Methods and apparatus for decreasing power consumption and bus activity
US8473647B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 17, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D10/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for enhancing efficiency (e.g., reducing power consumption and bus activity) in a data bus. In an exemplary embodiment, a client-driven host device state machine switches among various states, each comprising a different polling frequency. A client device on the data bus (e.g., serial bus) checks for non-productive periods of polling activity, and upon discovering such a period, informs the host. The state machine then alters its polling scheme; e.g., switches to a lower state comprising a reduced polling frequency, and polling continues at this reduced frequency. In one variant, the client device continuously monitors itself to determine whether it has any data to transmit to a host device and if so, the host is informed, and the state machine restarts (e.g., to its highest polling state). By eliminating extraneous polling, power consumption and serial bus activity is optimized, potentially on both the host and the client.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.