Information processing apparatus and control method

Abstract

The present application relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method. Display to a display when using an external keyboard is appropriately controlled. An information processing apparatus having one display that can be folded has a first display mode in which the entirety of a screen area of the display is a display area and a second display mode in which a portion of the screen area of the display other than a prescribed screen area is a display area, determines whether an external keyboard is placed on the prescribed screen area of the display, in a first operation state, controls to the first display mode in a case where the keyboard is not placed and controls to the second display mode in a case where the keyboard is placed, and when switching from the first operation state to a second operation state in which system-based processing is limited as compared to the first operation state, selects a display mode from among the first display mode, the second display mode, and a previous display mode and controls until switching from the second operation state to the first operation state next.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, an information processing device has also been disclosed in which a foldable flexible display (display unit) is provided throughout the first and second housings, which can be bent according to the rotation of the first and second housings (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this way, when a display is provided throughout the first and second housings, it can not only be used as a single screen mode, but also be divided into a screen area on the first housing side and a screen area on the second housing side and used as a dual-screen mode.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-13850

[0004] The aforementioned information processing device has a display installed in both the first and second housings, and therefore generally does not have a keyboard. However, it can be configured such that, in dual-screen mode, an external keyboard is mounted and connected to one screen, while the other screen is used as the display screen, thus enabling a usage mode similar to a laptop-type PC (Personal Computer) with a keyboard. In this case, by automatically switching between dual-screen mode (where the screen area with the external keyboard is mounted is blacked out, and the other screen area is half the size of the screen in single-screen mode) (hereinafter referred to as "half-screen mode"), user convenience is improved.

[0005] However, when switching from full-screen mode, which uses the entire screen area as the display area, to half-screen mode, not only does one area of ​​the screen in dual-screen mode become black, but the other area (half the screen area) also needs to display the entire desktop screen, including the toolbar, etc. Therefore, a resolution equivalent to half the screen area is required. According to the OS (Operating System) specifications, this resolution change can only be performed after logging into the system at startup. Therefore, the following problem exists: even if the connection to an external keyboard is checked at startup, the resolution cannot be changed during the period until logging into the system; therefore, it is not possible to arbitrarily switch between full-screen and half-screen modes based on the presence or absence of a keyboard connection.

[0006] For example, considering the concern that users might suspect a malfunction if half the screen area is black in half-screen mode without a keyboard connected, we considered reverting to full-screen mode upon startup, regardless of keyboard connection. However, for users who frequently use a keyboard, switching to full-screen mode with a connected keyboard means that content hidden by the keyboard cannot be accessed without removing it, which is inconvenient. Thus, it's sometimes impossible to properly control what's displayed on the monitor when using an external keyboard. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide an information processing apparatus and control method for appropriately controlling the display to a monitor when using an external keyboard.

[0008] The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems. The information processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a foldable display; a memory for temporarily storing a program of a system; and a processor that performs system-based control by executing the program of the system stored in the memory. The processor performs operation state control processing, placement determination processing, first control processing, and second control processing. In the operation state control processing, the operation state of the system is switched to a first operation state and a second operation state in which some or all of the system-based processing is restricted compared to the first operation state. In the placement determination processing, it is determined whether an external keyboard is placed in a predetermined screen area of ​​the display. In the first control processing, the processor has the function of controlling the display... The system includes a first display mode that controls the display by using the entire screen area of ​​the monitor as the display area, and a second display mode that controls the display by using a portion of the screen area of ​​the monitor other than the specified screen area as the display area. In the first operation state, the system is controlled to the first display mode when the keyboard is not mounted, and to the second display mode when the keyboard is mounted. In the second control process, when switching from the first operation state to the second operation state, the system selects the next display mode from the first display mode, the second display mode, and the previous display modes among the first and second display modes, and controls the system to switch from the second operation state to the first operation state.

[0009] In the aforementioned information processing apparatus, the processor may also be configured to perform display information control processing, in which the display screen is made to display a selection screen. The selection screen is used to allow a user to select the display mode selected in the second control processing from a first setting set to the first display mode, a second setting set to the second display mode, and a third setting set to a display mode that is a previous display mode between the first and second display modes. In the second control processing, the display mode until the switch from the second operation state to the first operation state is selected based on the settings selected by the user's operation on the selection screen in the first, second, and third settings.

[0010] In the aforementioned information processing apparatus, the processor may also be configured to perform a loading state accumulation process. In this loading state accumulation process, each time the processor switches from the second operating state to the first operating state, it determines whether the keyboard is in the loading state or the non-loading state, and accumulates and stores the determination result. In the second control process, as the display mode until the next switch from the second operating state to the first operating state, the second display mode is selected if the accumulated value of the loading state is greater than the accumulated value of the non-loading state, and the first display mode is selected if the accumulated value of the non-loading state is greater than the accumulated value of the loading state.

[0011] The information processing device described above may also be configured to further include: a first sensor for detecting the orientation of the information processing device; and a second sensor for detecting the folding angle of the display. The processor further performs inference processing, in which, when switching from the first operating state to the second operating state, the user's tendency to use the information processing device is inferred based on at least one of the following: whether the keyboard was mounted before the switch, the switching between the first display mode and the second display mode, the orientation of the information processing device, and the folding angle of the display. In the second control processing, the display mode up to the next switching from the second operating state to the first operating state is selected based on the tendency inferred by the inference processing.

[0012] In the aforementioned information processing apparatus, the processor may also be configured to perform time information acquisition processing to acquire current time information. In the aforementioned second control processing, based on the current time information and the display modes preset according to each time period in the aforementioned first display mode and the aforementioned second display mode, the display mode to be selected until the switch from the aforementioned second action state to the aforementioned first action state is completed.

[0013] The aforementioned information processing device may also be configured to further include: a first sensor for detecting the orientation of the information processing device; and a second sensor for detecting the folding angle of the display. The processor uses a learned model to select the next display mode until switching from the second operation state to the first operation state. The learned model is obtained by machine learning based on at least one of the following: whether the keyboard is mounted in the first operation state; the switching between the first and second display modes; the orientation of the information processing device; the folding angle of the display; and the current time information; and the display mode selected after logging into the system from the second operation state to the first operation state in the first and second display modes.

[0014] In the aforementioned information processing apparatus, the processor may also be configured to perform additional machine learning on the learned model based on the switching status of the display mode after switching from the second operation state to the first operation state, which was previously controlled when switching from the first operation state to the second operation state.

[0015] In the aforementioned information processing apparatus, the processor may also be configured such that, when switching from the second operating state to the first operating state, it controls the display of the monitor in the display mode previously controlled when switching from the first operating state to the second operating state.

[0016] Furthermore, the control method in the information processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, which includes a foldable display, a memory for temporarily storing the program of the system, and a processor for performing system-based control by executing the program of the system stored in the memory, includes: a step whereby the processor switches the operating state of the system to a first operating state, and a second operating state in which part or all of the processing based on the system is restricted compared to the first operating state; a step whereby the processor determines whether an external keyboard is mounted on a predetermined screen area of ​​the display screen; and a first display mode in which the processor controls the display by using the entire screen area of ​​the display screen as a display area, and... The process includes controlling a second display mode by using a portion of the screen area outside the aforementioned defined screen area as the display area, and controlling the display in the first operation state to switch to the first display mode when the keyboard is not mounted, and to switch to the second display mode when the keyboard is mounted; and when switching from the first operation state to the second operation state, the processor selects the next display mode from the first display mode, the second display mode, and the previous display modes among the first and second display modes, and controls the switch to the first operation state.

[0017] According to the above-described method of the present invention, the display to the monitor when using an external keyboard can be appropriately controlled. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side view of an example of an information processing device showing the bending state according to the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a side view of an example of an information processing device showing the state of a plane according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates specific examples of various display modes of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of switching display modes based on the connection to the keyboard, as described in the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates an example of the display mode setting during startup according to the first embodiment.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing an example of a selection screen for setting the display mode during startup according to the first embodiment.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional structure related to the display mode control processing involved in the first embodiment.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for the normal operating state involved in the first embodiment.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to the first embodiment.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process during startup according to the first embodiment.

[0030] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to the second embodiment.

[0031] Figure 14 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0032] Figure 15 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to the third embodiment.

[0033] Figure 16 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment.

[0034] Figure 17 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to the fourth embodiment.

[0035] Figure 18 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment.

[0036] Figure 19 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to the fifth embodiment.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0038] 10…Information processing unit; 101…First housing; 102…Second housing; 103…Hinge mechanism; 11…Communication unit; 12…RAM; 13…Storage unit; 14…Speaker; 15…Display unit; 16…Camera; 150…Display; 155…Touch sensor; 161…First accelerometer; 162…Second accelerometer; 17…Hall sensor; 18…Control unit; 181…System processing unit; 1811…Inference unit; 1812…Time information acquisition unit; 1813…Learning unit; 182…Detection processing unit; 1821…Opening / closing detection unit; 1822…Posture detection unit; 1823…Connection detection unit; 183…Display processing unit; 1831…Display mode control unit; 1832…Display mode setting unit; 1833…Display information control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] <First Implementation>

[0041] First, the first embodiment will be described.

[0042] Figure 1This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment. The information processing device 10 according to this embodiment is a clamshell (notebook type) PC (personal computer). The information processing device 10 includes: a first housing 101, a second housing 102, and a hinge mechanism 103. The first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are generally quadrilateral plate-shaped (e.g., flat plate-shaped) housings. One side of the first housing 101 and one side of the second housing 102 are joined (connected) via the hinge mechanism 103, and the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 can rotate relative to each other about a rotation axis formed by the hinge mechanism 103. The state in which the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 about the rotation axis is approximately 0° is the state in which the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 overlap and are closed. The state in which the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are closed is called the "closed state". In the closed state, the surfaces of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 facing each other are referred to as "inner surfaces," and the surfaces opposite to the inner surfaces are referred to as "outer surfaces." The opening angle θ can also refer to the angle formed by the inner surfaces of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. The state in which the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are opened relative to the closed state is called the "open state." The open state is the state in which the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are rotated relative to each other until the opening angle θ becomes greater than a preset threshold (e.g., 10°).

[0043] Additionally, the information processing device 10 includes a camera 16 and a display 150. The camera 16 is disposed on the inner surface of the first housing 101. The display 150 is disposed from the inner surface of the first housing 101 to the inner surface of the second housing 102. The camera 16 is disposed, for example, on the portion outside the screen area of ​​the display 150 on the inner surface of the first housing 101, and is capable of capturing images of users or other objects present on the side facing the display 150. The display 150 is a flexible display capable of bending according to the opening angle θ formed by the relative rotation of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 (see reference). Figure 2 , 3As a flexible display, an organic EL display or the like is used. The information processing device 10 can control the display by treating the entire screen area of ​​the display 150 as a single screen area DA, or it can divide the entire screen area of ​​the display 150 into two screen areas, a first screen area DA1 and a second screen area DA2, to form a dual-screen structure for display control. Here, the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 are non-overlapping screen areas. Here, the screen area of ​​the display 150 corresponding to the inner surface of the first housing 101 is the first screen area DA1, and the screen area corresponding to the inner surface of the second housing 102 is the second screen area DA2. Hereinafter, the display mode controlled by a single screen structure will be referred to as "single-screen mode", and the display mode controlled by a dual-screen structure will be referred to as "dual-screen mode".

[0044] Furthermore, a touch sensor is provided on the screen area of ​​the display 150. The information processing device 10 is capable of detecting touch operations on the screen area of ​​the display 150. By turning on the information processing device 10, the user can visually confirm the display of the display 150 provided on the inner surfaces of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102, perform touch operations on the display 150, and use the information processing device 10.

[0045] Next, the usage modes and display modes of the information processing device 10 will be described in detail. First, the usage modes of the information processing device 10 are divided into two states: a bent form (the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are bent), and a flat form (the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are not bent). Hereinafter, the bent form (the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are simply referred to as the "bent form"), and the flat form (the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are simply referred to as the "flat form." In the bent form, the display 150, which extends throughout the first housing 101 and the second housing 102, is also bent. In the flat form, the display 150 is also flat.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a side view of an example of an information processing device 10 representing a bent form. A display 150 is configured to extend (span) across the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. The screen area of ​​the display 150 (…) Figure 1The screen area DA shown can be bent along a fold line corresponding to the hinge mechanism 103. Using this fold line as a boundary, the screen area on the first housing 101 side is designated as the first screen area DA1, and the screen area on the second housing 102 side is designated as the second screen area DA2. The display 150 bends according to the rotation (opening angle θ) of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. The information processing device 10 determines whether it is in a bent form based on the opening angle θ. As an example, when 10° < θ < 170°, the information processing device 10 determines it to be in a bent form. This state corresponds to usage modes such as clamshell mode or book mode.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a side view of an example of an information processing device 10 representing a flat form. Typically, when the opening angle θ is 180°, the information processing device 10 is determined to be a flat form, but as an example, it can also be determined to be a flat form when 170°≤θ≤180°. For example, when the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 is 180°, the display 150 also becomes a flat form. This state corresponds to the so-called flat panel mode usage mode.

[0048] Next, refer to Figure 4 The display modes based on the various usage forms of the information processing device 10 will be described in detail.

[0049] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates specific examples of various display modes of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. The display modes of the information processing apparatus 10 differ depending on its usage configuration, which is categorized by the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102, the orientation (direction) of the information processing apparatus 10, and whether it is a single-screen mode or a dual-screen mode. Furthermore, a single screen is also referred to as a single screen, and a dual-screen mode is also referred to as a split-screen or dual-screen mode, etc.

[0050] Display mode (a) is the display mode when the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are in a closed state as a usage configuration. For example, in this closed state, the information processing device 10 is in a sleep / dormant (hibernation) standby state, and the display 150 is in a display off state. This sleep / dormant (hibernation) standby state is, for example, equivalent to the power state S3 or S4 of the system as defined by ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface).

[0051] Furthermore, in the off state, the information processing device 10 is also in a stopped state. The stopped state is the state where the system is shut down and the power is turned off, for example, equivalent to state S5 as defined by ACPI. The standby state and the stopped state are states where some or all of the system-based processing is restricted compared to the normal operating state. The so-called normal operating state refers to the operating state after the system is started and logged in, a state in which system-based processing can be performed without particular restrictions. The normal operating state is, for example, equivalent to state S0 as defined by ACPI. Next, the display mode when the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 are in the open state will be described.

[0052] Display mode (b) is a dual-screen display mode where the display 150 is in a bent-form state and the screen area is divided into two screen areas, a first screen area DA1 and a second screen area DA2, to control the display. Furthermore, the orientation of the information processing device 10 is such that the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 are arranged horizontally along the vertical direction. A vertical screen area means that the longest side of a rectangular screen area is vertical and the shortest side is horizontal. When the screen area is vertical, the display direction is also vertical, with the long side corresponding to the vertical direction and the short side corresponding to the horizontal direction. This usage mode is similar to the left and right screens when a book is opened, hence the term "book mode." Because this usage mode is a bent-form state and the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 are arranged horizontally, forming a combined screen area, it is also called a "Fold Landscape."

[0053] In this display mode (b), for example, in its normal operating state, the information processing device 10 uses the first screen area DA1 on the left as the primary screen and the second screen area DA2 on the right as the secondary screen, forming a dual-screen display mode. Furthermore, in display mode (b), the correspondence between the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 and the primary and secondary screens can also be reversed.

[0054] Display mode (c-1) is a dual-screen display mode similar to display mode (b), where the screen area of ​​the display 150 is divided into two screen areas, a first screen area DA1 and a second screen area DA2, to control the display. However, the orientation of the information processing device 10 is different. The orientation of the information processing device 10 is such that the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 are arranged horizontally along the vertical direction. A horizontal screen area means that the longer side of a rectangular screen area is horizontal and the shorter side is vertical. When the screen area is horizontal, the display direction is also horizontal, with the shorter side corresponding to the vertical direction and the longer side corresponding to the horizontal direction. This usage mode is one of the common usage modes of clamshell-type PCs.

[0055] In this display mode (c-1), for example, in its normal operating state, the information processing device 10 uses the first screen area DA1 as the primary screen and the second screen area DA2 as the secondary screen, forming a dual-screen display mode. Furthermore, in display mode (c-1), the correspondence between the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 and the primary and secondary screens can also be reversed.

[0056] For example, the information processing device 10 automatically switches from display mode (b) to display mode (c-1) or from display mode (c-1) to display mode (b) by detecting changes in the posture (direction) of the information processing device 10. For example, display mode (c-1) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration is rotated 90 degrees to the right relative to display mode (b). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display has rotated more than a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to the right from the state of display mode (b), it switches to display mode (c-1). Similarly, display mode (b) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration is rotated 90 degrees to the left relative to display mode (c-1). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display has rotated more than a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to the left from the state of display mode (c-1), it switches to display mode (b).

[0057] Display mode (c-2) is similar to display mode (c-1) in that it is in a bent form and the orientation of the information processing device 10 is the same. However, the difference is that an external keyboard 30 (Dockable Mini KBD: Keyboard) that can be mounted on the information processing device 10 is placed in a designated position. This usage mode is the state in which a physical keyboard 30 is connected in the general usage mode of a clamshell-type PC. For example, in this embodiment, the keyboard 30 is almost the same size as the second screen area DA2, and is configured to be mounted on the second screen area DA2. In addition, the keyboard 30 may also be a keyboard that occupies a smaller area than the second screen area DA2. As an example, the keyboard 30 has magnets provided inside (at the end) of its bottom surface. When mounted on the second screen area DA2, it is attracted and fixed to the edge portion of the inner surface end of the second housing 102. Thus, it becomes the same usage mode as a conventional clamshell-type PC that originally has a physical keyboard. In addition, the information processing device 10 and the keyboard 30 are connected, for example, via Bluetooth (registered trademark). In this display mode (c-2), the second screen area DA2 cannot be visually confirmed in the information processing device 10 due to the keyboard 30, and therefore is controlled to be black or the display is off. In other words, this display mode (c-2) is a display mode where only half of the screen area of ​​the display 150 is effective for display (hereinafter referred to as "half-screen mode"), becoming a screen mode that only uses the first screen area DA1. That is, the half-screen mode is a display mode that uses a portion of the screen area (screen area DA) of the display 150 (excluding the screen area on the side where the keyboard 30 is mounted) (the first screen area DA1) as the screen area to control the display.

[0058] For example, if the information processing device 10 detects a connection to an external keyboard while in display mode (c-1), it automatically switches from display mode (c-1) to display mode (c-2) (Switch by Dock).

[0059] Display mode (d) is similar to display mode (b) in that it is in a bent form and the orientation of the information processing device 10 is also the same. However, the difference is that the entire screen area of ​​the display 150 is controlled as a single screen area DA. This usage mode differs from display mode (b) in that it is a single screen mode, but in a bent form, and the screen area DA is horizontal; therefore, it is also called "Fold Landscape." The screen area DA is horizontal, and the display direction is also horizontal.

[0060] Here, for example, switching between a single-screen mode and a dual-screen mode in a bent-form state is performed through user operation. For instance, the information processing device 10 displays an operator capable of switching between a single-screen mode and a dual-screen mode (UI) at any location on the screen, and switches from display mode (b) to display mode (d) based on operations performed on that operator (Switch by UI). Specific examples of this display mode switching operation will be described later.

[0061] Display mode (e) is also in a bent form, similar to display mode (c-1), and the orientation of the information processing device 10 is the same. However, the difference is that the entire screen area of ​​the display 150 is controlled as a single screen area DA. This usage mode differs from display mode (c-1) in that it is a single screen mode, but considering the bent form and the orientation of the information processing device 10, it resembles the usage mode of a clamshell-type PC. The screen area DA is vertical, and the display orientation is also vertical.

[0062] For example, the information processing device 10 automatically switches from display mode (d) to display mode (e) or from display mode (e) to display mode (d) by detecting changes in the posture (direction) of the information processing device 10. For example, display mode (e) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration is rotated 90 degrees to the right relative to display mode (d). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display 150 has rotated more than a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to the right from the state of display mode (d), it switches to display mode (e). Similarly, display mode (d) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration is rotated 90 degrees to the left relative to display mode (e). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display 10 has rotated more than a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to the left from the state of display mode (e), it switches to display mode (d).

[0063] The display mode (d′) is also a screen mode, and the orientation of the information processing device 10 is also the horizontal direction of the screen area DA, but the difference is that it is a flat form. A flat form refers to a state where the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102 is approximately 180°. This usage configuration corresponds to the reference... Figure 3The so-called flat panel mode described herein is a flat form, and the screen area DA is horizontal; therefore, it is also called "Flat Landscape." This display mode (d′) differs from display mode (d) only in the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. Similar to display mode (d), the screen area DA is horizontal, and the display direction is also horizontal.

[0064] Display mode (e′) is also a screen mode, just like display mode (e). The orientation of the information processing device 10 is also the direction in which the screen area DA is vertical, but the difference is that it is a flat form. This usage mode is a flat form, and the screen area DA is vertical, so it is also called "Flat Portrait". The only difference between display mode (e′) and display mode (e) is the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. Similar to display mode (e), the screen area DA is vertical, and the display direction is also vertical.

[0065] For example, the information processing device 10 automatically switches from display mode (d′) to display mode (e′) or from display mode (e′) to display mode (d′) by detecting changes in the posture (direction) of the information processing device 10. For example, display mode (e′) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration is rotated 90 degrees to the right relative to display mode (d′). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display mode (d′) has been rotated to the right by a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees or more), it switches to display mode (e′). Similarly, display mode (d′) is a state in which the display 150 in the illustration has been rotated 90 degrees to the left relative to display mode (e′). Therefore, if the information processing device 10 detects that the display mode (e′) has been rotated to the left by a predetermined angle (e.g., 45 degrees or more), it switches to display mode (d′).

[0066] Furthermore, in display modes (d′) and (e′), users can switch between flat and dual-screen modes while maintaining the flat form by manipulating the aforementioned display mode switching icons. For example, if switching from display mode (d′) to dual-screen mode, the display state in flat form is the same as in display mode (b). Similarly, if switching from display mode (e′) to dual-screen mode, the display state in flat form is the same as in display mode (c-1).

[0067] Furthermore, if the information processing device 10 detects a connection to the keyboard 30 while in display mode (e′), it automatically switches from display mode (e′) to display mode (c-2′). Display mode (c-2′) is a flat form, differing from display mode (c-2) only in the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. In this display mode (c-2′), the second screen area DA2 in the information processing device 10 cannot be visually confirmed due to the keyboard 30, and is therefore controlled to be black or the display off. In other words, this display mode (c-2′), like display mode (c-2), is a half-screen mode where only half of the screen area of ​​the display 150 is effective for display.

[0068] Furthermore, when the information processing device 10 detects a change from a flat state to a bent state, it can also switch from one screen mode to a dual-screen mode. For example, when the information processing device 10 detects a change from display mode (d′) to a bent state based on the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102, it automatically switches from display mode (d′) to display mode (b). Similarly, when the information processing device 10 detects a change from display mode (e′) to a bent state based on the opening angle θ of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102, it automatically switches from display mode (e′) to display mode (c-1).

[0069] (Structure of information processing device 10)

[0070] The specific structure of the information processing device 10 will be described below.

[0071] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. The information processing apparatus 10 includes: a communication unit 11, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 12, a storage unit 13, a speaker 14, a display unit 15, a camera 16, a first accelerometer 161, a second accelerometer 162, a Hall sensor 17, and a control unit 18. These units are communicatively connected via a bus or the like.

[0072] The communication unit 11 may be configured as a communication device that includes multiple Ethernet ports, multiple USB (Universal Serial Bus) digital input / output ports, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other wireless communication capabilities. For example, the communication unit 11 can communicate with the external keyboard 30 described above using Bluetooth.

[0073] In RAM 12, the processing program and data executed by the control unit 18 are expanded, and various data are appropriately saved or erased. For example, RAM 12 also functions as a video memory (V-RAM) that temporarily stores display data for display on the monitor 150. As an example, RAM 12 functions as a video memory for the data displayed in screen area DA when controlling the monitor 150 in a single-screen mode. Furthermore, RAM 12 functions as a video memory for the data displayed in the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2 when controlling the monitor 150 in a dual-screen mode. Additionally, RAM 12 functions as a video memory for the data displayed in the first screen area DA1 when controlling the monitor 150 in a half-screen mode. Moreover, since RAM 12 is volatile memory, data is not retained if power to RAM 12 is stopped. Data that needs to be retained when power to RAM 12 is stopped is transferred to storage unit 13.

[0074] The storage unit 13 is configured to include any one or more of the following: SSD (Solid State Drive), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), ROM (Read Only Memory), Flash-ROM, etc. For example, the storage unit 13 stores the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) program, configuration data, OS (Operating System), application programs that operate on the OS, and various data used in the applications.

[0075] Speaker 14 outputs electronic sound, voice, etc.

[0076] The display unit 15 includes a display 150 and a touch sensor 155. The display 150, as described above, is a flexible display capable of bending according to the opening angle θ formed by the relative rotation of the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. The display 150 performs operations related to a reference under the control of the control unit 18. Figure 4The display modes described herein are as follows. A touch sensor 155 is installed on the screen of the display 150 to detect touch operations on the screen. For example, in a single-screen mode, the touch sensor 155 detects touch operations on the screen area DA. In a dual-screen mode, the touch sensor 155 detects touch operations on one or both of the first screen area DA1 and the second screen area DA2. Touch operations include tapping, swiping, clicking, clicking, pinching, etc. The touch sensor 155 detects touch operations and outputs operation information based on the detected operations to the control unit 18.

[0077] The camera 16 is configured to include a lens and an imaging element. The camera 16 captures images (still images and moving images) under the control of the control unit 18 and outputs the data of the captured images.

[0078] The first accelerometer 161 is disposed inside the first housing 101 and detects the orientation of the first housing 101 and changes in orientation. For example, if the direction parallel to the long side of the first screen area DA1 is defined as the X1 direction, the direction parallel to the short side is defined as the Y1 direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X1 and Y1 directions is defined as the Z1 direction, then the first accelerometer 161 detects the acceleration in each of the X1, Y1, and Z1 directions and outputs the detection results to the control unit 18.

[0079] The second accelerometer 162 is disposed inside the second housing 102 and detects the orientation of the second housing 102 and changes in orientation. For example, if the direction parallel to the long side of the second screen area DA2 is defined as the X2 direction, the direction parallel to the short side is defined as the Y2 direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X2 and Y2 directions is defined as the Z2 direction, then the second accelerometer 162 detects the acceleration in each of the X2, Y2, and Z2 directions and outputs the detection results to the control unit 18.

[0080] The Hall sensor 17 is provided for detecting the connection of the keyboard 30. For example, if the keyboard 30 is placed on the second screen area DA2 of the second housing 102, the magnetic field changes due to the proximity of the magnet located inside the bottom surface of the keyboard 30, causing the detection value (output value) of the Hall sensor 17 to change. In other words, the Hall sensor 17 outputs different detection results depending on whether the keyboard 30 is placed on it.

[0081] The control unit 18 is configured to include processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a microcomputer, and executes programs (BIOS, OS, applications that operate on the OS, etc.) stored in the storage unit 13 to perform various functions. For example, the control unit 18 detects the posture (orientation) of the information processing device 10 based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162. Furthermore, the control unit 18 detects whether the device is in an open or closed state based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162, and if it is in an open state, whether it is in a bent or flat state. Additionally, the control unit 18 detects whether there is a connection to the keyboard 30 (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted).

[0082] For example, in normal operation, the control unit 18 controls the information processing device 10 based on its posture (direction), whether it is in a bent or flat state, and whether it is connected to the keyboard 30 (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted). Figure 4 The display mode switching is shown. Furthermore, hereinafter, the state in which the information processing device 10 and the keyboard 30 are connected will be referred to as the "connected state," and the state in which they are not connected will be referred to as the "disconnected state." The "connected state" is the state in which the keyboard 30 is mounted on the second screen area DA2 (mounted state). On the other hand, the "disconnected state" is the state in which the keyboard 30 is not mounted on the second screen area DA2 (dismounted state).

[0083] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates an example of switching display modes based on the connection to the keyboard 30 involved in this embodiment. (See diagram for example.) Figure 4 As explained, if a connection to the keyboard 30 is detected in either single-screen mode or dual-screen mode, the system switches to half-screen mode. While single-screen mode and dual-screen mode differ in that they control the display by treating the entire screen area of ​​the monitor 150 as a single screen area DA, or by dividing it into two screen areas DA1 and DA2, they both utilize the entire screen area of ​​the monitor 150 as the display area. Therefore, compared to half-screen mode, single-screen mode and dual-screen mode are referred to as full-screen mode.

[0084] Here, when switching from full-screen mode to half-screen mode, not only does one screen area (the second screen area DA2) in the dual-screen mode become black, but the other screen area (the first screen area DA1) also needs to display the entire desktop screen, including the toolbar, etc. Therefore, it needs to be changed to a resolution equivalent to half of the screen area. According to the OS specifications, this resolution change can only be controlled after logging into the system at startup. Therefore, even if the connection to the keyboard 30 is determined at startup, the resolution cannot be changed until logging into the system, and it is not possible to arbitrarily switch between full-screen mode and half-screen mode based on the connection to the keyboard 30.

[0085] Therefore, in this embodiment, when starting from a standby state or a stopped state, one can select from a first setting of setting to full-screen mode, a second setting of setting to half-screen mode, and a third setting of maintaining the display mode when transitioning from the last normal operation state to the standby state or stopped state (i.e., the previous display mode). The setting of the display mode at startup will be described in detail below.

[0086] (Display mode settings at startup)

[0087] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates an example of the startup display mode setting according to this embodiment. The first setting is that regardless of whether the previous display mode when switching from the normal operating state to the standby or stopped state due to logout or shutdown processing was full-screen or half-screen mode, the system is set to full-screen mode before transitioning to the standby or stopped state, ensuring that the display mode upon the next startup is full-screen mode. In this first setting, the display mode upon startup from the standby or stopped state is always full-screen mode. That is, in the first setting, when starting from the standby or stopped state, the control unit 18 starts in the full-screen mode before transitioning to the standby or stopped state.

[0088] The second setting is that regardless of whether the previous display mode when switching from the normal operating state to the standby or stopped state due to logout or shutdown processing was full-screen mode or half-screen mode, the system will switch to the standby or stopped state after being set to half-screen mode, so that the display mode upon the next startup will also be half-screen mode. In this second setting, the display mode upon startup from the standby or stopped state is always half-screen mode. That is, in the second setting, when starting from the standby or stopped state, the control unit 18 starts in the half-screen mode it was in before switching to the standby or stopped state.

[0089] The third setting transitions from the current display mode to a standby or stopped state, ensuring that the previous display mode when switching from the normal operating state to the standby or stopped state due to logout or shutdown becomes the display mode upon next startup. In other words, if the previous display mode was full-screen, the next startup display mode is set to full-screen mode; if the previous display mode was half-screen mode, the next startup display mode is set to half-screen mode. In this third setting, the display mode displayed upon startup from the standby or stopped state becomes the previous display mode. That is, in the third setting, when starting from the standby or stopped state, the control unit 18 maintains the display mode displayed before transitioning to the standby or stopped state during startup.

[0090] Furthermore, in the normal operating state after startup and login, the resolution can be changed. Therefore, in any of the first, second, and third settings, the control unit 18 controls the screen to half-screen mode when connected to the keyboard 30, and controls the screen to full-screen mode when not connected to the keyboard 30.

[0091] In this embodiment, the user can arbitrarily select the display mode at startup from the first setting, the second setting, and the third setting. (See reference...) Figure 8 This document explains the operational guidelines for users when selecting the display mode at startup.

[0092] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates an example of a selection screen for setting the startup display mode according to this embodiment. In the example shown, an icon C1 is displayed in the taskbar B1 within the screen area of ​​the display 150, indicating that the selection screen for setting the startup display mode is displayed. By long-pressing or right-clicking the icon C1, the selection screen M1 is brought up. For example, the selection screen M1 displays the first setting (Always full screen), the second setting (Always half screen), and the third setting (Keep the current full / half screen) as selection options that the user can choose.

[0093] Users can select the startup display mode according to their preferences by performing any of the first setting (Always full screen), the second setting (Always half screen), and the third setting (Keep the current full / half screen) displayed on the selection screen M1.

[0094] Furthermore, if the user selects any one of the first, second, and third settings on the selection screen M1, the selection screen M1 will turn off and become non-displayed. Alternatively, even if the user operates on a screen area outside the main area of ​​the selection screen M1, the selection screen M1 will still turn off and become non-displayed.

[0095] (Functional structure of control unit 18)

[0096] Next, the functional structure related to the display mode control processing of the control unit 18 will be explained.

[0097] Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional structure related to the display mode control processing according to this embodiment. The control unit 18 includes a system processing unit 181, a detection processing unit 182, and a display processing unit 183. Here, the system processing unit 181 is, for example, a functional structure in which a CPU performs processing based on an OS or BIOS. Furthermore, the detection processing unit 182 is, for example, a functional structure in which a microcomputer, different from the CPU that performs processing on an OS or BIOS, performs various detection processes. The display processing unit 183 is, for example, a functional structure in which a CPU performs processing based on a program running on an OS.

[0098] The system processing unit 181 performs processes such as booting the BIOS and OS, logging into and out of the system, and shutting down the system, thereby transitioning the system to a normal operating state, a standby state, or a stopped state. Furthermore, in the normal operating state, the system processing unit 181 executes various programs such as drivers and applications that operate on the OS.

[0099] The detection processing unit 182 includes an opening / closing detection unit 1821, a posture detection unit 1822, and a connection detection unit 1823, serving as a functional structure for detecting various states of the information processing device 10. The opening / closing detection unit 1821 detects whether the information processing device 10 is in an open or closed state based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162. Furthermore, when the information processing device 10 is in an open state, the opening / closing detection unit 1821 detects the folding angle of the display 150 based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162. The folding angle of the display 150 corresponds to the opening angle θ between the first housing 101 and the second housing 102. Moreover, based on the detected opening angle θ, the opening / closing detection unit 1821 detects whether the device is in a bent or flat state. The posture detection unit 1822 detects the posture (orientation) of the information processing device 10 based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162. The connection detection unit 1823 detects the connection with the keyboard 30. For example, the connection detection unit 1823 detects whether the keyboard 30 is mounted on the second screen area DA2 based on the detection result of the Hall sensor 17, thereby determining whether there is a connection with the keyboard 30 (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted). The detection processing unit 182 outputs the detection results (various states of the information processing device 10) of the opening / closing detection unit 1821, the posture detection unit 1822, and the connection detection unit 1823 to the display processing unit 183.

[0100] The display processing unit 183 performs display processing on the display 150. For example, the display processing unit 183 includes a display mode control unit 1831, a display mode setting unit 1832, and a display information control unit 1833.

[0101] The display mode control unit 1831 switches the display mode based on the open / closed state, posture (direction), and presence / absence of connection with the keyboard 30 (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted) of the information processing device 10 obtained from the detection processing unit 182. For example, in the normal operating state, in the non-connected state (i.e., non-mounted state) where it is not connected to the keyboard 30, the display mode control unit 1831 controls it to full-screen mode, and in the connected state (i.e., mounted state) where it is connected to the keyboard 30, it controls it to half-screen mode.

[0102] In addition, the display mode control unit 1831 is based on Figure 7The display mode settings shown allow selection and control of the startup display mode from three options: always full-screen mode (first setting), always half-screen mode (second setting), and maintain the previous display mode (third setting). For example, when transitioning from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the display mode control unit 1831 controls the transition to the display mode (full-screen mode or half-screen mode) selected by the display mode setting unit 1832 (first setting, second setting, or third setting) before transitioning to the standby state or the stopped state. Furthermore, upon the next startup, the display mode control unit 1831 starts in the display mode (full-screen mode or half-screen mode) controlled during the transition from the normal operating state to the standby state or the stopped state, i.e., the previous display mode.

[0103] The display mode setting unit 1832 sets the display mode at startup based on user operations. For example, the display mode setting unit 1832 sets the display mode based on user input. Figure 8 The selection screen M1 shown can be used to select any one of the first setting, second setting, and third setting as the display mode setting at startup and store it in the storage unit 13.

[0104] The display information control unit 1833 controls the display 150 to display display information. For example, the display information control unit 1833 controls the display 150 to display... Figure 8 The controls shown include the taskbar B1, icon C1, and selection screen M1.

[0105] (Display mode control processing actions)

[0106] Next, the operation of the display mode control processing of the control unit 18 in switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode will be explained.

[0107] First, refer to Figure 10 This section explains the display mode control process that controls the switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode under normal operating conditions.

[0108] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for the normal operating state involved in this embodiment.

[0109] (Step S101) The control unit 18 determines whether a connection with the keyboard 30 is detected based on the detection result of the Hall sensor 17. If the control unit 18 determines that a connection with the keyboard 30 is detected (Yes), it proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that a connection with the keyboard 30 is not detected (No), it proceeds to step S105.

[0110] (Step S103) When the control unit 18 determines that a connection with the keyboard 30 has been detected, it controls the screen to half-screen mode.

[0111] (Step S105) If the control unit 18 determines that no connection with the keyboard 30 is detected, it controls the screen to full-screen mode.

[0112] Next, refer to Figure 11 This section explains the actions involved in controlling the display mode when logging out or shutting down, specifically setting the display mode for the next startup.

[0113] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup, as described in this embodiment.

[0114] (Step S201) The control unit 18 determines whether there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state during normal operation. If the control unit 18 determines that there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state (yes), it proceeds to step S203. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that there is no instruction to a standby state or a stop state (no), it repeats step S201.

[0115] (Step S203) The control unit 18 determines the setting of the display mode selected by the user at startup (refer to...). Figure 7 Which of the following settings is being considered: the first setting, the second setting, or the third setting? If the display mode setting at startup is the first setting, the control unit 18 proceeds to step S205. If the display mode setting at startup is the second setting, the control unit 18 proceeds to step S207. If the display mode setting at startup is the third setting, the control unit 18 proceeds to step S209.

[0116] (Step S205) In the first setting, the control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to full-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution for full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S215.

[0117] (Step S207) In the second setting, the control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to half-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution to half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S215.

[0118] (Step S209) In the third setting, the control unit 18 determines whether the current display mode is full-screen mode or half-screen mode. If the control unit 18 determines that it is full-screen mode, it proceeds to step S211. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that it is half-screen mode, it proceeds to step S213.

[0119] (Step S211) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, the control unit 18 maintains the full-screen mode so that the display mode for the next startup is also full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 maintains the resolution of the full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S215.

[0120] (Step S213) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, the control unit 18 maintains the half-screen mode so that the display mode for the next startup is also half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 maintains the resolution of the half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S215.

[0121] (Step S215) The control unit 18 performs the system logout process or shutdown process, and proceeds to the process of step S217.

[0122] (Step S217) The control unit 18 transfers the system to a standby state or a stop state.

[0123] Next, refer to Figure 12 This section explains the actions taken to control the display mode during startup.

[0124] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process during startup as described in this embodiment.

[0125] (Step S301) The control unit 18 initiates the system startup process from the standby state or the stop state based on the startup trigger. The startup trigger is an operation such as transitioning from the off state to the on state or turning on the power. Then, the process proceeds to step S303.

[0126] (Step S303) Control unit 18 in Figure 11In the illustrated process, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the control unit 18 controls the display mode (previous display mode) to be the display mode for the next startup. For example, if the control unit 18 controls the display mode to be full-screen mode when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the startup process is performed in full-screen mode. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 controls the display mode to be half-screen mode when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the startup process is performed in half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S305.

[0127] (Step S305) The control unit 18 performs a login process to the system and determines whether the login was successful. If the control unit 18 determines that the login was unsuccessful (No), it returns to step S303 and continues the startup process in the initial display mode. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that the login was successful (Yes), it proceeds to step S307.

[0128] (Step S307) Control unit 18 transitions to normal operation state. Furthermore, in the normal operation state after login, control unit 18 performs... Figure 10 The display mode control process is shown.

[0129] As described above, the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes: a foldable display 150; RAM 12 (an example of a memory) for temporarily storing system programs; and a control unit 18 (an example of a processor such as a CPU, GPU, or microcomputer) for performing system-based control by executing the system programs stored in RAM 12. The control unit 18 performs operation state control processing, switching the system's operation state to a normal operation state (an example of a first operation state) and a standby state (an example of a second operation state) or a stop state (an example of a second operation state) where some or all of the system-based processing is restricted compared to the normal operation state. In addition, the control unit 18 performs connection determination processing (loading determination processing) to determine whether to connect to an external keyboard 30 mounted on a second screen area DA2 (an example of a defined screen area) in the screen area DA of the display 150 (i.e., whether a keyboard 30 is mounted). Furthermore, the information processing device 10 includes a full-screen mode (an example of a first display mode) where the entire screen area DA of the display 150 is used as the display area, and a half-screen mode (an example of a second display mode) where a portion of the screen area of ​​the display 150, excluding the second screen area DA2 (e.g., the first screen area DA1), is used as the display area. Moreover, the control unit 18 performs a first control process, controlling the display to full-screen mode in a non-connected state (non-mounted state) when not connected to the keyboard 30, and controlling it to half-screen mode in a connected state (mounted state) when connected to the keyboard 30. Additionally, the control unit 18 performs a second control process, selecting, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the next display mode to be used until switching from the standby state or the stopped state to the normal operating state (upon startup), from the full-screen mode, the half-screen mode, and the previous display modes of both.

[0130] Therefore, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the information processing device 10 can select to set the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode, half-screen mode, or a display mode that is one of the two, so it can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0131] For example, the control unit 18 also performs display information control processing, causing the display 150 to display a selection screen M1 (an example of a selection screen). This selection screen M1 allows the user to select the display mode selected in the second control process from a first setting of setting to full-screen mode, a second setting of setting to half-screen mode, and a third setting of setting to full-screen mode and half-screen mode respectively. Furthermore, in the second control process, the control unit 18 selects the display mode from the settings selected by the user based on the first, second, and third settings according to the operation of the selection screen M1, until switching from standby state or stop state to normal operation state (upon startup).

[0132] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can select the display mode at startup to be full-screen mode, half-screen mode, or a display mode that is one of the two, according to the user's intention, and thus can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0133] Furthermore, in the second control process described above, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the control unit 18 controls the display mode to be either full-screen mode or half-screen mode until the next switch from the standby state or the stopped state to the normal operating state (upon startup). Moreover, when switching from the standby state or the stopped state to the normal operating state (upon startup), the control unit 18 controls the display of the monitor 150 in the display mode previously controlled when switching from the normal operating state to the standby state or the stopped state (the previous display mode).

[0134] Therefore, when the information processing device 10 switches from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, it controls the display mode to the desired display mode for the next startup, so that even if the resolution cannot be changed before logging in at startup, it can start up in the desired display mode.

[0135] Furthermore, the control method in the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes: a step in which the control unit 18 (for example, a processor such as a CPU, GPU, or microcomputer) switches the system's operating state to a normal operating state (an example of a first operating state), and a standby state (an example of a second operating state) or a stop state (an example of a second operating state) where, compared to the normal operating state, some or all of the system's processing is restricted; a step in which it determines whether an external keyboard 30 is connected to the second screen area DA2 (an example of a defined screen area) in the screen area DA of the display 150 (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted); a step in which, in the normal operating state, the system is controlled to full-screen mode in a non-connected state (i.e., non-mounted state) when it is not connected to the keyboard 30, and to half-screen mode in a connected state (i.e., mounted state) when it is connected to the keyboard 30; and a step in which, when switching from the normal operating state to the standby state or the stop state, the next display mode to be selected from the full-screen mode, the half-screen mode, and the previous display modes of the full-screen mode and the half-screen mode (upon startup).

[0136] Therefore, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the information processing device 10 can select to set the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode, half-screen mode, or a display mode that is one of the two, so it can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0137] <Second Implementation>

[0138] Next, the second embodiment will be described.

[0139] In the first embodiment, the selection is made by the user. Figure 7 The method of controlling whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode by setting the display mode at startup is explained. In this embodiment, the method of automatically determining whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode is based on which state is more prevalent at startup: a connection state (i.e., a mounted state) or a non-connected state (i.e., a non-mounted state) connected to the keyboard 30.

[0140] The basic structure of the information processing device 10 involved in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. Figures 1-3 The structures described for items 5 and 9 are the same, so their descriptions are omitted. Here, the processing of the features of this embodiment will be described.

[0141] For example, the connection detection unit 1823 determines whether the device is connected to or disconnected from the keyboard 30 each time it starts up, and accumulates and stores the determination result in the storage unit 13. The display mode control unit 1831 selects the display mode with the higher accumulated value as the startup display mode based on the determination result of the connection detection unit 1823. That is, as the startup display mode, if the accumulated value in the connected state is higher than the accumulated value in the disconnected state, the display mode control unit 1831 selects a half-screen mode; if the accumulated value in the disconnected state is higher than the accumulated value in the connected state, it selects a full-screen mode. When switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the display mode control unit 1831 controls the device to use the display mode selected based on the accumulated value in the connected state and the accumulated value in the disconnected state, and controls the device to use the selected display mode on the next startup.

[0142] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup, as described in this embodiment.

[0143] (Step S401) The control unit 18 determines whether there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state during normal operation. If the control unit 18 determines that there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state (yes), it proceeds to step S403. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that there is no instruction to a standby state or a stop state (no), it repeats step S401.

[0144] (Step S403) Each time the control unit 18 starts, it reads from the storage unit 13 and obtains the accumulated value of the determination result of whether the keyboard 30 is in a connected state or a disconnected state. Then, it proceeds to the processing in step S405.

[0145] (Step S405) The control unit 18 determines whether the accumulated value of the connected state or the accumulated value of the disconnected state is greater. If the control unit 18 determines that the accumulated value of the disconnected state is greater than the accumulated value of the connected state, it proceeds to step S407. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that the accumulated value of the connected state is greater than the accumulated value of the disconnected state, it proceeds to step S409.

[0146] (Step S407) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to full-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution for full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S411.

[0147] (Step S409) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen, the control unit 18 controls it to half-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution to half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S411.

[0148] (Step S411) The control unit 18 performs the system logout process or shutdown process, and proceeds to the process of step 413.

[0149] (Step S413) The control unit 18 transfers the system to a standby state or a stop state.

[0150] The display mode control processing on the next startup and Figure 12 The processing is the same. If the control unit 18 controls the screen to full-screen mode in step S407 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in full-screen mode on the next startup. Similarly, if the control unit 18 controls the screen to half-screen mode in step S409 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in half-screen mode on the next startup.

[0151] Thus, in the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment, the control unit 18 also performs connection state accumulation processing (i.e., mounting state accumulation processing). Each time it switches from a standby state or a stop state to a normal operation state (each time it starts up), it determines whether the connection state with the keyboard 30 is connected (i.e., mounted state) or disconnected (i.e., disconnected state), and accumulates and stores the determination result. Moreover, when the control unit 18 switches from a normal operation state to a standby state or a stop state, as the display mode until the next switch from a standby state or a stop state to a normal operation state (starting up), it selects a half-screen mode if the accumulated value of the connection state (i.e., mounted state) is greater than the accumulated value of the disconnected state (i.e., disconnected state), and selects a full-screen mode if the accumulated value of the disconnected state (i.e., disconnected state) is greater than the accumulated value of the connection state (i.e., mounted state).

[0152] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can automatically determine whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode based on which state is more prevalent when the external keyboard 30 is connected (i.e., mounted) or disconnected (i.e., unmounted) when it is not connected, thus enabling appropriate control over the display to the monitor when the external keyboard 30 is used.

[0153] Furthermore, if the difference between the accumulated value of the connected state (i.e., the mounted state) and the accumulated value of the disconnected state (i.e., the unmounted state) is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the control unit 18 can control whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode based on which state (i.e., the mounted state) is more prevalent. On the other hand, if the difference between the accumulated value of the connected state (i.e., the mounted state) and the accumulated value of the disconnected state (i.e., the unmounted state) is less than a predetermined threshold (i.e., the accumulated values ​​of the two states are in conflict), the control unit 18 can, as when the third setting is selected, control the startup to maintain the display mode before transitioning to standby or stop mode.

[0154] <Third Implementation Method>

[0155] Next, the third embodiment will be described.

[0156] In this embodiment, the method of inferring the user's tendencies (preferences) from the usage mode of the information processing device 10 up to the point of logging off or shutting down and switching to standby or stop mode, and automatically deciding whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode on the next startup based on the user's tendencies (preferences).

[0157] The basic structure of the information processing device 10 involved in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. Figures 1-3 The structures described for items 1 and 2 are the same, therefore their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment is different from that described for item 3. Figure 9 The structures shown are somewhat different.

[0158] Figure 14 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the system processing unit 181 includes an inference unit 1811, which is consistent with... Figure 9 The structures shown are different.

[0159] For example, the connection detection unit 1823 determines whether the device is connected to or disconnected from the keyboard 30, and stores the history of the determination results in the storage unit 13. The opening / closing detection unit 1821 detects whether the device is in a bent or flat state based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162, and stores the history of the detection results in the storage unit 13. The posture detection unit 1822 detects the posture (orientation) of the information processing device 10 based on the detection results of the first accelerometer 161 and the second accelerometer 162, and stores the history of the detection results in the storage unit 13. Additionally, the display mode control unit 1831 stores the display mode control history in the storage unit 13.

[0160] The inference unit 1811 refers to the aforementioned histories stored in the storage unit 13 and infers the user's usage patterns based on various actions (usage modes) such as whether the device is connected to or disconnected from the keyboard 30, the switching of display modes, the orientation of the information processing device 10, and whether it is in a bent or flat state. For example, the inference unit 1811 infers which display mode is most preferred for the user to start the device based on the user's usage pattern before transitioning to a standby or stopped state.

[0161] When switching to standby or stop mode, the display mode control unit 1831 selects the startup display mode based on the user's tendencies (preferences) inferred from various actions performed on the information processing device 10. For example, based on the user's tendencies inferred by the inference unit 1811, the display mode control unit 1831 selects full-screen mode for users who tend to remove the keyboard 30 immediately after startup, even if the keyboard 30 is often present at startup.

[0162] Figure 15 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to this embodiment. Furthermore, each of the steps S501, S507 to S513 shown in this figure is related to... Figure 12 The processes shown in steps S401, S407 to S413 are the same. On the other hand, the processes shown in steps S503 and S505 are the same as... Figure 12 The processing of S403 and S405 shown is different.

[0163] (Step S501) The control unit 18 determines whether there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state during normal operation. If the control unit 18 determines that there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state (yes), it proceeds to step S503. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that there is no instruction to a standby state or a stop state (no), it performs step S501 again.

[0164] (Step S503) The control unit 18 acquires various actions of the information processing device 10, such as whether it is connected to or disconnected from the keyboard 30, the switching of the display mode, the posture (direction) of the information processing device 10, and whether it is in a bent form or a flat form, and infers the user's tendencies (preferences) based on the acquired actions. Then, it proceeds to the processing in step S505.

[0165] In addition, the control unit 18 can also acquire at least one of the following actions: whether the keyboard 30 is connected or disconnected, the display mode is switched, the posture (direction) of the information processing device 10, whether it is in a bent form or a flat form, and infer the user's tendencies (preferences) based on the acquired actions.

[0166] (Step S505) Based on the deduction result in step S503, the control unit 18 determines whether the user's display mode preference is full-screen mode or half-screen mode. If the control unit 18 determines that the user's preference is full-screen mode, it proceeds to step S507. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that the user's preference is half-screen mode, it proceeds to step S509.

[0167] (Step S507) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to full-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution for full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S511.

[0168] (Step S509) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen, the control unit 18 controls it to half-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution to half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S511.

[0169] (Step S511) The control unit 18 performs the system logout process or shutdown process, and proceeds to the process of step 513.

[0170] (Step S513) The control unit 18 transfers the system to a standby state or a stop state.

[0171] The display mode control processing on the next startup and Figure 12 The processing is the same. If the control unit 18 controls the screen to full-screen mode in step S507 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in full-screen mode on the next startup. Similarly, if the control unit 18 controls the screen to half-screen mode in step S509 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in half-screen mode on the next startup.

[0172] Thus, the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes a first accelerometer 161 and a second accelerometer 162 (an example of the first sensor) for detecting the posture (orientation) of the information processing apparatus 10. Additionally, the information processing apparatus 10 includes a first accelerometer 161 and a second accelerometer 162 (an example of the second sensor) for detecting the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 150. Furthermore, the first sensor for detecting the posture (orientation) of the information processing apparatus 10 and the second sensor for detecting the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 150 may be different sensors.

[0173] The control unit 18 performs inference processing. When switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, it infers the user's tendency to use the information processing device 10 based on at least one of the following: whether the keyboard 30 is connected to the previous keyboard (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted), the switching of the display mode (switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode), the orientation of the information processing device 10, and the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 150. Furthermore, when switching from a normal operating state to a standby state or a stopped state, the control unit 18 selects the display mode for the next switch from the standby state or the stopped state to the normal operating state (upon startup) based on the tendency inferred through the above inference processing.

[0174] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can automatically decide whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode according to the user's preference, and thus can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0175] <Fourth Implementation>

[0176] Next, the fourth embodiment will be described.

[0177] In this embodiment, the method of automatically determining whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode upon the next startup based on the time period when logging off or shutting down and switching to standby or stopped state will be explained.

[0178] The basic structure of the information processing device 10 involved in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. Figures 1-3 The structures described for items 1 and 2 are the same, therefore their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment is different from that described for item 3. Figure 9 The structures shown are somewhat different.

[0179] Figure 16 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the system processing unit 181 includes a time information acquisition unit 1812, which is consistent with... Figure 9 The structures shown are different.

[0180] The time information acquisition unit 1812 has clock functions such as RTC (Real Time Clock) to acquire the current time information. In addition, the time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 1812 can be adjusted to the correct current time at any time through a time server connected via the communication unit 11.

[0181] When switching to standby or stop mode, the display mode control unit 1831 selects the display mode for the next startup based on the current time information and the display mode preset according to each time period.

[0182] For example, if the switch to standby or stop mode occurs between 5 PM and 7 PM (the evening period), the display mode upon the next startup can be set to full-screen mode. In this case, assuming the next startup is for use after work (e.g., hobbies, games), it can be launched in full-screen mode. Alternatively, if the switch to standby or stop mode occurs after 9 PM (e.g., 9 PM to 3 AM the next day) (the late night period), the display mode upon the next startup can be set to half-screen mode. In this case, assuming the next startup is for morning work, it can be launched in half-screen mode using keyboard 30.

[0183] Furthermore, the time period and display mode can be set arbitrarily. Additionally, users can also configure the time period and display mode.

[0184] Figure 17This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to this embodiment. Furthermore, each of the steps S601, S607 to S613 shown in this figure is related to... Figure 12 The processes shown in steps S401, S407 to S413 are the same. On the other hand, the processes shown in steps S603 and S605 are the same as... Figure 12 The processing of S403 and S405 shown is different.

[0185] (Step S601) The control unit 18 determines whether there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state during normal operation. If the control unit 18 determines that there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state (yes), it proceeds to step S603. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that there is no instruction to a standby state or a stop state (no), it repeats step S601.

[0186] (Step S603) The control unit 18 acquires the current time information. Then, it proceeds to the processing in step S605.

[0187] (Step S605) Based on the current time information obtained in step S603 and the display mode preset for each time period, the control unit 18 determines whether the display mode set for the time period including the current time (the display mode at the next startup) is full-screen mode or half-screen mode. If the control unit 18 determines that it is full-screen mode, it proceeds to step S607. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that it is half-screen mode, it proceeds to step S609.

[0188] (Step S607) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to full-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution for full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S611.

[0189] (Step S609) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen, the control unit 18 controls it to half-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution to half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S611.

[0190] (Step S611) The control unit 18 performs the system logout process or shutdown process, and proceeds to the process of step 613.

[0191] (Step S613) The control unit 18 transfers the system to a standby state or a stop state.

[0192] The display mode control processing on the next startup and Figure 12 The processing is the same. If the control unit 18 controls the screen to full-screen mode in step S607 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in full-screen mode on the next startup. Similarly, if the control unit 18 controls the screen to half-screen mode in step S609 and then transitions to standby or stop mode, it will start in half-screen mode on the next startup.

[0193] Thus, in the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment, the control unit 18 also performs time information acquisition processing to acquire the current time information, and selects the next display mode until the switch from standby state or stop state to normal operation state (when starting up) based on the current time information and the display mode preset according to each time period in full screen mode and half screen mode.

[0194] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can automatically decide whether to start in full-screen mode or half-screen mode according to the time period, and thus can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0195] <Fifth Implementation>

[0196] Next, the fifth embodiment will be described.

[0197] In this embodiment, the following method will be described: the presence or absence of the keyboard 30 used when selecting the display mode at startup in the second to fourth embodiments, the actions of the information processing device 10 in the usage mode, and time information are used as input data for learning and machine learning is performed to find the optimal solution for starting in full-screen mode or half-screen mode at the next startup.

[0198] The basic structure of the information processing device 10 involved in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. Figures 1-3 The structures described for items 1 and 2 are the same, therefore their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment is different from that described for item 3. Figure 9 The structures shown are somewhat different.

[0199] Figure 18 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the system processing unit 181 includes a time information acquisition unit 1812 and a learning unit 1813, which is consistent with... Figure 9 The structures shown are different.

[0200] The learning unit 1813 uses the presence or absence of connection with the keyboard 30 in normal operation state, the switching of display mode (switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode), the orientation of the information processing device 10, the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 50, and the current time information, as well as the display mode selected after logging into the system after switching from standby state or stop state to normal operation state, as input data for learning, and performs machine learning on the optimal solution of the display mode at the start of various actions in the information processing device until it enters standby state or stop state.

[0201] When switching to standby or stop mode, the display mode control unit 1831 uses the learned model obtained from machine learning in the learning unit 1813 to select the optimal solution for the display mode at startup, taking into account factors such as the presence or absence of connection with the keyboard 30 up to that moment, the switching of display mode (switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode), the orientation of the information processing device 10, the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 50, and the current time information.

[0202] In addition, as input data for machine learning, at least one of the following can be used: the presence or absence of connection to the keyboard 30, the switching of display mode (switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode), the orientation of the information processing device 10, the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 50, and the current time information.

[0203] Figure 19 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the display mode control process for setting the display mode at startup according to this embodiment. Furthermore, each of the steps S701, S707 to S713 shown in this figure is related to... Figure 12 The processes shown in steps S701, S707 to S713 are the same. On the other hand, the processes shown in steps S703 and S705 are the same as... Figure 12 The processing of S403 and S405 shown is different.

[0204] (Step S701) The control unit 18 determines whether there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state during normal operation. If the control unit 18 determines that there is an instruction to a standby state or a stop state (yes), it proceeds to step S703. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that there is no instruction to a standby state or a stop state (no), it performs step S701 again.

[0205] (Step S703) The control unit 18 uses the learned model to find the optimal solution for the display mode at the next startup. Then, it proceeds to the processing in step S705.

[0206] (Step S705) The control unit 18 determines whether the optimal display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode or half-screen mode. If the control unit 18 determines that it is full-screen mode, it proceeds to step S707. On the other hand, if the control unit 18 determines that it is half-screen mode, it proceeds to step S709.

[0207] (Step S707) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to full-screen mode. For example, regardless of the current display mode, whether it is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to full-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is full-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution for full-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S711.

[0208] (Step S709) The control unit 18 sets the display mode for the next startup to half-screen mode. For example, regardless of whether the current display mode is full-screen or half-screen mode, the control unit 18 controls it to half-screen mode, so that the display mode for the next startup is half-screen mode. That is, the control unit 18 controls the resolution to half-screen mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S711.

[0209] (Step S711) The control unit 18 performs the system logout process or shutdown process, and proceeds to the process of step 713.

[0210] (Step S713) The control unit 18 transfers the system to a standby state or a stop state.

[0211] The display mode control processing on the next startup and Figure 12 The processing is the same. If the control unit 18 transitions to standby or stop mode after controlling the screen to full-screen mode in step S707, it will start in full-screen mode upon the next startup. Similarly, if the control unit 18 transitions to standby or stop mode after controlling the screen to half-screen mode in step S709, it will start in half-screen mode upon the next startup.

[0212] Thus, in the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment, the control unit 18 uses at least one of the following information: whether the keyboard 30 is connected in the normal operating state (i.e., whether the keyboard 30 is mounted), the switching of the display mode (switching between full-screen mode and half-screen mode), the orientation of the information processing device 10, the folding angle (opening angle θ) of the display 150, and the current time information, and the display mode selected after logging into the system after switching from the standby state or the stop state to the normal operating state in the full-screen mode and the half-screen mode, to select the display mode until switching from the standby state or the stop state to the normal operating state (when starting up).

[0213] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can set the display mode to the more suitable mode for the user when it is restarted next time, based on the user's usage status when logging off or shutting down. Thus, it can appropriately control the display to the monitor when using the external keyboard 30.

[0214] Furthermore, the learning unit 1813 is not limited to pre-learning; it can also perform dynamic learning by providing feedback on the display modes controlled by the learned model. For example, the learning unit 1813 can also perform additional machine learning on the learned model based on the display mode switching status after switching from the standby or stop state to the normal operation state when switching from the normal operation state to the standby or stop state. Subsequent switching statuses refer to either maintaining the display mode controlled by the learned model as is, or the user immediately switching to another display mode. For example, if the display mode controlled by the learned model by the display mode control unit 1831 is switched to another display mode within a specified time, the learning unit 1813 can also perform additional learning to consider the switched display mode as a suitable display mode.

[0215] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific structure is not limited to the above description, and various design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the structures described in the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily.

[0216] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, an example was described where, in the default dual-screen mode, the first screen area DA1 is used as the primary screen and the second screen area DA2 as the secondary screen, and in the reversed dual-screen mode, the second screen area DA2 is used as the primary screen and the first screen area DA1 as the secondary screen. However, the correspondence between the primary and secondary screens can also be reversed. That is, in the default dual-screen mode, the second screen area DA2 can be used as the primary screen and the first screen area DA1 as the secondary screen, and in the reversed dual-screen mode, the first screen area DA1 can be used as the primary screen and the second screen area DA2 as the secondary screen.

[0217] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, examples of controlling the display with a single screen mode by using the screen area of ​​the display 150 as a single screen area DA, and a dual-screen mode by dividing the display into two screen areas, a first screen area DA1 and a second screen area DA2, were described. However, when dividing the screen area of ​​the display 150, it is not limited to dividing it into only two screen areas; it can also be divided into three or more screen areas. For example, even in a three-screen mode where the screen area of ​​the display 150 is divided into three screen areas to control the display, the display orientation of each of the three screen areas can be changed according to the rotation of the display 150 without changing the display data displayed in each of the three screen areas.

[0218] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, examples of using a foldable display 150 in a single-screen mode and a dual-screen mode were described, but two displays can also be used. That is, it is also possible to configure a single-screen mode in which the display of each of the two displays' screen areas is combined into one screen area, and a dual-screen mode in which the display of each of the two displays' screen areas is controlled individually. In addition, the processing in the above embodiments can also be applied as a half-screen mode in which only one of the two displays is displayed, and the other is controlled to be black or off.

[0219] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, an example of touch operation on a multiple touch panel-type display in which the input unit (touch sensor) and the display unit are integrated is described, but it is not limited to touch operation. It can also be set to mouse-based click operation, gesture-based operation, etc.

[0220] Furthermore, the aforementioned information processing apparatus 10 has an internal computer system. Moreover, programs for implementing the functions of each structure of the information processing apparatus 10 can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the processing in each structure of the information processing apparatus 10 can be performed by having the computer system read and execute the program recorded on the recording medium. Here, "having the computer system read and execute the program recorded on the recording medium" includes the computer system installation program. The term "computer system" here includes hardware such as the operating system and peripheral devices. Additionally, the "computer system" may also include multiple computer devices connected via a network including communication lines such as the Internet, WAN, LAN, and dedicated lines. Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as floppy disks, optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into the computer system. Thus, the recording medium storing the program can be a non-temporary recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

[0221] Furthermore, the recording medium may also include internal or external recording media accessible from a distribution server for distributing the program. Additionally, the program may be divided into multiple parts, each downloaded at different time intervals, and then assembled from various structures within the information processing device 10, with each part distributed via a different distribution server. Moreover, the term "computer-readable recording medium" also includes structures that retain the program for a certain period, such as a server in the case of sending the program via a network, or volatile memory (RAM) within a computer system acting as a client. Furthermore, the program described above may also be a structure used to implement the aforementioned functions. Further, it may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can be implemented by combining the aforementioned functions with a program already recorded in the computer system.

[0222] Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the information processing apparatus 10 in the above embodiments can be implemented as integrated circuits such as LSI (Large Scale Integration). Each function can be processed individually, or some or all can be integrated for processing. Furthermore, the method of integrated circuit implementation is not limited to LSI; it can also be implemented using dedicated circuits or general-purpose processors. Additionally, if advancements in semiconductor technology lead to integrated circuit technologies that replace LSI, integrated circuits based on such technologies can also be used.

Claims

1. An information processing device, comprising: A foldable display; Memory, which temporarily stores the system's programs; and The processor performs system-based control by executing the program of the system stored in the aforementioned memory. The aforementioned processor performs action state control processing, load determination processing, first control processing, and second control processing. In the above-described action state control process, the action state of the system is switched to a first action state, and a second action state in which some or all of the processing of the system is restricted compared to the first action state. In the above placement determination process, it is determined whether an external keyboard is placed in a specified screen area of ​​the display screen area. In the first control process described above, there is a first display mode that controls the display by taking the entire screen area of ​​the display as the display area, and a second display mode that controls the display by taking a portion of the screen area of ​​the display other than the specified screen area as the display area. Furthermore, in the first operating state, when the keyboard is not mounted, the system is controlled in the first display mode; when the keyboard is mounted, the system is controlled in the second display mode. In the second control process described above, when switching from the first action state to the second action state, the display mode that will continue to be selected from the first display mode, the second display mode, and the previous display modes among the first display mode and the second display mode, and control is performed.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned processor also performs display information control processing. In the above-described display information control process, the display screen is made to show a selection screen, which allows the user to select the display mode selected in the second control process from a first setting set to the first display mode, a second setting set to the second display mode, and a third setting set to a display mode that is the previous one between the first and second display modes. In the second control process described above, the display mode is selected based on the settings selected by the user according to the operation of the selection screen in the first setting, the second setting, and the third setting, up to the next switch from the second action state to the first action state.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned processor also performs load state accumulation processing. In the above-described loading state accumulation process, each time the system switches from the second action state to the first action state, it is determined whether the keyboard is in the loading state or the non-loading state, and the determination result is accumulated and stored. In the second control process described above, as the display mode for switching from the second operation state to the first operation state, the second display mode is selected when the accumulated value in the loaded state is greater than the accumulated value in the unloaded state, and the first display mode is selected when the accumulated value in the unloaded state is greater than the accumulated value in the loaded state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, It also has: A first sensor is used to detect the orientation of the aforementioned information processing device; and The second sensor is used to detect the folding angle of the aforementioned display. The aforementioned processor also performs inference processing. In the above inference process, when switching from the first operation state to the second operation state, the user's tendency to use the information processing device is inferred based on at least one of the following: whether the keyboard was mounted before the switch, the switching between the first display mode and the second display mode, the orientation of the information processing device, and the folding angle of the display. In the second control process described above, the display mode is selected based on the tendency inferred through the inference process described above until the switch from the second action state to the first action state is made.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned processor also performs time information acquisition processing to obtain the current time information. In the second control process described above, based on the current time information and the display modes preset according to each time period in the first and second display modes, the display mode to be selected next until switching from the second action state to the first action state is selected.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, It also has: A first sensor is used to detect the orientation of the aforementioned information processing device; and The second sensor is used to detect the folding angle of the aforementioned display. The processor uses a learned model to select the display mode until the switch from the second action state to the first action state. The learned model is obtained by machine learning based on at least one of the following: whether the keyboard is displayed in the first action state, the switch between the first and second display modes, the orientation of the information processing device, the folding angle of the display, and the current time information; and the display mode selected after logging into the system from the second action state to the first action state in the first and second display modes.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The processor performs additional machine learning on the learned model based on the switching status of the display mode after switching from the second action state to the first action state, which was previously controlled when switching from the first action state to the second action state.

8. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, When the processor switches from the second operating state to the first operating state, it controls the display of the monitor in the display mode that was previously controlled when switching from the first operating state to the second operating state.

9. A control method in an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising a foldable display, a memory for temporarily storing a program of a system, and a processor for performing system-based control by executing a program of the system stored in the memory, the control method comprising: The processor switches the system's operating state to a first operating state and then to a second operating state, which is based on a partial or complete restriction of the system's processing compared to the first operating state. The aforementioned processor determines whether an external keyboard is mounted in a specified screen area of ​​the display. The processor has the following steps: a first display mode that controls the display by taking the entire screen area of ​​the display as the display area, and a second display mode that controls the display by taking a portion of the screen area of ​​the display other than the specified screen area as the display area; and in the first operating state, controlling the display to the first display mode when the keyboard is not mounted, and controlling the display to the second display mode when the keyboard is mounted; and When switching from the first operating state to the second operating state, the processor selects the next display mode from the first display mode, the second display mode, and the previous display modes among the first and second display modes, and performs the control step.

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