Display device detection of and response to an idle mode of a remote sender device

A device, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive signals from a remote sender device that is operable to transmit primary content for display;
• a display device having a display, the display device configured to receive signals from the remote sender device and operable to display content, the display device further comprising:
• an interface configured to receive an alternate source of content;
• the display device being configured to determine that the display device is receiving primary content from the remote sender device and to display the primary content received from the remote sender device during a normal operating mode of the display device,
• the display device being configured to determine that the display device is not receiving primary content from the remote sender device and the remote sender device is in an idle mode during which the remote sender device does not provide primary content to the display device, the display device being configured to acquire alternate content from the alternate source of content and display the acquired alternate content from the alternate source of content during an alternate display mode of operation of the display device;
• where the display device is configured to, during the alternate display mode of operation, the alternate content displayed by the display device is not a screen saver content, and
• where the display device is configured to determine that the remote sender device is in an idle mode by any one of:
• a handshake function indicative of an idle mode, and
• a presence of a screen saver signal in the video information.

A display device operable to display content, comprising:

• a programmed processor and control element;
• a receive element operable to receive information from a remote sender device;
• and
• a display element;
• where the programmed processor and control element are configured to monitor information received by the receive element from the remote sender device and configured to cause the display element to display the information during a normal mode of operation when the programmed processor and control element determines that the received information received from the remote sender device is primary content,
• the programmed processor and control element being configured to determine that the information received by the receive element from the remote sender device is not primary content and the remote sender device is in an idle mode during which the remote sender device does not provide primary content to the display device, the programmed processor and control element being configured to cause the display element to acquire alternate content from a second remote sender device and display the alternate content during an alternate display mode of the display device, where during the alternate display mode of the display device display device is configured to not display screen saver content, and
• where the programmed processor is configured to determine that the remote sender device is in an idle mode by any one of:
• a handshake function indicative of an idle mode, and
• a presence of a screen saver signal in the video information.