Display wakeup control

• US 5,675,364 A
• Filed: 04/28/1995
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaisner, Brian L., Stedman, Roy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US08/432,437
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 345/211, 345/212, 395/750
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/165 Details of a display terminal using a CRT, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto details suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer system with communication path from a display to a host system is disclosed. The display provides an on/off switch cycled indication when the display'"'"'s on/off switch is cycled. The host system provides a wakeup signal to the display when the host system receives the on/off switch cycled indication to transition the display from a display power saving mode of operation to a full power mode of operation. Such a computer system advantageously provides an intuitive wakeup control function.

Claims

1. A display apparatus for use with a computer system, the display apparatus having a display power saving mode of operation and a full power mode of operation, communication between the display apparatus and a host system conforming to the display data channel communication channel standard, the display apparatus providing a display data channel data signal to the host system, the display apparatus comprising:

a screen, the screen providing visually detectable information;

a wakeup circuit coupled to the screen and to the host system, the wakeup circuit controlling whether the display apparatus is operating in the display power saving mode of operation or the full power mode of operation; and

an on/off switch, the on/off switch controlling whether power is provided to the display apparatus, the display apparatus providing an on/off switch cycled indication when the on/off switch is cycled, the host system monitoring the on/off switch cycled indication to determine whether the on/off switch is cycled and generating a wakeup signal when power to the display is cycled;

wherein the on/off switch cycled indication includes the display data channel data signal, the display data channel data signal being provided from the display apparatus to the host system in response to a request from the host system, the display data channel data signal providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when requested by the host system if the display apparatus is powered and the display data channel data signal not providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when requested by the host system if the display apparatus is not powered.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the on/off switch cycled indication includes a data signal, the data signal providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is powered and the data signal not providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is not powered.

3. A computer system comprising

a host system including

a processor,

a memory coupled to the processor, and

a video signal processor coupled to the processor and the memory, the video signal processor including a data port, the display data port holding information relating to whether a display on/off switch is cycled;

and

a display coupled to the video signal processor of the host system, the display having a display power saving mode of operation and a full power mode of operation, the display including

a screen, the screen providing visually detectable information,

a wakeup circuit coupled to the screen and to the host system, the wakeup circuit controlling whether the display is operating in the display power saving mode of operation or the full power mode of operation, and

an on/off switch, the on/off switch controlling whether power is provided to the display, the display providing an on/off switch cycled indication when the on/off switch is cycled to the display data port, the host system monitoring the on/off switch cycled indication to determine whether the on/off switch is cycled and providing a wakeup signal to the display when power to the display is cycled.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein

the on/off switch cycled indication includes a data signal, the data signal providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is powered and the data signal not providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is not powered.

5. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein

communication between the display apparatus and the host system conforms to the display data channel communication channel standard, and

the display apparatus provides a display data channel data signal to the host system.

6. The display apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the on/off switch cycled indication includes the display data channel data signal, the display data channel data signal providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is powered and the display data channel data signal not providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when the display apparatus is not powered.

7. The display apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the on/off switch cycled indication includes the display data channel data signal, the display data channel data signal being provided from the display apparatus to the host system in response to a request from the host system, the display data channel data signal providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when requested by the host system if the display apparatus is powered and the display data channel data signal not providing data from the display apparatus to the host system when requested by the host system if the display apparatus is not powered.

8. A method of operating a computer system having a host computer and a display, the display including an on/off switch, the method controlling transition between a display power saving mode of operation and a full power mode of operation, communication between the display and the host computer conforming to the display data channel communication channel standard, the method comprising:

providing the host computer with an on/off switch cycled indication when the on/off switch is cycled;

monitoring the on/off switch cycled indication to determine whether the on/off switch of the display is cycled;

sending a wakeup signal to the display when the on/off switch cycled indication indicates that the on/off switch of the display is cycled; and

transitioning the display from the display power saving mode of operation to the full power mode of operation upon receiving the wakeup signal;

providing a display data channel data signal to the host computer from the display, the on/off switch cycled indication including the display data channel data signal; and

,

providing the display data channel data signal from the display to the host computer in response to a request from the host computer, the display data channel data signal providing data from the display to the host computer when requested by the host computer if the display is powered and not providing the display data channel data signal from the display to the host computer when requested by the host computer if the display is not powered.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein

the on/off switch cycled indication includes a data signal, and further comprising

providing data from the display to the host computer when the display is powered and not providing data from the display to the host computer when the display is not powered.