Microprocessor controlled universal video monitor

Claim 2

In a video monitor pricing a video display, a device for allowing a user to adjust parameters of the video monitor, the device comprising: switches (183,184,185), available to the user for manipulation; control lines (35-39,43,53-60) for adjusting parameters; digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), coupled to the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), for placing analog voltage signals on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); processor control means (1), coupled to the switches (183,184,185) and the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), for receiving input from manipulation of the switches (183,184,185), and for directing the digital-to - analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35 - 39,43,53-60).

Claim 3

A device as in Claim 1 additionally comprising: non-volatile memory means (2), coupled to the processor control means (1), for storing values of the parameters of the video monitor.

Claim 4

A device as in Claim 2 wherein the parameters include video display vertical size and video display horizontal size.

Claim 5

A device as in Claim 3 wherein the parameters additionally include brightness of the video display, contrast of the video display, gain of a red video signal video amplifier, gain of a green video signal video amplifier, gain of a blue video signal video amplifier, red video signal DC voltage level, green video signal DC voltage level and blue video signal DC voltage level.

Claim 6

A device as in Claim 2 additionally comprising: a data bus (33,34) coupling the processor control means (1) to the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) and coupling the processor control means (1) to the non-volatile memory means (2); and an external connector (72,73) connected to the data bus (33,34) which allows an external source to vary parameters of the video display and to access the non-volatile memory means (2).

Claim 7

A device as in claim 5 wherein the parameters which may be varied by an external source include gain of a red video signal video amplifier, gain of a green video signal video amplifier, gain of a blue video signal video amplifier, red video signal DC voltage level, green video signal DC voltage level and blue video signal DC voltage level.

Claim 8

A device as in Claim 1 wherein the parameters a user may affect through manipulation of the switches (183,184,185) include brightness of the video display, contrast of the video display, vertical centering of the video display, horizontal centering of the display, video display vertical size and video display horizontal size.

Claim 9

A device as in Claim 1 additionally comprising user feedback means (177-182), coupled to the processor control means (1) for indicating to the user information about how manipulating the switches (183,184,185) affects the parameters, wherein the processor control means (1) indicates to the user through the user feedback means (177 - 182) how manipulating switches (183,184,185) affects the parameters.

Claim 10

In a video monitor producing a video display, a device for allowing an external source to adjust parameters of the video monitor, the device comprising: control lines (35-39,43,53-60) for adjusting parameters; digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), coupled to the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), for placing analog voltage signals on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); a data bus (33,34) coupled to the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45); processor control means (1), coupled to the data bus (33,34), for directing the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); memory means (2), coupled to the data bus (33,34), for storing values of the parameters of the video monitor. an external connector (72,73) coupled to the data bus (33,34) which allows the external source to access the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), the processor control means (1) and the memory means (2) whereby the external source may direct the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) as to voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60) and may access modify values of parameters stored in the memory means (2).

Claim 11

In a video monitor producing a video display, a device for allowing an external source to adjust parameters of the video monitor, the device comprising: control lines (35-39,43,53-60) for adjusting parameters; digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), coupled to the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), for placing analog voltage signals on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); a data bus (33,34) coupled to the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45); processor control means (1), coupled to the data bus (33,34), for directing the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); memory means (2), coupled to the data bus (33,34), for storing values of the parameters of the video monitor. an external connector (72,73) coupled to the data bus (33,34) which allows the external source to access the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), the processor control means (1) and the memory means (2) whereby the external source may direct the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) as to voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60) and may access modify values of parameters stored in the memory means (2).

Claim 12

In a video monitor producing a video display viewable by a user, the video monitor including a cathode ray tube (68); a deflection yoke, coupled to the cathode ray tube (68), the deflection yoke having horizontal windings (25) and the deflection yoke deflecting electrons passing through the cathode ray tube (68); horizontal deflection circuitry (17), electrically coupled to the horizontal windings (25), which controls current through the horizontal windings (25); and a horizontal oscillator (14) for generating a timing signal for application to the horizontal deflection circuitry (17), a device for allowing adjustment of parameters of the video monitor, the device comprising: control lines (35-39,43,53-60) for adjusting values of the parameters, the control lines (35-39,43,53-60) including a frequency adjust control line (43) coupled to the horizontal oscillator (14), the free-running frequency of the horizontal oscillator (14) varying dependent on a voltage value of a signal on the frequency adjust control line (43); digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), coupled to the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), for placing analog voltage signals on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); and, processor control means (1), coupled to the digital-to - analog converting means (3,45), for directing the digital - to-analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), the processor control means (1) including a first input (30) upon which is placed a horizontal synchronization signal and a second input (31) upon which is placed a vertical synchronization signal, the processor control means (1) directing the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) to place on the frequency adjust control line (43) an analog voltage signal based on the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal.

Claim 13

In a video monitor producing a video display viewable by a user, the video monitor including a cathode ray tube (68); a deflection yoke, coupled to the cathode ray tube (68), the deflection yoke having horizontal windings (25) and the deflection yoke deflecting electrons passing through the cathode ray tube (68); horizontal deflection circuitry (17), electrically coupled to the horizontal windings (25), which controls current through the horizontal windings (25); and a horizontal oscillator (14) for generating a timing signal for application to the horizontal deflection circuitry (17), a device for allowing adjustment of parameters of the video monitor, the device comprising: control lines (35-39,43,53-60) for adjusting values of the parameters, the control lines (35-39,43,53-60) including a frequency adjust control line (43) coupled to the horizontal oscillator (14), the free-running frequency of the horizontal oscillator (14) varying dependent on a voltage value of a signal on the frequency adjust control line (43); digital-to-analog converting means (3,45), coupled to the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), for placing analog voltage signals on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60); and, processor control means (1), coupled to the digital-to - analog converting means (3,45), for directing the digital - to-analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60), the processor control means (1) including a first input (30) upon which is placed a horizontal synchronization signal and a second input (31) upon which is placed a vertical synchronization signal, the processor control means (1) directing the digital-to-analog converting means (3,45) to place on the frequency adjust control line (43) an analog voltage signal based on the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal.

Claim 14

A device as in Claim 10 additionally comprising a non-volatile memory (2), coupled to the processor control means (1), within which the processor control means (1) stores values of the parameters, the parameters being referenced by the processor control means (1), at least in part, by the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal and the vertical synchronization signal.

Claim 15

A device as in Claim 11 wherein the processor control means (1) additionally includes a third input (28) on which is placed a horizontal polarity signal indicating polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and a fourth input ( 29) on which is placed a vertical polarity signal indicating polarity of the vertical synchronization signal and wherein the processor control means (1) additionally uses the horizontal polarity signal and the vertical polarity signal when referencing values of parameters stored in the non-volatile memory (2).

Claim 16

A device as in Claim 10 additionally comprising switches (183,184,185), coupled to the processor control means (1), available to the user for manipulation; user feedback means (177-182), coupled to the processor control means (1), for indicating to the user information about how manipulating the switches (183,184,185) affects the parameters; wherein the processor control means (1) receives input from manipulation of the switches (183,184,185), indicates to the user through the user feedback means (177-182) how manipulating switches (183,184,185) affects values of the parameters of the video monitor and directs the digital-to - analog converting means (3,45) as to the voltage levels of at least some of the analog voltage signals placed on the control lines (35-39,43,53-60) based on user manipulation of the switches (183,184,185).

Claim 17

A device as in Claim 10 additionally comprising: non-volatile memory means (2), coupled to the processor control means (1), for storing values of the parameters of the video monitor.

Claim 18

A device as in Claim 14 wherein the parameters include video display vertical size, video display horizontal size, brightness of the video display, contrast of the video display, gain of a red video signal video amplifier, gain of a green video signal video amplifier, gain of a blue video signal video amplifier, red video signal DC voltage level, green video signal DC voltage level and blue video signal DC voltage level.

Claim 19

A device as in Claim 15 wherein the value of parameters stored in the non-volatile memory means (2) are referenced by the processor control means (1), at least in part, by the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal and the vertical synchronization signal.

Claim 20

A device as in Claim 16 wherein the processor control means (1) additionally includes a third input (28) on which is placed a horizontal polarity signal indicating polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and a fourth input (29) on which is placed a vertical polarity signal indicating polarity of the vertical synchronization signal and wherein the processor control means (1) additionally uses the horizontal polarity signal and the vertical polarity signal when referencing values of parameters stored in the non-volatile memory means (2).

Claim 21

In a video monitor producing a video display viewable by a user, the video monitor including a cathode ray tube (68); a deflection yoke, coupled to the cathode ray tube (68), the deflection yoke having horizontal windings (25) and vertical windings (24) and the deflection yoke deflecting electrons passing through the cathode ray tube (68); horizontal deflection circuitry (17), electrically coupled to the horizontal windings (25), which controls current through the horizontal windings (25); a horizontal oscillator (14) for generating a timing signal for application to the horizontal deflection circuitry (17); a control processor (1) having a first input (30) upon which is placed a horizontal synchronization signal and a second input (31) upon which is placed a vertical synchronization signal; and a memory (2); a method for adjusting parameters of the video monitor, the method comprising the steps of: (a) storing entries of parameters values in the memory (2), each entry for parameter values including a value for frequency of a horizontal synchronization signal, a value for frequency of a vertical synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the vertical synchronization signal and other values for additional parameters; (b) periodically measuring by the control processor (1) new values for the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal, for the frequency of the vertical synchronization signal, for the polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and for the polarity of the vertical synchronization signal; and, (c) when any of the new values measured in step (b) vary from values measured immediately prior to measurement of the new values, performing the following substeps: (c1) searching the memory (2) for an entry which has a value for frequency of a horizontal synchronization signal, a value for frequency of a vertical synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and a value for polarity of the vertical synchronization signal which all match the new values, and (c2) when substep (c1) results in the discovery of an entry, adjusting the parameters of the video monitor to match the values of the discovered entry.

Claim 22

In a video monitor producing a video display viewable by a user, the video monitor including a cathode ray tube (68); a deflection yoke, coupled to the cathode ray tube (68), the deflection yoke having horizontal windings (25) and vertical windings (24) and the deflection yoke deflecting electrons passing through the cathode ray tube (68); horizontal deflection circuitry (17), electrically coupled to the horizontal windings (25), which controls current through the horizontal windings (25); a horizontal oscillator (14) for generating a timing signal for application to the horizontal deflection circuitry (17); a control processor (1) having a first input (30) upon which is placed a horizontal synchronization signal and a second input (31) upon which is placed a vertical synchronization signal; and a memory (2); a method for adjusting parameters of the video monitor, the method comprising the steps of: (a) storing entries of parameters values in the memory (2), each entry for parameter values including a value for frequency of a horizontal synchronization signal, a value for frequency of a vertical synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the vertical synchronization signal and other values for additional parameters; (b) periodically measuring by the control processor (1) new values for the frequency of the horizontal synchronization signal, for the frequency of the vertical synchronization signal, for the polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and for the polarity of the vertical synchronization signal; and, (c) when any of the new values measured in step (b) vary from values measured immediately prior to measurement of the new values, performing the following substeps: (c1) searching the memory (2) for an entry which has a value for frequency of a horizontal synchronization signal, a value for frequency of a vertical synchronization signal, a value for polarity of the horizontal synchronization signal and a value for polarity of the vertical synchronization signal which all match the new values, and (c2) when substep (c1) results in the discovery of an entry, adjusting the parameters of the video monitor to match the values of the discovered entry.

Claim 23

A method as in Claim 18 additionally comprising the following substep: (c3) when substep (c1) does not result in the discovery of an entry, adjusting the horizontal oscillation signal to match the new value and adjusting other parameters of the video monitor to match default parameter values.

Claim 24

A method as in Claim 19 additionally comprising the following steps: (d) periodically checking by the control processor (1) for user requests to adjust parameters of the video monitor; (e) adjustment of values of parameters by the control processor (1) when detected in step (d).

Claim 25

A method as in Claim 20 additionally comprising the step of: (f) periodically storing in an entry in the memory (2) current values for the parameters of the video monitor.