Method and apparatus for controlling multiple processors to reduce current consumption

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156888-B2
Application number	US-201514964176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2015
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for controlling multiple processors in order to reduce current consumption in electronic device. An electronic device includes an application processor (AP) configured to control a plurality of functions; a communication processor (CP) electronically connected to the AP; and a sensor module or a communication module electronically connected to the CP. When the AP enters a sleep state, the CP is configured to control at least one function among the plurality of functions based on information collected from the sensor module or the communication module according to a discontinuous reception (DRX) operating period.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an application processor (AP) configured to control a plurality of functions;
a communication processor (CP) electronically connected to the AP and configured to receive a paging information from a base station according to a discontinuous reception (DRX) operating period; and
a sensor module or a communication module electronically connected to the CP,
wherein when the AP enters a sleep state, the CP is configured to:
control at least one function among the plurality of functions which have been controlled by the AP in a non-sleep state based on information collected from the sensor module or the communication module according to the DRX operating period,
request data collection from the sensor module or the communication module in a first DRX period,
collect the requested data in a second DRX period
determine, in a third DRX period, a state of the electronic device based on the information collected from the sensor or the communication module, and
determine, in a fourth DRX period, an operation to be performed.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein when entering the sleep state, the AP is further configured to assign a control right for the at least one function to the CP.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to request a control right for the at least one function from the AP under a specified condition, and
wherein the AP is further configured to assign the requested control right to the CP and enters the sleep state.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to turn off at least one function among the plurality of functions in the fourth DRX period or to activate the AP.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to control at least some functions among the plurality of functions when a specific interrupt occurs.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured not to provide a notification through a display, when the information indicates that the display of the electronic device is disposed facing downward on a surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured not to provide a notification through a display when a pre-defined condition is satisfied based on information collected from at least one of an illumination sensor and a proximity sensor of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to search for an external device connectable to the CP, when the information collected from the sensor module or the communication module indicates that the electronic device is disposed within a specific range.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to increase an information collection period for an arbitrary sensor.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the CP is further configured to stop collecting information associated with the arbitrary sensor and to de-activate the arbitrary sensor, when the information collection period is increased more than a threshold value.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the CP is further configured to store data in a memory embedded in the CP and to permit the AP to process the data when the sleep state is released.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein when a specific notification message is received while the AP is in the sleep state, the CP is further configured to provide the notification message by activating the AP.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the CP is further configured to transmit the notification message and a request message for allowing the AP to perform a specific operation together.

14. An electronic device comprising:
an application processor (AP); and
a communication processor (CP) connected to the AP and configured to search for an available radio resource according to a discontinuous reception (DRX) operating period, and to skip the available radio resource in at least one DRX operating period when a specified condition is satisfied,
wherein the CP searches for the available radio resource by performing at least one of searching for a signal for at least one frequency band, measuring an intensity of the signal, and searching for public land mobile network (PLMN) based on the signal,
wherein the CP is further configured to increase an information collection period for an arbitrary sensor, and
wherein the CP is further configured to stop collecting information associated with the arbitrary sensor and to de-activate the arbitrary sensor, when the information collection period is increased more than a threshold value.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising a sensor module or a communication module connected to the CP,
wherein the CP determines whether to omit the search in the at least one DRX operating period based on information collected from the sensor module or the communication module in a first period in the DRX operating period.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein when it is determined that the electronic device is in a stop state, the CP is further configured not to search for the available radio resource in the at least one DRX operating period when it is determined that the electronic device is in a stop state.

17. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the CP is one configured to resume the search for the available radio resource, when a predetermined time elapses after the search for the available radio resource is last performed or it is determined that the electronic device is not in a stop state.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Hyoungjoo
• Kim Taeyoon
• Kang Mingyu
• Lee Youngpo
• Lim Chaiman
• Chang Dukhyun

Classifications

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3293

  by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU · CPC title

• Y02D70/20

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• Y02D10/122

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic