KR100577195B1 - Apparatus for generating multi screen - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-screen generation method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of programs on one screen in a digital TV, and in particular, a format conversion unit for reducing the horizontal and vertical resolution of the video signal input according to the multi-screen size signal; A write control unit for storing the format-converted video signal in a specific location in an external memory according to a multi-screen storage location signal, and reading the video signal stored in the external memory according to a canvas size signal and outputting the same to a display screen It is configured to include a read control unit, by generating a multi-screen by sharing the format conversion unit without using a separate hardware for generating a multi-screen, there is an advantage that the hardware is simple and the cost is low.

Multi screen, format conversion, memory control

Description

{Apparatus for generating multi screen}

1 is a block diagram of a multi-screen generating apparatus according to the present invention

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a format converter of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data path when the format converter of FIG. 2 reduces the input image in both horizontal and vertical directions. FIG.

4A to 4C illustrate an example of reducing and displaying an image by operating as a format converter of FIG. 3.

5A to 5C illustrate an example of generating a multi-screen by reducing an image by operating as the multi-screen generator.

6 shows an example of multi-screen generation of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

101: memory interface unit 102: format conversion unit

103: write control unit 104: read control unit

201: vertical format converter 202: horizontal format converter

203, 204: mux 205: mode detection unit

206: clock mux

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to digital television, and more particularly, to a multi-screen generation method for simultaneously displaying several programs on one screen.

Digital TVs provide viewers with high-definition graphics and high-quality sound that traditional analog TVs did not provide. In addition, digital TV has the advantage that can receive and display a variety of programs of more channels than analog TV. In addition, analog TV can not be received, but digital TV can receive more information because it broadcasts information about each broadcast program or additional services at the same time in addition to the broadcast program. .

In addition, all TVs, regardless of digital TVs and analog TVs, can simultaneously receive broadcast programs by the number of tuners. That is, if the number of tuners is two, two broadcast programs may be simultaneously received through two physical channels.

In this case, the digital broadcast can be transmitted by multiplexing a plurality of programs on one physical channel (same as the channel for analog broadcast). That is, in analog broadcasting, only one program can be transmitted to one physical channel, but digital broadcasting can transmit about 5 to 6 programs in the same bandwidth. For example, two tuners can receive 10 to 12 programs simultaneously. Digital broadcasting can guarantee this many channels because it adopts MPEG-2 technology that compresses and restores video and audio with high density.

Then, the viewer may watch only one of a plurality of programs through the demultiplexer, or may simultaneously view a plurality of programs.

Here, for the convenience of explanation, displaying at least a plurality of programs simultaneously on one screen is called a multi-screen.

However, conventionally, a multi-screen generating device separate from the existing format converter is used to generate such a multi-screen. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the hardware is large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for generating a multi-screen using a format converter for converting a format of an input image into a format suitable for a display device.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-screen generating apparatus comprising: a format converter configured to reduce a horizontal resolution and a vertical resolution of an input image signal according to a multi-screen size signal; A write control unit for storing an image signal at a specific position in an external memory according to a multi-screen storage position signal, and a read control unit for reading an image signal stored in the external memory according to a canvas size signal and outputting the image signal to a display screen as it is. It is characterized by.

The format converting unit for generating a multi-screen generates a vertical format converting unit for reducing the image input in accordance with the multi-screen size signal in the vertical direction, and a horizontal format conversion for reducing the image input in accordance with the multi-screen size signal in the horizontal direction. And a mux positioned before and after the vertical and horizontal format converters and before and after the external memory to control the input and output data paths of the vertical and horizontal format converters.
In the method of generating a multi-screen of a broadcast receiver according to the present invention, a multi-screen size signal is provided to the format converter to reduce a horizontal resolution and a vertical resolution of an input video signal according to the multi-screen size, and then reduce the reduced video signal on the display screen. Repeating the process of storing the same location in the external memory as the location to be displayed by the number of multiple screens; And reading an image signal corresponding to a canvas size from the external memory and outputting the image signal to a display screen.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the configuration and operation of the embodiment of the present invention, the configuration and operation of the present invention shown in the drawings and described by it will be described as at least one embodiment, By the technical spirit of the present invention described above and its core configuration and operation is not limited.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multi-screen generating apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The format conversion unit 102 converts a resolution of an input image signal according to the size information of the input image and the output image or a multi-screen size signal. The write control unit 103 for storing the format-converted image signal by the format conversion unit 102 to an external memory through the memory interface unit 101 and the image signal stored in the external memory according to the canvas size signal. It is composed of a read control unit 104 to read and output through the memory interface unit 101.

The format converter 102 is essentially used in a digital TV, and performs format conversion to match the resolution of various display apparatuses of an image input in various sizes such as 1920x1080i, 1280x720p, 720x480p, and 720x480i.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the format conversion unit 102 of FIG. 1 and has been filed by the present applicant (Application No. 2000-1420).

The format converter 102 includes a vertical format converter (VFC) 201 including a mux, a horizontal format converter (HFC) 202 including a mux, an input image, and an output of the vertical format converter 201. A mux 203 for selecting any one of the outputs of the horizontal format converter 202 and outputting it to the write controller 103, an output of the vertical format converter 201, and an output of the horizontal format converter 202. And a mux 204 for selectively outputting any one of the outputs of the read control unit 104.

At this time, the mode is converted into a plurality of modes according to the size ratio of the input image and the output image, the mode conversion unit 205 controls the data path of the input image through a plurality of mux located in the format conversion unit By doing so. The mode detector 205 also controls a data path for generating a multi-screen of the present invention.

The clock mux 206 provides a clock of an input image or a clock for display to the vertical format converter 201 and the horizontal format converter 202 according to the mode. That is, when the input image is enlarged or outputted as it is, a display clock is provided during format conversion, and when the input image is reduced, a clock of the input image is provided when format conversion is applied, which is equally applied to vertical and horizontal format conversion. .

FIG. 3 illustrates a data path of the format converter of FIG. 2 when the horizontal resolution and the vertical resolution of the output image are smaller than the horizontal / vertical resolution of the input image, that is, when the image is reduced. The resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions is first reduced by passing through the unit 202 and the vertical format converter 201. Then, the memory is stored in the memory through the memory interface unit 101, and then the image reduced in the horizontal and vertical directions is read from the memory through the memory interface unit 101 and output for display.

The multi-screen generator of the present invention is to generate a multi-screen using the format conversion unit as shown in FIG. In this case, the difference between the format converter of FIG. 2 and the multi-screen generator of the present invention is when the reduced image is stored in the memory and read from the memory for display.

That is, in the case of the format converter or the multi-screen generator, the input image is first reduced in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 3 and then stored in the memory. However, when FIG. 3 operates as a format converter, format conversion is performed by reducing the size of an input image, storing the image in the memory, and reading the entire reduced image from the memory. That is, the image is reduced by storing the input image as shown in (a) of FIG. 4 and storing it in the memory as shown in (b) of FIG. 4 and then reading the entire reduced image as shown in (c) of FIG. You get

3, the multi-screen size signal is provided to the vertical and horizontal format converters 202 and 201, the storage position signal is provided to the write controller 103, and the read controller 104 is operated. The canvas size signal is provided.
That is, when operating the multi-screen generating apparatus of FIG. 3, the multi-screen generation is possible by reading the entire canvas area including the reduced screen instead of reading only the reduced screen when the image is read. In addition, when the horizontal and vertical format converters 202 and 201 store the reduced image in the memory according to the multi-screen size signal, the image is stored in a specific position in the memory according to the storage position signal.
Here, the canvas size is a display screen size, and the canvas size signal input to the read control unit 104 is a signal corresponding to the display screen size. The storage position signal input to the writing control unit 103 is horizontal, vertical size and position information of each image reduced in the canvas. That is, each reduced image is stored at a location in the memory corresponding to the display location in the canvas. Accordingly, the read control unit 104 reads an image corresponding to the entire display area from the memory and displays the image on the display device. For example, if three reduced images are stored in an area corresponding to one screen of the memory, three reduced images are simultaneously displayed on the screen.

That is, as shown in (c) of FIG. 5, the input image is reduced as shown in FIG. By storing in a certain portion of the canvas area of the memory and reading out the entire canvas area according to the canvas size signal from the read control unit 104, the configuration of multiple screens is possible.

6 illustrates an example of generating a multi-screen of the present invention, and it is possible to configure a multi-screen capable of displaying a plurality of images on one screen by reducing and storing the image at an appropriate position of the canvas. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of programs may be displayed on one screen, a channel search may be performed, or a plurality of programs included in one physical channel may be simultaneously displayed.

In addition, the multi-screen processing apparatus of the present invention has an advantage that there is no limitation in the number and size of the multi-screen stored in the canvas in addition to the advantage that can be used in common with the format converter. That is, while most of the multi-screen processing devices currently used in the market have a limitation on the number and size of the multi-screen, the multi-screen generating device of the present invention should have a size equal to or smaller than the size of the input video. On the other hand, there is no restriction on the number or location of images, so that images can be displayed overlappingly, and any number of multiple screens can be displayed such as 16, 25, or 36. In addition, the limitation of the present invention that the size of the multi-screen should be smaller than the size of the input image is not a problem at all because the feature of the multi-screen reduces the image so as to display multiple screens on one screen.

As described above, according to the multi-screen generation method according to the present invention, by generating a multi-screen by sharing the format conversion unit without using a separate hardware for generating a multi-screen, there is an advantage that the hardware is simple and the cost is low. In addition, there is an advantage that there is no limit to the number and size of multiple screens stored on the canvas.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (3)

delete delete In the multi-screen generating method of the broadcast receiver including a format converter, an external memory, Providing a multi-screen size signal to the format converter to reduce the horizontal and vertical resolutions of the input video signal to fit the multi-screen size, and then storing the reduced video signal in a location in the same external memory as the display position of the display screen; Repeating as many times as there are multiple screens; And And reading out an image signal corresponding to a canvas size from the external memory and outputting the image signal to a display screen.

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