CONTENT-PRESERVING SCREEN SAVER

• US 20130265349A1
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chan, Leslie Chiming
• Application Number:
  US13/442,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20130265349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/698
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/046 Dealing with screen burn-in prevention or compensation of the effects thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/04 Display protection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/22 using controlled light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/391 Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats

Abstract

A content-preserving screen saver (CPSS) method for controlling a display apparatus is disclosed. When a CPSS method is implemented, the screen content may be displayed at a relatively lower resolution, such as half resolution or some other fraction of full resolution, by deactivating some of the display pixels or subpixels. The CPSS may be activated, for example, if no user input is received (and/or if another event does not occur) for a predetermined period of time. In one half-resolution example, every other pixel of the display is turned off when the CPSS is activated. After another predetermined period of time, all pixels are “flipped”: pixels that were on are turned off, and pixels that were off are turned on. In alternative implementations, more or fewer than half of the pixels may be switched off to achieve other partial resolution states, such as 75% resolution, ⅔ resolution, ⅓ resolution, etc.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating a display at a full resolution;

determining that no user input has been received for a first time period; and

operating the display at a first partial resolution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves operating substantially the entire the display at the first partial resolution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution occurs because of the determination that no user input has been received for the first time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves switching off a first plurality of display elements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the display elements are pixels or subpixels.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the display elements are pixels and wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves switching off a first plurality of pixels.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on at least some of the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of pixels is substantially half of a total number of display pixels.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every other pixel.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of pixels includes substantially all of the pixels of the display other than the first plurality of pixels.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of pixels includes approximately ⅔

of the pixels of the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every second and third pixel.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of pixels includes approximately ¾

of the pixels of the display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every second, third and fourth pixel.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period; and

operating the display at a second partial resolution that is a lower resolution than the first partial resolution.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a display;

a user input device; and

a control system configured for communication with the display and the user input device, the control system configured for;

operating the display at a full resolution;

determining that no user input has been received from the user input device for a first time period; and

operating substantially the entire display at a first partial resolution.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves switching off a first plurality of pixels.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control system is further configured for:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on at least some of the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of pixels is substantially half of a total number of display pixels.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every other pixel.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the control system is further configured for:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second plurality of pixels includes substantially all of the pixels of the display other than the first plurality of pixels.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of pixels includes approximately ⅔

of the pixels of the display.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every second and third pixel.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of pixels includes approximately ¾

of the pixels of the display.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every second, third and fourth pixel.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control system is further configured for:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period; and

operating the display at a second partial resolution that is a lower resolution than the first partial resolution.

29. A non-transitory medium having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for:

operating a display at a full resolution;

determining that no user input has been received for a first time period; and

operating substantially the entire display at a first partial resolution.

30. The non-transitory medium of claim 29, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves switching off a first plurality of pixels.

31. The non-transitory medium of claim 30, wherein the software includes instructions for:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on at least some of the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

32. The non-transitory medium of claim 30, wherein the first plurality of pixels is substantially half of a total number of display pixels.

33. The non-transitory medium of claim 30, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every other pixel.

34. The non-transitory medium of claim 33, wherein the software includes instructions for:

determining that no user input has been received for a second time period;

switching on the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

35. The non-transitory medium of claim 34, wherein the second plurality of pixels includes substantially all of the pixels of the display other than the first plurality of pixels.

36. An apparatus, comprising:

display means;

user input means; and

control means for;

operating the display at a full resolution;

determining that no user input has been received from the user input means for a first time period; and

operating substantially the entire display at a first partial resolution.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein operating the display at the first partial resolution involves switching off a first plurality of pixels.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the control means is further configured for:

determining that no user input has been received from the user input means for a second time period;

switching on at least some of the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first plurality of pixels is substantially half of a total number of display pixels.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein switching off the first plurality of pixels involves switching off every other pixel.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the control means is further configured for:

determining that no user input has been received from the user input means for a second time period;

switching on the first plurality of pixels; and

switching off a second plurality of pixels.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the second plurality of pixels includes substantially all of the pixels of the display other than the first plurality of pixels.

43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the user input means includes at least one of a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a key pad, a microphone, a camera or a gesture-sensing apparatus.