Abstract:
A system and method are provided that enable a computer user to match a computer display wallpaper design to interchangeable components of a computing system. Multiple, interchangeable panels or sets of matching panels are installed on components of the computing system and a matching wallpaper is displayed on the video display. Files storing the wallpaper designs are stored on a computer-readable medium. In addition, the system and method provide logic to detect a particular panel or set of panels and retrieve the corresponding wallpaper from the computer-readable medium and display it on the video display.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a business method for configuring a computer screen such that the screen displays a pattern that is complementary to the design of various components of a computing system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Computer display screens originally were black and white, character-based and were based upon the technology of cathode-ray tubes (CRTs). The early CRTs suffered from a number of problems, most notably burn-out. As a result, “screen saver” programs were developed to black-out the screen after a fixed period of inactivity, thus preventing spots on the computer screen from burning out. As computer display screens moved from character-based to graphic-based, screen saver programs changed as well. Instead of blacking out the screen, the screen saver programs displayed a repetitive pattern that also prevented any one spot in screen from suffering from burn-out. The advent of graphics displays also opened the way for graphical user interfaces (GUIs) such as Windows published by the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. Like screen savers, GUIs began to offer computer users a number of possible customizations for their computer displays. Icons can be moved or changed, menu items can be added and removed from the display and the background, or “wallpaper,” of the display can be customized from a wide selection of patterns and colors. While all this customization became possible in the computer display, the computer cases themselves changed very little. 
     Traditionally, electronic devices have been produced only in black or shades of gray. Recently, consumers have demanded more choices in both the colors and design schemes of their electronic devices. Certain devices offer fronts, or “panels,” that change the look and/or color of components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system and method are provided that enable a computer user to match a computer display wallpaper and/or screen saver design to components of a computing system. The computing system provides multiple, interchangeable panels or sets of matching panels that can be installed on components of the computing system such as a central processing unit (CPU) and a video display. Each set of panels is decorated with a particular design that includes elements such as a color and a pattern. Also provided is a matching pattern, or “wallpaper,” corresponding to each particular panel design. Each wallpaper or screen saver is stored on a computer readable medium such as a hard disk or a floppy disk and is employed by a processor or graphics card to generate a design on a video display of the computing system that is complementary to the corresponding panel or set of panels. In addition, the system and method provide logic to detect a particular panel or set of panels and retrieve and display the corresponding wallpaper or screen saver on the video display. 
     A method of business is also provided. In a retail sales or industry conference situation, computers are displayed in groups, each computer one of a plurality of colors and patterns. In addition, the wallpaper and/or screen saver displayed on each computer are coordinated such that the colors and patterns create an integrated design scheme. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the invention is considered in conjunction with the following figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a computing system with interchangeable panels; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a computing system that can implement the techniques of the disclosed embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates three computing systems grouped together in a retail display; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a process that implements one of the techniques of the disclosed embodiment; and 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are illustrations of a computing system incorporating the disclosed embodiment as it has been actually implemented. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     This application is related to the following co-pending, concurrently filed, and commonly assigned United States patent application which is hereby incorporated by reference: 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/594,308, entitled “Readily Attachable and Removable Faceplates for a Computer Housing.” 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a computing system C with an interchangeable panel  32 . The computing system C includes a central processing unit (CPU)  10  and a video monitor  34 . Typically, computing systems include additional components such as a modem, a keyboard and a mouse; but, here, these additional components are omitted for the sake of clarity. The CPU  10  includes drive bays  28 , which may contain components such as a hard disk drive or a floppy disk drive. Also included in the CPU  10  are universal serial bus (USB) ports  30 . The drive bays  28  and the USB ports  30  are not critical to the spirit of the invention but are instead included as examples of components that may be present on the face of the CPU  10 . Other components that may be included on the face of the CPU  10  are On/Off and reset buttons. The interchangeable panel  32  is a removable faceplate that can be swapped with another similar shaped panel, enabling a user of the computing system C to change the look and/or color of the computing system C. The interchangeable panel  32  is described in more detail in the patent entitled “Readily Attachable and Removable Faceplates for a Computer Housing,” previously incorporated by reference. In an alternative embodiment, an interchangeable panel can be a part of the video monitor  34  that surrounds the video display  22 . The interchangeable video display panel can also be implemented with the techniques of the disclosed embodiment. 
     The video monitor includes a video display  22 , which displays a particular pattern, or “wallpaper” as a background. The video display  22  typically displays characters and images superimposed upon the wallpaper. The techniques of the disclosed embodiment can also be implemented in a pattern and/or colors of a screen saver rather than, or in addition to, the wallpaper. The choice of wallpaper or screen saver, which can include patterns and one or more colors, can be pre-configured, selected by the computer user or configured by the computing system C based upon the interchangeable panel  32 . In the disclosed embodiment, the interchangeable panel  32  has a pattern and/or color that matches the wallpaper displayed in the video display  22 . The patterns and/or colors of the interchangeable panel  32  and the video display  22  may also be selected to compliment rather than match each other. In an alternative embodiment, the computing system C detects a particular interchangeable panel  32  and configures the matching video display  22  without human intervention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of computing system C in which some internal components of the CPU  10  are shown in more detail. The CPU  10  includes a bus  12 , a bus controller  14 , a processor  16 , a video card  18  and a memory device  20 . One with skill in the computing arts is familiar with the relationship and function of components  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20 . The video display  22 , which corresponds to a particular interchangeable panel  32 , is stored in the memory  20  and transmitted to the video monitor  34  by either the processor  16  or the video card  18 . The specific makes, models, manufacturers and specifications of the components  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and  20  are not critical to the spirit of the invention but are used for explanatory purposes only. In addition, the computing system C can contain additional or fewer components and is not drawn to scale. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a grouping of computing systems, the computing system C, a computing system S and a computing system T. Computing systems C, S and T are show arranged in the form of a retail display. The video display  22  and the interchangeable panel  32  are configured with matching patterns and/or colors; a video display  122  and an interchangeable panel  132  of computing system S are configured with matching patterns and/or colors; and a video display  222  and an interchangeable panel  232  of computing system T are configured with matching patterns and/or colors. The techniques of the disclosed embodiment enable many patterns to be created within various groupings of computers. For example, the video displays  22 ,  122  and  222  can all match each as well as the interchangeable panels  32 ,  132  and  232 . Another display scheme might be such that the video display  122  matches the interchangeable panels  32  and  232 , while the video displays  22  and  222  match the interchangeable panel  132 . In addition, patterns and/or colors can be chosen based on visual considerations in addition to colors that match. Thus, purchasers or conference attendees see various patterns and/or colors of computers forming an integrated, overall design scheme. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an automatic display configuration process  400 . The process  400  starts in a “Begin Configure Video Display” step  401  and control proceeds immediately to a “Detect Panel Design” step  403 , in which the processor  16  of computing system C ( FIG. 2 ), for example upon receipt of an interrupt, determines the current interchangeable panel  32  installed upon the CPU  10 . Many computer systems are able to detect specific configuration parameters, and one with skill in the art would know how to design the computing system C and the interchangeable panel  32  such that the computing system C could distinguish the pattern of the interchangeable panel  32 . 
     Once the particular pattern and/or color of the panel  32  is know to the computing system  10 , control proceeds to a “Panel Match Display?” step  405  in which the processor  16  compares the pattern and/or color of the interchangeable panel  32  detected in step  403  with a pattern and/or color currently configured to be displayed on the video display  22  ( FIG. 2 ). If the interchangeable panel  32  and the video display  22  match, then control proceeds to step  403  and the process begins over again, perhaps after an interval of time has passed. If the interchangeable panel  32  and the video display do not match, then control proceeds to a “Configure Video Display” step  407 . In step  407 , the processor retrieves a file containing video display  22  configuration data from the memory  20  and passes it to the video card  18  for display on the video display  22 . Control then proceeds to step  401  and the process  400  begins over again, perhaps after waiting the interval of time. In an alternative embodiment, the video card  18  is designed to handle the detection and file retrieval logic instead of the processor  16 . 
       FIG. 5  is an illustration of a computing system D that incorporates the techniques of the disclosed embodiment as it is actually implemented. The computing system D includes a CPU  510  and a video monitor  534 . An interchangeable panel  532  is attached to the CPU  510 . Additional interchangeable panels  533 ,  534 ,  535 ,  536 ,  537  and  538  and exemplary patterns and/or colors  543 ,  544 ,  545 ,  546 , and  547  are also shown. In this example, the video display  522  is configured with the pattern and/or color  547  which complements, but does not match the interchangeable panel  532  attached to the CPU  510 . The interchangeable panel  533  matches the pattern and/or color  543 ; interchangeable panel  534  matches the pattern and/or color  544 ; and so on. In this illustration, there is no illustrated matching pattern and/or color for interchangeable panels  532  and  538 . 
       FIG. 6  is an illustration of a CPU  610  that is an actual implementation of the techniques of the disclosed embodiment. An interchangeable panel  632  is attached to the CPU  632 . Additional interchangeable panels  633  and  634  are also shown. As can be seen from two panel sections  652  and  653 , the interchangeable panels  632 ,  633  and  634  are actually made up of two pieces that attach separately to the CPU  610 . 
     The foregoing disclosure and description of the various embodiments are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the descriptions and attributes of the steps, processes, the organization of the steps, and the order and timing of steps taken, as well as in the details of the illustrated systems and video displays may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It shall be understood that a system according to the described techniques can be implemented in a variety of processor-based systems.