# US 11,451,684 B2 · Processor having a plurality of cores and a controller that switches power states based on cores state > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,684 B2 - Document ID: US11451684B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/906,958 - Filed: 2020-06-19 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-27 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Atsushi Hikichi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451684B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/00904: {Arrangements for supplying power to different circuits or for supplying power at different levels (H04N1/00896 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/3215: Monitoring of peripheral devices - G06F 1/3228: Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands - G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency - G06F 1/3243: {Power saving in microcontroller unit} - G06F 1/3284: {Power saving in printer} - G06F 1/3287: by switching off individual functional units in the computer system - G06F 1/3293: by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU - G06F 3/1221: {with regard to power consumption} - G06F 3/1229: {Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels} - H04N 1/00896: {using a low-power mode, e.g. standby} - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract An apparatus includes a control unit that switches a power state between first and second power states, the first power state being a state where one of a plurality of cores is usable and the other cores are unusable, the second power state being a state where the plurality of cores is unusable. Based on reception of the predetermined signal in a case where the apparatus is in the second power state, the control unit causes the apparatus to transition from the second power state to the first power state, and under a first condition to be met after the transition to the first power state in a case where the apparatus is in the first power state, the control unit causes the apparatus to transition from the first power state to the second power state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a processor including a plurality of cores, wherein the processor is configured to switch a power state between a first power state and a second power state, the first power state being a state where one of the plurality of cores is usable and the other cores are unusable, the second power state being a state where the plurality of cores are unusable, wherein, based on reception of predetermined data in the second power state, the processor switches the power state from the second power state to the first power state, and when a first condition is met after switching to the first power state, the processor is configured to switch the power state from the first power state to the second power state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to switch the power state to a third power state where the plurality of cores are usable, and wherein, based on reception of a data different from the predetermined data in the second power state, the processor switches the power state from the second power state to the first power state, and based on the data different being a restoration factor of the apparatus, the processor switches the power state from the first power state to the third power state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data is a packet signal to be received via a network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a facsimile device, wherein the predetermined data is a facsimile incoming call. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the predetermined data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when a second condition is met after switching to the third power state, the processor switches the power state to the second power state, wherein the first condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the predetermined data, and wherein the second condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the data different from the predetermined data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printer configured to print an image based on image data on a sheet; and an image processing circuit configured to perform processing on the image data and output the image data to the printer, wherein the processor prohibits power supply to the image processing circuit in the first power state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor prohibits power supply to the image processing circuit in the second power state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a power control unit configured to control supply of power to the processor, wherein the power control unit does not supply power to the other cores in the first power state, and wherein the power control unit does not supply power to the plurality of cores in the second power state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in a case where the predetermined data is received in the second power state, the processor causes the power control unit to supply power to the one of the plurality of cores, and the one of the plurality of cores of the processor becomes usable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the usable state is a state where the processor inputs a clock to a core, and the unusable state is a state where the processor inputs no clock to a core. ### Claim 12 A method of an apparatus that includes a processor including a plurality of cores, the method comprising: switching a power state between a first power state and a second power state, the first power state being a state where one of the plurality of cores is usable and the other cores are unusable, the second power state being a state where the plurality of cores are unusable; and switching, based on reception of predetermined data in the second power state, the power state from the second power state to the first power state, and when a first condition is met after switching to the first power state, switching the power state from the first power state to the second power state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined data is a packet signal to be received via a network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the first condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the predetermined data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12 further comprising: controlling supply of power to the processor; wherein the controlling includes not supplying power to the other cores in the first power state, and not supplying power to the plurality of cores in the second power state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined data is a facsimile incoming call. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: switching the power state to a third power state where the plurality of cores are usable; switching the power state from the second power state to the first power state based on reception of the predetermined data in the second power state; and switching the power state from the first power state to the third power state based on reception of data different from the predetermined data in the first power state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, further comprising: switching the power state to the second power state when a second condition is met after switching to the third power state, wherein the first condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the predetermined data, and wherein the second condition is a lapse of a predetermined time period after execution of processing based on the data different from the predetermined data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: printing an image based on image data on a sheet; and performing processing on the image data and outputting the image data to a printer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the usable state is a state where a clock is input to a core, and the unusable state is a state where no clock is input to a core. ### Claim 21 An apparatus comprising: a processor including at least a first core and a second core; wherein the processor is switchable between a first state, a second state, and a third state, the first state is a state in which the first core is usable and the second core is unusable, the second state is a state in which the first core and the second core are unusable, and the third state is a state in which at least the first core and the second core are usable, and wherein, based on reception of a data in the second state, the processor turns into the first state from the second state, and, when a condition is met after turning into the first state, the processor turns into the third state from the first state. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the condition is that the data is a restoration factor of the apparatus. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the data is a packet signal to be received via a network. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a facsimile device, wherein the data is a facsimile incoming call. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising: a printer configured to print an image based on image data on a sheet; and an image processing circuit configured to perform processing on the image data and output the image data to the printer, wherein the processor prohibits power supply to the image processing circuit in the first state. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the processor prohibits power supply to the image processing circuit in the second state.