Method and apparatus for controlling sleep mode using a low power processor in portable terminal

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for controlling a sleep mode in a portable terminal having a main controller and a sub-controller operating at low power are provided. The method includes detecting, by the sub-controller, a motion signal generated by a camera when the main controller enters the sleep mode, extracting a motion pattern from the detected motion signal, determining whether the extracted motion pattern is substantially identical with a preset motion wake-up pattern, and cancelling the sleep mode by waking-up the main controller when the extracted motion pattern is substantially identical with the motion wake-up pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a sleep mode in a portable terminal having a main controller and a sub-controller operating at low power, the method comprising:
 detecting, by the sub-controller, a sound signal generated by a first microphone of at least two microphones when the main controller is in a sleep mode;   extracting a sound pattern from the detected sound signal;   comparing the extracted sound pattern to a preset sound wake-up pattern; and   cancelling the sleep mode by waking-up the main controller depending on the outcome of the comparison between the extracted sound pattern and the sound wake-up pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the sub-controller, a second sensor signal;   determining whether the received second sensor signal satisfies a preset alarm condition;   cancelling the sleep mode by waking-up the main controller when the alarm condition is satisfied;   limiting at least one function of the portable terminal when the alarm condition is satisfied; and   reporting an alarm notifying that some functions of the portable terminal are limited.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising storing the received second sensor signal in a protected area which a user is not able to access or delete. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for controlling a sleep mode in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising;
 a main controller arranged to request entering the sleep mode;   at least two microphones, a first microphone of the at least two microphones arranged to detect a sound signal when the main controller is in the sleep mode; and   a sub-controller arranged to operate at a low power;   wherein the sub-controller is configured to:   activate to extract a sound pattern from the sound signal detected by the microphone when the main controller is in the sleep mode, and   wake-up the main controller depending on a comparison between the extracted sound pattern and a preset sound wake-up pattern.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second sensor arranged to be activated in the sleep mode, and further arranged to sense a surrounding situation and a state of the portable terminal;   wherein the sub-controller is further configured to wake-up the main controller when the surrounding situation or the state of the portable terminal sensed through the second sensor satisfies a preset alarm condition; and   wherein the main controller is further arranged to limit some functions of the portable terminal when the preset alarm condition is satisfied, and is further arranged to report an alarm notifying that some functions of the portable terminal are limited.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer sensor, a motion sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an atmospheric sensor, a pressure sensor, a gravity sensor, or a vision sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the main controller is further configured to store sensor information sensed by the second sensor in a protected area which the user is not able to access or delete when the preset alarm condition to wake-up the main controller is satisfied.