DISPLAY SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

The present invention discloses a display system. The display system includes a display device, an image recognition device and a communication device. The display device is arranged to display a plurality of frames of a video stream. The image recognition device is arranged to compare the current frame with the previous frame displayed by the display device to define at least one stationary block and determine whether the stationary block has a phone number or an Internet address, wherein the current frame is the frame displayed by the display device currently, and the current frame is displayed next to the previous frame. The communication device is arranged to make a phone call to the phone number or connect to the web address via the Internet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display system of the present invention. The display system100A includes a sensing device102, a display device104, a processing unit106A, an image recognition device108, a storage unit109, and a communication device110. The display system100A may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor-based, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like.

The sensing device102is arranged to receive a first command S1and/or a second command S2, and transmit the first command S1and/or the second command S2to the processing unit106A. It should be noted that the sensing device102may be arranged to detect gestures, infrared ray signals, or sound signals. Namely, the first command S1and the second command S2can be a gesture, an infrared ray signal, or a sound signal, but it is not limited thereto.

The display device104is arranged to sequentially display a plurality of frames of a video stream. It should be noted that the video stream can be an analog TV signal, a digital TV signal, or other video signals. For example, when the display system100A is an analog TV signal, the display device104can be arranged to sequentially display a plurality of frames of the video stream of a shopping channel.

The display device104is arranged to sequentially display a plurality of frames of a video stream. It should be noted that the video stream can be an analog TV signal, a digital TV signal, or other video signals. For example, when the display system100A is an analog TV, the display device104can be arranged to sequentially display a plurality of frames of the video stream of a shopping channel.

The processing unit106A is arranged to receive the first command S1and/or the second command S2from the sensing device102. Furthermore, the processing unit106A is also arranged to enable the image recognition device108and the communication device110according to the first command S1and/or the second command S2, respectively. It should be noted that the processing unit106A may include a central-processing unit (CPU) or a plurality of processing units related to a parallel processing environment, but it is not limited thereto.

The processing unit106A further includes an image recognition device108. The image recognition device108is arranged to compare a current frame displayed by the display device104and the previous frame displayed by the display device104to define at least one stationary block of the current frame and the previous frame. Furthermore, the image recognition device108is also arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a phone number or an Internet address, wherein the image recognition device108is arranged to define the pixels that do not change in the current frame and the previous frame as a stationary block. Moreover, the current frame is the frame displayed by the display device104currently, and the current frame is displayed right next to the previous frame. Namely, the current frame is the frame that the display device104is displaying right now, and the previous frame is the frame that the display device104just played. It should be noted that, in one of the embodiments of the present invention, the image recognition device108starts to compare the current frame with the previous frame according to the first command S1. In another embodiment of the present invention, the image recognition device108is arranged to automatically compare the current frame with the previous frame every time a predetermined period has elapsed, but it is not limited thereto.

Moreover, the image recognition device108is further arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a character string, and determine whether the character string meets a first predetermined condition or a second predetermined condition, wherein the character string is a phone number when the character string meets the first predetermined condition, and the character string is an Internet address when the character string meets the second predetermined condition. For example, the image recognition device108is arranged to execute image recognition on the stationary block, and determine whether the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and punctuation marks. When the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the position of the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. For example, when the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks on the stationary block are arranged in a row or column, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. Next, the image recognition device108determines whether the character string meets a first predetermined condition or a second predetermined condition, wherein the first predetermined condition is the specification of phone numbers, and the second predetermined condition is the specification of Internet addresses. For example, the first predetermined condition is that the character string is a series of Arabic numbers or that the character string includes 886, 09 or 001, etc., but it is not limited thereto. Moreover, the second predetermined condition is that the character string includes the English letters www or http, etc., but it is not limited thereto.

The storage unit109can include a read-only memory (ROM), a flash ROM, a random access memory (RAM) and/or a register for storing the program module and data which are used for executing by the processing unit106A. In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the image recognition device108can store the character string which meets the first predetermined condition or the second predetermined condition in the storage unit109.

The communication device110is arranged to make a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108, or connect via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108. It should be noted that, in one of the embodiments of the present invention, the communication device110makes a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108or connects via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108according to the second command S2. In another embodiment, the image recognition device108is arranged to automatically make a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108or connect via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108when the image recognition device108recognizes the phone number or the Internet address. It should be noted that, in other embodiments of the present invention, the communication device110can transmit the phone number and/or Internet address recognized by the image recognition device108to other electronic devices (not shown) apart from the display system100A, and enable the electronic device (not shown) apart from the display system100A to make a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108or connect via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108.

FIG. 2is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a display system of the present invention. The display system100B includes a sensing device102, a display device104, a processing unit106B, an image recognition device108, a storage unit109, and a communication device110. The display system100B may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor-based, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Moreover, the display system100B is similar to the display system100A ofFIG. 1except for the processing unit106B. The processing unit106B further includes an image processor202and a processor204. The image processor202is arranged to process the video stream, wherein the image processor202further includes an image recognition device108. The processor204is arranged to receive the first command S1and the second command S2, and enable the image recognition device108and the communication device110according to the first command S1and the second command S2, respectively. It should be noted that reference may be made toFIG. 1for detailed descriptions of the sensing device102, the display device104, the image recognition device108, the storage unit109, and the communication device110.

FIG. 3is a flowchart of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication method is applied to the display system100A ofFIG. 1and the display system100B ofFIG. 2, wherein the display system100A and the display system100B is arranged to display a plurality of frames of a video stream in sequence. The process starts at step S300.

In step S300, the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B is arranged to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1. When the sensing device102receives the first command S1, the process goes to step S302, otherwise, the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives the first command S1.

In step S302, the image recognition device108is arranged to compare a current frame with the previous frame displayed by the display device104to define at least one stationary block, wherein the current frame is the frame displayed by the display device104currently, and the current frame is displayed right next to the previous frame. It should be noted that the image recognition device108is arranged to define the pixels that do not change in the current frame from the previous frame as the stationary block. Next, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a phone number or an Internet address in step S304and step S306.

In step S304, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a character string. For example, the image recognition device108is arranged to execute image recognition on the stationary block, and determine whether the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and punctuation marks. When the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the position of the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. For example, when the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks on the stationary block are arranged in a row or column, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. When the image recognition device108determines that the stationary block has a character string, the process goes to step S306, otherwise, the process goes back to step S300, and the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1.

In step S306, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the character string meets a first predetermined condition or a second predetermined condition, wherein the character string is a phone number when the character string meets the first predetermined condition, and the character string is an Internet address when the character string meets the second predetermined condition. It should be noted that the first predetermined condition is the specification of phone numbers, and the second predetermined condition is the specification of Internet addresses. For example, the first predetermined condition is that the character string is a series of Arabic numbers or that the character string includes 886, 09 or 001, etc., but it is not limited thereto. Moreover, the second predetermined condition is that the character string includes the English letters www or http, etc., but it is not limited thereto. When the image recognition device108determines that the character string meets the first predetermined condition or the second predetermined condition, the process goes to step S312, otherwise, the process goes back to step S300, and the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1.

In step S312, the communication device110is arranged to make a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108, or connect via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108. Next, the process goes back to step S300, the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1.

FIG. 4A-4Bare a flowchart of a communication method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The communication method is applied to the display system100A of FIG. and the display system100B ofFIG. 2, wherein the display system100A and the display system100B is arranged to display a plurality of frames of a video stream in sequence. The process starts at step S400. It should be noted that steps S400-S406and S412ofFIG. 4A-4Bare similar to steps S300-S306and S312ofFIG. 3. Reference may be made toFIG. 3for detailed descriptions of steps S400-S406and S412.

In step S406, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the character string meets a first predetermined condition or a second predetermined condition, wherein the image recognition device108determines that the character string is a phone number when the character string meets the first predetermined condition, and the image recognition device108determines that the character string is an Internet address when the character string meets the second predetermined condition. It should be noted that the first predetermined condition is the specification of phone numbers, and the second predetermined condition is the specification of Internet addresses. For example, the first predetermined condition is that the character string is a series of Arabic numbers or that the character string includes 886, 09 or 001, etc., but it is not limited thereto. Moreover, the second predetermined condition is that the character string includes the English letters www or http, etc., but it is not limited thereto. When the image recognition device108determines that the character string meets the first predetermined condition or the second predetermined condition, the process goes to step S408. Otherwise, the process goes to step S400, and the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1.

In step S408, the display device104is arranged to display the character string recognized by the image recognition device108.

Next, in step S410, the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B is arranged to determine whether the sensing device102receives a second command S2within a predetermined period. When the sensing device102receives the second command S2within the predetermined period, the process goes to step S412, otherwise the process goes back to step S400, and the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the sensing device102receives a first command S1.

FIG. 5A-5Bare a flowchart of a communication method according to another embodiment of the present invention. The communication method is applied to the display system100A of FIG. and the display system100B ofFIG. 2, wherein the display system100A and the display system100B is arranged to display a plurality of frames of a video stream in sequence. The process starts at step S500.

In step S500, the processing unit106A, the processing unit106B, or the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether a predetermined period has elapsed. When the processing unit106A, the processing unit106B, or the image recognition device108determines that the predetermined period has elapsed, the process goes to step S502, otherwise, the processing unit106A, the processing unit106B, or the image recognition device108continues to determine whether the predetermined period has elapsed.

In step S502, the image recognition device108is arranged to compare a current frame with the previous frame displayed by the display device104to define at least one stationary block, wherein the current frame is the frame displayed by the display device104currently, and the current frame is displayed right next to the previous frame. It should be noted that the image recognition device108is arranged to define the pixels that do not change in the current frame and the previous frame as the stationary block. Next, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a phone number or an Internet address in step S504and step S506.

In step S504, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the stationary block has a character string. For example, the image recognition device108is arranged to execute image recognition on the stationary block, and determine whether the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and punctuation marks. When the stationary block has Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the position of the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. For example, when the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks on the stationary block are arranged in a row or column, the image recognition device108obtains a character string according to the Arabic numerals, English letters, and/or punctuation marks. When the image recognition device108determines that the stationary block has a character string, the process goes to step S506, otherwise, the process goes back to step S500.

In step S506, the image recognition device108is arranged to determine whether the character string meets a first predetermined condition or a second predetermined condition, wherein the character string is a phone number when the character string meets the first predetermined condition, and the character string is an Internet address when the character string meets the second predetermined condition. It should be noted that the first predetermined condition is the specification of phone numbers, and the second predetermined condition is the specification of Internet addresses. For example, the first predetermined condition is that the character string is a series of Arabic numbers or that the character string includes 886, 09 or 001, etc., but it is not limited thereto. Moreover, the second predetermined condition is that the character string includes the English letters www or http, etc., but it is not limited thereto. When the image recognition device108determines that the character string meets the first predetermined condition or the second predetermined condition, the process goes to step S508, otherwise, the process goes back to step S500, and the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B continues to determine whether the predetermined period has elapsed.

In step S508, the image recognition device108stores the character string which meets the first predetermined condition or the second predetermined condition in the storage unit109.

Next, in step S510, the processing unit106A or the processing unit106B is arranged to determine whether the sensing device102receives a second command S2within a predetermined period. When the sensing device102receives the second command S2within the predetermined period, the process goes to step S512, otherwise, the process goes back to step S500.

In step S512, the communication device110is arranged to make a phone call to the phone number recognized by the image recognition device108, or connect via the Internet to the web address recognized by the image recognition device108. Next, the process goes back to step S500, the processing unit106A, the processing unit106B or the image recognition device108continues to determine whether the predetermined period has elapsed.

The display system100A, the display system100B and the communication method of the present invention can determine whether the image displayed by the display device104has phone numbers or Internet addresses. Moreover, the display system100A, the display system100B and the communication method of the present invention can also make phone calls to the displayed phone number or connect via the Internet to the displayed web address.