Some common semiconductor-based devices could have their battery lives extended thanks to a new framebuffer from QuickLogic.
The Frame Recycler Proven System Block examines the graphical signal being sent to a device's display.
If this has not changed since the last time the display was refreshed, it is not transmitted, meaning less power is used in keeping the on-screen information up to date.
The company explains that its product is a response to the fact that many screens now have a refresh rate of up to 60 times per second, whereas the information that they display does not necessarily change at that pace.
By cutting down on the number of times the central processing unit must be activated in order to keep the display updated, the battery life of the device containing the semiconductor can be extended.
QuickLogic is based in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Canada, India and China; it was founded in 1988.