JPWO2009016719A1 - Automatic start setting device, method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system in which a computer and an application are started up in a time zone in which the user uses an application without burdening the user with settings or the like. The history information storage unit 21 that acquires and stores history information indicating the use time of the application or used time on the computer is referred to and the history information stored by the history information storage unit 21 is the same or corresponding. A history information extraction unit 22 that identifies a usage time zone estimated to be used in the future based on the number of history information indicating the usage time zone to be used, and extracts history information related to the specified usage time zone; An automatic startup setting unit 23 configured to set automatic startup or automatic recovery of the computer and automatic startup of the application to the system management unit of the computer based on the usage time period indicated by the history information extracted by the information extraction unit 22; , With.

Description

  The present invention relates to an application and a computer automatic start setting apparatus for starting the application.

  Conventionally, starting the computer system at the set energization time and suspending the start-up process in an incomplete state, from user switch-on to start-up completion when the user turns on the switch There is a technique for shortening the time required for this (see Patent Document 1).

Also, by using various sensors, it is possible to detect whether the user is in the vicinity of the computer, such as the environment in which the computer is located or the state of computer use by the user, etc. There is a technology to control (see Patent Documents 2 to 4).
JP-A-62-139020 JP-A-4-291612 JP-A-10-097339 JP 2001-069235 A

  Conventionally, in order to start and use an application on a computer, it has been necessary to start the computer first and then specify and start the application after the start is completed. In addition, there is a technique that makes it possible to use a computer with a short waiting time by normally returning the computer from the sleep state as a sleep state without completely shutting down the computer. However, if the application to be used is heavy and takes time to start, the user is forced to wait until the start of the application is completed.

  In particular, in a television application used when viewing a television on a computer, the time required for activation is long, and it takes a long time to wait until the user can view the television after giving the activation instruction. Further, since the time required for activation is long as described above, the long time that the user waits can be said even when the television application is activated on a computer in normal operation.

  In addition, it is possible to eliminate the waiting time by making a start-up reservation using a timer so that the computer is started or returned to the use start time in advance and the application has been started up. However, it is necessary for the user himself to set the activation reservation in advance, and in particular, setting of the activation reservation in a television application whose use start time varies depending on the day of the week or the day is heavy on the user.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a system in which startup of a computer and an application is completed in a time zone in which the user uses the application without imposing a burden such as setting on the user.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the history information indicating the usage time zone is accumulated, and automatic activation is set based on the accumulated history information, so that the user can apply the application without burdening the setting. It is possible to provide a system in which the application is started and the computer is started for starting the application during the time period in which the application is used.

  Specifically, the apparatus acquires storage information and history information indicating a usage time zone in which a predetermined application has been used or used, and stores the history information by storing the history information in the storage device. And a usage time zone estimated to be used in the future based on the number of the history information indicating the same or corresponding usage time zone with reference to the history information stored in the storage device by the storage means Specifying the history information according to the information, and automatically executing the predetermined application with respect to a system management unit of a computer on which the predetermined application operates based on a use time zone indicated by the history information specified by the specifying means. An automatic start setting device comprising: setting means for setting start.

  Further, the setting means sets automatic start of the predetermined application and automatic start or automatic return of the computer to the system management means based on the use time zone indicated by the specified history information May be.

  Here, the same or corresponding usage time zone is not limited to the case where the usage start times completely match, but the usage time zone from the usage start time to the usage end time partially overlaps, Although it is before the start time or after the use end time, it also includes what is considered to be the corresponding use time zone according to a certain standard. When such identical or corresponding usage time zones are stored as history information, it is possible to estimate that the usage time zone will be used by the user in the future.

  The setting means performs setting so that the predetermined application is activated in a usage time zone in which the user is estimated to be used in the future based on the history information. In other words, according to the present invention, since the start-up is completed in a read-ahead manner at the timing when the user tries to use the application, the waiting time required for the start-up can be greatly reduced. In addition, since the use start time is set without requiring user operation, the user is not burdened with setting work.

  Here, the system management means refers to means for managing each device included in the computer, such as an operating system and a basic input / output system. Further, the automatic return of the computer means a return from a sleep state or the like.

  Further, in the present apparatus, the predetermined application is a television application, and the storage means stores a program broadcast at the start time of the program broadcast at the start time of the television application, or a program broadcast at the reserved time of the television application. A start time may be acquired and stored as the history information, and the start time of the program may be specified by referring to an electronic program guide.

  In general, since a television application handles moving image data, it takes a longer time to start than other general applications. In addition, since it is an application that receives and reproduces a broadcast, a time zone during which a specific program can be viewed is determined, and some pattern tends to appear in the usage time zone of the application. Therefore, by setting the automatic activation time in association with the start time of the program, it is possible to activate the application accurately in the user usage time zone.

  Here, since the user does not start viewing at the same time as the start time of the program, the storage means is broadcast at the start time of the program that was broadcast at the start time of the TV application or at the reserved time of the TV application. The start time of the program is acquired and accumulated as history information. In this way, the application can be started at the start time of the program that the user wants to view. Note that the set activation time is preferably a little earlier than the start time of the program. An electronic program guide is used to specify the start time of the program.

  In the present apparatus, when the number of the history information having the same start time of the program reaches a predetermined number, the specifying means uses the history information related to the same start time in the future. It may be specified as history information related to the estimated usage time zone.

  Here, if the predetermined number is set to three times, for example, automatic activation based on the user's behavior pattern is set at a relatively early stage, so that the effect of the present invention can be easily realized.

  Moreover, it is good also as specifying the utilization time zone estimated that it will be utilized in the future by statistically processing the number of the historical information with the same start time. For example, when a program having the same start time is viewed in half or more of the weekday history information, a method may be employed in which the start time is set as an automatic start time.

  The apparatus also sleeps the display device that outputs an image generated by the application and the display device until a user operation is accepted even when the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting by the setting unit. Display device control means for controlling the state. The display device control means may control the display device so as not to output the image until an operation by the user is accepted, or control to stop power supply to the display device. May be.

  Accordingly, when the user wants to start watching the television, the user can start using the application only by returning the display device from the sleep state.

  In addition, the apparatus determines that the predetermined application is not used when the operation by the user is not accepted even though the predetermined application is automatically started in accordance with the setting by the setting unit, and is automatically started. For each setting, a recording unit that records the number of times of non-use after automatic start, and an automatic start setting that is estimated to be unnecessary based on the number of times of non-use recorded by the recording unit are deleted. Deletion means.

  As a result, unnecessary automatic activation settings such as an automatic activation setting that has been set in error or an automatic activation setting that is unnecessary due to the user not using the application during that time period are deleted. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the automatic activation setting from increasing unnecessarily and causing the application to always be activated.

  Furthermore, the processing performed in this apparatus can be provided as a method executed by a computer or a program executed by the computer. Moreover, what recorded such a program on the recording medium which a computer, another apparatus, a machine, etc. can read may be used. Here, a computer-readable recording medium is a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs by electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical action and can be read from a computer or the like. Say.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to provide a system in which startup of the application and the computer for starting the application is completed in a time period when the user uses the application without burdening the user with settings or the like. Become.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the hardware constitutions of a personal computer provided with the automatic starting setting apparatus in embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline of a function structure of a personal computer provided with the automatic starting setting apparatus in embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the log | history information table in embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the automatic starting setting table in embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which learns the starting time of the television application in embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic starting process in embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which learns starting time based on the reservation process in embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic starting setting deletion process in embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic start setting deletion process based on the attribute of the program in embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Personal computer 21 History information storage part 22 History information extraction part 23 Automatic start setting part 24 Display apparatus control part 25 Unusable frequency recording part 26 Automatic start setting deletion part

  Embodiments of an automatic start setting device, method, and program according to the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the automatic startup setting program is provided as a part of the television application program. However, the automatic startup setting program may be provided as a separate program from the television application program.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a hardware configuration of a personal computer 1 including an automatic start setting device according to the present embodiment. The personal computer 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a main storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12, an auxiliary storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 13, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 14, and a broadcast receiving unit. 15, a remote controller 18, a remote controller operation receiver 19, a display device such as a display 16, and an input device 17 such as a keyboard and a mouse.

  The remote controller 18 is a so-called infrared remote controller 18, and the corresponding remote control operation reception unit 19 receives the infrared rays transmitted from the remote controller 18, thereby accepting the operation content on the remote controller 18. In addition, the remote controller 18 has a TV button used exclusively for starting up and calling a TV application. The user presses the TV button to start a TV application, call a TV application started in the background, return the personal computer 1 from the sleep state, return the display 16 from the sleep state, or the like. Can be done.

  The broadcast receiving unit 15 is a so-called television tuner. The broadcast receiving unit 15 receives a broadcast wave with an antenna and outputs a compressed moving image data stream (such as a TS signal) based on the received broadcast wave. The CPU 11 that executes the TV application program generates a picture of each frame constituting the moving image based on the TS signal output from the broadcast receiving unit 15. Then, a video signal based on the generated picture is output to the display 16, and the display 16 displays an image based on the video signal, so that the user can view the television broadcast.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a functional configuration of the personal computer 1 including the automatic start setting device according to the present embodiment. In the personal computer 1 having the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 1, the CPU 11 reads out the automatic start setting program installed on the HDD 13 and expands it in the RAM 12, and the CPU 11 interprets and executes the expanded program, which will be described later. An application that includes a history information storage unit 21, a history information extraction unit 22, an automatic activation setting unit 23, a display device control unit 24, a non-use count recording unit 25, and an automatic activation setting deletion unit 26. Functions as a startup setting device. However, each of the above functional units may be realized by dedicated hardware individually or by combining a plurality of functional units.

  The history information storage unit 21 obtains the TV application start time, start day of the week, and the channel selected immediately after start-up, and refers to the electronic program guide so that it is broadcast at the time and channel corresponding to the acquired information. Or the start time of the broadcasted program is acquired. Here, the electronic program guide is electronic data including a program schedule such as broadcast time received via broadcasting or a network. The history information storage unit 21 reads and refers to the electronic program guide stored in the RAM 12 or the HDD 13 after reception.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the history information table 30 in the present embodiment. The history information table 30 includes a start time of a program that the user has viewed or recorded / reserved for viewing, a day of the week to which the start time belongs, a channel that the user has viewed or reserved for recording / viewing, the genre of this program, and the like. This is a table in which history information having the attribute information is accumulated. The history information storage unit 21 stores the start time, day of the week, channel, and attribute information in the history information table 30 built in the HDD 13 as history information.

  The history information extraction unit 22 counts the number of history information having the same start time in the history information table 30, and determines whether the number of history information having the same start time has reached a predetermined number. To do. Furthermore, the history information extraction unit 22 extracts the start time related to the history information when the number of history information having the same start time reaches a predetermined number.

  The automatic activation setting unit 23 sets the start time extracted by the history information extraction unit 22 in the system as the automatic activation time of the television application.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the automatic start setting table in the present embodiment. The automatic start setting table includes an automatic start time indicating a time at which the system automatically starts or automatically recovers and a TV application is automatically started, an automatic start day indicating a day of the automatic start, and an automatic start after the automatic start. Automatically selected channel indicating the channel to be selected, attribute information such as the genre of the program broadcast during the automatically activated time zone, and the number of times the automatic activation has been performed but has not been continuously used by the user It is a table in which automatic start settings having the number of non-uses are accumulated.

  The display device control unit 24 sleeps only the display 16 until a user operation is accepted even when the personal computer 1 returns from the automatic start or sleep state according to the setting by the automatic start setting unit 23 and the TV application automatically starts. State. There are several ways to put the display 16 into sleep. For example, if the display 16 has a function of shifting to a sleep state when no video signal is input, the display device control unit 24 may not output the video signal to the display 16. In this case, the display control unit 24 can release the sleep state of the display 16 by outputting a video signal to the display 16 when an operation by the user is accepted. As another example, in a system in which the display 16 operates with power supplied from the computer 1, the display device control unit 24 instructs the power supply unit of the computer 1 to stop supplying power to the display 16. It may be issued to put the display 16 in a sleep state. In this case, the display control unit 24 can release the sleep state of the display 16 by issuing a command to start power supply to the display 16 to the power control unit of the computer 1 when an operation by the user is accepted. Accordingly, the user can immediately start watching the television with a waiting time only for canceling the sleep state of the display 16 without waiting for the time required for starting or returning the system or starting the television application. . In addition, by setting the display 16 in the sleep state, power consumption by the display 16 can be suppressed from the automatic activation until the user actually starts viewing.

  The non-use number recording unit 25 allows the user to watch the TV using the TV application even though the personal computer 1 is automatically started or automatically returned according to the setting by the automatic start setting unit 23 and the TV application is automatically started. When an operation that can be confirmed to be confirmed is not accepted, it is determined that the TV application has not been used, and the number of times of non-use after the automatic activation is recorded in the automatic activation setting table.

  The automatic start setting deletion unit 26 refers to the number of times the automatic start setting is not used in the automatic start setting table, and determines whether this value is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, so that automatic start is unnecessary. The estimated automatic start setting is specified, and the specified automatic start setting is deleted from the automatic start setting table.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for learning the start time of the television application in the present embodiment. The processing shown in this flowchart is executed simultaneously with the activation of the television application.

  In step S101, the activation time, activation day of the television application, and the channel selected immediately after activation are acquired. The history information storage unit 21 acquires the time and day of the week when the television application is activated from the date and time management function of the system where the television application is executed. Further, the history information storage unit 21 acquires a channel in the television application that is determined to have been fixed by the user after a while. Specifically, the channel selected at the time of activation (for example, the channel selected at the end of the previous television application or the channel selected at the same time as the activation of the television application) is not changed for a predetermined time or more. If this channel is acquired. When the user performs a channel switching operation within a predetermined time after startup, the channel after switching is acquired when there is no change in channel for a predetermined time after which it can be determined that the channel is fixed after channel switching. The However, a fixed channel may be acquired according to other criteria. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S102.

  In step S102, the start time of the program that the user is viewing is acquired. The history information storage unit 21 acquires the start time of the program broadcast at the start time acquired in step S101 in the channel acquired in step S101 by referring to the electronic program guide. Specifically, if the channel acquired in step S101 is 1 and the start time is 19:05, the program broadcast on channel 1 at 19:05 with reference to the electronic program guide And the start time (for example, 19:00) of this program is acquired. Here, in addition to the start time, information indicating the program attributes such as the program genre is simultaneously acquired. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S103.

  In step S103, attribute information such as start time, start day of the week, channel, and genre is recorded in the history information table 30. The history information storage unit 21 records information acquired up to step S102 in the history information table 30 as history information. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S104.

  In step S104, it is determined whether or not history information having the same start time has been recorded a predetermined number of times. The history information extraction unit 22 counts the number of history information with the same start time in the history information table 30 and determines whether there is history information with the same start time over a predetermined number (that is, the start time is Whether or not the user has watched the same program a predetermined number of times or more. Here, in this embodiment, the predetermined number is 3. By setting the number of times that automatic start is set to 3, it is possible to eliminate erroneously determining that the user has accidentally started a TV application for two consecutive days based on the user's life cycle. In addition, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the automatic activation is not easily set because the number of repetitions required until the automatic activation is set, and the effect of the automatic function cannot be obtained. If it is determined that history information having the same start time has been recorded a predetermined number of times or more, the process proceeds to step S105. If it is determined that history information having the same start time has not been recorded a predetermined number of times, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  In step S105, automatic activation is set. The automatic activation setting unit 23 sets the start time of the history information determined to be recorded a predetermined number of times or more in step S104 in the system as the automatic activation time of the system and the television application. Specifically, the automatic start setting unit 23 automatically starts the personal computer 1 on which the TV application is installed, or sleep state (sleep state S3 in standby (ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)) or hibernation state. (Hibernation) (sleep state S4 in ACPI, etc.) is set, and the TV application is set to be automatically executed at the set time. Note that here, the day of the week to be automatically started is also set. The automatic start setting unit 23 refers to the day of the week in the history information, determines the day of the week to be automatically started by referring to the day of the week in which the TV application was used in the automatic start time period in the history thus far, Set in the system. In the present embodiment, the day of the week for automatic startup is set based on the combination of days of the week in the history. For example, if the day of the activation recorded in the history information is not the same (for example, if it is Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday), the automatic activation of every day (or weekday) is the day of the activation recorded in the history information. Are the same day of the week (for example, Monday), the automatic activation of the day of the week (for example, Monday) is set.

  In addition, a channel selected at startup is set as a setting item of the television application. For example, when all the channels recorded in the history information related to the automatic activation setting are the same, the channel is set as a channel that is automatically selected at the time of activation. Even if they are not all the same channel, the most frequently used channel or the channel set as the default channel in the television application is set as a channel that is automatically selected when the television application is started. It should be noted that the setting contents relating to the automatic activation set here are stored in the automatic activation setting table as automatic activation settings. Thereafter, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  Usually, the personal computer 1 on which the TV application is installed is used at the user's home or the like, and the time when the user is not watching the TV and the time when the user is not using other applications of the personal computer 1. The belt is in a sleep state or a shutdown state. Hereinafter, processing for automatically starting the television application when the personal computer 1 in the sleep state has reached the automatic start time will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of automatic start processing in the present embodiment. The process shown in this flowchart is executed when the automatic start time set in the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is reached.

  The system management means returns the system from the sleep state in response to the automatic start time of the day of the week on which automatic start is set (step S201), reads the TV application program from the HDD 13 and expands it in the RAM 12. Then, the TV application is activated (step S202). At this time, the channel set as the channel automatically selected in step S105 is automatically selected, the broadcast wave is received by the broadcast receiving unit 15, and the picture is generated (step S203). Then, the display device control unit 24 controls only the output to the display 16 to set only the display 16 to the sleep state (step S204). However, it is preferable that the display 16 is always kept in a sleep state (a state in which nothing is displayed) during the execution of the processing shown in this flowchart. Thereafter, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  Moreover, in order to prevent the sound accompanying the video from being reproduced in a state where nothing is displayed on the display 16 after the automatic activation, the television application sets the volume at the automatic activation to silence. Waiting for the user's operation to start viewing, the TV application increases the volume, so that playback of the sound from the speaker is started when the user starts viewing.

  According to the processing according to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the system is automatically activated or restored at the time when the user is assumed to use the TV application without setting the automatic activation. The TV application can be activated. That is, when viewing a television on the personal computer 1 using a television application that generally has a heavy activation process, the user sleeps the display 16 without waiting for the time required to activate or restore the system or activate the television application. You can start watching TV instantly just by releasing the status. Here, as an operation for the user to cancel the sleep state of the display 16, there are a TV button depression of the remote controller 18, an input using the input device 17 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and the like.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for learning the activation time based on the reservation processing in the present embodiment. The processing shown in this flowchart is started when a recording reservation or a viewing reservation is made by a user operation while the television application is activated.

  In step S301, the reservation time, reservation day and reservation channel of a recording reservation or viewing reservation made by a user operation are acquired. The history information storage unit 21 acquires the reservation time, reservation day, and reservation channel for a recording reservation or viewing reservation made by a user operation from a recording / viewing reservation table (not shown) set in the television application. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S302.

  In step S302, the start time of the program reserved by the user is acquired. The history information storage unit 21 acquires the start time of the program broadcast at the reserved time acquired in step S301 in the channel acquired in step S301 by referring to the electronic program guide. The details of the process are the same as in step S102, and thus description thereof is omitted. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S303.

  In step S303, a confirmation screen for confirming to the user whether or not to set the automatic activation is displayed. For example, the history information storage unit 21 includes a message “Do you want to set the TV application to automatically start at 19:00?” And buttons “Yes” and “No”. An image of the displayed confirmation screen is generated, and this image is displayed on the display 16. And the selection by the user input via input devices 17, such as a keyboard and a mouse | mouth, is received. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S304.

  In step S304, the result of selection by the user is determined. The history information storage unit 21 receives the selection input by the user who confirmed the confirmation screen displayed in step S303, and determines the selection content. If the user selects to set automatic activation, the process proceeds to step S305. When the user selects not to set automatic activation, the processing shown in this flowchart ends. That is, according to the processing shown in this flowchart, an unintended automatic activation setting can be suppressed by inquiring the user before learning and not setting automatic activation when the selection by the user is negative. .

  In step S305, automatic activation is set. The automatic activation setting unit 23 sets the start time acquired in step S302 in the system as the automatic activation time of the television application. The details of the process are the same as in step S105, and thus description thereof is omitted. Of the setting items of the television application, the channel selected at the time of activation is set to the channel acquired in step S301. It should be noted that the setting contents relating to the automatic activation set here are stored in the automatic activation setting table as automatic activation settings. Thereafter, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  In the process shown in this flowchart, when the user makes a recording reservation or viewing reservation, a confirmation screen for inquiring the user whether or not to set the reservation time as the automatic start time is displayed. As in the process shown in FIG. 5, the start time of a program that has been reserved a predetermined number of times or more may be set as the automatic start time. In this case, since the operation content by the user is considered to indicate a program to be explicitly recorded / viewed, the predetermined number of times for setting the automatic start time is compared with the processing shown in FIG. You may set few.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of automatic start setting deletion processing in the present embodiment. The processing shown in this flowchart is executed after the television application is automatically started.

  In step S401, it is monitored that a predetermined time has elapsed after the television application is automatically started. The non-use count recording unit 25 monitors a predetermined operation performed by the user within a predetermined time after the television application is automatically started. The predetermined operation here is an operation that allows the user to confirm that the user is watching the television using the television application. For example, by detecting that a television button is pressed, a channel operation, a volume operation, or the like is performed, it can be confirmed that the user is watching the television using a television application. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S402.

  In step S402, the presence / absence of a predetermined operation by the user is determined. The non-use count recording unit 25 determines whether or not a predetermined operation for confirming that the user is watching the television is performed in the monitoring in step S401. If it is determined that the predetermined operation has not been performed, the process proceeds to step S403. If it is determined that a predetermined operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S406.

  In step S403, the number of times that the predetermined operation has not been performed is counted. The nonuse count recording unit 25 starts the TV application according to the set automatic start time, but it is estimated that a predetermined operation is not performed, that is, the user is not watching the TV using the TV application. Count the number of times. Specifically, the non-use count recording unit 25 adds 1 to the non-use count of the corresponding automatic start setting in the automatic start setting table. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S404.

  In step S404, it is determined whether or not the number of non-use has reached a predetermined number. The automatic start setting deletion unit 26 refers to the number of times the automatic start setting is not used in the automatic start setting table, and determines whether or not this value has reached a predetermined number (for example, three times). If the number of non-use reaches a predetermined number, the process proceeds to step S405. If the number of times of non-use does not reach the predetermined number (less than the predetermined number), the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  In step S405, the automatic startup setting is deleted. If the TV application is automatically activated but has not been used by the user a predetermined number of times, it can be determined that the automatic activation at this time is unnecessary or unnecessary. For this reason, the automatic activation setting deleting unit 26 deletes the automatic activation setting determined to have been unused a predetermined number of times in step S404 from the automatic activation setting table. Thereafter, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  In step S406, the number of non-uses is reset. The non-use number recording unit 25 resets the non-use number counter of the corresponding automatic start setting recorded in the automatic start setting table because it is confirmed in step S402 that the user is using the TV application ( 0). In other words, in the processing shown in this flowchart, the automatic activation setting is deleted only when the user does not use the television application for a predetermined number of times (for example, three times) after the automatic activation. Thereafter, the processing shown in this flowchart ends.

  According to the processing shown in this flowchart, automatic startup continues according to the automatically started setting that was mistakenly learned, or once learned and used by the user, the user watches the TV during that time zone. It is possible to prevent the automatic activation from being continued according to the automatic activation setting that is no longer necessary due to the disappearance. According to the present embodiment, by repeating the learning of the automatic start time (see FIGS. 5 and 7) and the deletion of the automatic start setting (see FIG. 8), the system can be adapted to the life cycle and preferences of the user. In addition, it is possible to keep the TV application automatically activated.

  In the above flowchart, the method for deleting the automatic start setting when the number of times of non-use reaches a predetermined number has been described. However, other attribute information such as the genre of the program in the time zone in which the automatic start is set. Is acquired from the electronic program guide, and the automatic start setting may be deleted when the attribute (genre or the like) of the program is different from the attribute information recorded in the automatic start setting.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of automatic start setting deletion based on program attributes in the present embodiment. The processing shown in this flowchart may be executed periodically, or may be executed in a confirming manner before automatic startup is set or before automatic startup is performed. The automatic start setting deleting unit 26 compares the attribute information stored in the automatic start setting table with the attribute information set for the corresponding program in the electronic program guide (step S501). When the compared attribute information is different, a program of a specific genre has been continuously viewed by the user, but when the program has changed to a different genre from a certain time, the program that the user has viewed ends. It is determined that the program schedule has been revised (step S502), and the automatic activation setting is deleted (step S503). The attribute information used for this determination may be a program genre (news, variety, drama, etc.), or other attribute information such as a program name.

Claims (24)

A storage device;
An accumulating unit that accumulates the history information by obtaining history information indicating whether a predetermined application is used or used, and storing the history information in the storage device;
A history relating to a usage time zone estimated to be used in the future based on the number of the history information indicating the same or corresponding usage time zone with reference to the history information stored in the storage device by the storage means A specific means of identifying information;
Setting means for setting automatic start of the predetermined application to system management means of a computer on which the predetermined application operates based on a use time zone indicated by the history information specified by the specifying means;
An automatic start setting device. The setting means sets automatic start of the predetermined application and sets automatic start or automatic return of the computer to the system management means based on a use time zone indicated by the specified history information. ,
The automatic start setting device according to claim 1. The predetermined application is a television application;
The storage means acquires and stores, as the history information, the start time of a program that was broadcast at the start time of the TV application, or the start time of a program that is broadcast at a reservation time of the TV application,
The start time of the program is specified by referring to an electronic program guide.
The automatic start setting device according to claim 1 or 2. When the number of the history information having the same start time of the program reaches a predetermined number, the specifying means uses the history information related to the same start time to be estimated to be used in the future Identified as history information related to the belt,
The automatic start setting device according to claim 3. A display device for outputting an image generated by the application;
Display device control means for controlling the display device to a sleep state until an operation by a user is accepted even when the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting by the setting means;
The automatic start setting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: The display device control means controls the display device so as not to output the image until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting device according to claim 5. The display device control means controls to stop power supply to the display device until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting device according to claim 5. Even if the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting by the setting means, if the user's operation is not accepted, it is determined that the predetermined application has not been used. A recording means for recording the number of non-uses after startup;
Based on the number of non-uses recorded by the recording means, a deletion means for deleting the setting of automatic start that is estimated to be unnecessary for automatic start;
The automatic start setting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: By a computer with a storage device,
An accumulation step of accumulating the history information by acquiring history information indicating a use time of a predetermined application or being used and storing the history information in the storage device;
The history related to the usage time zone estimated to be used in the future based on the number of the history information indicating the same or corresponding usage time zone with reference to the history information stored in the storage device in the storage step A specific step of identifying information;
A setting step for setting automatic startup of the predetermined application to a system management unit of a computer on which the predetermined application operates, based on a use time period indicated by the history information specified in the specifying step;
The automatic startup setting method is executed. In the setting step, automatic start of the predetermined application is set and automatic start or automatic return of the computer is set for the system management unit based on a use time zone indicated by the specified history information. To be
The automatic start setting method according to claim 9. The predetermined application is a television application;
In the storage step, the start time of the program that was broadcast at the start time of the TV application, or the start time of the program that is broadcast at the reservation time of the TV application is acquired and stored as the history information,
The start time of the program is specified by referring to an electronic program guide.
The automatic start setting method according to claim 9 or 10. In the specifying step, when the number of the history information having the same start time of the program reaches a predetermined number, the usage time estimated that the history information related to the same start time will be used in the future Specified as history information related to the belt,
The automatic start setting method according to claim 11. The computer includes a display device that outputs an image generated by the application,
Even when the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting in the setting step, a display device control step of controlling the display device to a sleep state until an operation by a user is accepted;
The automatic start setting method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein is further executed. In the display device control step, the display device is controlled so as not to output the image until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting method according to claim 13. In the display device control step, control is performed to stop power supply to the display device until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting method according to claim 13. Even though the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting in the setting step, when the operation by the user is not accepted, it is determined that the predetermined application has not been used. A recording step for recording the number of non-uses after startup;
Based on the number of times of non-use recorded in the recording step, a deletion step of deleting the setting of automatic start that is estimated to be unnecessary for automatic start,
The automatic start setting method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein is further executed. A computer comprising a storage device,
An accumulating unit that accumulates the history information by obtaining history information indicating whether a predetermined application is used or used, and storing the history information in the storage device;
A history relating to a usage time zone estimated to be used in the future based on the number of the history information indicating the same or corresponding usage time zone with reference to the history information stored in the storage device by the storage means A specific means of identifying information;
Setting means for setting automatic start of the predetermined application to system management means of a computer on which the predetermined application operates based on a use time zone indicated by the history information specified by the specifying means;
Auto-start setting program that functions as The setting means sets automatic start of the predetermined application and sets automatic start or automatic return of the computer to the system management means based on a use time zone indicated by the specified history information. ,
The automatic start setting program according to claim 17. The predetermined application is a television application;
The storage means acquires and stores, as the history information, the start time of a program that was broadcast at the start time of the TV application, or the start time of a program that is broadcast at a reservation time of the TV application,
The start time of the program is specified by referring to an electronic program guide.
The automatic start setting program according to claim 17 or 18. When the number of the history information having the same start time of the program reaches a predetermined number, the specifying means uses the history information related to the same start time to be estimated to be used in the future Identified as history information related to the belt,
The automatic start setting program according to claim 19. The computer includes a display device that outputs an image generated by the application,
The computer,
Display device control means for controlling the display device to a sleep state until an operation by a user is accepted even when the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting by the setting means;
The automatic start setting program according to any one of claims 17 to 20, further functioning as: The display device control means controls the display device so as not to output the image until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting program according to claim 21. The display device control means controls to stop power supply to the display device until an operation by the user is accepted.
The automatic start setting program according to claim 21. The computer,
Even though the predetermined application is automatically started according to the setting by the setting means, it is determined that the predetermined application has not been used when the user's operation is not accepted, and the automatic start is automatically performed for each automatic start setting. A recording means for recording the number of non-uses after startup;
Based on the number of non-uses recorded by the recording means, a deletion means for deleting the setting of automatic start that is estimated to be unnecessary for automatic start;
The automatic start setting program according to any one of claims 17 to 23, which further functions as:

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