Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
  • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
  • H04N5/445—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards for displaying additional information
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
  • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/414—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
  • H04N21/4143—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/42204—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor
  • H04N21/42206—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor characterized by hardware details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
  • H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
  • H04N21/4432—Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
  • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
  • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
  • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
  • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for use in providing electronic communication. It is particularly applicable to systems and methods for use in visual communication, audio communication and telecommunications, such as may be used in the field of television and computer networks.
• a common approach using a computing apparatus is providing a television signal processor card adapted to receive a television signal.
• the television signal processor card herein referred to as a TV adapter card, is operative to process a television signal received at an input for display on a monitor of the computing apparatus.
• This type of card is described in U.S. Patent Number 5,192,999 whose contents are hereby incorporated by reference.
• the TV adapter card is inserted into a slot of the casing enclosing the computing apparatus .
• a deficiency in the above-noted system is a poor display- image.
• Typical computing apparatus monitors use a dot pitch approximate to 0.28 mm of dimension, while standard television monitors use a dot pitch of about 0.93 mm. Frequently, the resulting display image is diffuse and lacks brilliance .
• An additional deficiency with the use of a TV adapter card in the computing apparatus relates to memory fragmentation.
• the television signal requires intensive processing by the computing apparatus' central processing unit, as well as requires the use of memory units in the computing apparatus.
• the use of the computing apparatus to display television images causes the memory to become increasingly fragmented. This often causes the computing apparatus to become inoperable requiring the computing apparatus to be restarted.
• Another commonly used solution is to provide an adapter commonly referred to as set top box, operative to be coupled to a conventional television apparatus. Such set top boxes allow an interface between computer type information data elements, such as Web pages, and a television apparatus to be established.
• a set top box is operative to receive a signal indicative of data in a form suitable for processing by computing apparatus and map this data into a display signal suitable for display by a conventional television.
• a typical 21-inch screen television has a dot pitch approximate to 0.93 mm.
• Such top boxes are well known in the art to which this invention pertains and will not be described further.
• a deficiency of the above-described set top box in combination with a conventional television apparatus is that the dot pitch of .93 mm for a 21 inch screen does not provide sufficient precision for the display of images indicative of letters commonly found in computer displays. Consequently, the display image is blurry and lacks precision often to the point of being aggravating for the user to read.
• the invention provides a computerized television apparatus comprising a computing device, a video path and a display unit.
• the computing device is for generating a first display signal.
• the computing device has an output for releasing the first display signal.
• the video path comprise a first input coupled to the computing device for receiving the first display signal, a second input for receiving a second display signal derived from a television signal.
• the video path further comprises an output for releasing a third display signal.
• the display unit has an input coupled to the output of the video path.
• the display unit has a given dimension and is operative to display a display image derived from the third display signal.
• the display unit is characterized in having a dot pitch that is in a range extending from about 0.0008528 times the given dimension to about 0.00125 times the given dimension.
• a display unit characterized in having a dot pitch in a range extending from about
• the second display signal bypasses the computing device.
• the second display signal bypass the computing device, intensive processing of a television derived signal is avoided thereby avoiding memory fragmentation in the computing device.
• the computerized television apparatus comprises a first coupling member adapted to receive a television signal, the first coupling member being coupled to the second input of the video path.
• the computerized television apparatus further comprises a second coupling member coupled to the computing device, the second coupling member being adapted to receive a signal indicative of information data elements, the information data elements being suitable for use by the computing device.
• the invention provides a computerized television apparatus comprising a fast boot-up computing device for generating a display signal.
• the fast boot-up computing device has an output for releasing the display signal and includes a plurality of hardware elements.
• the fast boot-up computing device comprises an initial program loader unit comprising a data structure including a plurality of data elements associated to respective hardware elements.
• the fast boot-up computing device further comprises a plurality of program elements associated to respective hardware elements, the program elements being adapted to cooperate with selected ones of the hardware elements.
• the fast boot-up computing device is operative to process the initial program loader unit to invoke the program elements associated to the respective data elements and is operative to boot-up the computerized television apparatus.
• An advantage of providing a fast boot-up computing device comprising an initial program loader unit is that, when the computerized television apparatus in powered-on, the booting process occurs by scanning the data elements in the initial program loader unit and invoking the program element associated to each respective data element. This removes the requirement for the computing device to search for the hardware elements thereby reducing the boot time.
• the expression "display signal” is used to designate an electric or electronic representation of an image suitable to be displayed by a display unit such as a cathode ray tube or any other suitable display device.
• the display signal is an analog signal in an RGB format.
• FIG. 1 shows a high-level block diagram of a computerized television apparatus in accordance with the spirit of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a detailed block diagram of the display unit depicted in figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows a specific example of the video path depicted in figure 1;
• Figure 4 show a block diagram of a computing device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
• Figure 5 shows a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the video path depicted in figure 1;
• FIG. 6 shows a detailed block diagram of a computerized television apparatus in accordance with the spirit of the invention.
• the invention provides a computerized television apparatus 2 comprising a computing device 104, a video path 106 and a display unit 102.
• the video path 106 receives a first display signal from the computing device 104 at a first input 110 and a second display signal at a second input 108.
• the second display signal bypasses the computing device 104.
• the video path releases a third display signal at an output 140 for use by the display unit 102 for generating a display image.
• the display unit 102 has an input coupled to the output 140 of the video path 106.
• the display unit 102 is operative for displaying a display image derived from the third display signal.
• the display unit 102 is a cathode ray tube.
• the display unit 102 has a given dimension and is characterized in having a dot pitch in a range from about 0.0008528 times the given dimension to about 0.00125 times the given dimension.
• a specific example of the display unit is shown in detail in figure 2 of the drawings.
• the display unit 102 comprises a display surface 250, a cathode ray tube gun controller unit 202 and a deflection controller 19.
• the display surface 250 has a given dimension.
• the given dimension is a diagonal measurement 252 of the display surface.
• the display surface 250, cathode ray tube gun controller unit 202 and deflection controller 19 are adapted to generate a dot pitch in an range from about 0.0008528 times the given dimension to about 0.00125 times the given dimension.
• Cathode ray tube gun controller units and deflection controllers are well known in the art to which this invention pertains and will not be described further.
• the computing device 104 is operative to generate a first display signal and has an output for releasing the first display signal.
• a specific example of the computing device 104 is shown in detail in figure 4 of the drawings.
• the computing device 104 comprises a central processor 4 and a memory unit coupled to the central processor 4.
• the central processor is a general- purpose digital processor adapted to execute instructions defined by a program element.
• the memory unit comprises at least one program element suitable to be executed by the central processor 4. More specifically, the memory unit may be partitioned into a data memory unit 6 and a program memory unit 8 where the data memory stores data elements for use by the central processor 4 and the program memory 8 stores programs for use by the central processor 4.
• the program element is operative for generating a display signal indicative of a web page when executing on the central processor 4.
• the central processor is a task specific processor adapted to implement a specific processing operation on a given input data stream.
• the memory unit comprises data elements suitable to be processed by the central processor 4.
• This second form of implementation is not as flexible as the first form. This will become apparent in light of a specific example.
• the central processor is a task specific processor
• the central processor 4 would have to be replaced by a new central processor implementing the new functionality.
• the program element executing on the central processor 4 is operative to generate data elements indicative of a display signal.
• the data elements representative of a display signal may further comprise control information allowing the central processor and an external device to communicate.
• the data elements indicative of a first display signal are released by the central processor 4.
• the video path 106 has a first input 110 coupled to the computing device 104 for receiving the first display signal.
• the video path further comprises a second input 108 for receiving a second display signal derived from a television signal.
• the video path further comprises an output 140 for releasing a third display signal.
• the video path may comprise in excess of the two inputs without detracting from the spirit of the invention.
• the video path comprises a display controller operative to selectively enable the transmission of either one of the first display signal received at the first input 110 and the second display signal received a the second input 108.
• the selection by the video path of first display signal or the second display signal may be effected by a control signal received from a third input to the video path.
• the third display signal released at the output 140 is indicative of a display signal selected from the group consisting of the first display signal and the second display signal.
• the video path comprises a central processor 300 and a memory unit 302.
• the central processor 300 is operative to process the first display signal and the second display signal to derive the third display signal, the third display signal being indicative of a display signal that is a combination of the first display signal and the second display signal.
• the memory unit 302 comprises at least one program element suitable to be executed on the central processor 300 for allowing the central processor 300 to process the signals received at the first and second inputs of the video path.
• the memory unit may contain a program element allowing the simultaneous display of the first display signal and the second display signal on the display unit 102 using picture-in-picture techniques.
• the memory unit may contain any suitable image-processing program without detracting from the spirit of the invention.
• Figure 5 shows a functional block diagram in accordance with a third specific example of implementation of the video path 106.
• the video path comprises a display controller 12 coupled to a video memory unit 14.
• the display controller has a first input coupled to the first input 110 of the video path for receiving a first display signal and a second input coupled to the second input 108 of the video path for receiving a second signal derived from a television signal.
• the display controller is operative to release a display signal and a control signal to the output of the video path 140.
• the control signal is used to control the deflection controller 19 of the display unit 102.
• the display controller 12 comprises an active processing component for processing the input display signals 108 110 and releasing a display signal that is a combination of the two signals such as by using picture-in-picture techniques or other image processing techniques for generating visual artifacts.
• the functional blocks depicted in figure 5 may be implemented on a general, purpose computing apparatus comprising a CPU and a memory unit or by dedicated hardware units programmed to implement a desired functionality.
• the video path further comprises a video mixer 16 coupled to the output of the display controller 12.
• the video mixer has a second input for receiving an external display signal in a format suitable for transmission to the display unit.
• the video mixer is operative to generate an output display signal.
• the video mixer comprises a switch for selectively releasing either one of the signals received from the output of the display controller 12 and from the second input receiving the external display signal.
• the computerized television apparatus further comprises a first coupling member
• the first coupling member 130 is adapted to receive a television signal and is operatively coupled to the second 108 input of the video path
• the second coupling member 132 is operatively coupled to the computing device 104.
• the second coupling member 132 is adapted to receive a signal indicative of information data elements, the information data elements being suitable for use by the computing device 104.
• the second coupling member 132 includes an
• Ethernet controller unit allowing the computerized television apparatus 2 to be interconnected to a data source via a computer network.
• the second coupling member includes a modem unit allowing the computerized television apparatus 2 to be interconnected to a data source via the telephone network.
• the first coupling member 130 comprises a tuner device and an analog to digital converter operative for processing an analog signal received at the input of the first coupling member 130 to derive a digital representation of the signal image.
• the computerized television apparatus may comprise additional coupling members allowing signal exchanges between the apparatus 2 and an external signal source to take place without detracting from the spirit of the invention.
• FIG. 5 shows a specific implementation of the computerized television apparatus 2.
• Apparatus 2 comprises a computing device comprised of a central processor (CPU) 4 which is conventionally connected to a memory unit 6, such as a RAM, and to a readable program memory 8.
• the apparatus further comprises a user interface unit 10 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a remote control or any other suitable device for allowing a user of the apparatus 2 to interact with the computing device.
• the interface unit 10 comprises devices peripheral to the apparatus 2 such as wireless devices allowing remotely controlling apparatus 2.
• the CPU 4 is linked to the video path by a coupling to the display controller 12.
• the display controller is coupled to a suitable temporary video memory unit 14.
• the display controller 12 is coupled to a first coupling member via an analog to digital converter 22.
• the display controller is further coupled to the video mixer 16.
• the video mixer 16 is coupled to a display unit such as a screen 18 to allow a visual display for the user.
• the apparatus 2 provides a first coupling member in the form of a television coupling 750.
• the first coupling member is a tuner 20 providing a coupling between the apparatus 2 and an analog signal, the analog signal including an analog image component and an audio component.
• the tuner 20 is operative to extract the analog image component from a received input signal for transmission to an analog to digital converter 22.
• the analog to digital converter receives the analog image component and releases a digital representation of the latter, referred to as the digital image component.
• the digital image component is then released for processing by the display controller 12.
• the analog to digital converter may be further coupled to the CPU 4 for exchanging control signaling information and, optionally, for transmitting display mage information for processing by the CPU 4.
• the tuner 20 also transmits the audio component of the input signal to an audio controller 24 linked to an amplifier and speakers combination 26 which allows sound output for the user. Audio controllers are well known in the art to which this invention pertains and will not be described in further detail. The person skilled in the art will readily observe that the tuner 20 may also be used to receive radio frequency waves, for emission through speakers 26 as conventional radio sound waves.
• the second coupling member is an Ethernet controller 28 adapted to be linked to a local computer network system by means of a suitable connector 30.
• the second coupling member is a modem device 32, adapted to be linked through a suitable connector 34 to the telephone network.
• the Ethernet controller 28 and the modem device 32 may be particularly useful for receiving data elements from remote locations, such as WebPages from the worldwide web, thus allowing Internet browsing.
• the apparatus 2 further comprises a controlled power input 36 to feed the components of the apparatus 2.
• the controlled power input 36 can be selectively activated/disactivated by the user of the apparatus 2.
• the RAM and program memories 6, 8, together with CPU 4, control peripheral devices 10, and video elements 12, 14, 16, 18, 19 allow the user of the apparatus 2 to perform a wide variety of computer related operations. More specifically, the computer related operations are accomplished, at least on part, on a basis of data obtained through the local network via a second coupling member.
• the video mixer 16 allows selectively displaying an external display signal in a format suitable for processing by a display unit and a signal received from the display controller.
• the display controller 12 allows subdividing a display image into a number of different images ("picture-in- picture") / some of which may be television programs originating from a first coupling member, while simultaneously visualizing network or internet files.
• the software required for the apparatus 2 operation is located on program memory 8.
• the computing device 104 for generating a display signal is a fast boot-up computing device.
• the fast boot-up computing device includes a plurality of hardware elements.
• the fast boot-up computing device further comprises an initial program loader unit 10
• the fast boot-up computing device further comprises a plurality of program elements associated to respective hardware elements, the program elements being adapted to cooperate with selected ones of the hardware elements.
• the fast boot-up computing device is operative to process the initial program loader unit to invoke the program elements associated to the respective data elements and is operative to boot-up the computerized television apparatus.
• the boot-up of the computerized television apparatus comprises the initialization of the various BIOS, the operating system, the graphic interface and the television driver. The boot-up is effected on the basis of the initial program loader in about five (5) seconds or less.
• the program elements are operative to implement a communication interface with their associated hardware element.
• the hardware elements are selected from the set consisting of processors, peripheral devices and memory devices.
• the program elements are stored in the program memory 8.
• the initial program loader unit may comprise data elements of the type: "Pentium II 300Hz; ISA bus; LogitechTM serial mouse; 64 MB RAM . . .” and so on. Each data element is in turn associated to a respective program element.
• a program element associated to the data element "LogitechTM serial mouse" may be the driver program element for the components associated to the data element "LogitechTM serial mouse".
• the CPU 4 upon power-up, the CPU 4 scans the data elements in the initial program loader unit and invokes the associated program elements.
• the use of the initial program loader unit removes the requirement to search the computerized television apparatus at power-on thereby reducing the overall booting time of the computerized television apparatus.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Software Systems (AREA)
• Controls And Circuits For Display Device (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)
• Digital Computer Display Output (AREA)
• Testing, Inspecting, Measuring Of Stereoscopic Televisions And Televisions (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1999
  • 1999-12-07 AU AU15421/00A patent/AU1542100A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-12-07 TR TR2001/01611T patent/TR200101611T2/tr unknown
  • 1999-12-07 MX MXPA01005722A patent/MXPA01005722A/es unknown
  • 1999-12-07 TR TR2002/01206T patent/TR200201206T2/tr unknown
  • 1999-12-07 KR KR1020017007090A patent/KR20010101142A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-12-07 CA CA002353403A patent/CA2353403C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-12-07 WO PCT/CA1999/001168 patent/WO2000035190A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-12-07 CN CNB998160067A patent/CN1140112C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-12-07 JP JP2000587527A patent/JP2002532970A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-12-07 EP EP99957804A patent/EP1138149A2/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2002
  • 2002-04-17 HK HK02102889.8A patent/HK1041145B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

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