# US 9,520,105 B2 · Power savings for display panels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,105 B2 - Document ID: US9520105B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/459,424 - Filed: 2009-06-30 - Published: 2010-12-30 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2009-06-30 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Jun Shi; Akihiro Takagi; Robert J. Brennan; Seh W. Kwa; Yanli S. Zhang - Inventors: Jun Shi; Akihiro Takagi; Robert J. Brennan; Seh W. Kwa; Yanli S. Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520105B2 ## CPC - G09G 5/10: Intensity circuits - G09G 3/342: {using several illumination sources separately controlled corresponding to different display panel areas, e.g. along one dimension such as lines} - G09G 2320/103: Detection of image changes, e.g. determination of an index representative of the image change - G09G 2330/021: Power management, e.g. power saving - G09G 2360/16: Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract In some embodiments one or more areas of interest to a user of a display screen are determined. Portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest are dimmed. Other embodiments are described and claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining one or more areas of interest to a user of a display screen in response to a size and a location of one or more windows opened by the user; dimming portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest by dimming a backlight segment of the display screen to reduce power consumption of the display screen; and not performing frame updates in areas outside the area of interest. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dimming includes dimming vertically segmented backlights of the display screen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dimming includes dimming individual pixels of the display screen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dimming is performed at a level in response to a defined amount of dimming. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed in response to one or more functions being used by the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed in response to a video playback function to be used by the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is responsive to a software application. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dimming includes dimming all portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising inserting black pixels in an output sent to the display screen corresponding to the areas outside the area of interest. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: a driver to determine one or more areas of interest to a user of a display screen in response to a size and a location of one or more windows opened by the user; and a controller to dim portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest by dimming a backlight segment of the display screen to reduce power consumption of the display screen; wherein frame updates are not performed in areas outside the area of interest. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dimming includes dimming vertically segmented backlights of the display screen. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dimming includes dimming individual pixels of the display screen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the determining is performed in response to one or more functions being used by the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a software application coupled to the driver. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the controller to dim all portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, the apparatus to insert black pixels in an output sent to the display screen corresponding to the areas outside the area of interest. ### Claim 17 An article comprising: a readable storage medium having instructions thereon which when executed cause an electronic device to: determine one or more areas of interest to a user of a display screen in response to a size and a location of one or more windows opened by the user; and dim portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest by dimming a backlight segment of the display screen to reduce power consumption of the display screen; and not perform frame updates in areas outside the area of interest. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, the instructions further causing the electronic device to dim individual pixels of the display screen. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, the instructions further causing the electronic device to determine the one or more areas in response to a video playback function to be used by the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, the instructions further causing the electronic device to determine the one or more areas of interest in response to a software application. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, the instructions further causing the electronic device to dim all portions of the display screen other than the one or more areas of interest. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, the instructions further causing the electronic device to insert black pixels in an output sent to the display screen corresponding to the areas outside the area of interest.