IC CHIP, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND PROGRAMS

• US 20100064152A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kosaka, Hideo
• Application Number:
  US12/557,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064152A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

There is provided an IC chip mountable on a CE device including a processing unit which is supplied with power from the CE device and performs processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip, an RF signal detection unit which detects radio frequency signals transmitted from a reader/writer via contactless communication and outputs detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals to the CE device, and a power supply control unit which controls power supply to a logic unit or the like from the CE device according to control signals input from the CE device in response to at least the detection signals. As a result, the IC chip can appropriately control power supply from the information processing device such as the CE device according to the control signals input from the information processing device in response to the detection signals.

Claims

1. An IC chip mountable on an information processing device, comprising:

a processing unit which is supplied with power from the information processing device and performs processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip;

a radio frequency signal detection unit which detects radio frequency signals transmitted from an external device via contactless communication, and outputs detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals to the information processing device; and

a power supply control unit which controls power supply to the processing unit from the information processing device according to control signals input from the information processing device in response to at least the detection signals.

2. The IC chip according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency signal detection unit is supplied with power based on the radio frequency signals transmitted from the external device to operate.

3. The IC chip according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency signal detection unit is supplied with power, from the information processing device, to operate.

4. The IC chip according to claim 1, wherein the power supply control unit further controls power supply to the processing unit from the information processing device according to the control signals input from the information processing device in response to processing status of the processing unit.

5. An information processing device on which an IC chip can be mounted, comprising:

a power supply unit which can supply power to the IC chip; and

a control unit which receives from the IC chip detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals transmitted from an external device via contactless communication and outputs to the IC chip, control signals for allowing the IC chip to control power supply to a processing unit of the IC chip from the power supply unit in response to at least the detection signals, wherein the IC chip includes;

a processing unit which is supplied with power from the information processing device and performs processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip;

a radio frequency signal detection unit which detects radio frequency signals transmitted from the external device via contactless communication, and outputs to the information processing device the detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals; and

a power supply control unit which controls power supply to the processing unit from the information processing device according to the control signals input from the information processing device in response to at least the detection signals.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit further outputs to the IC chip, the control signals for allowing the IC chip to control power supply to the processing unit from the power supply unit, in response to processing status of the processing unit.

7. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit controls power supply to the processing unit from the power supply unit in response to the detection signals or processing status of the processing unit.

8. An information processing system comprising an information processing device on which an IC chip can be mounted and an external device, wherein the information processing device includes:

a power supply unit which can supply power to the IC chip;

a control unit which receives from the IC chip detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals transmitted from an external device via contactless communication and outputs to the IC chip, control signals for allowing the IC chip to control power supply to a processing unit of the IC chip from the power supply unit in response to at least the detection signals, wherein the IC chip includes;

a processing unit which is supplied with power from the information processing device and performs processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip;

a radio frequency signal detection unit which detects radio frequency signals transmitted from the external device via contactless communication, and outputs to the information processing device the detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals;

a power supply control unit which controls power supply to the processing unit from the information processing device according to the control signals input from the information processing device in response to at least the detection signals; and

the external device includes a contactless communication unit which performs contactless communication with the IC chip.

9. A program for allowing a computer to perform a method of power supply control that is applicable to an IC chip mountable on an information processing device, wherein

the method of power supply control includes a step of, when detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals transmitted from an external device to the IC chip via contactless communication is output from the IC chip to the information processing device, controlling power supply from the information processing device for performing processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip according to control signals input from the information processing device in response to at least the detection signals.

10. A program for allowing a computer to perform a method of power supply control that is applicable to an information processing device on which an IC chip can be mounted, wherein

the method of power supply control includes a controlling step of, in the information processing device, receiving from the IC chip detection signals indicating detection status of radio frequency signals transmitted from an external device via contactless communication, outputting to the IC chip, control signals for allowing the IC chip to control power supply from the information processing device for performing processing necessary for the operation of the IC chip in response to at least the detection signals.