Method and apparatus for controlling power to a first and second circuit based on an operational mode and connecting state of an information processing apparatus

• US 7,386,742 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirai, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNOLLY, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/147,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20050264552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/324, 713/340, 323/318, 710/318
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• 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 is connectable to a bus that is connected to a further apparatus. A detecting circuit detects whether the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus. When the detecting circuit detects that the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus, a control circuit controls a power supply circuit such that the power supply circuit provides power to a further circuit. When the detecting circuit detects that the bus is not connected to the information processing apparatus, the control circuit controls the power supply circuit such that the power supply circuit does not provide the power to the further circuit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus connectable to a bus, the bus being connected to a further apparatus, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a detecting circuit operable to detect whether the bus is connected to said information processing apparatus;

a control circuit;

a first circuit; and

a second circuit;

said control circuit being operable to control a power supply circuit such that (i) when said information processing apparatus is in a standby mode and said detecting circuit detects that the bus is connected to said information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to said first circuit and does not provide power to said second circuit, (ii) when said information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and said detecting circuit detects that the bus is not connected to said information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit does not provide power to said first circuit and does not provide power to said second circuit, (iii) when said information processing apparatus is in a power-on mode and said detecting circuit detects that the bus is connected to said information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to said first circuit and to said second circuit, and (iv) when said information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and said detecting circuit detects that the bus is not connected to said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus returns to the standby mode and the power supply circuit does not provide power to said first circuit and does not provide power to said second circuit.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting circuit is operable to detect whether the bus is connected to said information processing apparatus by detecting a bias voltage.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting circuit is further operable to send a detection signal to said control circuit when said detecting circuit detects that the bus is connected to said information processing apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information processing apparatus includes said power supply circuit.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit includes at least one circuit selected from the group consisting of:

a physical connecting circuit operable to receive incoming data from the bus and to transmit outgoing data to the bus, a logical connecting circuit operable to convert the incoming data into an incoming signal and to convert an outgoing signal into the outgoing data, and a standby control circuit operable to receive at least part of the incoming signal and to output a signal corresponding to the part of the incoming signal to said control circuit.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the bus is an IEEE1394 serial bus, and said physical connecting circuit is an IEEE1394 interface.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said logical connecting circuit is operable to convert the incoming data into a video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second circuit includes a signal processing circuit operable to process the video signal and the audio signal, and said control circuit is further operable to control the power supply circuit such that the power supply circuit provides power to said signal processing circuit when said information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and said control circuit receives an instruction to initiate the power-on mode, and the power supply circuit terminates the power to said signal processing circuit when said information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and said control circuit receives an instruction to terminate the power-on mode.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit includes a standby control circuit operable to receive a control signal and to output a signal corresponding to the control signal.

10. A method of controlling power within an information processing apparatus that is connectable to a bus, the bus being connected to a further apparatus, said method comprising:

detecting whether the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus; and

controlling a power supply circuit such that (i) when the information processing apparatus is in a standby mode and the bus is detected as being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to a first circuit located within the information processing apparatus and does not provide power to a second circuit located within the information processing apparatus, (ii) when the information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and the bus is detected as not being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit does not provide the power to the first circuit and does not provide power to the second circuit, (iii) when the information processing apparatus is in a power-on mode and the bus is detected as being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to the first circuit and to the second circuit, and (iv) when the information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and the bus is detected as not being connected to the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus returns to the standby mode and the power supply circuit does not provide power to said first circuit and does not provide power to said second circuit.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said detecting step includes detecting a bias voltage.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising generating a detection signal when said detecting step detects that the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein when power is provided to the first circuit, the first circuit carries out a further step that includes at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

receiving incoming data from the bus, converting the incoming data into an incoming signal, generating a signal corresponding to a part of the incoming signal, converting an outgoing signal into outgoing data, and transmitting the outgoing data to the bus.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the incoming data is converted into a video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein when power is provided to the second circuit, the second circuit carries out a further step that includes processing the video signal and the audio signal, and said method further comprising providing power to the second circuit located to process the video signal and the audio signal when the information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and an instruction to initiate the power-on mode is received, and terminating the power to the second circuit when the information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and an instruction to terminate the power-on mode is received.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein when power is provided to the first circuit, the first circuit carries out a further step that includes generating a signal corresponding to a control signal.

17. A recording medium recorded with a program for carrying out a method of controlling power within an information processing apparatus that is connectable to a bus, the bus being connected to a further apparatus, said method comprising:

detecting whether the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus; and

controlling a power supply circuit such that (i) when the information processing apparatus is in a standby mode and the bus is detected as being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to a first circuit located within the information processing apparatus and does not provide power to a second circuit located within the information processing apparatus, (ii) when the information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and the bus is detected as not being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit does not provide the power to the first circuit and does not provide power to the second circuit, (iii) when the information processing apparatus is in a power-on mode and the bus is detected as being connected to the information processing apparatus, the power supply circuit provides power to the first circuit and to the second circuit, and (iv) when the information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and the bus is detected as not being connected to the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus returns to the standby mode and the power supply circuit does not provide power to said first circuit and does not provide power to said second circuit.

18. A recording medium according to claim 17, wherein said detecting step includes detecting a bias voltage.

19. A recording medium according to claim 17, wherein said method further comprises generating a detection signal when said detecting step detects that the bus is connected to the information processing apparatus.

20. A recording medium according to claim 17, wherein when power is provided to the first circuit, the first circuit carries out a further step that includes at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

receiving incoming data from the bus, converting the incoming data into an incoming signal, generating a signal corresponding to a part of the incoming signal, converting an outgoing signal into outgoing data, and transmitting the outgoing data to the bus.

21. A recording medium according to claim 20, wherein the incoming data is converted into a video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal.

22. A recording medium according to claim 21, wherein when power is provided to the second circuit, the second circuit carries out a further step that includes processing the video signal and the audio signal, and said method further comprises providing power to the second circuit located to process the video signal and the audio signal when the information processing apparatus is in the standby mode and an instruction to initiate the power-on mode is received, and terminating the power to the second circuit when the information processing apparatus is in the power-on mode and an instruction to terminate the power-on mode is received.

23. A recording medium according to claim 20, wherein when power is provided to the first circuit, the first circuit carries out a further step that includes generating a signal corresponding to a control signal.