Receiving a particular identification file among an analog identification file and a digital identification file in response to a request to a dual-interface monitor

• US 6,618,773 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Luke L., Goodart, Joe E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Ilwoo
• Application Number:
  US09/491,072
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 345/3.1, 710/8, 710/10, 710/11, 710/62, 710/104, 710/105, 710/302, 710/15, 710/16, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• 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

Abstract

The present invention employs two unique identification files associated with the same dual-interface display monitor. Each identification file identifies one of the display monitor'"'"'s two interfaces, so that each identification file identifies the display monitor as a separate display monitor, with a unique product code and its associated characteristics, to the computer system. When an initiating event occurs, such as a power on self test, hot plug-in, or reboot, the monitor responds to a request for its identification file with the digital identification file if the monitor is connected to the digital video connector and with the analog identification file if the monitor is connected to the analog video connector. If both connectors are connected, the monitor with send the digital identification file as a default. In the preferred embodiment, the identification files are EDID™ files.

Claims

1. A method for communicating monitor information between a monitor and a computer system, the computer system having a processor coupled to a memory and also having a digital video connector and an analog video connector, the monitor having an analog interface that receives analog video input, the monitor also having a digital interface that receives digital video input, comprising:

sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

providing to the monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

determining if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector;

if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector;

selecting a default identification file, the default identification file being selected from a plurality of identification files, the plurality of identification files including an analog identification file and a digital identification; and

providing the default identification file to the computer system; and

providing to the computer system, if the monitor is not connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector, a particular identification file, a particular identification file, the particular identification file being included in the plurality of identification files.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

using a product identification code to point to an information file associated with the monitor, the product identification code being included in the digital identification file and also being included in the analog identification file.

3. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the particular identification file to the computer system further comprises:

providing the analog identification file if the monitor is connected to the analog video monitor; and

providing the digital identification file if the monitor is connected to the digital video monitor.

4. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

using the value of a video input definition to determine which of the analog video input and the digital video input to provide to the monitor, the video input definition being included in each of the plurality of identification files.

5. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiating event is a power on self test.

6. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiation event is a hot plug-in.

7. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiating event is a reboot.

8. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the request for identification information comprises a clock signal and a data signal.

9. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the default identification file comprises the digital identification file.

10. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital EDID file.

11. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data Standard (E-EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog E-EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital E-EDID file.

12. A method for communicating monitor information between a monitor and a computer system, the computer system having a processor coupled to a memory and also having an analog video connector and a digital video connector, the monitor having an analog interface that receives analog video input, the monitor also having a digital interface that receives digital video input, comprising:

sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

providing to the monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

receiving an identification file from the monitor, the identification file being one of a plurality of identification files associated with the monitor, the plurality of identification files including an analog identification file and a digital identification file, the identification file including a video input definition; and

using the video input definition to determine which of the digital video input and the analog video input to provide to the monitor.

13. The method, as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

using a product identification code to generate an index that points to an information file associated with the monitor, the product identification code being included in the identification file.

14. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein

the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital EDID file.

15. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data Standard (E-EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog E-EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital E-EDID file.

16. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the initiating event is a power on self test.

17. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the initiating event is a hot plug-in.

18. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the initiating event is a reboot.

19. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the request for identification information comprises a clock signal and a data signal.

20. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a main memory coupled to the processor;

a monitor coupled to the processor, the monitor including an analog identification file and a digital identification file;

an analog video connector, the analog video connector being capable of being coupled to the monitor;

a digital video connector, the digital video connector being capable of being coupled to the monitor; and

program code stored by the main memory and executable by the processor,

wherein the program code includes instructions for;

sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

providing to the monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

receiving a particular identification file; and

using a video input definition to determine whether to provide to the monitor analog video input or whether to provide to the monitor digital video input, the video input definition being included in the particular identification file.

21. The system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the monitor includes logic for:

receiving the request for identification information;

determining if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector;

if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector;

selecting a default identification file, the default identification file being included in a plurality of identification files, the plurality of identification files including the analog identification file and the digital identification file; and

providing the default identification file to the processor; and

providing to the processor, if the monitor is not connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector, a particular identification file, the particular identification file being included in the plurality of identification files.

22. The system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the program code further includes instructions for using a product identification code to point to an information file associated with the monitor, the product identification code being included in the particular identification file.

23. The system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the logic for providing a particular identification file further comprises:

providing the analog identification file if the monitor is connected to the analog video connector; and

providing the digital identification file if the monitor is connected to the digital video connector.

24. The system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the initiating event is a power on self test.

25. The system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the initiating event is a hot plug-in.

26. The system, as recited in claim 20 wherein the initiating event is a reboot.

27. The system, as recited in claim 20, wherein the request for identification information comprises a clock signal.

28. The system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the default identification file comprises the digital identification file.

29. The system, as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital EDID file.

30. The system, as recited in claim 21, wherein:

the plurality of identification files further comprises a plurality of Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data Standard (E-EDID) files;

the analog identification file includes an analog E-EDID file; and

the digital identification file includes a digital E-EDID file.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a means for sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

a means for providing to a dual-interface monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

a means for receiving a particular identification file;

a means for using a video input definition to determine whether to provide to the monitor analog video input or whether to provide to the monitor digital video input, the video input definition being included in the particular identification file;

a means for determining whether the monitor is connected to both an analog video connector and a digital video; and

a means for selecting a default identification file if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector, the default identification file being included in a plurality of identification files, the plurality of identification files including an analog identification file and a digital identification file;

a means for providing the default identification file to a computer system if the monitor is connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector;

a means for providing to the computer system a particular identification file, if the monitor is not connected to both the analog video connector and the digital video connector, the particular identification file being included in the plurality of identification files.

35. The apparatus, as recited in claim 31, wherein the initiating event is a power on self test.

36. The apparatus, as recited in claim 31, wherein the initiating event is a hot plug-in.

37. The apparatus, as recited in claim 31, wherein the initiating event is a reboot.

38. The apparatus, as recited in claim 31, wherein the request for identification information comprises a clock signal.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

a means for sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

a means for providing to a dual-interface monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

a means for receiving a particular identification file comprising;

a means for providing the analog identification file if the monitor is connected to the analog video connector; and

a means for providing the digital identification file if the monitor is connected to the digital video connector; and

a means for using a video input definition to determine whether to provide to the monitor analog video input or whether to provide to the monitor digital video input, the video input definition being included in the particular identification file.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a means for sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

a means for providing to a dual-interface monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

a means for receiving a particular identification file; and

a means for using a video input definition to determine whether to provide to the monitor analog video input or whether to provide to the monitor digital video input, the video input definition being included in the particular identification file;

wherein;

the particular identification file further comprises;

an analog identification file having an analog Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) file; and

a digital identification file having a digital EDID file.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

a means for sensing whether an initiating event has occurred;

a means for providing to a dual-interface monitor, when the initiating event has occurred, a request for identification information;

a means for receiving a particular identification file; and

a means for using a video input definition to determine whether to provide to the monitor analog video input or whether to provide to the monitor digital video input, the video input definition being included in the particular identification file;

wherein;

the particular identification file further comprises;

an analog identification file having an analog Enhanced Extended Display Identification Data Standard (EDID) file; and

a digital identification file having a digital EDID file.