Display apparatus management system and method thereof

• US 20050132036A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Mi-sook, Lee, Kyung-shik
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles

Abstract

A display apparatus management system having at least one display apparatus with a display part to display an image, a memory to allow data to be stored and/or removes, and a display controller to control a display state of the image displayed on the display part; at least one client connected with each display apparatus and to output an image signal to the display apparatus; and a host having an input part to allow input of a display identification to each display apparatus, a database registered with the display identification of each display apparatus inputted via the input part and a client identification of each client, and a host controller to transfer the display identification to the display apparatus through the client to enable the display controller to store the display identification to the memory. The display apparatus management system, thus, identifies and/or manages the display apparatus connected with each client from the host. Further, by adding the lock function to the display apparatus, the present invention provides protection against a theft.

Claims

1. A display apparatus management system, comprising:

at least one display apparatus including;

a display part to display an image,

a memory to allow data to be stored and/or removed, and

a display controller to control a display state of the image displayed on the display part;

at least one client connected with the at least one display apparatus to output an image signal to the at least one display apparatus; and

a host including;

an input part to allow input of a display identification received from the at least one display apparatus,

a database in which is registered the display identification of the at least one display apparatus which was inputted via the input part, and a client identification provided to the at least one client, and

a host controller to transmit the display identification to the at least one display apparatus via the at least one client to enable the display controller to store the display identification to the memory.

2. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one client further comprises:

a client controller to control the display controller, which controls the display state of the image displayed on the display part, wherein the host controller transmits a control signal to the client controller to enable the client controller to control the display controller.

3. The display apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein the client controller requests a transmission of the display identification to the at least one display apparatus when the at least one client is powered, and transmits the display identification to the host when the display identification is received from the at least one display apparatus.

4. The display apparatus management system according to claim 3, wherein the host controller transmits a display locking signal to the at least one client to enable the client controller to implement a lock function when the display identification of the at least one display apparatus received from the at least one client is not identical to the display identification corresponding to the client identification registered in the database.

5. The display apparatus management system according to claim 3, wherein the host controller controls the client controller to apply a display acknowledgement signal to the at least one display apparatus when the display identification of the at least one display apparatus received from the at least one client is identical to the display identification corresponding to the client identification registered in the database, and

the display controller controls the display apparatus to display the image on the display part when it is detected that the display acknowledgement signal is received from the at least one display apparatus.

6. The display apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein the host controller requests a transmission of the display identification to the at least one display apparatus when the at least one client is powered, and transmits information to indicate that the display identification is not received to the host when the display identification is not received from the at least one display apparatus, and

the host controller transmits a display locking signal to the at least one client to implement the lock function when the at least one client transmits the information that the display identification is not received.

7. The display apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein the host further comprises:

a host display part to display the image, and

wherein the host controller requests a transmission of the display identification to the at least one display apparatus when the at least one client is powered, and transmits information to indicate that the display identification is not received when the display identification is not received from the at least one display apparatus, and

the host controller displays a user interface screen to allow a configuration of the display identification via the host display part when the at least one client transmits the information that the display identification is not received.

8. The display apparatus management system according to claim 7, wherein the host controller registers a configured display identification as the display identification corresponding to the client identification of the at least one client when the configuration of the display identification of the at least one display apparatus is selected through the user interface screen and the display identification of the at least one display apparatus is inputted through the input part.

9. The display apparatus management system according to claim 7, wherein the host controller transmits a configured display identification to the at least one client when the configuration of the display identification of the at least one display apparatus is selected through the user interface screen and the display identification of the at least one display apparatus is inputted through the input part.

10. The display apparatus management system according to claim 9, wherein the client controller transmits the display identification transmitted from the host to the at least one display apparatus, and

the display controller stores the display identification transmitted from the client controller in the memory.

11. The display apparatus management system according to claim 7, wherein the host controller transmits a display locking signal to the at least one client to enable the client controller to implement a lock function when the configuration of the display identification of the at least one display apparatus is not selected through the user interface screen.

12. The display apparatus management system according to claim 4, wherein the client controller blocks the image signal applied to the at least one display apparatus from the at least one client when the display locking signal is received.

13. The display apparatus management system according to claim 6, wherein the client controller blocks the image signal applied to the at least one display apparatus from the at least one client when the display locking signal is received.

14. The display apparatus management system according to claim 11, wherein the client controller blocks the image signal applied to the at least one display apparatus from the at least one client when the display locking signal is received.

15. The display apparatus management system according to claim 4, wherein the client controller transmits a control signal corresponding to the display locking signal to the at least one display apparatus when the display locking signal is received, and

the display controller controls so that the image on the display part is not displayed when the control signal corresponding to the display locking signal is received.

16. The display apparatus management system according to claim 6, wherein the client controller transmits a control signal corresponding to the display locking signal to the at least one display apparatus when the display locking signal is received, and

the display controller controls the display apparatus so that the image on the display part is not displayed when the control signal corresponding to the display locking signal is received.

17. The display apparatus management system according to claim 11, wherein the client controller transmits a control signal corresponding to the display locking signal to the at least one display apparatus when the display locking signal is received, and

the display controller controls the display apparatus so that the image on the display part is not displayed when the control signal corresponding to the display locking signal is received.

18. The display apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein the host controller controls to display a user interface screen on the host display part to manage an operation state of the at least one display apparatus.

19. The display apparatus management system according to claim 18, wherein the host controller transmits a power-off signal corresponding to a selected power-off option when the power-off of the at least one display apparatus is selected through the user interface screen, and

the client controller controls the display controller to turn off the power of the at least one display apparatus when the power-off signal is received from the host.

20. The display apparatus management system according to claim 18, wherein the host controller transmits a power-on signal corresponding to a selected power-on option when the power-on of the at least one display apparatus is selected through the user interface screen, and

the client controller controls the display controller to turn on the power of the at least one display apparatus when the power-on signal is received from the host.

21. The display apparatus management system according to claim 18, wherein the display controller transmits a power-on/off state signal corresponding to a on/off state of the at least one display apparatus through the at least one client, and

the host controller displays the power-on/off state of the at least one display apparatus on the user interface screen based on the received power-on/off state signal when the power-on/off state signal is received.

22. The display apparatus management system according to claim 21, wherein the host controller counts a time of the power-on state of the at least one display apparatus based on the received power-on/off state signal, and registers the time counted during the power-on state in the database.

23. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display apparatus further comprises:

an electrically erasable programmable read only memory to store configuration variables to control the display state of the image, and

the memory has a memory area allocated to allow data to be stored in and/or data to be removed from the electrically erasable programmable read only memory.

24. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the display controller reads the display identification stored in the memory and transmits the display identification to the at least one client when a user requests the display identification.

25. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the display controller detects whether a display acknowledgement signal is received from the at least one client and controls so that the image on the display part is not displayed when the display acknowledgement signal is not received from the at least one client.

26. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display apparatus further comprises:

an interface part to receive the image signal from the at least one client, and

a signal processor to change the image signal inputted via the interface part to an image signal displayable via the display part.

27. The display apparatus management system according to claim 26, wherein the display controller controls the display part, the interface part, and the signal processor.

28. The display apparatus management system according to claim 1, wherein the client further comprises:

a central processing unit,

a graphic controller to process the image signal outputted to the at least one display apparatus,

a hard disk drive to store an operating system and application programs that run based on the operating system,

a client network part to process exchange of data with the host, and

a system bus to connect the central processing unit, the hard disk drive, and the client network part.

29. The display apparatus management system according to claim 28, wherein the host controller displays a user interface screen to allow a configuration of the display identification, wherein when the user sets configuration variables through the user interface screen, the client controller transmits a control signal corresponding to the configuration variables set through the user interface screen to the at least one display apparatus through the graphic controller.

30. The display apparatus management system according to claim 2, wherein the client controller is an application program that runs based on an operating system of the at least one client.

37. The display apparatus management system according to claim 29, wherein a user interface window is provided to allow a user to configure the display identification data.

38. The display apparatus management system according to claim 37, wherein the user interface window comprises:

an identification selection button to allow input of the display identification data,

an information selection button to receive the display identification data, and

a control selection button to control the display apparatus.

31. A display apparatus management system, comprising:

a client system connected with a display apparatus, the client system to output an image signal to the display apparatus; and

a host connected with the client system via a network, the host having a database to store display identification information of the display apparatus and client identification information of the client system and which selectively allows the client system to access the display apparatus according to a correspondence between the stored display identification information and display identification information received from the display apparatus.

32. The display apparatus management system according to claim 31, wherein the client identification information of the client system is inputted by a user when the host is connected with the client system.

33. The display apparatus management system according to claim 31, the host further comprises:

a host controller to automatically store the client identification information using an Internet Protocol address allocated to the client system when the client system is connected with the host.

34. The display apparatus management system according to 31, wherein the display identification information stored in the database corresponds to the client identification information of the client connected with the display apparatus.

35. The display apparatus management system according to claim 31, wherein the database stores information in relation to an on and/or off state of the display apparatus.

36. The display apparatus management system according to claim 31, wherein the database has extended display identification data including product name and display specification information of the display apparatus.

39. A method to manage a display apparatus of a client computer connected to a host, comprising:

transmitting display identification data of the display apparatus to the host upon a request;

determining at the host whether the transmitted display identification data of the display apparatus matches a registered display identification data; and

controlling the display apparatus based on the determination.

40. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising:

transmitting a display acknowledgement signal to the display apparatus via the host upon determining that the transmitted display identification data matches the registered display identification data, and operating the display apparatus in accordance with a normal operation, and

displaying a user interface screen when the display identification data does not match the registered display identification data to allow configuration of the display identification data by a user.

41. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the user interface screen is displayed when the display identification data is not registered.

42. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 41, further comprising:

transmitting a display locking signal to the client computer connected with the display apparatus to stop an image signal outputted to the display apparatus when the display acknowledgement signal is not received by the display apparatus.

43. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 42, further comprising:

registering a client identification data of the client computer corresponding to the display identification data in the host.

44. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 43, further comprising:

determining whether a configured display identification data by the user is linked with the registered client identification data, wherein the display locking signal is transmitted to the client computer when the configured display identification data by the user does not correspond with the registered client identification data.

45. A method to manage a display apparatus of a client computer connected to a host, comprising:

transmitting a power-on state signal to the host when the display apparatus is supplied with a power;

counting a time during which the display apparatus is supplied with the power and until a power-off state signal is received, wherein information regarding the time during which the display apparatus is supplied with the power is stored; and

indicating a usage time of the display apparatus based on the stored information regarding the time during which the display apparatus is supplied with the power via the host.

46. The method to manage the display apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising:

turning on and/or off the display apparatus via a user interface window provided to the host.

47. A computer readable medium encoded with a method to manage a display apparatus performed by a computer connected with the display apparatus and connected with a host, the method comprising:

transmitting display identification data of the display apparatus to the host upon a request;

determining at the host whether the transmitted display identification data of the display apparatus matches a registered display identification data; and

controlling the display apparatus based on the determination.