Spatial-based power savings
First Claim
1. A system for reducing power consumed by a display device, the system comprising:
- a monitoring apparatus designed or configured to monitor user activity in a display area for the display device and separate the display area into an active portion based on user activity in the active portion and an inactive portion that is outside the active portion; and
a power conservation apparatus designed or configured to a) receive user activity information produced by the monitoring apparatus, b) to alter video information in the inactive portion such that the display device will consume less power when displaying the altered video information than an amount of power that would be required to display the video information without the alteration, and c) to output the altered video information.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are systems and methods that reduce power consumption for an electronics device that includes a display. Power conservation systems and methods described herein alter video information in one or more inactive portions of a display area such that the alteration decreases power consumption. The invention finds use with many electronics devices, such as portable computing devices powered from a battery or other limited source of power. Since video output often dominates power consumption for an electronics device, decreasing display power consumption may extends battery longevity for the portable device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for reducing power consumed by a display device, the system comprising:
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a monitoring apparatus designed or configured to monitor user activity in a display area for the display device and separate the display area into an active portion based on user activity in the active portion and an inactive portion that is outside the active portion; and
a power conservation apparatus designed or configured to a) receive user activity information produced by the monitoring apparatus, b) to alter video information in the inactive portion such that the display device will consume less power when displaying the altered video information than an amount of power that would be required to display the video information without the alteration, and c) to output the altered video information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for reducing power consumed by a display device, the system comprising:
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a monitoring apparatus designed or configured to monitor user activity in a display area for the display device and separate the display area into an active portion based on user activity in the active portion and an inactive portion that is outside the active portion;
a power conservation apparatus designed or configured to receive user activity information produced by the monitoring apparatus, to alter video information in the inactive portion such that the display device will consume less power when displaying the altered video information than an amount of power that would be required to display the video information without the alteration, and to output the altered video information; and
at least one display buffer designed or configured to receive the altered video information and to output, to the display device, a) active portion video information for display in the active portion of the display area, and b) the altered video information for display in the inactive portion, which is for display while the active portion video information is displayed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for reducing power consumed by a display device, the system comprising:
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a monitoring apparatus designed or configured to monitor user activity in a display area for the display device and to separate the display area into an active portion based on user activity in the active portion and an inactive portion that is outside the active portion;
a power conservation control designed or configured to receive user activity information provided by the monitoring apparatus, to determine an alteration for the video information in the inactive portion such that the display device will consume less power when displaying the altered video information than an amount of power that would be required to display the video information without the alteration, and to output a signal indicative of the alteration;
a video adaptor designed or configured to receive the signal from the power conservation control, alter the video information in the inactive portion based on the signal, and output the altered video information; and
at least one display buffer designed or configured to receive the altered video information and output, to the display device, a) active portion video information for display in the active portion of the display area, and b) the altered video information for display in the inactive portion, which is for display while the active portion video information is displayed. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification