Reducing Power Utilization by Transferring Communication Sessions from a Main Processor

A computing device comprising:

• a network interface apparatus configured to exchange packets of a communication session;
• a main processor, configured to operate in either a first power mode or a second power mode, wherein the main processor uses less power when in the second power mode than when in the first power mode, and wherein the main processor is also configured to, while in the first power mode, (i) locally control the communication session, (ii) maintain an active state representation of the communication session, and (iii) transfer local control of the communication session to the secondary processor and enter the second power mode;
• and
• a secondary processor, disposed within the network interface apparatus, wherein the secondary processor is configured to examine, while the main processor is in first power mode, at least some packets of the communication session to maintain a non-active state representation of the communication session, and wherein the secondary processor is also configured to, after local control of the communication session is transferred to the secondary processor, (i) activate the non-active state representation, and (ii) continue to conduct the communication session using the activated state representation.

A method for use by a computing device that includes a main processor and a secondary processor, wherein the secondary processor is disposed within a network interface apparatus of the computing device, the method comprising:

• examining, by the secondary processor, at least some packets of a communication session to maintain a non-active state representation of the communication session, wherein the communication session is locally controlled by the main processor, and wherein the packets of the communication session pass through the network interface;
• determining, by the secondary processor, that local control of the communication session is to be transferred to the secondary processor;
• after determining that local control of the communication session is to be transferred to the secondary processor, receiving, by the secondary processor, local control of the communication session;
• and
• after local control of the communication session is received by the secondary processor, (i) activating, by the secondary processor, the non-active state representation, and (ii) continuing, by the secondary processor, to conduct the communication session using the activated state representation.