JP2017045339A - Portable computer with touch screen and method of controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce power consumption of a portable computer.SOLUTION: A portable computer 100 can be used either in a tablet mode that enables input via a touch screen 103 and a laptop mode that enables input via a keyboard. A user tends to carry the portable computer operating in the tablet mode by hand quite often. When this happens, wasteful power consumption and false input take place as the touch screen 103 is active even though the portable computer is not in use. A system of the present invention is configured to detect the tablet mode and to deactivate the touch screen upon detection of a certain swinging motion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for controlling the operation of a touch screen included in a portable computer, and further relates to a technique for reducing power consumption during walking and preventing erroneous input.

  In a notebook personal computer (notebook PC), a display housing for storing a display and a system housing for mounting a keyboard are generally connected by a hinge mechanism. Some major notebook PCs use a laptop mode in which a display housing containing a touch screen instead of a display is opened at a predetermined angle, or a system in which the touch screen faces upward in various ways. It can be used in any of the tablet modes in which the attitude of the display housing relative to the housing is changed. In the tablet mode, the case becomes thicker than the system case, but it can be used by operating the touch screen while holding the case by hand like a dedicated tablet terminal. Such a notebook PC is also referred to as a compatible computer.

  In Patent Document 1, when the tablet PC is moved in a state where the touch panel stacked on the display can be operated, the input of the touch panel is automatically prohibited, and the power save mode can be maintained by an unexpected pen touch. An invention for preventing the lost state is disclosed. This document describes that the touch panel is stopped by detecting that the tablet PC is in a moving state by acceleration.

  Patent Document 2 discloses an invention for controlling CPU performance and cooling fan performance in a compatible information processing apparatus that can be used by switching between notebook mode and tablet mode. This document describes that the CPU performance and the cooling fan performance are reduced when the open / close sensor detects switching to the tablet mode.

  Patent Document 3 discloses an invention in which a compatible information processing apparatus having a notebook mode and a tablet mode switches a user interface so that a mode is determined by an open / close switch or a rotary switch and the mode is suitable for each mode. . In Patent Literature 4, when it is detected that the user holding the notebook PC is moving based on the outputs of the lid sensor and the acceleration sensor, the power consumption is smaller than that in the normal state and the power consumption is smaller than that in the suspend state. An invention for reducing power consumption by transitioning to a large pseudo-suspend state is disclosed. This document describes that the power supply of the display is stopped in the pseudo suspend state.

  Patent Document 5 discloses an invention in which a device is controlled by defining a temporarily unavailable state as a movement mode when a user moves while holding a notebook PC. This document describes that when the lid is closed, only the device defined in the movement mode is stopped without performing normal suspend. This document also describes that a transition to a normal suspend state occurs when the movement mode state continues for a certain period of time. Further, this document describes that a password is not required when shifting from the movement mode to the normal operation mode. Patent Document 6 discloses an invention in which the display position of a screen is moved by detecting the tilt of a mobile terminal device having a touch panel type display unit.

JP 2009-87076 A JP 2014-78199 A JP 2008-77688 A JP 2008-129833 A JP 2005-352897 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-144025

  A user may carry a compatible laptop immediately after using it in either laptop or tablet mode. When used in laptop mode, the system can be lid closed and carried so that the system can detect lid closure and stop touch screen operation. In addition, in a dedicated tablet terminal, the operation of the touch screen can be stopped with a dedicated cover that covers the surface of the touch screen, and a lock screen can be displayed with a mechanical button.

  On the other hand, when using in tablet mode, it is cumbersome to switch to laptop mode for carrying and then lid-closed, and tablet mode is suitable for carrying around in tablet mode In this state, the user may move while holding the case with the touch screen in operation. At this time, even though the touch screen is not used, wasteful power is consumed, or a finger holding the casing is inadvertently touched and an erroneous input occurs. In addition, it is difficult to provide a dedicated cover because of the structure of a compatible notebook PC.

  It is also conceivable to provide a mechanical button on the notebook PC to shift to the suspend state in the tablet mode. Here, a notebook PC used in a company is required to set a password for resuming from a suspended state. When transitioning to the suspend state with a mechanical button, the user feels bothered by the waiting time until returning due to troublesome password input. This can also cause the user to move while holding the notebook PC in the power-on state.

  The user may walk and operate the touch panel while holding the notebook PC in the tablet mode or the laptop mode. Also, in laptop mode, it is often desirable to keep the touch screen operating even while walking. In the method of Patent Document 1, the touch panel is stopped even in such a case and cannot be operated. Therefore, when detecting movement with the accelerometer and stopping the touch panel, it is more convenient not to stop in laptop mode, but only in tablet mode and when there is a high possibility that it is not in use. Is good.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to suppress wasteful power consumption of a portable computer having a touch screen. A further object of the present invention is to prevent erroneous input to a portable computer having a touch screen. It is a further object of the present invention to stop touch screen operation only when the user is not using it. It is a further object of the present invention to suppress wasteful power consumption and prevent erroneous input while avoiding security problems. A further object of the present invention is to suppress wasteful power consumption and prevent erroneous input without performing any special operation. A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer and a control method adapted to such an object.

  A first aspect of the present invention provides a portable computer that can be used in tablet mode and laptop mode. The portable computer includes a display, a touch panel stacked on the display, a mode sensor that detects switching to a tablet mode or a laptop mode, and a swing sensor that detects a swing generated in the housing. And a controller for recognizing the tablet mode from the output of the mode sensor and further recognizing a predetermined range of swing from the output of the swing sensor to stop the display on the display.

  Since the display stops on the condition that tablet mode and swing within a predetermined range are recognized, even if the portable computer cannot be provided with a cover, the display is stopped while moving in the tablet mode. The power consumption can be reduced. The control unit may stop the operation of the touch panel when stopping the display on the display. Thereby, it is possible to prevent erroneous input to the touch panel during movement in the tablet mode.

  The control unit can operate the display and the touch panel when recognizing that the predetermined swing has disappeared. At this time, the system may not require a password. Therefore, since the power-on state and the state where the display and the touch panel are stopped can be shifted only by detecting the swing, control with less burden on the user can be performed. In particular, when the user moves only for a short time while holding the portable computer, power consumption can be reduced and erroneous input can be prevented without performing a special operation. The control unit can transition the portable computer to the suspended state when the predetermined swing continues for a predetermined time after the display on the display is stopped. Therefore, the power consumption can be further reduced when the travel time becomes long.

  A second aspect of the present invention provides a portable computer comprising a display and a touch panel stacked on the display. The portable computer recognizes an inclination angle within a predetermined range from an inclination sensor that detects an inclination angle of the display surface relative to a horizontal plane, an oscillation sensor that detects an oscillation generated in the housing, and an output of the inclination sensor, And a control unit that stops display on the display when a predetermined range of swing is recognized from the output of the swing sensor.

  When a user walks while using a portable computer, the user generally holds the casing so as to keep the display surface horizontal. Further, when walking while holding a portable computer that is not used by the user, it is easier to hold the display more stably if the display surface is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. According to the above configuration, when walking while using a portable computer, the display can be stopped only when walking without using the display. The control unit may stop the operation of the touch panel when stopping the display on the display.

  The swing sensor may be a three-axis gyro sensor that detects angular acceleration, and the control unit may select a detection axis of the gyro sensor for waveform analysis based on the output of the tilt sensor. By narrowing down the detection axis, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the processor for analyzing the waveform of the gyro sensor. The control unit can recognize the fluctuation within a predetermined range by calculating the angle of a straight line connecting the zero cross point and the peak point from the output waveform of the gyro sensor.

  The control unit can recognize the fluctuation within a predetermined range by calculating the time between adjacent peak points from the output waveform of the gyro sensor. When the swing sensor is an acceleration sensor, the control unit can recognize a swing within a predetermined range when the vibration frequency detected by the acceleration sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The portable computer may be part of a notebook personal computer that can operate in laptop or tablet mode.

  According to the present invention, useless power consumption of a portable computer having a touch screen can be suppressed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, erroneous input to a portable computer having a touch screen can be prevented. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the operation of the touch screen can be stopped only when the user is not using it. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress wasteful power consumption and prevent erroneous input while preventing a security problem. Furthermore, according to the present invention, wasteful power consumption can be suppressed and erroneous input can be prevented without performing a special operation. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a portable computer and a control method adapted to such an object can be provided.

It is a perspective view which shows the external shape of the portable computer 100 provided with a multi use mode. It is a figure for demonstrating a mode when changing from laptop mode to tablet mode. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a portable computer 100. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a situation when a user holds the portable computer 100. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure which controls operation | movement of a touch screen. It is a flowchart which shows the other procedure which controls operation | movement of a touch screen. It is a figure for demonstrating an inclination angle. It is a figure for demonstrating an example which detects a walking state. It is a figure for demonstrating the use mode of the portable computer 500 of a multi use mode.

[Portable computer with multi-use mode]
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a portable computer 100 that has at least a laptop mode and a tablet mode as modes of use, and can be used in either the laptop mode or the tablet mode. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state when switching from the laptop mode to the tablet mode. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram for explaining a schematic hardware configuration of the portable computer 100.

  A support member 107 is coupled to hinges 107a and 107b at the end of the system casing 105 on which the keyboard 109 and the touch pad 111 are mounted. A display housing 101 that houses the touch screen 103 is detachably attached to the support member 107. The support member 107 includes a direction sensor 113 that detects whether or not the display housing 101 is attached and the front and back directions with respect to the support member 107.

  The display housing 101 and the system housing 105 are electrically connected by lead wires that pass through the hinge mechanisms 107a and 107b. In the system housing 105, an XY axis is defined with respect to a plane, and a Z axis is defined perpendicular to the XY plane. A power button 117 is attached to the side surface of the system housing 105. FIG. 1 shows a laptop mode that can be entered from the keyboard 109 and touch pad 111. In the laptop mode, the hinge mechanisms 107a and 107b are rotated to a convenient angle in the same manner as a general notebook PC. The system housing 105 includes an open / close sensor 115 that detects a closed state and an open state of the support member 107.

  FIG. 2A shows the display housing 101 removed from the support member 107 rotated 180 degrees so that the front and back sides are reversed so that the back surface faces the keyboard side, and then attached to the support member 107 again. It is a figure for demonstrating the mode of. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the display housing 101 mounted with the back face turned to the tablet mode by rotating the hinge mechanisms 107a and 107b to close the back face until the back face faces the keyboard 109. . In the tablet mode, since the keyboard 109 and the touch pad 111 are hidden behind the display housing 101, the user inputs from the touch screen 103 with a fingertip or a stylus pen.

  The portable computer according to the present invention can employ various methods other than the attachment / detachment method shown in FIG. 2 for switching between the laptop mode and the tablet mode. For example, the display housing may be slid on a rail laid on the system housing. In addition, the central part of the display case and the system case are joined by a two-axis hinge mechanism, the closed display case is first rotated up to 90 degrees around the horizontal axis, and then 180 degrees around the vertical axis. It may be a system as shown in FIG. 2B by closing after rotating.

  A portable computer having a laptop mode and a tablet mode may have other use modes. For example, in the portable computer 500 in the multi-use mode shown in FIG. 9, a display housing 501 that houses a touch screen 503 and a system housing 505 that carries a keyboard 507 are coupled by a hinge mechanism.

  The portable computer 500 rotates the display housing 501 to any one of opening and closing angles θ between 0 degrees and 360 degrees, and the closed mode, the laptop mode, the tent mode, the stand mode, and the tablet • Can be used in any mode of use. FIG. 9A shows a closed mode in which the opening / closing angle θ corresponds to 0 degree. In the closed mode, the portable computer 500 enters the power-off state or the suspend state to stop the operation, or operates with an external display, an external mouse, an external keyboard, or the like connected. It is also possible to set so that only the touch screen 103 stops in the closed mode.

  FIGS. 9B to 9D show use modes in which the opening / closing angle θ is set within a predetermined range and the top / bottom direction of the housing is changed. FIG. 9B shows the laptop mode, FIG. 9C shows the tent mode, and FIG. 9D shows the stand mode. The tent mode and the stand mode differ in the vertical direction of the display housing 501. FIG. 9E shows a tablet mode in which the opening / closing angle θ is 360 degrees.

  In FIG. 3, a CPU 201, a video controller 205, a firmware ROM 207, an HDD 211, and an embedded controller (EC) 213 are connected to the I / O controller 207. A system memory 203 is connected to the CPU 201, and a flat panel display 103 b constituting the touch screen 103 is connected to the video controller 205. In one example, the touch screen 103 employs a structure in which a display 103b and a transparent touch panel 103a are stacked. In the present invention, the detection principle of the touch panel is not particularly limited.

  The HDD 211 stores programs executed by the CPU 201 such as an application, an OS, and a device driver. The firmware ROM 207 stores system firmware such as BIOS or UEFI. The EC 213 is a microcomputer composed of a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a programmable logic circuit, and the like. The EC 213 operates independently of the CPU 201 and mainly manages the temperature and power supply of the portable computer 100. The EC 213 includes an acceleration sensor 217, a gyro sensor 219, a direction sensor 113, an open / close sensor 115, a touch panel controller 221, a keyboard 109, a touch pad 111, a power button 117, a signal line for the DC / DC converter 225, and a power source. The signal line of the unit 227 is connected.

  The acceleration sensor 217 and the gyro sensor 219 are sensors that detect the triaxial acceleration and angular acceleration defined in the stem casing 105, respectively. The acceleration sensor 217 and the gyro sensor 219 are examples of swing sensors that can detect the swing generated in the housing, and are not particularly limited in the application of the present invention. Here, the swing can be detected by a physical quantity such as the frequency, displacement, speed, or acceleration of an object that moves in a concept that is opposed to stillness. Oscillation can also be specified by a physical quantity of angular velocity or angular acceleration of the rotating object. The direction sensor 113 is installed in the laptop mode shown in FIG. 1 or the tablet mode shown in FIG. 2B when the display housing 101 is attached to the support member 107 and when the display housing 101 is attached. Detect the corresponding direction.

  The open / close sensor 115 operates when the display housing 101 is closed. The direction sensor 113 and the open / close sensor 115 can be configured by a Hall sensor using a Hall element that reacts with a counterpart magnet, but other types of sensors such as a mechanical switch can also be used. Also, there is no need to limit the mounting location. The direction sensor 113 and the open / close sensor 115 constitute a mode sensor for determining the use mode. The EC 213 can specify the use mode of either the laptop mode or the tablet mode from the outputs of the direction sensor 113 and the open / close sensor 115.

  The DC / DC converter 225 operates in accordance with an instruction from the EC 213 and supplies power of a predetermined voltage to each device. The power supply unit 227 includes a battery, a charger, an AC / DC adapter, and the like, and supplies power to the DC / DC converter 225. The EC 213 stores firmware in the ROM 213a that controls the operation of the touch panel 103a and the display 103b in cooperation with the system firmware based on the outputs of the acceleration sensor 217, the gyro sensor 219, the direction sensor 113, and the open / close sensor 115. Is stored. The firmware 213a is executed by the MPU of the EC 213. In another example, at least a part of a program for controlling operations of the touch panel 103a and the display 103b may be stored in the HDD 211 and executed by the CPU 201.

  The EC 213 includes a control register 213b and a timer 213c used by the firmware 213a. The firmware 213a sets a mode flag corresponding to the use mode recognized from the outputs of the direction sensor 113 and the open / close sensor 115 in the control register 213b. The firmware 213a sets a tilt flag in the control register 213b when the tilt angle within a predetermined range with respect to the horizontal plane of the surface of the touch screen 103 is recognized from the output of the three axes of the acceleration sensor 217 observed for a certain time, and the tilt is stopped. Clear the tilt flag. The firmware 213a sets a swing flag in the control register 213b when the swing within a predetermined range is recognized from the output of the detection axis of either the acceleration sensor 217 or the gyro sensor 219 observed for a certain time, and the swing is Clear the swing flag when stopped.

  The firmware 213a analyzes the output waveform of the detection axis of the gyro sensor 219 selected based on the posture of the touch screen 103 recognized from the output of the acceleration sensor 217. When the firmware 213a analyzes the output waveform observed for a certain period of time and recognizes that the user holding the portable computer is walking, sets the walking flag in the control register 213b, and recognizes that walking has stopped Clear the walking flag. The system firmware accesses the control register 213b to control the operation of the video controller 205 and the touch panel controller 221.

[Move in tablet mode]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state when the user holds the portable computer 100 in the tablet mode. The portable computer 100 can transition to the suspend state (S3) state in the power-on state (S0) defined by ACPI.

  In the suspend state, power other than devices necessary for holding data stored in the system memory 203 including the CPU 201 is stopped. Many companies require portable computers used for business to set a resume password when they enter the suspended state. Since the user can easily hold the tablet mode housing in his / her hand, the user often holds the tablet mode in one hand as shown in FIG.

  At this time, since the touch screen 103 is operating, power is wasted even though the touch screen 103 is not used, and an erroneous input may occur in the touch panel 103 due to an unintended touch operation. It is also difficult to provide a cover on the portable computer 100 used in the laptop mode like a dedicated tablet terminal. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, the user operates the touch screen 103 or keeps watching the screen while holding the portable computer 100 horizontally. At this time, it can be assumed that the user is walking or stopped.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure in which the portable computer 100 controls the operation of the touch screen 103. At block 301, the portable computer 100 is operating in laptop mode or tablet mode. The firmware 213a sets a mode flag in the control register 213b based on the outputs of the direction sensor 113 and the open / close sensor 115. In block 303, the firmware 213a refers to the control register 213b to recognize the use mode.

  When the firmware 213a referring to the mode flag in block 305 determines that the tablet mode is selected, the process proceeds to block 307, and when determined otherwise, the process returns to block 303. The usage modes other than the tablet mode include a case where any of the usage modes cannot be determined and a case of any of the other usage modes described with reference to FIG. Therefore, in the laptop mode, since the following procedure is not applied, the operation of the touch screen 103 does not stop even if there is a predetermined range of swing.

  In block 307, the firmware 213a determines whether or not there is a swing within a predetermined range from the output of the detection axis of either the acceleration sensor 217 or the gyro sensor 219. By performing processing for determining swinging after shifting to the tablet mode, power consumption for determining swinging by the acceleration sensor 217, the gyro sensor 219, and the EC 213 is prevented in the laptop mode. be able to.

  The swing occurs even when the user is sitting on the chair and standing, but in such a case, the user is likely to be using the portable computer 100. Moreover, there is a high possibility that it is not used when walking while holding. Therefore, the swing within the predetermined range can be a vibration amplitude or an angular acceleration having a magnitude that can distinguish a walking state from a sitting or standing state on a chair.

  The predetermined swing may be a vibration amplitude greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold calculated from the output of the acceleration sensor 217 or an angular velocity or angular acceleration greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold calculated from the output of the gyro sensor 219. Due to the predetermined swing, it can be estimated that the firmware 213a is held by the user walking the portable computer 100.

  If it is determined that there is a predetermined range of oscillation, the firmware 213 a sets the oscillation flag in the control register 213 b in block 309, interrupts the CPU 201, and transfers control to the system firmware stored in the firmware ROM 207. When the system firmware refers to the swing flag in the control register 213, the system firmware accesses the video controller 205 and the touch panel controller 221 to stop the operations of the display 103b and the touch panel 103a.

  At this time, it is not necessary to stop both the display 103b and the touch panel 103a at the same time, and the firmware 213a may stop only one of the display 103b and the touch panel 103a, or both may be changed in time. You may make it stop. Any order may be used first when both are stopped. Stopping the display 103b can reduce power consumption in a situation where the user is not likely to use, and stopping the touch panel 103a can prevent erroneous input. At this time, the CPU 201 whose usage rate has decreased can enter the power save mode with a unique algorithm, but the operation does not stop. Therefore, when the process to be processed occurs, the CPU 201 can transition to the active mode.

  In block 311, the firmware 213 a starts timing the timer 213 c. When the firmware 213a determines in block 313 that the predetermined range of rocking has stopped, the process proceeds to block 331, and when it is determined that rocking continues, the process proceeds to block 315. In block 331, the firmware 213a resets the timer 213c and passes the control right of the CPU 201 to the system firmware.

  In block 333, the system firmware restores the display 103b and / or the touch panel 103a stopped in block 309. Since the OS does not recognize the operation during this time, the OS does not request password authentication when returning. Since the portable computer 100 returns to the power-on state without any special operation by the user when the swinging stops, the touch screen 103 can be controlled seamlessly for the user.

  When the firmware 213a determines in block 315 that the time set in the timer 213c has elapsed, the power state (S3) of the transition destination is set in the ACPI register of the I / O controller 207 in block 317 and the CPU 201 is interrupted. multiply. At this time, the firmware 213a clears the swing flag of the control register 213b.

  The OS saves the system context stored in the register of the CPU 201 and the volatile memory of the controller of each device in the system memory 203 and notifies the EC 213 of completion of migration preparation. The firmware 213 a that has received the notification of completion of migration preparation instructs the DC / DC converter 225 to stop the power supply of devices other than the devices necessary for storing the system memory 203. At this time, the EC 213 also stops the power supply of the CPU 201.

  Therefore, when the user is walking while holding the portable computer 100 for a relatively long time, the power consumption can be further reduced by shifting to the suspended state with lower power consumption. When the user operates the power button 117 at block 319, a wake event is generated. The firmware 213a that has received the wake event instructs the DC / DC converter 225 in block 321 to supply power to the device that has been stopped and shift to the power-on state. At this time, if the user has set a password, the OS requests password authentication.

[Second Embodiment]
The user may walk slowly while holding and using the portable computer 100 as shown in FIG. If the touch screen 103 is stopped only by rocking, there is a possibility that the touch screen 103 is stopped even when the user is using it. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for controlling the operation of the touch screen 103 by more accurately determining that the user is not using it. The procedure of FIG. 6 can also be applied to a case where a dedicated tablet terminal that is not used in the laptop mode or the display casing 101 removed from the system casing 105 is operated as an independent tablet terminal. The portable computer 100 switched to the tablet mode will be described as an example.

  At block 401, the portable computer 100 is operating in tablet mode. Whether the portable computer 100 is operating in the tablet mode in block 401 is determined in the same procedure as in block 303 and block 305 in the first embodiment. In block 403, the firmware 213a calculates an inclination angle of the surface of the touch screen 103 with respect to the horizontal plane from the output of the acceleration sensor 217. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the tilt angle of the portable computer 100 in the tablet mode. The inclination angle α is an angle when the surface of the touch screen 103 is level 0 degrees.

  Here, the firmware 213a can set the lower limit inclination angle α1 and the upper limit inclination angle α2 as threshold values. The range of the inclination angles α1 to α2 assumes a state in which the housing is held as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, since the inclination angle α when held is often in the vicinity of 90 degrees, the range of the inclination angle α1 and the inclination angle α2 can include 90 degrees. In order to clear the tilt flag, the firmware 213a can set the upper limit tilt angle α3 and the lower limit tilt angle α4 within a range in which the tilt angle α includes 0 degrees.

  The firmware 213a observes the tilt angle α for a certain period of time, and if it is determined that α1 ≦ α <α2, the tilt flag is set in the control register 213b and the process proceeds to block 405. In block 405, the firmware 213a determines the detection axis of the gyro sensor 219 that analyzes the waveform. When the user holds the screen as shown in FIG. 4B, the user may hold it vertically or horizontally. Waveform feature points characteristic of bipedal walking appear on either detection axis depending on how they are held. The firmware 213a may perform waveform analysis for all three detection axes, but can reduce the power consumption of the EC 213 for calculation by narrowing down to a specific detection axis.

  The user may be using the portable computer 100 in the tablet mode against a support. Therefore, it cannot be determined that the inclination angle α is not used just because it is in the range of α1 ≦ α <α2. Further, there is a high possibility that the user is not using the portable computer 100 while walking. In block 407, the firmware 213a determines whether or not the user holding the portable computer 100 is walking.

  One method for determining walking is that the system firmware 213a recognizes that the user is walking from the output waveform of the predetermined detection axis of the gyro sensor 219 selected in block 405. FIG. 8 shows an output waveform 450 of angular acceleration output from any detection axis of the gyro sensor 219. The firmware 213a detects the zero cross points c1, c2,... Of the output waveform 450, and further detects the peak points p1, p2,. The firmware 213a calculates rising straight lines 451a, 451b passing through the zero cross point and the peak point, and then calculates their angles θ1, θ2,.

  Further, the firmware 213a calculates periods t1, t2,... Between adjacent peak points p1, p2,. The peak-to-point periods t1, t2,... And the rising straight line angles θ1, θ2 are characteristic information resulting from biped walking with respect to angular acceleration generated in the portable computer 100 held by the walking user. give. Experiments have shown that the period between the peak points and the angle of the straight line can clearly distinguish the case where a user carrying a portable computer moves with a vehicle and the case where he walks. Note that walking may be determined using only one of the period and angle between peak points.

  In another example of determining walking, the system firmware 213a can recognize walking from the output of any detection axis of the acceleration sensor 217. In many cases, the vibration frequency that the user gives to the housing while walking is higher than the vibration frequency given when the user is standing still or sitting on a chair. Further, walking may be determined by calculating the angle of the rising straight line from the output waveform of the acceleration sensor 217 by the method described with reference to FIG. 8 or calculating the period between adjacent peak points. Good. The firmware 213a can recognize the presence or absence of walking with the frequency calculated for a certain time. The firmware 213a that has recognized the walking sets a walking flag in the control register 213b, and proceeds to block 409.

  In block 409, the system firmware stops the touch screen 103 in the same procedure as block 309 in FIG. The firmware 213a referring to the control register 213b in block 411 clears the walking flag when determining that walking has ended, and proceeds to block 421, and proceeds to block 413 when determining that walking is continuing. .

  In block 421, the firmware 213a operates the touch screen 103 in the same procedure as in block 333 in FIG. The firmware 207 that refers to the control register 213b in block 413 clears the tilt flag when determining that the tilt has disappeared and proceeds to block 421, and returns to block 409 when determining that the tilt is continuing. According to the procedure of FIG. 6, the touch screen 103 does not stop when the user is using the portable computer while walking as shown in FIG. The procedure of block 311 and blocks 315 to 321 shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to the procedure of FIG.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Portable computer 101 Display case 103 Touch screen 105 System case 107 Support member 107a, 107b Hinge mechanism 109 Keyboard 111 Touch pad 113 Direction sensor 115 Opening / closing sensor

Claims (15)

A portable computer that can be used in tablet mode and laptop mode,
Display,
A touch panel laminated to the display;
A mode sensor that detects switching to the tablet mode or the laptop mode;
A swing sensor for detecting the swing generated in the housing;
A portable computer having a control unit for recognizing the tablet mode from the output of the mode sensor and further recognizing a predetermined range of rocking from the output of the rocking sensor and stopping display of the display.   The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit also stops the operation of the touch panel when the display on the display is stopped.   The portable computer according to claim 2, wherein the control unit operates the display and the touch panel when recognizing that the swing of the predetermined range has disappeared.   The portable computer according to claim 3, wherein the portable computer system does not require a password when operating the display and the touch panel.   The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the portable computer to transition to a suspended state when the predetermined range of rocking continues for a predetermined time after the display on the display is stopped. A portable computer comprising a display and a touch panel laminated to the display,
An inclination sensor for detecting an inclination angle of the display surface with respect to a horizontal plane;
A swing sensor for detecting the swing generated in the housing;
A portable computer having a control unit for recognizing an inclination angle within a predetermined range from the output of the inclination sensor and further recognizing an oscillation within a predetermined range from the output of the oscillation sensor to stop the display on the display. The portable computer constitutes at least a part of a notebook personal computer operable in a laptop mode and a tablet mode;
A mode sensor for detecting switching to the tablet mode or the laptop mode;
The control unit recognizes a tilt angle within a predetermined range from the output of the tilt sensor, recognizes a swing within a predetermined range from the output of the swing sensor, and further detects the tablet mode from the output of the mode sensor. The portable computer according to claim 6, which recognizes and stops the display on the display.   The portable computer according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the control unit also stops the operation of the touch panel when the display on the display is stopped.   The portable computer according to claim 6, wherein the inclination angle in the predetermined range includes 90 degrees.   The swing sensor is a three-axis gyro sensor that detects angular acceleration, and the control unit selects a detection axis of the gyro sensor for waveform analysis based on an output of the tilt sensor. Portable computer.   The portable unit according to claim 10, wherein the control unit recognizes the swing of the predetermined range by calculating an angle of a straight line connecting a zero cross point and a peak point from an output waveform of the gyro sensor. Computer.   The portable computer according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the control unit recognizes a swing within the predetermined range by calculating a time between the adjacent peak points from an output waveform of the gyro sensor.   The portable computer according to claim 6, wherein the swing sensor is an acceleration sensor, and the control unit recognizes the swing within the predetermined range when a vibration frequency detected by the acceleration sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. A method for controlling the operation of a portable computer comprising a display and a touch panel laminated to the display, and usable in tablet mode and laptop mode,
Detecting the transition to the tablet mode;
Recognizing that the portable computer is held by a walking user from a predetermined range of swinging that occurs in the housing in the tablet mode;
Stopping the operation of the display in response to the recognition. A method for controlling the operation of a portable computer comprising a display and a touch panel laminated to the display,
Detecting an angle of inclination of the display surface relative to a horizontal plane;
Detecting swinging generated in the housing;
Stopping the operation of the display when recognizing the tilt angle in a predetermined range and the swinging in a predetermined range.

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