Patent ID: 7308587

Claim:
A computer apparatus comprising: an accelerometer; a field-effect transistor switch connected to the accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer receives power via the field-effect transistor switch; a controller connected to the accelerometer via a set of amplifiers comprising a first amplifier and a second amplifier; an input/output bridge connected to the controller; the first amplifier connected to the accelerometer and the controller; the second amplifier connected to the accelerometer and the controller; wherein the first amplifier receives output from the accelerometer indicating motion in a first orthogonal, bi-axial direction, amplifies the output, and transmits the amplified out put to the controller; wherein the second amplifier receives output from the accelerometer indicating motion in a second orthogonal, bi-axial direction, amplifies the output, and transmits the amplified out put to the controller; wherein the controller determines the physical conditions under which the computer apparatus is operating based on input received from the accelerometer, via the set of amplifiers; wherein the input/output bridge switches between a plurality of operating modes of the computer apparatus in response to receiving a signal from the controller, each operating mode of the plurality of operating modes corresponding to a different level of power consumption; and wherein the controller prevents the input/output bridge from switching said system operating mode if the controller determines that said computer apparatus is in motion.