Classifications

• • 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
  • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
  • H04N21/43615—Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals
• • 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
  • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
  • H04N21/4112—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• • 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
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications

Definitions

• the invention relates to an interface device for an apparatus for processing a plurality of multi-medial high resolution operative programs and functions, integrated with a television receiver screen, for setting and performing such multi-medial operative programs and functions and displaying the same onto such screen.
• this appliance is adapted to allow to set and display such operative programs and functions onto at least a television receiver screen of any type (LCD, LED, plasma etc..) included into the same appliance or into separated external appliances, and is characterized by main electronic control means such as at least a master or main microprocessor, for controlling and managing informatics digital and analog data in general and data of operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers of various kind ; by video signals processing means such as a video processor, connected with both the master microprocessor and the television screen, in order to receive and process video signals of any kind depending on the informatics data of the operative programs and functions which have been respectively set and processed through said master microprocessor, and for displaying such video signals onto the television screen ; by audio signals processing means such as an audio processor, connected to both the master microprocessor and the sound reproducing means, in order to process and reproduce the audio signals depending on the informatics data and the operative programs and functions respectively set and processed through said master microprocessor ; by input selector means for analog and digital
• this remote control circuit allows to set and select directly in the peripheral appliances the operative programs and functions for personal computers and receivers, and to control the functions of the most different kinds, to be performed in the appliance referred to.
• the second electronic control means are able to receive and transmit audio data, and to set and select, via radio, cable, wires, and the like, operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers and are constituted by at least a multiplexer commutator connected to the audio processor and the BUS control line connected to the master microprocessor.
• the third electronic control means are able to receive and transmit, via radio, cable, wires, optic fibers and the like, informatics data in general and analog and digital video and audio data of the operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers and are constituted by at least an access gate connected with its inputs to a plurality of peripheral appliances of various kind and with one or more of its outputs to the master microprocessor, through the BUS control line.
• This processing appliance is also characterized in that the master microprocessor is able to control and manage the data exchange among it and the input selector means, and the first, second and third electronic control means, and among it and the corresponding electronic control means of external electronic appliances and/or systems, which are connected permanently or temporarily to this appliance, and that the 1 master microprocessor is set for receive at its input informatics data in general and analog and digital data of operative programs and functions which have been set through said first, second and third electronic control means as well as the corresponding control means of the external electronic appliances and/or systems, in order to manage and process the same data and to transmit corresponding response output data able to control the carrying out of the operative programs and functions which have been set, as well as the video signal and the audio signal processing means of this appliance and of external electronic appliances and/or systems, by displaying the corresponding images onto the television screen and reproducing the corresponding sounds on the audio transducer means of this appliance and on the corresponding television screens and audio transducer means of the external electronic appliances and/or systems, and being able to
• Such master microprocessor is also connected at its outputs to a mass storage unit (hard disk) and an optical writing/reading device of traditional type.
• a mass storage unit hard disk
• an optical writing/reading device of traditional type.
• the present invention relates to and interface device associated with an appliance of the type referred to, which is connected to peripheral appliances of the most different types,, which device is controlled both manually or by means of a remote control, and is so set as to receive some input signals of a plurality of multi-medial operative programs and functions, of the same type and also of different type with respect to those available with said processing appliance, and coming from such peripheral appliances, which programs and functions are selected manually or by means of a remote control, and to generate corresponding output signals able to display onto the screen of the appliance referred to the selected operative programs and functions, as well as to reproduce onto the same appliance the sounds contained into such so selected operative programs and functions.
• the present invention relates also to the possibility that such interface device reacts with the relative peripheral appliances, with a manually operated or a remote control, in a manner to modify at will the operative programs and functions which have been selected in the same peripheral appliances, and to generate corresponding modified output signals able to display onto the screen of the appliance referred to these modified operative programs and functions, as well as to reproduce in the same appliance the sounds contained into these modified operative programs and functions.
• the present invention relates also to the possibility that such interface device interacts with the peripheral appliances, with a manual operated or a remote control, in a manner to modify at will the operative programs and functions which have been selected in one or more of the same peripheral appliances and to generate corresponding modified output signals which are transmitted to additional and different peripheral appliances, in order to be added to the operative programs and functions of these additional and different peripheral appliances, by modifying them as desired, and to display onto the screen of the appliance referred to these additional operative programs and functions as well as to reproduce on the same appliance the sounds contained into these additional operative programs and functions.
• the interface device according to the invention is realized with the constructive characteristics substantially described, with particular reference to the attached claims of the present patent.
• PN2005A000038 namely for controlling and managing digital and analog informatics data in general and the operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers of various kind, and it is connected operatively to any electronic circuit for selecting and setting digital and analog data, included both directly into this appliance and connected temporarily or permanently with the same appliance, and/or included into electronic appliances or systems which are external to the same appliance, and which are connected temporarily or permanently to this appliance.
• this master microprocessor 1 is set in advance for receiving at its input these digital and analog data, for managing and processing the same data, and for transmitting corresponding response output data adapted to control the carrying out of the operative programs and functions which have been set, through this appliance and any possible external electronic appliance or system, by displaying the relative images and the relative sounds into the corresponding electronic video and audio circuits associated with the television screen of this appliance, or also with the screens of external electronic appliances or systems in case connected operatively to this appliance.
• the master or main microprocessor 1 is supplied through an electric power supply 3 connected to it by means of an electric line 4, and is connected to the input 5 of an audio and video microprocessor 6, included into an audio/video card 7, through a line 8 transmitting the audio/video signals generated by such master microprocessor 1, and this audio and video microprocessor 6 is set for commutating and decoding the received audio/video signals into an audio signal and a video signal, of which the audio signal is transmitted to an audio amplifier 9 connected to the output 10 of such microprocessor, and the relative sounds produced by this audio amplifier are heard through loudspeakers or headphones 11 connected to this latter.
• the video signal is transmitted to the video receiver screen 12 of the present processing appliance, formed for example by a LCD video panel 13, connected to the output 14 of the microprocessor 6 through a line 15, together with CNT control signals which are transmitted to the inverter 15' of the video panel 13 through a line 16, connected to another output 17 of the same microprocessor.
• the audio and video microprocessor 6 is supplied, together with the audio amplifier 9, by an electric power supply 18 connected to these components through a respective line 19 and 20, and also connected to the video panels 13 and the panel inverter 15' of the video receiver screen 12 through a line 21.
• the audio/video signal which is generated by the master microprocessor 1 and transmitted to the audio/video card 7 is coded in the HDMI format
• the video signal which is generated by the audio and video microprocessor 6 and transmitted to the video panel 13, for being displayed by this latter is coded in the LVDS format
• these signals may be employed and coded also in different formats and compatible with the various components of the present processing appliance, thus without departing from the protection sphere of the present invention.
• the master microprocessor 1 is set in advance for processing and managing some digital and analog data inputted from external electronic appliances and systems, connected temporarily or permanently to this appliance and provided with corresponding electronic circuits for selecting and setting such data, relative to informatics data in general and data of operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers, in order to transmit at its output some so processed and managed response data toward this appliance and toward additional external electronic appliances and systems, connected temporarily or permanently to the same appliance.
• the master microprocessor 1 is also set for controlling and checking the correct operation and the carrying out of the operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers of this appliance as well as of the external electronic appliances and systems, and for signalling and in case correcting automatically any possible non correct operation or for signalling also any possible operative breakdown or failure of the different electronic circuits of this appliance and of the external electronic appliances and systems.
• the microprocessor 6 of the audio/video card 7 is moreover connected to a plurality of peripheral external electronic appliances of various kind, and external electronic systems of various kind, performing different operative programs and functions, for receiving and decoding the electric signals coming from such external electronic appliances and systems, and for displaying the same onto the television screen 12 and reproducing the sounds through the audio amplifier 9.
• the signals which are received may be of various kinds, and in the examples referred to into the illustrated block diagram there are indicated some signals coming from an external terrestrial digital system 22 and received by a video tuner type ATV/DBV-T 23, some colour video signals RGB and some audio signals which are received by inputs of personal computer 24, some standard video signals CVBS which are received by inputs of audio and video signals 25, some video and audio signals which are received by a circuit SCART 26, some signals HDMI which are received by inputs of a circuit 27.
• the master microprocessor 1 is connected to further electronic appliances and systems, of a type different than those previously described, which by way of not limitative example only are constituted by a keyboard and a wireless mouse or a mouse without connections 28, a webcam 29, a reader SD 30, a circuit I-POD 31, a circuit LAN 32, a circuit BLUETOOTH WI-FI 33, a circuit BLURAY 34, a mass storage unit (hard-disk) 35, a generic interface 36, a satellite system 37, an external terrestrial digital system 38, an Internet connection 38' and some electronic appliances and systems of various kind, and the master microprocessor 1 is also set to receive and decode the electric signals coming from such external electronic appliances and systems and to display the same onto the television screen 12 and to reproduce the sounds through the audio amplifier 9.
• the master microprocessor 1 is also set to receive and decode the electric signals coming from such external electronic appliances and systems and to display the same onto the television screen 12 and to reproduce the sounds through the audio amplifier 9.
• the interface device 2 is able to realize the interface between the user and the master microprocessor 1 and is constituted substantially by at least an electronic microprocessor 39 and a circuit of electric and electronic sensors 40, which are connected to each other by means of an electric connection 41 and included into a respective electronic card, as well as made and provided for the functions which will be described.
• such interface device 2 is supplied by the power supply 18 through an electric line 42 and is connected through a serial communication line 43 to the audio and video microprocessor 6 of the audio/video card 7, as well as it is connected to the master microprocessor 1 through at least a communication channel USB 44, an electric line 45 for switching on and off the master microprocessor 1, an electric line 46 to reset the master microprocessor 1, and an electric line 47 to transmit some electric signals controlling and managing the operative state of the master microprocessor 1.
• the interface device 2 is connected to the television screen 12 through a respective electric line 48 and 49, provided for the functions which will be described.
• Such interface device 2 is connected through a respective electric line 50 and 51 also to a first and a second driving device (electric motors) 52 and 53, acting on to the television screen 12 in a manner to allow for the user respectively to displace the same screen in the right-left directions, or the upper-lower directions, up to the desired position of the user, in the manner and with the control means which will be described later on.
• the functions of the audio and video microprocessor 6 are fully controlled by the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2, in the manner which will be described, by means of the serial communication line 43.
• the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2 controls the control signals of the function of the video panel (display) 13 of the moving images through the electric line 48, by acting on a module ME MC namely for evaluating and compensating the images motion (motion estimation and motion compensation) (which module isn't shown), which is integrated in the video panel 13 of the television receiver screen 12, while the inverter 15' of the video panel 13 receives the electric control signals from the audio and video microprocessor 6 of the audio/video card 7 and the control signal of the brightness of the same video panel from such microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2, through the electric line 49.
• a module ME MC namely for evaluating and compensating the images motion (motion estimation and motion compensation) (which module isn't shown) (which module isn't shown), which is integrated in the video panel 13 of the television receiver screen 12, while the inverter 15' of the video panel 13 receives the electric control signals from the audio and video microprocessor 6 of the audio/video card 7 and the control signal of the brightness of the same video panel from
• control of the functions of the audio/video microprocessor 6 is obtained by means of a series of electric instruction signals generated by the microprocessor 39, based on the selections effected by the user as it will be described, and transmitted through the serial communication line 43 to the audio/video microprocessor 6 and this latter, based on the so received instruction signals, provides to control the peripheral electronic appliances and systems connected thereto, with consequent carrying out by these appliances and these systems of the selected operative programs and functions, which are so displayed on to the video screen 12 and their sounds are reproduced in the audio amplifier 9, and generation of response electric signals which are transmitted to the microprocessor 39 and controlled and checked by the same, for the entire carrying out of the above described operative programs and functions.
• the microprocessor 39 in the first case provides for generating some control signals, based on the selection of these parameters by the user, effected as it will be described, and these control signals provide for driving automatically the module ME/MC of the video panel 13 up to the desired level, such that to reduce or limit as much as possible the image motion, by keeping such level almost steady for the entire duration of the transmission.
• the microprocessor 39 provides for generating some brightness control signals, based on the brightness levels selected by the user as it will be described hereinafter, which signals are transmitted to the input of the inverter 15' of the video panel 13 and controlled by the microprocessor 39, up to reach the desired brightness level, thereby improving the images visual perception, by increasing the life duration of the video panel and by minimizing the requested power for illuminating the display under various ambient brightness conditions.
• the communication channel USB 44 is a multifunctional peripheral unit having the characteristics of mouse, keyboard, mass storage unit (hard-disk), multi-medial control device and generic interface HDD.
• Such communication channel USB 44 is provided for transmitting the electric signals, generated by and coming from the above mentioned components and the peripheral and external electronic appliances and systems 28-38', and received and processed through the master microprocessor 1, toward the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2, and for being received and processed by such microprocessor 39 based on the selection thereof which will be effected by the users with the criteria which will be described, and for transmitting such electric signals processed again toward the master microprocessor 1, and through this latter in case also toward said mouse, keyboard, mass storage unit, multi-medial control device and generic interface HID, as well as the external peripheral electronic appliances and systems 28-38', so as to interact with such components, and external electronic appliances and systems, in order to modify the operative programs and functions thereof based on the user selections.
• such communication channel USB 44 acts for realizing a continuous exchange of electronic data among the one and the other one of the microprocessors 1 and 39 and said components and external electronic appliances and systems 28-38', which are connected directly to the master microprocessor 1 and also to the external electronic appliances and systems connected operatively to the audio and video microprocessor 6 of the audio/video card 7, in this latter case thanks to the connection between such audio/video microprocessor 6 and the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2 through the serial communication line 43, thereby modifying the operative programs and functions of the external electronic appliances and systems which are connected to such audio and video microprocessor 6, based on the selection of the users.
• the electric lines 45, 46 and 47 are controlled by the microprocessor 39, for determining the above described functions, namely respectively for switching on and off the master microprocessor 1, resetting the electric data contained into the master microprocessor 1, and transmitting the electric signals for controlling and managing the operative state of the master microprocessor 1.
• the driving devices 52 and 53 of the television screen 12 are connected operatively to the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2, and are controlled by driving electric signals generated by and coming from such microprocessor 39, with consequent displacement of the television screen 12 into the positions selected and desired by the user, and these driving devices 52 and 53 are associated with further devices (not shown) adapted to detect the end of stroke position of the screen 12 on each of its orientation directions, and to generate corresponding electric signals for signalling this position, which are transmitted to the microprocessor 39 which provides for stopping the displacement in the positions which have been selected.
• detecting devices of the end of stroke positions there may be provided suitable electromechanical end of stroke sensors or some obstacles of various kind.
• Such sensors may be also eliminated, by storing these end of stroke positions directly into the operative program of the microprocessor 39, which therefore provides automatically for controlling the displacement of the television screen 12 into the positions desired and defined by the user.
• the circuit of electric and electronic sensors 40 is provided for selecting by the user the operative programs and functions to be performed into any one of said components and external peripheral electronic appliances and systems, namely those connected to the master microprocessor 1 and those connected to the audio and video microprocessor 6, and such circuit is provided, in addition to a plurality of sensors, also with at least a signal receiver integrated into the same circuit, in turn able to receive the signals selected and generated into at least a separated remote control device 54, and corresponding to the programs and functions which have been selected by the user, so as to allow such programs and functions to be carried out into such components and electronic appliances and systems connected to the microprocessors 1 and 6.
• Such signals are of the infrared, radio frequency, ultrasound etc.. type and are generated and transmitted by acting as usual onto the selector keys and/or the mouse included into the same remote control device, and are received by the receiver of these types of signals (not indicated) which is included in the sensor circuit 40, and converted into corresponding electric control signals which are transmitted through the electric connection 41 toward the microprocessor 39, which is set for recognizing and decoding the single control signals and, when the decoding operation is ended, it provides for introducing the code of the decoded control signals into a queue of the controls to be performed which is managed by the microprocessor 39, in a manner that this latter may so control the carrying out of the operative programs and functions which have been set into the components and the electronic appliances and systems where these programs and functions must be performed.
• the remote control device 54 After the control operation, the remote control device 54 generally transmits one or more signals for replaying the control operation, which are decoded by the microprocessor 39 by introducing into the control queue a code indicating the replay of the previous control operation which is present into the control queue.
• the microprocessor 39 provides for introducing a suitable code into the queue of the control operations to be performed when the relative key of the remote control device 54 is released, and the queue of the control operations to be performed is steadily detected by the microprocessor 39, with consequent checking by the same of the carrying out of the operative programs and functions which have been selected by the user into the remote control device 54.
• the sensor circuit 40 is provided with a plurality of capacitive selecting sensors (not indicated), in the form of touch-activated keys operated manually and adapted to generate, when they are pressed by the user, some coded electric control signals corresponding to the operative programs and functions selected by the same user, which signals are transmitted from the control circuit 40 through the electric connection 41 to the microprocessor 39, where such electric signals are recognized and decoded like those generated by the above mentioned receiver of the control circuit 40, and such decoded control signals are introduced into the same queue of the control operations to be performed into which the codes of the remote control device 54 are introduced.
• control circuit 40 Since the control circuit 40 is so designed as to signal only the manual pressure exerted onto the selecting keys and the releasing of the same keys, the microprocessor 39 provides for generating the control operation replaying codes and to check and manage the queue of the control operations like in the case of programs and functions selection by means of the remote control device 54.
• such sensor circuit 40 is also provided with keys (not shown) for switching on and off its electric power supply, which is external of or included into the same circuit, as well as with LED (not indicated) utilized as signalling devices for the user, and with at least a brightness sensor (not indicated too) adapted to adjust automatically the brightness of the display of the television screen 12, and connected operatively to the microprocessor 39 through a communication channel (not indicated), utilized for setting the operation mode of the same sensor and for effecting the reading of the light intensity, in a manner to de-activate such intensity when the same reaches an admissible maximum or minimum value (generally +/- 20%) for obtaining an acceptable brightness, or when such intensity persists beyond the admissible maximum and minimum value for a determinate time period (generally, for about 4 sec.)-
• the brightness sensor detects the reading of two photodiodes integrated into the same sensor, a first sensor sensitives to both the visible light and the infrared light, and a second photodiode sensitives mainly to the infrared
• the value which has been read by this latter photodiode is used to compensate for the effect of the infrared component contained into the value which has been read by the first photodiode.
• the values which have been read by the two photodiodes are used into a formula for obtaining the approximate response of the human eye which is expressed in the luminance unit Lux.
• the selection of the operative programs and functions to be set in the components and electronic appliances and systems connected to the microprocessors 1, 39 and the audio and video microprocessor 6 may also happen, in addition to the remote control device 54 and the selecting keys of the sensor circuit 40, also with a per se known gesture control system connected operatively to the microprocessor 39, namely by detecting by means of suitable optical sensors (infrared operated telecameras) the movements of the limbs and the human eye, and moreover such selection may be also happen through the keyboard and the wireless mouse 28 which, depending on the selections effected by the user, provide for generating corresponding infrared, radio frequency, ultrasound etc... signals, which are transmitted from these appliances to the master microprocessor 1, and converted by this latter into corresponding electric signals, in turn transmitted to the audio and video microprocessor 6 through the transmission line 8, and to the microprocessor 39 of the interface device 2, through the communication channel USB 44.
• suitable optical sensors infrared operated telecameras
• the interface device 2 acts as a mass storage peripheral unit, and is perceived as such by the master microprocessor 1, and this behaviour of the interface device 2 allows to store into its own microprocessor 39 all the data which are selected gradually into any one of the above specified selecting circuits.
• the master microprocessor 1 is set in advance for receiving and recognizing all the signals coming from the external electronic appliances and systems, through the audio and video microprocessor 6, and from the electronic appliances and systems 29-38' connected directly to the same master microprocessor, and deriving from the selection of the operative programs and functions of the present processing appliance by means of the keyboard and the wireless mouse 28, which are also connected directly to said master microprocessor, and finally from the selection of the operative programs and functions of the present processing appliance by means of the remote control device 54 or the selector keys of the sensor circuit 40, or the gesture control system, and relative storage of these signals into the microprocessor 39 and transmission of the same signals to the master microprocessor 1 through the communication channel USB 44, and in response to the various received signals such master microprocessor 1 provides for controlling the carrying out of all the operative programs and functions of the present processing appliance, by displaying the relative images onto the television screen 12 and reproducing the relative sounds in the audio amplifier 9.
• the master microprocessor 1 is also set in advance to interact with the components connected to the communication channel USB 44, and the external electronic appliances and systems, which are connected as described to the various microprocessors of the present processing appliance, in order to be able - if requested - to modify in a real time or within delayed times in any one of the components, and external electronic appliances and systems, the operative programs and functions on the discretion of the users, and these modifications may be realized on different ways, for example by adding or removing some portions of a determinate operative program and/or a determinate operative function in the same component, or the same electronic appliance or system, or contemporaneously in different components or electronic appliances or systems, or these modifications may be realized for example by adding on a determinate operative program and/or a determinate operative function in the same electronic appliance one portion of another operative program and/or another operative function of another electronic appliance, or by removing from a determinate operative program and/or a determinate operative function in the same electronic appliance a portion of this
• any desired modification to be effected for example the addition of a portion of a program of an appliance into the program of another appliance, may be effected at first by selecting in advance this program portion, by acting on to the relative selection system of the signals into which it is contained, then by transmitting to the master microprocessor 1 such program portion to be added, and by storing it into this microprocessor, and at the same time by introducing into the same microprocessor the remaining program to which it must be added, which is contained into and coming from such another appliance, and finally by adding automatically such program portion to the remaining program, in established position and with the criteria determined by setting the microprocessor 1.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)
• Details Of Television Systems (AREA)

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• 2010
  • 2010-01-28 IT ITPN2010A000006A patent/IT1399043B1/it active
• 2011
  • 2011-01-24 WO PCT/IB2011/000116 patent/WO2011092572A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-01-24 EP EP11707908A patent/EP2529546A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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