IP Library Granted Patent US 9,436,236
Granted Patent B2
US 9,436,236 · App. 14/055,438 · Granted Sep 6, 2016

Information processing device with sensor detecting movement of device housing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,436,236
App. No.
14/055,438
Granted
Sep 6, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing device includes a sensor section configured to detect a change in an attitude of a housing, a cooling fan configured to cool the housing, and a fan control circuit configured to control rotation of the cooling fan. When a change in the attitude of the housing has been detected by the sensor section, the fan control circuit stops the rotation of the cooling fan or decreases the number of rotation of the cooling fan to be lower than that in an ordinary operation. Thereafter, when a change in the attitude of the housing is no longer detected by the sensor section, the fan control circuit returns the rotation of the cooling fan to that in the ordinary operation.

Claims (11)

1. An information processing device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a change in an attitude of a housing;

a rotation member cornprising a shaft;

a support for the rotation member; wherein the rotation member is a cooling fan configured to cool the housing; and

a control section configured to control the rotation of the rotation member, wherein

the control section is configured to perform control such that, when the sensor detects that the attitude of the housing is changing, the control section stops the rotation of the rotation member or decreases the rate of rotation of the rotation member to be lower than that in an ordinary operation to suppress contact or friction between the rotation member and the support that may occur due to temporary misalignment of the rotation member and the support, and thereafter, when the sensor no longer detects that the attitude of the housing is changing, and an original alignment of the rotation member and the support is present, the control section returns the rate of the rotation of the rotation member to that in the ordinary operation.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of an angular velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control section performs control such that, when a value detected by the sensor has become greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the control section stops the rotation of the rotation member or decreases the rate of rotation of the rotation member to be lower than that of the ordinary operation, and thereafter, when a value detected by the sensor has become less than a second threshold value, the control section returns the rate of the rotation of the rotation member to that of the ordinary operation.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are set to values different from each other.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor detects the changing attitude of the housing based on movement of the housing in a direction other than a direction of a rotation axis of the rotation member and a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotation member.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein when the sensor no longer detects that the attitude of the housing is changing even if the housing is in an inclined state, the control section returns the rate of the rotation of the rotation member to that of the ordinary operation.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2014
From: ITO, NAOYUKI; HIDESHIMA, KENTARO; SATO, SHINYA
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032240/0442 →