JP2005242513A - Pc power saving auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an auxiliary device for dissolving inconvenience of a PC having a power-saving mode function, and capable of sufficiently bringing out a PC power-saving function. <P>SOLUTION: This PC power saving auxiliary device 1 has a human body presence detection sensor 11, and a dummy code signal generation means 12 comprising a dummy code signal output circuit, a CPU 15, and a timer 14 operating according to an output signal of the human body presence detection sensor 11. The PC power saving auxiliary device 1 is connected to a USB port of the PC via a USB cable 3, and a setting time of a power-saving mode of the PC is set to be a minimum time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an auxiliary device for solving the problems when a PC is set to a power saving mode and sufficiently exhibiting a PC power saving function.

As is well known, when the PC is set to the power saving mode and the keyboard and mouse are not operated, after a certain time (1) the monitor is turned off.
(2) Turn off the hard disk.
(3) Put the system in the standby state.
A function for managing power consumption for shifting to power saving is provided, and this is a very useful function especially for a battery that uses a battery as a power source, such as a notebook PC.

  Even if it is a desktop PC, this function works when it is set to the power saving mode, but when using it indoors, it may not be necessary to be aware of the power saving mode. Since manpower is always used to manage the power supply, it is better to turn off the power management function in the desktop PC.

  However, in offices and factories that use tens of PCs, the power consumption is considerable, so it is recommended to set the power saving mode as well as turning off the power during breaks. Or it is required.

  In the power saving mode of the PC, the setting time can be finely set as 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, etc., and the power saving mode is entered after no key operation is performed. After the set time, the power is turned off. Normally, the user selects and sets it arbitrarily according to the amount of work. However, if the setting time is set as short as 1 minute in consideration of power saving, 1 minute is taken into account while considering the information to be input. It's almost every day that you've passed and are often confused.

  In addition, when the key is set for a long time, when the key operation is finished, the power saving mode is not immediately switched, and thus power saving cannot be performed for the set time. Moreover, when it is still within the set time and the seat is removed and returned, the set time is exceeded, and the information input operation cannot be immediately continued, resulting in inconvenience.

In addition, if the setting time is set short in order to save more energy on a monitor with high power saving, it is necessary to turn the power switch off and on every time the user leaves the PC. In order to shift, it was necessary to perform a mode change operation by a key operation or a mouse operation.
October 1998, Fujitsu Limited “Instruction Manual (FMV-6456DX2, 6400DX2, 6350DX2, 6300DX2c)”, page 66

  Accordingly, the present invention is intended to provide an auxiliary device that can solve the above inconvenience and can sufficiently exhibit the PC power saving function.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. A human body presence detection sensor and a dummy code signal at a time interval shorter than the set time of the power saving mode of the PC according to the output signal of the human body presence sensor. And a dummy code signal output means for sending the dummy code signal to a PC.

  The dummy code signal generated by the dummy code signal generating means is preferably an auxiliary key code signal such as a shift key code signal or a control key code signal, which may be less affected in practice, but may be a mouse code signal. Further, it is preferable that the transmission time interval of the dummy code signal output from the dummy code signal generating means is a time interval slightly smaller than the set time in order to minimize the influence on the PC.

  The auxiliary device according to the present invention is practically an external type that is connected to a USB port of a PC for ease of use. However, the auxiliary device may be incorporated into a PC external connection device such as a keyboard.

  The dummy code signal generating means may be newly manufactured, but can be realized by a commercially available semiconductor chip, for example, an AU9440 chip.

  As for the auxiliary device according to the present invention, an external device is used by connecting to a USB port of a PC, for example, and a built-in device is incorporated in a PC main body or a keyboard. Is detected, the dummy code signal generating means is operated by the detection signal, and the dummy code signal is transmitted to the PC at the time interval set in the dummy code signal generating means via the dummy code output means. Therefore, if the setting time of the power saving mode of the PC is set to the minimum time, the transmission of the dummy code signal stops when the user leaves the PC, and then shifts to the power saving mode of the minimum time. The power consumption becomes only a minimum setting time.

  For this reason, the above-mentioned problem caused by the selection of the set time not being consistent with the user's action is solved, and the set time of the PC power saving mode is only one type of the minimum time interval. A power-saving PC that does not require a power-saving mode setting operation can be provided.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is an auxiliary device according to the present invention that is detachably attached to a front panel of a PC display 2 by a suction cup, and a USB cable 3 is connected to a USB port of the PC. Connecting.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the auxiliary device 1, which is composed of a human body presence detection sensor 11 including a known infrared sensor, a dummy code signal generation means 12, and a dummy code signal output means 13. When the output signal of the human body presence detection sensor 11 is input to the signal generation means, the CPU 15 converts the shift key code signal (dummy code signal) into a dummy code signal at a set time (55 seconds in the embodiment) set in the timer 14. The data is output to the PC via the output circuit 13.

  The dummy code signal generation means 12 is recognized as a known USB HID from the PC. (It recognizes as a USB keyboard or USB mouse) Therefore, it works with the standard driver that the PC has.

  Now, if the setting time of the power saving mode of the PC is set to a minimum of 1 minute and the auxiliary device 1 is connected to the PC, the presence of the PC user is detected while in front of the PC. Then, the shift key code signal of the dummy code signal is sent once every 55 seconds.

  In this case, since the user does not press the shift key, the sending time is a short time of several ms, and even if it overlaps with the key operation when operating the PC, it does not cause a big problem. For example, even when a shift key signal is given for a very short time when a small letter is input, there is no inconvenience that it is converted to upper case.

  When the user leaves from the front of the PC, transmission of the dummy code signal from the auxiliary device 1 stops, so that the mode shifts to the power saving mode one minute after the set time. Therefore, when the auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention is used, it is not necessary to set the power saving mode setting time to a long time. In addition, the time setting operation in the power saving mode can be made unnecessary.

  When the dummy code signal to be output from the auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention to the PC is a mouse code signal, the mouse index displayed on the display moves a small amount every time the dummy code signal is input to the PC. However, Example 2 solves this problem.

  That is, in the second embodiment, the mouse code signal having the reverse movement direction of the mouse index is sent twice at 55-second intervals from the auxiliary device 1 such that the first time is 1 dot right and the second time is 1 dot left. It is a thing.

  According to this configuration, the resolution of the mouse is generally 400 counts / inch, and the human eye is basically not aware of the minimum movement amount and does not feel flicker.

  FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment, in which an auxiliary device according to the present invention is incorporated in a keyboard 4. In this case, of course, the light receiving portion 11 ′ of the human body presence detection sensor is exposed on the surface of the keyboard 4.

  It can also be used as an auxiliary device having a power saving function accompanied by key operations such as a PC.

The schematic diagram of Example 1 of this invention. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The schematic diagram of Example 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Auxiliary apparatus 2 Display 3 USB cable 4 Keyboard 11 Human body presence detection sensor 12 Dummy code signal generation means 13 Dummy code signal output means 14 Timer 15 CPU

Claims (4)

A human body presence detection sensor, a dummy code signal generating means for outputting a dummy code signal at a time interval shorter than a set time of the power saving mode of the PC according to an output signal of the human body presence detection sensor, and the dummy code signal to the PC A PC power saving auxiliary device comprising dummy code signal output means for sending out. 2. The PC power saving auxiliary apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary key code signal is used as the dummy code signal. 3. The PC power saving auxiliary apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a shift key code signal is used as the auxiliary key code signal. 2. The PC power saving auxiliary apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mouse code signal is used as a dummy code signal, and a mouse code signal having a reverse movement direction of a mouse index is continuously output.

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