Information processing apparatus and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11256301-B2
Application number	US-202117194974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2021
Priority date	Apr 1, 2020
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes: a main control unit that executes processing based on an operating system (OS) and that changes to a low power consumption mode to stop some functions including a display unit while making a predetermined function work; a setting information storage unit that stores a usage status mode based on usage status and setting information in association with one another, where the setting information indicates whether to stop the predetermined function implemented by a device driver added to the OS in the low power consumption mode; a mode control unit that changes the main control unit to the low power consumption mode; and a change processing unit that changes a stopped state of the predetermined function.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a main control unit that:
executes processing based on an operating system (OS), and
changes to a low power consumption mode to stop some functions including a display unit while making a predetermined function work;

a setting information storage unit that stores a usage status mode based on usage status and setting information in association with one another, wherein the setting information indicates whether to stop the predetermined function implemented by a device driver added to the OS in the low power consumption mode;
a mode control unit that changes the main control unit to the low power consumption mode; and
a change processing unit that changes a stopped state of the predetermined function according to the usage status mode based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit upon the mode control unit changing to the low power consumption mode.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a state detection unit that detects the usage status, wherein
the change processing unit acquires, from the setting information storage unit, the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode based on the usage status detected by the state detection unit to change the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the acquired setting information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration of an own apparatus, wherein
the usage status includes a used shape upon using the own apparatus,
the state detection unit detects the used shape based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, and
the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode based on the used shape.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the usage status includes a usage location, and
the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode based on the usage location.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the usage status includes a usage time, and
the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode based on the usage time.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the usage status includes a power state that indicates whether the information processing apparatus is operated by power of a built-in battery or a power state that indicates a remaining capacity of the battery, and
the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode based on the power state.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sub-control unit operating independently of the main control unit in a manner to be operable in the low power consumption mode, wherein
when an event trigger has occurred via the sub-control unit, the mode control unit makes a transition to a normal working state and changes again to the state in which the some functions are stopped after execution of processing corresponding to the event trigger, and
when the usage status mode is changed upon changing again to the state in which the some functions are stopped, the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information according to the changed usage status mode.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the main control unit executes background processing in the low power consumption mode, and
when the usage status mode is changed upon execution of the background processing by the main control unit, the change processing unit changes the stopped state of the predetermined function based on the setting information according to the changed usage status mode.

9. The information processing apparatus according claim 1 , further comprising:
a setting change unit that:
displays, on the display unit, the setting information corresponding to the usage status mode, and
changes the setting information based on input information from an input unit and stores the changed setting information in the setting information storage unit.

10. A control method for an information processing apparatus that includes a main control unit that executes processing based on an operating system (OS) and that changes to a low power consumption mode to stop some functions including a display unit while making a predetermined function work, and a setting information storage unit that stores a usage status mode based on usage status and setting information in association with one another, wherein the setting information indicates whether to stop the predetermined function implemented by a device driver added to the OS in the low power consumption mode, the control method comprising:
causing a mode control unit to change the main control unit to the low power consumption mode; and
causing a change processing unit to change a stopped state of the predetermined function according to the usage status mode based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit upon the mode control unit changing to the low power consumption mode.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Sumikawa Toshinari
• Katayama Yosuke
• Oda Hiroki
• Tagami Yuta

Classifications

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• G06F1/3206 Primary

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/3265

  Power saving in display device · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title