Computer system design for distance viewing of information and media and extensions to display data channel for control panel interface

• US 6,300,980 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Richard, Elizabeth A., Williamson, Ralph K., Voltz, Christopher D., McGraw, Montgomery C., Brusky, Kevin J., Barker, John C., Johnson, Drew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LO, LINUS H
• Application Number:
  US08/803,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N 1.100, 348/552, 348/10, 348/345, 348/377, 348/328, 348/734, 348/553, 348/554, 348/555, 348/180, 348/190, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A computer system provides a communication link to a display monitor so as to control the display of not only computer signals but of other signals such as television signals. By providing this link the additional power of the computer can be used to provide a storage of preferred settings for the television/display monitor depending upon signal sources, time of day or the like. This provides a more versatile display. Further data contained within a received data stream such as from a web page or the like may inherently control functions of the television display.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a monitor control parameter associated with a monitor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first input signal requesting to adjust the monitor control parameter;

quering the monitor for status of the monitor control parameter, the quering step further comprising the steps of;

quering the monitor to determine if the monitor is a monitor type that allows adjustment of monitor control parameters;

identifying which of the plurality of monitor control parameters is capable of adjustment;

determining a present value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters;

determining a precision value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters, thereby determining a smallest significant increment for the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters;

adjusting the monitor control parameter responsive to receiving the first input signal and according to the status of the queried monitor control parameter; and

repeating the steps of receiving, quering and adjusting for a plurality of monitor control parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a precision value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters includes the step of reading the precision value from a storage location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second input signal for display on the monitor;

identifying a first of the plurality of monitor control parameters that should be altered responsive to receiving the second input signal; and

adjusting the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters responsive receiving the second input signal and according to the status of the queried plurality of monitor control parameters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first input signal is receivable from a first source and the second input signal is receivable from a second source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video signal and the second input signal are displayable simultaneously on the video display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the video display is partitionable into at least a first window and a second window;

the first video signal is displayable in the first window; and

the second video signal is displayable in the second window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is an overscan mode setting command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a brightness setting command.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a contrast setting command.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a geometry setting control command.

11. The method of claim 1, the adjusting step further comprising the steps of:

operating the monitor in an underscan mode; and

switching the operation of the monitor from the underscan mode to an overscan mode responsive to receiving the first input signal for display on the monitor.

12. A computer system for management of a display output, the system comprising:

a monitor for displaying images received from a first input signal;

a processor coupled to the monitor, the processor at least for communicating with the monitor;

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device containing computer instructions which when executed by the processor perform the steps of;

quering the monitor for status of a monitor control parameter, the step of polling further comprising the steps of;

quering the monitor to determine if the monitor is a monitor type that allows adjustment of monitor control parameters;

identifying which of the plurality of monitor control parameters is capable of adjustment;

determining a present value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters;

determining a precision value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters, thereby determining a smallest significant increment for the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters;

adjusting the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters responsive receiving the first input signal and according to the status of the queried monitor control parameter; and

repeating the steps of receiving, quering and adjusting for a plurality of monitor control parameters.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the step of determining a precision value of the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters includes the step of reading the precision value from a storage location.

14. The computer system of claim 12, the steps executed by the processor further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second input signal for display on the monitor;

identifying a first of the plurality of monitor control parameters that should be altered responsive to receiving the second input signal; and

adjusting the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters responsive receiving the second input signal and according to the status of the queried monitor control parameters.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the first input signal is receivable from a first source and the second input signal is receivable from a second source.

16. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first input signal and the second video signal are displayable simultaneously on the video display.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein:

the video display is partitionable into at least a first and a second window;

the first video signal is displayable in the first window; and

the second video signal is displayable in the second window.

18. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is an overscan mode setting command.

19. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a brightness setting command.

20. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a contrast setting command.

21. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the first of the plurality of monitor control parameters is a geometry setting control command.

22. The computer system of claim 12, the adjusting step executed by the processor further comprising the steps of:

operating the monitor in an underscan mode; and

switching the operation of the monitor from the underscan mode to an overscan mode responsive to receiving the first input signal for display on the monitor.