Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a computer network without sacrificing performance
US5692197A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F1/3209
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for actively managing the overall power consumption of a computer network which includes a plurality of computer systems interconnected to each other. In turn, each computer system has one or more modules. Each computer system of the computer network is capable of independently initiating a transition into a power-conserving mode, i.e., a "sleep" state, while keeping its network interface "alive" and fully operational. Subsequently, each computer system can independently transition back into fully operational state, i.e., an "awake" state, when triggered by either a deterministic or an asynchronous event. As a result, the sleep states of the computer systems are transparent to the computer network. Deterministic events are events triggered internally by a computer system, e.g., an internal timer waking the computer system up at midnight to perform housekeeping chores such as daily tape backups. Conversely, the source of asynchronous events are external in nature and include input/output (I/O) activity. The illusion of the entire network being always fully operational is possible because the system controllers, the interconnects and network interfaces of each …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.