Method and apparatus for dynamically changing pixel depth

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display panel;

a display controller that controls the display panel;

a plurality of data lines that supply image data to the display panel, wherein the data lines include data lines for supplying red image data, data lines for supplying green image data, and data lines for supplying blue image data; and

masking gates that mask selected ones of the data lines at predetermined times to adjust the pixel depth of the image data supplied to the display panel.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a processor coupled to the masking gates, and the processor provides one or more control signals to an input of each of the masking gates.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a processor, wherein the processor is coupled to the masking gates, and the processor causes the masking gates to mask the selected ones of the data lines when the electronic device is in a power saving mode.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the masking gates are coupled to an input of the display controller.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display panel interface, wherein an output of the display panel interface is coupled to an input of one or more of the masking gates.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a video buffer, wherein an output of the video buffer is coupled to an input of one or more of the masking gates.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the masking gates include an AND gate.

9. A method of reducing power consumption of an electronic device, the method comprising:

transmitting image data to the display panel, where the image data is associated with plurality of data lines; and

reducing the pixel depth of image data transmitted to a display panel at certain times, wherein reducing the pixel depth of image data includes,

masking selected data lines of the plurality of data lines that transmit image data to the display panel.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method comprises masking selected data lines that supply red image data, selected lines that supply green image data, and selected lines that supply blue image data such that the selected data lines maintain a constant level when the electronic device is in a power saving mode.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the data lines being masked are a predetermined number of the least significant bits associated with each of the lines supplying red image data, green image data, and blue image data.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method comprises disabling the masking when the electronic device is not in a power saving mode.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the masking is such that image data lines that are not masked are allowed to change value according to image data that is sent to the masking gates.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the masking of selected data lines includes masking selected data lines coupled to the input of a display controller.

15. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the masking is performed on image data in a mobile telephone.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein masking reduces the pixel depth of the image data, and the method includes producing images based on a full pixel depth, when masking is not being performed, and producing images at a reduced pixel depth, when the masking is being performed, and the method includes using the same image data as a source when producing images based on a full pixel depth and when producing images at a reduced pixel depth.

17. The method according to claim 16 including employing a processor to determine which of a plurality of data lines are the selected lines, wherein the method further includes varying the number of selected lines to vary the power consumption of the electronic device.

18. A method of reducing power consumption of an electronic device by reducing the pixel depth of video data transmitted to a display panel, wherein the method comprises masking selected data lines that supply red image data, selected lines that supply green image data, and selected lines that supply blue image data such that the selected data lines maintain a constant level when the electronic device is in a power saving mode.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method comprises disabling the masking when the electronic device is not in a power saving mode.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method includes permitting data lines that are not masked to change state according to image data being sent to the masking gates.

21. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the masking of selected data lines includes masking selected data lines coupled to the input of a display controller.

22. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the masking is performed on image data in a mobile telephone.