Display control apparatus and method for a display based on information indicating presence or engagement of the user of the display

1. A display control apparatus for a display, the display control apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry; and

processing circuitry configured to:

obtain, via the interface circuitry, information on a user of the display, the information on the user indicating a presence of the user relative to the display or an engagement of the user with the display, and

control, based on the information on the user, a display mode of the display, the display mode affecting a refresh rate of the display,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first display mode if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and engaged, a second display mode if the information on the user indicates that the user is absent, and a third display mode if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and disengaged,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply a first refresh rate in the first display mode and a second refresh rate in the second display mode, the first refresh rate being higher than the second refresh rate,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply a third refresh rate in the third display mode, the third refresh rate being between the first refresh rate and the second refresh rate.

2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the information on the user from a processing unit of a computing device comprising the display.

3. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the information on the user regarding the presence or engagement of the user is determined based on a camera-based determination or a machine-learning model.

4. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first refresh rate is at least 50 Hz, and wherein the second refresh rate is zero.

5. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply, for a backlight of the display, a first backlighting configuration in the first display mode and a second backlighting configuration in the second display mode, the first backlighting configuration yielding a brighter backlight than the second backlighting configuration.

6. The display control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to switch off the backlight in the second display mode.

7. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to set pixels to be displayed on the display to black in the second display mode.

8. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the third refresh rate is at least 1 Hz and less than a nominal refresh rate of the display.

9. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to apply, for a backlight of the display, a first backlighting configuration in the first display mode, a second backlighting configuration in the second display mode and a third backlighting configuration in the third display mode, the third backlighting configuration yielding a brighter backlight than the second backlighting configuration, the first backlighting configuration yielding a brighter backlight than the third backlighting configuration.

10. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display control apparatus is configured to receive a stream of display data from a processing unit of a computing device comprising the display, and to operate a frame buffer, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to maintain receiving the stream of display data and operating the frame buffer in the first display mode, in the second display mode and/or in a third display mode.

11. The display control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the display control apparatus comprises a frontend section and a backend section, the backend section comprising driver circuitry for driving the display, the frontend section comprising interface circuitry for receiving the stream of display data and the frame buffer, wherein an operation of the frontend section is maintained in the first display mode, in the second display mode and/or in the third display mode, and wherein an operation of the backend section is reduced in the second display mode and in the third display mode.

12. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to switch off the display if the user remains absent for a pre-defined time interval.

13. A computing device with an integrated display, the computing device further comprising the display control apparatus according to claim 1 and a processing unit.

14. The display control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to return to the first display mode from the second display mode or the third display mode if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and re-engaged.

15. A method for controlling a display, comprising:

obtaining information on a user of the display, the information on the user indicating a presence of the user relative to the display or an engagement of the user with the display, and

controlling, based on the information on the user, a display mode of the display, the display mode affecting a refresh rate of the display,

wherein a first display mode is applied if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and engaged, a second display mode is applied if the information on the user indicates that the user is absent, and a third display mode is applied if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and disengaged,

wherein a first refresh rate is applied in the first display mode, a second refresh rate is applied in the second display mode, and a third refresh rate is applied in the third display mode,

wherein the first refresh rate is higher than the second refresh rate, and the third refresh rate is between the first refresh rate and the second refresh rate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the information on the user regarding the presence or engagement of the user is determined based on a camera-based determination or a machine-learning model.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein, for a backlight of the display, a first backlighting configuration is applied in the first display mode, a second backlighting configuration is applied in the second display mode, and a third backlighting configuration is applied in the third display mode, wherein the first backlighting configuration yields a brighter backlight than the second backlighting configuration and the third backlighting configuration, and the third backlighting configuration yields a brighter backlight than the second backlighting configuration.

18. The method claim 15 , further comprising switching off the display if the user remains absent for a pre-defined time interval.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising returning to the first display mode from the second display mode or the third display mode if the information on the user indicates that the user is present and re-engaged.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including program code, when executed, to cause a machine to perform a method of claim 15 .