Patent ID: 7890678

Claim:
A portable computer, comprising: an auxiliary Input/Output (IO) apparatus; a main controller configured to control the portable computer; a peripheral module configured to perform an individual function of the portable computer; an auxiliary Input/Output (IO) apparatus including a control unit configured to selectively control the peripheral module and being driven by its own operating system (OS); and an embedded controller (EC) configured to sense an operation mode of the portable computer from a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and to determine whether the main controller or the control unit of the auxiliary IO apparatus is to control the peripheral apparatus based on the sensed operation mode the of the portable computer, wherein the peripheral module is a communication module, and wherein if the EC senses the operation mode is a mode in which power supply to the communication module is cut off as specified in the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) power management standard, the EC determines the control unit of the auxiliary IO apparatus is to control the communication module, controls the first switch to connect the control unit of the auxiliary IO apparatus to the communication module, and sends a control signal to the control unit of the auxiliary IO apparatus to control the communication module.