Information terminal, power saving method in information terminal detecting probability of presence of a human or change in position, and recording medium which records program

• US 9,955,075 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Inventors: Aoshima, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Navas, Jr., Edemio
• Application Number:
  US13/981,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

[Problems to be solved] To provide an information terminal, a power saving method in the information terminal and a recording medium which records a program which are capable of efficiently suppressing power consumption related to human detection.

[Solution] A human detector performs human detection processing using a captured image by a camera and notifies a control unit of the detection result. Various sensors, an RF unit and a position information detector acquire information related to a change in a position of the information terminal and notify the control unit. The control unit performs power control for the camera on the basis of at least one of the human detection processing result and the information related to the change in the position of the information terminal.

Claims

1. An information terminal, equipped with a camera, and comprising:

a human detection unit comprising a processor which detects a human being using an image captured by said camera and notifies a control unit when the human being is detected;

a memory which records information of a detection result, of detecting the human being, together with information of a time; and

the control unit, which is connected with the memory, calculates a probability that the human being is detected using information of the detection result and information of the time notified from the memory, calculate a first time slot in which a probability that the human being is detected is above a threshold probability and a second time slot in which the probability that the human being is detected is below the threshold probability, the first time slot and the second time slot being calculated in advance of detecting the human being, and powers on said camera from an off state in response to a first time of the first time slot arriving, and searches the second time slot nearest to a current time based on a calculation result.

2. The information terminal according to claim 1,

further comprising a position change detection unit, connected to the human detection unit, comprising a sensor that detects a change of tilt, move, vibration, impulse, magnetic field, angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, height, reflection of ultrasonic or open/close state of a lid of said information terminal and outputs said change to said control unit, and

wherein said control unit, in case an output value of said sensor indicates that the information terminal has moved, powers on said camera and controls said human detection unit to detect a human being.

3. The information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said position change detection unit further comprises a wireless reception unit;

and

said control unit, in case said wireless reception unit indicates that the information terminal has changed in position, powers on said camera and controls said human detection unit to detect a human being.

4. A power saving method, of an information terminal equipped with a camera, the method comprising:

performing human being detection processing to detect a human being using an image captured by said camera;

storing a detection result, of detecting the human being, together with information of a time;

calculating a probability that the human being is detected using information of the detection result and information of the time;

calculating a first time slot in which a probability that the human being is detected is above a threshold probability and a second time slot in which the probability that the human being is detected is below the threshold probability, the first time slot and the second time slot being calculated in advance of detecting the human being;

powering on said camera from an off state in response to a first time of the first time slot arriving; and

searching the second time slot nearest to a current time based on a calculation result.

5. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 4, wherein the information terminal comprises sensors configured to detect a position change of the information terminal, and

in case an output value of said sensor indicates that the information terminal has moved, powers on said camera, and executes said human being detection processing.

6. The power saving method of the information terminal according to claim 4, wherein the information terminal further comprises a wireless reception unit;

and

in case said wireless reception unit indicates that the information terminal has changed position, powers on said camera, and executes said human being detection processing.

7. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium comprising a program configured to instruct a computer, connected to a camera, to execute:

human being detection processing to detect a human being using an image captured by the camera;

storing a detection result, of detecting the human being, together with information of a time;

calculating a probability that the human being is detected using information of the detection result and information of the time;

calculating a first time slot in which a probability that the human being is detected is above a threshold probability and a second time slot in which the probability that the human being is detected is below the threshold probability, the first time slot and the second time slot being calculated in advance of detecting the human being;

powering on said camera from an off state in response to a first time of the first time slot arriving; and

searching the second time slot nearest to a current time based on a calculation result.

8. The recording medium comprising the program according to claim 7, wherein said computer is connected to sensors configured to detect a position change of an information terminal;

and

said program is further configured to instruct the computer to execute, in case an output value of the sensor indicates a predetermined change in a position of the information terminal, powering on said camera and said human being detection processing.

9. The recording medium comprising the program according to claim 7, wherein said computer is connected to a wireless reception unit;

and

said program is further configured to instruct the computer to execute, in case said wireless reception unit indicates a predetermined position change of an information terminal, powering on said camera and said human being detection processing.