Context-Aware Display Zoning for Selective Screen Power Saving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LED-based display devices consume significant energy due to inactive screen portions while applications are running, as current power-saving modes do not selectively disable unused areas.

Innovation Solution

A system that identifies inactive portions of the display by analyzing display content and real-time user interactions, allowing for energy reduction actions such as dimming or powering off specific pixels without shutting down the entire display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire display is kept active to maintain functionality, then user interaction is preserved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay functionalityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The display is divided into multiple zones or segments, allowing the system to selectively activate only the portions of the display that correspond to active application areas while keeping inactive portions disabled, thus reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining necessary functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the display are treated differently based on their activity status - active regions maintain full functionality and brightness while inactive regions are dimmed or powered down, applying local quality changes to optimize energy usage without compromising user experience in active areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Use of energy by moving object

If the display is divided into grid and portions are disabled, then energy consumption is reduced, but reactivation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidreactivation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining standby states or partial activation for display portions that may be needed soon, based on predicted user behavior or application patterns, allowing for faster reactivation without continuously powering all sections at full capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The display activation state is made dynamic, allowing portions to transition between active, standby, and inactive states based on real-time usage patterns, enabling the system to optimize between energy savings and reactivation speed by adjusting the readiness level of different display regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12488734B2Contextual conservation of energy in running applications

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

An embodiment for contextually conserving energy in running applications is provided. The embodiment may include receiving display content and real-time data from one or more sources on a device of a user. The embodiment may also include identifying a context of one or more running applications on a display of the device. The embodiment may further include dividing the display of the device into a grid. The embodiment may also include identifying one or more active portions of the display. The embodiment may further include in response to determining at least one portion of the display is inactive, performing an energy reduction action to the at least one inactive portion of the display.