PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8352765-B2
Application Number: US-201113195676-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Dark wake

Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and systems for powering up select components of a computer from a sleep state, maintaining a network state, and powering down the select components of the computer to return the computer to the sleep state are described. For one embodiment, a network interface and a fan controller receive power during the network state maintenance but a display or audio components do not receive power during the network state maintenance.

Claims:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 establishing a network state for the computer, wherein the network state will expire in a set amount of time; 
 setting a maintenance timer to expire prior to the expiration of the network state; 
 placing the computer in a sleep state without terminating the network state, wherein placing the computer in a sleep state includes powering down a fan controller, wherein the fan controller includes processing logic that determines, using information from temperature sensors, whether to turn a fan on or off; 
 powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state at the expiration of the maintenance timer, wherein the select components include a network interface, the fan controller, and a processor core and wherein the select components do not include a display, human interface devices, and audio components; 
 renewing the network state; and 
 powering down the select components of the computer to return the computer to the sleep state, and wherein the fan controller receives power during the renewing of the network state and receives no power during the sleep state. 
 
     
     
       2. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 establishing, with a server, a lease of a network address for the computer, wherein the network address will expire in a set amount of time; 
 placing the computer in an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (“ACPI”) S3 sleep state without terminating the lease, wherein placing the computer in the ACPI S3 sleep state includes powering down a fan controller, wherein the fan controller includes processing logic that determines, using information from temperature sensors, whether to turn a fan on or off; 
 powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state prior to the expiration of the set amount of time to maintain the lease, wherein the select components include a network interface and the fan controller, and do not include a display; 
 renewing the lease with the server, wherein the fan controller turns on the fan when the fan controller determines that the temperature within the computer has exceeded a threshold to cool the computer during renewal of the lease and prior to the computer returning to the sleep state; and 
 powering down the select components of the computer to return the computer to the sleep state, and wherein a fan controller receives power during the renewing of the lease with the server and receives no power during the sleep state. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the fan controller is configured to cause the fan to be turned on after powering up the select components. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the network state includes renewing an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address lease with a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) server. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the network state includes renewing a registration with a sleep proxy server or maintaining a port connection with a router. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer includes a multi-core processor, the sleep state powers down the multi-core processor, and wherein powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state includes powering up only a single processor core of the multi-core processor. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the fan controller determines, during maintenance of the network state, that the temperature within the computer has exceeded a threshold and turns on the fan to cool the computer prior to the computer returning to the sleep state. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sleep state is an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (“ACPI”) S3 sleep state. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the fan controller is configured to cause the fan to be turned on after powering up the select components. 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein renewing the lease with the server includes renewing an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address lease with a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) server. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein renewing the lease with the server includes renewing a registration with a sleep proxy server. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the computer includes a multi-core processor, the sleep state powers down the multi-core processor, and wherein powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state includes powering up only a single processor core of the multi-core processor. 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the fan controller determines, during maintenance of the network state, that the temperature within the computer has exceeded a threshold and turns on the fan to cool the computer prior to the computer returning to the sleep state. 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform a method comprising:
 establishing a network state for the computer, wherein the network state will expire in a set amount of time; 
 setting a maintenance timer to expire prior to the expiration of the network state; 
 placing the computer in a sleep state without terminating the network state, wherein placing the computer in a sleep state includes powering down a fan controller, wherein the fan controller includes processing logic that determines, using information from temperature sensors, whether to turn a fan on or off; 
 powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state at the expiration of the maintenance timer, wherein the select components include a network interface, the fan controller, and a processor core and wherein the select components do not include a display, human interface devices, and audio components; 
 renewing the network state; and 
 powering down the select components of the computer to return the computer to the sleep state, and wherein a fan controller receives power during the renewing of the network state and receives no power during the sleep state. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the fan controller is configured to cause the fan to be turned on after powering up the select components. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein maintaining the network state includes renewing an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address lease with a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) server. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein maintaining the network state includes renewing a registration with a sleep proxy server or maintaining a port connection with a router. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the computer includes a multi-core processor, the sleep state powers down the multi-core processor, and wherein powering up select components of the computer from the sleep state includes powering up only a single processor core of the multi-core processor. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the fan controller determines, during maintenance of the network state, that the temperature within the computer has exceeded a threshold and turns on the fan to cool the computer prior to the computer returning to the sleep state. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the sleep state is an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (“ACPI”) S3 sleep state.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/479,750 filed on Jun. 5, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,996,694. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The various embodiments described herein relate to power management of a processing system. In particular, embodiments include the processing system entering a dark wake state from a from a low power state by powering up select components, maintaining a network state, and returning to the sleep state. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Computer systems are often used to perform various tasks over a network. When a computer system connects to a network, it establishes a network state with a server or another networked device. In order to make efficient use of network resources, network states may expire and can be periodically maintained or renewed. Additionally, a computer system may periodically update a network state. If the computer system is placed in a low power state (e.g., a sleep state), however, the computer system typically terminates the network state (e.g., allows it to expire) or periodically “wakes up” to a full power state (including user-perceptible components such as video and audio), to maintain, renew, or otherwise update an existing network state. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and systems for powering up select components of a computer from a sleep state, maintaining a network state, and powering down the select components of the computer to return the computer to the sleep state are described. For one embodiment, the select components include a network interface and do not include a display or audio components. For one embodiment a fan controller receives power during the maintaining of the network state. These embodiments allow a system to appear to a user to be asleep while performing maintenance of the network state but also continue to protect the system from overheating by keeping the fan controller on. The fan controller can include subsystems which monitor temperature and determine whether to turn a fan on or off; for example, the fan controller can include temperature sensors and processing logic that determines, using information from the temperature sensors whether to turn on or off a fan or other cooling device in order to protect the system. For one embodiment, the fan controller receives power even while the system is in one or more levels of sleep. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary computer system that can perform network maintenance or updates during a dark wake according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates an exemplary dark wake process according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart that illustrates further detail of an exemplary dark wake process according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary chart of system power consumption over time, including an awake period, sleep period, and dark wake period according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments and aspects of the inventions will be described with reference to details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate the various embodiments. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of embodiments of the present inventions. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary computer system  100 , also known as a data processing system that can, for example, perform a dark wake as described with reference to  FIGS. 2-3 . For one embodiment, the operations, processes, modules, methods, and systems described and shown in the accompanying figures of this disclosure are intended to operate on one or more exemplary computer systems  100  as sets of instructions (e.g., software), also known as computer implemented methods. The exemplary computer system  100  is generally representative of personal or client computers, and servers. The exemplary computer system  100  includes at least processor  105  (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a core of a multi-core processor, or a combination thereof), a Read Only Memory (ROM)  110 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  115 , and a Mass Storage  120  (e.g., a hard drive) which communicate with each other via a bus or buses  125 . The mass storage  120  may additionally include, or be coupled to, a controller to control a motor for a hard drive. 
     The exemplary computer system  100  further includes a Display Controller  130 . Display Controller  130  may include one or more GPUs. The computer system  100  also includes a Display Device  135  (e.g., Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or a touch screen, plasma display, light-emitting diode (LED) or organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, etc.), an I/O Controller  140 , an I/O Devices  145  (e.g., mouse, keyboard, modem, network interface, CD drive, etc.), one or more fans or other cooling devices  155 , and a speaker and/or one or more audio outputs (not shown). The computer system  100  may also include one or more signal input devices e.g. a microphone, camera, fingerprint scanner, etc.) which are not shown. 
     The network interface device may include a network card, network adapter, network interface controller (NIC), network interface card, or LAN adapter and is a computer hardware component designed to allow the computer system  100  to communicate over a computer network. The network interface may be connected to a network via wiring or may be wireless, for communicating to a wireless network. Exemplary networks may include a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Personal Area Network (PAN), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Campus Area Network (CAN), Storage Area Network (SAN), etc. 
     The fan controller  150  can include subsystems which monitor temperature and determine whether to turn a fan  155  on or off; for example, the fan controller  150  can include temperature sensors and processing logic that determines, using information from the temperature sensors whether to turn on or off a fan  155  or other cooling device in order to protect the system. The fan controller  150  can include software (e.g., by the operating system via a processor), dedicated hardware, a thermostatic device (e.g., a thermistor), or a combination thereof. 
     The mass storage  120  includes a machine-readable storage medium (computer-readable storage medium/computer-readable recorded medium) on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g. software) embodying any one or more methodologies or functions. The software may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the RAM  115  or ROM  110  and/or within the processor  105  during execution thereof by the computer system  100 , the RAM  115 , ROM  110 , and within the processor  105  also constituting machine-readable storage media. The software may further be transmitted or received over a network (not shown) via a network interface device  145 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates an exemplary dark wake process according to an embodiment. The computer system  100  establishes one or more network states at block  205 . For one embodiment the network state is one or more of the following: obtaining an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address lease from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) server, registration a proxy server (e.g., a sleep proxy server), establishing a port connection with a router (e.g., using network address translation port mapping protocol (“NAT-PMP”)), a File Transfer Protocol (“FTP”) or Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) connection, a virtual private network (“VPN”) connection, or other network connection to a server, computer, or other networked device. 
     Once a network state has been established, the computer system  100  detects a request to place the computer system  100  in a low power state (e.g., asleep state) at block  210 . For one embodiment, the sleep state is an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (“ACPI”) S3 sleep state. 
     Prior to entering the sleep state, the computer system  100  determines a time at which one or more network states will expire at block  215 . This expiration time may be a known according to a protocol standard or specification, set by the server, computer, or networked device when the computer system  100  establishes a network state, a scheduled time set by the computer system  100  to update a networked device, or otherwise determined by known methods. 
     Using the determined time, the computer system  100  sets a maintenance timer to expire prior to the expiration of the network state at block  220 . For one embodiment, the computer system  100  utilizes the computer system&#39;s real-time clock (“RTC”) to track time in a low power mode. For one embodiment, if more than one network state has been established, the computer system  100  sets the timer based upon the network state that will expire first. The maintenance timer is set to expire prior to the expiration of the network state—e.g., at 75% of the network state expiration period. Alternatively, the computer system  100  sets a timer for each of multiple network states. 
     The computer system  100  enters a low power or sleep state at block  225 . For example, the computer system  100  places the RAM  115  in a self-refresh mode, powers down all human interface devices (e.g., mouse, keyboard, display device  135 , audio/video components, etc.), the CPU  105  or one or more cores thereof, network interface(s), disk drive(s), fan controller  150  and fan  155 , I/O&#39;s  145  (except for an I/O to receive/send a wake/dark wake signal—e.g., a user command to power up or the expiration of the timer), etc. Alternatively, the fan controller  150  and fan  155  continue to receive power during a low power or sleep state. For an alternate embodiment, the computer system  100  enters a hibernate state, hybrid sleep state, or other low power mode at block  225 . 
     If the computer system  100  is still in asleep state at the expiration of the time at block  230 , the computer system enters a maintenance wake (or dark wake) power state to renew the network state at block  235 . The computer system  100  powers up components necessary to maintain the network state, e.g., a CPU and a network interface. The computer system  100  then renews the network state (e.g., renews an IP address lease from a DHCP server or other network connection) or otherwise updates a network state (e.g., sends/receives data to/from another networked device). For one embodiment, the computer system  100  is a multi-processor or multi-core system and only powers up a single processor or a single core of a multi-core processor during the maintenance wake. 
     For one embodiment the computer system  100 , during a maintenance wake, does not power up user-perceptible and other components that are not essential to maintaining the network state. For example, audio and video components (including the display device  135 ) and human interface devices are not powered up during the maintenance wake. For one embodiment, the hard drive  120  is also not powered up, e.g., via control of the hard drive motor controller, during the maintenance wake. 
     For an alternate embodiment, the computer system  100  performs aback up over a local connection (e.g., via a USB connection), monitors an internal or peripheral device, or performs a form of internal maintenance (e.g., a disk check, defragmentation, etc.) during the maintenance wake in addition to or instead of maintaining a network state. For this embodiment, the computer system  100  powers up components that are essential to the maintenance performed, but does not power up user-perceptible and other components that are not essential to maintenance performed. For example, the computer system  100  may have a timer set to back up the hard drive  120  or check the state of an internal or attached device on a scheduled basis and this embodiment would allow one or more tasks to be completed when a scheduled task is triggered during a sleep state without powering up the entire computer system  100  and while appearing to a user, at least in part, to remain in a sleep state. 
     Upon the completion of maintaining the network state, and without receiving a request to return to an awake/full-power state, the computer system  100  sets the timer and reenters a sleep state in blocks  220  and  225 . If the computer system  100  is awake when the maintenance timer expires, the computer system  100  maintains the network state and resumes normal operation at block  240 . 
     While described in a particular order, the steps of this exemplary process may be performed in a different order. For example, the computer system  100  may determine the time at which the network state will expire and set a maintenance timer prior to detecting a request to place the computer system  100  in a sleep state. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart that illustrates further detail of block  235  of  FIG. 2  according to one embodiment. The computer system  100  enters a maintenance wake state at block  305 . The computer system  100  powers up select components at block  310 . The select components are powered up to perform the maintenance of a network state—e.g., a network interface and a processor or processor core. User perceptible components, such as audio, video, human interface devices or peripherals, and spinning of a hard drive  120 , remain in the sleep state. As a result, the computer system  100  appears to a user to be asleep during maintenance wake. Alternatively, the hard drive  120  may be powered on during maintenance wake. 
     For one embodiment, the computer system  100  powers up a fan controller  150  to enable the running of a fan, if needed, to protect the system from overheating during the maintenance wake period. Alternatively, the fan controller receives power even while the system is in one or more levels of sleep. 
     If a temperature rises above a predetermined limit during the maintenance wake, the fan controller  150  turns on a fan or other cooling device to cool down the computer system  100  at block  315 . Additionally, if a temperature falls below a predetermined limit, the fan controller  150  can turn a fan or other cooling device off. For one embodiment the fan  155  has been powered up during the maintenance wake, but is not turned on until activated by the fan controller  150 . Alternatively, the fan  155  is powered up and turned on by the fan controller  150  when needed. 
     The computer system  100  renews or otherwise updates a network state at block  320 . As described herein, renewing or updating a network state may include renewing or maintaining an IP address lease with a DHCP server, registration with a proxy server (e.g., a sleep proxy server), a port connection with a router, an FTP, VPN, TCP, or other network connection to a server, computer, or other networked device, or otherwise performing a scheduled update or transmission of information to a networked device. 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary chart of system power consumption over time, including awake periods, sleep periods, and maintenance wake (dark wake) periods according to an embodiment. The exemplary chart of  FIG. 3  shows the computer system  100  entering and exiting various power states over time. The computer system  100  begins at full power in an “awake” state. As described above with reference to  FIG. 2 , the computer system can establish a network state and then maintain that network state after entering a sleep state. The two periods of maintenance wake shown in  FIG. 4  illustrate that the computer system  100  powers up only select components to maintain the network state—i.e., the computer system  100  consumes more power than in sleep mode because of its use of a CPU/core and network interface, but is not required to resume a full power (awake) mode to maintain the network state or otherwise terminate the network state before or during a sleep state (e.g., due to expiration).  FIG. 4  illustrates the computer system  100  performing two maintenance wake cycles and returning to a sleep state each time before returning to an awake state. The illustrated number of power cycles is exemplary—the computer system  100  can enter and exit maintenance wake more or less times during a sleep period and during more than one overall sleep period. 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. An article of manufacture may be used to store program code providing at least some of the functionality of the embodiments described above. An article of manufacture that stores program code may be embodied as, but is not limited to, one or more memories (e.g., one or more flash memories, random access memories—static, dynamic, or other), optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards or other type of machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions. Additionally, embodiments of the invention may be implemented in, but not limited to, hardware or firmware utilizing an FPGA, ASIC, a processor, a computer, or a computer system including a network. Modules and components of hardware or software implementations can be divided or combined without significantly altering embodiments of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20110801
Publication Date: 20130108
Grant Date: 20130108
Priority Date: 20090605
Inventors: BOLD ETHAN
CHESHIRE STUART
HOLLOWELL J. RHOADS
LIU JOE
REECE R. DEAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F1/3203", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/3203", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/206", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/206", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 42667778