, Dave Krzic, Steven Shepley, Nick Billett, Victor A. Cogan, Willis Miller, Mike R. Ryan, Tim Crews, Natarajan Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 8453261
    Abstract: This microcircuit card includes means for detecting an attack on the card, command means (130) capable of charging a charge pump (120) capable of applying a programming voltage (UP) to command a write operation into a cell (110) of a nonvolatile memory when an attack is detected, and a capacitor (140) arranged so as to be supplied with power during normal operation and to supply said charge pump (120) with power only when an attack is detected. The card (100) being characterized in that said capacitor (140) also supplies power to the command means (130) when an attack is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Oberthur Technologies
    Inventors: Nicolas Morin, Christophe Giraud
  • Publication number: 20130132757
    Abstract: A power-on controlling method and system are provided. The system includes a power management unit, a voltage regulating module and a power controller. After booting a computer system, the power controller controls the power managing unit to selectively execute a discontinuous mode or a continuous mode according to a selection command, so as to control the voltage regulating module to regulate a system voltage supplied for electric elements in the computer system, thus finishing the system initialization action, and improving the flexibility in monitoring the power of computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: INVENTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chia-Hsiang Chen
  • Patent number: 8447994
    Abstract: One or more computational units of a computer system are selectively altered in terms of performance according to which of the one or more computational units has a higher performance sensitivity than others of the computational units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Sebastien Nussbaum, Alexander Branover, John Kalamatianos
  • Patent number: 8447995
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for bidirectional provision of inline power over data telecommunications cabling permits power to be received at a local powered device (PD) from remote power sourcing equipment (PSE) via at least one conductor at a first time and power to be provided by the local device to a remote device or another device at a second different time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Biederman, Kenneth Coley, Frederick R. Schindler
  • Patent number: 8447997
    Abstract: A system including plural storage devices provides a technique for controlling storage devices in which files are located by a file system, and turning on or off the storage devices based on prediction of the start or end of access to the files. A program that manages power to the storage devices and data access to the storage devices via the files includes means or functions for allocating a storage device as an area in which a file is located, for selecting a storage device in which a file is located, for predicting that access to a file is started for commanding turning on power to a storage device based on the prediction that access to a file is started, for predicting that access to a file terminates, and for commanding turning off power to a storage device based on the prediction that access to a file terminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yasui, Masaaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8447996
    Abstract: Embodiments related to comparing of a supply voltage are described and depicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Jens Barrenscheen, Rainer Herold, Dietmar Koenig, Tim Weyland
  • Patent number: 8447998
    Abstract: Reducing current draw of solid state drives from a shared power supply of a computer at computer startup, each SSD including computer memory, a capacitor, a disk controller, and a charge controller, the disk controller configured to enable the charge controller to charge the capacitor upon receiving a charge command, the SSDs organized into startup groups characterized by a position in a predefined startup order. Upon startup of the computer, beginning with a first startup group in the predefined startup order and until the last startup group in the predefined startup order has received a charge command, embodiments include, sending, by a storage device initiator, a charge command to a startup group to initiate charging of the capacitor of each solid state drive in the startup group and waiting a predefined period of time before sending another charge command to a next startup group in the predefined startup order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark E. Andresen, Joaquin F. Pacheco
  • Patent number: 8443214
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method adapted to optimize power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment. The method comprises determining at least one power mode of a host from a plurality of possible host power modes. The method further comprises selecting at least one network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based, at least in part, on the determined power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan Lee, John Lenell, Gregory Youngblood
  • Patent number: 8443212
    Abstract: A computing device executes a boot process. During boot process execution, the computing device initiates automatic calibration of a battery connected to the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John A. Landry, Robert D. Matthews
  • Patent number: 8441972
    Abstract: A WCDMA enabled user equipment device configured to have functions collectively or selectively idle to conserve power. A discontinuous receiver is used to detect and read network messages and report the messages to the host processor within the WCDMA enabled user equipment device. The host processor then activates functions previously powered down to receive incoming messages for the user of the WCDMA device. The discontinuous receiver is also used when the WCDMA device is active to read network messages, freeing a modem of the device to operate on user messaging; and therefore, enhancing user related performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Kohlmann, Tae Hea Nahm, Beomsup Kim, Cormac Conroy
  • Patent number: 8443209
    Abstract: A power allocation strategy limits performance of a subset of a plurality of computational units in a computer system according to performance sensitivity of each of the plurality of computational units to a change performance capability, e.g., frequency change. The performance of the subset of computational units may be limited by setting a power state in which the subset may be operated and/or reducing a current power state of the subset to a lower power state. The subset whose performance is limited includes computational units that are least performance sensitive according to stored sensitivity data. The subset may include one or more processing cores and performance of the one or more processing cores may be limited in response to a CPU-bounded application or graphics processing unit (GPU)-bounded application being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Sebastien Nussbaum, Alexander Branover, John Kalamatianos
  • Patent number: 8436678
    Abstract: A low leakage power management system is provided. An external voltage domain is selectively coupled to the internal voltage domain of an integrated circuit according to demand for the functions provided by the integrated circuit. An external voltage VDD is connected to the internal supply voltage plane of the integrated circuit when the integrated circuit is active. The external supply voltage VDD is disconnected from the integrated circuit chip during idle periods. A plurality of switch cells may be provided for connecting the external voltage VDD to the integrated circuit. A multi-step sequence is provided for connecting the external supply voltage VDD to the chip's internal supply voltage plane to prevent excessive current from flowing through any individual switch cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Wang, Younghua Song
  • Patent number: 8438563
    Abstract: A virtual machine managing method includes: a dependence relation list generation step of detecting a dependence relation among virtual machines implemented on a physical machine and generating a dependence relation list, based on a detection result; a target management table generation step of reading, when a selection instruction for selecting a target virtual machine to be halted among the plurality of implemented virtual machines is detected; and a halted target presentation step of reading the virtual machine identification information on all of the virtual machines in dependence relation with the target virtual machine to be halted, and visually presenting the read virtual machine identification information on all of the target virtual machines to be halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Takashi Maeda, Yuta Kojima
  • Patent number: 8433931
    Abstract: Power consumption of a device (e.g., flash storage driver, hard drive, etc.) connected to a host computer system is managed to promote efficient power usage and improved service. Communication between a host computer system (e.g., an operating system) and a device is enabled so that the host system can ascertain a power footprint of the device. Taking the power footprint of the device into consideration, along with the power consumption of the system as a whole (e.g., including the power consumption needs of other devices), a power manager can provide a power budget to the device based upon an informed decision. This allows for improved system power management through a coordination of the device's power consumption by the host system, specifically during operation allowing device performance to be enhanced for the task at hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Burg, Nathan Steven Obr, Vladimir Sadovsky
  • Patent number: 8433934
    Abstract: Implementations relate to a computer-implemented method, device, and computer readable storage medium for optimizing battery life in a mobile computing device. The method includes determining that a wireless signal associated with a wireless network connection utilized by the mobile computing device is at or below a reception strength threshold; disabling the wireless network connection in response to the wireless signal being at or below the reception strength threshold; acquiring, from one or more motion sensors of the mobile computing device, an amount of motion of the mobile computing device during a predetermined time period; determining whether the amount of motion of the mobile device exceeds a predetermined motion threshold; and enabling the wireless network connection in response to the amount of motion exceeding the predetermined motion threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Robert On
  • Patent number: 8429432
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a power supply coupled to a load via a main power rail, and a switch coupled between the power supply and the load on an auxiliary power rail. A controller controls the switch to couple the auxiliary power rail to the load in response to a startup command, and the controller controls the switch to uncouple the load from the auxiliary power rail in response to a shut down command and a low power mode being enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Terry Matula, Vaibhav P. Sapre, Stephen Seitsinger, John Stuewe
  • Patent number: 8427665
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes a connection unit configured to be connectable to a plurality of networks, a storage unit configured to store a power supply control status corresponding to each of the plurality of networks and indicating either an on or off state, a change unit configured to change the power supply control status for each network, and a control unit configured to control a power supply of an image forming apparatus based on the power supply control status of the plurality of networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Negishi
  • Patent number: 8428787
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electronic device having a power management module and a power management method thereof. Within the power management method is used for an electronic device, which has a first power module, a second power module and the loads. The power management method comprises the following step: (1) monitoring the first power module and the second power module; (2) if the first power module and the second power module are activated at the same time, sequentially stopping a supply of electric power to at least one of the loads until the electronic device has total load current smaller than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignees: Inventec Appliances (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Inventec Appliances Corp.
    Inventors: Yu-Feng Wu, Wen-Cheng Hus
  • Patent number: 8429431
    Abstract: A system and method of increasing the efficiency of overall power utilization in data centers by integrating a power management approach based on a comprehensive, dynamic model of the data center created with integrated environmental and computational power monitoring to correlate power usage with different configurations of business services utilization, with the techniques of CPU level power management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Raritan Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Naim R. Malik, Christian Paetz, Neil Weinstock, Allen Yang, Vsevolod Onyshkevych, Siva Somasundaram
  • Patent number: 8423823
    Abstract: An electronic system includes a master module having a first control unit having one or more first serial interfaces and being programmed to output a first data signal and a first clock signal through the one or more first serial interfaces, and a slave module having a second control unit, the second control unit having a second serial interface. The slave module receives the first clock signal through the second serial interface, and the second control unit is programmed to monitor the slave module for a fault condition and output a second clock signal through the second serial interface which is (i) the same as the first clock signal if a fault condition on the slave module is not detected, and (ii) a modified clock signal having a predetermined format through the second serial interface if a fault condition on the slave module is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited
    Inventors: Brian Venus, Nicholas D. Benavides
  • Patent number: 8421527
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to perform fine low-voltage control without largely increasing the circuit layout area in a low-power consumption structure. In the case of shifting a region to a low-speed mode, a system controller outputs a request signal and an enable signal to a power switch controller and a low-power drive circuit, respectively, to turn off a power switch and to perform a control so that the voltage level of a virtual reference potential becomes about 0.2 V to about 0.3V. The region operates on voltages between a power supply voltage and a virtual reference potential, so that it is controlled in the low-speed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sasaki, Kazuki Fukuoka, Ryo Mori, Yoshihiko Yasu
  • Patent number: 8417980
    Abstract: A power supply connected to an electrical load that supplies an output voltage to the electrical load. The power supply includes a first portion having a fast transient response topology that supplies a first part of an output current, and a second portion having a slow transient response topology that supplies a second part of the output current, such that the second part of the output current does not increase or decrease as fast as the first part of the output current. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a more efficient power supply design that converts part of the total power supply output current using a fast transient response portion and part using a slow transient response portion of the power supply. Additionally, embodiments of the invention provide an alternate current path for transporting large amounts of current to a GPU, while maintaining the efficiency of the overall current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventor: Ludger Mimberg
  • Patent number: 8412962
    Abstract: A microprocessor including a temperature sensor that monitors a temperature of core logic of the microprocessor during operation thereof, and operating point information from which may be determined N operating points at which the microprocessor core may reliably operate at a first temperature. Each of the N operating points has a different combination of operating frequency and voltage. The N operating points comprise a highest operating point, a lowest operating point, and a plurality of operating points intermediate the highest and lowest operating points. The microprocessor also includes a control circuit that transitions operation of the core logic among the N operating points to attempt to keep the operating temperature of the core logic provided by the temperature sensor within a temperature range whose upper bound is the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darius D. Gaskins, Charles John Holthaus
  • Patent number: 8412965
    Abstract: A forward converter circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A first transistor is coupled in series with the primary winding and a second transistor is coupled in series with the secondary winding. A control circuit generating control signals for controlling operation of the first and second transistors. The control signals are generated responsive to the values in certain triggered counting circuits satisfying programmable thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas L. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8412959
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a terminal apparatus designed as a self-powered device according to the Universal Serial Bus standard, the terminal apparatus including: a battery; a USB port; and a control section configured to allow relevant components of the terminal apparatus to operate on power from the battery upon power-up, the control section further notifying a host device upon connection thereto through the USB port that the terminal apparatus is a bus-powered device, in order to request a current necessary for the relevant components to operate only on the power supplied from the host device to the bus-powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsunori Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8412964
    Abstract: Methods and systems for powering-off a Bluetooth device from a linked device are provided. A device can transmit a Bluetooth signal to a linked device to instruct the linked device to power-off. In this manner, the user need only turn off one device manually which results in all linked devices being powered off. This process can be initiated by a user through a device directly linked with the device to be powered-off or through a device that is indirectly connected, through one or more Bluetooth networks, with the device to be powered-off. This process can also be automatically initiated by a device when a set of predetermined conditions exist. Once instructed to do so, a device can initiate a predetermined power-off process which can involve terminating any ongoing functions and turning off various subsystems. In accordance with the present invention, a user can initiate a power-off of all the devices on a Bluetooth network through a single device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Lee, Jeffrey J. Terlizzi, Christopher D. McKillop
  • Patent number: 8412971
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling a cache size is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes changing an operating point of a processor from a first operating point to a second operating point, and selectively removing power from one or more ways of a cache memory responsive to changing the operating point. The method further includes processing one or more instructions in the processor subsequent to removing power from the one or more ways of the cache memory, wherein said processing includes accessing one or more ways of the cache memory from which power was not removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Branover, Norman M. Hack, Maurice B. Steinman, John Kalamatianos, Jonathan M. Owen
  • Patent number: 8407507
    Abstract: A power management circuit has a resource management unit which performs a use management of a functional block in an integrated circuit, and a power management unit which transmits a power control request to a power control device which controls power of the functional block for each domain. The power control request designates the domain and the power control content for the domain. The power management unit executes a use prohibition process prohibiting the use of the functional block belonging to the domain, by using the resource management unit, before transmitting the power control request to the power control device, in accordance with a type of the functional block belonging to the domain and the power control content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Takahisa Suzuki, Hideo Miyake
  • Patent number: 8407504
    Abstract: In some embodiments, provided is a way for devices to request S0ix (or the like) entry and exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Jim Walsh
  • Patent number: 8402297
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for indicating multi-power rail status of integrated circuits by taking into account a clock signal provided by, for example, core logic, in addition to considering voltage levels of multiple power rails. In one example, the apparatus includes multi-power rail status indicating logic that provides a multi-power rail status signal. The multi-power rail status signal is synchronized for assertion with a clock signal of the integrated circuit, such as the core logic of the integrated circuit, in response to an assertion of an asynchronous multi-power rail voltage stability signal. The asynchronous multi-power rail voltage stability signal indicates a state of a plurality of voltage signals from a plurality of power rails supplied to the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Richard W. Fung, Ricky Lau, Ju Tung Ng
  • Patent number: 8402295
    Abstract: A method includes receiving data intended for a destination and sending a power flit to the destination via a route. The power flit wakes at least one component on the route. The method also includes sending the data as a data flit to the destination via the route after sending the power flit. The power flit can include a header indicating the destination and a source of the received data. The power flit can be formed by extracting destination data from the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Shilpa Bhoj
  • Patent number: 8397087
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for individually managing the power usage of software applications may include: 1) identifying at least one software application installed on a computing device, 2) determining the power usage of the software application, 3) identifying a power-management policy for managing the power usage of the software application independent of the overall power usage of the computing device, and then 4) managing the power usage of the software application independent of the overall power usage of the computing device in accordance with the power-management policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Gardner, Sourabh Satish
  • Patent number: 8386812
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Power Over Ethernet (PoE) device (PD) having a controller to receive signals over a first cable having twisted pair wires from at least one of a network element and a gateway where the network element is associated with a service provider where the gateway is associated with a premises and where the service provider provides network communications to the premises, adjust the signals, transmit the adjusted signals over a second cable having twisted pair wires to at least one of the network element and the gateway, and receive power from at least one of the network element and the gateway, where the power is received over at least one of the first and second cables, where the power is received according to PoE protocol, and where the PD is positioned between the network element and the gateway. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: James Rembert, Thomas Anschutz, Zhi Cui
  • Patent number: 8386824
    Abstract: A method includes detecting that a rate of temperature change in a server is above a threshold rate, changing the server to a lowest system performance state when the rate of the temperature change in the server is above the threshold rate, and reducing a fan speed to a minimum fan speed level when the rate of temperature change is above the threshold rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Paul T. Artman, David Moss
  • Patent number: 8386813
    Abstract: A host computer equipment includes an apparatus configured to perform a method for supporting a selective suspend mode of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) network-device. The host includes a power manager, a status manager, and a USB driver. When there is a transition to a host suspend mode, the power manager delivers a host suspend mode notification message to the status manager. The status manager delivers a status transition message of instructing a normal status (D0) transition to the USB driver. The USB driver makes a power status of the USB network-device transit to a normal status (D0), notifies the power manager of the status transition to the normal status (D0), and makes the power status of the USB network-device transit from the normal status (D0) to a power off status (D3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Mok Kim, Jeong-Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 8386806
    Abstract: A device and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the device includes a programmable power supply management logic. The programmable power supply management logic is capable of managing a plurality of voltage regulators present in a computer system. Additionally, the power supply management logic is integrated into an input/output complex in the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Giap Yong Ooi, Wai Shin Lau
  • Patent number: 8380999
    Abstract: An electronic user device can provide intelligent power management. The device can monitor information such as charge level and rate of power consumption, and determine an appropriate time to charge the device. If a device is placed on a charger at a time when the device does not require charging, and the charging could potentially shorten the life of the device battery, the device might activate an internal switch or communicate with the charger to prevent the device from being charged. The device can be configured to notify the user when the device should be charged using any number of notification approaches. If the device is unable to be charged during a certain period, or the rate of power consumption exceeds at least one set value, the device can adjust functionality of various components and/or applications in order to conserve power until the device is able to be charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keela N. Robison, Ian W. Freed
  • Patent number: 8381000
    Abstract: A demand based power re-allocation system includes one or more subsystems to assign a power allocation level to a plurality of servers, wherein the power allocation level is assigned by priority of the server. The system may throttle power for one or more of the plurality of servers approaching the power allocation level, wherein throttling includes limiting performance of a processor, track server power throttling for the plurality of servers. The method compares power throttling for a first server with power throttling for remaining servers in the plurality of servers and adjusts throttling of the plurality of servers, wherein throttled servers receive excess power from unthrottled servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Alan Brumley, Michael Brundridge, Ashish Munjal
  • Patent number: 8375232
    Abstract: A system and method is described that allows a PoE-capable switch to selectively provide power to one or more remote devices in an instance where power being supplied to the switch itself is limited or failing. In one embodiment, the switch receives a notification from an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and, in response to receiving the notification, selectively provides power to one or more devices powered by the switch. Selectively providing power to one or more of the devices may include providing power to only a subset of the devices, providing a different amount of power to different ones of the devices, or providing power for different durations to different ones of the devices. In an alternate embodiment, in response to receiving the notification, the switch communicates with a remote device and causes the remote device to activate at least one power saving feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Umer Khan, Kenneth E. Venner
  • Patent number: 8375228
    Abstract: A multiple-node system having a number of nodes has its power utilization managed. A node power cap of a node specifies a maximum power that the node is individually able to utilize. A system-wide power cap specifies a maximum power that the multiple-node system is able to utilize overall. In response to determining that a node power cap of a selected node is to be increased, where a total of the node power caps of all the nodes is equal to the system-wide power cap, the node power caps of one or more nodes are reduced so that the total of the node power caps of all the nodes is less than the system-wide power cap. The node power cap of the selected node is then increased such that the total of the node power caps of all the nodes is equal to or less than the system-wide power cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Vivek Kashyap
  • Patent number: 8375231
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes receiving a classification voltage at a powered device from a network. The classification voltage includes a baseline voltage level that is below an operating voltage range of the powered device and includes a sequence of distinct signal elements derived from the classification voltage. The method further includes detecting a number of signal elements of the sequence of distinct signal elements. A current is drawn until the number of signal elements exceeds a predetermined number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Silison Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: D. Matthew Landry, Russell J. Apfel
  • Patent number: 8370673
    Abstract: A system and method of utilizing resources within an information handling system are disclosed. In a particular form, a method of utilizing an information handling system can include detecting an operating state controllable by a state controller configured to enable a plurality of operating environments including a host environment and a reduced power environment. The method can also include detecting an event operable to alter the operating state to enable an operating environment of the plurality of operating environments. According to an aspect, the operating environment can be used separate from a host system operable to enable the host environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Roy W. Stedman, Andrew T. Sultenfuss
  • Patent number: 8364987
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for implementing a sleep proxy. The system starts by receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device. In response to this request, the system determines if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy takes action. If so, the system determines if the sleep proxy can answer the request. If so, the sleep proxy sends a response to the request on behalf of the device. In a variation on this embodiment, if the system cannot answer the request on behalf of the device, the system sends a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet causes the device to exit a power-saving mode so that the device can respond to the request directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Stuart D. Cheshire
  • Publication number: 20130024712
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide devices and methods for operating two memory cards. In one embodiment, an electronic device includes a host controller, a first socket in communication with the host controller, for receiving a first memory card and a second socket, and a second socket in communication with the host controller, for receiving a second memory card. The physical pin arrangement of the second socket is in an order reversed from the physical pin arrangement of the first socket. The host controller transmits power to the first memory card and cuts off power to the second memory card during a first time period, and cuts off power to the first memory card and transmits power to the second memory card during a second time period. The first socket and the second socket transmit and receive same set of data signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: O2MICRO, INC.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Akagi, Miki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8359482
    Abstract: A power supply circuit is provided. The power supply circuit includes an audio codec chip and a voltage absorbing circuit. The audio codec chip has a power input terminal. The power input terminal is connected to a power source terminal. The voltage absorbing circuit is connected between the power source terminal and the power input terminal of the audio codec chip so as to decrease a divided voltage accomplished with a voltage from the power source terminal to low level. A method configured for starting up an audio codec chip on a computer motherboard in a normal manner is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ke-You Hu
  • Patent number: 8352763
    Abstract: Provided is technology for enabling power saving control that allows a change of control content according to a user selection in a power control system that saves power consumed by an information processing apparatus. The power control system of the present invention include an image processing apparatus 102 as an example of the information processing apparatus and a power consumption management apparatus 106 that manages the amount of power consumption of the image processing apparatus 102. The image processing apparatus 102, in power saving control based on a control mode according to the amount of power consumption, if execution of a job instructed by a user is restricted depending on a power saving setting received from the power consumption management apparatus 106, changes control content of the control mode to content that has been determined as a substitution for the control content for allowing the job to be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryotaro Imine, Takehito Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: RE43995
    Abstract: A printer has a controller configured to give an instruction to a LAN controller, the instruction specifying which one of communication speeds the LAN controller should communicate at. When it is determined that the mode of the printer is changed from a power mode in which power is supplied to the controller to a power mode in which power is not supplied to the controller, the controller instructs the LAN controller to reduce the communication speed. After the instruction to reduce the communication speed is given, a power supply unit cuts off power supply to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadaaki Maeda