Processing systems and methods of controlling same

• US 20050128296A1
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Mark L., Gehring, Shane, Skurdal, Vincent C.
• Application Number:
  US10/735,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128296A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/154
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

The described embodiments relate to processing systems and means for controlling processing systems. One exemplary method includes sensing for a human presence in a region proximate a processing system independently of any human engagement of the processing system. The method further includes generating a signal based on the sensing; and, controlling at least one user-perceptible output of the processing system based, at least in part, on the signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing for a human presence in a region proximate a processing system independently of any human engagement of the processing system;

generating a signal based on said sensing; and

,

controlling at least one user-perceptible output of the processing system based, at least in part, on said signal.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of sensing comprises sensing the region from which a user can view a visual output of the processing system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of controlling comprises muting an audio output associated with the processing system when the human presence is detected.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of controlling comprises blanking a display device associated with the processing system when the human presence is detected.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of controlling comprises blanking a display device associated with the processing system when the human presence is not detected.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of controlling comprises blanking a display device associated with the processing system if the human presence is not detected for a period of time.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said act of controlling comprises powering-up at least a portion of the processing system when a user is detected after a period when no user had been detected.

8. A method comprising:

defining a region proximate a processing system and within which a user enters to use the processing system;

detecting a user who has entered the region; and

,

responsive to said detecting and independent of a user physically engaging the processing system, causing an effect on a display device associated with the processing system.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said defining comprises defining the region from which a visual image created by the processing system can be viewed by the user.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said causing comprises powering-up the display device when the user is detected.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said causing comprises powering-up the display device from a stand-by mode to an active mode when the user is detected.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said causing comprises powering-up at least a portion of the processing system when the user is detected.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said causing comprises powering-down the display device when the user is not detected.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said causing comprises powering-down the display device when the user is not detected for a predetermined period of time.

15. A display device comprising:

a means for creating a user-perceptible image which is viewable from a region proximate the display device;

a means for generating a signal relating to a user being present in the region; and

,

a means for affecting the user-perceptible image based, at least in part, on the signal.

16. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for affecting comprises a means for processing which is positioned in the display device.

17. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for affecting comprises a means for processing which is positioned in a means for remotely controlling the display device.

18. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for generating a signal comprises a sensor.

19. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for creating a user-perceptible image comprises a digital device.

20. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for creating a user-perceptible image comprises a liquid crystal display.

21. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for creating a user-perceptible image comprises an analog device.

22. The display device as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for creating a user-perceptible image comprises a cathode ray tube.

23. A control device comprising:

a means for generating a sensing signal for determining a presence of a human in a region; and

,

a means for generating a control signal for controlling a user-perceptible output of a processing system based, at least in part, on the sensing signal.

24. A control device as recited in claim 23 further comprising a means for allowing a user to control one or more processing devices of the processing system.

25. A control device comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a first signal relating to a human presence in a region proximate the sensor; and

,

a controller configured to cause a second signal to be generated to control a user-perceptible output of a processing system based at least in part on the first signal.

26. The control device as recited in claim 25, wherein the control device comprises a remote control device.

27. The control device as recited in claim 25, wherein the sensor is configured to detect movement.

28. The control device as recited in claim 25, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change between a first set of sensed data and a second subsequent set of sensed data.

29. The control device as recited in claim 25, wherein the control device is further manipulatable by a user to control one or more processing devices of the processing system.

30. A processing system comprising:

a display device comprising a first processor and configured to generate a visual display perceptible by a user positioned in a region proximate the display device; and

,

at least one sensor coupled to the display device and configured to sense a human presence in the region independent of the human physically engaging the processing system, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to create a signal and wherein the visual display of the display device can be affected by the signal.

31. The processing system as recited in claim 30, wherein the at least one sensor is located on the display device generally above the visual display.

32. The processing system as recited in claim 30 further comprising a second device coupled to the display device and wherein the second device contains a second processor and wherein a processing speed of the second processor can be affected by the signal.

33. The processing system as recited in claim 32, wherein the second device comprises a tower.

34. The processing system as recited in claim 32 comprising a personal computer.

35. A processing system comprising:

a means for generating a visual image; and

,

at least one means for sensing coupled to the means for generating and configured to sense a human presence in a region, wherein the means for sensing is configured to generate a signal relating to the human presence and wherein the visual image can be affected by the signal.

36. The processing system as recited in claim 35, wherein the means for sensing is positioned on the means for generating a visual image.

37. The processing system as recited in claim 35 further comprising a means for remotely controlling the means for generating a visual image and wherein the means for sensing is positioned on the means for remotely controlling.