Monitor Integrated Circuit Usage Data Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Designers and manufacturers of display devices face challenges in understanding how users utilize various settings and features of monitors, as well as which ports are used or neglected, which is crucial for informing future design and manufacturing decisions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an integrated circuit in monitors that collects usage information, such as adjusted settings, feature usage, and port connectivity, and transmits this data through a video port to a host device, allowing for the collection and analysis of user behavior.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If monitor usage information is collected and transmitted through the video port, then valuable insights on user behavior are provided for informed design decisions, but the system complexity increases due to integration of usage tracking functionality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitor usage informationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The video port, traditionally used only for video signal transmission, is enhanced to carry both video data and usage information. This multi-functional approach allows the existing infrastructure to be utilized for dual purposes, avoiding additional dedicated hardware channels while enabling comprehensive usage tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The driver software acts as an intermediary component that facilitates the transmission and processing of usage information between the monitor hardware and the host system. This software layer manages the data flow, parses usage information, and enables analysis without requiring direct hardware modifications to the video port itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If usage information is transmitted through the existing video port, then additional hardware channels are avoided, but the video signal bandwidth may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware channelsVSAvoidvideo signal bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The data transmission is segmented into different types: video signals and usage information. The system selectively transmits only necessary usage data (such as port connectivity status, setting adjustments, and feature usage) rather than continuous streams, minimizing the impact on video bandwidth while capturing essential usage patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting all possible monitor parameters continuously, the system transmits only the most relevant usage information periodically or on-demand. This partial transmission approach provides sufficient insights for design decisions without saturating the video port bandwidth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10764572B2Monitor usage information
Publication Date: 2020.09.01 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP
  • US10764572B2 patent drawing
  • US10764572B2 patent drawing
  • US10764572B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A monitor includes a display device to display images; an integrated circuit to control the display device; and a video port to connect the monitor to a host device. The integrated circuit is programmed to collect usage information and output the usage information through the video port to the host device.