Resume on pen contact

• US 5,974,558 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Packard Bell NEC
• Inventors: Gladwin, S. Christopher, Cortopassi, Michael, Voegeli, Derick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/543,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/750.05, 364/707, 364/708.1, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/179, 345/211, 345/212
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3237 by disabling clock generation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1097 Boot, Start, Initialise, Power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A pen-based portable personal computer utilizes a passive stylus. In order to conserve battery power, the system automatically goes into a low-power state after a predetermined period of inactivity. In the low-power state, minimal power is provided to a digitizer panel in order to enable the digitizer panel to sense contact by the passive stylus. Once the passive stylus comes in contact with the digitizer panel, the pen-based portable computer system is awakened and placed in a full-power state.

Claims

1. In a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a CPU and a storage device for running and storing programs, the improvement comprising:

a wireless interface device to wirelessly communicate and interface with said remote host computer for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer, said interface device including a digitizer to accept input using a passive stylus;

means coupled to said wireless interface device for controlling a shutdown signal in said wireless interface device;

means coupled to said wireless interface device responsive to said shutdown signal for enabling said interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition; and

means responsive to said shutdown signal for waking up said interface device from said suspend state by way of a touch by said passive stylus on said digitizer.

2. In a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a CPU and a storage device for running and storing programs, the improvement comprising:

a wireless interface device to wirelessly communicate and interface with said remote host computer for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer, said interface device including a digitizer to accept input using a passive stylus;

means coupled to said wireless interface device to enable said interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition, said enabling means including a keyboard controller operative to control a shutdown signal; and

means for waking up said interface device from said suspend state by way of a touch by said passive stylus on said digitizer.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein said waking means includes a pen controller configured to control said shutdown signal responsive to said touch.

4. A computer system according to claim 3, wherein said shutdown signal controls operation of a power supply.

5. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein said enabling means is a charge pump.

6. A computer system according to claim 5, wherein a current leakage control signal available from said charge pump controls a shutdown signal responsive to said first and second controllers.

7. A method for operating a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a storage unit and a central processing unit (CPU) for storing and running programs and a wireless interface device which includes an associated digitizer, comprising:

providing a wireless interface device having a digitizer to enable wireless communications with said remote host computer for controlling said remote host computer in response to input from a passive stylus; and

controlling a shutdown signal in said wireless interface device for enabling said wireless interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition and waking up said wireless interface device by way of a touch by said passive stylus on the digitizer.

8. A method for operating a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a storage unit and a central processing unit (CPU) for storing and running programs and a wireless interface device which includes an associated digitizer, comprising:

providing a wireless interface device having a digitizer to enable wireless communications with said remote host computer for controlling said remote host computer in response to input from a passive stylus;

enabling said wireless interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition, wherein said entering step comprises controlling a shutdown signal with a keyboard controller; and

waking up said wireless interface device by way of a touch by said passive stylus on the digitizer.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said waking step comprises controlling said shutdown signal with a pen controller responsive to said touch.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said shutdown signal controls operation of a power supply.

11. A computer system which includes a remote host computer including a storage device and CPU for storing and executing programs, comprising:

a wireless interface device which includes a digitizer to communicate wirelessly with said remote host computer for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs using a passive stylus;

a first controller coupled to said wireless interface device configured to generate a shutdown signal in a first mode of operation to cause said wireless interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition; and

a second controller configured to generate a shutdown signal in a second mode of operation to wake up said wireless interface device from said suspend state responsive to a touch by said passive stylus on said digitizer.

12. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said second controller includes a pen controller configured to control said shutdown signal responsive to said touch.

13. A computer system according to claim 12, wherein said shutdown signal controls operation of a power supply.

14. A computer system which includes a remote host computer including a storage device and CPU for storing and executing programs, comprising:

a wireless interface device which includes a digitizer to communicate wirelessly with said remote host computer for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs using a passive stylus;

a first controller coupled to said wireless interface device configured to cause said wireless interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition, said first controller including a keyboard controller operative to control a shutdown signal; and

a second controller configured to wake up said wireless interface device from said suspend state responsive to a touch by said passive stylus on said digitizer.

15. The computer system according to claim 14, further including means for combining signals from said first and second controllers to enable generation of a single signal for controlling a shut down signal.

16. In a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a CPU and a storage device for running and storing programs, the improvement comprising:

a wireless interface device to wirelessly communicate and interface with said remote host computer for controlling and accessing said remote host computer and said programs on said remote host computer, said interface device including a digitizer to accept input using a passive stylus;

means coupled to said wireless interface device to enable said interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition, wherein said enabling means further includes means for enabling a leakage current signal to control a shutdown signal; and

means for waking up said interface device from said suspend state by way of a touch by said passive stylus on said digitizer.

17. A method for operating a computer system which includes a remote host computer having a storage unit and a central processing unit (CPU) for storing and running programs and a wireless interface device which includes an associated digitizer, comprising:

providing a wireless interface device having a digitizer to enable wireless communications with said remote host computer for controlling said remote host computer in response to input from a passive stylus;

enabling said wireless interface device to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition;

waking up said wireless interface device by way of a touch by said passive stylus on the digitizer; and

controlling a shutdown signal using a current leakage control signal.

18. A computer system having a power saving system, comprising:

a first controller for enabling said computer system to enter a suspend state responsive to a predetermined condition;

a digitizer interfaced to said computer system;

a second controller to enable said computer system to wake up from said suspend state in response to a touch by a passive stylus on said digitizer; and

a charge pump to sense said suspend state and to generate a current leakage control signal to control a shutdown signal responsive to said first and said second controllers.