Method and apparatus for controlling power supplied to remote-control-signal reception unit according to opened/closed state of laptop computer

• US 20070050473A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Byung-jae
• Application Number:
  US11/509,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050473A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling power supplied to a remote-control-signal reception unit of a laptop computer according to an opened or closed state of the laptop computer. The apparatus for controlling power supplied to a remote-control-signal reception unit of a laptop computer according to an opened or closed state of the laptop computer includes an open/close sensing unit that detects the opened or closed state of the laptop computer; a signal reception unit that receives a signal of a remote control unit; a power supply unit that supplies power to the signal reception unit; and a power shut-off unit that shuts off the power supplied to the signal reception unit when the open/close sensing unit detects the closed state of the laptop computer.

Claims

1. A computer device comprising:

a display which is attached to the computer device;

an open/close sensing unit to detect an opened or closed state of the display;

a signal reception unit to receive a remote control signal transmitted from a remote control device;

a power supply unit to supply power to the signal reception unit; and

a power shut-off unit to shut off power supplied to the signal reception unit by the power supply unit according to the result of the detection.

2. The computer device of claim 1, wherein the power shut-off unit allows the power to be supplied from the power supply unit to the signal reception unit according to the result of the detection.

3. The computer device of claim 1, further comprising a remote-control activation unit allowing the power supplied from the power supply unit to the remote-control-signal reception unit so that the remote control signal transmitted from the remote control device can be received regardless of the opened or closed state of the display.

4. A method of controlling power supplied to a remote-control-signal reception unit of a computer device according to an opened or closed state of a display of the computer device, the method comprising:

detecting the opened or closed state of the display; and

shutting off the power supplied to a remote-control-signal reception unit of the computer device when the display is closed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising supplying power to the remote-control-signal reception unit of the computer device when the display is opened.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising overriding the shutting off of power by a remote-control activation unit so that the remote control signal transmitted from a remote control device can be received regardless of the opened or closed state of the display.

7. A device, comprising:

a display open and/or close sensor to output an open and/or close signal based on an open or close state of a display;

a power shut-off unit to receive the open and/or close signal and to shut off standby power and/or current; and

a remote-control-signal-receptor to receive the shut off of the standby power and/or current.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the power shut-off unit shuts off standby power and/or current when the close signal is received.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising a remote-control activator to output an override signal to the power shut-off unit to override the close signal.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the standby power is in the form of a current of about 3 mA and/or voltage of about 3.3 v.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the remote-control activator receives less power than the standby power.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is a computer device.

13. A device having a display that may be opened or closed, and is usable with a remote control, comprising:

a remote-control-signal receptor to receive a remote-control command from the remote-control; and

a power shut-off unit to shut off power to the remote-control-signal receptor when the display is closed to reduce power consumption in the device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the power shut-off unit supplies power to the remote-control-signal receptor when the display is opened.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a remote-control activator to selectively override the power shut-off unit from shutting off power to the remote-control-signal receptor even when the display is closed.