Device having an improved apparatus and method for setting power management mode

Abstract

The present invention supports power management modes which includes (1) a maximum power performance mode, (2) a battery-optimized mode, and (3) a performance/optimization cycling mode for performing the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode alternately within a prescribed period of time. The cycling mode allows flexibility in power management and faster charging of the battery.

1. A system having prescribed function and operation to achieve a prescribed result, the system having an apparatus for setting a power management mode, wherein the apparatus includes:
 at least one detector to monitor a condition of the system based on a temperature, remaining charge of a battery, and  or whether an external power is applied or not; and  
 a controller for determining the power management mode corresponding to the monitored condition from a storing unit, wherein the power management mode comprises,  a maximum performance mode, a battery-optimized mode, and a cycling mode for performing  wherein the cycling mode performs automatic alternation between the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode based on a prescribed ratio.  
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cycling mode is performed for a prescribed period of time. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage device for storing a correlation between the power management mode and the monitored condition. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one senor  sensor includes a thermal sensor for detecting the temperature. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , further comprises  comprising a key input for selecting one of an automatic power management mode and a manual power management mode. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprises  comprising a readable medium containing means for selecting one of an automatic power management mode and a manual management mode. 
     
     
       7. A method for setting a power management mode for a system, comprising:
 continuously  monitoring a temperature state of the system, a charging state of a battery, and an application of power from an external source for setting a power management mode ; and  
 checkingsetting the power management mode according to thea result of the monitoring from a memory for setting the same as the power management mode for an apparatus , wherein the power management mode comprises,  a maximum performance mode, a battery-optimized mode, and a cycling mode, for performingwherein the cycling mode performs automatic alternation between the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode based on a prescribed ratio.  
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising storing a correlation between the power management mode and the  a monitored condition. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising selecting one of automatic power management mode and a manual management mode. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for allowing a system to have a plurality of modes for power management comprising:
 a controller which supports the plurality of modes, wherein the plurality of modes includes a maximum performance mode, a battery optimized mode and a performance/optimization cycling mode,  
 wherein during the performance/optimization cycling mode, the controller automatically repeating  repeats the maximum performance mode for a first prescribed period of time and the battery optimized mode for a second prescribed period of time or vice versa based on a prescribed ratio of the first prescribed period of time and the second prescribed period of time.  
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller selects one of the plurality of modes based on temperature of the system. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the controller further selects the mode based on remaining charge. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further selects the modes  mode based on a connection to an external power source. 
     
     
       14. A method of selecting one of a plurality of modes for power management, the method comprising:
 selecting a maximum performance mode based on a first condition;  
 selecting a battery-optimized mode based on a second condition; and  
 selecting a third mode different from maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode based on a third condition, wherein the third mode is a hybrid of the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode.  
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the third mode comprises automatically alternating between the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode within a prescribed period of time. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein in the third mode, the alternation within a prescribed period of time is manually set based on a prescribed ratio between the maximum performance mode and the battery-optimized mode during the prescribed period of time. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising storing a correlation between the plurality of modes for power management, the first condition, the second condition and the third condition. 
     
     
       18. A computer operating system program for use in a personal computing system, comprising:
   a first computer program for monitoring the presence of an external power supply and a remaining power capacity of an internal power supply;        a power management control panel program with a set of user - selectable options relating to a plurality of power management modes, wherein one power management mode is a cycling mode comprised of cycling among two or more power management modes; and        a first memory location containing a set of automatic power management options;        wherein the computer operating system program correlates the set of automatic power management options with the first computer program in the event that the set of user - selectable options has not been actuated by a user.     
     
     
       19. The computer operating system program of  claim 18 , further comprising:
   a second memory location containing a set of user - selected options relating to the plurality of power management modes.     
     
     
       20. The computer operating system program of  claim 18 , wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes based on a prescribed ratio. 
     
     
       21. The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the cycling mode comprises automatically alternating between the maximum performance mode and the battery- optimized mode within a prescribed period of time.   
     
     
       22. The computer operating system program of  claim 18 , further comprising:
   a second computer program for monitoring a temperature;        wherein the computer system program correlates the set of automatic power management options with the second computer program.     
     
     
       23. The computer operating system of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of power management modes comprises more than five modes, each with a different power load. 
     
     
       24. The computer operating system of  claim 18 , wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes controlled at least in part by the first computer program. 
     
     
       25. A method of executing an operating system for use in a personal computer, comprising:
   providing a smart battery interface function, wherein a remaining battery charge of an internal battery power supply is classified among a plurality of residual charge levels;        providing an external power supply presence detector function, wherein the presence of an external source of electrical power is determined;        providing a user interface function for a power management control program; comprised of user - selectable options; and        providing at least five power management modes, each with a different power load over a given time period;        wherein a single power management mode is selected based in part on the smart battery interface function, the external power supply presence detector function, or the user interface function for a power management control program.     
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein one power management mode comprises a cycling mode comprised of cycling among two or more power management modes. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes based on a prescribed ratio. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cycling mode comprises automatically alternating between a maximum performance mode and a battery- optimized mode within a prescribed period of time.   
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   providing a system bus;        wherein the single power management mode is continuously selected based on information provided from the smart battery interface function and the external power supply presence function via the system bus.     
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   providing a temperature monitor;        wherein the operating system continuously correlates a monitored temperature value to a set of temperature - related data to determine whether to select a power management mode with a lower power load.     
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes controlled at least in part by the first, second or third conditions. 
     
     
       32. A method for controlling the power management of a computing system, comprising:
   providing a user interface program with a set of user - selectable options relating to power management;        providing a smart battery interface function, wherein a remaining battery charge of an internal battery power supply is classified among a plurality of residual charge levels;        providing a plurality of power management modes comprised of a maximum performance mode, a battery optimized mode, and a hybrid mode, wherein the hybrid mode automatically alternates between at least the maximum performance mode and the battery - optimized mode;        wherein a power management mode is selected based in part on the set of user - selectable options and the smart battery interface function.     
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32  wherein the hybrid mode cycles among modes according to a prescribed ratio. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
   providing a temperature monitor;        wherein a monitored temperature value is continuously correlated to a set of temperature - related data to determine whether to select a power management mode with a lower power load.     
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the hybrid mode comprises automatically alternating between a maximum performance mode and a battery- optimized mode within a prescribed period of time.   
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the computing system is a personal computer. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
   providing a system bus;        wherein the power management mode is selected based on information provided from the smart battery interface function via the system bus.     
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
   providing an external power supply presence detector function, wherein the presence of an external source of electrical power is used to determine whether to select a power management mode with a higher power load.     
     
     
       39. A method of controlling power management of a computing system comprising:
   setting a first operation mode of the computing system, wherein the first operation mode comprises a maximum performance mode or a battery optimized mode;        monitoring the presence of an external power supply and a remaining power capacity of an internal power supply;        controllably selecting among the maximum performance mode, the battery optimized mode or one or more third power management modes based on the monitoring, wherein the one or more third power management modes vary based on the remaining power capacity of the internal power supply.     
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more third power management modes comprises at least a cycling mode, wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 40 , wherein the cycling adjusts based on the remaining power capacity of the internal power supply. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 40 , wherein the cycling adjusts based on a monitored temperature level in the computing system. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 40 , wherein the cycling adjusts based on user input data. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 43 , wherein the user input data is input via a user interface program. 
     
     
       45. A software program for controlling power management in a computing system, comprising:
   first software of the software program, wherein a user may input user power management control data via the first software;        second software of the software program, wherein the second software results in data based on monitoring the presence of an external power supply and a remaining power capacity of an internal power supply;        third software, wherein the third software controllably selecting among a maximum performance mode, a battery optimized mode and one or more third power management modes based on data from the first and second, wherein the one or more third power management modes automatically adapt based on changed data from the first or second software.     
     
     
       46. The software program of  claim 45 , wherein the one or more third power management modes comprises at least a cycling mode, wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes. 
     
     
       47. The software program of  claim 46 , wherein the cycling adapts based on the remaining power capacity of the internal power supply. 
     
     
       48. The software program of  claim 46 , wherein the cycling adapts based on user input power management preference data. 
     
     
       49. The software program of  claim 45 , wherein data resulting from the first and second software are stored in a memory, wherein as data stored in the memory changes based on the operation of the first and second software, the one or more third power management modes is/are controlled to adapt to the changed data stored in the memory. 
     
     
       50. The software program of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more third power management modes is/are controlled such that, at a point in time after which an external power supply is coupled to the computing system, if the remaining power capacity of the internal supply is below a threshold, then a first level of charging power is supplied to the internal supply, and if the remaining power capacity of the internal supply is above a threshold, then a second level of charging power is supplied to the internal supply. 
     
     
       51. The software program of  claim 50 , wherein the first level of charging power is greater than the second level of charging power. 
     
     
       52. The software program of  claim 45 , further comprising fourth software of the software program, wherein the fourth software results in data based on a measured temperature in the computing system. 
     
     
       53. The software program of  claim 52 , wherein the one or more third power management modes comprise at least a cycling mode, wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes. 
     
     
       54. The software program of  claim 53 , wherein the cycling adapts based on a monitored temperature level in the computing system. 
     
     
       55. The software program of  claim 52 , wherein data resulting from the first, second and fourth software are stored in a memory, wherein as data stored in the memory changes based on the operation of the first, second and fourth software, the one or more third power management modes is/are controlled to adapt to the changed data stored in the memory. 
     
     
       56. The software program of  claim 55 , wherein the one or more third power management modes is/are controlled such that, at a point in time after which an external power supply is coupled to the computing system, if the remaining power capacity of the internal supply is below a threshold, then a first level of charging power is supplied to the internal supply, and if the remaining power capacity of the internal supply is above a threshold, then a second level of charging power is supplied to the internal supply. 
     
     
       57. The software program of  claim 56 , wherein the first level of charging power is greater than the second level of charging power. 
     
     
       58. A method of selecting one of a plurality of modes for power management within a computing system, the method comprising:
   selecting a performance optimization mode based on a first condition;        selecting a battery optimization mode based on a second condition; and        selecting a third mode different from maximum performance mode and the battery - optimized mode based on a third condition, wherein the third mode comprises at least a cycling mode, wherein the cycling mode cycles among two or more power management modes.     
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 58 , wherein the third mode comprises alternating between the performance optimization mode and the battery optimization mode. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 58 , wherein the third mode comprises alternating among at least two modes based upon a prescribed ratio. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 58 , wherein in the third mode, the prescribed ratio is determined based upon user selections. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 58 , further comprising storing a correlation between the plurality of modes for power management, the first condition, the second condition and the third condition. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 58 , wherein the computing system is a personal computer.