Computer system provided with hotkeys

• US 20040042166A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Huang, Hsiang-Yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for implementing functions of hotkeys. The method includes the steps of asserting an SMI signal when an SMI event is detected, determining whether the SMI event results from one of the hotkeys being pressed, determining whether the OS is of a first or second type if the SMI event results from one of the hotkeys being pressed, reading a status value corresponding to the pressed hotkey and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the status value by the BIOS if the OS is of the first type, and reading the status value corresponding to the pressed hotkey and transferring the status value to the OS by the BIOS, and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the status value by the OS if the OS is of the second type.

Claims

1. A method for implementing functions of hotkeys in a computer having a BIOS and operating system, the method comprising the steps of:

asserting a system management interrupt signal when a system management interrupt event is detected;

determining whether the system management interrupt event results from one of the hotkeys being pressed;

determining whether the operating system is of a first or second type if the system management interrupt event results from one of the hotkey being pressed;

reading a status value corresponding to the pressed hotkey and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the status value by the BIOS if the operating system is of the first type; and

reading the status value corresponding to the pressed hotkey and transferring the status value to the operating system by the BIOS, and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the status value by the operating system if the operating system is of the second type.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer has a first and second key, and in the event that one of the hotkeys is pressed, is detected when the first and second keys are pressed simultaneously.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first key is a key Fn and the second key is one of keys F1˜

F12.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating system of the first type is Microsoft Windows 98.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating system of the first type is Microsoft Windows ME.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating system of the second type is Microsoft Windows 2000.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating system of the second type is Microsoft Windows XP.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the functions of the hotkeys is display switching.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the status value is transferred to a video BIOS of the computer for display switching.

10. A computer capable of implementing functions of hotkeys comprising:

a memory device storing an operating system;

a BIOS storing program codes and status values;

a keyboard having a first and a second key, and asserting a first and second key press signal when the first and second keys are pressed respectively;

a bridge device asserting an interrupt signal representing a hotkey event when the first and second key press signal are asserted simultaneously; and

a CPU loaded with the operating system, and when the interrupt signal is asserted, reading the program codes in the BIOS to implement the steps of;

asserting an SMI signal;

determining whether the interrupt signal results from the hotkey event;

determining whether the operating system is of a first or second type if the interrupt signal results from the hotkey event;

reading one of the status values corresponding to the hotkey event and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the read status value by the BIOS if the operating system is of the first type; and

reading one of the status values corresponding to the hotkey event and transferring the read status value to the operating system by the BIOS, and implementing one of the functions corresponding to the read status value by the operating system if the operating system is of the second type.

11. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first key is a key Fn and the second key is one of the keys F1˜

F12.

12. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating system of the first type is Microsoft Windows 98.

13. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating system of the first type is Microsoft Windows ME.

14. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating system of the second type is Microsoft Windows 2000.

15. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the operating system of the second type is Microsoft Windows XP.

16. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of the functions of the hotkeys is display switching.

17. The computer as claimed in claim 16, wherein the status value is transferred to a video BIOS of the computer for display switching.

18. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the memory device is a hard disk.

19. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the BIOS has a ROM storing the program codes and status values.

20. The computer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the program codes are ASL codes.