Information processing apparatus and method

• US 8,370,655 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, ALBERT C
• Application Number:
  US12/772,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 136/244, 250/221, 345/175, 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/044 including bypass diodes bypass diodes in the junction box H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes: a plurality of electric power generating elements; detection means for determining whether each of the plurality of electric power generating elements has an electromotive force equal to or higher than a predetermined value; determination means determining an input operation performed by a user by identifying an electric power generating element having an electromotive force below the predetermined value when at least one of the plurality of electric power generating elements is determined as having an electromotive force below the predetermined value according to the detection means; processing means carrying out a process associate with the input operation determined by the determination means; and bypass means which is provided in parallel with the electric power generating elements and through which a current flows when the electric power generating elements have an electromotive force below the predetermined value.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electric power generating elements;

detection means for determining whether each of the plurality of electric power generating elements has an electromotive force equal to or higher than a predetermined value;

determination means determining an input operation performed by a user by identifying an electric power generating element having an electromotive force below the predetermined value when at least one of the plurality of electric power generating elements is determined as having an electromotive force below the predetermined value according to the detection means;

processing means carrying out a process associate with the input operation determined by the determination means; and

bypass means which is provided in parallel with the electric power generating elements and through which a current flows when the electric power generating elements have an electromotive force below the predetermined value.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric power generating elements are connected in series,

the apparatus further comprising supplying means supplying the value of a total electromotive force of the plurality of electric power generating elements to the determination means, the determination means determining the input operation when the value of the total electromotive force supplied by the supplying means is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection means detecting an electromotive force of the electric power generating element.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is connected in series with the bypass means to detect a current flowing through the bypass means.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric power generating elements are solar battery cells.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 incorporated in a mobile telephone.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 forming part of an IC card.

8. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus including a plurality of electric power generating elements, detection means, determination means, processing means, and bypass means provided in parallel with the electric power generating elements, the method comprising the steps of:

determining by the detection means whether each of the plurality of electric power generating elements has an electromotive force equal to or higher than a predetermined value;

identifying an electric power generating element having an electromotive force below the predetermined value and determining an input operation performed by a user by the determination means when at least one of the plurality of electric power generating elements is determined as having an electromotive force below the predetermined value according to the detection means;

carrying out a process associate with the input operation by the processing means; and

causing a current to flow through the bypass means when the electric power generating elements have an electromotive force below the predetermined value.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of electric power generating elements;

a detection unit configured to determine whether each of the plurality of electric power generating elements has an electromotive force equal to or higher than a predetermined value;

a determination unit configured to determine an input operation performed by a user by identifying an electric power generating element having an electromotive force below the predetermined value when at least one of the plurality of electric power generating elements is determined as having an electromotive force below the predetermined value according to the detection unit;

a processing unit configured to carry out a process associate with the input operation determined by the determination unit; and

a bypass unit which is provided in parallel with the electric power generating elements and through which a current flows when the electric power generating elements have an electromotive force below the predetermined value.