Method for displaying time information in low power state and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11016853-B2
Application number	US-201715688232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Aug 30, 2016
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A method for displaying time information in an electronic device in a low power state is provided. The method includes transferring a power-off command and a reboot command to the electronic device if a power level of a battery is equal to or less than a first level, setting a power-off flag in a boot loader, entering into a power-off state, and displaying, on a display, current time related information for a predetermined time under the control of the boot loader if a specific event occurs in the power-off state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for displaying time information in an electronic device, the method comprising:
transferring a power-off command and a reboot command to the electronic device if a power level of a battery is equal to or less than a first level;
setting a power-off flag in a boot loader based on the transferring of the power-off command and the reboot command to the electronic device;
entering into a power-off state;
when the electronic device enters the power-off state, storing the time information and clock image information in the boot loader;
determining whether a specific event occurs while in the power-off state;
when the specific event occurs, generating a clock image through synthesis of time information and the clock image information under a control of the boot loader; and
after checking the power-off flag setting, displaying, on a display, current time related information for a predetermined time under the control of the boot loader based on the specific event in the power-off state.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a message related to a power state on the display under a control of at least one processor if the power level is equal to or less than the first level.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying an animation about a power-off on the display under a control of at least one processor if the at least one processor enters the power-off state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific event corresponds to a first input of pressing a power button.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transferring of the power-off command and the reboot command comprises transferring the power-off command and the reboot command to the boot loader and a kernel region.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
removing the power-off flag setting if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to a second input of pressing a power button or a charging event; and
performing normal booting of the electronic device if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to the second input of pressing the power button or the charging event.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
displaying an animation about a charging state on the display under a control of at least one processor if it is determined that the specific event is the charging event.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
displaying an animation related to a power-on on the display under a control of at least one processor if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to the second input.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a memory including a boot read only memory (ROM) configured to store a boot loader therein;
a power manager controller;
a power button configured to transfer a user input to the power manager controller;
a display; and
at least one processor configured to:
transfer a power-off command and a reboot command to the electronic device if a power level of a battery is equal to or less than a first level,
set a power-off flag in the boot loader based on the transfer of the power-off command and the reboot command to the electronic device,
enter a power-off state,
store time information and clock image information in the boot loader when the at least one processor enters the power-off state, and
determine whether a specific event occurs while in the power-off state,

wherein the power manager controller is configured to:
control the boot loader to generate a clock image through synthesis of the time information and the clock image information,
check the power-off flag setting in the boot loader, and
control the boot loader to display on the display current time related information for a predetermined time based on the specific event in the power-off state.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a message about a power state on the display if the power level is equal to or less than the first level.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an animation about a power-off on the display if the at least one processor enters the power-off state.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the specific event corresponds to a first input of pressing the power button.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transfer the power-off command and the reboot command to the boot loader and a kernel region.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the power manager controller is further configured to:
remove the power-off flag setting if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to a second input of pressing a power button or a charging event, and
perform normal booting of the at least one processor under a control of the memory if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to the second input of pressing the power button or the charging event.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an animation about a charging state on the display if it is determined that the specific event is the charging event.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to operate to display an animation related to a power-on on the display if it is determined that the specific event corresponds to the second input.

17. The electronic device of claim 9 ,
wherein the boot loader comprises a time controller,
wherein the time controller comprises a time synthesis device and a time display controller, and
wherein the time synthesis device is configured to transfer synthesized information derived from the synthesis of the time information and the clock image information to the time display controller.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Eunchul
• SEO Jaejoon
• Sim Woojin

Classifications

• G06F1/3234

  Power saving characterised by the action undertaken · CPC title

• G06F1/3212

  Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level · CPC title

• G06F1/26

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title

• G06F1/165 Primary

  the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title