Shared Wake Pin System for Computing Device Power Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Computing devices in low power or sleep states face challenges in waking up due to external devices relying on powered-down interfaces, preventing communication requests to transition back to active states.

Innovation Solution

A shared wake pin system allows computing devices to independently power up portions and determine which external device initiated a wake signal, enabling targeted power transitions and communication bus interactions to manage wake-up states efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If interfaces are powered down to reduce power consumption in sleep state, then power savings are achieved, but external devices cannot communicate wake requests to the computing device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidwake-up capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the wake-up functionality by separating the wake pin (which remains active) from the main powered-down interfaces. This allows the computing device to maintain minimal power consumption while preserving the ability to receive wake requests through the dedicated wake pin, resolving the contradiction between power savings and wake-up capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wake pin acts as an intermediary component that bridges the powered-down state of main interfaces and the need to receive external wake requests. It provides a dedicated communication path that remains active independently of the main interfaces, enabling external devices to signal wake requests without requiring the main interfaces to remain powered.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If multiple external devices share a common wake pin, then circuit complexity is reduced, but the computing device cannot determine which device initiated the wake signal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit complexityVSAvoidwake signal source identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by having each external device respond to a query signal with a unique identification signal. When the computing device detects a wake signal on the shared wake pin, it sends a query signal to each potentially active external device. The device that initiated the wake signal responds with its unique ID, allowing the computing device to identify the source while maintaining the simplicity of the shared wake pin architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses parameter changes in the form of unique identification signals from each external device. Each device has a distinct electrical characteristic or signal pattern that serves as its identifier. When a device responds to the query signal, its unique parameters allow the computing device to determine which specific device initiated the wake request, preserving information despite the shared physical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the computing device powers up to respond to any wake signal, then all wake requests are handled, but power consumption increases unnecessarily for low-priority devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake request handlingVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically transitions the computing device between different power states based on the priority and type of wake request. After identifying the external device through the feedback mechanism, the computing device can selectively power up only the necessary portions required to handle that specific device's request, rather than fully powering up for all wake signals. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between reliable wake request handling and minimizing unnecessary power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The computing device applies local quality by powering up only the specific components and interfaces needed to communicate with the identified external device. Instead of a uniform full-power-up response to all wake requests, the system selectively activates only the necessary subsystems based on which external device initiated the wake signal and what type of communication is required, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9032225B2Determination of wake signal initiation on shared wake pins in computing devices

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of computer-implemented methods, systems, computing devices, and computer-readable media are described herein for transitioning a computing device between a first state in which the computing device uses a first amount of power and a second state in which the computing device uses a second, greater amount of power. The computing device may include a shared wake pin to which a first external device and a second external device may be operably coupled, and a communication bus to which the first external device is connected and the second external device is not. Responsive to receipt of a wake signal at the wake pin, the computing device may transition between states, send an instruction to the first external device over the communication bus, and determine whether the first or second external device initiated the wake signal based on a response at the wake pin.