MXPA06008301A - Method and apparatus for sharing control signals in a television apparatus supporting multi-window capabilities - Google Patents

Abstract

A television apparatus according to the principles of the invention supports two or more display windows but accepts channel changing control signals for changing channels in all windows only from one set of keys from a remote control. The television apparatus includes at least two tuners with respective windows and a processor for receiving control signals for instructing the two tuners to change channels. When the processor receives a first control signal, the processor displays and selects a first window for future channel changing. If the first window has been displayed when the first control signal is received, the processor selects a window no currently selected for channel changing. Advantageously, no additional key in the remote is used to share the same set of channel changing keys among multiple windows supported by the television apparatus.

Description

M ETHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR COM PARTI R SIGNALS CONTROL IN A TELEVISION DEVICE THAT OFFERS SUPPORT FOR CAPACITIES OF MÚ LTI PLES VENTANAS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of television and more particularly to the sharing of control signals between windows of a television that offers support for the capabilities of multiple windows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many television sets provide multi-window capabilities that allow more than one signal to be displayed at the same time on the television screen. The capabilities of multiple windows include image-in-picture (PI P), image and image (PAP), and out-of-picture (POP) capabilities. The PI P capability allows more than one signal to be displayed at a time, but only one signal is displayed in the main display area of the television screen at a time. The others are deployed in secondary deployment areas. The PAP capability allows more than one signal to be displayed in the main deployment area. On the other hand, the POP capability allows a signal to be displayed in the main display area (4: 3) of a wide screen (16: 9) of the television, and others in the unused areas around the main screen area. deployment. As used here, each deployment area is called a deployment window or simply a window. Each window normally requires a different group of channel change keys to change the channel displayed in that window. For example, a television apparatus that supports PIP capabilities will require a remote control that has a group of channel change keys for the main window and a different group for the PIP window. In addition, although some television equipment allows PIP windows to share a group of numeric keys with the main windows, another key, different from the PIP key to display PIP windows, must be dedicated to toggling the channel control between the main windows and the PIP windows. In this way, in any measure, one or more additional keys are needed in order to change the channel in the PIP windows. As is well known, new capabilities and functions, such as electronic program guides, and Internet access have been incorporated into television sets. These new capabilities and functions often require more control keys on the remote control. In this way, there is a need to reduce the number of keys on a remote control to allow more space to incorporate additional keys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A television apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention offers support for two or more display windows that share a group of channel change control signals to change channels, but uses a single signal from the remote control to call (display) one of the windows and to select one of the windows for the channel change. The television apparatus includes at least two tuners for supplying the television signals to the respective windows and a processor for receiving the control signals and for instructing the two tuners to switch to the channels requested by the control signal. When the processor receives the first control signal, the processor displays a first window and selects the first window for channel change, when the first window has not been displayed. When the first window has already been displayed, when the first control signal is received, the processor selects an unselected window for the channel change. For example, the first control signal may be a signal generated by activating (such as pressing) an image (PIP) button (key) on the remote control and a channel change control signal may be a signal generated by pressing at least one channel number key on the remote control. In this example, when the PIP window has not been displayed when the processor receives the first control signal, the processor calls the PIP window and simultaneously, selects the PIP window for the channel change. When the PIP window has already been displayed when the first control signal is received, the processor selects an unselected window for the channel change. As such, a PIP key can be used to call the PIP window and to select one of the windows for the channel change. To provide the user with a visual indication of the windows that have been selected for the channel change, the processor can highlight the selected window or include an icon within the selected window.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates a remote, manual infrared control that can be used with a television set in accordance with the principles of the invention. Figure 2 illustrates a method that uses a key to display the PIP window and select one of the windows for channel change in accordance with the principles of the invention, so that a group of channel change keys of the remote control is can share through all the windows. Figure 3 illustrates a television apparatus in accordance with the principles of the invention for sharing a group of channel change keys. Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the highlighted PIP and main windows respectively, when selected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a remote, infrared, manual control 100 adapted to operate in accordance with the present invention. The remote, infrared control 100 illustratively includes a rising channel key 101, a falling channel key 102, a rising volume key 103, a falling volume key 104, channel number keys 106-115, a silence key 116 , a commercial jump key 120, a return key 121, and a power key 122. The remote control 100 also includes a key 131 for picture in picture (PIP) to call (display) a PIP window and to select a window for channel change. The remote, infrared control 100 also comprises an infrared signal generator (not shown) for generating infrared control signals when the keys are activated. When a user presses any of the keys 101-104, and 106-122 on the remote control 100, an infrared control signal of the appropriate user (not shown) is generated by the infrared generator and transmitted to a controlled device, such as the television set shown in Figure 3. The controlled device, in turn, executes the control signal. The group of keys for channel change in this illustration includes channel number keys 206-215, a return key 221, a rising channel key 201, and a downlink channel key 202. This group of channel change keys are shared by each window in a television set that supports multi-window capabilities.

Of course, the channel change keys are not limited to those included in this group, a key is considered a channel change key when activating the key causes the television set to change channel. Illustratively, remote control 100 also includes other keys not necessary for understanding the principles of the invention: a menu key 123 for displaying a television setting menu, an input key 105 for selecting a video input, a sleeping key 132 for adjusting the nap timer, an information key 133 for displaying an on-screen display (OSD), keys (a rising arrow key 124, a falling arrow 127, a right arrow key 125, and a left arrow key 128) to navigate within the OSD, an OK key to validate a selection in the OSD, and a delete key 129 to clear the OSD. Other keys can be added for other functions, and sharing channel change keys between the windows can leave more space to add additional keys. Figure 2 illustrates a method 200 with the use of a key to display a PIP window in a television apparatus that supports PIP and select any PIP window or a main window for the channel change in accordance with the principles of the invention, so that both, the PIP window and the main window can share the same group of channel change keys. For illustrative purposes, the remote control 100 is used to describe the method 200. In step 210, the television apparatus receives a first control signal generated by a user activating the PIP key 131 in the remote control 100, for example, by pressing the 131 PIP key. The television apparatus determines whether a PIP window has been displayed in the decision block 220. When the PIP window has already been displayed, the television set in step 240 selects a window not currently selected for the channel change. For example, when the PIP window has already been selected, the television set selects the main window. In step 250, the television apparatus receives a channel change control signal, which may be a signal generated by pressing one or more channel number keys 206-215, the uplink channel key 210, the key 202 descending channel or the return key 221. The television set, in step 260, then tunes to the channel specified by the channel change control signal for the selected window. When the television selects a window for the channel change, you can also highlight the window, so that the user can see the window that has been selected. When a PIP window has not been displayed in the decision block 220, the television apparatus proceeds to display the PIP window and simultaneously selects the PIP window for the future channel change in step 230. The television apparatus proceeds to receiving a channel change control signal for the PIP window in step 250 and tuning the channel specified by the channel change control signal for the PIP window in step 260. After the main window has been selected, when the television set receives the first control signal, again, the television apparatus removes the PIP window; that is, the PIP window does not unfold. Figure 3 is a television set suitable for use with the method 200. The television set shown in Figure 3 has an input 1100 for receiving an RF_IN television signal at radio (RF) frequencies. The RF_IN signal can be supplied from a source such as an antenna or cable system. A tuner 1102 connected to an intermediate frequency processor (IF) 1103 and another tuner 1105 connected to another processor 1130 IF operate in a conventional manner to tune and demodulate the respective particular signals, included in the RF_IN signal. The processors 1103 and 1130 IF, respectively, produce VIDEO 1 and VIDEO 2 baseband video signals, which represent the portions of the video program of the tuned television signals, respectively of the tuners 1102 and 1105. Both processors also they produce a respective baseband audio signal, one of which is coupled with an audio processing section (not shown in Figure 3) for further audio processing. Although Figure 3 shows that the two tuners share the same input 1100, the television set can include a second input, so that each tuner receives signals from a different input.

The television set shown in Figure 3 also includes a microprocessor (uP) 1110 for controlling the components of the television set, such as the tuners 1102 and 1105, a picture-in-picture processing unit 1140, a signal processor 1155 Of video. As used herein, the term "microprocessor" represents various devices, including, but not limited to, microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, and controllers. The microprocessor 1110 controls the system by sending and receiving both commands and data through a common conductor in common conductor series l2C, which utilizes a well known common serial data conductor protocol l2C. More specifically, a central processing unit (CPU) 1112 within the microprocessor 1110 executes the control programs stored in a memory, such as an EEPROM 1127 shown in Figure 3, in response to the control signals (which carry user commands ) provided by the user, for example, through a remote control 1125 infrared (IR) and a receiver 1122 IR. In the following description, remote IR control 1125 is illustratively a type or remote control similar to remote control 100 shown in Figure 1.

For example, when the user has pressed a key 131 PIP, CPU 1112 checks whether a PIP window has been deployed after receiving a control signal generated by remote control 1125.

When the PIP window has been displayed, the CPU proceeds to select a window, which is not selected at that moment, for the future channel change. For example, when the PIP window is selected, CPU 1112 selects the main window. When the CPU 1112 receives a channel change signal from the remote control 1125 generated by a user pressing one or more channel change keys, for example, the uplink channel key 201, the CPU 1112 then sends through a common l2C driver, a "channel change" command, along with the channel data for the tuner associated with the selected window. As a result, the tuner associated with the selected window is tuned to the next channel in a channel scan list. When the CPU 1112 after receiving a PIP control signal determines that a PIP window has not been deployed, the CPU 1112 instructs the image-in-picture (PIP) processor 1140 to activate a PIP window. At the same time, the CPU 1112 also selects the PIP window for the future channel change. In this way, a key on the remote control 100 can be used to display the PIP window and select a window for the channel change. With advantage, no additional key is needed to share the same group of channel change keys. The 1140 PIP processor receives the VIDEO 1 and VIDEO 2 signal and produces a PIPV signal. When the PIP window is not displayed, the PIPV signal represents the large image only. When a PIP window is displayed, the PIPV signal represents a large image into which a small image is inserted. The 1140 PIP processor provides the functions described in a conventional manner with the use of features such as video switching, analog to digital converter (ADC), RAM and digital to analog converter (DAC). The CPU 1112 controls the functions included within the microprocessor 1110 via the common conductor 1119. In particular, the CPU 1112 controls an auxiliary data processor 1115 and an on-screen display processor (OSD) 1117. The auxiliary data processor 1115 extracts the auxiliary data as the data in an electronic program guide (EPG) of the video PIPV signal. The OSD processor 1117 operates in a conventional manner to produce the R, G and B OSD_RGB video signals which, when coupled with a display device, produce a displayed image representing display information on the screen, such as graphics and / or text which comprises an EPG or highlights a selected window. The 1117 OSD processor also produces a control FSW signal, which has the purpose of controlling a fast switching to insert the OSD_RGB signals into the video output signal of the system at the moment when the screen display is going to be displayed. For example, if after receiving a PIP control signal from the remote control 1125, the CPU selects a PIP window for another channel change, the CPU may highlight the PIP window as a 410 PIP window in Figure 4A. When the CPU 1112 selects a main window, the CPU 1112 can highlight the main window as the main window 420 in Figure 4B. In any case, the CPU 1112 enables the 1117 OSD processor. In response, the OSD processor 1117 produces OSD_RGB signals that represent the highlighting information. The 1117 OSD also produces the FSW signal that indicates when the highlight should be displayed. Of course, the visual indication of the selected window is not limited to highlighting. The visual indication, for example, can be an icon such as a small circle located within the selected window. A video signal processor 1155 (VSP) receives the video PIPV signal from the 1140 PIP processor and carries out the conventional video signal processing functions, such as luminescence and chrominance processing. The output signals produced by the VSP 1155 are suitable for coupling with a display device, for example, a kinescope or LCD devices (not shown in Figure 3), to produce a displayed image. The VSPP also includes a fast switch for coupling the signals produced by the 1117 OSD processor to the output video signal path at the time the graphics and / or text are included within the displayed image. The fast switch is controlled by the control signal FSW, which is generated by the 1117 OSD processor in the microprocessor 1110 at the time the graphics and / or text are to be displayed. For an indication of a selected window, such as a highlight, a symbol, text or icon, support data is produced by the 1117 OSD processor and is included in the output signal by the VSP 1155 in response to the switching signal fast FSW. In this illustration, when the microprocessor 1110 receives a PIP control signal generated by the remote control 1125 when the user presses the PIP key; the microprocessor 1110 causes the 1117 OSD processor to produce the display indicating a selected window. The microprocessor 1110 then causes the VSP 1155 to combine the display data for indication from the OSD processor 1117 and the PIPV signal in response to the FSW signal to produce a display including an indication. Although illustrated as using a PIP key on a remote control to select a window so that you can save a key on the remote control, a key on a front panel board of the television set can be used to select a window. In addition, the television set may include a pointer device, such as a mouse, or a keyboard, none shown in Figure 3, to select a window for channel change. The microprocessor 1110 detects the activation of the pointer device, such as when moving a mouse, and evaluates the current location information of the cursor. When the microprocessor 1110 detects a signal indicating a selection, such as by clicking the mouse button, the microprocessor 1110 selects the window indicated by the mouse as the window for the channel change. A keyboard can be used to achieve the same purpose, with the use of arrow keys to move the cursor and a return key to make the selection.

The control signals may also be in a front panel arrangement (not shown) and input mechanisms may be provided if necessary (such as buttons). The television set shown in Figure 3 can be inside the television itself or in a transcoder. The transcoders are available to receive a digital satellite television transmission, a cable television transmission or a community antenna service, or a combination thereof. Although illustrated as a PIP window, the principles of the invention can be extended to a television set with two or more PIP windows. When each PIP window is associated with a different PIP key; one or more of the PIP windows can be used to call the associated PIP window and select one of the windows to change the channel. When only one PIP window is used to call all PIP windows; one at a time, the PIP key can be used to select one of the windows for the channel change after all the PIP windows have been displayed. Preferably, a window is selected in a circular manner, that is, all windows are arranged in a circular list and each time a selection signal is received, the television set selects the window immediately next to the window currently selected. Of course, when a pointer device or keyboard is provided, the user can select any window including the one that is currently selected. In addition to a television apparatus that supports PIP capabilities, the principles of the invention can be extended to a television apparatus that supports image and image (PAP) capabilities, or out-of-picture (POP) image. The selection criteria is similar to that of a television with PIP capabilities. For example, when a dedicated key is used to select a window to change the channel on a television with POP capabilities; a window is selected in circular form. While this invention has been described with respect to the various preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many alternative modes and modalities can be realized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

1. A television apparatus characterized in that it comprises: a display control for displaying television signals from a first and second tuners in a respective one of the first and second windows; and a processor for receiving control signals and for instructing the tuners to change channels in the respective windows, where: after receiving the first control signal, when a first window is not displayed, the processor displays the first window and selects the first window. first window for the channel change, and when the first window is displayed when the first control signal is received, the processor selects a window not selected at that moment for the channel change, where a channel displayed in the selected window will be changes in accordance with the channel change control signal received by the television set.

2. The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor instructs the display control to highlight the selected window.

3. The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that the first window in a picture-in-picture window.

The television set according to claim 3, characterized in that the first control signal is a signal generated by pressing an image-in-picture key on the remote control.

The television set according to claim 4, characterized in that the channel change control signal is a signal generated by activating a channel up key on the remote control.

The television set according to claim 4, characterized in that the channel change control signal is a signal generated by activating a number key on the remote control.

The television set according to claim 4, characterized in that the channel change control signal is a signal generated by activating a return key on the remote control.

The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor selects a window different from the selected window after receiving a second occurrence of the first control signal.

9. The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a display for displaying the windows.

The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that the windows are image and image windows.

11. The television set according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the windows is an out-of-picture image window.

12. A method for sharing a channel change key in a remote control to change channel in a television apparatus that supports the first and second windows for the television signals from the respective first and second tuners, the method is characterized because it comprises the steps of: receiving a first control signal by the television set; when the first window has not been displayed, display the first window and select the first window for the channel change; and when the first window has been displayed, select a window not currently selected for the channel change.

The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the first control signal also causes the television set to highlight the selected window.

The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the first window is a picture-in-picture window.

The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the first control signal is an image-in-picture key in a remote control to request the image-in-picture window.

16. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises the step of receiving a second occurrence of the first control signal and selecting a window not currently selected for the channel change.

17. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises the step of receiving a channel change control signal and changing a channel displayed in the selected window in accordance with the channel change control signal. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the channel change control signal is generated by activating a number key on a remote control to specify a channel. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the channel change control signal is generated by activating a return key on a remote control to return to the previous channel.