Method for reducing power consumption includes comparing variance in number of times microprocessor tried to read input in predefined period to predefined variance

Claim 1

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) counting a number of times the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time; (b) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (c) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number; (d) comparing a length of time that both said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data exceeded said predefined minimum number and the result was less than the predefined variance to a predefined minimum time if the variance was less than the predefined variance; and (e) placing the computer into a sleep state if the length of time exceeded the minimum time, wherein in said sleep state, the clock stops generating the clock frequency.

Claim 2

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) counting a number of times the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time; (b) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (c) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number; (d) comparing a length of time that both said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data exceeded said predefined minimum number and the result was less than the predefined variance to a predefined minimum time if the variance was less than the predefined variance; and (e) placing the computer into a sleep state if the length of time exceeded the minimum time, wherein in said sleep state, the clock stops generating the clock frequency.

Claim 6

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock signal with a first frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) counting a number of times the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time; (b) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (c) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number; (d) comparing a length of time that both said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data exceeded said predefined minimum number and the result was less than the predefined variance to a predefined minimum time if the variance was less than the predefined variance; and (e) placing the computer into a sleep state if the length of time exceeded the minimum time, wherein in said sleep state, the clock signal has a second frequency.

Claim 7

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock signal with a first frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) counting a number of times the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time; (b) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (c) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number; (d) comparing a length of time that both said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data exceeded said predefined minimum number and the result was less than the predefined variance to a predefined minimum time if the variance was less than the predefined variance; and (e) placing the computer into a sleep state if the length of time exceeded the minimum time, wherein in said sleep state, the clock signal has a second frequency.

Claim 12

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether said microprocessor is presently in said sleep state; (b) determining whether said sleep state can be invoked if said microprocessor is not presently in said sleep state; (c) counting a number of time the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time if said sleep state can be invoked; (d) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (e) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined maximum number; (f) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number and was less than said predefined maximum number; (g) comparing a content of an idle interval counter to a predefined idle interval number if said variance was less than the predefined variance; and (h) placing the computer into a sleep state wherein said clock frequency is stopped or reduced if said content exceeds said predefined idle number.

Claim 13

A method for placing a microprocessor, having a clock generating a clock frequency, into a sleep state while the microprocessor waits for data input from a keyboard, the method being performed in a system controller coupled to said microprocessor and comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether said microprocessor is presently in said sleep state; (b) determining whether said sleep state can be invoked if said microprocessor is not presently in said sleep state; (c) counting a number of time the microprocessor has tried to read data from the keyboard in a predefined amount of time if said sleep state can be invoked; (d) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined minimum number; (e) comparing said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in the predefined amount of time with a predefined maximum number; (f) comparing the variance in said number of times the microprocessor tried to read data in a predefined amount of time to a predefined variance amount, if a number of tries exceeded said predefined minimum number and was less than said predefined maximum number; (g) comparing a content of an idle interval counter to a predefined idle interval number if said variance was less than the predefined variance; and (h) placing the computer into a sleep state wherein said clock frequency is stopped or reduced if said content exceeds said predefined idle number.