S3 BIOS operating system switch

• US 8,364,943 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Challener, David C., Cromer, Daryl, Dubs, Justin T., Locker, Howard, Rutledge, James S., Springfield, Randall S., Thrasher, James J., Vanover, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh, Jaweed A
• Application Number:
  US12/040,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/300, 713/320, 713/323, 713/324, 713/100
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake

Abstract

Arrangements for employing a system BIOS (basic input/output system) to handle email during a suspended state (such as an “S3” state as will be better understood herebelow). Preferably, the BIOS is employed to “jump” between two suspended images such that, e.g., two more powerful OS'"'"'s can be employed to manage the mail function.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a main memory storing a first operating system and a second operating system in a standby state;

a hard drive; and

a BIOS configured to;

periodically activate to an active state the second operating system while maintaining the first operating system in the standby state;

said first operating system acting to download mail responsive to a first condition;

said second operating system acting to download mail responsive to a second condition;

said BIOS acting to activate said second operating system responsive to the second condition.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first condition corresponds to the system being active.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second condition relates to the system being in a standby state.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the second condition further corresponds to a temporal prompt.

5. The system according to claim 3, said further comprising a timer which prompts said BIOS to activate said second operating system periodically.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein said second operating system acts to download mail into a memory.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first operating system comprises a primary operating system.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second operating system comprises an always on operating system.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein during a standby state said BIOS selectively accesses a first image, associated with said first operating system, and a second image, associated with said second operating system.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising an event manager in communication with said BIOS, said event manager acting to selectively prompt a starting of said first operating system in accordance with a first criterion and of said second operating system in accordance with a second criterion.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises a notebook computer system.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

storing in memory a first operating system and a second operating system in a standby state;

using a BIOS to periodically activate to an active state the second operating system while maintaining the first operating system in the standby state;

downloading mail with the first operating system, responsive to a first condition;

downloading mail with the second operating system, responsive to a second condition; and

employing a BIOS to activate the second operating system responsive to the second condition.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first condition corresponds to the system being active.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second condition relates to the system being in a standby state.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second condition further corresponds to a temporal prompt.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of prompting the BIOS to activate the second operating system periodically.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said downloading of mail via a second operating system comprises downloading mail into a memory.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first operating system comprises a primary operating system.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second operating system comprises an always on operating system.

20. The method according to claim 12, further comprising, during a standby state, selectively accessing a first image with the BIOS and selectively accesses a second image with the BIOS, the first image being associated with the first operating system and the second image being associated with the second operating system.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of selectively prompting a starting of the first operating system in accordance with a first criterion and of the second operating system in accordance with a second criterion.

22. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising the steps of:

storing in memory a first operating system and a second operating system in a standby state;

using a BIOS to periodically activate to an active state the second operating system while maintaining the first operating system in the standby state;

downloading mail with the first operating system, responsive to a first condition;

downloading mail with the second operating system, responsive to a second condition; and

employing a BIOS to activate the second operating system responsive to the second condition.