Remote-controlled monitor/PC control circuit and control method thereof

• US 5,973,810 A
• Filed: 10/28/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, Moon-Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): BACARES, RAFAEL D
• Application Number:
  US08/959,071
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 359/142, 359/143, 359/144, 359/146, 359/147, 359/148, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.24, 340/825.25
• US Class Current: 398/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems

Abstract

A remote-controlled PC body (mainframe) and monitor controlling circuit includes a remote controller for generating an optical remote control signal in according to a key input; an optical reception unit for converting the optical remote control signal output the remote controller into an electrical remote control signal; and a first microcomputer for controlling the PC body when the electrical remote control signal output the optical reception unit is a PC body control signal to control a sound output circuit and motion picture output circuit in the PC body and for controlling the monitor when an electrical remote control signal output the optical reception unit is a monitor control signal, to control Display Power Management System and On screen display functions.

Claims

1. A remote controlled computer system comprising:

a computer for performing data processing operations;

a monitor for displaying data output from said computer as a result of said data processing operations, said monitor comprising a remote control signal reception unit therein; and

a remote controller for providing a remote control signal to said remote control signal reception unit in said monitor for selectively controlling either one of said computer and said monitor via said remote control signal reception unit in said monitor, said remote control signal reception unit comprising;

a light receiving unit for receiving said remote control signal as a light signal and converting said light signal to a current signal;

an extension hub for receiving an output signal from a computer peripheral device, said computer peripheral device being either one of a keyboard and a mouse, and outputting a hub signal;

a signal analyzer for analyzing the current signal and the hub signal and generating either one of a computer control signal and a monitor control signal for selectively controlling either one of said computer and said monitor, wherein said signal analyzer also outputs said hub signal;

a microprocessor for receiving and said computer control signal, said monitor control signal and said hub signal output from said signal analyzer, said microprocessor having a monitor communication port for receiving said monitor control signal generated by said signal analyzer; and

said computer control signal generated by said signal analyzer and said hub signal output from said signal analyzer being supplied to a computer communication port of said computer.

2. The computer system as set forth in claim 1, said signal analyzer comprising:

a first resistor connected on one end to said light receiving unit to receive said current signal;

an inverter connected to another end of said first resistor for outputting an inverted current signal by inverting said current signal;

a signal analyzing microcomputer having a input for receiving said hub signal, a first interrupt port for receiving the inverted current signal, a second interrupt port for receiving said current signal via said first resistor, a first data output terminal for outputting said monitor control signal, a second data output terminal for outputting said computer control signal and said hub signal, and a data input terminal for receiving said monitor control signal which is fed back from said monitor communication port, said signal analyzing microcomputer performing error checking by comparing said current signal and said inverted current signal and by comparing said monitor control signal with said monitor control signal fed back to said data receiving terminal;

a second resistor serially connected between said first data output terminal and said monitor communication port; and

a third resistor serially connected between said monitor communication port and said data receiving terminal.

3. The remote control system as set forth in claim 1, said remote controller comprising:

a keypad for outputting monitor control key signals and computer control key signals;

a remote controller microcomputer for encoding the monitor control key signals and computer control key signals output from the keypad to generate said remote control signal; and

a light emitting unit for converting said remote control signal to said light signal.

4. The remote control system as set forth in claim 1, said microprocessor comprising:

a synchronization signal input port connected to receive horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals output from a video card of said computer;

a power mode signal generator responsive to the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals input via said synchronization signal input port for generating a power mode signal for managing power consumption of said monitor by controlling a power circuit of said monitor;

a control unit responsive to said monitor control signal input via said monitor communication port for generating on-screen display control data, color control data or audio control data, said on-screen display control data, color control data or audio control data being provided to a video and audio circuit of said monitor for controlling the display of on-screen data, the display of color information received from said video card; and

amplification of audio information received from a sound card of said computer; and

a monitor screen control unit for receiving the monitor control signal via said monitor communication port and outputting a monitor screen control signal according to the received monitor control signal, said monitor screen control signal being provided to a horizontal and vertical oscillating circuit which also receives the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals output from said video card and received via a horizontal and vertical sync signal input circuit to control a screen of said monitor, said monitor screen control signal being any of a side-pin correction signal, a trapezoid correction signal, a parabolic correction signal, a horizontal phase control signal, a vertical line correction signal, a vertical size signal, a vertical center control signal, a horizontal size signal, an S-correction signal, and a degauss control signal.

5. A remote controlled computer system comprising:

a computer for performing data processing operations;

a monitor for displaying data output from said computer as a result of said data processing operations; and

a remote controller for providing a remote control signal to said monitor for selectively controlling either one of said computer and said monitor, said monitor comprising;

light receiving unit for receiving said remote control signal as a light signal and converting said light signal to a pulsed signal;

a power circuit for controlling power to said monitor;

a horizontal and vertical synchronizing signal input circuit for receiving horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals output from said computer;

a horizontal and vertical oscillating circuit for generating horizontal and vertical oscillation signals;

a vertical and horizontal sync circuit responsive to said horizontal and vertical oscillation signals for generating a sawtooth current to control horizontal and vertical components of an image displayed on a screen of said monitor;

a video and audio circuit for receiving and outputting on-screen data, color information and sound information; and

a microprocessor for generating control signals for controlling said power circuit, said horizontal and vertical oscillating circuit, said horizontal and vertical sync circuit, said video and audio circuit and said computer, in response to said pulsed signal.

6. The remote controlled computer system as set forth in claim 5, said microprocessor comprising:

a remote control unit responsive the pulsed signal for analyzing the remote control data and for outputting a monitor control signal and a computer control signal;

a computer control signal output unit for outputting said computer control signal to said computer;

a hub signal input unit for receiving, analyzing and outputting an extension hub signal from and extension hub;

a power mode signal generator responsive to the monitor control signal for generating a power mode signal for managing power consumption of said monitor by controlling said power circuit of said monitor, when said monitor control signal is indicative of said power mode signal;

a control unit responsive to said monitor control signal for generating on-screen display control data, color control data or audio control data, said on-screen display control data, color control data or audio control data being provided to said video and audio circuit of said monitor for controlling the display of on-screen data, the display of color information; and

amplification of audio information, when said monitor control signal is indicative of said on-screen display control data, said color control data or said audio control data, respectively; and

a monitor screen control unit for receiving the monitor control signal and outputting a monitor screen control signal to one of said horizontal and vertical oscillating circuit and said horizontal and vertical sync circuit when said monitor control signal is indicative of said monitor screen control signal, said monitor screen control signal being provided to said horizontal and vertical oscillating circuit to control synchronization of an image displayed on the screen of said monitor, or said monitor screen control signal being any of a side-pin correction signal, a trapezoid correction signal, a parabolic correction signal, a horizontal phase control signal, a vertical line correction signal, a vertical size signal, a vertical center control signal, a horizontal size signal, an S-correction signal, and a degauss control signal.