MXPA99001594A - Apparatus and light consumption time meter display background for liquid crystal display monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying the backlight consumption time for an LCD monitor is described, the backlight consumption time stored in a memory storage unit with a maximum pre-set backlight consumption time is compares periodically, the bottom light replacement instruction message is displayed on the screen when the backlight consumption time so far exceeds the maximum consumption time and, after replacement of the backlight, the time of backlight consumption - stored in the storage and memory unit is reset using the reset key on the key input unit; a time regulator is operated when the backlight excitation control signal is turned on, a preset backlight consumption time is counted in a memory storage unit and the counted value is stored in a memory storage unit.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD OF LIGHT CONSUMPTION OF DISPLAY BACKGROUND FOR LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY MONITOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a backlight for a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor, and very particularly to an improved apparatus and method of displaying the consumption time of a backlight for a monitor. LCD where the consumption time of the backlight is displayed on the screen. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 15 A conventional LCD monitor has been provided so far without any particular composition and method for displaying its backlight consumption time. Assuming that the average duration of the backlight of the LCD monitor is around 50,000 hours, an average duration of the background light 20 is understood to vary from 10,000-25,000. Theoretically, a user must replace 2 to 5 times the backlight that they use for an LCD monitor. Since the conventional LCD monitor is not provided with a device that informs the user of the duration of the backlight of an LCD monitor, especially when the backlight is nearly exhausted, such a device is importantly required. for a previous recognition of the duration of the backlight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the resolution of conventional drawbacks. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a screen display apparatus that informs the user about the time of replacement of the backlight, if the backlight has almost been exhausted, by periodically storing the its consumption time in a memory. To achieve the object described above, an on-screen display apparatus of the backlight consumption time is provided for an LCD monitor according to the present invention, which includes a key input unit, a processing unit of backlight information, a power control unit for emitting an excitation voltage in response to an output signal from the backlight information processing unit, and a backlight control unit for receiving a Excitation voltage from the power control unit turn on the backlight. In addition, to achieve the above-described object, a backlight consumption time display method according to the present invention is provided which includes a first step for operating a time regulator when the control signal is turned on. backlight excitation, counting the consumption time of the backlight preset in the memory storage unit and storing the counted value in a memory storage unit, a second step to periodically compare the light consumption time of background stored in the memory storage unit with a maximum pre-set backlight consumption time, a third step to display a backlight replacement instruction message on the screen when the backlight consumption time until the moment exceeds the maximum consumption time according to the result determined in the second step and reset, after the replacement of the light d e background, the backlight consumption time stored in the memory storage unit using a reset key in the key input unit, and a fourth step to continuously count the time of consumption when the time of consumption of the backlight up to the moment does not exceed the maximum consumption time according to the result determined in the second step and storage of the value counted in the memory storage unit, and to display on the screen the light consumption time of the Background stored so far in the memory storage unit with a key signal to visualize is applied to the key input unit.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific example, although indicated in the preferred embodiments of the invention, are provided only by way of illustration, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to the skilled in the art from said detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be further understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limiting of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a duration display apparatus of the backlight for an LCD monitor; Fig. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a backlight duration display apparatus for an LCD monitor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES As shown in Figure 1, the backlight duration display apparatus for an LCD monitor includes an input unit 100 by key having a key to display the backlight consumption time to the and a reset key to reset a preset backlight consumption time when the backlight is replaced, a memory storage unit 102 in a backlight data processing unit 200 for storing therein the backlight consumption time so far, a microprocessor 101 in the backlight data processing unit 200 to display the light consumption Ts time, from the background stored so far in the memory storage unit 102, compared with the time Ts of backlight consumption so far with a pre-set maximum consumption time Tm, determining the duration of the backlight and controlling a series of step s for displaying the determined result, a display unit 103 on the screen connected to the microprocessor 101 and for the emission of the backlight consumption time so far to an OSD screen, or a digital image processing unit 104 for the signals R, G, B, image processing color of the screen display unit 103 and display the processed result on an LCD monitor screen as an on-screen menu, a backlight control unit 106 for controlling the backlight according to the control of the microprocessor 101, backlight 107, 108 for illuminating the LCD monitor under the control of the backlight control unit 106, and an energy control unit 105 for controlling the supply of energy to the microprocessor 101 and the backlight control unit 106. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying backlight consumption time for an LCD monitor of a according to the present invention. As shown herein, the method includes a first step for operating a time regulator when the backlight control signal is turned on, counting the pre-set backlight consumption time Ts in the memory storage unit 102. and storing the counted value in the memory storage unit 102, a second step for periodically comparing the time Ts of the backlight consumption stored in the memory storage unit 102 with a maximum consumption time Tm of backlight, a third step for displaying a backlight replacement instruction message on the screen if the backlight consumption time Ts so far exceeds the maximum consumption time Tm according to the result determined in the second step, and restarting, after replacement of the backlight, the consumption time of the backlight stored in the memory storage unit 102 using the reset key in the uni input key 100, a fourth step to continuously count the consumption time if the time of consumption of the backlight until the moment does not exceed the time Tm of maximum consumption according to the result determined in the second step and storing the value counted in the memory storage unit 102, and displaying on the screen the backlight consumption time stored in the memory storage unit 102 if a key signal to be displayed is applied to the key input unit 100. The operation of the on-screen display apparatus constituted in this way of a backlight consumption time for an LCD monitor will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. First, when an energy is applied to a monitor of LCD, the microprocessor 101 reads the backlight consumption time Ts stored in the memory storage unit 102 by a serial SCL terminal clock and SDA serial data terminals and write e the value read in a RAM in the microprocessor 101. At the same time, when a high level signal is output through an I-NV-CONT control terminal of the microprocessor 101 and the energy control unit 105 is controlled, an excitation voltage B + is output to the backlight excitation unit 106. The backlight excitation unit 106 serves to turn on the backlights 107, 108 respectively attached to the upper and lower portion of the LCD monitor according to the excitation voltage B + applied from the energy control unit 105, thereby controlling the brightness of the screen. The microprocessor 101 initiates the counting of the backlight consumption time written in the RAM from the moment in which the backlight excitation control signal INV-CONT by an internally provided count, and the consumption time of each one of the background lights 107, 108 counted is stored in the memory storage unit 102 having an EEPROM as a non-volatile memory device by the SCL serial clock and the serial data SDA terminals. The microprocessor 101 then periodically compares the consumption time Ts of each of the bottom lights 107, 108 stored in the memory storage unit 102 with the pre-set maximum consumption time Tm. In this way, if the backlight consumption time Ts exceeds the maximum consumption time Tm, it is determined that the backlight is almost exhausted. Accordingly, a backlight replacement instruction is output to the display unit 103 on the screen via the serial clock terminal SCL and the serial data terminal SDA. The screen display unit 103 processes, using color signals R, G, B, a backlight display emitted from the microprocessor 101 as horizontal and vertical synchronous signals of H-sync, V-sync cycles applied from the control unit. digital image processing 104 and outputs the result to the digital image processing unit 104. The digital image processing unit 104 processes the color signals R, G, B emitted from the display unit on the screen 103 and displays the menu 1 on screen (backlight replacement and service instruction menu) on the LCD monitor screen. That is, when the backlight consumption time Ts has reached a maximum consumption time Tm, the replacement message is automatically displayed on the LCD monitor screen. When the backlight 107, 108 is replaced, the backlight consumption time Ts stored in the memory storage unit 102 is reset by the use of the key input unit 100, whereby the consumption time of Backlight is reset so that it can be counted. Similarly, when the consumption time Ts of the background lights 107, 108 does not exceed the maximum consumption time Tm, the microprocessor 101 continues to count the consumption time of the backlight, thereby updating the memory storage unit 102. If a user wants to check the consumption time until the time of each of the backlight 107, 108, the key entry unit 100 is pressed twice. Then, the microprocessor 101 emits the backlight consumption time stored so far in the memory storage unit 102 to the on-screen display unit 103 via the serial clock SCL terminal and the data SDA terminal. in series. The on-screen display unit 103 processes the data representing the backlight consumption time applied so far from the microprocessor 101 within the synchronous horizontal and vertical signals of H-sync, V-sync cycles by the use of signals color R, G, B. The digital image processing unit 104 processes the image of the color signals R, G, B emitted from the display unit on the screen 103 and displays a menu 2 on the screen (time of consumption of backlight so far) on the LCD monitor screen. In an energy saving mode, a low level signal is output from the excitation control terminal INV-CONT of the microprocessor 101 to turn off the backlight 107, 108, by which the light consumption time is not increased of background stored in the memory storage unit 102. As described above, the backlight consumption time display apparatus according to the present invention allows the backlight consumption time so far to be display on the LCD monitor screen with the selection of the key input unit and when the maximum backlight consumption time has been reached, the backlight replacement instruction message is automatically presented to the user, who can then determine when to replace the backlight, thus being another convenience for the user. Since the present invention can be understood in various forms without departing from the spirit of the essential characteristics of the same, it should be understood that the modalities described above are not limited by any of the details of the following description, unless it is specified what otherwise, but preferably should be broadly constructed within the spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications found therein and outside of the claims, or equivalences of said compliance and limits therefore, they are intended to be included in the appended claims.

Claims (7)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A device for displaying a state of consumption of backlight on an LCD monitor (liquid crystal display) that displays an image on the monitor screen, characterized in that it comprises: a key input unit; a backlight data processing unit; an energy control unit for emitting an excitation voltage in response to an output signal from the backlight data processing unit; and a backlight excitation unit for receiving an excitation voltage from the power control unit and turning on the backlight. The apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized in that the backlight data processing unit comprises: a memory storage unit for storing therein a background light consumption time up to the moment; a microprocessor to periodically compare the backlight consumption time so far with a preset maximum consumption time according to the data stored in the memory storage unit to determine the duration of the backlight and issue a message of Backlight replacement instruction when the backlight consumption time so far exceeds the preset maximum consumption; an on-screen display unit for processing the backlight replacement instruction message received from the microprocessor using color signals within the horizontal and vertical synchronous signal cycle on the screen; and a digital image processing unit for processing the image of the permitted color signals from the display unit on the screen. 3. - The apparatus in accordance with the claim 1, further characterized in that the key input unit comprises: a key for displaying the backlight consumption time up to the moment; and a reset key to reset the preset backlight consumption time when the backlight is replaced. 4. - The apparatus in accordance with the claim 2, further characterized in that the memory storage medium is an EEPROM. 5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized in that the microprocessor includes a memory and a counter therein and further characterized in that the counter is controlled from the moment the backlight excitation control signal is turned on. and counts the backlight consumption time written in memory. 6. - The apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized in that the memory is RAM. 7. The method of displaying backlight consumption time for an LCD monitor, further characterized in that it comprises: a first step to operate a time regulator when the backlight excitation control signal is turned on by counting the pre-set light consumption time in a memory storage unit and storing the counted value in the memory storage unit; a second step to periodically compare the backlight consumption time stored in the memory storage unit with a maximum pre-set backlight consumption time; a third step to display a backlight replacement instruction message on the screen when the backlight consumption time so far exceeds the maximum consumption time according to the result determined in the second step and restarting, after of the backlight replacement, the consumption time of the backlight stored in the memory storage unit using a reset key in the key input unit; and a fourth step to continuously count the consumption time when the backlight consumption time so far does not exceed the maximum consumption time according to the result determined in the second step and storing the value counted in the storage unit of memory, and displaying on the screen the backlight consumption time so far stored in the memory storage unit when a key signal is applied to display the key input unit.