Controlling operational state of an electronic apparatus based on user proximity and user input

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to execute system processing;

an object detection unit configured to detect an object present within a predetermined detection range; and

an operation control unit configured to control the system processing according to a detection state detected by the object detection unit to make a transition to one of a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein the second operating state comprises a standby state in which at least part of the system processing by the processing unit is more limited than that in the first operating state,

wherein when a transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made regardless of the detection state detected by the object detection unit, the operation control unit prohibits the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made due to a user's instruction, the operation control unit prohibits the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when prohibiting the transition to the first operating state, the operation control unit makes a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state according to a user's instruction.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the object detection unit is configured to detect a first detection state in which an object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a second detection state in which the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a third detection state in which the object is detected after the object is not detected within the predetermined detection range, and a fourth detection state in which the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is detected in the first detection state regardless of the detection state, and

the operation control unit is configured to make the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit makes a transition from the first detection state to the second detection state, make a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit makes a transition from the second detection state to the third detection state, continue the first operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit is the first detection state, and prohibit the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state when the detection state makes a transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein when the transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state is made, the operation control unit makes the object detection unit keep the fourth detection state even when the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein when a first condition unrelated to the detected detection state is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the first detection state.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first condition comprises making a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state due to a user's instruction.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when a second condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the second detection state, wherein the second condition comprises determining a user leaving from the electronic apparatus without doubt.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein when a third condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the third detection state, wherein the third condition comprises determining that a distance from the electronic apparatus to a user is decreased.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the processing unit is configured to execute the system processing on the basis of face authentication processing based on a face image of a person, and

when the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit, the face authentication processing is enabled, while when the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made regardless of the detection state detected by the object detection unit, the face authentication processing is disabled.

11. A method comprising:

causing an object detection unit to detect an object present within a predetermined detection range, the object detection unit in an electronic apparatus comprising a processing unit executing system processing; and

causing an operation control unit to control the system processing according to a detection state detected by the object detection unit to make a transition to one of a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein the second operating state comprises a standby state in which at least part of the system processing by the processing unit is more limited than that in the first operating state,

wherein when a transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made regardless of the detection state detected by the object detection unit, the transition to the first operating state is prohibited according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein when the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made due to a user's instruction, the operation control unit prohibits the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit, and wherein when prohibiting the transition to the first operating state, the operation control unit makes a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state according to a user's instruction.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting, by the object detection unit, a first detection state in which an object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a second detection state in which the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a third detection state in which the object is detected after the object is not detected within the predetermined detection range, and a fourth detection state in which the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is detected in the first detection state regardless of the detection state, and

making, by the operation control unit, the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit makes a transition from the first detection state to the second detection state, making a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit makes a transition from the second detection state to the third detection state, continuing the first operating state when the detection state by the object detection unit is the first detection state, and prohibiting the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state when the detection state makes a transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein when the transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state is made, the operation control unit makes the object detection unit keep the fourth detection state even when the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

when a first condition unrelated to the detected detection state is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the first detection state, wherein the first condition comprises making a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state due to a user's instruction;

when a second condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the second detection state, wherein the second condition comprises determining a user leaving from the electronic apparatus without doubt; and

when a third condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the object detection unit makes a transition from the fourth detection state to the third detection state, wherein the third condition comprises determining that a distance from the electronic apparatus to a user is decreased.

16. A program product comprising a computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to:

detecting an object present within a predetermined detection range; and

controlling the system processing according to a detection state detected in the detection step to make a transition to one of a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein the second operating state comprises a standby state in which at least part of the system processing by the processing unit is more limited than that in the first operating state,

wherein when a transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made regardless of the detection state detected in the detection step, the transition to the first operating state is prohibited in the operation control step according to the detection state detected in the detection step.

17. The program product of claim 16 , wherein when the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is made due to a user's instruction, the executable code further comprising code to prohibit the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state detected by the object detection unit, and wherein when prohibiting the transition to the first operating state, the executable code further comprising code to make a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state according to a user's instruction.

18. The program product of claim 16 , the executable code further comprising code to:

detect a first detection state in which an object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a second detection state in which the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range, a third detection state in which the object is detected after the object is not detected within the predetermined detection range, and a fourth detection state in which the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state is detected in the first detection state regardless of the detection state, and

make the transition from the first operating state to the second operating state when the detection state makes a transition from the first detection state to the second detection state, make a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state when the detection state makes a transition from the second detection state to the third detection state, continue the first operating state when the detection state is the first detection state, and prohibit the transition to the first operating state according to the detection state when the detection state makes a transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state.

19. The program product of claim 18 , wherein when the transition from the first detection state to the fourth detection state is made, the operation control unit makes the object detection unit keep the fourth detection state even when the object is no longer detected after the object is being detected within the predetermined detection range.

20. The program product of claim 19 , wherein:

when a first condition unrelated to the detected detection state is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the executable code comprises code to make a transition from the fourth detection state to the first detection state, wherein the first condition comprises making a transition from the second operating state to the first operating state due to a user's instruction;

when a second condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the executable code further comprises code to make a transition from the fourth detection state to the second detection state, wherein the second condition comprises determining a user leaving from the electronic apparatus without doubt; and

when a third condition is satisfied in the fourth detection state, the executable code further comprises code to make a transition from the fourth detection state to the third detection state, wherein the third condition comprises determining that a distance from the electronic apparatus to a user is decreased.