TWI408545B - Portable electronic equipment and power-saving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a portable electronic equipment and a power-saving method thereof. The electronic equipment according to the invention includes an operation apparatus, a processing/controlling module, a displaying apparatus and a gaze detecting apparatus. The processing/controlling module is electrically connected to the operation apparatus, the displaying apparatus and the gaze detecting apparatus. The displaying apparatus includes a light source. While the processing/controlling module does not receive an operation signal from the operation apparatus, the processing/controlling module controls the light source to turn on for a remaining duration. Within the remaining duration, the processing/controlling module controls the gaze detecting apparatus to capture an image related to a user. According to the image, the gaze detecting apparatus generates and transmits a gaze judging signal to the processing/controlling module which then selectively controls the light source to turn off based on the gaze judging signal.

Description

Portable electronic device and power saving method thereof

The present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and in particular, to a portable electronic device having a long standby time.

With the development of technology and advances in technology, the functions of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and PDAs are becoming more diversified and integrated to better meet the needs of users and increase the competitiveness of the market. Taking mobile phones as an example, multimedia mobile phones on the market allow users to take photos, take pictures, send and receive e-mails, play games, browse web pages and listen to music, etc., and fully realize the functions of cameras, cameras and video players, and The user's quality of life and convenience are greatly improved.

In response to the needs of consumers, the display panel of multimedia mobile phones is getting larger and larger, and the image quality of video images is also constantly increasing, resulting in greater battery power consumption of multimedia mobile phones, resulting in shorter standby time of mobile phones. Generally, a backlight device of a multimedia mobile phone (for example, a light-emitting diode) is the most important power consuming component. In addition to providing the light source required by the user in general operation, when the user does not operate the mobile phone, the backlight device usually turns off and enters the sleep state after a predetermined period of time to save the power consumption of the mobile phone. However, in the case where the user repeatedly operates the mobile phone, the preset time gradually accumulates and consumes a lot of power, so that the standby time of the mobile phone is shortened. Because of this, the standby time of mobile phones is often one of the important indicators for consumers to consider buying mobile phones. In view of this, how to increase the standby time of multimedia mobile phones is a problem that cannot be ignored.

Therefore, the main scope of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device having a long standby time to solve the above problems.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the portable electronic device includes an operating device, a processing/control module, a display device, and a gaze detecting apparatus.

The processing/control module is electrically connected to the operating device, the display device, and the gaze detecting device. The display device includes a light source. When the processing/control module does not receive the operation signal from the operating device, the processing/control module controls the light source to remain on for a remaining time. During the remaining time, the processing/control module controls the gaze detecting device to capture an image about the user. The gaze detecting device generates a gaze determination signal according to the image and transmits the gaze determination signal to the processing/control module, and then the processing/control module selectively controls the light source to be turned off based on the gaze determination signal.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a power saving method for a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes a display device.

The method first determines if the portable electronic device is operated. If the electronic device is not operated, the method controls one of the display devices to remain on for a remaining time. Then, during the remaining time, the method captures an image about the user and generates a gaze determination signal based on the image. Thereafter, based on the gaze determination signal, the method selectively controls the light source of the display device to be turned off.

The advantages and spirit of the present invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of the invention.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device that extends standby time. In practical applications, the portable electronic device according to the present invention may be a mobile phone, a PDA, an MP3/MP4 player, a digital camera/camera, a notebook computer, or the like.

Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the portable electronic device 1 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 , the portable electronic device 1 is illustrated by using a mobile phone as an example, but is not limited thereto. The portable electronic device 1 has a housing 10.

The portable electronic device 1 includes an operating device 12, a display device 14, a gaze detecting device 16, and a processing/control module 18 (FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, the processing/control module 18 is electrically coupled to the operating device 12, the display device 14, and the gaze detecting device 16. The operating device 12 is built into the housing 10 and can be a button, rocker or touch platform (eg, a touch screen). Display device 14 can include a display panel such as an LCD panel. In addition, the display device 14 includes a light source 140 for emitting light to illuminate the display panel for the user to browse or select a menu. In practical applications, the light source 140 can be a light-emitting diode (LED). The gaze detecting device 16 may include an image capturing module such as a CCD (charge coupled device) or a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor).

In general, if the user is in the state of operating the portable electronic device 1, for example, by pressing a button to edit a message or selecting to play a song, the processing/control module 18 receives the operation signal sent by the operating device 12, and controls Light source 140 of display device 14 is turned on to illuminate the display panel. When the processing/control module 18 does not receive the operational signal from the operating device 12, the processing/control module 18 controls the light source 140 to remain on for a remaining time. Usually, the remaining time is set in advance according to the backlight in the mobile phone, for example, the remaining time can be set to 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 20 seconds. After the remaining time has elapsed, the light source 140 of the display device 14 is turned off and goes to sleep.

According to the present invention, the processing/control module 18 can control the gaze detecting device 16 to capture images about the user during the remaining time. The gaze detecting device 16 generates a gaze determination signal based on the image and transmits a gaze determination signal to the processing/control module 18, after which the processing/control module 18 selectively controls the light source 140 to be turned off based on the gaze determination signal. In one embodiment, the gaze detecting device 16 can inspect one of the user's pupils based on the image, and the pupil displays the distribution of blood vessels in the user's retina. Wherein, if the blood vessel of the user's retina displayed by the pupil does not reach a predetermined standard, the gaze determination signal can determine that the user does not look at the electronic device, so the drive processing/control module 18 controls the light source to be turned off.

For example, if the user does not look at the mobile phone after operating the mobile phone, the angle between the human eye and the direction of the image capturing module facing the human eye in the gaze detecting device 16 has a certain angle or more. Then, the image capturing module captures the image about the user's pupil, and there is no red-eye phenomenon. Thereafter, after receiving the gaze determination signal, the processing/control module 18 can immediately turn off the light source 140 of the display device 14 to save power of the mobile phone and increase standby time. If the user looks at the mobile phone again during the remaining time and the gaze detecting device 16 detects that the red eye exceeds a predetermined standard, for example, the area of the pupil red exceeds 60% of the iris area, the processing/control module 18 can The light source 140 of the display device 14 is turned on to facilitate user operation. However, if the user only looks at the mobile phone for the remaining time but does not operate the mobile phone, the light source 140 of the display device 14 can be turned off after the preset remaining time has elapsed.

In a practical application, the gaze detecting device 16 may further include an infrared ray emitter, such as a far infrared ray emitter, for assisting the gaze detecting device 16 to detect whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device 1. For example, when the user is in a darker environment, the far infrared ray emitter can emit far infrared rays to the user. When the user looks at the portable electronic device 1, the far infrared ray emitter can be caused by the gaze detecting device 16. The captured red-eye is generated by the user's image to increase the sensitivity of the gaze detecting device 16. It should be noted that any possible light source can be applied as long as it can cause the image captured by the gaze detecting device 16 to produce more visible red light, and therefore is not limited to far infrared rays. In addition, the infrared emitter is not limited to emit infrared rays in a dark environment, and even in a bright environment, infrared rays can be emitted to assist the gaze detecting device 16 in detecting whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device 1.

In addition, during the remaining time, based on the power saving considerations, the gaze detecting device 16 can capture the image of the user and generate a gaze determination signal to the processing/control module 18 every predetermined period.

Please refer to Figure 3. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a power saving method of a portable electronic device according to the present invention. The portable electronic device includes a display device.

First, the method performs step S100 to determine whether the portable electronic device is operated. If the portable electronic device is operated, the method performs step S102 to control the light source of the display device to be turned on. If the portable electronic device is not operated, the method performs step S104 to control one of the display devices to remain on for a remaining time.

Then, in the remaining time, the method performs step S106 to capture an image about the user and generate a gaze determination signal according to the image. The gaze determination signal can indicate whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device.

In an actual application, step S106 may generate a gaze determination signal according to the image and using a red-eye detection process. For example, the red-eye detection process can perform image processing on images. In one embodiment, the red-eye detection process includes examining a pupil of the user based on the image, and the pupil displays a distribution of blood vessels of the user's retina.

Further, in step S106, an infrared emitter can be utilized in the process of capturing the image of the user to assist in the detection of the red eye. Further, based on the power saving consideration, the method may generate the gaze determination signal every predetermined period in step S106.

Then, based on the gaze determination signal, the method proceeds to step S108 to determine whether the user is looking at the portable electronic device.

If the user is not looking at the portable electronic device, the method proceeds to step S110 to control the light source of the display device to be turned off. For example, in the red-eye detection process described above, if the blood vessel of the user's retina displayed by the pupil does not reach a predetermined standard, it is determined that the user does not look at the portable electronic device, and conversely, the user is judged to be gazing at the portable device. Electronic equipment.

Thereby, the power of the portable electronic device can be saved to increase its standby time. If the user looks at the mobile phone again during the remaining time, the method can turn on the light source of the display device to facilitate the user's operation.

If it is determined in step S108 that the user is watching the portable electronic device, the method proceeds to step S112 to control the light source of the display device to be turned on. Assuming that the user only watches during the remaining time but does not operate the portable electronic device, the method can turn off the light source of the display device after the remaining time has elapsed.

Compared with the prior art, the portable electronic device according to the present invention can detect whether the user is watching the electronic device and selectively turning off the light source of the display device of the electronic device. Thereby, the electronic device can save the power required for many display devices to maintain illumination before entering the sleep mode, thereby prolonging the standby time of the electronic device.

The features and spirit of the present invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various modifications and equivalents within the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the scope of the patented scope of the invention should be construed as broadly construed in the

1. . . Portable electronic device

10. . . case

12. . . Operating device

14. . . Display device

16. . . Gaze detection device

18. . . Processing/control module

140. . . light source

S100~S112. . . Process step

1 is a perspective view of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a functional block diagram of a portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a power saving method of a portable electronic device according to the present invention.

1. . . Portable electronic device

12. . . Operating device

14. . . Display device

16. . . Gaze detection device

18. . . Processing/control module

140. . . light source

Claims (14)

A portable electronic device comprising: an operating device; a processing/control module electrically connected to the operating device; and a display device electrically connected to the processing/control module The display device includes a light source, and when the processing/control module does not receive an operation signal sent by the operating device, the processing/control module controls the light source to remain on for a remaining time; and a gaze detection The gaze detecting device is electrically connected to the processing/control module. During the remaining time, the processing/control module controls the gaze detecting device to capture an image about a user, the gaze detection The device generates a gaze determination signal according to the area ratio of the pupil's red eye to the pupil iris of the image and transmits the gaze determination signal to the processing/control module, and the processing/control module selectively and based on the gaze determination signal The light source is controlled to be turned off, wherein the area ratio of the pupil red eye to the pupil iris corresponds to an angle of the user relative to the gaze detecting device. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the gaze detecting device checks a pupil of the user according to the image, the pupil displaying a blood vessel of the retina of the user. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein if the blood vessel of the retina of the user displayed by the pupil does not reach a predetermined standard, the gaze determination signal determines that the user does not look at the electronic device. The device drives the processing/control module to control the light source to turn off. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the gaze detecting device comprises an infrared ray emitter. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the gaze detecting device generates the gaze determination signal every predetermined period of time during the remaining time. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode. A power saving method for a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device comprising a display device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether the portable electronic device is operated; (b) if step (a) If the determination result is no, controlling one of the display devices to maintain the light source for a remaining time; (c) capturing the image of one of the users and the red eye of the user according to the image during the remaining time Generating a gaze determination signal relative to the area ratio of the pupil iris, wherein the area ratio of the pupil red eye to the pupil iris corresponds to an angle of the user relative to the gaze detecting device; and (d) based on the gaze determination signal selectivity The light source that controls the display device is turned off. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (c) generates the gaze determination signal according to the image and using a red-eye detection process. The method of claim 8, wherein the red-eye detection process comprises an image processing program. The method of claim 9, wherein the red-eye detection process comprises inspecting a pupil of the user according to the image, the pupil displaying a blood vessel of the retina of the user, if the user is displayed by the pupil If the blood vessel of the retina does not reach a predetermined standard, it is determined that the user does not look at the portable electronic device, and vice versa, the user is judged to be gazing at the portable electronic device. The method of claim 10, wherein in the step (d), if the gaze determination signal indicates that the user does not look at the portable electronic device, the light source is controlled to be turned off. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (c) is in the process of capturing the image of the user and utilizing an infrared emitter. The method of claim 7, wherein in the step (c), the gaze determination signal is generated every predetermined period. The method of claim 7, wherein the display device comprises a light emitting diode.