JPH03167975A - Video output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the convenience of use considerably by providing a system control means in which a viewer selects and displays a video image from a desired input source to each of plural screen display sections. CONSTITUTION:When a command signal by a scan key is inputted in the normal mode by a master screen only, slave patterns B, C, D by a simulating moving picture are displayed on the screen of a CRT 5 in addition to a master pattern A. When the command signal by a select key is inputted, only the 1st slave pattern B is outputted as a normal moving picture and the 2nd and 3rd slave patterns C, D are displayed as still pictures. The user operate a cursor key based on the display of the selectable input and outputs the video image from the input source selected for the slave pattern B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a video output device capable of outputting multiple screens on a high-definition TV monitor.

[Summary of the Invention] For example, in a multi-screen display mode in which a plurality of sub-screens are displayed in addition to the main screen, the video output device of the present invention first selects the contents (input source) of the sub-screen. The child screen on which the action will be performed is clearly shown to the user, and the input sources that can be selected at that time are displayed on the main screen, for example, and the image from the input source selected by the user's cursor operation is displayed on the corresponding child screen. A video output device that allows a user to select and display video from a desired input source on each of a plurality of sub-screen display sections by being equipped with a system control means that can control the display on the screen. It provides:

[Prior Art] A method of displaying a plurality of different images on one CRT tube surface has been put into practical use, for example, as shown in FIG.
a) A picture-in-picture method that displays a child screen within the main screen, (b) a multi-picture method that divides the screen into equal parts and displays multiple images, and (c) a multi-picture method that displays many child screens outside the main screen. A TV scan method and the like are known.

Furthermore, high-definition televisions (high-definition) that have been developed in recent years have an aspect ratio of 16:9, so if a high-definition monitor displays an NTSC video with an aspect ratio of 4:3, for example, Although a blank area occurs on the screen, it has been proposed to use this blank area to display a sub-screen image, etc. as shown in FIG.
No. 2. Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-214873. Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 1986-22
No. 4786, etc.).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the conventional method of displaying a plurality of different images on one screen, when there are multiple sub-screens, the viewer can arbitrarily control the human power source for each sub-screen. There is no suitable method for selection, and there is a problem that it is inconvenient to use. For example, the multi-picture method mentioned above,
In the TV scan method, in multi-screen display mode, the sub-screens that can be displayed are automatically selected and displayed on each sub-screen display section, and the viewer can select the desired video source from a certain channel on each sub-screen display section. Images could not be selected to be displayed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In view of the above problems, the present invention allows a viewer to select and display video from a desired input source on each of a plurality of screen display sections. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a video output device equipped with a system control means that can perform the following functions.

In other words, when you want to select the input source (channel) for each screen in multiple screen display mode, first specify the screen on which you want to perform the selection operation, and select the input sources (and channels) that can be selected at that time, for example, by specifying the input source (and channel) for each screen. A system that can display images on a screen other than the one displayed on the screen, and when the user selects the displayed input source by operating a cursor etc., can control switching of the image on the corresponding screen to the image from the selected input source. This constitutes a control means.

[Effect 1] Since selectable input sources and currently selectable screens are clearly displayed to the user, the user can easily input selection operations based on these displays.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a high-definition TV monitor device equipped with a display image selection system of the present invention. However, since the signal system is not directly related to the present invention, illustration thereof is omitted. When displaying a plurality of screens on a CRT, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a main screen A and a sub-screen B. C. Display D.

In Fig. 1, T1 to T8 are input terminals, and each input terminal includes, for example, a U/V/BS tuner (for the main screen),
External tuner, VTRI. VTR2, composite video signal from U/V/BS tuner (for sub screen), RGB
signals, MUSE baseband signals, RGB baseband signals, etc.

81 to S6 are switch circuits whose switching operations are performed under the control of the system controller 6, as will be described later, and the input sources of the main screen and each child screen are selected by the switching operations.

l is the composite video signal Y. R-Y. 2 is an ID processing unit that converts a signal with a horizontal scanning frequency of 15.75 KHz into a signal with a horizontal scanning frequency of 31.5 KHz similar to a high-definition video signal. be.

A sub-screen display processor section 3 processes the supplied video signal for outputting a sub-screen, is provided with three image memory means, and performs processing to output each of the three sub-screens as a pseudo moving image. For example, video signals that are sequentially input from three input sources are once written into each image memory, read out at a predetermined timing as a signal for sub-screen display, and sequentially output. ．． C. The sub-screens of D are displayed in such a way that they each switch to the next frame at intervals of about 1 second.

S7 is a switch circuit whose switching is controlled by the sub-screen display processor section 3, and operates so that only the sub-screen display portion is connected to the b terminal during horizontal scanning.
The main screen video signal supplied to the terminal and the child screen video signal supplied from the child screen display processor section 3 to the b terminal are combined and output as a single screen video signal.

4 is a video processing section that performs general video signal control such as sharpness and brightness, and outputs an RGB video signal to the CRT 5. The above circuit blocks are
This is one of the conventionally known methods for configuring a monitor device capable of displaying multiple screens, and a detailed explanation of the operation of each block will be omitted.

6 is a system controller using a microcomputer, and CPU. It consists of memory means such as ROM and RAM, and an interface section.

The system controller 6 controls the switching of the switch circuits S, to S6, the ID processing section 2, and the small screen display processor section 3 based on the operation command signal inputted by remote control or key operation on the control panel. By controlling the operation of the CRT screen and controlling various screen displays (outputting display characters) on the CRT screen, it is possible to select images for each sub-screen in the manner described later. Note that the control signal system for each block is shown by dotted lines.

The functional means formed by software in the system controller 6 are shown as a block diagram in FIG.

6a is a command signal detecting means for detecting a command signal input from a remote commander, etc.; 6b is a means for detecting a command signal in RAM or R according to the command content of the detected command signal;
Various control data, input source and channel data for each sub-screen in the previous sub-screen display mode (hereinafter referred to as last memory data), etc. are read from the memory means of the OM, and the input source selected by the input source selection operation described later is read out. This is a memory control means that stores the state in RAM.

Reference numeral 6c represents a screen display control means for performing necessary screen display when selecting a sub-screen source (hereinafter referred to as select mode), and 6d represents an operation control means for the ID processing section.

6e indicates the operation of the sub-screen display processor section 3 in the sub-screen display mode (hereinafter referred to as scan mode), that is, performs sub-screen display processing on signals sequentially input from three video sources; 6 e
z is the sub screen B.z in the select mode as described later. C. This sub-screen selection operation control means controls the operation of the sub-screen display processor section 3 in the select mode in order to clearly indicate to the user which sub-screen is currently selected among the sub-screens D.

6f is a switch circuit S. based on the selection operation of the sub screen. −
S. This is a switch switching control means that performs switching control.

In addition, as a command signal output operation means from a remote commander etc., in addition to the scan key for transitioning from a single screen display state (normal mode) of only the main screen to scan mode, there is also a scan key for realizing the selection operation of this embodiment. A select key for shifting the system to the select mode and a cursor key for selecting operations are set.

The child screen selection operation of this embodiment achieved by each of these means will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4.

When a command signal from the scan key is input manually in the normal mode (FIOO) with only the main screen, the system enters the scan mode, and in addition to the main screen A, there are also switches based on the last memory data on the screen of the CRT5. s. -S
．． is switched and the operation of the sub-screen processing processor section 3 is started, and the sub-screen is 111% C by pseudo animation.
．． D is displayed (FIOI to Fl02). If the scan key is input again during the scan mode, the mode returns to the normal mode (Fl03).

When a command signal from the select key is input during the scan mode, the system enters the select mode, and first, under the control of the sub-screen selection operation control means 6e, only the first sub-screen B is output as a normal moving image. , second
, the third child screen C. In D, image signals stored in the internal image memory of the child screen processing processor 3 are continuously output and displayed as still images (F104 to F1071).
. That is, by making only the l-th sub-screen B a moving image, the user understands that the sub-screen B is in a selectable state.

In this way, the child screen on which the user is about to perform a selection operation is displayed to the user, and the area where the main screen A is displayed is displayed based on the output of the screen display control means 6C. , the selectable input sources are listed together with the cursor K, as shown in FIG.
1.

In a state where such a select mode is functioning, the user operates the cursor keys based on the display of selectable input sources, and the operation is detected by the command detection means 6.
When detected by a, the switch switching control means 6f performs a necessary switching operation among the switch circuits 31 to S6 based on the cursor operation, and outputs the video from the selected input source on the sub-screen B. (F1091. Then, when the user finishes selecting the desired input source (cursor movement) and operates the select key, the FIIOL system controller 6 selects each switch circuit S, ~S6 connection state (corresponding input source) is stored in RAM (Fill).Next, the second
Set sub screen C to selectable state and press F105~ again.
The operation of F109 will be performed. That is, in addition to displaying only the sub-screen C as a moving image, a selectable manual source is displayed, the switch circuits S1 to S6 are controlled based on the cursor operation, and the selected state is determined when the select key is input. Remember.

A similar operation is performed on the third sub-screen D, and when the user performs an input source selection operation (i.e.,
If n=3 is determined in F112), the select mode ends and the process returns to Fl02. Based on the selection state of each child screen stored in the RAM in the system controller 6, the switch circuits S1 to S. By controlling this, video signals are sequentially supplied from each input source to the sub-screen processing processor 3, and the scan mode operation in which each sub-screen is displayed as a pseudo moving image is restarted.

In this embodiment, in a system that displays multiple sub-screens, by allowing the user to select the input source for each sub-screen with a very simple operation, it is possible to display multiple screens. An easy-to-use monitor device can be provided as a high-definition monitor device.

Also, since the aspect ratio is 16:9, for example, NTSC
When displaying a 4:3 format video signal as the main screen, blank areas may appear, making it unsightly, or if a sub screen is displayed in the blank area, the video content may not be pleasing to the viewer. However, there may be cases where the
Since the video of the sub-screen can be easily selected, the screen display state can be easily made comfortable for the viewer.

In addition, Fl06. in FIG. As mentioned above, the operation of F107 is for the purpose of showing the user which screen is currently selectable, so in addition to making one sub-screen a moving image as in this embodiment, For example, a selectable sub-screen may be indicated by an arrow or other display on the screen, or the sub-screen may be displayed blinking. There are various other methods that can be considered, depending on the system. The most suitable operating mode may be set. For example, if the currently selected child screen is to be clearly indicated using only a screen display such as an arrow, the display operation may be controlled by the screen display control means 6c on the functional block shown in FIG. . Therefore, in this case, the operation control when selecting the sub screen is 6 e
Control by z is not necessarily necessary; for example, the operation of the sub-screen display processor section 3 is controlled by the sub-screen display operation control means 6 e regardless of whether the sub-screen display processor unit 3 is in scan mode or select mode.
It may be controlled in the same way by +. In any case, the system controller 6 should be equipped with means for controlling operations that can specify to the user which sub-screen is currently selected among a plurality of sub-screens. good.

Furthermore, since the types of selectable input sources displayed on the screen in F108 are limited in relation to the input sources on the parent screen at that time, input sources that cannot be selected are not displayed. For example, one BS tuner and l
On a monitor device to which only a U/V tuner is connected, when one channel of the BS tuner is displayed on the main screen, broadcasts of other satellite broadcast channels cannot be output to the sub screen. First, only the U/V tuner channel can be selected, so in this case, the satellite broadcasting channel is not displayed on the screen.

In the above embodiments, a system in which three child screens are displayed in addition to one main screen has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to composite screens in other aspects. The video output device may be configured as follows. For example, it can be applied to the multi-picture one-way system and the TV scan system shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c).

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the video output device of the present invention includes a means for identifying a child screen that is currently set to a selectable state in the child screen selection mode, and a method for displaying the image of the child screen on the screen. It is equipped with a means for displaying possible input signal sources on a screen, and a means for controlling so that an image of an input signal source selected from the displayed input signal sources is output as an image of the corresponding sub-screen. By installing a system control means, the user can very easily select the input source for each sub-screen based on the screen display, etc., which has the effect of significantly improving usability. There is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a screen display,
FIGS. 6(a), 6(b), and 7(c) are explanatory diagrams of various conventional multi-video output modes. 3 is a child screen display processor section, 6 is a system controller, 6a is a command signal detection means, 6b is a memory control means, 6c is a screen display control means, 6e+ is a child screen display operation control means, and 6ez is an operation when a child screen is selected. Control means; 6f is switch switching control means; S1 to S7 are switch circuits.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a video output device capable of displaying a composite screen consisting of a plurality of screens, means for specifying a screen that is currently set to a selectable state in a selection mode, and an input that can be displayed on the screen as an image of the screen. means for displaying a signal source on a screen; means for selecting one input signal source from the displayed input signal sources; and outputting an image based on the selected input signal source as an image on a corresponding sub-screen. 1. A video output device characterized in that an input signal source corresponding to each of a plurality of screens can be selected by providing a system control means having a means for controlling as follows.