MXPA97003964A - A graphical menu for a television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

A television receiver includes a graphics generator (800) for generating for display a stylized image (105;205;305) of the environment in which the user's physical television receiver is situated. The image includes graphical representations of functions which are available for selection and control by a user, and at least one (135) of which functions affect the display of the video image. In one embodiment of the invention, a video inset-image from a PIP unit is completely surrounded by a graphics image. The PIP image is aligned with the screen (111;211) of a graphically displayed television receiver (110;210) to portray an image of a television displaying a received television program. Alternatively, an animated graphics presentation is displayed in the screenárea (311) of the graphically-displayed television receiver to simulate live video. In another embodiment, a stylized display of the user's room is altered in response to user input regarding the user's consumer electronic s equipment, and submenu operational choices are enabled or disabled accordingly.

Description

A GRAPHIC MENU FOR A TELEVISION RECEIVER The present invention relates generally to a menu generation circuit for electronic equipment, such as television receivers and, specifically, it refers to a novel "graphic menu". In recent years, control of modern television receivers has become increasingly complicated as manufacturers have implemented more and more user-controllable features in television receivers of even greater complexity. For example, in addition to normal television receiver controls, some user-controllable features that were unknown only a few years ago are now commonly available to consumers. such as COLOR TEMPERATURE, VIDEO NOISE REDUCTION, SOUND ENVELOPE and OFF TIMER, just to mention a few. In an attempt to present an orderly arrangement of those controllable functions, manufacturers introduced the concept of function control menus. In such well-known schemes, a menu is called to the screen and a particular function to be controlled, such as COLOR, is selected by the viewer for adjustment. Unfortunately, the menus soon became large for the convenient display and expanded to include sub-menus that allow selection of related items. For example, selecting the menu item titled VIDEO brings another menu that lists related articles such as, BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, COLOR, TINT, ACUTE, COLOR TEMPERATURE, and VIDEO NOISE REDUCTION. While that arrangement may seem straightforward to a computer programmer, it can be extremely confusing and even intimidating, for the average non-technical user, who was very happy adjusting the brightness of his receiver by turning a knob on the front panel, without having to pass through a swamp of menus and sub-menus to achieve that easy goal. It is important to note that unlike many main menus found in current receivers, the arrangement of knobs on the front panels of the previous receivers formed in an intuitive object oriented guide that naturally and in a non-confusing way guide the viewer to correct control to achieve your goal. EP-A-0 617 556 describes a graphic menu system for a television receiver having a remote controller or a pointer that can interact with a control image displayed on the television screen to control the function of the television. Each control image has a number of control areas. The control areas are shown as function buttons, each one being labeled by a symbol or characters to tell the viewer what function each button represents. In response to the television receiver that detects a movement in the remote control, the CP control images, which are used, for example, to select programs, adjust image and sound, and select and control other characteristics, overlap the image of normal video. In a first embodiment of the invention, a menu generation arrangement for use in a television receiver includes a graphic generator for generating the display of a stylized image of the environment in which the user's physical television receiver is located. The image includes graphic representations of the functions that are available for the selection and control of a user and, at least some of whose functions affect the exposure of the video image. In another embodiment of the invention, a menu generator for use in a television receiver comprises a graphics generator for generating a graphic signal for display, a video processor for processing a video signal, and an image-in-picture processor. image coupled to the video processor. The image-in-picture processor derives a signal from the video signal for use as the secondary image portion. The video processor produces a combined signal which, when displayed, comprises a video image completely surrounded by a graphics image. The graphic image includes graphic representations of the functions to be controlled, which are selectable by control by a user and at least some of the selectable functions affect the display of the video image. In this embodiment of the invention, the PIP processor displays the PIP image in a screen location in which it is aligned with the screen of a television receiver graphically displayed to represent an image of a television displaying a current received television program. In another embodiment of the invention, an animated graphic presentation is displayed in the screen area of the television receiver graphically displayed to simulate live video to increase the perception of the displayed image as representation of the user's own environment. In a further embodiment of the invention, the stylized display of the user's room is altered in response to user input with respect to the user's electronic consumer equipment. In this mode, the submenu operation options are skills or uninhabited depending on the user input to which pieces of equipment are connected to the system. Figures 1 and 2 show a screen display comprising a graphic menu that includes a representation of a room having a television receiver that displays active video. Figure 3 shows a screen display comprising a graphic menu, which includes the representation of a room having a television receiver that displays animated graphics to simulate the reception of a television program.

Figures 4-7 show a graphic audio submenu comprising a plan view of the room of Figures 1-3 including a representation of the number of audio components specified by the user. Figure 8 shows, in block diagram form, the relevant portion of the circuit of a television receiver operating in accordance with the invention. Figure 9 is a simplified drawing of a remote control unit suitable for use with the invention. Referring to Figure 1, the graphic menu, generally designated 105, is displayed on a screen 100 of a television receiver. The graphic menu 105 is a simplified view of a room that is known to be the viewer's own family room (or room) and to convey this understanding, the room includes features commonly found in a family room, such as, a television receiver 110, a pair of speakers 115a and 115b, a coffee table 122, an armchair 140 and even the house dog 145. The viewer is intended to be comfortable with the scene, to further increase the viewer's sense of familiarity With the scene, a remote control unit 120 is shown placed on the coffee table, and a real television image, derived from an image of a PIP (ie, image-in-image) processor appears to be displayed on the screen 111 of the virtual television receiver 110. A representation of the day sky is observed outside a virtual window 147 during the hours of natural light and the night sky s and observe during the night. Two "buttons" 125 and 130 are also shown, labeled EXIT AND HELP, respectively, the functions of which will be described below. The scene described above is not only a graphic display, but is a main menu of the control functions presented in what is considered to be a non-intimidating, non-threatening object-oriented way. Simple access to this graphic menu is obtained by pressing the MENU key 901 on a remote control unit 900 of Figure 9. During the time that the graphic menu is displayed, the keys of CHAN UP, CHAN DN, VOL UP and VOL DN 903, 904, 906 and 905 are not used to change channels or volume control, but are used as X and Y direction cursor control keys for viewer use to "navigate" through the graphic menu, such as outlined below. Figure 2 is almost identical to Figure 1, with the exceptions that each of the selectable objects is shown surrounded by graphic enhancement and each has a "balloon tag" displayed near it. In reality, only one of the selectable items will be enhanced and tagged at the same time, as the 903-906 cursor keys are operated. The functions of each of the selectable objects of the main menu will be described below.

A user operates the cursor keys 903-906 to highlight, for example, the display screen 211 of the television receiver 210, and then press the MENU key 901 to achieve the selection of that particular submenu. a Screen (SCREEN) submenu that provides selection of SINGLE SCREEN (SINGLE SCREEN), PIX-IN-PIX (PICTURE-IN-PICTURE) (PIP), SPLIT SCREEN (splitscreen), PIX-OUTSIDE OF-PIX (exhibits IMAGE-OUT-OF-IMAGE) (POP) and CHANNEL GUIDE. The CLOSE CAPTIONING display options are also provided in the screen sub-menu. Selecting the submenu PICTURE QUALITY (image quality) by enhancing the control panel 235 of the television receiver 210, the display of a graphical submenu which comprises "bars slidable adjustment" for adjusting contrast, color, tint is caused, level of black level and definition. Furthermore it can enable, disable, or adjust the levels of COLOR WARMTH (color temperature), VIDEO NOISE FILTER (FILTER VIDEO NOISE), AUTO COLOR (AUTO COLOR) and a feature known as THEATER (WIDESCREEN). The clock 240 can be selected in the same way and submenu allows the selection of time-related functions such as TIME OF DAY (TIME OF DAY), SLEEP FUNCTION AUTO TURN OFF (SLEEP FUNCTION IDLE).

Selecting the remote control unit 220, brings with it the CHANNEL submenu (CHANNEL) which contains channel related commands, such as PARENTAL CONTROL (PARENTAL CONTROL) of a particular control, selection of the signal source (for example, antenna A ), signal type (CABLE), and AUTO CHANNEL SEARCH (AUTOMATIC CHANNEL SEARCH). When the PARENTAL CONTROL is ON (ON), only the channels listed in the parent approved list will be accessible from the front panel. Therefore, parents can close certain channels by taking the remote control unit with them. Selecting Man's Best Friend, the dog 245, causes the system controller to display a set of ASSISTANCE submenu options (ASSISTANCE), such as SETUP, CONNECTIONS, PREFERENCES (PREFERENCES) ) and ABOUT YOUR TV (ABOUT YOUR TV). SETUP (INSTALLATION) is a step-by-step routine to assist the user in the installation of their television receiver. CONNECTIONS is an interactive display that helps the user in connection with different external equipment (such as a VCR) to his receiver by actually presenting a drawing of the rear connection panels of the TV and the VCR, and showing the user where each connection must be made. PREFERENCES (PREFERENCES) allows the selection of a TEXT MAIN MENU (MAIN MENU OF TEXT) or the Graphic menu FAMILY ROOM (FAMILY ROOM), the color of the graphics of the family room exhibition and an option of a watch's style of an exhibition of analog time as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or a digital time display as shown in Figure 3. Selecting the HELP button causes a display of detailed instructions. Selecting EXIT causes a return to the last observed channel. Selecting ABOUT YOUR TV allows a selection of an automatic separation path of the television system or an interactive remote control help function. It was noted before that the PIP unit of the real receiver is used to display a PIP image in the screen area 211 of the virtual television receiver 210. It is intended that the sailboat of Figure 1 and 2 transmit the idea of active video that is being exhibited by the PIP processor. With respect to Figure 3, it is intended that the caricature-like train on screen 311 of receiver 310 convey the idea that the FAMILY ROOM format for a graphic menu is useful even in a television receiver that does not has the PIP capability, using the OSD microcircuit of graphics to draw an animated figure in the screen area of the virtual TV. Selecting the AUDIO submenu by highlighting the horns 215a, 215b and pressing the MENU key 901, cause the displays shown in Figures 4-7. Figures 4-7 are simplified generic floor views, (i.e., top views) of the user's family room showing different speaker configurations. Each horn configuration is a representation of the real equipment that the user possesses, based on the data recorded by the user in response to the different options presented on the left side of the figure. Figure 4 shows no external speakers, figure 5 shows two external speakers and Figure 6 shows four external speakers. Note that the number of selectable audio options increases with the number of external speakers. The Dolby 3 (which uses left, right and front speakers) is an available option for the configuration of Figure 5, although it is not available for the configuration of Figure 4. The SU R ROU ND SOU ND (SON I DO ENVOLVENT) (which uses front or rear speakers) is not a selectable feature for the configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5, although it is available for the configuration of Figure 6. That is, the system, as configured, can not support a particular audio processing function, the option of that function is not presented to the viewer. Figure 7 shows the screen display of Figure 6 after a user has selected the MUTE option. Note that sound waves 650-658 are absent from Figure 7 to illustrate the lack of audio output. It is contemplated that sound waves of different colors and different sizes can be used to illustrate the relative balance during balance adjustment. Other audio menu items include a graphic illustration of an equalizer.

Figure 8 shows a simplified block diagram of that section of the receiver that provides the screen displays described above. The OSD (On Screen Display) 800 processor is preferably a bitmapped graphics generator to mask most of the display screen with graphics, under the control of an 810 Main Microprocessor. The OSD 800 Processor produces Image signals on signal output terminals of Red, Green and Blue color. The Main Microprocessor 810 also receives a video signal from the television chassis and derives the text information on the screen therefrom. Produces on-screen text display signals on Red, Green and Blue signal output terminals. The outputs of the OSD Processor 800 and the Main Microprocessor 810 are summed in a disposition of summing circuits, generally designated 815. These summing circuits may comprise, for example, the well-known non-additive mixing circuit, which has the property that it will pass through. greater than two signals in its inputs while blocking the smaller of the two input signals. The outputs of the summing circuits are applied to a unit of VIDEO PROCESSOR (VIDEO PROCESSOR) 820 that also receives the video signals of component Y (luminance) and C (chrominance) from the PIP unit 830. The input signals of the PIP unit 830 are provided by the television chassis components that are conventional in nature and are not shown. A fast switching signal generated either by the OSD Processor 800 or the Main Processor 810 causes the graphics signal (or text signal on screen) is replaced by the video signal for the duration of the fast switching signal. The Main Microprocessor (ie the system controller) 810 operating under the control of its own programs (software) causes the PIP 830 unit to automatically display a PIP image at the exact location of the virtual television screen display plotted by the OSD 800 processor to complete the illusion of a family room that has a working television receiver. In the case of Figure 3, the displayed position of the animated train cartoon image is updated in each television field to create the illusion of movement through the screen 311 of the virtual TV 310. The phrases "system controller" "and the main microprocessor are used interchangeably herein and are intended to also encompass dedicated microcomputers and dedicated integrated circuits. The term "television receiver" is intended to encompass television receivers that have a display device (commonly called TV sets) and television receivers that do not have a display device (such as VCRs).

CLAIMS 1 . The menu generating apparatus for generating a stylized image of an environment in which a viewer's physical television receiver is located, comprising: graphic generation means (800) for generating a graphics signal for display; video processing means (820) for processing a video signal (R. G.B.); and image-on-image processing means (830) for receiving first (MAI N PIX) and second (SMALL PIX) video signals, the image-in-i processing means magen having an output coupled to the signal processing means for producing a combined image comprising a main image portion and a secondary image portion; the image-in-image processing means (830) that derive a secondary image signal from the video signal for use as a secondary image portion; the video processing means (820) which are coupled to the image-in-picture processing means (830) for receiving the secondary image signal and the graphics generation means (800) for receiving the image signal of graphics and producing a combined signal that when displayed comprises a video image completely surrounded by a graphics image;

Claims (4)

1. wherein the graphics image (105; 205; 305) includes graphic representations of the functions that are controlled, with the functions being selected for user control; and at least one (1 35) of the functions that affect the display of video signals.
2. 2. The menu generating apparatus for use in a television receiver, comprising: graphics generation means (800) for generating a graphics signal for display; video processing means (820) for processing a video signal; the video processing means (820) including the switching means having a first input coupled to receive the video signal and a second input coupled to receive the graphics signal, the switching means coupling one of the signals in said entrances towards an exit; the image-in-picture processing means (830) for receiving the first (MAI N PIX) and the second (SMALL PIX) video signals, the image-in-picture processing means that produce a combined image that comprises a main image portion and a secondary portion image, the image-in-picture processing means having an output coupled to the video processing means for applying a video signal thereto; and a controller (810) for controlling the switching means, the video processing means (820) and the image-in-picture processing means; the controller (810) which causes the video processing means (820) to operate in a first mode in which the first video signal (MAI N PIX) is selected as the main image portion and the secondary image portion is derived from the second video signal (SMALL PIX), and the controller (810) in response to a menu command that causes the video processing means (820) to operate in a second mode in which the signal of graphics is used as a main image portion and the secondary portion is derived from one of the first and second video signals; the graphics image (105; 205; 305) that include graphic representations of the functions that are controlled, the functions being selected for control by a user, at least one (135) of those functions that affect the display of video signals; and the controller (810) which causes the video processor (820) to operate in a third mode in which the graphics image includes a screen representation (31 1) of a television receiver (310) and the graphics generation means (800) generates animated graphics for display on the television receiver representation screen.
3. 3. The menu generating apparatus for generating a stylized image of an environment in which a physical television receiver of the viewer is located, comprising: graphic generation means (800) for generating a graphics signal for display; image-in-image processing means (830) having coupled inputs for receiving first (MAIN PIX) and second (SMALL PIX) video signals to produce a combined image comprising a main image portion and a secondary image portion; video processing means (820) for processing video signals; the video processing means (820) including the switching means having a first input coupled to receive the video signal and a second input coupled to receive the combined image signal and a second input coupled to receive the graphics signal , the fast switching means coupling one of the signals in said inputs to an output; and a controller (810) for controlling the switching means, the video processing means and the image-in-image processing means (830); the controller (810) in response to a menu command that causes the video processing means (820) to operate in a first mode in which the first video signal (MAIN PIX) is selected as the main image portion and the secondary image portion is derived from the second video signal (SMALL PIX); and the controller (810) which causes the video processing means (820) to operate in a second mode in which the graphics signal is used as the main image portion and the secondary image portion is derived from the first image portion. and second video signals; the image-in-picture processing means (830) displaying the secondary image portion in a first screen position in the first mode and, in a second, different screen position in the second mode; a graphics image (105; 205; 305) displayed in accordance with the graphics signal that includes graphic representations of the functions being controlled, the functions being selectable for user control; and, at least one (135) of said functions affecting the display of video signals.
4. 4. A menu generating apparatus for generating a stylized image of an environment in which a physical television viewer receiver is located, comprising: graphics generation means (800) for generating a graphics signal for display; video processing means (820) for processing a video signal; the video processing means (820) including the switching means having a first input coupled to receive the video signal and a second input coupled to receive the graphics signal to couple one of said signals at said inputs to an output; the graphics generating means producing a graphics image comprising a main image portion and a secondary image portion, the main image portion being substantially static and the secondary image portion being dynamic; and a controller (810) for controlling the graphics generation means; the graphics image (105; 205; 305) which includes graphic representations of the functions that are controlled, the functions being selected for control by a user; and at least one (135) of the functions affecting the display of the video images.