Information processing apparatus and program

• US 8,437,602 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Misawa, Junichiro, Ishimatsu, Kenji, Kotake, Kikuo, Otsuka, Sumio, Kamon, Hidekazu, Matsumoto, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Topgyal, Gelek W
• Application Number:
  US12/533,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is provided that includes a control unit to execute an operating system and selectively output a first video signal or both the first video signal and a first audio signal, an external input unit to which an external content signal containing a second video signal and a second audio signal transmitted from an external apparatus is input, and a reproduction state switch control unit to selectively switch a first reproduction state for reproducing the first video signal or both the first video signal and the first audio signal, and a second reproduction state for reproducing the second video signal and the second audio signal, wherein, if input of the external content signal to the external input unit is detected during a reproduction standby state, the reproduction state switch control unit switches the reproduction standby state with the second reproduction state.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a control unit to execute an operating system and selectively output a first video signal and a first audio signal based on the execution of the operating system;

an external input unit to which an external content signal including a second video signal and a second audio signal transmitted from an external apparatus is input; and

a reproduction state switch control unit to selectively switch between a first reproduction state for reproducing the first video signal and the first audio signal, a second reproduction state for reproducing the second video signal and the second audio signal, and a reproduction standby state in which the operating system is not being executed and the external content signal is not received, wherein

in response to detecting an input of the external content signal to the external input unit during the reproduction standby state, the reproduction state switch control unit switches from the reproduction standby state to the second reproduction state while the control unit maintains the operating system in an inactive state.

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

the control unit generates an activation signal indicating execution of the operating system upon execution of the operating system, and

the reproduction state switch control unit includes;

an external content signal detection unit to detect the external content signal input to the external input unit;

a state change determination unit to determine a change in the reproduction state based on reproduction state information indicating a current reproduction state, the activation signal, and a detection result indicating whether the external content signal is detected by the external content signal detection unit; and

a reproduction processing switching unit to selectively switch between the first reproduction state and the second reproduction state based on a determination result of the state change determination unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the state change determination unit determines a change in the reproduction state based further on the first video signal.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the second video signal contained in the external content signal includes a plurality of color signals and a clock signal for synchronizing the color signals, and

the external content signal detection unit detects the input of the external content signal based on a change in clock of the clock signal.

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

a switch input unit to generate a switch signal for switching between the first reproduction state and the second reproduction state, wherein

the reproduction processing switching unit switches between the first reproduction state and the second reproduction state based on the switch signal generated by the switch input unit.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit generates an activation signal indicating the execution of the operating system upon executing the operating system, and

if the activation signal generated by the control unit is detected during the reproduction standby state, the reproduction state switch control unit switches from the reproduction standby state to the first reproduction state.

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

an audio output unit to receive at least one of the first audio signal output from the control unit and the second audio signal contained in the external content signal, and to selectively output a sound indicated by the first audio signal or the second audio signal, wherein

the reproduction state switch control unit outputs an audio switch control signal to the audio output unit upon switching to the second reproduction state, and

the audio output unit outputs the second audio signal when the audio switch control signal is received.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the audio output unit includes an amplifier to amplify the first audio signal or the second audio signal to be selectively output based on a received power supply voltage,

the information processing apparatus further includes;

a power supply to output the power supply voltage to be supplied to the audio output unit; and

a switching unit to selectively output the power supply voltage to the amplifier based on a first power supply signal received from the reproduction state switch control unit, the power supply signal being output when the reproduction state switch control unit switches to the second reproduction state.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the control unit outputs a second power supply signal for selectively outputting the amplifier power supply voltage to the switching unit when the operating system is executed, and

the switching unit includes;

an OR-circuit to output a power supply signal having a signal level for selectively transferring the power supply voltage to the amplifier when at least one of the first power supply signal and the second power supply signal is received; and

a switching element to selectively transfer the power supply voltage to the amplifier based on the power supply signal output from the OR-circuit.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction state switch control unit switches directly from the first reproduction state to the second reproduction state without intermediately transitioning to the reproduction standby state.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating system provides hardware control for a computer, and an environment for executing software applications on the computer.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a control unit to execute an operating system and selectively output a first video signal and a first audio signal based on the execution of the operating system;

an external input unit to which a third video signal and a third audio signal transmitted from an external apparatus are input; and

a reproduction state switch control unit to selectively switch between a first reproduction state for reproducing the first video signal and the first audio signal, a third reproduction state for reproducing at least one of the third video signal and the third audio signal, and a reproduction standby state in which the operating system is not being executed and the third video signal and the third audio signal are not received, wherein

when an input of the third video signal or the third audio signal to the external input unit is detected during the reproduction standby state, the reproduction state switch control unit switches from the reproduction standby state to the third reproduction state while the control unit maintains the operating system in an inactive state.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that when executed by a processor causes a computer to perform a method comprising:

detecting, as an external content signal detection result, an external content signal input to an external input unit, the external content signal including a second video signal and a second audio signal;

determining, as a reproduction state determination result, a change in a reproduction state, the reproduction state determination result being based on reproduction state information indicating a current reproduction state, an activation signal transferred from a control unit indicating an execution of an operating system by the control unit, and the external content signal detection result;

selectively switching, based on the reproduction state determination result, between a first reproduction state for reproducing a first video signal and a first audio signal, a second reproduction state for reproducing the second video signal and the second audio signal, and a reproduction standby state in which the activation signal and the external content signal are not received, based on the reproduction state determination result, wherein

when an input of the external content signal to the external input unit is detected during the reproduction standby state, the reproduction state switches from the reproduction standby state to the second reproduction state while the control unit maintains the operating system in an inactive state.