Abstract:
A method for detecting an inappropriate video connection in an information handling system (“IHS”) that includes an integrated video controller, the integrated video controller operable to be coupled to a display device, is provided. The method includes determining if an add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS, the add-in video controller operable to be coupled to the display device. The method also includes determining whether the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller or the add-in video controller. The method further includes providing a notification that the display device is inappropriately coupled to the IHS if it was determined that both the add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS and the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   The description herein relates generally to information handling systems (“IHS&#39;s”) and more particularly to video controllers for IHS&#39;s. 
   As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system (IHS) generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
   Many modern IHS&#39;s include an integrated video controller, namely a video or graphics controller which is located on the system board of the IHS. In addition to the integrated video controller, many IHS&#39;s also include an “add-in” video controller (e.g., Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) video controller, an Advanced Graphics Port (“AGP”) video controller or a PCI Express video controller). An IHS equipped with both an integrated video controller and an add-in video controller may disable the integrated video controller and enable only the add-in video controller. Thus, if a user of the IHS connects a display device (e.g., a Cathode Ray Tube (“CRT”) monitor or Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”) monitor) to the IHS by connecting to the integrated video controller, the user may perceive that the IHS or the display device is malfunctioning because the display device does not display a video signal from the IHS. Such a perception causes various problems including, for a manufacturer or seller of IHS&#39;s with both an integrated video controller and an add-in controller, increased customer support costs and loss of good will. 
   With a current technique, a manufacturer or seller of an IHS with both an integrated video controller, and an add-in video controller, physically conceals a connection interface of the integrated video controller by, for example, placing a plastic cap over the interface. This cap is used to discourage the user from plugging a display device into the integrated video controller. However, this approach is ineffective when the user nevertheless decides to remove the cap and plug the display device into the integrated video controller. 
   Accordingly, what is needed is an IHS and technique without the disadvantages described above. 
   SUMMARY 
   A method for detecting an inappropriate video connection in an information handling system (“IHS”) that includes an integrated video controller, the integrated video controller operable to be coupled to a display device, is provided. The method includes determining if an add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS, the add-in video controller operable to be coupled to the display device. The method also includes determining whether the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller or the add-in video controller. The method further includes providing a notification that the display device is inappropriately coupled to the IHS if it was determined that both the add-in video controller is coupled to the IHS and the display device is coupled to the integrated video controller. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an information handling system (“IHS”) according to an illustrative embodiment. 
       FIG. 2   a  is a block diagram of a video connection interface of an integrated video controller of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2   b  is a block diagram of a video connection interface of a display device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating operations performed by the IHS of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS includes any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. Examples of an IHS include, personal computer (“PC”), a network storage device, personal digital assistant, or any other suitable device with variations in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. An IHS also includes other components such as, random access memory (“RAM”), one or more processing resources (e.g., central processing unit (“CPU”), hardware or software control logic, read only memory (“ROM”), other types of memory, one or more disk drives, one or more network interfaces, one or more input/output devices and/or one or more buses. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an IHS indicated generally at  100 , according to the illustrative embodiment. The IHS  100  includes a processor  105  (e.g., an Intel Pentium series processor). An Intel Hub Architecture (IHA) chipset  110  provides the IHS  100  with graphics/memory controller hub functions and I/O functions. More specifically, the IHA chipset  110  acts as a host controller which communicates with an integrated video controller  125  coupled thereto. A display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller  125  (e.g., on-board video controller). Although the display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller as shown in  FIG. 1 , display device  130  is also capable of being coupled instead to an add-in video controller  135 . The add-in video controller  135  is an advanced graphics port (“AGP”) video controller, or alternatively, any other suitable video controller such as Peripheral Component Interconnect (“PCI”) video controller or PCI Express video controller. The add-in video controller includes a video connection interface such as a digital video connection interface (e.g., a Digital Visual Interface (“DVI”)) or an analog video interface in this particular embodiment. 
   The chipset  110  further acts as a controller for main memory  115  which is coupled thereto. The chipset  110  also acts as an input/output (“I/O”) controller hub (ICH) which performs I/O functions. A general purpose input/output (“GPIO”)  160  is coupled to the chipset  110  via a GPIO controller  165 . A USB controller  170  is coupled to chipset  110  so that devices such as USB devices  175  can be connected to the chipset  110  and the processor  105 . The USB devices  175  include, for example, floppy disk drives, CD-ROM drives, DVD-ROM drives and other devices which support the USB standard. A system basic input-output system (“BIOS”)  140  is coupled to chipset  110  as shown. The BIOS  140  is stored in CMOS or FLASH memory so that it is nonvolatile. 
   A local area network (LAN) controller  145 , alternatively called a network interface controller (NIC), is coupled to the chipset  110  to facilitate connection of the IHS  100  to other information handling systems. A media driver controller  150  is coupled to chipset  110  so that devices such as media drives  155  can be connected to the chipset  110  and the processor  105 . Examples of the media devices  155  capable of being coupled to the media controller  150  include CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, hard disk drives and other fixed or removable media drives. An expansion bus  120 , such as a PCI bus, PCI Express bus, serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus or other bus is coupled to the chipset  110  as shown. The expansion bus  120  includes one or more expansion slots  122  for receiving expansion cards which provide the IHS  100  with additional functionality. The IHS  100  also includes a speaker (e.g., loudspeaker)  138  for outputting audio signals. The speaker  138  is coupled to the chipset  110 . 
     FIG. 2   a  is a block diagram of a video connection interface (e.g., “connector”, video port)  200 A of the integrated video controller  125 . The connection interface  200 A is a conventional “DB- 15 ” connection interface (e.g., a Video Graphics Array (“VGA”) interface). Accordingly, the connection interface  200  includes a set of 15 “pins” designated generally at  205 . Of the pins  205 , at least one pin  210  (e.g., pin number  4 ) is an optional or an undefined pin (e.g., a pin which does not carry a defined video signal, Display Data Channel (DDC) signal, power or ground signal). 
     FIG. 2   b  is a block diagram of a video connection interface (e.g., “connector”, video port)  200 B of the display device  130 . As shown, the connection interface  200 B is coupled to the display device  130  via a cable (e.g., video cable)  215 . Similar to the connection interface  200 A, the connection interface  200 B includes a corresponding set of pins designated generally at  220 . Likewise, the connection interface  200 B also includes at least one corresponding undefined pin  225 . 
   Referring simultaneously now to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , via the pins  205  of connection interface  200 A and a corresponding set of pins  220  of connection interface  200 B, the display device  130  is capable of being coupled (e.g., connected) to the integrated video controller  125  so that controller  125  can transmit video signals to display device  130 . More specifically, physical attributes of connection interfaces  200 A and  200 B allow each of the pins  205  to be in electrical contact with respective corresponding pins  220 . For example, in one embodiment, the connection interface  200 A is a “female” connection interface and the connection interface  200 B is a “male” connection” interface. In an alternative embodiment, connection interface types are reversed so that the connection interface  200 A is a “male” connection interface, and the connection interface  200 B is a “female” connection interface. 
     FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating operations performed by the IHS  100  to determine whether a display device is inappropriately coupled to the integrated video controller  125 . Operations shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 3  are generally controlled by instructions stored in system BIOS  140  which is non-volatile storage in this particular embodiment. The operation begins at a step  305 , where the IHS  100  begins to initialize itself, for example, by a “boot” process. The IHS  100  begins to initialize itself in response to a user turning the IHS  100  on. After the step  305 , the operation continues to a step  310 . 
   At a step  310 , the IHS  100  determines whether it detects an add-in video controller (e.g., the add-in video controller  135 ). If the IHS  100  determines that an add-in video controller is not detected, the operation continues to a step  315 . Also, this is an indication that an add-in video controller is likely not installed in the IHS  100  or that if an add-in video controller is installed, the video controller is likely not functioning properly in the IHS  100 . Accordingly, at the step  315 , the IHS  100  enables the integrated video controller  125  for performing the IHS  100 &#39;s video operations (e.g., outputting a video signal to the display device  130 ). More specifically, the BIOS  140  of the IHS  100  enables the integrated video controller. After the step  315 , the IHS  100  proceeds with its normal operation (e.g., continue the initialization process) as shown in a step  320 . 
   Referring again to the step  310 , if the IHS  100  determines that an add-in video controller is detected, the operation continues to a step  325 . For clarity, the following discussion references the add-in video controller  135  as being the add-in video controller that is detected at the step  310 . At the step  325 , the IHS  100  determines whether the display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller  125 . In the illustrative embodiment, the IHS  100  makes the determination by detecting a logic state (e.g., low, high) of an undefined pin (e.g., the undefined pin  210 ) of the connection interface  200 A of the integrated video controller  125 . More particularly, the logic state of the undefined pin  210  is initially set to high through a “pull-up” resistor, and a logic state of the undefined pin  225  is set to low (e.g., coupled to ground). If the display device  130  is not coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , then the logic state of the undefined pin  210  remains at its initial state of high. Accordingly, in response to its detecting the logic state of the undefined pin  210  to be high, the IHS  100  determines that the display device  130  is not coupled to the integrated video controller  125 . However, in response to the display device  130  being coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , the logic state of the undefined pin  210  changes from its initial state of high to low. If the IHS  100  detects that the logic state of the undefined pin  210  is low, then the IHS  100  determines that the display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller  125 . 
   Although in the illustrative embodiment, the logic state of the undefined pin  210  is initially set to high and the logic state of the undefined pin  225  is set to low, in an alternative embodiment, the logic states are reversed. For example, in the alternative embodiment, the logic state of the undefined pin  210  is initially set to low through a “pull-down” resistor, and the logic state of the undefined pin  225  is set to high. Accordingly, if the display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , the logic state of the undefined pin  210  changes to high, and such logic state is detected by the IHS  100  during the step  325 . Conversely, if the display device  130  is not coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , the logic state of the undefined pin  210  remains low, and such logic state is also detected by the IHS  100  during the step  325 . 
   Also, in the illustrative embodiment, the detection of the lociic state of the undefined pin  210  is performed by the GPIO controller  160 . During initiation of the IHS  100  (e.g., “boot”) process, the BIOS  140  inquires the GPIO controller  160  for the logic state of the undefined pin  210 . Accordingly, in response to detecting the logic state of the undefined pin  210 , the GPIO controller  160  provides the detected logic state to the BIOS  140 . 
   Referring again to the step  325 , if the IHS determines that the display device  130  is not coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , the operation continues to a step  330 . This also indicates that the display device  130  is likely coupled appropriately to the add-in video controller  135 . Accordingly, at the step  330 , the IHS  100  enables the add-in video controller  135  for performing the video operations of the IHS  100 . More specifically, the BIOS  140  enables the add-in video controller  135 . After the step  330 , the operation continues to the step  320 , where the IHS  100  proceeds with its normal operation. 
   At the step  325 , if the IHS  100  determines that the display device  130  is coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , the operation continues to a step  335 . Such determination by the IHS  100  also indicates that the display device  130  is inappropriately coupled to the integrated video controller  125 , and the IHS  100  performs operations to aid a user of the IHS  100  recover from this situation. Accordingly, at the step  335 , the IHS  100  enables the integrated video controller  125 . More specifically, and similar to the steps  315  and  330 , the BIOS  140  of the IHS  100  enables the integrated video controller  125 . As shown, after the step  335 , the operation continues to a step  340 . 
   At the step  340 , the IHS  100  outputs a message to the display device  130  through the integrated video controller  125 . The message includes suitable text for indicating to the user of the IHS  100  that the display device  130  is coupled to an inappropriate video controller. In one example, the message includes the following text: “Attention! Your monitor is connected to the WRONG video port. Shut down the system and reconnect the monitor.” 
   As can be seen from the above description, the disclosed technique provides a convenient way for a user of an IHS to receive an indication that a display device is coupled to an inappropriate video controller of the IHS. The disclosed technique will likely reduce the number of user calls to customer support services of a manufacturer and/or a seller of IHS&#39;s with both an integrated video controller and an add-in video controller. 
   Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be constructed broadly and in manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.