JP2015008393A - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent wasting of a resource without impairing user convenience, in a portable information terminal capable of activating a plurality of applications.SOLUTION: When a non-use state detector unit 21 detects that the terminal shifts to a non-use state, a background switchover unit 22 switches a dummy application to foreground (FG) operation, and also switches an application having been in FG operation to background (BG) operation. When a use state detector unit 31 detects that the terminal shifts to a use state, a foreground switchover unit 32 switches the dummy application currently in the FG operation to the BG operation, to restore the application which is originally in the FG operation and switched to the BG operation, to the FG operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal capable of starting a plurality of applications. In particular, when a user turns off a display of a terminal body or puts a terminal to sleep after using the terminal, the active application is controlled. It relates to possible portable information terminals.

  In recent years, with the increase in functionality of mobile communication terminals, typically smartphones, the types of applications that can be executed on mobile communication terminals have increased, and terminals that can simultaneously execute a plurality of applications have become mainstream.

  In such a mobile communication terminal, there is a problem that a user who has started an application forgets to end the application after starting the application and wastes power consumption.

  In order to deal with this problem, Patent Document 1 proposes a method of notifying the user that there is an active application in a state where the user closes the terminal on the premise of an openable terminal.

Japanese Patent No. 4223352

  In a mobile communication terminal that can execute multiple applications, when starting another application while one application is being executed, it is not necessary to terminate the active application, and the previously started application is executed in the background. You can run new applications in the foreground while running. At that time, each application is generally mounted so as not to perform high-load processing in the background operation state.

  Therefore, even when a plurality of applications with the general implementation are activated, as long as the application is appropriately switched to the background operation state, the processing load can be suppressed and the power consumption of the terminal can be suppressed. However, here, requesting the user to switch to the background operation state manually increases the time and effort of the user and reduces the usability of the terminal even if automatic notification as in Patent Document 1 is used. There's a problem.

  That is, in normal use of a mobile communication terminal, a user usually carries a display by turning off the display by pressing a power button after using one application. In this case, the user manually changes to the HOME screen, etc. (pressing the HOME button, etc.), and the display is turned off after the application operating in the foreground is changed to the background operation state (the user does so There are many cases in which the display is turned off immediately after the application is executed in the foreground without performing such an operation.

  In this case, the application may not be implemented so that it automatically detects the display off event and automatically transitions to the background operation state. As a result, the foreground operation state continues even after the light is turned off. Resulting in. In this way, in the normal usage situation of the user, the display is turned off and the user is not intended to have the mobile communication terminal perform some processing, but the application is left running and consumed in the foreground. There is a high possibility of wasting power.

  As described above, in the conventional technology, if the mobile communication terminal capable of executing a plurality of applications is left to the normal use of the user, terminal resources such as power consumption are wasted. Then, it is necessary to request the user to switch to the background one by one, and there is a problem that convenience in normal use is impaired.

  Here, it may be possible to mount each application so as not to perform high-load processing when the display is turned off, but it is not realistic. In other words, in the current mobile communication terminals where various application providers can freely distribute applications, it is necessary to notify all application providers about appropriate implementation methods and to increase the difficulty of application development. It is not realistic.

  In view of the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a portable information terminal capable of preventing terminal resources from being wasted without impairing user convenience in a portable information terminal capable of executing a plurality of applications. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a portable information terminal capable of simultaneously executing a plurality of applications, each of which is implemented with a foreground and background operation mode, from a use state of the terminal to a non-use state. A non-use state detection unit that detects a transition to a non-use state, and a background switching that controls an application that is operating in the foreground at the time of detection when the transition to the non-use state is detected to operate in the background And a usage state detection unit that detects a transition from a non-use state to a use state of the terminal, and a control that operates in the background by the background switching unit when a transition to the use state is detected. The foreground to control the specified application to run in the foreground Characterized in that it comprises a replacement unit.

  According to the present invention, when the portable information terminal shifts to the non-use state, the application that has been operating in the foreground until the time is switched to the background operation, and when the mobile information terminal shifts to the use state again. Since the switched application is automatically returned to the foreground operation, it is possible to prevent terminal resources from being wasted in a non-use state without impairing the convenience of the user.

It is a housing | casing and functional block diagram of the portable information terminal which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of a control part concerning one embodiment. In an example, it is a figure which shows typically that a background switching part and a foreground switching part are realizable by a dummy application. It is a flowchart of the process by a non-use state detection part and a background switching part. It is a flowchart of the process by a utilization state detection part and a foreground switching part.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a portable information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, (a) shows a conceptual example of the casing of the portable information terminal 1, and (b) shows a functional block diagram of the portable information terminal 1. The case (a) is provided with a display 401 for various applications to present information and a button 501 for performing operations such as turning on / off the display.

  In general, a user of a portable information terminal operates the terminal with a display 401 having a touch panel function or a numeric keypad, and after use, presses a button 501 provided on the portable terminal body, turns off the display 401, and then uses a bag or a pocket. Carry it inside. When using again, the button 401 is pressed and the display 401 is turned on.

  However, the light-off button 501 of the display 401 can be replaced with a switch, and is not a button dedicated to turning off the display, but also serves as a power button depending on how it is pressed, or in normal operation mode and standby mode (power saving mode) It may be a button for performing an operation for switching (sleep mode). Alternatively, the display may be turned off / on as a handler for pressing the power button or the normal / standby mode switching button.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1B as a functional block diagram, the portable information terminal 1 includes a control unit 2, a storage unit 3, a display unit 4, an operation unit 5, a sensor unit 6, and a communication unit 7.

  The control unit 2 is configured as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like, and is responsible for overall control of the portable information terminal 1. The storage unit 3 stores an OS (operating system) program and various application programs executed on the OS. The storage unit 3 also provides a memory area necessary for storing temporary data and / or execution result data and the like when the control unit 2 reads and executes the program (OS and each application). .

  The display unit 4 can be configured by a display 401 or the like, and displays a screen of the program to be executed. The operation unit 5 can be configured by a touch panel, a numeric keypad, or the like integrally configured with the button 501 and the display 401, and accepts various inputs from the user of the portable information terminal 1.

  The sensor unit 6 is configured as various sensors, and acquires various types of information related to the portable information terminal 1 and / or its surrounding environment. The communication unit 7 is responsible for various wireless communications.

  When the portable information terminal 1 is turned on, the control unit 2 reads and starts up the OS from the storage unit 3 and initializes the system. In one example, the control according to the present invention can be realized by a dummy application executed on the OS. When the dummy application is used, the control unit 2 stores the dummy application in the storage unit when the system is initialized. It starts by reading from 3 and puts it in the background operating state.

  After system initialization, upon receiving an instruction to start an application for various uses (email, web browsing, telephone call, music playback, video playback, etc.) by user input via the operation unit 5, the control unit 2 stores the corresponding program. Read from 3 and start the application to run in the foreground. The “dummy application” is referred to as “dummy” because there is no specific use by the user such as the e-mail and only the control according to the present invention is performed.

  Multiple applications can be launched. In the case of multiple activations, the OS places only one application in the foreground operating state in consideration of the restrictions of the mobile information terminal 1 as a mobile terminal, and puts all others in the background operating state. Control. The foreground operating state is when the user newly starts up, or after being started, after entering into the background operating state (not terminated), after receiving the user request again, the foreground operation This is the case when the state is transferred.

  In addition, when an application at a certain time t (an unstarted application or an application that has been started and transitioned to the background operation state) newly shifts to the foreground operation state, the OS keeps the foreground up to the time t. Control the application that was in the operating state to transition to the background operating state. With this control, at most one application operates in the foreground operating state.

  In addition, in consideration of restrictions on the mobile information terminal 1 as a mobile terminal, the maximum one application operating in the foreground is all or most of the display area of the display unit 4 (a predetermined ratio of more than half). It may be configured to use. When using the most part, system information etc. may be displayed on the remaining part. Thus, in an environment where all or most of the display area of the display unit 4 is used by one application operating in the foreground operation state, the content displayed in the display area is It becomes the work content itself using the application. The display control unit 42 described later provides the user with great convenience especially in such an environment.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the control unit 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 2 includes a non-use state detection unit 21, a background switching unit 22, a use state detection unit 31, a foreground switching unit 32, a function restriction unit 41, and a display control unit. Note that the arrows between the functional units given in FIG. 2 show only main ones for convenience of understanding. Even if the arrow is not provided, each function unit can appropriately refer to the result obtained by any other function unit.

  Hereinafter, each functional unit in FIG. 2 will be described.

  The non-use state detection unit 21 detects the transition from the use state to the non-use state by the user of the portable information terminal 1. Conversely, the usage state detection unit 31 detects a transition from the non-use state to the use state by the user of the portable information terminal 1.

  Regarding the detection of the use / non-use state, various modes (first to third modes) are possible as follows. The first and second aspects relate to detection of transition to both used / unused states. The third aspect relates to the detection of the transition to the usage state. In the case of the third aspect, the first or second aspect may be used for the transition to the non-use state.

  In the first mode, a button 501 as shown in FIG. 1 (a) is configured as a button for turning on / off the display, and when the button operation is received by the operation unit 5, the use / non-use state is set. May be detected. That is, by detecting the event of pressing the button, when an instruction to turn off the display from the user is detected, a transition to the non-use state is detected, and when an instruction to turn on the display from the user is detected The transition to the usage state may be detected.

  As a first supplement, when the display turn-off instruction is detected, the display is turned off at the time of detection, but the CPU waits for a certain period of time from the detection and enters the sleep state. There is. In this case, it is not necessary to shift to the non-use state until the CPU enters the sleep state.

  Therefore, after the instruction to turn off the display is detected, when waiting for a certain period of time and confirming that the CPU has actually entered the sleep state, the detection of the transition to the non-use state should be confirmed. Also good.

  As a second supplement, the portable information terminal 1 may be configured so that a predetermined unlocking application is activated when the display lighting instruction is detected and the display is actually turned on. In this case, the unlock application may be configured to display a lock screen on the display unit 4 and prompt the user to input a predetermined unlock operation.

  When the user inputs a lock release operation within a certain time, the lock release application releases the lock screen and presents the screen before the display is turned off. If there is no unlocking operation within a certain time, the unlocking application turns off the display and returns the mobile information terminal 1 to the state before detecting the display lighting instruction.

  The unlock application is used when the display lighting button is pressed due to a malfunction, for example, when the button is unintentionally collided with another object in the bag and the button is pressed without the user's knowledge. If the mobile information terminal 1 is shifted to a state where it can be used by the user, there is a danger that a further malfunction may occur due to an unintentional button press. To input.

  Therefore, when the unlocking operation in the unlocking application is detected after the display lighting instruction is detected, the detection of the transition to the usage state may be confirmed.

  In the second embodiment, the sensor unit 6 in FIG. 1 (b) includes an illuminance sensor. In the threshold determination for the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor, when it becomes dark, it can be detected that the portable information terminal 1 is stored in a bag or a pocket, and therefore it can be detected that it is not in use. . Thus, when the illuminance obtained from the illuminance sensor falls below the predetermined threshold Th, the transition to the non-use state is detected, and conversely, when the illuminance becomes greater than the predetermined threshold Th, the transition to the use state is performed. It may be detected.

  Note that the illuminance of the environment in which the portable information terminal 1 is placed may change suddenly or accidentally, instead of being stored in the bag or the like and taken out from the bag. In such a case, the transition to the use state / non-use state has not occurred. Therefore, in the threshold determination of the illuminance sensor, it may be further imposed as a condition that a state satisfying the threshold determination continues for a certain time.

  In the third aspect, detection of a state in which the user holds the portable information terminal 1 by hand may be used to detect the transition to the usage state. In this case, the sensor unit 6 is configured to include a touch sensor arranged on the surface of the portable information terminal 1, and a state in which the user holds the portable information terminal 1 by hand is detected based on a detection result of the touch sensor. You may comprise so that it may be carried out.

  The touch sensor may be configured as the sensor unit 6 and may be provided as a dedicated sensor for detecting a state held by the hand, or may be manually operated with respect to the touch panel for various inputs configured as the operation unit 5. You may make it use together the detection function of the state possessed by.

  When the non-use state detection unit 21 detects the transition to the non-use state and the detection is confirmed, the background switching unit 22 changes the application operating in the foreground to the background operation state at that time. Switch.

  In the foreground switching unit 32, when the usage state detection unit 31 detects the transition to the usage state and the detection is confirmed, the background switching unit 22 operates in the foreground in the latest past to the determined time point. The application that has been switched to the operating state in the background is returned to the operating state in the foreground.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing that the background switching unit 22 and the foreground switching unit 32 can be realized by a dummy application in one example. In FIG. 3, FG is an abbreviation for foreground, and BG is an abbreviation for background. Similar abbreviations are used in FIGS.

  The dummy application operates in the background until the non-use state detection unit 21 detects the transition to the non-use state, that is, while the portable information terminal 1 is in the use state, and is not used at time t1. When the transition to the state is detected, the foreground is entered. At this time, the application A operating in the foreground until the time t1 shifts to the background.

  Conversely, after the time t1, when the usage state detection unit 31 detects the transition to the usage state at the time t2, the dummy application shifts from the foreground to the background. At this time, the application A that was initially operating in the foreground returns to the operating state in the foreground.

  In this way, the dummy application is replaced only when the portable information terminal 1 is not in use, so that it plays a role of operating in the foreground, and takes a substantial load while taking the foreground operating state. By not performing the necessary work (the CPU utilization rate is set to a predetermined threshold or less and only waiting for the state transition detection is performed), it is possible to prevent waste of resources when the portable information terminal 1 is in an unused state.

  In addition, the background switching unit 22 and the foreground switching unit 32 may be realized as an OS function that performs the same control as the dummy application. In this case, when in the non-use state, the OS may place all the applications in the background operation state, and when returning to the use state, the OS that was initially operating in the foreground may be returned to the foreground.

  In addition, the background switching unit 22 and the foreground switching unit 32 may be realized as an additional function in the home screen control application instead of being realized by a single application called the dummy application.

  The home screen control application is a so-called launcher. When the home screen control application is operating in the foreground, the application that can be used on the portable information terminal 1 is presented to the user on a predetermined menu screen in which icons are arranged, and the application selected by the user is If it is not activated, it is activated and operated in the foreground. After the home screen control application shifts the selected application to the foreground operation, the home screen control application shifts to the background operation state.

  When the user exits or interrupts the selected application and shifts to the background operation state, the home screen control application shifts to the foreground operation, and the menu is again presented to the user for use. Prompts the user to select an application The home screen control application may also present information regarding the application in the background operation state when the menu is presented in the foreground operation state to prompt selection of the application.

  The function restriction unit 41 is a period from when the non-use state detection unit 21 detects the shift to the non-use state to when the use state detection unit 31 detects the shift to the use state, that is, when the portable information terminal 1 is not Imposes restrictions on the operation of applications that are in the background operating state when in use. It is preferable to use the function restriction unit 41 when there is an application that is operating substantially in the foreground even in the background operating state due to the application developer's implementation and that consumes significant resources.

  In one example, the function restriction unit 41 can restrict a communication function using the communication unit 7 in an application in the background operation state. In general, since communication functions are resource intensive, this limitation leads to effective resource saving. Here, as a mode of communication function restriction, communication may be completely blocked, or an information acquisition frequency may be lowered for an application that periodically communicates and acquires information in the background operation state. Good. The mode of restriction may be changed for each application. In the case of a telephone application or the like, since it is necessary to respond when an incoming call is received, no restriction may be imposed. The function restriction unit 41 may also impose restrictions on the CPU usage rate, CPU operation interval, etc., as with the communication restriction.

  The display control unit 42 stores the content displayed on the screen of the display unit 4 at the time when the non-use state detection unit 21 detects the transition to the non-use state as an image (performs so-called screen capture), and then When the usage state detection unit 31 detects the transition to the usage state, the stored image is controlled to be displayed on the display unit 4 until the transition to the usage state is actually completed.

  With the control by the display control unit 42, particularly when the display on / off state is used according to the first aspect with respect to the use / non-use state, the control for resource saving is being performed inside the portable information terminal 1. Immediately after pressing the display lighting button, the user is presented with the screen before turning off (the screen of one application that was operating in the foreground), so that the work contents using the previous application can be quickly displayed. The mobile information terminal 1 can be used comfortably.

  Note that the function restriction unit 41 and the display control unit 42 may each be realized as a dummy application, a function of the OS, or a function of the home screen control application.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the detection of the transition to the non-use state by the non-use state detection unit 21 and the background switching unit 22 and the actual shift to the non-use state. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the detection of the transition to the usage state by the usage state detection unit 31 and the foreground switching unit 32 and the actual transition to the usage state.

  4 and 5, the case where the background switching unit 22 and the foreground switching unit 32 are realized by a dummy application will be described as an example, but the same applies even when the background switching unit 22 and the home screen control application are realized. Each flow can be implemented. 4 and 5 exemplify the case where the transition to the use / non-use state is detected by the first aspect described above, but each flow is similarly executed even if it is made in other aspects. Is possible.

  Hereinafter, description will be given from the flow of FIG.

  In step S11, the non-use state detection unit 21 checks whether a display turn-off event has been detected. If there is no such detection, step S11 is executed again after a predetermined timing, and step S11 is repeated until the detection is made. If there is such detection, the process proceeds to step S12.

  In step S12, the dummy application that is one example of the background switching unit 22 and is operating in the background requests the OS to shift the dummy application itself to the operating state in the foreground. put out.

  In step S12, the OS determines whether the request in step S12 from the dummy application can be permitted. Specifically, it is determined whether the portable information terminal 1 can be shifted to the power saving state because the CPU utilization rate is low at the time. If it is possible to shift to the power saving state, the process proceeds to step S14. If the transition to the power saving state is impossible, the process proceeds to step S15.

  In step S14, the OS shifts the dummy application to the foreground operating state, and shifts the application that has been in the foreground operating state to the background operating state.

  In step S15, the OS waits for a predetermined time, informs the dummy application that the request cannot be received, and then returns to step S12. In step S15, the OS may issue a predetermined instruction for enabling the transition to the power saving state before waiting for a predetermined time. For example, a predetermined limit may be added to the CPU usage rate for an application whose CPU usage rate is high on a predetermined basis.

  Next, the flow of FIG. 5 will be described.

  In step S21, the use state detection unit 31 confirms whether a display lighting event has been detected. If there is no such detection, step S21 is executed again after a predetermined timing, and step S21 is repeated until such detection is detected. If there is such detection, the process proceeds to step S22.

  In step S22, the dummy application which is one example of realization of the foreground switching unit 32 determines whether or not the dummy application itself is in an operating state in the foreground. If it is an operating state in the foreground, the process proceeds to step S23; otherwise, that is, if it is a background operating state, the flow ends.

  In the case where the display lighting is detected and the dummy application is in the background operating state, the phone application with a high priority is activated in the middle of the non-use state, and immediately operates in the foreground and enters the use state. The case where it has migrated.

  In step S23, the dummy application issues a request to the OS to shift itself to the background operating state. In step S24, the OS shifts the dummy application to the background operation state, and the application that was initially operating in the foreground and switched to the background operation by the background switching unit 22 is again in the foreground. Transition to the operating state.

  Hereinafter, supplementary matters in the present invention will be described.

  First, the non-use state detection unit 21 and the use state detection unit 31 may also be realized as a dummy application, one function of the OS, or one function in the home screen control application.

  Second, in the portable information terminal 1 of the present invention, the maximum number of applications that operate in the foreground is one, but in the case where two or more applications can operate in the foreground, similarly, the non-use state detection unit All the foreground operation applications at the time when 21 detects the transition to the non-use state are transferred to the background operation state, and when the use state detection unit 31 detects the shift to the use state, the latest All the applications that have been transferred to the background operating state in the past may be returned to the foreground operation.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information terminal device, 2 ... Control part, 3 ... Memory | storage part, 4 ... Display part, 5 ... Operation part, 6 ... Sensor part, 7 ... Communication part, 21 ... Unused state detection part, 22 ... Background switching part 31 ... Usage state detection unit, 32 ... Foreground switching unit, 41 ... Function restriction unit, 42 ... Display control unit

Claims (9)

A portable information terminal capable of simultaneously executing a plurality of applications, each of which is implemented with a foreground and background operation mode,
A non-use state detection unit that detects a transition from the use state of the terminal to the non-use state;
When a transition to the non-use state is detected, a background switching unit that controls an application that operates in the foreground at the time of detection to operate in the background;
A usage state detection unit that detects a transition from a non-use state of the terminal to a usage state;
An application controlled to operate in the background by the background switching unit when the transition to the usage state is detected; and a foreground switching unit that controls to operate in the foreground. Mobile information terminal. The foreground switching unit and the background switching unit are
The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal is realized by a dummy application that operates in the foreground in a non-use state and operates in the background in a use state. The foreground switching unit and the background switching unit are
The portable information terminal according to claim 1, which is realized by a function of an operating system or an application that prompts a user to select an application. The detection of the transition to the unused state by the unused state detection unit and the detection of the transition to the usage state of the usage state detection unit, respectively,
Detection of a light-off event and a light-up event of the terminal display, or
The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein detection is performed by detecting that the illuminance acquired by the illuminance sensor of the terminal is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and detecting that the illuminance is greater than the predetermined threshold. The detection of the transition to the unused state by the unused state detection unit and the detection of the transition to the usage state of the usage state detection unit, respectively,
Made by detecting a turn-off event and a turn-on event of the terminal display, and
The detection of the transition to the usage state of the usage state detection unit is performed by detecting a display lighting event of the terminal and detecting an input of unlock operation from the user to the terminal. Item 4. A portable information terminal according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   The mobile information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transition to the usage state of the usage state detection unit is detected based on a detection result of the touch sensor of the terminal.   The portable information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a function restriction unit that applies a predetermined restriction to a function of an application operating in a non-use state of the terminal.   The portable information terminal according to claim 7, wherein the function restriction unit restricts a communication function.   The content of the display of the terminal at the time of transition from the use state of the terminal to the non-use state by the non-use state detection unit is saved as an image, and the image is stored in the non-use state detection unit by the use state detection unit. The portable information terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a display control unit configured to display on a display of the terminal at the time of transition from the usage state to the usage state.