Patent ID: 7900067

Claim:
A computing device operable to function in a plurality of operating states, at least two operating states within the plurality of operating states requiring different processing loads and consuming different amounts of energy, the computing device comprising: a processor that is operable at a plurality of voltages and at a plurality of frequencies; a variable frequency generator, communicatively coupled to the processor, that is operable to provide at least one clock signal at one of the plurality of frequencies; a variable power supply, communicatively coupled to the processor, that is operable to provide at least one voltage supply at one of the plurality of voltages; and power management circuitry that is communicatively coupled to the variable frequency generator and to the variable power supply; wherein the power management circuitry is operable to select an operating voltage from the plurality of voltages; wherein the power management circuitry is operable to select an operating frequency from the plurality of frequencies; wherein the power management circuitry operates dynamically based on one or more operating characteristics of the plurality of operating states; and wherein the power management circuitry is operable to partially disable one or more of: a communication function of the computing device, a data gathering function of the computing device, and a coded image decoding function of the computing device, wherein a function is partially disabled when the power management circuitry selects: the operating frequency to be less than a maximum frequency and/or the operating voltage to be less than a maximum voltage.