Design and implementation of the new extended architecture for notebook-TVs

Currently, users can watch TV on a notebook managed by an operating system (OS) and by an USB´s TV box. In this paper, we propose a new extended design for notebooks, which eliminates the need to boot the OS. By using our design, one can quickly turn on the TV function of a notebook. In this specific TV mode, the notebook need not use CPU, memory, HDD and other devices. It only uses the LCD panel. However, under the OS mode, the notebook can function both as a TV and as a computer, which may not be used while watching TV. Our design includes an extra controller and peripheral devices for providing the interface functions of the TV signals. This controller includes video format transformation, timing generator, panel transmitter, de-interlace and system control functions for the LCD panel. Hence, with this extra controller, our design has two advantages: the first one is the reduction of the waiting time required for first booting the OS in order to watch TV; the other one is reduction of power consumption as, when only watching TV, the CPU, memory, hard disk and other unused modules in a notebook are turned off.