Allen A Marshall

US Patent:

7131011, Oct 31, 2006

Filed:

Mar 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/383091

Inventors:

William J. Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Jason M. Anderson - Snoqualmie WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Tony D. Pierce - Bellevue WA, US
Shaun Wiley - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/30
G06F 1/28
G06F 1/26
H02J 7/35

US Classification:

713300, 713323, 713324, 713320, 307 66

Abstract:

A mechanism is provided for a personal computer to preserve user and system state data in the event of an AC power failure when the computer is in a standby state. When the AC power failure occurs, a switchover circuit connects a rechargeable energy storage medium, such as a rechargeable battery, to the power supply of the computer for powering components of computer, and the computer is awaken. A critical battery alarm is then issued to trigger the operating system of the computer to perform a transition into a hibernation state, during which the state data of the computer are persistently stored. The energy storage medium is disconnected from the power supply after the computer system has entered hibernation.

US Patent:

7228444, Jun 5, 2007

Filed:

Jan 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342502

Inventors:

William J. Westerinen - Issaquah WA, US
Jason M. Anderson - Snoqualmie WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Tony D. Pierce - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/30
G06F 1/28
G06F 1/26
H02J 7/35

US Classification:

713300, 713320, 713324, 713330, 713340, 713321, 713323, 307 66

Abstract:

A mechanism is provided for a personal computer to preserve user and system state data in the event of an AC power failure when the computer is in a standby state. When the AC power failure occurs, a switchover circuit connects a rechargeable energy storage medium, such as a rechargeable battery, to the power supply of the computer for powering components of computer, and the computer is awaken. A critical battery alarm is then issued to trigger the operating system of the computer to perform a transition into a hibernation state, during which the state data of the computer are persistently stored. The energy storage medium is disconnected from the power supply after the computer system has entered hibernation.

US Patent:

7321974, Jan 22, 2008

Filed:

May 3, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/837728

Inventors:

Jason Michael Anderson - Snoqualmie WA, US
William Jefferson Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Tony Dwayne Pierce - Bellevue WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Peter Viscarola - Mount Vernon NH, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/26

US Classification:

713320, 713300, 713323

Abstract:

Systems and methods for producing a simulated off condition in a computing device using a set of software drivers that interact with a system service and the device BIOS. The computing device includes system components such as a power supply, processors and fans that are put into a low power state upon receiving a signal to power off the device. This provides the appearance to users that the computing device is off. The system components, however, remain enabled to run applications when the computing device is in the simulated off condition. If necessary, the device can be returned to a fully on condition to process applications that require the system components to be brought out of the low power state to execute.

US Patent:

7490256, Feb 10, 2009

Filed:

Apr 4, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/397782

Inventors:

Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Andrew J Ritz - Sammamish WA, US
Todd L Carpenter - Monroe WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/32

US Classification:

713321, 713323

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present invention are directed at identifying an idle state for a processor that minimizes power consumption. In accordance with one embodiment, a method for identifying a target idle state that does not require a linear progression into any intermediate states is provided. More specifically the method includes collecting data from a plurality of data sources that describes activities occurring on the computer and/or attributes of the hardware platform. Then, using the collected data, a target idle state for the processor is calculated. Finally, if the current idle state of the processor is different than the target idle state, the method causes the idle state of the processor to be changed to the target idle state.

US Patent:

7574613, Aug 11, 2009

Filed:

Jul 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/481652

Inventors:

Matthew H. Holle - Kirkland WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/32
G06F 1/00

US Classification:

713300, 713310, 713320, 713321, 713322, 713323, 713324, 713330, 713340, 713400, 713401, 713500, 713501

Abstract:

A component of a computing device such as a processor is operated based on a clock signal oscillating at a frequency. Power management for the computing device is performed by adjusting the frequency of the clock signal applied to the component when warranted and also by idling the component when the component experiences a period of inactivity longer than an idle detection metric scaled according to the adjusted frequency.

US Patent:

7577860, Aug 18, 2009

Filed:

Jan 9, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/328010

Inventors:

Todd L. Carpenter - Monroe WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Andrew J. Ritz - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/32
G06F 1/00

US Classification:

713320, 713300, 713322

Abstract:

Processor power management capabilities that enable an operating system kernel to interact with a plurality of ACPI-compliant computing devices to manage processor power using a generic processor description. Specifications of power processor management capabilities of processor types are stored in data structures, i. e. , objects. Each object contains a control value field and a control mask field. The kernel loads a generic processor driver and objects for each processor type enabling the kernel to respond to power management events such as processor utilization and processor operating temperature events. In response to a power management event, the kernel calculates a desired processor performance state; sets bits in the control mask field to describe the desired processor performance state; and passes the control mask to the generic processor driver which controls the processor. Responses to power management events include adjusting processor voltage and/or adjusting processor frequency.

US Patent:

7634734, Dec 15, 2009

Filed:

Jan 28, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/044713

Inventors:

Andrew J. Fuller - Redmond WA, US
Issa Y. Khoury - Redmond WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US
Vikram Madan - Bellevue WA, US
Sterling M. Reasor - Bellevue WA, US
Ravipal S. Soin - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 7/00
G06F 7/04
G11B 21/08

US Classification:

715741, 715716, 7071041, 726 28, 369 3008

Abstract:

In response to a user instruction to initiate media playback, which instruction may come from a dedicated media playback hardware button or from a user interface on a display screen, a computer operating system activates a predesignated media playback user account. The account may be limited to access of media playback applications and files located within shared directories. The operating system also launches a media playback application in response to the user instruction to initiate media playback. Instead of activating an account in response to a media playback instruction, the operating system can execute a media player application within a login screen.

US Patent:

7689842, Mar 30, 2010

Filed:

Jan 21, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/017155

Inventors:

Jason Michael Anderson - Snoqualmie WA, US
William Jefferson Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Tony Dwayne Pierce - Bellevue WA, US
Allen Marshall - Woodinville WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1/26

US Classification:

713310, 713300, 713324

Abstract:

Systems and methods for producing a simulated off condition in a computing device using a set of software drivers that interact with a system service and the device BIOS. The computing device includes system components such as a power supply, processors and fans that are put into a low power state upon receiving a signal to power off the device. This provides the appearance to users that the computing device is off. The system components, however, remain enabled to run applications when the computing device is in the simulated off condition. If necessary, the device can be returned to a fully on condition to process applications that require the system components to be brought out of the low power state to execute.