Arguably Yakov Topor’s most influential contribution to computers is his creation of the well-known hibernation mode. This mode has been adopted by most computer operating systems today, including Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS. Since the early 1970s, Yakov Topor has been at the forefront of technological breakthroughs and innovations. Yakov Topor studied electrical engineering at Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology beginning in 1969. Following his education, Yakov Topor co-founded Integrated Electronic Industries Ltd. (IEI Ltd.) in 1973. Since the inception of IEI Ltd., Yakov Topor has utilized Integrated Electronic Industries Ltd. as a facility for bringing cutting-edge technology to fruition. In the same year Yakov Topor founded his company, IEI Ltd. was responsible for the development of ATD alarms and security systems used throughout Israel. Two years later, Yakov Topor and his engineers developed a method for converting power to high-efficiency lighting . From 1979 through 1999, Yakov Topor continued to focus on power conversion by creating the EPR Series power conversion UPS units, CTV power back-ups used with cable television and the CU series computer back-up systems. Described in US Patent 5745391, hibernation allows a user to power off his or her computer without losing the contents of any programs that were running. The contents of the computer’s memory are relegated to non-volatile memory storage until the computer is turned on, at which time data is instantly recalled. Yakov Topor’s hibernation mode has enabled millions of computer users to be productive while still saving energy by powering off computers while they are not in use. According to recent studies, Yakov Topor’s creation of computer hibernation has resulted in tremendous energy and financial savings. The U.S. News & World Report states that Yakov Topor’s hibernation feature has saved as much as two to three power stations’ output. Furthermore, General Electric (GE) estimates company savings of more than $6.5 million due to computer management features such as Yakov Topor’s hibernation status, which has been used on 75,000 computer systems at GE’s corporate headquarters. In addition to his passion for technology, Yakov Topor is a dedicated family man. Yakov Topor and his wife, Elaine, have three sons: Ohad, Assaf, and Ben
