Operating system-independent computing system user feedback mechanism

Abstract

A computing system employs a user feedback mechanism to monitor operating conditions of the computing system and to alert a user to the operating conditions independently of an operating system of the computing system. The user feedback mechanism includes a display panel to display operating condition messages to the user and includes a controller to monitor operating condition signals. Some examples of operating conditions include a connection state of the computing system to the Internet, a connection state of a peripheral device to the computing system, a new e-mail notification message, a new Internet message and atomic time from a network server coupled to the computing system. The user feedback mechanism may include a safety button to signal a power supply to power off the computing system independently of the operating system.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A computing system, comprising: 
 an operating system;    main processor to run the operating system; and    a user feedback mechanism to monitor a plurality of operating conditions of the computing system and to alert a user of the computing system to the plurality of operating conditions independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         2 . The computing system of    claim 1   , the user feedback mechanism comprising: 
 a display panel to display a plurality of operating condition messages to alert the user to the plurality of operating conditions independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         3 . The computing system of    claim 2   , the user feedback mechanism further comprising: 
 a controller coupled to the display panel to monitor a plurality of operating condition signals corresponding to the plurality of operating conditions and to communicate the plurality of operating conditions to the display panel independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         4 . The computing system of    claim 3   , the user feedback mechanism further comprising: 
 a display panel interface driver to pass the plurality of operating conditions to the controller.    
     
     
         5 . The computing system of    claim 2   , the user feedback mechanism further comprising: 
 a display panel interface coupled to the display panel for an application to communicate with the display panel.    
     
     
         6 . The computing system of    claim 2   , wherein the display panel displays a plurality of instructions to the user for the user to cure the plurality of operating conditions.  
     
     
         7 . The computing system of    claim 1   , wherein the user feedback mechanism monitors an operating condition of the plurality of operating conditions after system initialization by processing data from the operating system into a more meaningful form.  
     
     
         8 . The computing system of    claim 1   , the user feedback mechanism comprising: 
 system BIOS to monitor the plurality of operating conditions during system initialization of the computing system by bypassing the operating system.    
     
     
         9 . The computing system of    claim 8   , wherein the plurality of operating conditions comprises a plurality of primary device states for a plurality of primary devices of the computing system.  
     
     
         10 . The computing system of    claim 1   , the user feedback mechanism comprising: 
 a safety button configured to signal a power supply to power off the computing system if the computing system is not powered off by the operating system.    
     
     
         11 . The computing system of    claim 1   , the user feedback mechanism comprising: 
 a plurality of fault tolerant client software components to monitor the plurality of operating conditions after system initialization of the computing system.    
     
     
         12 . A method of operating condition user feedback for a computing system, comprising the steps of: 
 monitoring an operating condition of the computing system; and    displaying an operating condition message corresponding to the operating condition on a display panel of a user feedback mechanism of the computing system to alert a user to the operating condition independently of an operating system of the computing system.    
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 12   , further comprising the step of: 
 clearing the operating condition message from the display panel if the operating condition is cured.    
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 12   , further comprising the step of: 
 signaling a power supply of the computing system to power off the computer system independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 12   , the monitoring step comprising the step of: 
 monitoring a connection state of the computing system to the Internet.    
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 12   , the monitoring step comprising the step of: 
 monitoring a state of a peripheral device of the computing system.    
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 12   , the monitoring step comprising the step of: 
 monitoring an e-mail notification message to the computing system.    
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 12   , the monitoring step comprising the step of: 
 monitoring atomic time from a network serer coupled to the computing system.    
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 12   , wherein the monitoring step is performed by an application after system initialization of the computing system.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 12   , wherein the monitoring step is performed by system BIOS during system initialization of the computing system.  
     
     
         21 . A computing system adapted for operating condition user feedback, comprising: 
 an operating system;    a means for monitoring a plurality of operating conditions of the computing system; and    a means for alerting a user of the computing system to the plurality of operating conditions independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         22 . The computing system of    claim 21   , the means for alerting comprising: 
 a means for displaying a plurality of operating condition messages corresponding to the plurality of operating conditions.    
     
     
         23 . The computing system of    claim 22   , further comprising: 
 a means for clearing the plurality of displayed operating condition messages if the plurality of operating conditions have been cured.    
     
     
         24 . The computing system of    claim 21   , further comprising: 
 a power supply; and    a means for signaling the power supply to power off the computing system independently of the operating system.    
     
     
         25 . The computing system of    claim 21   , wherein the plurality of operating conditions are readable by an application.  
     
     
         26 . The computing system of    claim 21   , wherein the means for monitoring comprises an application after system initialization of the computing system.  
     
     
         27 . The computing system of    claim 21   , wherein the means for monitoring comprises system BIOS during system initialization of the computer system.