Bezel button controls over USB

• US 6,268,845 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Ali, Valiuddin, Chroback, Michael J., Riechmann, Gary L., Pariza, George R., Gruzen, Alexander, Bayramoglu, Gokalp, DʼSouza, Henry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/885,090
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 345/905, 345/112, 345/168, 345/173, 345/146, 345/163, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1611 CRT monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A computer system includes a monitor having a universal serial bus (USB) interface for connecting with a base system. Multiple button and LED controls are conveniently placed on a front bezel of the monitor. As the buttons are actuated, commands are passed to the base system via the USB. An on-screen display button causes an application to be launched on the base system for modifying screen attributes stored in a monitor controller in the monitor. A USB controller in the monitor updates the monitor controller via the USB. A multifunction audio dial is toggled by a bezel button between volume, bass and treble functions. The USB controller is also operable to provide a sustain a blinking LED even while the base system is in a sleep mode. LEDs on the front bezel indicate monitor and base system power status.

Claims

1. A method of controlling monitor attributes of a monitor separate from but connectable to a computer system having a processor, the monitor attributes being maintained by the monitor, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) actuating a control located on the monitor housing;

(b) signaling the processor responsive to the actuating step;

(c) executing a control application on the processor responsive to step (b);

(d) sending a graphical display from the control application to the monitor for selecting monitor attributes;

(e) generating monitor attributes by the control application;

(f) sending monitor attributes from the control application to the monitor; and

(g) removing the graphical display.

2. The method of claim 1, step (b) comprising the step of:

sending monitor attributes from the monitor to the control application.

3. The method of claim 1, step (e) comprising the step of:

selecting monitor attributes by means of the graphical display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitor attributes include screen attributes, including horizontal and vertical position;

horizontal and vertical size;

trapezoidal and pincushion settings; and

contrast and brightness settings.

5. A method of controlling applications executing on a processor of a computer system from controls located on a monitor separate from but connectable to the processor, the method comprising the steps of:

actuating a control located on the monitor housing;

responsive to the actuating step, passing a command to an application executing on the processor; and

executing the command by the application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the control is an audio control.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the control is a bezel button.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bezel button controls a CD-ROM function.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the bezel button controls launching the application.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the monitor includes multiple controls and one control is an audio control and another control is a bezel button for toggling the audio control between bass, treble, and volume functions.

11. A monitor having a front bezel and separate from but connectable to a processor, comprising:

at least one control located on the front bezel, actuation of each control sending a command to an application running on the processor responsive to the actuation of the control,

wherein the monitor maintains monitor attributes, modifying monitor attributes responsive to a screen attribute modification command received from the application.

12. The monitor of claim 11, the monitor further operable to send the monitor attributes to the application responsive to a request from the application.

13. The monitor of claim 11, wherein one control is an audio control and another control is a bezel button for toggling the audio control between bass, treble, and volume functions.

14. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a monitor having a front bezel, separate from but connectable to the processor, comprising;

at least one control located on the front bezel, actuation of each control sending a command to an application running on the processor responsive to the actuation of the control,

wherein the monitor maintains monitor attributes, modifying monitor attributes responsive to a screen attribute modification command received from the application.

15. The computer system of claim 14, the monitor further operable to send the monitor attributes to the application responsive to a request from the application.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein one control is an audio control and another control is a bezel button for toggling the audio control between bass, treble, and volume functions.