Information-processing apparatus and clock information display control method for use in the apparatus

• US 7,823,090 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• 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: Numano, Fujihito, Saikawa, Yuuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/216,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20090031233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/784, 715/786
• US Class Current: 715/864
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information

Abstract

An apparatus controls a main display and a sub-display. The apparatus includes a section which displays, on the sub-display, clock information indicating of time, a section which acquires changed time information, when the time information has been changed, and a section which changes a present value of the time of the clock information displayed on the sub-display, based on the acquired changed time information.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a main display attached to the main body, the main display being movable between an open position and a closed position;

a power supply controller configured to supply operation power;

a sub-display provided on a surface portion of the main body, the sub-display having a display surface exposed irrespective of whether the main display is set to the open position or the closed position, the sub-display being configured to be supplied with operation power from the power supply controller irrespective of whether the apparatus is set in a powered-on state or a powered-off state;

a clock device provided in the main body, that measures time and is configured to be supplied with operation power from a dedicated battery irrespective of whether the apparatus is set to the powered on state or the powered off state;

a controller provided in the main body, configured to display, on the sub-display, clock information indicative of time, the controller including a counter which counts up a present time set therein to generate values of the time displayed on the sub-display, the counter being configured to be supplied with operation power from the power supply controller irrespective of whether the apparatus is set in the powered-on state or the powered-off state;

means for sending, to an operating system which is executed by a central processing unit within the main body, a request for changing of the present time or time zone, in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

means for detecting, by using a resident program which is executed by the central processing unit, that the operating system changes system time in accordance with the request for changing of the present time or the time zone, and for acquiring changed system time from the operating system when the change of the system time is detected, the system time being managed by the operating system and being displayed on the main display; and

means for performing, by using a BIOS program which is executed by the central processing unit, a process for setting, in the counter, the changed system time which is acquired by the resident program, thereby changing the present time displayed on the sub-display to synchronize the present time displayed on the sub-display with the changed system time being displayed on the main display.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for performing, by using the BIOS program, a process for acquiring a present time from the clock device and a process for setting, in the counter, the acquired present time, when the apparatus is powered on.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resident program is a terminate-and-stay-resident program.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means includes means for instructing the BIOS program to change the present time displayed on the sub-display.

5. A method of controlling display of clock information of apparatus, the apparatus including a main body, a main display attached to the main body, a sub-display provided on a surface portion of the main body, the main display being movable between an open position and a closed position, the sub-display having a display surface exposed irrespective of whether the main display is set to the open position or the closed position, the apparatus further including a power supply controller to supply operation power, a clock device provided in the main body, and a controller provided in the main body, configured to display, on the sub-display, clock information indicative of time, the controller including a counter which counts up a present time set therein to generate values of the time displayed on the sub-display, the method comprising:

supplying, by the power supply controller, operation power to the sub-display irrespective of whether the apparatus is set in a powered-on state or a powered-off state;

supplying, by the power supply controller, operation power to the counter irrespective of whether the apparatus is set in the powered-on state or the powered-off state;

sending, to an operating system which is executed by a central processing unit within the main body, a request for changing of the present time or time zone, in accordance with a user'"'"'s operation;

detecting, by using a resident program which is executed by the central processing unit, that the operating system changes system time in accordance with the request for changing of the present time or the time zone, and for acquiring changed system time from the operating system when the change of the system time is detected, the system time being managed by the operating system and being displayed on the main display; and

performing, by using a BIOS program which is executed by the central processing unit, a process for setting, in the counter, the changed system time which is acquired by the resident program, thereby changing the present time displayed on the sub-display to synchronize the present time displayed on the sub-display with the changed system time being displayed on the main display.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

performing, by using the BIOS program, a process for acquiring a present time from the clock device and a process for setting, in the counter, the acquired present time, when the apparatus is powered on.