JP4459946B2 - Portable computer and operation mode control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable computer that enables a user to start operations shortly after reopening a closed lid part. <P>SOLUTION: The portable computer defines operation modes including a normal operation mode, a suspend mode, and a mobile operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode and more power than the suspend mode. A control part of the portable computer switches the portable computer from the normal operation mode to either the mobile operation mode or the suspend mode in response to a closure signal output from a lid sensor 55 and an acceleration signal output from an acceleration sensor 51. The control part maintains a connection between a wireless module 33 and a wireless network in the mobile operation mode to make the return from the mobile operation mode to the normal operation mode faster than the return from the suspend mode to the normal operation mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for controlling an operation mode of a portable computer, and further to a technique for returning from a power saving operation mode to a normal operation mode in a short time.

  In a portable computer such as a notebook personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC), a plurality of operation modes having different power supply ranges for internal devices and operating states of each device are prepared. The power consumption of the battery is saved by switching the operation mode. Among them, an operation mode called suspend is often used for notebook PCs. Suspend saves the state immediately before the operation of the notebook PC to the main memory, and restores (resumes) the saved state when the operation is resumed next time, so that the work can be resumed in a short time. It is a possible function. When the notebook PC is in a suspended state (hereinafter referred to as a suspended state), power is supplied to the volatile main memory so that the working state stored in the main memory is not lost. Then, power supply to devices with high power consumption such as a CPU, hard disk drive (HDD), display, etc. is stopped. As in the case of suspend, the state immediately before the end of the operation can be stored in the HDD instead of the main memory. This function is called hibernation. As a result, when the notebook PC is resumed from the suspended state (or the state in which hibernation has been executed), the operating system (OS) and application software are started from the power-off state to the power-on state. The restart time can be shortened and the power consumption during that time can be reduced.

  The notebook PC includes a main body-side housing and a display-side housing, both of which are substantially rectangular parallelepipeds, which are connected at their respective end portions and are rotatable in a direction to open and close each other. Hereinafter, a state in which the main body side housing and the display side housing are closed is referred to as a closed state, and conversely, a state in which the main body side housing and the display side housing are open to each other is referred to as an open state. When the notebook PC is closed, the input unit including the keyboard and the pointing device present in the main body side housing and the display present in the display side housing are hidden inside. In other words, when the notebook PC is closed, the display-side casing becomes a lid that covers the input unit of the main body-side casing. In general, a notebook PC is controlled so that the opening / closing of a lid is detected by a switch or a sensor, and when the notebook PC is closed, the notebook PC enters a suspended state and opens when the lid is opened. The notebook PC is designed to withstand vibrations and shocks when the magnetic disk drive head is retracted to a safe position and carried in the same way as when the power is turned off when the notebook PC is closed and suspended. ing. Therefore, when carrying a short distance and a short time in the same premises, it is desirable to carry the notebook PC closed and suspended.

  There are techniques disclosed in the following documents as techniques for controlling the operation mode when carrying a notebook PC. Patent Document 1 discloses a notebook PC that has a lid opening / closing sensor and a lifting sensor, enters a suspended state when the lid is closed, and performs hibernation when the device is lifted. Patent Document 2 has an operation mode called “movement mode” in which the HDD and the display are stopped while the operation of the CPU is continued in addition to the suspend state, and the mode is shifted to the movement mode immediately after the lid is closed. Then, a notebook PC that is in a suspended state after a certain period of time is disclosed.

JP 2001-42978 A JP 2005-352897 A

  In recent years, notebook PCs are generally used while connected to a wireless LAN. Since around 2002, many notebook PCs have been equipped with a module for connecting to a wireless LAN as a standard. In recent enterprises, wireless LAN access points are installed at important points in the company so that employees can use the company network via wireless LAN from notebook PCs owned by employees.

  Resume from the suspended state can shift to a state in which the user can start work on the notebook PC in a shorter time than when the power is turned off. Further, the suspended state consumes less power in the notebook PC than the power-on state, and has high resistance to vibration and impact in the closed state. However, a user who is highly dependent on a notebook PC feels that the time required for resuming from the suspended state is about several seconds to several tens of seconds, and feels stress due to the state where work cannot be started. In particular, when the wireless module is connected to the wireless LAN, it takes more time to resume from the suspended state. In general, a notebook PC does not supply power to a wireless module when it is suspended. For this reason, when the notebook PC is closed to shift from the normal operation to the suspended state, the wireless module needs to end the connection with the wireless LAN. When the notebook PC is opened and resumed, the wireless module searches for an access point and reconnects to the wireless LAN. This reconnection takes time.

  When moving from a conference room to your seat in a short time in the company, users tend to carry around with their laptops open to avoid taking time to resume from the suspended state. strong. This is because if the notebook PC is carried in such a state, the notebook PC does not enter the suspended state, and can be used immediately at the destination. However, the notebook PC has low resistance to vibration and shock of the magnetic disk device when the power is on. Further, if the notebook PC is held with the lid open, an excessive force is applied to the opening / closing mechanism of the casing and the substrate inside the casing, and the breakage easily occurs.

  The reason why the user carries the notebook PC with the lid open is that when the closed notebook PC is opened again, it takes a long time to start work. Therefore, in order not to carry the product with the lid open, it is necessary to reduce the resume time so that the work can be started immediately at the destination. In particular, it is necessary to solve the problem that it takes a long time to reconnect the wireless module once disconnected to the wireless LAN. Incidentally, the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a problem that it takes time for the wireless module to reconnect to the wireless LAN because nothing is done about the connection to the wireless LAN when switching the operation mode of the notebook PC. It has not been solved.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer in which workability is not deteriorated even when it is carried with the lid closed. It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable computer that improves the workability by detecting the purpose of the user closing the lid and selecting and executing the operation mode for shifting from the normal operation mode. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the operation of such a portable computer, a computer program for executing the method, and a recording medium storing the computer program.

  In the portable computer of the present invention, in addition to the normal operation mode and the suspend operation mode, an operation mode called a mobile operation mode in which power consumption is smaller than the normal operation mode and larger than the suspend operation mode is defined. In addition, the computer includes a system main body, a display attached to the system main body so as to be opened and closed, a wireless module connected to a wireless network, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration and outputs an acceleration signal, and a display system A lid sensor that detects an open / closed state of the main body and outputs an open signal or a close signal. In response to a signal generated from the close signal and the acceleration signal, the control unit shifts the portable computer from the normal operation mode to the moving operation mode or the suspend operation mode. The moving operation mode is an operation mode closer to the normal operation mode than the suspend operation mode. Therefore, the return from the movement operation mode to the normal operation mode is shorter than the suspend operation mode compared to the normal operation mode. A signal generated from the closing signal and the acceleration signal is used as a signal for determining the environment in which the portable computer is placed.

  When the display is closed with respect to the system body, the portable computer of the present invention shifts from the normal operation mode to the moving operation mode or the suspend operation mode depending on whether or not an acceleration of a certain level is recorded. Can be determined. More specifically, if acceleration of a certain level is recorded within a movement detection period before and after the display is closed and a close signal is received, it is determined that the portable computer can be carried immediately. Can do. In this state, since the display may be opened and used immediately after a short movement, the portable computer is shifted to the movement operation mode. Conversely, if acceleration of a certain level or more is not recorded within the movement detection period, it can be determined that the portable computer is not carried and the display is only closed in a stationary state. In this state, since there is little possibility of moving immediately, the portable computer is shifted to the suspend operation mode.

  In the mobile operation mode, if the control unit maintains the connection between the wireless module and the wireless network, it is not necessary to reconnect the wireless module to the wireless network when returning from the mobile operation mode to the normal operation mode. It can be restored in a short time. Further, in the mobile operation mode, if all the information necessary for connecting the wireless module and the wireless network is developed in the semiconductor memory, the magnetic disk device is set in a standby state or a power-off state during that time. The resistance to vibration and impact can be maintained while saving the power supplied to the battery. Furthermore, in the mobile operation mode, in principle, there is no need other than work to connect to the wireless network, so the control unit operates a plurality of devices mounted on the system main body in the power saving mode while executing the operating system. As a result, the power consumption of the portable computer can be further reduced.

  The control unit can also shift the portable computer from the mobile operation mode to the normal operation mode in response to receiving an open signal from the lid sensor. In this way, a user who wants to use the portable computer can open the display and return to the normal operation mode. Then, when a predetermined time has passed since the wireless module was disconnected from the wireless network, the user has left the area where the wireless network can be connected, and the possibility of being reconnected to the wireless network for the time being is small. The portable computer can be shifted from the mobile operation mode to the suspend operation mode. At this time, access to the magnetic disk device occurs, and the resistance to shock and vibration of the magnetic disk device decreases during the access. Therefore, it is desirable to shift to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration is within a predetermined value.

  In the suspend operation mode, the wireless module can be configured to allow access point detection. When the controller detects an access point to which the wireless module can be connected, the controller can shift the portable computer from the suspend operation mode to the mobile operation mode to connect the wireless module to the access point. Even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since disconnection from the wireless network and it is determined that the possibility of being reconnected to the wireless network is low for the time being and a transition is made to the suspend operation mode, according to this configuration, the wireless network is again connected. Detecting that you are in an area where you can connect to the mobile phone, you can move to mobile mode and immediately return to the state where you can use your portable computer.

  Further, in the portable computer of this embodiment further including a magnetic disk device in which power supply is stopped in the suspend operation mode, even when the controller cannot send a command to the magnetic disk device, the controller is portable. When the acceleration of the computer exceeds a predetermined value, the supply of power to the magnetic disk device can be prohibited to restrict the transition from the suspend operation mode to the movement operation mode. Since it is necessary to access the magnetic disk device during the transition from the suspend operation mode to the movement operation mode, it is desirable to limit the transition in order to ensure the safety of the magnetic disk device.

  In yet another embodiment, the portable computer of the present invention includes a normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode, and a suspend operation mode that consumes less power than the mobile operation mode, as described above. Is defined. In addition, the computer detects the swing of the portable computer and outputs an acceleration signal, the system main body, display means attached to the system main body so as to be openable and closable, wireless connection means connected to the wireless network, and so on. Swing detection means for detecting, opening / closing state detection means for detecting an opening / closing state of the display means with respect to the system main body and outputting an open signal or a close signal, and a portable computer in response to a signal generated from the close signal and the acceleration signal And control means for shifting the operation mode from the normal operation mode to either the movement operation mode or the suspend operation mode.

  In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for controlling the operation of a portable computer. For this portable computer, a normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode with lower power consumption than the normal operation mode, and a suspend operation mode with lower power consumption than the mobile operation mode are defined. The portable computer first operates in the normal operation mode. When the lid of the portable computer is closed, the portable computer generates a closing signal in response to that, detects acceleration and generates an acceleration signal, and responds to the signal generated from the closing signal and the acceleration signal. Then, the normal operation mode is shifted to either the movement operation mode or the suspend operation mode. Here, in the mobile operation mode, the operation of the operating system and the connection to the wireless network are maintained. Also, the power supply to the display is stopped, and power is supplied to the video chip that sends the image signal to the display.

  In the step of shifting from the normal operation mode to the movement operation mode or the suspend operation mode, if an acceleration signal is generated within the movement detection period, it can be determined to shift from the normal operation mode to the movement operation mode. When the portable computer generates an open signal in response to opening the lid of the portable computer, the portable computer shifts from the movement operation mode to the normal operation mode in response to the opening signal. Then, when the portable computer is disconnected from the wireless network due to movement or the like, and the predetermined period has passed, the portable computer shifts from the movement operation mode to the suspend operation mode.

  In the suspend operation mode, the portable computer can detect a connectable access point, and in response to detecting the access point, the portable computer transitions from the suspend operation mode to the mobile operation mode and is detected. A connection can be made to another access point. It is also desirable to ensure the safety of the HDD so as to restrict the portable computer from shifting from the suspend operation mode to the movement operation mode when the acceleration signal exceeds a predetermined value.

  Furthermore, the present invention can also provide a computer program that executes each of the methods described herein and a storage medium that records the program.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable computer in which workability is not deteriorated even when it is carried with the lid closed. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable computer that improves the workability by detecting the purpose of the user closing the lid and selecting and executing the operation mode for shifting from the normal operation mode. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method for controlling the operation of such a portable computer, a computer program for executing the method, and a recording medium storing the computer program can be provided.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a notebook personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The notebook PC 1 includes a main body side casing 11 and a display side casing 13 which are both substantially rectangular parallelepipeds. The main body side casing 11 includes an input unit 15 including a keyboard and a pointing device, and the display side casing 13 includes a liquid crystal panel 17 used as a display. Further, the main body side casing 11 and the display side casing 13 are connected to each other by a connecting portion 19 at their respective ends, and are rotatable in a direction to open and close these casings. When the main body side case 11 and the display side case 13 are closed, the input unit 15 and the liquid crystal panel 17 are hidden and covered. An antenna for connecting to a wireless network (such as a wireless LAN) is built in the outer edge of the display-side housing 13 (not shown here).

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of hardware built in the notebook PC 1. The CPU 21 is an arithmetic processing unit having a central function of the notebook PC, and executes an OS, a BIOS, a device driver, an application program, or the like. The CPU 21 controls each device connected to a chip set mainly composed of the CPU bridge 23 and the I / O bridge 25 via various buses. The CPU bridge 23 includes a memory controller function for controlling an access operation to the main memory 27, a data buffer function for absorbing a difference in data transfer speed between the CPU 21 and another device, and the like. . The main memory 27 is a writable memory that is connected to the CPU 21 via a DDR (Double Data Rate) 2 bus and is used as a reading area for a program executed by the CPU 21 and a work area for writing processing data. The video controller 29 is connected to the CPU 21 via the PCI Express X16 bus, has a video chip 71 and a VRAM (not shown), generates an image to be drawn in response to a drawing command from the CPU 21, and generates an image in the VRAM. The image written and read from the VRAM is sent to the liquid crystal controller 31 as drawing data. The liquid crystal controller 31 will be described later.

  The wireless module 33 is adapted to, for example, multi-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication conforming to IEEE802.11n, and via a PCI Express X1 bus 35 and a dedicated access point detection bus 37 provided separately from the PCI Express X1 bus 35. Are connected to the I / O bridge 25 and perform data communication with the wireless network via the antenna 38. Hereinafter, the wireless network to which the wireless module 33 is connected is referred to as a wireless LAN. The wireless module 33 has a function of detecting a connectable access point in response to an access point detection command transmitted from the I / O bridge 25 via the access point detection dedicated bus 37, and the detection result. Can be notified to the user by turning on the LED 39. A signal that causes the wireless module 33 to turn on the LED 39 is branched and sent to the embedded controller 47 (details will be described later). The antenna 38 and the LED 39 are attached to the display-side casing 13. The I / O bridge 25 includes functions as a serial ATA interface and a USB interface (not shown), and is connected to a hard disk drive (HDD) 43 and an optical drive (not shown) via the serial ATA. The Further, the I / O bridge 25 is a legacy device that is a device corresponding to the old standard conventionally used for notebook PCs or high-speed data transfer via the PCI bus (not shown) or the LPC bus 45. Connected to non-requesting device.

  Connected to the LPC bus 45 are an embedded controller 47, an I / O controller 49, and a BIOS-ROM (not shown) storing a BIOS used to start the system. The embedded controller 47 is a microcomputer composed of an 8- to 16-bit CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like, and further has an A / D input terminal, a D / A output terminal, a timer, and a digital input / output terminal for a plurality of channels. It has. A cooling fan (not shown), a temperature sensor (not shown), an acceleration sensor 51, and a power management controller 53 for controlling the power supply device are connected to the embedded controller 47 through their input / output terminals. Therefore, a program for managing the operating environment inside the PC can be executed independently of the CPU 21. The I / O controller 49 is connected to an input unit 15 such as a keyboard or a mouse. The acceleration sensor 51 measures acceleration applied from the outside to the notebook PC 1 and outputs an analog voltage corresponding to the acceleration to the A / D input terminal of the embedded controller 47. The embedded controller 47 A / D converts the voltage input from the acceleration sensor 51 to obtain an acceleration value. The obtained acceleration value is stored in the embedded controller 47 and is read by the CPU 21 through the LPC bus 45 at a predetermined timing.

  The embedded controller 47 and the power management controller 53 are connected by an SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) which is a dedicated bus. The power management controller 53 is connected to a lid sensor 55 that detects opening and closing between the main body side casing 11 and the display side casing 13, a DC-DC converter 59, and the like. The embedded controller 47 can control the DC-DC converter 59 via the power management controller 53 based on the power supply classification defined according to the operation mode (details will be described later). A permanent magnet 57 is embedded in the display-side casing 13, and the permanent magnet 57 approaches the lid sensor 55 disposed on the main body-side casing 11 side with the notebook PC 1 closed. When the notebook PC 1 is opened, the permanent magnet 57 is separated from the lid sensor 55. The lid sensor 55 can detect whether or not the permanent magnet 57 is approaching itself by sensing the magnetic force from the permanent magnet 57, from which the notebook PC 1 is closed or opened. You can know the state. This configuration has the advantage that neither the lid sensor 55 nor the permanent magnet 57 is exposed to the outside of the housing, and there are no contacts or moving parts, so that there are fewer failures compared to a mechanical switch or the like.

  The DC-DC converter 59 converts the DC power supplied from the AC adapter 61 and the battery 63 into a plurality of voltages necessary for operating the notebook PC 1, and further into a power supply category defined according to the operation mode. Based on this, power is supplied to each device. The AC adapter 61 is detachable from the notebook PC 1. When the AC adapter 61 is connected to the notebook PC 1, the DC-DC converter 59 controls charging of the battery 63.

  Next, the display will be described. The display of the notebook PC 1 includes a liquid crystal panel 17 included in the display side housing 13, a backlight 65, and a liquid crystal controller 31 of the main body side housing 11. The liquid crystal controller 31 drives elements such as TFTs (thin film transistors) arranged in a lattice pattern on the liquid crystal panel 17 based on the image received from the video controller 29 to change the polarization state of the liquid crystal contained in the liquid crystal panel. Control. The light emitted from the back of the liquid crystal panel 17 by the backlight 65 passes through a polarizing filter made of liquid crystal, whereby a display screen that can be recognized by human vision is formed on the display. That is, among the devices constituting the display, it is the backlight 65 and the liquid crystal controller 31 of the main body side casing 11 that actually consumes power.

  Note that FIGS. 1 and 2 merely describe the main hardware configuration and connection relations related to the present embodiment in a simplified manner in order to describe the present embodiment. In addition to those mentioned in the description so far, many devices are used to configure the notebook PC 1, but these are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here. A person skilled in the art also arbitrarily selects a plurality of blocks described in the figure as one integrated circuit or device, or conversely, a block is divided into a plurality of integrated circuits or devices. Is included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, the types of buses and interfaces connected between the devices are merely examples, and other connections are included in the scope of the present invention as long as those skilled in the art can arbitrarily select them. It is.

  FIG. 3 is a table showing the three operation modes of the notebook PC 1 employed in the present embodiment and the power supply range according to each operation mode. The operation mode is defined by a classification of a power supply range for a plurality of devices mounted on the notebook PC 1 and a classification for a power saving operation when there is a device that can operate with power saving. In the operation mode, there is an off state which is the lowest power consumption state other than FIG. The ON state and the OFF state may be further classified into a case where the AC adapter is connected and a case where the AC adapter is not connected. However, the operation modes other than those in FIG. is doing. In the present embodiment, a new operation mode called a pseudo suspend state is defined as the operation mode of the notebook PC 1. The pseudo suspend state is an operation mode set when carrying the notebook PC 1 and corresponds to the movement operation mode of the present invention. The DC-DC converter 59 supplies power to necessary devices based on the power supply classifications defined according to these operation modes, and further restricts the operation content of some devices to reduce power consumption. Can be operated. Electric power is supplied to a device indicated by “◯” in FIG. 3 without particularly restricting the content of the operation. The device described as “Δ” is supplied with power so as to operate with low power consumption by limiting the content of the operation. No power is supplied to a device labeled “−”.

  The on state is an operation mode that means a use state in which the user opens and operates the notebook PC 1. In this operation mode, in principle, power is supplied to all devices constituting the notebook PC 1 including devices not shown in FIG. 3 without restricting the operation. However, the operating device may be temporarily operated with low power consumption due to the remaining capacity of the battery and the temperature rise in the housing.

  The normal suspend state is a suspend state corresponding to ACPI S3. In this operation mode, power is supplied to the main memory 27 as in the on state, and the contents stored in the main memory 27 are retained. In addition, for the CPU bridge 23, the I / O bridge 25, and the wireless module 33 constituting the chipset, a part of those devices is provided so that only an access point detection operation described later is possible. Power is supplied only to the circuit. Other devices are not supplied with power except devices such as the embedded controller 47, the power management controller 53, and the DC-DC converter 59 that are necessary for controlling the power supply state.

  In the pseudo suspend state, except for the liquid crystal controller 31 and the backlight 65 which are devices that actually consume power in the circuits constituting the display, the notebook PC 1 including the devices not shown in FIG. Power is supplied to all the devices that are configured. However, a device that can be operated with low power consumption by limiting the operation is operated with low power consumption in principle. For example, if technology such as speed step (registered trademark) and throttling is applied to the CPU 21, it is possible to operate with a reduced operating voltage and operating frequency, thereby reducing power consumption. Similarly, the CPU bridge 23, the I / O bridge 25, and the video chip 71 can reduce the power consumption by reducing the operating voltage and the operating frequency.

  In the pseudo suspend state, the HDD 43 is moved to a so-called standby state in which the magnetic head is retracted from the disk to the periphery of the disk, the rotation of the disk is stopped, and only the electric circuit operates. When the HDD 43 in the standby state receives a read / write command from the CPU 21 of the notebook PC 1, it can start the disk and process the command. By putting the HDD 43 in the standby state, it is possible to return to the normal operation mode in a shorter time than in the suspended state while reducing power consumption and improving resistance to vibration and impact. Note that the wireless module 33 needs to be connected to the wireless LAN in exactly the same operation as in the on state as will be described later, and thus supplies power without particularly restricting the operation.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing software and hardware configurations related to the present embodiment when the notebook PC 1 is in the on state and the pseudo suspend state. OS 103 installed in HDD 43, wireless LAN connection management application 101, user data (wireless LAN connection setting storage unit 105 and acceleration storage unit 107), device drivers (wireless driver 109, HDD driver 111, power driver 113, acceleration) The sensor driver 115) is read into the main memory 27 when the notebook PC 1 is activated, and is executed or processed by the CPU 21. The wireless LAN connection management application 101 is an application program executed on the OS 103, and resides in the main memory 27 while the notebook PC 1 is in the on state and the pseudo suspend state, and functions according to the present embodiment to be described below. Execute. Note that the OS 103 intervenes in all the exchange of data or commands between the wireless LAN connection management application 101 and each user data and between the wireless LAN connection management application 101 and each device driver.

  The wireless driver 109 is a device driver corresponding to the wireless module 33 connected to the I / O bridge 25. By controlling the wireless driver 109, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 can control the wireless module 33 to connect, disconnect, reconnect, etc. to the wireless LAN. It is also possible to inquire about the current state of the wireless module 33, for example, whether or not it is currently connected to the wireless LAN, through the wireless driver 109. In addition, information regarding the settings related to the wireless LAN connection, for example, the SSID of the access point that permits the connection and the priority thereof, is expanded and held on the main memory 27 as the wireless LAN connection setting storage unit 105. ing. The SSID of the access point permitted to be connected by the wireless LAN connection setting storage unit 105 is also copied and stored in the SSID storage unit 83 included in the I / O bridge 25 and held.

  The HDD driver 111 is a device driver corresponding to the IDE interface 73 included in the I / O bridge 25, and can control the HDD 43 connected thereto. In addition to recording data to the HDD 43 and reading data from the HDD 43, the HDD 43 is put into a standby state (or the standby state is ended) by sending a control signal from the IDE interface 73 to the HDD 43 through the HDD driver 111. . The power driver 113 controls the DC-DC converter 59 via the embedded controller 47 and the power management controller 53, and provides power to the necessary devices based on the power supply classification defined according to the operation mode. Power can be supplied, and the operation content of some devices can be limited to operate with low power consumption. The state change of the lid sensor 55 accompanying the opening / closing of the notebook PC 1 is also transmitted as a lid event from the power management controller 53 to the wireless LAN connection management application 101 through the embedded controller 47 and the power driver 113. Hereinafter, the lid event corresponding to the notebook PC 1 being closed is referred to as lid closing, and the lid event corresponding to the opening is referred to as lid opening.

  The acceleration sensor driver 115 can read the output from the acceleration sensor 51 transmitted to the embedded controller 47 by referring to the embedded controller 47. The acceleration sensor driver 115 periodically inquires the embedded controller 47 about the output from the acceleration sensor 51, and stores the acceleration value sent from the embedded controller 47 in the acceleration storage unit 107 on the main memory 27. Yes. Although the acceleration sensor 51 and the acceleration storage unit 107 are not prepared for the present embodiment, they are prepared for other purposes such as a function of detecting the state in which the notebook PC 1 is falling. Can be shared with things. Other application software 117 and user data 119 used there are also read from the HDD 43 onto the main memory 27 and executed or processed by the CPU 21. When the notebook PC 1 is on, the user performs work using the application software 117 and user data 119. If the notebook PC 1 is changed from the on state to the pseudo suspend state or the normal suspend state without ending the work, the application software 117 and the user data 119 remain on the main memory 27, but the user performs work using them. Can't do it. When resumed, the user can resume work using the application software 117 and the user data 119.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the processing executed when the notebook PC 1 is in the on state in the present embodiment. When the notebook PC 1 is opened, turned on and turned on, and the OS 103 is activated, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 is activated and resides in the main memory 27. From this point, the processing according to the present embodiment is started (block 201). At the same time, periodic recording of acceleration by the acceleration sensor driver 115 is also started (block 203), and the wireless LAN connection management application 101 waits for lid closing (block 205).

  When the lid close occurs, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 determines whether the wireless LAN connection management application 101 is before or after the lid close time, more specifically, from “a time point Tb before the lid close” to “a time point after Ta from the lid close”. It is determined whether or not an acceleration greater than or equal to a predetermined value has been detected within a movement detection period that is within a range of “” (block 207). The acceleration at the time prior to lid closing can be determined based on the data stored in the acceleration storage unit 107 by accessing the acceleration storage unit 107. The acceleration at a time after the lid close can be read by referring to the embedded controller 47 through the acceleration sensor driver 115. Note that Ta and Tb may be the same value or different values. In the present embodiment, Ta and Tb are set to about 2 to 3 seconds, respectively. If an acceleration of a predetermined value or more is detected within the movement detection period, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 shifts the notebook PC 1 to the pseudo suspend state via the OS 103 (block 209, following block 301 in FIG. 6). . If no acceleration equal to or greater than the predetermined value is detected, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 shifts the notebook PC 1 to the normal suspend state via the embedded controller 47 (block 211, following block 401 in FIG. 8).

  When the user finishes using the notebook PC 1 in a certain place and wants to carry it, the user generally shifts the position of the notebook PC 1, closes the lid, and immediately holds it. Therefore, an acceleration of a predetermined value or more detected within the movement detection period can be used as a signal when the user carries the notebook PC 1. In a company, there are many cases where it is desired to move the place of use only for a short time after the use of the notebook PC 1 is finished and to immediately start work at the destination. In order to respond to the needs of such usage modes, in the present embodiment, the notebook PC 1 is shifted to pseudo suspend when an acceleration of a predetermined value or more is detected within the movement detection period. On the other hand, the fact that the acceleration of a predetermined value or more has not been detected can be regarded as a signal that the user does not carry the notebook PC 1 just by closing it. In this case, the notebook PC 1 that is unlikely to be used in a short time is shifted to the normal suspend state.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the processing executed when the notebook PC 1 is in the pseudo suspend state in the present embodiment. The pseudo suspend state is an operation mode on the assumption that the lid open occurs within a short time and the notebook PC 1 is used. Therefore, the notebook PC 1 remains in the pseudo suspend state for a predetermined elapsed time or more even when the pseudo suspend state is entered. When not in use, it is desirable to shift to the normal suspend state in order to suppress battery consumption. The processing shown in FIG. 6 is started from the time when the notebook PC 1 shifts from the on state to the pseudo suspend state in block 209 of FIG. 5 (block 301). In the transition from the ON state to the pseudo suspend state, the software and hardware configurations shown in FIG. 4 are not changed. The OS 103 and the wireless LAN connection management application 101 continue to operate. Therefore, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 first determines whether or not the wireless module 33 is currently connected to the wireless LAN by querying the wireless driver 109 (block 303). If connected, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 determines whether or not the lid is open (block 305). If there is a lid and open, the notebook PC 1 is shifted from the pseudo suspend state to the on state (block 306). The operation returns to block 201 in FIG. If there is no lid open, the process returns to block 303. Thereafter, the loop of blocks 303 to 305 is repeated until the connection with the wireless LAN is disconnected or the lid open is detected, and the operation in the pseudo suspend state is continued. The

  If it is determined in block 303 that the wireless module 33 is not currently connected to the wireless LAN, the timer function is activated in the wireless LAN connection management application 101 (block 307), and it is determined that the wireless module 33 is not connected to the wireless LAN. It is determined whether or not a predetermined time has passed (block 309). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 determines that the user is moving to a position where radio waves do not reach temporarily, such as an elevator, and the wireless module 33 is connected to the wireless module 33 via the wireless driver 109. Reconnect to the wireless LAN (block 311). Then, it is determined whether or not the reconnection to the wireless LAN is successful (block 313). If the reconnection is successful, the timer function is stopped (block 315) and the process returns to block 303, and then the connection with the wireless LAN is disconnected. In other words, the loop of blocks 303 to 305 is repeated until the lid open is detected, and the operation in the pseudo suspend state is continued. If reconnection to the wireless LAN is not successful in block 313, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 determines whether or not the lid is open (block 317). If there is a lid open, the notebook PC 1 is switched from the pseudo suspend state to the on state. (Block 319), and the subsequent operation returns to block 201 in FIG. If there is no lid open, the process returns to block 309, and the loop of blocks 309 to 317 is repeated until a predetermined time has elapsed, connection to the wireless LAN, or lid open is detected.

  If it is determined in block 309 that the predetermined time has elapsed, it can be determined that the user has left the wireless LAN service area and will not use the notebook PC 1 in a short time. At this time, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 inquires of the embedded controller 47 the current acceleration through the acceleration sensor driver 115 and determines whether or not an acceleration of a certain value or more is detected (block 321). If no acceleration greater than a certain value is detected, the embedded controller 47 shifts the notebook PC 1 to the normal suspend state (continue to block 323 and block 401 in FIG. 8). If an acceleration greater than a certain value is detected, the process waits until the acceleration is not detected. In order for the notebook PC 1 to shift from the pseudo suspend state to the normal suspend state, it is necessary to store a part of the program developed in the main memory 27 in the HDD 43 or to stop the power supply of the HDD 43. In addition, it may be necessary to access the HDD 43 once. Therefore, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 inquires the current acceleration applied to the notebook PC 1 in blocks 321 to 323 in order to avoid a problem that occurs in the HDD 43 due to vibration or shock while accessing the HDD 43. After that, the normal suspend state is entered.

  As described above, in the pseudo suspend state, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 operates so as to maintain the connection of the wireless module 33 to the wireless LAN as shown in FIG. For example, when the user leaves the range that can be connected to a certain access point while holding the notebook PC 1 in the pseudo suspend state, reconnection to the wireless LAN is performed by the processing of block 311. At that time, if connection to another access point included in the wireless LAN connection setting storage unit 105 is possible, connection is made to the connectable access point. That is, a hand-over operation for switching the access point to which the wireless module 33 is connected is performed. Since the HDD 43 is in a standby state when the notebook PC 1 in the pseudo suspend state is carried, the resistance to vibrations and impacts during the carrying is high.

  In the pseudo suspend state, the notebook PC 1 is closed, the supply of power to the liquid crystal controller 31 and the backlight 65 is stopped, and the main device such as the CPU 21 is operating with low power consumption. Such hardware and software configurations remain unchanged from the on state. However, since the notebook PC 1 is closed, it is impossible for the user to operate application software or the like. Therefore, except for a service that operates in the background, there is almost no application software that operates other than the wireless LAN connection management application 101. The application software 117 and user data 119 used by the user immediately before changing from the on state to the pseudo suspend state remain on the main memory 27. However, in the pseudo suspend state in which the notebook PC 1 is closed, the user uses these applications. • Does not manipulate software and user data. Therefore, even when a main device such as the CPU 21 is operating with low power consumption with low performance, the wireless LAN connection management application 101 can obtain sufficient performance to maintain its operation. it can.

  Note that, in the pseudo suspend state, the notebook PC 1 is closed, and the liquid crystal controller 31 and the backlight 65 are not operating. Therefore, the video controller 29 does not need to output a drawing signal to the liquid crystal controller 31. However, the video chip 71 also takes a little time to start again from the state where the operation stopped, although not as much as the wireless module 33. For this reason, it is desirable to continue the operation of the video chip 71 with low power consumption in the pseudo suspend state, and to stop supplying power to the portion of the video controller 29 excluding the video chip 71. If all the setting information related to the wireless LAN connection is expanded on the main memory 27 as the wireless LAN connection setting storage unit 105 as described above, it is necessary to access the HDD 43 in order to connect to the wireless LAN. Absent. Therefore, in the pseudo suspend state, not only can the HDD 43 be set in the standby state, but also the supply of power to the HDD 43 can be stopped. However, for example, when there is an access request to the shared drive of the notebook PC 1 from an external computer, it is necessary to be able to reject the access request when power supply to the HDD 43 is stopped.

  FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a hardware configuration related to the present embodiment when the notebook PC 1 is operating in the normal suspend state. FIG. 7 shows only devices that operate with power supplied in the normal suspend state. As described above, even in the normal suspend state, power is supplied to the main memory 27 as in the on state. As will be described later, power is supplied to the CPU bridge 23, the I / O bridge 25, and the wireless module 33 only to some of the circuits of the respective devices. Since the embedded controller 47, the power management controller 53, and the DC-DC converter 59 are necessary for controlling the power supply state, electric power is supplied. The lid sensor 55 is also supplied with electric power because it requires electric power to detect the magnetic force from the permanent magnet 57. The antenna 38 and the LED 39 connected to the wireless module 33 and the acceleration sensor 51 connected to the embedded controller 47 are also operated indirectly by supplying power.

  In the configuration of FIG. 7, even when the notebook PC 1 is in the normal suspend state, the CPU bridge 23, the I / O bridge 25, and the wireless module 33 can only perform an operation of detecting an access point that can be currently connected. In addition, power is supplied to only some circuits of each device. Since no power is supplied to most other circuits, the power consumption in these devices is greatly reduced compared to when they are in the on state and the pseudo-suspend state.

  The wireless module 33 detects a connectable access point by a method of periodically polling. The I / O bridge 25 includes an SSID storage unit 83 that stores SSIDs of connectable access points. The wireless module 33 reads information stored in the SSID storage unit 83 of the I / O bridge 25 via the access point detection dedicated bus 37, and if an access point having the SSID included therein is detected, the access that can be connected.・ Determine that a point has been detected. When the wireless module 33 determines that a connectable access point has been detected, the wireless module 33 sends a voltage to the LED 39 to light it, thereby notifying the user of the presence of the access point. A signal line for turning on the LED 39 is branched and input to the power management controller 53. The power management controller 53 recognizes the lighting of the LED 39 and the state change of the lid sensor 55 as an event, notifies the embedded controller 47 of the occurrence of the event, and simultaneously records the type of the event in the register 81. . The embedded controller 47 can read the type of event recorded in the register 81 via the SPI that is a dedicated bus. The embedded controller 47 can obtain an acceleration value by A / D converting the output voltage from the acceleration sensor 51 even when the notebook PC 1 is in the normal suspend state.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the processing executed when the notebook PC 1 is in the normal suspend state in the present embodiment. The processing performed here is performed by executing a program stored as firmware in the ROM inside the embedded controller 47 by the CPU inside the embedded controller 47. When the notebook PC 1 enters the normal suspend state, the processing is started (block 401). First, the wireless module 33 is made to periodically detect an access point (block 403). When the lighting of the LED 39 or the state change of the lid sensor 55 occurs, the power management controller 53 transmits the event occurrence to the embedded controller 47 via the SPI (block 405). The embedded controller 47 that has received the event occurrence reads the register 81 via the SPI (block 407) and determines the type of event (block 409). If the event type is lid open, the notebook PC 1 shifts from the normal suspend state to the on state (block 411), and the operation of the wireless LAN connection management application 101 returns to block 201 in FIG.

  In block 409, if the event type is access point detection, the embedded controller 47 reads the output from the acceleration sensor 51 (block 413), and determines whether or not an acceleration of a certain value or more is detected (block 413). Block 415). If the acceleration of a certain value or more is not detected, the stopped HDD 43 is activated, and the notebook PC 1 shifts to the pseudo suspend state (block 417, following block 301 in FIG. 6). If an acceleration of a certain value or more is detected, the HDD 43 is activated after waiting until the acceleration is not detected. In the normal suspend state, power supply to the HDD 43 is stopped. In order to shift the notebook PC 1 to the pseudo suspend state, it is necessary to put the HDD 43 in the standby state. However, the embedded controller 47 cannot send a control command to put the HDD 43 in the standby state, and only controls power supply to the HDD 43. Therefore, in order to shift from the normal suspend state to the pseudo suspend state, power is supplied to the CPU 21 and the HDD 43 to start the operation, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. A control command is sent through the interface 73 to put the HDD 43 in a standby state.

  Immediately after the transition from the normal suspend state to the pseudo suspend state, the wireless module 33 is not yet connected to the wireless LAN, so it is determined that it is not connected in the process of block 303 in FIG. 6, and the timer is determined in block 307 in FIG. After the function is activated, the wireless LAN is reconnected at block 311. Since it is known at block 409 of FIG. 8 that there is a connectable access point, the wireless module 33 will connect to that access point. If it is determined in block 313 in FIG. 6 that the reconnection to the wireless LAN is successful, the timer function is stopped and the operation in the pseudo suspend state is continued.

  A scene where the user actually uses the notebook PC 1 of the present embodiment described above is assumed as follows. A user usually uses a notebook PC 1 standing on his / her desk in a building with a wireless LAN environment. If the opened notebook PC 1 is closed in this state, the acceleration exceeding the predetermined value is not detected within the movement detection period, so that the notebook PC 1 shifts to the normal suspend state (blocks 207 and 211 in FIG. 5). However, since there is always an access point to which the notebook PC 1 can be connected in the building, the notebook PC 1 periodically detects the access point when entering the normal suspend state (block 403 in FIG. 8). Immediately enter the pseudo-suspend state (block 417 in FIG. 8) and reconnect to the detected access point (block 311 in FIG. 6). If the notebook PC 1 is opened here, the notebook PC 1 is turned on in a short time because the lid open is detected (blocks 305 to 306 in FIG. 6).

  At this time, the user may leave the notebook PC 1 on the desk without connecting the AC adapter. At this time, the pseudo suspend state consumes a larger amount of power than the normal suspend state, and thus the battery may be discharged in a short time. In order to prevent this, when the acceleration sensor does not detect an acceleration exceeding a predetermined value for a certain time or more in the pseudo suspend state, the notebook PC 1 is shifted to the normal suspend state, and thereafter the access point is detected. However, the pseudo suspend state may not be entered. In this case, the function that does not shift to the pseudo suspend state can be reset at the next lid open.

  When this user closes the notebook PC 1 and carries the notebook PC 1 in a building to move from the desk to a conference room or a laboratory, acceleration of a predetermined value or more is detected within the movement detection period. The notebook PC 1 enters the pseudo suspend state (blocks 207 to 209 in FIG. 5). While the notebook PC 1 is closed and carried, the notebook PC 1 is operating in the pseudo suspend state, and the connection with the wireless LAN is continued. Here, even if it passes through a place where the radio field intensity is weak such as an elevator or a staircase in the building, it is determined that the connection with the wireless LAN is cut off and the wireless LAN is not connected in the process of block 303 in FIG. In block 307, the timer function is activated. Until a predetermined time elapses with the timer function (block 309 in FIG. 6), the notebook PC 1 keeps trying to reconnect in the pseudo suspend state (block 311 in FIG. 6). If the user returns to a place where the user can connect to the wireless LAN before the predetermined time has elapsed, the reconnection to the wireless LAN is successful (block 313 in FIG. 6), and the operation in the pseudo suspend state is continued. If the user is disconnected from the wireless LAN environment and the connection cannot be made even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the acceleration is confirmed (block 321 in FIG. 6), and the notebook PC 1 enters the normal suspend state (see FIG. 6). 6 block 323). In the normal suspend state, the notebook PC 1 periodically detects the access point as described above (block 403 in FIG. 8), and when the user returns to a place where the user can connect to the wireless LAN in that state, the access point is detected. Then, the state is shifted to the pseudo suspend state (block 417 in FIG. 8) and reconnected to the wireless LAN (block 311 in FIG. 6). If the notebook PC 1 is opened from the pseudo suspend state, the notebook PC 1 is turned on in a short time due to the detection of the lid open (blocks 305 to 306 in FIG. 6).

  Consider a case where this user takes the notebook PC 1 out of the building. Outside, the notebook PC 1 can be connected to a network through a telephone line and a portable terminal, but there is no access point to which the wireless module 33 can be connected. When the user closes the notebook PC 1 and lifts it immediately, an acceleration of a predetermined value or more is detected within the movement detection period, so that the notebook PC 1 shifts to the pseudo suspend state (blocks 207 to 209 in FIG. 5). If you go outside in this state, you will not be able to connect to the wireless LAN (block 307 in FIG. 6), and the access points that can be connected even if the predetermined time measured by the timer function (block 309 in FIG. 6) elapses. Since there is no (blocks 311 to 313 in FIG. 6), after confirming the acceleration (block 321 in FIG. 6), the notebook PC 1 shifts to the normal suspend state (block 323 in FIG. 6). In the normal suspend state, the notebook PC 1 continues to detect the access point periodically (block 403 in FIG. 8), but the state in which no connectable access point is detected externally continues. Even if the access point is not detected, if the notebook PC 1 is opened, the normal suspend state is shifted to the on state by the lid / open event, and the user can work. When the work is finished and the notebook PC 1 is closed, the notebook PC 1 again enters the normal suspend state through the pseudo suspend state.

  When the user who took the notebook PC 1 to the outside returns to the building again, the notebook PC 1 that has been continuously detecting the access point in the normal suspend state detects the connectable access point (see FIG. 8 (block 403), a transition is made to the pseudo suspend state (block 417 in FIG. 8), and the wireless LAN is reconnected before returning to the desk (block 311 in FIG. 6). Returning to the desk and opening the notebook PC 1 from the pseudo suspend state, the notebook PC 1 is turned on in a short time due to the detection of the lid open (blocks 305 to 306 in FIG. 6).

  As described above, the notebook PC 1 according to the present embodiment switches the three operation modes of the on state, the pseudo suspend state, and the normal suspend state depending on the acceleration and the presence / absence of connection with the wireless LAN, when necessary. When the notebook PC 1 is opened, a configuration that shifts to the on state in a short time is realized. In addition, since resistance to shock and vibration and low power consumption are ensured, the user can safely carry the notebook PC 1 closed. Since it does not become a burden to carry it closed, the user does not hold the notebook PC 1 in an unstable state with the lid open, and the notebook PC 1 is less likely to be damaged due to falling or holding stress.

  2 and 7, when the wireless module 33 detects a connectable access point, a signal for turning on the LED 39 is input to the power management controller 53, and the power management controller 53 takes an event of turning on the LED 39 as an event. Is transmitted to the embedded controller 47. However, this is only used for the reasons of design in the embedded controller 47 and the power management controller 53 and their peripheral parts. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a signal for turning on the LED 39 is directly input to the embedded controller 47 and the embedded controller 47 recognizes the detection of the access point by the signal. In this embodiment, an operation mode called a pseudo suspend state for holding the work state in the main memory 27 is defined. Instead of the pseudo suspend, for example, the work state is held in the HDD 43 and the operation of the HDD 43 is continued. An operation mode such as “pseudo hibernation” for maintaining connection to the wireless LAN may be defined and used.

  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 so far as long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited. It goes without saying that any known configuration can be employed.

1 is an external view of a notebook PC according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the notebook PC by one Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a table showing three operation modes of a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention and power supply ranges according to the operation modes. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the software and hardware relevant to this embodiment when the notebook PC by one Embodiment of this invention is an ON state and a pseudo suspend state. It is the flowchart which described the process performed when the notebook PC by one Embodiment of this invention is an ON state. It is the flowchart which described the process performed when the notebook PC by one Embodiment of this invention is in a pseudo suspend state. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hardware relevant to this embodiment when the notebook PC by one Embodiment of this invention is a normal suspend state. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed when a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention is in a normal suspend state.

Explanation of symbols

1 Notebook PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Main body side housing | casing 13 Display side housing | casing 15 Input part 17 Liquid crystal panel 19 Connection part 21 CPU
23 CPU Bridge 25 I / O Bridge 27 Main Memory 29 Video Controller 31 Liquid Crystal Controller 33 Wireless Module 35 PCI Express X1 Bus 37 Access Point Detection Dedicated Bus 38 Antenna 39 LED
43 Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
45 LPC bus 47 Embedded controller 49 I / O controller 51 Acceleration sensor 53 Power controller 55 Lid sensor 57 Permanent magnet 59 DC-DC converter 61 AC adapter 63 Battery 65 Backlight 71 Video chip 73 IDE interface 81 Register 83 SSID storage unit 101 Wireless LAN connection management application 103 Operating system (OS)
105 Wireless LAN Connection Setting Storage Unit 107 Acceleration Storage Unit 109 Wireless Driver 111 HDD Driver 113 Power Driver 115 Acceleration Sensor Driver 117 Other Application Software 119 User Data

Claims (20)

A portable computer in which a normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode with lower power consumption than the normal operation mode, and a suspend operation mode with lower power consumption than the mobile operation mode are defined,
The system itself,
A display attached to the system body so as to be openable and closable;
A wireless module for connecting the portable computer to a wireless network;
An acceleration sensor that detects acceleration of the portable computer and outputs an acceleration signal;
A lid sensor that detects an open / closed state of the display with respect to the system body and outputs an open signal or a close signal;
The mobile operation mode is changed from the normal operation mode to the mobile operation mode when the acceleration signal of a predetermined value or more is detected within a movement detection period set before and after the closing signal is received from the lid sensor. And a control unit that shifts from the normal operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration signal equal to or greater than the predetermined value is not detected within the movement detection period;
A portable computer.   The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein in the mobile operation mode, the control unit maintains a connection between the wireless module and the wireless network. The control unit includes a magnetic disk device and a semiconductor memory, and the control unit develops all information necessary for connecting the wireless module and the wireless network in the semiconductor memory in the moving operation mode. 2. The portable computer according to 2 .   The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes an operating system in the mobile operation mode, and a plurality of devices mounted on the system main body operate in a power saving mode.   The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit shifts the portable computer from the moving operation mode to the normal operation mode in response to receiving an open signal from the lid sensor.   2. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit shifts the portable computer from the moving operation mode to the suspend operation mode when a predetermined time elapses after the wireless module is disconnected from the wireless network. The portable computer according to claim 6 , wherein the transition from the moving operation mode to the suspend operation mode is performed when the acceleration of the portable computer is within a predetermined value.   In the suspend operation mode, the wireless module can detect an access point, and when the wireless module detects an access point to which the wireless module can be connected, the portable computer shifts from the suspend operation mode to the mobile operation mode. The portable computer according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to connect the wireless module to the access point. A magnetic disk device whose power supply is stopped in the suspend operation mode;
9. The portable device according to claim 8 , wherein when the acceleration of the portable computer exceeds a predetermined value, the controller prohibits power supply to the magnetic disk device and restricts the transition from the suspend operation mode to the moving operation mode. Expression computer. A portable computer in which a normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode with lower power consumption than the normal operation mode, and a suspend operation mode with lower power consumption than the mobile operation mode are defined,
The system itself,
Display means attached to the system body so as to be openable and closable;
Wireless connection means for connecting the portable computer to a wireless network;
Swing detection means for detecting swing of the portable computer and outputting an acceleration signal;
An open / closed state detecting unit for detecting an open / closed state of the display unit with respect to the system body and outputting an open signal or a close signal;
The portable computer is shifted from the normal operation mode to the movement operation mode when the acceleration signal of a predetermined value or more is detected within a movement detection period set before and after the reception of the closing signal, Control means for shifting from the normal operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration signal equal to or greater than the predetermined value is not detected within the movement detection period;
A portable computer. A method for controlling the operation of a portable computer comprising:
Defining a normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode with lower power consumption than the normal operation mode, and a suspend operation mode with lower power consumption than the mobile operation mode;
The portable computer operating in the normal operation mode;
The portable computer generating a closing signal in response to closing the lid of the portable computer;
Detecting acceleration generated in the portable computer and generating an acceleration signal by the portable computer;
Transitioning from the normal operation mode to the moving operation mode when the acceleration signal of a predetermined value or more is detected within a movement detection period set before and after the closing signal is generated;
A control method comprising: shifting from the normal operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration signal equal to or greater than the predetermined value is not detected within the movement detection period . The control method according to claim 11 , wherein in the mobile operation mode, the portable computer performs an operation of an operating system and an operation of maintaining a connection to a wireless network. The control method according to claim 11 , wherein in the mobile operation mode, the portable computer stops supplying power to the display, and power is supplied to a video chip that sends an image signal to the display. The portable computer generating an open signal in response to opening the lid of the portable computer;
The control method according to claim 11, further comprising a step in which the portable computer shifts from the mobile operation mode to the normal operation mode in response to the open signal. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the portable computer shifts from the moving operation mode to the suspend operation mode when a predetermined time elapses after the portable computer is disconnected from the wireless network. The control method according to claim 15 , wherein the portable computer shifts from the moving operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration is within a predetermined value. Detecting an access point to which the portable computer is connectable in the suspend operation mode;
Claim 11 and a step of performing a connection to the access point in the transition to the moving operation mode from said portable computer is the suspend operation mode to the moving operation mode in response to detection of the access point Control method. 18. The control method according to claim 17 , wherein the portable computer is restricted from shifting from the suspend operation mode to the moving operation mode when the acceleration signal exceeds a predetermined value. A system body, a display attached to the system body so as to be openable and closable, a wireless module connected to a wireless network, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration of the portable computer and outputs an acceleration signal, and the display A portable computer having a lid sensor that detects an open / close state of the system body and outputs an open signal or a close signal,
A normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode, and a function that operates in any one of the suspend operation modes that consume less power than the mobile operation mode;
A function of shifting from the normal operation mode to the movement operation mode when the acceleration signal of a predetermined value or more is detected within a movement detection period set before and after the time when the closing signal is generated;
A computer program for realizing a function of shifting from the normal operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration signal equal to or greater than the predetermined value is not detected within the movement detection period . A system body, a display attached to the system body so as to be openable and closable, a wireless module connected to a wireless network, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration of the portable computer and outputs an acceleration signal, and the display A portable computer having a lid sensor that detects an open / close state of the system body and outputs an open signal or a close signal,
A normal operation mode, a mobile operation mode that consumes less power than the normal operation mode, and a function that operates in any one of the suspend operation modes that consume less power than the mobile operation mode;
A function of shifting from the normal operation mode to the movement operation mode when the acceleration signal of a predetermined value or more is detected within a movement detection period set before and after the time when the closing signal is generated;
A computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for realizing a function of shifting from the normal operation mode to the suspend operation mode when the acceleration signal of the predetermined value or more is not detected within the movement detection period .

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