JP2006157380A - Television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a television receiver, wherein a function of automatically adjusting brightness or the like is realized at low cost and a user can easily change control data obtained by relating room brightness to the brightness of a screen in accordance with his/her preference. <P>SOLUTION: Brightness or the like is automatically adjusted by using a CCD camera for monitoring the security of the room to detect the brightness of the room and referring to an automatic brightness control map 40. Since this eliminates the need of newly adding a camera and an image processing part, a television receiver can be manufactured at a low cost. In addition, the user can easily change control data of an automatic brightness control map in accordance with his/her preference by a first map data change mode for shifting the automatic brightness control map and a second map data change mode for redefining control data of the automatic brightness control map 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a television receiver having a function of automatically adjusting brightness and / or volume.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a control system that monitors the presence or absence of a person in a room with a camera installed on a ceiling or a wall, brightness, and the like, and controls a television receiver or the like based on that (for example, patent literature) 1). However, such a control system has not been widely spread since a separate control device for processing a camera and an image captured by the camera is required, increasing the cost of the entire system. Further, since the television receiver or the like is controlled based on a predetermined algorithm, there is a problem that the user cannot freely change the relationship between the room brightness and the screen brightness according to his / her preference. .

Patent Document 2 discloses an information processing system that flexibly detects an event based on data acquired by a plurality of sensors and reduces power consumption. Patent Document 3 discloses a signal conversion device that enables a device that can be controlled by infrared communication to be controlled by a home network.
JP-A-7-271426 JP 2004-140623 A JP 2004-180260 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a function of automatically adjusting the brightness and / or volume, and allows the user to change the relationship between the room brightness and the screen brightness according to his / her preference. It is an object of the present invention to provide a television receiver that can be easily changed at low cost.

  To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a tuner for receiving a television broadcast signal, and a video / audio signal processing means for processing a broadcast signal received by the tuner and separating it into a video signal and an audio signal. A video / audio output means for outputting the video signal and the video signal separated by the video / audio signal processing means; an imaging means for imaging the periphery of the video / audio output means and converting it into an electrical image signal; Storage means for storing the image signal captured by the storage means, communication processing means for uploading the image signal stored by the storage means to a server via the Internet, control means for controlling each of the above parts, and various command signals. Command transmitting means for transmitting, and a command receiving section for receiving the command signal transmitted by the command transmitting means and transferring it to the control means The storage means stores a brightness / volume automatic control map that associates the brightness of the room with the optimum screen brightness and / or volume according to the room brightness, and the control means includes: The brightness of the room is calculated from the image signal captured by the imaging means, and the brightness and / or volume is controlled by controlling the video / audio output means based on the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means. The control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means is adjusted in accordance with the first command signal that is adjusted and transmitted from the command transmission means. The first map data change mode for changing the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map by shifting in the direction of increasing and decreasing the volume and / or the volume, and the second transmitted from the command transmitting means. A second map data change mode for arbitrarily changing the control data of the map by redefining the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means in accordance with the command signal by three main points The user can easily and arbitrarily change the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map that is referred to for adjusting the brightness and / or volume of the screen when the brightness of the room changes. It is a thing.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tuner for receiving a television broadcast signal, a video / audio signal processing means for processing a broadcast signal received by the tuner and separating it into a video signal and an audio signal, and the video / audio signal processing means. The video signal and the video / audio output means for outputting the video signal separated by the image signal, the imaging means for imaging the periphery of the video / audio output means and converting it into an electrical image signal, and the image signal captured by the imaging means Storage means for storing, communication processing means for uploading an image signal stored in the storage means to a server via the Internet, control means for controlling each of the above parts, and command transmission means for transmitting various command signals And a command receiving unit that receives the command signal transmitted by the command transmitting unit and transfers the command signal to the control unit. In the machine, the storage means stores a brightness / volume automatic control map that associates the brightness of the room with the optimal screen brightness and / or volume corresponding thereto, and the control means is imaged by the imaging means. The brightness of the room is calculated from the obtained image signal, and the brightness and / or volume is adjusted by controlling the video / audio output means based on the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means. .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the television receiver according to the second aspect, when a command signal for changing the brightness and / or volume of the screen is transmitted by the command transmission unit, the control unit is a video / audio output unit. The brightness and / or volume is adjusted by controlling the brightness and / or volume, and the brightness / volume automatic control map is shifted by shifting the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means based on the command signal. The control data of the control map is changed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the television receiver according to the second aspect, when the brightness of the room becomes a predetermined threshold value or less, the control means immediately or after a lapse of a predetermined time, Is to shut off.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the brightness of the room is detected by using the imaging means for monitoring the safety of the room, and the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means is referred to. Automatically adjust brightness and / or volume. Accordingly, there is no need to newly add an image pickup means and an image processing means, and a television receiver having a function of automatically adjusting brightness and / or volume can be manufactured at low cost. . A first map data change mode for shifting the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map in a direction in which the brightness of the room increases or decreases in accordance with the first command signal transmitted from the command transmitting means; Since it has a second map data change mode for redefining the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map according to the second command signal transmitted from the command transmitting means, the user can respond to his / her preference. Thus, the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map can be easily and arbitrarily changed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the brightness of the room is detected using the image pickup means for monitoring the safety of the room, and the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means is referred to. Automatically adjust brightness and / or volume. Accordingly, it is not necessary to newly add an image pickup means and an image processing means, so that a television receiver having a function of automatically adjusting brightness and / or volume can be manufactured at low cost.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the brightness and / or volume is adjusted according to the command signal transmitted from the command transmission means while the user is viewing a program or the like, and the brightness / volume automatic control map is controlled. Control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map is changed by shifting the data. Thus, if the user changes the brightness and volume during normal viewing, the operation is reflected in the control data of the subsequent brightness / volume automatic control map. Therefore, the more the user uses the television receiver, the more the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map is adapted to the user's preference, and the usability of the television receiver is enhanced.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the power of the television receiver is shut off when the brightness of the room becomes a predetermined threshold value or less, the power of the television receiver can be automatically shut off when the light is turned off. .

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a television receiver. The television receiver 1 is a tuner 2 that receives a television broadcast signal, a decoder 3 that demodulates the broadcast signal received by the tuner 2, and a broadcast signal demodulated by the decoder 3 is separated into a video signal and an audio signal. A video / audio signal processing unit (video / audio signal processing unit) 4, a video / audio output unit (video / audio output unit) 5 that outputs the video signal and the video signal separated by the video / audio signal processing unit 4, and a video / audio output unit 5. Camera (imaging means) 6 that captures the periphery of the image and converts it into an electrical image signal, memory (storage means) 7 that stores the image signal captured by the CCD camera 6, and a communication processing unit that performs communication processing (Communication processing means) 8, a CPU (control means) 9 for controlling each of the above parts, a remote control operation part (command transmission means) 10 for transmitting and receiving various command signals, Mocon receiver and a (command receiving means) 11.

  The communication processing unit 8 is connected to the server 13 via the Internet 12 and uploads the image signal stored in the memory 7 to the server 13 by connecting to the Internet 12 as needed or as needed. The user can check the uploaded image, that is, the state of the room in which the television receiver 1 is installed by accessing the server 13 via the Internet 12 using a mobile phone or personal computer on hand. it can.

  The remote control operation unit 10 selects a power key for turning on / off the power of the television receiver 1, a numeric input key for selecting a channel, a menu item displayed on the video / audio output unit, and the like. An arrow key for determining the selected menu item, and an infrared signal corresponding to a command input through the operation of each key. The infrared signal output from the remote control operation unit 10 is received by the remote control light receiving unit 11.

  FIG. 2 shows a brightness / volume setting screen 20 which is one of the menu screens of the television receiver 1. The brightness / volume setting screen 20 is displayed on the video / audio output unit 5 by, for example, pressing a menu key of the remote controller 10 and selecting an item of brightness / volume setting using an arrow key from various menus. Is displayed. On the brightness / volume setting screen 20, the user can select each item regarding the brightness and volume of the screen by moving the cursor using the arrow keys of the remote control operation unit 10.

  For example, when the screen brightness button 21 and the mode 1 button 22 are selected by the user and the enter key of the remote control operation unit 10 is pressed, a screen related to the brightness automatic control map 30 as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the video / audio output unit 5. The brightness automatic control map 30 is a control map that associates the brightness of the room with the optimum screen brightness according to the room brightness, and is stored in the memory 7. The CPU 9 automatically controls the brightness of the screen by controlling the image and sound processing unit 4 while appropriately referring to the brightness automatic control map 30.

  In FIG. 3, standard control data (hereinafter referred to as standard control data) 31 is set in advance in the brightness automatic control map 30. When the standard control data 31 is used, the CPU 9 controls the brightness of the screen to be a constant value from the extinguished state until the brightness of the room reaches the threshold value L1, and the brightness of the room exceeds the threshold value L1. The screen brightness is gradually increased, and then the screen brightness is controlled to be a constant value when the room brightness reaches the threshold value L2. Thereby, the screen of the television receiver 1 is controlled to a substantially optimum brightness according to the brightness of the room.

  However, since the preference of the brightness of the screen is slightly different depending on the user, the user is often dissatisfied with the control based on the standard control data 31. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the following two map data change modes are provided so that the user can easily change to a desired brightness setting.

  Of the two map data change modes, the first map data change mode will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the first map data change mode is enabled when the user selects the mode 22 button 22 on the menu screen 20 shown in FIG. In the first map data change mode, when the user operates the arrow key or the like of the remote control operation unit 10, the control data of the brightness automatic control map 30 can be shifted in the direction in which the screen brightness increases or decreases. . For example, the control data 32 is obtained by shifting the standard control data 31 upward in the figure by the user operating the upward arrow key of the remote control operation unit 10. Similarly, the control data 33 is obtained by shifting the standard control data 31 downward in the figure. Thus, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the standard control data 31 of the brightness automatic control map 30 is shifted upward or downward in the figure. It is also possible to shift to the right or left by operating the arrow keys. In this way, by appropriately shifting the standard control data 31 of the brightness automatic control map 30, the user can bring the relationship between the room brightness and the screen brightness closer to a desired setting.

  Next, the second map data change mode will be described with reference to FIG. The second map data change mode is enabled when the user selects the mode 24 button 24 from the menu screen shown in FIG. In the second map data change mode, the control data 50 or 60 of the brightness automatic control map 40 is defined by three principal points 51, 52, 53 or 61, 62, 63. The user can arrange the three main points 51, 52, 53 or 61, 62, 63 at arbitrary positions by operating the arrow keys or the like of the remote control operation unit 10, and the arbitrary brightness automatic control map 40 can be arranged. The control data 50 or 60 can be arbitrarily defined. For example, the control data 50 indicates a setting in which the screen brightness changes relatively gently with respect to a change in room brightness, and the control data 60 indicates a screen brightness with respect to a change in room brightness. This shows a setting in which the length changes relatively abruptly. Further, for example, by moving the point 52 so as to deviate from the midpoint of the points 51 and 53, the change in screen brightness in the vicinity of the point 52 can be made non-linear.

  The automatic brightness adjustment function for the screen has been described above, but the sound volume can be similarly controlled using the automatic sound volume control map instead of the automatic brightness control maps 30 and 40. At this time, the control data of the automatic volume control map referred to by the CPU 9 is the automatic volume control similar to the automatic brightness control map shown in FIG. 3 or 4 by selecting the volume button 23 on the menu screen of FIG. The map can be displayed and changed.

  As described above, according to the television receiver 1 of the present embodiment, the brightness of the room is detected using the CCD camera 6 for monitoring the safety of the room and stored in the memory 7. / Brightness etc. are automatically adjusted by referring to the volume automatic control map. Accordingly, it is not necessary to newly add a CCD camera, an image processing circuit, or the like, so that the television receiver 1 having a function of automatically adjusting brightness and the like can be manufactured at low cost. Also, a first map data change mode for shifting the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map 30 in a direction in which the brightness of the room increases or decreases in accordance with the first command signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 10. And a second map data change mode for redefining the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map in response to the second command signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 10. The control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map can be easily and arbitrarily changed according to preference.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, a command to change the brightness or volume is transmitted from the remote control operation unit 10 while the user is viewing a program or the like. In this case, the brightness or volume is adjusted accordingly and the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map is shifted by the CPU 9 as shown in FIG. May be configured to be changed. According to such a configuration, if the user changes the brightness and volume during normal viewing, the operation is reflected in the control data of the subsequent brightness / volume automatic control map. Therefore, as the user uses the television receiver 1, the brightness / volume automatic control map is set according to the user's preference, and the usability of the television receiver 1 is improved.

  Further, the CPU 9 may be configured to shut off the power of the television receiver immediately or after a lapse of a predetermined time when the brightness of the room becomes a predetermined threshold value or less. According to such a configuration, the power of the television receiver can be automatically shut off when the light is turned off. The predetermined time may be appropriately set by the user.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the menu screen for selecting the mode which changes the control data of the brightness and volume of the screen in the receiver. The figure which shows the display screen for changing the control data of a brightness automatic control map in 1st map data change mode. The figure which shows the display screen for changing the control data of a brightness automatic control map in 1st map data change mode.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Television receiver 2 Tuner 4 Video / audio signal processing part (video / audio signal processing means)
5. Video / audio output unit (video / audio output means)
6 CCD camera (imaging means)
7 Memory (memory means)
8 Communication processing unit (communication processing means)
9 CPU (control means)
10. Remote control operation unit (command transmission means)
11 Remote control light receiver (command receiving means)
30, 40 Brightness automatic control map

Claims (4)

A tuner for receiving a television broadcast signal, a video / audio signal processing means for processing the broadcast signal received by the tuner and separating it into a video signal and an audio signal, a video signal separated by the video / audio signal processing means, and Video and audio output means for outputting a video signal; imaging means for imaging the periphery of the video and audio output means to convert it into an electrical image signal; storage means for storing the image signal captured by the imaging means; Communication processing means for uploading an image signal stored in the storage means to a server via the Internet, control means for controlling each of the above parts, command transmission means for transmitting various command signals, and this command transmission means In a television receiver having a command receiving unit that receives the command signal transmitted by the control unit and transfers the command signal to the control means. ,
The storage means stores a brightness / volume automatic control map associating room brightness with optimal screen brightness and / or volume corresponding to the room brightness,
The control means includes
The brightness of the room is calculated from the image signal picked up by the image pickup means, and the video and audio output means is controlled based on the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means to control the brightness and / or Adjust the volume
In accordance with the first command signal transmitted from the command transmission means, the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means is used to increase or decrease the brightness of the room or the brightness of the screen. And / or a first map data change mode for changing the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map by shifting in a direction in which the volume increases or decreases;
By redefining the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage unit in accordance with the second command signal transmitted from the command transmission unit by three main points, the map control data And a second map data change mode for arbitrarily changing
The user can easily and arbitrarily change the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map referred to for adjusting the brightness and / or volume of the screen when the brightness of the room changes. A television receiver. A tuner for receiving a television broadcast signal, a video / audio signal processing means for processing the broadcast signal received by the tuner and separating it into a video signal and an audio signal, a video signal separated by the video / audio signal processing means, and Video and audio output means for outputting a video signal; imaging means for imaging the periphery of the video and audio output means to convert it into an electrical image signal; storage means for storing the image signal captured by the imaging means; Communication processing means for uploading an image signal stored in the storage means to a server via the Internet, control means for controlling each of the above parts, command transmission means for transmitting various command signals, and this command transmission means A television receiver having a command receiving unit that receives the command signal transmitted by the control unit and transfers the command signal to the control means; ,
The storage means stores a brightness / volume automatic control map associating room brightness with optimal screen brightness and / or volume corresponding to the room brightness,
The control means calculates the brightness of the room from the image signal picked up by the image pickup means, and controls the video / audio output means based on the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means. A television receiver characterized by adjusting brightness and / or volume.   When the command signal for changing the brightness and / or volume of the screen is transmitted by the command transmission means, the control means controls the video / audio output means to adjust the brightness and / or volume, and 3. The brightness / volume automatic control map control data is changed by shifting the control data of the brightness / volume automatic control map stored in the storage means based on the signal. The television receiver described in 1.   3. The television receiver according to claim 2, wherein the control unit shuts off the power of the television receiver immediately or after a predetermined time elapses when the brightness of the room becomes a predetermined threshold value or less. .

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