KR100631730B1 - Power saving methods and devices for portable computers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technology for preventing the battery power from being rapidly consumed because the backlight lamp of the LCD is unnecessarily set to a bright mode when the battery power is being used in a portable computer that combines the adapter power and the battery power.

The present invention includes a selection power identification means for checking whether the input power is the adapter power or the battery power; Reproducing operation discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the video medium is played by the video medium player; When the battery power is used as a result of checking of the power and the determination of whether to play the video medium is performed, the maximum brightness of the display unit is limited when the video medium is being played. Achieved by control means allowing adjustment to the maximum brightness of the negative.

Description

POWER SAVING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PORTABLE COMPUTER}

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a power saving device of a portable computer according to the present invention.

2 is a signal flowchart of a power saving method for a portable computer according to the present invention;

*** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings ***

1: adapter 2: battery

3: Selective power identification unit 4: DC / DC converter

5: Play operation determination unit 6: Keyboard

7: keyboard controller 8: microprocessor

9: Inverter drive control unit 10: Inverter

10: LCD

The present invention relates to a technology for managing power consumption of a mobile device that combines an adapter power and a battery power. In particular, when the battery power is used in a portable computer, the backlight lamp of the LCD is unnecessarily set to a bright mode and the battery The present invention relates to a power saving method and apparatus for a portable computer, which can prevent a sudden power consumption.

In general, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are employed as display devices of portable computers such as notebook computers, which do not have their own luminous ability. Therefore, the LCD requires a backlight lamp that serves as a backlight to more accurately and clearly view the displayed content.

An inverter is mainly used as the backlight lamp driving apparatus, and in order to drive the backlight lamp, the input condition of the power source must be satisfactorily satisfied. For example, typically, an AC voltage of 500 to 700 V (40 to 80 KHz) and a lamp current of 2 to 7 mA must be provided.

Therefore, the input condition of the power is satisfied through the inverter, and the brightness of the lamp is controlled by adjusting the output current of the inverter. However, since the amount of power consumed by the inverter and the lamp increases in proportion to the amount of current used by the lamp, as a result, the life of the battery power employed in the notebook computer is greatly affected by the amount of current in the lamp.

In addition, in recent years, notebook computers have been equipped with a large number of video media players such as CD-ROM and DVD, and the brightness of LCD backlight lamps is gradually increasing to provide clearer and clearer images. The trend is brighter. For example, a few years ago, the brightness of LCD backlight lamps, which were 70-80 candelas, required up to 150 candelas. Therefore, the amount of power consumed by the lamp and its driving apparatus is gradually increased, and the countermeasures are urgently required.

According to the prior art, there are two methods of varying the brightness (current) of the lamp by controlling the driving of the inverter.

The first method is to adjust the brightness of the lamp in software. In this method, the microprocessor recognizes that the user presses the brightness increase / decrease key on the keyboard and outputs brightness adjustment information (for example, voltage level or pulse width modulation signal (PWM)) to the inverter side, and the brightness adjustment is performed by the user. The lamp current corresponding to the information is generated and output to the backlight lamp, whereby the brightness of the lamp is adjusted.

The second method is to adjust the brightness of the lamp in hardware. In this method, an analog brightness control signal is outputted to the inverter side by a user operating a brightness adjustment knob (Knob) installed around the LCD, and the inverter generates a lamp current corresponding to the brightness control signal to generate a backlight. Output to the lamp side, thereby adjusting the brightness of the lamp.

In the conventional method of adjusting the brightness of the lamp by hardware, there is no limitation on the maximum brightness control when the adapter power is used or the battery power is used. Therefore, the LCD screen is indiscriminately when playing the video media (CD-ROM, DVD). It was so bright that the battery power was consumed suddenly and was faulty.

In addition, the method of controlling the brightness of the lamp by software of the LCD screen brightness control method of the portable computer according to the prior art is limited to some extent because the maximum brightness that can be adjusted when the battery power is used is limited to the image media (CD-ROM, DVD) ) During playback, the LCD screen is set too bright to prevent the battery power from being used up sharply. However, in the case of using such a method, there is a defect that the user itself desires to enjoy a bright screen.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is not to limit the maximum brightness control by the user when the adapter power is selected in the video media playback mode, the video media player is not in the playback operation, or the playback operation when the battery power is selected However, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for power saving of a portable computer that limits the maximum brightness control by a user only under a condition that a brightness increase / decrease key is not input.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a power saving method of a portable computer may include: a first process of checking whether an input power is battery power and checking whether an image medium is played by an image medium player; A second process of limiting the maximum brightness of the display unit during playback, and a third process of allowing adjustment to the maximum brightness of the display unit when the brightness adjustment key is input while the image medium is being played.
In addition, the present invention for achieving the above object, the power supply selection unit for identifying whether the input power source is the adapter power source or battery power, a playback operation determination unit for determining whether to play the video medium of the video media player, and As a result of checking the power, when the battery power is used, and as a result of determining whether the image medium is played, the maximum brightness of the display unit is limited when the image medium is being played. It is characterized by comprising a control unit that allows adjustment to the maximum brightness.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a power saving device of a portable computer for achieving the object of the present invention, as shown in this, select and output the power of one of the adapter 1 and the battery (2) power and selected power A selection power source identification unit 3 for outputting an identification signal D1 of the power supply; A direct current / direct current converter (4) for converting the direct current voltage output from the selected power source identification unit (3) into a direct current voltage of a level required by the system; Regeneration operation discrimination unit for supplying the power output from the DC / DC converter 4 to the video media player, and checks the amount of current used in the video media player based on the supply current and outputs the identification signal (D2) (5); A keyboard controller 7 which determines whether the brightness increase / decrease key is pressed on the keyboard 6 and outputs an identification signal D3 according thereto; When the identification signal D3 is input from the keyboard controller 7, an ROM table having a maximum brightness or an unlimited ROM table is selected based on the identification signals D1 and D2, and the allowable range of the selected ROM table is selected. A microprocessor (8) for outputting brightness adjustment information required therein; An inverter drive control unit 9 for outputting a drive control signal (for example, PWM) corresponding to the brightness control information output from the ROM table of the microprocessor 8 to the inverter 10; Inverter 10 which is driven in a mode corresponding to the drive control signal input from the inverter drive control unit 9 and supplies a corresponding current to the backlight lamp of the LCD 11, attached to the operation of the present invention A detailed description with reference to FIG. 2 is as follows.

Typically, a portable computer such as a notebook computer is provided with an adapter 1 for using a commercial power source, and a battery (for example, a rechargeable battery) 2 is separately provided. Therefore, the user can use the power supply of the adapter 1 or the power supply of the battery 2 as needed.

By the way, generally, the power supply of the adapter 1 is designed to take priority over the power supply of the adapter 1 and the power supply of the battery 2. Therefore, when the adapter 1 is connected to the notebook computer, the selective power identification unit 3 selects the output voltage of the adapter 1 regardless of whether the battery 2 is installed or not, and accordingly, the identification signal ( Example: outputs D1 = "high" and, if the adapter 1 is not connected, selects the output voltage of the battery 2 and outputs the corresponding identification signal (eg D1 = "low"). .

The DC voltage output from the selective power source identification unit 3 is converted into a DC voltage of the level required by the system by the DC / DC converter 4, and is used in a CD-ROM or DVD (DVD) in a notebook computer. When the image medium player 5B is used, the current sensing unit 5A senses the current supplied from the DC / DC converter 4 to the image medium player 5B and outputs a voltage corresponding thereto.

The output voltage of the current sensing unit 5A is amplified to a predetermined level through the amplifier 5C and then supplied to one input terminal of the comparator 5E, wherein the comparator 5E uses the input voltage as a reference voltage. The identification signal D2 is output according to the reference voltage input from the unit 5D. For example, when the amount of current used by the video medium player 5B is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the comparator 5E outputs the identification signal D2 as "high", and when it is equal to or less than the predetermined value, it outputs as "low".

On the other hand, when the user operates the brightness increase / decrease key installed on the keyboard 6, the keyboard controller 7 outputs the identification signal D3 accordingly to the microprocessor 8 side.

Accordingly, the microprocessor 8 is output from the identification signal D1 output from the selection power source identification section 3, the identification signal D2 output from the playback operation determination section 5 and the keyboard controller 7. On the basis of the identification signal D3, the brightness control information of the power saving mode or the non-power saving mode is output. This process will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

When power is input to the notebook computer, it is checked whether the battery power mode or the adapter power mode is based on the identification signal D1 input from the selection power identification unit 3, and when the adapter power mode is determined, the ROM table 8B for the adapter is checked. Select to output the brightness control information without the maximum brightness (S1-S4).

However, if the above check results in the battery power mode, the amount of current supplied to the video medium regenerator 5B is checked using the current sensing section 5A, the amplifier 5C, and the comparator 5E as described above. Then, the check current is compared with the reference value to output the identification signal D2 (S5-S7). That is, the comparator 5E compares the output voltage of the amplifier 5C with the reference voltage and outputs the identification signal D2 as "high" if it is higher than the reference voltage, and outputs it as "low" when it is low.

When the identification signal D2 is input to "high", the microprocessor 8 determines that the image medium player 5B is in the playback operation, and if it is input to "low", the microprocessor 8 determines that it is not in the playback operation (S8). .

If the image media player 5B is found not to be in the playback operation as described above, or if it is determined that the brightness control increase / decrease key is not input from the keyboard controller 7, the ROM table 8A for the battery is selected. Outputting brightness adjustment information limited to a predetermined value range (for example, 0 to 70%) (S9-S11).

However, if it is confirmed that the reproducing operation is being performed and the brightness increase / decrease key is input from the keyboard controller 7, the adapter ROM table 8B is selected as described above to display brightness adjustment information of which maximum brightness is not limited. Output

The inverter drive control unit 9 has a drive control signal (eg PWM) corresponding to brightness information output from the battery ROM table 8A or the adapter ROM table 8B of the microprocessor 8. It outputs to the side, whereby a corresponding current is supplied from the inverter 10 to the backlight lamp of the LCD (11) to display the screen with the corresponding brightness. That is, the inverter driving control unit 9 converts a relative control value according to the brightness adjustment key input and output into absolute brightness adjustment information and serves to provide the inverter 10.

As described in detail above, the present invention allows the brightness of the backlight lamp to be adjusted freely by setting the non-power saving mode when the adapter power is used, and when the battery power is used, the image media player is not in the playback operation. When it turns out that it is found to be in the playback mode but the increase / decrease key is not input, it sets the power saving mode to limit the brightness of the lamp for backlighting. By requiring adjustment, the maximum brightness can be adjusted to meet the needs of the user, thereby achieving the maximum power saving effect.

Claims (6)

Checking whether the input power is battery power, and checking whether the video medium is played by the video medium player if the battery power is supplied; A second step of limiting the maximum brightness of the display unit when the image medium is being played back as a result of the checking; And a third process of allowing adjustment to the maximum brightness of the display unit when the brightness adjustment key is input while the image medium is being played. delete Selective power identification means for checking whether the input power is an adapter power or a battery power; Reproducing operation discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the video medium is played by the video medium player; When the battery power is used as a result of checking of the power and the determination of whether the image medium is played is performed, the maximum brightness of the display unit is limited when the image medium is being played back, and the display is input according to the input of the brightness adjustment key in the state of playing the video medium. Power saving device for a portable computer, characterized in that it comprises a control means for allowing adjustment to the maximum brightness of the negative. 4. The power saving device of a portable computer according to claim 3, wherein the reproducing operation determining means is configured to determine whether the reproducing operation is performed by comparing the current supplied to the image medium reproducing apparatus with a reference value. delete 4. The power saving device of a portable computer according to claim 3, wherein the control means includes a battery ROM table for realizing a power saving mode and an adapter ROM table for realizing a non-power saving mode.

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