The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1997
Lonnie C Goff, Tempe, AZ (US);
David R Evoy, Tempe, AZ (US);
Franklyn Story, Candler, AZ (US);
Mark Sullivan, Tempe, AZ (US);
VLSI Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing power consumption in a computer system wherein the method and apparatus is compliant with the proposed Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) specification. In one embodiment, a power management processor is sandwiched between platform hardware and the ACPI register layer. The processor processes all operating power management commands and requests while remaining transparent to the user and the operating system. In so doing, routine power management functions, so classified by the operating system, are implemented by the operating system. Sophisticated power management features, on the other hand, are implemented by the present invention independent from operating system control. Accordingly, in the present invention, the operating system need not suspend processing of other threads to process sophisticated power management procedures.