초록 ▼

A system and method for information preservation on a portable electronic device is disclosed. A signal indicating an energy capacity threshold remaining in the battery of a hand held device may be generated. Then, responsive to such a signal, information may be copied from a volatile memory into a

A system and method for information preservation on a portable electronic device is disclosed. A signal indicating an energy capacity threshold remaining in the battery of a hand held device may be generated. Then, responsive to such a signal, information may be copied from a volatile memory into a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory may be configured to provide instructions for direct execution by a processor, or the non-volatile storage may be attached via an expansion interface. The non-volatile memory may be a removable card. The copy function is typically done in low power modes. Alternatively, the information is only copied provided sufficient battery capacity remains to perform the copy function.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portable electronic device comprising: a battery;a processor;a non-volatile memory coupled to said processor;a volatile memory coupled to said processor, wherein said volatile memory is operable to store data; andwherein said processor is operable to: (i) reserve an amount of memory on said non

1. A portable electronic device comprising: a battery;a processor;a non-volatile memory coupled to said processor;a volatile memory coupled to said processor, wherein said volatile memory is operable to store data; andwherein said processor is operable to: (i) reserve an amount of memory on said non-volatile memory during normal operations,(ii) suspend user-initiated operation of said portable electronic device and place said volatile memory in a low power mode when an energy capacity of said battery is below a first threshold, said first threshold corresponding to a low power mode,(iii) determine when said energy capacity is at a second threshold, said second threshold being equivalent to an energy capacity just sufficient to copy said data to said non-volatile memory, said second threshold corresponding to a lower energy capacity than said first threshold,(iv) initiate copying of said data from said volatile memory to said non-volatile memory in response to detection of said energy capacity at said second threshold, wherein said non-volatile memory stores an indicator flag to indicate that said portable electronic device has stored data as a result of said energy capacity being below said second threshold,(v) in response to detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold and detecting said indicator flag, restore said data to said volatile memory, and(vi) in response to completing restoration of said data, delete said indicator flag from said non-volatile memory. 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a display including at least one light emitting diode (LED). 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a touch sensitive digitizer panel. 4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said volatile memory comprises random access memory (RAM). 5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory is operable to store instructions for execution by said processor. 6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said data comprises permanent information. 7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein said processor is further operable to adjust said amount of memory reserved on said non-volatile memory during normal operations in response to a change in an amount of said permanent information. 8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold comprises detecting said battery being recharged. 9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said processor is operable to reserve said amount of memory on said non-volatile memory in response to said processor detecting said coupled non-volatile memory. 10. A portable electronic device comprising: a battery;a radio frequency communication component;a processor;a non-volatile memory coupled to said processor;a volatile memory coupled to said processor, wherein said volatile memory is operable to store data; andwherein said processor is operable to: (i) reserve an amount of memory on said non-volatile memory during normal operations,(ii) suspend user-initiated operation of said portable electronic device and place said volatile memory in a low power mode when an energy capacity of said battery is below a first threshold, said first threshold corresponding to a low power mode,(iii) determine when said energy capacity is at a second threshold, said second threshold being equivalent to an energy capacity just sufficient to copy said data to said non-volatile memory, said second threshold corresponding to a lower energy capacity than said first threshold,(iv) initiate copying of said data from said volatile memory to said non-volatile memory in response to detection of said energy capacity at said second threshold, wherein said non-volatile memory stores an indicator flag to indicate that said portable electronic device has stored data as a result of said energy capacity being below said second threshold,(v) in response to detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold and detecting said indicator flag, restore said data to said volatile memory, and(vi) in response to completing restoration of said data, delete said indicator flag from said non-volatile memory. 11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, further comprising: a display including at least one light emitting diode (LED). 12. The portable electronic device of claim 10, further comprising: a touch sensitive digitizer panel. 13. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said volatile memory comprises random access memory (RAM). 14. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said non-volatile memory is selected from a group consisting of: a storage device comprising a rotating magnetic disk; and a flash memory. 15. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said non-volatile memory is operable to store instructions for execution by said processor. 16. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said non-volatile memory comprises removable memory. 17. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein said data comprises permanent information. 18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein said processor is further operable to adjust said amount of memory reserved on said non-volatile memory during normal operations in response to a change in an amount of said permanent information. 19. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold comprises detecting said battery being recharged. 20. A method of preserving information in a portable electronic device, said method comprising: reserving an amount of memory on a non-volatile memory during normal operations;monitoring an energy capacity of a battery of said portable electronic device;in response to detecting said energy capacity of said battery has dropped below a first threshold, said first threshold corresponding to a lower power mode, (i) suspending user-initiated operation of said portable electronic device, and (ii) placing a volatile memory in a lower power mode;determining when said energy capacity is at a second threshold, said second threshold being equivalent to an energy capacity just sufficient to copy information stored in said volatile memory to said non-volatile memory, said second threshold corresponding to a lower energy capacity than said first threshold;in response to detecting said energy capacity of said battery is at said second threshold, copying said information from said volatile memory of said portable electronic device to said non-volatile memory of said portable electronic device, said non-volatile memory storing an indicator flag to indicate that said portable electronic device has stored data as a result of said energy capacity being below said second threshold, wherein said second threshold corresponds to a lower energy capacity than said first threshold; andin response to detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold and detecting said indicator flag, restoring said data to said volatile memory in response to detecting said indicator flag; andin response to completing restoration of said data, deleting said indicator flag from said non-volatile memory. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a display, and wherein said display comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED). 22. The method of claim 20, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a radio frequency communication component. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein said portable electronic device further comprises a touch sensitive digitizer panel. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein said volatile memory comprises random access memory (RAM). 25. The method of claim 20, wherein said non-volatile memory is operable to store instructions for execution by a processor of said portable electronic device. 26. The method of claim 20, wherein said non-volatile memory is selected from a group consisting of: a storage device comprising a rotating magnetic disk; and a flash memory. 27. The method of claim 20, wherein said data comprises permanent information. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: adjusting an amount of memory reserved on said non-volatile memory during normal operations in response to a change in an amount of said permanent information. 29. The method of claim 20, wherein detecting said energy capacity is at a level that exceeds at least said second threshold comprises detecting said battery being recharged. 30. The method of claim 20, further comprising deleting said indicator flag in response to completing restoration of said data to said volatile memory.