Apparatus and method for signaling by and to a computer system user

• US 20070168497A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Locker, Howard, Cromer, Daryl, Advani, Deepak, Cheston, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Apparatus, methods and program products by which the user of a computer system is notified of the desirability or urgency of initiating an interval during which the user leaves the system idle to permit some communication or update from a network with which the system is in communication.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a computer system having a network interface connection and an away button;

said away button being responsive to selective activation by a user to signal through said network interface the initiation and termination of an interval of non-use of the system by the user; and

said away button being responsive to selective activation by receipt of a network communication through said network interface to signal to a user the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said away button is a hardware component.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said system further has a display and said away button is an element displayed visibly to a user on said display.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said away button signals a user of the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system by a change in state.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the change in state is a change in color.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the change in color is indicative of a degree of urgency attached to the network communication.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the change in state is the initiation of flashing.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a change in flash rate is indicative of a degree of urgency attached to the network communication.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer system is a selected one of a class consisting of a notebook computer system;

a desktop computer system;

a handheld computer system; and

a telephone device.

10. Apparatus comprising:

a computer system having a network interface connection through which said computer system may be linked to a client system; and

computer readable media accessible to said computer system and storing program code executable on said system;

said computer system when executing program code stored on said media receiving a signal initiated by a user of the client system and indicative of the initiation and termination of an interval of non-use of the client system by the user; and

said computer system when executing program code stored on said media originating a network communication through said network interface to signal to a user of the client system the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the client system.

11. Method comprising:

selectively signaling from a computer system the initiation and termination of an interval of non-use of the system by a user;

receiving at the computer system a selectively sent network communication indicating to a user the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system; and

displaying to a user an indication that a network communication indicating the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system has been received.

12. Method according to claim 11 wherein said signaling of an interval of non-use is generated by user manipulation of a hardware button.

13. Method according to claim 12 wherein said signaling of an interval of non-use is generated by user selection of a displayed software button.

14. Method according to claim 11 wherein said step of displaying an indication of the desirability of initiating and interval of non-use signals a user by a change in color.

15. Method according to claim 14 wherein the change in color is indicative of a degree of urgency attached to the network communication.

16. Method according to claim 11. wherein said step of displaying an indication of the desirability of initiating and interval of non-use signals a user of the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system by a flashing display.

17. Method according to claim 16 wherein a change in flash rate is indicative of a degree of urgency attached to the network communication.

18. Method comprising:

producing computer executable program code;

storing the produced program code on a computer readable medium; and

providing the program code to be deployed to and executed on a computer system;

the program code comprising instructions which, when executing on the computer system;

selectively signals from the computer system the initiation and termination of an interval of non-use of the system by a user;

receives at the computer system a selectively sent network communication indicating to a user the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system; and

displays to a user an indication that a network communication indicating the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system has been received.

19. Method according to claim 18 wherein said signaling of an interval of non-use is generated by user manipulation of a hardware button.

20. Method according to claim 18 wherein said signaling of an interval of non-use is generated by user selection of a displayed software button.

21. Method according to claim 18 wherein said step of displaying an indication of the desirability of initiating and interval of non-use signals a user by a change in color.

22. Method according to claim 18 wherein said step of displaying an indication of the desirability of initiating and interval of non-use signals a user of the desirability of initiating an interval of non-use of the system by a flashing display.