Multiple functionality associated with a computer ON/OFF pushbutton switch
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsLuca Lodolo, Hyejung Yi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention in one implementation encompasses a computer having an operating system and a power ON/OFF pushbutton switch. A microcontroller is coupled to receive ON/OFF information generated by the pushbutton switch. Responsive to receiving the ON/OFF information, the microcontroller generates a command causing the operating system to cause the computer to toggle between sleep and awake states.
Claims23
A computer having an operating system comprising:
- a power ON/OFF pushbutton switch;
- a microcontroller coupled to receive ON/OFF information generated by the pushbutton switch;
- responsive to receiving the ON/OFF information, the microcontroller generates a command to cause the computer to toggle between sleep and awake states causing the operating system the change from one of the sleep and awake states to the other of the sleep and awake states.
A computer having an operating system comprising:
- a switch means operable by the user for generating ON/OFF control information;
- first means coupled to the switch means for controlling the powering ON and powering OFF of the computer in response to the ON/OFF control information;
- second means coupled to the switch means for generating a sleep command and a wake-up command in response to the ON/OFF control information after a power button driver for the operating system has been loaded during boot-up processing, the second means transmitting one of the sleep and wake-up commands to the operating system to effectuate a change of the computer from one of a sleep and awake state to the other of the sleep and awake state.
A method for using a power ON/OFF pushbutton switch of a computer to derive control of additional computer functionality comprising the steps of:
- loading a pushbutton driver for an operating system of the computer;
- following the loading step, sensing whether the pushbutton switch is depressed and released by the user;
- in response to sensing a depression and release of the pushbutton switch, generating and sending a command to the operating system to cause the operating system to toggle the computer from one of a sleep and awake state to the other of the sleep and awake state.
An article, comprising:
- one or more computer-readable signal-bearing media;
- and
- means in the one or more media for loading a pushbutton driver for an operating system of a computer;
- means in the one or more media for sensing whether the pushbutton switch is depressed and released by the user following the loading of the pushbutton driver;
- means in the one or more media for generating and sending a command to the operating system to cause the operating system to toggle the computer from one of a sleep and awake state to the other of the sleep and awake state in response to sensing a depression and release of the pushbutton switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.