Function expanding method for small-sized display device

• US 20080112118A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: KOYO Electronics Industries Company Limited
• Inventors: Osaka, Hiroshi, Murai, Yasuhiko, Uchimura, Koichi, Kuramoto, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/681
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/05 Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13014 Expanding functions of display by modular hardware
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

The function expanding method for a display device comprises: a step of preparing a plurality of types of function expanding modules; a step of selecting a function expanding module or modules from the plurality of types of function expanding modules; and a step of stacking the selected single or plurality of function expanding module(s) to a rear part of the display device at will, and connecting the module(s) by using expanding connector(s).

Claims

1. A function expanding method for expanding functions of a display device that is provided with an internal circuit to be capable of being used even by itself for displaying a condition of an external apparatus that is controlled by a programmable controller, said method comprising:

a first step of preparing a plurality of types of function expanding modules, each of which comprises a built-in function expanding circuit for said display device;

a second step of selecting a function expanding module from said plurality of types of function expanding modules prepared in advance; and

a third step of stacking said selected function expanding module to a rear part of said display device, and electrically connecting said display device and said internal circuit of said function expanding module to expand said functions of said display device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first step prepares a display device comprising an expanding connector provided at its rear part, and

a plurality of types of bezels, each of which comprises on its front side an opening that is capable of housing said display device, as well as operation keys, and an expanding connector at a bottom part of said opening;

said second step selects a single bezel from said plurality of types of bezels; and

said third step houses said display device in said opening of said selected bezel and connect said expanding connector of said bezel to said expanding connector of said display device to allow operations of said display device with said operation keys that are provided to said bezel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first step prepares a plurality of types of display devices, each of which comprises an expanding connector provided at its rear part,

a plurality of types of bezels, each of which comprises on its front side an opening that is capable of housing said display device, as well as operation keys, an output-side expanding connector at a bottom part of said opening, and an input-side expanding connector on a rear part side, and

a plurality of types of function expanding modules, each of which comprises an expanding connector on its back side;

said second step selects a single bezel from said plurality of types of bezels, and

selects a single function expanding module (a specific function expanding module) from said plurality of types of function expanding modules;

said third step houses said display device in said opening of said selected bezel and connect said output-side expanding connector of said bezel to said expanding connector of said display device and, further, loads said selected specific function expanding module on said rear part of said bezel and connect said input-side expanding connector at said rear part of said bezel to said expanding module of said specific function expanding module.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

said first step prepares, as said plurality of types of bezels, at least two bezels whose specifications of operations keys are different from each other; and

said second step selects either one of said two bezels.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

said first step prepares at least two bezels whose specifications of operations keys are different from each other, and at least two specific function expanding modules whose expanding functions are different from each other; and

said second step selects either one of said two bezels and either one of said two specific function expanding modules.

6. A display device unit, comprising

a display device that is provided with an internal circuit to be capable of being used even by itself, and

a plurality of function expanding modules, each of which comprises an internal circuit for expanding functions of said display device, wherein:

said display device and said plurality of function expanding module respectively comprises an expanding connector for electrically connecting said respective internal circuits by being mechanically connected to each other, under a state where each of said function expanding modules is stacked in a rear part of said display device; and

said display device can be used by itself under a state where said modules are not being stacked, and said functions of said display device can be expanded by said internal circuits of said function expanding modules when said display device and respective internal circuits of each of said function expanding modules are connected through both of aid expanding connectors under a state where said modules are loaded by being stacked.

7. A display device unit, comprising

a display device that comprises a display screen on its front side, an expanding connector on its rear part side, and an internal circuit as an HMI of a control system to be used even by said display device itself, and

a bezel that comprises an opening capable of housing said display device, as well as operation keys, and an expanding connector at a bottom part of said opening, wherein

said display device can be used even by itself under a state where it is not housed in said opening of said bezel, and said display device can be operated through operations of said operation keys of said bezel when said display device is housed in said opening of said bezel, and an output-side expanding connector of said bezel is connected to said connector of said display device.

8. A display device unit, comprising

a display device that comprises a display screen on its front side, an expanding connector on its rear part side, and an internal circuit as an HMI of a control system to be used by said display device itself,

a bezel that comprises an opening capable of housing said display device, as well as operation keys, an output-side expanding connector at a bottom part of said opening, and an input-side expanding connector on its rear part side, and

a specific function expanding module that comprises on its back side an expanding connector that can be connected to said input-side expanding connector, wherein:

said display device can be used even by itself under a state where it is not housed in said opening of said bezel; and

said display device can be operated with said operation keys of said bezel and said functions of said display device are expanded by a circuit built in said specific function expanding module under a state where said display device is housed in said opening of said bezel and said output-side expanding connector of said bezel is connected to said expanding connector of said display device, while said specific function expanding module is loaded on said rear part of said bezel and said input-side expanding connector of said bezel is connected to said expanding connector of said specific function expanding module.