Method and apparatus for power-mode control

1. A method, comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition, wherein detecting said off-hook condition comprises determining whether a received data packet is addressed to a telephonic device associated with an electronic device;

determining a power level for said operation of said electronic device based upon said detecting said off-hook condition, determining said power level comprising determining at least one of a frequency parameter and a pulse-width parameter of a power signal; and

providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a tip and a ring signal to perform said detecting of said off-hook condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said power level for an operation of said electronic device based upon said detecting said off-hook condition further comprises causing said electronic device to enter a wake-up mode from a sleep mode based upon said detecting said off-hook condition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining said power level for an operation of said electronic device further comprises determining at least one of an off-power mode, a low-power mode, a medium power mode, and a high power mode.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level comprises providing said power signal in said low power mode that comprises a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, a pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 20 Volts to about 70 Volts.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level comprises providing said power signal in said medium power mode that comprises a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, a pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 30 Volts to about 90 Volts.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level comprises providing said power signal in said high power mode that comprises a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, a pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 50 Volts to about 150 Volts.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a telephonic device operationally coupled to an electronic device, said telephonic device to detect an off-hook status associated with said telephonic device, wherein detecting said off-hook condition comprises determining whether a received data packet is addressed to said telephonic device associated with said electronic device, said telephonic device to determine at least one of a frequency parameter and a pulse-width parameter of a power signal used for an operation of said electronic device based upon said off-hook indication, the telephonic device to also provide said power signal for an operation of said electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said telephonic device is integrated into said electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said electronic device is a computer system and said telephonic device is configured as a peripheral device of said computer system.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said telephonic device comprises a power switcher for switching between a plurality of power modes of said power signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said plurality of power modes comprise an off-power mode, a low-power mode, a medium power mode, and a high power mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein low power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, a pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 20 Volts to about 70 Volts, wherein said medium power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 30 Volts to about 90 Volts, and wherein said high power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 50 Volts to about 150 Volts.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said telephonic device comprises a line card, said line card comprising a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) and a subscriber line audio-processing circuit (SLAC), wherein said SLAC comprises a power management unit for controlling at least one parameter of said power signal, said parameter being at least one of a signal frequency and a pulse width of said power signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) and said subscriber line audio-processing circuit (SLAC) are integrated into an integrated circuit (IC) device.

16. A system, comprising:

an electronic device capable of receiving a communication signal through a communication line;

a telephonic device operationally coupled to said electronic device, said telephonic device to detect an off-hook indication of said communication signal, wherein detecting said off-hook condition comprises determining whether a received data packet is addressed to said telephonic device associated with said electronic device, said telephonic device to determine at least one of a frequency parameter and a pulse-width parameter of a power signal used for an operation of said electronic device based upon said off-hook indication, the telephonic device to also provide said power signal for an operation of said electronic device.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said communication signal comprises a tip signal and a ring signal.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein communication signal comprises a voice over internet protocol signal comprising at least one data packet directed to said electronic device.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein said electronic device is one of a desktop computer system, a laptop computer system, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a remote communication device.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein said telephonic device comprises a power switcher for switching between at least one of an off-power mode, a low-power mode, a medium power mode, and a high power mode.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein low power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, a pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 20 Volts to about 70 Volts, wherein said medium power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 30 Volts to about 90 Volts, and wherein said high power mode comprises a power signal with a frequency of about 24.6 MHz, pulse width of about 1.7 microseconds, and a voltage level in the range of about 50 Volts to about 150 Volts.

22. The system of claim 16 , wherein said telephonic device comprises a line card, said line card comprising a subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) and a subscriber line audio-processing circuit (SLAC), wherein said SLAC comprises a power management unit for controlling at least one parameter of said power signal, said parameter being at least one of a signal frequency and a pulse width of said power signal.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein said electronic device comprises a printed circuit (PC) board and wherein said SLAC is integrated onto said PC board.

24. The system of claim 16 , wherein said communication line is at least one of a subscriber line, an internet communications line, a local area network (LAN) line, a wide area network (WAN) line, and a wireless communication line.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting an off-hook condition, wherein means for detecting said off-hook condition comprise means for determining whether a received data packet is addressed to a telephonic device associated with an electronic device;

means for determining a power level for an operation of said electronic device based upon said detecting said off-hook condition, said means for determining said power level comprising means for determining at least one of a frequency parameter and a pulse-width parameter of a power signal; and

means for providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level.

26. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs a method, comprising:

detecting an off-hook condition, wherein detecting said off-hook condition comprises determining whether a received data packet is addressed to a telephonic device associated with an electronic device;

determining a power level for said operation of said electronic device based upon said detecting said off-hook condition, determining said power level comprising determining at least one of a frequency parameter and a pulse-width parameter of a power signal; and

providing said power signal for an operation of said electronic device based upon said determined power level.

27. The computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 26 , wherein determining said power level for an operation of said electronic device based upon said detecting said off-hook condition further comprises causing said electronic device to enter a wake-up mode from a sleep mode based upon said detecting said off-hook condition.