Abstract:
A method of setting a highlight window using a remote controller and an apparatus therefor includes receiving remote control signals from the remote controller having a highlight selection function, decoding the remote control signals received from the remote controller, generating a highlight window according to highlight setting values when the decoded remote control signals are highlight function codes, and controlling a video parameter for the generated highlight window.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-29958, filed May 29, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to an image reproducing system, and more particularly, to a method of and an apparatus for setting a highlight window using a remote controller.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Recently, an image reproducing apparatus can display data on one or more regions on a monitor screen. Here, rectangular regions on the monitor screen are referred to as windows. In addition, the windows on the monitor screen may or may not overlap. A user is required to set a highlight window, e.g., one of the windows, on the screen in order to attract people&#39;s interest (attention) on specific data.  
           [0006]    In an existing image reproducing apparatus, highlight windows are set using a user control panel. In another existing image reproducing apparatus, the highlight windows are set using a setting device, such as a mouse, via a universal serial bus (USB) when operating a personal computer.  
           [0007]    However, since the user control panel is installed in the image reproducing apparatus, it is difficult to manipulate the user control panel. In addition, since the USB cannot be used in a stand-alone type apparatus, it is uncomfortable and inconvenient to use the setting device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides a method of setting a highlight window using a remote controller in an image reproducing system.  
           [0009]    The present invention also provides an apparatus for setting a highlight window according to a method of setting the highlight window using a remote controller.  
           [0010]    Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
           [0011]    According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of setting a highlight window in an image reproducing system includes receiving remote control signals from a remote controller having a highlight selection function, decoding the remote control signals received from the remote controller, generating the highlight window according to highlight setting values when the decoded remote control signals are highlight function codes, and controlling a video parameter to adjust a video signal displayed in the generated highlight window.  
           [0012]    According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for setting a highlight window in an image reproducing system includes a remote control sensor detecting wirelessly transferred functional button codes, which are generated in a remote controller, a control unit checking changes in highlight setting values in an on state of a highlight function when the functional button codes, which are detected in the remote control sensor, are highlight function selection data, an image process unit generating a window corresponding to the highlight setting values on a screen and decoding input video data, and a highlight signal change unit controlling a parameter of the decoded input video data included in the window, which is generated by the image process unit. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus for setting a highlight window according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to set the highlight window;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an initially set window when a user selects a highlight function in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a previously set window and a newly set window when a user selects a highlight function more than twice in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
         [0019]    The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the 30 accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an apparatus (image reproducing apparatus) for setting a highlight window according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus of FIG. 1 includes a remote control unit  110 , a remote control sensor  120 , a control unit  130 , an image process unit  140 , a highlight signal change unit  150 , and a panel driving unit  160 .  
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 1, the remote control unit  110  has buttons relating to a highlight function and transfers highlight function codes to a main body of the apparatus using a radio frequency (RF) corresponding to inputs of the buttons. For example, the remote control unit  110  has a highlight on/off button, highlight window size control buttons, and highlight window location control buttons in order to remote control the start and end of the highlight function and set a display screen or the highlight window.  
         [0022]    The remote control sensor  120  detects signals relating to the highlight function, which are input from the remote control unit  110 , and processes the input signals into electric pulse signals.  
         [0023]    The control unit  130  decodes the highlight function codes from the electric pulse signals processed in the remote control sensor  120  and generates highlight setting values corresponding to the decoded highlight function codes. For example, the control unit  130  receives a highlight signal and outputs a size and a location (x, y) of the highlight window. If a user changes the size or the location (x, y) of the highlight window while the highlight function is in an on state, the control unit  130  outputs the changed size and location (x, y) of the highlight window.  
         [0024]    The image process unit  140  decodes video signals and generates an on screen display (OSD) of a box shape corresponding to the size and the location (x, y) of the highlight window, which are generated in the control unit  130 .  
         [0025]    The highlight signal change unit  150  adjusts a parameter of the video signals through the OSD, which is formed in the image process unit  140 , by using the size and the location (x, y) of the highlight window, which are generated in the control unit  130 . In other words, the highlight signal change unit  150  adjusts an offset or a gain of the video signals in the highlight window to emphasize the video signals included in the highlight window.  
         [0026]    The panel driving unit  160  converts RGB signals, which are generated in the highlight signal change unit  150 , into low voltage differential signals in order to optimally transfer the RGB signals to a panel.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method performed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 to set the highlight window.  
         [0028]    First, electric power is applied to the image reproducing apparatus to display image signals on a screen in operation  210 .  
         [0029]    When reproducing images on the screen, the image reproducing apparatus wirelessly receives button signals from the remote control unit (remote controller)  110  having the buttons relating to the highlight function in operation  220 .  
         [0030]    Thereafter, codes of the wirelessly received button signals are decoded in operation  230 . For example, the control unit  130  receives a highlight function on/off signal, a highlight window size change signal, and a highlight window location change signal and decodes the codes of the received signals.  
         [0031]    It is checked whether decoded code values are highlight function data in operation  240 . Here, if the decoded code values are not the highlight function data, an operation other than the highlight function is performed in operation  256 .  
         [0032]    If the decoded code values are the highlight function data, it is checked whether the highlight function is in the on state in operation  250 . If the highlight function is in an off state, a box-shaped initial window is displayed at a center of the screen using a predetermined initial highlight value as shown in FIG. 3 in operation  250 . Here, the video signals of the image in the box-shaped initial window are compensated using parameter values of predetermined initial signals. Here, the initially set highlight values include size data of the highlight window, location data of the highlight window, and highlight degree data, for example, the offset or gain of the video signals.  
         [0033]    When the highlight window function is in the on state, the codes of the wirelessly received button signals are decoded to check whether the highlight setting values, for example, the size and the location of the highlight window, are changed in operation  260 . If the highlight setting values are changed, the changed size and location of the highlight window are calculated and the video signals included in the highlight window are compensated using a predetermined signal parameter in operation  262 . For example, in order to change the size and the location of the highlight window, the user inputs the size change buttons and the location change buttons of the remote control unit  110 . When the user changes the size and the location of the highlight window using the buttons of the remote control unit  110 , the control unit  130  recognizes a start location (x1, y1) and an end location (x2, y2) of the highlight window so that the control unit  130  calculates a center point (xo, yo) of the highlight window. Thereafter, the control unit  130  generates a changed highlight window with reference to the center point (xo, yo) of the highlight window. The control unit  130  compensates for the video signals included in the changed highlight window using the predetermined parameter.  
         [0034]    When the highlight setting values are not changed, the video parameters of the changed highlight window are renewed until the highlight function is ended in operation  270 .  
         [0035]    Thereafter, when the user selects a highlight function end button or the button signal is not received from the remote control unit  120  for a predetermined period of time, the finally changed highlight window is stored and the processes are ended.  
         [0036]    If the user inputs more than one highlight function button, a new highlight window is generated in addition to the existing highlight window as shown in FIG. 4.  
         [0037]    According to the present invention, since the highlight window is set using the remote controller, the user can easily highlight specific regions on the screen from a remote location of the image reproducing apparatus.  
         [0038]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiment thereof, the preferred embodiment described above is merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention will be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.