Managing laptop power based on display angle
View Patent ↗A notebook type of computer of one embodiment includes a display unit, a housing to which the display unit is pivotally attached, an angle sensor which detects an opening angle between the display unit and the housing, a sensor driver which A/D converts an output from the angle sensor and passes the result to a power management driver, and an angle comparison module which reads a setting value as to the opening angle and determines whether the opening angle is within a range of a predetermined angle. If the opening angle is within the predetermined range, a user is presumed to be using the notebook computer on a lap and the power management operation is performed per that presumption.
1. Apparatus comprising:
a display unit;
a housing to which said display unit is pivotally attached;
a central processing unit incorporated in said housing;
an angle sensor which detects an opening angle between said display unit and said housing;
a power management driver; and
an angle comparison module which determines if the opening angle falls within a predetermined angular range corresponding to a laptop operational mode;
wherein said power management driver reduces at least a clock rate of a central processing unit incorporated in the housing on condition that the opening angle falls within the predetermined angular range;
wherein a power utilized and a heat generated by the central processing unit while operating the information processing apparatus in the laptop operational mode are decreased based on the opening angle falling within the predetermined angular range.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an acceleration sensor;
a memory for storing an output of said acceleration sensor over a predetermined period of time;
wherein said power management driver reduces at least a clock rate of a central processing unit incorporated in the housing on condition that: the opening angle falls within the predetermined angular range and the output of the acceleration sensor is determined to be a non-zero value.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said power management driver does not reduce at least a clock rate of a central processing unit incorporated in the housing on condition that: the opening angle does not fall within the laptop operational mode or the output of the acceleration sensor is determined not to be a non-zero value.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface that allows a user to increase or decrease the predetermined angular range.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power management driver controls:
a head of a hard disk through a hard disk head unload driver; and
reading/writing to the hard disk.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angular range comprises an opening angle of 145 degrees to 175 degrees.
7. A method comprising:
detecting an opening angle between a display unit and a housing of an information processing apparatus, wherein the display unit is pivotally attached to the housing;
comparing the opening angle with a predetermined angular range, the predetermined angular range corresponding to the information processing apparatus being used in a laptop operational mode; and
reading a power management setting value specified by the opening angle if the opening angle is determined to be within the predetermined angular range; and
changing an operational mode of the information processing apparatus to the laptop operational mode for reducing at least a clock rate of a central processing unit incorporated in the housing under a condition specified by the power management setting value;
wherein a power utilized and a heat generated by the central processing unit while operating the information processing apparatus in the laptop operational mode are decreased based on the opening angle falling within the predetermined angular range.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the information processing includes an acceleration sensor, the method further comprising:
storing an output from the acceleration sensor over a predetermined period of time; and
reading an output of the acceleration sensor during the predetermined period of time;
wherein said changing an operational mode of the information processing apparatus to the laptop operational mode is performed if the opening angle is determined to be within the predetermined angular range and the output value of the acceleration sensor is determined to be a non-zero value.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said changing an operational mode of the information processing apparatus to the laptop operational mode is not performed if the opening angle is not determined to be within the predetermined angular range or the output value of the acceleration sensor is not determined to be a non-zero value.
10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the laptop operational mode increases a rotation speed of a fan of the information processing apparatus relative to a rotation speed utilized in a desktop mode.
11. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving a signal from a connector for docking; and
upon receipt of the signal, preventing the information processing apparatus from entering the laptop operational mode irrespective of the opening angle.
12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the laptop operational mode reduces a video chip speed.