Method and system for the automatic initiation of power application and start-up activities in a computer system

• US 6,330,676 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelsey, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Revak, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US09/149,526
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 340/825.36, 340/825.34, 340/517, 340/522, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 340/5.84, 340/5.85, 348/156, 714/36
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2284 by power-on test, e.g. power-on self test [POST]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method and system for automatically initiating particular computer system activities in a computer system. Initially, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated is stored within the computer system. Thereafter, the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding the computer system is detected. Next, particular amount of time that has passed since the computer system activities were last processed is determined. The computer system activities contained within the predetermined list of computer system activities are then automatically initiated, in response to detecting the presence of a user within the particular area, if the particular amount of time that has passed since the computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting the computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input. The computer system itself may be implemented as a computer workstation or stand-alone personal computer within a distributed computer network. In this case, the predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated can be stored at a memory location (e.g., memory location at a server or host) within the distributed computer network.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for automatically initiating particular computer system activities, said method comprising the steps of:

storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, said predetermined list of computer system activities including an initiation of a system self-test;

detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system;

determining a particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed; and

automatically powering up said computer system and initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input.

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

storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of authorized users;

determining if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, in response to detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input, further comprises the step of:

automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, further comprises the step of:

automatically initiating a particular computer system activity contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, further comprises the step of:

storing within a memory location in a distributed computer network, said predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, such that said memory location may be accessed by any computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system, further comprises the step of:

detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system, wherein said computer system comprises a computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of identifying said user as an authorized user.

8. A system for automatically initiating particular computer system activities within a computer system, said system comprising:

means for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, said predetermined list of computer system activities including an initiation of a system self-test;

means for detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system;

means for determining a particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed; and

means for automatically powering up said computer system and for initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of authorized users; and

means for determining if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, in response to detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input, further comprises:

means for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said means for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, further comprises:

means for automatically initiating a particular computer system activity contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said means for detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system, comprises a presence detector.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said mean for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, further comprises:

means for storing within a memory location in a distributed computer network, said predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, such that said memory location may be accessed by any computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said computer system comprises a computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said presence detector comprises an infrared sensor.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for identifying said user as an authorized user.

17. A program product residing in computer memory in a computer system for automatically initiating particular computer system activities, said program product comprising:

instruction means residing in a computer for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, said predetermined list of computer system activities including an initiation of a system self-test;

instruction means residing in a computer for detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system;

instruction means residing in a computer for determining a particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed; and

instruction means residing in a computer for automatically powering up said computer system and for initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than apredetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input.

18. The program product of claim 17 further comprising:

instruction means residing in a computer for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of authorized users; and

instruction means residing in a computer for determining if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, in response to detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system.

19. The program product of claim 18 wherein said instruction means residing in a computer for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said particular amount of time that has passed since said computer system activities were last processed is greater than a predetermined threshold period, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input, further comprises:

instruction means residing in a computer for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

20. The program product of claim 19 wherein said instruction means residing in a computer for automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, further comprises:

instruction means residing in a computer for automatically initiating a particular computer system activity contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.

21. The program product of claim 20 wherein said instruction means residing in a computer for storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, further comprises:

instruction means residing in a computer for storing within a memory location in a distributed computer network, said predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, such that said memory location may be accessed by any computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

22. The program product of claim 21 wherein said computer system comprises a computer workstation within said distributed computer network.

23. The program product of claim 22 wherein each of said instruction means further comprises signal bearing media.

24. The program product of claim 23 wherein said signal bearing media further comprises recordable media.

25. The program product of claim 24 wherein said signal bearing media further comprises transmission media.

26. A method in a pervasive computer system for automatically initiating particular computer system activities, said method comprising the steps of:

storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of computer system activities to be initiated, said predetermined list of computer system activities including an initiation of a system self-test;

detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system; and

automatically powering up said computer system and initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of:

storing within said computer system, a predetermined list of authorized users;

determining if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an identified authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users, in response to detecting the presence of a user within a particular area surrounding said computer system.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, thereby permitting said computer system activities to be initiated without manual user input, further comprises the step of:

automatically initiating said computer system activities contained within said predetermined list of computer system activities, in response to detecting the presence of a user within said particular area, if said user within said particular area surrounding said computer system is an authorized user listed within said predetermined list of authorized users.