Energy-saving eco-friendly monitor with automatic power off

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power adapter equipped with a function that detects the state of a computer, automatically cuts off the power supply when the computer is in sleep mode or turned off, and automatically supplies power when the computer is in normal mode, thereby supplying only the power required for the monitor. Through this, unnecessary power waste is completely eliminated, the national power production is reduced, and CO2 emissions generated during the power production process are decreased, thereby preventing environmental pollution.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a power adapter for a product that uses a separate power adapter as a power source for computer peripherals such as a monitor, beam projector, printer, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "monitor"), wherein the power adapter technology automatically completely cuts off the input power of the power adapter when the computer enters power saving mode or turns off the power. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, there has been an increasing trend of PC peripherals, such as monitors, that are powered by a power adapter rather than having a separate power supply.

[0003] In addition, an increasing trend is expected in the future for devices equipped with PoE (Power Over Ethernet), USB Power Delivery, and Type-C, which simultaneously provide communication and power.

[0004] Strategy Analytics, a U.S. research firm, predicted that products equipped with Type-C would account for 12% of the total mobile device market in 2016. If this prediction is accurate, hundreds of millions of mobile devices will be equipped with Type-C in 2016.

[0005] However, power adapters that supply power via such connections have a problem in that they receive AC power regardless of whether the device is in use, generate the DC power required by the device to maintain a standby state, and continuously waste power unnecessarily. The problem to be solved

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention is devised to improve upon the problems of the aforementioned prior art, and provides a power adapter that automatically cuts off the power of the monitor power adapter when the computer connected to the monitor is in power saving mode or when the computer is turned off, by equipping the monitor and the power adapter with means for detecting this and means for cutting off the power, thereby cutting off wasted power.

[0007] In addition, the invention provides a power adapter that cuts off wasted power from the monitor and power adapter by using this energy as a power source to control a control means, and by equipping the monitor with a means for collecting and storing energy from a signal line when a power supply cable connecting the computer and the monitor is not used. means of solving the problem

[0008] A means for power saving and standby power cutoff of a power adapter of a monitor according to the present invention

[0009] A power delivery unit (13) that supplies power to control the power adapter when the power is cut off and supplies power to the monitor when the power adapter is operating;

[0010] A power generation unit (16) that collects, stores, and supplies energy from the above power signal;

[0011] A switching unit 1 (17) that blocks the above power supply from being supplied to other circuits of the monitor because the power supply has a small capacity, and supplies power to the monitor when power is supplied from the power adapter;

[0012] A control unit (12) for performing the above control;

[0013] A reverse current prevention unit (21) that configures a monitor (10, 10') and prevents a conflict between the power delivered from the power delivery unit and the power supplied to the monitor by the operation of the power adapter;

[0014] A switching unit (25) that receives power from a power delivery unit and supplies / cuts off power to a power adapter according to the control of a control unit (23);

[0015] A power supply unit (26) that creates the power required for the monitor when power is supplied from the switching unit;

[0016] A current sensing unit (22) which is a means for sensing the state of the monitor;

[0017] A control unit (23) for controlling the power adapter;

[0018] Configure the power adapter as follows. Effects of the invention

[0019] The present invention has the effect of preventing environmental pollution by automatically cutting off the power supply of the power adapter that supplies power to the monitor when the computer is in power saving mode and when the computer is turned off, thereby eliminating unnecessarily wasted power, reducing power production, and reducing CO2 emissions generated during power production. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0020] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of a monitor and a power adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of a monitor and a power adapter according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a signal input from a computer and a stored power waveform to a power generation unit (16), which is an energy collection and storage means of a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0021] The following description, provided with reference to the attached drawings, is intended to aid in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention and their equivalents as defined by the claims.

[0022] Although this description includes various specific details to aid in such understanding, they should be regarded merely as illustrative examples. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art will be well aware that various changes and modifications to the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and concept of the invention.

[0023] In the descriptions below, even if any component or object is expressed in the singular form, it should be understood that it includes components or objects in the plural form as well, unless the surrounding context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0024] Terms such as “generally, approximately, essentially” as used in this disclosure are used to mean that, although any characteristic, parameter, or value(s) do not need to be provided precisely, some tolerance, measurement tolerance, or slight variation known, for example, to those skilled in the art may occur in an amount that does not exclude the effect of providing the same characteristic, parameter, or value(s).

[0025] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments that enable a person skilled in the art to easily implement the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0026] However, in describing the operating principle of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, if it is determined that a specific description of related known functions or configurations could unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0027] A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] The configuration of the monitor and power adapter of the present invention is described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0029] First, the configuration of the monitor (10) includes a connector (15) that supplies a VGA signal or HDMI video signal and power +5V from the computer;

[0030] A control unit (12) that receives various data from a monitor (10), performs calculations, comparisons, judgments, processes, and controls;

[0031] A display unit (11) that displays an image according to the processing of the control unit (12);

[0032] A reverse current prevention unit 1 composed of diode D1, which supplies power from the computer to Vcc through diode D1 to prevent current from flowing backward toward the computer when the power adapter (20) supplies power;

[0033] A power delivery unit (13) configured with a switching element (which can be composed of a relay, transistor, semiconductor device, etc.) that receives a +5V power supply and synchronization signal V-sync, H-sync from a computer VGA or HDMI connector, or receives a clock signal of an HDMI signal, and supplies a power supply start signal or a cut-off signal to a power adapter (20) under the control of a control unit (12) depending on whether the computer is in power saving mode or in a power 'off' state;

[0034] Additionally, the power adapter (20) is configured with a switching unit 1 (17) as a means to supply power to other circuits, such as the display unit (11), so that power Vcc is not supplied to other circuits, such as the display unit (11), before the power adapter (20) operates normally while the power is cut off, and then, when the power adapter (20) operates normally and power is supplied to the monitor (10), power is supplied to other circuits, such as the display unit (11).

[0035] In addition, it is configured with a power receiving socket (14) provided to be connected to a power supply plug (24) in order to receive power supplied from a power adapter (20) through a power supply plug (24).

[0036] Meanwhile, the power adapter (20) comprises a power supply plug (24) that supplies power by connecting to the power receiving socket (14) of the monitor (10);

[0037] A cable (100) that supplies the output power of the power adapter (20) to the monitor (10) by connecting it to a power supply plug (24);

[0038] A reverse current prevention unit (21) which is a means (composed of diodes D2, D3, etc.) that receives power from the signal transmission means (13) of the monitor (10) while the AC power to the power adapter (20) is cut off, supplies power only to the control unit (23) of the power adapter, and when the power adapter is operating, supplies the output power of the power unit (26) to the monitor (10) to prevent reverse current flow;

[0039] A control unit (23) that receives various data from a power adapter (20), performs calculations, comparisons, judgments, processes, and controls;

[0040] A switching unit (25) that can be configured as a triac or a relay, etc., as a means of supplying / cutting off AC power to the power adapter (20) by the control of the control unit (23);

[0041] A power supply unit (26) which is a means for creating and supplying the necessary power to the monitor (10) when power is supplied from the switching unit (25);

[0042] A current sensing element configured to sense the current supplied to the monitor (10) is configured with a resistor (R1) and an amplifier that converts the sensed voltage so that the control unit can make a judgment, thereby forming a current sensing unit (22).

[0043] Also, as another embodiment of the configuration of the present invention, the configuration of the monitor is described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0044] In the case where +5V power is not received from the computer (when a non-standard cable assembly is used), a power generation unit (16) is a means for collecting and storing energy from a video signal to supply power to the power adapter (20) through the signal transmission means (13) of the monitor (10') while the AC power to the power adapter (20) is cut off;

[0045] Additional configuration is performed, and other configurations are configured in the same way as in Fig. 1.

[0046] The control method of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

[0047] A control method for supplying AC power to the power adapter (20). First, the power Vcc required to operate the monitor and power adapter while the power is cut off is connected to the computer.

[0048] It varies depending on the type of block.

[0049] First, if a standard monitor cable is used to connect to the computer, +5V power is supplied from the computer, allowing it to be supplied to Vcc as +5V power.

[0050] However, cables manufactured without a +5V power cable to lower the price of cables are being distributed in the market, so if such a cable is used, the cable connected to the computer is not a standard product, and thus cannot receive +5V power from the computer, when using VGA, a power generation unit (16) that collects, stores, and supplies energy from the VGA signal is provided, and H-sync., V-sync. signals are charged into capacitor C1 through diode D5 as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0051] In addition, when using HDMI, energy is collected and stored from the HDMI signal clock+ and clock- signals and charged into capacitor C1 through diode D5 (not shown).

[0052] The capacitor C1 is charged and stored until the voltage rises and reaches the reference voltage Vzd, and when the reference voltage is reached, the switching element FET Q1 is turned on and supplied to Vcc through diode D4.

[0053] If the reference voltage Vzd is low, a DC / DC converter may be provided to convert the voltage and supply it as Vcc. (Not shown)

[0054] When the AC power to the power adapter (20) is cut off and the computer is turned on, +5V power is supplied from the monitor cable connected to the computer, and power Vcc is supplied to the control unit (12) microcomputer U1 through the reverse current prevention unit 1 diode D1, or power Vcc is supplied to the control unit (12) microcomputer U1 from the power generation unit (16), at this time, the microcomputer U1 is initialized and controls output 01 to control the driving unit of the power transmission unit (13) so that contacts a and c are connected.

[0055] When connected, power Vcc is supplied to the microcomputer U2 of the control unit (23) through the diode D3 of the reverse current prevention unit (21) of the power adapter (20) via contacts a and c, and at this time, the microcomputer U2 is initialized and controls output 03 to drive the triacs TRI1 and TRI2 of the switching unit (25) to supply AC power to the power supply unit (26).

[0056] When AC power is supplied, the power supply unit (26) creates the power required for the monitor (10) and supplies the power required for the monitor (10) through the resistor R2 of the current sensing unit (22) and the diode D2 of the reverse current prevention unit (21).

[0057] At this time, the microcomputer U1 of the control unit (12) of the monitor controls output 04 to drive the switching unit 1, and the output power of the power adapter supplies power VDD through point e to other circuits such as the display unit (11), so that the monitor (10) displays and operates normally.

[0058] When the monitor is in power saving mode or when the power is turned off, if the computer is set to enter power saving mode if it is not used for a certain period of time (e.g., 5 minutes), or if the computer power is turned 'off', in the case of VGA, the computer does not output H-sync., V-sync. signals and video signals in power saving mode, and in the case of HDMI, the computer does not output clock+, clock- signals and video data in power saving mode. Therefore, the microcomputer U1 of the control unit (12) checks these signals, and if the above signals are not input, it determines that it is in power saving mode and controls output 01 to open contacts a and c of the power transmission unit (13), thereby cutting off the power supply from the power adapter (20) to the monitor (10).

[0059] When the power supply is cut off, the current flowing through the current sensing resistor R1 almost stops flowing, so the current sensing unit (22) senses that the voltage difference between point e and point d across the resistor disappears and inputs it to the input I1 of the microcomputer U2 of the control unit (23).

[0060] At this time, the microcomputer U2 of the control unit (23) reads the value of input I1 to determine that the monitor is in power saving mode, and controls output 03 to cut off the switching unit (25), thereby cutting off the supply of AC power.

[0061] Although a power adapter for a monitor that cuts off standby power according to the present invention has been described above, the concept of the invention disclosed herein extends to the extent that it is obvious to a person skilled in the art, and matters obvious to a person skilled in the art, even if not described in the specification, should be deemed to be described. Explanation of the symbols

[0062] Power transmission unit, control unit, reverse current prevention unit, switching unit 1, power generation unit, power supply unit, current sensing unit, control unit, display unit

Claims

Claim 1 A monitor and a power adapter that supply power to a monitor only when the computer is operating, wherein the power adapter operates to supply power to the monitor, the monitor is configured with: a power delivery unit that supplies power to control the power adapter when the power is cut off; a power generation unit that collects, stores, and supplies energy from the power signal; a switching unit 1 that cuts off the power so that it cannot be supplied to other circuits of the monitor when the power is supplied from the power adapter, and supplies power to the monitor when power is supplied from the power adapter; and a control unit (12) for performing the above control. The monitor is configured with: a reverse current prevention unit that prevents a conflict between the power delivered from the power delivery unit and the power supplied to the monitor when the power adapter operates; a switching unit that receives power from the power delivery unit and supplies / cuts off power to the power adapter according to the control of the control unit (23); a power unit that creates the power required for the monitor when power is supplied from the switching unit; a current sensing unit which is a means for sensing the state of the monitor; and a control unit for controlling the power adapter. The monitor and power adapter for cutting off wasted power are characterized by being configured with these components.

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