Lid switch in portable computers and the power management system using the same

• US 6,243,819 B1
• Filed: 04/13/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PC Coma LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hee-Duck
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Application Number:
  US09/058,855
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/321, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 713/330, 713/340, 710/107
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/163 associated with locking or manipulating means of the closing member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/226 the casing containing electrical equipment other than and operated by the switch

Abstract

A portable computer supported by a power management system that responds to a closed state and an open state of a flat panel display. A closed position and an open position of a lid (housing the display) of the portable computer is detected by a switch mounted adjacent to a display latch device. When the display is moved to the closed position, a switch-on signal is supplied to the power management system which allows the computer system components to enter a suspend mode, consuming less power than while in a full-power on mode. This will turn off the power after saving the current memory and system information to disk. The display latch device includes a knob having a latch hook and a groove formed in a top portion of a main body selectively locking and releasing the latch hook. This invention provides a simple location of the switch and the arrangement may eliminate special function keys manually operated for turning off the computer or invoking a power management signal. Further, the present invention provides for a maximization of battery life. The portable computer can correspond to a notebook computer, laptop computer, or other compact or lightweight computer. The present invention can be used in conjunction with a portable word processor also.

Claims

1. A portable electronic apparatus, comprising:

a base unit of the portable electronic apparatus, said base unit having a receptacle;

a lid pivotally attached to said base unit, said lid being rotatable between an open position allowing access to said base unit and a closed position covering said base unit;

a latch unit comprising a latch hook pivotally attached to said lid and protruding from said lid, said latch hook being rotatable between a first position locking said latch hook to said receptacle when said lid is moved to said closed position and a second position releasing said latch hook from said receptacle allowing said lid to be moved to said open position;

a switch unit mounted in said base unit adjacent to said receptacle, detecting said latch hook when said lid is in said closed position and transmitting a first signal when detecting said latch hook; and

a control unit receiving said first signal from said switch unit, and responding to said first signal by automatically interrupting power supplied to the portable electronic apparatus after a predetermined quantity of time elapses.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control unit responds to said first signal by storing data of the portable electronic apparatus after said predetermined quantity of time elapses and before automatically interrupting power supplied to the portable electronic apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said latch unit further comprises a knob rigidly mounted to said latch hook such that said latch hook is released from said receptacle when said knob is rotated upwardly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said switch unit further comprising an actuating bar movable between a first bar position abutting said latch hook when said lid is in said closed position and a second bar position when said lid is in said open position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board within said base unit, said switch unit being mounted on said printed circuit board.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lid includes a video display conveying visual information to a user, said video display being selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a gas-plasma display, a light emitting diode display, an electro-luminescent display, and a field emission display.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portable electronic apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a portable computer and a portable word processor.

8. A portable electronic apparatus, comprising:

a base unit of the portable electronic apparatus, said base unit having a receptacle;

a keyboard connected with said base unit;

a memory storing data and visual information;

a lid pivotally attached to said base unit, said lid being rotatable between an open position allowing access to said keyboard and a closed position covering said keyboard;

a latch unit comprising a latch hook pivotally attached to said lid and protruding from said lid, said latch hook being rotatable between a first position locking said latch hook to said receptacle when said lid is moved to said closed position and a second position releasing said latch hook from said receptacle allowing said lid to be moved to said open position;

a switch unit mounted in said base unit adjacent to said receptacle, detecting said latch hook when said lid is in said closed position, not detecting said latch hook when said lid is in said open position, transmitting a first signal when detecting said latch hook, and transmitting a second signal when not detecting said latch hook; and

a control unit receiving said first and second signals from said switch unit, and responding to said first signal by first determining that a predetermined quantity of time has elapsed since receiving said first signal and then automatically starting a suspend routine and then interrupting power supplied to the portable electronic apparatus, said suspend routine comprising the step of storing said data and said visual information in said memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said control unit outputs a system management interrupt signal after determining that said predetermined quantity of time has elapsed since receiving said first signal, said system management interrupt signal being output before said interrupting of the power supplied to the portable electronic apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said latch unit further comprises a knob rigidly mounted to said latch hook such that said latch hook is released from said receptacle when said knob is rotated upwardly.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, said switch unit further comprising an actuating bar movable between a first bar position abutting said latch hook when said lid is in said closed position and a second bar position when said lid is in said open position.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a printed circuit board within said base unit, said switch unit being mounted on said printed circuit board.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said lid includes a video display conveying said visual information to a user, said video display being selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a gas-plasma display, a light emitting diode display, an electro-luminescent display, and a field emission display.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said portable electronic apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a portable computer and a portable word processor.

15. A method for controlling a power management system provided in a portable computer, comprising the sequential steps of:

checking whether a first signal is received from a switch unit, said first signal being transmitted from said switch unit when a latch unit pivotally attached to a lid of the portable computer is in a first position locking said latch unit to a receptacle in a main body of the portable computer, said latch unit being in said first position when said lid is moved from an open lid position where said lid allows access to said main body to a closed lid position where said lid covers said main body, said lid being hingedly attached to said main body;

when said first signal is received from said switch unit, transmitting a system interrupt signal starting a suspend routine, and then interrupting power supplied to the portable computer, said suspend routine comprising the step of writing data to a memory;

sensing whether a second signal is received from said switch unit, said second signal being transmitted from said switch unit when said latch unit is in a second position releasing said latch unit from said receptacle, said second position of said latch unit allowing said lid to be moved to said open lid position;

when said second signal is received from said switch unit, sensing whether the portable computer is in a power-off state where said step of writing data to said memory has not occurred, and sensing whether the portable computer is in a suspend state where said step of writing data to said memory has occurred;

when the portable computer is in said power-off state, booting the portable computer by restoring circuits in the portable computer to a default condition and providing power to the portable computer; and

when the portable computer is in said suspend state, reading said data from said memory and providing power to the portable computer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said lid includes a video display conveying visual information to a user, said video display being selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube, a gas-plasma display, a light emitting diode display, an electro-luminescent display, and a field emission display.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of confirming that a predetermined quantity of time has elapsed, said confirming step occurring after said first signal is received from said switch unit and before said step of transmitting said system interrupt signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of returning to said checking step when said second signal is received from said switch unit after said first signal is received from said switch unit and before said confirming step has occurred.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said latch unit comprises a latch hook and a knob, said knob rigidly mounted to said latch hook such that said latch hook is released from said receptacle when said knob is rotated upwardly.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said switch unit is mounted to said main body adjacent to said receptacle, detecting said latch hook when said lid is in said closed lid position, transmitting said first signal when detecting said latch hook, not detecting said latch hook when said lid is in said open lid position, and transmitting said second signal when not detecting said latch hook.