US6125449A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Controlling power states of a computer
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 1998-04-03
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Granted: 2000-09-26
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Expires: 2018-04-03
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus of controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected to a monitor having a power control button. The computer is connected to the monitor over a video cable, and activation of the power control button is communicated to the computer over a wire in the video cable. In response to the activation signal, a system management interrupt is generated to invoke an SMI handler to change the power state of the computer. The power states of the computer include an ON state, an intermediate power state (such as Sleep state), and a suspend state (such as Soft-Off state).
Inventors
- 👤 Mark E. Taylor
- 👤 Larry W. Kunkel
- 👤 Gokalp Bayramoglu
- 👤 Henry M. D'Souza
- 👤 Valiuddin Ali
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected by a VGA cable to a monitor having a power control button, the method comprising: receiving an activation signal over a dedicated wire in the VGA cable in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; generating a system management interrupt in response to receipt of the activation signal; and invoking a system management interrupt handler to change the power state of the computer, wherein the computer includes an ON state, an intermediate power state, and a suspend state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected by a VGA cable to a monitor having a power control button, the method comprising: receiving an activation signal over a dedicated wire in the VGA cable in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; generating a system management interrupt in response to receipt of the activation signal; and invoking a system management interrupt handler to change the power state of the computer, wherein the computer includes an ON state, an intermediate power state, and a suspend state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor having a power control button; a power management controller coupled to the monitor, the power management controller being configured to change the power state of the computer system in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; wherein the power management controller is coupled to the monitor over a video cable; and wherein actuation of the monitor power control button is indicated by a signal transmitted over a dedicated wire of the video cable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor having a power control button; a power management controller coupled to the monitor, the power management controller being configured to change the power state of the computer system in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; wherein the power management controller is coupled to the monitor over a video cable; and wherein actuation of the monitor power control button is indicated by a signal transmitted over a dedicated wire of the video cable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the power management controller includes a bus device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 3, wherein the bus device includes a PCI-ISA bridge-chip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer system of claim 4, wherein the bus device includes a PIIX4 PCI-ISA bridge chip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the power management controller includes a system management interrupt handler.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the monitor includes a microcontroller configured to enable transmission of the actuation of the monitor power control button over the video cable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The computer system of claim 7, further comprising: a serial bus cable coupling the monitor and the power management controller, and wherein the microcontroller is further configured to enable transmission of the actuation of the monitor power control button over either the video cable or the serial bus cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer system of claim 8, wherein the serial bus cable includes a Universal Serial Bus cable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the video cable includes a VGA cable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the power control button includes a sleep button.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the computer includes at least two of the following states: a suspend state, an intermediate power state, and an ON state.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 12, wherein the suspend state includes a Soft-Off state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer system of claim 2, wherein the power management controller is configured to determine the type of monitor, the power management controller enabling the control of the power state of the computer system only when the monitor is determined to be a power control monitor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer system of claim 14, wherein the power management controller includes a BIOS routine.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said video cable is a VGA video cable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16, wherein said dedicated wire is wire 4 of VGA video cable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
100 words
A power management device for controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected to a monitor having a power control button, the power management controller comprising: a detector coupled to the monitor to detect actuation of the power control button; a controller configured to change the power state of the computer in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; wherein the computer is coupled to the monitor over a video cable; and wherein the detector receives an activation signal representing actuation of the monitor power control button over a dedicated wire of the video cable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
100 words
A power management device for controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected to a monitor having a power control button, the power management controller comprising: a detector coupled to the monitor to detect actuation of the power control button; a controller configured to change the power state of the computer in response to actuation of the monitor power control button; wherein the computer is coupled to the monitor over a video cable; and wherein the detector receives an activation signal representing actuation of the monitor power control button over a dedicated wire of the video cable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The power management device of claim 18, wherein the computer includes at least two of the following states: a suspend state, an intermediate power state, and an ON state.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The power management device of claim 19, wherein the suspend state includes a Soft-Off state.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said video cable is a VGA video cable.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said dedicated wire is wire 4 of VGA video cable.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
74 words
A system, comprising: a monitor having a sleep button; a video cable connected to the monitor, wherein the sleep button is actuated by communication over a dedicated line in the video cable; and a computer connected to the video cable, the computer having a power management controller configured to change the power state of the computer in response to the sleep button being actuated by communication over the dedicated line in the video cable.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
74 words
A system, comprising: a monitor having a sleep button; a video cable connected to the monitor, wherein the sleep button is actuated by communication over a dedicated line in the video cable; and a computer connected to the video cable, the computer having a power management controller configured to change the power state of the computer in response to the sleep button being actuated by communication over the dedicated line in the video cable.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said video cable is a VGA video cable.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24, wherein said dedicated wire is wire 4 of VGA video cable.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor having a sleep button and a microcontroller, the microcontroller being connected to receive actuation of the sleep button; a dedicated video cable line connected to the microcontroller, actuation of the sleep button being communicated over the dedicated video cable line; a power management controller coupled to the dedicated video cable line, the power management controller being configured to transition the computer system to one of an ON state, Sleep state, and Soft-Off state in response to actuation of the sleep button; and a mass storage device accessible by the power management controller.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor having a sleep button and a microcontroller, the microcontroller being connected to receive actuation of the sleep button; a dedicated video cable line connected to the microcontroller, actuation of the sleep button being communicated over the dedicated video cable line; a power management controller coupled to the dedicated video cable line, the power management controller being configured to transition the computer system to one of an ON state, Sleep state, and Soft-Off state in response to actuation of the sleep button; and a mass storage device accessible by the power management controller.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor; a power control switch located on the monitor; and a power management controller connected to the monitor to receive actuation of the power control switch, the power management controller being capable of placing the computer system into one of a sleep state and a suspend state.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
52 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor; a power control switch located on the monitor; and a power management controller connected to the monitor to receive actuation of the power control switch, the power management controller being capable of placing the computer system into one of a sleep state and a suspend state.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer system of claim 27, wherein the power management controller places the computer system into the suspend state if the power control switch is actuated continuously for greater than a predetermined time period.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer system of claim 28, wherein the power management controller places the computer system into the sleep state if the power control switch is actuated for less than a predetermined time period.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 27, wherein the suspend state includes a Soft-Off state.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer system of claim 27, wherein the power management controller includes a system management interrupt handler.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer system of claim 31, wherein the system management interrupt handler is configured to place the computer system into the Sleep state if the power control switch is actuated for less than a predetermined time period and into the suspend state if the power control switch is actuated for greater than the predetermined time period.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer system of claim 27, wherein the power control switch includes a Bezel power button.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
85 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor; a power control button located on the monitor; a power controller that transitions the computer system to a low power state and sets a flag in non-volatile memory in response to a predefined event; a routine that reads the state of the flag when the computer system is restarting from a power off condition to determine whether to transition the computer system in the low power state; and wherein the predefined event includes actuation of the power control button.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
85 words
A computer system, comprising: a monitor; a power control button located on the monitor; a power controller that transitions the computer system to a low power state and sets a flag in non-volatile memory in response to a predefined event; a routine that reads the state of the flag when the computer system is restarting from a power off condition to determine whether to transition the computer system in the low power state; and wherein the predefined event includes actuation of the power control button.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer system of claim 34, wherein the predefined event includes actuation of the power button for more than a predetermined period of time.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer system of claim 35, wherein the power controller includes a power management component that is responsive to actuation of the power button for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system of claim 35, further comprising: a timer that is started in response to actuation of the power button.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer system of claim 34, wherein the power controller includes an SMI handler invoked in response to the predefined event, the SMI handler setting the flag.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer system of claim 34, wherein the predetermined power state includes a Soft-Off state.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected to a monitor over a video cable including wires, the monitor having a power control button, the method comprising: receiving an activation signal representing actuation of the monitor power control button over a dedicated wire of the video cable; and changing the power state of the computer in response to actuation of the monitor power control button.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of controlling a power state of a computer, the computer being connected to a monitor over a video cable including wires, the monitor having a power control button, the method comprising: receiving an activation signal representing actuation of the monitor power control button over a dedicated wire of the video cable; and changing the power state of the computer in response to actuation of the monitor power control button.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 40, wherein the power control button includes a sleep button.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 40, wherein the computer includes a suspend state and an ON state.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 42, wherein the suspend state includes a Soft-Off state.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 40, wherein the computer includes an intermediate power state and an ON state.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 44, wherein the intermediate state includes one of a Sleep state and a powered on suspend state.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 40, wherein the computer includes a suspend state, an intermediate power state, and an ON state.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 40, wherein said video cable is a VGA video cable.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 47, wherein said dedicated wire is wire 4 of VGA video cable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-09-26 | 2004-03-27 | 2004-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-09-26 | 2008-03-27 | 2008-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-09-26 | 2012-03-27 | 2012-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |