Detailed Description
The following embodiments of the present application are described in terms of specific examples, and those skilled in the art will appreciate the advantages and effects of the present application from the disclosure herein. The application is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications and various other uses and applications, all of which are obvious from the description, without departing from the spirit of the application. The drawings of the present application are merely schematic illustrations, and are not intended to be drawn to actual dimensions. The following embodiments will further illustrate the related art content of the present application in detail, but the disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of the present application.
It will be understood that, although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used herein to describe various components or signals, these components or signals should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used primarily to distinguish one element from another element or signal from another signal. In addition, the term "or" as used herein shall include any one or combination of more of the associated listed items as the case may be.
The application discloses a method and a system for generating a multi-setting television menu, which relate to a program design framework, predefine and load menu contents required by clients, and can avoid repeated compiling and loading equipment (such as a television) in program development, so that the design of the television menu is more flexible, and the development time of television chip manufacturers is reduced. The multi-setting television menu generating system is preferably a television control circuit for use in a television apparatus, in one embodiment a television chip for implementing the television system.
For manufacturers designing television chips, each customer will propose different Menu item combinations, and under different television systems (such as DVB, ATSC, DTMB, ISDB, etc.), different Menu item combinations are required to appear under the input signals, according to the program architecture proposed by the multi-setting television Menu generation method, multiple television Menu item combinations (Menu 1/Menu2/Menu3/… MenuN) are adopted to define the Menu item combinations of different customers, each television Menu item (MenuN) definition will include multiple Menu items (control tags) to be displayed in the television Menu by the corresponding customer, and the television Menu configuration file records multiple Menu items written according to the customer requirements and hierarchical relations among the multiple Menu items. Under different television systems and input signals, a condition (scenario) of each television menu item is also designed, and the condition of each television menu item can use a positive list (positive list) or a negative list (NEGATIVE LIST).
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system embodiment of a development host and a television apparatus for performing a multi-setting television menu generation method.
The development host 10 of the television chip developer may be a computer host, which provides a program written by the developer, compiled, and then connected to the television apparatus 100 through a specific channel, and the main components in the television apparatus 100 of this embodiment, such as the television control circuit 101, are provided with a memory 103 for loading relevant television menu configuration files and software or firmware programs necessary for the operation of the television system, and the memory 103 is electrically connected to the television control circuit 101. According to the method embodiment, the television control circuit 101 is a circuit for implementing television menu content, and in addition to processing television signals from the television signal source 110, in the method, a menu loading module 109 implemented in software or firmware is provided in the television control circuit 101, and is used for executing a menu loading program, loading a television menu configuration file provided by the development host 10 (and storing the television menu configuration file in the memory 103), and also used for loading the television menu configuration file from the memory 103 after the television apparatus 100 is started, and then converting the television menu configuration file into a menu on a television screen, that is, converting the television menu configuration file into a menu screen via the display processor 105, and displaying the menu screen on the television screen via the display panel 107.
For example, the first client (FIRST CLIENT) requests that an image menu appear when the television apparatus is not yet in the television screen after the television apparatus is started, and then the menu image and the channel menu are displayed after the television screen is in the television screen; meanwhile, a second client (second client) requests that the menu image and the channel menu be available when the television apparatus is not yet entered into the television screen and when the television apparatus is not yet entered into the television screen after the television apparatus is turned on. It should be noted that the menu image may include brightness, contrast, color, font, etc. setting parameters used when displaying the menu, and the channel menu may cover digital channels and analog channels.
At this time, according to the multi-setting television menu generating method of the present application, the process of forming television menus corresponding to two clients may refer to the embodiment process shown in fig. 2, and in the development host, according to the requirements of the first client and the second client, the developer composes the television menu configuration file, including newly adding two television menu configuration files, which are the first television menu configuration file and the second television menu configuration file, respectively (step S201).
Then, according to the requirements of the first customer, a menu image and a channel menu are first placed in the first television menu configuration file, and a corresponding signal source setting is added (step S203). According to the first customer' S desire to have an image menu without entering the television screen (without television signal) and to have a menu image and channel menu after entering the television screen (with television signal), i.e. the channel menu item is set to a forward list (step S205), only occurs under the television signal source, and among other set items, the "signal source limit" item is set as: and (5) a television.
And placing menu images and channel menus in the second television menu configuration file according to the requirements of the second client, and adding corresponding signal source setting (S207), wherein each menu item in the second television menu configuration file is set to be unlimited in input signal source according to the requirements of the second client hope that the menu images and the channel menus are both available when the second client does not enter a television picture (when the second client does not have a television signal) and after the second client enters the television picture (when the second client has a television signal), namely, the item is set to be unlimited in signal source limitation (S209).
The control labels and the setting parameters corresponding to the control labels are set in the television menu configuration file according to different customer requirements, wherein the control labels are as follows, and the control labels are as follows, such as "menu names", "signal sources" (for example, "signal source limitation type", "signal source limitation mode", etc.), television systems, etc.; the corresponding setting parameters are parameters of each control tag, and the menu names are "image", "channel", "digital/analog television setting", etc., the signal sources are "television, HDMI, AV and/or VGA", the television system is "DVB, ATSC, DTMB, ISDB", and other television systems are "positive list/negative list", etc.
The original names of the abbreviations listed above are described herein. HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a high-definition multimedia interface; AV is a video signal in which luminance and chrominance are mixed; VGA (Video GRAPHICS ARRAY) is a Video graphics array; DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial) is a digital wireless video broadcast; ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) is a television specification set by the advanced television services advisor committee; DTMB (DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL Multimedia Broadcast) is a terrestrial digital multimedia broadcast; ISDB (INTEGRATED SERVICES DIGITAL Broadcasting) is an integrated digital services broadcast.
Examples of control tags and setting parameters of the first television menu configuration file are as follows, wherein "image" and "channel" menus are set, and corresponding signal sources are set as follows: before the television picture is not entered, i.e. an 'image' menu is presented, then the television picture is entered, then an image is displayed, and one of the signal sources is met, i.e. a channel menu is displayed, in the example, a forward list is adopted, and a menu name 'image' is set in a menu configuration file 1, so that the type of signal source limitation is not limited, and the signal source limitation is not limited; in the menu name "channel", the signal source limitation type is "forward list", the signal source limitation is "television", but the limitation mode of the signal source is hidden. Examples of specific script (script) architecture are as follows (examples below enumerate only fragments):
Menu profile 1
{
"Menu name": image ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
{
"Menu name": channel ",
"Signal source restriction type": forward list,
"Signal source limitation": television,
The signal source limiting mode is hidden,
},
An example of a first television menu profile represented in a negative list (indicating excluding the set parameters listed therein) is presented herein:
Menu profile 1
{
"Menu name": image ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
{
"Menu name": channel ",
The "signal source limitation type" is listed in the negative going table,
"Signal Source Limit": HDMI, AV,
The signal source limiting mode is hidden,
},
Further, a "channel" sub-menu may be set, including adding a corresponding television system source (DVB, ATSC, DTMB, ISDB, etc.), and setting a function item showing "antenna automatic scanning station (Antenna Auto Scan)" under DVB signals, where the example is shown in the forward list, and the following examples are:
Menu profile 1
{
"Menu name": "antenna_auto_scan",
"Television format restriction type": forward list,
"Television system restrictions": DVB,
The television system limiting mode is hidden,
},
Taking the negative list as an example, the following indicates that the effect is consistent with the positive list:
Menu profile 1
{
"Menu name": "antenna_auto_scan",
The "television format restriction type" is listed in the negative direction,
"Television system limitation": ATSC, DTMB, ISDB,
The television system limiting mode is hidden,
},
Examples of control tags and setting parameters for the second television menu configuration file are as follows, where there are "image, sound menu" both under no incoming television picture and under incoming television picture, thus setting the menu items as non-limiting input signal sources:
Menu profile 2
{
"Menu name": image ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
{
"Menu name": channel ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
An example is further illustrated. In this example, the third customer requests that the channel menu have digital television settings and analog television settings; meanwhile, the fourth customer requests only digital television setting items under the channel menu.
In this case, in the multi-setting television menu generating method, the process of forming television menus corresponding to two clients may refer to the embodiment process shown in fig. 3, and in the development host, according to the requirements of the third client and the fourth client, the developer composes corresponding television menu configuration files, and also adds two television menu configuration files, namely, the third television menu configuration file and the fourth television menu configuration file, respectively (step S301).
Next, a channel menu setting item is set in the third tv menu configuration file (step S303), which includes the digital tv setting and the analog tv setting item simultaneously under the channel menu requested by the third client, so that the digital tv setting and the analog tv setting are simultaneously set in the next layer of the channel menu (step S305), and the "signal source limitation" item is set as not limited.
In the fourth television menu configuration file, there are similarly provided channel menu setting items (step S307), and only digital television settings are provided at the next level of the channel menu according to the fourth customer request (step S309).
Examples of control tags and setting parameters of the third television menu configuration file are as follows, wherein "digital television setting" and "analog television setting item" are under the "channel" menu, and the "next hierarchy" of the channel menu includes digital television setting and analog television setting:
Menu configuration file 3
{
"Menu name": channel ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
"Child menu": {
"Menu name": "digital television set",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},{
"Menu name": analog television set ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
}
Examples of control tags and setting parameters of the fourth television menu configuration file are as follows, wherein only "digital television settings" are under the "channel" menu, so that the "next level" of the channel menu is put into only digital television settings:
Menu profile 4
{
"Menu name": channel ",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
"Child menu": {
"Menu name": "digital television set",
"Signal source limitation type": not limited,
"Signal Source Limit" is not limited,
},
}
The television menu generated by the multi-setting television menu generation method described in the above example may refer to the example schematic diagram shown in fig. 4.
The tv chip developer packages the tv menu configuration file including various settings of the tv menu, writes the tv menu configuration file into the tv chip, and gives the tv manufacturer a configuration file to execute according to the requirement of the tv manufacturer after the tv is started to form a tv menu 40 as shown in fig. 4, wherein the main menu may have setting items such as a pattern 401, a sound 403, a channel 405 and a system 407, and examples include the setting menu of the channel 405: scanning channels, analog channel settings, digital channel settings, electronic program listings, my favorites, channel diagnostics, channel organization, and so forth.
After obtaining the configuration file of the television menu by the multi-setting television menu generating method according to the present application, the circuit system (comprising the television control circuit 101, the memory 103, the menu loading module 109 or related software and hardware means in fig. 1) is delivered to the client by storing or burning in the memory in the television apparatus, and after the client starts the television apparatus, the embodiment flow of the multi-setting television menu generating method shown in fig. 5 is executed, wherein a memory in the television apparatus stores a plurality of television menu configuration files meeting a plurality of client requirements (more than one). The television control circuit 101 implements a television chip, and the memory may be a memory in the television chip or a system memory in a television apparatus.
After the television apparatus is started (step S501), the hardware circuit component is initialized, the television control circuit loads one of the television menu configuration files 50 from the memory (step S503), the television menu configuration files 50 are parsed by the program in the television control circuit (step S505), the television menu configuration files corresponding to the needs of the clients can be obtained, and the related program also confirms various control tags and setting parameters to be used by the corresponding clients in the received television menu configuration files (step S507), such as control tags and setting parameters in the first, second, third or fourth television menu configuration files listed in the above examples. For example, a customer (television manufacturer) selects one of a plurality of television menu profiles 50 stored in memory. According to the above example, in the "menu profile 1", the setting parameter of the control tag "menu name" is "antenna_auto_scan", that is, the function of Antenna Auto Scan, where the setting parameter of the "television system limitation type" is "negative list", indicating that the "television system limitation" must not be "ATSC, DTMB, ISDB" or the like, and the "television system limitation mode" is not "hidden".
The set parameters of each control label are loaded into the television control circuit, namely, the television menu required by the customer is started, and then the operation is carried out according to the parameters of the configuration file under the operation of the television control circuit. Thus, according to one of the embodiments, in step S509, the television control circuit determines the signal source (further determines the television standard) according to the received video signal, i.e. determines whether the signal source is a signal source (television, HDMI, AV or VGA) allowed by the system according to the television menu configuration file (step S511), and may further set an acceptable television standard (e.g. DVB, ATSC, DTMB and/or ISDB). If the signal source does not match the set parameters in the television menu configuration file (no), i.e., does not match the parameter "signal source limitation" in the configuration file, step S513 is performed to limit a corresponding menu item, including hiding the menu item or not providing a selection.
If the detected signal source is one of the sources listed in the television menu configuration file, or the television menu configuration file has no limitation on the signal source (yes), step S515 is executed, and the setting parameters are loaded into the television control circuit, and in step S517, the menu items are displayed according to the condition. In this step, conditions such as entering menu items or channel items can be obtained according to the control tags to decide to display or not display images or channels, and finally various menu items are displayed on the television screen through the display processor.
In summary, according to the description of the embodiments of the multi-setting television menu generation method, the method mainly comprises writing a television menu configuration file, writing various different types of client menu contents according to a specific script architecture, wherein control tags (menu names, signal sources, television systems, etc.) and setting parameters (such as images, channels, digital/analog channel settings, television/HDMI/AV/VGA (signal sources), DVB/ATSC/DTMB/ISDB (television systems), positive list/negative list, etc.), and designing and loading menu contents required by clients in a television control circuit in advance by using the control tags and the setting parameters. Therefore, the method utilizes the menu item combinations of different clients defined in the television menu configuration file to realize various item combinations and hierarchical relations of the items in the customized menu, so that repeated compiling and loading equipment are not needed in development, and the development time of engineering units can be effectively reduced.
The foregoing disclosure is only illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, therefore, all technical equivalents employed in the specification and drawings are included in the scope of the invention.
Description of the reference numerals
10 Development host
100 Television apparatus
101 Television control circuit
103 Memory
105 Display processor
107 Display panel
109 Menu loading module
110 Television signal source
40 TV menu
401 Pattern
403 Sound
405 Channel
407 System
Television menu configuration file 50
Procedure of setting television menu configuration file in steps S201-S209
Procedure of setting television menu configuration file in steps S301 to S309
Flow of displaying television menu in steps S501-S517