JP4230926B2 - Information processing apparatus and video output control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus such as a computer, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting different software and a video output control method thereof.

  In recent years, there is an information processing apparatus such as a computer that can output and display a video signal together with an internal display device on an external display device connected to an external output terminal. Further, in this type of information processing apparatus, the output destination of the video signal can be switched to only the internal display device, only the external display device, or each of the internal and external display devices by a selection operation from the user. The function is realized (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Furthermore, recently, in addition to general-purpose basic software, basic software that supports only limited functions such as a disc player or TV that plays a disc such as a CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is incorporated. In addition, there is known an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting these different basic software according to a command from a user.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-212529 (paragraph 0008, FIG. 1, etc.)

  In the video, only display on a display device inside the information processing apparatus is allowed, and there may be a restriction on display on a display device connected to the outside. Such display restrictions are intended for general-purpose basic software operating environments, and are not effective in basic software operating environments for the purpose of providing specific functions such as the above-mentioned CD / DVD player and TV. There was a bug that there was.

  In the information processing apparatus capable of switching and starting different software in view of such a situation, the present invention similarly restricts the external output restriction of video for the operating environment of one software in the operating environment of the other software. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that can be implemented and a video output control method thereof.

  In order to solve the above problems, an information processing apparatus according to a first invention is an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting different software, and outputs a video signal to an external display device And an external output control unit that switches whether to enable or disable the output of the video signal to the external display device connected to the external output terminal according to the software to be activated. It has.

  According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting different software, output of a video signal to an external display device connected to an external output terminal is performed according to the software to be started. By switching between enabling and disabling, it is possible to similarly limit the external output of video for the operating environment of one software in the operating environment of the other software.

  An information processing apparatus according to the second invention is an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting different software, and includes an external output terminal for outputting a video signal to an external display device, An external output control unit that disables output of a video signal to the external display device connected to the external output terminal in response to activation of one of the determined software.

  According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching and starting different software, an external display device connected to the external output terminal is activated in response to activation of one predetermined software. By disabling the output of the video signal, the external output restriction of the video targeted for the operating environment of one software can be similarly performed in the operating environment of the other software.

  According to the information processing apparatus and the video output control method of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus capable of switching and starting different software, the external output restriction of the video targeted for the operating environment of one software is restricted to the other. This can also be done in the same software operating environment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a video output control method of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the information processing apparatus 10 incorporates two basic softwares 11 and 12 that can be selectively switched and executed. The first basic software 11 is an OS (Operating System) that manages devices described later including a hard disk drive (not shown) in the information processing apparatus 10 and manages the execution of application programs and the like. The second basic software 12 is an OS for managing a part of devices in the information processing apparatus 10 excluding at least a hard disk drive and providing specific functions such as a CD / DVD player and a TV.

  Further, the information processing apparatus 10 is provided with an internal display device 13, video output terminals 17, 18, and 19 to which external display devices 14, 15, and 16 can be connected, and a video output device 20. . The video output device 20 generates each video signal having characteristics corresponding to the display device 13-16 that is the output destination, and outputs the video signal to each display device 13-16.

  The information processing apparatus 10 has a hardware configuration of a computer such as a general PC (Personal Computer). Specifically, in addition to the internal display device 13, the video output terminals 17, 18, and 19 and the video output device 20, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a main memory, information It includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores specification information of a display device of a default video output destination determined by the specifications of the processing device 10, a hard disk drive, a network communication device, an optical disk drive, an audio output device, and the like. .

  The two basic softwares 11 and 12 are selectively activated based on a command given by the user under the management of the system activation processing unit 21. When the system is activated, the system activation processing unit 21 determines whether to enable or disable the video output to the external display devices 14, 15 and 16 according to the basic software 11 and 12 selected to be activated. An external output control unit 22 is controlled. Specifically, the external output control unit 22 outputs all video images to the internal display device 13 and the external display devices 14, 15, 16 when the activation of the first basic software 11 is selected. If the second basic software 12 is selected to be valid, the video output to the internal display device 13 is valid, but the video output to the external display devices 14, 15, 16 is invalid. Thus, a control signal is sent to the video output device 20.

  The video output device 20 sets an effective video output destination by a control signal from the external output control unit 22, and thereafter holds this setting state until the system ends.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure by the external output control unit 22 when the activation of the second basic software 12 is selected in the information processing apparatus 10.

  In response to the selection of activation of the second basic software 12 (step S0), the external output control unit 22 of the system activation processing unit 21 first displays a default video output destination display device stored in the ROM. (Step S1), and based on this, the display device and the video output terminal that are valid as the default video output destination in the information processing apparatus 10 are identified (step S2).

  Here, in the configuration of the information processing apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, there are external display devices 14, 15, and 16 that are currently valid as video output destinations, and the internal display device 13 is invalid as a video output destination. If so, the external output control unit 22 sends a control signal to the video output device 20 so as to forcibly switch the video output destination from the external display device 14, 15, 16 to the internal display device 13. (Step S3). Thereafter, a normal procedure for starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S5).

  In addition, when there are currently effective external display devices 14, 15, 16 and the internal display device 13 is also effective as a video output destination, the external output control unit 22 A control signal is sent to the video output device 20 so as to invalidate the video output to 14, 15, 16 (step S4). Thereafter, a normal procedure for starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S5).

  Further, when there is no currently valid external display device 14, 15, 16 and only the internal display device 13 is valid as a video output destination, the video output device 20 is controlled. Instead, a normal procedure for immediately starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S5).

  Thereby, in the operating environment of the second basic software 12, video output to the external display devices 14, 15, 16 is invalidated. Therefore, the problem that the viewing restriction set for the video becomes invalid in the operating environment of the second basic software 12 is solved.

  Video viewing restrictions include, for example, regulation of video output according to the size of the display screen, such as regulation regarding Content Advisory information in the United States, for example, regulation of video output through a screen having a size of 13 inches or more. . This restriction targets the operating environment of general-purpose basic software, that is, the operating environment of the first basic software 11 in the information processing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1, and if the screen size of the internal display device is not subject to restriction, Although the video can be displayed through the screen of the internal display device, if the screen size of the display device connected to the outside is within the regulation target, the video cannot be displayed on the external display device. . However, this restriction is invalid in the operating environment of the second basic software 12 intended only to provide a specific function such as a CD / DVD player or a TV. According to the present embodiment, in the operating environment of the second basic software 12, video output to the external display devices 14, 15, 16 is forcibly prohibited, so that the operating environment of the first basic software 11 The same video output restriction can be realized.

  In the above embodiment, the external output control unit 22 provided in the system activation processing unit 21 is configured to control the external output of video in the operating environment of both the basic software 11 and 12, but FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the external output control unit 23 is provided in the second basic software 12, and the external output control unit 23 is activated in the process of starting the second basic software 12, thereby invalidating the external output of the video. As described above, the control signal may be output to the video output device 20.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the external output control unit 23 when activation of the second basic software 12 is selected in the second embodiment.

  First, the external output control unit 23 acquires the designation information of the display device of the default video output destination stored in the ROM (step S11), and based on this, the default video output destination in the information processing device 10 is acquired. Are identified as display devices and video output terminals (step S12).

  Here, in the configuration of the information processing apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, there are external display devices 14, 15, and 16 that are currently valid as video output destinations, and the internal display device 13 is invalid as a video output destination. If so, the external output control unit 22 sends a control signal to the video output device 20 so as to forcibly switch the video output destination from the external display device 14, 15, 16 to the internal display device 13. (Step S13). Thereafter, a normal procedure for starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S15).

  In addition, when there are currently effective external display devices 14, 15, 16 and the internal display device 13 is also effective as a video output destination, the external output control unit 22 A control signal is sent to the video output device 20 so as to invalidate the video output to 14, 15, 16 (step S14). Thereafter, a normal procedure for starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S15).

  Further, when there is no currently valid external display device 14, 15, 16 and only the internal display device 13 is valid as a video output destination, the video output device 20 is controlled. Instead, a normal procedure for immediately starting the second basic software 12 is executed (step S15).

  Thereby, also in this embodiment, in the operating environment of the second basic software 12, the video output to the external display devices 14, 15, 16 is invalidated. Therefore, the problem that the viewing restriction set for the video becomes invalid in the operating environment of the second basic software 12 is solved.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a video output control method of the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, the external output control unit 32 controls whether to enable or disable the video output to the external display devices 14, 15, and 16 by the application software 31 operating on the second basic software 12. By giving a control instruction to, external video output control similar to that in the first embodiment is performed. The application software 31 is automatically activated after the activation processing of the second basic software 12, and after the external output of the video output device 20 is set to be invalid, the operation ends.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the video output control system of the information processing apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure by an external output control unit when activation of second basic software is selected in the information processing apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the video output control system of the information processing apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure by an external output control unit when activation of second basic software is selected in the information processing apparatus of FIG. 3. It is a figure which shows the video output control system of the information processing apparatus concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Information processing apparatus, 11 ... 1st basic software, 12 ... 2nd basic software, 13 ... Internal display apparatus, 14, 15, 16 ... External display apparatus, 17, 18, 19 ... Video output terminal, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Video output device, 21 ... System starting process part, 22, 23 ... External output control part, 31 ... Application software, 32 ... External output control part.

Claims (3)

An information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching between the first basic software and the second basic software and activating the first basic software ,
A display unit;
An external output terminal for outputting a video signal to an external Display device,
When starting the first basic software, the video signal output to the external output terminal and the display unit is enabled, and when the second basic software is started, the video signal output to the external output terminal is disabled. And an external output control unit. A storage unit that stores an output destination of an effective video signal and can be referred to by both the first basic software and the second basic software;
The external output controller is
2. The video signal output is invalidated for the external output terminal that is a valid external output destination with reference to the storage unit when the second basic software is started. Information processing device. An information processing apparatus capable of selectively switching between the first basic software and the second basic software and activating the first basic software ,
A display unit;
An external output terminal for outputting a video signal to an external Display device,
A storage unit that stores an output destination of an effective video signal and can be referred to by both the first basic software and the second basic software;
When the external output terminal is included in the output destination of the video signal that is valid in the storage unit when the second basic software is activated, the video signal is output to the external output terminal. An information processing apparatus comprising: an invalid external output control unit.

Images