Detection of a malfunctioning display using power measurement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12387641-B2
Application number	US-202418808334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2024
Priority date	Jun 14, 2022
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

In various embodiments, a computer-implemented method includes determining a size of a display area of a display panel on which one or more images are being displayed, determining a threshold current value based on the size, measuring a first current drawn by the display panel, determining whether the first current exceeds the threshold current value, and upon determining that the first current exceeds the threshold current value, causing a second current providing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
determining a size of a display area of a display panel on which one or more images are being displayed;
determining a threshold current value based on the size;
measuring a first current drawn by the display panel;
determining whether the first current exceeds the threshold current value; and
upon determining that the first current exceeds the threshold current value, causing a second current providing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the display panel to reset.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the threshold current value comprises using a lookup table.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the threshold current value based on the size comprises:
determining a ratio of the size to a total display size of the display panel; and
determining the threshold current value based on the ratio.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein determining the threshold current value based on the size further comprises:
determining a maximum current that the display panel draws; and
determining the threshold current value based on the ratio and the maximum current.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the size comprises determining how much of the display panel is being used to display the one or more images.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein determining the threshold current value based on the size further comprises determining a maximum amount of current that the display panel is expected to draw.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the light source to shut off comprises sending a command to the light source or a driver for the light source.

9. A system comprising:
a memory storing a monitoring application; and
a current measuring circuit that measures a first current drawn by a display panel; and
a processor coupled to the memory that executes the monitoring application by performing the steps of:
determining a size of a display area of the display panel on which one or more images are being displayed;
determining a current threshold current based on the size;
receiving, from the current measuring circuit, a first current measurement corresponding to the first current drawn by the display panel;
determining whether the first current measurement is larger than the current threshold; and
upon determining that the first current measurement is larger than the current threshold, causing a second current providing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel providing a set of heads-up display (HUD) images.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein light projected through the display panel creates an image to be reflected off at least a portion of a windshield of a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising one or more integrated circuits that include at least the current measuring circuit.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the current measuring circuit is separate from the display panel and a power source that provides the first current to the display panel.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) array operatively coupled to the display panel.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
an LED driver that responds to a command to shut off the LED array by stopping a supply of power to the LED array,
wherein the processor further executes the monitoring application by performing the steps of:
receiving a message indicating that the first current exceeds the current threshold, and
in response to receiving the message, generating the command.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor further executes the monitoring application by performing the step of upon determining that the first current measurement is larger than the current threshold, generating a command for the display panel to reset.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
determining a size of a display area of a display panel on which one or more images are being displayed;
determining a threshold power value based on the size;
measuring a first power consumed by the display panel;
determining whether the first power exceeds the threshold power value; and
upon determining that the first power exceeds the threshold power value, causing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein determining the threshold power value based on the size comprises:
determining a ratio of the size to a total display size of the display panel; and
determining the threshold power value based on the ratio.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein determining the threshold power value based on the size further comprises:
determining a maximum power that the display panel consumes; and
determining the threshold power value based on the ratio and the maximum power.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the steps further comprise setting the threshold power value based on a maximum amount of power that the display panel is expected to consume.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Seo Junghoon
• Lee Chulmin
• Cho Kugjin
• Byoun Daehyoun

Classifications

• B60K35/00

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K2360/332

  Light emitting diodes · CPC title

• B60K35/90

  Calibration of instruments, e.g. setting initial or reference parameters; Testing of instruments, e.g. detecting malfunction · CPC title

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title