Personal computer integrated with personal digital assistant

• US 7,343,484 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maishi Electronic (Shanghai) Limited
• Original Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lam, James, Du, Sterling, Denning, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo, James K
• Application Number:
  US10/108,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 713/340, 710/14, 710/8, 710/62
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A personal computer (PC) adapted to function as a personal digital assistant (PDA) includes: a central processing unit (CPU) responsive to a control signal to load a first operating system or a second operating system, wherein the first operating system is run by the PC in a first PC mode and the second operating system is run by the PC in a second PDA mode. A method of operating a personal computer (PC) in either a PC mode or a PDA mode is also provided that includes: initiating a control signal; and loading a first or second operating system based on the control signal, wherein the first operating system operates the PC is the first PC mode and the second operating system operates the PC is the second PDA mode.

Claims

1. A system for adapting a personal computer (PC) to also function as a personal digital assistant (PDA), comprising:

a system CPU and system memory adapted to load and run a first operating system; and

a PDA subsystem separate from said system CPU comprising a processor, a video interface, an audio interface, and internal memory, wherein said PDA subsystem is adapted to run a second operating system independently from said system CPU such that said PC is adapted to function as said PDA, wherein said second operating system comprises a part of said first operating system and wherein said audio interface couples said PDA subsystem to an audio subsystem of said PC in a PDA mode and isolates said PDA subsystem from said audio subsystem of said PC in a PC mode.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, said PDA subsystem further adapted to control one or more digital storage devices to provide input or output of digital data between said PC and said digital storage device.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said digital storage device comprises a flash media device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said PDA subsystem adapted to monitor activity associated with said digital storage device, and to automatically boot up said PC in said PDA mode when said integrated circuit detects the presence of media in a digital device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said digital storage device comprises a memory storing digital photographic data thereon.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a button mounted to said PC to activate said PDA subsystem to boot up said PC in a said PDA mode.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, said system further comprising an LCD screen controlled by said PDA subsystem independently from said system CPU to display information related to a said PDA mode.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of buttons mounted on said PC for controlling said PDA subsystem in said PDA mode.

9. An integrated circuit adapted to permit a personal computer (PC) system to operate in a personal digital assistant (PDA) mode, comprising:

a PDA subsystem with memory, said PDA subsystem separate from a system CPU which is adapted to run said computer system in a PDA mode running a PDA operating system;

wherein said system CPU is capable of running in a PC mode independently from said PDA subsystem with said memory running in said PDA mode, wherein said PDA operating system is part of a larger PC operating system that is run in said PC mode and wherein said PDA subsystem comprises an audio interface that couple said PDA subsystem to an audio subsystem of said PC in said PDA mode and isolates said PDA subsystem from said audio subsystem of said PC in said PC mode.

10. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, further comprising non-volatile memory for storing said PDA mode operating system.

11. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a system bus interface adapted to control one or more digital storage devices to provide input or output of digital data between said PC and said digital storage device.

12. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said digital storage device comprises a flash media device.

13. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an LCD controller interface adapted to control an LCD mounted on said PC to display information related to said PDA mode.

14. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a function key interface adapted to monitor one or more buttons mounted on said PC to control the operation of said operating system in said PDA mode.

15. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein said integrated circuit adapted to monitor activity associated with said storage digital device, and to automatically boot up said PC in said PDA mode when said integrated circuit detects the presence of media in said digital storage device.

16. A method of operating a personal computer system (PC) in a personal digital assistant (PDA) mode, said method comprising the steps of:

running a CPU and memory in a PC operating system; and

running a PDA subsystem having a processor, a video interface, an audio interface, and internal memory in a PDA operating system, wherein the PDA subsystem is run independent of said CPU such that said PC is adapted to function as said PDA, wherein said PDA operating system comprises a part of said PC operating system and wherein said PDA subsystem comprises an audio interface that couples said PDA subsystem to an audio subsystem of said PC in said PDA mode and isolates said PDA subsystem from said audio subsystem of said PC in a PC mode.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of controlling one or more digital storage devices to provide input or output of digital data between said PC and said digital storage device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of, controlling an LCD mounted on said PC to display information related to said PDA mode.