Computer system and control method thereof capable of changing performance mode using dedicated button

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101875-B2
Application number	US-201314086512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2006
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An electronic apparatus comprising is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a keyboard to receive a user input to switch from a normal performance mode to a high performance mode, a processor to reassign a higher priority to a program, which has been active with a priority in the normal performance mode, such that the program is executed with the higher priority in the high performance mode that otherwise would have been executed with the priority previously assigned, and a display screen to display a mode indication visibly indicating at least one of the normal performance mode or the high performance mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus for changing a performance mode among a plurality of performance modes using a dedicated key, comprising:
a keyboard configured to receive a single keystroke input from the dedicated key to switch between performance modes, the performance modes including at least a normal performance mode and a high performance mode;
a display screen; and
a processor coupled to at least one of an optical disk drive (ODD), and a fan, and configured to:
run processes of a program of a plurality of programs, which are currently active and executing according to a priority order corresponding to a current performance mode,
determine whether a keystroke input from the dedicated key to switch between the performance modes is received via the keyboard, and
in response to the determination that the keystroke input is received, display

an indicator of the current performance mode on the display screen,
wherein, when the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within a predetermined period of time, the processor is further configured to switch the current performance mode to execute the processes according to a high priority order corresponding to the high performance mode,
wherein, when the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within the predetermined period of time, the processor is further configured to switch the current performance mode to execute the processes according to a normal priority order corresponding to the normal performance mode,
wherein the processor, when switching between the performance modes, is further configured to increase or decrease an operating speed of at least one of the ODD, and the fan according to the current performance mode, and
wherein a user is able to select the normal performance mode or the high performance mode with the single keystroke input through the dedicated key without calling for a task manager dialog box, which is provided from an Operating System (OS) of the electronic apparatus, on the display screen.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to increase or decrease a priority order for the processes being performed by the processor based on the current performance mode.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
if the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode, execute the processes according to the normal priority order in which threads of the processes are performed in a normal order, and
if the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode, execute the processes according to the high priority order in which threads of the processes are performed in an order other than the normal order.

4. A method of an electronic apparatus, comprising:
running processes of a program of a plurality of programs, which are currently active and executing according to a priority order corresponding to a current performance mode;
determining whether a single keystroke input from a dedicated key to switch between performance modes is received via a keyboard;
in response to the determination that the single keystroke input is received, displaying an indicator of the current performance mode on a display screen,
when the current performance mode corresponds to a normal performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within a predetermined period of time, executing the processes according to a high priority order corresponding to a high performance mode;
when the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode and another keystroke input from the dedicated key is received within the predetermined period of time, executing the processes according to a normal priority order corresponding to the normal performance mode;
when switching between the performance modes, increasing or decreasing an operating speed of at least one of an optical disk drive (ODD), and a fan according to the current performance mode; and
in response to the determination that the single keystroke input is received, displaying an indicator of the current performance mode on the display screen,
wherein a user is able to select the normal performance mode or the high performance mode with the single keystroke input through the dedicated key provided in the keyboard without calling for a task manager dialog box, which is provided from an Operating System (OS) of the electronic apparatus, on the display screen.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising executing an application that allows changing a priority order of the processes.

6. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
if the current performance mode corresponds to the high performance mode, increasing a clock speed of a processor; and
if the current performance mode corresponds to the normal performance mode, decreasing the clock speed of the processor.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the receiving of the single keystroke input further comprises receiving a command including a set of system control information capable of indicating a plurality of system performance parameters in addition to the current performance mode.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the set of system control information indicates a setting for the processor, a system environmental control, and a drive speed.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Kyoung-Youl
• Park Min-Sun
• Cho Keon-Young

Classifications

• G06F9/4831

  with variable priority · CPC title

• G06F9/4818

  Priority circuits therefor · CPC title

• G06F1/3203 Primary

  Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode · CPC title

• G06F9/485

  Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution (G06F9/4881 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title