Patent Abstract:
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display device, a main body rotatably connected to the display device and overlapping so as to at least partly face the display device, and a plurality of input devices either on the main body or the display device and covered with the display device when the display device is overlapped. When the display device rotates in a direction of overlapping onto the main body, supply of power source to the operating means is switched off stepwise in an order set in advance, in accordance with an angle between the display device and the main body.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-51526, filed Feb. 28, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   Embodiments of the present invention relate to a power-saving technology for notebook computers, and in particular to an information processing apparatus and a control method by which supply of power source to respective operating equipment can be controlled in accordance with a state of opening and closing of a display. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Previously, there has been a technology in which, in a notebook personal computer, an internal power supply, an external power supply, and a system power supply are switched On/OFF based on the detected angle between a main body unit of the computer and its rotational display unit. 
   In the technology described above, however, it is sometimes difficult or impossible to operate various switches and devices when the angle between the display unit and the main body unit is below a predetermined angle. Thus, when the display unit is in various angular positions, power is consumed needlessly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view showing a notebook computer which is an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram showing a configuration of the notebook computer which is the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary flowchart for explanation of a method of controlling the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary schematic view showing an angle of a panel with a main body; 
       FIG. 5  is an exemplary schematic view showing setting areas of various switches and devices which are arranged at the main body and the panel of the computer according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary flowchart for explanation of a method of controlling an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is an exemplary perspective view showing a notebook tablet PC which is the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is an exemplary perspective view showing a tablet style of the notebook tablet PC which is the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
   First Embodiment 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The information processing apparatus is realized as a notebook computer  10  which can be driven by a battery. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the computer  10  is configured of a main body  16  and a display  11 . A display device composed of a liquid crystal display (LAD) is built into the display  11 , and a display screen  12  of the LAD is positioned in substantially the center of the display  11 . 
   The display  11  is attached to main body  16  so as to be freely opened and closed between a release position and a lock up position with respect to the computer  10 . The main body side of the computer  10  has a thin box type housing. A plurality of input devices are positioned on a top surface of the main body  16 . For instance, a keyboard  13  is arranged on a top surface of the housing, and a touch pad  14 , left and right two buttons  14   a  and  14   b , and various short cut buttons  18  such as mail and the like are arranged on a palm rest. Further, an optical drive  15  and the like are provided at the side faces of the main body  16 . Moreover, a fingerprint authentication device  17  is arranged at a lower portion of the display  11 . 
     FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a configuration of the computer. 
   The computer  10  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  20 , a Root Complex  21 , a main memory  24 , a graphics controller (End Point)  23 , a PHI Express Link  22  which connects the Root Complex  21  and the graphics controller  23 , the display  11 , an embedded controller/keyboard controller IC (EBC/KBC)  27 , a hard disk drive (HDD)  25 , a BIOS-ROM  26 , and the fingerprint authentication device  17 , the keyboard  13 , the touch pad  14 , and various shortcut buttons  18  which are input devices connected to the EBC/KBC  27 , and an angle detection device  19  which detects an angle between the main body  16  and the display  11 . 
   The Root Complex  21 , the graphics controller  23 , and the like are devices compliant with the PHI EXPRESS standard. Communication between the Root Complex  21  and the graphics controller  23  is achieved via the PHI® EXPRESS® Link  22  arranged between the Root Complex  21  and the graphics controller  23 . 
   The CPU  20  is a processor which controls operations of the main computer  10 , and executes various programs (an operating system, application programs) loaded in the main memory  24  from the HDD  25 . Further, the CPU  20  also executes a basic input output system (BIOS) stored in the BIOS-ROM  26 . The BIOS is a program for controlling hardware. 
   The Root Complex  21  is a bridge device which makes a connection between a local bus of the CPU  20  and the graphics controller  23 . Further, the Root Complex  21  also has a function of controlling communications with the graphics controller  23  via the PHI® EXPRESS® Link  22 . 
   The graphics controller  23  is a display controller which controls the display  11  used as a display monitor of the main computer. 
   The EBC/KBC  27  is a one-chip microcomputer in which an embedded controller for managing power and a keyboard controller for controlling the keyboard  13 , the touch pad  14  and the like are integrated. The EBC/KBC  27  has a function of turning power-ON/OFF of the main computer  10  in cooperation with a power supply controller depending on an operation of a power button by a user. 
   Next, a method of controlling an information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to a flowchart of  FIG. 3 . 
   Note that, in the present embodiment, an operation of closing the panel from a state in which the display (hereinafter called a panel)  11  is opened will be described with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 3 . 
   The CPU  20  of the computer  10  determines whether or not an angle of the panel  11  forms, for example, 10° with the main body  16  on the basis of information from the angle detection device  19  (block S 101 : refer to  FIG. 4 ). When the CPU  20  determines in block S 101  that the angle of the panel  11  forms 10° with the main body  16  (YES in block S 101 ), it is determined whether or not the angle of the panel  11  forms 5° with the main body  16  (block S 102 ). When the CPU  20  determines that the angle of the panel  11  does not form 5° with the main body  16  (NO in block S 102 ), supply of power source to the fingerprint authentication device  17 , the various shortcut buttons  18 , and some of the upper portion of the keyboard  13  which are arranged in the areas of areas A 1  and A 2  shown in  FIG. 5  is switched off (block S 103 ). Note that, when supply of power source to these devices is switched off, a plurality of switch units may be provided in one power supply circuit, or a plurality of power supply circuits may be provided. 
   In summary, according to one embodiment of the invention, the input devices are powered down in a predetermined order based on their proximity to the hinge rotationally coupling display device  11  to main body  16  of  FIG. 1 . Hence, input devices in areas A 1  &amp; A 2  of  FIG. 5  become inaccessible sooner than input devices in areas B 1  &amp; B 2  of  FIG. 5  as display unit  11  is rotated toward main body  16 . 
   On the other hand, when the CPU  20  determines that the angle of the panel  11  forms 5° with the main body  16  (YES in block S 102 ), supply of power source to the LAD  12 , the keyboard  13 , and the touch pad  14  which are arranged in the areas of areas B 1  and B 2  shown in  FIG. 5  is switched off (block S 104 ). 
   Note that setting of areas in which supply of power source is switched off is not limited to the content described above, and can be set in various ways. Further, when devices whose operations are limited in accordance with an angle between the panel  11  and the main body  16  are mounted in addition to the devices such as the touch pad  14  shown in the present embodiment, the effect of the present invention can be enjoyed by applying the present invention to those devices in the same way. 
   Next, an operation of opening the panel from a state in which the panel  11  is closed will be described with reference to a flowchart of  FIG. 6 . 
   The CPU  20  of the computer  10  determines whether or not an angle of the panel  11  forms, for example, 5° with the main body  16  on the basis of information from the angle detection device  19  (block S 111 : refer to  FIG. 4 ). When the CPU  20  determined in block S 111  that the angle of the panel  11  forms 5° with the main body  16  (YES in block S 111 ), supply of power source to the LAD  12 , the keyboard  13 , and the touch pad  14  which are arranged in the areas of the areas B 1  and B 2  shown in  FIG. 5  is switched on (block S 112 ). 
   Moreover, the CPU  20  determines whether or not the angle of the panel  11  forms 10° with the main body  16  (block S 113 ). When the CPU  20  determines that the angle of the panel  11  forms 10° with the main body  16  (YES in block S 113 ), supply of power source to the fingerprint authentication device  17 , the various shortcut buttons  18 , and some of the upper portion of the keyboard  13  which are arranged in the areas of the areas A 1  and A 2  shown in  FIG. 5  is switched on (block S 114 ). 
   In accordance with the above embodiment, it is possible to switch off supply of power source to the various switches and the devices which are made impossible to operate due to the various switches and the devices provided to the main body unit being hidden, stepwise in accordance with an angle of the display unit. On the other hand, it is possible to switch on supply of power source to the various switches and the devices stepwise when the various switches and the devices provided to the main body unit are made possible to operate. 
   Second Embodiment 
   Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7  and  8 . 
     FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a notebook tablet PC serving as an information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
   A tablet PC  100  is configured by: a main body  160  having a keyboard  130 , a touch pad  140 , a hinge portion  60  serving as a connection portion with a liquid-crystal system movable display  120 , and the like; and the display  120  connected so as to be movable to the hinge portion  60  having various buttons  180 . In the tablet PC  100 , the display  120  is made to be a touch panel, and it is possible to directly carry out operations with respect to the display  120  by a stylize  80  or the like. 
   The display  120  is rotatable centering around Y-axis on the hinge portion  60 . Further, the display  120  can be reclined centering around X-axis. For example, when the display  120  is reclined with the display surface thereof up, the tablet PC  100  is made to be a tablet style as shown in  FIG. 8 . In a case of using the tablet style in this way, for example, a pattern is acceptable in which two users utilize it while looking at the display  120 . 
   Also when the tablet PC  100  is used, setting can be made such that the areas A 1 , A 2 , B 1 , and B 2  described in the first embodiment, or the like are provided, and supply of power source is switched on/off depending on an angle between the display  120  and the main body  160  every area. Consequently, the same effect as that of the first embodiment described above can be achieved. 
   In the same way, when devices whose operations are limited in accordance with an angle between the display  120  and the main body are mounted in addition to the devices shown in the embodiment, the effect of the present invention can be achieved by applying the invention to those devices in the same way. 
   Further, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and at the stage of implementing the invention, the invention can be embodied by modifying components within a range without departing from the gist of the present invention. Further, various inventions can be made by appropriate combinations of a plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be eliminated from all the components shown in the embodiments. Moreover, the components over the different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8