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Reducing power usage in a personal computer

  • US 5,675,810 A
  • Filed: 05/25/1995
  • Issued: 10/07/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A keyboard for a personal computer, the keyboard having keypresses detected by keyboard control circuitry or, when in an unpowered state, having keypresses not detected by keyboard control circuitry, the keyboard comprising:

  • an array of keys;

    a person sensor which detects user interaction with the keyboard when the keyboard is in the unpowered state; and

    power control circuitry which is operatively connected to the person sensor and maintains the computer in a first mode only as long as the user is interacting with the keyboard, the first mode including at least a first portion of the computer being operated in a more fully powered mode, and thereafter switches the computer into a second mode in which at least the first portion is switched to a less fully powered mode and in which the amounts of power delivered respectively to the first portion and a second portion of the computer are based on the periods required for the portions respectively to return to fully operational states from being less fully powered.

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