KR19990081392A - Computer system having a screen saver function and its screen saver control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer system having a screen saver function and a control method for operating or releasing a screen saver thereof, comprising a sensing device having a predetermined sensing area on one side of a housing of a computer, and a microcontroller detecting The operation of the screen saver is controlled by receiving a detection signal corresponding to the presence of a user from the device. Therefore, when the user leaves the detection area, the screen saver is automatically operated, and when the user returns, the screen saver is automatically released.

Description

COMPUTER SYSTEM HAVING SCREEN SAVER AND SCREEN SAVER CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a computer system having a screen saver function and a control method for operating / deactivating the screen saver function thereof.

Screen savers are utility programs that change the appearance of the screen while the user is not using the computer to extend the life of the display device. For example, when the screen saver runs in Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system program, the desktop disappears and a moving or black screen appears. At this time, to return to the original desktop, that is, to release the screen saver, move the mouse (or touch pad) or press any key on the keyboard.

The screen saver is operated by setting information of the screen saver when the user does not use the computer. For example, the screen saver function starts when the standby time is set and the system is in the standby state for the set time.

In addition, energy-saving features require the monitor and video card or system BIOS to have Advanced Power Management or VESA BIOS Extended Power Management.

That means you can use a screen saver with energy-saving features. For example, you can set the screen saver to turn on after 5 minutes, to wake the monitor after 10 minutes, or to automatically turn off the monitor after 15 minutes. Therefore, most computers are equipped with screen savers.

However, the screen saver of the computer according to the prior art does not operate within a predetermined time when the user leaves the seat and does not use the computer, and the computer does not operate the original keystroke or the mouse pointer to release the screen saver. There is an inconvenience in returning to the state.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, the screen saver is operated when the user leaves the work area without using the computer, the screen saver automatically when the user returns to the work area to use the computer again To implement a decommissioning computer system.

It is still another object of the present invention to implement a method of automatically operating / deactivating a screen saver of a computer system.

1 is a perspective view of a portable computer system for automatically enabling / disabling a screen saver function according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the portable computer shown in FIG. 1;

3 is a circuit diagram showing a detailed configuration of the sensing device shown in FIG. And

4 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for activating / deactivating the screen saver function of the portable computer according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

100: portable computer 114: microcontroller

116, 118: housing 120: LCD

150: keyboard 160: touchpad

200a, 200b: sensing device 202, 212: light emitting element

206, 208: light receiving element 214: end gate

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, in a computer system having a screen saver function provided with a central processing unit: having a predetermined sensing area, and detects the presence or absence of a user in the sensing area A sensing device for generating a sensing signal; And a microcontroller outputting a control signal for releasing the operation of the screen saver to the central processing unit when the detection signal is input.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the sensing device comprises: a light emitting unit for outputting a first wireless signal for sensing the presence or absence of a user in the sensing area; And a light receiving unit configured to receive a second wireless signal generated by the first wireless signal and output the detection signal corresponding to the second wireless signal.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the sensing device comprises: the at least one light emitting and receiving elements; The electronic device may further include a logic circuit configured to output an activated sensing signal when signals input from the at least one light receiving element are simultaneously activated.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the microcontroller further comprises outputting a control signal for operating the screen saver function if the sensing signal is not input.

According to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, there is provided at least one sensing device having a predetermined sensing area, and activates / deactivates the screen saver function of the computer system for detecting whether a user is in the sensing area. A control method comprising: determining whether a detection signal corresponding to the presence or absence of a user is input into the detection area from the detection device; When the detection signal is input, generating a control signal for stopping the operation of the screen saver.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, further comprising operating the screen saver if the detection signal is not input.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the sensing device generates a sensing signal corresponding to the presence or absence of a user from the sensing area including the working area. The microcontroller then receives this sensing signal and outputs a control signal to the central processing unit to enable or disable the screen saver function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 illustrate a portable computer system having a central processing unit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention to automatically enable / disable the screen saver.

Referring to FIG. 1, the portable computer 100 includes an LCD panel 118 and a main body 116, and the novel sensing devices 200: 200a and 200b are provided on one side of the housing forming the main body 116. It is. The main body 116 is provided with a keyboard 150 and a touch pad 160 (or a mouse).

The sensing device 200 is provided on the left and right sides 200a and 200b of the housing of the main body 116 for clear sensing rather than having a single sensing device. In addition, the sensing devices 200a and 200b may be provided at one side of the housing of the LCD panel 118. That is, the portable computer is provided in an appropriate portion of the main body or the front of the LCD panel with the LCD panel unfolded so as to have a sensing area including an area where the user uses the computer (hereinafter referred to as a work area).

Specifically, referring to FIG. 2, the portable computer 100 includes a novel sensing device 200 and a microcontroller 114 according to the present invention. The hard disk drive 130 is provided with a screen saver. This program is provided in an operating system program or utility program.

The sensing device 200 includes at least one light emitting unit (202, 212 of FIG. 3) and a light receiving unit (206, 208 of FIG. 3). In addition, a wireless signal is generated to detect whether the user is in a work area, and a sensing signal SENS is generated in response to another wireless signal input by the wireless signal.

The microcontroller 114 determines whether the user is within the working area from the sensing device 200 by receiving the sensing signal SENS. Then, according to the result, a control signal for controlling the operation of the screen saver is output to the central processing unit (CPU) 102. Thus, the central processing unit 102 activates / deactivates the screen saver function in response to the control signal.

3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of the sensing device 200 shown in FIG. 2, and the sensing device 200 largely includes a first 200a and a second sensing device 200b. The first 200a and the second sensing device 200b may include light emitting units 202 and 212 and light receiving units 206 and 208 that transmit and receive wireless signals, respectively. Have

The light emitting parts 202 and 212 are provided at one side of a housing constituting the main body 116. And at least one light emitting element (eg, a light emitting diode). And a wireless signal for detecting a user to the detection area is generated.

The light receiving units 206 and 208 include at least one light receiving element (eg, phototransistors) for receiving another wireless signal generated in response to the presence or absence of a user by the wireless signal. That is, the light receiving elements 206 and 208 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the light emitting elements 202 and 212 on one side of the housing in order to receive the radio signal more accurately.

Referring to the drawings, the sensing device 200 includes a first 202 / second light emitting diode 212 and a first 206 / second phototransistor 208 and a first 204 / second resistor ( 210). And when the phototransistors (206, 208) are activated by the input wireless signal at the same time, and the end gate 214 for outputting the activated sensing signal (SENS) to the microcontroller 114.

A power supply voltage VCC is applied to an anode terminal of the first 202 and second light emitting diodes 212, respectively, and a cathode terminal is grounded.

One end of each of the first 204 and second resistors 210 receives the power supply voltage VCC, and the other end thereof is connected to the collector terminal of the first 206 and second phototransistor 208.

In addition, each emitter terminal of the first 206 and second phototransistor 208 is connected to an input terminal of the AND gate 214.

Therefore, a wireless signal is output from the first and second light emitting diodes 202 and 212 to the sensing area. Subsequently, the first and second phototransistors 206 and 208 output the sensing signal SENS to the microcontroller 114 according to the presence or absence of a user in the sensing region.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, a light emitting diode and a phototransistor are used as the sensing device for detecting whether the user is located in front of the computer, but may be implemented using an infrared (red) diode. Therefore, the technical idea of the present invention, that is, the scope of rights is not limited to the use of a light emitting diode, but should be determined as described in the claims.

4 illustrates a procedure for controlling the screen saver operation of a computer system according to an embodiment, which is processed by the microcontroller 114.

Referring to the drawing, it is determined whether a sensing signal SENS is input from the sensing apparatus 200 in step S240. When the sensing signal SENS is input, the control proceeds to step S242 to generate a control signal to the CPU 102 to stop the operation of the screen saver. Therefore, the screen saver function is stopped and the system returns.

In addition, if the detection signal SENS is not input, the process proceeds to step S244 to generate a control signal to perform the operation of the screen saver.

As described above, the present invention provides a convenient computer use environment by immediately operating the screen saver when the user leaves the sensing area and stopping the screen saver function when the user enters the sensing area.

Claims (6)

In a computer system having a central processing unit and having a screen saver function: A sensing device having a predetermined sensing area and sensing a presence or absence of a user in the sensing area and generating a sensing signal corresponding thereto; And a microcontroller outputting a control signal for releasing the operation of the screen saver to the central processing unit when the detection signal is input. The method of claim 1, The sensing device is: A light emitting unit configured to output a first wireless signal for detecting the presence or absence of a user in the detection area; And a light receiving unit which receives a second wireless signal generated by the first wireless signal and outputs the detection signal corresponding to the second wireless signal. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The sensing device is: The at least one light emitting and receiving element; And a logic circuit to output an activated sense signal when a signal input from the at least one light receiving element is simultaneously activated. The method of claim 1, And the microcontroller outputs a control signal for operating the screen saver function if the sense signal is not input. A control method comprising at least one sensing device having a predetermined sensing area and operating / deactivating a screen saver function of a computer system for detecting whether a user is in the sensing area. Determining whether a detection signal corresponding to the presence or absence of a user is input into the detection area from the detection device; Generating a control signal for stopping the operation of the screen saver when the detection signal is input. The method of claim 5, Operating the screen saver if the detection signal is not input.