Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6963329?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6,247,130
Timestamp: 2014-03-14 09:37:03
Document Index: 421722360

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17', 'art 17']

Patent US6963329 - Portable computer system and controlling method thereof - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA portable computer system comprises a main body and an LCD apparatus having an LCD panel and a back light for illuminating the LCD panel. The system further comprises: a DC/AC inverter for supplying AC power to the back light; a contrast sensing part for sensing contrast of a video signal displayed...http://www.google.com/patents/US6963329?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6963329 - Portable computer system and controlling method thereofAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6963329 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/078,348Publication dateNov 8, 2005Filing dateFeb 21, 2002Priority dateJul 23, 2001Fee statusPaidAlso published asCN1264086C, CN1397872A, US20030016204Publication number078348, 10078348, US 6963329 B2, US 6963329B2, US-B2-6963329, US6963329 B2, US6963329B2InventorsChang-Hum LeeOriginal AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (27), Referenced by (2), Classifications (23), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPortable computer system and controlling method thereofUS 6963329 B2Abstract A portable computer system comprises a main body and an LCD apparatus having an LCD panel and a back light for illuminating the LCD panel. The system further comprises: a DC/AC inverter for supplying AC power to the back light; a contrast sensing part for sensing contrast of a video signal displayed on the LCD panel; a DC converter for converting a PWM signal outputted from the contrast sensing part into a DC signal; a voltage controller causing the DC signal from the DC converter to be appropriate for an operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter so as to supply the operating voltage to the DC/AC inverter; and a controller for sensing the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter, and for controlling the voltage controller on the basis of the operating voltage. With this configuration, the brightness of a back light can be automatically controlled according to a contrast sensed by a contrast sensing part regardless of the input impedance of the inverter.
a direct current alternating current (DC/AC) inverter for supplying AC power to the back light; a contrast sensing part for sensing contrast of a video signal displayed on the LCD panel and outputting a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; a DC converter for converting the PWM signal from the contrast sensing part into a DC signal; a voltage controller provided between an output of the DC converter and an input of the DC/AC inverter for providing the DC signal from the DC converter as an operating voltage to the DC/AC inverter; and a controller connected in series with the DC/AC inverter for sensing the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter, and for controlling the voltage controller on the basis of the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter. 2. The portable computer system according to claim 1, wherein an output of the controller is directly connected to another input of the DC/AC inverter, and the contrast sensing part is connected to the DC/AC inverter via the DC converter and the voltage controller.
sensing contrast of a video signal displayed on the LCD panel; outputting a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal from the contrast sensing part in response to the sensing step; converting the pulse width modulation (PWM) signal into a DC signal; controlling the DC signal to have an intensity for operating a DC/AC inverter which supplies an AC voltage to the back light; and supplying the controlled DC signal as a DC operating voltage to the DC/AC inverter. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a back light manual control function; and suspending a back light automatic control function so as to allow a user to manually control the back light when the back light manual control function is selected. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step, prior to the sensing step, of determining whether the contrast sensing part is provided, and suspending the back light automatic control function so as to allow the user to manually control the back light when the contrast sensing part is not provided.
direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) inverter means for supplying AC power to the back light; contrast sensing means for sensing a contrast of a video signal displayed on the LCD panel and outputting a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal; DC converter means for converting the PWM signal outputted by the contrast sensing means into a DC signal; and voltage controller means disposed between an output of the DC converter means and an input of the DC/AC inverter means for controlling the DC signal from the DC converter means so that it has an intensity of an operating voltage for the DC/AC inverter means, and for supplying the controlled DC signal to the DC/AC inverter means. 14. The portable computer system according to claim 13, further comprising controller means connected to the DC/AC inverter means for sensing the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter means, and for controlling the voltage controller means on the basis of the sensed operating voltage.
CLAIM OF PRIORITY This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. �119 for an application for PORTABLE COMPUTER AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on 23 Jul. 2001, and there duly assigned Ser. No. 44211/2001 by that Office.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed with the above-described shortcomings and the needs of the user in mind. One object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer system and a controlling method in which the brightness of a back light is automatically controlled in accordance with a contrast sensed by a contrast sensing part regardless of an input impedance of an inverter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
When a user selects the back light manual selection part for manual control of the back light 17 a, the controller 15 turns off the voltage controller 21 so as to suspend the operation of the contrast sensing part 17 b. As shown in FIG. 2, a control circuit of the portable computer system according to the present invention comprises a power supplying unit which includes a battery 3 or an AC adapter 2, a selection circuit 7 for selecting the battery 3 or the adapter 2, a DC/DC converter 5 for converting the supplied electric power into operating voltages adaptable to each device, a system main board 9 on which the video card 13 is mounted and which controls each device. The LCD apparatus 17 displays a video signal outputted from the video card 13. The contrast sensing part 17 b is provided in the LCD apparatus 17 and senses the contrast of the video signal. The keyboard unit 11 is used to manually set the brightness of the back light 17 a as necessary, and the controller 15 outputs control signals to every hardware component through the system main board 9.
A back light control signal selected by a user through the controller 15 and the brightness control signal outputted from the voltage controller 21 are inputted to the DC/AC inverter 23 in parallel. If the brightness of the back light 17 a is set to a maximum state through the keyboard unit 11, the brightness of the back light 17 a is automatically controlled within the range of a minimum value to a maximum value according to the contrast sensing part 17 b. Further, if the brightness of the back light 17 a is set to a typical state, the brightness of the back light 17 a is automatically controlled within the range of a minimum value to a typical value according to the contrast sensing part 17 b. FIG. 3 is a control flowchart for controlling the portable computer system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the control process of the portable computer system is as follows. The controller 15 determines whether or not the contrast sensing part 17 b is provided in the LCD apparatus 17 (S1). If the contrast sensing part 17 b is provided in the LCD apparatus, the controller 15 senses the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter 23 (S3). Steps S1 and S3 indicate that the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter 23 is set when the main body starts to operate. If the contrast sensing part 17 b outputs a back light control signal by sensing contrast of a video signal, the DC converter 19 converts the back light control signal into a DC signal (S5). The voltage controller 21 adjusts the back light control signal converted into a DC signal so that it has an intensity appropriate for the operating voltage of the DC/AC inverter 23 (S7), and outputs the adjusted DC signal to the DC/AC inverter 23 (S8). Then, the DC/AC inverter 23 converts the inputted DC signal into an AC signal, and supplies the AC signal to the back light 17 a, thereby controlling the brightness of the back light 17 a. When a user selects the back light manual control function (S9), the controller 15 turns off (disables) the voltage controller 21 so as to stop the automatic control signal of the contrast sensing part 17 b from being applied to the DC/AC inverter 23 (S10), and then the user adjusts the back light 17 a through the keyboard unit 11 as necessary (S12). On the other hand, when the user does not select the back light manual control function (S9), automatic back light is controlled according to the contrast sensing part 17 b (S11). Finally, when the contrast sensing part 17 b is not provided (S1), brightness of the back light 17 a is controlled only by manual control because only the back light control signal from the controller 15 is applied to the DC/AC inverter 23 according to the user's selection (S12).
Moreover, when a user selects the back light manual control function, automatic control according to the contrast sensing part 17 b is suspended, thereby allowing the user to manually adjust the back light 17 a. As described above, according to the present invention, the brightness of the back light can be automatically controlled according to the contrast sensed by a contrast sensing part regardless of the input impedance of the inverter. Furthermore, an additional voltage matching circuit is not needed when a general LCD apparatus not equipped with a contrast sensing part is connected to the main body in which an operating voltage of an inverter is set on the basis of a voltage range of the contrast sensing part. Moreover, the user can optionally use a back light automatic control function.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4760389 *Nov 20, 1986Jul 26, 1988Hosiden Electronics Co. Ltd.Transmitting type display deviceUS5153756 *May 3, 1991Oct 6, 1992Seiko Instruments Inc.Liquid crystal display device with automatic constrast controlUS5157525 *Oct 23, 1990Oct 20, 1992Eev LimitedControl of liquid crystal display visual properties to compensate for variation in the characteristics of the liquid crystalUS5162785 *Sep 24, 1990Nov 10, 1992Sextant AvioniqueMethod and devices for optimizing the contrast and the angle of view of a liquid crystal displayUS5315695 *Jun 24, 1991May 24, 1994Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaPersonal computer capable of altering display luminance through key operationUS5751118 *Jul 7, 1995May 12, 1998MagnetekUniversal input dimmer interfaceUS5786801 *Sep 6, 1996Jul 28, 1998Sony CorporationBack light control apparatus and method for a flat display systemUS5818172 *Oct 30, 1995Oct 6, 1998Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Lamp control circuit having a brightness condition controller having 2.sup.n.sup.rd and 4.sup.th current pathsUS5818553 *Oct 6, 1997Oct 6, 1998Norand CorporationContrast control for a backlit LCDUS5828351 *Mar 10, 1997Oct 27, 1998Acer Peripherals, Inc.Method and apparatus of adjusting monitor displayUS5854617May 9, 1996Dec 29, 1998Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Circuit and a method for controlling a backlight of a liquid crystal display in a portable computerUS5952992 *Aug 19, 1997Sep 14, 1999Dell U.S.A., L.P.Intelligent LCD brightness control systemUS6069449Apr 9, 1999May 30, 2000Nec CorporationBacklight control device for an LCDUS6297861 *Apr 14, 1998Oct 2, 2001Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Images adjusting circuit of display monitorUS20010008395 *Jan 3, 2001Jul 19, 2001Yoichi YamamotoImage processing device, and image display device provided with such an image processing deviceJPH0634946A Title not availableJPH0980377A Title not availableJPH1197196A Title not availableJPH05165424A Title not availableJPH05276656A Title not availableJPH07120719A Title not availableJPH07211476A Title not availableJPH08213182A Title not availableJPH09230304A Title not availableJPH10148808A Title not availableKR19980026702A Title not availableKR19990084477A Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7768214 *Oct 21, 2005Aug 3, 2010Rohm Co., Ltd.Step-up/down regulator circuit and liquid crystal display device incorporating itCN100529857CNov 3, 2006Aug 19, 2009群康科技（深圳）有限公司;群创光电股份有限公司Power supply circuit* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification345/102, 349/61International ClassificationG02F1/133, G09G3/36, G02F1/13357, G06F15/02, H05B41/392, G09G3/34, G09G3/20, G02F1/13Cooperative ClassificationH05B41/3927, G09G2330/02, G09G2320/066, G09G2320/0606, G09G2320/064, G09G2320/0626, G09G3/3406, G09G3/36, G09G2360/16, H05B41/3922European ClassificationH05B41/392D2, H05B41/392D8, G09G3/34BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 15, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Apr 8, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Feb 21, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., A CORPORATION ORGANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LEE, CHANG-HUM;REEL/FRAME:012625/0739Effective date: 20011228RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google