Patent attributes
An always-on system with multi-layer power management includes an always-on portion that is powered in shutdown state and all power states while rest portions of the system are not powered in the shutdown state; a memory unit that is powered in sleep state to retain data in the memory unit; an input interface that is powered only in event detection state, in which at least one captured image is received from an image sensor, the event detection state beginning when a trigger signal is issued; an event monitor that detects motion in the captured image; a digital signal processor (DSP) that is powered only in computer vision state to perform image identification on the captured image if motion is detected; and an output interface is powered only in the computer vision state, a result of the DSP being outputted via the output interface.