System and methods for automatic power saving via device location identification

• US 8,994,880 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter, Oshima, Koichi, Clift, Graham, Lejeune, Stephane, Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US13/072,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 348/730, 348/553, 348/552, 455/456.1, 455/574, 700/297, 340/539.22, 340/549.23, 340/539.3
• US Class Current: 348/553
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• 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 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A system for automatically setting a power saving mode according to a location of a device, such as a TV. The system includes an interface, e.g. GPS receiver, terrestrial broadcast receiver, network interface, etc. for coupling the device to one or more external devices; a processor; programming executable on said processor for performing the following steps: determining the location of the device via communication with the one or more external devices; establishing a power consumption mode according to the determined location of the device and one or more power consumption regulatory requirements associated with said device location; and adjusting a function of the device to modify the power consumption of the device according to said power consumption mode.

Claims

1. A system for automatically setting an operational mode according to a location of a device, comprising:

an interface for coupling the device to one or more external devices;

a processor; and

programming executable on said processor for performing steps comprising;

determining the location of the device via communication with the one or more external devices;

establishing an operating mode according to the determined location of the device and one or more regulatory requirements associated with said device location;

wherein the one or more regulatory requirements comprise one or more regulations established by a government municipality associated with said location; and

adjusting a function of the device according to said operational mode.

2. A system as recited in claim 1:

wherein the operational mode comprises a power saving mode; and

wherein adjusting a function of the device comprises modifying the power consumption of the device according to a power consumption mode.

3. A system as recited in claim 1:

wherein the operational mode comprises modification one or more of following;

link transmission frequency, remote control reception frequency and modulation, and frequencies for RF reception.

4. A system as recited in claim 1:

wherein the device comprises a TV having a display; and

wherein adjusting a function of the device comprises adjusting a brightness level of the display.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a GPS receiver for obtaining GPS data relating to the device location.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a terrestrial broadcast receiver for obtaining station identification data relating to the device location.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a network interface for obtaining location data relating to the device over the Internet.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an input from a set top box for obtaining PSIP data relating to the device location.

9. A system as recited in claim 2:

the device further comprising one or more sensors;

wherein the one or more sensors provide information relating to the device environment that are used in establishing the power consumption mode.

10. A TV having an automatic power saving mode, comprising:

a display;

an interface for coupling the TV to one or more external devices;

a processor; and

programming executable on said processor for performing steps comprising;

determining the location of the TV via communication with the one or more external devices;

establishing a power consumption mode according to the determined location of the TV and one or more power consumption regulatory requirements associated with said TV location;

wherein the one or more power consumption regulatory requirements comprise one or more regulations established by a government municipality associated with said location; and

adjusting a brightness level of the display to modify the power consumption of the TV according to said power consumption mode.

11. A TV as recited in claim 10, wherein the interface comprises a GPS receiver for obtaining GPS data relating to the TV location.

12. A TV as recited in claim 10, wherein the interface comprises a terrestrial broadcast receiver for obtaining station identification data relating to the TV location.

13. A TV as recited in claim 10, wherein the interface comprises a network interface for obtaining location data relating to the TV over the Internet.

14. A TV as recited in claim 10, wherein the interface comprises an input from a set top box for obtaining PSIP data relating to the TV location.

15. A TV as recited in claim 10:

the TV further comprising one or more sensors;

wherein the one or more sensors provide information relating to the TV environment that are used in establishing the power consumption mode.

16. A TV as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a light sensor.

17. A TV as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a motion sensor.

18. A TV as recited in claim 15:

wherein the TV is configured to communicate wirelessly with a utility meter; and

wherein data from the utility meter is used in establishing the power consumption mode.

19. A method for automatically setting an operational mode according to a location of a device, comprising:

coupling the device to one or more external devices;

determining a location of the device via communication with the one or more external devices;

establishing an operational mode according to the determined location of the device and one or more regulatory requirements associated with said device location;

wherein the one or more regulatory requirements comprise one or more regulations established by a government municipality associated with said location; and

adjusting a function of the device according to said power consumption mode.

20. A method as recited in claim 19:

wherein the operational mode comprises a power saving mode; and

wherein adjusting a function of the device comprises modifying the power consumption of the device according to a power consumption mode.

21. A method as recited in claim 19:

wherein the operational mode comprises modification one or more of following;

link transmission frequency, remote control reception frequency and modulation, and frequencies for RF reception.

22. A method as recited in claim 19:

wherein the device comprises a TV having a display; and

wherein adjusting a function of the device comprises adjusting a brightness level of the display.

23. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a GPS receiver for obtaining GPS data relating to the device location.

24. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a terrestrial broadcast receiver for obtaining station identification data relating to the device location.

25. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the interface comprises a network interface for obtaining location data relating to the device over the Internet.

26. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the interface comprises an input from a set top box for obtaining PSIP data relating to the device location.

27. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

acquiring data from one or more sensors;

said data relating to the device environment; and

establishing the power consumption mode based on a function of said acquired data.