APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING TIMER MANAGEMENT REGARDING A SYSTEM TIMER SCHEDULER SERVICE, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

An apparatus for performing timer management regarding a system timer scheduler service includes: a processor arranged to control operations of the apparatus; an ordinary timer arranged to provide the processor with time ticks, for use of timing control; and a hardware-based Operating System (OS) timer arranged to provide the processor with at least one scheduler timer, for use of the system timer scheduler service. An associated method for performing timer management regarding a system timer scheduler service is also provided, and can be applied to the apparatus. In particular, the apparatus and the method can give considerations to both run-time power consumption and sleep mode power consumption. For example, the hardware-based OS timer can support an event-based OS timer scheduler to save the run-time power consumption. In another example, the hardware-based OS timer can support timer alignment in accordance with modulator/demodulator (modem) activities to minimize the sleep mode power consumption.