Abstract:
A display device includes a main body, an interface unit, and a detachable housing. The interface unit interconnects the detachable housing with the main body. The detachable housing includes an on screen display (OSD) unit for storing a plurality of OSD data, and a command input unit for generating command signals in response to operations of a user. The main body receives the command signals through the interface unit, identifies the command signals, and if required, performing predetermined functions to obtain OSD data from the OSD unit through the interface unit, to display an OSD menu corresponding to the obtained OSD data, and adjust any parameters of the OSD menu according to the corresponding command signals.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a display device with a detachable housing that can be conveniently replaced if need be.  
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     A typical electronic display device such as a TV or a computer monitor (e.g., an LCD) includes a main body and a housing. For each type of display device, such as LCDs, typically most of the components therein are the same. Some differences may include the contents of an on screen display (OSD) unit, and the structures of a command input unit. Traditionally, the OSD unit and the command input unit are all included in the main body, with the housing functioning only as a cover for the main body.  
         [0003]     Recently, with the rapid increase in the number of computer users, the demand for individually unique OSD menus and command input units has significantly increased. For example, some users prefer knobs on a command input unit, whereas other users prefer keys or touch pads on the command input unit. Further, some users prefer fewer keys on a smaller command input unit, whereas other users prefer more keys on a more comprehensive command input unit. However, when the OSD unit and the command input unit are contained in the main body of the LCD, a manufacturer of LCDs has to configure an entirely unique LCD for each type of different OSD unit. Each time a new type of OSD unit is to be manufactured, time consuming and expensive redesigning and retooling are required.  
         [0004]     There are a large number of display devices and housing means available in the market. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,453 issued on Jan. 15, 2002 and entitled “Television System Having Replaceable Graphics User Interface Architecture” provides a television and an external media module. The television includes a television control unit capable of generating a control signal, an apparatus for receiving a video signal, a media controller for generating a graphics signal, and a display unit for displaying either the video signal or a combined video and graphics signal. The external media module, external to the television, is connectable via an interface with the media controller, and implements a graphic on-screen display application in accordance with the television control signal. However, in order to change the type of the command input unit, e.g., knob, key, or touch pad, and/or change the number of knobs, keys, or touch pads, the entire display device needs to be redesigned.  
         [0005]     Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides a display device having a detachable housing, the detachable housing including an on screen display (OSD) unit and a command input unit. As a result, efficient large-scale production for like components of the display device is possible, with only the production of the detachable housing varying according to need.  
         [0007]     A display device includes a main body, an interface unit, and a detachable housing. The interface unit interconnects the detachable housing with the main body. The detachable housing includes an on screen display (OSD) unit for storing a plurality of OSD data, and a command input unit for generating command signals in response to operations of a user. The main body receives the command signals through the interface unit, identifies the command signals, and if required, performs predetermined functions to obtain OSD data from the OSD unit through the interface unit, to display an OSD menu corresponding to the obtained OSD data, and to adjust any parameters in the OSD menu according to one or more corresponding command signals.  
         [0008]     The main body includes a processing unit and a memory. The processing unit controls the display of an OSD menu and adjusts any of the parameters in the OSD menu according to the corresponding command signals received from the command input unit. The memory stores a control program run by the processing unit. The control program includes a plurality of subprograms for performing the predetermined functions. The predetermined functions mainly include turning on the display device, turning off the display device, and adjusting parameters of the display device.  
         [0009]     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of a liquid crystal display (LCD) with a detachable housing in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the parameters of the LCD of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of a CRT (cathode ray tube) TV set with a detachable housing in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for adjusting parameters of the CRT TV set of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The preferred embodiments of the present invention each disclose a display device with a detachable housing. The display device may be, for example, a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a CRT TV set, a liquid crystal TV set, or another similar kind of display device. For simplicity, the preferred embodiments described hereinbelow relate to an LCD and a CRT TV set. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description of the embodiments is made with reference to the attached drawings.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of an LCD in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The LCD includes a main body  10 , a housing  11 , and an interface unit  12 . The interface unit  12  may be a display data channel (DDC), a universal serial bus (USB), a small computer system interface (SCSI), or the like. The interface unit  12  electrically interconnects the housing  11  and the main body  10 . The main body  10  includes a micro-programmed control unit (MCU)  100 , a memory  101 , a scaler  102 , an analog/digital (A/D) converter  103 , and a display unit  104 . The housing  11  includes a command input unit  110 , and an on-screen display (OSD) unit  111 .  
         [0016]     The command input unit  110  generates and sends command signals in response to operations of a user. The operations of the user may include an instruction for turning on the LCD, turning off the LCD, and adjusting any of various parameters of the LCD. The parameters of the LCD mainly include volume level, color levels, brightness, contrast, vertical position, horizontal position, and so on. The OSD unit  111  stores a plurality of OSD data. When the user operates the command input unit  110  to adjust the parameters of the LCD, the scaler  102  obtains corresponding OSD data from the OSD unit  111  and generates a command signal for adjusting the parameters of the LCD under the control of the MCU  100 . The memory  101  stores a control program run by the MCU  100 . The control program includes a plurality of subprograms for turning on the LCD, turning off the LCD, and adjusting the parameters of the LCD.  
         [0017]     The A/D converter  103  converts video signals from a computer (not shown) into digital signals, and then transmits the digital signals to the scaler  102 . The scaler  102  transmits the digital signals to the display unit  104 . Moreover, the scaler  102  obtains corresponding OSD data from the OSD unit  111  in response to the command signals for adjusting the parameters of the LCD, overlaps the digital signals and the OSD data to generate overlapped video signals, and transmits the overlapped video signals to the display unit  104  for display. This is done when the user initially operates the command input unit  110  to adjust any of the parameters of the LCD. Thereupon, the display unit  104  displays an overlapped image, including a video image and an OSD menu, according to the overlapped video signals received from the scaler  102 . Subsequently, the scaler  102  adjusts any of the parameters of the LCD according to corresponding command signals received from the command input unit  110 . Such command signals are generated by the initial operation of the command input unit  110  by the user, and/or by subsequent operation of the command input unit  110  by the user after the OSD menu is displayed. For example, if a command signal for adjusting the color levels is received, the scaler  102  adjusts the color levels so as to enhance the quality of the image on the display screen.  
         [0018]     The housing  11  of the above-described embodiment includes the command input unit  110  and the OSD unit  111 . As a result, efficient large-scale production for the components of a display device is possible, with only the production of the housing  11  varying according to need.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for adjusting the parameters of an LCD. In step S 20 , the command input unit  110  generates a command signal for displaying an OSD menu in response to a corresponding operation of a user. In step S 21 , the scaler  102  receives the command signal through the interface unit  12 . In step S 22 , the MCU  100  executes a corresponding subprogram to read OSD data from the OSD unit  111 . In step S 23 , the MCU  100  sends the OSD data to the scaler  102 . In step S 24 , the scaler  102  overlaps the OSD data and the video signals from the computer to generate overlapped video signals under the control of the MCU  100 . In step S 25 , the scaler  102  sends the overlapped video signals to the display unit  104 . In step S 26 , the display unit  104  displays images including video images and an OSD menu according to the overlapped video signals. In step S 27 , the scaler  102  adjusts values of one or more parameters (e.g., volume level, color levels, brightness, contrast, vertical position, horizontal position, and so on) in the OSD menu, according to command signals received from the command input unit  110 . Thereupon, the procedure is finished.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of hardware infrastructure of a CRT TV set in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The CRT TV set includes a main body  30 , a housing  31 , and an interface unit  32 . The interface unit  32  may be a display data channel (DDC), a universal serial bus (USB), a small computer system interface (SCSI), or the like. The interface unit  32  electrically interconnects the housing  31  and the main body  30 . The main body  30  includes a control unit  300 , a memory  301 , a video processor  302 , a tuner  303 , a CRT controller  304 , and a CRT screen  305 . The housing  31  includes a command input unit  310 , and an on-screen display (OSD) unit  311 .  
         [0021]     The command input unit  310  generates and sends command signals in response to operations of a user. The operations of the user may include turning on the CRT TV set, turning off the CRT TV set, and adjusting any of various parameters of the CRT TV set. The parameters of the CRT TV set mainly include volume level, color levels, brightness, broadcasting channels, and so on. The OSD unit  311  stores a plurality of OSD data. When the user operates the command input unit  310  to adjust the parameters of the CRT TV set, the video processor  302  obtains corresponding OSD data from the OSD unit  311  under the control of the control unit  300  in response to the command signals for adjusting the parameters of the CRT TV set. The memory  301  stores a control program run by the control unit  300 . The control program includes a plurality of subprograms for turning on the CRT TV set, turning off the CRT TV set, and adjusting the parameters of the CRT TV set.  
         [0022]     The tuner  303  receives broadcast video signals from an antenna (not shown), and transmits the broadcast video signals to the video processor  302 . The broadcast video signals include chrominance signals, luminance signals, and synchronization signals. The video processor  302  demodulates the broadcast video signals into the chrominance signals, luminance signals, and synchronization signals, and transmits the demodulated broadcast video signals to the CRT controller  304 . Moreover, the video processor  302  overlaps the demodulated broadcast video signals with OSD data from the OSD unit  311  to generate overlapped video signals. The video processor  302  then transmits the overlapped video signals and the synchronization signals to the CRT controller  304 . When detecting the synchronization signals, the CRT controller  304  displays an overlapped image on the CRT screen  305 , according to the overlapped video signals received from the video processor  302 . The overlapped image includes a broadcast video image and an OSD menu. The video processor  302  adjusts any of various parameters of the CRT TV set according to a corresponding command signal received, under the control of the control unit  300 . Such command signals are generated by initial operation of the command input unit  310  by the user to adjust any of the parameters of the CRT TV set, and/or by subsequent operation of the command input unit  310  by the user after the OSD menu is displayed. The parameters may include volume level, color levels, broadcasting channels, and so on.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the method for adjusting the parameters of the CRT TV set. In step S 40 , the command input unit  310  generates a command signal for displaying an OSD menu in response to a corresponding operation of a user. In step S 41 , the video processor  302  receives the command signal through the interface unit  32 . In step S 42 , the video processor  302  executes a corresponding subprogram to read OSD data from the OSD unit  311 , under the control of the control unit  300 . In step S 43 , the video processor  302  overlaps the OSD data and the demodulated broadcast video signals to generate overlapped video signals. In step S 44 , the CRT controller  304  detects synchronous signals in the broadcast video signals from the tuner  303 . In step S 45 , the CRT controller  304  displays images on the CRT screen  305  according to the overlapped video signals in response to the synchronous signals. The images include video images and an OSD menu. In step S 46 , the video processor  302  adjusts the values of one or more parameters (e.g., volume levels, color levels, broadcasting channels, and so on) in the OSD menu, according to the command signal from the command input unit  310 . Thereupon, the procedure is finished.  
         [0024]     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments, including preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, and are set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention, and be protected by the following claims.