WO2017023267A1

WO2017023267A1 - Display updating

Info

Publication number: WO2017023267A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/043230
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian MCLANE; Wen Shih Chen
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2015-07-31
Filing date: 2015-07-31
Publication date: 2017-02-09

Abstract

Examples associated with display updating are disclosed. One example includes providing an encoded image to a network capable device. The encoded image is provided via a display of a display device. The encoded image identifies a location of firmware update data for the display device. The example also includes receiving the firmware update data. The firmware update data is received by the display device. The firmware update data is obtained from the location identified in the encoded image. The example also includes replacing legacy firmware data in the display device with the firmware update data.

Description

DISPLAY UPDATING BACKGROUND

[0001] Computer monitors and other types of displays are devices that allow users to interact with their computers. These displays may visually depict, for example, files, running applications, operating system features, and so forth, based on interactions of a user(s) with the files applications, features and so forth. Displays may include several components including, for example, a display device (e.g., liquid crystal display), circuitry, and an enclosure or casing. The display may also include firmware, software, and so forth that allow the display to function, instruct attached computers in how to communicate with the display, and so forth.

BRIED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] The present application may be more fully appreciated in connection with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates an example display and device associated with display updating.

[0004] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of example operations associated with display updating.

[0005] FIG. 3 illustrates an example display associated with display updating.

[0006] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system associated with display updating.

[0007] FIG. 5 illustrates an example computing device in which example systems, and methods, and equivalents, may operate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Systems, methods, and equivalentP associated with display updating are described. As discussed above, monitors and other forms of display play an valuable role in allowing users to interact with their personal computers by showing the user their desktop, applications, and so forth. Many manufacturers of displays put out several different models of displays a year. Differences between the displays may be apparent to users, having different sizes, features, and so forth. Other differences may be hidden from the users, as some displays of the same model may make use of different panel types (e.g., due to different panels being installed in the same model over the product cycle of the model), different original design manufacturers using different parts from one another, and so forth. Consequently, some distributers of displays, despite selling few different models at any given time, may actually distribute dozens of different underlying types of displays for each model, which may potentially add up to hundreds of types per year.

[0009] Notably, these different types of display may use different types of firmware and/or software installed to ensure proper functionality of the display because of the different components. As used herein, when firmware and/or software are discussed, these terms are intended to refer broadly to instructions that tell the components of the display how to operate, communicate with other devices, and so form.

[0010] When there is an error in the firmware of the display (e.g., due to a bug), a user may be unable to diagnose and fix or update the firmware on their own. This may be because a user may encounter challenges identifying a proper firmware version to download for installation due to the potentially numerous types of firmware that may be associated with their display. Consequently, to obtain desired repairs and/or updates, users may be forced to send their display back to the manufacturer who may then have an engineer use a special tool to update the firmware and/or display and return it to the user. Shipping displays in this manner may be expensive and may also prevent a user from operating their personal computer while the display is in shipment and being repaired. [0011] Instead, systems, methods and displays are described herein that may allow users to identify and update display firmware on their own. As mentioned above, one issue preventing users from performing the display update on their own may be that there are numerous different versions of firmware that may be indistinguishable to the average user, making it challenging for a user to find appropriate firmware for their particular display's make, model, components, and so forth. This may be resolved by storing, in the display, an encoded location that may be presented to the user to direct the user directly to a location that has the appropriate firmware version for their particular display. In various examples, the encoded location may be stored as a quick response code, a bar code, a set of digits, and so forth. The display may then present the user the encoded location and the user may use the encoded location to download correct firmware and install it in the display.

[0012] Figure 1 illustrates an example display and device associated with display updating. It should be appreciated that the items depicted in Figure 1 are illustrative examples and many different displays, devices, and so forth may operate in accordance with various examples.

[0013] Figure 1 illustrates an example display 100 and device 120 associated with display updating. Here, display 100 may be a monitor that operates in connection with, for example, a desktop computer (not shown). In other examples, display 100 may operate in connection with a laptop, a virtual machine, a mobile device, and so forth. Display 100 may connect to the desktop computer using, for example, a universal serial bus cable, a video graphics array cable, a digital visual interface cable, a high definition multimedia interface cable, and so forth. Display 100 may have various adjustable settings including, for example, brightness, color, resolution, and so forth associated with the operation of display 100. These settings may be accessed using buttons on the enclosure of display 100. Other buttons (e.g., a power button), may also serve various purposes associated with the operation of display 100.

[0014] Also accessible via the buttons of display 100 (e.g., via a menu through a specific sequence of button presses) may be an option associated with updating the firmware of display 100. Accessing this option may cause dispiay 100 to dispiay encoded image 110. in this example, encoded image 110 is a quick response code image. In other examples, encoded image 110 may be a bar code, a series of symbols, and so form. The encoded image 110 may be used to direct a device 120 to a set of updated firmware 140 located at a specific location identified by image 110. in this example, the quick response code may direct device 120 to the updated firmware 140 by translating to a firmware location 130 (e.g., uniform resource locator address).

[0015] How encoded images 110 are translated to firmware locations 130 may depend on the type of encoded image 110 provided by dispiay 100. For example, a quick response code reader application or a bar code reader application, on device 120, in conjunction with a camera to detect encoded image 110, may be used to translate quick response code images and bar code images respectively to firmware locations 130. in other examples, encoded images 110 may be sequences of symbols that correspond to different firmware locations 130 based on what type of dispiay they are associated with. In these examples, the encoded images may be detected with a camera on device 120, entered by a user into device 120, and so forth. Other methods of encoding firmware locations 130 may also be used.

[0016] In various examples, device 120 may read encoded image 110 using a specialized application designed specifically for the purpose of obtaining updated firmware 140 from a server at firmware location 130 and delivering updated firmware 140 to dispiay 100. in this example, the application may translate encoded image 110 into a location at which updated firmware 140 may be obtained. The application may then retrieve updated firmware 140 from that location and subsequently facilitate delivering updated firmware 140 to display 100. In other examples, a non- specialized application (e.g.. a quick response code image translator application) may facilitate translating encoded image 110, after which other techniques may be used to facilitate obtaining updated firmware 140 {e.g., hypertext transfer protocol, file transfer protocol, remote direct memory access) and providing updated firmware 140 to display 100. [0017] After retrieving updated firmware 140, device 120 may transmit updated firmware 140 to display 100. in various examples, updated firmware 140 may be transmitted to display 100 from device 120 via a connector 150. Connector 150 may be, for example, a universal serai bus cable, though other connectors 150 may also be appropriate depending on what types of connectors 150 are shared between device 120 and display 100.

[0018] In various examples, the retrieval and updating of the firmware of display 100 may be controlled by different components. In other words, different items in figure 1 may act as a host for obtaining updated firmware 140. As described above, device 120, after retrieving updated firmware 140 from a server at firmware location 130, may push updated firmware 140 to display 100. This may mean that the updated firmware will be stored in a format compatible tor at least temporary storage on device 120.

[0019] in other examples, display 100 may serve as a host for the retrieval of updated firmware 140. This feature may be available depending on what type of connector 150 (e.g., a universal serial bus on the go cable) links display 100 and device 120. In this example, display 100 may pull updated firmware 140 from a server at the firmware location 130 via device 120. In this example, as device 120 acts as a temporary intermediary, updated firmware 140 may be stored in a format otherwise usable to device 120, and updated firmware may not be translated to a format usable as firmware and/or software for display 100 by device 120 as updated firmware 140 passes through device 120.

[0020] it is appreciated that, in the following description, numerous specific details are set form to provide a thorough understanding of the examples. However, it is appreciated that the examples may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, methods and structures may not be described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the examples. Also, the examples may be used in combination with each other.

[0021] "Module", as used herein, includes but is not limited to hardware, firmware, software stored on a computer-readable medium or in execution on a machine, and/or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or an action(s), and/or to cause a function or action from another module, method, and/or system. A module may include a software controlled microprocessor, a discrete module, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a programmed module device, a memory device containing instructions, and so on. Modules may include gates, combinations of gates, or other circuit components. Where multiple logical modules are described, it may be possible to incorporate the multiple logical modules into one physical module. Similarly, where a single logical module is described, it may be possible to distribute that single logical module between multiple physical modules.

[0022] Figure 2 illustrates an example method 200 associated with display updating. Method 200 may be embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions. The instructions, when executed by a processor, may cause the processor to perform method 200. in other examples, method 200 may exist within logic gates and/or RAM of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0023] Method 200 includes providing an encoded image at 210. The encoded image may be provided to a network capable device. The encoded image may be provided via a display of a display device. The encoded image may be, for example, a quick response code, a bar code, and so forth. The encoded image may describe a location of firmware update data for the display device. In one example, the network capable device may be a mobile device. In this example, the encoded image may be received by the mobile device using an optical device embedded in the mobile device. By way of illustration, a camera in a ceil phone may facilitate capturing the encoded image as the encoded image is being shown on the display of the display device.

[0024] Method 200 also includes receiving the firmware update data at 220. The firmware update data may be received by the display device. The firmware update data may be obtained from the location identified in the encoded image. The firmware update data may be received at the display device via a universal serial bus port embedded in the display device. Other techniques for inter-device communication may also be appropriate. Further, the firmware update data may be received by the display device from the network capable device. In some examples, (e.g., when network capable device does not have optical Input capability), the encoded image and/or the location identified in the encoded image may be provided to the network capable device via an intermediary device. This may be desirable when, for example, the intermediary device has a camera, but is unable to connect to the location identified in the encoded image, or when the intermediary device does not have an appropriate connection for delivering the firmware update data to the display. In other examples, the network capable device may download and provide the firmware update data to the display via an intermediary device. This may be desirable when, for example, the network capable device does not have an appropriate connection for delivering the firmware update date to the display.

[0025] Method 200 also includes replacing legacy firmware data at 230. The legacy firmware data may be replaced in the display device. The legacy firmware data may be replaced with the firmware update data. Providing access to firmware update data in this manner may make it easier for individual users to update firmware in their displays. This may save costs on, for example, shipping the display back and forth for repairs, and so forth. Further, the user may be able to update their display with limited downtime while the display is in shipment and/or being repaired. Further, because the display directly provides a single location of appropriate firmware update data for that display, there may be limited user confusion regarding which version of firmware is appropriate for their display.

[0026] Figure 3 illustrates a display 300 associated with display updating. Display 300 includes an instruction data store 310. instruction data store 310 may store instructions that facilitate operation of display 300. The instructions that facilitate operation of display 300 may be, for example, firmware instructions. The instructions may relate to ensuring proper operation of components of display 300

[0027] Display 300 also includes an update location data store 320. Update location data store may store an encoded location. The encoded location may describe a location at which updated instructions 399 for the display reside. The encoded location may be, for example, a uniform resource locator (URL) address, a quick response code associated with a URL, a bar code associated with a URL, a set of characters associated with an original design manufacturer of the display, and so forth.

[0028] Display 300 also includes a location provision module 330. Location provision module 330 may cause display 300 to provide the encoded location to a first device 390. in some examples, location provision module 330 may cause display 300 to optically present the encoded location to first device 390. in this example, first device 390 may use, for example, a camera embedded with first device 390 to receive the encoded location. By way of illustration, in the example, where the encoded location is a quick response code, display 300 may optically present the quick response code, and first device 390 may, for example, a camera to retrieve the quick response code, and a quick response code reader application to translate the quick response cod into a uniform resource locator address at which updated instructions 399 may be accessed. In another example, display 300 may electrically transmit the encoded location to first device 390. in this example, the encoded location may be transmitted via an electrical connection, over a wireless medium, and so forth.

[0029] Display 300 also includes an instruction update module 340. Instruction update module may receive the updated instructions 399 via a second device 392. instruction update module 340 may also replace the instructions in instruction data store 310 with updated instructions 399.

[0030] In some examples, instruction update module 340 may operate as a host device for obtaining updated instructions 399. In this example, instruction update module 340 may control the second device to obtain updated instructions 399 from a server at the encoded location and pull updated instructions 399 through to instruction data store 310. This may be desirable because updated instructions 399 may not be stored on device 392 except as a part of the process of transmitting the instructions between the server at the encoded location and display 300. This means that the updated instructions may not need to be stored in a format compatible to second device 392 (e.g., based on the operating system of second device 392). in some examples, instruction update module 340 may cause display 300 to act as the host device when connected to second device 392 via a universal serial bus on-the-go port.

[0031] In other examples, second device 392 may act as a host device for obtaining updated instructions 399 from the encoded locations. In this example, second device 392 may the push updated instructions 399 to instruction update module 340 after retrieving updated instructions 399.

[0032] In various examples first device 390 and second device 392 may be different devices. For example, first device 390 may be a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a tablet), and second device 392 may be a desktop device (e.g., a personal computer) in communication with first device 390. After first device 392 receives the location of updated instructions 399 from location provision module 330, first device 390 may communicate this location to second device 392. Second device 392 may then obtain updated instructions 399 and provide them to display 300 via instruction update module 340. In another example, first device 390 and second device 392 may be the same device, in this example, after receiving the location of updated instructions 399 from location provision module 330, first device 390 may act as second device 392 and obtain updated instructions 399 and provide them to instruction update module 340.

[0033] Whether first device 390 and second device 392 are the same or different physical devices may depend on whether an operable connection between first device 390 and display 300 may be achieved. By way of illustration, some displays and devices may have disjointed sets of connection plugs. If, for example, display 300 has a universal serial bus (USB) connector but first device 390 does not, first device 390 may transmit the location of updated instructions 399 to second device 392 with the USB connector so that updated instructions 399 can be obtained and provided to display 300.

[0034] Figure 4 illustrates a system 400 associated with display updating. System 400 includes a display firmware data store 410. Display firmware data store 410 may store a sit of display firmware update data. Members of the set of display firmware update data may correspond to members of a set of display types. The set of display types may correspond to, for example, panel types of displays 499, monitor types of displays 499, original design manufacturers of displays 499, and scalar chip types that are embedded in displays 499.

[0035] System 400 also includes a firmware request receipt logic 420. Firmware request receipt logic may receive requests from networked devices 490. The requests may identify members of the set of display firmware update data stored in display firmware data store 410. Further, the requests may be generated based on encoded images provided by displays 499. As discussed above, the encoded images may specifically identify members of the set of display firmware update data that correspond to respective displays 499 from which encoded images are provided to network device 490.

[0036] System 400 also includes a firmware request response logic 430. Firmware request response logic may provide members of the set of display firmware to network devices 490 from dispiay firmware data store 410. The member of the set of dispiay firmware update data provided to each network device 490 may correspond to which member of the set of display firmware update data is identified in a request from that network device 490.

[0037] Figure 5 illustrates an example computing device in which example systems and methods, and equivalents, may operate. The example computing device may be a computer 500 that includes a processor 510 and a memory 520 connected by a bus 530. Computer 500 includes a display update module 540. Display update module 540 may perform, alone or in combination, various functions described above with reference to the example systems, methods, apparatuses, and so forth. In different examples, display update module 540 may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions, in hardware, software, firmware, an application specific integrated circuit, and/or combinations thereof.

[0038] The instructions may also be presented to computer 500 as data 550 and/or process 560 that are temporarily stored in memory 520 and then executed by processor 510. The processor 510 may be a variety of processors including dual microprocessor and other multi-processor architectures. Memory 520 may include non-volatile memory (e.g., read only memory) and/or volatile memory (e.g., random access memory). Memory 520 may also be, for example, a magnetic disk drive, a solid state disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, a flash memory card, an optical disk, and so on. Thus, memory 520 may store process 560 and/or data 550. Computer 500 may also be associated with other devices including other computers, computers, peripherals, and so form in numerous configurations (not shown).

[0039] It is appreciated that the previous description of the disclosed examples is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these examples will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method, comprising:

providing, via a display device, an encoded image to a network capable device, the encoded image identifying a location of firmware update data for the display device;

receiving, by the display device, the firmware update data, where the firmware update data is obtained from the location identified in the encoded image; and

replacing legacy firmware data in the display device with the firmware update data.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the network capable device is a mobile device and where the encoded image is received by the mobile device using an optical device embedded in the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 , where encoded image is one of a quick response code, a set of digits, and a bar code.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the firmware update data is received at the display device via a universal serial bus port embedded in the display device.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the firmware update data is received by the display device from the network capable device.

6. A display, comprising:

an instruction data store to store instructions that facilitate operation of the display;

an update location data store to store an encoded location, the encoded location describing a location at which updated instructions for the display reside; a location provision module to cause the display to provide the encoded location to a first device; and an instruction update module to receive the updated instructions via a second device and to replace the instructions in the instruction data store with the updated instructions.

7. The display of claim 6, where the encoded location is one of, a uniform resource locator address, a quick response code associated with a uniform resource locator address, a bar code associated with a uniform resource locator address, and a set of characters associated with an original design manufacturer of the display.

8. The display of claim 6, where the instructions that facilitate operation of the display are firmware instructions.

9. The display of claim 6, where the location provision module causes the display to optically present the encoded location to the first device.

10. The display of claim 6, where the location provision module causes the display to electrically transmit the encoded location to the first device.

11. The display of claim 6, where the instruction update module causes the display to act as a host device and pulls the updated instructions from the encoded location via the second device.

12. The display of claim 11 , where the instruction update module causes the display to act as the host device when connected to the second device via a universal serial bus on-the-go port.

13. The display of claim 6, where the second device acts as a host device, obtains the updated instructions from the encoded location, and pushes the updated instructions to the instruction update module.

14. A system, comprising:

a display firmware data store to store a set of display firmware update data, where members of the set of display firmware update data correspond to members of a set of display types;

a firmware request receipt logic to receive requests from networked devices that identify members of the set of display firmware update data, where the requests are generated based on encoded images provided by displays; and

a firmware request response logic to, based on which member of the set of display firmware update data is identified in a request from a networked device, provide a corresponding member of the set of display firmware update data to the networked devices from the display firmware data store.

15. The system of claim 14, where the set of display types correspond to at least one of, a panel type, a monitor type, an original design manufacturer, and a scalar chip type.