Abstract:
A television includes a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits and receives video data to/from an external apparatus connected to the television, a connection terminal, which is connected to the transmitting and receiving unit, and located on a side of the television, and a control unit configured to inhibit the transmitting and receiving unit from outputting video data from the connection terminal unless an instruction removing the inhibit is received.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a television connectable to an external video apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A video recording system is known in which a television is connected to an external video apparatus such as a recorder or a digital video camera to record and reproduce a video image. 
     Generally, various input-output (I/O) terminals for connecting the external video apparatus are disposed on a rear portion of the television and the I/O terminals for one system are disposed on a front portion of the television as “front terminal”. The front terminal is typically used for easily connecting a portable video apparatus such as a video camera, etc., instead of connecting apparatus that are to be connected to the television on a permanent basis, e.g., DVD player, etc. 
     Usually, video recording by the portable video apparatus is carried out for primary buffer during recording, not for creating contents for the purpose of storage. It is not useful for a user that a video from the television is unintentionally recorded in the portable video apparatus which is connected to the front terminal since video data recorded in the portable video apparatus could be overwritten by the video being recorded from the television. 
     The external video apparatus connected to the front terminal may not always be a portable apparatus. In some cases, for example, an apparatus having a buffer function such as an external hard disk drive (HDD) may be temporarily connected. The external HDD is used to perform recording of video images from a television although the external HDD is not always connected to the television. Therefore, uniform prohibition of video recording by the external video apparatus connected to the front terminal may be inconvenient. 
     Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-54022 has discussed a recording control device which can set priority on and select a candidate of an external recording apparatus to record broadcast content data when programmed recording is set. 
     However, in a conventional video recording system, a connection interface which can prevent unintentional recording in the external video apparatus connected to the front terminal and facilitate the video data output for recording if the video recording is to be performed, is not provided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a television includes a transmitting and receiving unit configured to transmit and receive video data to/from an external apparatus connected to the television, a connection terminal, connected to the transmitting and receiving unit, and which is located on a side of the television, wherein the external apparatus is connected to the television via the connection terminal, and a control unit configured to inhibit the transmitting and receiving unit from outputting video data from the connection terminal unless an instruction removing the inhibit is received. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, an output of video data from a front terminal can be limited without a complicated operation. More specifically, an output for recording from a terminal which is not intended by a user can be inhibited, and the output for recording can be performed only in a case where the recording is to be performed. 
     Further features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating operations of a television according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the television according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating operations of a television according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 
     First Exemplary Embodiment 
     For discussion purposes, in the following description of the present embodiment, reference will be made to a flat panel television. However, the present embodiment is not limited to a flat panel television, and any type of television that would enable practice of the present embodiment is applicable.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a flat panel television according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The television includes a built-in hard disk drive (HDD) (not shown). The HDD is a recording unit for recording video data included in a received broadcast signal. 
     The broadcast signal is input from a radio frequency (RF) input terminal  100  and tuned and digitally demodulated by a tuner  101 . The demodulated broadcast signal is descrambled by a descrambler  102 , and a transport stream (TS), which is stream data of a compressed image, is output. The TS is input into a moving picture experts group (MPEG) decoder  103 , a first encoder  111  and a second encoder  121 , respectively. The MPEG decoder  103  decodes the TS and outputs non-compression video data. An on-screen display (OSD)/graphical user interface (GUI) generating unit  104  generates video data for displaying various types of information about user operations on a screen of a display unit  107  as an operation image. A user interface (I/F) unit is constructed of the OSD/GUI generating unit  104  and an operation switch unit  11 . 
     An image processing unit  105  performs image processing on an image data output from the MPEG decoder  103 . More specifically, the image processing unit  105  performs interlace/progressive (I/P) conversion for converting an interlace signal to a progressive signal, scaling for converting resolution corresponding to a number of pixels of a display panel of the display unit  107 , frame rate conversion for converting a frame frequency and screen synthesis for synthesizing a plurality of video data of multi-window display and operation image data from the OSD/GUI generating unit  104 . The image processing unit  105  displays the processed video data on the display unit  107  via a driver  106 . 
     Output encoders  111  and  121  convert the TS output from the descrambler  102  to a data structure to serially transfer the TS to an external apparatus. The converted video data is scrambled by an encryption unit  112  or  122  and transmitted from an external I/O connection terminal  110  or  120  to the external video apparatus via an I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  or  123 . A central processing unit (CPU)  10  determines which of the two external I/O connection terminals  110  and  120  is used to output the video data, and controls the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  or  123  according to the determination. Control communication between the CPU  10  and the external video apparatus is performed via the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  or  123  and the external I/O connection terminal  110  or  120 . 
     The external I/O connection terminal (hereinafter referred to as “rear terminal”)  110  is disposed on a rear portion of the flat panel television. The external I/O connection terminal  110  is connected to the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  and the CPU  10  controls the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  to output the video data from the external I/O connection terminal  110  according to user&#39;s operation. 
     The external I/O connection terminal  120  (hereinafter referred to as “front terminal”) is disposed on a front portion of the flat panel television. The front portion is on the same side that the screen of the display unit  107  is disposed. The term “front terminal” is being used for description purposes only, and the external I/O connection terminal  120  can be located anywhere on the flat panel television. 
     The rear and front terminals  110  and  120 , in addition to outputting video data to the external video apparatus connected thereto, can also reproduce an image on the display unit  107  by inputting video data which is output from the external video apparatus. 
     Broadcast contents received by the tuner  101  are recorded in the external video apparatus connected to the rear or front terminal  110  or  120  by control of the CPU  10 . The flat panel television and the external video apparatus are connected to each other via, for example, an interface which can perform bidirectional communication, such as a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), IEEE 1394, or digital living network alliance (DLNA). 
     Based on the user&#39;s operation, the CPU  10  instructs the external video apparatus to execute a recording operation using the control communication function of the above-described interface. The CPU  10  controls the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  113  or  123  to transmit the video data to be recorded from the rear or front terminal  110  or  120 . Contents to be recorded by the external video apparatus may be stored on the flat panel television&#39;s HDD. 
     When there is a plurality of external video apparatuses connected to the flat panel television, the CPU  10  appropriately selects the external video apparatuses to record the contents. At that time, the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  is not selected as a default. However, when the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  is designated by the user&#39;s operation, the selection is valid. When the plurality of the external video apparatuses is selectable, selection is made based on a type of recording medium or a remaining capacity of a recordable area. 
       FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating procedures of selecting the external video apparatuses. Generally, the video data is output to the external video apparatus that is connected to the rear terminal  110 . However, when an apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  is designated as a recording apparatus by the user&#39;s operation, control is performed according to the flowchart illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 1 , the process is initiated in step S 100 . Next, in step S 101 , because, as a default, an output of the video data to the front terminal  120  is inhibited first, the CPU  10  releases inhibition of recording on the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  (release of output inhibition of the video data), and selects the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120 . 
     In step S 102 , the CPU  10  determines whether connection to the front terminal  120  is removed, in step S 103 , whether the flat panel television is turned off, and in step S 104 , whether a recording instruction to the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  is cancelled. When the determination in all three steps are negative (NO in steps S 102 , S 103  and S 104 ), a loop of steps S 102  to S 104  is continuously repeated and, during this period, the video data is output from the front terminal  120  and is recorded in the external apparatus. 
     If the determination in any of steps S 102  to S 104  is determined to be positive, (YES in step S 102 , S 103  or S 104 ), the procedure proceeds to step S 110 . In step S 110 , the CPU  10  re-sets the inhibition of recording in the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  and terminates the process. More specifically, the CPU  10  inhibits the I/O transmitting and receiving unit  123  from outputting the video data from the front terminal  120  upon detecting at least any of the following: removal of the connection to the front terminal  120 ; the flat panel television is turned off; and the inhibition of recording in the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, two sets of circuit blocks are prepared to output the video data for external recording as a circuit block from the output encoders  111  and  121  to the rear and front terminals  110  and  120 . However, the number of circuit blocks is not limited to two sets. For example, in another embodiment, one circuit block may be used. 
     Second Exemplary Embodiment 
     The television as described above is applicable to the present embodiment, as such, a detailed description is omitted herein.  FIG. 3  is a control flowchart according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a recording output to the external apparatus is typically performed via the rear terminal  110 . In the present embodiment, when the inhibition of recording in an external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  is released by a users operation, control is performed based on the flowchart illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , the process is initiated in step S 200 . Next, in step S 201 , the CPU  10  releases the inhibition of recording in the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120 . In step S 202 , the CPU  10  waits for an instruction from a user for performing the recording operation in the external apparatus. When the instruction for performing the recording operation is issued (YES in step S 202 ), in step S 203 , the CPU  10  determines whether the instruction for the recording operation is issued to the external apparatus connected to the front terminal  120 . 
     When the instruction for the recording operation is not issued to the apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  (NO in step S 203 ), in step S 204 , the CPU  10  starts recording via the rear terminal  110 . When the recording operation is completed (YES in step S 205 ), the procedure returns to step S 202  and the CPU  10  waits the instruction for the recording operation in the external apparatus again. 
     On the other hand, when the instruction for the recording operation is issued to the apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  in step S 203  (YES in step S 203 ), the CPU  10  starts recording in the apparatus connected to the front terminal  120  in step S 214  and waits for completion of the recording operation in step S 215 . When the recording operation is completed (YES in step S 215 ), in step S 220 , the CPU  10  sets the inhibition of recording in the apparatus connected to the front terminal  120 , and the process terminates. 
     More specifically, in the present exemplary embodiment, recording from the front terminal  120  is performed only once per instruction recording, and when recording is completed, setting is automatically returned to the inhibition of recording from the front terminal  120 . 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications, equivalent structures, and functions. 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-272489 filed Oct. 19, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.