Information processing apparatus, method for processing information, and program

• US 9,614,488 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takashi, Katori, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HUBER, PAUL W
• Application Number:
  US14/663,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/341 Muting when no signals or only weak signals are present H03G3/344, H03G3/345 take precedence

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes an audio processing unit that performs a predetermined process for an input audio signal, and a power saving control unit that allows the audio processing unit to transition into a power saving state, depending on the length of a silence section in the audio signal.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an audio processing unit configured to process an input audio signal;

a power saving control unit configured to allow the audio processing unit to transition into a power saving state, of a plurality of power saving states, based on a length of a silence section in the input audio signal; and

a silence detecting unit configured to;

detect the silence section in the input audio signal;

select the power saving state, among the plurality of power saving states, based on the length of the detected silence section; and

generate a power saving control signal including the selected power saving state,

wherein the power saving control unit is configured to allow the audio processing unit to transition into the selected power saving state based on the generated power saving control signal.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the silence detecting unit is further configured to generate the power saving control signal that includes a start time and an end time of the detected silence section.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the silence detecting unit is further configured to:

select, among the plurality of power saving states, the power saving state based on an amount of reduction in power, wherein the amount of reduction in power indicates the length of the detected silence section; and

generate the power saving control signal including the selected power saving state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power saving control unit is further configured to:

allow a transition of the audio processing unit into the power saving state from a normal states; and

restore a restoration process that restores the audio processing unit to the normal state, from the power saving state, during the silence section.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the silence detecting unit is further configured to:

select, among the plurality of power saving states, the power saving state based on a time necessary for the restoration, wherein the time necessary for the restoration indicates the length of the detected silence section; and

generate the power saving control signal including the selected power saying state.

6. An information processing method, comprising:

detecting a silence section in an input audio signal;

selecting a power saying state, among a plurality of power saying states, based on a length of the detected silence section;

generating a power saying control signal including the selected power saying state; and

transitioning an audio processing unit into the selected power saying state based on the generated power saying control signal.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a set of computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform operations, comprising:

detecting a silence section in an input audio signal;

selecting a power saying state, among a plurality of power saying states, based on a length of the detected silence section;

generating a power saying control signal including the selected power saying state; and

transitioning an audio processing unit into the selected power saying state based on the generated power saying control signal.