Patent Publication Number: US-2010118000-A1

Title: Display apparatus and control method thereof

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2008-0111191, filed on Nov. 10, 2008 and No. 10-2009-0076570, filed on Aug. 19, 2009 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present inventive concept relate to a display apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a display apparatus having an integrated input port unit to which an external port device provided with a plurality of input ports for a plurality of connectors is connectable, and a control method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A display apparatus is an apparatus that receives a signal from an external source and outputs video and audio signals. Recently, various external devices are connectable to a display apparatus. Such external devices are, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, a computer, a universal serial bus (USB) device, an audio system, etc. 
     To connect the display apparatus with a DVD/blu-ray disc (BD) player, a computer, a USB device, an audio system, etc., the display apparatus needs various input ports that satisfy standard requirements, respectively. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the present inventive concept, there is provided a display apparatus including: an integrated input port unit which receives a video signal output through a selected input port of an external port device provided with a plurality of input ports including the selected input port, the plurality of input ports being configured to be connected to connectors of external devices outputting a plurality of video signals, respectively, and the video signal being one of the plurality of video signals; a controller which controls the external port device to output the video signal through the selected input port if the external port device is connected to the integrated input port unit, and at least one connector of at least one external device of the external devices is connected to the external port device to output at least one video signal including the video signal to the external port device; a video processor which processes the video signal for display; and a display unit which displays an image based on the processed video signal. 
     The controller may identify the external port device on the basis of an identification (ID) signal from the external port device and ID information previously set corresponding to the external port device, if the external port device is connected to the integrated input port unit. 
     The ID signal may include information about a type and number of input ports. 
     The display apparatus may further include a user selection unit to select the selected input port among the plurality of input ports through the controller, wherein the controller controls the external port device to output the video signal corresponding to the selected input port. 
     The display apparatus may further include a user interface (UI) generator, wherein the controller controls the UI generator to display UI information indicating the type and number of the plurality of input ports on the display unit if the external port device is connected to the integrated input port unit. 
     The controller may control the UI generator to mark a portion of the UI information, corresponding to at least one input port of the plurality of the input ports, if the at least one connector of the at least one external device is connected to at least one input port including the selected input port among the plurality of input ports. 
     The integrated input port unit may include a plurality of integrated input port units. 
     According to another aspect of the present inventive concept, there is provided a control method for a display apparatus including an integrated input port unit to which an external port device provided with a plurality of input ports configured to be connected to a plurality of connectors of external devices, is connected, the control method including: receiving an ID signal from the external port device; identifying the external port device on the basis of the ID signal and ID information previously set corresponding to the external port device; controlling the external port device to output one of video signals input through a selected input port among the plurality of input ports; and displaying the video signal, wherein at least one connector of at least one external device of the external devices is connected to the external port device to output at least one video signal including the video signal to the external port device. 
     The external port device may be controlled so that the video corresponding to the selected input port is output from the external port device by using a user selection unit for selecting the selected input port. 
     The ID signal may include information about the type and number of input ports. 
     The control method may further include displaying UI information to indicate information about the type and number of the plurality of input ports of the external port device. 
     Further, a portion of the UI information may be marked to indicate the type and number of input ports, to which the at least one connector of the at least one external device is connected. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and/or other aspects of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a display apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  shows an external port device connectable to an integrated input port unit according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  shows an example that the integrated input port unit and the external port device are connected by a connector method, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  shows an example that the integrated input port unit and the external port device are connected by a cable, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  shows an example that the integrated input port unit and the external port device are connected wirelessly, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  shows another example that the integrated input port and the external port device are connected by a cable, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  shows that the display unit displays information about input ports as user interface (UI) information, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  shows that the display unit displays marking of a portion of the UI information corresponding to activated input ports; 
         FIG. 9A  is a detailed block diagram of the display apparatus  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 6 , according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 9B  is a detailed block diagram of the external port device  200  of  FIGS. 1 and 6 , according to an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 10  shows the display apparatus provided with a plurality of integrated input port units, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  shows a control method for the display apparatus  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 6 , according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Below, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings so as to be easily realized by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art. The present inventive concept may be embodied in various forms without being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Descriptions of well-known parts are omitted for clarity, and like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a display apparatus  100  according to an exemplary embodiment includes a video processor  130 , a display unit  150 , an integrated input port unit  110  and a controller  120 . Further, the display apparatus  100  additionally includes a user interface (UI) generator  140 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the display apparatus  100  includes the video processor  130  which processes a video signal; a display unit  150  which displays an image based on the video signal; an integrated input port unit  110  which receives one of a plurality of video signals output through an external port device  200  provided with a plurality of input ports  210  to which a plurality of connectors (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of video signals can be connected; and a controller  120  which controls the external port device  200  to output one of the video signals received through the plurality of input ports  210 , and controls the video processor  130  to display an image based on the video signal input to the integrated input port unit  110 . 
     Further, the display apparatus  100  may additionally include an audio processor (not shown) which processes an audio signal and/or a loudspeaker (not shown) which outputs the audio signal. 
     The video processor  130  processes a video signal. Here, the video signal can be a video signal received through a broadcasting receiving module (not shown) provided in the display apparatus  100 , or a video signal received from an external device such as a set-top box, a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, a blu-ray disc (BD) player, a DVD/BD player, a component video, a composite video, a personal computer (PC), etc. 
     The display unit  150  includes a cathode ray tube (CRT) and/or various display panels such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a plasma display panel (PDP). 
     The integrated input port unit  110  is placed at one side of the display apparatus  100 , and connectable with the external port device  200  provided with the plurality of input ports  210  to which the plurality of connectors corresponding to the plurality of video signals can be connected. Unlike the existing display apparatus directly provided with a plurality of input ports, the display apparatus  100  includes the integrated input port unit  110  connectable with the external port device provided with the plurality of input ports. Thus, it is possible to make the display apparatus physically slim. 
     For example, a related art display apparatus can have only a limited number of input ports due to a limited space within the display apparatus. Particularly, in the case of a wall-mounted display apparatus, it is not easy for a user to connect an external device to the input ports because the input ports are generally placed in the back of the related art display apparatus. On the other hand, the display apparatus  100  need not include the plurality of input ports, so that it can have a slim shape and become more convenient to a user. 
     The controller  120  controls the external port device  200  to output one of the video signals input through the plurality of input ports, and controls the video processor  130  to display an image based on the video signal input to the integrated input port unit  110 . Further, the controller  120  identifies the external port device  200  on the basis of an identification (ID) signal received from the external port device  200  and ID information previously set corresponding to the external port device  200 . 
     The external port device  200  may be provided with the plurality of input ports  210  for a plurality of the same type of input ports and/or a plurality of different types of input ports. In this exemplary embodiment, the plurality of input ports  210  may include an input port  211  for a personal computer (PC), input ports  212  for component video devices, input ports  213  for an S-video device, and input ports  214  for a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) device. 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the display apparatus  100  further includes the UI generator  140 , and the controller  120  controls the UI generator  140  to display UI information about the type and number of input ports on the display unit  150  when the external port device  200  is connected to the integrated input port unit  110 . Also, the controller  120  controls the UI generator  140  to mark a portion of the UI information indicating active input ports, to which the connectors are connected, on the display unit  150 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  illustrating an exemplary embodiment, the external port device  200  includes the plurality of input ports  210  to which the plurality of connectors can be connected; a switching unit  220  which opens (turns on) and closes (turns off) selectively the plurality of input ports  210 , and an output unit  230  through which video signals are output. 
     The plurality of connectors includes connectors of various external devices such as an HDMI device, a PC, a USB device, a DVD player, a BD player, a DVD/BD player, a component video device, a composite video device, an S-video device, an audio device, etc. 
     The plurality of input ports  210  can connect with the above connectors of various external devices. Alternatively, the plurality of input ports  210  may connect with a plurality of connectors of one external device which provides various video signals through the plurality of connectors. The plurality of input ports  210  may be provided as the plurality of the same types of input ports and/or the plurality of different types of input ports in the external port device  200 . 
     The switching unit  220  opens and closes selectively the plurality of input ports  210  in response to a control signal of the controller  120 . The switching unit  220  may include a plurality of switches according to the types of plural input ports. In this exemplary embodiment, the switching unit  220  includes a first switch  221  for the input port  211  to which a connector of a PC can be connected, a second switch  222  for the input ports  212 ,  213  to which connectors of a component video device or an S-video device can be connected, and a third switch  223  for the input port  214  to which connectors of HDMI devices can be connected. 
     Even though the plurality of connectors are connected to the plurality of input ports  210 , the switching unit  220  may output only at least one selected video signal among the plurality of video signals corresponding to the plurality of connectors to the display apparatus  100  via the output unit  230  in response to the control signal of the controller  120 . In this exemplary embodiment, if the controller  120  generates a control signal for outputting the video signal of the component video, the second switch  222  is turned on so that a video signal of the component video can be output to the display apparatus  100  through the output unit  230 . At this time, the first switch  221  and the third switch  223  are turned off so that the display apparatus  100  cannot receive any video signal from a PC or an HDMI device. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the integrated input port unit  110  and the external port device  200  can be connected by various methods. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , the integrated input port unit  110  and the external port device  200  can be connected by a connector type terminal  240  provided in the external port device  200  without a cable. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 4 , the integrated input port unit  110  and the external port device  200  can be connected by a cable  400 . 
     According to an exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 5 , the integrated input port unit  110  and the external port device  200  can be connected wirelessly. To this end, a transmitting/receiving module  250  may be provided as an external or internal antenna placed outside or inside the external port device  200 , respectively. For example, a Bluetooth may be used as the transmitting/receiving module. 
       FIG. 6  shows an exemplary embodiment in which the integrated input port  110  and the external port device  200  are connected by a cable  400 . The cable  400  may employ a structure of “24 p” like a data communication cable of a portable terminal. Thus, it is more convenient for a user to connect the integrated input port  110  and the external port device  200 , and there is no limit to the depth corresponding to the length of a connection jack when making the display apparatus  100  slim. 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the controller  120  can identify the external port device  200  on the basis of an ID signal received from the external port device  200  and ID information previously set corresponding to the external port device  200 . The external port device  200  includes a plurality of the same types of input ports and/or a plurality of the different types of input ports, and the ID information is set according to what combination of the plural input ports is provided in the external port device  200 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the ID signal may indicate a value “1” if a combination of plural input ports for an HDMI device, a PC and a component video device is provided in the external port device  200 . Likewise, the ID signals may indicate values “2” and “3” if plural input ports for HDMI devices and component video devices are provided in the external port device  200 , respectively. 
     Such information about the ID signals for the external port device  200  is stored as preset ID information in the controller  120 . Thus, when the external port device  200  is connected to the integrated input port unit  110 , the controller  120  compares an ID signal from the external port device  200  with stored preset ID information, thereby identifying the external port device  200 . 
     When grasping the type and number of input ports by identifying the external port device  200 , the controller  120  may perform initialization proper to the external port device  200 . When the external port device  200  is identified, initialization may be performed by software even though the display apparatus  100  is being turned on. 
     The ID signal of the external port device  200  can be simply achieved by serial resistors. 
     The ID signal includes information about the type and number of input ports. Thus, the controller  120  can identify what type and how many input ports are provided in the external port device  110  connected to the integrated input port unit  110 . 
     When the external port device  200  is connected to the integrated input port unit  110 , the controller  110  identifies the external port device  200  on the basis of the ID signal and the preset ID information of the external port device  200 , and grasps what types and how many input ports are provided in the external port device  200 . In this case, the controller  120  controls the UI generator  140  to generate UI information based on the information about the type and number of input ports, and display the UI information on the display unit  150 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , according to an exemplary embodiment, if an external port device (not shown) provided with a plurality of input ports, to which two connectors for HDMI devices  1  and  2 , a connector for a PC and a connector for a USB device are connectable, is connected to the integrated input port unit  110  of the display apparatus  100  of  FIG. 6 , the controller  120  may control the UI generator  140  to generate and display UI information  170  about the type and number of the input ports on the display unit  150 . 
     Specifically, the controller  120  controls the UI generator  140  to display the UI information  170  indicating the type and number of the input ports of the external port device  200 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , and further, to mark only a portion of the UI information  170  corresponding to active input ports to which connectors among the above-mentioned four connectors are connected, on the display unit  150 , as explained below with reference to  FIG. 8 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , according to an exemplary embodiment, if the external port device, exemplified above with reference to  FIG. 7 , is connected to the integrated input port unit  110  of the display apparatus  100  of  FIG. 6 , and one connector for the HDMI device  1  and the connector for the PC are connected to corresponding two input ports of the external port device, respectively, i.e., the HDMI device  1  and the PC are connected to the display apparatus through the external port device, the controller  120  may control the UI generator  140  to generate and display control UI information  180  about the type and number of the input ports of the external port device on the display unit  150 , and further control the UI generator  140  to mark only a portion of the UI information  180  corresponding to the two active input ports, to which one connector for the HDMI device  1  and the connector for the PC are connected, respectively, for example, by highlighting that portion. 
     The UI information  170  and  180  explained above may be achieved in the form of on screen display (OSD). 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the display apparatus  100  further includes a user selection unit  300  (refer to  FIG. 6 ), and the user selection unit  300  is provided for selecting one of the plural input ports  210 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the marked portion of the UI information  180  includes two sub-portions corresponding to the two active input ports, respectively, and one of these two sub-portions is selectable through the user selection unit  300 . 
     If one of the two sub-portions of the marked portion of the UI information  180  is selected through the user selection unit  300 , the controller  120  in this exemplary embodiment controls the external port device  200  to output a video signal input from an input port corresponding to the selected sub-portion. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment,  FIG. 9A  shows a detailed block diagram of the display apparatus  100  of  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 9B  shows a detailed block diagram of the external port device of  FIG. 6 . 
     Through the integrated input port unit  110 , in this exemplary embodiment, it is possible to transceive a general signal, electric power and a control signal for controlling the external port device  200  as well as the ID signal of the external port device  200 , between the display apparatus  100  and the external port device  200 . The general signal may include a video signal, an audio signal, and a jack ID signal. Therefore, the controller  120  in this exemplary embodiment can identify which input port of the external port device  200  is activated on the basis of the jack ID signal independently of the ID signal from the external port device  200 . 
     According to an exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 9B , if the external port device  200  with the plurality of input ports  210  is connected to the integrated input port unit  110  of the display apparatus  100 , and connectors of a component video device, a PC and an HDMI device are connected to the input ports  212 ,  213  and  214  (now becoming active input ports by these connections), among the input ports  210 , of the external port device  200 , the controller  120  compares the ID signal from the external port device  200  with the preset ID information, and thus generates UI information about the type and number of the input ports  210  of the external port device  200 , thereby displaying the UI information on the display unit  150 . Then, input port connection information is indicated by marking a portion of the UI information corresponding to the three active input ports  212 ,  213  and  214 , among the input ports  210 , to which the connectors of the component video device, the PC and the HDMI device are connected. Next, if a sub-portion of the activated portion of the UI information corresponding to one of input ports  212 , among the three active input ports  212 ,  213  and  214 , to which the component video device is connected, is selected through the user selection unit  300 , the controller  120  controls the second switch  222  to be turned on to output only a video signal input from the component video device, and control the third switch  223  corresponding an input port for an HDMI signal from the HDMI device to be turned off. Thus, the video signal input from the component video device is output through the output unit  230  of the external port device  200  without outputting the HDMI signal from the HDMI device, and then, input to the display apparatus  100  via the integrated input port unit  110 . Then, the controller  120  controls the video processor  130  to process the video signal input through the integrated input port unit  110 , and display the processed video signal as an image on the display unit  150 . Here, the input ports  212  may comprise first and second input ports for first and second component video signals, and the active input port may be only one of the first and second input ports. Further, according to an exemplary embodiment, both of the first and second input ports may be activated at the same time, and portions of UI information corresponding to both of the first and second input ports (which indicates both of the first and second input ports for the input ports  212 ) may be selected through the user selection unit  300  of  FIG. 6  for processing and/or display at the same time. According to an exemplary embodiment, instead of the portion of the UI information corresponding to the first and second input ports, other portions corresponding to at least two different type input ports among the activated input ports  212 ,  213  and  214  may be selected through the user selection unit  300  of  FIG. 6  for processing and/or display at the same time. 
     If, however, a sub-portion of the marked portion of the UI information corresponding to an input port, to which the HDMI device is connected, is selected through the user selection unit  300 , the controller  120  controls the third switch  223  to be turned on to output only a video signal input from the HDMI device, and controls the second switch  222  corresponding to an input port for the component video signal from the component video device to be turned off. Thus, the video signal input from the HDMI device is output through the output unit  230  of the external port device  200  without outputting the component video signal, and then, input to the display apparatus  100  via the integrated input port unit  110 . Then, the controller  120  controls the video processor  130  to process the video signal input through the integrated input port unit  110  and display the processed video signal as an image on the display unit  150 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the display apparatus  100  may further include a power supply  160  to supply electric power to the external port device. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the display apparatus  100  may include a plurality of integrated input port units  110 , so that a plurality of external port devices different in the type and number of input ports can be connected to the display apparatus  100  through the plurality of integrated input port units  111 ,  112 ,  113 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the external port device connectable to the integrated input port unit  111  may include a plurality of input ports to which two connectors for an HDMI device and a connector for a PC can be connected; the external port device connectable to the integrated input port unit  112  may include a plurality of input ports to which connectors for an HDMI device, a PC and a USB device can be connected; and the external port device connectable to the integrated input port unit  113  may include a plurality of input ports to which connectors for an HDMI device, a PC, a USB and an S-video device can be connected. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment with reference to  FIGS. 1-10 , a control method for the display apparatus  100  as explained above is provided as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The control method includes receiving an ID signal from the external port device  200  (S 10 ); identifying the external port device  200  on the basis of the ID signal and ID information previously set corresponding to the external port device  200  (S 20 ); controlling the external port device  200  to output one of video signals input through the plurality of input ports  210  (S 30 ); and displaying the video signal in the display apparatus  100  (S 40 ). 
     The external port device  200  is controlled in a way in which the display apparatus  100  can receive a video signal input from an input port selected through a user selection unit  300  for selecting one of the plural input ports  210 . 
     The ID signal includes information about the type and number of the plural input ports  210  of the external port device  200 . 
     The control method further includes displaying the UI information  180  to indicate the type and number of the plural input ports  210  of the external port device  200 . 
     When the UI information  180  is displayed, a portion of the UI information  180  corresponding to active input ports to which connectors of external devices are connected is marked, and further, a sub-portion of the portion of the UI information corresponding to the input port can be selected through the user selection unit  300  by a user to output the video signal input from the input port. 
     Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.