Lee N Atkinson

US Patent:

6336080, Jan 1, 2002

Filed:

Feb 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/510218

Inventors:

Lee W. Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Compaq Computer Corporation - Houston TX

International Classification:

G01K 1500

US Classification:

702132, 713300

Abstract:

The invention is a method and apparatus for the thermal management of computers. The method features determining a temperature of a predetermined location in the computer, reading indirect inputs of the computer, determining desired states of cooling options based on the temperature and the indirect inputs, and placing the cooling options in their desired states. To determine the desired states of the cooling options, an index is formed based on the indirect inputs; and the index indicates to which of a plurality of tables of desired states of the cooling options to refer. Alternatively, the desired states of the cooling options are determined by adjusting the value of the temperature input based on the indirect inputs; the desired states of the cooling options also are dependent on the adjusted value of the measured temperature.

US Patent:

6378077, Apr 23, 2002

Filed:

May 9, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/566748

Inventors:

Lee Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 132

US Classification:

713324

Abstract:

A system and method to reduce power consumption in a portable computer system while allowing the CDROM drive to continue playing audio CDs. When the system enters a suspend mode, the status of the CDROM drive is checked, and if it is playing an audio CD, it remains powered, otherwise power to the CDROM drive is also suspended. The system recognizes when the audio CD is finished playing and then places the CDROM drive into the suspend mode.

US Patent:

6385734, May 7, 2002

Filed:

Mar 8, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/801386

Inventors:

Lee Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 132

US Classification:

713324

Abstract:

A system and method to reduce power consumption in a portable computer system while allowing the CDROM drive to continue playing audio CDs. When the system enters a suspend mode, the status of the CDROM drive is checked, and if it is playing an audio CD, it remains powered, otherwise power to the CDROM drive is also suspended. The system recognizes when the audio CD is finished playing and then places the CDROM drive into the suspend mode.

US Patent:

6438697, Aug 20, 2002

Filed:

Mar 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/818981

Inventors:

Lee Warren Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 132

US Classification:

713320, 713322, 713501

Abstract:

A battery powered computer system determines when the system is not in use by monitoring various events associated with the operation of the system. The system preferably monitors the number of cache read misses and write operations, i. e. , the cache hit rate, and reduces the system clock frequency when the cache hit rate rises above a certain level. When the cache hit rate is above a certain level, then it can be assumed that the processor is executing a tight loop, such as when the processor is waiting for a key to be pressed and then the frequency can be reduced without affecting system performance. Alternatively, the apparatus monitors the occurrence of memory page misses, I/O write cycles or other events to determine the level of activity of the computer system.

US Patent:

6454585, Sep 24, 2002

Filed:

Aug 1, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/920233

Inventors:

Steven S. Homer - Tomball TX
Lee Atkinson - Houston TX
Rahul V. Lakdawala - Cypress TX

Assignee:

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

H01R 2700

US Classification:

439218, 439151, 439507

Abstract:

A connection technique for switchably and mutually exclusively coupling a plurality of device sets. The connection technique utilizes a low profile connector having multiple circuit sets, each of which is configured for mutually exclusive and removable insertion into a receptacle coupled to multiple devices. Each one of the multiple circuit sets, which is inserted into the receptacle, couples a desired set of the plurality of device sets.

US Patent:

6498460, Dec 24, 2002

Filed:

Dec 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/017018

Inventors:

Lee W. Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

H01M 1044

US Classification:

320135

Abstract:

A power management scheme for a computer system prioritizes battery charging. The scheme includes determining when the output of a power adapter, which powers a computer and a battery subsystem, has reached or is about to reach a threshold which may be the power budget for the computer system. When this happens, rather than throttling battery charging, the system throttles back an aspect of the computer. Alternatively, after the computer has been throttled back, if the power budget still is being exceeded or is about to be exceeded again, then battery charging can be throttled back. In yet another embodiment, battery charging can be throttled first, followed, if necessary, by computer throttling.

US Patent:

6546472, Apr 8, 2003

Filed:

Dec 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/751165

Inventors:

Lee W. Atkinson - Houston TX
Vu T. Nguyen - San Jose CA
Mark W. Peters - Santa Clara CA

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 1206

US Classification:

711156, 711162, 713320

Abstract:

A computer system supports a fast hibernation operation to save power, while minimizing the amount of time it takes to enter the hibernation mode, and to resume normal operations. The system periodically stores data from system memory to non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive, during normal operations when the system is idle. The system includes activity monitors that detect when the data in memory pages is changed. The system periodically sweeps the monitors, and performs save operations to the non-volatile memory. When the system enters hibernation mode, the system determines which memory pages have been changed since the last save operation, and then saves those pages to memory. As an alternative, the system immediately can enter hibernation by supplying power to the memory pages that have not been saved since the last save operation. To implement this, independent switches under the control of the CPU of memory controller selectively turn off power to unsaved memory pages. The system can also implement a fast resume procedure by restoring the memory pages that have the highest priority, and saving the other pages in the background, or as need by the system devices.

US Patent:

6609211, Aug 19, 2003

Filed:

Aug 20, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/224147

Inventors:

Lee Warren Atkinson - Houston TX

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 132

US Classification:

713323, 713322

Abstract:

A battery powered computer system determines when the system is not in use by monitoring various events associated with the operation of the system. The system preferably monitors the number of cache read misses and write operations, i. e. , the cache hit rate, and reduces the system clock frequency when the cache hit rate rises above a certain level. When the cache hit rate is above a certain level, then it can be assumed that the processor is executing a tight loop, such as when the processor is waiting for a key to be pressed and then the frequency can be reduced without affecting system performance. Alternatively, the apparatus monitors the occurrence of memory page misses, I/O write cycles or other events to determine the level of activity of the computer system.