The Phrase “while in use” and Power Management

This is something that I am always trying to be wary of when a caller to our tech support line says that their device is turning off while in use.

The phrase “while in use” or variation of it is one that I have come to be wary of. It is subject to interpretation and usually for non-technology savvy people, “while in use” could mean:

1. proper meaning of actually using the device and it shuts down suddenly
2. improper meaning of using the device, get distracted and stop using device for a period of time and come back to it. During this period the device has powered off.

The second meaning is more likely since typical users are not aware of power management. All electronics that have batteries have a limited life of use before needing to be plugged into AC power for charging. To extend the life of the battery before needing to be charged, some devices implement the use of power management. This means that the device is programmed to shutdown something in the device that is not necessary to be running all the time to reduce the total power drain. Sometimes, this even means the device will turn itself off or go into sleep/standby mode to stop the power drain for the time being.

Vantage (1st gen.) by Prentke Romich

For example, today I got my hands on a PRC Vantage (first generation) for repair. Among the symptoms listed is one for the Vantage turning itself off during use. After playing around with the Vantage for a couple of minutes to see if it would turn itself off, it would work fine. Next I check the Auto Power Off setting in the Toolbox’s Maintenance Menu. It is set for 2 min. See the Prentke Romich support page for details about this.

This is where I suspect that the person who reported that the Vantage would turn off “while in use” is using the 2nd definition of the phrase. I come across this often where people just don’t understand power management and misdiagnosing the symptom as “crashing” for computers or computer-based devices.

PEOPLE! Please read the manuals of these devices and learn what they can do!