JP2001125658A - Device and method for preventing personal computer from forgetfully being left on - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for preventing a personal computer from forgetfully being left ON by equipping the keyboard of the personal computer with a sensor and generating a warning sound when a user is present nearby the personal computer in its suspended state. SOLUTION: A sensor 14 which senses the presence of a person with infrared rays and a speaker 16 which generates a warning sound are built in a keyboard connected to a personal computer main body. Further, a control circuit 20 which control signals from respective devices is incorporated and a suspension/ resume state storage register 18 for holding the state of the personal computer main body reported from the personal computer main body is incorporated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preventing a power supply of a personal computer from being provided with a sensor on a keyboard of the personal computer and indicating that the display is suspended by a warning sound.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional method for switching a power saving mode of a personal computer when a user leaves a seat is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-291.
No. 612. The power-saving data processing device described in this publication shuts off the power of devices other than the devices required for the resume function when the proximity sensor detects that the operator has left the seat and there is no input. Power is restored and returns to the original state.

Further, the prior art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-17142.
No. 2 discloses this. The information processing apparatus described in this publication includes an infrared detecting means for detecting a user by reflection of the outputted infrared light and transmitting a detection result of the user, and receiving a detection result from the infrared detecting means and connecting a personal computer based on the result. A power-saving / non-power-saving mode switching control unit that switches to a power-saving mode or a power-saving mode.

Further, the prior art is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2075.
No. 84 is described. The electronic device described in this publication has a human body sensor that detects a reflected signal such as an output infrared ray or ultrasonic wave and outputs a detection result as to whether or not a user is at a predetermined position. Executes / cancels the power consumption mode.

[0005]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-29161
The power-saving data processing device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2 enters sleep mode when an operator leaves the machine without entering sleep mode while being present, but rather consumes power if the operator does not enter sleep mode while present. In other words, in the sleep mode, it may not be known whether the power is turned off or not and may be left as it is.

The information processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-171422 automatically switches between a power saving / non-power saving mode depending on whether the user is at a predetermined position or not. In some cases, it was better to be in power saving mode when in the position. In the power-saving state, the user may mistakenly think that the power is turned off by looking at the computer screen in the suspended state and leave the computer as it is.

The electronic device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-207584 detects the presence of a user within a detection range by a human body sensor using infrared rays or ultrasonic waves, and executes / cancels the low power consumption mode. May be canceled when it is unnecessary just because the user is within the detection range.

[0008] In each of the above-mentioned prior arts, the user may mistakenly think that the power is turned off when viewing the PC screen in the suspended state, leave the computer as it is, and waste power. was there.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for preventing forgetting to turn off a personal computer, in which the presence of a user is detected by a sensor when the personal computer is in a suspended state, and the suspended state is notified by a warning sound. is there.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for preventing a user from forgetting to turn off a personal computer. The apparatus includes at least a display device and a computer main body. The display device and the computer main body can be omitted according to preset conditions. The PC body to be in a power state or a non-power saving state, and information on the power saving state or the non-power saving state of the PC body is acquired, and in the power saving state, whether or not a user is nearby is sensed, And a keyboard for notifying the user of the power saving state by a warning sound when the user is present.

According to the method for preventing forgetting to turn off the power of a personal computer according to the present invention, a personal computer having a function of setting a power saving state or a non-power saving state under a preset condition, and a speaker built-in and connected to the personal computer main body so that a user can operate it A method for preventing forgetting to power off the personal computer in a device for preventing forgetting to power off the personal computer having a keyboard for detecting whether or not the personal computer is in a range, comprising: obtaining information on a power saving state or a non-power saving state of the personal computer main body; In the power saving state, the keyboard detects whether or not a user is present, and in the detecting step, outputs a warning sound indicating that the keyboard is in a power saving state from a speaker of the keyboard when a user is present. And when the non-power saving state is reached, the keyboard stops sensing the user. Characterized in that it comprises a step.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention is to sound a warning sound when a personal computer is suspended, and to notify a user that the power is not turned off without returning to a resumed state.

The configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of the keyboard of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the personal computer power-on forgetting prevention device of the present invention has a function of resuming and suspending the display under preset conditions, and connects other devices such as an external storage device and a keyboard. A personal computer body 10 for exchanging data, and a keyboard 12 connected to the personal computer body 10 for storing resume and suspend states of the display, detecting the presence of the user by infrared rays, and outputting a warning sound to the user from the suspend state. .

The keyboard 12 operates according to an instruction, emits infrared rays, senses whether or not the user is near the keyboard 12, and outputs information on the sensed state as a sensor sensing signal. Speaker 16 that outputs a warning sound including a warning sound such as
A suspend status storage register 18 for storing the suspend / resume state of the display of the personal computer 10 and sending an operation instruction to the sensor 14 when the computer is in the suspend state; The state of the suspension register state storage register 18 is obtained.
And input the sensor detection signal from the sensor 14,
The control circuit 20 outputs a sensor detection signal to the speaker 16 from the state of the suspension state storage register 18 and the state of the sensor detection signal, and sounds a warning sound. Also,
The sensor 14 detects the range to be sensed by the user using the keyboard 12.
Can be limited to the operable range.

The control circuit 20 outputs a sensor detection signal to the speaker 16 when generating a warning sound. The control circuit 20 stores a sound or the like in advance, converts the sensor detection signal into a sound or the like and outputs the signal, and outputs it as a warning sound. It is also possible.

In the power-off forgetting prevention device, the resume and suspend states of the display are detected by the control circuit 20 from the interface signal, and the states are stored in the suspend state storage register 18 by the suspend signal. When the information in the suspension status storage register 18 indicates the suspension, the power-off forgetting prevention device instructs the sensor 14 to perform user detection. The sensor 14 detects whether or not a user is near by infrared rays, and sends the state to the control circuit 20 as a sensor detection signal. The control circuit 20 receives the sensor detection signal and outputs the signal to the speaker 16. The speaker 16 outputs a warning sound.

When the state of the suspension register storage register 18 is resumed, the instruction to sense the sensor 14 is stopped, and the sensor 14 is disabled.

The warning sound may be a warning sound such as an alarm,
A sound may be used, and the alarm sound and the sound may be combined and output. The warning sound, especially by voice, can be realized by outputting a sound stored in a memory or the like.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

When the personal computer 10 enters the suspend state, the information is transmitted to the control circuit 20 of the keyboard by an interface signal, and a suspend signal is sent to the suspend state storage register 18. By sending the suspension register signal, the suspension register storage register 18
To the personal computer 10 in a suspended state.

Here, the suspension register storage register 18 is used.
Is programmed to send a signal to the sensor 14 when the personal computer body 10 is in the suspend state, and not to send a signal when the personal computer body 10 is in the resume state.

At this time, when the suspension state storage register 18 sends a signal to the sensor 14 according to a program, the sensor 14 operates to emit infrared rays, and the presence of a person is sensed by the sensor 14. When the sensor 14 senses the presence, a sensor sensing signal is sent to the control circuit 20.

The signal sent from the sensor 14 by the control circuit 20 is sent to the speaker 16, and the speaker 16 is activated and emits a sound for about 10 seconds. Speaker 16
Has a timer function and emits a sound at intervals of about 30 minutes while the sensor sensing signal is continuously transmitted.

After the personal computer 10 resumes, the keyboard recognizes the information by an interface signal, and the sensor 12 is invalidated by the program of the suspension register storage register 18.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a keyboard according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a keyboard controller 22 for converting a sensor detection signal into a Wake up signal is further provided between the personal computer 10 and the control circuit 20.

When the personal computer 10 enters the suspend state, the sensor 14 operates according to an instruction. The sensor 14 sends a sensor sensing signal to the control circuit 20. The sensor detection signal is sent to Wak by the keyboard controller 22.
The signal is converted into an e-up signal and sent to the personal computer 10. A power management function including functions such as suspending and resuming the personal computer body 10 causes the personal computer body 10 to resume.

Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a keyboard according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a built-in speaker 2 of a personal computer is used.
A warning sound is sounded using the number 4. The operation is shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, the sensor detection signal is output to the personal computer 10 and the speaker 24 outputs a warning sound. In this embodiment, the speaker 16 may be deleted.

Further, a signal is sent from the sensor 14 to the built-in speaker 24 of the personal computer 10 through the keyboard 12. It is also possible to incorporate a register programmed in the personal computer body 10 to temporarily resume the personal computer body 10, emit a warning sound, and then resume the suspend state.

A method is also conceivable in which a device that resumes a personal computer when a person approaches by using the keyboard and the sensor of the present invention is provided in the keyboard to notify that the power is on.

[0033]

According to the present invention, a warning sound is emitted when the personal computer returns to the installation location while the personal computer is suspended, and the personal computer is suspended when the computer is installed. When the sensor is turned on, a warning sound is emitted at regular intervals while the sensor's infrared light hits the user, so that the user can know that the PC is in the suspended state and the power is on, so there is an effect of preventing forgetting to turn off the power .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a keyboard of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a keyboard according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a keyboard according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 PC main body 12 Keyboard 14 Sensor 16 Speaker 18 Suspension register storage register 20 Control circuit 22 Keyboard controller 24 Speaker

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 29, 1999 (1999.11.
29)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A personal computer having at least a display device and a computer main body, wherein the computer main body puts the display device and the computer main body into a power saving state or a non-power saving state according to preset conditions. Acquires information on the power saving state or non-power saving state of the personal computer body, detects whether the user is in the vicinity when the power saving state is present, and sounds a warning sound that the user is in the power saving state when the user is present. A device for preventing forgetting to turn off the power of a personal computer, comprising a keyboard for notifying. 2. The keyboard starts operation when receiving an instruction, and detects whether or not a user is in an operable range of the keyboard by infrared rays.
A sensor that outputs the sensed state as a sensor sensing signal, stores information on a power saving state or a non-power saving state of the personal computer main body, and transmits an operation instruction to the sensor when in the power saving state; A suspension register for disabling the operation of the sensor when in the non-power-saving state; and a warning sound for notifying the user that the personal computer is in the power-saving state to the user upon receiving the sensor detection signal. 1 speaker and information on whether the personal computer body is in a power saving state or a non-power saving state, store the information in the suspension state storage register, and read the sensor sensing signal transmitted from the sensor. 2. A control circuit for receiving and outputting the received sensor sensing signal to the first speaker. PC power off forgotten prevention device. 3. The personal computer body further includes a second speaker, and when the control circuit receives the sensor detection signal, outputs the sensor detection signal to the second speaker, and outputs the second speaker. 3. The device for preventing forgetting to turn off the power of a personal computer according to claim 2, wherein the device outputs a warning sound. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warning sound is a warning sound and / or a voice. 5. A personal computer having a function of setting a power-saving state or a non-power-saving state under predetermined conditions, and a built-in speaker connected to the personal computer to detect whether or not the user is in an operable range. A method for preventing forgetting to turn off a personal computer in a device for preventing forgetting to turn off a personal computer having a keyboard, the method comprising: acquiring information on a power saving state or a non-power saving state of the personal computer main body; Detecting whether a user is present, and, if there is a user, outputting a warning sound indicating that the keyboard is in a power saving state from the speaker of the keyboard in the sensing step; and Ending the operation of sensing the user by the keyboard. How to prevent forgetting to turn off the power. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the warning sound is a warning sound and / or a voice.