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US 6,650,322 B2Granted
Computer screen power management through detection of user presence
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsXia Dai, Krishnan Ravichandran
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Abstract
An apparatus is described for detecting presence of a user. The apparatus includes at least one thermal sensor to sense temperature around a define area of a computer system and a user presence detection subsystem coupled to the thermal sensor. The user presence detection subsystem determines presence of a user by analyzing signals output by the thermal sensor during a sampling period.
Claims32
An apparatus comprising:
- at least one thermal sensor to sense temperature around a defined area of a computer system;
- and
- a user presence detection subsystem coupled to said at least one thermal sensor to determine presence of a user based on an amount of temperature fluctuation occurring within a defined time period, wherein the amount of temperature fluctuation is computed based on at least two temperature values measured at different points in time.
A method comprising:
- sensing temperature around a display screen area of a computer system;
- detecting presence of a user based on an amount of temperature fluctuation occurring within a defined time period, wherein the amount of temperature fluctuation is computed based on at least two temperature values measured at different points in time;
- outputting a power saving command to place a selected set of components of said computer system in a power saving mode if presence of a user is not detected;
- and
- outputting a normal operation command to place said selected set of components of said computer system in a normal operation mode if presence of a user is detected.
2 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory coupled to said processor;
- an input/output controller coupled to said processor;
- a display device coupled to said input/output controller via a display driver;
- and
- a user detection system to determine presence of a user based on an amount of temperature fluctuation occurring within a defined time period, wherein the amount of temperature fluctuation is computed based on at least two temperature values measured at different points in time, wherein said user detection system outputs a power saving command to place a selected set of components in a power saving mode if said user detection system determines that a user is not present within a computer area and said user detection system outputs a normal operation command to place said selected set of components in a normal operation mode if said user detection system determines that a user is present in the computer area.
3 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory coupled to said processor;
- an input/output controller coupled to said processor;
- a display device coupled to said input/output controller via a display driver;
- and
- a user detection system to determine presence of a user based on an amount of temperature fluctuation occurring within a defined time period wherein the amount of temperature fluctuation is computed based on at least two temperature values measured at different points in time, wherein said user detection system outputs a power saving command to place a selected set of components in a power saving mode if said user detection system determines that a user is not present within a computer areaand said user detection system outputs a normal operation command to place said selected set of components in a normal operation mode if said user detection system determines that a user is present in the computer area;
- and
- wherein said user detection system comprises a transmitter to transmit a signal, a receiver to receive said signal transmitted by said transmitter, and a controller coupled to said receiver to determine presence of an authorized user by processing said signal received by said receiver.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.