Portable computing device adapted to update display information while in a low power mode

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portable computing device that has a processor, a direct memory access (DMA) engine, and a display controller may transfer data with the DMA engine to the display. The DMA engine may transfer the data while the processor is in a standby mode and transfer data to the processor while the processor is executing instructions.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A wireless communication device comprising: 
 a display; and    an application microprocessor coupled to the display to provide information to be displayed on the display, wherein the wireless communication device is adapted to update displayed information while the application microprocessor is inactive or in a standby mode.    
   
   
       25 . The wireless communication device of  claim 24 , further comprising a direct memory access (DMA) engine coupled to the application microprocessor and the display to update the displayed information while the application microprocessor is inactive or in the standby mode.  
   
   
       26 . The wireless communication device of  claim 25 , wherein the DMA engine is adapted to transfer information from a memory to the display while the application microprocessor is inactive or in the standby mode.  
   
   
       26 . The wireless communication device of  claim 26 , wherein the memory is external to the application microprocessor.  
   
   
       28 . The wireless communication device of  claim 26 , wherein the memory is internal to the application microprocessor.  
   
   
       29 . The wireless communication device of  claim 26 , wherein the DMA engine is adapted to transfer information from the memory to a frame buffer in a display controller while the microprocessor is inactive or in the standby mode.  
   
   
       30 . The wireless communication device of  claim 24 , wherein the displayed information is indicative of information of one or more of current time, received signal strength, transmitted signal strength, or battery life.  
   
   
       31 . A direct memory access (DMA) engine adapted to transfer data to a display frame buffer to update information on a display while an associated applications processor is inactive or in a standby mode.  
   
   
       32 . The DMA engine of  claim 31  wherein the information to be updated on the display pertains to information of one of time, signal strength or battery life  
   
   
       33 . The DMA engine of  claim 31 , wherein the DMA engine uses descriptors to access memory locations to update bit map information on the display while the associated applications processor is inactive or in the standby mode.  
   
   
       34 . The DMA engine of  claim 31  wherein transfer of data to the display frame buffer is performed by the DMA engine in response to a trigger signal.  
   
   
       35 . The DMA engine of  claim 31  wherein the display frame buffer comprises a portion of a liquid crystal display (LCD) display controller.  
   
   
       36 . A portable system comprising: 
 a baseband processor;    an application processor coupled to the baseband processor;    a display controller coupled to the application processor; and    a direct memory access (DMA) engine coupled to the display controller and the application processor; wherein the DMA engine is configured to continually update information to the display controller for display without involvement of the application processor.    
   
   
       37 . The portable system of  claim 36  further comprising a memory to store the information continually updated to the display controller by the DMA engine without involvement of the application processor.  
   
   
       38 . The portable system of  claim 36  wherein the baseband processor comprises a portion of a communication module, the communication module comprising at least one antenna.  
   
   
       39 . The portable system of  claim 36  wherein the DMA engine is triggered to update information to the display controller by a signal from the baseband processor.  
   
   
       40 . The portable system of  claim 36  wherein the information continually updated to the display controller by the DMA engine comprises graphics pertaining to one or more of display information for battery status, signal strength or time.  
   
   
       41 . The portable system of  claim 36  wherein the portable system comprises a cellular phone.