Patent Publication Number: US-2005128353-A1

Title: System and method for using second remote control device for sub-picture control in television receiver

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS  
      The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/529,886, filed Dec. 16, 2003. Said U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/529,886 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention generally relates to a television system, and particularly to a system and method for using a second remote control device for sub-picture control in a television receiver.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A widescreen television is a television having a screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9. An aspect ratio is a ratio of width to height. Currently, anew usage model is emerging in widescreen televisions. Since most content is still only available in an aspect ratio of 4:3, it is possible to watch two independent video contents side by side on a widescreen television, either stretched to fill the screen or “letter-boxed” in their proper aspect ratios. Many widescreen televisions offer audio for the second video content (sub-picture) on a headphone jack. Since this is a fundamentally different viewing experience from the old PIP (picture-in-picture) functionality, offering the ability for two different people to watch and listen to two independent video contents, it may lead to a “control” problem with a single remote control device. Thus, there is a need to provide a system and method for satisfying the needs of the second viewer watching the “sub-picture” programming and listening on the headphone for controlling his/her own viewing experience.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a system and method for using a second remote control device for sub-picture control in a television receiver. The present invention may enable two viewers watching independent video contents on a television receiver to independently control their own viewing experience of channel, volume, and the like, with minimal interaction required between the two users to coordinate their activities.  
      According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a television system may include a television receiver for displaying a main window and a secondary window on a screen of the television receiver. The main window shows first video content, and the secondary window shows second video content. The television system may further include a first remote control device for controlling the first video content and a second remote control device for controlling the second video content. Both remote control devices are communicatively coupled to the television receiver.  
      According to an additional exemplary aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a secondary window on a screen of a television receiver, the screen having a main window in addition to the secondary window, the main window showing first video content, the secondary window showing second video content, may include the following steps: (1) changing the first video content via a first remote control device; and (2) changing the second video content via a second remote control device.  
      According to another exemplary aspect of the present invention, a method for identifying remote control devices may include the following steps: (1) assigning a Remote ID to a remote control device; and (2) sending out a command with a string “Brand ID+Command+Remote ID” from the remote control device.  
      According to a further exemplary aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling a secondary window on a screen of a television receiver, the screen having a main window in addition to the secondary window, the main window showing first video content, the secondary window showing second video content, may include means for changing the first video content via a first remote control device and means for changing the second video content via a second remote control device.  
      It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:  
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary television system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 2  shows an exemplary method for controlling a secondary window on a screen of a television receiver in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, where the screen has a main window in addition to the secondary window, the main window shows first video content, and the secondary window shows second video content. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
      The present invention, through using a second remote control device, may enable two viewers watching independent video contents on a television receiver to independently control their own viewing experience of channel, volume, and the like, with minimal interaction required between the two users to coordinate their activities.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary television system  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The television system  100  may include a television receiver  102  for displaying on its screen  104  video content from video sources such as a television channel, a video tape, a DVD (digital versatile disc), a VCD (video compact disc), a SVCD (super video compact disc), and the like. The screen  104  may have an aspect ratio of 16:9, 4:3, or the like. An aspect ratio is a ratio of width to height. Preferably, the screen  104  has an aspect ratio of 16:9. The screen  104  may include a main window  106  for showing first video content  108  and a secondary window  110  for showing second video content  112 . F or example, the main window  106  may show the first video content  108  of a television channel, and the secondary window  110  may show the second video content  112  of a different television channel. It is understood that the video content  108  or  112  may be from any video source such as a television channel, a video tape, a DVD, a VCD, a SVCD, and the like without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.  
      When the secondary window  110  is positioned within the borders of the main window  106 , this display format is called a PIP (picture-in-picture) format. Thus, in the PIP format, the second video content  112  encroaches on the first video content  108 . When the secondary window  110  is positioned outside the main window  106 , this display format is called a POP (picture-outside-picture) format. Typically, in the POP format, the secondary window  110  is positioned along the side, top, or bottom of the main window  106 . Thus, in the POP format, the second video content  112 , instead of encroaching on the first video content  108 , is boxed next to the first video content  108 . His/her format is a special kind of POP format, where the main window  106  and the secondary window  110  are displayed side by side on the screen  104  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 1 ).  
      Using the television system  100 , a first viewer may watch the first video content  108  and a second viewer may watch the second video content  112  simultaneously. Preferably, at least one viewer watches the video content with a headphone for receiving audio for the video content to minimize sound interference between the two viewers. The headphone is communicatively coupled to the television receiver  102 . For example, the second viewer may watch the second video content  112  with a headphone for receiving audio for the second video content  112  while the first viewer may receive audio for the first video content  108  through the speaker of the television receiver  102 . In an additional embodiment, the first viewer may watch the first video content  108  with a headphone for receiving audio for the first video content  108  while the second viewer may receive audio for the second video content  112  through the speaker of the television receiver  102 . In a further embodiment, both viewers may each use a separate headphone to receive their respective audio.  
      The television system  100  may further include a first remote control device  114  for changing the first video content  108  and a second remote control device  116  for changing the second video content  112 . The second remote control device  116  may be substantially different and easily distinguishable from the first remote control device  114  in order to minimize user confusion.  
      Preferably, the first remote control device  114  and the second remote control device  116  each emit a unique signal so that the television receiver  102  knows which signal is from which remote control device. In an exemplary embodiment, the first remote control device  114  and the second remote control device  116  use different coded commands. The first remote control device  114  may send coded commands that change the main window  106 , and the second remote control device  116  may send coded commands that change the secondary window  110 . For example, the first remote control device  1   14  may send the code  06  to increase the channel number by “1” in the main window  106 , and the second remote control device  116  may send the code  16  to increase the channel number by “1” in the secondary window  110 .  
      Typically, a remote control device sends out a command with a string “Brand ID+Command”. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each remote control device may be assigned an individual Remote ID at the time of manufacture so that the string may be “Brand ID+Command+Remote ID”. Preferably, every remote control device may be assigned a unique Remote ID. For example, a manufacturer may use the Remote ID in a 16-bit format, or the like. The first remote control device built may have a Remote ID “0000000000000001”. Only after a remote control device with a Remote ID of “1111111111111111” has been built does the Remote ID returns to “0000000000000001”. This may make it unlikely that two or more remote control devices with the same Remote ID could ever find their way into the same environment. Thus, in  FIG. 1 , the first remote control device  114  and the second remote control device  116  may each have a unique Remote ID so that the television receiver  102  knows which signal is from which remote control device.  
      The use of a Remote ID for a remote control device may have the following additional advantages. First, in the case of an environment like interactive TV, the TV may be notified that two different users with two different remote control devices are in the room. Thus, polls, questions, and the like may be asked of both parties and each party may respond with his or her own remote control device. Games may also be played using this feature. Moreover, in the case where two devices are capable of responding to two remote control devices, each device may be designed to respond only to commands from a specific remote control device.  
      The second remote control device  116  may include at least one of the following control buttons, dials, knobs, and the like for controlling the secondary window  110 : 
          (1) Secondary Window On/Off—This toggles between a full main window only on the screen and the last display format selected. Thus, the secondary window may be turned on or off via the second remote control device;     (2) Display Format—This rotates among a PIP format, a POP format, his/her format, and the like;     (3) Window Size—This lets the user select a size of the secondary window, either increased or decreased in a continuous manner or selected among a plurality of pre-determined sizes;     (4) Window Location—This lets the user move the location of the secondary window in a PIP or POP format either continuously or between pre-selected locations;     (5) Window Channel—This lets the user control the television channel selected in the secondary window using a second tuner when the source of the second video content is a television channel. The second tuner may either be up/down only or a direct select keypad. Up/Down is the preferred embodiment to keep the second remote control device simple;     (6) Window Volume—This lets the user control a volume level of audio for the second video content (preferably the audio is received by a headphone);     (7) Window Source—This lets the user choose which video source to use for the secondary window by selecting from a plurality of available video sources; and     (8) Window Aspect Ratio—This lets the user choose the aspect ration of the secondary window as 16:9, 4:3, or the like.        

      According to an aspect of the present invention, the first remote control device  114  may also be able to turn the secondary window  110  on and off. Preferably, once the secondary window  110  is turned on by either the first remote control device  114  or the second remote control device  116 , the first remote control device  114  no long has any control on the secondary window  110  other than turning the secondary window  110  off. Alternatively, once the secondary window  110  is turned on by either the first remote control device  114  or the second remote control device  116 , the first remote control device  114  no long has any control on the secondary window  110 , and the secondary window  110  is solely controlled via the second remote control device  116 .  
      It is understood that the foregoing described control buttons, dials, knobs, and the like on the second remote control device  116  may be set up on the television receiver  102  as well without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  shows an exemplary method or process  200  for controlling a secondary window on a screen of a television receiver in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, where the screen has a main window in addition to the secondary window, the main window shows first video content, and the secondary window shows second video content. The process  200  may start with a step  202  in which the first video content is changed via a first remote control device. Next, the second video content is changed via a second remote control device  204 . Both remote control devices are communicatively coupled to the television receiver. The first video content and/or the second video content may be from any video source such as a television channel, a video tape, a DVD, a VCD, a SVCD, and the like without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The secondary window may be turned on or off via either the first remote control device or the second remote control device. The second remote control device may be able to change features of the secondary window such as a display format (PIP, POP, his/her, or the like), a window size, a window location, a window channel (when a source of the second video content is a television channel), a window volume (a volume level of audio for the second video content), a window source (a video source for the secondary window), a window aspect ratio, and the like.  
      It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes disclosed is an example of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the present invention. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.  
      It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.