Information processing apparatus and operation control method

• US 9,026,778 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Andou, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US13/413,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 713/100, 713/300, 713/310, 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a storage device, a setup module, an operation control module, and a setup value control module. The storage device stores power-saving setup information including at least one setup item relating to an operation of the apparatus. The setup module sets up a value of the at least one setup item in accordance with a user operation. The setup value control module acquires first setup information including a first setup value corresponding to the at least one setup item, and applies a setup value with a higher power-saving effect, which is selected between the first setup value and a current setup value of the at least one setup item, to the at least one setup item.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage device configured to store power-saving setup information including at least a first setup item and a second setup item relating to an operation of the information processing apparatus which affects an amount of power consumed by the information processing apparatus; and

a processor configured to (i) set a value of each of the first setup item and the second setup item at a setup value designated by a user, (ii) control the operation of the information processing apparatus, based on a first current setup value of the first setup item and a second current setup value of the second setup item, and (iii) acquire first setup information for automatically setting values of the first setup item and the second setup item, the first setup information including a setup value corresponding to the first setup item and a setup value corresponding to the second setup item,

wherein the processor is configured to compare the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value of the first setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value to the first setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value having a higher power-saving effect, and

wherein the processor is further configured to compare the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value of the second setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value to the second setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value having a higher power-saving effect.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to change the first current setup value to the first setup value when a power-saving effect corresponding to the first setup value is higher than a power-saving effect corresponding to the first current setup value, and to maintain the first current setup value when the power-saving effect corresponding to the first current setup value is higher than the power-saving effect corresponding to the first setup value.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the first setup information from a source remotely located from the information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the first setup information from a server computer via a network.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first setup item relating to brightness of a display screen of the apparatus.

5. An operation control method of controlling an operation of an information processing apparatus, comprising:

setting a value of each of a first setup item and a second setup item at a setup value designated by a user, the first setup item and the second setup item relating to an operation of the information processing apparatus which affects an amount of power consumed by the information processing apparatus;

controlling the operation of the information processing apparatus, based on a first current setup value of the first setup item and a second current setup value of the second setup item;

acquiring first setup information for automatically setting values of the first setup item and the second setup item, the first setup information including a setup value corresponding to the first setup item and a setup value corresponding to the second setup item

comparing the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value of the first setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value to the first setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value having a higher power-saving effect; and

comparing the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value of the second setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value to the second setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value having a higher power-saving effect.

6. The operation control method of claim 5, wherein said applying one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value to the first setup item includes changing the first current setup value to the first setup value when a power-saving effect corresponding to the first setup value is higher than a power-saving effect corresponding to the first current setup value, and maintaining the first current setup value when the power-saving effect corresponding to the first current setup value is higher than the power-saving effect corresponding to the first setup value.

9. The operation control method of claim 5, wherein the first setup information is received from a source remotely located from the information processing apparatus.

10. The operation control method of claim 5, wherein the first setup information is received from a server computer via a network.

11. The operation control method of claim 5, wherein the first setup item relating to brightness of a display screen of the apparatus.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program, the program being configured to control a computer to execute functions of:

setting a value of each of a first setup item and a second setup item at a setup value designated by a user, the first setup item and the second setup item relating to an operation of the computer which affects an amount of power consumed by the computer;

controlling the operation of the computer, based on a first current setup value of the first setup item and a second current setup value of the second setup item;

acquiring first setup information for automatically setting values of the first setup item and the second setup item, the first setup information including a setup value corresponding to the first setup item and a setup value corresponding to the second setup item;

comparing the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value of the first setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value to the first setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the first setup item and the first current setup value having a higher power-saving effect; and

comparing the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value of the second setup item, and apply one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value to the second setup item based on a result of the comparison, the one of the setup value of the second setup item and the second current setup value having a higher power-saving effect.