Patent ID: 6216187
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a computer system having a docking station and a portable computer adapted to be mechanically and electronically engaged with the docking station, the portable computer having an operating system, the portable computer having an actuator for enabling a user to disengage the portable computer from the docking station, the improvement comprising a utility program encoded on a memory which is executable in response to selection of the actuator, the utility program including:logic executable on the portable computer for detecting whether the portable computer is engaged with the docking station;logic executable on the portable computer for detecting an ejection signal transmitted in response to a user selection of the actuator for disengaging the portable computer from the docking station; andlogic executable on the portable computer for generating a message on a display to instruct termination of the operating system prior to disengaging and for preventing any disengagement of the portable computer from the docking station in response to the ejection signal when the portable computer is engaged with the docking station while the operating system is executing until the user manually selects to terminate execution of the operating system.