Electronic device and electronic device control method

• US 20070094519A1
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US10/576,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094519A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device

Abstract

A monitoring unit detects a remaining level of a battery. When the battery level falls below a predetermined threshold, an electronic apparatus enters a power saving mode. In the power saving mode, the processing load of a control unit, or a first main CPU and the like, is reduced. For that purpose, the level of spatial details or temporal detail in drawing is lowered. The load of audio processing or communication may also be lowered. Lowering the processing load can improve the battery life thereafter.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus driven by a battery, comprising:

a control unit which performs predetermined processing to execute a program;

a monitoring unit which detects a remaining level of the battery; and

an adjustment unit which adjusts processing load by changing a graphic processing performed in the control unit, in accordance with the remaining level of the battery detected by the monitoring unit.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit reduces the processing load when the remaining level of the battery detected falls below a predetermined threshold.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment unit reduces the load of drawing processing.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment unit lowers the processing load by reducing a level of spatial detail drawn in the drawing processing.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment unit lowers the processing load by reducing a level of temporal detail drawn in the drawing processing.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment unit reduces the processing load by changing a audio processing aside from the drawing processing.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a informing unit which informs user about processing load being reduced when the adjustment unit reduces the processing load.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts so as to accelerate progress of a game when the control unit executes a computer program of the game.

9. A computer program to be executed by a computer provided in an electronic apparatus driven by a battery, the program making the computer exercise the functions of:

detecting a remaining level of the battery of the electronic apparatus; and

adjusting processing load of the electronic apparatus by changing a graphic processing in accordance with the remaining level of the battery detected.

10. The computer program according to claim 9 making the computer exercise the function of adjusting processing load of the electronic apparatus by changing the graphic processing in accordance with a executing status of the computer program, aside from the remaining level of the battery.

11. The computer program according to claim 9 making the computer exercise the function of reducing the processing load when the remaining level of the battery detected falls below a predetermined threshold.

12. A recording medium provided in an electronic apparatus driven by a battery, the recording medium containing a computer program for making a computer exercise the functions of:

detecting a remaining level of the battery of the electronic apparatus; and

adjusting processing load of the electronic apparatus by changing a graphic processing in accordance with the remaining level of the battery detected.

16. A method of controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

detecting a remaining level of a battery of the electronic apparatus; and

adjusting processing load of the electronic apparatus by changing a graphic processing in accordance with the remaining level of the battery detected.