Method and apparatus for detecting a flat panel display monitor

• US 7,414,606 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vantage Micro LLC (Fullbrite Capital Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: ATI International SRL (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Desmond E., Varga, Gabriel Zoltan
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANKAR, VIJAY
• Application Number:
  US09/432,855
• Time in Patent Office: 3,213 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 4, 345 87-101, 345/104, 345204-215, 345/1, 710/63, 710/69, 710/70, 710 3- 5, 710/18, 710/129, 710100-110, 710147-150, 710/240, 709/208, 709/249, 709/250, 713/300
• US Class Current: 345/100
• 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 3/2096 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a flat panel suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/006; specific for a CRT G09G1/167

Abstract

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a monitor detect pin associated with a connector for a flat panel display (FPD) is monitored by a detect module. When an external flat panel device is connected, the monitor detect pin is activated. In response to the monitor detect pin being activated, a system interrupt is generated. System software can determine whether to drive FPD. When an external FPD is disconnected, the transmission minimized differential signaling drivers are disabled.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a monitor, the method comprising:

providing display information to a first display;

determining when an external flat panel display becomes available, by monitoring at least one pin of a connector coupled to a flat panel display;

asserting an output signal to indicate the pin is in a first state;

providing an interrupt signal in response to the asserted output signal; and

providing display information to the external flat panel display in response to the interrupt signal.

2. The method of claim 1 further including determining if an interrupt enable signal is activated and if so providing the interrupt signal.

3. The method of claim 1 including determining if a voltage level of the first pin of the connector coupled to flat panel display is in a stable state before asserting the output signal.

4. A system for providing a display image to a flat panel monitor, the system comprising:

a processing module; and

memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein in the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to;

monitor one pin of a connector coupled to a flat panel display;

assert a output signal to indicate the one pin is in a first state; and

receive the output signal at a display engine.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the output signal is a system interrupt signal for a general purpose computer.

6. A method for detecting a monitor, the method comprising:

monitoring one pin of a connector coupled to a flat panel display;

asserting an output signal to indicate the one pin is in a first state; and

receiving the output signal at a display engine.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the output signal is an interrupt signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the interrupt signal is a system interrupt for a general purpose computer.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining if a voltage level of the one pin is in a stable state before asserting the output signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining includes the voltage level of the one pin being stable when the input is stable for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the output signal is stored in a register.

12. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

operating in a normal mode of operation prior to monitoring, wherein the one pin is in a second state.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the first state is indicative of a flat panel display being coupled to the connector.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the first state is indicative of a flat panel display being decoupled from the connector.

15. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

driving the flat panel display from a flat panel display engine in response to asserting the first output signal.