JP2003032560A - Channel selection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate channel decision by reducing video image information for a viewer. SOLUTION: A channel selection device has a full image display function for displaying a full screen video image on an entire display screen, a multi- screen image display function for displaying a multi-screen video image and a channel selection function for selecting a channel to be displayed on the basis of a cursor operation when the multi-screen image display function displays the multi-screen image. The channel selection device is provided with: a multi- screen image display range control section 5 that generates a partial display video image segmented from a multi-screen image to have an optional size based on the reference position of a cursor coordinate; and a mixing section 9 that displays the partial display image, information of a full screen video image and a cursor in a superimposed manner. The mixing section 9 displays the partial display video image on an optional area of the full video image in a superimposed manner when the full video image is displayed of the entire display screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a full-screen display function for displaying a full-screen video on the entire display screen and a multi-screen display function for displaying a multi-screen video, and channel selection is based on cursor operation. The present invention relates to a channel selection device having a channel selection function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional channel selecting device is provided in a television receiver. According to this channel selection device, the programs desired by the viewer can be visually checked in a list by simultaneously displaying the child screen groups of a plurality of channels (multi-screen display).

As a conventional example of a television receiver provided with such a channel selection device, there is a television receiver disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-23388. This television receiver has means for displaying a cursor on the small screen group in the multi-screen display mode so that the viewer can easily select a channel, and an arbitrary pointer pointed to by the cursor by sending a channel determination signal. , A channel selection device having means for selecting a reception channel corresponding to one of the child screens and means for switching the image of the child screen of the selected reception channel to the full screen after the channel selection is confirmed.

[0004]

However, in a television receiver having a conventional channel selecting device, a plurality of channels of sub-screens are displayed at once in the multi-screen display mode. Therefore, for example, in the multi-screen display mode, when four screens in the vertical direction and four screens in the horizontal direction are displayed for a total of 16 screens, the amount of video information displayed at one time increases, and the channel of the viewer is determined. There was a problem that it was difficult to make a decision.

The present invention was devised to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a channel selection device capable of facilitating channel determination by reducing video information for a viewer. It is in.

[0006]

A channel selection apparatus of the present invention has a full-screen display function of displaying a full-screen image which is a single-channel image on the entire display screen and a display screen divided into a plurality of child screens. It has a multi-screen display function to display and display multi-screen video by reducing and arranging video of multiple channels on individual child screens, and also displays when multi-screen video is being displayed by the multi-screen display function. A channel selection device having a channel selection function that performs channel selection based on cursor operation, and cuts out from a multi-screen image into a range of arbitrary size with a coordinate indicating a cursor position as a reference position. And a superimposition display means for superimposing and displaying the clipped partial display video, the full-screen video, and the cursor. When the full screen video is being displayed on the entire display screen, and displaying by superimposing the partial display images in any area of the full screen video.

According to the present invention having the above characteristics,
Since the channel selection is performed based on the partial display image, the image information for the viewer can be reduced.

Further, according to the channel selection device of the present invention, the superimposition display means displays a portion of the multi-screen image corresponding to an arbitrary size range centered on the reference position as a partial display image. Is characterized by.

According to the present invention having such characteristics,
Since the cursor position is always in the center of the partial display image,
It becomes easy to select the sub screen from the partial display video.

Further, according to the channel selection apparatus of the present invention, the range of the arbitrary size moves with the movement of the cursor, and the partial display image generating means responds from the multi-screen image according to the range. It is characterized in that a partial display image is generated.

According to the present invention having such characteristics,
By moving the cursor, you can see the entire multi-screen video.

Further, the channel selection device of the present invention is characterized by further comprising means for changing the size of the range.

According to the present invention having such characteristics,
The size of an arbitrary range with the coordinate indicating the position of the cursor as the reference position can be changed while executing the partial display.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a channel selection device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a channel selection device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a channel selection screen formed by the channel selection device shown in FIG. Figure 3
It is explanatory drawing which shows the other example of the channel selection screen formed of the channel selection apparatus shown in FIG.

The channel selection device of the present embodiment includes a first electronic tuner 1, a second electronic tuner 2, a channel selection unit 3, a multi-screen generation unit 4, a multi-screen display range control unit 5, an operation unit 6, and cursor coordinate setting. It is composed of a section 7, a cursor signal generation section 8, a mixing section 9, a display section 10, and a timer section 11.
However, the timer unit 11 will be described in the second embodiment described later.
Will be explained.

Further, the operation section 6 selects a channel from a movement key 6a for moving a cursor, a decision key 6b for determining a channel, and a normal display screen (full-image display of a single channel). Selection mode switching key 6c for switching to a screen display for display, and an arbitrary size range (partial display range) with the coordinates indicating the position of the cursor as the reference position
And a display size change key 6d for changing the size of.

The first electronic tuner 1 receives a video image for full-screen display, and receives a video image of the channel designated by the channel selection section 3.

The second electronic tuner 2 receives an image for displaying a multi-screen image in which images of a plurality of channels are reduced and displayed on individual sub-screens, sequentially receives images of receivable channels, and The video information is sent to the screen generator 4.

The multi-screen image generation unit 4 uses the video information sent from the second electronic tuner 2 to create a multi-screen image 11 (see FIG. 2).
(See (a)) is generated.

The multi-screen display range control unit 5 receives the information of the multi-screen image 11 sent from the multi-screen generation unit 4 and the coordinate value (cursor value indicating the current cursor position sent from the cursor coordinate setting unit 7). (Coordinate value), the multi-screen partial display image 13 (see FIG. 2C) is generated by cutting out into a range of arbitrary size based on the cursor coordinates and displaying it in the partial display range.

The cursor signal generating section 8 generates a cursor signal for displaying based on the current cursor coordinate value sent from the cursor coordinate setting section 7.

The mixing unit 9 includes a single-channel full-screen image 12 (see FIG. 2B) sent from the first electronic tuner 1 and a multi-screen display range control unit 5 sending a multi-screen. The partial display image 13 and the cursor signal sent from the cursor signal generation unit 8 are combined, and the display unit 1
Send video to 0. In this way, on the display unit 10, the superimposed image 14 (see FIG. 2C) in which the multi-screen partial display image 13 is displayed on the full-screen image 12 is displayed as a channel selection screen.

The multi-screen image 11 shown in FIG.
Shows four screens in the vertical direction and four screens in the horizontal direction from channel 1 to channel 16 (ch1, ch2 ...
ch16) video, the full-screen video 12 shown in FIG. 2 (b) is composed of ch2 video, and the multi-screen partial display video 13 shown in FIG. 2 (c) is the central ch6 video. Ch1 arranged in the peripheral part of the video of that ch6
ch2, ch3, ch5, ch7, ch9, ch10,
It consists of a part of the video of ch11.

Further, by operating the movement key 6a of the operation section 6, the cursor coordinate value of the cursor coordinate setting section 7 is also changed accordingly. The cursor coordinate value set by the cursor coordinate setting unit 7 is sent to the channel selection unit 3, the multi-screen display range control unit 5, and the cursor signal generation unit 8. The multi-screen partial display video 13 generated by the multi-screen display range control unit 5 is constantly updated and generated, and the multi-screen partial display area also moves following the cursor movement.

When the enter key 6b of the operation section 6 is pressed, the channel indicated by the cursor is set in the channel selection section 3. For example, when the enter key 6b is pressed while the cursor 15 is located on ch6, the display on the display unit 10 changes from the state shown in FIG.
The state is changed to that shown in (d).

The full screen image 12 shown in FIG.
Is a video of ch6, and the multi-screen partial display video 13 shown in FIG.
Ch1, ch2, ch arranged in the peripheral part of the video of 6
3, ch5, ch7, ch9, ch10, and a part of the video of ch11.

Further, the display size change key 6d of the operation unit 6
Is used to resize the partial display range. Information indicating that the display size change key 6d is pressed is transmitted via the cursor coordinate setting unit 7 to the multi-screen display range control unit 5
Sent to. While the display size change key 6d is being pressed, the move key 6a is not used for moving the cursor, but is used by the multi-screen display range control unit 5 for changing the size of the partial display range. By performing such an operation,
The size of the partial display range can be changed, and for example, the multi-screen partial display image 13 is enlarged and changed from the state shown in FIG. 3A to the state shown in FIG.

The superimposed image 14 shown in FIG.
The multi-screen partial display video 13 is displayed on the full-screen video 12 consisting of the video. In addition, FIG.
The multi-screen partial display image 13 shown in is a video of the central ch6 and channels arranged in the peripheral part of the video of this ch6.
1, ch2, ch3, ch4, ch5, ch7, ch
It consists of a part of the video of 8, ch9, ch10,
The multi-screen partial display image 13 shown in FIG.
The image of h6, the images of ch2, ch5, ch7 and ch10 arranged in the peripheral part of the image of ch6, ch1,
ch3, ch4, ch8, ch9, ch11, ch1
It consists of part of the images of 2, ch13, ch14, and ch15. That is, in FIG. 3B, the sub-screen that is not displayed in the multi-screen partial display video 13 is substantially only one screen of ch16.

With the above-mentioned configuration, a channel selection device with good operability can be obtained.

Next, an embodiment of the channel selection operation in the channel selection device having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. However, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the second embodiment.

[Embodiment 1] In the initial state of the channel selection apparatus (the state immediately after the power is turned on), the display section 10 displays a full-screen display of the channel (for example, ch2) which was selected when the power was turned off. It is displayed in the mode (see FIG. 2B) (step S1).

In this state, the tuning mode switching key 6
When c is pressed (when YES is determined in step S2), the display screen of the display unit 10 is switched to the superimposed image display mode (see FIG. 2C), and the superimposed image 14 is displayed (step S3). ).

After that, when the move key 6a is pressed (when YES is determined in step S4), it is then determined whether or not the display size change key 6d is pressed (step S5), and the key is pressed. If not (N in step S5)
If it is determined to be O), the cursor 15 is moved (step S6).

On the other hand, if the display size change key 6d is pressed (YES in step S5), the size of the partial display range is changed (step S7). After that, the process returns to step S3, and the display of the superimposed image 14 is updated. For example, the multi-screen partial display image 1 shown in FIG.
The size is changed from 3 to the multi-screen partial display image 13 shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that the move key 6a has not been pressed (NO),
Next, it is judged whether or not the decision key 6b is pressed (step S8), and if it is pressed (YES in step S8).
If it is determined to be S), the channel of the first electronic tuner 1 is switched to the channel corresponding to the current cursor position (step S9).

After that, it is judged whether or not the tuning mode switching key 6c has been pressed (step S10). If it has not been pressed (NO in step S10), the process returns to step S3 until then. The superimposed image 14 of is displayed as it is. On the other hand, if the button is pressed (YES in step S10), the process returns to step S1 to display the switched channel in the full-screen display mode.

[Second Embodiment] In the channel selection operation of the first embodiment, when the enter key 6b is pressed, the channel is switched to the one corresponding to the cursor position at that time. However, in the second embodiment, When the cursor 15 is moved and then left stationary for a predetermined time, the channel is automatically switched to a channel corresponding to the cursor position at the time when the predetermined time has elapsed. In order to realize the second embodiment, it is necessary to provide a timer unit 11 for measuring a predetermined time as shown by a broken line in the configuration of the channel selection device shown in FIG.

That is, in the initial state of the channel selection apparatus (the state immediately after the power is turned on), the display section 10 displays the channel (for example, ch2) which was selected when the power was turned off in the full screen display mode (see FIG. 2 (see (b)) (step S11).

In this state, the tuning mode switching key 6
When c is pressed (YES in step S12), the timer unit 11 is reset and measurement of a predetermined time is started (step S13). At the same time, the display screen of the display unit 10 displays the superimposed image display mode (see FIG.
(See (c)), and the superimposed image 14 is displayed (step S14).

After that, when the move key 6a is pressed (YES in step S15), it is then determined whether or not the display size change key 6d is pressed (step S16), and the display key is pressed. If not (step S1
If NO in 6), the cursor 15 is moved (step S17).

On the other hand, if the display size change key 6d is pressed (YES in step S16),
The size of the partial display range is changed (step S18).
After that, the process returns to step S13, and the display of the superimposed image 14 is updated. For example, from the multi-screen partial display image 13 shown in FIG. 3A to the multi-screen partial display image 13 shown in FIG.
Resize to.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S15 that the move key 6a has not been pressed (NO), then the measured value of the timer section 11 is a predetermined value (0 seconds to 3 seconds).
It is judged whether or not the value exceeds about a second (step S19), and if it does not exceed the predetermined value (step S1).
If NO in 9), the process proceeds to step S22.

On the other hand, if it exceeds the predetermined value (step S
If YES is determined in 19), the channel of the first electronic tuner 1 is switched to the channel corresponding to the current cursor position (step S20), the clock value of the timer unit 11 is reset, and the clock is stopped (step S20). Step S21).

Thereafter, it is determined whether the tuning mode switching key 6c has been pressed (step S22). If it has not been pressed (NO in step S22), the process returns to step S14 and the superimposed image is displayed. The display of 14 is updated. On the other hand, if the button is pressed (YES in step S22), the process returns to step S11 to display the switched channel in the full-screen display mode.

In the above embodiment, the case where such a channel selection device is applied as a channel selection device for a television receiver has been described, but only as a channel selection device for such a television receiver. Instead, it can be applied as a window system, which is one of the operating systems of personal computers.

Next, another embodiment of the channel selection device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image generated by a window system of a personal computer which is another embodiment of the channel selection device of the present invention.

Here, the channel selection device is used as a window system which is one of the operation systems of personal computers.

That is, a single-channel received image (full-screen image 12) received by the first electronic tuner 1
However, in the present embodiment, the second electronic tuner 2 corresponds to application software (word processing image 22 shown in FIG. 6B) such as word processing software and spreadsheet software running on the window system of the personal computer. Is received by the multi-screen image generation unit 4 and is generated by the multi-screen generation unit 4.
In the present embodiment, 1 corresponds to the background of the window system and the icons (background video 20 and icon 21 shown in FIG. 6A) arranged on the background. As a result, the icon selection screen 23 shown in FIG. 6C can be generated.

At this time, the superimposed image 24 is the word processing image 22, the background image and the icon selection screen 23 which is a partial display image obtained by cutting out the icon into a range of arbitrary size.
As a result, the icon selection screen 23 is displayed on the word processing image 22.

By using the channel selection device of the present invention as a window system which is one of the operation systems of personal computers, such an icon selection screen 23 can be generated, so that the operator of the personal computer can use application software. The icon hidden behind can be selected and executed by operating the cursor 25 without closing.

In each of the above embodiments, the display range of the partial display image 13 and the icon selection screen 23 is described as a range of arbitrary size centered on the positions of the cursors 15 and 25 (reference position). However, the positions of the cursors 15 and 25 are not always the partial display image 13 and the icon selection screen 2
It does not have to be in the center of 3. For example, the upper left portion of the partial display image 13 or the icon selection screen 23 may be set as the reference position, and the cursors 15 and 25 may be located at the reference position.

Further, although the television receiver and the personal computer are shown as the display device in the present specification, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applicable to other devices having a general display function. The tuning device of the invention can be applied.

That is, the "single channel image" described in claim 1 means not only a single channel image from a television receiver, but also word processing software or a table running on a window system of a personal computer. It means a broad concept that includes application software such as calculation software, and "multi-screen video in which multiple channels of video are reduced and arranged on individual sub-screens" means only sub-screens of each channel by the television receiver. Instead, it means a broad concept including each icon arranged on the background of the window system.

[0056]

According to the channel selection device of the present invention, a partial display image is generated from a multi-screen image by generating a partial display image which is cut out into an arbitrary size range with coordinates indicating the position of the cursor as a reference position. Means and a superimposing display means for superimposing a cutout partial display image, a full-screen image, and a cursor, and the superimposing-display means, when the full-screen image is displayed on the entire display screen, The partial display image is superimposed and displayed on an arbitrary area of the screen image. As a result, since the channel selection is performed based on the partial display image, the image information for the viewer can be reduced and the channel can be easily determined.

Further, according to the channel selection device of the present invention, the superimposition display means is configured to display a portion of the multi-screen image corresponding to a range of arbitrary size centered on the reference position as a partial display image. . As a result, the position of the cursor is always located at the center of the partial display image, so that the operation of selecting the child screen from the partial display image becomes easy.

Further, according to the channel selection device of the present invention, the range of an arbitrary size is moved with the movement of the cursor, and the partial display image generating means is adapted to move the multi-screen image from the range of the arbitrary size to be moved. The corresponding partial display image is generated. As a result, it is possible to sequentially confirm the display contents of all channels while reducing the amount of video information provided to the viewer at one time.

Further, according to the channel selection device of the present invention, since it is further provided with means for changing the size of the range in which the partial display image is displayed, the amount of image information provided to the viewer at one time is arbitrary. Can be adjusted to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a channel selection device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a channel selection screen formed by the channel selection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a channel selection screen formed by the channel selection device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a first embodiment of a channel selection operation in the channel selection device of the present invention.
It is a flowchart showing.

FIG. 5 is a second embodiment of a channel selection operation in the channel selection device of the present invention.
It is a flowchart showing.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image generated by a window system of a personal computer which is another embodiment of the channel selection device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1st electronic tuner 2 Second electronic tuner 3 Channel selection 4 Multi-screen generator 5 Multi-screen display range controller 6 Operation part 7 Cursor coordinate setting section 8 Cursor signal generator 9 mixing department 10 Display 11 Timer section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A full-screen display function for displaying a full-screen image which is a single-channel image on the entire display screen, and a display screen is divided into a plurality of sub-screens to display the video of a plurality of channels in individual sub-screens. It has a multi-screen display function that displays a multi-screen video that is reduced and placed on the screen, and when the multi-screen video is displayed by the multi-screen display function, the channel to be displayed is selected based on the cursor operation. A channel selection device having a channel selection function, and a partial display image generation means for generating a partial display image cut out from a multi-screen image into a range of arbitrary size with coordinates indicating the position of a cursor as a reference position; , A superimposition display unit for superimposing the cutout partial display image, the full-screen image, and the cursor, wherein the superimposition display unit displays the full-screen image on the entire display screen. A channel selection device, characterized in that, when being shown, a partial display image is superimposed and displayed on an arbitrary area of this full screen image. 2. The superimposing display means displays, as a partial display image, a portion of a multi-screen image corresponding to an arbitrary size range centered on the reference position. Tuning device. 3. A range of the arbitrary size moves in accordance with the movement of the cursor, and the partial display image generation means generates a corresponding partial display image from the multi-screen image according to the range. The channel selection device according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for changing the size of the range.
Channel selection device according to any one of.