Patent · US Expired

Power management indication mechanism for supporting power saving mode in computer system

US6463542B1 · kind B1 · utility

42Cited by
9References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 28, 1999
Grant dateOct 8, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 28, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F1/3209
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A novel method of power management is provided in a computer system having a network interface module including a buffer memory and a MAC block. The method includes determining whether the system is inactive during a predetermined time period. If so, activity of the MAC block is checked. If the MAC block is idle, the status of the buffer memory is determined. The system is placed into a power-down mode if the buffer memory is empty.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.