Method for controlling a power saving mode of a video display device with respect to a predetermined one of a plurality of applied signal sources

Abstract

A method for controlling a video display device having multiple signal sources, which comprises the steps of: detecting whether a synchronous signal is input to a microcomputer; detecting a signal source selection state if the synchronous signal is not input; converting a present mode to a power-saving mode if the signal source selection state indicates the computer as the selected signal source; and maintaining the present mode if the signal source selection state indicates a signal source other than the computer to be the selected signal source. Alternatively, the method may comprise the steps of: detecting a signal source selection state; detecting whether a power-saving command is input from a computer in the signal source selection state is the computer; executing a power-saving mode if the power-saving mode is input from the computer; detecting a picture-in-picture (PIP) enable state if the power-saving command is not input from the computer; displaying a video signal input from the computer on a screen if the PIP enable state is not enabled; detecting the PIP selection state if the PIP enable state is enabled; displaying the video signal input from the computer on a main screen and displaying a video signal input from a corresponding signal source, according to the PIP selection state, on a subscreen; and displaying a video signal of a selected signal source on a screen if the signal source selection state is a signal source other than the computer.

1. A method for controlling a video display device having multiple signal sources, comprising steps of:
 detecting whether a synchronous signal is input to a microcomputer;  
 detecting a signal source selection state if the synchronous signal is not input;  
 converting a present mode to a power-saving mode if the signal source selection state indicates a computer is the selected signal source; and  
 maintaining the present mode if the signal source selection state indicates a signal source other than the computer to be the selected signal source.  
 
     
     
       2. A method for controlling a video display device having multiple signal sources, comprising steps of:
 checking a signal source selection state to determine whether a computer or another signal source is selected for providing a video signal to be displayed;  
 determining whether a synchronous signal is input when the signal source selection state corresponds to selection of the computer;  
 executing a power-saving mode when it is determined that the synchronous signal is not input;  
 checking a picture-in-picture enable state when it is determined that the synchronous signal is input;  
 displaying a video signal input from the computer on a screen if the PIP enable state is not enabled;  
 judging the PIP selection state if the PIP enable state is enabled;  
 displaying the video signal input from said computer or said another signal source on a main screen and displaying on a subscreen the video signal not displayed on said main according to the judged PIP selection state; and  
 displaying a video signal of said another signal source on the screen when the signal source selection state corresponds to selection of said another source.  
 
     
     
       3. The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said step of displaying a video signal input from the computer on a screen if the PIP enable state is not enabled, comprises steps of:
 controlling a display controller to receive a digital video signal and a digital synchronous signal input from a digital converter connected to receive the video signal from said computer such that said display controller outputs the digital video signal to a display unit for display.  
 
     
     
       4. The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said step of displaying a video signal of said another signal source on the screen when the signal source selection state corresponds to selection of said another source, comprises steps of:
 controlling a display controller to receive a digital video signal from a digital converter connected to a switching unit to receive the video signal from said another signal source such that said display controller separates and a digital synchronous signal input from said digital video signal and outputs the digital video signal to a display unit for display.  
 
     
     
       5. The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said step of displaying the video signal input from said computer or said another signal source on a main screen and displaying on a subscreen the video signal not displayed on said main according to the judged PIP selection state, comprises steps of:
 determining whether the video signal input from said computer or the video signal input from said another signal source is to be displayed on said main screen;  
 controlling a display controller to receive a first digital video signal from a first digital converter connected to a switching unit to receive the video signal from said another signal source such that said display controller separates a first digital synchronous signal from said first digital video signal and outputs the digital video signal to a display unit for display on said subscreen, when it is determined that said video signal from said computer is to be displayed on said main screen; and  
 controlling said display controller to receive a second digital video signal and a second digital synchronous signal input from a second digital converter connected to receive the video signal from said computer such that said display controller outputs the second digital video signal to a display unit for display on said main screen.  
 
     
     
       6. The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said step of checking a signal source selection state comprises steps of:
 detecting an input to a microcomputer from a user selected key of a key input unit to set said signal source selection state to indicate whether one of said computer, a video cassette recorder and a television antenna is selected for providing a video signal to be displayed; and  
 controlling a switching unit to select one of said video cassette recorder and said television antenna as the source of said video signal from said another signal source, when said signal source selection state indicative of said one of said video cassette recorder and said television antenna.  
 
     
     
       7. A video display device, comprising:
   a plurality of video signal inputs for a plurality of video signal sources;        a selector to select one of the video signal inputs;        a detector to determine whether a computer is selected from among the plurality of video signal sources and a video signal is received from the computer; and        a controller to convert the video display device from a normal mode to a power savings mode if the computer is selected from the plurality of video sources and if the video signal is not received from the computer.     
     
     
       8. The video display device of  claim 7 , wherein the video signal inputs comprise a computer video signal input for a computer video source generating a computer video signal, and
   the controller converts the video display device from the normal power mode to the power savings mode if the selector selects the computer video signal input and the detector determines that the computer video signal input does not receive the computer video signal.     
     
     
       9. The video display device of  claim 8 , wherein the computer video signal input is an RGB video signal input. 
     
     
       10. The video display device of  claim 8 , wherein the computer video source is a computer. 
     
     
       11. The video display device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller maintains the normal power mode if the selected video signal input is not the computer video signal input. 
     
     
       12. The video display device of  claim 11 , wherein the video signal inputs further comprise a composite video signal input. 
     
     
       13. The video display device of  claim 12 , wherein the detector determines whether the selected video signal input receives the video signal if the selector selects one of the video signal inputs. 
     
     
       14. The video display device of  claim 8 , wherein the detector determines that the computer video signal input receives the computer video signal if the computer video signal input receives a synchronizing signal of the computer video signal. 
     
     
       15. A method for operating a video display device having a plurality of video signal inputs for a plurality of video sources, the method comprising steps of:
   selecting one of the video signal inputs from at least one of the plurality of video sources;        determining whether a computer is selected from among the plurality of video signal sources and a video signal is received from the computer; and        converting from a normal power mode to a power saving mode if the computer is selected from the plurality of video sources and if the video signal is not received from the computer.     
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the video signal inputs comprises a computer video signal input for a computer video source generating a computer video signal, and
   the converting step converts from the normal power mode to the power savings mode if the computer video signal input is selected during the selecting step and if it is determined that the computer video signal input does not receive the computer video signal during the determining step.     
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the computer video signal input is an RGB video signal input. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the computer video source is a computer. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a step of maintaining the normal power mode if the video signal input selected during the selecting step is not the computer video signal input. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the determination step comprises a step of checking if the computer video signal input receives a synchronizing signal of the computer video signal. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein, in the determination step, it is determined that the computer video signal input receives the computer video signal if the computer video signal input receives the synchronizing signal of the computer video signal. 
     
     
       22. A method for operating a video display device having a plurality of video signal inputs for a plurality of video signal sources comprising a computer video signal source generating a computer video signal, comprising steps of:
   determining which video signal source input is selected from the plurality of video signal sources;        maintaining a present mode if the computer video signal source input is not selected;        determining whether a synchronous signal of the computer video signal is detected if the computer signal source input is selected; and        converting the present mode to a power saving mode if the synchronous signal is not detected.     
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
   determine whether a picture - in - picture  ( PIP )  operation is enabled if the synchronous signal is detected;        displaying the computer video signal from the computer video signal input on a main screen if the synchronous signal is detected and the PIP operation is not enabled;        displaying one of the computer video signal and another video signal on the main screen and the other on a subscreen if the synchronous signal is detected and the PIP operation is enabled.     
     
     
       24. A method for operating a video display device capable of being connected to a plurality of video signal sources comprising a computer video signal source generating a computer video signal, comprising steps of:
   determining which video signal source is connected to the video display device;        maintaining a present mode if it is determined that the computer video signal source is not connected to the video display device; and        determining whether the video display device receives the computer video signal from the computer video signal source if it is determined that the computer video signal source is connected to the video display device; and        converting to a power save mode if it is determined that the computer video signal source is connected to the video display device and the video display device does not receive the computer video signal from the computer video signal source.     
     
     
       25. A video display device having a plurality of video signal inputs comprising a computer video signal input receiving a computer video signal, comprising:
   an input unit allowing a user to select at least one of the video signal inputs; and        a control unit to maintain a present mode if the computer video signal input is not selected, to determine whether a synchronous signal of the computer video signal is detected if the computer video signal input is selected, and to convert the present mode to a power saving mode if the computer video signal input is selected and the synchronous signal is not detected.     
     
     
       26. The video display device of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   a switching unit selecting one of video signals from the video signal inputs;        a first digital converter converting the video signal selected by the switching unit to a first digital video signal;        a second digital converter converting the computer video signal from the computer signal input to a second digital video signal; and        a display controller processing one of the first digital video signal and the second digital video signal to be displayed on a screen,        wherein the control unit determines whether a picture - in - picture  ( PIP )  operation is enabled if the synchronous signal of the computer video signal is detected, and controls the display controller to display the second digital video signal on the screen if the PIP operation is not enabled and to display one of the first digital video signal and the second digital video signal on a main screen and the other on a subscreen if the PIP operation is enabled.