MANAGING POWER CONSUMPTION OF A GRAPHIC APPARATUS

• US 20070103836A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Oh, Jang
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3275 Power saving in memory, e.g. RAM, cache
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A power management system includes a graphic controller configured to generate a first display information signal and a second display information signal. The system includes a memory device operatively connected with the graphic controller and a parallel terminal unit. The memory device and the parallel terminal unit are configured to collectively support the graphic controller to generate the first display information signal at a first clock speed and at a first power consumption level. The memory device is configured to support the graphic controller without the parallel terminal unit to generate the second display information signal at a second clock speed and at a second power consumption level. The system includes a hybrid cycling controller configured to alternately connect the parallel terminal unit with the memory device for the first display information signal and to disconnect the parallel terminal unit from the memory device for the second display information signal during a predetermined period, and a power consumption controller configured to control the hybrid cycling controller according to a ratio between a connection interval and a disconnection interval of the parallel terminal unit with the memory device.

Claims

1. A power management system comprising:

a graphic controller configured to generate a first display information signal and a second display information signal;

a memory device operatively connected with the graphic controller,

a parallel terminal unit, wherein the memory device and the parallel terminal unit are configured to collectively support the graphic controller to generate the first display information signal at a first clock speed and at a first power consumption level, and the memory device is configured to support the graphic controller without the parallel terminal unit to generate the second display information signal at a second clock speed and at a second power consumption level;

a hybrid cycling controller configured to alternately connect the parallel terminal unit with the memory device for the first display information signal and to disconnect the parallel terminal unit from the memory device for the second display information signal during a predetermined period; and

a power consumption controller configured to control the hybrid cycling controller according to a ratio between a connection interval and a disconnection interval of the parallel terminal unit with the memory device, wherein the ratio is set based on a characteristic of a power source operatively connected to the system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the power source includes an amount of available battery power.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the power source includes the operative connection to an internal battery or the operative connection to an external power source.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power source is an external power source.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller based on a first ratio of the connection interval to the disconnection interval with respect to the parallel terminal unit if the power source is a battery.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller based on a second ratio of the connection interval to the disconnection interval with respect to the parallel terminal unit if the power source is an external power source.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first ratio is smaller than the second ratio, and the connection interval to the parallel terminal unit is smaller when the power source is the battery then if the power source is supplied from the external power source.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first display information signal and the second display information signal are based on the operation of at least one application program.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller according to an operation mode set by a user, wherein the operation mode controls the connection interval to the parallel terminal unit.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller according to an operation mode automatically set by the power consumption controller, wherein the operation mode controls the connection interval to the parallel terminal unit.

17. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining if a user has set the ratio between the connection interval and the disconnection interval; and

alternately connecting and disconnecting the parallel terminal unit with the memory for graphic control based only on the ratio set by the user.

12. A method for managing consumption of system power, the method comprising:

determining if system power is supplied from an internal power source or an external power source;

detecting an amount of available power of the internal power source if the system power is supplied from the internal power source; and

alternately connecting and disconnecting a parallel terminal unit with a memory for graphic control based on a ratio between a connection interval and a disconnection interval of the parallel terminal unit with the memory, wherein the ratio defines the connection interval with the memory and the disconnection interval for a given time interval.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the ratio is smaller if the power supply is from the internal power source than if the power supply is from the external power source.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the ratio decreases in proportion to an amount of available power supply from the internal power source.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining if the ratio has been set by a user; and

alternately connecting and disconnecting the parallel terminal unit and the memory for graphic control based on the ratio set by the user.

16. A method for managing system power consumption, the method comprising:

determining if system power is supplied from an internal power source or an external power source;

detecting an amount of available power of the internal power source if the power supply is supplied from the internal power source; and

alternately connecting and disconnecting a parallel terminal unit with a memory for graphic control based on a ratio between a connection interval and a disconnection interval of the parallel terminal unit with the memory, wherein the ratio defines the connection interval with the memory and the disconnection interval for a given time interval;

detecting an amount of load from any operating application program; and

controlling the connecting and disconnecting of the parallel terminal unit with the memory for graphic control based on the amount of load and the ratio between the connection interval and the disconnection interval.

18. A system for managing power consumption, comprising:

a central processing unit configured to operate one or more applications;

a memory operatively connected with the central processing unit, the memory being configured to communicate data at a high clock speed and a low clock speed;

a parallel terminal unit operatively connected with the memory;

a switch configured to connect and disconnect the parallel terminal unit to and from the memory;

a hybrid cycling controller configured to periodically control the switch to connect or disconnect the parallel terminal unit to and from the memory;

an internal power source for supplying system power;

an external power adaptor for supplying system power; and

a power consumption controller configured to control the hybrid cycling controller according to a ratio between a connection interval and a disconnection interval of the parallel terminal unit with the memory, wherein the ratio is set based on a whether the power source operatively connected to the system is the external AC adaptor or the internal power source.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the ratio is based on an amount of available battery power.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the internal power source is a battery.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller based on a first ratio of the connection interval to the disconnection interval with respect to the parallel terminal unit if the power source is a battery.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to control the hybrid cycling controller based on a second ratio of the connection interval to the disconnection interval with respect to the parallel terminal unit if the power source is an external power source.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the first ratio is smaller than the second ratio, and the connection interval to the parallel terminal unit is smaller when the power source is the battery then if the power source is supplied from the external power source.