Detection of a malfunctioning display using power measurement

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, from a plurality of interfaces, a first interface that a display panel is displaying;

determining a threshold current value based on the first interface;

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 first interface comprises determining a ratio based on:

(i) a portion of a total display area that is covered by a first set of images, and

(ii) the total display area; and

determining the threshold current value based on the first interface comprises selecting the threshold current value based on the ratio.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a maximum current that the display panel draws;

determining a fraction of the display panel that includes a set of display images; and

setting the threshold current value based on the maximum current and the fraction.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising setting the threshold current value based on a maximum amount of current that the display panel is expected to draw.

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

8. 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, from a plurality of interfaces, a first interface that the display panel is displaying;

determining a threshold current value based on the first interface;

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 threshold current value; and

upon determining that the first current measurement is larger than the threshold current value, causing a second current providing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel providing a set of heads-up display (HUD) images.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein light projected through the display panel creates an image to be reflected off at least a portion of a windshield of a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a power management integrated circuit that includes at least the current measuring circuit.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a monitoring circuit that measures the first current,

wherein the monitoring circuit is separate from the display panel and a power source that provides the first current to the display panel.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) array operatively coupled to the display panel.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:

an LED driver that responds to a first 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 threshold current value, and

in response to receiving the message, generating the first command.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor further executes the monitoring application by performing the step of upon determining that the first current measurement is larger than the threshold current value, generating a command for the display panel to reset.

16. 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, from a plurality of interfaces, a first interface that a display panel is displaying;

determining a threshold current value based on the first interface;

measuring a first power consumed by the display panel;

determining whether the first power exceeds the threshold current value; and

upon determining that the first power exceeds the threshold current value, causing a second current providing power to a light source associated with the display panel to be shut off.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein:

determining the first interface comprises determining a ratio based on:

(i) a portion of a total display area that is covered by a first set of images, and

(ii) the total display area; and

determining the threshold current value based on the first interface comprises selecting the threshold current value based on the ratio.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the steps further comprise:

determining a maximum current that the display panel draws;

determining a fraction of the display panel that includes a set of display images; and

setting the threshold current value based on the maximum current and the fraction.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the steps further comprise setting the threshold current value based on a maximum amount of current that the display panel is expected to draw.