KR100726439B1 - Method of closed caption service and display processing apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a caption service method capable of improving a user's convenience, and an image processing apparatus performing the same. When providing a subtitle service, the image processing apparatus automatically sets a language for outputting audio to the same language as the subtitle when a type of language for displaying a subtitle is set. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus may simplify the input process of the user when using the subtitle service, thereby improving user convenience.

Closed captions, captions

Description

Subtitle service method and image processing apparatus performing the same {Method of closed caption service and display processing apparatus

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a digital television according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a subtitle service in a digital television according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a caption display language shown in FIG. 2.

4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a subtitle service menu screen shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a voice output language shown in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: digital television 105: tuner

110: demultiplexer 115: memory

120: input terminal 125: control unit

130: image processing unit 135: OSD processing unit

140: image display unit 145: audio processing unit

150: audio output unit 200: antenna

The present invention relates to a caption service method and an image processing apparatus for performing the same, and more particularly, to a caption service method for displaying a caption corresponding to an audio with an image on a screen when watching a broadcast program and an image processing apparatus performing the same. It is about.

In general, a television, which is a kind of image processing apparatus, receives a broadcast signal from a broadcasting station, displays an image, and outputs a voice corresponding to the broadcast signal. The broadcast signal includes a video stream corresponding to an image and an audio stream corresponding to voice. The video stream includes not only the video but also some subtitles corresponding to the video.

The caption service includes general captions displayed with images unconditionally and closed captions displayed according to a user's selection. The general subtitle is displayed together with the image and brief information about the currently displayed image. The closed caption may or may not be displayed on the screen according to the user's selection, and may be displayed in response to the voice.

Specifically, closed captioning services were launched in the United States in 1971 and were implemented as part of welfare services for the deaf. These closed caption services are increasingly being used for accurate communication from loud noise during spelling, language education, and sports relay not only for hearing impaired children.

In general, a television or a set-top box providing a closed captioning service displays captions in a language selected by the user when the user requests captions in a specific language. In this case, the user must separately select a language for voice output. In general, when a user wants to watch a subtitle of a specific language, the voice is also often listened in the same language as the subtitle. However, the user has to designate a language for the audio output once again in order to watch the voice in the same language as the subtitles, thereby reducing the user's convenience.

An object of the present invention is to provide a caption service method that can improve the user's convenience in an image processing apparatus.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus for performing the caption service method described above.

In a caption service method for providing captions in response to audio in an image processing apparatus according to one aspect for realizing the object of the present invention described above, first, information about a broadcast program corresponding to video and audio is indicated from a broadcast signal. Extract and save program information. As a caption service command is input, an arbitrary language is set as a first language corresponding to the caption. The second language corresponding to the voice is automatically set to the same language as the first language. The video corresponding to the broadcast signal is displayed together with the subtitles in the first language. A voice in a second language is output in response to the broadcast signal.

Also, in the process of setting the first language, first, the caption service menus are displayed as the caption service command is input. An arbitrary subtitle service menu is selected from the subtitle service menus, and a language corresponding to the subtitle service menu is extracted from the program information among the languages that support the subtitles. The language corresponding to the subtitle service menu is set as the first language.

In the setting of the second language, first, a program information is searched to extract a type of language supporting the voice. A second language that is identical to the first language is extracted from the languages that support the voice and set as the second language.

In addition, an image processing apparatus according to one aspect for realizing the object of the present invention includes a controller, an image display unit, and an audio output unit.

The control unit sets a first language for displaying the subtitles, and automatically sets the second language for outputting the voice to the same language as the first language. The image display unit displays captions and images in the first language. The voice output unit outputs a voice in a second language.

Preferably, the image processing apparatus further includes a demultiplexer, an image processor, and an audio processor. The demultiplexer separates and outputs a broadcast signal into a video stream corresponding to an image, an audio stream corresponding to voice, and program information indicating information about a broadcast program. The image processor receives the video stream from the multiplexer and provides a video stream corresponding to the first language to the image display unit. The voice processor receives the audio stream from the multiplexer and provides an audio stream corresponding to the second language to the voice output unit.

According to the caption service method and the image processing apparatus that performs the same, the image processing apparatus automatically sets the language for displaying the audio when the caption service is provided, as the language for displaying the caption is set. Accordingly, the image processing apparatus may simplify the input process of the user when using the subtitle service, thereby improving user convenience.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be described in detail the present invention.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a digital television according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the digital television 100 according to the present invention includes a tuner 105, a demultiplexer 110, a memory 115, an input terminal 120, a controller 125, and an image processor 130. , An on screen display (OSD) processor 135, an image display unit 140, an audio processor 145, and an audio output unit 150.

In detail, the tuner 105 tunes an input channel among a plurality of channels, receives a broadcast signal corresponding to the input channel from the antenna 200, and provides the demultiplexer 110.

The demultiplexer 110 separates and outputs a broadcast signal received from the tuner 105 into a video stream, an audio stream, and program information. The demultiplexer 110 provides a video stream to the image processor 130, provides an audio stream to the voice processor 145, and provides program information to the memory 115.

The video stream is a signal for outputting an image corresponding to a broadcast program. The video stream includes image data corresponding to an image and subtitle data corresponding to a subtitle. The caption data includes a normal caption displayed unconditionally along with an image and a closed caption displayed according to a user's selection. The closed caption is displayed with the image according to the user's selection, and the closed caption is displayed as the caption. Closed captions can be expressed in various languages as well as voice, and are displayed in real time corresponding to the image. Since the closed captions can be displayed in various languages, the video stream thus includes caption data in various languages.

The audio stream is a signal for outputting voice corresponding to the broadcast program. There are audio streams in multiple languages corresponding to one video stream. That is, the audio corresponding to one image may be made in several languages. Accordingly, audio streams are formed corresponding to each language.

The program information may include specific information about broadcast programs received from each channel, for example, a broadcast program title, a broadcast time, a character, a story line, a type of language that can be supported as closed captions in a broadcast program, and a broadcast program to voice. This includes the kind of languages that can be supported.

The memory 115 stores program information received from the demultiplexer 110, and stores various data necessary for driving the digital television 100 in addition to the program information.

The input terminal 120 generates and outputs a predetermined command by a user's manipulation. The input terminal 120 may be implemented as a key panel integrally formed with the main body of the digital television 100 or a remote controller formed separately from the main body of the digital television 100.

The input terminal 120 sets an arbitrary channel or generates a command for adjusting the volume of the voice output unit 150 and provides the command to the controller 125. In addition, the input terminal 120 generates and outputs a caption service command for requesting closed captions corresponding to voice. In this embodiment, the subtitle service provided by the digital television 100 according to the present invention is a closed caption. Therefore, hereinafter, 'closed caption' is referred to as 'subtitle'.

The control unit 125 controls control signals for controlling the tuner 105, the memory 115, the image processing unit 130, the OSD processing unit 135, and the audio processing unit 145, respectively, according to a command received from the input terminal 120. Generate and provide each control signal to the corresponding component.

When the caption service command is received from the input terminal 120, the controller 125 determines the first language in which the caption is to be displayed by referring to the type of language supporting the caption in the program information stored in the memory 115. The controller 125 generates a first control signal for controlling the image processor 130 to display the caption formed in the caption language, and provides the first control signal to the image processor 145. In addition, the controller 125 sets a second language in which the voice is to be displayed by referring to the type of language supporting the voice in the program information stored in the memory 115. The controller 125 generates a second control signal for controlling the voice processor 145 to output a voice in a second language and provides the second control signal to the voice processor 145.

Meanwhile, the image processor 130 decodes and outputs a video stream received from the demultiplexer 110. In particular, when the first control signal is received from the controller 125, the image processor 130 decodes a video stream of the first language from the video stream corresponding to the subtitle and provides the decoded video stream to the image display unit 140.

The OSD processor 135 processes the OSD text according to the control signal received from the controller 125 and provides the OSD text to the image display 140.

The image display unit 140 receives a video stream from the image processor 130 to display an image, and displays a caption in a first language with the image in response to the voice.

The voice processor 145 decodes and outputs the audio stream received from the demultiplexer 110. In particular, when the second control signal is received from the controller 125, the voice processor 145 decodes an audio stream of a second language among audio streams corresponding to the voice and provides the decoded audio stream to the voice output unit 150.

The voice output unit 150 receives an audio stream from the voice processor 130 and outputs a voice in a second language.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a subtitle service in a digital television according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, first, the tuner 105 tunes a channel corresponding to a channel number received from the input terminal 120, and receives a broadcast signal from the selected channel (step S310).

The demultiplexer 110 separates and outputs the broadcast signal received from the tuner 105 into an audio stream, a video stream, and program information (step S320).

The controller 125 stores the program information output from the demultiplexer 110 in the memory 115.

The image processor 130 decodes the video stream received from the demultiplexer 110 to provide it to the image display unit 140, and the image display unit 140 displays an image corresponding to the video stream. The voice processor 145 decodes the audio stream received from the demultiplexer 110 and provides the decoded audio stream to the voice output unit 150, and the voice output unit 150 outputs a voice corresponding to the audio stream. As a result, the digital television 100 displays a broadcast program corresponding to the broadcast signal (step S340).

The controller 125 determines whether the caption service command 350 has been received from the input terminal 120 by the user's manipulation (step S350).

If it is determined in step S350 that the caption service command has not been received, the control unit 125 maintains the current state (step S340).

If it is determined in step S350 that the caption service command is received, the controller 125 sets a language designated by the user as a first language for displaying captions among languages that support captions in the currently displayed broadcast program (step S350). S360). A process of setting the first language will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 3.

The controller 125 automatically sets the same language as the first language among the languages that support the voice in the currently displayed broadcast program as the second language for outputting the voice (step S370). For example, if the first language is set to English, the second language is also set to English. As such, the controller 125 automatically sets the second language to the same language as the first language as the first language to display the subtitles is determined. Accordingly, since the user can set both the language for displaying the subtitles and the voice with one language selection, the digital television 100 can improve the user's convenience.

A process of setting the second language in step S370 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

Meanwhile, the image processor 130 decodes a video stream corresponding to the first language and provides the decoded video stream to the image display unit 140, and the image display unit 140 displays an image corresponding to the video stream and a caption formed in the first language. (Step S380). For example, if the first language is set to English, English subtitles corresponding to the voice are displayed together with the image.

The voice processor 145 decodes the audio stream corresponding to the second language and provides the decoded audio stream to the voice output unit 150, and the voice output unit 150 outputs the voice in the second language corresponding to the audio stream (step S390). For example, if the second language is set to English, English voice is output.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a caption display language illustrated in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a caption service menu screen illustrated in FIG. 2.

1 and 3, first, the video display unit 150 displays subtitle service menus for selecting a language for displaying a subtitle, a subtitle display method, and the like in response to a subtitle service command (step S361). Here, the screen displaying the subtitle service menus may be configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, the caption service menus include first to fourth caption service menus 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d. In this embodiment, the subtitle service menus are composed of four subtitle service menus 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d, but the number of subtitle service menus may be increased or decreased depending on the intention of developing the subtitle service menu.

The digital television 100 may change a type of subtitle display language and a subtitle display method according to the first to fourth subtitle service menus 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d.

For example, the first subtitle service menu 130a displays the original subtitles in a scroll caption manner, and the second subtitle service menu 130b displays the original subtitles in a pop-up caption manner. The third subtitle service menu may display Korean subtitles in a scroll caption manner, and the fourth subtitle service menu may display Korean subtitles in a pop-up caption manner. Here, the scroll caption method displays the caption so that the caption rises from the lower line to the upper line, and the pop-up caption method displays the caption so that the caption appears and disappears at a time by two or three lines.

1 and 3 again, the input terminal 120 selects one of the subtitle service menus from the subtitle service menus displayed by the user's operation (step S362).

The controller 125 searches for program information stored in the memory 115 to extract the types of languages supported by the current broadcast program as subtitles, and searches for a language corresponding to the selected subtitle service menu among the languages that support the subtitles ( Step S363).

The controller 125 sets the language corresponding to the subtitle service menu as the first language (step S363). For example, if the menu selected in step S362 is the first subtitle service menu 130a (FIG. 4), the original subtitle is selected. At this time, if the original language corresponding to the broadcast program is English, the first language is English, and the English subtitle is displayed on the image display unit 140.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a voice output language shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, first, the controller 125 searches for program information stored in the memory 115 and extracts the types of languages supported by the voice of the current broadcast program (step S371).

The controller 125 searches for the same language as the first language among the languages supporting the voice (step S372).

The controller 125 determines whether the same language as the first language exists among languages that support voice using the search result of step S372 (step S373).

If it is determined in step S373 that the same language as the first language exists, the controller 125 sets the same language as the first language as the second language (step S374). Thus, the voice is set in the same language as the subtitle. In this way, since the digital television 100 automatically sets the second language according to the first language, the user can eliminate the inconvenience of having to individually select a language for displaying subtitles and a language for outputting audio. have.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S373 that there is no language identical to the first language among the languages supporting the voice, the image display unit 140 displays a guide message indicating that there is no language identical to the first language, Types of languages that support the are indicated (step S375).

The input terminal 120 selects any one of the languages that support voice according to the user's operation (step S376).

The controller 125 sets the language selected in step S376 as the second language (step S376). In this case, the audio is output in a language different from the subtitles.

According to the present invention described above, when the subtitle service is provided, the digital television sets a language for automatically outputting audio to the same language as the subtitle when the type of the language for displaying the subtitle is set. Accordingly, when the user uses the subtitle service, the user only needs to select a language for displaying the subtitle without additionally selecting a language for outputting the voice. As such, the digital television may simplify the input process of the user when providing the subtitle service, thereby improving user convenience.

Although described above with reference to the embodiments, those skilled in the art can be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below. I can understand.

Claims (5)

A subtitle service method of providing a subtitle in response to the audio in an image processing apparatus that receives a broadcast signal and outputs an image and audio, (a) setting an arbitrary language as a caption language as a caption service command is input; (b) setting a voice language to the same language as the subtitle language when the same language as the subtitle language exists among the languages supporting the voice; (c) if the same language as the subtitle language does not exist among languages that support the voice, setting the voice language as a language selected by the user; (d) displaying the video with a caption in a set caption language; And (e) outputting a voice in a set voice language. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) (a-1) displaying caption service menus as the caption service command is input; (a-2) selecting an optional subtitle service menu from among the subtitle service menus; (a-3) extracting a language corresponding to the subtitle service menu from among languages that support the subtitle from program information included in the broadcast signal; And A subtitle service method comprising: setting a language corresponding to the subtitle service menu as the subtitle language. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises: (b-1) extracting a type of language that supports the voice by searching for program information included in the broadcast signal; And (b-2) extracting a language identical to the subtitle language among the languages supporting the voice and setting the same as the voice language. An image processing apparatus for receiving a broadcast signal and outputting a video and audio corresponding to a broadcast program, and providing a subtitle corresponding to the audio, Set a subtitle language for the subtitle, set the voice language to the same language as the subtitle language if the same language as the subtitle language exists among the languages that support the voice; A controller configured to set the voice language to a language selected by a user if a language identical to a subtitle language does not exist; An image display unit for displaying a caption and the image in a caption language set by the controller; And And an audio output unit configured to output a voice in a voice language set by the controller. The method of claim 4, wherein A demultiplexer for separating and outputting the broadcast signal into a video stream corresponding to the video, an audio stream corresponding to the voice, and program information representing information about the broadcast program; An image processor which receives the video stream from the demultiplexer and provides a video stream corresponding to the subtitle language to the image display unit; And And a speech processor configured to receive the audio stream from the demultiplexer and provide an audio stream corresponding to the speech language to the speech output unit.

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