Patent Publication Number: US-2013238937-A1

Title: Display device and computer using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to display devices, and particularly, to a display device that can convert power-on self test (POST) code into a debug code and display the debug code. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Many computers will perform a power-on self test (POST) during startup to determine whether hardware is working correctly. The result of a power-on self test (POST) can be displayed, for example, on the display screen of the computer. However, before the display card begins its operation, the user cannot determine whether other electronic devices are operating normally. Additionally, if the computer cannot be initialized normally because the display card cannot operate normally, the user cannot determine whether other electronic devices can operate normally. Furthermore, since the display frame of the test message is usually transient, it is quite difficult for the user to record the test result. One to way to resolve the above problem is by use of audio signals to signal the user various POST messages. However, the user may not easily remember what the various signals mean and have to look them up in the user manual, which is quite inconvenient for the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is block diagram of a display device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a computer including the display device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a front side of the display device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a display  10  includes a processor  20 , an interface unit  30 , a storage unit  40 , and a display panel  50 . The display  10  is electrically coupled to a computer  60 , and is electrically connected to a motherboard  70  retained within the computer  60 . The display  10  receives debug information from the motherboard  70  when the computer  60  is started. 
     Specifically, when the computer  60  is started, the basic input and output system (BIOS) will perform a power-on self test (POST) to determine whether the hardware such as the central processing unit (CPU), the disk drives, and the random access memory are working correctly. The display  10  receives, via the interface unit  30 , POST code from the BIOS. The processor  20  converts the POST code into debug code, and controls the display panel  50  to display the debug code. 
     In the embodiment, the storage unit  40  stores a debug code table that records a detailed description of each debug code. When any hardware is not working correctly, the POST code will remain at the specific address. Then, the debug code corresponding to the POST code will stay unchanged on the display panel  50 . When a POST code has stayed unchanged on the display panel  50  for a preset time, the processor  20  reads the debug code table stored in the storage unit  40 , determines the detailed description corresponding to the POST code, and controls the display panel  50  to display the determined detailed description accompanying the POST code. As a result, a user will know which piece of the hardware connected to the computer  60  is not working correctly. 
     In the embodiment, the display panel  50  is a small LED display. The display  10  may be secured to an outer side surface of the side panel  61  of the computer  60 . The side panel  61  defines a through hole  611 . The display  10  includes a magnetic connection member  90  at its rear. The magnetic connection member  90  includes a hollow barrel  91  and a flange  92  formed at one end of the barrel  91 . The barrel  91  is partly fit within the through hole  611 , and a cable  80  connecting the motherboard  70  to the interface unit  30  passes through the barrel  91 . The flange  92  abuts against the side panel  61  due to magnetic attraction, thereby fixing the display  10  to the side panel  61 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in the embodiment, the display  10  may include eight LEDs  100 . The eight LEDs  100  are turned on/off by the processor  20  and used to represent a POST code. For example, if a turned-on LED represents “1” and a turned-off LED represent “0” and when a POST code is “10100110”, the eight LEDs  100  will be turned on, off, on, off, off, on, on and off. The display  10  may further include a indicating light  200 . When a piece of hardware is not working correctly, the processor  20  turns on the indicating light  200  to alert users. 
     While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.