TWI423011B - Docking station - Google Patents

Description

Computer docking station

The present invention relates to a computer docking station and can be used for a computer docking station that supports high resolution video.

The computer docking station (docking station) integrates a variety of commonly used output input interfaces, usually used to connect a notebook computer with multiple computers such as keyboards, mice, bar, monitors, modems or printers. Between the peripheral devices, when the user connects the notebook computer and the computer docking station with a universal serial bus (USB) cable, the plurality of peripheral devices can be directly used through the notebook computer, thereby saving the province. The trouble of connecting each computer peripheral device one by one.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer docking station in the prior art. The conventional computer docking station includes at least one USB input port 110 for connecting to the notebook computer and a plurality of output ports for connecting the peripheral devices. For example, the video output port 120 for connecting the external display device 170 is used for connection. The speaker audio output port 130, the RJ-45 output port 140 for connecting to the network data machine, and various parallel output ports 150 and serial output ports 160. However, limited by the transmission bandwidth of USB, the conventional video output 埠120 can only be used to transmit low-resolution video, such as Video Graphics Array (VGA) video, but cannot support the current popular video. High-resolution digital video transmission, such as 1080P High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video.

Therefore, there is a need for a new type of computer docking station that allows users to enjoy the display of high definition video while eliminating the hassle of the user.

The present invention provides a computer docking station for connecting a computer to a plurality of computer peripheral devices, including a wireless display (WiDi) module for receiving video output of the computer wirelessly; A video output port is configured to output the video received by the wireless display module to an external display.

The following is a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. The examples are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but are not intended to limit the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a computer docking station according to an embodiment of the present invention. As with the prior art, the computer docking station 200 of the present invention is used to connect a computer with a plurality of computer peripheral devices, including a universal serial bus (USB) input port 210 and a plurality of external outputs. 230. The USB input port 210 is connected to the computer and transmits data to the computer in a "wired" manner, and the external output port 230 is coupled to a plurality of computer peripheral devices, and is also "wired". The way to transfer data with these computer peripherals. It must be noted that although the main purpose of the computer docking station is to facilitate the user of the notebook computer, it is not limited to use on a notebook computer, and various computers supporting the USB output are in the computer docking station of the present invention. Within the scope of application. The external output ports 230 of the present invention may be an audio output port, an RJ-45 output port, a USB output port, a PS/2 output port, a parallel output port, and a serial output port. For example, the audio output port 230 can be used to connect a speaker or an audio system, the RJ-45 output port 240 is used to connect to a network data machine, and the USB output port can be used to connect a keyboard, a mouse, an external hard disk, and a printer. , computer peripherals such as cameras that support USB transmission. Those skilled in the art can change the type and number of the above-mentioned output ports in the computer dock 200 in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

Different from the prior art, the computer docking station 200 of the present invention further includes a wireless display (WiDi) module 270 and a video output port 280. The wireless display module 270 of the present invention can receive the video of the wireless output of the computer through a wireless receiving device such as an antenna, and the video output 280 is used to output the video received by the wireless display module module 270 to the video. External display 290. It is worth noting that the operation of the present invention includes the use of WiDi technology provided by Intel Corporation. When the computer supports WiDi technology, the screen display content can be transmitted to the present by wireless communication through Wi-Fi connection. The wireless display module 270 of the invention.

In one embodiment, the video output port 280 of the present invention can be a Video Graphics Array (VGA) interface or a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) interface. However, in a preferred embodiment, the video output port 280 of the present invention is a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) output port, and if the video received by the wireless display module 270 is an HDMI signal. Then, the video output 280 of the present invention can output the HDMI signal to the external display.

In a preferred embodiment, in order to maintain optimal display performance, the computer docking station 200 of the present invention can check whether the wireless display module 280 of the computer docking station 200 has been connected when the USB input port 210 is connected to the computer. The driver is installed and the driver of the wireless display module 280 is automatically installed when the check finds that it is not installed. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the computer docking station 200 of the present invention can check whether the wireless display module 280 of the computer docking station 200 has the latest driver when the USB port 210 is connected to the computer, and When the check finds that the driver is not updated, the driver of the wireless display module 280 is automatically updated.

In a preferred embodiment, the computer docking station 200 of the present invention further includes a proximity sensor (not shown) for automatically starting the wireless display module 270 when the computer approaches the computer docking station 200. The video content is displayed through an external display. According to the general usage habits, the output ports 230 of the computer docking station will be frequently connected with other computer peripheral devices, and the USB input port 210 will repeatedly connect and disconnect the cable with a notebook computer. Whenever the USB input port 210 detects that the USB cable connected to the computer is plugged and unplugged, the peripherals of other connected computers can be directly connected to the computer and enabled. However, in some cases, the user may only want to use an external display without temporarily using other peripheral devices. The proximity sensor of the present invention can help the user not insert the transmission line into the USB input port 210, that is, The external display can be automatically activated.

The computer docking station 200 of the present invention can also provide users with high-definition video display effects while eliminating the trouble of connecting the user's peripheral devices one by one. In addition, since the video transmission on the computer docking station 200 does not pass through the USB input port 210, the bandwidth of the USB transmission can be greatly saved, and the communication performance between the computer and the peripheral device can be improved.

The present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Computer docking station

110‧‧‧USB input埠

120‧‧‧Video output埠

130‧‧‧Audio output埠

140‧‧‧RJ-45 output埠

150‧‧‧Parallel output埠

160‧‧‧Serial output埠

170‧‧‧External display

200‧‧‧Computer docking station

210‧‧‧USB input埠

230‧‧‧External Output埠

270‧‧‧Wireless display module

280‧‧•Video output埠

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer docking station in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a computer docking station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

200. . . Computer docking station

210. . . USB input埠

230. . . External output埠

270. . . Wireless display module

280. . . Video output埠

Claims (10)

A computer docking station for connecting a computer to a plurality of computer peripheral devices, including a wireless display (WiDi) module for receiving video output of the computer wireless output; a video output port And outputting the video received by the wireless display module to an external display; and a proximity sensor for automatically starting the wireless display module when the computer approaches the computer dock. The computer docking station of claim 1, wherein the video output is a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) output, and the video is an HDMI signal. The computer docking station of claim 1, further comprising: a universal serial bus (USB) input port for connecting to the computer and transmitting data with the computer; and a plurality of An external output port is coupled to the peripheral devices of the computer and transmits data to the peripheral devices of the computer. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein when the USB input port is connected to the computer, the computer docking station automatically installs the driver of the wireless display module. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the computer dock automatically updates the driver of the wireless display module when the USB port is connected to the computer. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the external output port comprises: a USB output port for connecting a computer peripheral device supporting USB communication. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the external output port comprises: an audio output port for outputting an audio message. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the external output port comprises: an RJ-45 output port for connecting to the network. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the external output port comprises: a serial output port for connecting a computer peripheral device supporting serial communication. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the external output port comprises: a parallel output port for connecting a computer peripheral device supporting parallel communication.