Power management for display devices

摘要

A field emission color display electronics system includes a power reduction apparatus 40. The display system includes a matrix-addressable emitter plate 14 and a voltage-switched trichromatic anode plate 10. In a reduced power consumption mode, the display is switched from a color mode to a monochrome mode, and power reduction apparatus 40 causes the green luminance information (carrying the monochrome video information) to bypass frame memory 80 and to be coupled directly from multiplexers 82 to multiplexers 84 via tri-state buffers 86. Buffers 86 provide isolation of the bypassing lines during color operation of the display. Since the present invention permits frame memory 80 to be bypassed during monochrome operation, frame memory 80 can be placed in standby mode, thereby saving approximately one watt of power. Three alternative schemata for controlling entry into the reduced power consumption mode are disclosed. <IMAGE>