Electronic apparatus, control method of electronic apparatus and power saving control device

• US 8,229,580 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hisense Visual Technology Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation (Group) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohno, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US12/618,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 700/40, 348/790
• US Class Current: 700/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, an operation control module 107p controls an operation status of an electronic apparatus in response to an operation signal from an operation module. A power saving status setting module 107a sets the electronic apparatus into the power saving status when a sensing module 108 does not acquire a preset detection output (user detection). A first power saving status releasing module 107b releases the power saving status of electronic apparatus when the sensing module has acquired the preset detection output (user detection). A second power saving status releasing module 107c releases the power saving status when the operation signal is input from the operation module in the power saving status.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus which changes a power supply state according to a power operation signal from a remote controller, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a specific object within an area;

a remote control receiver configured to receive the power operation signal, even if the remote controller is outside the area where the sensor is able to detect the specific object;

a power saving status setting module configured to set the electronic apparatus into a power saving status when the sensor is unable to detect the specific object in the area;

a first power saving state-releasing module configured to release the power saving status of the electronic apparatus when the sensor has detected the specific object in the area; and

a second power saving status-releasing module configured to release the power saving status without powering off the electronic apparatus when the power operation has been performed while the electronic apparatus is in the power saving status and the specific object remains undetected by the sensor.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is a video display apparatus whose output to the display module is interrupted in the power saving status.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is a video display apparatus whose output to the display module is interrupted in the power saving status and an output of a speech output module is maintained.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is one of an audio equipment, air conditioner and room lighting apparatus.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power saving status setting module configured to set the electronic apparatus into the power saving status when the sensor is unable to detect the specific object in the area after a predetermined time period has elapsed.

5. A control method of an electronic apparatus that changes a power supply state according to a power operation signal from a remote controller, and includes a sensor configured to detect a specific object in a prescribed area, and a remote control receiver configured to receive the power operation signal, the method comprising:

setting the remote control receiver into a receiving state of the power operation signal, the receiving state being a state where the remote control receiver can receive the power operation signal even if the remote controller is outside the prescribed area where the sensor is able to detect the specific object;

setting the electronic apparatus into a power saving status when the sensor is unable to detect the specific object in the prescribed area;

releasing the power saving status of the electronic apparatus when the sensor has detected the specific object in the prescribed area; and

releasing the power saving status without powering off the electronic apparatus when the power operation has been performed while the electronic apparatus is in the power saving status and the specific object remains undetected by the sensor.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the setting of the electronic apparatus into the power saving status occurs if the sensor is unable to detect the specific object in the prescribed area after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

8. A control method of an electronic apparatus that changes a power supply state according to a power operation signal from a remote controller, and includes a sensor configured to detect a specific object in a prescribed area, and a remote control receiver configured to receive the power operation signal, the method comprising:

setting a remote control receiver within an electronic apparatus into a receiving state of the power operation signal, the receiving state being a state where the remote control receiver can receive a power operation signal from a remote controller even if the remote controller is outside an area monitored by the sensor;

setting the electronic apparatus into a power saving status based upon the sensor failing to detect a viewer within the area;

releasing the power saving status of the electronic apparatus when the sensor has detected the viewer within the area; and

releasing the power saving status without powering off the electronic apparatus when the power operation has been performed while the electronic apparatus is in the power saving status and the sensor fails to detect the viewer within the area.