Abstract:
A display device includes a display section configured to perform display and provided with a display screen; communicating sections configured to perform communication to receive pieces of content data from supply devices, respectively; and a controller configured to cause the received pieces of content data to be simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen and to control the communicating sections to transmit, to the supply devices. The notification indicates that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2008-028542 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Feb. 8, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to display devices, display methods, supply devices, supply methods, storage media, and control systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a display device, a display method, a supply device, a supply method, a storage medium, and a control system that are preferably used for a case in which multiple electronic devices for supplying content data are connected to a display-screen-equipped electronic device, such as a television receiver, through interfaces that communicate commands together with the content data. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    An HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) standard is available as an interface standard for interconnecting digital home electronic equipment, such as a digital television receiver, a digital video camera, a digital video recorder, a digital player, a digital tuner, and a home-use game machine (e.g., refer to International Patent Publication No. WO2002/078336). Electronic equipment having a terminal that is compliant with the HDMI standard will hereinafter be referred to as an “HDMI device”. 
         [0006]    A terminal and an HDMI cable that are compliant with the HDMI standard have a CEC (consumer electronics control) line for communicating control signals, such as a command and a message, between HDMI devices connected through the HDMI cable, in addition to a line for transmitting AV data (e.g., refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-208290). 
         [0007]    A technology that uses the CEC line to communicate a control signal is available to allow an inter-device control function (hereinafter referred to as a “CEC function”) to be realized between HDMI devices connected through an HDMI cable. 
         [0008]    In a system in which a source device  1  (e.g., a digital video recorder during playback) that serves as an HDMI device for supplying content data (such as AV data) and a sink device  4  (e.g., a television receiver) that serves as an HDMI device for outputting content data supplied from the source device  1  (i.e., for displaying video and outputting audio) are connected through an HDMI cable  3 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , the CEC function is a function in which the source device  1  controls the operation of the sink device  4  and the sink device  4  controls the operation of the source device  1 . 
         [0009]    More specifically, for example, in the case of  FIG. 1 , through the use of “DeviceMenuControl” and “RemoteControlPassThrough” in the HDMI standard, the user can control the source device  1  by performing input operation using a sink-device remote controller  5  with respect to a menu  11  for the source device  1  (i.e., with respect to a representation corresponding to a video signal supplied from the source device  1 ), the menu  11  being displayed on a screen of the sink device  4 . That is, an operation signal transmitted from the sink-device remote controller  5  is received by the sink device  4  and a command is transmitted from the sink device  4  to the source device  1  through the HDMI cable  3 . 
         [0010]    Needless to say, the user can control the source device  1  also by using a source-device remote controller  2 . Similarly, the user can control the sink device  4  by using the sink-device remote controller  5 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    As such a sink device  4 , a television receiver that has multiple HDMIs and that allows video supplied from multiple input sources to be displayed on respective divided areas of a screen is available. 
         [0012]    When the CEC function described above with reference to  FIG. 1  is realized for such a television receiver that serves as the sink device  4 , for example, when two source devices  1 A and  1 B are connected to a television receiver, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a menu  11 A for the source device  1 A connected through an HDMI  3 A and a menu  11 B for the source device  1 B connected through an HDMI  3 B may be simultaneously displayed. 
         [0013]    With the multiple menus  11 A and  11 B for the respective source devices  1 A and  1 B being displayed on the screen of the sink device  4 , when the user performs operation input by using a sink-device remote controller  5 , it is difficult for him or her to promptly determine which one of the sink device  4 , the source device  1 A, and the source device  1 B can be controlled, since the HDMI standard does not specify which of the multiple source devices  1 A and  1 B is to be controlled by priority. This can confuse the user during operation and can cause erroneous operation. 
         [0014]    The present invention has been conceived in view of such a situation, and it is desirable to reduce confusion during user operation and to reduce erroneous operation when multiple source devices are connected to a sink device. 
         [0015]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a display device. The display device includes means for performing display, the means having a display screen; multiple means for performing communication to receive pieces of content data from supply devices, respectively; and means for causing the received pieces of content data to be simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen and for controlling the multiple communicating means to transmit, to the supply devices, a notification indicating that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas. 
         [0016]    When the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas, the controlling means may control the multiple communicating means to transmit, to the supply devices, a command for suspending superimposition of a control representation on video data of the content data. 
         [0017]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a display method. The display method includes the steps of: receiving, using multiple means for performing communication, pieces of content data from supply devices, respectively; simultaneously displaying, on corresponding divided areas of a display screen of displaying means, the pieces of content data received in the receiving step; and transmitting a notification to the supply devices by using the multiple communicating means, the notification indicating that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas. 
         [0018]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium stores a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: receiving, using multiple means for performing communication, pieces of content data from supply devices, respectively; simultaneously displaying, on corresponding divided areas of a display screen of displaying means, the pieces of content data received in the receiving step; and transmitting a notification to the supply devices by controlling the multiple communicating means, the notification indicating that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas. 
         [0019]    According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a supply device. The supply device includes means for generating content data; 
         [0020]    means for performing communication to transmit the content data; means for superimposing a control representation on video data of the content data; and means for controlling the superimposing means to suspend the superimposition of the control representation, on a basis of a notification that is transmitted from a display device having a display screen and that indicates that pieces of content data supplied from supply devices are simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen. 
         [0021]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a supply method. The supply method includes the steps of: generating content data; performing, using a communicating means, communication to transmit the content data; superimposing a control representation on video data of the content data; and performing control for suspending the superimposition of the control representation, on a basis of a notification that is transmitted from a display device having a display screen and that indicates that video of pieces of content data supplied from supply devices are simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen. 
         [0022]    According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium stores a program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: generating content data; performing communication, using means for performing communication, to transmit the content data; superimposing a control representation on video data of the content data; and performing control for suspending the superimposition of the control representation, on a basis of a notification that is transmitted from a display device having a display screen and that indicates that video of pieces of content data supplied from supply devices are simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen. 
         [0023]    According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a control system. The control system includes supply devices and a display device. Each supply device includes means for generating content data, means for performing communication to transmit the content data, and means for superimposing a control representation on video data of the content data. The display device includes means for performing display, the means having a display screen; multiple means for performing communication to receive pieces of content data from the supply devices, respectively; and means for causing the received pieces of content data to be simultaneously displayed on corresponding divided areas of the display screen and for controlling the multiple communicating means to transmit, to the supply devices, a notification indicating that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas. Each supply device further includes means for controlling the superimposing means to suspend the superimposition of the control representation, on a basis of the notification that is transmitted from the display device and that indicates that the pieces of content data are simultaneously displayed on the corresponding areas. 
         [0024]    According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to reduce confusion during user operation and to reduce erroneous operation when multiple source devices are connected to a sink device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a connection between a source device and a sink device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an example displayed on a sink device to which multiple source devices are connected; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control system including source devices and a sink device; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating first processing; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating second processing; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating third processing; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating fourth processing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the configuration of an electronic-device control system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electronic-device control system includes source devices  20  ( 20 A and  20 B) and a sink device  30 . 
         [0034]    Examples of the source devices  20  include a digital video camera, a digital player, and a digital video recorder that serves as a playback device. The sink device  30  may be, for example, a television receiver equipped with a display section having a display screen. 
         [0035]    In the electronic-device control system, the display screen (not shown) of the sink device  30  can be divided into two areas so that video of the source device  20 A is displayed on one of the areas and video of the source device  20 B is displayed on the other area. In this state, when multiple control representations (e.g., menus) for the source devices  20 A and  20 B are displayed as shown in  FIG. 2 , such a display state confuses the user during operation and can cause erroneous operation. In order to prevent such a state, the electronic-device control system according to the embodiment of the present invention is adapted so that multiple menus for the source devices  20 A and  20 B are not displayed on the display screen of the sink device  30 . 
         [0036]    In the electronic-device control system, two source devices  20 A and  20 B are connected to the sink device  30  through HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) cables  3 A and  3 B, respectively. The source devices  20 A and  20 B are simply referred to as “source devices  20 ”, unless differentiation should be made therebetween. The same applies to the HDMI cables  3 A and  3 B and so on. 
         [0037]    Each source device  20  includes an AV data generator  21 , a menu-display superimposing section  22 , and an HDMI section  23 . The AV-data generator  21  generates AV data to be supplied to the sink device  30 . The menu-display superimposing section  22  superimposes a menu for the source device  20  on video data of the generated AV data. The HDMI section  23  supplies the generated AV data to the sink device  30  through the corresponding HDMI cable  3 . 
         [0038]    When the source device  20  is, for example, a digital video recorder, the AV-data generator  21  corresponds to a section that plays back AV data from a storage medium. 
         [0039]    In accordance with control perfumed by the HDMI section  23 , the menu-display superimposing section  22  superimposes a menu for the source device  20  on video data of AV data generated by the AV-data generator  21  or suspends the superimposition, and outputs the AV data to the subsequent HDMI section  23 . 
         [0040]    The HDMI section  23  transmits the AV data to a corresponding HDMI section  31  ( 31 A or  31 B) in the sink device  30  and also communicates a command for realizing the function of CEC between the source device  20  and the sink device  30 . 
         [0041]    The sink device  30  includes the HDMI sections  31 A and  31 B, an input selector  32 , a display controller  33 , a sink-device remote controller  34 , an operation input section  35 , and a controller  36 . The HDMI section  31 A is connected to the source device  20 A through the HDMI cable  3 A, and the HDMI section  31 B is connected to the source device  20 B through the HDMI cable  3 B. The input selector  32  selects either or both of AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 A and AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 B, and outputs the selected AV data to the display controller  33 . The display controller  33  displays, on the display screen, video corresponding to the AV data output from the input selector  32 . The sink-device remote controller  34  transmits an operation signal in response to an operation input from the user. The operation input section  35  sends, to the controller  36 , a control signal corresponding to the transmitted operation signal. In accordance with the control signal sent from the operation input section  35 , the controller  36  controls the input selector  32 . 
         [0042]    In accordance with control that is performed by the controller  36  on the basis of the control signal sent from the operation input section  35 , the input selector  32  outputs either or both of the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 A and the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 B. That is, when the user selects the source device  20 A (which is connected to the HDMI section  31 A) as an input device for the sink device  30 , the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 A is output to the display controller  33 . On the other hand, when the user selects the source device  20 B (which is connected to the HDMI section  31 B) as an input device for the sink device  30 , the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 B is output to the display controller  33 . 
         [0043]    When the user selects two-screen display, both of the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 A and the AV data supplied from the HDMI  31 B are output to the display controller  33 . In this case, the display controller  33  divides the display screen into two areas, causes video of the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 A to be displayed on one area of the divided areas, and causes video of the AV data supplied from the HDMI section  31 B to be displayed on the other area. 
         [0044]    Commands communicated between the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  and the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  include common commands standardized between manufacturers of HDMI devices and commands that are unique to each manufacturer. 
         [0045]    The manufacturer-unique commands or messages communicated between the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  in the embodiment of the present invention and the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  in the embodiment of the present invention include a display-state check request, a display-state check notification, a display-state change notification request, a display-state change notification, and a menu-display superimposition suspension request, which are described below. 
         [0046]    The display-state check request is a command, issued from the source device  20  to the sink device  30 , for requesting the sink device  30  to check whether or not the display state of the display screen is a one-screen display (undivided display) state or a divided display state and to transmit a notification indicating the display state to the source device  20 . 
         [0047]    The display-state check notification is a message that the sink device  30  transmits, in response to the display-state check request from the source device  20 , to the source device  20  to indicate whether the display state of the display screen is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state. 
         [0048]    The display-state change notification request is a command that is issued from the source device  20  to the sink device  30  to request the sink device  30  to transmit, when the display state of the display screen is changed from the one-screen display (undivided display) state to the divided display state, a notification indicating the change. 
         [0049]    The display-state change notification is a message that is issued, when the display state of the display screen is changed from the one-screen display (undivided display) state to the divided display state, from the source device  30  to the sink device  20  to indicate the change. 
         [0050]    The menu-display superimposition suspension request is a command, transmitted from the sink device  30  to the source device  20 , for requesting the superimposition of menu display on the video data of the AV data. 
         [0051]    In order to prevent causing confusion during user operation and causing erroneous operation, the above-described three messages and two commands are appropriately combined to perform processing so that menus for multiple source devices are not displayed on the display screen of the sink device  40 . 
         [0052]    Four types of processing (hereinafter referred to as “first to fourth processing”) will now be described. 
         [0053]    First, the first processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 4 . Each source device  20  initiates the first processing on the sink device  30 . The first processing is started when the source device  20  starts displaying of a menu therefor in response to a predetermined operation transmitted from the user. 
         [0054]    In step S 1 , the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  transmits the display-state check request to the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  through the HDMI cable  3 . In response to the display-state check request, the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  checks a display state with the input selector  32  in step S 11 . More specifically, the HDMI section  31  checks whether or not the display state of the display screen is a one-screen display (undivided display) state or a divided display state and transmits the display-state check notification to the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  through the HDMI cable  3 , the display-state check notification indicating whether or not the display state of the display screen is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state. 
         [0055]    In response to the display-state check notification, in step S 2 , the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  determines whether or not the display state of the display screen of the sink device  30  is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state. Upon determining that the display state is the divided display state, the process proceeds to step S 3 . In step S 3 , the menu-display superimposing section  22  suspends superimposition of menu display for the source device  20  on the video data of the AV data supplied from the AV-data generator  21 , in accordance with control performed via the HDMI section  23 . The first processing then ends. 
         [0056]    Conversely, when it is determined in step S 2  that the display state of the display screen of the sink device  30  is the one-screen display (undivided display) state, the process returns to step S 1  and the processing subsequent thereto is repeated. 
         [0057]    According to the above-described first processing, when the display screen of the sink device  30  is put into the divided display state, the source device  20  suspends the superimposition of menu display. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent causing confusion during an operation and causing erroneous operation which are due to a state in which multiple menus for source devices are displayed on a screen. 
         [0058]    Next, the second processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 5 . Each source device  20  initiates the second processing on the sink device  30 . The second processing is started when the source device  20  starts displaying of a menu therefor in response to a predetermined operation transmitted from the user. 
         [0059]    In step S 21 , the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  transmits the display-state change notification request to the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  through the HDMI cable  3 . In response to the display-state change notification request, in step S 31 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  checks the display state with the input selector  32 . More specifically, the HDMI section  31  checks whether or not the display state of the display screen is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state, and stands by until the display state is changed. When the display state of the display screen is changed, specifically, when the display state is changed from the one-screen display (undivided display) state to the divided display state, the process proceeds to step S 32 . In step S 32 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  transmits the display-state change notification to the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  through the HDMI cable  3 , the display-state change notification indicating that the display state of the display screen is changed. 
         [0060]    On the other hand, after transmitting the display-state change notification request in the processing in step S 21 , the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  stands by in step S 22  until the display state of the sink device  30  is changed (in practice, stands by until the HDMI section  23  receives the display-state change notification transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 ). When the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  receives the display-state change notification transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 , the process proceeds to step S 23 . 
         [0061]    In step S 23 , the menu-display superimposing section  22  suspends superimposition of menu display for the source device  20  on the video data of the AV data from the AV-data generator  21 . The second processing then ends. 
         [0062]    According to the above-describe second processing, when the display screen of the sink device  30  is put into the divided display state, each source device  20  suspends the superimposition of menu display. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent causing confusion during user operation and causing erroneous operation which are due to a state in which multiple menus for source devices are displayed on the screen. 
         [0063]    Next, the third processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 6 . The HDMI sections  31 A and  31 B in the sink device  30  manly initiate the third processing on the corresponding source devices  20  connected thereto. The third processing is started when AV data from the source device  20  is received via the HDMI section  31 . 
         [0064]    In step S 51 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  checks the display state with the input selector  32 . More specifically, the HDMI section  31  checks whether or not the display state of the display screen is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state, and stands by until the display state is changed. When the display state of the display screen is changed, specifically, when the display state is changed from the one-screen display (undivided display) state to the divided display state, the process proceeds to step S 52 . In step S 52 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  transmits the display-state change notification to the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  through the HDMI cable  3 , the display-state change notification indicating that the display state of the display screen is changed. 
         [0065]    On the other hand, the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  stands by in step S 41  until the display state of the sink device  30  is changed (in practice, stands by until the HDMI section  23  receives the display-state change notification transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 ). When the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  receives the display-state change notification transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 , the process proceeds to step S 42 . 
         [0066]    When the menu for the source device  20  is displayed superimposed on the video data of the AV data from the AV-data generator  21 , in step S 42 , the menu-display superimposing section  22  suspends the superimposition, in accordance with control performed by the HDMI section  23 . The third processing then ends. 
         [0067]    According to the above-described third processing, when the display screen of the sink device  30  is put into the divided display state, the source device  20  suspends the superimposition of menu display. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent causing confusion during user operation and causing erroneous operation which are due to a state in which multiple menus for source devices are displayed on the screen. 
         [0068]    Next, the fourth processing will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 7 . The HDMI sections  31 A and  31 B in the sink device  30  initiate the fourth processing on the source devices  20  connected thereto. The fourth processing is started when AV data from the source device  20  is received via the HDMI section  31 . 
         [0069]    In step S 71 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  checks the display state with the input selector  32 . More specifically, the HDMI section  31  checks whether or not the display state of the display screen is the one-screen display (undivided display) state or the divided display state, and stands by until the display state is changed. When the display state of the display screen is changed, specifically, when the display state is changed from the one-screen display (undivided display) state to the divided display state, the process proceeds to step S 72 . In step S 72 , the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30  transmits the menu-display superimposition suspension request to the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  through the HDMI cable  3 . 
         [0070]    On the other hand, in step S 61 , the HDMI section  23  in each source device  20  stands by until it receives the menu-display superimposition suspension request transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 . When the HDMI section  23  in the source device  20  receives the menu-display superimposition suspension request transmitted from the HDMI section  31  in the sink device  30 , the process proceeds to step S 62 . 
         [0071]    In step S 62 , when the menu for the source device  20  is displayed superimposed on the video data of the AV data from the AV-data generator  21 , the menu-display superimposing section  22  suspends the superimposition in accordance with control performed by the HDMI section  23 . The fourth processing then ends. 
         [0072]    In the above-described fourth processing, when the display screen of the sink device  30  is put into the divided display state, each source device  20  suspends the superimposition of menu display. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent causing confusion during user operation and causing erroneous operation which are due to a state in which multiple menus for source devices are displayed on the screen. 
         [0073]    As described above, during execution of any of the first to fourth processing, when the display screen of the sink device  30  is put into the divided display state, the source device  20  suspends the superimposition of menu display. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent causing confusion during user operation and causing erroneous operation which are due to a state in which multiple menus for source devices are displayed on the screen. 
         [0074]    According to the first to fourth processing, the superimposed displayed menu for the source device disappears from all divided areas on the display screen of the sink device  30 . For example, the arrangement may be such that a divided area specified by the user or a menu for the source device specified by the user is left displayed and the other divided area(s) or the menu(s) for the other source device(s) is caused to disappear. Instead of causing the menu for the source device to disappear, for example, the menu may be grayed out by reducing the brightness, color saturation, and so on during the display superimposition. 
         [0075]    Although the number of source devices  20  is two and the number of HDMI sections  31  in the sink device  30  is two in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto and the number may be three or more. The number of divided screens on the sink device  30  may also be three or more. The present invention is applicable to not only a case in which the display screen is divided but also a case in which video of multiple source devices  20  are displayed on a screen, such as a case of picture-in-picture. 
         [0076]    The present invention is also applicable to a case in which a representation for control, other than a menu, is superimposed on the video data of AV data. 
         [0077]    The present invention is applicable to not only an electronic device having an HDMI but also an electronic device having an interface that can communicate a command and/or a message together with AV data or the like. 
         [0078]    The above-described series of processing can be executed by hardware or software. 
         [0079]    The term “system” herein refers to entire equipment including multiple devices. 
         [0080]    The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0081]    It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.