Apparatus and method for updating the function of monitor

The present invention provides an apparatus for updating the function of a monitor and the method thereof. The method comprises: coupling a scale controller and a memory device of at least a monitor to a microcontroller; controlling the microcontroller to send a programming activation signal in a first signal format to the scale controller such that the scale controller enters a state of updating program; and controlling the microcontroller to access the memory device through a signal in a second signal format to update the program codes stored in the memory device, so as to update the function of the monitor.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for updating the function of a monitor, especially to an apparatus and method capable of updating functions of a plurality of monitors simultaneously.

2. Description of the Prior Art

FIG. 1illustrates a block diagram of updating the function of a monitor according to prior art. An apparatus110for updating the function (program) of a monitor communicates with a scale controller120through a Video Graphics Array (VGA) signal transmission line, and thereby updates the system program stored in a memory device130. When the scale controller120is in a normal state of display control, rather than a state of updating program, the scale controller120executes the program stored in the memory device130to process the VGA signal, and then sends a control signal to a display driving apparatus140, such that the image data transmitted via the VGA signal is displayed on the display panel normally. On the other hand, when being in the state of updating program, the scale controller120ceases outputting the control signal to the display driving apparatus140, and receives the burning data and the burning command from the apparatus110. The burning data and the burning command are transmitted to the scale controller120through an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus. The scale controller120decodes the burning command, and then writes the burning data into the memory device130in a proper address to update the system program. However, with the burning data and the burning command transmitted via the I2C bus, only the system program of one single monitor can be updated. Therefore, in case a large number of monitors need their programs to be updated, it will cost plenty of time.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide an apparatus and method capable of updating functions of a plurality of monitors at the same time or updating the function of a single monitor at a time.

According to an embodiment of the claimed invention, a system for updating the function of a monitor is disclosed. The system comprises a programming module, at least a display control circuit, and at least a first connector. The programming module comprises a first microcontroller and a first memory device. The first memory device is coupled to the first microcontroller for storing updating program codes. The display control circuit of the monitor comprises a scale controller and a second memory device, and the second memory device is coupled to the scale controller for storing control program codes of the monitor. The first connector is for connecting the first microcontroller of the programming module and the scale controller of the display control circuit. Before updating the function of the monitor, the first microcontroller sends a programming activation signal in a first signal format to the scale controller, such that the scale controller enters a state of updating program accordingly, then the first microcontroller accesses the second memory device through a signal in a second signal format to delete the control program codes and write the updating program codes into the second memory device, so as to update the function of the monitor.

According to another embodiment of the claimed invention, a method for updating the function of a monitor is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) coupling a scale controller and a memory device of at least a monitor to a microcontroller; (b) controlling the microcontroller to send a programming activation signal in a first signal format to the scale controller, such that the scale controller enters a state of updating program accordingly; and (c) controlling the microcontroller to access the memory device through a signal in a second signal format to update program codes stored in the memory device, so as to update the function of the monitor.

According to still another embodiment of the claimed invention, an apparatus for updating the function of a monitor is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a microcontroller, a memory device, and at least a first connector. The memory device is coupled to the microcontroller for storing a program code. The first connector is coupled to the microcontroller for connecting the monitor. Before updating the data stored in a memory of the monitor, the microcontroller sends a programming activation signal in a first signal format to the monitor, such that the monitor enters a state of updating program accordingly, then the microcontroller reads the program codes stored in the memory device and accesses the memory of the monitor through a signal in a second signal format to update the data stored in the memory data of the monitor.

According to still another embodiment of the claimed invention, a scale controller of a monitor is disclosed. The scale controller comprises a microcontroller coupled to a memory device. The microcontroller is for executing program codes stored in the memory device to execute the function of the monitor. When the scale controller receives a programming activation signal in a first signal format, the scale controller enters a state of updating program accordingly, and then the scale controller receives a signal in a second signal format such that an external circuit accesses the memory device through the signal to update the program codes stored in the memory device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2illustrates a block diagram of a system for updating the function of a monitor according to a first embodiment of the claimed invention. A display control circuit230of a monitor comprises a scale controller232and a memory device236, and the scale controller232further comprises a microcontroller234. Please note that the memory device236could be outside the scale controller232(as shown inFIG. 2), or built in the scale controller232. In this embodiment, the memory device236is shown as an external device of the scale controller232for an illustrative example; however, the operation for a built-in memory device is the same.

When the scale controller232is in the normal state of display control, the scale controller232receives an image signal via a connector220, and the microcontroller234executes a control program code stored in the memory device236to control the scale controller232to process the image signal. Then, the scale controller232sends a control signal to a driving circuit of the monitor, such that the image data transmitted via the image signal are displayed on the monitor normally.

The connector220could be a digital visual interface (DVI) connector, a video graphics array (VGA) connector, or a 4-pin or 6-pin head connector which is used exclusively for updating the function of the monitor. The memory device236is usually a flash memory, more specifically, a serial peripheral interface (SPI) flash memory that could be accessed via SPI signal.

On the other hand, an in system programming (ISP) module210comprises a microcontroller212and a memory device214. An updating program code stored in the memory device214is used for replacing the control program code to update the function of the display control circuit230. The microcontroller212of the ISP module210is coupled to the scale controller232via the connector220.

FIG. 3illustrates a flow chart of the method for updating the function of the monitor according to the first embodiment of the claimed invention. When the process is initiated, the microcontroller212sends a programming activation signal in a first signal format, such as an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) format, to the scale controller232, such that the microcontroller234of the display control circuit230enters the state of updating program, accordingly (S310). The microcontroller234therefore stops functioning, and the scale controller232enters an ISP mode. In the ISP mode, the memory device236can be accessed by signals directly transmitted from the connector220to the memory device236; that is, the scale controller232is in a bypass mode (S320).

Next, the microcontroller212reads the updating program code stored in the memory device214(S330). Then, the microcontroller212accesses directly the memory device236via an SPI format signal. Before the updating program codes are written into the memory device236, the control program codes originally stored in the memory device236are deleted. (S340).

Next, the microcontroller212determines whether the deletion of the data in the memory device236is complete (S350). If the deletion isn't complete, then returning to the step S340, the microcontroller212continues executing the deletion until the deletion is complete. If the deletion is complete, the microcontroller212writes the updating program codes into the memory device236through SPI signal (S360). And during the writing process, the microcontroller212detects whether the updating program codes are completely written into the memory device236. (S370). If the updating program codes are not completely written into the memory device236, then returning to the step S360, microcontroller212continues the writing process. If the updating program codes are completely written into the memory device236, the scale controller232quits the ISP mode, and the microcontroller234resets; therefore the scale controller232returns to the normal state of display control and ends the bypass mode (S380).

Referring toFIG. 2, the microcontroller212of the ISP module210is coupled to a computer system250via a connector240. The connector240could use a regular RS-232 interface. Through the connector240, the computer system250can access the memory device214to update the program codes thereof, which greatly facilitates the step of updating the program codes.

FIG. 4illustrates a block diagram of a system for updating functions of a plurality of monitors according to a second embodiment of the claimed invention. In addition to the microcontroller212and the memory device214, the ISP module410further comprises a line distribution module412. Moreover, the connectors220are couple to respective display control circuit230of the monitor. When two or more monitors need their functions to be updated at the same time, the line distribution module412is responsible for coupling properly the input/output signals to the connectors220. More specifically, as described in the step S340, the microcontroller212accesses the memory device236of each display control circuit230via the SPI signal; where the SPI signal comprises a serial clock (SCK) signal, a serial data input (SDI) signal, a serial data output (SDO) signal, and a chip enable (CE) signal. When the ISP module410is coupled through the connectors220to two or more monitors at the same time, the four signals (SCK/SDI/SDO/CE) must be processed separately.

FIG. 5illustrates a block diagram of the buffers for enhancing the intensity of the SCK/SDI signals. In implementation, because the SCK/SDI signals are unidirectional input signals to the memory device236of each monitor, the SCK/SDI signals can be copied and then the intensity of each signal is enhanced through the buffers510. As shown inFIG. 5, the SCK/SCI signals are made N copies, which are SDI_1˜SDI_N and SCK_1˜SCK_N, where N is a positive integer.

FIG. 6illustrates a diagram of a de-multiplexer for separating the SDO signal. Because the SDO signals are output signals of the memory device236of each monitor, they must be separated to avoid conflict among one another. After the input terminal of the de-multiplexer610receives the SDO signal, the SDO signal is outputted from one of the output terminals SDO_1˜SDO_N according to the selection of the signals L1˜Ln, where n is a positive integer and 2n≧N. Besides, the line distribution module412further comprises a selecting circuit.FIG. 7illustrates a diagram of the selecting circuit. The selecting circuit710is for determining whether all of the monitors are to be updated at the same time or only one monitor is to be updated by the ISP module410according to the CE signal and a selecting signal SLC. As shown inFIG. 7, the selecting circuit710comprises a de-multiplexer712. The de-multiplexer712is for receiving the CE signal and outputting the CE signal from one of the output terminals CE_1˜CE_N according to the selection of the signals L1˜Ln, where n is a positive integer and 2n≧N as describe above.

The selecting circuit710further comprises N NOR gates714. One input terminal of each NOR gate714is coupled to one of the output terminals CE_1˜CE_N correspondingly. Another input terminal of each NOR gate714is coupled to the selecting signal SLC. If the selecting signal SLC is at a high level (a logic value “1”), CE′_1˜CE′_N are at a low level (a logic value “0”), indicating that all of the monitors are updated at the same time. If the selecting signal SLC is at the low level, it indicates that only one of the monitors is updated at a time, and the monitor to be updated is selected by the signals L1˜Ln.

Hence, under the control of the line distribution module412, the ISP module410can update the functions of a plurality of monitors at the same time or update one monitor at a time. In addition, the microcontroller212of the ISP module410in the second embodiment can also communicate with a computer system via the connector240to obtain the updating program codes in the same manner as the first embodiment.

In summary, according to the present invention the apparatus for updating the function of at least a monitor is coupled to one or more monitors via the VGA or DVI interfaces, and updates the functions of the monitors by the I2C and SPI signals. Moreover, with the property of the SPI signal, the application of a line distribution module makes it feasible to update several monitors at the same time or update one monitor at a time, which greatly facilitates the process of updating the monitors.