System and method for managing power of peripheral communications by automatically closing communications channel immediately after finishing a communication with a peripheral device

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus manages communications port contention and power consumption for a handheld computer, particularly handheld computers with a communications protocol that boosts power consumption when active, such as an RS-232 protocol. The improved method provides communications channel management that automatically opens the communications channel in response to a wake-up signal sent to a handheld computer from a peripheral device. The computer peripheral device is explicitly and/or implicitly identified. The opened communications channel is closed in response to receiving some data from the peripheral device, and/or after a device timeout expires without the handheld computer receiving data from the computer peripheral device.

1. A method of managing a communications port in a handheld computer, the handheld computer being detachably coupled in communication to one or more computer peripherals via the communications port, each of the computer peripheral  peripherals being one of a cradle or a non-cradle peripheral, the method comprising:
 receiving a wake-up signal over the communications port corresponding to one of the one or more computer peripherals being directly connected to the handheld computer;  
 responsive to receiving the wake-up signal, causing the handheld computer to change to a high power state from a low power state;  
 opening a communications channel to the computer peripheral;  
 identifying the computer peripheral;  
 if the computer peripheral is the cradle, then performing a synchronization function and automatically closing the communication channel; and  
 if the computer peripheral is the non-cradle peripheral, then receiving data and automatically closing the communications channel while the handheld computer is powered on.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the computer peripheral includes receiving a signal from the computer peripheral, wherein a first amplitude of the signal corresponds to the cradle, and a second amplitude of the signal corresponds to the non-cradle peripheral. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the computer peripheral includes waiting for the data for a predetermined time period, and so that not receiving the data within the predetermined time period is determined to correspond to the cradle, and receiving the data within the predetermined time period is determined to correspond to the non-cradle peripheral. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically closing the communications channel occurs in response to receiving the data. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically closing the communications channel occurs in response to receiving no further data within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the high power slate the handheld computer supports RS-232 protocol communications and in the low power state the handheld computer does not support RS-232 protocol communications. 
     
     
       7. A system for managing peripheral communications, the system comprising:
 a handheld computer having a high power state and a low power state, the handheld computer including: 
 a communications port; and  
 a connector coupled to the communications port; and  
 
 a computer peripheral, detachably coupled with the communications port of the handheld computer through the connector, the computer peripheral having a type, the computer peripheral adapted to send a wake-up signal to the handheld computer through the connector upon the computer peripheral is connected to the handheld computer, the handheld computer being configured to identify from the computer peripheral the type of the computer peripheral as being one of: 
 a cradle for performing a synchronization function, and  
 a non-cradle peripheral for sending data to the handheld computer,  
 
 wherein the wake-up signal causes the handheld computer to 
 i) change from the low power state to the high power state,  
 ii) open a communications channel with the computer peripheral via the communications port, and  
 iii) automatically close the communications channel while the handheld computer is powered on.  
 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer peripheral is adapted to identify to the handheld computer the type of the computer peripheral by sending a signal from the computer peripheral, wherein a first amplitude of the signal corresponds to the cradle, and a second amplitude of the signal corresponds to the non-cradle peripheral. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer peripheral is adapted to identify to the handheld computer the type of the computer peripheral by:
 i) not sending data within a predetermined time period if the type of the computer peripheral corresponds to the cradle, and  
 ii) sending data within the predetermined time period if the type of the computer peripheral corresponds to the non-cradle peripheral.  
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the handheld computer automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the computer peripheral. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the handheld computer automatically closes the communications channel in response to:
 i) receiving data from the computer peripheral, and then  
 ii) receiving no further data from the computer peripheral within a predetermined time period.  
 
     
     
       12. A computer peripheral for sending data to a handheld computer in a system for managing a communications port, the computer peripheral having a type, the handheld computer having a high power state and a low power state, the handheld computer including the communications port and a connector coupled to the communications port, and the computer peripheral detachably coupled with the communications port of the handheld computer through the connector, the computer peripheral comprising:
 a first circuit for sending a wake-up signal to the handheld computer through the connector, and the first circuit electrically couplable to the connector, and the wake-up signal causing the handheld computer to 
 i) change from the low power state to the high power state,  
 ii) open a communications channel with the computer peripheral via the communications port, and  
 iii) automatically close the communications channel while the handheld computer is powered on; and  
 
 a second circuit for identifying to the handheld computer the type of the computer peripheral as a non-cradle peripheral, and the second circuit electrically couplable to the connector.  
 
     
     
       13. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the computer peripheral identifies to the handheld computer the type of the computer peripheral by sending a signal from the computer peripheral, and the signal having an amplitude corresponding to the non-cradle peripheral. 
     
     
       14. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the computer peripheral identifies to the handheld computer the type of the computer peripheral by sending data within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       15. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the handheld computer automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the computer peripheral. 
     
     
       16. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the handheld computer automatically closes the communications channel in response to:
 i) receiving data from the computer peripheral, and then  
 ii) receiving no further data from the computer peripheral within a predetermined time period.  
 
     
     
       17. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the computer peripheral is a keyboard. 
     
     
       18. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the computer peripheral is a device compliant with a Bluetooth communication specification. 
     
     
       19. The computer peripheral of  claim 12 , wherein the computer peripheral is a modem. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus for managing a communications port in a computer, the computer being detachably coupled in communication to in communication to one or more computer peripherals via the communications port, each of the computer peripheral being one of a cradle or a non-cradle peripheral, the apparatus comprising:
 means for receiving a wake-up signal over the communications port corresponding to one of the one or more computer peripherals being directly connected to the handheld computer;  
 means for causing the computer to change to a high power state from a low power state, responsive to receiving the wake-up signal;  
 means for opening a communications channel to the computer peripheral;  
 means for identifying the computer peripheral; and  
 at least one of: 
 means for performing a synchronization function if the computer peripheral is the cradle, then automatically closing the communication channel; and  
 means for receiving data and automatically closing the communications channel if the computer peripheral is the non-cradle peripheral while the handheld computer is powered on.  
 
 
     
     
       21. A method of managing a communications port associated with a computing device, the method comprising:
   receiving a wake - up signal over the communications port corresponding to a peripheral connected to the computing device;        responsive to receiving the wake - up signal, causing the computing device to change from a low power state to a high power state;        opening a communications channel to the peripheral;        if the peripheral can be synchronized with the computing device, then performing a synchronization function;        if the computer peripheral cannot be synchronized with the computing device, then communicating data between the computing device and the peripheral; and        automatically closing the communications channel upon completion of the synchronization function or data communication while the computing device is powered on.     
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, after performing a synchronization function, automatically closing the communication channel. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, after communicating data between the computing device and the peripheral, automatically closing the communication channel. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the peripheral is one of a cradle and a non- cradle peripheral.   
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
   identifying the peripheral by receiving a signal from the peripheral, wherein an amplitude of the signal corresponds to a type associated with the peripheral.     
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the type of peripheral is one of a cradle and a non- cradle peripheral.   
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
   identifying the peripheral by waiting for the data for a predetermined time period.     
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein receiving the data within the predetermined time period corresponds to identifying whether the peripheral is one of a cradle peripheral and a non- cradle peripheral.   
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 21 , wherein automatically closing the communications channel occurs in response to receiving the data. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 21 , wherein automatically closing the communications channel occurs in response to receiving no further data within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 21 , wherein in the high power state the computing device supports communication using a communication channel and in the low power state the handheld computer does not communication over the communication channel. 
     
     
       32. A computing device comprising:
   means for receiving a wake - up signal over a communications port corresponding to a peripheral connected to the computing device;        means for causing the computing device to change from a low power state to a high power state upon receiving the wake - up signal;        means for opening a communications channel to the peripheral;        means for synchronizing if the peripheral can be synchronized with the computing device; and        means for communicating data between the computing device and the peripheral if the peripheral cannot be synchronized with the computing device; and        automatically closing the communications channel upon completion of the synchronization function or data communication while the computing device is powered on.     
     
     
       33. The computing device of  claim 32 , further comprising means for automatically closing the communication channel after synchronization. 
     
     
       34. The computing device of  claim 32 , further comprising means for automatically closing the communication channel after communicating data between the computing device and the peripheral. 
     
     
       35. The computing device of  claim 32 , the computing device being configured to identify that the connected peripheral is one of: a peripheral that performs a synchronization function and a peripheral for communicating data with the computing device. 
     
     
       36. The computing device of  claim 32 , wherein, if the computing device cannot be synchronized with the peripheral, then the computing device automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the peripheral and then receiving no further data from the peripheral within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       37. A peripheral device for sending data to a computing device comprising:
 (   1   )  a first module that sends a wake - up signal to the computing device causing the computing device to:  
 ( a )  change from a low power state to a high power state; and    
   (   2   )  a second module that identifies to the computing device whether the peripheral device is of a type that can synchronize with the computing device or not synchronize with the computing device;        wherein the computing device is adapted to automatically close a communications channel with the peripheral device while the computing device is powered on.     
     
     
       38. The peripheral device of  claim 37 , wherein the peripheral device identifies to the computing device the type of the peripheral device by one of: sending a signal having an amplitude associated with its synchronization capability or sending data within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       39. The peripheral device of  claim 37 , wherein the computing device automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the peripheral device. 
     
     
       40. The peripheral device of  claim 37 , wherein the computing device automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the peripheral device and then receiving no further data from the peripheral device within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       41. The peripheral device of  claim 37 , wherein the peripheral device is one of a keyboard, a device compliant with a Bluetooth protocol and a modem. 
     
     
       42. A computing device comprising:
   a module that receives a wake - up signal over a communications port corresponding to a peripheral connected to the computing device;        a module that causes the computing device to change from a low power state to a high power state upon receiving the wake - up signal;        a module that opens a communications channel to the peripheral;        a module that synchronizes the computing device with the peripheral if the peripheral can be synchronized with the computing device; and        a module that communicates data between the computing device and the peripheral if the peripheral cannot be synchronized with the computing device; and        a module that automatically closes the communication channel after either the synchronization or communication of data while the computing device is powered on.     
     
     
       43. The computing device of  claim 42 , the computing device being configured to identify that the connected peripheral is one of: a peripheral that performs a synchronization function and a peripheral for communicating data with the computing device. 
     
     
       44. The computing device of  claim 42 , wherein, if the computing device cannot be synchronized with the peripheral, then the computing device automatically closes the communications channel in response to receiving data from the peripheral and then receiving no further data from the peripheral within a predetermined time period. 
     
     
       45. A computer- readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computing device to perform the steps:      receiving a wake - up signal over the communications port corresponding to a peripheral connected to the computing device;        responsive to receiving the wake - up signal, causing the computing device to change from a low power state to a high power state;        opening a communications channel to the peripheral;        if the peripheral can be synchronized with the computing device, then performing a synchronization function; and        if the computer peripheral cannot be synchronized with the computing device, then communicating data between the computing device and the peripheral; and        automatically closing the communications channel after either the synchronization or communication of data between the computing device and peripheral while the computing device is powered on.