Thread: Notebook startup/shutdown controler

I was thinking - if I have a laptop running off a standard inverter, I could wire up a simple switch to turn the laptop on and off by tapping into the laptop's power switch.

Now, maybe some of the electronics gurus on this site can help me.

I want to build a startup/shutdown controler for a laptop that does this:

Senses when 12V is present at the cigarette lighter (where I have the inverter plugged in. This is turned off when the car is off, on when the car is on) momentarily shorts out the leads going to the laptop power switch (just like pressing the button) and turns it on (could resume from hibernate depending on the laptop's configuration)

When the 12V is lost at the lighter socket by turning off the car, the controler would momantarily short the power button leads causing the laptop to hibernate or turn off (remember, the laptop can run from the battery)

Now, with 12v not being present at the lighter socket, the controler could run from the laptop's usb port at 5v, to provide the shutdown

I have absolutely no idea how this would work, but I would be willing to spend up to $50CDN to have someone design and build a reliable controler. (just a controler, not a power adapter like the M1)

I cannot afford to buy a complete carputer at this time, but I have a lead on a laptop with a dead display that would work perfectly for this.

Thanks!