Power control device and power control method

Abstract

The present invention provides a power control device, a machine comprising the same and a power control method. The device is used for an integrated machine comprising a thin client and a display and comprises: a current detecting unit for detecting the current flowing through a port in the thin client connecting to the peripheral device; and a control signal generating unit for generating a control signal based on the intensity of the detected current to adjust the power consumption of the display and/or the thin client to maintain no increase in the power consumption of the integrated machine. The power control device, the machine comprising the same and the power control method of the present invention can be used to avoid low efficiency resulting from the power reservations for peripheral devices connected by a USB port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power control device for an integrated machine comprising a thin client and a display, comprising:
 a current detecting unit for detecting the current flowing through a port in the thin client connected to the peripheral device; and   a control signal generating unit for generating a control signal based on the intensity of the detected current to adjust the power consumption of the display and/or the thin client to maintain no increase in the power consumption of the integrated machine.   
     
     
         2 . The power control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the current detecting unit comprises a current detecting resistance being in series connection with power supply pins of the peripheral device port. 
     
     
         3 . The power control device according to  claim 2 , wherein in case that the power consumption of the integrated machine is maintained no increase by adjusting the power consumption of the display, said control signal generating unit comprises an operational amplifier to be used to amplify the voltage drop generated on the current detecting resistance by the current flowing through the peripheral device port; said control signal comprises the signal amplified by the operational amplifier and is used by a backlit control unit to effect an analog light modulation. 
     
     
         4 . The power control device according to  claim 2 , wherein in case that the power consumption of the integrated machine is maintained no increase by adjusting the power consumption of the display, said control signal generating unit comprises:
 an amplifier to be used to amplify the voltage drop generated on the current detecting resistance by the current flowing through the peripheral device port;   an analog to digital converter to be used to convert the amplified voltage drop to a digital representation of the voltage drop; and   a pulse width modulation signal generating circuit to be used to generate a pulse width modulation signal in accordance with the digital representation, the pulse width modulation signal is used by a display controller to effect pulse width modulation lighting adjustment of the display.   
     
     
         5 . The power control device according to  claim 4 , wherein the amplifier is a differential amplifier. 
     
     
         6 . The power control device according to  claim 4 , wherein the pulse width modulation signal generating circuit is a MCU. 
     
     
         7 . The power control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device port is a USB port. 
     
     
         8 . A thin client disposed in an integrated machine comprising the thin client and a display, said thin client comprising: a power control device of  claim 1 ; and a display/thin client controller to be used to control the power consumption of the display and/or the thin client using the control signal provided by the power control device. 
     
     
         9 . A thin client integrated machine, comprising the thin client according to  claim 8  and a display.