Apparatus and method for shortening the time returning from a power-saving mode to normal power mode and reducing power consumption in the power-saving mode

摘要

In an information processing apparatus which incorporates a plurality of arithmetic units and a plurality of storage units, power consumption in a power saving mode is reduced, and a return time required to return from the power saving mode to a normal power mode is shortened. With this invention, in an information processing method in an information processing apparatus which incorporates a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of RAMs, when a condition required to transit to the power saving mode is satisfied, each CPU stores information associated with an operation state of an active program in one RAM, and turns off the power supply to devices except for the one RAM.

主权项

1. An information processing apparatus having a first power mode and a second power mode in which consumption power is lower than consumption power in the first power mode, comprising:
a nonvolatile program storage unit configured to store a first program and a second program, both the first program and the second program being executed in the first power mode; a first arithmetic unit configured to execute, in the first power mode, the first program which is loaded to a first storage unit from the nonvolatile program storage unit; a second arithmetic unit configured to execute, in the first power mode, the second program which is loaded to a volatile second storage unit from the nonvolatile program storage unit; a transferring unit configured to transfer, if a condition required to transit to the second power mode is satisfied, the second program from the nonvolatile program storage unit to the first storage unit; and a control unit configured to stop, if the condition required to transit to the second power mode is satisfied, power supply to the volatile second storage unit and control the information processing apparatus so as to transit to the second power mode, wherein if a condition required to return to the first power mode is satisfied, the control unit resumes the power supply to the volatile second storage unit and controls the information processing apparatus so as to transit to the first power mode, the transferring unit transfers the second program stored in the first storage unit to the volatile second storage unit, and the second arithmetic unit executes the second program in accordance with transferring the second program to the volatile second storage unit.