Information processing apparatus and control method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display device, a main body rotatably connected to the display device and overlaping so as to at least partly face the display device, and a plurality of input devices either on the main body or the display device and covered with the display device when the display device is overlapped. When the display device rotates in a direction of overlapping onto the main body, supply of power source to the operating means is switched off stepwise in an order set in advance, in accordance with an angle between the display device and the main body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing a notebook computer which is an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram showing a configuration of the notebook computer which is the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart for explanation of a method of controlling the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary schematic view showing an angle of a panel with a main body;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary schematic view showing setting areas of various switches and devices which are arranged at the main body and the panel of the computer according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flowchart for explanation of a method of controlling an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary perspective view showing a notebook tablet PC which is the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an exemplary perspective view showing a tablet style of the notebook tablet PC which is the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a display device;a main body rotationally coupled to the display device, a top surface of the main body increasingly overlapping the display device when the display device rotates in a first direction;a plurality of input devices arranged either at the top surface of the main body or on the display device, the plurality of input devices being covered by the display device as the display device rotates in the first direction; andmeans for switching off power supplied to the plurality of input devices stepwise in a predetermined order, the predetermined order is based on an angle between the display device and the main body that changes as the display device is rotated in the first direction.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined order is set to be an order of input devices that become more difficult to operate as the display device rotates in the first direction.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of input devices includes at least two of a keyboard, a touchpad, shortcut buttons, and a fingerprint authentication device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stepwise order includes powering off a first input device of the plurality of input devices before powering off a second input device that is situated further away from a hinge rotationally coupling the display device to the main body than the first input device.

5. An information processing apparatus comprising: a display device;a main body rotationally coupled to the display device, the main body overlapping a lesser area of the display device as the display device is rotated in a first direction away from the main body;a plurality of input devices arranged either along a top surface of the main body or on the display device and are uncovered by the display device when the display device is rotated in the first direction; andmeans for switching on a supply of power to the plurality of operating input devices stepwise in a predetermined order based on an angle between the display device and the main body.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined order is set to be an order of input devices that are becoming accessible by a space created between the display device and the main body as the display device rotates in a direction away from the main body.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of input devices include at least two of a keyboard, a touchpad, shortcut buttons, and a fingerprint authentication device.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display device is connected rotatably so a top surface main body and a bottom surface of the display device are adjacent to each other when the display device is overlapping the main body.

9. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus including a main body and a display device rotatably coupled to the main body, the method comprising: determining an angle between the display device and the main body;determining whether any input devices of a plurality of input devices is to be powered down based on the determined angle; andswitching off a supply of power applied to the input devices in a stepwise predetermined order based on a location of the input devices.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: switching on the supply of power to the input devices in an order that is opposite the stepwise, predetermined order.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the switching off the supply of power comprises: switching off the supply of power to a first input device before switching off the supply of power to a second input device, the first input device being closer to a rotational coupling point between the main body and the display device than the second input device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the switching off the supply of power further comprises: switching off the supply of power to the second input device before switching off the supply of power to a third input device, the second input device being closer to the rotational coupling point than the third input device.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the switching on the supply of power comprises: switching on the supply of power to a first input device before switching on the supply of power to a second input device, the first input device being further from a rotational coupling point between the main body and the display device than the second input device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the switching on the supply of power further comprises: switching on the supply of power to the second input device before switching on the supply of power to a third input device, the second input device being further from the rotational coupling point than the third input device.