Information processing apparatus and power saving control method

• US 20050071702A1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Morisawa, Toshikazu
• Application Number:
  US10/946,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an input device, and a display unit. The information processing apparatus further includes a detection unit configured to detect whether a system state of the information processing apparatus is an idle state or a non-idle state, by monitoring an operation state of the input device, and a control unit configured to decrease a display luminance of the display unit and cause the display unit to display a predetermined image when the detection unit detects the idle state, and configured to restore the display unit to a display state immediately prior to the detection of the idle state when the detection unit detects the non-idle state.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an input device;

a display unit;

a detection unit configured to detect whether a system state of the information processing apparatus is an idle state or a non-idle state, by monitoring an operation state of the input device; and

a control unit configured to decrease a display luminance of the display unit and cause the display unit to display a predetermined image when the detection unit detects the idle state, and configured to restore the display unit to a display state immediately prior to the detection of the idle state when the detection unit detects the non-idle state.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to execute a screen saver function to display the predetermined image, when the detection unit detects that the system state is the idle state.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for enabling a screen saver function,

wherein the control unit includes a unit that determines whether the screen saver function is enabled when the detection unit detects the idle state, a first control unit that decreases the display luminance of the display unit and executes the screen saver function if the screen saver function is enabled, and a second control unit that sets the display unit in a non-display state if the screen saver function is not enabled.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display unit includes a light source, and

the first control unit decreases luminance of the light source of the display unit, and the second control unit turns off the light source of the display unit.

5. A power saving control method for an information processing apparatus including an input device and a display unit, comprising:

monitoring an operation state of the input device to detect whether a system state of the information processing apparatus is an idle state or a non-idle state;

performing a display control process when it is detected that the system state transitions to the idle state, the display control process including a first process of decreasing a display luminance of the display unit, and a second process of causing the display unit to display a predetermined image; and

restoring the display unit to a display state immediately prior to the detection of the idle state, when it is detected that the system state transitions back to the non-idle state.

6. The power saving control method according to claim 5, wherein the second process includes executing a screen saver function to display the predetermined image.

7. The power saving control method according to claim 6, further comprising determining whether the screen saver function is enabled;

and setting the display unit in a non-display state if the screen saver function is not enabled.

8. The power saving control method according to claim 5, wherein the display unit includes a light source, and

the first process includes a process of decreasing luminance of the light source of the display unit.

9. The power saving control method according to claim 7, wherein the display unit includes a light source, and

the setting the display unit in the non-display state includes turning off the light source of the display unit.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an input device;

a display unit;

means for monitoring an operation state of the input device to detect whether a system state of the information processing apparatus is an idle state or a non-idle state;

means for performing a display control process when it is detected that the system state transitions to the idle state, the display control process including a first process of decreasing a display luminance of the display unit and a second process of causing the display unit to display a predetermined image; and

means for restoring the display unit to a display state immediately prior to the detection of the idle state, when it is detected that the system state transitions back to the non-idle state.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first process includes executing a screen saver function to display the predetermined image.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for determining whether the screen saver function is enabled;

and means for setting the display unit in a non-display state if the screen saver function is not enabled.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display unit includes a light source, and

the first process includes a process of decreasing luminance of the light source of the display unit.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the display unit includes a light source, and

the means for setting the display unit in the non-display state includes means for turning off the light source of the display unit.