Method and system for conserving power and improving usability for personal computers with remote startup features

• US 6,687,348 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Springfield, Randall Scott, Freeman, Joseph Wayne, Keown, William Fred Jr., Cromer, Daryl Carvis
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/991,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102.04, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/93.28, 379/93.02, 379/93.05, 379/142.01, 379/142.05, 379/142.07, 379/142.15
• US Class Current: 379/102.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method for remotely powering up a computer, includes: receiving a telephone call by a device coupled to a powered down computer; determining an originator'"'"'s telephone number for the telephone call; determining if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of a plurality of authorized telephone numbers; and powering up the computer if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers. The method and system utilizes the well known “Caller-ID” technology to determine the originator'"'"'s telephone number for a telephone call received by a modem coupled to the computer. If there is no match, the computer remains in a powered down state. In this manner, the system discriminates between the received telephone calls, and avoids powering up the computer when the received call is not for this purpose. This avoids wasting power.

Claims

1. A method for remotely powering up a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a telephone call by a device coupled to a powered down computer;

(b) determining an originator'"'"'s telephone number for the telephone call;

(c) generating a wake signal by the modem to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of the computer;

(d) comparing the originator'"'"'s telephone number with a plurality of authorized telephone numbers by the BIOS; and

(e) powering up the computer if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step (a) comprises:

(a1) receiving the telephone call by a modem coupled to the powered down computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining step (b) comprises:

(b1) obtaining the originator'"'"'s telephone number by a caller ID controller of the modem.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining step (b) further comprise:

(b2) storing the originator'"'"'s telephone number in a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) register space of the modem.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the obtaining step (b1) is performed utilizing Call-ID technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step (c) further comprises:

(c1) obtaining the originator'"'"'s telephone number from a PCI register space of the modem by the BIOS.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the powering up step (e) comprises:

(e1) proceeding with a power start up process of the computer by the BIOS, if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) maintaining the computer in the powered down state, if the originator'"'"'s telephone number does not match one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.

9. A method for remotely powering up a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a telephone call by a modem coupled to a powered down computer;

(b) obtaining an originator'"'"'s telephone number of the telephone call by a caller ID controller of the modem;

(c) storing the originator'"'"'s telephone number in a PCI register space of the modem;

(d) generating a wake signal by the modem to a BIOS of the computer;

(e) obtaining the originator'"'"'s telephone number from the PCI register space by the BIOS;

(f) comparing the originator'"'"'s telephone number with a plurality of authorized telephone numbers by the BIOS; and

(g) proceeding with a power start up process of the computer by the BIOS, if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining step (b) is performed utilizing Call-ID technology.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

(h) maintaining the computer in the powered down state, if the originator'"'"'s telephone number does not match one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.

12. A system, comprising:

a powered down computer, wherein the computer comprises a BIOS; and

a modem coupled to the powered down computer for receiving a telephone call, wherein the modem comprises;

a caller ID controller for determining an originator'"'"'s telephone number for the telephone call, and

a PCI register space, wherein the originator'"'"'s telephone number is stored in the PCI register space,

wherein the modem generates a wake signal to the BIOS when the model receives the telephone call,

wherein the BIOS determines if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of a plurality of authorized telephone numbers,

wherein the BIOS powers up the computer if the originator'"'"'s telephone number matches one of the plurality of authorized telephone numbers.