Method for controlling power on a computer system having a network device and a wakeup function

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a system memory for storing contents;

a cache memory for storing a subset of said contents, wherein said system memory and said cache memory are coupled to said processor;

a keyboard;

a network device for handling wireless communications;

a power source for supplying power to said processor, said system memory, said cache memory and said network device; and

a power control module for controlling said power source, wherein said power control module determines whether or not said network device is already in an associated state at the time when said computer system begins to enter a power saving mode, wherein said computer is capable of being waken up by a wakeup function via said network device when said network device is in said associated state, wherein said power control module turns off power supply from said power source to said network device if said network device is not already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter said power saving mode, and said power control module continues power supply from said power source to said network device when said network device is already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter said power saving mode.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein said power control module determines whether or not said network device is in said associated state at the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, and said power control module turns off power supply from said power source to said network device if said network device is not in said associated state.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein said power source includes an AC power source and a DC power source, and if said computer system is being driven by said DC power source, said power control module turns off power supply from said power source to said network device when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode.

4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, said power control module turns off power supply from said power source to said network device if an IP address acquired in said associated state is different from an IP address registered in advance.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, said power control module turns off power supply from said power source to said network device if an SSID being connected is different from an SSID registered in advance.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein said network device is a wireless LAN device.

7. A method for controlling power in a computer system having a network device and a wakeup function, said method comprising:

determining whether or not said network device is already in an associated state at the time when said computer system begins to enter into a power saving mode, wherein said computer is capable of being waken up by a wakeup function via said network device when said network device is in said associate state;

in a determination that said network device is not already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter into said power saving mode,

turning off power supply from said power source to said network device; and

in a determination that said network device is already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter into said power saving mode,

continuing power supply from said power source to said network device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said method further includes

determining whether or not said network device is in said associated state at the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode; and

turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if said network device is not in said associated state when said computer system is in said power saving mode.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said power source includes an AC power source and a DC power source, and wherein said method further includes turning off power supply from said power source to said network device when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, if said computer system is being driven by said DC power source.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said method further includes, at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if an IP address acquired in said associated state is different from an IP address registered in advance.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said method further includes, at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if an SSID being connected is different from an SSID registered in advance.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable device for controlling power in a computer system having a network device and a wakeup function, said non-transitory machine-readable device comprising:

program code for determining whether or not said network device is already in an associated state at the time when said computer system begins to enter into a power saving mode, wherein said computer is capable of being waken up by a wakeup function via said network device when said network device is in said associate state;

program code for determining that said network device is not already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter into said power saving mode, turning off power supply from said power source to said network device;

and program code for determining that said network device is already in said associated state when said computer system begins to enter into said power saving mode, continuing power supply from said power source to said network device.

13. The machine-readable device of claim 12 , wherein said machine-readable device further includes

program code for determining whether or not said network device is in said associated state at the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode; and

program code for turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if said network device is not in said associated state when said computer system is in said power saving mode.

14. The machine-readable device of claim 12 , wherein said power source includes an AC power source and a DC power source, and wherein said machine-readable device further includes program code for turning off power supply from said power source to said network device when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, if said computer system is being driven by said DC power source.

15. The machine-readable device of claim 12 , wherein said machine-readable device further includes, at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, program code for turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if an IP address acquired in said associated state is different from an IP address registered in advance.

16. The machine-readable device of claim 12 , wherein said machine-readable device further includes, at the time when said computer system moves into said power saving mode or during the time when said computer system is in said power saving mode, program code for turning off power supply from said power source to said network device if an SSID being connected is different from an SSID registered in advance.