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:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
Wilhelmus J. M. Diepstraten, Haghorst, NL;
Michael A. Fischer, San Antonio, TX (US);
Wesley D. Hardell, San Antonio, TX (US);
Assignee:
Agere Systems Guardian Corp., Orlando, FL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 1/32 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 1/32 ;
Abstract
A context controller for managing multitasking in a processor and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the context controller includes: (1) foreground and background task controllers that allocate processor resources to active contexts corresponding to foreground and background tasks, respectively, and (2) mode switching circuitry, coupled to the foreground and background task controllers, that places the processor in an idle state and a power saving mode when all of the contexts are inactive.