Information processing device and control method

Abstract

To properly control the on / off of the touch panel of an internal display when an external display is connected and used. [Solution] An information processing device includes an internal display, a touch panel that detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display, a connection unit that connects to an external display, and a processor that controls the internal display, the touch panel, and the external display. The processor performs an external display detection process that detects whether an external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit, an internal display detection process that detects whether the internal display is controlled to be on, and a touch power control process that supplies power to the touch panel when the internal display is controlled to be on, and stops the supply of power to the touch panel when the internal display is off and an external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] There are information processing devices (for example, notebook personal computers) that have a display equipped with a touch panel that can be touched with a finger or a pen (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such information processing devices can also be used by connecting to an external display in addition to the display (internal display) that the information processing device has (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-233198 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-050873 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when connecting to an external display and turning off the internal display to use only the external display, there has traditionally been a mixture of devices that can use the touch panel on the internal display and devices that cannot. This is due to the wide variety of displays that can be installed as internal displays. For example, depending on the type of display (in-cell, on-cell, out-cell, etc.) and the differences in the circuits and ICs within the display, some devices turn off the touch panel when the internal display is turned off, while others remain on independently even when the internal display is turned off.

[0005] Basically, it is considered preferable that when only the external display is being used and the internal display is turned off, the touch panel of the internal display is also turned off. However, as mentioned above, there are many types of internal displays that can be installed in information processing devices, and there is a mixture of displays in which the touch panel remains on and displays in which it is turned off, which is not desirable.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide an information processing device and a control method that appropriately controls the on / off of the touch panel of an internal display when an external display is connected and used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an information processing device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises an internal display, a touch panel that detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display, a connection unit that connects to an external display, and a processor that controls the internal display, the touch panel, and the external display, and the processor performs an external display detection process that detects whether the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit, an internal display detection process that detects whether the internal display is controlled to an on state, and a touch power control process that supplies power to the touch panel when the internal display is controlled to an on state, and stops the supply of power to the touch panel when the internal display is off and the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit.

[0008] In the above information processing device, the processor may supply power to the touch panel when, during the touch power control process, the internal display is controlled to an off state and the external display in an off state is connected to the connection unit or the external display is not connected to the connection unit.

[0009] In the above information processing device, the processor performs system processing that executes system processing based on a system program, and operation control processing that switches the operating state of the system between a first operating state that outputs display information based on the system processing to at least one of the internal display and the external display, and a second operating state that stops output of the display information to both the internal display and the external display, and in the touch power control processing, in the first operating state, when the internal display is controlled to an on state, power is supplied to the touch panel, and when the internal display is off and the on-state external display is connected to the connection part, power supply to the touch panel may be stopped.

[0010] In the above information processing device, in the touch power control processing, the processor may supply power to the touch panel when, in the second operating state, the internal display is controlled to an off state and the external display in an off state is connected to the connection unit or the external display is not connected to the connection unit.

[0011] Furthermore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a control method for an information processing device having an internal display, a touch panel that detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display, a connection unit that connects to an external display, and a processor that controls the internal display, the touch panel, and the external display includes the steps of: detecting by the processor whether the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit; detecting whether the internal display is controlled to an on state; supplying power to the touch panel if the internal display is controlled to an on state; and stopping the supply of power to the touch panel if the internal display is off and the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the above aspect of the present invention, when an external display is connected and used, it is possible to appropriately control the on / off of the touch panel of the internal display. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a configuration related to touch power on / off control in the information processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a touch power on / off control process according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an overview of the information processing device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the overview of the information processing device according to this embodiment.

[0015] The information processing device 1 is, for example, a notebook (clamshell) personal computer. The information processing device 1 not only functions as an internal display as a display unit, but also functions as an external display of the external display device 5 by connecting to the external display device 5.

[0016] Here, the "internal display" refers to a display provided in the information processing device 1. Also, the "external display" refers to a display provided in an external display device 5 that is externally connected to the information processing device 1. Also, the internal display of the information processing device 1 is equipped with a touch panel that detects touch operations on the screen.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows how the enabling / disabling of the touch panel function (hereinafter referred to as the "touch function") is controlled by turning the internal display on / off or the external display on / off when the information processing device 1 is a standalone device not connected to an external display device 5 and when it is connected to an external display device 5, comparing the conventional control with the control of this embodiment for each of the states shown in (A) to (F).

[0018] (A) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is not connected to an external display device 5 and the internal display is on. (B) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is connected to an external display device 5 and both the internal display and the external display are on. (C) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is connected to an external display device 5 and the internal display is on and the external display is off. (D) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is not connected to an external display device 5 and the internal display is off. (E) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is connected to an external display device 5 and the internal display is off and the external display is on. (F) shows a state in which the information processing device 1 is connected to an external display device 5 and both the internal display and the external display are off.

[0019] The internal display and the external display are in an on state when the display is displayed on the screen so that the user can see it, whereas the internal display and the external display are in an off state when the display on the screen is not visible to the user, and may be a state in which at least the backlight is turned off, or a state in which the display on the screen itself is stopped.

[0020] The information processing device 1 also controls the internal display, external display, and touch panel through system processing such as an OS (Operating System) or processing of applications running on the system. The operating states of the system include a normal operating state, a standby state, and a shutdown state.

[0021] The normal operating state is an operating state in which the system can execute processes without any particular restrictions. The system is in the normal operating state when at least one of the internal display and the external display is on. As an example, the normal operating state corresponds to the S0 state defined by ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface).

[0022] The standby state is a state in which at least the internal display and the external display (if an external display device 5 is connected) are turned off (screens are off), and is a standby state, sleep state, etc. As an example, the standby state may be a state equivalent to Modern Standby in Windows (registered trademark) or the S3 state (sleep state) defined by ACPI. Shutdown is a state in which the power supply of the information processing device 1 is turned off.

[0023] In the states shown in (A) to (C) and (E) of Figure 1, the system is in normal operation because either the internal display or the external display or both are on. The states shown in (D) and (F) here indicate the standby state.

[0024] Next, we will explain how to control the touch panel in the states shown in (A) to (F). Here, the power supply that supplies power to the touch panel is called the "touch power supply."

[0025] First, we will explain conventional control. In conventional control, the touch panel power supply is on in both normal operation and standby states. In the states shown in (A) to (C), the system is in normal operation and power is supplied to the touch panel, making touch panel processing possible. Therefore, in the states shown in (A) to (C), the internal display is turned on and the touch function is also enabled.

[0026] On the other hand, in the states shown in (D) and (F), although power is supplied to the touch panel, the system is in standby mode, so no touch panel processing is performed and the touch function is disabled. In other words, in the state shown in (D), the internal display is off and the touch function is disabled, and in the state shown in (F), both the internal and external displays are off and the touch function is disabled.

[0027] Also, in the state shown in (E), power is being supplied to the touch panel, so the touch panel can be processed from a power standpoint, but since the internal display is turned off, the touch function may or may not be enabled depending on the type of internal display.

[0028] For example, depending on the differences between in-cell, on-cell, and out-cell methods, as well as differences in the circuits and ICs within the display, some touch panels turn off when the internal display is turned off, while others have an independent touch panel that remains on even when the internal display is turned off.

[0029] Therefore, in conventional control, in the state shown in (E), the touch function may be enabled even though the internal display is turned off, and a touch operation on the screen of the turned-off internal display may be detected. Because this conventional control is not desirable, in this embodiment, control is performed to turn off the touch power supply depending on the conditions even when the system is in normal operation.

[0030] Specifically, the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment adds a function to control the on / off switching of touch power. The information processing device 1 detects whether the internal display and the external display are on / off, and controls the touch power to be turned off only when the state shown in (E) (the internal display is off and the external display is on) is reached.

[0031] As a result, in the state shown in (E), in conventional technology, some touch functions were enabled and some were disabled, but in this embodiment, the touch function can be disabled regardless of the type of internal display.

[0032] The control in this embodiment in the states shown in (A) to (D) and (F) is the same as the conventional control.

[0033] The configuration of the information processing device according to this embodiment will be described in detail below. [Hardware configuration of information processing device] 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the main hardware configuration of an information processing device according to this embodiment. The illustrated example of the information processing device, PC1, includes a main processing unit 10, a communication unit 15, a storage unit 16, a display unit 17, an external connection terminal 18, an EC (Embedded Controller) 20, an input device 30, a power button 35, and a power supply unit 40.

[0034] The main processing unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) 12, a chipset 13, and a system memory 14.

[0035] The CPU 11 performs system processing based on a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) program and an OS (Operating System) program, and also performs processing based on application programs that run on the OS.

[0036] Furthermore, the CPU 11 executes operation control processing for controlling system operation during system processing. For example, the CPU 11 executes startup processing for starting the system from a power-off (stopped operation) state. Furthermore, the CPU 11 executes processing for various application programs and the like in a normal operation state after starting the system. Furthermore, the CPU 11 executes processing for transitioning from a normal operation state to a standby state and returning from the standby state to the normal operation state. Furthermore, the CPU 11 executes shutdown processing for shutting down the system and turning off the power (stopping operation), and the like.

[0037] The GPU 12 is connected to the display unit 17. For example, the GPU 12 executes image processing under the control of the CPU 11 to generate display data, and outputs the generated display data to the display unit 17 (display 170 (internal display)). Furthermore, when an external display device 5 is connected, the display data generated by the GPU 12 is also output to the external display device 5 (external display) via, for example, an external connection terminal 18.

[0038] The chipset 13 has functions as a memory controller and an I / O controller. For example, the chipset 13 controls the CPU 11 and GPU 12 to read and write data from the system memory 14, the storage unit 16, etc. The chipset 13 also controls the input and output of data from the communication unit 15, the display unit 17, and the EC 20. The chipset 13 also controls the input and output of data to and from devices and equipment connected via the external connection terminal 18 or the communication unit 15.

[0039] The system memory 14 is used as a reading area for programs executed by the CPU 11 and a working area for writing processing data.

[0040] The components of the main processing unit 10 (such as the CPU 11, GPU 12, and chipset 13) may be configured as a single integrated processor, or some or each may be configured as an individual processor. For example, the components of the main processing unit 10 may be configured as a SoC (System on a Chip).

[0041] The communication unit 15 is communicably connected to other devices via a wireless or wired communication network, and transmits and receives various types of data. For example, the communication unit 15 is configured to include a wired LAN interface such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or a wireless LAN interface such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0042] The storage unit 16 includes storage media such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), etc. The storage unit 16 stores various programs such as an OS, device drivers, and applications, as well as various data acquired by the operation of the programs.

[0043] The display unit 17 includes a display 170 and a touch panel 175. The display 170 corresponds to the internal display described with reference to FIG. 1. For example, the display 170 is configured to include an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel. Note that the display 170 is not limited to an LCD panel, and may be configured to include other display panels such as an organic EL display panel.

[0044] The display 170 displays an image (video) based on the display data generated by the main processing unit 10. The display 170 is turned on or off under the control of the main processing unit 10 or the like.

[0045] The touch panel 175 is provided on the screen of the display 170 and detects touch operations on the screen. For example, the touch panel 175 may be of any type, such as a capacitance type, an electromagnetic induction type, or a pressure-sensitive type (resistive film type). The touch panel 175 detects touch operations on the screen of the display 170 and outputs operation information (information on the operation position, etc.) based on the detected operation to the main processing unit 10.

[0046] The external connection terminal 18 is a terminal for connecting to an external peripheral device. For example, the external connection terminal 18 is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) Type-C connector. By connecting the external connection terminal 18 to the external display device 5 using a USB cable, the information processing device 1 can use the external display device 5.

[0047] It should be noted that the external connection terminal 18 is not limited to a USB Type-C connector. For example, the external connection terminal 18 may be an HDMI (registered trademark) connector, and the external connection terminal 18 and the external display device 5 may be connected using an HDMI (registered trademark) cable.

[0048] The EC 20 is a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, ROM, and an I / O (Input / Output) logic circuit. The CPU of the EC 20 reads a control program (firmware) pre-stored in its own ROM, executes the read control program, and performs its functions. The EC 20 operates independently of the main processing unit 10, controls the operation of the main processing unit 10, and manages its operating state. The EC 20 is also connected to an input device 30, a power button 35, a power supply unit 40, and the like.

[0049] For example, the EC 20 communicates with the power supply unit 40 to acquire information on the state (remaining capacity, etc.) of a battery (not shown) from the power supply unit 40, and outputs to the power supply unit 40 control signals and the like for controlling the supply of power according to the operating state of each unit of the information processing device 1. The EC 20 also acquires an operation signal from the input device 30 or the power button 35, and executes processing based on the acquired operation signal.

[0050] The input device 30 is an input unit that accepts user input. For example, the input device 30 is a keyboard, a touchpad, a trackpoint, or the like that accepts user operation input, and outputs an operation signal indicating the operation content to the EC 20 in response to accepting the user operation.

[0051] When the power button 35 is pressed by a user's power-on or power-off operation, the power button 35 outputs an operation signal indicating that the button has been pressed to the EC 20 .

[0052] The power supply unit 40 supplies power to each unit of the information processing device 1 according to the operating state of each unit. The power supply unit 40 includes a power supply circuit such as a DC (Direct Current) / DC converter. The DC / DC converter converts the voltage of direct current power supplied from an AC (Alternate Current) / DC adapter or a battery (battery pack) into the voltage required by each unit. The power whose voltage is converted by the DC / DC converter is supplied to each unit via each power supply system. For example, the power supply unit 40 supplies power to each unit via each power supply system based on a control signal input from the EC 20. The power supply unit 40 also includes a battery as a built-in secondary battery, a battery charging circuit, etc.

[0053] [Configuration for touch power on / off control] Next, a detailed description will be given of a functional configuration relating to the on / off control of the touch power supply that supplies power to the touch panel 175 based on the on / off states of the internal display and the external display in the information processing device 1.

[0054] 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a configuration related to touch power on / off control in the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. In this Fig. 3, components corresponding to those shown in Fig. 2 are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0055] The main processing unit 10 includes an internal display detection unit 111, an external display detection unit 112, and a touch power control unit 113 as functional components realized by the CPU 11 or the chipset 13 executing a program.

[0056] The internal display detection unit 111 detects whether the display 170 (internal display) is controlled to be in an on state. For example, the internal display detection unit 111 determines whether the display 170 (internal display) is on or off based on the control status of the display unit 17 by the main processing unit 10.

[0057] As described above, the on state of the display 170 (internal display) means that the display is displayed on the screen so that the user can see it. On the other hand, the off state of the internal display means that the display on the screen cannot be seen by the user. In the case of an LCD, this may be a state in which at least the backlight is turned off, or a state in which the display on the screen itself is stopped.

[0058] The external display detection unit 112 detects whether or not the external display in the ON state is connected. For example, the external display detection unit 112 determines whether or not the external display device 5 in the ON state is connected based on the communication status of the interface (for example, display port) with the external display in the main processing unit 10. When the external display device 5 in the ON state is connected, display data is output to the external display via the interface (for example, display port) with the external display, so it is possible to make the determination based on the communication status.

[0059] The state in which the external display device 5 is on and not connected refers to a state in which the external display device 5 is not connected, or a state in which the external display device 5 is connected but the external display is off. In either case, the output of display data to the external display via the interface with the external display (for example, a display port) is stopped, so it is possible to make a determination based on the communication status.

[0060] The touch power control unit 113 controls the on / off of the touch power based on the detection results of the internal display detection unit 111 and the external display detection unit 112. For example, when the internal display is controlled to be in the on state (the states shown in (A), (B), and (C) of FIG. 1), the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power on signal to the EC 20 to control the touch power to be on.

[0061] On the other hand, when the internal display is in the off state and an on-state external display device 5 is connected to the external connection terminal 18 (the state shown in (E) of Figure 1), the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power off signal to the EC20 to control the touch power to be turned off.

[0062] In addition, the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power on signal to the EC20 when the internal display is controlled to the off state and an external display device 5 in the off state is connected to the external connection terminal 18 or when the external display device 5 is not connected to the external connection terminal 18 (the states shown in (D) and (F) of Figure 1).

[0063] The EC 20 includes a power supply control unit 211 that controls the supply of power from the power supply unit 40 to each unit. The power supply unit 40 also includes a touch power supply unit 45 that supplies power to the touch panel 175. When the power supply control unit 211 receives a touch power-on signal from the touch power control unit 113, it controls the output of the touch power supply unit 45 to turn on, thereby supplying power to the touch panel 175. On the other hand, when the power supply control unit 211 receives a touch power-off signal from the touch power control unit 113, it controls the output of the touch power supply unit 45 to turn off, thereby stopping the supply of power to the touch panel 175.

[0064] In this way, when the internal display is off and the external display is on (the state shown in (E) of Figure 1), the information processing device 1 can disable the touch function of the touch panel 175 by stopping the supply of power to the touch panel 175, regardless of the type of display unit 17 (internal display equipped with a touch panel).

[0065] 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1E are the states in which the system is in normal operation. Therefore, in the normal operation state, when the internal display is controlled to be in the on state (the states shown in FIG. 1A, 1B, and 1C), the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power-on signal to the EC20 to control the touch power to be on. In addition, in the normal operation state, when the internal display is in the off state and an on-state external display device 5 is connected to the external connection terminal 18 (the state shown in FIG. 1E), the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power-off signal to the EC20 to control the touch power to be off.

[0066] 1(D) and 1(F) are states in which the system is in a standby state. Therefore, in the standby state, the touch power control unit 113 outputs a touch power-on signal to the EC 20 when the internal display is controlled to be in an off state and the off-state external display device 5 is connected to the external connection terminal 18 or when the external display device 5 is not connected to the external connection terminal 18 (the states shown in FIG. 1(D) and 1(F)).

[0067] [Touch power on / off control process operation] Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the operation of the touch power on / off control process in the information processing device 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a touch power on / off control process according to this embodiment.

[0068] (Step S101) The main processing unit 10 detects whether the display 170 (internal display) is controlled to be in an on state. If the main processing unit 10 determines that the display 170 (internal display) is controlled to be in an off state (step S101: NO), the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the main processing unit 10 determines that the display 170 (internal display) is controlled to be in an on state (step S101: YES), the process proceeds to step S105.

[0069] (Step S103) The main processing unit 10 detects whether the external display is controlled to be in an on state. If the main processing unit 10 is not connected to the external display device 5 or is connected to the external display device 5 but is not transmitting display data to the external display, it determines that the external display is not controlled to be in an on state (the external display is off) (step S103: NO), and proceeds to processing in step S105. On the other hand, if the main processing unit 10 is connected to the external display device 5 and is transmitting display data to the external display, it determines that the external display is controlled to be in an on state (step S103: YES), and proceeds to processing in step S107.

[0070] (Step S105) The main processing unit 10 outputs a touch power-on signal that controls the touch power to be on to the EC 20. When the EC 20 acquires the touch power-on signal from the main processing unit 10, it controls the output of the touch power supply unit 45 to be on, thereby supplying power to the touch panel 175.

[0071] (Step S107) The main processing unit 10 outputs a touch power-off signal that controls the touch power to be turned off to the EC 20. When the EC 20 acquires the touch power-off signal from the main processing unit 10, it controls the output of the touch power supply unit 45 to be turned off, thereby stopping the supply of power to the touch panel 175.

[0072] [Summary of the embodiment] As described above, the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment includes the display 170 (internal display), the touch panel 175 that detects touch operations on the screen of the display 170 (internal display), the external connection terminal 18 (an example of a connection unit) that connects to the external display device 5 (external display), and the main processing unit 10 (an example of a processor) that controls the display 170 (internal display), the touch panel 175, and the external display device 5 (external display). The main processing unit 10 performs an external display detection process that detects whether an external display in an on state is connected to the external connection terminal 18, an internal display detection process that detects whether the internal display is controlled to an on state, and a touch power control process that supplies power to the touch panel 175 when the internal display is controlled to an on state, and stops the supply of power to the touch panel 175 when the internal display is controlled to an on state and when the internal display is off and an on-state external display device 5 (external display) is connected to the external connection terminal 18.

[0073] As a result, even if the external display is on, when the internal display is off, the information processing device 1 can disable the touch function regardless of the type of internal display by stopping the supply of power to the touch panel 175. Furthermore, when the internal display is on, the information processing device 1 can enable the touch function in the same way as conventional control by supplying power to the touch panel 175. Therefore, when an external display is connected and used, the information processing device 1 can appropriately control the on and off of the touch panel 175, which detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display.

[0074] In addition, in the above touch power control process, if the internal display is controlled to the off state and an external display device 5 (external display) in the off state is connected to the external connection terminal 18, or if the external display device 5 (external display) is not connected to the external connection terminal 18, the main processing unit 10 supplies power to the touch panel 175.

[0075] As a result, when both the internal display and the external display are off, or when the internal display is off and the external display is not connected (for example, in a standby state), the information processing device 1 supplies power to the touch panel 175, thereby enabling the touch function as needed. For example, the information processing device 1 can support a function (for example, Wake-on-Touch in Windows (registered trademark)) that wakes the device from standby mode when the user touches the internal display in standby mode.

[0076] The main processing unit 10 also performs system processing, which executes system processing based on a system program, and operation control processing, which switches the system's operating state between a normal operating state (first operating state) and a standby state (an example of a second operating state). The normal operating state is a state in which display data (display information) based on the system's processing is output to at least one of the internal display and the external display. The standby state is a state in which output of display data to both the internal display and the external display is stopped. In the touch power control processing, in the normal operating state, the main processing unit 10 supplies power to the touch panel 175 when the internal display is controlled to be in the on state, and stops supplying power to the touch panel 175 when the internal display is in the off state and an on-state external display device 5 (external display) is connected to the external connection terminal 18.

[0077] As a result, the information processing device 1 adds a function of switching on / off the power supply to the touch panel 175 in a normal operating state, and when the internal display is off even if the external display is on, the information processing device 1 can disable the touch function regardless of the type of internal display by stopping the power supply to the touch panel 175. Furthermore, when the internal display is on, the information processing device 1 can enable the touch function in the same way as conventional control by supplying power to the touch panel 175. Therefore, when an external display is connected and used, the information processing device 1 can appropriately control the on / off of the touch panel 175, which detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display.

[0078] In addition, in the above touch power control process, in the standby state, the main processing unit 10 supplies power to the touch panel 175 when the internal display is controlled to be in the off state and an external display device 5 (external display) in the off state is connected to the external connection terminal 18 or when the external display device 5 (external display) is not connected to the external connection terminal 18.

[0079] As a result, when the information processing device 1 is in a standby state and both the internal display and the external display are off, or when the internal display is off and no external display is connected, the information processing device 1 supplies power to the touch panel 175, and can thereby enable the touch function as needed. For example, the information processing device 1 can support a function (for example, Wake-on-Touch in Windows (registered trademark)) that wakes the device from the standby state when the user touches the internal display in the standby state.

[0080] Furthermore, the control method in the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment is a control method in the information processing device 1 that includes a display 170 (internal display), a touch panel 175 that detects touch operations on the screen of the display 170 (internal display), an external connection terminal 18 (an example of a connection unit) that connects to an external display device 5 (external display), and a main processing unit 10 (an example of a processor) that controls the display 170 (internal display), the touch panel 175, and the external display device 5 (external display), and includes the steps of the main processing unit 10 detecting whether an external display in an on state is connected to the external connection terminal 18, detecting whether the internal display is controlled to an on state, supplying power to the touch panel 175 if the internal display is controlled to an on state, and stopping the supply of power to the touch panel 175 if the internal display is off and an external display device 5 (external display) in an on state is connected to the external connection terminal 18.

[0081] As a result, the control method in information processing device 1 can disable the touch function regardless of the type of internal display by stopping the supply of power to touch panel 175 when the internal display is off, even if the external display is on. Furthermore, the control method in information processing device 1 can enable the touch function in the same way as conventional control by supplying power to touch panel 175 when the internal display is on. Therefore, the control method in information processing device 1 can appropriately control the on / off of touch panel 175, which detects touch operations on the screen of the internal display, when an external display is connected and used.

[0082] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention also includes designs that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. For example, the configurations described in the above-described embodiments can be combined in any manner.

[0083] In the above embodiment, an example configuration has been described in which the external display device 5 is connected to the external connection terminal 18 of the information processing device 1 via a wire (for example, a USB cable), but it may be connected wirelessly. For example, the connection unit to which the external display device 5 is connected may be the communication unit 15 instead of the external connection terminal 18, and the external display device 5 may be connected via Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like.

[0084] The information processing device 1 described above includes an internal computer system. A program for implementing the functions of each component of the information processing device 1 may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program may be loaded into a computer system and executed to perform processing in each component of the information processing device 1. Here, "loading a program recorded on a recording medium into a computer system and executing it" includes installing the program into a computer system. The term "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. The term "computer system" may also include multiple computer devices connected via a network, including the Internet, a WAN, a LAN, a dedicated line, or other communication lines. The term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk built into a computer system. The recording medium storing the program may also be a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

[0085] The recording medium also includes internal or external recording media accessible from a distribution server for distributing the program. The program may be divided into multiple parts, downloaded at different times, and then combined by the components of the information processing device 1, or each divided program may be distributed by a different distribution server. Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" also includes a medium that stores a program for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory (RAM) within a computer system that serves as a server or client when a program is transmitted over a network. The program may also be a medium that realizes part of the above-described functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can realize the above-described functions in combination with a program already stored in the computer system.

[0086] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the information processing device 1 in the above-described embodiment may be realized as an integrated circuit such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration). Each function may be individually implemented as a processor, or some or all of the functions may be integrated into a processor. The integrated circuit method is not limited to LSI, and may be implemented using a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology, an integrated circuit based on that technology may be used.

[0087] Furthermore, the PC 1 as the information processing device in the above embodiment is not limited to a notebook PC, but may be, for example, a desktop PC, a tablet PC, or a smartphone. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 Information processing device, 10 Main processing unit, 11 CPU, 12 GPU, 13 Chipset, 14 System memory, 15 Communication unit, 16 Storage unit, 17 Display unit, 170 Display, 175 Touch panel, 18 External connection terminal, 20 EC, 30 Input device, 35 Power button, 40 Power supply unit, 45 Touch power supply unit, 111 Internal display detection unit, 112 External display detection unit, 113 Touch power control unit, 211 Power control unit

Claims

1. The internal display and a touch panel that detects a touch operation on a screen of the internal display; a connector for connecting to an external display; a processor that controls the internal display, the touch panel, and the external display; Equipped with The processor: an external display detection process for detecting whether the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit; an internal display detection process for detecting whether the internal display is controlled to be in an on state; a touch power control process that supplies power to the touch panel when the internal display is controlled to be in an on state, and stops the supply of power to the touch panel when the internal display is in an off state and the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit; An information processing device that performs the above.

2. The processor: supplying power to the touch panel when the internal display is controlled to be in an off state and the external display in an off state is connected to the connection unit or the external display is not connected to the connection unit in the touch power control process; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The processor: a system process that executes the system process based on a system program; an operation control process for switching the operation state of the system between a first operation state in which display information based on processing of the system is output to at least one of the internal display and the external display, and a second operation state in which output of the display information to both the internal display and the external display is stopped; and In the touch power control process, in the first operating state, when the internal display is controlled to be in an on state, power is supplied to the touch panel, and when the internal display is in an off state and the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit, power supply to the touch panel is stopped. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The processor: In the touch power control process, in the second operating state, when the internal display is controlled to be in an off state and the external display in an off state is connected to the connection unit or the external display is not connected to the connection unit, power is supplied to the touch panel. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

5. A control method for an information processing device including an internal display, a touch panel that detects touch operations on a screen of the internal display, a connection unit that connects to an external display, and a processor that controls the internal display, the touch panel, and the external display, comprising: the processor: detecting whether the external display is turned on and connected to the connection portion; detecting whether the internal display is controlled to an on state; supplying power to the touch panel when the internal display is controlled to be in an on state; stopping the supply of power to the touch panel when the internal display is in an off state and the external display in an on state is connected to the connection unit; A control method comprising:

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