Power-efficient personalization of a computing environment of a data processing device with respect to a user thereof

• US 9,250,692 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Potpallewar, Vivek
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Jacinta M
• Application Number:
  US14/022,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/142 the light being detected by light detection means within each pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method includes providing, in a data processing device including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a capability to interface a microprocessor with the GPU, and communicatively interfacing a sensor with the microprocessor. The method also includes obtaining data related to an operating environment external to the data processing device through the sensor, and determining, through the microprocessor, personalization required of a computing environment of the data processing device with respect to a user thereof based on the data related to the operating environment external to the data processing device. Further, the method includes utilizing the GPU solely to effect the personalization required of the computing environment of the data processing device with respect to the user determined through the microprocessor to reduce power consumption through the data processing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, in a data processing device comprising a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a capability to interface a microprocessor with the GPU;

communicatively interfacing a sensor with the microprocessor;

obtaining data related to an operating environment external to the data processing device through the sensor;

determining, through the microprocessor, personalization required of a computing environment of the data processing device with respect to a user thereof based on the data related to the operating environment external to the data processing device; and

utilizing the GPU solely to effect the personalization required of the computing environment of the data processing device with respect to the user determined through the microprocessor to reduce power consumption through the data processing device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising providing at least one of:

an ambient light sensor, an antenna and an image sensor as the sensor communicatively interfaced with the microprocessor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein when the sensor is an ambient light sensor, the method comprises:

obtaining, through the ambient light sensor, data related to an intensity level of an ambient environment external to the data processing device;

determining, through the microprocessor, an intensity level to which an output of a backlight of a display unit of the data processing device is to be controlled based on the obtained data; and

effecting, through the GPU, a modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the GPU is in an OFF state thereof, the method comprises:

deriving power to the microprocessor through one of;

a battery of the data processing device, a battery associated with a graphics card comprising the GPU and an Alternating Current (AC) mains; and

effecting, through the CPU, the modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the capability to interface the microprocessor with the GPU further comprises one of:

providing traces between the GPU and the microprocessor across a surface of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) comprising the GPU, the traces providing conductive pathways between circuits of the GPU and the microprocessor; and

communicatively interfacing the microprocessor with the GPU by way of an adapter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing traces between the microprocessor and a power port of the PCB, the power port of the PCB being configured to enable powering of the GPU and the microprocessor therethrough.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing definitions to be utilized during the determination of the personalization required of the computing environment in a driver component associated with at least one of the GPU, the microprocessor, the sensor and a display unit of the data processing device.

8. A non-transitory medium, readable through a data processing device comprising a CPU and a GPU and including instructions embodied therein that are executable through the data processing device, comprising:

instructions to provide, in the data processing device, a capability to interface a microprocessor with the GPU;

instructions to communicatively interface a sensor with the microprocessor;

instructions to obtain data related to an operating environment external to the data processing device through the sensor;

instructions to determine, through the microprocessor, personalization required of a computing environment of the data processing device with respect to a user thereof based on the data related to the operating environment external to the data processing device; and

instructions to utilize the GPU solely to effect the personalization required of the computing environment of the data processing device with respect to the user determined through the microprocessor to reduce power consumption through the data processing device.

9. The non-transitory medium of claim 8, comprising instructions compatible with at least one of:

an ambient light sensor, an antenna and an image sensor being provided as the sensor communicatively interfaced with the microprocessor.

10. The non-transitory medium of claim 9, wherein when the sensor is an ambient light sensor, the non-transitory medium comprises instructions to:

obtain, through the ambient light sensor, data related to an intensity level of an ambient environment external to the data processing device;

determine, through the microprocessor, an intensity level to which an output of a backlight of a display unit of the data processing device is to be controlled based on the obtained data; and

effect, through the GPU, a modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

11. The non-transitory medium of claim 10, wherein when the GPU is in an OFF state thereof, the non-transitory medium comprises instructions to effect, through the CPU, the modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

13. The non-transitory medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions to provide definitions to be utilized during the determination of the personalization required of the computing environment in a driver component associated with at least one of the GPU, the microprocessor, the sensor and a display unit of the data processing device.

12. The non-transitory medium of 8, wherein instructions to provide the capability to interface the microprocessor with the GPU further comprise one of:

instructions compatible with traces provided between the GPU and the microprocessor across a surface of a PCB comprising the GPU, the traces providing conductive pathways between circuits of the GPU and the microprocessor; and

instructions compatible with communicatively interfacing the microprocessor with the GPU by way of an adapter.

14. A data processing device comprising:

a CPU;

a GPU;

a sensor configured to obtain data related to an operating environment external to the data processing device; and

a microprocessor communicatively interfaced with the GPU and the sensor, the microprocessor being configured to determine personalization required of a computing environment of the data processing device with respect to a user thereof based on the data related to the operating environment external to the data processing device obtained through the sensor,

wherein the GPU is configured to be utilized solely to effect the personalization required of the computing environment of the data processing device with respect to the user determined through the microprocessor to reduce power consumption through the data processing device.

15. The data processing device of claim 14, wherein the sensor is at least one of:

an ambient light sensor, an antenna and an image sensor.

16. The data processing device of claim 15, wherein when the sensor is an ambient light sensor:

the ambient light sensor is configured to obtain data related to an intensity level of an ambient environment external to the data processing device,

the microprocessor is configured to determine an intensity level to which an output of a backlight of a display unit of the data processing device is to be controlled based on the obtained data, and

the GPU is configured to effect a modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

17. The data processing device of claim 16, wherein when the GPU is in an OFF state thereof:

the microprocessor is configured to derive power through one of;

a battery of the data processing device, a battery associated with a graphics card comprising the GPU and an AC mains, and

the CPU is configured to effect the modification of the intensity level of the output of the backlight of the display unit based on the determination through the microprocessor.

18. The data processing device of claim 14, wherein one of:

traces are provided between the GPU and the microprocessor across a surface of a PCB comprising the GPU, the traces providing conductive pathways between circuits of the GPU and the microprocessor, and the microprocessor is communicatively interfaced with the GPU by way of an adapter.

19. The data processing device of claim 18, wherein traces are further provided between the microprocessor and a power port of the PCB, the power port of the PCB being configured to enable powering of the GPU and the microprocessor therethrough.

20. The data processing device of claim 14, further comprising a driver component associated with at least one of the GPU, the microprocessor, the sensor and a display unit of the data processing device, the driver component comprising definitions to be utilized during the determination of the personalization required of the computing environment provided therein.