Personal computer integrated with personal digital assistant

• US 20030187775A1
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maishi Electronic (Shanghai) Limited
• Original Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Inventors: Du, Sterling, Lam, James, Denning, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

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. Various software application programs that may be run in PDA mode include Internet auction applications, electronic mail access applications, and Internet radio applications.

Claims

1. A personal computer (PC) adapted to function as a personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU) responsive to a control signal to load a first operating system or a second operating system, wherein said first operating system is run by said PC in a first PC mode and said second operating system is run by said PC in a second PDA mode, and wherein said PC operating in said PDA mode operates PDA software applications, wherein said PDA software applications are software applications selected from the group consisting of;

Internet access applications, wireless Internet access applications, scheduling applications, address book applications, storage software applications, voice recording applications, Internet auction applications, electronic mail access applications, and Internet radio applications.

2. The PC of claim 1, wherein said Internet auction application is configured to accept a target price and instruct said PC to provide notification if said target price is exceeded.

3. The PC of claim 2, wherein said target price is a bid price.

4. The PC of claim 2, wherein said notification is video notification.

5. The PC of claim 2, wherein said notification is audio notification.

6. The PC of claim 1, wherein said electronic mail access application is configured to instruct said PC to provide notification if an e-mail message sent by a sender is received by said PC.

7. The PC of claim 6, wherein said notification is provided only if said sender is on an approved sender list.

8. The PC of claim 1, wherein said Internet radio application is configured to access an Internet radio station.

9. The PC of claim 8, wherein said Internet radio station has an internet location identity stored in a memory of said PC.

10. A method of automatically monitoring a plurality of third party bids in an on-line auction comprising the steps of:

setting a target price;

monitoring said plurality of third party bids automatically;

comparing each of said plurality of third party bids to said target price; and

notifying a PC user if one of said plurality of third party bids exceeds said target price.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said target price is a bid price.

12. A method of automatically monitoring a plurality of third party bids in an on-line auction with a personal computer (PC) capable of operating in either a first PC mode or a second personal digital assistant (PDA) mode comprising the steps of:

initiating a control signal;

operating a second operating system in response to said control signal, wherein said second operating system operates said PC in said second PDA mode;

accessing an Internet auction portal;

setting a target price for a select auction;

monitoring said plurality of third party bids automatically in said PDA mode;

comparing each of said plurality of third party bids to said target price; and

notifying a PC user if one of said plurality of third party bids exceeds said target price.

13. A method of automatically monitoring a plurality of incoming electronic mail messages at a personal computer (PC) wherein said PC is configured to operate in at least a first power state and a second power state, wherein said PC consumes less power in said second power state than said first power state, and wherein said PC is initially in said second power state, said method comprising the steps of:

waking up said PC automatically from said second power state to said first power state;

checking for any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages;

receiving any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages; and

providing notice indicating receipt of any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said waking up step occurs periodically after expiration of a predetermined time interval.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

checking sender identification for each of said plurality of incoming electronic mail message from said receiving step against an approved sender list; and

providing notice only if any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages has an associated sender on said approved sender list.

16. A method of automatically monitoring a plurality of incoming electronic mail messages with a personal computer (PC) capable of operating in either a first PC mode or a second personal digital assistant (PDA) mode, wherein said PC is configured to operate in at least a first power state and a second power state, wherein said PC consumes less power in said second power state than said first power state, and wherein said PC is initially in said second power state, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating an automatic control signal to wake up said PC from said second power state to said first power state;

operating a second operating system in response to said control signal, wherein said second operating system operates said PC in said second PDA mode;

checking for any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages;

receiving any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages; and

providing notice indicating receipt of any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages while said PC is in said PDA mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said control signal is initiated periodically after expiration of a predetermined time interval.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

checking sender identification for each of said plurality of incoming electronic mail message from said receiving step against an approved sender list; and

providing notice only if any of said plurality of incoming electronic mail messages has an associated sender on said approved sender list while said PC is in said PDA mode.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said first power state is a full power state and said second power state is a low power state or off state.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said full power state is global system state G0, said low power state is global system power state G1, and said off state is global system power state G2/S5.

21. A method of accessing an Internet radio broadcast station with a personal computer (PC) capable of operating in either a first PC mode or a second personal digital assistant (PDA) mode, wherein said PC is configured to operate in at least a first power state and a second power state, wherein said PC consumes less power in said second power state than said first power state, and wherein said PC is initially in said second power state, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating a control signal to wake up said PC from said second power state to said first power state;

operating a second operating system in response to said control signal, wherein said second operating system operates said PC in said second PDA mode;

accessing the Internet;

identifying an Internet radio broadcast station; and

accessing said station.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said Internet radio broadcast station is programmed into a memory of said PC while said PC is operating in said PC mode.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said first power state is a full power state and said second power state is a low power state or off state.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said full power state is global system state G0, said low power state is global system power state G1, and said off state is global system power state G2/S5.