Apple Inc.

Michael E Larson

Derek J Foster

Michael G Lum

Michael S Hanlon

Improved techniques for controlling multiple media bays (expansion bays) of a computer system are disclosed. Status information (and possibly one or more control operations) for devices in media bays of a computer system can be displayed, for example, to identify devices that occupy the media bays and to indicate the removability of those devices. Software locks discourage a user from improper removal of media bay devices in a multiple media bay computer system. The software locks work not only during hot removal of locked media bay devices but also removal of locked media devices during a sleep state of the computer system. Also, a centralized media bay data storage area can be provided as well as a media bay driver for each media bay to permits easy access to information pertaining to the one or more media bays of the computer system. The centralized media bay data storage area can store information describing the current configuration of the media bays, including the number of media bays, contents of each media bay, etc.

Method and apparatus for controlling media bays in a computer system

Power management techniques for external cache memories of computers are disclosed. The power management techniques operate to reduce power consumption of an external cache memory of a computer system by intelligently placing the external cache memory in a low power mode. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer operates using event loop and an idle loop. The computer generally remains in the event loop while there is activity that requires processing, but enters the idle loop when there is no activity so that power consumption is lowered. The power management techniques according to the invention reduce power consumption of the computer by placing the external cache memory in the low power state upon entering the idle loop, and then awakening the external cache memory as the microprocessor awakens or upon exiting the idle loop. The power savings provided by the invention are particularly suitable for use with battery powered computing devices.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Michael E Larson