Fault tolerant sleep mode of operation

A computer program product embodied in a machine readable medium for implementing a fault tolerant sleep mode of operation comprising the programming steps of:

• storing system state information and a value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a volatile memory;
• storing a copy of said system state information and said value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a non-volatile storage unit;
• entering said sleep mode of operation;
• receiving an indication to enter a normal mode of operation;
• and
• determining if integrity of said system state information stored in said volatile memory is maintained, wherein if said integrity of at least a portion of said system state information in said volatile memory is not maintained then the method further comprises the step of:
• reloading at least a portion of said system state information stored in said non-volatile storage unit into said volatile memory.

A system, comprising:

• a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for implementing a fault tolerant sleep mode of operation;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises:
• circuitry operable for storing system state information and a value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a volatile memory;
• circuitry operable for storing a copy of said system state information and said value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a non-volatile storage unit;
• circuitry operable for entering said sleep mode of operation;
• circuitry operable for receiving an indication to enter a normal mode of operation;
• and
• circuitry operable for determining if integrity of said system state information stored in said volatile memory is maintained, wherein if said integrity of at least a portion of said system state information in said volatile memory is not maintained then said processor further comprises:
• circuitry operable for reloading at least a portion of said system state information stored in said non-volatile storage unit into said volatile memory.

A system, comprising:

• means for storing system state information and a value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a volatile memory;
• means for storing a copy of said system state information and said value used to verify integrity of said system state information in a non-volatile storage unit;
• means for entering said sleep mode of operation;
• means for receiving an indication to enter a normal mode of operation;
• and
• means for determining if integrity of said system state information stored in said volatile memory is maintained, wherein if said integrity of at least a portion of said system state information in said volatile memory is not maintained then the system further comprises:
• means for reloading at least a portion of said system state information stored in said non-volatile storage unit into said volatile memory.