	US 7,617,407 B2
	Method and system for power consumption management, and corresponding computer program product
Santi Carlo Adamo, Gravina di Catania (Italy); Rosalino Critelli, Misterbianco (Italy); Santi Nunzio Antonino Pagano, Catania (Italy); and Martino Quattrocchi, Acireale (Italy)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics, S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (Italy)
Filed on Jul. 06, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/482,517.
Claims priority of application No. 05014614 (EP), filed on Jul. 06, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0022309 A1, Jan. 25, 2007
Int. Cl. G06F 1/32 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 713—320 [713/300; 713/322; 713/323]

28 Claims

1. A method of reducing power consumption in a processing apparatus including a memory, the method including the steps of:

controlling a clock period of the processing apparatus to switch said processing apparatus to a SLOW OPERATING mode, the clock period being longer than a time required to recover from memory STAND-BY mode plus a time to execute a read command in said memory,

controlling said memory during said SLOW OPERATING mode by:

maintaining said memory in a STAND-BY mode when no memory commands are to be executed, and

if any said memory commands are required to be executed, switching said memory ON for a time required to perform said memory commands.