Method and apparatus for interacting with a portable computer system

• US 5,900,875 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C., Haitani, Robert Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Katbab, A.
• Application Number:
  US08/790,518
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339, 345/349, 345/354, 345/963, 395/750.01, 395/750.03, 395/750.05, 395/868, 395/651, 395/652, 395/653, 395/926, 268/28, 283/2, 364/705.08
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes

Abstract

A palmtop computer system that incorporates mechanical buttons that combine the task of turning the palmtop computer system on and starting a particular application program. Furthermore, the same mechanical button can be used to navigate the application program to find the information that is most likely needed by the user. Additionally, external devices can be coupled to the palmtop computer system in a manner that allows the external hardware device to initiate specific application programs that cooperate with the external hardware device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of quickly preparing a computer system for use, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a set of more than one external application buttons on said computer system, said external application buttons for selecting a particular application;

accepting an external application button press from a user that requests an associated particular application program;

waking a processor in response to said external application button press; and

executing said associated particular application program.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

bringing said associated particular application program into a state that has been chosen to best supply information that said user may be seeking.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of waking a processor in response to said external application button press comprises interrupting said processor such that said processor enters an interrupt service routine.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said interrupt service routine tests a register to determine which application button from said set of more than one external application buttons has been pressed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

accepting a second external application button press from a user after having begun execution of said associated particular application program;

changing a state of said associated particular application program.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of changing a state of said associated particular application program comprises accessing a different set of data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

executing a program that reconfigures a new associated particular application program to be associated with one of said application buttons.

8. A computer apparatus, said computer apparatus comprising:

a processor, said processor having a low power consumption sleep mode, said processor having hardware interrupt line that awakes said processor from said sleep mode;

a set of more than one external application buttons, each said external application button associated with an associated particular application program, said external application button asserting said hardware interrupt line; and

an interrupt service routine for handling processor interrupts caused by said hardware interrupt line being asserted, said interrupt service routine executing said associated particular application program.

9. The computer apparatus of claim 8 wherein said associated particular application program enters a state that has been chosen to best supply information that said user may be seeking when entered from said interrupt service routine.

10. The computer apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a program, said program reassigning a new application program to a first application button such that said new application program is executed when said first application button is pressed.

11. A computer implemented method of allowing external devices to control a portable computer system for use, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a port for external hardware devices, said port having access to a hardware interrupt line on said processor;

asserting said hardware interrupt line on processor in said portable computer system from an external device coupled to said port;

entering an interrupt service routine in response to said hardware interrupt line assertion; and

determining that said external device is the source of said hardware interrupt assertion and executing an application program associated with said external device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

waking said processor in response to said hardware interrupt line assertion.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of determining that said external device is the source of said hardware interrupt assertion comprises testing a register to determine the source of the hardware interrupt assertion.

14. A portable computer apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a processor, said processor having a low power consumption sleep mode, said processor having hardware interrupt line that awakes said processor from said sleep mode;

an external interface, said external interface including access to said hardware interrupt line;

an external device, said external device coupled to said external interface of portable computer system, said external device asserting said hardware interrupt line; and

an interrupt service routine for handling processor interrupts caused by said hardware interrupt line being asserted, said interrupt service routine executing an application program associated with said external device.

15. The portable computer apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

a data input line on said external interface;

a register coupled to said data input line on said external device;

such that said interrupt service routine can test said register to determine if said data input line was asserted when said hardware interrupt line was asserted.