INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS THAT PERFORMS USER AUTHENTICATION, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20130205156A1
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Niitsuma, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,658,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that improves the convenience of a user who performs authentication using an authentication medium. A communication system module acquires authentication information from an IC card. A sensor system module detects proximity of the IC card. A main circuit element group authenticates a user using the acquired authentication information. A power supply controller supplies power to those modules and the group. A power supply destination is controlled such that the apparatus is shifted to a power saving state in which power is supplied only to the sensor system module. In the power saving state, when the sensor system module detects proximity of the IC card, the power supply destination is controlled to cause the apparatus to shift to a normal power state in which power is supplied to the communication system module and the main circuit element group.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire authentication information from an authentication medium for use in authentication of a user;

a detection unit configured to detect the authentication medium;

a power supply unit configured to supply power to said acquisition unit and said detection unit; and

a power control unit configured to control a power supply destination to which power is supplied from said power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a power saving state in which power is supplied to said detection unit, and the power supply to said acquisition unit is shut off,

wherein in the power saving state of the information processing apparatus, when the authentication medium is detected by said detection unit, said power control unit controls the power supply destination to which power is supplied from said power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a normal power state in which power is supplied to said acquisition unit.

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

a display unit configured to display information to the user; and

a display control unit configured to cause said display unit to display a message for prompting the user to perform an authentication operation using the authentication medium, when the authentication medium is detected by said detection unit, in the power saving state of the information processing apparatus.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the normal power mode of the information processing apparatus, said power control unit controls the power supply destination to which power is supplied from said power supply unit such that the power supply to said detection unit is shut off.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the information processing apparatus has been shifted to the normal power state by said power control unit in response to detection of the authentication medium, said power control unit shifts the information processing apparatus to the power saving state in a shorter time period than in a case where the information processing apparatus has been shifted to the normal power state by said power control unit not in response to detection of the authentication medium.

5. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus including an acquisition unit configured to acquire authentication information from an authentication medium for use in authentication of a user, a detection unit configured to detect the authentication medium, and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the acquisition unit and the detection unit, the method comprising:

executing power control for controlling a power supply destination to which power is supplied from the power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a power saving state in which power is supplied to the detection unit, and the power supply to the acquisition unit is shut off; and

executing power control for controlling, in the power saving state of the information processing apparatus, when the authentication medium is detected by the detection unit, the power supply destination to which power is supplied from the power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a normal power state in which power is supplied to the acquisition unit.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for executing a method of controlling an information processing apparatus including an acquisition unit configured to acquire authentication information from an authentication medium for use in authentication of a user, a detection unit configured to detect the authentication medium, and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the acquisition unit and the detection unit,

wherein the method comprises:

executing power control for controlling a power supply destination to which power is supplied from the power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a power saving state in which power is supplied to the detection unit, and the power supply to the acquisition unit is shut off; and

executing power control for controlling, in the power saving state of the information processing apparatus, when the authentication medium is detected by the detection unit, the power supply destination to which power is supplied from the power supply unit such that the information processing apparatus is shifted to a normal power state in which power is supplied to the acquisition unit.