POWER MANAGEMENT WITH HARDWARE VIRTUALIZATION

摘要

This application discloses a computing system that can enter into a low power mode, shut down all components except for memory, and exit from the low power mode and restore running programs where they left off before entering the low power mode. To enter the low power mode, a processing device, in a user mode, can store program information to a memory. The processing device can switch to a hypervisor mode and store processor state information to a reserved portion of the main memory. The computing system can then disable hardware components of the computing system. To exit the low power mode, the computing system can enable the hardware components of the computing system, and activate the hypervisor mode of the processing device, allowing retrieval of the processor state information. The processing device can switch to the user mode and load stored the program information from the main memory.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
entering, by a computing system, a low power mode by storing information corresponding to running programs to a main memory with a processing device in a user mode or an operating system mode, storing processor state information to a reserved portion of the main memory with the processing device in a hypervisor mode, and disabling hardware components of the computing system; and exiting, by the computing system, the low power mode by enabling hardware components of the computing system, retrieving the processor state information from the reserved portion of the main memory with the processing device in the hypervisor mode, and loading stored information corresponding to running programs from the main memory the processing device in the user mode or the operating system mode.