Touch screen power control in a computer system

Claim 1

A method for selectively and interactively controlling the supply of power to a battery-powered computer system by means of a finite-state machine, said computer system comprising a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a touch screen controller which controls a touch sensitive display screen, said method comprising the steps of: a. responsive to a reset signal, transitioning said touch screen controller to a reset state; b. operative when said touch screen controller is in said reset state, transitioning said touch screen controller to a second state; c. operative when said touch screen controller is in said second state, setting an internal full power on mode flag and transitioning said touch screen controller to a first decision state; d. operative when said touch screen controller is in said first decision state, checking for a first touch input from said touch sensitive display screen; operative when said first touch input is present, transitioning said touch screen controller to a transfer state; and operative when said first touch input is not present, transitioning said touch screen controller to a second decision state; e. operative when said touch screen controller is in said transfer state, interrupting said CPU, transferring the X, Y, and Z coordinates of said first touch input to said CPU, and transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; f. operative when said touch screen controller is in said second decision state, checking for the assertion of a soft power signal; operative when said soft power signal is not asserted, transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; and operative when said soft power signal is asserted, transitioning said touch screen controller to a shutdown state; g. operative when said touch screen controller is in said shutdown state, setting an internal power down mode flag, deasserting a power on signal, transitioning said touch screen controller to a third decision state; h. operative when said touch screen controller is in said third decision state, checking for a second touch input and, operative when said second touch input is present, transitioning to a power-up state; i. operative when said touch screen controller is in said power-up state, asserting said power on signal.

Claim 2

A method for selectively and interactively controlling the supply of power to a battery-powered computer system by means of a finite-state machine, said computer system comprising a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a touch screen controller which controls a touch sensitive display screen, said method comprising the steps of: a. responsive to a reset signal, transitioning said touch screen controller to a reset state; b. operative when said touch screen controller is in said reset state, transitioning said touch screen controller to a second state; c. operative when said touch screen controller is in said second state, setting an internal full power on mode flag and transitioning said touch screen controller to a first decision state; d. operative when said touch screen controller is in said first decision state, checking for a first touch input from said touch sensitive display screen; operative when said first touch input is present, transitioning said touch screen controller to a transfer state; and operative when said first touch input is not present, transitioning said touch screen controller to a second decision state; e. operative when said touch screen controller is in said transfer state, interrupting said CPU, transferring the X, Y, and Z coordinates of said first touch input to said CPU, and transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; f. operative when said touch screen controller is in said second decision state, checking for the assertion of a soft power signal; operative when said soft power signal is not asserted, transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; and operative when said soft power signal is asserted, transitioning said touch screen controller to a shutdown state; g. operative when said touch screen controller is in said shutdown state, setting an internal power down mode flag, deasserting a power on signal, transitioning said touch screen controller to a third decision state; h. operative when said touch screen controller is in said third decision state, checking for a second touch input and, operative when said second touch input is present, transitioning to a power-up state; i. operative when said touch screen controller is in said power-up state, asserting said power on signal.

Claim 10

An apparatus for selectively and interactively controlling the supply of power to a battery-powered computer system by means of a finite-state machine, said computer system comprising a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a touch screen controller which controls a touch sensitive display screen, said apparatus comprising: a. means responsive to a reset signal for transitioning said touch screen controller to a reset state; b. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said reset state for transitioning said touch screen controller to a second state; c. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said second state for setting an internal full power on mode flag and transitioning said touch screen controller to a first decision state; d. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said first decision state for checking for a first touch input from said touch sensitive display screen, transitioning said touch screen controller to a transfer state when said first touch input is present, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a second decision state when said first touch input is not present; e. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said transfer state for interrupting said CPU, transferring the X, Y, and Z coordinates of said first touch input to said CPU, and transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; f. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said second decision state for checking for the assertion of a soft power signal, transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state when said soft power signal is not asserted, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a shutdown state when said soft power signal is asserted; g. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said shutdown state for setting an internal power down mode flag, deasserting a power on signal, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a third decision state; h. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said third decision state for checking for a second touch input and transitioning to a power-up state when said second touch input is present; i. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said power-up state for asserting said power on signal.

Claim 11

An apparatus for selectively and interactively controlling the supply of power to a battery-powered computer system by means of a finite-state machine, said computer system comprising a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a touch screen controller which controls a touch sensitive display screen, said apparatus comprising: a. means responsive to a reset signal for transitioning said touch screen controller to a reset state; b. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said reset state for transitioning said touch screen controller to a second state; c. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said second state for setting an internal full power on mode flag and transitioning said touch screen controller to a first decision state; d. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said first decision state for checking for a first touch input from said touch sensitive display screen, transitioning said touch screen controller to a transfer state when said first touch input is present, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a second decision state when said first touch input is not present; e. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said transfer state for interrupting said CPU, transferring the X, Y, and Z coordinates of said first touch input to said CPU, and transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state; f. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said second decision state for checking for the assertion of a soft power signal, transitioning said touch screen controller back to said first decision state when said soft power signal is not asserted, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a shutdown state when said soft power signal is asserted; g. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said shutdown state for setting an internal power down mode flag, deasserting a power on signal, and transitioning said touch screen controller to a third decision state; h. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said third decision state for checking for a second touch input and transitioning to a power-up state when said second touch input is present; i. means operative when said touch screen controller is in said power-up state for asserting said power on signal.