Boot time reducing device including boot preparation instructing unit

• US 7,257,702 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2004
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Mikihiko, Mizobata, Norihiko, Arakawa, Taku
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao; Chun
• Application Number:
  US10/548,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4403 Processor initialisation

Abstract

With a temporary operating unit being operating, a user provides a boot timing using a boot timing instructing unit. This causes a CPU to compute a boot preparation timing based on the boot timing, and store the boot timing and boot preparation timing to a boot timing memory. At this time, a timer begins a time-keeping operation. After that, the user turns off the power to the temporary operating unit. A boot preparation instructing unit determines whether or not the time being measured by the timer coincides with the boot preparation timing stored in the boot timing memory. When the time measured by the timer coincides with the boot preparation timing stored in the boot timing memory, the boot preparation instructing unit provides the CPU with a boot preparation instruction. This turns on the power to the temporary operating unit, and the CPU performs a boot preparation.

Claims

1. A boot time reducing device for reducing a boot time of an electronic apparatus that boots up in response to a boot instruction, the device comprising:

a controller that performs a boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to a boot instruction; and

a boot preparation instructing unit that predicts a timing of generation of said boot instruction, and instructs performing of at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier than the predicted boot instruction timing;

wherein said controller performs the at least part of said boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to the instruction of said boot preparation instructing unit,

said boot preparation instructing unit includes;

a sensor that detects the presence or approach of a person; and

an instruction generator that instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process based on a detection by said sensor.

2. The boot time reducing device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes an infrared sensor that detects the presence or approach of a person by infrared radiation.

3. The boot time reducing device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a voice input device that detects the presence or approach of a person based on voice input.

4. The boot time reducing device according to claim 3, wherein said sensor further includes:

a storage device that stores information on the voice print of a registered person; and

a determiner that determines the presence or approach of the registered person by a comparison of a voice inputted through said voice input device with the information stored in said storage device, and wherein

said instruction generator instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process when said determiner has determined that the registered person is present or approached.

5. The boot time reducing device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes:

a storage device that stores information for identifying a registered radio device;

a receiver that receives a signal from the radio device; and

a determiner that determines the presence or approach of the registered radio device by a comparison of the signal received through said receiver with the information stored in said storage device, and wherein

said instruction generator instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process when said determiner has determined that the registered radio device is present or approached.

6. The boot time reducing device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a power measuring device that detects the presence or approach of a person based on a change in power consumption.

7. The boot time reducing device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor includes an optical sensor that detects the presence or approach of a person based on a change in an amount of light.

8. A boot time reducing device for reducing a boot time of an electronic apparatus that boots up in response to a boot instruction, the device comprising:

a controller that performs a boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to a boot instruction;

a boot preparation instructing unit that predicts a timing of generation of said boot instruction, and instructs performing of at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier than the predicted boot instruction timing; and

a manipulation device that generates an instruction to boot said electronic apparatus by user manipulation,

wherein said controller performs the at least part of said boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to the instruction of said boot preparation instructing unit,

said boot preparation instructing unit includes

a predictor that predicts manipulation of said manipulation device by the user; and

an instruction generator that instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process based on a prediction by said predictor,

wherein said predictor includes at least one of the following;

a pressure sensor detecting that a user has touched said manipulation device based on a change in pressure;

a temperature sensor detecting that the user has touched said manipulation device based on a change in temperature; and

a gyrosensor detecting that the user has moved said manipulation device based on a change in angular velocity.

9. The boot time reducing device according to claim 8, further comprising a setting device that presets a boot timing for said electronic apparatus,

wherein said boot preparation instructing unit instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier by a prescribed time than the boot timing set by said setting device.

10. The boot time reducing device according to claim 8, further comprising a storage device that stores a timing at which said electronic apparatus was booted,

wherein said boot preparation instructing unit instructs said controller to perform the at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier by a prescribed time than the timing stored in said storage device.

11. The boot time reducing device according to claim 8, wherein said electronic apparatus includes:

a program stdrage device that stores a program;

a main storage device; and

a processing device that executes the program stored in said program storage device on said main storage device, wherein

the at least part of said boot process includes at least one of expanding the program, transferring the program from said program storage device to said main storage device, and executing part of said program.

12. A boot time reducing device for reducing a boot time of an electronic apparatus that boots up in response to a boot instruction, the device comprising:

a controller that performs a boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to a boot instruction; and

a boot preparation instructing unit that predicts a timing of generation of said boot instruction, and instructs performing of at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier than a predicted boot instruction timing;

wherein said controller performs the at least part of said boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to the instruction of said boot preparation instructing unit, and

said controller releases said boot process when said controller fails to receive a boot instruction within a prescribed time after the beginning of performing the at least part of said boot process of said electronic apparatus.

13. A boot time reducing device for reducing a boot time of an electronic apparatus that boots up in response to a boot instruction, the device comprising:

a controller that performs a boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to a boot instruction; and

a boot preparation instructing unit that predicts a timing of generation of said boot instruction, and instructs performing of at least part of said boot process at a timing earlier than a predicted boot instruction timing;

wherein said controller performs the at least part of said boot process of said electronic apparatus in response to the instruction of said boot preparation instructing unit,

said electronic apparatus comprises a television module that displays a television program and a personal computer connected to said television module, and

said controller performs at least part of a boot process of said personal computer in response to an instruction of said boot preparation instructing unit.