Method and apparatus for simplified control of a video monitor
First Claim
1. A computer system having simplified video monitor capability information retrieval abilities, comprising:
- a system unit, wherein said system unit comprises;
a video connector; and
a data connector;
a video monitor storing video monitor capability information; and
a monitor interface having a first connector arranged for connection with said system unit video connector, said monitor interface having a second connector arranged for connection to said video monitor, and a third connector arranged for connection to said system unit data connector,wherein said monitor interface includes a first path between said first and second connectors, and a second path between said second and third connectors, said monitor interface being arranged for connecting said system unit and said video monitor, wherein said monitor interface receives video monitor capability information from said video monitor and provides said video monitor capability information to said system unit using said second path, wherein said computer system further comprisesnon-volatile memory separate from said video monitor, said non-volatile memory being arranged for receiving and storing said video monitor capability information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus which provides bi-directional communication between a video monitor and a computer system unit. This enables the video monitor to inform the system unit of its capabilities without user involvement and also enables the system unit to directly control or adjust all the functions of the video monitor. In the preferred embodiment, a monitor/mouse interface provides bi-directional communication between the video monitor and the system unit. The monitor/mouse interface connects to the mouse and video connectors or the back of the system unit and in turn connects to the mouse and video monitor. The interface includes separate data paths from the system unit to the mouse and video monitor, respectively. Monitor control software is included in the system unit which can be used to control or adjust the output of the video monitor. When a user desires to adjust the output of the video monitor, the monitor control software directs the monitor/mouse interface to provide a communication path between the system unit and the video monitor, and the system unit relates the control information input from the user to the video monitor, which adjusts its visual output accordingly. Also, at each power-on of the computer system, the monitor/mouse interface selects the data path between the system unit and video monitor to enable the video monitor to provide capability information to the system unit. A second embodiment includes the monitor/mouse interface logic comprised in the video monitor.
47 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer system having simplified video monitor capability information retrieval abilities, comprising:
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a system unit, wherein said system unit comprises; a video connector; and a data connector; a video monitor storing video monitor capability information; and a monitor interface having a first connector arranged for connection with said system unit video connector, said monitor interface having a second connector arranged for connection to said video monitor, and a third connector arranged for connection to said system unit data connector, wherein said monitor interface includes a first path between said first and second connectors, and a second path between said second and third connectors, said monitor interface being arranged for connecting said system unit and said video monitor, wherein said monitor interface receives video monitor capability information from said video monitor and provides said video monitor capability information to said system unit using said second path, wherein said computer system further comprises non-volatile memory separate from said video monitor, said non-volatile memory being arranged for receiving and storing said video monitor capability information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for obtaining video monitor capability information without direct user involvement in a computer system comprising a system unit including a CPU and non-volatile memory, the computer system also including a video monitor and a monitor interface, said monitor interface being coupled between the system unit and the video monitor, wherein the video monitor includes capability information, the method comprising the steps of:
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the system unit directing the video monitor to provide the capability information to the system unit without direct user involvement; the video monitor providing the capability information to the system unit; and the system unit storing the capability information in the non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A computer system having simplified video monitor control, comprising:
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a video monitor including visual output control logic for controlling the visual output of the video monitor; an input device for entering data into the computer system; a system unit coupled to said input device and said video monitor, wherein said system unit comprises; a memory for storing monitor control software; and a CPU coupled to said memory, said CPU being operable to execute said monitor control software to enable a user to use said input device to input monitor control data to said CPU to adjust said visual output of said video monitor; a monitor interface coupled between said CPU and said video monitor which receives said monitor control data from said CPU and provides said monitor control data to said video monitor visual output control logic; wherein said visual output control logic adjusts the visual output of said video monitor using said monitor control data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for simplified video monitor control in a computer system comprising a system unit including a CPU, memory capable of storing monitor control software, and non-volatile memory, the computer system also including a monitor interface coupled to the system unit, a video monitor coupled to the monitor interface, and an input device coupled to the system unit, wherein the video monitor includes logic for controlling the visual output of the video monitor, the method comprising the steps of:
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a user entering monitor control data using the input device; the system unit receiving the monitor control data from the input device; the system unit providing the monitor control data through the monitor interface to the video monitor; and the video monitor adjusting its visual output according to said monitor control data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An apparatus which provides bi-directional communication between a system unit and a video monitor in a computer system, wherein the computer system comprises a system unit and a video monitor coupled to said system unit, said video monitor being operable for storing video monitor capability information, the apparatus comprising:
a monitor interface coupled between said system unit and said video monitor, said monitor interface being adapted for transmitting said video monitor capability information from said video monitor to said system unit, said system unit further including non-volatile memory for storing the video monitor capability information. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A computer system having simplified video monitor capability information retrieval abilities, comprising:
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a system unit, wherein said system unit comprises; a video connector; and a peripheral device connector; a video monitor storing video monitor capability information; a peripheral device; and a monitor-peripheral device interface having a first video connector mating with said system unit video connector, said interface further including; a first peripheral device connector mating with said system unit peripheral device connector, a second video connector connected to said video monitor, and a second peripheral device connector connecting to said peripheral device, wherein said monitor-peripheral device interface includes a first data path between said first peripheral device connector and said second peripheral device connector, said interface further including a second data path between said first peripheral device connector and said second video connector, wherein said monitor-peripheral device interface receives video monitor capability information from said video monitor and provides said video monitor capability information to said system unit using said second data path without direct user involvement.
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21. A computer system having simplified video monitor capability information retrieval abilities, comprising:
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a system unit, wherein said system unit comprises; a video connector; and a data connector; a video monitor storing video monitor capability information, said video monitor having a video monitor connector arranged for connection with said system unit video connector thereby forming a video path, said video monitor further including a video monitor data connector connecting to said system unit data connector thereby forming a data path; said system unit further including non-volatile memory for storing the video monitor capability information; wherein said video monitor provides video monitor capability information to said non-volatile memory using said data path. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer system having simplified video monitor control, comprising:
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an input device for entering data into the computer system; a system unit coupled to said input device, wherein said system unit comprises; memory for storing monitor control software; a CPU coupled to said memory, said CPU being operable to execute said monitor control software to enable a user to use said input device to input monitor control data to said CPU to adjust said visual output of said video monitor; the computer system further including a video monitor coupled to said system unit, said video monitor including visual output control logic for controlling the visual output of the video monitor, said video monitor being arranged to receive said monitor control data from said CPU and adjust the visual output of said video monitor using said monitor control data.
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Specification