Abstract:
A removable video module for a backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) contained within a chassis and having a timing and control board (TCON) with a board edge connector and an access opening in the chassis. The module preferably having a video input connection and means for generating a Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) video. The video module also preferably has a board edge connector adapted to connect with the board edge connector on the TCON, where the video module is adapted to fit through the access opening to connect with the TCON. Other embodiments may utilize a backplane where the video module and a power module are adapted to connect with the backplane and electrically communicate with the rest of the display. Outputs for either the video signal, power supply, or both may be provided so that a plurality of displays may be daisy-chained together.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a non-provisional application of U.S. Application No. 61/312,538 filed on Mar. 10, 2010 and incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. This application is also a non-provisional application of U.S. Application No. 61/379,193 filed on Sep. 1, 2010 and incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/684,608 filed on Jan. 8, 2010 which is a non-provisional of U.S. Application No. 61/143,189 filed on Jan. 8, 2009, both of which are incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Exemplary embodiments generally relate to subassemblies for controlling LCD displays. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
     Electronic displays such as LCDs are being used in a variety of new applications across a number of different platforms. In some applications, base level LCD assemblies may be purchased from a manufacturer and later modified with housings and additional circuitry to perform the user&#39;s desired end functions. In most applications, adding new circuitry requires extensive labor and additional connectors and wiring. This labor is not only expensive and time-consuming, but the additional connectors and wiring are prone to failure or malfunction over time. Further, when these components malfunction in the field, removing the display and servicing it can be very expensive and time-consuming. 
     SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments utilize a similar base LCD device while permitting a plurality of different video modules to be installed which can provide a number of different features. Power can be shared throughout the various boards so that separate power modules and connections are not required. The video modules may be connected using board edge connectors to the timing and control boards so that they can easily be installed initially and removed/serviced once in the field. The embodiments allow for a base unit to be mass-manufactured while provided a number of specific features to customers that can easily be installed or even upgraded when the customer would like to change their display setups. 
     An alternative embodiment may provide a power module as well as the video module. Each module may connect with a backplane which can distribute the power and signals throughout the components of the display. Output power as well as output video may be used with some modules so that displays can be ‘daisy-chained’ together in order to reduce installation costs and time. Some embodiments may include a speaker on one or both of the modules so that sound reproduction may be included as an option. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of an exemplary embodiment will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment using a video player module. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of another embodiment which uses a video player module as well as a power module. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the integrated power supply system, preferably for use with an LED-backlit LCD. For an exemplary embodiment, the LED-backlit LCD along with the LED power and system supply power board (LPB)  50  and the timing and control board (TCON)  60  would be mass-manufactured with similar features. The video module  70  could be designed specifically for each end user and could be easily installed within the mass-manufactured portions of the LCD. 
     The LPB  50  may provide several power supplies. In some embodiments, the LPB  50  may provide at least two power supplies: a first power supply which takes the inlet AC power from the user&#39;s premises and converts this to the low voltage DC required by the electronics (some of this power may be routed to the TCON  60  and video module  70 ) and a second power supply which drives the LEDs used in the backlight assembly. In other embodiments, there may be an auxiliary power supply (in addition to the first and second) which may send the current required by any other miscellaneous electronics. In some embodiments, the first or second power supply may actually contain more than one physical power brick or supply assembly. 
     The AC power input  90  may establish communication with the AC power at the location and conduction line  92  may deliver the power to the LPB  50 . As taught further below, it may be preferable to also include an AC power outlet such that a second (or third etc.) electronic display can draw power through the first display (so that connecting each display to the local AC power individually is not necessary). Another power conduction line  30  may be used to transfer power from the LPB to the TCON  60 . A signal conduction line  25  may be used to transfer various electronic signals back-and-forth between the LPB  50  and the TCON  60 . 
     A video input connection  75  may be provided on the LPB  50  for accepting incoming video data. A video output connection  76  may also be provided on the LPB  50  for allowing a video data output from the display. By using the video output connection  76 , several displays may be connected in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained’ so that overall cabling from the video source can be reduced. 
     The TCON  60  may convert the differential video signals from the video module  70  into signals required to drive the rows and column circuits of the LCD cell. The TCON  60  may also provide motion compensation and interpolation to convert incoming signals from 60 Hz to 120 Hz, 240 Hz, or greater. The TCON  60  may also analyze the video data in order to dynamically dim the backlight. A board-edge connector  100  may be used to connect the TCON  60  with the video module  70 . The connector  100  may allow the TCOM  60  to pass power to and receive video data from the video module  60 . 
     A chassis  10  may be used to house the, sometimes mass-manufactured, display components (LCD, TCON, LPB, etc.) and may contain the mechanical features necessary to hold the video module  70  in place. An access opening may be provided in the chassis and sized to allow the video module  70  to pass through the chassis and attach to the TCON  60 . An access panel (preferably lockable) can be provided to cover the access opening so that the video module  70  can easily be accessed, even once the display has been placed in the field. Chassis-mounted guides  80  may allow the video module  70  to accurately and repeatably plug into the TCON  60 . The guides  80  may be card guides if using a printed-circuit board or other thin substrate or may be drawer guides if using a different type of substrate. 
     The video module  70  could be produced in a variety of formats with a number of different components and functions to meet the end-user&#39;s needs. Every video module  70  should pass video data to the TCON  60 . In addition, every video module  70  should have an edge connector  100  (or some form of blind-mate connector) that will connect the locally generated Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) video signal to the TCON  60  as well as pick up DC power from the LPB  50  (available through the TCON  60 ). Additionally, a pair of board extractors may allow the user to overcome any insertion or extraction forces presented by the board edge connector  100 . 
     The video modules  70  may vary by the source of the video content and how ‘smart’ the onboard processor will be. There are a number of means for generating the LVDS for the TCON. Some video modules  70  may contain DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort inputs with basic processing capabilities. Other video modules  70  may contain wired Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via a wired Ethernet connection). Still other video modules  70  may contain wireless Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via wired or wireless Ethernet connections). Still other video modules  70  may contain high definition analog video via a coax connection (i.e. cable TV) with basic processing features. Still other video modules  70  may contain an embedded video player where the content to the player can be uploaded with a wired Ethernet connection. 
     It should be noted that the video module  70  can take on many forms. In some embodiments, the module may be a printed circuit boards with the various components mounted to the board and electrical conduction lines built into one or more layers of the board. Alternatively, the module may simply provide a structure (ex. plate or drawer or substrate) for mounting several components, but this structure may not actually comprise a printed circuit board. Thus, components may be mounted or bolted to the structure and the electrical connections may be provided by wires/harnesses and connectors rather than incorporated into a layer of the board. A similar type of board edge connector (or blind connector) can be used at the back of the plate or drawer to establish communication with the TCON  60 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a block diagram for another embodiment which uses a video module  286  in addition to a power module  265 , which connect with a backplane  220  in order to communicate with each other as well as with the TCON  200 . The power module  265  may interface with guides  260  so that its connector  262  may line up with that of the backplane  220  when the power module  265  is inserted. Similarly, the video module  286  may interface with guides  285  so that its connector  263  may line up with the backplane  220  when the video module  286  is inserted. The guides  260  and  285  may be fixed to the chassis  205  (or some other portion of the display) which contains the various components and adds structure for securing various assemblies. Access openings may be provided in the chassis  205  and sized to allow the video module  286  or power module  265  to pass through the chassis  205  and attach to the backplane  220 . 
     The power module  265  preferably includes an offline AC power supply which converts AC power from the location to the low voltage DC power typically required by on-board electronics and a DC power supply which provides power to the backlight. Some embodiments may also include an auxiliary power supply which may provide the current for the video module  286  (which is preferably transferred through the backplane  220 ). An exemplary embodiment contains a power input connection  270  as well as a power output connection  271  on the power module  265 . The power output connection  271  allows for multiple displays to be wired in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained’ so as to reduce the amount of cabling needed. An alternative embodiment would place the power input connection ( 270 ) anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane  220  so that the input power could be routed to the power module  265 . The power output connection could also be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide communication with the backplane  220 . 
     The backplane  220  may comprise a printed circuit board with interfacing connectors to the connectors for the power module  265  and video module  286  (as well as the various other electrical communications/connections described herein). The backplane  220  preferably includes conduction lines which allow power from the power module  265  to travel to the TCON  200  (ultimately through power conduction line  250 ). The backplane  220  may also contain conduction lines which provide power to the video module  286 . Preferably, the backplane  220  also provides the power to the backlight through the conduction line  290 . 
     The video module  286  preferably includes a video input connection  280  as well as an optional video output connection  281 . Again, the video output connection  281  allows for several displays to be connected in ‘series’ or ‘daisy-chained.’ Alternatively, the video input connection ( 280 ) could be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane  220  so that the input video signal could be routed to the video module  286 . The video output connection  281  could also be placed anywhere within the display and simply provide electrical communication with the backplane  220 . 
     The connector  263  should preferably provide power from the backplane  220  to the various components of the video module  286 . The connector  263  should also allow the video module  286  to output the video signal (preferably Low Voltage Differential Signaling—LVDS) to the backplane  220  and ultimately to the TCON  200  through a video signal conduction line  252 . Once the video data is sent through the conduction line  252  to the TCON  200 , it may be used to drive the row and column circuits on the LCD. As known in the art, the TCON  200  may also provide various motion compensation and interpolation to convert the incoming signal frequency to the desired frequency for the LCD (i.e. converting 60 Hz to 120 or 240 Hz). In an exemplary embodiment, the TCON  200  would analyze the incoming video data to produce the information necessary to control (i.e. dynamically dim) the backlight. Thus, resulting signals for the backlight may travel through the backlight signal conduction line  254  and connect through the backplane  220  to the power module  265 . The signals for the backlight may then be used to direct the DC power supply as to the precise power for the backlight. This precise power information would then preferably be transferred to the backplane  220  where it is sent to the backlight through the conduction line  290 . 
     The video module  286  may also contain an optional speaker  267  and accompanying audio amplifier. Another corresponding speaker  266  may be placed within the power module  265  and receive its signal from the audio amplifier through the power module&#39;s  265  connection  262  with the backplane  220 . Thus, modules can be designed for end users who desire sound reproduction or prefer no sound production. Later users can also upgrade to sound production even if initially there was none. 
     Similar to the embodiments described above, the video module  286  may vary widely, depending on the source of the video content and how ‘smart’ the onboard processor will be. There are a number of means for generating the LVDS for the TCON. Some video modules  286  may contain DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort inputs with basic processing capabilities. Other video modules  286  may contain wired Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via a wired Ethernet connection). Still other video modules  286  may contain wireless Ethernet video over IP with a large set of processing features (status and setup information may be accessible via wired or wireless Ethernet connections). Still other video modules  286  may contain high definition analog video via a coax connection (i.e. cable TV) with basic processing features. Still other video modules  286  may contain an embedded video player where the content to the player can be uploaded with a wired Ethernet connection. 
     It should be noted that the video module  286  and the power module  265  can take on many forms. In some embodiments, the modules may be printed circuit boards with the various components mounted to the board and electrical conduction lines built into one or more layers of the board. Alternatively, the modules may simply provide a structure (ex. plate or drawer) for mounting several components, but this structure may not actually comprise a printed circuit board. Thus, components may be mounted or bolted to the structure and the electrical connections may be provided by wires/harnesses and connectors rather than incorporated into a layer of the board. A similar type of blind connector can be used at the back of the plate or drawer to establish communication with the backplane  220 . Using a mounting structure rather than a printed circuit board may allow different types of guides  260  and  285  to be used and may provide a more robust design. Thus, larger or more sensitive components could be mounted directly to the mounting structure and remain secure during install/removal and operation. 
     An exemplary embodiment may provide a board extractor for the video module  286  or power module  265  or both. An extractor may be used to allow the user to overcome any insertion or extraction force presented by the connectors  262  and  263 . 
     The exemplary embodiments herein permit a unitary design for the LCD/TCON to be mass manufactured while video (and sometimes power) modules can later be designed/installed in a fast and efficient manner depending on the customer&#39;s requirements. Once in use, the modules can also be easily replaced/serviced/upgraded while the device remains in the field. 
     Having shown and described preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described embodiments and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Additionally, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.