Automatic Reduction of Video Display Device Power Consumption

• US 20090046205A1
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Strasser, David A., Pearlstein, Larry A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,866,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/634
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

One or more components of a video display device such as a television set can be powered down in response to a determination that a video input source has been paused. The video signal provided by the video input source can be analyzed to determine whether the video source is paused. When the video input source is no longer paused, the powered down components can be restored to fill power operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a video controller configured to receive a video signal from an external video source, the controller being configured to determine whether the received video signal indicates that the external video source has entered a paused state and to cause power consumed by a video display device component coupled to the video controller to be reduced if a duration of the paused state exceeds a threshold time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface coupled to the video controller, the video controller being configured to receive an indication of the threshold time from the user interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video controller is adapted to calculate a first representative value for a first frame in the video signal, calculate a second representative value for a second frame in the video signal, compare the first representative value and the second representative value, and determine whether the external video source has entered the paused state if the first representative value is substantially equivalent to the second representative value.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first representative value and the second representative value comprise a first hash value and a second hash value, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the video controller, after reducing power to the video display device component, is further adapted to calculate a third representative value and to restore power consumption of the video display device component if the third representative value is not substantially equivalent to the first representative value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video controller is configured to determine the paused state by assessing a deviation between a second frame received from the video source and a first frame received from the video source prior to the second frame, and recognizing the paused state if the deviation is below a tolerance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a memory coupled to the video controller and wherein the video controller is configured to store frames provided in the video signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the assessing of the deviation comprises digitizing the first frame and the second frame.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the assessing of the deviation comprises calculating a maximum absolute difference of collocated pixels between the first frame and the second frame and determining whether the maximum difference is less than the tolerance.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video controller is configured to determine the paused state by recognizing an indication that the video source has entered the paused state, the indication being provided by an in-band signal carried with the video signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video controller is adapted to:

calculate two or more first representative values for two or more first frames in the video signal and store the two or more first representative values in a buffer or memory;

calculate two or more second representative values for two or more second frames in the video signal, the two or more second frames occurring subsequent to the two or more first frames; and

determine that the external video source has entered the paused state if one or more of the two or more first representative values is substantially equivalent to the two or mote second representative values.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video controller is adapted to:

calculate two or more first representative values for two or more first frames in the video signal and store the two or more first representative values in a buffer or memory, the two or more first representative vales being received in an order;

calculate two or more second representative values for two or more second frames in the video signal, the two or more second frames occurring subsequent to the two or more first frames; and

determine that the external video source has entered the paused state if two of the two or more first representative values are substantially equivalent to two of the two or more second frames received the same order as the two of the two or more first frames.

3. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the paused state comprises:

calculating two or more first representative values for two or more first frames in the video signal and storing the two or more first representative values in a buffer or memory, the two or more first representative vales being received in an order;

calculating two or more second representative values for two or more second frames in the video signal, the two or more second frames occurring subsequent to the two or more first frames; and

determining that the external video source has entered the paused state if two of the two or more first representative values are substantially equivalent to two of the two or more second frames received the same order as the two of the two or more first frames.

16. (canceled)

17. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal from a video source;

determining whether the video signal indicates that the video source has entered a paused state;

determining a time duration of the paused state;

comparing the duration of the paused state to a threshold time; and

reducing power consumption of a video display device component if the duration of the paused state equals or exceeds the threshold time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the video source is external to a device that comprises the video display device component.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising restoring power consumption of the video display device component if the video signal no longer indicates the paused state.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the threshold time is set in response to a user input received via a user interface.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the paused state comprises:

calculating a first representative value for a first frame in the video signal;

calculating a second representative value for a second frame in the video signal;

comparing the first representative value and the second representative value; and

recognizing the paused state if the first representative value is substantially equivalent to the second hash value.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the paused state comprises:

calculating two or more first representative values for two or more first frames in the video signal and storing the two or more first representative values in a buffer or memory;

calculating two or more second representative values for two or more second frames in the video signal, the two or more second frames occurring subsequent to the two or more first frames; and

determining that the external video source has entered the paused state if one or more of the two or more first representative values is substantially equivalent to the two or more second representative values.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the paused state comprises:

assessing a deviation between a second frame received from the video source and a first frame received from the video source prior to the second frame; and

recognizing the paused state if the deviation is below a tolerance.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the video signal comprises an in-band signal that provides an indication that the video source has entered the paused state and the determining comprises recognizing the indication.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the in-band signal is carried in a non-display channel provided in a digital video connection.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the in-band signal is carried in a vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

33. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining comprises recognizing an indication that the video source has entered the paused state, the indication being provided by an in-band signal carried with the video signal.

22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

34. An apparatus comprising:

a video input configured to be coupled to an external video source and to receive a video signal from the external video source;

a video display device component; and

a controller coupled to the video display device component and to the video input and configured to receive the video signal from a video input source, the controller being configured to determine whether the video signal indicates that the video source has entered a paused state and to cause power consumed by the video display device component to be reduced if a duration of the paused state exceeds a threshold time.