Patent Publication Number: US-2011074226-A1

Title: Power controller, electronic apparatus and power control method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on and claims priority under U.S.C. §119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-223696 filed on Sep. 29, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     One embodiment of the invention relates to a power controller, an electronic apparatus and a power control method for controlling to turn on/off the power supply. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In some cases, an electronic apparatus, such as a television receiver or an HDD recorder, has, as the states thereof, an operation state in which almost all the functional modules thereof can operate and a standby state in which the main functional modules thereof do not operate but only functions, such as receiving control signals from a remote controller and time keeping, operate. 
     Moreover, in recent years, it is expected to reduce the power consumption (also referred to as standby power) of an electronic apparatus in the standby state thereof, and various methods for fulfilling this expectation have been proposed. 
     For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-047764 discloses a method in which, in a configuration including a small-sized standby microcomputer having low power consumption and mainly used to receive signals from a remote controller and a high-speed main microcomputer for controlling a television receiver as individual microcomputers, voltage supply to the main microcomputer is turned off in the standby state so that only the standby microcomputer operates, thereby reducing standby power. 
     In addition, Japanese Utility Model No. 3072612 discloses a method in which, upon receiving a power OFF command through operation of a remote controller, a video control apparatus and a television receiver stop the clock of a microcomputer for executing various processes, thereby reducing standby power. 
     However, according to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-047764 (FIG. 1, paragraph [0027]), power is supplied to the standby microcomputer in the standby state. Even if the standby microcomputer is a small-sized microcomputer featuring low power consumption during power-on time, there still remains room for improvement in reducing standby power. 
     Moreover, according to Japanese Utility Model No. 3072612 (FIG. 4, paragraph [0017]), during power-off time, the clock is stopped, but power remains supplied to the microcomputer. For this reason, it cannot be expected to reduce the power consumption of the microcomputer, and it is difficult to say that standby power has been reduced sufficiently. Furthermore, reducing the standby power of an optical receiver for receiving signals from the remote controller is not taken into consideration. 
     That is to say, conventionally, it is impossible to maintain the state of reducing standby power for a long time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A general architecture that implements the various features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not limited the scope of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary block diagram showing the configuration of a television receiver being used as an electronic apparatus equipped with a power controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram showing the configuration of a system formed of respective modules for executing a power supply control process and an operation control process according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules according to the first embodiment described referring to  FIG. 2  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules; 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary block diagram showing the configuration of a system formed of respective modules for executing a power supply control process and an operation control process according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules according to the second embodiment described referring to  FIG. 4  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary block diagram showing the configuration of a system formed of respective modules for executing a power supply control process and an operation control process according to a third embodiment; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of respective modules according to the third embodiment described referring to  FIG. 6  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments according to the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a power controller for controlling a power supply having a predetermined voltage, generated based on a power supplied from an external power source and supplied to a signal processor, includes: a receiver configured to receive a signal for switching an ON/OFF state of the power supply from a remote controller, a controller configured to switch the ON/OFF state of the power supply depending on the signal received by the receiver, and a communication module configured to communicate with the signal processor that operates when the controller switches the power supply to be in an ON state. The controller controls to make the communication module be non-operational when the power supply is in an OFF state and to make the communication module be operational when the power supply is in an ON state. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary block diagram showing the configuration of a television receiver  10  being used as an electronic apparatus equipped with a power controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The television receiver  10  according to the first embodiment includes a broadcast wave processor  20 , an external apparatus IF module  31 , a signal processing controller  40 , an operation module  51 , a display device  61 , a speaker  62 , a power module  100 , a power controller  110 , etc. Furthermore, an antenna ANT is connected to the broadcast wave processor  20 , and the power module  100  is connected to a household outlet or the like. Moreover, the power controller  110  exchanges information with a control device CD. For example, the control device CD is a remote controller, such as an infrared remote controller or a wireless communication apparatus. 
     The television receiver  10  operates based on a power supplied from a household outlet or the like connected to the power module  100 . Furthermore, the television receiver  10  switches an ON/OFF state of the power to be supplied to almost all the modules of the television receiver  10  depending on a signal that is input from the control device CD to turn on/off the power. Moreover, when almost all the modules of the television receiver  10  are non-operational since no power is supplied thereto, a specific module to which a specific power is supplied and which operates on the specific power is made be non-operational. 
     The power module  100  executes voltage conversion processes, such as AC/DC conversion and DC/DC conversion, based on the power supplied from a household outlet or the like to generate a power supply having a predetermined voltage. Then, the power module  100  supplies the power supply having the generated predetermined voltage to almost all the modules of the television receiver  10  including the signal processing controller  40 . Furthermore, the power module  100  execute a power supply control process in which an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched based on a control signal input from the power controller  110 . Moreover, the power module  100  charges a rechargeable battery based on the power supply having the predetermined voltage, thereby generating a charged power to be used as a power supply. While the power module  100  turns off the power supply having the predetermined voltage by means of the power supply control process, the power module  100  supplies the generated charged power to the power controller  110 . 
     The power controller  110  exchanges information with the control device CD and communicates with the signal processing controller  40  according to this information. In addition, the power controller  110  outputs a control signal for switching an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage to the power module  100  based on the information input from the control device CD. Besides, while the power module  100  turns off the power supply having the predetermined voltage, the power controller  110  operates on the charged power supplied from the power module  100  and executes an operation control process so that a specific module provided for the power controller  110  itself is made be non-operational. While the power module  100  turns on the power supply having the predetermined voltage, the power controller  110  operates on the predetermined voltage supplied from the power module  100 . 
     Almost all the modules to be described hereafter operate on the predetermined voltage supplied from the power module  100 . For this reason, while the power module  100  turns off the power supply having the predetermined voltage by means of the power supply control process, almost all the modules to be described hereafter do not operate. 
     The broadcast wave processor  20  has a tuner and a decoder adapted for terrestrial or satellite digital and analog broadcast waves received using the antenna ANT. The broadcast wave processor  20  obtains a signal received using the antenna ANT, performs a specific channel selection process and demodulation/decoding processes depending on this obtained signal, and outputs signals including video/audio information on a program, information relating to the program, etc. to the signal processing controller  40 . The information relating to the program includes the channel number of the program, the broadcast wave for the program, the name of the broadcast station for the program, the title of the program, the genre of the program, etc. 
     The external apparatus IF module  31  is used for connection to, for example, external apparatuses of the television receiver  10  and recording media, such as an external HDD and a memory card, via the connection modules thereof conforming to various standards, such as the HDMI (registered trade name) standard, the USB standard and the IEEE 1394 standard. In addition, the external apparatus IF module  31  obtains signals including the video/audio information on a plurality of programs and information relating to the programs provided from the external apparatuses, recording media, etc. connected thereto and outputs the signals to the signal processing controller  40 . 
     The operation module  51  receives operation input information for operating the television receiver  10  and outputs the information to the signal processing controller  40 . 
     The signal processing controller  40  executes various processes, such as a decompression process for compressed data, and an information extraction process for creating a program schedule, for the information input from the broadcast wave processor  20 , the external apparatus IF module  31 , etc. based on the information, such as the operation input information, from the operation module  51  and the power controller  110 . The signal processing controller  40  executes various processes, such as MPEG encoding/decoding arithmetic processes and video/audio signal separation processes, for the obtained information, and then outputs a video signal to the display device  61  and an audio signal to the speaker  62 . Furthermore, the signal processing controller  40  is equipped with a CPU or a microcomputer (not shown) serving as a controller and controls the execution of a plurality of processes using respective modules provided for the signal processing controller  40  itself and respective modules connected to the signal processing controller  40  itself. 
     In the first embodiment, the signal processing controller  40  communicates with the power controller  110  depending on the operation input information exchanged between the power controller  110  and the control device CD and executes various processes corresponding to the operation input information from the control device CD. In addition, the signal processing controller  40  operates on the predetermined voltage supplied from the power module  100  as described above. However, when the power module  100  turns off the power supply having the predetermined voltage, the signal processing controller  40  cannot operate and thus cannot communicate with the power controller  110 . 
     The display device  61  is a display module for displaying the video signal input from the signal processing controller  40 . For example, the display device  61  is a thin display, such as a liquid crystal display (hereafter also referred to as an LCD) or a PDP (plasma display panel). 
     The speaker  62  outputs the audio signal input from the signal processing controller  40 . 
     In the first embodiment, the television receiver is taken as an example of an electronic apparatus equipped with the power controller to which the configuration according to the present invention is applied. However, an electronic apparatus, such as an HDD recorder, a DVD recorder, a personal computer or a mobile terminal, having a structure similar to that of the electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment may also be taken as an example of the electronic apparatus. Furthermore, a set top box serving as a video output apparatus for receiving not only television broadcast and satellite broadcast but also radio broadcast, cable broadcast using the Internet, etc. and for outputting video signals may also be taken as an example of the electronic apparatus. 
     With this configuration, the respective modules of the television receiver  10  according to the first embodiment of the present invention operate on the two kinds of powers supplied via the power module  100 . Moreover, the standby power of the television receiver  10  can be reduced by executing a process for turning on/off the power supply that is one of the two kinds of powers and supplied to the almost all the modules. Still further, when the power supply is turned off, a process for making a specific module operating on the other power be non-operational is executed. Hence, the standby state can be maintained for a long time. 
     In addition, these processes are executed mainly using the power controller  110  based on the powers supplied via the power module  100 . 
     Next, respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  described referring to  FIG. 1  to execute the power supply control process and the operation control process will be described below referring to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary view showing the configuration of a system formed of the respective modules for executing the power supply control process and the operation control process according to the first embodiment. 
     As described above, the power supply control process is a process in which the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage based on the control signal input from the power controller  110 . Furthermore, the operation control process is a process in which, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is controlled so as to be turned off, the power controller  110  makes the specific module provided for the power controller  110  itself be non-operational. 
     The power module  100  according to the first embodiment is equipped with a switch module  211 , a voltage converter  212 , a charge controller  213 , a rechargeable battery  214 , etc. In addition, the power controller  110  according to the first embodiment is equipped with a signal receiver  201 , a signal determining module  202 , a switching controller  203 , a communication module  204 , a clock generator  205 , etc. This clock generator  205  is connected to a clock supply module  206 . 
     First, the respective modules provided for the power module  100  will be described below. 
     The switch module  211  is formed of a switch for opening/closing a power supply path for supplying the power to the signal processing controller  40 . Based on information input from the switching controller  203 , the switch module  211  opens/closes the power supply path. For example, a relay and a mechanical switch can be used as the switch module  211 . However, in the first embodiment, a configuration in which a relay is used as the switch module  211  is taken as an example and described below. 
     The voltage converter  212  subjects the power supplied via the switch module  211  to voltage conversion processes, such as AC/DC conversion and DC/DC conversion, and supplies the predetermined voltage generated by having been subjected to the voltage conversion processes to the charge controller  213 . In addition, the voltage converter  212  also supplies the predetermined voltage to the respective modules of the television receiver  10 . 
     When the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned on, the charge controller  213  charges the rechargeable battery  214  based on the power supply having the predetermined voltage supplied from the voltage converter  212 . However, even if the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned on, when the rechargeable battery  214  is fully charged, the charge controller  213  stops the execution of the charging process. The charge controller  213  also stops the execution of the charging process when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off. 
     The rechargeable battery  214  is a charged power that is charged by the charging process executed using the charge controller  213  when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned on and that is used as a power when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off. In other words, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off, the rechargeable battery  214  serves as a charged power and the charged power is supplied to the respective modules of the power controller  110 . Furthermore, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned on, the rechargeable battery  214  is not used as a power but is charged by the charging process under the control of the charge controller  213 . When fully charged, the rechargeable battery  214  operates to supply the predetermined voltage. For example, an electric double layer capacitor having a predetermined capacitance can be used as the rechargeable battery  214 . 
     Next, the respective modules provided for the power controller  110  will be described below. 
     The signal receiver  201  receives a signal relating to operation input for operating the television receiver  10  and transmitted from the control device CD. Then, the signal receiver  201  subjects the received signal to a predetermined process to obtain information, and outputs the information to the signal determining module  202 . For example, when the control device CD is an infrared remote controller, the signal receiver  201  subjects an infrared signal transmitted from the control device CD to photoelectric conversion to obtain information, and outputs the information obtained by the conversion to the signal determining module  202 . Furthermore, the signal receiver  201  may transmit, for example, information indicating the state of the television receiver  10 , to the control device CD. 
     The signal determining module  202  determines the information input from the signal receiver  201  and outputs determination information corresponding to the result of the determination depending on the result of the determination to the switching controller  203  or the communication module  204 . More specifically, when the input information is determined as information for controlling an ON/OFF state of the power supply to the specific module of the television receiver  10 , the signal determining module  202  outputs this determination information to the switching controller  203 . Furthermore, a predetermined clock is supplied from the clock generator  205  to the signal determining module  202 . The signal determining module  202  may directly output the determination information to the signal processing controller  40  instead of outputting to the switching controller  203  or the communication module  204 . 
     Based on the determination information input from the signal determining module  202  or the information input from the communication module  204 , the switching controller  203  outputs switching information for controlling to open/close the power supply path to the switch module  211  and the clock generator  205 . In addition, a predetermined clock is supplied from the clock generator  205  to the switching controller  203 . 
     The communication module  204  communicates with a controller (not shown) provided for the signal processing controller  40  based on the determination information input from the signal determining module  202 . In addition, the communication module  204  outputs the information communicated with the controller (not shown) provided for the signal processing controller  40  to the signal determining module  202  or the switching controller  203 . A predetermined clock is supplied from the clock generator  205  to the communication module  204 . 
     Based on a clock supplied from the clock supply module  206 , the clock generator  205  executes frequency division, etc. to generate a plurality of clocks and supplies the clocks to the respective modules provided for the power controller  110 . Furthermore, the clock generator  205  controls the supply/non-supply of the predetermined clocks based on the switching information input from the switching controller  203 . More specifically, when the switching information for opening the power supply path is input from the switching controller  203 , the clock generator  205  controls to stop the supply of the clock to the communication module  204 . Conversely, when the switching information for closing the power supply path is input from the switching controller  203 , the clock generator  205  controls to supply the clock to the communication module  204 . 
     The clock supply module  206  generates a predetermined clock by means of an oscillation circuit using an oscillation device, such as a crystal or ceramic oscillator, and supplies this clock to the clock generator  205 . Although the clock supply module  206  is disposed outside the power controller  110  in the first embodiment, the clock supply module  206  may be configured such that part of the oscillation circuit thereof is disposed inside the power controller  110 . 
     In other words, based on the switching information input from the power controller  110  having received a signal from the control device CD, the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage. Furthermore, when the switching controller  203  controls so that the switch module  211  opens the power supply path, that is, when control is executed so that the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off, the power controller  110  stops supplying the clock to the communication module  204  provided for the power controller  110  itself, thereby making the communication module  204  be non-operational. 
     With this system configuration, the power controller  110  according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured so as to serve as a power controller. Furthermore, the power controller  110  executes the power supply control process for the respective powers supplied from the power module  100  and the operation control process for the power controller  110  itself. Hence, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     Next, in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules according to the first embodiment described referring to  FIG. 2 , the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules are described referring to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules according to the first embodiment described referring to  FIG. 2  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules. 
     As described above, the power supply control process is a process in which the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage based on the control signal input from the power controller  110 . 
     In addition, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “ON” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “closes” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  203  as shown in the table of  FIG. 3 . Furthermore, the power module  100  “outputs” the predetermined voltage and the charged power to “all the modules” of the television receiver  10 . Moreover, the clock generator  205  “supplies” the generated plurality of clocks to “all the modules” provided for the power controller  110 . As a result, the communication module  204  to which the charged power and the predetermined clock are supplied becomes “operational.” 
     On the other hand, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “OFF” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “opens” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  203 . In addition, the power module  100  does not supply the predetermined voltage to the respective modules of the television receiver  10 . More specifically, the power module  100  “stops outputting the predetermined voltage to the signal processing controller  40 .” Furthermore, the clock generator  205  supplies the generated plurality of clocks to not all the modules provided for the power controller  110  but stops supplying the predetermined clock to the specific module. That is to say, the clock generator  205  “stops supplying the predetermined clock to the communication module  204 .” As a result, the communication module  204  to which the predetermined clock is not supplied becomes “non-operational.” 
     When the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  are switched by the power supply control process and when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched off as described above, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  described referring to  FIG. 1  to execute the power supply control process and the operation control process will be described below referring to  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary view showing the configuration of a system formed of the respective modules for executing the power supply control process and the operation control process according to a second embodiment. 
     The system configuration according to the second embodiment is different from the system configuration according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  in that the power controller  110  is equipped with two clock generators A 405  and B 407  and two clock supply modules A 406  and B 408 . Hereafter, the descriptions similar to those shown in the system configuration view of  FIG. 2  are omitted or simplified, and main differences are described in detail. 
     The power module  100  according to the second embodiment is equipped with the switch module  211 , the voltage converter  212 , the charge controller  213 , the rechargeable battery  214 , etc. However, since these modules are the same as the respective modules according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  in configuration, the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. 
     Furthermore, the power controller  110  according to the second embodiment is equipped with a signal receiver  401 , a signal determining module  402 , a switching controller  403 , a communication module  404 , the clock generators A 405  and B 407 , etc. The clock generator A 405  is connected to the clock supply module A 406 , and the clock generator B 407  is connected to the clock supply module B 408 . 
     Since the configurations and operations of the signal receiver  401 , the signal determining module  402 , the switching controller  403  and the communication module  404  are almost similar to those of the signal receiver  201 , the signal determining module  202 , the switching controller  203  and the communication module  204  shown in  FIG. 2 , the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. 
     In other words, the switching controller  403  controls so that the switch module  211  provided for the power module  100  opens/closes the power supply path based on the determination information input from the signal determining module  402  depending on a signal regarding the power control of the television receiver  10  received by the signal receiver  401 . In addition, the communication module  404  communicates with a controller (not shown) provided for the signal processing controller  40 . Furthermore, predetermined clocks are supplied from the clock generator B 407  to the signal determining module  402  and the switching controller  403 , and a predetermined clock is supplied from the clock generator A 405  to the communication module  404 . 
     Based on a clock supplied from the clock supply module A 406 , the clock generator A 405  executes frequency division, etc. to generate a predetermined clock and supplies the clock to the communication module  404 . The clock generator A 405  controls the supply/non-supply of the predetermined clock based on the switching information input from the switching controller  403 . More specifically, when the switching information for opening the power supply path is input from the switching controller  403 , the clock generator A 405  controls to stop the supply of the clock to the communication module  404 . Conversely, when the switching information for closing the power supply path is input from the switching controller  403 , the clock generator A 405  controls to supply the clock to the communication module  404 . 
     Based on a clock supplied from the clock supply module B 408 , the clock generator B 407  executes frequency division, etc. to generate predetermined clocks and supplies the clocks to the signal determining module  402  and the switching controller  403 . The clock generator B 407  generates the predetermined clocks without depending on the switching information output from the switching controller  403  and supplies the clocks to the respective modules. 
     The clock supply module A 406  generates a predetermined clock by means of an oscillation circuit using an oscillation device, such as a crystal or ceramic oscillator, and supplies this clock to the clock generator A 405 . Similarly, the clock supply module B 408  generates a predetermined clock by means of an oscillation circuit using an oscillation device, such as a crystal or ceramic oscillator, and supplies the clock to the clock generator B 407 . Although the clock supply modules A 406  and B 408  are disposed outside the power controller  110  in the second embodiment, the clock supply modules may be configured such that part of the oscillation circuit thereof is disposed inside the power controller  110 . 
     In other words, also in the second embodiment, based on the switching information input from the power controller  110  having received a signal from the control device CD, the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage. Furthermore, when the switching controller  403  controls so that the switch module  211  opens the power supply path, that is, when control is executed so that the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off, the power controller  110  stops supplying the clock to the communication module  404  provided for the power controller  110  itself, thereby making the communication module  404  be non-operational. 
     With this system configuration, the power controller  110  according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured so as to serve as a power controller. Furthermore, the power controller  110  executes the power supply control process for the respective powers supplied from the power module  100  and the operation control process for the power controller  110  itself. Hence, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     Next, in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules according to the second embodiment described referring to  FIG. 4 , the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules are described referring to  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules according to the second embodiment described referring to  FIG. 4  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules. 
     In addition, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “ON” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “closes” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  403  as shown in the table of  FIG. 5 . Furthermore, the power module  100  “outputs” the predetermined voltage and the charged power to “all the modules” of the television receiver  10 . Moreover, the clock generator A 405  “supplies” the generated clock to the communication module  404 , and the clock generator B 407  “supplies” the generated plurality of clocks to “all” of the signal determining module  402  and the switching controller  403 . As a result, the communication module  404  to which the charged power and the clock from the clock generator A 405  are supplied becomes “operational.” 
     On the other hand, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “OFF” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “opens” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  403 . In addition, the power module  100  does not supply the predetermined voltage to the respective modules of the television receiver  10 . More specifically, the power module  100  “stops outputting the predetermined voltage to the signal processing controller  40 .” Furthermore, the clock generator A 405  stops supplying the generated clock to the communication module  404 . However, the clock generator B 407  “supplies” the generated plurality of clocks to all of the signal determining module  402  and the switching controller  403 . As a result, the communication module  404  to which no clock is supplied becomes “non-operational.” 
     Also in the second embodiment, when the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  are switched by the power supply control process and when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “OFF” as described above, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     Third Embodiment 
     Next, respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  described referring to  FIG. 1  to execute the power supply control process and the operation control process will be described below referring to  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary view showing the configuration of a system formed of the respective modules for executing the power supply control process and the operation control process according to a third embodiment. 
     The system configuration according to the third embodiment is different from the system configuration according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  in that the power controller  110  is equipped with a power supply module  607 . Hereafter, the descriptions similar to those shown in the system configuration view of  FIG. 2  are omitted or simplified, and main differences are described in detail. 
     The power module  100  according to the third embodiment is equipped with the switch module  211 , the voltage converter  212 , the charge controller  213 , the rechargeable battery  214 , etc. However, since these modules are the same as the respective modules according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  in configuration, the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. 
     Furthermore, the power controller  110  according to the third embodiment is equipped with a signal receiver  601 , a signal determining module  602 , a switching controller  603 , a communication module  604 , a clock generator  605 , the power supply module  607 , etc. In addition, the clock generator  605  is connected to a clock supply module  606 . 
     Since the configurations and operations of the signal receiver  601 , the signal determining module  602 , the switching controller  603  and the communication module  604  are almost similar to those of the signal receiver  201 , the signal determining module  202 , the switching controller  203  and the communication module  204  shown in  FIG. 2 , the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. 
     In other words, the switching controller  603  controls so that the switch module  211  provided for the power module  100  opens/closes the power supply path based on the determination information input from the signal determining module  602  depending on a signal regarding the power control of the television receiver  10  received by the signal receiver  601 . In addition, the communication module  604  communicates with a controller (not shown) provided for the signal processing controller  40 . Furthermore, predetermined clocks are supplied from the clock generator  605  to the signal determining module  602 , the switching controller  603  and the communication module  604 . 
     Based on a clock supplied from the clock supply module  606 , the clock generator  605  executes frequency division, etc. to generate a predetermined clock and supplies the clock to the signal determining module  602 , the switching controller  603  and the communication module  604 . The clock generator  605  generates the predetermined clocks without depending on the switching information output from the switching controller  603  and supplies the clocks to the respective modules. 
     The clock supply module  606  generates a predetermined clock by means of an oscillation circuit using an oscillation device, such as a crystal or ceramic oscillator, and supplies this clock to the clock generator  605 . Although the clock supply module  606  is disposed outside the power controller  110  in the third embodiment, the clock supply module  606  may be configured such that part of the oscillation circuit thereof is disposed inside the power controller  110 . 
     The power supply module  607  separates the charged power supplied from the rechargeable battery  214  provided for the power controller  110  into two powers and supplies the powers to the respective modules provided for the power controller  110 . Furthermore, the power supply module  607  controls the supply/non-supply of one of the two powers based on the switching information input from the switching controller  603 . More specifically, when the switching information for opening the power supply path is input from the switching controller  603 , the power supply module  607  controls to stop the power supply to the communication module  604 . Conversely, when the switching information for closing the power supply path is input from the switching controller  603 , the power supply module  607  controls to supply the power to the communication module  604 . 
     In other words, also in the third embodiment, based on the switching information input from the power controller  110  having received a signal from the control device CD, the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage. Furthermore, when the switching controller  603  controls so that the switch module  211  opens the power supply path, that is, when control is executed so that the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off, the power controller  110  stops supplying the power to the communication module  604  provided for the power controller  110  itself, thereby making the communication module  604  be non-operational. 
     With this system configuration, the power controller  110  according to the third embodiment of the present invention is configured so as to serve as a power controller. Furthermore, the power controller  110  executes the power supply control process for the respective powers supplied from the power module  100  and the operation control process for the power controller  110  itself. Hence, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     Next, in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules according to the third embodiment described referring to  FIG. 6 , the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules are described referring to  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 7  is an exemplary table comparatively showing the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules according to the third embodiment described referring to  FIG. 6  in the power supply control process executed using the respective modules. 
     When the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “ON” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “closes” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  603  as shown in the table of  FIG. 7 . Furthermore, the power module  100  “outputs” the predetermined voltage and the charged power to “all the modules” of the television receiver  10 . Moreover, the power supply module  607  “supplies” the two separated charged powers to “all the modules” provided for the power controller  110 . Still further, the clock generator  605  supplies the predetermined clocks to the respective modules provided for the power controller  110 . As a result, the communication module  604  to which the charged power and the predetermined clock are supplied becomes “operational.” 
     On the other hand, when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “OFF” by the power supply control process, the switch module  211  “opens” the power supply path based on the switching information input from the switching controller  603 . In addition, the power module  100  does not supply the predetermined voltage to the respective modules of the television receiver  10 . More specifically, the power module  100  “stops outputting the predetermined voltage to the signal processing controller  40 .” Furthermore, the power supply module  607  supplies the two separated charged powers to not all the modules provided for the power controller  110 , but stops supplying one of the powers to a specific module. That is to say, the power supply module  607  “stops supplying one of the powers to the communication module  604 .” As a result, the communication module  404  to which the power is not supplied becomes “non-operational.” 
     Also in the third embodiment, when the outputs, states and operations of the respective modules provided for the power module  100  and the power controller  110  are switched by the power supply control process and when the power supply having the predetermined voltage is switched “OFF” as described above, the state of reducing standby power can be maintained for a long time. 
     As described above, according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention, based on the switching information input from the power controller  110  having received a signal from the control device CD, the power module  100  switches an ON/OFF state of the power supply having the predetermined voltage. Furthermore, when the switching controller  203  ( 403 ,  603 ) controls so that the switch module  211  opens the power supply path, that is, when control is executed so that the power supply having the predetermined voltage is turned off, the power controller  110  stops supplying the clock or the power to the communication module  204  ( 404 ,  604 ) provided for the power controller  110  itself, thereby making the communication module  204  ( 404 ,  604 ) be non-operational. Moreover, since the television receiver  10  is equipped with the power module  100  and the power controller  110 , serving as a power controller for executing the above-mentioned processes, the state of reducing the standby power of the television receiver  10  can be maintained for a long time. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments but can be changed and modified variously within the scope of not departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but various changes and modifications of its components may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, the components disclosed in the embodiments may be assembled in any combination for embodying the present invention. For example, some of the components may be omitted from all the components disclosed in the embodiments. Further, components in different embodiments may be appropriately combined.