Battery powered computer system wherein a power supply is selectively shut off when a low battery power is detected

A battery powered computer system comprising:

• a computer unit having a first power consumption;
• a peripheral device having a second, higher power consumption, and operating in an active mode and a standby mode;
• a power supply having a battery power source, for supplying power to said computer unit and said peripheral device;
• a detector for detecting the energy state of said battery;
• and
• control means responsive to said detector for shutting off power to said peripheral device at times when said peripheral device operates in the standby mode and the energy level of said battery drops below a predetermined level.

A method of powering a computer system having a computer unit with a first, lower power consumption, and peripheral device with a second, higher power consumption, said peripheral device operating in an active mode and a standby mode, comprising the steps of:

• supplying power to the computer unit and the peripheral device from a power supply having a battery power source;
• detecting the energy state of said battery;
• and
• shutting off power to the peripheral device at times when said peripheral device operates in the standby mode and the energy level of said battery drops below a predetermined level.