Electronic device, processing method and program

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus etc. for performing mode control at appropriate timing by using direction information.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus 100 performs radio communication with an information processing device 200 by a radio communication unit 110, and can operate at least by a first mode MD1 and a second mode MD2 being in a state having larger power consumption than the first mode MD1. The electronic apparatus 100 includes a direction information acquisition unit 120, and a processing unit 130. The direction information acquisition unit 120 acquires direction information on a direction of the information processing device 200 with respect to a reference position of the electronic apparatus 100 by radio communication with the information processing device 200 by the radio communication unit 110. The processing unit 130 performs at least one of transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 and transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 on the basis of the direction information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, a processing method, a program, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electronic devices having a normal mode and a power-saving mode have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for transitioning between the normal mode and the power-saving mode using a sensor or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 163627 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose a method for controlling the mode of an electronic device at an appropriate timing using direction information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electronic device that performs wireless communication with an information processing device via a wireless communication unit and is capable of operating in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, and includes: a direction information acquisition unit that acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device via the wireless communication with the information processing device via the wireless communication unit; and a processing unit that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode or a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information.

[0006] Furthermore, one aspect of the present disclosure relates to a processing method that performs the following processes: a process of performing wireless communication with an information processing device; a process of operating an electronic device in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode; a process of obtaining direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through the wireless communication with the information processing device; and a process of transitioning from the first mode to the second mode or a process of transitioning from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information.

[0007] Furthermore, one aspect of the present disclosure relates to a program used in an electronic device that performs wireless communication with an information processing device via a wireless communication unit and is capable of operating in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, the program causing a computer to function as a direction information acquisition unit that acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device via the wireless communication with the information processing device via the wireless communication unit, and a processing unit that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode or a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C illustrate examples of the configuration of an electronic device. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing by an electronic device. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first range. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of a first transition process. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of a second transition process. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the first transition process. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the second transition process. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second range. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the first transition process. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the second transition process. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the first transition process. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the second transition process. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third range. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the first transition process. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the second transition process. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of signal strength. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in signal intensity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present embodiment will be described below. Note that the present embodiment described below does not unduly limit the content of the present disclosure described in the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a system including an electronic device 100 and an information processing device 200 according to this embodiment. The electronic device 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110 and a control unit 112. The electronic device 100 communicates wirelessly with the information processing device 200 via the wireless communication unit 110. The electronic device 100 according to this embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1 , and various modifications are possible, such as omitting some of the components or adding other components. Examples of other components include a display unit and a memory. Although not shown in FIG. 1 , the electronic device 100 may further include an operation unit 140, which may be implemented as hardware integrated with a display unit (not shown), such as a touch panel.

[0011] The electronic device 100 of this embodiment is, for example, a printer, but may also be a scanner, a personal computer, a wearable device, a biometric information measuring device, a robot, a video device, or a physical quantity measuring device. The wearable device may be a smartwatch or an activity tracker. The biometric information measuring device may be a pulse monitor or a pedometer. The video device may be a camera or a projector. The physical quantity measuring device may be a thermometer or a weighing scale. The term "printer" as used herein also includes a multifunction peripheral. The multifunction peripheral refers to a printer that includes functions other than a printer function. The functions other than a printer function may include a copy function, a fax function, a scanner function, or other functions. The information processing device 200 is, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone, but may also be the aforementioned personal computer. The configuration example of the system including the electronic device 100 of this embodiment and the information processing device 200 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1 . For example, the electronic device 100 may wirelessly communicate with multiple information processing devices 200, or the information processing device 200 may wirelessly communicate with multiple electronic devices 100.

[0012] The electronic device 100 of this embodiment can operate in multiple modes. A mode can also be referred to as a state. For example, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment can operate in at least a first mode MD1 and a second mode MD2. Furthermore, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, each mode may have different power consumption. For example, the second mode MD2 may have higher power consumption than the first mode MD1. That is, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment can operate in at least the first mode MD1 and a second mode MD2 in which power consumption is higher than that of the first mode MD1. For example, the processing unit 130 (described later) can determine whether the electronic device 100 is in the first mode MD1 or the second mode MD2 by controlling the on / off of a first flag (not shown). In the following description, the second mode MD2 is assumed to be a state in which power consumption is higher than that of the first mode MD1.

[0013] Specifically, when power is not being supplied to the electronic device 100, the user can activate the boot program of the electronic device 100 by pressing a power switch (not shown) on the electronic device 100, thereby transitioning to the second mode MD2. In other words, the second mode MD2 is a mode in which there are no restrictions on the power supply to each function constituting the electronic device 100, allowing all components of the electronic device 100 to operate. Meanwhile, the first mode MD1 can be a state in which the power consumption of the electronic device 100 is reduced by restricting the power supply, etc., to some components of the electronic device 100. The first mode MD1 can also be referred to as a power-saving state. Note that restricting the power supply, etc., means, for example, stopping the power supply to a specific component or operating the specific component with a clock frequency lower than the clock normally used. However, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the functions of the ICs or modules constituting the wireless communication unit 110 are not suspended in the first mode MD1. In other words, the electronic device 100 can also acquire direction information, which will be described later, in the first mode MD1. Similarly, the processing unit 130 is also capable of performing the processes described later in FIG. 2 and subsequent figures in the first mode MD1. The first mode MD1 also includes a case where a predetermined function is in operation but power supply to functions other than the predetermined function is restricted. Specifically, for example, the first mode MD1 is a mode in which the backlight of the touch panel (not shown) is turned off while the electronic device 100 is executing a job. Note that, in order to activate a function for executing a job of the electronic device 100, the electronic device 100 must be operating in the second mode MD2.

[0014] The wireless communication unit 110 is a communication interface that performs wireless communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard. The wireless communication unit 110 can be realized by, for example, communication hardware such as a communication ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or a communication processor, communication firmware, etc. In this embodiment, the processing unit 130 (described later) performs communication control processing, such as information transmission processing and reception processing, on the wireless communication unit 110, thereby enabling the wireless communication unit 110 to transmit information to an external device such as the electronic device 100 and receive information from the external device. Note that there may be multiple predetermined wireless communication standards. In other words, the wireless communication unit 110 includes hardware and communication firmware, etc., that support the desired wireless communication standard.

[0015] The wireless communication unit 110 can perform wireless communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard, such as a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). Note that in this embodiment, Bluetooth includes BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), and may be simply referred to as BLE in the following description. That is, the wireless communication unit 110 of the electronic device 100 and the information processing device 200 of this embodiment each include a BLE communication unit (not shown). This enables communication by BLE between the electronic device 100 and the information processing device 200. Furthermore, the BLE communication unit is assumed to be compatible with Bluetooth 5.1 or a later version of the standard. In other words, each unit included in the electronic device 100 and the information processing device 200 of this embodiment is assumed to be compatible with Bluetooth 5.1 or a later version of the standard.

[0016] The wireless communication unit 110 may further perform wireless communication according to another wireless communication standard. The other wireless communication standard may be, for example, wireless communication according to Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and the wireless communication unit 110 may further perform wireless communication according to a predetermined Wi-Fi connection mode. The predetermined connection mode may be, for example, Wi-Fi infrastructure mode, ad-hoc mode, or Wi-Fi Direct (registered trademark) mode, but may also be another connection mode. Wi-Fi Direct can also be referred to as a direct connection. Each predetermined connection mode can be arbitrarily enabled or disabled.

[0017] The control unit 112 controls input and output of data between the control unit 112 and each functional unit including the wireless communication unit 110. For example, the control unit 112 executes various arithmetic processes based on a predetermined program read from a memory (not shown), an operation input signal from the operation unit 140, or various data received via the wireless communication unit 110, and controls, for example, display output operations on a display unit (not shown). Note that the predetermined program may be, for example, basic software such as an OS (Operating System), various application programs that operate based on the basic software, or both.

[0018] The control unit 112 can be implemented by a processor. That is, each process in this embodiment can be implemented by a processor that operates based on information such as a program and a memory (not shown) that stores information such as the program. The processor may be, for example, individual hardware that implements the functions of each unit, or it may be integrated hardware that implements the functions of each unit. For example, the processor may include hardware, and the hardware may include at least one of a circuit for processing digital signals and a circuit for processing analog signals. For example, the processor may be configured with one or more circuit devices mounted on a circuit board or one or more circuit elements. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). However, the processor is not limited to a CPU, and various processors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) can be used. The processor may also be a hardware circuit using an ASIC. The processor may also include an amplifier circuit, a filter circuit, or the like that processes analog signals.

[0019] Furthermore, the control unit 112 of this embodiment includes a direction information acquisition unit 120 and a processing unit 130. That is, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment includes the direction information acquisition unit 120 and the processing unit 130. For example, the control unit 112 realizes the functions of the direction information acquisition unit 120 and the processing unit 130 by reading a mode control program, which will be described later, from a memory (not shown) and executing it. Furthermore, if basic software that serves as the foundation for the operation of the mode control program is required, the control unit 112 may read the program of that basic software from a memory (not shown) so that the control unit 112 can realize the functions of the processing unit 130, for example.

[0020] The direction information acquisition unit 120 acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device 200 relative to a reference position of the electronic device 100 through wireless communication with the information processing device 200 via the wireless communication unit 110. The direction information can be acquired, for example, by the following method. For example, as described above, the BLE communication unit of the information processing device 200 broadcasts BLE advertising packets, and the BLE communication unit of the wireless communication unit 110 that receives the advertising packets includes multiple receiving antennas. In this case, since the advertising packets arrive at each receiving antenna with a time difference, the angle of arrival (AOA) of the radio waves can be estimated based on a first calculation method that uses the known distances between the antennas and the wavelength of the radio waves. In other words, the reference position of the electronic device 100 is, for example, the position where the antenna of the BLE communication unit of the wireless communication unit 110 is located, although this is not shown in the figure. Note that methods for estimating the angle of arrival (AOA), including the first calculation method, are well known, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0021] Alternatively, the direction information may be obtained by, for example, the following method. The BLE communication unit of the information processing device 200 includes multiple transmitting antennas and broadcasts BLE advertising packets while staggering the timing of transmitting radio waves from each transmitting antenna. At this time, the advertising packets include information on the timing at which each transmitting antenna transmits the advertising packet and information on the distance between each transmitting antenna. The BLE communication unit of the wireless communication unit 110 can estimate the angle of departure (AOD) of the radio waves based on a second calculation method that uses the phase difference between the advertising packets received from each transmitting antenna, the information on the transmission timing included in the advertising packet, and the information on the distance between the transmitting antennas. Note that the method for estimating the angle of departure (AOD), including the second calculation method, is well known, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0022] The processing unit 130 can perform a first transition process (step S100) that transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 based on the direction information, using a method described later with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures. The processing unit 130 can also perform a second transition process (step S200) that transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 based on the direction information. The processing unit 130 can perform both the first transition process (step S100) and the second transition process (step S200), or can perform only one of them. For example, the processing unit 130 can realize the first transition process (step S100) or the second transition process (step S200) by functioning as the mode control program described above. The processing unit 130 can also function as basic software that forms the basis of the mode control program. The function of basic software, for example, is a function that converts orientation information acquired using a geomagnetic sensor or gyro sensor (not shown) into information used in each process of the mode control program described below.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing related to the mode control program of this embodiment. The processing in FIG. 2 is illustrated as a loop process performed after the boot program of the electronic device 100 is started, but may also be a timer interrupt process performed at regular intervals, for example. The processing unit 130 performs a process (step S10) to determine whether the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1. If the processing unit 130 determines that the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1 (YES in step S10), it performs a first transition process (step S100) and performs step S10 again. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the electronic device 100 is operating in the second mode MD2 (NO in step S10), it performs a second transition process (step S200) and performs step S10 again.

[0024] For example, although not shown in the drawings, it is assumed that there exists an electronic device 100 for which the direction in which the user of the electronic device 100 approaches is determined to be a predetermined direction for a predetermined reason. The predetermined reason may be, for example, that the electronic device 100 is located in a corner of a predetermined floor, or that a wall or another device is located in a direction other than the predetermined direction. Furthermore, it is assumed that the user of the electronic device 100 always carries the information processing device 200. In this case, in the first transition process (step S100), the processing unit 130 determines whether the direction based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is identical to the predetermined direction. Here, "same" includes "approximately same." If the processing unit 130 determines that the direction based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is identical to the predetermined direction, the processing unit 130 determines that the user is approaching the electronic device 100 and therefore wishes to use the electronic device 100. Then, the processing unit 130 performs a process of transitioning the electronic device 100 from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 because operating the electronic device 100 in the first mode MD1 is not appropriate for executing a job in this situation.

[0025] Furthermore, in the second transition process (step S200), the processing unit 130 also determines whether the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is the same as the predetermined direction. If the processing unit 130 determines that the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is not the same as the predetermined direction, the processing unit 130 determines that the user has moved away from the electronic device 100 and has therefore finished using the electronic device 100. Then, the processing unit 130 performs a process of transitioning the electronic device 100 from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 because it is not appropriate to operate the electronic device 100 in the second mode MD2 in this situation from the viewpoint of power consumption.

[0026] 2 is a loop process in which either the first transition process (step S100) or the second transition process (step S200) is always performed, but it may also be a loop process in which only one of them is performed. For example, although not shown, if step S10 in FIG. 2 is NO, step S10 may be performed again, thereby performing the first transition process (step S100) but not the second transition process (step S200). Similarly, if step S10 in FIG. 2 is YES, step S10 may be performed again, thereby performing the second transition process (step S200) but not the first transition process (step S100).

[0027] As described above, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment is an electronic device that performs wireless communication with the information processing device 200 via the wireless communication unit 110 and is operable in at least the first mode MD1 and the second mode MD2, which is a state in which power consumption is higher than that of the first mode MD1, and includes a direction information acquisition unit 120 and a processing unit 130. The direction information acquisition unit 120 acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device 200 relative to a reference position of the electronic device 100 through wireless communication with the information processing device 200 via the wireless communication unit 110. The processing unit 130 performs at least one of a transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 and a transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1, based on the direction information.

[0028] As described above, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment can operate in the first mode MD1 and the second mode MD2, which consumes more power than the first mode MD1, and therefore can be prevented from always operating in the second mode MD2. This allows the electronic device 100 to consume power appropriately. Furthermore, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment includes the direction information acquisition unit 120, which allows it to acquire direction information of the information processing device 200. Furthermore, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment includes the processing unit 130, which allows it to perform mode control of the electronic device 100 based on the direction information. This allows the timing of mode transition of the electronic device 100 to be more appropriately controlled.

[0029] Until now, no electronic device 100 has been proposed that controls the mode transition of the electronic device 100 based on directional information. For example, if the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1, and the first mode MD1 continues until the user actually operates the electronic device 100, the period until the transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 is completed is a time loss for the user. Furthermore, even if the user has finished using the electronic device 100 and is located away from the electronic device 100, maintaining the second mode MD2 is wasteful in terms of power consumption. Furthermore, controlling the state of the electronic device 100 using a sensor or the like requires additional components such as sensors, which requires cost and effort. In this regard, by applying the method of the present embodiment, the mode transition of the electronic device 100 can be more appropriately timed without increasing the number of components. This improves the convenience of the electronic device 100. For example, the electronic device 100 can be operated in the second mode MD2 when the user arrives at the location where the electronic device 100 is located, thereby reducing the time required for the user to use the electronic device 100. Furthermore, for example, since the electronic device 100 can be operated in the first mode MD1 at a timing when the user is not using the electronic device 100, the power consumption of the electronic device 100 can be reduced.

[0030] The technique of the present embodiment may also be realized by a processing method. That is, the processing method of the present embodiment includes a process of wirelessly communicating with the information processing device 200, a process of operating the electronic device 100 in at least a first mode MD1 and a second mode MD2 that consumes more power than the first mode MD1, and a process of acquiring direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device 200 relative to a reference position of the electronic device 100 through wireless communication with the information processing device 200. The processing method of the present embodiment further includes at least one of a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 and a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 based on the direction information. In this way, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

[0031] The method of the present embodiment may also be realized by a program. That is, the program of the present embodiment is used in an electronic device 100 that wirelessly communicates with an information processing device 200 via a wireless communication unit 110 and is capable of operating in at least a first mode MD1 and a second mode MD2 that consumes more power than the first mode MD1. The program causes a computer to function as a direction information acquisition unit 120 and a processing unit 130. The direction information acquisition unit 120 acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device 200 relative to a reference position of the electronic device 100 through wireless communication with the information processing device 200 via the wireless communication unit 110. The processing unit 130 performs at least one of a transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 or a transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1, based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120. In this manner, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

[0032] The method of this embodiment is not limited to the above and can be modified in various ways. For example, the electronic device 100 of this embodiment may perform a process to determine whether the information processing device 200 is located in a first range described below. More specifically, the first transition process (step S100) and the second transition process (step S200) of FIG. 2 are not limited to the above and may be performed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example. In the following description, the Bluetooth standard is used as an example of a wireless communication standard. That is, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the wireless communication standard is the Bluetooth standard, and the processing unit 130 performs at least one of a transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 or a transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 based on a beacon signal compliant with the Bluetooth standard detected by the wireless communication unit 110. In this way, a system for mode control of the electronic device 100 can be constructed using Bluetooth.

[0033] The first range will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the electronic device 100 as viewed from above. As described above, the electronic device 100 may include the operation unit 140. Specifically, wireless communication hardware functioning as the wireless communication unit 110 is mounted through a mounting process on a substrate including a touch panel, operation buttons, and the like that function as the operation unit 140. As such, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the wireless communication unit 110 is provided at the installation location of the operation unit 140. This allows the position of the wireless communication unit 110 and the position of the operation unit 140 to be consistent, allowing the user to grasp the position of the wireless communication unit 110 from outside the electronic device 100. This allows the user to grasp the reference position from outside the electronic device 100. In other words, the installation location of the operation unit 140 is where the substrate on which the devices that constitute the operation unit 140 are mounted is installed in the electronic device 100. The operation unit 140 is provided in the front direction of the electronic device 100. The front direction of the electronic device 100 is the direction from the electronic device 100 toward the position where the user is normally expected to be located when using the electronic device 100.

[0034] As shown in A1 of FIG. 3 , a directional range of a first angle α1 including the aforementioned forward direction is defined as a first range, with respect to an antenna (not shown) included in the BLE communication unit of the wireless communication unit 110. From the above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the reference position is the position of the operation unit 140, and the first range is a directional range including the forward direction from the operation unit 140. In this manner, the processing unit 130 can control the state of the electronic device 100 based on directional information based on the front side of the operation unit 140. This can prevent unnecessary mode transitions from being performed. An example of an unnecessary mode transition is a transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 when the user is positioned in the opposite direction from the operation unit 140.

[0035] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of the first transition process (step S100). The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (step S110). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S110), it performs a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S110), it ends the flow.

[0036] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 when it is determined that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range, which is the directional range of the first angle α1, which is a predetermined angle from the reference position, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1. In this way, the processing unit 130 can transition to the second mode MD2, which is usable by the electronic device 100, after determining that the user is approaching the electronic device 100 within the directional range of the predetermined angle.

[0037] 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of the second transition process (step S200). The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (step S210). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S210), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S210), it ends the flow.

[0038] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the processing unit 130 performs a transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 when it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not present in the first range, which is a range of the first angle α1 as a predetermined angle from the reference position, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2. In this way, the processing unit 130 can perform a transition to the first mode MD1, which consumes less power, after determining that the user is not located in the directional range of the predetermined angle with respect to the electronic device 100.

[0039] Furthermore, the method of this embodiment is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, an example of the first transition process (step S100) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 is located within a first range (step S110). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S110), it performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a first predetermined time or more (step S120). On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S110), it ends the flow. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a first predetermined time or more (YES in step S120), it performs a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190), and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been staying within the first range is less than the first predetermined time (NO in step S120), the flow ends.

[0040] Note that the first predetermined time in step S120 may be set to a plurality of different values ​​depending on the location of the first range. For example, although not illustrated, the first predetermined time may be different depending on whether the information processing device 200 is located within a predetermined distance from the electronic device 100 within the first range and whether the information processing device 200 is located at a distance greater than or equal to the predetermined distance from the electronic device 100. For example, the first predetermined time when the information processing device 200 is located within the predetermined distance from the electronic device 100 may be set shorter than the first predetermined time when the information processing device 200 is located at a distance greater than or equal to the predetermined distance from the electronic device 100. Note that whether the information processing device 200 is within the predetermined distance can be determined using information such as BLE signal strength, and details will be described later with reference to FIG. 13 . As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 if the time spent by the information processing device 200 in the first range exceeds the first predetermined time, and the first predetermined time varies depending on the location of the information processing device 200. By doing so, the processing unit 130 can transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 at a more appropriate timing.

[0041] Similarly, for example, an example of the second transition process (step S200) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (step S210). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S210), it performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fourth predetermined time or more (step S220). On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S210), it ends the flow. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fourth predetermined time or more (YES in step S220), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290), and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been staying within the first range is less than the fourth predetermined time (NO in step S220), the flow ends.

[0042] 6 and the fourth predetermined time in FIG. 7 can be set by the user as appropriate, but it is desirable to set the fourth predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. This is because if the user is located in the first range, it is highly likely that the user is using electronic device 100, and it is desirable to set the fourth predetermined time, which is the time until transition to first mode MD1, which consumes less power, longer. For example, the fourth predetermined time is set based on the average amount of time that the user uses electronic device 100 at one time.

[0043] Similarly, the fourth predetermined time in step S220 may be set to a plurality of different values ​​depending on the location of the information processing device 200 in the first range. For example, although not shown, the fourth predetermined time may be different depending on whether the information processing device 200 is located within a predetermined distance from the electronic device 100 in the first range or is located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the electronic device 100. For example, the fourth predetermined time when the information processing device 200 is located within a predetermined distance from the electronic device 100 may be set longer than the fourth predetermined time when the information processing device 200 is located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the electronic device 100. As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 after the information processing device 200's stay time in the first range reaches or exceeds the fourth predetermined time, and the fourth predetermined time varies depending on the location of the information processing device 200. This allows the processing unit 130 to transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 at a more appropriate timing.

[0044] Furthermore, the method of this embodiment is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, although the processing example using the first range has been described in Figures 3 to 7, the present invention is not limited to this, and a processing example using a second range may also be used. The second range is, for example, as shown in B2 and C2 of Figure 8, a directional range of a second angle α2 from the reference position that is larger than the first angle α1, and which excludes the first range shown in A1.

[0045] Specifically, for example, an example of the first transition process (step S100) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a second predetermined time or longer (step S130). For example, the processing unit 130 performs a process of counting a first timer counter when it determines that the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is within the direction range of the first angle α1. The processing unit 130 can achieve step S130 by performing a process of determining whether the count value of the first timer counter has reached a first predetermined count value. Note that the processing unit 130 resets the count value of the first timer counter when the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is outside the direction range of the first angle α1.

[0046] When the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a second predetermined time or more (YES in step S130), it performs a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, when the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range is less than the second predetermined time (NO in step S130), it performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a third predetermined time or more (step S140). For example, the processing unit 130 performs a process of counting a second timer counter when it determines that the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is within the direction range of the second angle α2 and outside the direction range of the first angle α1. The processing unit 130 can then implement step S140 by performing a process of determining whether the count value of the second timer counter has reached a second predetermined count value. If the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 falls outside the direction range of the second angle α2, the processing unit 130 resets the count value of the second timer counter.

[0047] If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a third predetermined time or longer (YES in step S140), it performs a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for less than the third predetermined time (NO in step S140), it ends the flow.

[0048] The second predetermined time in step S130 and the third predetermined time in step S140 can be set by the user as appropriate, but it is desirable to set the second predetermined time shorter than the third predetermined time. In other words, the third predetermined time is longer than the second predetermined time. This is because when the user is located in the first range, it is more likely that the user is attempting to use the electronic device 100 than when the user is located in the second range, and it is therefore desirable to set the time until the electronic device 100 transitions to the second mode MD2, in which it can be used, shorter.

[0049] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 when the information processing device 200 is located in the first range for a duration equal to or longer than the second predetermined time while the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1. Furthermore, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 when the information processing device 200 is located in the second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, for a duration equal to or longer than the third predetermined time while the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1. In this way, the processing unit 130 can transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 at more appropriate timing depending on the location of the information processing device 200.

[0050] Similarly, a processing example of the second transition process (step S200) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 10. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fifth predetermined time or longer (step S230). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fifth predetermined time or longer (YES in step S230), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for less than the fifth predetermined time (NO in step S230), it performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a sixth predetermined time or longer (step S240). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a sixth predetermined time or more (YES in step S240), it performs processing to transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range is less than the sixth predetermined time (NO in step S240), it ends the flow. Note that step S230 can be implemented by using a third timer counter, similar to the above-mentioned step S130, and step S240 can be implemented by using a fourth timer counter, similar to the above-mentioned step S140, so detailed explanations of how to implement them will be omitted.

[0051] The fifth predetermined time in step S230 and the sixth predetermined time in step S240 can be set by the user as appropriate, but it is desirable to set the sixth predetermined time shorter than the fifth predetermined time. This is because when the user is located in the second range, it is more likely that the user has finished using electronic device 100 than when the user is located in the first range, and it is desirable to shorten the time until transition to first mode MD1, which consumes less power.

[0052] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 if the time spent by the information processing device 200 in the first range becomes equal to or longer than the fifth predetermined time. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 if the time spent by the information processing device 200 in the second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, becomes equal to or longer than a sixth predetermined time, which is shorter than the fifth predetermined time. In this way, the processing unit 130 can transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 at more appropriate timing depending on the location of the information processing device 200.

[0053] Also, for example, an example of the first transition process (step S100) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (step S150). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S150), the processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a second predetermined time or longer (step S152). For example, the processing unit 130 performs a process of counting a fifth timer counter at a first timing when the processing unit 130 determines that the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is within the direction range of the second angle α2. Then, the processing unit 130 performs a process of resetting the count value of the fifth timer counter and restarting counting at a second timing when the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 enters the direction range of the first angle α1 from the direction range of the second angle α2. Then, the processing unit 130 can implement step S150 by performing a process of determining whether or not the count value of the fifth timer counter has reached the fifth predetermined count value after the second timing.

[0054] On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S150), it performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 is located within the second range (step S160). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a second predetermined time or more (YES in step S152), it performs a process of transitioning from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for less than the second predetermined time (NO in step S152), it performs the above-mentioned step S160. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the second range (YES in step S160), it performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a third predetermined time or more (step S162). For example, the processing unit 130 can implement step S162 by performing a process of determining whether the count value of the fifth timer counter, which started counting from the first timing, has reached the sixth predetermined count value. The processing unit 130 may temporarily store time information corresponding to the first timing. By doing so, for example, even if the user moves back and forth between the first range and the second range, the start timing of the third predetermined time can be accurately determined.

[0055] On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the second range (NO in step S160), the flow ends. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a third predetermined time or more (YES in step S162), the processing unit 130 performs processing to transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range is less than the third predetermined time (NO in step S162), the flow ends.

[0056] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located in either the first range or the second range, the processing unit 130 continues to operate the electronic device 100 in the first mode MD1. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range and the stay time is equal to or longer than the second predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range but within the second range and the stay time is equal to or longer than the third predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2. In this manner, the processing unit 130 can control the state of the electronic device 100 at an appropriate timing while determining whether the information processing device 200 is located in the first range or the second range. In addition, by doing so, the second and third predetermined times can be grasped using a single timer counter. In the case of the flow in Fig. 9, control by the first and second timer counters is required as described above, but in the case of the flow in Fig. 11, control by the fifth timer counter is sufficient.

[0057] Similarly, an example of the second transition process (step S200) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (step S250). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range (YES in step S250), the processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fifth predetermined time or longer (step S252). For example, the processing unit 130 performs a process of counting a sixth timer counter at a third timing when the processing unit 130 determines that the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 is within the direction range of the second angle α2. Then, the processing unit 130 performs a process of resetting the count value of the sixth timer counter and restarting counting at a fourth timing when the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 enters the direction range of the first angle α1 from the direction range of the second angle α2. Then, the processing unit 130 can implement step S250 by performing a process of determining whether or not the count value of the sixth timer counter has reached a sixth predetermined count value after the fourth timing.

[0058] On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range (NO in step S250), it performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 is located within the second range (step S260). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for a fifth predetermined time or more (YES in step S252), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the first range for less than the fifth predetermined time (NO in step S252), it ends the flow. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the second range (YES in step S260), it performs a process of determining whether or not the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a sixth predetermined time or more (step S262). For example, the processing unit 130 can implement step S162 by performing a process of determining whether the count value of the sixth timer counter, which started counting at the aforementioned third timing, has reached a sixth predetermined count value. Note that, if, at the fifth timing before the aforementioned step S252 becomes YES, the angle based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit 120 enters the direction range of the second angle α2 from the direction range of the first angle α1, the processing unit 130 performs a process of resetting the count value of the sixth timer counter and starting counting again. Then, after the fifth timing, the processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the count value of the sixth timer counter has reached the sixth predetermined count value.

[0059] On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the second range (NO in step S260), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range for a sixth predetermined time or more (YES in step S262), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the time that the information processing device 200 has been within the second range is less than the sixth predetermined time (NO in step S262), it ends the flow.

[0060] As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions to the first mode MD1 if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located in either the first range or the second range. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is located within the first range and the stay time is equal to or longer than a fifth predetermined time. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located within the first range but within the second range and the stay time is equal to or longer than a sixth predetermined time. This allows for the same effect as that of FIG. 11 to be achieved.

[0061] While the above is an example of processing using the first range based on directional information, the method of the present embodiment is not limited to the above, and may be an example of processing using a third range that further takes distance information into consideration. The third range is, for example, as shown in D3 of FIG. 13 , a range within the first range indicated by A1 that is a predetermined distance from the reference position. The processing unit 130 can acquire distance information using, for example, the following method and perform processing using the third range. When the BLE communication unit of the wireless communication unit 110 receives radio waves based on BLE, the BLE advertising packet includes reference radio wave strength information, allowing the processing unit 130 to acquire information about the distance between the information processing device 200 and the electronic device 100. The reference radio wave strength is the received signal strength (RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indication) of a beacon signal at a receiving device when the receiving device is installed at a reference distance from the transmitting device of the beacon signal. Since radio wave strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, if the radio wave strength at the reference distance is known, the processing unit 130 can calculate information about the distance between the information processing device 200 and the electronic device 100 based on the radio wave strength of the BLE beacon signal actually received by the BLE communication unit. The information about the distance between the information processing device 200 and the electronic device 100 is a specific distance such as "1.5 m," but may also be information that can distinguish between the first range and the third range, for example.

[0062] As a specific example of processing using the third range, for example, a processing example of the first transition processing (step S100) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14. The processing unit 130 performs processing to determine whether or not the information processing device 200 is located within the third range (step S170). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the third range (YES in step S170), it performs processing to transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 (step S190) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the third range (NO in step S170), it ends the flow. Note that when performing the processing of FIG. 14, if the information processing device 200 is located in the first range indicated by A1 in FIG. 13, the first transition processing (step S100) is not performed. As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 if the information processing device 200 is located within a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position and within a third range that is a range of a predetermined distance from the reference position. In this way, the range in which the information processing device 200 should be located can be more appropriately determined so that the processing unit 130 can transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2.

[0063] Similarly, as a processing example using the third range, for example, a processing example of the second transition process (step S200) may be as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 15. The processing unit 130 performs a process of determining whether the information processing device 200 is located within the third range (step S270). If the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located within the third range (NO in step S270), it performs a process of transitioning from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 (step S290) and ends the flow. On the other hand, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located within the third range (YES in step S270), it ends the flow. As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1 if the information processing device 200 is not located within the third range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position and a range of a predetermined distance from the reference position. In this way, the range in which the information processing device 200 should be located can be more appropriately determined so that the processing unit 130 can transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1.

[0064] 14 and 15, the processing may be a loop in which either the first transition processing (step S100) or the second transition processing (step S200) is always performed, or a loop in which only one of the first and second transition processing is performed, as described above with reference to FIG. 2. As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the processing unit 130 performs at least one of a transition from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 or a transition from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1, based on the strength and direction information of the Bluetooth signal. In this way, the processing unit 130 can more appropriately control the mode of the electronic device 100 using Bluetooth.

[0065] 14 and 15 illustrate a processing example using the third range, which is the first range and a predetermined distance range. However, the method of this embodiment may also be a processing example using the fourth range. Specifically, the fourth range is the second range shown in B2 and B3 and a predetermined distance from the operation unit 140, which is the reference position, as shown in E4 and F4 of FIG. 13. For example, in the flow shown in FIG. 9, the first range in step S130 may be replaced with the third range, and the second range in step S140 may be replaced with the fourth range. That is, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if the time during which the information processing device 200 is located in the third range becomes equal to or longer than a seventh predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2. Furthermore, when the information processing device 200 stays in a fourth range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the third range, for an eighth predetermined time or longer, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1. This makes it possible to more appropriately determine the range in which the information processing device 200 should be located in order to perform mode control. The relationship between the seventh predetermined time and the eighth predetermined time is the same as the relationship between the second predetermined time and the third predetermined time described above with reference to FIG. 9, and can be set appropriately by the user.

[0066] Similarly, for example, in the flow shown in FIG. 10 , the first range in step S230 may be replaced with a third range, and the second range in step S240 may be replaced with a fourth range. That is, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, if the information processing device 200's stay time in the third range is equal to or longer than a ninth predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, if the information processing device 200's stay time in the fourth range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the third range, is equal to or longer than a tenth predetermined time, which is shorter than the ninth predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1. This allows the range in which the information processing device 200 should be located to be more appropriate for mode control. The relationship between the ninth predetermined time and the tenth predetermined time is the same as the relationship between the fifth predetermined time and the sixth predetermined time described above with reference to FIG. 10 , and can be set appropriately by the user.

[0067] 11 and 12. That is, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located in either the third range or the fourth range, the processing unit 130 continues to operate the electronic device 100 in the first mode MD1. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is located in the third range and the stay time is equal to or longer than a seventh predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the first mode MD1, if the processing unit 130 determines that the information processing device 200 is not located in the third range but in the fourth range and the stay time is equal to or longer than an eighth predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located in either the third range or the fourth range, the processing unit 130 transitions to the first mode MD1. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is located within the third range and the staying time is equal to or longer than a ninth predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1. Furthermore, when the electronic device 100 operates in the second mode MD2, if it is determined that the information processing device 200 is not located within the third range but within the fourth range and the staying time is equal to or longer than a tenth predetermined time, the processing unit 130 transitions from the second mode MD2 to the first mode MD1. This makes it possible to more appropriately determine the range in which the information processing device 200 should be located in order to perform mode control.

[0068] The method of this embodiment is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, the processing unit 130 may further consider the amount of change in the strength of the beacon signal in addition to the direction information. For example, the signal strength of the beacon signal varies depending on whether a first user passes in front of the electronic device 100 or a second user approaches the electronic device 100 to use it. Specifically, for example, the first user passes in front of the electronic device 100 without slowing down, while the second user approaches the electronic device 100 while slowing down to perform a predetermined task in front of the electronic device 100. Therefore, the signal strength of the beacon signal received by the electronic device 100 from the information processing device 200 owned by the first user varies as shown by G11 in FIG. 16, and the signal strength of the beacon signal received by the electronic device 100 from the information processing device 200 owned by the second user varies as shown by G12 in FIG. 16. In this way, the processing unit 130 may add a process of not performing the first transition process (step S100) when it is determined that the signal strength behavior of the beacon signal indicates that the user is the first user. This is because the first user does not use the electronic device 100, and so if the electronic device 100 is operating in the first mode MD1 with low power consumption, it is desirable to maintain the first mode MD1.

[0069] The processing unit 130 may calculate the amount of change in signal strength and determine whether the user is the first user based on the amount of change. For example, if the graphs shown in G11 and G12 in FIG. 16 can be approximated by a quadratic curve, differentiating the curve with respect to time results in the straight lines shown in G21 and G22 in FIG. 17. Comparing the lines G21 and G22, it is clear that the slope of the line G21 is steeper. Therefore, the processing unit 130 performs processing to calculate the amount of change in signal strength as shown in FIG. 17 based on the received signal strength. If the slope of the line indicating the amount of change in signal strength is greater than a predetermined magnitude, it can be determined that the beacon signal originates from the information processing device 200 of the first user. As described above, in the electronic device 100 of this embodiment, the processing unit 130 transitions from the first mode MD1 to the second mode MD2 based on the amount of change in strength of the beacon signal received by the wireless communication unit 110. In this manner, the processing unit 130 can determine whether the user using the electronic device 100 is the user and then control the mode of the electronic device 100.

[0070] The method of this embodiment is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible. For example, as another modification, the state of the electronic device 100 may include a third mode (not shown) in addition to the first mode MD1 and the second mode MD2. Like the second mode MD2, the third mode does not limit the power supply to each function constituting the electronic device 100, but restricts the transition process to the first mode MD1. For example, the processing unit 130 can determine whether the electronic device 100 is in the second mode MD2 or the third mode by controlling the on / off of a second flag (not shown). For example, although not shown in a flowchart, the processing unit 130 may perform processing that does not apply the second transition process (step S200) described above when the state of the electronic device 100 is in the third mode. This prevents the user from overlooking a serious error by transitioning to the first mode MD1, for example, by setting the mode in which a normal error occurs to the second mode MD2 and the mode in which a serious error occurs to the third mode.

[0071] As described above, the electronic device of this embodiment is an electronic device that wirelessly communicates with an information processing device via a wireless communication unit and is capable of operating in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, and includes a direction information acquisition unit and a processing unit. The direction information acquisition unit acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through wireless communication with the information processing device via the wireless communication unit. The processing unit performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information.

[0072] In this way, the mode transition of the electronic device can be controlled based on the direction information, thereby enabling more appropriate timing for the mode transition of the electronic device.

[0073] The processing unit may also transition from the first mode to the second mode when it is determined that the information processing device is located within a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from a reference position, when the electronic device is operating in the first mode.

[0074] By doing this, the processing unit can determine that the user is approaching the electronic device within a directional range of a predetermined angle, and then transition to the second mode in which the electronic device can be used.

[0075] The reference position may be the position of the operation unit, and the first range may be a directional range including a front direction from the operation unit.

[0076] In this way, the processing unit can control the state of the electronic device based on the direction information relative to the front side of the operation unit.

[0077] The wireless communication unit may also be provided at the location where the operation unit is installed.

[0078] In this way, the user can ascertain the reference position from outside the electronic device.

[0079] In addition, when the electronic device is operating in the first mode, the processing unit transitions from the first mode to the second mode if the information processing device's stay time in the first range becomes equal to or longer than a first predetermined time, and the first predetermined time may vary depending on the location of the information processing device.

[0080] In this way, the processing unit can transition from the first mode to the second mode at more appropriate timing.

[0081] The processing unit may transition from the first mode to the second mode when the stay time during which the information processing device is located in the first range when the electronic device operates in the first mode is equal to or longer than a second predetermined time. Furthermore, the processing unit may transition from the first mode to the second mode when the stay time during which the information processing device is located in a second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, is equal to or longer than a third predetermined time that is longer than the second predetermined time when the electronic device operates in the first mode.

[0082] In this way, the processing unit can transition from the first mode to the second mode at more appropriate timing depending on the location of the information processing device.

[0083] Furthermore, when the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is not located in either the first range or the second range, the processing unit may continue to operate the electronic device in the first mode. Furthermore, when the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is located within the first range and the staying time is equal to or longer than a second predetermined time, the processing unit may transition from the first mode to the second mode. Furthermore, when the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is not located within the first range but within the second range and the staying time is equal to or longer than a third predetermined time, the processing unit may transition from the first mode to the second mode.

[0084] In this way, the processing unit can control the state of the electronic device at an appropriate timing while determining whether the information processing device is located in the first range or the second range.

[0085] The processing unit may also transition from the second mode to the first mode when it determines that the information processing device is not present within a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from a reference position, when the electronic device is operating in the second mode.

[0086] In this way, the processing unit can determine that the user is not located within a directional range of a predetermined angle relative to the electronic device, and then transition to the first mode, which consumes less power.

[0087] In addition, when the electronic device is operating in the second mode, the processing unit transitions from the second mode to the first mode after the information processing device's stay time in the first range becomes equal to or longer than a fourth predetermined time, and the fourth predetermined time may vary depending on the location of the information processing device.

[0088] In this way, the processing unit can transition from the second mode to the first mode at more appropriate timing.

[0089] The processing unit may transition from the second mode to the first mode when the time spent by the information processing device in the first range is equal to or longer than a fifth predetermined time when the electronic device operates in the second mode. Furthermore, the processing unit may transition from the second mode to the first mode when the time spent by the information processing device in a second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, is equal to or longer than a sixth predetermined time which is shorter than the fifth predetermined time when the electronic device operates in the second mode.

[0090] In this way, the processing unit can transition from the second mode to the first mode at more appropriate timing depending on the location of the information processing device.

[0091] In addition, when the electronic device is operating in the first mode, the processing unit may transition from the first mode to the second mode if the information processing device is located in a third range that is within a directional range of a predetermined angle from a reference position and a range of a predetermined distance from the reference position.

[0092] This makes it possible to more appropriately determine the range in which the information processing device should be located in order for the processing unit to transition from the first mode to the second mode.

[0093] In addition, when the electronic device operates in the second mode, the processing unit may transition from the second mode to the first mode if the information processing device is not located in a third range that is a directional range of a predetermined angle from a reference position and a range of a predetermined distance from the reference position.

[0094] This makes it possible to more appropriately determine the range in which the information processing device should be located in order for the processing unit to transition from the second mode to the first mode.

[0095] The processing unit may also transition from the first mode to the second mode based on the amount of change in strength of the beacon signal received by the wireless communication unit.

[0096] In this way, the processing unit can determine whether or not the user is a person who will use the electronic device, and then perform mode control of the electronic device.

[0097] In addition, the wireless communication standard may be the Bluetooth standard, and the processing unit may perform at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode or a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on a beacon signal compliant with the Bluetooth standard detected by the wireless communication unit.

[0098] In this way, a system for mode control of electronic devices can be constructed using Bluetooth.

[0099] The processing unit may also perform at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the strength and direction information of the Bluetooth signal.

[0100] In this way, the processing unit can more appropriately control the mode of the electronic device using Bluetooth.

[0101] The processing method of this embodiment also includes a process of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device, a process of operating the electronic device in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, and a process of acquiring direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through wireless communication with the information processing device. The processing method of this embodiment also includes a process of transitioning from the first mode to the second mode or a process of transitioning from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information.

[0102] Furthermore, a program according to this embodiment is a program used in an electronic device that wirelessly communicates with an information processing device via a wireless communication unit and is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, and causes a computer to function as a direction information acquisition unit and a processing unit. The direction information acquisition unit acquires direction information regarding the direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through wireless communication with the information processing device via the wireless communication unit. The processing unit performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit.

[0103] Although the present embodiment has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novel features and advantages of the present embodiment. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a term described at least once in the specification or drawings together with a different term having a broader or equivalent meaning may be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or drawings. Furthermore, all combinations of the present embodiment and modifications are also intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the configurations and operations of electronic devices, processing methods, programs, etc. are not limited to those described in the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 100...electronic device, 110...wireless communication unit, 112...control unit, 120...direction information acquisition unit, 130...processing unit, 140...operation unit, 200...information processing device

Claims

1. An electronic device that performs wireless communication with an information processing device by a wireless communication unit and is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode in which power consumption is greater than that in the first mode, a direction information acquisition unit that acquires direction information regarding a direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through the wireless communication with the information processing device by the wireless communication unit; a processing unit that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information; Including, The processing unit When the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is located in a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position, and if the stay time of the information processing device in the first range is equal to or longer than a first predetermined time, a transition from the first mode to the second mode is performed; The first predetermined time is An electronic device that differs depending on the location of the information processing device.

2. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The reference position is The position of the control unit, The first range is The electronic device is characterized in that the direction range includes a front direction from the operation unit.

3. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, The wireless communication unit An electronic device provided at a location where the operation unit is installed.

4. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The processing unit When the electronic device is operating in the first mode, if the stay time during which the information processing device is located in the first range becomes equal to or longer than a second predetermined time, the electronic device transitions from the first mode to the second mode; An electronic device characterized in that, when the electronic device operates in the first mode, the information processing device transitions from the first mode to the second mode when the stay time during which the information processing device is located in a second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, becomes equal to or longer than a third predetermined time, which is longer than the second predetermined time.

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 4, The processing unit When the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is not located in either the first range or the second range, the electronic device continues to operate in the first mode; When the electronic device is operating in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is located within the first range and the staying time is equal to or longer than the second predetermined time, the electronic device transitions from the first mode to the second mode; When the electronic device is operating in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is not located within the first range but is located within the second range, and the staying time is equal to or longer than the third predetermined time, the electronic device transitions from the first mode to the second mode.

6. An electronic device that performs wireless communication with an information processing device by a wireless communication unit and is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode in which power consumption is greater than that in the first mode, a direction information acquisition unit that acquires direction information regarding a direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through the wireless communication with the information processing device by the wireless communication unit; a processing unit that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information; Including, The processing unit When the electronic device operates in the second mode, if the information processing device is determined not to be present in a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position, after a stay time of the information processing device in the first range has reached a fourth predetermined time or more, the electronic device transitions from the second mode to the first mode; The fourth predetermined time is An electronic device that differs depending on the location of the information processing device.

7. 7. The electronic device according to claim 6, The processing unit When the electronic device is operating in the second mode, if the stay time of the information processing device in the first range becomes equal to or longer than a fifth predetermined time, the electronic device transitions from the second mode to the first mode; When the electronic device operates in the second mode, if the time spent by the information processing device in a second range, which is a directional range with a wider angle from the reference position than the first range, becomes equal to or longer than a sixth predetermined time, which is shorter than the fifth predetermined time, the electronic device transitions from the second mode to the first mode.

8. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The processing unit An electronic device characterized in that, when the electronic device operates in the first mode, the electronic device transitions from the first mode to the second mode when the information processing device is located within a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position and within a third range that is a predetermined distance from the reference position.

9. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The processing unit An electronic device characterized in that, when the electronic device operates in the second mode, if the information processing device is not located in a third range which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position and a range of a predetermined distance from the reference position, the electronic device transitions from the second mode to the first mode.

10. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The processing unit 10. An electronic device, comprising: an electronic device that transitions from the first mode to the second mode based on an amount of change in strength of a beacon signal received by the wireless communication unit.

11. 11. The electronic device according to claim 1, the wireless communication standard is the Bluetooth standard, The processing unit an electronic device that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode or a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on a beacon signal that complies with the Bluetooth standard detected by the wireless communication unit.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, The processing unit An electronic device characterized by performing at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode or a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the strength of the beacon signal conforming to the Bluetooth standard and the direction information.

13. A process of wirelessly communicating with an information processing device; A process of operating the electronic device in at least a first mode and a second mode in which power consumption is greater than that in the first mode; a process of acquiring direction information regarding a direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through the wireless communication with the information processing device; at least one of a process of transitioning from the first mode to the second mode and a process of transitioning from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information; a process of transitioning from the first mode to the second mode when the electronic device is operating in the first mode and it is determined that the information processing device is located in a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position, and the time spent by the information processing device in the first range is equal to or longer than a first predetermined time; A processing method for performing The first predetermined time is A processing method that differs depending on the location of the information processing device.

14. A program used in an electronic device that performs wireless communication with an information processing device by a wireless communication unit and is operable in at least a first mode and a second mode that consumes more power than the first mode, a direction information acquisition unit that acquires direction information regarding a direction of the information processing device relative to a reference position of the electronic device through the wireless communication with the information processing device by the wireless communication unit; a processing unit that performs at least one of a transition from the first mode to the second mode and a transition from the second mode to the first mode based on the direction information acquired by the direction information acquisition unit, A program that causes a computer to function, The processing unit When the electronic device operates in the first mode, if it is determined that the information processing device is located in a first range, which is a directional range of a predetermined angle from the reference position, and if the stay time of the information processing device in the first range is equal to or longer than a first predetermined time, a transition from the first mode to the second mode is performed; The first predetermined time is A program that differs depending on the location of the information processing device.

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