Apparatus, control method, and program

Abstract

To improve user operability regarding device's power ON / OFF and battery charging.SOLUTION: A robot 200 includes a battery 253 for supplying power, a power key 241 for receiving power ON / OFF operation, and a sub-microcomputer 251 for detecting the charging state of the battery 253 and controlling power ON / OFF and startup processing. When a power OFF operation is performed, the sub-microcomputer 251, if an inspection mode flag, which holds the inspection mode setting, is ON, sets the auto-start flag, which holds the auto-start setting, to ON, then turns the power OFF, and if the inspection mode flag is OFF, sets the auto-start flag to OFF, then turns the power OFF. When the sub-microcomputer 251 detects that charging of the battery 253 is completed while the power is OFF, if the auto-start flag is ON, the sub-microcomputer turns the power ON and starts the robot 200, and if the auto-start flag is OFF, the sub-microcomputer does not start the robot 200 and maintains the power OFF state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device, a device control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] For stable operation, battery-powered devices need to be turned off and the battery charged when the remaining battery power is low. The information device disclosed in Patent Document 1 that receives power from a portable power source includes an operation unit SW that switches between power supply from an external power receiving unit and a non-portable power source and power cut-off, a determination unit that, when the information device is started up by power supply, determines whether the start-up is the first start-up of the information device since shipping from the factory, a connection detection unit that, when it is determined that the start-up is the first start-up of the information device since shipping from the factory, detects whether the external power receiving unit is connected to the non-portable power source, and a notification unit that, when it is determined that the start-up is the first start-up of the information device since shipping from the factory and it is detected that the external power receiving unit is not connected to the non-portable power source, prompts the user to connect the external power receiving unit to the non-portable power source. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-066060 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Battery-powered devices inevitably experience a decrease in battery power and the need to charge the battery, but there is a need for ways to turn the power on / off and charge the battery without impairing user operability.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to improve the user's operability in turning on / off the power supply of a battery-powered device and charging the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the device of the present invention comprises a battery that supplies power to the device itself, a detection unit that detects the charging state of the battery that is charged by an external power source connected to the device itself, an acceptance means that accepts power ON and power OFF operations for the device itself, and a control unit that controls the power ON / OFF and startup processing of the device itself, and when the acceptance means accepts a power OFF operation, the control unit turns ON an automatic startup flag that holds the automatic startup ON / OFF setting and turns OFF the power, if the inspection mode flag that holds the inspection mode ON / OFF setting is ON, and turns OFF the power, if the inspection mode flag is OFF, it turns OFF the automatic startup flag and turns OFF the power, and when the detection unit detects that charging of the battery is complete while the power is OFF, if the automatic startup flag is ON, it turns ON the power and starts up the device itself, and if the automatic startup flag is OFF, it does not start up the device itself and keeps the power OFF. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the user's operability in turning on / off the power supply of a battery-powered device and charging the battery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an external appearance of a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a robot according to an embodiment as viewed from the side; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the robot according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a power supply control unit of the robot according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power-off process according to an embodiment. [Figure 6]10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power-on process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. A robot 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a pet robot modeled after a small animal and powered by a rechargeable battery. As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 200 is covered with an exterior 201 equipped with decorative parts 202 that resemble eyes and fur 203. As shown in FIG. 2, a housing 207 of the robot 200 is housed within the exterior 201. The housing 207 of the robot 200 is composed of a head 204, a connecting part 205, and a body 206, and the head 204 and body 206 are connected via the connecting part 205.

[0010] In the following description, it is assumed that the robot 200 is placed normally on a horizontal floor, and the direction of the part of the robot 200 that corresponds to the face (the part of the head 204 opposite the torso 206) is referred to as the front, and the direction of the part that corresponds to the tail (the part of the torso 206 opposite the head 204) is referred to as the back. Furthermore, when the robot 200 is placed on a horizontal floor, the direction of the part that comes into contact with the floor is referred to as the down, and the opposite direction is referred to as the up. The direction that is perpendicular to a line extending in the front-to-back direction of the robot 200 and also perpendicular to a line extending in the up-to-down direction is referred to as the width direction.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 2, the body 206 extends in the front-to-rear direction. The body 206 contacts, via the exterior 201, a support surface such as a floor or a table on which the robot 200 is placed. The robot 200 is provided with a twist motor 221 at the front end of the body 206, and the head 204 is connected to the front end of the body 206 via a connecting part 205. The connecting part 205 is provided with an up-down motor 222. In Fig. 2, the twist motor 221 is provided in the body 206, but it may be provided in the connecting part 205 or the head 204.

[0012] The robot 200 is capable of moving the head 204 relative to the body 206 by a twist motor 221 and an up / down motor 222. The robot 200 performs various gestures by moving the head 204. As shown in FIG. 2 , the robot 200 is provided with a touch sensor 211 on the head 204, which can detect when the user strokes or hits the head 204. The body 206 is also provided with a touch sensor 211, which can detect when the user strokes or hits the body 206.

[0013] The robot 200 is provided with an acceleration sensor 212 in the body 206, which can detect the posture of the robot 200 itself and detect when the robot 200 is picked up, turned around, or thrown by a user. The robot 200 is also provided with a microphone 213 in the body 206, which can detect external sounds. The robot 200 is also provided with a speaker 231 in the body 206, which can be used to make the robot 200 make sounds or sing songs.

[0014] The robot 200 is equipped with an illuminance sensor 214 on the body 206, and is capable of detecting the brightness of the surroundings. Because the exterior 201 is made of a light-transmitting material, the robot 200 can detect the brightness of the surroundings with the illuminance sensor 214 even when covered with the exterior 201.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, the robot 200 includes an equipment control device 100, a sensor unit 210, a drive unit 220, an output unit 230, an operation unit 240, and a power supply control unit 250. The equipment control device 100 includes a processing unit 110, a memory unit 120, and a communication unit 130. In FIG. 3, the equipment control device 100, the sensor unit 210, the drive unit 220, the output unit 230, the operation unit 240, and the power supply control unit 250 are connected via a bus line BL, but this is just an example. The equipment control device 100, the sensor unit 210, the drive unit 220, the output unit 230, the operation unit 240, and the power supply control unit 250 may be connected via a wired interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or a wireless interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The processing unit 110, the memory unit 120, and the communication unit 130 may also be connected via a bus line BL or the like.

[0016] The device control device 100 controls the operation of the robot 200 using a processing unit 110 and a storage unit 120. The processing unit 110 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and executes various processes according to programs stored in the storage unit 120. The processing unit 110 supports a multi-thread function that executes multiple processes in parallel, and therefore can execute various processes in parallel. The processing unit 110 also has a clock function and a timer function, and can measure the date and time, etc.

[0017] The storage unit 120 is composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ROM stores programs to be executed by the CPU of the processing unit 110 and data required in advance for executing the programs. The flash memory is a writable non-volatile memory that stores data that should be retained even after the power is turned off. The RAM stores data that is created or changed during program execution. The communication unit 130 includes a communication module compatible with a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc., and communicates data with external devices such as smartphones.

[0018] The above-mentioned illuminance sensor 214 includes a light-receiving element such as a photodiode, and detects the brightness (illuminance) of the surroundings. For example, when the illuminance sensor 214 detects that the surroundings are dark, the processing unit 110 can perform control to put the robot 200 to sleep (to enter a sleep control mode).

[0019] The storage unit 120 stores emotion data 121, emotion change data 122, a growth table 123, an action content table 124, a motion table 125, and growth days data 126. The emotion data 121 is data for giving the robot 200 simulated emotions and indicates coordinates on an emotion map. The emotion map is expressed, for example, as a two-dimensional coordinate system having an axis representing a level of relief (anxiety) and an axis representing a level of excitement (apathy). The emotion change data 122 is data that sets the amount of change that increases or decreases the value of each dimension of the emotion data 121. The emotion change data 122 changes through learning of the emotion data 121 based on external stimulus data. The emotion change data 122, i.e., the degree of change in emotion, changes through the learning process of the emotion data 121, so that the robot 200 has various personalities depending on how the user interacts with the robot 200. Growth degree data (growth value) indicating a simulated degree of growth is set for the robot 200 depending on changes in personality. The processing unit 110 controls the robot 200 so that variations occur in the motion details of the robot 200 as the robot 200 grows pseudo (as the growth value increases). Data used by the processing unit 110 for this purpose is a growth table 123. The motion details table 124 is a table in which specific motion details of each motion type defined in the growth table 123 are recorded. The motion table 125 is a table in which how the processing unit 110 controls the twist motor 221 and the up / down motor 222 for each motion type defined in the growth table 123 is recorded. The growth days data 126 has an initial value of 1 and is incremented by 1 every time a day passes. The growth days data 126 represents the number of days of the robot 200's pseudo growth (the number of days since pseudo birth).

[0020] 4, the power supply control unit 250 includes a sub-microcomputer 251 and performs power supply control such as charging the battery 253 of the robot 200 and controlling the ON / OFF of the power supply to the main function unit 290 that realizes the main functions of the robot 200. The main function unit 290 is the functional unit that configures the robot 200 excluding the power supply control unit 250, and includes the processing unit 110, the drive unit 220, etc.

[0021] In order to give the robot 200 a lifelike appearance, the battery 253 is charged wirelessly without connecting a charging cable or the like. For example, an electromagnetic induction method is used for wireless charging. When the robot 200 is placed on a wireless charging device 256, an induced magnetic flux is generated between a wireless power receiving circuit 255 provided on the bottom surface of the body 206 and the external wireless charging device 256, thereby charging the robot. As shown in FIG. 4 , the power supply control unit 250 includes a sub-microcomputer 251, a charging IC (Integrated Circuit) 252, a battery 253, a power supply control IC 254, and a wireless power receiving circuit 255.

[0022] The sub-microcomputer 251 is a microcontroller with a built-in low-power processor, and includes an AD (Analog-to-Digital) converter 2511 that monitors the output voltage of the battery 253, an input port 2512 that monitors a charging signal indicating whether the battery 253 is being charged by the charging IC 252, a power terminal 2513 for the sub-microcomputer 251 itself, an input port 2514 that monitors whether the power key 241 of the robot 200 has been pressed, an output port 2515 that outputs an operation restriction signal to the processing unit 110, and an output port 2516 that outputs a power control signal to the power control IC 254 that controls the ON / OFF of the power supplied to the main function unit 290. The sub-microcomputer 251 constitutes a detection unit that detects the charging state of the battery 253, and a control unit that controls the ON / OFF and startup of the power of the robot 200.

[0023] The wireless power receiving circuit 255 receives power from an external wireless charging device 256 via electromagnetic induction and supplies the received power to the charging IC 252. The charging IC 252 is an IC that receives power from the wireless power receiving circuit 255 and controls charging of the battery 253. The battery 253 is a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies the power necessary for the operation of the robot 200. The charging IC 252 outputs a charging signal indicating whether the battery 253 is being charged to the sub-microcomputer 251. The power supply control IC 254 is an IC that controls whether power from the battery 253 is supplied to the main function unit 290 of the robot 200. The power supply control IC 254 has an input port 2541 that receives a power control signal from the sub-microcomputer 251, and supplies or stops the supply of power to the main function unit 290 depending on whether the power control signal is ON or OFF.

[0024] The power key 241 is a switch that serves as a receiving means for receiving an operation to turn the robot 200 on and off. Even when the robot 200 is turned off, power is supplied to the power control unit 250 to charge the battery 253 and automatically turn the robot 200 on after charging is complete. For this reason, the robot 200 is composed of two parts: the power control unit 250, which is always supplied with power, and a main function unit 290, whose power ON / OFF is controlled by the power control unit 250. The main function unit 290 is composed of the parts of the robot 200 other than the power control unit 250. In FIG. 4, to show the relationship between the power control unit 250 and the main function unit 290, a power terminal 2901 to which power is supplied from the power control unit 250 and an input port 1101 of the processing unit 110 that receives an operation restriction signal transmitted from the sub-microcomputer 251 are shown.

[0025] Next, the power-off control executed by the sub-microcomputer 251 of the power supply control unit 250 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. This process is executed when the power supply is on. The power supply control uses a test mode flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the test mode and an automatic startup flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of automatic startup. The test mode flag and the automatic startup flag are stored in non-volatile memory. The test mode flag is set to ON in the initial stage after the program of the power supply control unit 250 is installed and set up.

[0026] First, the sub-microcomputer 251 monitors the output voltage of the battery 253 using the AD converter 2511, and monitors the depression status of the power key 241 using the input port 2514 (step S10). The sub-microcomputer 251 determines whether the voltage of the battery 253 has fallen below a predetermined voltage (operating reference voltage) and the remaining battery charge has decreased (step S11). If it is determined that the remaining battery charge has not fallen below the reference voltage (step S11; N), the sub-microcomputer 251 determines whether the power key 241 has been pressed and held down to determine whether a power-off operation has been performed (step S12). If it is determined that the power key 241 has not been pressed and held down and the power-off operation has not been performed (step S12; N), the sub-microcomputer 251 returns the processing in the power-off control processing to step S10 and continues monitoring the battery voltage and the power key.

[0027] If it is determined in step S11 that the remaining battery power has dropped below a reference level (step S11; Y), the sub-microcomputer 251 turns on the automatic startup flag (step S15), shuts down the main function unit 290, and turns off the power supply (step S17). On the other hand, if it is determined that the remaining battery power is not low (step S11; N) and that the power key 241 has been pressed and held down to turn off the power (step S12; Y), the sub-microcomputer 251 determines whether the inspection mode flag is on or off (step S13). If the inspection mode flag is on (step S13; ON), the sub-microcomputer 251 turns off the inspection mode flag (step S14) and turns on the automatic startup flag (step S15). Then, the sub-microcomputer 251 shuts down the main function unit 290 and turns off the power supply (step S17).

[0028] If the test mode flag is OFF in step S13 (step S13; OFF), the sub-microcomputer 251 turns OFF the automatic startup flag (step S16), shuts down the main function unit 290, and turns off the power supply (step S17).

[0029] As described above, the inspection mode flag is set to ON in the initial stage when the program of the power supply control unit 250 is installed. Therefore, at the stage of inspection before shipping from the factory, the inspection mode flag is ON, so when the power is turned OFF after the pre-shipment inspection, the automatic startup flag is set to ON. When the power is turned OFF during the pre-shipment inspection, the inspection mode flag is set to OFF, so when the user turns the power OFF after shipping, the automatic startup flag is set to OFF.

[0030] When the power supply to the main function unit 290 is turned off, the power control unit 250 ends the power-off control and executes the power-on / start-up control shown in Fig. 6. The power-on / start-up control is initiated with the power supply to the main function unit 290 turned off.

[0031] The power supply control unit 250 first determines whether a charging device is connected to the device itself based on a charging signal indicating whether charging is in progress at the input port 2512 (step S20). If it is determined that a charging device is connected (step S20; Y), the power supply control unit 250 monitors the charging state based on the voltage of the battery 253 and whether the power key 241 is pressed (step S21). If it is determined in step S20 that a charging device is not connected (step S20; N), the power supply control unit 250 monitors whether the power key 241 is pressed (step S24). In the state in which a charging device is connected (step S20; Y), when monitoring the charging state of the battery 253 (step S21), the power supply control unit 250 determines whether the voltage of the battery 253 has reached or exceeded the operating reference voltage and charging has been completed (step S22). The operating reference voltage is a voltage that is considered to be the minimum necessary for the robot 200 to operate normally, and is, for example, 75% of the voltage of the battery 253 when fully charged.

[0032] If the voltage of the battery 253 becomes equal to or higher than the operating reference voltage and it is determined that charging is complete (step S22; Y), the power supply control unit 250 determines whether the automatic activation flag is ON or OFF (step S23). If the automatic activation flag is ON (step S23; ON), the power supply control unit 250 turns on the power supply to the main function unit 290 and activates the main function unit 290, i.e., the robot 200 (step S26). If it is determined that charging is complete (step S22; Y) or if the automatic activation flag is OFF (step S23; OFF), the power supply control unit 250 determines whether the power key 241 has been pressed and held to perform a power-on operation (step S25). If it is determined that the power-on operation has not been performed (step S25; N), the power supply control unit 250 returns the processing in the power-on / activation control process to step S20 and repeats the process from determining whether a charging device is connected to the robot 200. When it is determined that a power operation has been performed (step S25; Y), the power control unit 250 turns on the power supply to the main function unit 290, and starts up the main function unit 290, that is, the robot 200 which is its own device (step S26).

[0033] Even if a charging device is connected (step S20; Y) and it is determined in step S22 that charging of the battery 253 is not complete (step S22; N), the power supply control unit 250 determines whether or not a power-on operation has been performed (step S25). If it is determined that a power-on operation has not been performed (step S25; N), the power supply control unit 250 returns to step S20 in the power-on / activation control process and repeats the process from determining whether or not a charging device is connected to the device itself. Even if it is determined that charging of the battery 253 is not complete (step S22; N), if it is determined that a power operation has been performed (step S25; Y), the power supply control unit 250 turns on the power supply to the main function unit 290 and activates the main function unit 290, i.e., the robot 200, which is the device itself (step S26).

[0034] On the other hand, if a charging device is not connected (step S20; N), the power supply control unit 250 monitors the depression state of the power key 241 (step S24) and determines whether or not a power-on operation has been performed (step S25). If it is determined that a power-on operation has not been performed (step S25; N), the power supply control unit 250 returns to step S20 in the power-on / startup control process and repeats the process from determining whether or not a charging device is connected to the device itself. Even if a charging device is not connected (step S20; N), if it is determined that a power-on operation has been performed (step S25; Y), the power supply control unit 250 turns on the power supply to the main function unit 290 and starts up the main function unit 290, i.e., the robot 200, which is the device itself (step S26).

[0035] The power supply control unit 250 may turn on the automatic startup flag in step S26 when it turns on the power supply and starts up the robot 200. When the power supply control unit 250 turns on the power supply and starts up the robot 200 (step S26), it ends the power-on / startup control. Since the inspection mode flag is ON during inspection of the robot 200 before it leaves the factory, the automatic startup flag is set to ON when the inspection is completed and the power is turned off (step S15 in FIG. 5). Therefore, when the user charges the battery 253 for the first time after shipment, the automatic startup flag is ON, and when charging of the battery 253 is completed (step S22 in FIG. 6; Y), the power supply is turned on and the robot 200 is started up (step S23 in FIG. 6; ON, step S26).

[0036] When the user turns off the power (step S12 in FIG. 5; Y), the inspection mode flag is OFF (step S13 in FIG. 5; OFF), and the automatic startup flag is set to OFF (step S16 in FIG. 5). Therefore, when the user turns off the power, the automatic startup flag is OFF (step S23 in FIG. 6; OFF), and the power supply remains OFF until the power is turned on, even after the battery is fully charged (step S25 in FIG. 6; N). If the robot 200 is left connected to the charging device, the battery power is not consumed, and the time required for full charging is shorter than when the robot is started up upon completion of charging.

[0037] On the other hand, if the remaining battery power is low (step S11 in FIG. 5; Y), the power supply control unit 250 sets the automatic startup flag to ON (step S15 in FIG. 5) and turns off the power supply (step S17 in FIG. 5). In this case, when charging of the battery 253 is completed (step S22 in FIG. 6; Y), the automatic startup flag is ON (step S23 in FIG. 6; ON), so the power supply is turned ON and the robot 200 is started up (step S26). In this case, the user does not need to operate the power key 241, and the lifelike feel of the robot 200 can be improved.

[0038] As described above, the robot 200 according to this embodiment does not start automatically when the user turns off the power, but when the user turns off the power in the inspection mode, it starts automatically when charging is complete, so that the user's power off operation takes priority and the lifelike feel of the robot can be improved.

[0039] The inspection mode flag may be set by an inspection mode switch provided in the robot 200, rather than by a non-volatile memory. The inspection mode switch may also be provided in a hidden location. In that case, the inspection mode switch is turned OFF after the inspection before factory shipment is completed and the power is turned OFF. The inspection mode flag may be set ON in the initial stage when the program of the sub-microcomputer 251 is installed and the power supply control unit 250 is set up, or may be set by an inspection mode switch provided in the robot 200. Alternatively, the inspection mode flag may be set when the voltage of the battery 253 is lower than the operating reference voltage.

[0040] In the embodiment, the robot 200 is configured to be powered on and automatically activated when the automatic activation flag is ON when the battery charging is complete, but powering on and automatic activation may be combined with other conditions. For example, the robot 200 may be powered on and automatically activated when the battery charging is complete, the automatic activation flag is ON, and the robot 200 is in a bright environment. The brightness of the robot 200's surroundings can be detected by the illuminance sensor 214. Alternatively, the robot 200 may be automatically activated within a set time range based on the time of day instead of the brightness of the surroundings. For example, the robot 200 may be powered on and automatically activated when the battery charging is complete, the automatic activation flag is ON, and the time is between 7:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

[0041] Furthermore, the means for accepting the power ON / OFF operation is not limited to the power key 241, but may be a method for accepting the power ON / OFF operation using a computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, or remote control connected to the robot 200. The connection between the robot 200 and the computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, or remote control may be wired or wireless.

[0042] The power supply control unit and the control method according to the embodiment may be applied to battery-powered devices as well as the robot 200. Even in devices other than the robot 200, the configuration according to the embodiment can improve the user's operability in terms of power ON / OFF and battery charging.

[0043] In the above-described embodiment, the operating programs executed by the CPU of the processing unit 110 and the sub-microcomputer 251 are stored in advance in the ROM of the storage unit 120. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an operating program for executing the above-described various processes may be implemented in an existing general-purpose computer or the like, so that the computer functions as a device equivalent to the control devices 100, 101 of the devices according to the embodiments.

[0044] Such programs may be provided in any manner, for example, by storing them on a computer-readable recording medium (such as a flexible disk, a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)-ROM, an MO (Magneto-Optical Disc), a memory card, or a USB memory stick) and distributing them, or by storing the programs in storage on a network such as the Internet and providing them by downloading them.

[0045] Furthermore, when the above-mentioned processing is performed by sharing the work between an OS (Operating System) and an application program, or by cooperation between the OS and the application program, only the application program may be stored on a recording medium or storage. It is also possible to superimpose the program on a carrier wave and distribute it over a network. For example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board system (BBS) on a network and distributed over the network. The program may then be started and executed under the control of the OS in the same way as other application programs, thereby enabling the above-mentioned processing to be performed.

[0046] In addition, the processing unit 110 may be configured by any single processor such as a single processor, multiprocessor, or multi-core processor, or may be configured by combining any of these processors with processing circuits such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0047] The present invention allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 200... robot, 241... power key, 251... sub-microcomputer (detection unit, control unit), 253... battery

Claims

1. a battery that supplies power to the device; a detection unit that detects a charging state of the battery that is charged by an external power source connected to the device itself; A reception unit that receives an operation to turn on and off the power of the device itself; a control unit that controls power ON / OFF and startup processing of the device itself; Equipped with The control unit When the power-off operation is received by the receiving means, If the inspection mode flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the inspection mode is ON, the automatic startup flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the automatic startup is turned ON and the power is turned OFF. If the inspection mode flag is OFF, the automatic startup flag is turned OFF and the power is turned OFF. When the detection unit detects that the battery is fully charged while the power is off, If the automatic startup flag is ON, the device is powered on and started up; If the automatic startup flag is OFF, the device itself is not started and the power is kept OFF. device.

2. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the reception means receives a power-off operation, if the inspection mode flag is ON, the control unit turns the automatic startup flag ON and the inspection mode flag OFF, and turns the power OFF.

3. the detection unit detects the remaining charge of the battery; When the detection unit detects that the remaining charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold while the power is on, the control unit turns on the automatic startup flag and turns off the power.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the accepting unit accepts a power-on operation, the control unit turns on the power to start the device itself and sets the automatic start flag to ON.

5. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the accepting means includes a power key provided on the device that can be operated by a person.

6. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inspection mode flag is set to ON in an initial stage when the control unit is set up.

7. a battery that supplies power to the device; a detection unit that detects a charging state of the battery that is charged by an external power source connected to the device itself; an acquisition unit that acquires an automatic startup flag of the device according to the charging state; a setting unit that turns on the automatic startup flag when the power supply of the device itself is turned off in the test mode; a control unit that performs a startup process for the device when the detection unit detects that the charging state has become a first charging state, the automatic startup flag acquired by the acquisition unit is on, and the device is connected to the external power source; Equipment with.

8. A control method executed by a device including a battery that supplies power to the device itself, a detection unit that detects a charging state of the battery that is charged by an external power source connected to the device itself, and a reception unit that receives an operation to turn on and off the power of the device itself, When the power-off operation is received by the receiving means, If the inspection mode flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the inspection mode is ON, the automatic startup flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the automatic startup is turned ON and the power is turned OFF. If the inspection mode flag is OFF, the automatic startup flag is turned OFF and the power is turned OFF. When the detection unit detects that the battery is fully charged while the power is off, If the automatic startup flag is ON, the power is turned ON to start the device. If the automatic startup flag is OFF, the device itself is not started and the power is kept OFF. Control method.

9. A computer for controlling a device including a battery that supplies power to the device itself, a detection unit that detects a charging state of the battery that is charged by an external power source connected to the device itself, and an acceptance unit that accepts an operation to turn on and off the power of the device itself, When the power-off operation is received by the receiving means, If the inspection mode flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the inspection mode is ON, the automatic startup flag that holds the ON / OFF setting of the automatic startup is turned ON and the power is turned OFF. If the inspection mode flag is OFF, the automatic startup flag is turned OFF and the power is turned OFF. When the detection unit detects that the battery is fully charged while the power is off, If the automatic startup flag is ON, the power is turned ON to start the device. If the automatic startup flag is OFF, the device itself is not started and the power is kept OFF. A program that executes a process.

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