BIOS independent power management for portable computer United States Patent 05404546

05404546 is referenced by 102 patents and cites 10 patents.

Method and apparatus for effecting BIOS independent power management of a personal computer system having a processor complex connected via a system bus to at least one I/O device capable of operating in a reduced power consumption state. A power control system comprising a dedicated power management microcontroller monitors the activity of various I/O devices. When a particular device or combination of devices has remained inactive for the preselected time interval, the power control system issues a bus request to a processor complex. When the processor complex acknowledges the bus request, the power control system asserts control as master of the system bus and performs the operations necessary to cause at least one device to enter a reduced power consumption state. The power control system then surrenders control of the bus to the processor complex. In one aspect, a CPU clock controller is utilized to reduce the processing speed of the processor complex CPU.

Title
BIOS independent power management for portable computer
Application Number
655889
Publication Number
5404546
Application Date
February 16, 1993
Publication Date
April 4, 1995
Inventor
Gregory N Stewart
Austin
TX, US
Agent
James Huffman
David McCombs
Assignee
Dell USA
TX, US
IPC
G06F 1/32
View Original Source

Citations: 102 (view full list)

  1. Robert A Dunstan, Marion H Shimoda, Kelan C Silvester, Jiming Sun: Power management coordinator system and interface. Intel Corporation, Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman, September 24, 1996: US05560022 (275 worldwide citation)
  2. James P Kardach, Chih Hung Chung, Jason Ziller: System, apparatus and method for managing power in a computer system. Intel Corporation, Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman, March 16, 1999: US05884088 (102 worldwide citation)
  3. Dennis Silva, Paul Beard, Steven Darren Friend, Arvin D Danielson, Darrell L Boatwright, Rickey G Austin, Daniel E Alt, Darald R Schultz: Hand-held data collection computer terminal having power management architecture including switchable multi-purpose input display screen. Norand Corporation, Suiter & Associates PC, November 7, 2000: US06144976 (102 worldwide citation)
  4. James P Kardach, Chih Hung Chung, Jason Ziller: System, apparatus, and method for managing power in a computer system. Intel Corporation, Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman, November 25, 1997: US05692202 (101 worldwide citation)
  5. William E Jacobs, Daniel V Forlenza, James L Mondshine, Tim L Zhang, Gregory B Memo, Kevin R Frost, Lonnie J Pope: Computer system capable of playing audio CDs in a CD-ROM drive independent of an operating system. Compaq Computer Corporation, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L, December 21, 1999: US06006285 (91 worldwide citation)
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  7. Todd J DeSchepper, James R Reif, James R Edwards, Michael J Collins, John E Larson: Apparatus and method for entering low power mode in a computer system. Compaq Computer Corporation, Pravel Hewitt Kimball & Krieger, February 24, 1998: US05721935 (76 worldwide citation)
  8. Henry Wurzburg, Walter H Potts: Distributed power management system for battery operated personal computers. VLSI Technology, Harry M Weiss & Associates, August 13, 1996: US05546591 (61 worldwide citation)
  9. Suresh K Marisetty: Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a computer system using virtual device drivers. Intel Corporation, Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman, December 31, 1996: US05590342 (60 worldwide citation)
  10. John J Pearce, Jim Walker, Charles P Zeller, Craig S Jones: System for reducing power consumption in computers. Dell USA, Haynes and Boone L, April 1, 1997: US05617572 (57 worldwide citation)

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