U.S. patent application number 10/099899 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for television system.
Invention is credited to Matey, Jesus.
Application Number | 20030011712 10/099899 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9911178 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030011712 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matey, Jesus |
January 16, 2003 |
Television system
Abstract
A television system is provided including a broadcast data
receiver (BDR) for receiving broadcast data from a remote location
via cable, satellite or terrestrial means and processing the data.
The processed data includes video data for display on a display
screen (2) connected to or forming part of the BDR. A plurality of
different video display formats are provided for user selection on
the display screen and upon selection of a particular video display
format a preview of the resulting video display is displayed in a
window (6) on the display screen (2).
Inventors: |
Matey, Jesus; (Leeds,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John M. Johnson
Kaye Scholer LLP
425 Park Avenue
New York
NY
10022
US
|
Family ID: |
9911178 |
Appl. No.: |
10/099899 |
Filed: |
March 14, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/565 ;
348/556; 348/E5.097; 348/E5.108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/42638 20130101;
H04N 21/426 20130101; H04N 5/50 20130101; H04N 5/4401 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/565 ;
348/556 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/45 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 21, 2001 |
GB |
0106981.4 |
Claims
1. A television system including a broadcast data receiver (BDR)
for receiving broadcast data from a remote location via cable,
satellite or terrestrial means and processing said data, said
processed data including video data for display on a display screen
(2) connected to or forming part of said BDR and characterised in
that a plurality of different video display formats are provided
for user selection on the display screen (2) and wherein upon
selection of a particular video display format a preview of the
resulting video display is displayed in a window (6) on the display
screen.
2. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the window (6) in which the preview is shown is displayed over a
part of a video display currently being broadcast on a user
selected channel.
3. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the video content (7) on the display screen (2) behind the preview
window (6) remains unchanged following selection of a particular
video display format in the preview window (6).
4. A television system according to claim 2 characterised in that
the dimensions of the preview window (6) are adjustable by the
user.
5. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
each video display format alters the size and/or shape of the
resulting video display in the preview window (6).
6. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the preview of the selected display comprises the selected format
as applied to any or any combination of the video data currently
being broadcast on a user-selected channel, a broadcaster selected
channel, a default video clip, a user selected video clip or a
blank screen.
7. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the plurality of different video display formats are provided in a
drop down menu (8).
8. A television system according to claim 7 characterised in that
the drop down menu (8) is provided in a viewing preference screen
for selection therefrom.
9. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the different video display formats include any or any combination
of a normal (4:3) display, a widescreen (16:9) display, picture
handling display, pass through display, centre cut-out display or
letterbox display.
10. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the format of the video display on the display screen (2) returns
to a default video display format each time the television system
is switched off and subsequently switched on again.
11. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the format of the video display on the display screen (2) returns
to a default video display format after a pre-determined period of
time.
12. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
the format of the video display selected by the user is maintained
on all video displays until a different video display format is
selected.
13. A television system according to claim 1 characterised in that
in addition to the different video display formats, the user can
select the video display to be in a RGB or composite video display
format.
14. A broadcast data receiver (BDR) for receiving broadcast data
from a remote location via cable, satellite or terrestrial means
and processing said data, said processed data including video data
for display on a display screen (2) connected to or forming part of
said BDR and characterised in that a plurality of different video
display formats are provided for user selection on the display
screen (2) and wherein upon selection of a particular video display
format a preview of the resulting video display is displayed in a
window (6) on the display screen (2).
15. An electronic programme guide (EPG) for display on a display
screen (2) of a television system, said EPG displaying data
relating to one or more channels and/or programmes for broadcasting
at that time or in the future, said EPG having a menu (8) including
a number of user-selectable preferences and characterised in that
the user-selectable preferences include a plurality of different
video display formats for user selection on the display screen (2)
and wherein upon selection of a particular video display format a
preview of the resulting video display is displayed in a window (6)
on the display screen of the EPG.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a television system comprising a
broadcast data receiver connected to a display screen. The
broadcast data receiver receives digital data in the form of audio,
video and/or auxiliary data received from a broadcaster at a remote
location. The broadcast data receiver processes the data and
provides video and/or audio for viewing on the display screen and
listening via speakers. Auxiliary data is typically used to provide
an electronic programme guide (EPG) showing the available
programmes for viewing by a user at a particular time.
[0002] It is known to be able to provide the video display on the
display screen in a number of different display formats, such as
having the display in a normal 4:3 format, a widescreen 16:9
format, letter box format, centre cut out format and/or the like.
These different types of video display formats, which allow
adjustment of the size and/or shape of the video display, are
typically selectable by the user from a function selections menu
and/or page. Conventionally the user is required to select a
particular format from a menu page and then tune to the channel for
display of the video display in the selected format.
[0003] A problem with the conventional method of selecting a
particular video display format is that a user may not know what
each of the different formats mean and how each format alters the
appearance of the video display. The user therefore has to
typically select each different format in turn and tune the video
display to each particular format in order to determine whether the
resulting video display size and/or shape is suitable. This is
likely to be both time consuming and frustrating for the user. In
addition, as the action in the film changes, the size and/or shape
of the video display may also change, such that the user may not be
able to compare the video display they had prior to selecting a
particular format with the resulting video display after the format
selection.
[0004] It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide
an improved means for allowing user selection of video display
formats.
[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention there
is provided a television system including a broadcast data receiver
(BDR) for receiving broadcast data from a remote location via
cable, satellite or terrestrial means and processing said data,
said processed data including video data for display on a display
screen connected to or forming part of said BDR and characterised
in that a plurality of different video display formats are provided
for user selection on the display screen and wherein upon selection
of a particular video display format a preview of the resulting
video display is displayed in a window on the display screen.
[0006] Preferably the window containing the preview, typically a
"picture in graphics" window, is displayed over the video display
currently being broadcast on a user selected channel. The
dimensions of the preview window are adjustable by the user such
that it covers a pre-determined portion or all of the existing
video display being broadcast.
[0007] The advantage of the present invention is that video
displayed on the display screen remains unchanged when either video
is displayed in the preview window in a particular format or the
format of the video displayed in the preview window changes.
[0008] Preferably each different video display format alters the
size and/or shape of the resulting video display in the window.
[0009] Preferably the preview of the selected display comprises the
selected format applied to video data currently being broadcast on
any or any combination of a user-selected channel, a broadcaster
selected channel, a default or selected video clip, a blank screen
and/or the like.
[0010] Preferably control means are provided to allow
user-selection of one or more functions of the television system
and for selection of the different video display formats. The
control means is typically a remote control handset.
[0011] In one embodiment the number of different video display
formats are provided in a drop down menu of a Viewing Preference
Screen, such as an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) display.
[0012] Preferably the video display formats provided for user
selection include any or any combination of a normal (4:3) display,
a widescreen (16:9) display, picture handling, pass through, centre
cutout, letterbox and/or the like.
[0013] In one embodiment the video display returns to a default
video display format each time the television system is switched
off and switched on again and/or after a pre-determined period of
time. The pre-determined time period can be set by the broadcaster
or the user.
[0014] In an alternative embodiment the video display format chosen
by the user is maintained on all video displays until changed by
the user.
[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention there
is provided a broadcast data receiver (BDR) for receiving broadcast
data from a remote location via cable, satellite or terrestrial
means and processing said data, said processed data including video
data for display on a display screen connected to or forming part
of said BDR and characterised in that a plurality of different
video display formats are provided for user selection on the
display screen and wherein upon selection of a particular video
display format a preview of the resulting video display is
displayed in a window on the display screen.
[0016] The video display surrounding or behind the preview window
typically remains unchanged during preview of a display format.
[0017] According to a further aspect of the present invention there
is provided an electronic programme guide (EPG) for display on a
display screen of a television system, said EPG displaying data
relating to one or more channels and/or programmes for broadcasting
at that time or in the future, said EPG having a menu including a
number of user-selectable preferences and characterised in that the
user-selectable preferences include a plurality of different video
display formats for user selection on the display screen and
wherein upon selection of a particular video display format a
preview of the resulting video display is displayed in a window on
the display screen of the EPG.
[0018] Thus the present invention provides a means of allowing a
user to quickly and easily view the effect of one or more video
display formats prior to selecting a particular suitable format for
application to a programme/video the user wishes to view.
[0019] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described
with reference to the following description and the accompanying
figures, wherein:
[0020] FIGS. 1-2 are examples of display screens for transmission
of widescreen video content on a 4:3 television screen; and
[0021] FIG. 3 is an example of a display screen for transmission of
4:3 video content on a widescreen television screen.
[0022] An EPG display 2 is provided with a drop down viewing
preference menu 4, which allows a user to select a number of
different functions for adjustment of the audio/video outputs of a
current display. The viewing preference display has a Picture In
Graphics (PIG) window 6 (also known as a picture in picture window)
and a number of selectable fields 8. One of the options on the
display is for changing the format (size and/or shape) of a video
display.
[0023] The first selectable field 10, 10', 10" on the display
requires user selection of the type of the user's television
display screen, such as normal (4:3) or widescreen (16:9). The
second user selectable field 12, 12', 12" contains a number of
different video display shapes and/or sizes including
"passthrough", "centre cutout" and "letterbox". The third user
selectable field 14, 14', 14" contains selection of the video
output to the television, such as RGB or composite. A fourth user
selectable field 16, 16', 16" is provided for indicating whether
subtitles or other features are provided with the video
display.
[0024] The audio/video driver (data processor) of the television
set or broadcast data receiver receives the user selected video
display format settings and alters the video display in the PIG
window 6 on the display screen 2 accordingly. The user can select
any number of different combinations of display formats from the
selectable fields and view the resulting change to the video
display in the PIG window. This allows a user to quickly preview a
number of possible formats prior to tuning a full video display to
a chosen format. On selection of a particular video display in the
preview window 6, the video content 7 being displayed on display
screen behind the preview window remains unchanged, until a user
requests that the display format in the preview window be used for
the video display format of the video content 7 on the main display
screen.
[0025] For example, if a user has a 4:3 normal television set and
widescreen (16:9) video data is being transmitted to the broadcast
data receiver, the user may select:
[0026] 1) Letterbox--the left and right sides of the widescreen
image are displayed at the left and right edges of the screen,
whilst maintaining the image proportions. The PIG window shows how
the video display includes a black margin at the top and bottom of
the display, whilst providing the full widescreen video content
with the correct shape (as shown in FIG. 1).
[0027] 2) Centre Cutout--the top and the bottom of the widescreen
image is displayed at the top and bottom of the screen, whilst
maintaining image proportions. The image in the PIG window shows
how the video display loses edges at the right and left hand sides
of the image (as shown in FIG. 2).
[0028] For example, if a user has a 16:9 television set and normal
video content in 4:3 format is transmitted to the broadcast data
receiver, the user may select:
[0029] 3) Passthrough--all the contents of the 16:9 video display
are fitted to the 4:3 screen and the PIG window shows the figures
in the display having taller shapes compared to the video data
being shown on a 16:9 television set (as shown in FIG. 3).
[0030] If the user changes the video display output format from RGB
display format to composite video display format, the user can
determine from the different PIG window displays the difference in
quality, colour, graphics and video of the display.
[0031] A user can change the size of the preview window by
inputting dimensions into an appropriate user input field in an EPG
display menu or toolbar drop down menu using a remote control
handset or other control means. Alternatively the user can click on
the frame of the preview window to adjust the dimensions
thereof.
[0032] Thus the present invention allows a user to scroll through
and preview a number of different video display formats and
determine at a glance which of the formats is most suitable for
applying to a programme/video display.
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