Using Fuzzy Logic to reduce power consumption of notebooks

The purpose of this research is to use an FLC (fuzzy logic controller) to manage the power consumption of a notebook or an UMPC (ultra mobile PC). The FLC not only controls the LCD backlight and the speed of the fan to reduce the power consumption but also lengthens the battery recharge cycle. The EC (embedded controller) in a notebook is a device to assist the onboard power management system which consists of the cooling fan, the keyboard, the LCD backlight brightness and the battery recharging function. This research focuses on two parts: (1) an EC controlled by assembly language and (2) an FLC controlled by high-level language (VC++, Matlab). These two parts cooperate to control the backlight brightness and the speed of the cooling fan, by using the fuzzy control rule as a replacement the traditional method. The fan speed is controlled by the CPU to maintain a constant temperature. The LCD backlight brightness which is based on the keystroke frequency or the touchpad is adjusted by using the FLC.