INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20110261062A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tezuka, Kenichiro, Fukuda, Shigenobu, Kawata, Masaru, Murofushi, Ippei
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/503
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that includes a first graphic processing module having a first level of graphic performance and a second graphic processing module having a second level of graphic performance, which is greater than the first level of graphic performance. The information processing apparatus also includes a controller that selects one of the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module by determining whether the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the first level of graphic performance or the second level of graphic performance, and detects whether the information processing apparatus is provided with power via a battery or via an external power source.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first graphic processing module having a first level of graphic performance;

a second graphic processing module having a second level of graphic performance, which is greater than the first level of graphic performance;

a controller configured to select one of the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module by determining whether the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the first level of graphic performance or the second level of graphic performance, and detecting whether the information processing apparatus is provided with power via a battery or via an external power source.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface compatible with the second level of graphic performance.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the second level of graphic performance by detecting that a connection is provided to the interface.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the second level of graphic performance by determining that an application executed by the information processing apparatus is compatible with the second level of graphic performance.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect that the information processing apparatus is provided with power via the external power source by detecting that power is being supplied via an external connection.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the second graphic processing module when it is determined that the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the second level of graphic performance.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the second graphic processing module when it is detected that the information processing apparatus is provided with power via the external power source.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the first graphic processing module when it is determined that the information processing apparatus is not capable of outputting data with the second level of graphic performance.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the first graphic processing module when it is detected that the information processing apparatus is provided with power via the battery.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a notification when the controller switches between the first and second graphic processing modules.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a notification when the controller selects either the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to display a power consumption value upon selecting the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the notification includes a button configured to receive a user input indicating whether the selection is accepted.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the controller is configured to determine whether an application executed at the information processing apparatus is affected by the selecting, and the displayed notification indicates that the application is affected.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the notification includes a button configured to receive a user input indicating whether the selection is accepted.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to switch between the first and second graphic processing modules when the application affected by the selecting is terminated.

17. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first graphic processing module is configured to consume a first amount of power during operation, and

the second graphic processing module is configured to consume a second amount of power, which is greater that the first amount of power, during operation.

18. The information processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to control the information processing apparatus to be in each of a first mode in which the controller automatically selects one of the first and second graphic processing modules, a second mode, in which the first graphic processing module is selected, and a user input is required to switch to the second graphic processing module, and a third mode, in which the second graphic processing module is selected, and a user input is required to switch to the first graphic processing module.

19. The information processing apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a switch having a movable portion configured to be moved between three positions, each corresponding to one of the first, second and third modes.

20. The information processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the switch is a triangular shaped switch, and the movable portion is configured to be moved between each corner of the triangle, and each corner of the triangle corresponds to one of the first, second and third modes.

21. The information processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein, when the information processing apparatus is in the second mode and the controller determines that the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the second level of graphic performance, the controller is configured to control a display of the information processing apparatus to display a notification.

22. The information processing apparatus of claim 18, wherein, when the information processing apparatus is in the third mode and the controller detects that the information processing apparatus is provided with power via the battery, the controller is configured to control a display of the information processing apparatus to display a notification.

23. A method performed by an information processing apparatus including a first graphic processing module having a first level of graphic performance and a second graphic processing module having a second level of graphic performance, which is greater than the first level of graphic performance, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller of the information processing apparatus, whether the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the first level of graphic performance or the second level of graphic performance;

detecting, by the controller of the information processing apparatus, whether the information processing apparatus is provided with power via a battery or via an external power source; and

selecting, by the controller of the information processing apparatus, one of the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module based on the determining and detecting.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by an information processing apparatus including a first graphic processing module having a first level of graphic performance and a second graphic processing module having a second level of graphic performance, which is greater than the first level of graphic performance, cause the information processing apparatus to perform a method comprising:

determining whether the information processing apparatus is capable of outputting data with the first level of graphic performance or the second level of graphic performance;

detecting whether the information processing apparatus is provided with power via a battery or via an external power source; and

selecting one of the first graphic processing module or the second graphic processing module based on the determining and the detecting.