Patent Abstract:
An image signal processing system uses a display removed from a portable computer, and includes a housing containing an image signal processing system for receiving and converting image signals to provide image signal data, wherein the housing is provided with a fixing member for fixing the display removed from the portable computer, and the image signal processing system is provided with a connector for electrically connecting the system to the display so as to transmit the image signal to the display.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the disclosure of, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application entitled IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM WHICH USES A PORTABLE COMPUTER MONITOR AS A DISPLAY earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 20, 1996, and duly assigned Ser. No. 96-41161. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an image signal processing device which uses a portable computer monitor as a display, and, more particularly, to an image signal processing system which processes television signals or external image signals and displays the same using a portable computer monitor such as a liquid-crystal display(LCD). 
     2. Related Art 
     The prior art in the area of liquid crystal television displays and/or receivers is represented by the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,932 to Miyajima et al., entitled Liquid Crystal Display Television Receiver; U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,078 to Yabe et al., entitled Liquid Crystal Television Receiver; U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,275 to Brody, entitled Modular Flat-Screen Color Television Displays And Modules And Circuit Drives Therefor; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,204 to Hashimoto et al., entitled Liquid Crystal Television Set Having Driving Circuit On Peripheral Portion And Method Of Fabrication Of Image Display Section. However, for the reasons stated below, the invention disclosed herein has advantages over the prior art, and is thus distinguishable therefrom. 
     However, such dedicated or single function television displays and/or receivers have had a cost disadvantage in that and pays a relative large price for the single function of television program display. 
     In the meantime, computers have become increasingly commonplace. More recently, as a result of changing lifestyles and work patterns, there has been a rise in the use of portable computers That is, many people desire and require mobility when using their computers. 
     In addition, the development of computers has taken a “multimedia” direction in which a single computer has the potential for containing a variety of functions which enable the computer to be used for many different tasks. Through this multimedia development, computers are not limited by location or distance and can handle an assortment of office and leisure-related tasks. 
     In order to allow the computer to contain all these functions, development in the computer itself is, of course, very important. Equally important and crucial for the performance of some functions, however, are advancements made with regard to the monitor. 
     Monitors for portable computers now use TFT LCDs and other such displays that offer excellent display quality. It is, therefore, now possible to mount a television reception device inside the portable computer and watch television. 
     If the user desires television-viewing capabilities, a television reception device must be mounted inside the main body of the portable computer. But the addition of a TV reception device increases the weight of the portable computer. Further, programs used for the viewing of television are complicated and require that many adjustments be made. This is burdensome for the user acquainted with computers and complex for the novice. 
     As a result, there is a need for a device which allows the user to watch television using a monitor of a portable computer such that the weight of the portable computer is not increased, and the operation of viewing television is simple. Specifically, there is a need for a device which provides the advantages of a single-function, image signal processing device (i.e., simplicity) and which precludes the installation of television receiving circuitry in the portable computer (thereby increasing its weight) while at the same time allowing the use of a portable computer monitor with the image signal processing device, thereby achieving economy and the further advantages associated wide use of a high quality portable computer monitor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in an effort to fill the above need. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an image signal processing system which is structured so as to enable the use of a portable computer monitor, such that the weight of a portable computer is not increased, and the viewing of television is easy. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image signal processing system which uses a display removed from a portable computer. The system includes a housing containing an image signal processing device for receiving, converting and outputting image signal data. The housing is provided with attachment members for physically attaching the display removed from the portable computer to the image signal processing device, and the image signal processing device is provided with means for electrically connecting the device to the display so as to transmit the image signal to the display. 
     The body is further provided with a battery receptor into which a battery used for portable computers can be inserted. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an image signal processing system which uses a portable computer monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the prior art portable computer with detachable monitor; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an image signal processing system in a state in which the prior art monitor is attached thereon; 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the image signal input device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an image signal processing system which uses a portable computer monitor according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, there is shown an image signal processing system  300  which uses a portable computer monitor  100 . The image signal processing system  300  includes a television reception device  320  for receiving an input of television signals, for modulating and demodulating the signals, for converting the signals to allow for display, and for outputting the signals; a control portion  360 , which allows a user to control the image signal processing system  300 ; speakers  350  mounted in the image signal processing system  300 ; an antenna  400  for receiving television signals such that they can be provided to the television reception device  320 ; an antenna holder  410 , into which the antenna  400  can be folded when the image signal processing system is not in use; attachment members  380  to which the monitor  100  is joined; a data cable  370 , which transmits data from the television reception device  320  to the monitor  100 ; and a battery receptor  390 . 
     The monitor  100 , used from a portable computer, includes a liquid crystal display(LCD)  110  which displays television data transmitted from the television reception device  320 , a connecting portion  150  into which the data cable  370  is inserted to electronically connect the LCD  110  and the television reception device  320 , a back case  120  and a front case  130  which cover and protect the LCD  110 , and connecting means  140 , which mechanically connects the LCD  110  to the image signal processing system  300 . Also, a battery  210  from a portable computer is placed in the battery receptor  390  of the image signal processing system  300 , the battery  210  supplying electrical power to the image signal processing system  300  and the LCD  110 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the monitor  100  in a state detached from a conventional portable computer. As shown in the drawing, a main body  10  of the portable computer includes pc attachment members  20  and a pc data cable  30 . The connecting members  140  of the monitor  100  are disconnected from the pc attachment members  20 , and, at the same time, the pc data cable  30  is disconnected from the connecting portion  150  of the monitor  100 . As a result, the monitor  100  can be used in the image signal processing system  300  of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the image signal processing system  300  and the monitor  100  in an assembled state. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a block diagram of the image signal processing system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the diagram, there is provided an electrical power portion  200 , which controls the electricity for all the devices in the image signal processing system  300 ; a tuner  330 , which performs detection and tuning functions relative to television signals inputted from the antenna  400  and outputs the latter signals; an image/sound signal converter  315 , which converts the signals outputted from the tuner  330  into image and sound signals; a liquid crystal converter  310 , which converts the image signals provided by the image/sound signal converter  315  into liquid crystal display signals that can be provided to the liquid crystal display  110  for display; speakers  350  responsive to the sound signals received from the converter  315  for producing actual sounds; and an external image input terminal  340 , which is a conventional terminal for directly receiving image signals from an external reception device, rather than through the tuner  330 . 
     The electrical power portion  200  further comprises: the battery  210 ; an adaptor connecting jack  230  which interfaces with a conventional adaptor from a portable computer so as to apply electrical power to the image signal processing system  300 ; and an electrical power control portion  220  which receives external power or power from the battery  210  and controls the power supplied to all the components of the image signal processing system  300 . 
     In the present invention, although a liquid crystal converter  310  is disclosed, it is possible to use other such converters to make the image signal processing system  300  compatible with the portable computer monitor  100 . 
     The following is an explanation of the operation of the image signal processing system  300  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     First, the monitor  100  (FIG. 1) from a portable computer is removed and the connecting members  140  and connecting portion  150  of the monitor  100  are connected to the attachment members  380  and data cable  370 , respectively, of the image signal processing system  300 . Next, the battery  210  from the portable computer is inserted in the battery receptor  390  or an adaptor is connected to the adaptor connecting jack  230  (FIG.  4 ). 
     When electrical power is supplied, the image signal processing system  300  receives television signals through the antenna  400  which provides these signals to the tuner  330  (see FIGS.  1  and  4 ). 
     The tuner  330  detects and tunes frequency television signals corresponding to the received television signals, and outputs these signals in correspondence to the system used in the particular district. Namely, the signals are outputted in one of the following methods: NTSC (National Television System Committee), PAL (Phase Alternation by Line), or SECAM (Sequence de Killers Avec Memoire). 
     The image/sound signal converter  315  receives the above signals and converts them into image signals. These image signals are then inputted to a liquid crystal converter  310  for further conversion into signals that can be used in the LCD  110  of monitor  100 . 
     After these signals are converted in the liquid crystal converter  310 , they are outputted to the LCD  110 , allowing for the display of images on a screen according to the received television signals 
     Signals can also be received directly by the external image input terminal  340  of FIG. 4, bypassing the tuner  330 . After the reception of the signals by the external image input terminal  340 , the signals are then transmitted to the image/sound signal converter  315 , and then the same process as described above is followed. That is, the signals are received by the image/sound signal converter  315 , are converted and outputted as image signals to the liquid crystal converter  310 , and are then converted and outputted to the LCD  110  which, in turn, displays the corresponding images on monitor  100 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, in the system, the speaker  350  and the control portion  360  can be mounted on the front side of the system  300 . On the upper side of the system, a display mounting groove  411  is formed such that the display  100  can be pivotally mounted. 
     By using the image signal processing system of the present invention, a portable computer monitor can be used as the screen such that a television reception device need not be installed in the portable computer. Thus, an increase in the weight of the computer is avoided, and the watching of television is made easy by eliminating the need to run complicated computer programs. 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6