BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an information processing device, an application activation method, an application activation program, and a display unit for a computer, capable of activating prescribed applications used in the computer from either of plural power supply states of the computer including a power off state, a hibernation state or a standby state, for instance.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In information processing devices such as personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs), etc., there has been known one equipped with an application activation device that is capable of activating, from among a plurality of available applications, only specified applications such as, for example, mailers, internet browsers, etc., from either of power supply states of a computer including a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state, by one-touch operation.  
         [0005]     Such an information processing device is provided, for example, with an application button for the activation of an application, so that the preparation for activation of the application is started at once by pressing the application button.  
         [0006]     However, the application activation device as mentioned above requires the following procedure. That is, by a user pressing the application button, an operating system (hereinafter referred to as an OS) is first booted and the application is then launched or activated. Accordingly, the user has to wait for a considerable time from the time the application button is pressed until the time the application is executed. However, in any known devices as hitherto proposed, no indication is made during such a time so as to notify the user of the preparation for activation of the application being performed. Thus, the user might become uneasy as to whether the preparation for activation of the application is actually being carried out.  
         [0007]     On the other hand, in the case of a specific application in the form of a television application (hereinafter referred to as a TV application) that enables television programs to be displayed on a computer screen, it is known that the above-mentioned activation preparation time is intended to be shortened to reduce the user&#39;s waiting time to a substantial extent by providing a special OS for booting only the TV application, separately from and in addition to another OS generally used with PCs for execution of many application programs. In this case, however, there is another problem that it becomes costly because of the provision of the additional OS dedicated for the TV application separately from the general OS.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has for its object to provide an information processing device, an application activation method, an application activation program, and a display unit for a computer, in which when a prescribed application such as a TV application, etc., is activated by using a general-purpose OS in an information processing device such as a PC, the user can be informed of the fact that it is now in preparation for activation of the application, so as to avoid inducing the user to have uneasiness during his or her waiting.  
         [0009]     In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device in which a prescribed application operates, the device comprising: an activation instruction input section that inputs an instruction for activation of the prescribed application; and an activation preparation state indicating section that indicates, during the time from when the activation instruction has been input until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0010]     Preferably, the information processing device of the present invention further comprises: an activation instruction information holding section that holds information on the input activation instruction; an operating system boot section that boots an operating system based on the activation instruction; and an application activation section that activates the prescribed application based on information held in the activation instruction information holding section after the operating system has been booted.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the information processing device of the present invention further comprises: an interrupt instruction generation section that generates an interrupt instruction to an application under execution thereby to activate the prescribed application when an activation instruction is input by the activation instruction input section during execution of an application other than the prescribed application.  
         [0012]     Preferably, in the information processing device of the present invention, the activation preparation state indicating section comprises a light emitting section provided on a display unit used in the information processing device.  
         [0013]     Preferably, the activation instruction input section is provided with a start button for activation of the prescribed application or an instruction receiving section of a remote control device, and the activation instruction is generated by pressing of the start button or by the reception of an instruction from the remote control device.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the information processing device of the present invention further comprises: a power supply state information holding section that holds the power supply state of the information processing device before activation of the prescribed application; and a power supply control section that shifts the power supply state of the information processing device to its state before activation of the prescribed application based on the power supply state of the information processing device held in the power supply state information holding section when the termination of execution of the prescribed application is instructed.  
         [0015]     Preferably, in the information processing device of the present invention, the prescribed application is an application for displaying received broadcast pictures.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the information processing device of the present invention further comprises: an execution state indicating section that indicates the activation preparation termination state of the prescribed application as an execution state thereof in distinction from the activation preparation state thereof after the preparation for activation of the prescribed application is terminated.  
         [0017]     In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an application activation method using an information processing device in which a prescribed application operates, the method comprising: an activation instruction detection step for detecting an instruction for activation of the prescribed application; and an activation preparation state indicating step for indicating, during the time from when an activation event has been detected in the activation event detection step until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the application activation method of the present invention further comprises: an activation instruction information holding step for holding information on the activation instruction detected in the activation instruction detection step; an operating system boot step for booting an operating system based on the activation instruction detected in the activation instruction detection step; and an application activation step for activating the prescribed application based on instruction information held in the activation instruction information holding step after the operating system has been booted.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the application activation method of the present invention further comprises: an interrupt instruction generation step for generating an interrupt instruction to an application under execution thereby to activate the prescribed application when an instruction for activation of the prescribed application is input during execution of an application other than the prescribed application.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the application activation method of the present invention further comprises: a power supply state holding step for holding the power supply state of the information processing device before activation of the prescribed application; and a power supply state shift step for shifting the power supply state of the information processing device to its state before activation of the prescribed application based on the power supply state of the information processing device held in the power supply state information holding step when the termination of execution of the prescribed application is instructed.  
         [0021]     Preferably, the application activation method of the present invention further comprises: an execution state indicating step for indicating the activation preparation termination state of the prescribed application as an execution state thereof in distinction from the activation preparation state thereof after the preparation for activation of the prescribed application is terminated.  
         [0022]     Preferably, in the application activation method of the present invention, the activation preparation state indicating step displays a blinking indication of a light emitting section; the execution state indicating step displays a lighting indication of the light emitting section; and a turn-off step for turning off the light emitting section is provided between the activation preparation state indicating step and the execution state indicating step.  
         [0023]     In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an application activation program for making a computer of an information processing device execute: an activation instruction detection step for detecting an instruction for activation of a prescribed application input to the computer; and an activation preparation state indicating step for indicating, during the time from when an activation instruction has been detected in the activation instruction detection step until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0024]     Preferably, in the application activation program of the present invention, the program makes the computer execute: an activation instruction information holding step for holding information on the activation instruction detected in the activation instruction detection step; an operating system boot step for booting an operating system based on the activation instruction detected in the activation instruction detection step; and an application activation step for activating the prescribed application based on instruction information held in the activation instruction information holding step after the operating system has been booted.  
         [0025]     Preferably, in the application activation program of the present invention, the program makes the computer execute: an interrupt instruction generation step for generating an interrupt instruction to an application under execution thereby to activate the prescribed application when an instruction for activation of the prescribed application is input during execution of an application other than the prescribed application.  
         [0026]     Preferably, in the application activation program of the present invention, the program makes the computer execute: a power supply state holding step for holding the power supply state of the computer before activation of the prescribed application; and a power supply state shift step for shifting the power supply state of the computer to its state before activation of the prescribed application based on the power supply state of the computer held in the power supply state information holding step when the termination of execution of the prescribed application is instructed.  
         [0027]     Preferably, in the application activation program of the present invention, the program makes the computer execute: an execution state indicating step for indicating the activation preparation termination state of the prescribed application as an execution state thereof in distinction from the activation preparation state thereof after the preparation for activation of the prescribed application is terminated. Also, preferably, the activation preparation state indicating step displays a blinking indication of a light emitting section; the execution state indicating step displays a lighting indication of the light emitting section; and the program makes the computer execute a turn-off step for turning off the light emitting section between the activation preparation state indicating step and the execution state indicating step.  
         [0028]     In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display unit for a computer, comprising: a button for activating a prescribed application that operates in the computer; and an indicator section that indicates, during the time from when the button has been pressed until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0029]     Preferably, in the information processing device according to the present invention, the power supply state is either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state.  
         [0030]     In addition, according to the present invention, there can be provided an application activation device for activating, from among a plurality of applications used in a computer, a prescribed application from either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer, the device including: an activation event input section that inputs an activation event for the prescribed application in either of the power supply states of the computer; an activation event detection section that detects the activation event input by the activation event input section; and an activation preparation state indicating section that indicates, during the time from when an activation event has been detected by the activation event detection section until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0031]     Moreover, according to the present invention, there can be provided an application activation method for activating, from among a plurality of applications used in a computer, a prescribed application from either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer, the method including: an activation event detection step for detecting an activation event for the prescribed application input in either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer; and an activation preparation state indicating step for indicating, during the time from when an activation event has been detected in the activation event detection step until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0032]     Further, according to the present invention, there can be provided an application activation program for making a computer execute to activate, from among a plurality of applications used in a computer, a prescribed application from either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer, the program including: an activation event detection step for detecting an activation event for the prescribed application input in either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer; and an activation preparation state indicating step for indicating, during the time from when an activation event has been detected in the activation event detection step until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0033]     Furthermore, according to the present invention, there can be provided a display unit for a computer which is able to activate, from among a plurality of applications used in the computer, a prescribed application from either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer, the display unit including: a button for activating the prescribed application; and a indicator section that indicates, during the time from when the button has been pressed until when the prescribed application is activated, that the prescribed application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0034]     Here, note that the above-mentioned application activation program can be stored in a computer readable medium. In this regard, the computer readable recording medium includes, in addition to a semiconductor memory such as a ROM, a RAM and the like, a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a DVD disk, a magneto-optical disk, an IC card or the like, or a database that holds therein computer programs, or another computer and its database, or a transmission medium on a communication line.  
         [0035]     As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when a prescribed application such as a TV application, etc., is activated by using a general-purpose OS in an information processing device such as a PC, the user can be informed of the fact that it is now in preparation for activation of the application, so as to avoid inducing the user to become uneasy during his or her waiting. In addition, it is not necessary to use two OSs, so the information processing device can be produced at low cost.  
         [0036]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0037]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a hierarchical or layered configuration view showing a hierarchical structure that constitutes the same function as that of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view showing a display unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is the first half of a flow chart showing the operation of the information processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is the second half of the flow chart showing the operation of the information processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing the major parts of an information processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0043]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing the operation of the major parts of the information processing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0044]     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail while referring to the accompanying drawings. Embodiment  1 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an information processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a hierarchical or layered configuration view that illustrates a hierarchical or layered structure constituting the same function as that of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of a display unit according to this embodiment. Here, note that the following explanation will be made with the assumption that an application activation device provided to the information processing device according to the present invention is a TV application activation device for activating a TV application that enables television pictures to be displayed on a display unit of a PC.  
         [0046]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the information processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is provided with an application activation device  10 . This application activation device  10  includes an activation event input section (or activation instruction input section)  1  that inputs an activation event (i.e., activation instruction) of a TV application, an activation event detection section (or activation instruction detection section)  2  that detects the activation event input by the activation event input section  1 , and an activation preparation state indicating section  3 A that indicates, during the time from when an activation event has been detected by the activation event detection section  2  until when the TV application is activated, that the TV application is in preparation for being activated.  
         [0047]     In addition, the application activation device  10  also includes an activation event information holding section (or activation instruction information holding section)  4  that holds information on the activation events detected by the activation event detection section  2 , an OS boot section  5  that boots an OS of the computer based on the activation events detected by the activation event detection section  2 , and an application activation section  6  that activates the TV application based on the event information held in the activation event information holding section  4 .  
         [0048]     Moreover, the application activation device  10  further includes an interrupt event generation section (or interrupt instruction generation section)  7  that generates an interrupt event (or interrupt event) to an application under execution other than the TV application when an activation event is input by the activation event input section  1  during the execution of the application, so as to permit the TV application to be activated by the application activation section  6 , an application execution section  8  that executes the TV application, and an execution state indicating section  3 B that indicates the execution or operation state of the TV application at the time of the execution thereof.  
         [0049]     As illustrated by the hierarchical or layered configuration in  FIG. 2 , the application activation device  10  according to this embodiment comprises a TV application layer  11 , a middleware layer (remote control manager)  12 , a remote control driver layer  13 , an OS layer  14 , a BIOS layer  15 , and a hardware layer  16 . Here, note that virtual devices for specifying an interface (I/F) with the middleware layer  12  are implemented onto the BIOS layer  15 , and drivers in the form of virtual devices are implemented onto the middleware  12 .  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the display unit, generally designated at reference numeral  20 , is provided with, in addition to a power button (not shown) for the PC proper (main body) (e.g., installed at one side of the display), a TV application power button (start button)  1 A and a receiver section (or instruction receiving section)  1 B of a remote controller (remote control device), both of which are located at appropriate positions of the display, for example, at lower portions of one side of the front face thereof. The TV application power button  1 A is provided at its central portion with an LED  3 C that is controlled to emit light with its luminescence or light emission mode being changed in accordance with the activation preparation state indicating section  3 A and the execution state indicating section  3 B, respectively. That is, the activation preparation state indicating section  3 A and the execution state indicating section  3 B together constitute an indicator section  3  capable of indicating two distinct operating states, so that the single LED  3 C can serve to indicate the operating states of these indicating sections  3 A and  3 B by emitting light in the luminescence or light emitting modes corresponding to the operating states thereof, respectively.  
         [0051]     Here, note that the activation event input section  1  is constituted by the TV application power button  1 A and the receiver section  1 B of the remote controller, and in addition, the activation event detection section  2  detects an activation event by receiving a pressing operation of the TV application power button  1 A or an operation of the remote controller. Further, the display unit  20  shown in  FIG. 3  is also provided, at locations above the TV application power button  1 A, with a Power/Suspend LED  21  for indicating the state of the power supply of the PC main body, an HDD/CD Access LED  22  for indicating the access to a hard disk or a CD, and a Mail LED  23  for indicating the execution of an e-mail application, a NumLock LED  25  and a ScrollLock LED  26 .  
         [0052]     Next, reference will be made to the operation of the information processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention while using a flow chart shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Here, in respective steps shown in these figures, mainly operating sections illustrated in  FIG. 2  are indicated where appropriate.  
         [0053]     First of all, a series of processes are started from an activation event waiting state (step S 1 ) by turning on the power supply through the power button of the PC main body (step S 2 ), or by turning on the power supply through the TV application power button of the remote controller (step S 3 ), or by turning on the power supply through the TV application power button of the PC main body (step S 4 ). When the power supply is turned on by means of the TV application power button of the remote controller or of the PC main body (i.e., by the turn-on operation of the TV application) (steps S 3 , S 4 ), activation event information is held or stored (step S 5 ), and the LED  3 C is controlled to blink (step S 6 ), so that the state of preparation for activation is indicated, and at the same time the booting/restoration of the OS is performed (step S 7 ). When the restoration of the OS is terminated, the activation event information once held or stored is read in and made effective (step S 8 ).  
         [0054]     Then, an event check is made by the activation event information holding section  4  (step S 9 ). When the power supply has been turned on by means of the TV application power button (i.e., an activation event of the TV application has taken place)(step S 9 , Y), the LED  3 C is once turned off (step S 12 ), and thereafter the TV application is activated (step S 13 ), and at the same time the LED  3 C is controlled to be turned on (step S 14 ). As a result, the user can watch television by means of the PC.  
         [0055]     Here, note that the reason for controlling to once turn off the LED  3 C in step S 12  is as follows. That is, the application layer calls turn-on control for the LED  3 C at the time of activation of the TV application, and turn-off control for the LED  3 C at the time of determination thereof. However, when the TV application is uninstalled, or when an activation error occurs for some reason, or when an application is forced to shut down by the OS, there is fear that the resultant state of the LED  3 C might vary depending upon the application thus shut down, or an unconsidered or unexpected omission of timing (bug) might occur.  
         [0056]     Accordingly, by activating the TV application after the LED  3 C is once made to turn off by the driver layer (i.e., the remote control manager immediately before the activation of the TV application, the LED  3 C is turned off as its error case. Thus, the user is able to recognize that the television can not be activated any longer. On the other hand, if such a step is not provided, trouble might occur that if the LED  3 C continues to blink, the user will not be able to recognize when television is activated.  
         [0057]     When the TV application power button is turned off or pressed again (step S 15 , Y), the TV application is terminated (step S 16 ). Then, the LED  3 C is also turned off (step S 17 ), and the booting of the OS is terminated (steps S 18  through S 21 ). In this case, the state of the PC is changed to either of the following three states, i.e., the power off state (step S 19 ), the hibernation state (step S 20 ), and the standby state (step S 21 ) depending upon the method of determination.  
         [0058]     On the other hand, when the power supply for the PC main body is turned on after step S 1  (step S 2 ), the OS is booted or restored at once (step S 7 ), and in the case of the absence of the activation event of the TV application (step S 9 , N), the ordinary activation of the PC is carried out (step S 10 ). Thereafter, a check on the presence or absence of the activation event of the TV application as well as the power supply turn-off event of the PC main body is carried out (step S 11 ). In the case of the absence of both of the events, the state of the ordinary activation of the PC is maintained until the time when there occurs either of the events (step S 11 , N), whereas in the case of the presence of the activation event of the TV application, the processing from step S 12  onwards as mentioned above is carried out.  
         [0059]     On the other hand, in the case of the presence of the power supply turn-off operation of the PC main body in step S 11 , the control flow proceeds to step S 18 . In addition, in the case where an AC cable is pulled out or disconnected to stop the supply of power in the power off state of step S 19  (step S 22 ), the AC cable is connected again (step S 23 ), and a return to the state of waiting for an activation event in step S 1  is carried out after the processes in step S 2  through step S 18  are once repeated.  
         [0060]     Here, note that by storing a part of the flow chart shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  as described above in a computer readable recording medium as an application activation program, it is possible to make a computer execute an application activation method in an application activation device according to the present invention.  
         [0000]     Embodiment 2.  
         [0061]     In a second embodiment of the present invention, when the TV application is terminated, the power supply state of the PC main body is returned or restored to its previous state prior to the activation of the TV application.  
         [0062]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram that shows an information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. An application activation device  10 A in this information processing device includes, in addition to the configuration as shown in  FIG. 1 , a power supply state information holding section  33  that holds the power supply state information of the PC main body at a time before the activation of the TV application when an activation event is detected by the activation event detection section  2 , a termination event input section  31  that inputs a termination event for terminating the TV application at the time of the execution thereof, a termination event detection section  32  that detects the termination event input by the termination event input section  31 , and a power supply control section  34  that shifts the power supply state of the PC to its previous state prior to the activation of the TV application based on the termination event detected by the termination event detection section  32  and the power supply state information held in the power supply state information holding section  33 .  
         [0063]     Here, note that in the second embodiment, the termination event input section  31  is constituted by an application power supply button arranged on the remote controller or the PC main body, and a termination event is detected by the termination event detection section  32  when the application power supply button is operated again upon execution of the TV application.  
         [0064]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart that shows essential portions of the operation of the second embodiment, wherein an operation specific to the second embodiment is performed between step S 17  and step S 19  as shown in  FIG. 5 . First of all, similar to the first embodiment, when a termination event is detected (step S 15 , Y), the LED  3 C is controlled to be turned off (step S 17 ), and thereafter the power supply state information held in the power supply state information holding section  33  upon occurrence of an activation event is checked (step S 181 ).  
         [0065]     Here, note that in the case of occurrence of an activation event, the holding of the power supply state information by the power supply state information holding section  33  is carried out at the timing when the power supply is turned on upon implementation of a firmware (BIOS) or immediately after restoration from the standby state (i.e., immediately after the power supply is turned on). This can be done in concert with the holding operation of the activating event information in  FIG. 4  as explained in the first embodiment (step S 5 ). On the other hand, in the case of the absence of the restoration state, for example when the control process proceeds to step S 2  via step S 23 , it is assumed that an activation event has occurred while the OS is in a booted state, and the power supply state information is checked upon checking in step S 181 .  
         [0066]     As a result, when it is determined in step S 182  that the state of the OS prior to the input of the activation event for the TV application has been in a booted state (step S 182 , Y), the PC is shifted to an OS booting state (step S 183 ). On the other hand, when it is determined that the OS is not in a booted state, a determination is further made as to whether the main body of the PC is in a power off state, a hibernation state, or a standby state (step S 184 ), and a shift is made to the state thus determined based on the determination result (steps S 19  through S 21 ).  
         [0067]     Although in the above-mentioned preferred embodiments of the present invention, the description has been made with the TV application being taken as the prescribed application, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the use of such a TV application, but is also similarly applicable to other applications such as, for example, visual applications like DVDs, audio applications like CDs, etc.  
         [0068]     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
When a prescribed application such as a TV application, etc., is activated by using a general-purpose OS, an application activation device can inform a user of the fact that it is now in preparation for activation of the application, so as to avoid inducing the user to become uneasy during his or her waiting. The device includes an activation event input section ( 1) for inputting an activation event for the TV application in either of plural power supply states of a computer when the TV application is activated from either of a power off state, a hibernation state and a standby state of the computer, an activation event detection section ( 2) for detecting an input activation event, and an activation preparation state indicating section ( 3 A) for indicating, during the time from when an activation event has been detected until when the TV application is activated, that the TV application is in preparation for being activated.