Patent Publication Number: US-2007118808-A1

Title: Computer system and OSD displaying method with user configurable function

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 94141348, filed Nov. 24, 2005, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates in general to an on screen display (OSD) displaying method, and more particularly to an OSD displaying method with user configurable function.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Display device such as TV or computer screen always has a number of buttons. By pressing the buttons, the user can control display characteristics such as brightness, color, sound, and the level and verticality of window. The interface for controlling the above characteristics is called on screen display (OSD) compiler.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional flowchart of generating an OSD compiler is shown. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, the method begins at step  101 , a programming code is edited in a programming developing environment. Next, in step  103 , the programming code is compiled into a machine code by a compiler. Then, in step  105 , different programs are linked to position the machine code. Lastly, in step  107 , the machine code is recorded in a display micro-processor of the display device. As for the user, the OSD disposition and the relative positions of the icons of OSD parameters such as brightness, sound and color are fixed on the display of the display device. For example, the brightness icon is positioned besides the color icon, and the level and verticality icon is positioned besides the sound icon. The user cannot change the relative positions of different icons, largely affecting the friendliness and practicality of the OSD operation.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention is directed to an on screen display (OSD) displaying method with user configurable function for enabling the user to design the OSD display according to personal needs.  
      According to an aspect of the invention, a displaying method of an on screen display (OSD) system is provided. The method is used in a computer system which includes a host and a display device. The display device has a screen, a display micro-processor and a storage unit. An original OSD parameter is stored in the storage unit. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, an OSD compiler is provided in a host for being displayed on the screen. Next, after a user adjusts the display characteristics of the OSD, the OSD compiler generates a modified OSD parameter. Then, the modified OSD parameter is inputted to the display micro-processor. Next, the modified OSD parameter is stored to the storage unit by the display micro-processor. Lastly, when the screen re-displays the OSD, the OSD is displayed on the screen according to the modified OSD parameter  
      The invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  (Prior Art) is a conventional flowchart of generating an OSD compiler;  
       FIG. 2A  shows a computer system using an OSD displaying method of the invention;  
       FIG. 2B  is a block diagram of the computer system in  FIG. 2A ;  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an OSD displaying method; and  
       FIG. 4  shows a modified OSD display. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 2A  shows a computer system using an OSD displaying method of the invention, while  FIG. 2B  is a block diagram of the computer system in  FIG. 2A . The computer system  100  includes a host  101  and a display device  103 . The host  101  has a micro-processor  109  and a display card  111 . The display device  103  includes a display micro-processor  113 , a storage unit  115  and a screen  106 . There are a number of buttons, such as buttons  105   a - 105   d,  disposed on the display device  103 . The buttons  105   a - 105   d  are used for controlling the settings of the OSD to change the display characteristics of the display device  103 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , the OSD may have three icons A, B and C respectively controlling the brightness, the color and the sound of the display device  103 . The user can adjust the display characteristics of the display device  103 , such as brightness, color and sound, by controlling the buttons  105   a - 105   d.    
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flowchart of an OSD displaying method is shown. The method includes the following steps. Firstly, the method begins at step  301 , an OSD compiler  107  is provided in a host  101  for being displayed on the screen  106 . Next, in step  303 , after a user adjusts the display characteristics of the OSD on the OSD compiler  107  to modify the original OSD parameter, the OSD compiler  107  generates a modified OSD parameter. Then, in step  305 , the modified OSD parameter is inputted to the display micro-processor  113 . Then, in step  307 , the modified OSD parameter is stored to the storage unit by the display micro-processor  113 . Lastly, in step  309 , when the screen re-displays the OSD, the OSD is displayed on the screen according to the modified OSD parameter.  
      In step  301 , the user may load the OSD compiler to the host by an optical disc drive. The OSD compiler can be programmed in Visual Basic, Visual C++, or other programming languages. After the OSD compiler is activated, the display device  103  displays the OSD compiler  107 . Meanwhile, the user may set the OSD compiler  107  and adjusts the display characteristics of the OSD according to personal preferences such as the style, the pattern, the size and the position of OSD icons. The pattern of the icon may be drawn using drawing software or selected from a database via a link.  
      In step  303 , after the display characteristics of the OSD are adjusted, the original OSD parameter is updated and replaced. In step  305 , examples of the transmission to the display micro-processor  113  include cable transmission and wireless transmission. In terms of cable transmission, the modified OSD parameter can be transmitted to a second transmission interface of the display micro-processor via a first transmission interface of the host. Examples of the first transmission interface and the second transmission interface include DDCCI transmission interface of display card or other transmission interfaces such as RS-232 or I2C.  
      Examples of the first transmission interface and the second transmission interface include wireless transmission interface such as blue tooth transmission interface. In terms of wireless transmission interface, the first transmission interface and the second transmission interface can be disposed in two transmitters for respectively transmitting and receiving the OSD parameter. Examples of the storage unit include the memory device with storage function such as DRAM, SRAM or EEPROM. Preferably, the storage unit is an EEPROM.  
      Referring to both  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  shows a modified OSD display. In step  309 , when the screen re-displays the OSD, the display device displays the OSD according to the modified OSD parameter. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in the modified OSD display, the arrangement of the icons is adjusted from A-B-C to B-C-A, meanwhile, the OSD disposition in the modified OSD display is also different from that of original OSD disposition. The user may use the preview function of the OSD compiler to preview the resulted display.  
      According to the computer system and the OSD displaying method disclosed in the above embodiment of the invention, a user-friendly OSD compiler is for the user to compile the OSD display. A user lacking of programming abilities is still able to compile the OSD display, hence improving the friendliness and competiveness of the system and the electronic product.  
      While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.