Standby time display method and device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances with matrix displays face high power consumption when showing time in standby mode, especially with seconds displays, due to complex control electronics that require continuous power for updating the display, exceeding energy-saving regulations.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a control unit that generates and stores time images in a low-power memory area, activating only when necessary to display them, and using a second program to manage standby state and wake-up events, with optional image compression and reduced display brightness to minimize power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a matrix display with full control electronics is used for time display, then the display quality and seconds indication are improved, but the power consumption in standby state increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two distinct programs: a first program that generates time display images and a second program that displays stored images in standby mode. This segmentation allows the system to separate the computationally intensive image generation task from the low-power display task, enabling the main controller to enter a low-power state while the display controller maintains the time display using pre-generated images from memory.
Solution Approach 2:
Time display images for future seconds are generated in advance and stored in a memory buffer before standby mode is activated. This preliminary action allows the display to continue showing accurate time progression without requiring continuous real-time processing during standby, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining display quality.
2Measurement precision
If continuous image generation and display updating is performed, then accurate seconds display is achieved, but power consumption exceeds energy-saving regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by generating time display images at predetermined intervals (e.g., every second) and storing them in memory. During standby mode, the display controller retrieves and displays these pre-generated images at the same intervals, maintaining accurate seconds display without requiring continuous real-time image generation, thus significantly reducing power consumption while meeting energy-saving regulations.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a simple LCD segment display is used, then power consumption is reduced, but the display cannot provide high-quality time representation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a simple LCD segment display, the system creates graphical copies of time display images (including analog clock faces, digital representations, and seconds indicators) and stores them in memory. These pre-generated image copies can be displayed on higher-quality matrix displays without requiring continuous processing, thus achieving both high display quality and reduced power consumption during standby.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for displaying the time on a display of a household appliance, comprising putting (102) the household appliance into a standby state, starting (104) a first program in a first memory area which performs the following steps: generating (106) an image for displaying the time for a number x of subsequent times t1, ..., tx, storing (108) the images in a second memory area which has lower power consumption than the first memory area, and deactivating (110) the first memory area, starting (112) a second program in the second memory area which performs the following steps: displaying (114) the respective calculated image at the times t1, ..., tx, activating (116) the first memory area, and continuing from the start of the first program.The invention further relates to a household appliance (2) comprising a display (4), a first memory area (6), a second memory area (8) whose power consumption is lower than that of the first memory area, and a control unit (10) configured to carry out the above method.