IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,209,881
Granted Patent B2
US 11,209,881 · App. 16/775,352 · Granted Dec 28, 2021

Information processing apparatus, control method of information processing apparatus, and program to transmit a power request to an external device

Inventor: Naomasa Tanase (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
G06F1/26G06K15/40H02J7/0048
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,209,881
App. No.
16/775,352
Granted
Dec 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a first interface, a second interface, and a controller configured to receive first power source information related to a power source of a first external device connected to the first interface, receive second power source information related to a power source of a second external device connected to the second interface, select one of the first external device and the second external device to which a power request is to be transmitted based on the first power source information and the second power source information, and transmit a power request to the selected external device based on a result of the selection processing of one of the first external device and the second external device.

Claims (70)

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a first interface;

a second interface; and

a controller configured to

receive first power source information related to a power source of a first external device connected to the first interface,

receive second power source information related to a power source of a second external device connected to the second interface,

receive a first insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the first external device is disconnected from the first interface with the first power source information,

receive a second insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the second external device is disconnected from the second interface with the second power source information,

select one of the first external device and the second external device to which a power request is to be transmitted based on the first power source information and the second power source information, the first external device being selected as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted when the first insertion/removal frequency is lower than the second insertion/removal frequency; and

transmit the power request to the selected external device based on a result of the selection of one of the first external device and the second external device.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to

determine whether both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information,

determine whether neither the first external device nor the second external device are connected to the external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information, and

select one of the first external device and the second external device which is connected to the external power source as a destination of the power request in a case where the controller does not determine that both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source is directly connected to the external power source and receives power from the external power source.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source receives power from another external device directly connected to the external power source through a route that does not pass through the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the external power source is an AC power source.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case where the controller determines that the power request to the first external device is rejected, the controller is configured to transmit the power request to the second external device.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to

receive a third insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which an external power source is disconnected from the first external device with the first power source information,

receive a fourth insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the external power source is disconnected from the second external device with the second power source information, and

select the first external device as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted in the selection of one of the first external device and the second external device when the third insertion/removal frequency is lower than the fourth insertion/removal frequency.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to

perform third determination processing for determining whether both the first external device and the second external device have a battery based on the first power source information and the second power source information, and

select the external device having the battery as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted in the selection of one of the first external device and the second external device in a case where the controller does not determine that both the first external device and the second external device have a battery in the third determination processing.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller is configured to

execute fourth determination processing for determining whether a remaining capacity of the battery of the first external device is greater than a remaining capacity of the battery of the second external device in a case where both the first external device and the second external device have a battery in the third determination processing, and

select the first external device as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted in the selection of one of the first external device and the second external device in a case where the controller determines that the remaining capacity of the battery of the first external device is greater than the remaining capacity of the battery of the second external device in the fourth determination processing.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the first interface is a first universal serial bus (USB) interface, and

the second interface is a second universal serial bus (USB) interface.

11. A control method of an information processing apparatus including a first interface and a second interface, comprising:

receiving first power source information related to a power source of a first external device connected to the first interface;

receiving second power source information related to a power source of a second external device connected to the second interface;

receiving a first insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the first external device is disconnected from the first interface with the first power source information,

receiving a second insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the second external device is disconnected from the second interface with the second power source information,

selecting one of the first external device and the second external device to which a power request is to be transmitted based on the first power source information and the second power source information, the first external device being selected as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted when the first insertion/removal frequency is lower than the second insertion/removal frequency; and

transmitting the power request to the selected external device based on a result of the selection process.

12. The control method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

determine whether both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information;

determine whether neither the first external device nor the second external device are connected to the external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information; and

select one of the first external device and the second external device which is connected to the external power source as a destination of the power request in a case where the controller does not determine that both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source is directly connected to the external power source and receives power from the external power source.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source receives power from another external device directly connected to the external power source through a route that does not pass through the information processing apparatus.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for controlling an information processing apparatus including a first interface and a second interface, the process comprising:

receiving first power source information related to a power source of a first external device connected to the first interface,

receiving second power source information related to a power source of a second external device connected to the second interface,

receiving a first insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the first external device is disconnected from the first interface with the first power source information,

receiving a second insertion/removal frequency indicating a frequency at which the second external device is disconnected from the second interface with the second power source information,

selecting one of the first external device and the second external device to which a power request is to be transmitted based on the first power source information and the second power source information, the first external device being selected as the external device to which the power request is to be transmitted when the first insertion/removal frequency is lower than the second insertion/removal frequency, and

transmitting the power request to the selected external device based on a result of the selection of one of the first external device and the second external device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein

the process further comprising:

determine whether both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information;

determine whether neither the first external device nor the second external device are connected to the external power source based on the first power source information and the second power source information;

select one of the first external device and the second external device which is connected to the external power source as a destination of the power request in a case where the controller does not determine that both the first external device and the second external device are connected to an external power source.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source is directly connected to the external power source and receives power from the external power source.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein

the external device connected to the external power source receives power from another external device directly connected to the external power source through a route that does not pass through the information processing apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2020
From: TANASE, NAOMASA
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 051652/0281 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-014190 · Jan 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200241615A1 · Jul 30, 2020