JP2001306193A - Information processing unit, its control method and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an information processing unit that uses either a battery or an outside power source and supplies power to a scanner from halting of operation due to out of power in the battery. SOLUTION: When the information processing unit receives the information that the start button of the scanner is pushed down, it confirms whether it is driven by the battery or not (step S13). When not driven by a battery (in other word, it is driven by an outside power source), the information processing unit activates the scanner controller (step S14). When driven by a battery, it ignores the operation of a start button and does not activate the scanner controller (step S15).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method therefor, and an information processing system. And an information processing system including a peripheral device controlled by the information processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a computer (information processing apparatus) that can be driven by a battery, such as a notebook personal computer, which is widely used. Some of these include
There is a computer that has a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface and can supply power to a device from a computer via the USB interface.

There is also a scanner (image reading device) driven by electric power supplied from a computer via a USB interface. Among them, there is a scanner provided with a start button for a user to instruct the start of reading of a document.

[0004]

In an information processing system in which a computer which can be driven by a battery and a scanner which obtains power via a USB interface are connected via the USB interface, an image is read using the battery. May cause your computer to stop working due to a dead battery. Here, stopping the operation of the computer includes a state in which the computer does not operate normally.

The present invention has been made in view of the above background. For example, the operation of an information processing device that operates using a battery or an external power supply and supplies power to peripheral devices is stopped by running out of a battery. The purpose is to prevent that.

[0006]

An information processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an information processing apparatus which operates by using a battery or an external power supply, and supplies power to peripheral devices and the peripheral devices. Connection means for communicating with the device, control means for controlling the operation of the peripheral device via the connection means, confirmation means for confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is used, and the confirmation means Limiting means for limiting the control of the operation of the peripheral device by the control means when it is confirmed that the battery is used.

In the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the confirmation means executes a confirmation operation when predetermined information is received from the peripheral device, for example.

It is preferable that the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention further include a warning unit that issues a warning when the confirmation unit confirms that the battery is used, for example.

[0009] In the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the warning means may determine whether or not the battery is used, for example, when the confirmation means confirms that the battery is used. It is preferable to change the content of the warning accordingly.

[0010] In the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the warning means includes, for example, means for prompting the user to use the external power supply.

[0011] In the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the limiting means may operate the peripheral device in a predetermined operation when the confirming means confirms that the battery is used. It is preferable to control the control means so as not to perform the control.

The peripheral device controlled by the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention preferably has, for example, an image reading function.

[0013] In the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the restricting unit may, for example, allow the peripheral device to read an image when the confirming unit confirms that the battery is used. Preferably, the control means is controlled so as not to execute.

The peripheral device controlled by the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is, for example, an image reading apparatus having a button for a user to instruct the start of reading, and the confirmation means includes, for example, It is preferable that the confirmation operation is performed when information indicating that the button has been operated is received from the front peripheral device.

An information processing system according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an information processing device that operates using a battery or an external power supply, and a peripheral device that operates by receiving power supply from the information processing device. An information processing system, wherein the information processing apparatus supplies power to the peripheral device and connects to the peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device; and a control unit that controls an operation of the peripheral device via the connection unit.
Confirmation means for confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is being used, and controlling the operation of the peripheral device by the control means when the confirmation means confirms that the battery is used. And limiting means for limiting.

In the information processing system according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the peripheral device has an image reading function.

A control method according to a third aspect of the present invention is a control method for an information processing device that operates using a battery or an external power supply, and supplies power to a peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device. A control step of controlling the operation of the peripheral device via a connection unit, a confirmation step of confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is being used, and the battery being used in the confirmation step And a restricting step of restricting the control of the operation of the peripheral device in the control step when it is confirmed.

A memory medium according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises:
A memory medium storing a program for controlling an information processing device that operates using a battery or an external power supply, wherein the program supplies power to a peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device via a connection unit. A control step of controlling the operation of the peripheral device, a confirmation step of confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is being used, and a step of confirming that the battery is used in the confirmation step. And limiting the control of the operation of the peripheral device in the control step.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image reading system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing a configuration of an image reading system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this image reading system, a scanner (image reading device) 100 and a computer (information processing device) 200 are connected via USB interfaces 8 and 9. The scanner 100 may be a scanner that reads a reflection original, a scanner that reads a transparent original, or a scanner that can read both. Also, the scanner 100 and the computer 200
The interface for connecting to the scanner 100 is not limited to the USB interface, and the present invention can be applied to any interface that can supply power from the computer 200 to the scanner 100. Further, the present invention can be applied to a case where a device that operates by obtaining power from the computer 200 via an interface is used instead of the scanner 100.

The scanner 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a start button 3 for the user to instruct the start of reading, and various parts (for example, an image sensor, an image processing part, a light source, etc.) in the scanner 100 It has a scanner controller 7 for controlling, a USB interface 8, and the like. The scanner 100 may be provided with a detection sensor for detecting a document in addition to the start button 3 or in place of the scanner button 3, and may notify the computer 200 when a document is detected.

The computer 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be constituted by incorporating software into a general personal computer or the like, for example. The computer 100 includes a USB interface 9, a power control unit 10, a system driver 11, a device driver 12, a control panel 13, a tool box 14, a scan controller (application software) 15, a battery 16, an AC adapter 23, and the like.

The battery 16 may be detachable from the computer 200 or the computer 2
00 may be fixed. However, it is necessary for the battery 16 to be able to recover the remaining amount by some method (charging, replacement, etc.) when the remaining amount decreases. The power control unit 10 includes a battery 16 or an AC adapter 23.
And supply it to each part. The AC adapter 23 is detachable, and when the power control unit 10 can obtain power from the AC adapter 23,
Get power from. Further, it is preferable that the power supply control unit 10 has a function of charging the battery 16 using electric power supplied from the AC adapter 23.

The system driver 11 is a computer
00 is a driver for controlling the resources in 00. The device driver 12 is installed on the scanner 200 on the computer 200.
0 is a driver that controls 0. Control panel 13
Is a management program for managing (including starting, stopping, etc.) various application software and the like. The tool box 14 is software for controlling the scan controller 15. The scan controller 15 is software that controls an image reading operation by the scanner 100.

When the scanner button 3 is depressed, it is detected by the scanner controller 7, and the scanner controller 7 notifies the user that the scanner button 3 has been depressed by interrupt transfer via the USB interface 8 (for the document). The information (instruction to start reading) is sent to the computer 100 (reading instruction information).

The system driver 1 of the computer 200
1 is a scanner 10 via a USB interface 9
0, the read instruction information is received, and the device driver 12 is notified of that. In response, the device driver 12 requests the control panel 13 to activate the tool box 14. In response to the activation request, the tool box 14 recognizes that the start button of the scanner 100 has been pressed, and executes the processing shown in FIG. Note that the process illustrated in FIG. 4 can also be executed when there is another activation request (for example, an activation request given from a user via a user interface on the computer 200 side).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing (button processing) related to the operation of the start button 3 in the scanner 100. In the processing shown in FIG. 3, the scanner controller 7 periodically checks the state of the start button 3 by polling to detect that the start button 3 is pressed, and the reading instruction information is transmitted to the computer 20.
Sent to 0.

More specifically, first, in step S1, the scanner controller 7 detects the state of the start button 3, and when the start button 3 is pressed, in step S2, the reading instruction information indicating that is displayed. The program is transmitted to the computer 200, and in step S3, the process waits for a predetermined time to elapse, and then returns to step S1. on the other hand,
If it is determined in step S1 that the start button 3 has not been pressed, in step S3, the process waits for a predetermined time (for example, 10 msec) to elapse, and then returns to step S1.

Here, in order to prevent the reading operation from failing due to erroneous operation or erroneous operation, in step S1, for example, the state in which the start button 3 has not been pressed for a certain period of time and then the state in which the start button 3 has been pressed If the start button 3 has been pressed for more than a predetermined time, it may be determined that the start button 3 has been pressed. In this case, it may be determined that the start button 3 has been pressed, or the determination may be made according to another appropriate criterion. Also, instead of detecting pressing of the start button 3 by polling,
When the start button 3 is pressed, the start button 3
May interrupt the scanner controller 7 to detect that the start button 3 is pressed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the tool box 14 of the computer 200. When the tool box 14 is started by the control panel 13, first, in step S 11, it is determined whether or not the scanner controller 15 has already been started. If not, a process according to another activation factor is executed, and then the process of the tool box 14 ends.

On the other hand, if the scanner controller 15 has not been activated yet (N in step S11)
O) In step S13, an inquiry is made to the power control unit 10 via the system driver 11 as to whether the computer 200 is driven by the battery 16. If the computer 20 is driven by an external power supply via the AC adapter 23 (NO in step S13), the tool box 14
At 14, the scanner controller 15 is started.
On the other hand, when the computer 20 is driven by the battery 16 (YES in step S13), the tool box 14
The process is terminated without activating the scanner controller 15 ignoring the operation of the start button 3 (reading instruction information). The fact that the scanner controller 15 is not activated means that the reading operation of the document in response to the pressing of the scanner button 3 is not executed, that is, the reading operation of the document is restricted.

As described above, in the image reading system that supplies power from the computer 200 to the scanner 100, when the computer 200 is driven by the battery 16, the reading operation by the scanner 100 is restricted, and the computer runs due to the battery running out. 200
Can be prevented from stopping.

[Second Embodiment] The second embodiment is a modification of the processing of the tool box 14 in the first embodiment (see FIG. 4). According to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the tool box 14 of the computer 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Tool box 14
Is activated by the control panel 13, first, in step S21, whether or not the start button 3 of the scanner 100 is pressed (ie, whether or not the activation factor of the tool box 14 is the operation of the start button 3) Is determined. When it is determined that the start button 3 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S23, and otherwise, the process proceeds to step S22.

In step S22, a process corresponding to another activation factor is executed, and thereafter, the process of the tool box 14 ends.

In step S23, the computer 200
Is inquired to the power control unit 10 via the system driver 11 as to whether or not is driven by the battery 16. When the computer 20 is driven by an external power supply via the AC adapter 23 (NO in step S23), the tool box 14
At 25, the scanner controller 15 is started.

On the other hand, the computer 20
Is driven (YES in step S23), the tool box 14 proceeds to step S24.
Inquires the power control unit 10 about the remaining amount of the battery 16 via the system driver 11. When the remaining amount of the battery 16 is equal to or more than the predetermined amount (that is, when there is no problem even if the reading of the document is executed), the process proceeds to step S26, while when the remaining amount is less than the predetermined amount (that is, when reading the document). Is executed, there is a possibility that the operation of the computer 200 is stopped due to a decrease in the remaining amount of the battery).

In step S26 (when the remaining amount of the battery 16 is sufficient), a first warning message urging the user to use an external power supply is displayed on the display of the computer 200, and in step S25, the scanner controller 15 and then the toolbox 14
Is completed. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first warning message that prompts a user to use an external power supply.

In step S27 (when the remaining capacity of the battery 16 is insufficient), a second warning message urging the user to use an external power source is displayed on the display of the computer 200, and the scanner controller 15 is started. Without doing so, the processing of the tool box 14 ends. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second warning message that prompts a user to use an external power supply.

As described above, in the image reading system for supplying power from the computer 200 to the scanner 100, when the computer 200 is driven by the battery 16, the remaining amount of the battery 16 is detected and the remaining amount is sufficient. In this case, a first warning is issued to the user and the scanner 100 can read the original. If the remaining amount is insufficient, a second warning is issued to the user and the scanner 1 is activated.
By prohibiting the reading of the original by 00, it is possible to prevent the operation of the computer 200 from stopping due to running out of the battery.

[Other Embodiments] The present invention relates to:
The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium (or a recording medium) recording a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (a computer) of the system or the apparatus. It is needless to say that the present invention can also be achieved by a CPU or an MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Also,
When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code.
It goes without saying that a case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are implemented by performing some or all of the actual processing, and the processing performs the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion card inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the program code is read based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, the CPU included in the function expansion card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0044]

According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to prevent the operation of the information processing apparatus which operates using a battery or an external power supply and supplies power to peripheral devices from being stopped due to running out of the battery.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image reading system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image reading system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing (button processing) related to operation of a start button in the scanner.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of a tool box of a computer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of a tool box of a computer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first warning message prompting a user to use an external power supply according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second warning message that prompts a user to use an external power supply according to the second embodiment of this invention.

Claims (21)

[Claims] An information processing apparatus that operates using a battery or an external power supply, comprising: a connection unit that supplies power to a peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device; Control means for controlling the operation; confirmation means for confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is used; when the confirmation means confirms that the battery is used, the control means An information processing apparatus comprising: a limiting unit configured to limit control of an operation of the peripheral device. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation unit executes a confirmation operation when receiving predetermined information from the peripheral device. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a warning unit that issues a warning when the use of the battery is confirmed by the confirmation unit. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit changes the content of the warning according to the remaining amount of the battery when the confirmation unit confirms that the battery is used. Item 4. The information processing device according to item 3. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the warning unit includes a unit that prompts a user to use the external power supply. 6. The restricting unit controls the control unit so that the peripheral device does not execute a predetermined operation when the confirming unit confirms that the battery is used. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device has an image reading function. 8. The control unit controls the control unit so that the peripheral device does not execute image reading when the confirmation unit confirms that the battery is used. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein 9. The peripheral device is an image reading device having a button for instructing a user to start reading, and the confirmation unit receives information indicating that the button has been operated from a front peripheral device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a confirmation operation is performed when the information processing is performed. 10. An information processing system comprising: an information processing device that operates by using a battery or an external power supply; and a peripheral device that operates by receiving power supply from the information processing device. A connection unit that supplies power to the peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device; a control unit that controls an operation of the peripheral device via the connection unit; and any one of the battery and the external power supply is used. Checking means for checking whether the battery is being used by the checking means, and limiting means for limiting the control of the operation of the peripheral device by the control means when the checking means has confirmed that the battery is being used. Information processing system. 11. The information processing system according to claim 10, wherein said peripheral device has an image reading function. 12. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus that operates using a battery or an external power supply, the method comprising: supplying power to a peripheral device and controlling the operation of the peripheral device via a connection unit communicating with the peripheral device. A control step of controlling; a confirmation step of confirming which of the battery and the external power supply is being used; and a step of confirming that the battery is being used in the confirmation step. A control method for an information processing device, comprising: a limiting step of limiting control of operation of the device. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the confirmation step is performed when predetermined information is received from the peripheral device. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a warning step of issuing a warning when the use of the battery is confirmed in the confirmation step. Control method. 15. In the warning step, when the confirmation means confirms that the battery is used, the content of the warning is changed according to the remaining amount of the battery. Item 15. The control method for an information processing device according to item 14. 16. The control method according to claim 14, wherein the warning step includes a step of prompting a user to use the external power supply. 17. In the limiting step, when the use of the battery is confirmed in the confirmation step, the control step is controlled so that the peripheral device does not execute a predetermined operation. Claim 1.
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 16. 18. The control method for an information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the peripheral device has an image reading function. 19. In the limiting step, when it is confirmed that the battery is used in the confirmation step, the peripheral device does not execute image reading.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the control step is controlled. 20. The peripheral device is an image reading device having a button for instructing a user to start reading,
The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein the confirmation step is performed when information indicating that the button has been operated has been received from a front peripheral device. Control method. 21. A memory medium storing a program for controlling an information processing device that operates using a battery or an external power supply, wherein the program supplies power to a peripheral device and communicates with the peripheral device. A control step of controlling the operation of the peripheral device via a unit; a confirmation step of confirming whether the battery or the external power supply is used; and a confirmation that the battery is used in the confirmation step. A limiting step of limiting the control of the operation of the peripheral device in the control step when performed.