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Power management initialization for a computer operable under a plurality of operating systems

  • US 5,414,860 A
  • Filed: 01/29/1991
  • Issued: 05/09/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A battery operated computer comprising:

  • a main processor operable in a real mode and in a protected mode;

    a main memory for storing application programs and an operating system for execution by said processor, said operating system being one of a group of a disk operating system (DOS) executable during said real mode of operation of said main processor and a multitasking operating system (MOS) executable in said protected mode of operation of said main processor;

    a read only memory (ROM) storing a plurality of power management interrupt handling (PMIH) routines;

    power management means for monitoring environmental and battery conditions in said computer and generating power management interrupts (PMIs) in response to predetermined changes in said environmental and battery conditions;

    and initialization means operative in response to turning on said computer to load one of said operating systems and place said computer in readiness for execution of an application program, said initialization means comprisinga power on self test (POST) program stored in said ROM means, said POST program being executed by said main processor in response to said computer being turned on, to test said computer without enabling said PMIs;

    loading means operable when said POST program has completed, to load one of said operating systems into said main memory in accordance with a system setup which determines which operating system said computer will be operated under;

    first means operable when said DOS has been loaded into said main memory to enable said PMIs and link said PMIH routines to said PMIs;

    and second means operable when said MOS has been loaded into said main memory to first load a power management driver and to then enable said PMIs and link said PMIH routines to said PMIs.

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