JPH05297982A - Portable computer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Object] The present invention is intended for a plurality of types of flat panel display units having different types of display panels, and a single circuit board is used to standardly mount an arbitrary display unit on the main body. The feature is that it can be configured. [Structure] Any one of three types of flat panel display units 31 (C), 31 (M), and 31 (P) to be standardly mounted on the internal display connection connector 33.
By selecting the species and connecting via the harness (H), the specific terminal R0 of the internal display connector 33
, R1 from the flat panel display unit (31 (C) / 31 (M) / 31 connected to the same connector 33.
(P)), a signal indicating the type is output, the signal is read into the main CPU via the I / O register of the gate array 35, and the display controller sets the display parameter according to the type. And

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable computer equipped with a flat panel display unit as standard equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, notebook-type, laptop-type, and other personal computers have been developed which are equipped as standard with a color display unit that is easy to carry and can be operated by a built-in battery. The color display unit that comes standard with this type of personal computer is a TFT liquid crystal (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crysta).
Panel structures using l) are the mainstream.

[0003] Conventional color display panels of this kind are very expensive at present, and therefore, a model (model) which is equipped with a low-priced display panel such as a monochromatic liquid crystal display as a standard and has priority on economy, and a color display panel are standard. We are responding to user requests by simultaneously providing the market with equipped models that prioritize functionality and operability.

At this time, conventionally, a circuit board having a display control circuit unique to each of a plurality of types of display panels to be standardly mounted is prepared, and the panel is mounted according to the standardly mounted display panel. The circuit board corresponding to was mounted in the main body.

Therefore, when it is attempted to provide a plurality of types of display panels having different display panels, it is necessary to prepare a unique circuit board for each model, which results in various costs and parts management. There was a problem in terms.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and uses a single circuit board.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer in which any display unit can be standardly mounted on a plurality of types of flat panel display units having different types of display panels.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a single board having a single internal display connection connector for supplying a display drive signal to a standard-equipped flat panel display unit, and the internal display connection. A plurality of types of flat panel display units each having a harness including a connector connectable to the connector, and information specific to the type formed by using a specific signal line in the harness of each flat panel display unit is set. A signal path for type determination, and means for determining the type of the flat panel display unit connected to the connector from the signal state of the specific terminal of the connector connected to the signal path for type determination,
A single board performs display drive control corresponding to the mounted display unit including display control parameter setting according to the result of the type determination.

[0008]

In the above configuration, when one of a plurality of types of flat panel display units that are standard equipment is connected to the internal display connection connector on the single board, the specific terminal of the internal display connection connector is The type of the mounted display unit is determined from the signal state, and the display drive control corresponding to the mounted display unit including the parameter setting of the display control is performed according to the result. As a result, a mounted display unit can be driven to be displayed on a plurality of types of flat panel display units by using a single board having a single internal display connection connector.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the entire system in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the display system hardware shown in FIG. ..

In the figure, 31 is a flat panel display unit (D-PN) which is connected to an internal display connector 33 and is standardly mounted on the computer main body.
L), and here, as shown in FIG. 3, a color display panel 31 (C) using a TFT liquid crystal (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal) and an LCD monochrome display panel 31 (M) using a monochrome liquid crystal. , Plasma display panel 31 (P), one of them is connected to the internal display connector 33 as a standard mounted display unit.

Each of the display panels 31 (31 (C) / 31 (M) / 31 (P)) to be standardly mounted has an internal display connector 33 (see FIG. 3) mounted on a board in the main body. A common harness (see symbol H in FIG. 3) including a connector (see symbol 33 (P) in FIG. 3) that can be connected to the reference numeral 33 (C) is used, and a specific signal line in the harness is used. A unique fixed wiring indicating the type is provided for each panel.

That is, here, as shown in FIG. 3, in the common harness (H) having the connector 33 (P) connectable to the internal display connection connector 33 (C), the internal display connection connector 33 (C) is used. ) Specific terminals R0, R1
The signal lines of the connector pins P0 and P1 connected to are set to fixed signal levels according to the panel type by fixed wiring. In this example, the color display panel 31 is used.
In the case of (C), both the connector pins P0 and P1 are set to the ground level (P0 = "0", P1 = "0"), and the LCD monochrome display panel 31 using the monochrome liquid crystal is used.
In case of (M), set connector pin P0 to ground level and P1 to open level (high level = Vcc level when connector is connected) (P0 = “L”, P1 = “H”) and plasma display panel 31 (P ), Connector pin P
Set 0 to open level and P1 to ground level (P0 =
"H", P1 = "L").

By connecting the common harness (H) having such fixed wiring to the internal display connection connector 33, the specific terminal R0 of the connector 33 is connected.
, R1 can output a signal indicating the type of the standard mounting flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31. The specific terminals R0 and R1 are pulled up by pull-up resistors as shown in FIG.

The signal indicating the type output to the specific terminals R0 and R1 of the internal display connector 33 is
A standard mounting flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 3 which is read by the main CPU 11 via the I / O register of the gate array (GA) 35, the system bus 10, etc. and connected to the internal display connection connector 33.
It is used for the type determination of 1.

A flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 connected to the internal display connection connector 33 is a display controller (DISP-CONT) 26 inside the main body, which is input via a selector IC (SEL) 32. The display drive is controlled by the generated display drive signal or the display drive signal input from the external display signal input connector 34.

32 is a display controller (DISP-CO
NT) 26 and the display drive signal input from the external display signal input connector 34, and either one of them is selected according to the selection control signal (GS) supplied to the switching control terminal. A selector IC (SEL) which is selected and supplied to the flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31. Here, switching control is performed by a selection control signal (GS) supplied to a specific terminal of the external display signal input connector 34. When the selection control signal (GS) is at "1" level (when the external display drive circuit is not connected to the connector), the display drive signal generated by the internal display controller (DISP-CONT) 26 is changed. When the selection control signal (GS) is at "0" level (when the external display drive circuit is connected to the connector, And when being), selects a display drive signal input from the external display signal input connector 34. For each display drive signal at this time, taking the interface of the color display panel 31 (C) as an example, each of R, G, B (red, green, blue) with gradation is respectively
Bit display data and timing signals such as a basic clock (BCLK), a vertical synchronizing signal (VSYN), and a horizontal synchronizing signal (HSYN) are included. These display data and timing signals naturally have different contents depending on the display panel. In the case of an LCD monochrome display, the RGB display data lines (9
A part or all of this) is used as a multi-gradation display data line.

33 is a selector IC which is a flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 which is standardly mounted.
An internal display connector for interface connection to the output terminal of the (SEL) 32. Here, a display drive signal including the above-mentioned display data and various timing signals output from the selector IC (SEL) 32 is interface-connected. To be done.

Reference numeral 34 is an external display signal input connector for externally driving the flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 mounted as standard.
The display data and various timing signals as described above are input from the outside. Further, here, one specific terminal is used for switching control of the selector IC (SEL) 32, and the selection control signal (GS) supplied to the specific terminal is supplied to the selector IC.
It is supplied to the switching control terminal of the (SEL) 32. That is, here, in a normal use state in which the external display signal input connector 34 is not used (the external display drive circuit is not connected to the connector), the switching control terminal of the selector IC (SEL) 32 is pulled up to "1" level. In the state where the selected selection control signal (GS) is supplied and the external circuit is connected to the external display signal input connector 34, the specific terminal of the connector 34 is fixedly wired to the ground in advance in the harness of the external circuit. It is grounded by a circuit, and a selection control signal (GS) of "0" (ground) level is applied to the switching control terminal.
Is supplied. Further, here, the signal (GS) is also supplied to the LED for displaying each state of internal display / external display through the driver (D).

Reference numeral 35 denotes an internal display connection connector 33.
Flat panel display unit (D
-PNL) 31 is a gate array (GA) for notifying the main CPU 11 of the type, and signals (P0, P1) representing the type output to the specific terminals R0, R1 of the internal display connection connector 33 are stored in the gate array. I / O
Main CPU via register and system bus 10
Send to 11.

Reference numeral 36 is a normal RGB terminal to which an external monitor (for example, a color CRT display) is connected, and a display drive signal generated by the display controller (DISP-CONT) 26 is supplied.

The above display controller (DISP-CON
T) 26 accesses the video RAM (VRAM) 27 under the control of the main CPU 11 that controls the system, and the flat panel display unit 31 (31 (C) / 3 connected to the internal display connection connector 33).
1 (M) / 31 (P)) or the above-described display data and various timing signals for display drive control of an external monitor connected to the RGB terminal 36.

That is, the display controller (DISP-CONT) 26 is the main CPU 1 that controls the system.
1 to a display panel (color display panel 3 connected to the internal display connection connector 33).
1 (C) / LCD Monochrome display panel 31 (M)
/ Plasma display panel 31 (P)) and various display parameter information for display drive control of an external monitor such as a color CRT connected to the RGB terminals 36, and are connected to the internal display connection connector 33. , Display panel (color display panel 3
1 (C) / LCD Monochrome display panel 31 (M)
/ Plasma display panel 31 (P)) and RGB
An external monitor such as a color CRT display connected to the terminal 36 is subjected to display control as a display drive target.

At this time, the main CPU 11 reads the specific terminals R0 and R1 of the internal display connector 33 read from the I / O register of the gate array (GA) 35.
From the output signal of, the type of the standard mounting flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 mounted on the internal display connection connector 33 is recognized, and the display parameter (DISP-display) is selected by selecting the display parameter specific to the recognized type. CONT) 26. That is, if the output signals (R0, R1) are R0 = "0" and R1 = "0", display parameters (DISP-CON) specific to the color display panel 31 (C) are displayed.
T) 26, and if R0 = "0" and R1 = "1", display parameters specific to the LCD monochrome display panel 31 (M) are displayed on the display controller (DISP-C).
ONT) 26, and if R0 = "1" and R1 = "0", display parameters specific to the plasma display panel 31 (P) are displayed on the display controller (DISP-CON).
T) 26.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 is a system firmware ROM in which fixed programs and the like are stored, 13 is RAM that constitutes a main memory in which programs and data to be processed are stored, and 14 is direct memory access. DMA controller (DMAC; Direct)
Memory Access Controller), 15 is an interrupt controller (PIC; Programmab) that can be set by a program
le Interrupt Controller), 16 is an interval timer (PIT; Programmable) that can be set by a program
Interval Timer), 17 is a clock module (RTC; Real-Time Clock) having its own battery for operation. 1
8 is a large-capacity additional RAM that can be inserted into and removed from the dedicated card slot of the main body, 19 is a backup RAM that serves as a data storage area for realizing the resume function, 20 is an expansion bus connector for function expansion, and 22 is a floppy disk controller (FDC), 23 is a printer controller (PRT-CONT), 24 is an input / output interface (UART; Univer) to which RS-232c devices are connected.
sal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter), 25 is a keyboard controller (KBC), 26 is a display controller (DISP-CONT), 27 is a video RAM (V
RAM), 28 is a kanji ROM for obtaining a kanji character pattern from a kanji character code, 29 is a dictionary ROM that realizes a kana / kanji conversion dictionary, and 30 is a main CPU 11 and a power supply control processor (power supply device) 41 (intelligent power supply). Power supply control interface (PS-IF) 40 for exchanging information with PC-CPU) 44
Is a power supply adapter (AC adapter) that rectifies and smoothes a commercial AC power supply (AC) to obtain a power supply for DC operation at a predetermined potential, and detailed description of each of these components will be omitted here.
The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

A normal use state (GS) in which an external circuit connector is not connected to the external display signal input connector 34
= “1”), the display drive signal generated by the internal display controller (DISP-CONT) 26 is transmitted through the selector IC (SEL) 32 and the internal display connection connector 33 to the color display panel unit (D-PNL). 31 is supplied.

Here, the internal display connection connector 3
3 includes three types of flat panel display units 31 (C), 31 (M), 3 shown in FIG.
One of the flat panel display units (31 (C) / 31 (M) / 31 (P)) out of 1 (P) is connected to a connector via a common harness (H).

By this connector connection, the type of the flat panel display unit (31 (C) / 31 (M) / 31 (P)) connected to the connector 33 from the specific terminals R0 and R1 of the internal display connection connector 33. A signal representative of is obtained fixedly.

That is, the internal display connector 33
In the case where the color display panel 31 (C) is mounted on, the specific terminals (R0, R1) have R0 = "0",
If a signal of R1 = "0" is output and the LCD monochrome display panel 31 (M) is also mounted, R
The signals of 0 = “0” and R1 = “1” are output, and when the plasma display panel 31 (P) is also mounted, the signals of R0 = “1” and R1 = “0” are output.

The signal indicating the type output to the specific terminals R0 and R1 of the internal display connector 33 is
It is set in the I / O register of the gate array (GA) 35 with the start-up of the system, and is read by the main CPU 11 via the system bus 10.

The main CPU 11 uses the gate array (G
A) Specific terminal R0 read from I / O register 35
, R1 signal from the internal display connector 3
The type of the standard mounting flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 mounted in 3 is recognized, and display parameters specific to the recognized type are displayed on the display controller (D
ISP-CONT) 26.

That is, the output signal (R0, R1) is R0.
If "0" and R1 = "0", display parameters specific to the color display panel 31 (C) are set in the display controller (DISP-CONT) 26, and R0 =
If “0” and R1 = “1”, display parameters specific to the LCD monochrome display panel 31 (M) are set in the display controller (DISP-CONT) 26, and R
If 0 = “1” and R1 = “0”, display parameters specific to the plasma display panel 31 (P) are set in the display controller (DISP-CONT) 26.

Display controller (DISP-CONT)
26 generates display data and various timing signals according to the set display parameters, and controls the display drive of the standard mounting flat panel display unit (D-PNL) 31 connected to the internal display connection connector 33.

By having the display system having the above-mentioned configuration, the mounted display unit is displayed and driven for a plurality of types of flat panel display units by using a single board having a single internal display connection connector. it can.

In the above embodiment, the color display panel 31 (C) using the TFT liquid crystal and the LCD monochrome display panel 31 (are used as the standard mounting target display panels connected to the internal display connection connector 33. M) and plasma display panel 31
Although (P) is taken as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of display panels using other display bodies may be targeted.

Further, in the above embodiment, the type of the display panel connected to the connector 33 is recognized by using the two specific terminals (R0, R1) of the internal display connecting connector 33. Other signal generating means such as a mechanical coded or non-coded signal generating means, etc. may be used.

[0037]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a single board having a single internal display connection connector for supplying a display drive signal to a standard-equipped flat panel display unit, A plurality of types of flat panel display units each having a harness including a connector connectable to the internal display connection connector, and the harness of each of the flat panel display units is unique to the type formed by using a specific signal line A signal path for type determination that sets information,
And a means for determining the type of the flat panel display unit connected to the connector from the signal state of the specific terminal of the connector connected to the type determining signal path, and the type of the flat panel display unit connected to the connector According to the judgment result, the display drive control corresponding to the mounted display unit including the parameter setting of the display control is performed, so that a single board with a single internal display connection connector can be used for multiple types of flat display. The mounted display unit can be displayed and driven for the panel display unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of display system hardware shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of display system hardware shown in FIG.

[Explanation of Codes] 10 ... System Bus, 11 ... Main CPU, 26 ... Display Controller (DISP-CONT), 27 ... Video R
AM (VRAM), 31 (31 (C), 31 (M), 31 (P)
) ... Flat panel display unit (D-PN
L; 31 (C) ... Color display panel, 31 (M) ...
LCD monochrome display panel, 31 (P) ... Plasma display panel, 32 ... Selector IC (SE
L), 33 (33 (P), 33 (C)) ... internal display connection connector, 34 ... external display signal input connector, 3
5 ... Gate array (GA), 36 ... RGB terminal, R0,
R1… Specific terminal of internal display connector, H…
Harness.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06F 15/02 315 A 9194-5L G09G 3/20 Z 8729-5G // G09G 5/00 Z 8121 -5G

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of types each having a single internal display connection connector for supplying a display drive signal to a standard-equipped flat panel display unit, and a harness including a connector connectable to the internal display connection connector. Flat panel display unit, a signal path for type determination in which information specific to the type formed by using a specific signal line in the harness of each flat panel display unit is set, and a signal path for type determination Means for determining the type of flat panel display unit connected to the connector from the signal state of a specific terminal of the connector connected to the portable computer. 2. A harness including a single internal display connection connector for supplying a display drive signal generated by a display controller to a standard-equipped flat panel display unit, and a connector connectable to the internal display connection connector. A plurality of types of flat panel display units each having, and a signal path for type determination that sets information specific to the type formed by using a specific signal line in the harness of each flat panel display unit, and Means for determining the type of the flat panel display unit connected to the connector from the signal state of the specific terminal of the connector connected to the type determination signal path, and the display parameters for displaying according to the determination result of the type Means to set in the controller Portable computer, characterized in that it is composed of. 3. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the standard-equipped flat panel display unit includes a monochrome display unit and a multicolor display unit.