Abstract: A monitor and debugger routine operable on a personal computer for facilitating the design of power-on self-test (POST) and basic input and output system (BIOS) code. The monitor and debugger routine is invoked by POST code early in the system initialization process, before most of the system hardware devices have been initialized and before the operating system has been invoked. The monitor and debugger routine uses minimal system resources--lower memory and a serial communications controller--and is accessed via an external communications and display device connected via a serial communications link generated by the serial communications controller. As so invoked, the monitor and debugger routine can be used to facilitate the design and debugging of the remaining portions of the system initialization code, hardware interface code, suspend and resume code, video code, and other code that cannot be debugged using standard debuggers that require a functioning BIOS and an operating system to operate.

Abstract: A computer system having a CPU, a non-volatile storage device, a power management processor having a volatile power management configuration, and a power supply in circuit communication. Responsive to the AC power to the power supply being interrupted, the CPU restores the volatile power management configuration to said power management processor. The power management configuration comprises a value corresponding to a wake alarm and whether the power management processor responds to external events.

Abstract: A suspend/resume computer system having a CPU, a non-volatile storage device, volatile registers and memory data, a power management processor, a backup suspend timer and a power supply in circuit communication. The power management processor controls the regulation of power to the CPU by the power supply. The suspend/resume system is controlled by an operating system having power management control. The backup suspend timer executes independently of the power management portion of the operating system. The backup suspend timer causes the system to suspend if the power management portion of the operating system ceases functioning and the system should otherwise be suspended.

Abstract: A computer system having at least three states of power management: a normal operating state, a standby state, and a suspend state. The standby state is characterized by devices, such as a video controller and a hard drive, being placed into a low-power mode transparent to the operating system and the applications executing on the computer system. The suspend state is characterized by executing code being interrupted and the state of the computer system being saved to a file on the hard drive in such a manner that system power may be removed after the state of the computer system is saved to the hard drive. Later, after system power is restored, the state of the computer system is resumed by reading from the hard drive and loading it in such a manner that the operating system and application programs are not adversely affected.

Abstract: A computer system having a suspend/resume capability in addition to the normal operating state and the off state. Closure events of single momentary pushbutton switch control changes between the normal operating state, the suspend state, and the off state, depending on the value of a flag. If the flag is set in a certain state, closure events of the switch cause the computer system to change back and forth between the normal operating state and the off state. If the flag is set in a different state, closure events of the switch cause the computer system to change back and forth between the normal operating state and the suspend state. The switch also controls the video subsystem of the computer system such that pressing the switch blanks the video display terminal giving the user instantaneous feedback of the switch press.