Systems and methods for controlling power consumption in electronic devices

• US 8,305,249 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Reams, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUER, SCOTT ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US12/175,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 341/176
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A method of controlling power consumption in an electronic device may include selecting between an on mode of the electronic device in which first circuitry of the electronic device is configured to perform a first operation, an off/standby mode in which second circuitry of the electronic device is configured to perform a second operation, and a sleep/vacation mode in which the second circuitry is controlled to at least one of reduce a frequency of and suspend performance of the second operation. An electronic device may include: first circuitry configured to perform a first operation when the electronic device is in an on mode; second circuitry configured to perform a second operation when in an off/standby mode; and a circuitry controller configured to control the second circuitry to at least one of reduce a frequency of and suspend performance of the second operation when in a sleep/vacation mode.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power consumption in an electronic device including at least three modes, the method comprising:

from either a first mode of the electronic device in which first circuitry of the electronic device is configured to perform a first operation or a second mode of the electronic device in which second circuitry of the electronic device is configured to perform a second operation, entering a third mode of the electronic device for a set period of time in response to an input, the third mode configuring the electronic device to control the second circuitry to reduce a frequency of or suspend performance of the second operation; and

signaling an associated electronic device, that is associated with the electronic device and is configurable to operate in a first associated electronic device mode, a second associated electronic device mode, and a third associated electronic device mode, to enter the third associated electronic device mode when the electronic device enters the third mode;

wherein the associated electronic device performs fewer operations in the third associated electronic device mode than in the second associated electronic device mode and fewer operations in the second associated electronic device mode than in the first associated electronic device mode; and

wherein operations performed by the electronic device in the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are user configurable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising restoring the frequency of or resuming performance of the second operation when the electronic device is changed from the third mode to one of the first mode and the second mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the third mode is in accordance with a timer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising restoring the frequency of or resuming performance of the second operation upon expiration of the timer.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising restoring the frequency of or resuming performance of the second operation prior to expiration of the timer.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the timer is set to occur periodically.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

first circuitry configured to perform a first operation when the electronic device is in a first mode;

second circuitry configured to perform a second operation when the electronic device is in a second mode; and

a controller configured to control the second circuitry to reduce a number of occurrences of or suspend performance of the second operation when the electronic device is in a third mode and to signal an associated electronic device, that is associated with the electronic device and is configurable to operate in a first associated electronic device mode, a second associated electronic device mode, and a third associated electronic device mode, to enter the third associated electronic device mode when the electronic device enters the third mode;

wherein the associated electronic device performs fewer operations in the third associated electronic device mode than in the second associated electronic device mode and fewer operations in the second associated electronic device mode than in the first associated electronic device mode; and

wherein operations performed by the electronic device in the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are user configurable.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to restore the number of occurrences of or resume performance of the second operation when the electronic device changes from the third mode to one of the first and the second mode.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising a timer configured to set a duration of the third mode for the electronic device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to restore the number of occurrences of or resume performance of the second operation upon expiration of the timer.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to restore the number of occurrences of or resume performance of the second operation prior to expiration of the timer.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising a timer controller configured to set the timer.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the timer controller is configured to set the timer to occur periodically.

14. A remote control device, comprising:

first circuitry configured to receive user input to wirelessly control an electronic device;

second circuitry configured to perform at least one operation without user input; and

a circuitry controller configured to control the second circuitry based on a mode of the remote control device or the electronic device wherein;

the remote control device and the electronic device are each configurable to operate in a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, the electronic device performs fewer operations in the third mode than in the second mode and fewer operations in the second mode than in the first mode, the remote control device performs fewer operations in the third mode than in the second mode and fewer operations in the second mode than in the first mode, and the circuitry controller configures the remote control device to operate in the third mode upon receiving an indication transmitted by the electronic device when the electronic device enters the third mode;

wherein operations performed by the electronic device in the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are user configurable.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to suspend performance of the at least one operation based on the mode of the remote control device or the electronic device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to resume performance of the at least one operation upon receipt of one of a signal from the electronic device and a user input.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a timer, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to set the timer based on the mode of the remote control device or the controlled electronic device and to resume performance of the at least one operation upon expiration of the timer.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to reduce a frequency of performance of the at least one operation based on the mode of the remote control device or the electronic device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to restore the frequency of performance of the at least one operation upon receipt of one of a signal from the electronic device and a user input.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising a timer, wherein the circuitry controller is configured to set the timer based on the mode of the remote control device or the electronic device and to restore the frequency of performance of the at least one operation upon expiration of the timer.

21. A method of operating an entertainment device, comprising:

operating the entertainment device in a first power state;

operating the entertainment device in a second power state, the power consumption of the entertainment device in the second power state being less than the power consumption of the entertainment device in the first power state;

receiving input requesting to operate the entertainment device in a third power state, the input including a specified time period wherein operations performed by the electronic device in the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode are user configurable;

operating the entertainment device in the third power state in response to the input, the power consumption of the entertainment device in the third power state being less than the power consumption of the entertainment device in the first power state and the power consumption of the entertainment device in the third power state being different than the power consumption of the entertainment device in the second power state;

signaling an electronic device, that is associated with the entertainment device and is configurable to operate in a first electronic device operating mode, a second electronic device operating mode, and a third electronic device operating mode, to enter the third electronic device operating mode when the entertainment device enters the third mode wherein the electronic device performs fewer operations in the third electronic device mode than in the second electronic device mode and fewer operations in the second electronic device mode than in the first associated device mode; and

switching the entertainment device from the third power state to the first power state or the second power state based on expiration of the specified time period.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving input comprises receiving user input.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the power consumption of the entertainment device in the third power state is less than the power consumption of the entertainment device in the second power state.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising outputting presentation content from the entertainment device during the first power state.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first power state is an active power state, the second power state is a standby power state and the third power state is a vacation power state or a sleep power state.