JP5094235B2 - Video output apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a video output device such as a video device or a recording device, and a video processing device such as a television receiver connected to the video output device, and more specifically, a video output device that outputs different data depending on a display state in the video processing device. About.

  In recent years, video processing apparatuses represented by television receivers and the like have a tendency to become multifunctional. For example, mounting of PinP (Picture in Picture) that can display a plurality of screens simultaneously and multi-screen display has become common.

  In recent years, AV devices such as television receivers, video recorders, and video playback devices have been digitized, and a configuration in which communication using digital signals between these devices has become widespread.

  For example, a configuration in which AV devices such as a television receiver and a camcorder are connected to each other via a network using the IEEE 1394 system (digital communication control bus) to transmit / receive image / audio data has already become widespread.

  In the IEEE 1394 system, a control command system called an AV / C command (AV / C Command Transaction Set) is prepared. This is intended to send and receive information for device control independently of video / audio signals.

  The AV / C command has a function of sending device control commands such as “play” and “stop” to a video playback device, for example, and can remotely control AV devices connected to the network. .

  In addition, the HDMI system (High Definition Multimedia Interface) has recently become widespread. The HDMI system can transmit and receive video / audio / control signals using a single cable, and also has a relay function between devices, so that a single device can control a plurality of devices.

  By the way, when the display state of the television receiver is a display form such as PinP or multi-screen, the video signal output from the external device such as a video playback device may not be the output intended by the external device. .

  Patent Document 1 below discloses switching the OSD display position to be combined on the external device side depending on whether the aspect ratio of the display device is 4: 3 or 16: 9. This prevents a state where necessary OSD display is cut off due to a difference in aspect ratio and cannot be displayed completely.

Moreover, in the following Patent Document 2, in a display device that can output a plurality of screens simultaneously, an appropriate output display can be set from the external device side to the display device side. Thereby, it is possible to perform the output intended by the external device.
JP 2001-257970 A JP 2003-110961 A

  In some cases, the video output device outputs a synthesized video signal by synthesizing a dialog for conveying some information to the user on the video output by the video output device. At this time, if the video processing device outputs a signal from the video output device to a small area such as PinP or multi-screen, the dialog synthesized with the video signal from the video output device is displayed very small, The user is likely to overlook.

  FIG. 3 shows a display example of PinP. A main screen of PinP is displayed on the entire screen 501 of the television receiver 101. An output from the video output device is displayed on the sub-screen 503.

  FIG. 4 also shows a display example of PinP, but a dialog display 505 is output from the video output device. In this way, when the output from the video output device is made on the sub-screen 503, the dialog 505 is displayed in a small size, and the user is likely to miss it.

  Further, when device information such as the dialog 505 is presented from an externally connected video output device, a configuration in which the output state is switched by operating the video processing device from the video output device side is also conceivable. However, it is not intended by the user that the video output device automatically determines and switches the output state, which may reduce the convenience for the user.

The present invention is a video output device externally connectable with a video processing device,
An output state acquisition unit for inputting output state information indicating a video display state based on a video signal output from the video output device from the video processing device;
And a control unit that selects device information of the video output device and a video signal related to the device information based on the output status information, and transmits the selected video signal to the video processing device.

  According to the present invention, since the device information of the video output device to be notified to the user is displayed in an appropriate size according to the display state of the video processing device, the visibility of the user is improved.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 are a conceptual diagram and a block diagram of a television receiver 101 corresponding to the video processing device of the present invention and an HDD recorder 103 corresponding to a video output device connected to the television receiver 101, respectively.

  The HDD recorder 103 and the television receiver 101 can be externally connected to each other.

  The television receiver 101 displays a video based on a video signal transmitted from the HDD recorder 103 via the HDMI cable 105 in addition to a television broadcast display on a display unit connected to the video / audio output unit 215. The HDMI cable 105 also includes a control communication line (CEC line) for operating the HDD recorder 103 from the television receiver 101 in addition to the video communication line.

  The tuner unit 201 receives a television signal transmitted as a broadcast wave. The decoder unit 205 decodes the video / audio signal from the television signal. An external IF unit 217 that is a digital interface receives a video / audio signal transmitted via the HDMI cable 105. The input switching unit 211 selectively switches the signal from the broadcast wave and the signal from the external IF unit 217 and outputs the signal to the video / audio synthesis unit.

  The video / audio synthesis unit 213 synthesizes the video / audio signal from the input switching unit 211 with the output signal of the HDD recorder 103 from the EPG generation unit 209 or the external IF unit 217 and outputs the synthesized signal. The video / audio output unit 215 outputs the video / audio signal synthesized by the video / audio synthesis unit to the display device.

  The control unit 223 controls the entire television receiver 101 based on user operation information obtained from the remote control reception unit 221.

  The HDD recorder 103 performs the following operations. The external IF unit 305 transmits the video / audio signal of the content from the content reproduction unit 303 to the television receiver 101 via the HDMI cable 105. The output state acquisition unit 307 acquires the output state information of the video / audio output unit 215 of the television receiver 101 from the output state transmission unit 219. The output state information is information representing the display state of the video based on the video signal output from the HDD recorder 103.

  The information transmission method determination unit 309 makes the following determination based on the output state information of the video / audio output unit 215 of the television receiver 101 output from the output state acquisition unit 307. In other words, the HDD recorder 103 determines whether the device information to be presented to the user is combined with the video / audio signal by the content reproduction unit 303 or transmits the information to the television receiver 101 via the HDMI control line.

  The control unit 313 controls the entire HDD recorder 103 based on user operation information obtained from the remote control receiving unit 311.

  FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing control signal communication timing between the television receiver 101 and the HDD recorder 103. This signal is sent through the control line of the HDMI cable 105.

  In step (denoted by S in the figure, the same applies hereinafter) 101, output state information indicating that the output video 503 from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed on the full screen is sent from the television receiver 101. The output video is a video recorded by the HDD recorder, a processing menu, an EPG, or the like.

  When switching is made so that the output video from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed in the PinP sub-screen 503 by the user's operation, the output status information indicating that the sub-screen is displayed as in Step 103 is the HDD recorder. 103. In the HDD recorder 103, the device information of the HDD recorder 103 is the dialog video signal in the apparatus as dialog information on the HDD recorder side in the section from the reception of the output status information in step 101 to the reception of the output status information in step 103. Are combined and output.

  The device information is information indicating a status of the HDD recorder 103 such as a disk capacity state, a power on / off state, and a wait state.

  On the other hand, after receiving the output state information from the television receiver 101 in step 103, the HDD recorder 103 transmits the device information to the television receiver 101 through the control line of the HDMI cable 105.

  When the device information is received on the television receiver 101 side, it is displayed as a dialog 507 at a position different from the output video 503 as shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing performed by the information transmission method determination unit 309 in the HDD recorder 103. The start timing of this processing is when a request for presenting device information to the user is generated in the control unit 313 of the HDD recorder 103.

  After the start of this process, step 201 (denoted by S in the figure, the same applies hereinafter) 201 is executed. In step 201, the process branches depending on whether or not the output state information is received from the television receiver 101. If it has been received, the process is skipped to step 205, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step 203.

  In step 203, a process for inquiring the output state of the television receiver 101 is called through the control line of the HDMI cable 105. After obtaining the output status information of the television receiver 101, the process proceeds to step 205.

  In step 205, the process branches depending on whether the output video output from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed in the multi-screen mode as the video display state on the television receiver 101. The multi-screen mode is “two-screen mode (P and P)”, “sub-screen mode (P in P)”, or the like. If the display state on the television receiver 101 is the multi-screen mode, the process proceeds to step 207. If the display state on the television receiver 101 is not the multi-screen mode, the process proceeds to step 209.

  Here, the processing branches depending on whether or not the mode is the two-screen mode. However, according to the gist of the present invention, the dialog 507 only needs to be displayed with high visibility. Based on this, the processing may be branched. When the area of the output video is equal to or larger than the predetermined amount, the process can proceed to step 209, and when it is smaller than the predetermined amount, the process can proceed to step 207.

  In step 207, the device information is set to be transmitted from the HDD recorder 103 to the television receiver 101 through the control line of the HDMI cable 105, and the process proceeds to step 211.

  In step 209, the device information of the HDD recorder 103 is combined with the output video in the content reproduction unit 303. A setting is made to transmit a composite image signal of a device information video signal 505 that is a video signal related to device information and an output video signal 503 to the television receiver 101. In step 211, the device information is output based on the setting made in step 207 or step 209.

  In the present embodiment, the output video from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed in the PinP mode sub-screen 503 on the display unit. However, the processing is performed in the same manner even when the video / audio signal from the HDD recorder 103 is output to one of the multi-screens.

  The second embodiment is an example of the operation when performing multi-screen display of four screens. The conceptual diagram and block diagram of the television receiver 101 corresponding to the display unit video processing device and the HDD recorder 103 corresponding to the video output device connected to the television receiver 101 are the same as those in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 shows an example of a 4-screen multi-screen mode video display in the television receiver 101. On the entire screen 501 of the display unit, a video based on the video / audio signal output from the tuner unit 201 of the television receiver 101 and a video based on the video / audio signal output from the HDD recorder 103 are displayed on the sub-screen 511. . In addition, the video of the output video signal from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed on the sub-screen 513. Similar to the example shown in FIG. 4, even if a device information dialog is displayed in the video of the output video from the HDD recorder 103 in the multi-screen mode, it cannot be said that the visibility of the user is good. In particular, if the number of screens simultaneously displayed on the multi-screen increases, the visibility of the user decreases.

  FIG. 9 shows an example in which the dialog 515 is displayed immediately below the sub-screen 513 that is the display area of the HDD recorder 103 that is the information transmission source. The correspondence between the dialog and the sub-screen is displayed in a position where it can be understood intuitively.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of information transmission processing performed by the information transmission method determination unit in the HDD recorder. The start timing of this processing is when a request for presenting device information to the user is generated in the control unit 313 of the HDD recorder 103.

  Step 301 is executed after the start of this process. In step 301, the process branches depending on whether or not the output state information is received from the television receiver 101. If it has been received, the process skips to step 305, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step 303.

  In step 303, a process for inquiring the output state of the television receiver 101 is called through the control line of the HDMI cable 105. After acquiring the multi-screen display state information of the television receiver 101, the process proceeds to step 305.

  In step 305, the process is branched depending on the number of screens in which the output video output from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed in the multi-screen display state on the television receiver 101. That is, when the number of multi-screen display screens of the television receiver 101 is greater than the threshold value N (where N is a positive number), the process proceeds to step 307. If the number of screens is equal to or less than a threshold value N (less than a predetermined number of screens), the process proceeds to step 309.

  In step 307, the device information is set to be transmitted from the HDD recorder 103 through the control line of the HDMI cable 105, and the process proceeds to step 311.

  In step 309, the device information from the HDD recorder 103 is synthesized and output by the content reproduction unit 303 of the HDD recorder 103 and the device information video signal is output and displayed on the television receiver 101.

  In step 311, the device information is output based on the setting made in step 307 or step 309.

  Whether the device information is combined with the output video signal of the HDD recorder 103 and output according to the number of multi-screen display screens on the television receiver 101, or the device information is transmitted and combined and displayed on the television receiver 101 side. Judging.

  The third embodiment relates to an operation sound generated when the HDD recorder 103 is operated.

  The conceptual diagram and block diagram of the television receiver 101 corresponding to the video processing device and the HDD recorder 103 corresponding to the video output device connected to the television receiver 101 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The sound corresponding to the child screen in PinP shown in FIG. 3 is not normally output. For this reason, even if a beep sound (operation sound) or a warning sound corresponding to a user operation from the HDD recorder 103 is synthesized from the HDD recorder 103 and output, it is not output from the television receiver 101.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation information transmission process performed by the information transmission method determination unit 309 in the HDD recorder 103. The start timing of this processing is when user operation information for the HDD recorder 103 is received by the remote control receiving unit 311.

  In step 401, the process branches depending on whether or not the output state information is received from the television receiver 101. If it has been received, the process skips to step 405, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step 403.

  In step 403, a process for inquiring the output state of the television receiver 101 is called through the control line of the HDMI cable 105. After obtaining the output status information of the television receiver 101, the process proceeds to step 405.

  In step 405, processing is performed depending on whether the output video output from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed in a multi-screen mode such as “two-screen mode” or “sub-screen mode” as the display state on the television receiver 101. It is branched. If the display state on the television receiver 101 is the multi-screen mode, the process proceeds to step 407. If the display state on the television receiver 101 is not the multi-screen mode, the process proceeds to step 409.

  In step 407, setting is made to send device information from the HDD recorder 103 through the control line of the HDMI cable 105, and the process proceeds to step 411.

  In step 409, the device information from the HDD recorder 103 is synthesized and output by the content playback unit 303 of the HDD recorder 103 with the device information video signal and the operation sound information, and is set to be displayed on the television receiver 101. In step 411, the user operation information is output based on the setting performed in step 407 or step 409.

  If the above flow is executed through step 407, the operation sound is synthesized by the video / audio synthesis unit 213 of the television receiver 101 based on the user operation information received via the HDMI cable 105, and the television receiver is set. 101.

  As described above, in the present invention, depending on how the output video signal (recorded video, processing menu, EPG, etc.) output from the HDD recorder 103 is displayed on the display unit of the television receiver 101, the HDD The recorder sends different data. That is, under the control of the control unit 313, when the output video signal is displayed on one screen, a synthesized video signal obtained by synthesizing the dialog video signal and the output video signal is output on the video communication line. When the received video signal received by the television receiver 101 is displayed on a multi-screen, dialog information is transmitted on the control communication line instead of the synthesized video signal. The video / audio signal of the dialog is generated by the television receiver, synthesized with the received video signal, and displayed on the display unit.

It is the conceptual diagram which showed the whole display control system of this invention. It is a block diagram of a video output device and a video processing device of the present invention. It is the figure which showed the example of a PinP display in a television receiver. It is the figure which showed the example of a PinP display in the conventional television receiver. It is the figure which showed the example of a display of the dialog in a television receiver. It is a timing chart of communication between a television receiver and a HDD recorder. It is a flowchart of the information transmission process of a HDD recorder. It is the figure which showed the example of a display of 4 screen multiscreen modes in a television receiver. It is the figure which showed the example of a display of the dialog in a television receiver. It is a flowchart of the information transmission process of a HDD recorder. It is a flowchart of the operation information transmission process of a HDD recorder.

Explanation of symbols

101 TV receiver 103 HDD recorder 105 HDMI cable 211 Input switching unit 215 Video / audio output unit 219 Output state transmission unit 301 Content storage unit 303 Content playback unit 501 Full screen 503 PinP child screen 507 Dialog

Claims (6)

A video output device connected to a video processing device having a multi-screen mode for displaying a plurality of videos on a screen ,
Acquisition means for acquiring the output state information indicating a display status of the image processing apparatus outputs the image signal based on Dzu rather video to from the video processing device,
Determination means for determining whether video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is displayed in the multi-screen mode based on the output state information acquired by the acquisition means ;
When video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is displayed in the multi-screen mode based on the determination result of the determining means, device information indicating a predetermined state of the video output device is displayed as the video. Sending to the video processing device without synthesizing the video based on the video signal output to the processing device,
When the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is not displayed in the multi-screen mode, device information indicating a predetermined state of the video output device is based on the video signal output to the video processing device. video output device, characterized in that it comprises transmitting means for transmitting a composite video signal obtained by synthesizing the image in the image processing device. When the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is displayed in the multi-screen mode having a predetermined number of screens based on the determination result of the determination means, the device information is output to the video processing device. When the video based on the video signal transmitted to the video processing device without being combined with the video based on the video signal to be output and output to the video processing device is displayed in the multi-screen mode having a predetermined number of screens or less, The video output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the composite video signal is transmitted to the video processing apparatus. A video output device connected to a video processing device having a multi-screen mode for displaying a plurality of videos on a screen,
Acquisition means for acquiring output state information indicating a display state of a video based on a video signal output to the video processing device from the video processing device;
Determination means for determining whether the area of the display area of the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is less than a predetermined value based on the output state information acquired by the acquisition means;
If the output status information indicates that the area of the video display area based on the video signal output to the video processing device is less than a predetermined value based on the determination result of the determination means, the video output device The device information indicating the state is transmitted to the video processing device without being combined with the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device,
When the output status information indicates that the area of the video display area based on the video signal output to the video processing device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the device information indicating the predetermined status of the video output device, Transmitting means for transmitting a composite video signal combined with a video based on a video signal output to the video processing device to the video processing device. The video processing device and the video output device are connected by a communication line via a digital interface, and the video processing device is synthesized without synthesizing the device information with a video based on a video signal output to the video processing device. when transmitting to the transmitting means, any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that transmitting by the device information and the image processing different video based on the video signal output to the device communication line video output device according to. A method of controlling a video output device connected to a video processing device having a multi-screen mode for displaying a plurality of videos on a screen ,
An acquisition step of acquiring output status information indicating the display state of the image processing apparatus outputs the image signal based on Dzu rather video to from the video processing device,
A determination step of determining whether or not video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is displayed in the multi-screen mode based on the output state information acquired in the acquisition step ;
Based on the determination result of the determination step, when the video based on the video signal outputted to the image processing apparatus is displayed in multi-screen mode, the device information indicative of a predetermined condition of said image output device, the image Sending to the video processing device without synthesizing the video based on the video signal output to the processing device,
When the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device is not displayed in the multi-screen mode, device information indicating a predetermined state of the video output device is based on the video signal output to the video processing device. the method of the image output apparatus characterized by having, a transmission step of transmitting the composite video signal obtained by synthesizing the image in the image processing apparatus. A method of controlling a video output device connected to a video processing device having a multi-screen mode for displaying a plurality of videos on a screen,
An acquisition step of acquiring output state information indicating a display state of a video based on a video signal output to the video processing device from the video processing device;
A determination step of determining whether an area of a video display region based on the video signal output to the video processing device is less than a predetermined value based on the output state information acquired by the acquisition step;
If the output state information indicates that the area of the video display area based on the video signal output to the video processing device is less than a predetermined value based on the determination result of the determination step, the video output device The device information indicating the state is transmitted to the video processing device without being combined with the video based on the video signal output to the video processing device,
When the output status information indicates that the area of the video display area based on the video signal output to the video processing device is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the device information indicating the predetermined status of the video output device, And a transmission step of transmitting to the video processing device a composite video signal synthesized with video based on the video signal output to the video processing device.

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