JP2008197812A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor capable of changing over an operation mode depending on a usage state without predetermining a time period for usage by a user. <P>SOLUTION: When the usage of a computer 1 is started, it is determined whether or not a usage date and a time are already learned or not. When the usage date and the time are already learned, the computer is operated in a set operation mode. When learning is not performed concerning the usage date and the time, the operation is performed in an operation mode which is set as an operation mode for a nonlearning case. If an operation mode changeover time comes during the operation in the set operation mode, the operation is performed by changing over the operation mode to an operation mode corresponding to a predetermined time. When the computer has been used in a high-speed mode continuously from a daytime, for example, the computer is used by automatically being switched to a power saving mode or a normal mode in the evening. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an operation control method according to a usage time zone.

  Conventionally, there are electronic devices such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and a notebook personal computer that can use a normal mode for performing a normal operation and a power saving mode for performing a power saving operation. When switching the operation mode, it is common to display an operation mode setting screen and reset the operation mode on the screen.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for automatically switching a plurality of operation modes according to a time zone. In addition to the normal mode in which normal operation is performed, the power saving mode in which the power consumption is frequently used during the daytime is set to the power saving mode in which the power saving operation is performed, or the mute mode in which the noise suppression operation is performed at night. By setting the operation mode to automatically switch according to the time zone, more appropriate operation control can be performed according to the lifestyle of the user and the surrounding environment.
JP 2004-185051 A

  However, in the case of the above-described method, it is necessary to set a time zone in advance in order to switch the operation mode. In addition, there is a problem that resetting is required when changing the time zone.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of switching an operation mode according to a use situation without setting a time zone used by a user in advance.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is detected by an information processing unit that processes information, a time detection unit that detects a time zone in which the information processing unit is used, and the time detection unit. An operation setting unit that sets an operation mode based on the operating time zone, and an operation control unit that controls the operation of the information processing unit based on the operation mode set by the operation setting unit. To do.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the information processing apparatus which can switch an operation mode according to a use condition can be provided, without setting the time slot which a user uses beforehand.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a notebook computer 1 will be described as an example of the information processing apparatus. The computer 1 includes a main body 2, and a display unit 3 is rotatably attached to the main body 2 via a hinge portion 4. Further, a display device composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 5 is incorporated in the display unit 3. A circuit board on which a plurality of electronic components are mounted is accommodated in the main body 2. A touch pad 6 is attached to the front upper surface 2 a of the main body 2, and a keyboard 7 is attached to the rear upper surface 2 b of the main body 2. A power switch 8 for turning on / off the computer 1 is also provided on the rear upper surface 2 b of the main body 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the computer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The computer 1 includes a CPU 10, a north bridge 11, a main memory (RAM) 12, a graphics controller 13, a VRAM 14, a south bridge 15, a hard disk drive (HDD) 16, a BIOS-ROM 17, an RTC 18, an embedded controller / keyboard controller IC (EC / KBC) 20, LCD 5, touch pad 6, keyboard 7, power switch 8 and the like.

  The CPU 10 is a processor that controls the operation of each component of the computer 1. The CPU 10 executes an operating system and various application programs / utility programs loaded from the HDD 16 to the main memory (RAM) 12. The main memory (RAM) 12 is also used for storing various data buffers. The CPU 10 also executes a basic input / output system (BIOS) stored in the BIOS-ROM 17. The BIOS is a program for hardware control.

  The north bridge 11 is a bridge device that connects the local bus of the CPU 10 and the south bridge 15. The north bridge 11 also has a function of executing communication with the graphics controller 13 via an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus or the like. Further, the north bridge 11 also includes a memory controller that controls the main memory (RAM) 12.

  The graphics controller 13 is a display controller that controls the LCD 5 used as a display monitor of the computer 10. The graphics controller 13 sends a video signal corresponding to display data written in the video memory (VRAM) 14 by the OS or an application program to the LCD 5.

  The south bridge 15 is connected to a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus and an LPC (Low Pin Count) bus, respectively. The HDD 16 stores the OS and various application programs.

  An RTC (Real Time Clock) 18 is a chip dedicated to timing. The RTC 18 operates while receiving power from a battery built in the RTC 18 even while the computer 1 is turned off. While the computer 1 is on, it receives power from the external power source 22. The computer 1 can acquire the date and time from the RTC 18.

  The embedded controller / keyboard controller (EC / KBC) 20 is a one-chip microcomputer in which an embedded controller for power management and a keyboard controller for controlling the touch pad 6 and the keyboard 7 are integrated. The EC / KBC 20 cooperates with the power supply circuit 21 to execute processing for powering on / off the computer 1 in response to the operation of the power switch 8 by the user. The power supply circuit 21 generates power to be supplied to each component in the computer 1 using power from the battery 22 built in the computer 1 or power supplied from the outside via the AC adapter 23.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the computer according to the embodiment of the present invention. Each function is realized by an operating system and various application programs. The computer 1 according to the present embodiment includes an operation control unit 100, an operation setting unit 101, a time detection unit 102, a detection cycle setting unit 103, a storage unit 104, an input unit 105, and an information processing unit 107. Prepare.

  The operation control unit 100 controls the operation of the computer 1 based on the operation mode set by the operation setting unit 101. The operation setting unit 101 sets the operation mode of the computer 1 based on information from the time detection unit 102, the storage unit 104, and the input detection unit 106. The time detection unit 102 detects the time that the user is using the computer 1 from the time when the user logs into the operating system, the change in the usage rate of the CPU, and the like. The detection cycle setting unit 103 sets a cycle when the use of the computer 1 is detected by the time detection unit 102. The storage unit 104 stores the operation mode of the computer 1 in addition to the time zone when the use of the computer 1 is detected, the usage rate of the CPU, and the like.

  Examples of the operation mode include a high-speed mode 200a, a normal mode 200b, and a power saving mode 200c. The high-speed mode 200a assumes a case where the user continuously uses the computer 1 for a certain period of time and a comfortable operating environment is required. The normal mode 200b assumes, for example, a case where the user uses the computer 1 for a certain period of time or more over a certain period of time, but does not require a high processing capacity. The power saving mode 200c is, for example, when the user carries the computer 1 and uses the battery 1 in an environment without an AC adapter, or when the AC adapter is used but each function is operated at a low level to reduce power consumption. Is assumed. The operation modes are not limited to these three types, and more modes may be provided by dividing the operation conditions and the like in more detail.

  The input unit 105 is a function for performing input when the user operates the computer 1. The input detection unit 106 detects that an input has been performed by the input unit 105. By detecting the input frequency by the input detection unit 106, it is possible to know the usage status such as what frequency and how often the computer 1 is used.

  Based on the usage time by the time detection unit 102, the operation mode stored in the storage unit 104, the input frequency by the input detection unit 106, and the like, the operation setting unit 101 sets conditions for the computer 1 to operate. The operation control unit 100 performs control so that the computer 1 operates under the operation conditions set by the operation setting unit 101. Based on the control by the operation control unit 100, the information processing unit 107 calculates data received from the storage unit 104 or the input unit 105.

  4 and 5 are diagrams schematically showing an operation mode setting screen according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the setting screen shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 allows the CPU processing speed, the screen brightness, the CPU thermal control condition, the monitor according to each mode such as the high speed mode, the normal mode, and the power saving mode. It is possible to set in detail the time until the power is turned off and the time until the HDD is turned off. FIG. 4 shows operating conditions of the computer 1 in the high speed mode. The high-speed mode assumes a case where the user continuously uses the computer 1 for a certain period of time and a comfortable operating environment is required. Therefore, in the high-speed mode, the CPU processing speed is set to a high processing speed such as level 4-8, and the screen brightness is set to be bright. The CPU thermal control condition is set so that cooling is performed by prioritizing FAN driving rather than lowering the processing speed of the CPU so as not to lower the work efficiency. In addition, when the computer 1 is not used for a certain period of time, the time until the monitor is turned off is set to 10 minutes, and the time until the HDD is turned off is set to 30 minutes. Thus, the computer 1 can be used.

  FIG. 5 shows operating conditions of the computer 1 in the power saving mode. In the power saving mode 200c, for example, when the user carries the computer 1 and uses it by a battery drive in an environment without an AC adapter, the AC adapter is used but each function is operated at a low level to give priority to the reduction of power consumption. It is assumed that you want to.

  Therefore, in the power saving mode, the CPU processing speed is set to a lower processing speed such as level 1-4, and the screen brightness is set to be dark. As a thermal control condition for the CPU, in order to reduce power consumption, it is set to perform cooling by giving priority to a reduction in the processing speed of the CPU instead of FAN driving. In addition, when the computer 1 is not used for a certain period of time, the time to turn off the monitor is 1 minute, and the time to turn off the HDD is 5 minutes, so that the user is not working. It is possible to suppress power consumption as much as possible and lengthen the drive time of the computer 1. In addition to the above high speed mode and power saving mode, the user can add arbitrary modes. For each mode, the CPU processing speed, screen brightness, CPU thermal control conditions, monitor power supply, etc. It is possible to set in detail the time until the power is turned off and the time until the HDD is turned off.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a learning function setting screen according to the embodiment of the present invention. When the learning function is enabled, the usage tendency of the user is learned from the login time to the operating system, the CPU usage rate, the transition of power consumption, and the like. The user's usage tendency can be learned, and the operation mode can be automatically controlled by reflecting the learning result.

  Learning can be done on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. In daily learning, for example, the CPU usage rate and power consumption change during the day are observed, the daytime hours that are frequently used are set to the mode of use, and the nighttime hours that are less frequently used Set the band to the unused mode. The mode when used can be set to the high speed mode, and the mode when not used can be set to the power saving mode. For example, when the CPU usage rate per fixed time is equal to or higher than a predetermined value based on the average value of the CPU usage rate per certain time, the mode is set to the use mode and the CPU usage rate is equal to or lower than the predetermined value. In the case of, it can be set to the mode when not in use. In addition to the CPU usage rate, the operation mode can be set depending on whether the power consumption value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

  In weekly learning, by observing the CPU usage rate and power consumption transition in one week and learning the usage frequency, for example, from Monday to Friday on weekdays, the mode is set to the high-speed mode when used, Conversely, on Saturdays and Sundays, it can be said that the power saving mode is set as the unused mode.

  For example, when the learning function is set to be performed on a weekly basis, when the learning function is enabled for the first time on Monday, there is a situation in which learning is not yet performed on Tuesday. At this time, since learning is not performed on Tuesday, the mode is set to the unused mode. However, when the power saving mode is set from the beginning, there is a problem that it is difficult for the user to use. Such a problem can be solved by enabling the mode when learning is not performed to set a mode different from the mode when not used. FIG. 6 shows a case where the normal mode is selected as the mode when not learning. When learning is not being performed, first, the normal mode is set and the operation is performed. After learning is performed, the operation can be performed in a mode according to an actual use situation.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the embodiment of the present invention. When the use of the computer 1 is started, the use date and time at that time is first acquired (step 1-1). It is determined whether or not the use date has already been learned (step 1-2). If the use date has already been learned (Yes in step 1-2), the operation is performed in the set operation mode (step 1). -3). When learning is not performed on the use date and time (No in Step 1-2), the operation mode set as the operation mode when not learning is performed (Step 1-4). When it is time to switch the operation mode while operating in the set operation mode (Yes in step 1-5), the operation mode is switched to the operation mode corresponding to a preset time (step 1-). 6). For example, when using in the high-speed mode continuously from the daytime, an operation of automatically switching to the power saving mode or the normal mode when the evening comes is possible.

  In this embodiment, by providing a learning function in the control of the operation mode and performing time management based on the usage time, detailed operation control can be automatically performed by time management in accordance with the usage status of the user. . As the computer learns the operation mode corresponding to the usage time, the user can use the computer in an appropriate operation mode without being aware of the usage time.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the information processing apparatus which can switch an operation mode according to a use condition can be provided, without setting the time slot which a user uses beforehand.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, and various modifications are possible.

1 is an external perspective view showing an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the computer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the computer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows typically the operation mode setting screen which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows typically the operation mode setting screen which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows typically the learning function setting screen which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Computer, 3 ... Display unit, 6 ... Touch pad, 7 ... Keyboard, 8 ... Power switch, 10 ... CPU, 11 ... North bridge, 12 ... Main memory, 13 ... Graphics controller, 15 ... South bridge, 16 ... HDD , 17 ... BIOS-ROM, 20 ... EC / KBC, 100 ... operation control unit, 101 ... operation setting unit, 102 ... time detection unit, 103 ... detection cycle setting unit, 104 ... storage unit, 105 ... input unit, 106 ... Input detection unit 107 ... Information processing unit

Claims (6)

An information processing unit for processing information;
A time detection unit for detecting a used time zone of the information processing unit;
An operation setting unit that sets an operation mode based on the usage time zone detected by the time detection unit;
An operation control unit that controls the operation of the information processing unit based on the operation mode set by the operation setting unit;
An information processing apparatus comprising: An input unit for inputting information;
An input detection unit for detecting that an input has been performed by the input unit,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation setting unit sets an operation mode based on an input frequency detected by the input detection unit.   The information processing according to claim 1, further comprising a cycle setting unit that sets a detection cycle by the time detection unit, and detecting a time zone used by the information processing unit based on the set detection cycle. apparatus.   A first mode assigned when the usage rate of the information processing unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and a second mode assigned when the usage rate of the information processing unit is smaller than a predetermined value; The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first operation mode; and a second operation mode assigned when the operation setting unit is not set by the operation setting unit.   A storage unit that stores at least a first operation mode, a second operation mode having a higher operation speed than the first operation mode, and a third operation mode having lower power consumption than the first operation mode. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

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