Patent ID: 8706918

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a processor operable to execute instructions; volatile memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions in support of execution of the instructions by the processor; non-volatile memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions in a powered down state; a display interfaced with the processor and operable to present content generated by the instructions; one or more input devices interfaced with the processor and operable to accept inputs from an end user; firmware interfaced with the processor and operable to coordinate interaction between the processor, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, display, and one or more input devices; one or more external environment sensors interfaced with the firmware, each external environment sensor operable to sense an external environment condition; and an input predictor interfaced with the one or more external environment sensors and operable to predict a future input to the one or more input devices based upon one or more external environment conditions sensed by the one or more external environment sensors, the future input comprising at least initiation of an application, the input predictor further operable to load instructions for executing the application from non-volatile memory to volatile memory for execution by the processor in response to the predicted input and to execute the instructions to initiate the application in response to prediction of the future input, wherein the input predictor comprises instructions running in the firmware and the external environment sensor comprises a microphone, the input predictor predicting an input to request power up of the processor from a sleep state to an on state based at least in part upon a sound captured by the microphone of keys unlocking a door.