Patent Publication Number: US-2011074835-A1

Title: Display module, electronic device using the same, and display method thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 098132871 filed in Taiwan, Republic of China on Sep. 29, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a display module and, more particularly, to a display module generating corresponding current combinations to control light emitting elements to present a continuous display effect according to a status of an electronic element of an electronic device, an electronic device using the same, and a display method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     At present, a plurality of new generation electronic devices, such as common personal computers or notebook computers, can display used space capacity or remaining space capacity of an electronic element (such as a hard disk or a memory) of the electronic device via computer software. The electronic devices can further display a status of the present space capacity via hardware, for example, a display module of the electronic device can display the used/remaining space capacity of the electronic element in a sectioned mode by controlling a light emitting state of a plurality of light emitting diodes. 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram showing a conventional display module displaying present used/remaining space capacity of an electronic element in a sectioned mode. In  FIG. 1A , display areas  10 A to  10 C are bright and display areas  10 D to  10 E are not bright. Therefore, the display condition of the display module points out that the used space capacity of the electronic element reaches 60% and the remaining space capacity is about 40%. 
       FIG. 1B  is a schematic diagram showing a light emitting condition of light emitting diodes corresponding to the display areas in  FIG. 1A . Please refer to  FIG. 1B , light emitting diodes  12 A to  12 E correspond to the display areas  10 A to  10 E, respectively. When the used space capacity of the electronic element reaches 60%, the light emitting diodes  12 A to  12 C will emit light, and the light emitting diodes  12 D to  12 E won&#39;t. 
     The above conventional sectioned display mode can roughly display the present used/remaining space capacity of the electronic element. However, there are still many disadvantages. 
     First, one of the light emitting diodes of the conventional display module is disposed corresponding to one of the display areas respectively, therefore, the same number of the light emitting diodes are needed when the display module needs to accurately display a plurality of sections. However, manufacturing cost of the display module greatly increases. For example, the display module displays the remaining/used capacity of the electronic element in ten sections, i.e., the display module includes ten display areas, the display module also needs ten light emitting diodes to achieve the needed sectioned display effect. The more requirements of the preciseness of the display effect, the more light emitting diodes are needed in the display module. Therefore, the manufacturing cost also increases therewith. 
     In addition, dark areas may be formed between the adjacent bright display areas in the abovementioned method. For example, a dark area D 1  is formed between the bright display areas  10 A and  10 B, and a dark area D 2  is formed between the bright display areas  10 B and  10 C as shown in  FIG. 1A . The whole bright display area seems to be not continuous in appearance because the comparison between the bright area and the dark area is so apparent that design aesthetic of the whole design and feeling of users are affected. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a display module, an electronic device using the same, and a display method thereof to improve the prior art. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a display module is provided. The display module is used for displaying a status of an electronic element of an electronic device, such as present remaining capacity or used capacity of the electronic element. The display module includes a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit. The light guiding unit has a light incident surface and a light output surface. The light emitting units are disposed adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guiding unit. The control unit is coupled with the light emitting units and selectively uses one of a plurality of current combinations to control the light emitting units. Light emitted from the light emitting units enters into the light guiding unit from the light incident surface and passes through the light output surface to present a continuous display effect. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, an electronic device including an electronic element and a display module is provided. The display module is used for displaying a status of the electronic element. The display module includes a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit. The light guiding unit has a light incident surface and a light output surface. The light emitting units are disposed adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guiding unit. The control unit is coupled with the light emitting units and selectively uses one of a plurality of current combinations to control the light emitting units. Light emitted from the light emitting units enters into the light guiding unit from the light incident surface and passes through the light output surface to present a continuous display effect. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, a display method for displaying a status of an electronic element of an electronic device is provided. The display method includes the following steps. First, a display module including a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit is provided. Then, an optical simulating result is generated. Then, the control unit uses one of a plurality of current combinations to control the light emitting units according to the optical simulating result. Finally, light emitted from the light emitting units enters into the light guiding unit to present a continuous display effect. 
     This invention provides a display module, an electronic device using the same, and a display method thereof for generating a corresponding current combination to control a plurality of light emitting diodes according to a status of an electronic element of the electronic device, thereby presenting a continuous display effect. Since the display module simulates corresponding relation between each of the current combinations and different display effects via optical simulating software, different current mount combinations can be used to control the less light emitting diodes to display present used/remaining space capacity of the electronic element thus to greatly save manufacturing cost of the display module and to effectively improve the disadvantage that the bright display areas of the display module are not continuous in the prior art. 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram showing a conventional display module displaying present used/remaining space capacity of an electronic element in a sectioned mode; 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic diagram showing a light emitting condition of light emitting diodes corresponding to display areas in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing a display module according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the display module in  FIG. 2  receiving a status signal from an electronic element and outputting a current combination to a respective light emitting diode; 
         FIG. 4A  is a functional block diagram showing a control unit in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a diagram showing a lookup table in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 4C  is a diagram showing pulse width modulation signals with different pulse widths in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a functional block diagram showing a control unit in  FIG. 3  according to another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a functional block diagram showing a logic circuit in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a display method according to a third embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a display method according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In one first embodiment of this invention, a display module is provided. Actually, the display module is used in an electronic device (such as a personal computer or an industrial computer) for displaying a status of an electronic element (such as a hard disk or a power supply device) of the electronic device, such as present remaining capacity or used capacity of the electronic element. However, the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the display module can be disposed in the electronic device and be coupled with the electronic element, or it can be externally coupled with the electronic element of the electronic device. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing a display module according to the first embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , a display module  2  includes a light guiding unit  21  and a casing  22 . The light guiding unit  21  has a light incident surface  214 , a light output surface  211 , and a surface treatment layer  210 , and the surface treatment layer  210  covers the light output surface  211 . In a practical application, the surface treatment layer  210  is not limited to cover the light output surface  211 , and it can also be formed on the light output surface  211  via different surface treatment methods such as atomization or texture. In addition, the surface treatment layer  210  can also cover the light incident surface  214  or be formed on the light incident surface  214  via different surface treatment methods, and the surface treatment layer  210  may even be a material of the light guiding unit  21 . However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     Light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D are disposed at the casing  22  and are adjacent to the light incident surface  214  of the light guiding unit  21  thus to allow light emitted from the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D to be transmitted to the light incident surface  214  of the light guiding unit  21  and to enter into the light guiding unit  21  from the light incident surface  214 . The control unit  222  is disposed in the casing  22  and is coupled with the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D for controlling whether the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D emit light and strength or brightness of the light. In addition, the light guiding unit  21  also has holes  212 A to  212 C, and the positions of the holes  212 A to  212 C correspond to a position between two adjacent light emitting diodes, respectively. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     Actually, the numbers and positions of the light emitting diodes and the holes included by the display module  2  can be determined according to practical needs. However, the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D may be surface-mount device (SMD) light emitting diodes, dual in-line package (DIP) light emitting diodes, or other types of light emitting diodes. The light guiding unit  21  may be a light pipe or other optical elements with a light guiding function, and the light guiding unit  21  may be transparent and made of plastic. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the display module  2  in  FIG. 2  detecting a status of an electronic element  30  of an electronic device  3  and receiving a status signal S from the electronic element  30  and then outputting corresponding current combinations I A  to I D  to the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D according to the status signal S. In  FIG. 3 , the control unit  222  of the display module  2  is coupled with the electronic element  30  of the electronic device  3 . After the control unit  222  receives the status signal S from the electronic element  30 , the control unit  222  can generate the current combinations I A  to I D  corresponding to the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D, respectively, according to the status signal S. And then, the control unit  222  output the current combinations I A  to I D  to the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D, respectively, thereby controlling the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D. The light emitted from the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D can enter into the light guiding unit  21  to present a continuous display effect. That is, display areas presented after the light passes through the light incident surface  214 , the light output surface  211 , and the surface treatment layer  210  of the light guiding unit  21  are continuous so that the defect of the prior art is effectively improved. 
     Actually, the display effect correspond to a size of a display area of the light, which is emitted from the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D and passing through the light output surface  211  and the surface treatment layer  210 . The display effect can further correspond to strength of display brightness of the light, and the strength of the display brightness corresponds to the current combinations controlling the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D. Therefore, the strength and brightness of the display brightness can be controlled by adjusting the current combinations of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D in the present invention. In addition, the status signal S can include status information of the electronic element  30 , such as present remaining or used capacity information of the electronic element  30  and so on. The electronic element  30  may be an electronic device such as a hard disk, a memory, or a charger and so on. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     Different modes of generating current combinations I A  to I D  correspondingly controlling the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D by the control unit  222  of the display module  2  according to the status signal S are described herein below. 
       FIG. 4A  is a functional block diagram showing a control unit  222 . In  FIG. 4A , the control unit  222  includes a control element  2220  and integrating circuits  2222 A to  2222 D. The control element  2220  has a lookup table  22200 , and the lookup table  22200  stores an optical simulating result. The integrating circuits  2222 A to  2222 D are circuits with an integration function, and the types thereof are not limited. 
     The optical simulating result is obtained via simulation of optical simulating software and represents corresponding relation among the status of the electronic element  30 , the current combinations controlling the light emitting diodes, and the different display effects. The optical simulating software may be lighttools, Tracepro, or other software with the optical simulating function. However, the invention is not limited thereto. There are many factors affecting the optical simulating result. Besides the numbers and positions of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D and the light guiding unit  21 , the optical simulating result is also affected by the number and position of the holes  212 A to  212 C or other factors such as whether the surface treatment layer  210  covers the light incident surface  214  or the light output surface  211 . 
     When the control element  2220  receives the status signal S from the electronic element  30 , the control element  2220  can look up the current combinations I A  to I D  corresponding to the present status of the electronic element  30  in the lookup table  22200 . 
     For example,  FIG. 4B  is a lookup table of the used space capacity of the electronic element  30  and the current combinations I A  to I D  after the optical simulation. If the control element  2220  detects that the used space capacity of the electronic element  30  is 40% according to the status signal S, the control element  2220  can obtain that the corresponding current combinations I A  to I D  are 3 mA, 5 mA, 3 mA, and zero, respectively, from the lookup table  22200 . 
     Back to  FIG. 4A , the control element  2220  can output pulse width modulation signals PWM A  to PWM D  corresponding to the current combinations I A  to I D  to the integrating circuits  2222 A to  2222 D after the control element  2220  obtains the value of the current combinations I A  to I D  from the lookup table. The current combinations I A  to I D  are then generated through integration of the integrating circuits  2222 A to  2222 D to control the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D. 
     Actually, the greater the pulse widths W A  to W D  of the pulse width modulation signals PWM A  to PWM D  outputted by the control element  2220  are, the greater corresponding equivalent voltages V A  to V D  are. When equivalent resistance is fixed, the current combinations I A  to I D  become greater. Therefore, the corresponding relation between the pulse widths W A  to W D  and the current combinations I A  to I D  can also be recorded in the lookup table to allow the control unit  222  to read for use. In  FIG. 4C , if a sequence of the current combinations I A  to I D  is that I A &lt;I B &lt;I C &lt;I D , the sequence of the pulse widths W A  to W D  of the pulse width modulation signals PWM A  to PWM D  outputted by the control element  2220  is that W A &lt;W B &lt;W C &lt;W D . Therefore, the control element  2220  can adjust control current of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D by outputting the pulse width modulation signals with different pulse widths to change brightness of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D (such as whether the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D emit light or the strength and brightness of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D) to present different continuous display effects. 
     Besides the above generating mode of the current combinations I A  to I D ,  FIG. 5A  is a functional block diagram showing the control unit  222  in  FIG. 3  according to another embodiment of the invention, i.e., showing another generating mode of the current combinations I A  to I D . In  FIG. 5A , the control unit  222  includes a control element  2220  and logic circuits  2224 A to  2224 D. When the control element  2220  receives a status signal S from the electronic element  30 , the control element  2220  can look up values of the current combinations I A  to I D  corresponding to the present status of the electronic element  30  in a lookup table  22200  according to the present status information of the electronic element  30  included by the status signal S. 
     The control element  2220  outputs corresponding universal input/output signals GPIO A  to GPIO D  to the logic circuits  2224 A to  2224 D according to the current combinations I A  to I D . And then, the logic circuits  2224 A to  2224 D output the current combinations I A  to I D  to the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D to control the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D. 
     The detailed circuit structure of the logic circuit is shown in  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5B  is a functional block diagram showing the logic circuit in  FIG. 5A , i.e., a circuit diagram showing the logic circuit  2224 A according to one embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 5B , the logic circuit  2224 A includes switch elements SW 1  to SW 3  and resistors R 1  to R 3 . Actually, the types and numbers of the switch elements and the resistors included by the logic circuit  2224 A can be determined according to practical needs. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     In the embodiment, the universal input/output signal GPIO A  outputted from the control element  2220  to the logic circuit  2224 A can control the switch elements SW 1  to SW 3  to be on or off thus to change the equivalent resistance under a specific operating voltage V, thereby adjusting the control current I A  finally outputted by the logic circuit  2224 A. 
     For example, if the logic circuit  2224 A allows the switch elements SW 1  and SW 3  to be on and allows the switch element SW 2  to be off according to the universal input/output signal GPIO A , that is, only the resistor R 2  and a node N are connected and the resistors R 1  and R 3  and the node N are not connected. Therefore, the control current I A  finally outputted by the logic circuit  2224 A is (V/R 2 ) when the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D are grounded and the resistance of the switch element SW 2  is ignored. 
     On the other hand, if the logic circuit  2224 A allows all the switch elements SW 1  to SW 3  to be off according to the universal input/output signal GPIO A , the resistors R 1  to R 3  and the node N are connected. Therefore, the control current I A  finally outputted by the logic circuit  2224 A is (V/R 1 )+(V/R 2 )+(V/R 3 ). At that moment, the control current (V/R 1 )+(V/R 2 )+(V/R 3 ) outputted by the logic circuit  2224 A is greater than the control current (V/R 2 ). Therefore, at that moment, the brightness of the light emitting diode  220 A is higher. Thereby, the brightness of the light emitting diodes  220 A to  220 D can be changed to present the continuous display effect with different brightness at the surface treatment layer  210 . 
     According to a second embodiment of the invention, an electronic device is provided. In the embodiment, the electronic device includes an electronic element and a display module. The display module is coupled with the electronic element for displaying a status of the electronic element, such as presenting remaining capacity or used capacity of the electronic element (such as a memory or a battery). However, the invention is not limited thereto. The display module includes a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit. The light guiding unit has a light incident surface and a light output surface. The light emitting units are disposed adjacent to the light incident surface of the light guiding unit. The control unit selectively uses one of a plurality of current combinations to control the light emitting units. Light emitted from the light emitting units enters into the light guiding unit from the light incident surface and passes through the light output surface to present a continuous display effect. Detailed operation of the electronic device and the display module in this embodiment are the same as that in the first embodiment. Therefore, it is not described for a concise purpose herein. 
     According to a third embodiment of the invention, a display method is provided. In a practical application, the display method is used for displaying a status of an electronic element of an electronic device, such as presenting remaining capacity or used capacity of the electronic element. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a display method. In  FIG. 6 , first step S 12  is performed. A display module is provided, and the display module includes a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit. 
     Step S 14  is then performed. According to an optical simulating result, a plurality of pulse width modulation signals with different pulse widths is outputted. The optical simulating result can include corresponding relation among the status of the electronic element, current combinations, and different display effects. The optical simulating result can be obtained by simulation via optical simulating software. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     In step S 16 , the pulse width modulation signals generate a current combination through integration of an integrating circuit, respectively. The detailed operation of step S 14  and step S 16  can refer to  FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4C  and description thereof. Therefore, it is not described for a concise purpose herein. 
     Afterwards, step S 18  is performed. The current combination is outputted to control the light emitting units to emit light. In step S 19 , light, which is emitted from the light emitting units, enters into the light guiding unit thus to present a continuous display effect. Actually, the light guiding unit has a light incident surface, a light output surface, and a surface treatment layer. The light, which is emitted from the light emitting unit, enters into the light guiding unit from the light incident surface and passes through the light output surface and the surface treatment layer to present the continuous display effect. In addition, the display effect may be related to a size of a display area of the light and strength of display brightness. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, a display method is also provided. In a practical application, the display method is used for displaying a status of an electronic element of an electronic device, such as presenting remaining capacity or used capacity of the electronic element. However, the invention is not limited thereto.  FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing the display method. In  FIG. 7 , first, step S 22  is performed. A display module is provided, and the display module includes a light guiding unit, a plurality of light emitting units, and a control unit. 
     Then, step S 24  is performed. According to an optical simulating result, a plurality of universal input/output signals are outputted to control a plurality of switch elements to be on or off. Actually, the optical simulating result may include corresponding relation among the status of the electronic element, current combinations, and different display effects. The optical simulating result can be obtained by simulation via optical simulating software. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     Then, in step S 26 , under a specific operating voltage, the resistance changes with the on or off states of the switch elements thus to generate a current combination. The detailed description of step S 24  and step S 26  can refer to  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  and related description. Therefore, it is not described for a concise purpose herein. 
     Then, step S 28  is performed. The current combination is outputted to control the light emitting units to emit light. In step S 29 , light emitted from the light emitting units enters into the light guiding unit to present a continuous display effect. Actually, the light guiding unit has a light incident surface, a light output surface, and a surface treatment layer. The light emitted from the light emitting units can enter into the light guiding unit from the light incident surface and passes through the light output surface and the surface treatment layer to present the continuous display effect. In addition, the display effect can be related to a size of a display area of the light emitted from the light emitting units at the display module and strength of display brightness. However, the invention is not limited thereto. 
     compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses the display module which can generate the corresponding current combination to control the light emitting diodes to emit light or to control strength or brightness of the light emitting diodes according to the status of the electronic element of the electronic device so that the continuous display effect will be presented. Furthermore, the corresponding relation between the current combinations and the different display effects has been simulated in an optical simulating mode, the less light emitting diodes would been need now. On the other words, the display module can control less light emitting diodes just via different current combinations to display the present used/remaining space capacity of the electronic element. Manufacturing cost of the display module in the present invention is greatly saved and the disadvantages that the bright display areas are not continuous in the prior art are also effectively improved. Thus, the design aesthetic of the whole design can be improved further to improve feeling of users. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.