Abstract:
An interactive program system for a first viewer and a second viewer to share a display is provided. The display can show two different video images or frames at the same time, and with a screen sharing mechanism, only the video program selected by viewers can be seen by the viewers. The screen sharing mechanism is implemented by code-division or frequency-division technology.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an interactive program system, and more particularly to an interactive program system with screen sharing mechanism. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Traditional displays can only provide one video or TV program from one program source to all viewers at a same time. When one user plays a video game, other viewers cannot watch a TV program. However, with the growth and development of multi-player video games, it is desirable to provide a display system which can provide at least two sets of images to a plurality of viewers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One embodiment of the invention provides an interactive program system for a first viewer and a second viewer to share a display. The interactive program system comprises a video console, a processing unit, a display, a first eyeglass and a second eyeglass. The video console comprises a timing generator, and loads and executes a program video, wherein the timing generator is adapted to provide a timing signal which is associated with the program video. The processing unit, electrically connected to the video console, receives and processes the program video to generate a first content and a second content. The display, electrically coupled to the video console and the processing unit, displays the first content and the second content. The first eyeglass for the first viewer comprises a first receiving device and a first processor. The first receiving device receives the first content. The first processor processes the first content to allow the first viewer to see a first frame corresponding to the first content on the display. The second eyeglass for the second viewer comprises a second receiving device and a second processor. The second receiving device receives the second content. The second processor processes the second content to allow the second viewer to see a second frame corresponding to the second content on the display. The first frame is representative of the first viewer&#39;s perspective of a scene, and the second frame is representative of the second viewer&#39;s perspective of the scene. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a display system comprising a video source, a display panel, a screen sharing device, a first eyeglass and a second eyeglass. The video source provides a first content and a second content. The screen sharing device, electrically connected to the video source and the display panel, processes and shows the first content and the second content on the display panel, wherein the screen sharing device comprises a timing controller for providing a timing signal in accordance with the first content and the second content, and a transmitter for transmitting a first parameter and a second parameter associated with the first content and the second content, respectively. The first eyeglass for a first viewer comprises a first receiver, a first synchronization device and a first processor. The first receiver receives the first parameter. The first synchronization device synchronizes a first frame associated with the first content with the timing signal in accordance with the first parameter. The first processor processes the first content to allow the first viewer to see the first frame on the display panel. The second eyeglass for a second viewer comprises a second receiver, a second synchronization device and a second processor. The second receiver receives the second parameter. The second synchronization device synchronizes a second frame associated with the second content with the timing signal in accordance with the second parameter. The second processor processes the second content to allow the second viewer to see the second frame on the display panel. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention provides an interactive program system. The system comprises a game console, an audio and video processing device, a display, a first eyeglass and a second eyeglass. The game console provides an audio content and a video content. The audio and video processing device, electrically connected to the game console, comprises a multiplexer, an audio controller, a video controller, a timing controller and a radio transmitter. The multiplexer processes the audio content and the video content to generate divided contents in accordance with the audio controller, the video controller, and the timing controller. The display, electrically connected to the audio and video processing device, displays a first set of frames and a second set of frames corresponding to the divided contents. The first eyeglass comprises a first demultiplexer, a first radio receiver, and a first earphone. The first demultiplexer demultiplexes the first set of frames to allow a first user wearing the first eyeglass to see the first set of frames. The first radio receiver communicates with the radio transmitter and the first earphone. The second eyeglass comprises a second demultiplexer, a second radio receiver, and a second earphone, wherein the second demultiplexer demultiplexes the second set of frames to allow a second user wearing the second eyeglass to see the second set of frames, the second radio receiver communicates with the radio transmitter and the second earphone, and the first set of frames and the second set of frames are interactive frames between the first user and the second user. 
         [0008]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an interactive program system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the first eyeglass  14  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the second eyeglass  15  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a display system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an interactive program system according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the audio and video processing device  53  in  FIG. 5  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an interactive program system according to an embodiment of the invention. The interactive program system  10  for a first viewer and a second viewer comprises a video console  12 , a processing unit  13 , a display  11 , a first eyeglass  14  for the first viewer and a second eyeglass  15  for the second viewer. The display  11  is, for example, a normal television, an LCD television, a CRT or LCD display. The video console  12  comprises a timing generator (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), loads and executes a program video, wherein the timing generator is adapted to provide a timing signal which is associated with the program video. The processing unit  13  is electrically connected to the video console  12 , receives and processes the program video to generate a first content and a second content, respectively for the first viewer and the second viewer according to the timing signal from the video console  12 . The processing unit  13  transmits the first content and the second content to the display  11 . The processing unit  13  is configured to generate the first content and the second content by code division or frequency division. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the first eyeglass  14  in  FIG. 1 . The first eyeglass  14  for the first viewer comprises a first receiving device  141 , a first synchronization device  143  and a first processor  142 . The first synchronization device  143  receives the timing signal associated with the program video to synchronize the first eyeglass  14  with the video console  12  and the processing unit  13 . The first receiving device  141  receives the first content from display  11 . The first processor  142  processes the first content to allow the first viewer to see a set of first frames corresponding to the first content on the display  11 . The processing unit  13  informs the first processor  142  about the type of code division or frequency division to be applied in the processing unit  13 , and transmits the corresponding parameters or information to the first processor  142  to generate the first frames. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the second eyeglass  15  in  FIG. 1 . The second eyeglass  15  for the second viewer comprises a second receiving device  151 , a second synchronization device  153  and a second processor  152 . The second synchronization device  153  receives the timing signal associated with the program video to synchronize the second eyeglass  15  with the video console  12  and the processing unit  13 . The second receiving device  151  receives the second content. The second processor  152  processes the second content to allow the second viewer to see a set of second frames corresponding to the second content on the display  11 . The processing unit  13  informs the second processor  152  about the type of code division or frequency division to be applied in the processing unit  13 , and transmits the corresponding parameters or information to the second processor  152  to generate the second frames. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a display system according to an embodiment of the invention. The display system  40  comprises a video source  43 , a display panel  41 , a screen sharing device  42 , a first eyeglass  44  and a second eyeglass  45 . The video source  43  provides a first content and a second content. The video source  43  is configured to provide, for example, digital TV programs, cable TV programs, or video game streams. The video source  43  is further configured to receive one or more feeds from, for example, a DVD player, a Blue-Ray DVD player, a multimedia processor, a TV gamer, a network media processor, a communicating device, or a program on a hard disk drive. 
         [0021]    The screen sharing device  42  is electrically connected to the video source  43  and the display panel  41 , and processes and shows both the first content and the second content on the display panel  41 , wherein the screen sharing device  42  comprises a timing controller (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) for providing a timing signal in accordance with the first content and the second content, and a transmitter (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) for transmitting a first parameter and a second parameter associated with the first content and the second content, respectively. The first eyeglass  44  for a first viewer comprises a first receiver, a first synchronization device and a first processor as like what mentioned in  FIG. 2 . The first receiver receives the first parameter. The first synchronization device synchronizes a first frame associated with the first content with the timing signal in accordance with the first parameter. The first processor processes the first content to allow the first viewer to see the first frame on the display panel  41 . The second eyeglass  45  for a second viewer comprises a second receiver, a second synchronization device and a second processor as like what mentioned in  FIG. 3 . The second receiver receives the second parameter. The second synchronization device synchronizes a second frame associated with the second content with the timing signal in accordance with the second parameter. The second processor processes the second content to allow the second viewer to see the second frame on the display panel  41 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an interactive program system according to another embodiment of the invention. The interactive program system  50  comprises a game console  52 , an audio and video processing device  53 , a display  51 , a first eyeglass  54  and a second eyeglass  55 . The game console  52  provides an audio content and a video content. The audio and video processing device  53  is electrically connected to the game console  52  to generate a plurality of divided contents. 
         [0023]    The display  51  is electrically connected to the audio and video processing device  53  to display a first set of frames and a second set of frames corresponding to the divided contents. The first eyeglass  54  comprises a first demultiplexer, a first radio receiver, and a first earphone. The first demultiplexer demultiplexes the first set of frames to allow a first user wearing the first eyeglass  54  to see the first set of frames. The first radio receiver communicates with a radio transmitter of the audio and video processing device  53  (will be described later) and the first earphone. The second eyeglass  55  comprises a second demultiplexer, a second radio receiver, and a second earphone, wherein the second demultiplexer demultiplexes the second set of frames to allow a second user wearing the second eyeglass  55  to see the second set of frames, the second radio receiver communicates with the radio transmitter and the second earphone, and the first set of frames and the second set of frames are interactive frames between the first user and the second user. 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of the audio and video processing device  53  in  FIG. 5  according to an embodiment of the invention. The audio and video processing device  53  comprises a multiplexer  532 , an audio controller  531 , a video controller  533 , a timing controller  534  and a radio transmitter  535 . The multiplexer  532  processes the audio content and the video content to generate divided contents in accordance with the audio controller  531 , the video controller  533 , and the timing controller  534 . The radio transmitter  535  communicates with the radio receivers and the earphones of the first eyeglass  54  and the second eyeglass  55 , respectively and transmits the required parameters or information to the radio receivers and the earphones of the first eyeglass  54  and the second eyeglass  55 , respectively. The audio and video processing device  53  is configured to process the audio content and the video content by using a code division mechanism or a frequency division mechanism. 
         [0025]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.