Portable computer system having application program launcher for low power consumption and method of operating the same

• US 6,771,250 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Oh, Jae-Choeul
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US09/626,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/321, 345/211, 345/684, 345/781, 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/810, 345/156-169, 345/901, 345/902, 345/173, 273/148.B, 463/37-38
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

A hand-held computer is described, which comprises an application program launcher having a multi-point switch. Using the launcher, a user selects and executes one of several application programs registered in a program selection menu. If a launching signal is generated from the launcher when the hand-held computer is at a low power consumption mode, the hand-held computer wakes up from a sleep mode and its mode is converted into a normal mode. At this time, a program selection menu is displayed on a screen. If an application program is not selected before a predetermined time elapses, the hand-held computer re-enters the low power consumption sleep mode without delay. Thus, it is possible to prevent the hand-held computer from consuming unnecessary power.

Claims

1. A method of preventing unwanted, accidental launching of an application program and concomitant power consumption in a computer system, said system comprising a launcher program in which a plurality of application programs are registered, a launcher switch for generating a launching signal to cause an application program to begin execution, and a microcomputer which performs an interrupt in response to the launching signal, the method comprising steps of:

(a) determining an operating mode of the computer system in response to the generated launching signal when the launcher switch is activated;

(b) when the operating mode is determined to be a normal mode, executing said launcher program to display a menu list on a screen of the computer system, said menu list including menu items identifying said plurality of application programs and a blank menu item;

(c) determining whether said launching switch is activated within a predetermined time period while said menu list is displayed;

(d) if said launching switch is not activated within said predetermined time period, changing said operating mode from the normal mode to a sleep mode to conserve power;

(e) if said launching switch is activated within said predetermined time period, determining whether one of said menu items identifying one of said plurality of application programs is selected;

(f) if one of said menu items identifying one of said plurality of application programs is not selected, determining whether the generated launching signal is a menu scroll signal;

(g) if said generated launching signal is not a menu scroll signal, returning to step (c) and determining whether said launching switch is activated again within said predetermined time period while said menu list is displayed, the launching of any of the application programs being prevented until it is determined in step (e) that one of said menu items identifying one of said plurality of application programs is selected; and

(h) if it is determined in step (e) that one of said menu items identifying one of said plurality of application programs is selected;

launching the selected application program.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a step of deleting displayed menu list from the screen when an application program is launched.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

when the operating mode is determined in step (a) to be a power off mode, changing said operating mode to the normal mode by turning power on to said computer system if said launching signal is detected over a constant time period, and then performing steps (b)-(h).

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

when the operating mode is determined in step (a) to be the sleep mode, changing said operating mode to the normal mode by waking up said computer system if said launching signal is detected over a constant time period, and then performing steps (b)-(h).

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (a) comprising steps of:

determining the operating mode of the computer system is one of a power off mode, the sleep mode or the normal mode;

when the operating mode is determined to be the power off mode, changing said operating mode to the normal mode by turning power on to said computer system if said launching signal is detected over a constant time period, and then performing steps (b)-(h); and

when the operating mode is determined to be the sleep mode, changing said operating mode to the normal mode by waking up said computer system if said launching signal is detected over said constant time period, and then performing steps (b)-(h).

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, if it is determined in step (f) that the generated launching signal is a menu scroll signal, determining whether the menu scroll signal is for scrolling a cursor in a forward direction or a backward direction, and moving said cursor in the determined forward direction or backward direction over the menu list, one of said menu items being selected as indicated by the position of said cursor over said menu list when the scrolling of the cursor is stopped.