Display device, computer system and method of managing the operating states of a computer system

A display device for a computer system comprising:

• interface circuitry configured to receive a display signal from a computing device of the computer system, the computing device being external to the display device;
• a display screen configured to display the received display signal;
• a sensor configured to provide at least one control signal indicative of the presence of a user in a predefined area in front of the display screen;
• a control unit configured to select an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes based at least on the control signal provided by the sensor, and
• an energy management function configured to control an operating state of the display device based on the selected operating mode, wherein
• the interface circuitry is configured to transmit first control information by a manufacturer-specific virtual control panel VCP back to the computing device, and
• the first control information comprises control data indicating the presence or absence of the user in front of the display device and control data regarding an energy saving mode selected by the control unit of the display device.

A method of managing operating states of a computer system comprising a display device and a computing device external to the display device, the method comprising:

• sensing an absence of a user of the computer system from a predefined area in front of the display device;
• selecting, by a control unit of the display device, a predetermined energy saving mode from a plurality of energy saving modes in response to the sensed absence of the user;
• controlling, by a first energy management function of the display device, an operating state of the display device based on the selected energy saving mode;
• transmitting first control information by a manufacturer-specific virtual control panel VCP back to the computing device, wherein the first control information comprises control data indicating the absence of the user in front of the display device and control data regarding the predetermined energy saving mode selected by the control unit of the display device;
• controlling, by a second energy management function of the computing device, an operating state of the external computing device based at least on the transmitted first control information, and
• locking, by the second energy management function of the computing device, the display screen in response to the control data indicating that the predetermined energy saving mode has been selected by the control unit of the display device such that a user of the computer system must provide a password or other login credentials to unlock the computing device.