Media Equipment Device Power Management with Nonvolatile Data Mirroring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Media equipment devices, such as set-top boxes, consume significant energy due to their inability to be fully powered down without losing program schedule information, which affects user experience and energy efficiency, as they remain responsive for service updates and perform tasks like program recordings.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows media equipment devices to automatically disconnect from power when threshold conditions are met, with the option to mirror program schedule information to non-volatile storage for restoration upon power-up, enabling a full-power mode, standby mode, and an off-power mode to minimize energy consumption without impacting user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the set-top box remains powered up to receive service updates and perform recordings, then service functionality is maintained, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by mirroring program schedule information from volatile memory to non-volatile storage before disconnecting power. This advance preparation ensures that essential data is preserved without requiring the device to remain powered, enabling energy savings while maintaining service functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the power consumption issue by separating the device into two operational states: powered-up state for active service operations and powered-down state for energy savings. The power supply interface is controlled to disconnect power while maintaining the ability to restore functionality through scheduled power-up events and non-volatile storage recovery.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the set-top box is turned off to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but program schedule information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a copy of program schedule information from volatile memory to non-volatile storage before power disconnection. This copying mechanism ensures that essential data is preserved in a persistent storage medium that retains information without power, preventing data loss while enabling energy savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirroring of program schedule information to non-volatile storage is performed as a preliminary action before the device is powered down. This advance data preservation ensures that when power is restored, the device can quickly recover essential information without requiring lengthy re-downloads or risking complete data loss.
3Use of energy by moving object
If power is disconnected to save energy, then energy efficiency improves, but user experience is impacted due to data restoration time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the critical action of mirroring program schedule information to non-volatile storage before power disconnection. This preliminary data preservation dramatically reduces restoration time upon power-up, as the device can quickly retrieve essential information from local non-volatile storage rather than waiting for lengthy re-downloads from external sources.
Solution Approach 2:
By creating a local copy of program schedule information in non-volatile storage, the system enables rapid data recovery upon power restoration. This copying mechanism eliminates the need for time-consuming re-downloads, significantly reducing the operational delay after power disconnection while maintaining energy efficiency benefits.
4Reliability
If the set-top box stays powered for digital video recorder operations, then recording functionality is maintained, but continuous energy consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic operation by alternating between powered-up and powered-down states based on scheduled events. The device powers up to perform necessary operations such as recordings or service updates, then powers down to conserve energy. This periodic operation pattern maintains recording functionality when needed while eliminating continuous energy consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary mirroring of program schedule information to non-volatile storage before disconnection, enabling the device to enter low-power states while preserving recording capabilities. When recording is needed, the device can be quickly powered up with essential data already available, maintaining functionality while reducing overall energy consumption through strategic power cycling.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and systems for operating a media equipment device having at least a full-power mode and an off-power mode are provided. A voltage supply to the media equipment device may be controlled by the media equipment device itself or by an external power management unit to automatically power-off the media equipment device, and power the device back on a future time. Prior to powering off the media equipment device, a portion of program schedule information stored in the volatile memory of the media equipment device may be mirrored to nonvolatile memory and may be restored on a priority basis after the media equipment device is powered back up. An external power management unit for controlling the media equipment device may also automatically detect and identify devices in the home based on a power signature of the device and manage the operation of the device based on the identification.