JP2001061116A - Multi-screen display unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-screen display unit that can display a plurality of video signals outputted from a plurality of output systems on one screen as dynamic images at the same time. SOLUTION: In this multi-screen display device 100 provided with a reception control section 103, that switches in time division storage areas 20a-20i in a channel and signal storage section 104 of a tuner 102 and a reproduction control section 106 that displays a screen of a display unit 107 through divisions of a plurality of display areas 31a-31i, a received program is stored temporarily in the signal storage section and is displayed simultaneously on the display unit 107.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention
The present invention relates to a multi-screen display device that displays moving images on a plurality of screens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in accordance with a change in the environment surrounding TV broadcasting such as multi-channels and diversification of contents, a television receiver which displays a plurality of programs on a single screen in order to enhance convenience. There is a need for a vessel, and for example, the following are known.

[0003] 1.2 or more tuners are built-in, and a plurality of programs are simultaneously displayed on a single screen (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-125507).

[0004] 2. A built-in single tuner that displays the programs of each channel as still images on a single screen simultaneously.

[0005]

However, such a conventional television receiver has the following problems. That is, 1. In the above example, a plurality of tuners are required. However, this actually increases the size of the device, complicates the configuration and increases the cost, and it is realistic to prepare tuners for programs of all channels. , It is not possible to obtain information about all receivable broadcast programs at once.

[0006] Also, 2. In this example, it is possible to display programs on all channels, but since the displayed program is not a video, it is difficult to grasp the contents of each program, and it is not as interesting as it looks. It cannot be said that it takes into account the convenience of the elderly.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and provides a multi-screen display device capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of video signals output from a plurality of output systems on a single screen as moving images. The purpose is to do.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 1) is an audio / video
M (M: an integer satisfying M <N) input means for inputting N (N: natural number) systems of visual (AV) signals, input means control means for controlling the input means, and recording the AV signal Recording means, reproduction control means for controlling reproduction of the recorded AV signal, and display means for displaying the reproduced AV signal, wherein the reproduction control means is recorded at least in the recording means The AV signal is
A multi-screen display device characterized in that a plurality of display devices are simultaneously displayed on the display means (see Embodiment 1).

Further, the second invention (corresponding to claim 2)
The recording means performs predetermined high-efficiency encoding on the AV signal before recording, and the reproduction control means performs the predetermined high-efficiency encoding on the AV signal on which the predetermined high-efficiency encoding has been performed. A multi-screen display device according to a first aspect of the present invention, which performs decoding after performing inverse decoding of the high-efficiency encoding described above (see Embodiment 2).

Further, the third invention (corresponding to claim 3)
Wherein the input means is a tuner for inputting a signal from a broadcasting station, and wherein the N-system AV signals are signals from different broadcasting stations, respectively.
Is a multi-screen display device of the present invention (see Embodiment 1).

A fourth aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 4)
Is a multi-screen display device according to a third aspect of the present invention, wherein the input means control means switches the channels of the tuner in a time-division manner at predetermined time intervals (see Embodiment 1).

Further, the fifth invention (corresponding to claim 5)
Is a multi-screen display device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein an AV signal received by the tuner and an AV signal recorded in the recording means are simultaneously displayed on the display means. (See Embodiment 1).

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multi-screen display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in a multi-screen display device 100, an antenna 101 is a means for receiving a broadcast, and a tuner 102 is an antenna 101
Receiving means for receiving broadcast input received from
3 means for controlling the operation of the tuner 102 and the signal storage unit 104; signal storage unit 104 for storing the signal from the tuner 102; and signal reproduction unit 105 for reproducing the signal stored in the signal storage unit 104. , Playback control unit 1
06 is a unit for controlling the operation of the signal reproducing unit 105, and the display device 107 is a unit for displaying a signal reproduced by the signal reproducing unit 105 as a video. Note that the input means control means of the present invention corresponds to the reception control section 103 of the present embodiment. The recording means of the present invention corresponds to the signal storage section of the present embodiment, the reproduction control means of the present invention corresponds to the reproduction control section and the signal reproducing section of the present embodiment, and the display means of the present invention corresponds to the present embodiment. Respectively.

The operation of the multi-screen display device according to the first embodiment having the above configuration will be described below.

First, the multi-screen display device 100 is receiving broadcasts from nine broadcast stations, that is, in an environment in which nine channels can be selected. It is assumed that one of the stations has been selected.

When the multi-screen display device 100 starts operating, the tuner 102 first receives a broadcast program of a previously selected broadcast station.

Next, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the reception control section 103 outputs a tuner control signal for switching the channel of the tuner 102 to the tuner 102.
When the tuner 102 acquires the tuner control signal from the reception control unit 103, the tuner 102 switches the channel and receives a broadcast program from a broadcast station different from the station previously selected.

When a predetermined time has elapsed, the reception control section 103 issues a tuner control signal again, and
Channel 02 is switched to that of a new broadcasting station.
Hereinafter, by repeating the same operation, the tuner 10
Reference numeral 3 cyclically and periodically receives nine stations.

On the other hand, when the tuner 102 receives a broadcast program, the tuner 102 outputs an AV signal of the broadcast program to the signal storage unit 104. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the signal storage unit 104. As shown in the figure, the signal storage unit 104 is divided into nine storage areas and storage areas 20a to 20i corresponding to the number of channels selectable by the tuner 102, for example, corresponding to the broadcast reception environment of the multi-screen display device 100. It is assumed that

When the signal storage unit 104 receives the AV signal output from the tuner 102, it stores it in a predetermined storage area, for example, the storage area 20a.

Next, after a lapse of a predetermined time, the reception control unit 103 stores in the signal storage unit 104 a storage area for recording a broadcast program signal from the tuner 102 together with the signal to the tuner 102 described above. And outputs a storage unit control signal for switching. When the signal storage unit 104 acquires the storage unit control signal from the reception control unit 103, the signal storage unit 104 stores the AV signal output from the tuner 102 in a storage area different from the conventional one, for example, the storage area 20b. When a predetermined time has elapsed, the reception control unit 103 sets the tuner 1
A storage control signal is issued in response to the channel switching of 02, and the storage area in the signal storage 104 is switched to a new one (such as the storage area 20c). Signal storage unit 10
No. 4 stores a new AV signal in this new storage area.

As described above, the reception control unit 103 sets the channel of the tuner 102 and the signal storage unit 1 at predetermined time intervals.
The control is performed so that the storage areas in the storage area 04 are switched in synchronization with each other, and the signal storage unit 104 stores AV signals of different channels in the individual storage areas for the predetermined time.

Next, the reproduction control unit 106 controls the signal storage unit 1
Access is made to the information processing unit 04 to obtain auxiliary information about the AV signal recorded in each storage area in the signal storage unit 104. Here, the auxiliary information is information such as a broadcast program serving as a resource of the AV signal, its channel, broadcast station code, broadcast time, program genre code, and program name.

The reproduction control section 106 generates a reproduction control signal for reproducing the AV signal stored in the signal storage section 104 based on the auxiliary information, and outputs it to the signal reproduction section 105. At the same time, control is performed so that the screen displayed on the display device 107 is divided into a predetermined number of display areas by the reproduction control signal. The display area is the signal storage unit 10
4 is generated based on the reproduction control signal acquired from the display area 31a as shown in FIG.
To 31i are developed in a tile shape on the screen 30 of the display device 107.

When the signal reproducing unit 105 acquires the reproduction control signal, the signal reproducing unit 105 stores each of the storage areas 20 a to 20 in the signal storing unit 104.
i, reproduce the AV signals stored in each of them,
Then, the video signal is output to the display device 107.

A series of operations, such as a broadcast program receiving operation by the tuner 102, an AV signal storing operation by the signal storage unit 104, and a video signal reproducing operation by the signal reproducing unit 105, are sequentially performed in chronological order. Rather, it is performed in parallel by each part. That is, the signal storage unit 1
04, a certain storage area (for example, storage area 20a)
After the storage of the AV signal, a new storage area (for example, the storage area 20b) is controlled by the reception control unit 103.
When recording of a new AV signal into the storage area 1 is started, the storage area 1 is immediately accessed by the signal reproducing unit 105 and outputs an AV signal. Subsequently, a new storage area (for example, the storage area 20) is controlled by the reception control unit 103.
When the recording of a new AV signal is started in c), the storage area 2 receives an access from the signal reproducing unit 105 and outputs an AV signal, as in the case of the storage area 1. However, even during the operation described on the left,
The signal output continues.

Hereinafter, the same operation is performed for each storage area, and as a whole, while the AV signal from the tuner 102 is stored in a certain storage area, the signal storage section 104 is stored in another storage area. The present AV signal is transmitted to the signal reproducing unit 10.
5 is always reproduced. At this time,
Since the reproduction time of the AV signal stored in each storage area is shorter than the time for storing the AV signal in all the storage areas of the signal storage unit 104, the AV time of each storage area output to each display area is reduced. The same signal is repeatedly reproduced until a new AV signal is recorded in each storage area.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 3, the video signal of each broadcast program is reproduced for each display area developed on the screen 30 of the display device 107. The user selects a desired channel from the broadcast program displayed as a moving image in the display area in the same manner as in ordinary television viewing.

As described above, according to the multi-screen display device of the first embodiment of the present invention, a single screen is divided, and different broadcast programs are simultaneously displayed as moving images on the divided display areas. can do.

In the present embodiment, the description has been made assuming that the video signal of the AV signal stored in the signal storage unit 104 is output to the display device 107 as a moving image. May be output simultaneously. At this time, it is preferable to assign an identification code such as an instruction frame 32 as shown in FIG. 3 to the display area of the channel for which audio is being output so as to be distinguishable from other display areas on the screen 30.

Further, the display area to be subjected to audio output may be arbitrarily switched. In this case, it is preferable that the audio signal be switched at the same time according to the output video signal.

The display areas 20a to 20i or the entire screen 30 are not limited to only moving images of a broadcast program.
By using the auxiliary information of the reproduction control unit 106, explanations such as a channel number, a broadcast station name, and a program name may be displayed at the same time or by appropriately switching to an image. As an example, in the example shown in FIG. 3, in each of the display areas 20a to 20i, a channel number corresponding to each area is displayed at the upper right corner of the area.

The output of the video signal from the signal storage unit 104 is controlled by the tuner 102 under the control of the reception control unit 103.
Are performed in synchronization with the channel switching order, but the display order on each of the display areas 20a to 20i of the screen 30 may be arranged in an arbitrary arrangement, for example, vertically or horizontally in ascending or descending order of the number of channels. Screen 30
It may be displayed so as to scan the top, and as shown in FIG. 4, (a) march type, (b) spiral type, (b) skip type (one screen skip, etc.), oblique direction, etc. You may. These display patterns may be switched at predetermined time intervals.

Further, in the present embodiment, the screen 3
0 are stored in the signal storage unit 1
The description has been given assuming that the video signal from the video signal 04 is displayed as a moving image. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one display area receives an AV signal directly from the tuner 102, The broadcast program that is currently displayed may be displayed. (Embodiment 2) The multi-screen display device according to Embodiment 1 stores the AV signal input from the tuner 102 in the signal storage unit 104 as it is.
When this is used for the analog broadcasting used in the current terrestrial broadcasting, the information amount of the AV signal becomes enormous as it is. Therefore, the multi-screen display device according to the second embodiment is configured to perform high-efficiency encoding processing such as MPEG on an AV signal, compress the amount of information, and store the compressed information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multi-screen display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the multi-screen display device 150, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same parts or the same means. The encoder 151 is a unit arranged between the tuner 102 and the signal storage unit 104, and the decoder 152 is a unit arranged between the signal storage unit 104 and the signal reproduction unit 105.

A multi-screen display device 1 having such a configuration
The operation of 40 will be described below. However, description of operations common to the first embodiment is omitted.

When receiving the broadcast program, the tuner 102 outputs an AV signal of the broadcast program to the encoder 151. The encoder 151 performs predetermined high-efficiency encoding, converts the encoded data into a digital bit stream, and outputs the digital bit stream to the signal storage unit 104. The signal storage unit 104 stores the AV signal in the form of a digital bit stream in each storage area.

When the signal reproduction section 105 acquires the reproduction control signal, the signal reproduction section 105 stores each of the storage areas 1 to 9 in the signal storage section 104.
Then, the digital bit stream is reproduced as appropriate. The reproduced digital bit stream is input to the decoder 152. The decoder 152 performs a decoding process in a procedure reverse to a predetermined high-efficiency coding, and decodes an AV signal from the digital bit stream. The signal reproduction unit 105
The decoded AV signal is output to the display device 107.

The high-efficiency coding method may be based on, for example, MPEG1, but may be based on MPEG2. In the case of MPEG2, a higher quality image can be obtained than in MPEG1. (Embodiment 3) In the multi-screen recording apparatus according to Embodiments 1 and 2, storage areas are provided in the signal storage section 104 by the number of channels received by the tuner 102, and each broadcast area is provided in each storage area. Although the AV signal of the program is stored and reproduced, the reproduction and recording of the AV signal cannot be performed simultaneously in one recording area. In this case, a non-display period occurs on the display area.

Therefore, the multi-screen display device according to the third embodiment eliminates such a non-display period so that moving images can be displayed continuously.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the signal storage unit 164 used in the multi-screen recording device according to the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, each of the storage areas 60a to 60i on the signal storage unit 104 is further divided into two areas (A) and (A) for each number of channels.

The signal storage unit 164 having such a configuration
Since the area for recording and the area for reproduction can be used independently in the recording area corresponding to one channel, the reproducing operation and the recording operation can be performed simultaneously.
That is, when the AV signal is first stored, the storage area 6
One cycle from the area from 0a (A) (for example, the display area 31a (applied to channel 1) shown in FIG. 3) to the storage area 60i (A) (for example, the display area 31i (applied to channel 12) shown in FIG. 3) In the next recording, the storage area 60a (a) (channel 1)
To the area 9 (b) (channel 12). Then, for example, until the storage of the AV signal of channel 1 in the storage area 60a (a) is completed, the signal reproducing unit 105
Since a signal stored in the storage area 60a (A) can be reproduced as a signal, it is possible to prevent a time for overwriting an AV signal in each storage area from becoming a non-display period.

Further, in addition to further dividing the storage area in the signal storage section, an external storage section may be further provided, whereby the storage areas for reproduction and recording may be provided at different storage locations. Here, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another configuration example of the multi-screen display device according to the third embodiment. In the multi-screen display device 170, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 171 is a unit disposed between the signal storage unit 104 and the signal reproduction unit 105.

A multi-screen display device 1 having such a configuration
According to No. 70, as in the above-described example, recording and reproduction of AV signals belonging to the same channel can be performed simultaneously, and in addition to recording of AV signals currently being broadcast by adjusting the storage capacity. Instead, AV signals of a large number of broadcast programs recorded in the past can be stored as a content library like a VTR. Such a content library can also be divided and displayed simultaneously as a moving image by the reproduction control unit 106 and the signal reproduction unit 105, similarly to the AV information of a broadcast program. In particular, in this case, the display device 107 is used as a kind of browser for viewing moving images.

In any of the embodiments of the present invention, the description has been made assuming that the signal reproducing unit 105 displays only a moving image. However, it takes some time until the moving image is displayed in all display areas on the screen 30. Is required, a non-display period may occur. To avoid this, all display areas may be filled with still images first, and then sequentially switched to moving image display. In this case, since the data amount of the still image is very small, the signal storage unit 104 may not be directly operated and the data may be stored using a buffer memory or the like.

Also, in any of the embodiments of the present invention, the multi-screen display device of the present invention has been described as using the tuner 102 to receive and display broadcast programs such as terrestrial broadcasts and satellite broadcasts. However, without being limited to this, a plurality of video input devices such as a monitoring camera may be arranged instead of the tuner 102, and the reception control unit 103 may control the video input devices. In this case, the present invention can be used as a low-cost monitoring device.

Further, in any of the embodiments of the present invention, the description has been made assuming that the tuner 102 operates using only one tuner. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Multiple tuners or video input devices may be used. In short, any combination can be used as long as the reproduction control unit 106 is set so that the number of display areas is greater than the number of input signals in N systems. In this case, the cycle of overwriting and storing the moving image can be further shortened, and the contents of the displayed program and the like can be easily grasped.

The signal storage unit 104 stores the tuner 1
02 and an AV signal from a video reproducing apparatus such as a VTR, a laser disk, or a DVD independent of the reception control unit 103 may be stored.

As a specific example of the signal storage unit 104 and the external storage unit 161, an HDD may be used, but a semiconductor memory, a removable disk, or the like may also be used. In particular, when a semiconductor memory is used, the access time is shorter than the seek time of the HDD, so that there is an effect that the speed of storage and reproduction can be improved. Also,
DVD-RAM, DVD as removable disk
-ROM, PD, MO, ZIP, etc., but are not limited to these, and any medium that can be randomly accessed and that can be freely rewritten may be used.

In each of the embodiments of the present invention, the description has been made assuming that the display areas obtained by dividing the screen 30 are all of the same size. However, the present invention is not limited to this. An arbitrary size may be set for the display area. For example, the display areas 31a, 31
By using the four regions b, 31d, and 31e as one display region, a larger display region can be obtained. At this time, by appropriately selecting the other display area as the original size, the desired moving image can be viewed in the larger display area, and the convenience is improved.

The description has been made assuming that the number of display areas corresponds to the number of channels that can be received by the tuner 102. However, the number may be set arbitrarily. In addition to (surface), for example, 3 × 4
(Plane), 2 × 2 (plane), 4 × 6 (plane), etc. Furthermore, initially, the screen 30 is displayed in a configuration divided into 3 × 3 (plane) display areas, and after that, for example, any four screens are selected from these display areas and 2 × 3 (screen) is selected.
It is also possible to switch to the 2 (plane) screen configuration.

That is, as long as one screen is divided and a plurality of moving images are displayed, the division of the display area and the setting of the combination may take any form.

[0053]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a moving image of a plurality of channels can be obtained by using one or a minimum number of tuners by using a storage device such as a hard disk. It can be displayed at the same time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multi-screen display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a signal storage unit in the multi-screen display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a state of screen division display by the multi-screen display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation of switching a display area by the multi-screen display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multi-screen display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a signal storage unit in a multi-screen display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the multi-screen display device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f, 2
0g, 20h, 20i, 60a, 60b, 60c, 60
d, 60e, 60f, 60g, 60h, 60i storage area 30 screens 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d, 31e, 31f, 3
1g, 31h, 31i Display area 31 Indicator frame 100, 150, 170 Multi-screen display device 101 Antenna 102 Tuner 103 Reception control unit 104, 164 Signal storage unit 105 Signal reproduction unit 106 Reproduction control unit 107 Display device 151 Encoder 152 Decoder 171 External Memory

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. M (M: an integer that satisfies M <N) input means for inputting N (N: natural number) systems of audiovisual (AV) signals, and input means control means for controlling the input means Recording means for recording the AV signal; reproduction control means for controlling reproduction of the recorded AV signal; and display means for displaying the reproduced AV signal. A multi-screen display device, wherein a plurality of the AV signals recorded in the recording means are simultaneously displayed on the display means. 2. The recording means performs predetermined high-efficiency coding on the AV signal before performing recording, and the reproduction control means performs the predetermined high-efficiency coding on the AV signal. 2. The multi-screen display device according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction is performed after performing the inverse decoding of the predetermined high-efficiency encoding. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is a tuner for inputting a signal from a broadcasting station, and the N-system AV signals are signals from different broadcasting stations. Multi-screen display device. 4. The multi-screen display device according to claim 3, wherein the input unit control unit switches the channel of the tuner in a time-division manner at a predetermined time interval. 5. An AV signal received by said tuner and an AV signal recorded in said recording means are simultaneously displayed on said display means.
2. The multi-screen display device according to 1. 6. The multi-screen display device according to claim 5, wherein the reproduction control means receives an external AV signal input and displays the received AV signal together on the display means. 7. The display means includes a single screen, and the reproduction control means displays the N AV signals simultaneously by dividing the single screen. The multi-screen display device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein 8. The multi-screen display device according to claim 7, wherein the number of divisions of the single screen can be arbitrarily set to N or more. 9. The multi-screen display device according to claim 7, wherein the arrangement of the divided screens can be set arbitrarily. 10. The multi-screen display device according to claim 7, wherein the size of the divided screen can be arbitrarily set. 11. The multi-screen display according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the divided screens is processed so as to be distinguishable from the other divided screen. apparatus. 12. The screen processed to be identifiable is one screen, and audio of a broadcast program displayed on the screen is output.
2. The multi-screen display device according to 1. 13. M (M: an integer satisfying M <N) input means for inputting N (N: natural number) systems of audio visual (AV) signals, and input means control means for controlling the input means. Recording means for recording the AV signal; reproduction control means for controlling reproduction of the recorded AV signal; and display means for displaying the reproduced AV signal. A multi-screen display device, wherein a plurality of the AV signals recorded in the recording means are simultaneously displayed on the display means.