Set-Top Box Blue Light Reduction via Dynamic Color Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exposure to blue light from television screens can disrupt human circadian rhythms, leading to sleep disturbances and associated health issues, as people often watch TV in the evening and nighttime hours.
Innovation Solution
A set-top box system that adjusts the white color balance of video signals by increasing the red component and reducing the blue component during evening and nighttime hours, with optional gradual adjustments, to minimize blue light emission and promote better sleep.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the blue light component is reduced in the video signal during nighttime hours, then circadian rhythm disruption is minimized and sleep quality is improved, but the color balance of the displayed video is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the color balance parameters (specifically increasing red component and decreasing blue component) based on the time of day. During nighttime hours, the white color balance is modified to reduce blue light emission, while during daytime the original color balance is maintained. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the color balance change conditional rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the video signal by adjusting the red and blue component values in the color balance. Specifically, it increases the red component value and decreases the blue component value during nighttime hours, thereby reducing blue light exposure while maintaining acceptable visual quality for video content.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the white color balance is adjusted to increase red component value during nighttime, then blue light emission is reduced to protect circadian rhythms, but the viewing experience may be significantly altered
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively adjusting only the red and blue color components rather than making comprehensive changes to all color parameters. This targeted approach reduces blue light exposure while minimizing the overall impact on the viewing experience, as other color aspects remain unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The color balance adjustment is applied dynamically based on time of day detection. The system automatically switches between daytime and nighttime modes, applying the red/blue component adjustments only during nighttime hours when circadian rhythm protection is most needed, thereby preserving normal viewing experience during daytime.
3Ease of operation
If gradual adjustment of color balance is implemented over a predefined period, then the transition is smoother and less noticeable to viewers, but the time required to achieve full blue light reduction is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by beginning the color balance adjustment process before the actual nighttime threshold is reached. The gradual adjustment starts during a predefined period prior to nighttime, allowing the transition to begin in advance and complete smoothly as nighttime begins, rather than making abrupt changes at the threshold moment.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a method, system, or computer-readable storage device including instructions for reducing the blue light component of displayed video can include one or more of the following features: receiving, at a set-top box, a video signal having a white color balance, the white color balance including a red component value. The set-top box can determine that the current time is after a threshold night value and before a threshold morning value and, based on that, adjust the white color balance of the video signal to increase the red component value. The set-top box can then transmit the video signal with the adjusted white color balance to a display device.