KR20010019105A - Set-top-box implementing a number of monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A settop box embodying plural monitors is provided so that efficiency can be maximized by separating an image signal and a contents signal and outputting them to the respective monitors. CONSTITUTION: A settop box(20) is connected to receive a video service from a video server(10). A TV monitor(30) and a PC monitor(40) are connected to an output terminal of the settop box(20) so that the video service can be output on a screen. In addition, a key input unit(50) is connected to input keys for controlling the settop box(20). The settop box(20) includes a key signal receiving unit(21) for receiving key input signals from the key input unit(50), and a control unit(22) for controlling the whole operation. The settop box(20) also includes an interface unit(23) connected to the video server(10), a decoder(24) for decoding the data from the interface unit(23), a signal separating unit(25) for separating the decoded video data, an image signal output unit(26) for outputting an image signal, and a contents signal output unit(27) for outputting a contents signal. Here, the image signal and the contents signal are not displayed on one monitor, but individually displayed on the plurality of monitors.

Description

Set-top-box implementing a number of monitors

The present invention relates to a set top box and to a set top box for implementing a plurality of monitors.

In general, a set-top box used as a terminal device of a multimedia network serves to connect a D / A (Digital / Analog) communication channel to a user's multimedia. The set-top box allows subscribers to receive Video On Demand (VOD) or CATV and D (Digital) -CATV services that provide the desired video data in real time at the desired time. Therefore, the subscriber used the set-top box connected to the TV to receive various services. The subscriber watched the image data requested through the set-top box through the TV monitor. The video data from the video server providing the video data is transmitted along with the video signal including a content signal informing various contents such as contents and contents. The set-top box outputs a video requested by a user through a TV monitor, and then displays a content signal together with the video on a TV monitor. In other words, the size of the image being output on the TV monitor is reduced and the content is displayed next to it, the image being output is muted, only the content is displayed, or the image being displayed as the background screen is displayed to overlap the content.

The conventional set-top box receives the requested video data and outputs the content signal to the user's monitor, and when the content signal is input, the content signal is also displayed on the monitor currently outputting the video signal. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly see both the video and the content.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to display a plurality of monitors to display the video and content signals separately on a plurality of monitors without displaying on one monitor in order to solve the above-described problems, so that the user can view the image and content more clearly To provide a set-top box to implement.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a set-top box for implementing a plurality of monitors according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a control flow diagram for implementing a plurality of monitors.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: video server 20: set-top box

30: TV monitor 40: PC monitor

50: key input unit 21: key signal receiving unit

22: control unit 23: interface unit

24: decoder 25: signal separation unit

26: video signal output unit 27: content signal output unit

To achieve the above object, a set-top box implementing a plurality of monitors according to the present invention includes a key input unit having keys including an image signal separation key, a decoder for decoding transmitted data, and a decoded signal from the decoder. A signal separation unit for receiving a first video signal and a second video signal, a first video signal output unit for receiving and outputting a first video signal from the signal separation unit, and a second image from the signal separation unit A second video signal output unit for receiving and outputting a signal, a plurality of monitors connected to the first and second video signal output units to display different video signals, and a video signal separation key from a key input unit are inputted. And a controller for separating the decoded signal from the decoder into first and second video signals and controlling each component to be output to different monitors.

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

1 is a block diagram illustrating a set-top box for implementing a plurality of monitors according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the apparatus of FIG. 1, the set-top box 20 is connected to receive a video service from the video server 10. The TV monitor 30 and the PC monitor 40 are connected to the output terminal of the set-top box 20 to output the video service provided by the user. In addition, a key input unit 50 for key input controlling the set top box 20 is connected. The set top box 20 includes a key signal receiver 21 for receiving a key input signal from the key input unit 50 and a controller 22 for controlling each component. The set-top box 20 may further include a signal interface for separating the decoded video data and the decoder 24 for decoding data input from the interface unit 23 and the interface unit 23 connected to interface with the video server 10. And a video signal output section 26, and a content signal output section 27.

The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 configured as described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

2 is a control flowchart for implementing a plurality of monitors.

In FIG. 1, the user turns on the power of the set top box 20 using the key input unit 50 (step 201). When the set-top box 20 is turned on, the set-top box 20 is connected to the video server 10 to perform a unique function. When the user inputs the service selection key through the key input unit 50, the key signal receiver 21 receives the input and outputs it to the controller 22. The controller 22 controls the interface unit 23 to receive the service selected by the user from the video server 10. The interface unit 23 receives the compressed video data from the video server 10 and outputs the compressed video data to the decoder 24. The decoder 24 decodes the video data input from the interface unit 23 and outputs the decoded video data to the video signal output unit 26. The video signal output unit 26 receives the decoded signal and displays the decoded signal on the TV monitor 30 (step 202). While the user watches the service of the video server 10 through the TV monitor 30, the controller 22 checks the decoder 24 to determine whether a content signal of the decoded signal is generated (step 203). As a result of determination, when the controller 22 determines that the content signal is generated, the controller 22 notifies the user of the content through the TV monitor 30. Then, if the user wants to view the content 40 through the PC monitor, the user inputs the content signal separation key through the key input unit 50. The control unit 22 determines whether the content signal separation key is input (step 204), and if it is not input, outputs the decoded signal to the video signal output unit 26 in the same manner as the conventional method. In operation 205, the video signal and the content signal can be simultaneously viewed. In addition, when the content signal separation key is input, the controller 22 outputs the decoded signal from the decoder 24 to the signal separation unit 25. The signal separator 25 separates the decoded signal into a video signal and a content signal, and outputs the video signal to the video signal output unit 26 and the content signal to the content signal output unit 27 (step 206). . Then, the video signal output unit 26 outputs the input video signal to the TV monitor 30, and the content signal output unit 27 outputs the input content signal to the PC monitor 40. Therefore, the user can view the video signal and the content signal through different monitors.

In the above-described embodiment, the image signal and the content signal are separated and displayed using two monitors, but two or more monitors may be used.

Therefore, the present invention separates the video signal and the content signal and outputs to each monitor can maximize the viewing efficiency of the viewer.

Claims (1)

In the set-top box for receiving and outputting data transmitted from the video server, A key input unit having keys including an image signal separation key; A decoder for decoding the transmitted data; A signal separator for receiving a decoded signal from the decoder and separating the first and second video signals; A first image signal output unit which receives the first image signal from the signal separator and outputs the first image signal; A second image signal output unit which receives and outputs a second image signal from the signal separator; A plurality of monitors connected to the first and second image signal output units and displaying different image signals; A plurality of monitors including a control unit for controlling the respective components to separate the decoded signals from the decoder into first and second video signals and output them to different monitors when the video signal separation key from the key input unit is input; Set-top box to implement.