System and method for the prevention of display burn-in

1. A system comprising:

an image sampler to sample images from a decoded video stream;

a static area detector to successively compare the sampled images, wherein the static area detector is to mark an area in the compared images that appear as zero brightness; and

a burn-in prevention module to apply a burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area;

wherein the static area detector is to determine a severity of static-ness for the marked area, and is to generate an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area;

wherein the burn-in prevention module is to select the burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image sampler is to sample the images at a rate of ten (10) images per minute.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

4. A system comprising:

an I-Frame sampler to sample I-Frames from a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) encoded video stream;

a static area detector to successively compare the sampled I-Frames using an XOR operation, wherein the static area detector is to mark an area in the compared I-Frames that have matching coefficients; and

a burn-in prevention module to apply a burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area;

wherein the static area detector is to determine a severity of static-ness for the marked area, and is to generate an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area;

wherein the burn-in prevention module is to determine the burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness; and

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the static area detector is to successively compare the sampled I-Frames at the macro-block level.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the static area detector is to successively compare the sampled I-Frames at the 8×8 discrete cosine transform (DCT) matrix level.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the I-Frame sampler is to sample the I-Frames at a rate of six (6) seconds apart.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

9. A system comprising:

a P-Frame sampler to sample P-Frames during the decoding of a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) encoded video stream;

a static area detector to successively compare the sampled P-Frames, wherein the static area detector is to mark an area in the compared P-Frames where the motion-vectors show zero motion; and

a burn-in prevention module to apply a burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area;

wherein the static area detector is to determine a severity of static-ness for the marked area, and is to generate an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

wherein the burn-in prevention module is to select the burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the P-Frame sampler is to sample the P-Frames at a rate of six (6) seconds apart.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

12. A method comprising:

sampling images from a decoded video stream;

successively comparing the sampled images;

marking an area in the compared images that appear as zero brightness;

determining a severity of static-ness for the marked area;

generating an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area;

selecting a burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

applying the burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the images are sampled at a rate of ten (10) images per minute.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

15. A method comprising:

sampling I-Frames from a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) encoded video stream;

successively comparing the sampled I-Frames using a pixel-wise XOR operation;

marking an area in the compared I-Frames that have matching coefficients;

determining a severity of static-ness for the marked area;

generating an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area;

selecting a burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

applying the burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area;

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sampled I-Frames are successively compared at the macro-block level.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sampled I-Frames are successively compared at the 8×8 discrete cosine transform (DCT) matrix level.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the I-Frames are sampled at a rate of six (6) seconds apart.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

20. A method comprising:

sampling P-Frames during the decoding of a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) encoded video stream;

successively comparing the sampled P-Frames;

marking an area in the compared P-Frames where the motion-vectors show zero motion;

determining a severity of static-ness for the marked area;

generating an indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area;

selecting a burn-in preventative technique from a plurality of techniques corresponding to the indication of the severity of static-ness for the marked area; and

applying the burn-in preventative technique for a period of time to the marked area;

wherein the plurality of techniques includes a first technique for a particular severity of static-ness and a second technique for a lesser severity of static-ness.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the P-Frame sampler is to sample the P-Frames at a rate of six (6) seconds apart.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of burn-in preventative techniques includes blacking out all pixels in the marked area, inserting a reverse pixel pattern in the marked area, applying a blur-filter to the marked area, and changing the color of each of the pixels in the marked area.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein said static area detector is to successively compare the sampled images using a pixel-wise XOR operation.

24. The method of claim 12 , wherein said successively comparing the sampled images comprises successively comparing the sampled images using a pixel-wise XOR operation.