Abstract:
Provided are an image display device, a key input for controlling the image display device, and a corresponding operating method. The method includes detecting an input of at least one of control keys provided at a predetermined area on the image display device and displaying a control key OSD corresponding to the at least one control key, receiving an input of one of the control keys while the control key OSD is displayed and changing the displayed control key OSD to select key OSDs for selecting menu items corresponding to the inputted control key, and displaying the select key OSDs.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0136708 (filed on 30 Dec. 2008), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to an image display device, and to a key input for controlling the image display device and a corresponding operating method. 
     In addition to providing the limited function for simply outputting a broadcast program, a related art image display device includes functions to perform operations for various additional functions. Thus, for the sake of smooth manipulation according to a user&#39;s personal preferences, the user needs to use an external control unit, such as a remote controller having a multiplicity of keys or enabling various function key inputs to be easily entered. 
     However, even image display devices that do not employ a remote controller are currently equipped with control keys for simple channel/volume control and control keys on one side of the image display device for entering menus. Although this allows a user without a separate controller to input simple control signals by pressing control keys, most of these keys are usually positioned in locations difficult to see for the sake of aesthetics. 
     Accordingly, it is difficult for a user to easily discern the functions corresponding to the control keys. Further, entering menus by using only a certain number of control keys is not as easy as using a remote controller, and a menu must be entered through a process of performing several key inputs. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention provides quickness and ease of key inputs for controlling an image display device. 
     Another aspect of the present invention provides the ability to perform various functions using the keys provided on an image display device. 
     According to at least one of embodiments, a method for controlling an image display device includes: sensing an input of at least one of control keys provided to a given area of the image display device; displaying control key OSDs corresponding to said at least one of inputted control keys; receiving one of the control keys while the control key OSDs are displayed; changing the displayed control key OSDs into select key OSDs capable of choosing menu items corresponding to the received control key, thereby displaying the select key OSDs. 
     According to another embodiment, an image display device includes: a key input unit including at least one control key in a given area of the image display device; an OSD processing unit for generating OSDs at a location corresponding to the key input unit according to the input of said at least one control key; a display unit for displaying OSDs correspondingly to the key input unit and changing the OSDs according to the input of said at least one control key; a control unit for sensing an input signal of a key inputted from the key input unit and controlling to display OSDs corresponding to an inputted key and flexibly change the OSDs according to the inputted key signal to display the changed OSDs. 
     The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image display device according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a control operation flowchart for an image display device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary diagram of a control key OSD screen of an image display device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary diagram of an OSD screen for control key inputs according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is flowchart for a control key OSD screen according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary diagram of an OSD screen for control key inputs according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image display device according to the present invention. 
     A control unit  105  outputs various broadcast signals received through a tuner unit  135  to a demux  140  which in turn divides them into audio/image/data signals. The control unit  105  according to an embodiment senses a key input from a key input unit  115  provided on the image display device and flexibly displays a corresponding OSD in a display unit  150 . 
     An external interface unit  110  performs a connecting function to enable receipt of an audio or image that can be output from the image display device by an external device. The key input unit  115  may have a plurality of control keys  115   b  and a power key  115   a  for turning power ON/OFF, provided at a predetermined location on the image display device. In particular, the plurality of control keys  115   b  in the key input unit  115  for controlling the image display device according to an embodiment is provided at one side of the image display device. When one of the control keys is input, OSDs associated with the plurality of control keys may be displayed in the display unit  150 . 
     A memory unit  120  performs the functions of storing data received from the outside or generated through a user input and temporarily or permanently storing a various data generated according to the operation of internal function parts. The memory unit  120  according to an embodiment performs the function of storing data for enabling an OSD corresponding to a key input in the key input unit  115  to be flexibly displayed on the display unit  150 . 
     The display unit  150  displays an image signal, which is divided by the mux  140  from the broadcast signals received through the tuner unit  135  and processed by an image processing unit  145 . In particular, the display unit  150  according to an embodiment performs the function of displaying an OSD for the control key that is input from the key input unit  115  and may display an OSD changed through an input of the control keys  115   b  according to the control of the control unit  105 . 
     An OSD processing unit  155  performs the function of generating text or an image representing the operational state or information of the image display device. In particular, the OSD processing unit  155  according to an embodiment performs the function of generating OSDs for the key input unit functions and associated menu items at a location corresponding to the key input unit  115  on the image display device. 
     The operation of the image display device according to an embodiment will be described in terms of the above-configured image display device with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
     In operation S 205 , the control unit  105  performs an image output mode for outputting an image for a broadcast signal received through the tuner unit  135  or displaying an image received from an external device connected by the external interface unit  110 . 
     In the image output mode, when the control unit detects the input of a control key  115   b  having a menu key for controlling the image display device from among the plurality of keys of the key input unit  115  in operation S 210 , the control unit  105  display all the OSDs for the plurality of control keys  115   b  in the display unit  150 , irrespective of the kind of control key that was input. 
     That is, to describe the exemplary diagram of the display screen shown in  FIG. 3 , when any one of the plurality of control keys  115   b  is inputted by a user from the key input unit  115  provided on a horizontal or longitudinal side of the image display device, the control unit  105  displays OSDs  300  for the plurality of control keys  115   b  in the display unit  150 , irrespective of the kind of control key that was selected.  FIG. 3A  is an exemplary diagram showing a case where the control keys  115   b  of the key input unit  115  are positioned at a horizontal lower side of the image display device, and  FIG. 3B  is an exemplary diagram displaying OSDs in a case where the control keys  115   b  of the key input unit  115  are positioned at a longitudinal side of the image display device. The OSDs for the control keys  115   b  respectively represent the functions corresponding to the respective control keys  115   b.    
     Therefore, in the image output mode, when a key input signal from the key input unit  115  is detected, the control unit  105  respectively displays OSDs  301  to  306  for the control keys  115   b  corresponding to the location where the key input unit  115  of the image display device is provided, as in the exemplary diagram of  FIG. 3A  or  3 B. 
     In operation S 220 , the control unit  105  detects whether one of the control keys  115   b  (hereinafter, a first control key  11 ) is inputted during the displaying of OSDs for the control keys  115   b  as in the exemplary diagram of  FIG. 3A . 
     While the OSDs  300  for the control keys  115   b  are displayed, an input standby time for the first control key  11  is counted in operation S 225 , and if no key input signal is detected for a predetermined time in operation S 230 , the displaying of the OSDs  300  for the control keys  115   b  is ended. 
     On the other hand, if the input of the first control key  11  is detected while the OSDs  300  for the control keys  115   b  are displayed, OSDs  450  for menu items corresponding to the inputted first control key  11  is displayed in operation S 235 . The OSD  301  for the inputted first control key  11  may be displayed in one of up, down, left and right directions of the OSD  301  for the inputted first control key  11 . 
     Then, to select any one item among the menu items presented by the OSDs  450  for the inputted first control key  11 , the control unit  105  changes the displayed OSDs  302  to  306  to select key OSDs  400  to display the select key OSDs  400  in operation S 240 . The select key OSDs  400  are displayed to include directional key OSDs of Left  401 , Right  402 , Up  403 , and Down  404  for selecting any one of the menu item OSDs  450  for the inputted first control key  11 , and an OK key OSD  405  representing an input key for setup completion. 
     Further, when the select key OSDs  400  are displayed, only OSDs representing keys that can be used to select the menu items are highlighted and displayed. For instance, in  FIG. 4A , as the menu item OSDs  450  are displayed vertically upward on the image display device, the directional key OSDs  403  and  404  representing the directional keys which are movable in Up/Down directions and the OK key OSD  405  are displayed highlighted. Also, as shown in  FIG. 4B , as the menu item OSDs  450  are displayed horizontally across, the directional key OSDs  401  and  402  representing the directional keys movable Left/Right and the OK key OSD  405  are displayed highlighted. 
     As described above, the operation of the image display device according to an embodiment displays OSDs for the control keys when a control key input from the key input unit provided at one side of the image display device is detected. When any one control key is input during the displaying of the OSDs, the menu item OSDs for the inputted control key are displayed, and the directional key OSDs for the plurality of control keys are displayed in order to select the menu item OSDs. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are a control operation flowchart and a diagram of exemplary screens of an image display device according to another embodiment. A detailed description is provided with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     During the image output mode in operation S 505 , when the control unit  105  detects an input of a control key  115   b  having menu keys for controlling the image display device from the plurality of keys in the key input unit  115  in operation S 510 , the OSDs  300  corresponding to the inputted control key are displayed. As in the previous embodiment, all of the OSDs for the control keys  115   b  are displayed, irrespective of the control key that was input. Alternatively, only OSDs for the inputted control key may be displayed. As in the previous embodiment, in this embodiment, all OSDs for the plurality of control keys are displayed, irrespective of the inputted control key. 
     As in  FIG. 6 , in the image output mode, when the control unit  105  detects the input of any one key  11  of the control keys  115   b , the OSDs  300  representing the functions for the plurality of control keys  115   b  are output in the display unit  150  in operation S 515 . 
     The control unit  105  senses whether the first control key  11  is inputted in operation S 520  while the OSDs  300  for the control keys  115   b  are displayed. Namely, an input standby time for a second control key is counted in operation S 525  while the OSDs  300  for the control keys  115   b  are displayed. If any key input signal is not detected for a predetermined time in operation S 530 , the displaying of the OSDs  300  for the control keys  11   b  is ended. 
     On the other hand, when the control unit  105  detects the input of the first control key  11  while the OSD  300 s for the respective control keys  115   b  are displayed, the OSDs  302  to  306  except for the OSD  301  for the first control key  11  are changed into the menu item OSDs  450  for the first control key  11  and displayed in operation S 535 . In other words, when a first control key that is a ‘menu key’  11  according to an embodiment is received while OSDs  300  for a plurality of control keys  115   b  are displayed (as in  FIG. 6 ), the menu item OSDs  451  to  455  for the ‘menu key’ 11 are displayed corresponding to the control keys  115   b . The menu item OSDs  450  according to an embodiment may include for example ones representing an ‘input conversion’ OSD  451 , a ‘time setup’ OSD  452 , an ‘image setup’ OSD  453 , an ‘audio setup’ OSD  454  and a ‘channel search’ OSD  455 . 
     Therefore, when the input of the second control key for choosing any one of the menu item OSDs is detected in operation S 540  while the menu item OSDs for the first inputted control key  11  are displayed, submenu item OSDs  600  of the menu item chosen based on the inputted second control key  11  are displayed. In operation S 545 , the submenu item OSDs  600  are displayed such that the menu item OSDs  450  are changed into the submenu item OSDs  600  as shown in  FIG. 6C , similar to the manner in which the menu item OSDs are displayed. 
     That is to say, as in the exemplary diagram of the display screens shown in  FIG. 6B , when the OSDs  450  for the ‘menu key’  11  are displayed, if the ‘input conversion’ OSD  451  of the menu items for the ‘menu key’  11  is chosen, the menu item OSDs  450  are changed to the submenu item OSDs  600  for the ‘input conversion’ items (as shown in  FIG. 6C ) and displayed. Submenu items according to embodiments may include, for example, ‘AV 1 ’  601 , ‘AV 2 ’  602 , ‘CTV’  603 , ‘COM’  604  and ‘DTV’  605 . 
     The submenu item OSDs may be displayed to correspond to the location of the plurality of control keys  115   b , and selectable OSDs may be displayed highlighted. 
     The present invention has the effects of enabling the use of control keys provided on an image display device to execute control operations similarly to a remote controller, and enabling quick and easy inputting of control signals for an image display device using control keys. 
     Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.