Personal computer integrated with personal digital assistant

• US 20030188144A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• 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 7,343,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• 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 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.

2. The PC of claim 1, wherein said first operating system has a first kernel and said second operating system has a second kernel, wherein said second kernel takes us less space in a memory device of said PC than said first kernel.

3. The PC of claim 1, wherein a first boot up sequence for said first operating system has a first boot time and a second boot up sequence for said second operating system has a second boot time, wherein said first boot time is longer than said second boot time.

4. The PC of claim 3, wherein said first boot time is at least five times greater than said second boot time.

5. The PC of claim 1, wherein said PC consumes less power operating in said PDA mode than operating in said PC mode.

6. The PC of claim 1, wherein said control signal is provided by an integrated circuit (IC).

7. The PC of claim 6, wherein said IC comprises:

a system bus interface configured to accept at least one instruction and provide said at least one instruction to said CPU of said PC, said at least one instruction comprising said control signal indicating whether said PC operates in said PC mode or said PDA mode.

8. The PC of claim 6, wherein said PC further comprises an audio subsystem and a host audio interface to a system bridge of said PC, wherein said IC comprises an audio interface circuit configured to block host audio interface signals from said host audio interface of said PC to said audio subsystem while said PC is operating in said PDA mode and to allow said host audio interface signal from said host audio interface of said PC to pass to said audio subsystem while said PC is operating in said PC mode.

9. The PC of claim 1, wherein said control signal is initiated by an input device.

10. The PC of claim 9, wherein said input device comprises a PDA power on button or a PC power on button, wherein said PDA power on button initiates operation of said PC in said PDA mode and wherein said PC power on button initiates operation of said PC in PC mode.

11. The PC of claim 1, wherein said control signal is initiated by coupling an external digital device to said PC configured to transfer data from said digital device to said PC.

12. The PC of claim 1, further comprising:

a first video output device configured to output video data when said PC is operating in said PC mode or said PDA mode.

13. The PC of claim 1, further comprising a first video output device configured to output video data when said PC is operating in said PC mode, and a second video output device configured to output video data when said PC is operating in said PDA mode.

14. The PC of claim 13, wherein said first video output device has a first surface area and said second video output device has a second surface area, wherein said second surface area is less than said first surface area.

15. The PC of claim 14, wherein said first video output device is a first LCD and said second video output device is a second LCD.

16. The PC of claim 1, wherein the PC further comprises:

at least one PDA button configured to enable a user to input instructions for performing PDA operations while said PC is operating in said PDA mode.

17. The PC of claim 1, 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, and remote access applications.

18. The PC of claim 1, further comprising a mass storage device, said PC operating in said PDA mode utilizing said mass storage device for data storage.

19. The PC of claim 18, wherein said mass storage device is a hard disk drive.

20. A method of operating a personal computer (PC) in either a first personal computer (PC) mode or a second personal digital assistant (PDA) mode comprising the steps of:

initiating a control signal; and

loading a first or second operating system based on said control signal, wherein said first operating system operates said PC is said first PC mode and said second operating system operates said PC is said second PDA mode.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said loading of said first operating system takes longer than said loading of said second operating system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said loading of said first operating system takes at least five times longer said loading of said second operating system.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said control signal is based on initiation of an input device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said input device is a PC power on button or a PDA power on button, wherein said PC power on button initiates operation of said PC in said PC mode, and said PDA power on button initiates operation of said PC in said PDA mode.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

outputting video data to a first video output device when said PC is operating in said PC mode or said PDA mode.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

outputting video data to a first video output device when said PC is operating in said PC mode; and

outputting video data to a second video output device when said PC is operating in said PDA mode.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said first video output device has a first surface area and said second video output device has a second surface area, wherein said second surface area is less than said first surface area.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said first video output device is a first LCD and said second video output device is a second LCD.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

storing data in a mass storage device of said PC, while said PC is operating in said PDA mode.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said mass storage device is a hard disk drive.

31. The method of claim 20, 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, and remote access applications.

34. The IC of claim 29, further comprising:

a digital key interface configured to accept an input signal representative of desired operation of said PC in a first PC mode or in a second PDA mode and provide said signal to said embedded controller.

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

a central processing unit (CPU);

memory;

a first operating system configured to control at least said CPU and said memory; and

a second operating system configured to control at least said CPU and said memory, said second operating system operating said PC in a personal digital assistant (PDA) mode.

33. An integrated circuit (IC) for adapting a personal computer (PC) to function as a personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a system bus interface configured to accept at least one instruction and provide said at least one instruction to said CPU of said PC, said at least one instruction indicating whether said PC operates in said PC mode or said PDA mode.