Patent Publication Number: US-2005117872-A1

Title: Computer system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a computer system able to perform TV play, TV recording, video play and other functions when the computer system is not fully powered.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      For general computer systems, before playing a VCD in a VCD-ROM drive, an operating system and the application program of the VCD-ROM drive must be loaded in advance.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates the frame of a conventional computer system, comprising a processing device  102 , a storage device  104  and a display device  106 . The storage device  104 , for example, is a hard disc or an optical recording medium, storing image data. After the computer system is fully powered, an operating system is loaded to control image data, and a video signal stored in the storage device  104  is transmitted to the display device  106  via the processing device  102 . Without adequate power supply or complete loading of the operating system, the computer system cannot display the stored video signal which may be considered inconvenient.  
      To solve the problem, a computer system, capable of performing the above functions when it is not fully powered, has been provided. In the computer system, an additional operating subsystem only for image-data control is installed separately from the operating system. When the processing device is not adequately powered, the computer system executes the operating subsystem to play stored video. However, the operating subsystem must be written in advance into the memory of the computer system, and is hard to modify after being written. Owing to the regular update of the video-playing application program, the computer system cannot perform video playing functions without being fully powered if the written operating subsystem is not updated with the video-playing application program.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer system able to perform TV play, TV recording, video play, and other functions without an additional operating subsystem or full power supply.  
      Therefore, the invention provides a computer system which comprises a display device for image display, a storage device to store a video signal, and a video-playing subsystem, wherein a power is supplied to the display device, the storage device and the video-playing subsystem. The video-playing subsystem comprises a digital video recording (DVR) module to process the video signal transmitted from the storage device in video-playing mode, and output the audio signal and the image signal of the video signal respectively, and an image-processing module to process the image signal transmitted from the DVR module into an image for image display.  
      The computer system may further comprise a central processing device to load an operating system and control image data when the computer system is fully powered, wherein the central processing device transmits the video signal stored in the storage device to the DVR module of is the video-playing subsystem to process the video signal into an image for display.  
      The invention further provides a computer system which comprises a display device for image display, an audio-playing device to play an audio signal, a storage device having a storage medium for video signal storage, a video-playing subsystem, and a central processing device. The video-playing subsystem comprises a TV image module coupled to a TV signal receiving device to respectively output an audio signal and an image signal of a received TV signal during a TV play mode, and to simultaneously output the audio signal and the image signal of the received TV signal during a TV recording mode, a DVR module to output the audio signal from the TV image module to the audio-playing device during the TV play mode, storing the audio and image signals from the TV image module into the storage device during the TV recording mode, and processing the video signal from the storage device to respectively output an audio signal and an image signal of the video signal during a video-playing mode, wherein the audio signal is output to the audio-playing device, and an image-processing module to process the TV signal from the TV image module into an image for display by the display device during the TV play mode, and to process the image signal from the DVR module into an image for display by the display device during the video-playing mode The central processing device loads an operating system and controls image data when the computer system is fully powered, wherein the central processing device, controlling to play or to store the received TV signal in the TV image module, transmits the video signal stored in the storage device to the DVR module of the video-playing subsystem to process the video signal into an image for display. The computer system is not fully powered during the TV play mode, TV recording mode and the video-playing mode.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates the frame of a conventional computer system;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the frame of a computer system in the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates the block diagram of a video-playing subsystem in the first embodiment;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates the frame of a computer system in the second embodiment; and  
       FIG. 5  illustrates the block diagram of a video-playing subsystem in the second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     FIRST EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the frame of a computer system in the first embodiment. The computer system  200  comprises a display device  202 , a storage device  204 , a video-playing subsystem  206 , a central processing device  208 , a power supply  210 , a mode switch  214 , a power switch  216 , a control panel  218  and an audio-playing device  220 . The storage device  204  is a hard disc or an optical disc drive able to access an optical recording medium for storing audio, image, or video signals. For example, the storage device  204  is an optical disc drive able to access a CD which records audio signals and a VCD which records audio and video signals; or a hard disc for storing JPEG files. When the power switch  216  is turned off, the power supply  210  only supplies power to the display device  202 , storage device  204 , video-playing subsystem  206 , control panel  218 , and the audio-playing device  220 . In addition, the mode switch  214  is activated. Meanwhile, the status of the mode switch  214  is used to determine whether the computer system enters a video-playing mode or not: when the mode switch  214  is on the “on” status, the computer system enters the video-playing mode. During the video-playing mode, the video-playing subsystem  206  processes signals from the storage device  204 . When the signals are video signals, the video-playing subsystem  206  processes them into images and audio signals and respectively displays them via the display device  202  and the audio-playing device  220 . When the signals are image signals, the video-playing subsystem  206  displays them via the display device  202 . The detailed operation of the video-playing subsystem  206  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The control panel  218  includes a plurality of control buttons to receive inputs from the user and perform various playing functions during a video-playing mode. The control buttons include a play button to play a CD or a VCD; a stop button to stop playing the CD or the VCD; a FF (fast forward) button to fast forward the CD or the VCD; a RW (rewind) button to rewind the CD or the VCD; a power button for the user to control the power supply  216 ; and a volume-controlling button to control the playing volume.  
      When the power switch  216  is turned on, the power supply  210  supplies the power to the entire computer system, including the display device  202 , the storage device  204 , the video-playing subsystem  206 , the central processing device  208 , the control panel  218 , and audio-playing device  220 . In  FIG. 2 , the solid lines indicate the power supplied from the power supply  210  to the central processing device  208 , while the dashed lines is indicate the transmission of audio and image signals. Meanwhile, the mode switch  214  is switched to an “off” state, such that the computer system enters a normal operation mode to automatically load an operating system whereby the user can control the playing of the audio and image signals.  
      The display device  202  is for image display, such as an LCD or a CRT monitor. The storage device  204  is a normal hard disc or an optical disc drive able to access an optical recording medium. If the storage device  204  is a hard disc and the computer system is operated in a normal mode, the storage data is modifiable.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates the block diagram of the video-playing subsystem in the first embodiment. The video-playing subsystem  206  includes a DVR module  320 , an image-processing module  310  and a detecting device  330 .  
      During the video-playing mode, the video-playing subsystem  206  processes the signals from the storage device  204 . When the signals are video signals, a DVR processor  322  of the DVR module  320  processes the video signals into respective audio and image signals. The audio signals are then transmitted to an audio-encoding device  324  of the DVR module  320 . After the audio-encoding process, the audio signals are transmitted to an audio output device  220 , for example, a speaker. The image signals are transmitted to the image-processing is module  310  to form an image for display on the display device  202 .  
      When the signals are audio signals, the DVR processor  322  directly transmits the audio signals to the audio-encoding device  324  and outputs via the audio output device  220  after audio-encoding.  
      When the signals are image signals, the DVR processor  322  directly transmits the image signals to the image-processing module  310  and outputs via the display device  202  after image processing.  
      The detecting device  330  is used to detect the control buttons on the control panel  218 , and to control the DVR module  320  to perform various functions during the video-playing mode.  
      Once the computer system enters the normal operation mode, the system automatically loads the operating system, and the playing of image or audio signals is controlled by the central processing device  208 . Before playing images, the central processing device  208  transmits the video or image signals from the storage device  204  to the image-processing module  310  of the video-playing subsystem  206  and displays images on the display device  202  (as shown by the dashed lines). Before playing audio signals, the central processing device  208  transmits the audio signals from the storage device  204  to the audio output device  220  (as shown by the dashed line B 1  in  FIG. 2 ).  
      In the embodiment, the detecting device detects the control buttons on the control panel to control the DVR module. In other embodiments, the user can control the DVR module by transmitting wireless controlling signals from a remote controller (not shown) to perform various playing functions. In the case, a signal detecting device with different function will be applied to replace the detecting device.  
     SECOND EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 4  illustrates the frame of a computer system in the second embodiment. The computer system  400  comprises a display device  402 , a storage device  404 , a video-playing subsystem  406 , a central processing device  408 , a power supply  410 , a mode switch  414 , a power switch  416 , a control panel  418  and an audio-playing device  420 . The storage device  404  is a hard disc or an optical recording medium for storing audio, image, or video signals. For example, the storage device  404  is a CD for storing audio signals, a VCD for storing video signals, or a hard disc for storing JPEG files.  
      When the power switch  416  is turned off, the power supply  410  only supplies power to the display device  402 , storage device  404 , video-playing subsystem  406 , control panel  418 , and the audio-playing device  420 . In addition, the mode switch  414  is activated. Meanwhile, the status of the mode switch  414  is used to determine the operation mode of the computer system, for example, the video-play mode, TV play mode or the TV recording mode. The user can control the operating mode of the computer system by transmitting controlling signals from a remote controller (not shown).  
      If the computer system  400  enters the video-playing mode, the video-playing subsystem  406  processes signals from the storage device  404 . When the signals are video signals, the video-playing subsystem  406  processes them into images and audio signals and respectively outputs them via the display device  402  and the audio-playing device  420 . When the signals are image signals, the video-playing subsystem  406  display them via the display device  402 . When the signals are audio signals, the video-playing subsystem  406  play them via the audio-playing device  420 .  
      If the computer system  400  enters the TV play mode, the video-playing subsystem  406  processes TV signals from the TV-signal receiving device  418 . The video-playing subsystem  406  processes them into images and audio signals and respectively outputs them via the display device  402  and the, audio-playing device  420 .  
      If the computer system  400  enters the TV recording mode, the video-playing subsystem  406  processes TV signals from the TV-signal receiving device  418 . The video-playing subsystem  406  simultaneously stores the image and audio signals of the TV signals into the storage device  404 . The detailed operation of the video-playing subsystem  406  is shown in  FIG. 5 .  
      When the power switch  416  is turned on, the power supply  410  supplies the power to the entire computer system, including the display device  402 , the storage device  404 , the video-playing subsystem  406 , the central processing device  408 , the control panel  418  and audio-playing device  420 . In  FIG. 4 , the solid lines indicate the power supplied from the power supply  410  to the central processing device  408 , while the dashed lines indicate the transmission of audio and image signals. Meanwhile, the status of the mode switch  414  is turned to be “off”, such that the computer system enters a normal operation mode to automatically load an operating system whereby the user can control the playing of the audio and image signals.  
      The display device  402  is for image display, such as an LCD or a CRT monitor. The storage device  404  is a normal hard disc or an optical recording medium. If the storage device  404  is a hard disc and the computer system is operated in a normal mode, the storage data is modifiable.  
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating the video-playing subsystem in the second embodiment. The video-playing subsystem  406  includes a DVR module  520 , an image-processing module  510 , a TV image module  530  and a wireless-signal detecting device  540 .  
      During the video-playing mode, the video-playing subsystem  506  processes the signals from the storage device  504 . When the signals are video signals, a DVR processor  522  of the DVR module  520  processes the video signals into respective audio and image signals. The audio signals are then transmitted to an audio-encoding device  524  of the DVR module  520 . After audio-encoding process, the audio signals are transmitted to an audio output device  420 , for example, a speaker. The image signals are transmitted to the image-processing module  510  to form an image for display on the display device  402 .  
      When the signals are audio signals, the DVR processor  522  directly transmits the audio signals to the audio-encoding device  524  and outputs via the audio output device  420  after audio-encoding.  
      When the signals are image signals, the DVR processor  522  directly transmits the image signals to the image-processing module  510  and outputs via the display device  402  after image processing.  
      During the TV play mode, the TV image module  530  processes the TV signals from the TV-signal receiving device  418  into audio signals and image signals. The audio signals are then transmitted to the audio-encoding device  524  of the DVR module  520 . After audio-encoding process, the audio signals are transmitted to the audio output device  420 . The image signals are transmitted to the image-processing module  510  to form an image for display on the display device  402 .  
      During the TV recording mode, the TV image module  530  processes the TV signals from the TV-signal receiving device  418  and simultaneously transmits the audio and image signals of the TV signals to the DVR processor  522 , and then store them in the storage device  404 .  
      The wireless-signal detecting device  540  is used to detect the wireless signals transmitted from a remote controller (not shown) to control the DVR module  320  and perform various functions. The remote controller has a plurality of control buttons to receive the user&#39;s input and transmits various wireless signals to the wireless detecting device  540 . The control buttons include a play button to play a CD or a VCD; a stop button to stop playing the CD or the VCD; a FF (fast forward) button to fast forward the CD or the VCD; a RW (rewind) button to rewind the CD or the VCD; a power button for the user to control the power supply  416 ; a mode-selecting button to select the operation mode of the computer system  400  by the mode switch  414 ; and a volume-controlling button to control the playing volume.  
      Once the computer system enters the normal operation mode, the system automatically loads the operating system, and the playing of image or audio signals is controlled by the central processing device  408 . Before playing images, the central processing device  408  transmits the video or image signals from the storage device  404  to the image-processing module  510  of the video-playing subsystem  406  and display images on the display device  402  (as shown by the dashed lines). Before playing audio signals, the central processing device  508  transmits the audio signals from the storage device  404  to the audio output device  420  (as shown by the dashed line B 2  in  FIG. 5 ). Furthermore, the TV image module  530  processes the TV signals from the TV-signal receiving device  418  in a normal operation mode, but the processed TV signals are controlled by the central processing device  408 .  
      In the embodiment, the wireless-signal detecting device detects the wireless controlling signals transmitted from a remote controller. In other embodiments, the user can control the DVR module by transmitting other controlling signals. In the case, a signal detecting device with different function will be applied to replace the wireless-signal detecting device.  
      According to the invention, the inventive computer system is able to perform TV play, TV recording, video play and other functions without full powered and additional operating subsystem, which is beneficial for the user.  
      The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of this invention and its practical application to thereby enable those skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.