Patent ID: 8185756
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. An electronic device that communicates with an external device and can change a power state of the external device from a first power state to a second power state, the electronic device comprising: a communication unit operable to communicate with the external device; a storage unit operable to store information indicating linkage between the electronic device and the external device; a detection unit operable to detect that communication between the electronic device and the external device through the communication unit is enabled; a determination unit operable to determine whether the information indicating linkage is stored in the storage unit when the detection unit detects that the communication between the electronic device and the external device is enabled; a transmitting unit operable to store the information indicating linkage in the storage unit and transmit a control signal to the external device for controlling the power state of the external device to the second power state when the determination unit determines that the information indicating linkage is not stored in the storage unit, and operable to refrain from transmitting the control signal to the external device when the determination unit determines that the information indicating linkage is stored in the storage unit.