JP2007259671A - Portable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress battery consumption by automatically stopping electric power supply, when a user neglects to turn off a power supply, without hindering the operation by the user in portable electronic equipment operated, while the user is gripping the whole casing. <P>SOLUTION: The portable electronic equipment is provided with a pressure sensor for detecting the state with the user is gripping the casing. When a power supply switch is turned on ("YES" in S1) or the pressure sensor is turned on ("YES" in S2), a control part normally supplies electric power supply regarding all the functions (S3). After that, the control part decides whether the pressure sensor has been turned off (S6), when it is not decided that the power supply switch has been turned off ("NO" in S4). When it is decided that the pressure sensor has been turned off (end of gripping), the control part turns off the power supply for each function, corresponding to operation, after waiting the elapse of delay time determined on the basis of the past operation history (S7). The control part also updates the past operation history regarding the operation, if there has been an operation (S8). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and more particularly to a portable electronic device that has a built-in battery for power supply and is operated by being gripped by a user along with the casing during use.

  In various devices that are powered by a battery, wasteful consumption of the battery is suppressed and the life of the battery is made as long as possible.

  For example, in a bicycle in which a light-emitting device is incorporated in a grip end of a bicycle handle portion and a battery for supplying power to the light-emitting device is also stored in the grip end of the handle portion, in a circuit connecting the battery and the light-emitting device. A pressure sensor, day / night detection sensor, vibration detection sensor, etc. are inserted, and when these sensors detect the gripping of the handle part by the user, nighttime, bicycle running, etc., the power supply to the light emitting device by the battery is started. 2. Description of the Related Art A bicycle safety device configured to stop power supply when the sensor no longer detects is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, in a cordless remote control water heater that performs communication control between the remote hot water heater and the remote control using radio waves, in order to extend the life of the battery built in the remote control, the number of remote control operations on the water heater side is set at regular intervals. There is known a device that is provided with a learning counter for storing the remote control and that the intermittent reception cycle of the remote control is changed according to the time zone based on the number of remote control operations stored in the learning counter (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2003-226275 A JP 2004-257730 A

  On the other hand, even in portable electronic devices such as portable video cameras and mobile phones that are powered by built-in batteries and are gripped and operated by the user when used, the batteries are wasted to extend the life of the built-in batteries. There is a demand for curbing consumption.

  Therefore, the portable electronic device is provided with a pressure sensor in a casing portion that is touched by the user's hand when the user grips the casing by using the fact that the casing is gripped by the user at the time of use. When a pressure signal is detected from the pressure sensor (when it is detected that the user grips the housing), power supply from the built-in battery is started, and when pressure signal detection stops (the user grips the housing) It is conceivable that the power supply by the built-in battery is stopped when it is detected that the user has finished, but in the portable electronic device, the user can In some cases, various operations may be performed, and if the supply of power is stopped in conjunction with the end of gripping of the housing by the user, smooth operation by the user is hindered.

  For example, in a portable video camera, a liquid crystal display panel may be provided on the side surface of the video camera body so that a user can check an image taken immediately before. This liquid crystal display panel is normally connected to the video camera main body by a hinge structure so that its display surface can be oriented in various directions, and many users display a reproduced image on the liquid crystal display panel. The angle of the liquid crystal display panel is adjusted in advance so that the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel faces the user.

  At this time, the user loosens the grip of the casing (remove the hand once from the casing) and moves the portable video camera that had been held in front of the user's own face to a position spaced apart from the user by a predetermined distance. Then, after adjusting the angle of the liquid crystal display panel, a button operation is performed to display a reproduced image on the liquid crystal display panel.

  Therefore, simply stopping the supply of power in conjunction with the end of gripping of the casing by the user is inconvenient because the above-described series of operations by the user becomes impossible.

  Therefore, the present invention has a built-in battery for power supply, and in a portable electronic device that is operated by being gripped by the user together with the casing, a series of operations that are routinely performed by the user are not hindered, and Provided is a portable electronic device in which the power supply is automatically saved or stopped to suppress battery consumption when the user stops gripping the case and then fails to switch off or switch to the power save mode. For the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a portable type in which a battery for supplying power is built in, and is held by the user together with the casing at the time of use, and a plurality of functions are operated in accordance with button operations by the user. In the electronic device, a plurality of functions corresponding to the button operations are suppressed in a state where power is normally supplied by the battery for each functional block (hereinafter referred to as a normal supply state) and power supply by the battery is suppressed. It is configured to be switchable between a state (hereinafter referred to as “power save state”) or a state where power supply is stopped (hereinafter referred to as “power off state”), and is formed on the outer periphery of the case, and the user holds the case A concave portion along the user's hand when detecting the pressure, a pressure sensor provided in the concave portion for detecting contact of the user's hand when the user grips the housing, and the pressure sensor The type of button operation (hereinafter referred to as operation type information) when the user performs the button operation after the end of gripping by the user is detected, and from the time when the end of gripping by the user is detected by the pressure sensor Operation history storage means for storing the elapsed time (hereinafter referred to as elapsed time information), and for each type of button operation based on past operation type information and elapsed time information stored by the operation history storage means. Delay time determining means for determining a delay time which is the longest time from when the gripping of the housing is completed until the button is operated, and after the end of gripping by the user is detected by the pressure sensor, Each button operation type waits for the delay time determined by the delay time determining means to elapse, and then Power supply state control means for shifting the power supply state for each functional block corresponding to the operation from the normal supply state to the power save state or the power off state, and the user stops gripping the casing and performs the button operation. The power supply by the battery is automatically saved or stopped when the battery is no longer used, and consumption of the battery is suppressed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a portable electronic device that has a built-in battery for power supply and is operated by being gripped by the user together with the casing, the battery is normally supplied with power, and the battery Can be switched between a state in which power supply by the power supply is suppressed (hereinafter referred to as a power save state) or a state in which power supply is stopped (hereinafter referred to as a power off state), and the user holds the casing. A power supply by the battery when the user does not perform a predetermined time after the gripping state detection means detects that the gripping state of the housing by the user has ended. Power supply state control means for shifting the device to a power saving state or a power off state, and when the user stops gripping the casing and stops operating Wherein the power supply by the battery is automatically saved or stop the consumption of the battery is suppressed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the gripping state detection when the user performs an operation after the gripping state detection means detects that the gripping state of the housing by the user has ended. An operation history storage unit that stores an elapsed time (hereinafter referred to as elapsed time information) from when the user detects that the gripping state of the casing by the user has ended, and a past history stored by the operation history storage unit Delay time determining means for determining a delay time, which is the longest time from when the user finishes gripping the housing to when an operation is performed based on the elapsed time information, wherein the predetermined time is the delay time The delay time is determined by the determining means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the function corresponding to the button operation has a state where power is normally supplied by the battery for each functional block (hereinafter referred to as a normal supply state), and power supply by the battery is suppressed. The touch of the user's hand provided in the recess on the outer periphery of the housing is configured to be switchable between a state (hereinafter referred to as a power save state) or a state where power supply is stopped (hereinafter referred to as a power off state). A pressure sensor for detecting the operation, an operation history storage means for storing a history of button operations performed by the user after gripping by the user is completed, and a delay based on a past operation history stored in the operation history storage means The delay time determining means for determining the time and the delay time elapses for each functional block corresponding to the button operation after the end of gripping by the user is detected. The power supply state control means for shifting the power supply state for each functional block from the normal supply state to the power save state or the power off state is provided, so that a series of operations performed on a daily basis by the user is not hindered. And when the user stops gripping the case and fails to switch to power-off or power-save mode, the power supply is automatically saved or stopped for each functional block to suppress battery consumption, Extends battery life.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the gripping state detection means for detecting the state in which the user is gripping the casing, and the operation by the user after the end of the gripping state of the casing by the user is detected. Power supply state control means for shifting the power supply by the battery to the power save state or the power off state when time is not taken, so that a series of operations performed routinely by the user is not hindered and the user can If the power supply is turned off or the switch to the power save mode is neglected after the gripping of the battery is stopped, the power supply is automatically saved or stopped to suppress battery consumption and extend the life of the battery.

  According to the invention of claim 3, after the gripping state detecting means detects that the gripping state of the casing by the user is finished, the gripping state detecting means performs the operation of the casing by the user when the user performs an operation. Based on the operation history storage means for storing the elapsed time (hereinafter referred to as elapsed time information) from when it is detected that the gripping state has ended, and the past elapsed time information stored by the operation history storage means, the user And a delay time determining means for determining a delay time that is the longest time from the end of gripping of the housing until the operation is performed, and the predetermined time is set to the delay time determined by the delay time determining means. Therefore, the time until the power supply is automatically saved or stopped becomes a more appropriate time based on the user's operation history, and the user can Cormorant is less inconvenience of the above.

  Hereinafter, a portable video camera 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the portable video camera 1 of the present embodiment has a battery 3 built in a housing 2, and the battery 3 supplies power to each functional part such as a control unit described in detail later. .

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the housing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is large enough to fit in the palm H of the user's hand, and includes an imaging lens 4 at the front and an image captured on the side surface. Is provided with a liquid crystal display panel 5 that is reproduced and displayed. The liquid crystal display panel 5 is connected to the housing 2 by a hinge structure that can be rotated and bent so that the display surface can be oriented in various directions.

  Further, on the surface of the housing 2, there are provided a power on / off switch (power SW in FIG. 1) 6 shown in FIG. 1 and various operation buttons 7 for operating reproduction, stop, etc. of the captured image. A zoom button 8 is provided at the position of the index finger when the user is holding the casing 2 so that the user can operate the portable video camera 1 in an imaging posture with the user's own face in front of the user's own face.

  Furthermore, a shallow concave portion 2a (see FIG. 4B) that conforms to the shape of the finger is formed on the side surface of the housing 2 at a position where a finger abuts when the user grips the housing 2. A pressure sensor 9 (see FIG. 1) for detecting contact of the user's finger is provided on the bottom.

  The recess 2a is formed, for example, in a shape in which four rows are aligned vertically along four fingers (finger from the forefinger to the little finger) that are in contact with the side surface of the housing, and when the user grips the housing 2 The user's finger is naturally placed along the recess 2a.

  Next, the main electrical configuration inside the housing 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The portable video camera 1 according to the present embodiment includes an imaging unit 12 including a lens 4 that captures light from an imaging target and forms an image on a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) imaging element 11, and the lens 4 in the front-rear direction. A lens driving unit 13 that moves and moves the focal length, a signal processing unit 14 that digitally processes an image formed on the CCD image pickup device 11, and image information processed by the signal processing unit 14 is stored in a disk or the like. Control composed of a recording / reproducing unit 15 that records on a recording medium and outputs it as an image signal to the liquid crystal display panel 5, and a microcomputer that controls the lens driving unit 13, the signal processing unit 14, the recording / reproducing unit 15 and the like. Part 16.

  Connected to the control unit 16 are a power on / off switch 6, various operation buttons 7 for operating image reproduction, stop, etc., and a zoom button 8. 16, the control unit 16 outputs a control signal to each unit in accordance with these operation signals.

  For example, an operation signal when the zoom button 8 is operated by the user is input to the control unit 16, and the control unit 16 outputs a drive signal to the lens driving unit 13 to move the lens back and forth to move the focal length. .

  In addition, the pressure sensor 9 is connected to the control unit 16, and a pressure signal when the user's hand comes into contact with the pressure sensor 9 is input to the control unit 16, and the control unit 16 holds the housing 2 by the user. Recognize

  Further, the above-described functional units such as the imaging unit 12, the lens driving unit 13, and the signal processing unit 14 are powered by a battery independently for each functional block corresponding to each button operation of the zoom button 8 or the like. It is configured.

  Specifically, for example, when the user operates the zoom button 8 as described above, since the lens driving unit 13 is driven via the control unit 16, the lens driving unit 13 is set as one function block F1. Receive power supply independently. Similarly, functional blocks corresponding to other buttons are formed.

  The power supply connection circuit 17 that connects each functional block and the battery 3 is ON / OFF controlled by the control unit 16 for each functional block. The power supply connection circuit 17 is represented as an aggregate of a plurality of switches in FIG.

  When the connection state between each functional block and the battery 3 is switched to the off state by the power supply connection circuit 17, the power supply by the battery 3 is not completely turned off, but the power supply is suppressed (power save state). ) May be configured.

  Next, an on / off procedure of power supply in the portable video camera 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The control unit 16 determines whether or not the power switch 6 is turned on by the user (S1). If the power switch 6 is not turned on (NO in S1), the control unit 16 determines whether or not the pressure sensor 9 is turned on (S2). ). If YES is determined in S1 or YES is determined in S2, the control unit 16 turns on all the switches of the power supply connection circuit 17 so that all the functional blocks such as the functional block F1 described above are turned on. Power is supplied (S3). As a result, the user can perform all operations such as imaging, reproduction, and zoom operation of the portable video camera 1.

  Then, the control unit 16 determines whether or not the power switch 6 has been turned off by the user (S4). If it is determined that the power switch 6 has been turned off (YES in S4), all the switches of the power connection circuit 17 are turned off. The power supply to all functional blocks is stopped (S5).

  When it is determined NO in S4, the control unit 16 determines whether or not the pressure sensor 9 is off (S6), and is determined to be off (the user is not holding the casing 2). In this case (YES in S6), after a predetermined time (delay time) elapses for each functional block, a switch (corresponding to each functional block) of power supply connection circuit 17 is switched for each functional block. Sequentially switched off (S7).

  When any button operation is performed by the user before the predetermined time (delay time) elapses, the control unit 16 displays information related to the button operation in an operation history table T (see FIG. 2) described later. And the operation history table T is updated (S8).

  Hereinafter, the processes of S7 and S8 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the memory 16 a included in the control unit 16 stores information on button operations performed after the user has finished holding the housing 2 among the button operations performed by the user in the past. Stored in the format. As information regarding the button operation, an operation type (operation type information) 18 and an elapsed time (elapsed time information) 19 from when the user finishes gripping the housing 2 to each button operation until the operation is stored are stored. The

  For example, if the operation history table T shown in FIG. 2 is stored in order of time passage, the most recent operation is “zoom button operation”, and the user can hold the case 2 It is stored that the operation was performed 8 seconds after the completion of the operation, and the previous operation was “reproduction of the captured image on the liquid crystal display panel”. What has been done 3 seconds after the end of gripping is sequentially stored as a history.

  Therefore, the control unit 16 refers to the operation history table T in the memory 16a, and for each button operation performed by the user in the past, after the user finishes gripping the housing 2, the operation is performed. You can know the elapsed time. On the other hand, the type of button operation stored in the operation history table T and the elapsed time for each operation type tend to converge to a value within a certain range when the user who handles the video camera 1 is the same. .

  That is, for example, in the case of the operation history table T illustrated in FIG. 2, the user often operates the zoom button 6 to 8 seconds after the grip of the housing 2 is stopped. It can be seen that an operation of reproducing the captured image on the liquid crystal display panel 5 may be performed two to three seconds after the gripping of 2 is stopped. In addition, although it is relatively infrequent, it can be seen that the user may operate the playback stop button about 14 seconds after holding the casing 2 is stopped.

  Therefore, the control unit 16 can determine a predetermined waiting time (delay time) for each button operation based on the operation type information 18 and the elapsed time information 19 stored in the operation history table T.

  Specifically, in the above example, the control unit 16 determines the past maximum time of 3 seconds for the operation of the playback button as the delay time, and determines the maximum time of the past for the operation of the zoom button 8. 8 seconds is determined as the delay time, and 14 seconds, the longest time in the past for the operation of the playback stop button, is determined as the delay time.

  Then, after determining that the user has finished gripping the casing 2 (YES in S6), the control unit 16 switches the switch of the power connection circuit 17 of the functional block corresponding to the play button when 3 seconds have elapsed. The function block is switched off and the power block is turned off.

  Similarly, the control unit 16 determines that the user has finished gripping the housing 2 (YES in S6), and switches the power supply connection circuit 17 of the functional block corresponding to the zoom button 8 when 8 seconds have elapsed. Is turned off to turn the functional block off. As described above, each functional block is sequentially switched to the power-off state.

  The algorithm for determining the delay time from the past information 18 and 19 stored in the operation history table T by the control unit 16 can be variously changed. For example, in the above example, the control unit 16 uses the longest value of the elapsed time information 19 for each button operation as the delay time, but the delay time may be a value obtained by adding a margin time of several seconds to the longest value. Alternatively, a certain value may be added to the average value of the plurality of elapsed time information 19 for each operation type to obtain the delay time.

  If there is an operation with a very low occurrence frequency in the past, the delay time for the operation may be much shorter than the actually stored elapsed time information 19. For example, an operation with an occurrence frequency of several percent on the operation history table T is an operation that is rarely performed by the user. Therefore, the function block corresponding to such an operation includes the elapsed time information 19 actually stored. Regardless, it may be configured to be switched to the power-off state after a lapse of a certain short time.

  As is clear from the above description, the functional blocks corresponding to each button operation are set so that no overlapping portion occurs. For example, when the zoom button 8 is operated by the user, the lens driving unit 13 is operated, and the signal processing unit 14 and the recording / reproducing unit 15 are also operated. Since the operation is also performed by other button operations such as a button, a functional block unique to the operation of the zoom button 8 is limited to the lens driving unit 13.

  As described above, in the portable video camera 1 of the present embodiment, after the user stops holding the housing 2, the angle of the liquid crystal display panel 5 is adjusted and the captured image is reproduced on the liquid crystal display panel 5. In addition, a series of operations routinely performed by the user, such as operating the zoom button 8, is not hindered, and after the user stops gripping the housing 2, the user has neglected to switch the power on / off switch 6 to the off side. In this case, the power supply is automatically stopped for each functional block and consumption of the battery 3 is suppressed, so that the life of the battery 3 is extended.

  Note that the present invention can be applied to various portable electronic devices other than the portable video camera. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, it can be applied to a mobile phone 21.

  Even when the present invention is applied to the mobile phone 21, the recess 22 a is provided on the side surface of the housing 22 where the palm H of the user abuts when the user grips the housing 22, and the bottom of each recess 22 a A pressure sensor for detecting contact of a user's finger at the back of 22a.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to a digital still camera.

1 is a diagram showing an electrical block configuration of a portable video camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the operation history table memorize | stored in the memory of the control part in the portable video camera. 6 is a flowchart showing an on / off procedure of power supply in the portable video camera. (A) is a perspective view showing the portable video camera in a state of being held by a user, and (b) is a perspective view showing the portable video camera in a state of not being held by a user. The perspective view showing the external appearance of the mobile telephone at the time of applying this invention to a mobile telephone.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable video camera 2 Case 2a Recess 3 Battery 7 Operation button 8 Zoom button 9 Pressure sensor (gripping state detection unit)
16 Control unit (operation history storage unit, delay time determining means, power supply state control unit)
16a memory (operation history storage unit)
18 Operation type information 19 Elapsed time information 21 Mobile phone 22 Case 22a Recess F1 Function block H User's hand T Operation history table

Claims (3)

In a portable electronic device that has a built-in battery for power supply, is gripped by the user together with the casing when in use, and operates a plurality of functions according to button operations by the user.
A plurality of functions corresponding to the button operations are in a state where power is normally supplied by the battery for each functional block (hereinafter referred to as a normal supply state), and a state where power supply by the battery is suppressed (hereinafter, It is configured to be switchable between a power saving state) or a power supply stopped state (hereinafter referred to as a power off state)
A recess formed along the user's hand when the user grips the housing formed on the outer periphery of the housing;
A pressure sensor that is provided in the recess and detects a user's hand contact when the user grips the housing;
The type of button operation (hereinafter referred to as operation type information) when the user performs the button operation after the end of gripping by the user is detected by the pressure sensor, and the end of gripping by the user by the pressure sensor. An operation history storage means for storing an elapsed time from the detected time point (hereinafter referred to as elapsed time information);
Based on the past operation type information and the elapsed time information stored by the operation history storage unit, the longest time from the end of gripping the housing by the user until the button operation is performed for each type of button operation. A delay time determining means for determining a delay time which is a time;
After the end of gripping by the user is detected by the pressure sensor, the function block corresponding to each button operation after waiting for the delay time determined by the delay time determining means to elapse for each type of the button operation Power supply state control means for shifting the power supply state of each from a normal supply state to a power save state or a power off state,
The portable electronic device is characterized in that when the user stops holding the casing and does not perform any button operation, the power supply by the battery is automatically saved or stopped to suppress the consumption of the battery. machine. In a portable electronic device that has a built-in battery for power supply and is operated by being gripped by the user together with the housing,
Between a state where power supply by the battery is normally performed and a state where power supply by the battery is suppressed (hereinafter referred to as a power save state) or a state where power supply is stopped (hereinafter referred to as a power off state) Can be switched with
Gripping state detection means for detecting a state in which the user is gripping the housing;
A power source that shifts the power supply from the battery to a power saving state or a power off state when the user does not perform a predetermined time after the gripping state detection means detects that the gripping state of the housing by the user has ended. A supply state control means,
A portable electronic device characterized in that when the user stops holding the casing and does not perform any operation, the power supply by the battery is automatically saved or stopped to suppress consumption of the battery. After the gripping state detection unit detects that the gripping state of the housing by the user has ended, the gripping state detection unit has ended the gripping state of the housing by the user when the user performs an operation. An operation history storage means for storing an elapsed time from the detected time point (hereinafter referred to as elapsed time information);
Delay time determining means for determining a delay time that is the longest time from when the user finishes gripping the housing to when an operation is performed based on past elapsed time information stored by the operation history storage means; In addition,
The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined time is a delay time determined by the delay time determining means.

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