INFORMATION TERMINAL, POWER SAVING METHOD IN INFORMATION TERMINAL, AND RECORDING MEDIUM WHICH RECORDS PROGRAM

• US 20130300874A1
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Access Technica Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoshima, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

[Problems to be solved] To provide an information terminal, a power saving method in the information terminal and a recording medium which records a program which are capable of efficiently suppressing power consumption related to human detection.

[Solution] A human detector performs human detection processing using a captured image by a camera and notifies a control unit of the detection result. Various sensors, an RF unit and a position information detector acquire information related to a change in a position of the information terminal and notify the control unit. The control unit performs power control for the camera on the basis of at least one of the human detection processing result and the information related to the change in the position of the information terminal.

Claims

1. An information terminal characterized by being the information terminal equipped with a camera, and comprising:

human detection unit which performs human detection processing using a captured image by said camera;

position change detection unit which acquires information related to a change in a position of the information terminal concerned; and

control unit which performs power control for said camera on the basis of at least one of the processing result by said human detection unit and the information related to the change in the position of the information terminal concerned from said position change detection unit.

2. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein characterized by said human detection processing memorizing the detection result of the human being together with information of time;

and

said control unit, on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is high, powering on said camera at the acquired time concerned, and making the human detection processing by said human detection unit executed.

3. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein characterized by said position change detection unit comprising sensors related to detection of the position change in the information terminal concerned, and

said control unit, in case an output value of said sensor shows that the information terminal concerned has moved, powering on said camera and making the human detection processing by said human detection unit executed.

4. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein characterized by said position change detection unit further comprising a wireless reception unit;

and

said control unit, in case information which said wireless reception unit received shows the position change in the information terminal concerned, powering on said camera and making the human detection processing by said human detection unit executed.

5. The information terminal according to claim 2, wherein characterized by said control unit, on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is low, powering off said camera at the acquired time concerned, and ending the human detection processing by said human detection unit.

6. A power saving method of a portable terminal characterized by being the power saving method of an information terminal equipped with a camera, and comprising:

performing human detection processing using a captured image by said camera;

acquiring information related to a change in a position of the information terminal concerned; and

performing power control for said camera on the basis of at least one of said human detection processing result and the information related to the change in the position of the information terminal concerned.

7. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 6, wherein characterized by memorizing the detection result of the human being together with information of time in said human detection processing;

and

on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is high, powering on said camera at the acquired time concerned, and making said human detection processing executed.

8. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 6, wherein characterized by the information terminal concerned comprising sensors related to detection of the position change in the information terminal concerned, and

in case an output value of said sensor shows that the information terminal concerned has moved, powering on said camera, and making said human detection processing executed.

9. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 6, wherein characterized by the information terminal further comprising a wireless reception unit;

and

in case information which said wireless reception unit received shows the position change in the information terminal concerned, powering on said camera, and making said human detection processing executed.

10. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 7, wherein characterized by, on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is low, powering off said camera at the acquired time concerned, and ending said human detection processing.

11. A recording medium which records a program characterized by making a computer connected to a camera execute:

human detection processing using a captured image by the camera;

processing for acquiring information related to a change in a position of the information terminal concerned; and

control processing for performing power control for said camera on the basis of at least one of said human detection processing result and the information related to the change in the position of the information terminal concerned.

12. The recording medium which records the program according to claim 11, wherein characterized by said human detection processing memorizing the detection result of the human being together with information of time;

and

said control processing, on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is high, powering on said camera at the acquired time concerned, and making said human detection processing executed.

13. The recording medium which records the program according to claim 11, wherein characterized by said computer being connected to sensors related to detection of the position change;

and

said control processing, in case an output value of the sensor shows a predetermined change in the position, powering on said camera and making said human detection processing executed.

14. The recording medium which records the program according to claim 11, wherein characterized by said computer being connected to a wireless reception unit;

and

said control processing, in case information which said wireless reception unit received shows a predetermined position change, powering on said camera and making said human detection processing executed.

15. The recording medium which records the program according to claim 12, wherein characterized by said control processing, on the basis of said memorized human detection processing result, acquiring time when a probability that the human being is detected is low, powering off said camera at the acquired time concerned, and ending said human detection processing.