Patent Description:
In accordance with the development of electronic technology, various types of electronic products have been developed and spread. Particularly, various display devices such as a television (TV), a mobile phone, a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a personal digital assistants (PDA), and the like, have been used in most of the households.

In accordance with an increase in the use of the display devices, user's needs for various functions have increased. Therefore, a lot of efforts of manufacturers to satisfy the user's needs have been made, such that products having a new function that is not present in the related art have been successively launched.

Therefore, functions performed in the display devices have become various. Particularly, as resolutions supported by the display devices have become various, a function of performing image-processing and scaling to be matched to various resolutions and displaying the processed and scaled image has become important.

The scaling processing technology according to the related art is to perform a process of analyzing edge information of an input image using various resources and regenerating or interpolating the input image at an output resolution of the display device. An example of a typical method includes a Bi-Linear Scaler, a Bi-Cubic Scaler, and the like.

In addition, the scaling processing technology according to the related art is mainly to detect the edge information using a mask window of 3x3 or more and apply a sharpness improving algorithm in a post-processing form after scaling according to a corresponding edge direction, and it is general to scale a resolution of an input image to be matched to an output resolution of the display device.

In addition, contents scaled to be matched to the output resolution of the display device are transferred to a display through an interface having a data rate matched to the output resolution of the display device.

Therefore, it is disadvantageous in terms of power efficiency and the use of resources to scale the contents to be matched to the output resolution of the display device from the beginning and transmit the scaled contents to the display.

The patent publication <CIT> discloses switching between different image scalers based on the availability of system resources.

The patent publications <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose various methods wherein the input images are first downscaled, and then an upscaling is applied according to the desired display resolution.

The patent publication <CIT> discloses applying different scaling methods to text and non-text elements in an image.

The present disclosure provides a display device, a system and a controlling method therefor capable of scaling contents using a plurality of scalers.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a display device according to claim <NUM> is disclosed.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system according to claim <NUM> is disclosed.

According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a controlling method for a display device according to claim <NUM> is disclosed.

As described above, according to the diverse exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the contents are scaled using the plurality of scalers, thereby making it possible to reduce power consumption and used resources.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, when it is decided that a detailed description for the known functions or configurations related to the present disclosure may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description therefor will be omitted. Further, the following terminologies are defined in consideration of the functions in the present disclosure and may be construed in different ways by the intention of users and operators. Therefore, the definitions thereof should be construed based on the contents throughout the present specification.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating components of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a display device <NUM> includes an image processor <NUM>, a controller <NUM>, and a display <NUM>. Here, the display device <NUM> may be implemented by various types of electronic device such as a television (TV), an electronic board, an electronic table, a large format display (LFD), a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a desktop PC, a laptop computer, and the like.

The image processor <NUM> image-processes contents, and scales the contents at a first scaling magnification. For example, the image processor <NUM> may perform operations such as decoding, scaling, frame rate conversion, and the like, on contents input from a contents source to perform image-processing in a form that may be output on the display <NUM>. Here, the image processor <NUM> scales the contents at a first scaling magnification at the time of scaling the contents. A method for determining the first scaling magnification will be described below.

The controller <NUM> determines a second scaling magnification on the basis of a resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification in the image processor <NUM> and an output resolution of the display device <NUM>. For example, in the case in which the contents are scaled at a scaling magnification of 1920x1080 in the image processor <NUM>, a resolution of the contents scaled in the image processor <NUM> is 1920x1080, and in the case in which it is assumed that the output resolution of the display device <NUM> is 2560x1440, the controller <NUM> may compare 1920x1080, which is the resolution of the contents scaled in the image processor <NUM>, and 2560x1440, which is the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, with each other to determine the second scaling magnification.

The display <NUM> scales the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification in the image processor <NUM> depending on the second scaling magnification determined in the controller <NUM>, and display the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification.

Meanwhile, the display <NUM> may be implemented by a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting display (OLED), a plasma display panel (PDP), or the like, to display the contents.

Meanwhile, <FIG> is a block diagram illustrating detailed components of the display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the image processor <NUM> may include a contents player <NUM>, a first scaler <NUM>, and a frame buffer <NUM>. In addition, although not illustrated, the image processor <NUM> may further include a contents source providing the contents. The contents source may also be present outside the image processor <NUM>.

The contents player <NUM> may perform an operation of decoding the contents input from the contents source (not illustrated) and image-processing and reproducing the contents.

In addition, the first scaler <NUM> scales the contents depending on the first scaling magnification. In detail, the first scaler scales the contents image-processed in the contents player <NUM> depending on the first scaling magnification.

The first scaling magnification has a value between <NUM> and <NUM>, the first scaler <NUM> down-scales the image-processed contents.

That is, when it is assumed that a resolution of the image-processed contents is 1920x1080, in the case in which the first scaling magnification is set to the value between <NUM> and <NUM>, the first scaler <NUM> down-scales the resolution of the image-processed contents to 1280x720.

In addition, the frame buffer <NUM> outputs the contents scaled depending on the first scaling magnification in the first scaler <NUM> to the display <NUM> in a frame unit.

Meanwhile, referring to <FIG>, the display <NUM> includes a second scaler <NUM>.

The second scaler <NUM> scales the contents scaled depending on the first scaling magnification in the first scaler <NUM> depending on the second scaling magnification. Here, the second scaling magnification is determined by the controller <NUM>, and the controller <NUM> determines the second scaling magnification on the basis of the resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification and the output resolution of the display device <NUM>.

For example, when a scaling factor corresponding to the resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification is scaleM and a scaling factor corresponding to the output resolution of the display device <NUM> is scaleN, the controller <NUM> may determine the second scaling magnification through the following Equation.

In addition, the second scaler <NUM> scales the contents scaled depending on the first scaling magnification depending on the second scaling magnification determined by the controller <NUM> as described above.

Likewise, the second scaling magnification must have a value exceeding <NUM>. In addition, the second scaling magnification has a value exceeding <NUM>, the second scaler <NUM> up-scales the contents scaled depending on the first scaling magnification.

Meanwhile, the first scaler <NUM> determines the first scaling magnification and a scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> on the basis of characteristic information of the contents and a power state of the display device.

Here, the characteristic information of the contents includes a kind of contents, and may further include a size and a distribution of boundary lines of objects included in the contents, a kind and a distribution of characters included in the contents, and the resolution.

The characteristic information of the contents may be detected by the contents player <NUM> or the first scaler <NUM>, and may be detected before the first scaler <NUM> scales the contents or during a period in which the first scaler <NUM> scales the contents.

For example, in the case in which a kind of contents is a text, the text has a feature that a boundary line is clear. Therefore, the first scaler <NUM> may determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> in consideration of such a feature of the text.

In addition, in the case in which a kind of contents is an image including natural scenery, the image has a feature that a boundary line between objects corresponding to the natural scenery is relatively unclear as compared with the text. Therefore, the first scaler <NUM> determines the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> in consideration of such a feature of the image including the natural scenery to be different from those in the case in which the kind of contents is the text.

In addition, the first scaler <NUM> may determine the first scaling magnifications and the scaling schemes of the first scaler <NUM> to be different from each other depend on the size or a thickness and the distribution of the boundary lines of the objects included in the contents, the kind and the distribution of the characters included in the contents, and the resolution of the contents. A detailed description therefor will be provided below.

In addition, in the case in which the display device <NUM> needs to be operated at a low power due to an increase in an amount of consumed power of the display device <NUM>, the first scaler <NUM> may determine that the first scaling magnification is a low value. That is, in the case in which a situation in which a low power operation is required occurs, the first scaler <NUM> may determine that the first scaling magnification is the value between <NUM> and <NUM>, thereby down-scaling the contents.

Meanwhile, in the case in which a problem does not occurs even though the display device <NUM> is operated at a high power due to a low amount of consumed power of the display device <NUM> or in the case in which a high image-quality contents need to be scaled, the first scaler <NUM> may determine that the first scaling magnification is a high value. That is, in a situation in which the low power operation is not required, the first scaler <NUM> may determine that the first scaling magnification is the value exceeding <NUM>, thereby up-scaling the contents.

Meanwhile, the second scaler <NUM> may interwork with the first scaler <NUM>. In detail, the second scaler <NUM> may be operated in consideration of characteristics of the first scaler, and scaling characteristics of the second scaler may be changed depending on the characteristics of the first scaler <NUM>.

Here, the characteristics of the first scaler <NUM> are related to the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler.

In addition, the first scaler <NUM> may transmit at least one of characteristic information of the contents and information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to the second scaler. Therefore, the second scaler <NUM> may determine a scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> received from the first scaler <NUM>.

That is, the second scaler <NUM> may receive the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to be operated in consideration of characteristics of the first scaler <NUM>, and since the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> may be changed depending on characteristics of the contents, the second scaler <NUM> may also receive the characteristic information of the contents. This will be described in more detail with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a view illustrating a scaling scheme of a second scaler depending on characteristics of contents according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, it may be appreciated that pixels <NUM> of 2x2 of the contents scaled depending on the first scaling magnification may be scaled in two schemes <NUM> and <NUM> by the second scaler <NUM>.

That is, in the case in which the kind of contents is a character such as the text, the text has a feature that the boundary line is clear. Therefore, the scaling scheme performed by the second scaler <NUM> also needs to be a scheme of making the boundary line clear, and it may be appreciated that the scaling scheme satisfying such a condition is a first scheme <NUM>.

The number of rugged portions is less in the first scheme <NUM> than in a second scheme <NUM>, such that the first scheme <NUM> is appropriate for making a boundary between objects clear.

In addition, in the case in which the kind of contents is the image including the natural scenery, the image has a feature that the boundary line between the objects corresponding to the natural scenery does not need to clear as compared with the text and needs to be naturally and smoothly viewed. Therefore, the scaling scheme performed by the second scaler <NUM> is not the scheme of making the boundary line clear, but needs to be a scheme of allowing the boundary line to be naturally and smoothly viewed, and it may be appreciated that the scaling scheme satisfying such a condition is the second scheme <NUM>.

The number of rugged portions is more in the second scheme <NUM> than in the first scheme <NUM>, such that the second scheme <NUM> is appropriate for making a boundary between the objects smooth and natural.

As described above with reference to <FIG>, the scaling schemes that may be selected by the second scaler <NUM> may be various, and the second scaler <NUM> may select one of the various scaling schemes on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to scale the contents.

Meanwhile, again referring to <FIG>, the display device <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure further includes an interface <NUM> connecting the image processor <NUM> and the display <NUM> to each other.

In addition, the image processor <NUM> or the first scaler <NUM> included in the image processor <NUM> may transmit the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification, the characteristic information of the contents, and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to the display <NUM> or the second scaler <NUM> through the interface <NUM>.

Here, the interface <NUM> may have a series form, a parallel form, or a combination of series and parallel forms, and may have a wireless form, a wired form, or a combination of wired and wireless forms. In addition, the interface <NUM> may be implemented by a chip-to-chip form, various kinds of printed circuit boards (PCBs), dedicated or common buses in a semiconductor chip, wired and wireless networks formed of a master and a slave, wired and wireless networks of peer-to-peer, or the like.

Meanwhile, the second scaler <NUM> may decide a layout structure of pixels on the basis of the characteristic information of the contents, determine a scaling weight of the pixels on the basis of the decided layout structure of the pixels, and determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the determined scaling weight of the pixels and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>.

That is, as illustrated above with reference to <FIG>, the second scaler <NUM> selects setee^one of the various scaling schemes on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to scale the contents, and a detailed process of determining the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> on the basis of the characteristic information of the contents by the second scaler <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> are views for describing a process of determining a scaling scheme of the second scaler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

In <FIG>, which relates to a scaling scheme of a bi-linear among generally used scaling schemes, at the time of scaling a pixel corresponding to a point (X, Y) present in a region <NUM> consisting of a point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) a point, (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), a point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), and a point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), the second scaler <NUM> may add up values calculated on the basis of R, G, and B values of a pixel corresponding to the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) and a region <NUM> including the point (X, Y) and the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), values calculated on the basis of R, G, and B values of a pixel corresponding to the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) and a region <NUM> including the point (X, Y) and the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), values calculated on the basis of R, G, and B values of a pixel corresponding to the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) and a region <NUM> including the point (X, Y) and the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>), and values calculated on the basis of R, G, and B values of a pixel corresponding to the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) and a region <NUM> including the point (X, Y) and the point (X<NUM>, Y<NUM>) to calculate R, G, and B values of the pixel corresponding to the point (X, Y).

In addition, for example, in the case in which the second scaler <NUM> refers to original pixels of 2x2, information on the pixels may be divided into sixty four cases as illustrated in <FIG>. Here, when the second scaler <NUM> analyzes a layout structure of the pixels in consideration of the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>, an actually utilized layout structure of the pixels may be compressed to twenty two cases as illustrated in <FIG>.

In addition, the second scaler <NUM> may again divide the actually utilized layout structure of the pixels of the twenty two cases of <FIG> into ten classes to determine the scaling weight of the pixels.

In addition, the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the determined scaling weight of the pixels and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>, and may interwork with the first scaler <NUM> through the scaling scheme determined as described above to control a sharpness an a jagging element of the scaled image, thereby generating optimal image quality.

As described above, the scaling schemes <NUM> and <NUM> of the second scaler <NUM> may be differently determined depending on the kind of contents as illustrated in <FIG> on the basis of at least one of the scaling weight of the pixels and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>.

For example, in the case in which the second scaler <NUM> receives information on textures of the objects included in the contents from the first scaler <NUM>, the second scaler <NUM> may decide the layout structure of the pixels and determine the scaling weight of the pixels, on the basis of the received information on the textures of the objects. In addition, the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the scaling weight of the pixels determined on the basis of the information on the textures of the objects and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>. The contents scaled by the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> determined as described above may sufficiently reflect the textures of the objects.

<FIG> and <FIG> are tables for describing a decrease effect of a data rate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, in the related art, in the case in which a resolution of original contents is 2560x1440 and an output resolution of the display device <NUM> is 2560x1440, the first scaler <NUM> scales the resolution of the contents to be the same as the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, such that the resolution of the original contents is maintained as 2560x1440. Therefore, all of the frame buffer <NUM>, the interface <NUM>, and the display <NUM> can not but process the contents having the resolution of 2560x1440.

On the other hand, the first scaler <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure down-scales the resolution of the original contents from 2560x1440 to 1920x1080. Therefore, the resolution of the contents may be processed as 1920x1080 in both of the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM> and be then again up-scaled to 2560x1440 in the display <NUM>.

Therefore, as compared with the related art, the resolution of the contents processed in the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM> is decreased, such that a data rate may also be decreased (by <NUM>%). As a result, an amount of consumed power or resources is also decreased.

Referring to <FIG>, in the related art, in the case in which a resolution of original contents is 1280x720 and an output resolution of the display device <NUM> is 2560x1440, the first scaler <NUM> up-scales the resolution of the original contents from 1280x720 to 2560x1440, which is the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, from the beginning and the contents of which the resolution is up-scaled to 2560x1440 as described above are processed with the same resolution being maintained in the frame buffer <NUM>, the interface <NUM>, and the display <NUM>.

<FIG> are views for describing various operation modes according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, when the contents are input to the image processor (S910), the contents are analyzed to detect the characteristic information of the contents. In addition, the display device <NUM> may further include an input (not illustrated) for receiving a user manipulation, and the controller <NUM> may control the first scaler <NUM> and the second scaler <NUM> by a user setting result depending on the user manipulation input through the input (not illustrated) to adjust the respective scaling magnifications and the scaling schemes.

The controller <NUM> may consider at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the user setting result (S920) to determine one of five operation modes Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, and Mode <NUM>. Here, the number of operation modes is not limited to five, but may be greater than five depending on a power state of the display device <NUM>, characteristics of the contents, a user setting, or the like.

The respective operation modes Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, Mode <NUM>, and Mode <NUM> will be described in detail with reference to <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, in the case in which the resolution of the contents is larger than or equal to the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, the controller <NUM> determines that an operation modes is Mode <NUM>, and the first scaler <NUM> sets the first scaling magnification to be smaller than <NUM> to down-scale the contents (S1010). In addition, the controller <NUM> determines the second scaling magnification in consideration of the resolution of the contents processed at the first scaling magnification and the output resolution of the display device <NUM> (S1020), and the second scaler <NUM> up-scales the contents processed at the first scaling magnification depending on the determined second scaling magnification and perform image reconstruction (S1030).

Here, the first scaler <NUM> may determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> on the basis of the characteristic information of the contents and the power state of the display device, and may additionally detect metadata or a high frequency component for the resolution of the contents for sufficiently reconstructing the resolution of the contents later in the display <NUM>.

The first scaler <NUM> may transmit the characteristic information of the contents and information on the power state of the display device used to determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> and information on the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents for supporting the reconstruction of the contents in the display <NUM> in a form of additional information to the second scaler <NUM> (S1040).

In addition, the second scaler <NUM> determines the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> in consideration of the characteristic information of the contents, information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler, and the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents, included in the additional information received from the first scaler <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in Mode <NUM>, which does not form part of the claimed invention, the first scaler <NUM> is in charge of scaling of the resolution up to a specific resolution or a specific magnification in scaling the resolution of the contents depending on characteristics of the contents or a setting by a user manipulation (S1110). Then, the second scaler <NUM> scales the resolution of the contents to be matched to the output resolution of the display device <NUM> (S1120). Meanwhile, it does not mean that Mode <NUM> is selected in the case in which the first scaling magnification is smaller than <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> and Mode <NUM> is selected in the case in which the first scaling magnification is larger or equal to <NUM>. That is, in <FIG>, the first scaler <NUM> may down-scale or up-scale the input contents depending on the characteristics of the input contents or the user setting. Therefore, the second scaler <NUM> may up-scale or down-scale the contents depending on the first scaling magnification determined in the first scaler <NUM> or the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>.

In addition, likewise, the first scaler <NUM> may determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the power state of the display device and may additionally detect metadata or a high frequency component for the resolution of the contents for sufficiently reconstructing the resolution of the contents later in the display <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> in consideration of the characteristic information of the contents, the scaling scheme of the first scaler, and the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents, included in additional information received from the first scaler <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, which illustrates that the controller <NUM> determines that an operation mode is Mode <NUM>, which does not form part of the claimed invention, wherein the first scaler <NUM> may set the first scaling magnification to <NUM> to scale the contents (S1210). That is, the first scaler <NUM> does not apply a scaling magnification to the input contents, but maintains an original resolution of the input contents. An operation in which the first scaler <NUM> does not apply the scaling magnification to the input contents as described above may be implemented by turning off the first scaler <NUM> to allow the first scaler <NUM> not to perform any operation, be implemented by allowing the first scaler <NUM> to set the first scaling magnification to <NUM> to scale the contents as described above, or be implemented by allowing the first scaler <NUM> to bypass and output data on the input contents.

In addition, the first scaler <NUM> transmits the contents to the second scaler <NUM> with the original resolution of the input contents being maintained as it is, the controller <NUM> determines the second scaling magnification in consideration of the original resolution of the contents and the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> (S1220).

For example, as described above with reference to <FIG>, in the case in which the original resolution of the input contents is 1280x720, the first scaler <NUM> transmits the contents to the display <NUM> through the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM> with the resolution of the input contents being maintained as 1280x720, and the second scaler <NUM> included in the display <NUM> determines the second scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> in consideration of 1280x720, which is the resolution of the contents, and 2560x1440, which is the output resolution of the display device. In addition, in this case, as described above, the resolution of the contents transmitted through the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM> is maintained as 1280x720, such that the data rate, the amount of used power, the amount of used resources, and the like, are decreased.

In addition, likewise, the first scaler <NUM> may determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the power state of the display device <NUM> and may additionally detect metadata or a high frequency component for the resolution of the contents for sufficiently reconstructing the resolution of the contents later in the display <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> in consideration of the characteristic information of the contents, the scaling scheme of the first scaler, and the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents, included in additional information received from the first scaler <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, which illustrates that the controller <NUM> determines that an operation mode is Mode <NUM> which does not form part of the claimed invention, and relates to a scaling method mainly used in the related art, a case in which the first scaler <NUM> scales the input contents to the output resolution of the display device <NUM> before transmitting the input contents to the display <NUM> is illustrated.

In detail, the first scaler <NUM> determines the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> in consideration of the resolution of the input contents and the output resolution of the display device <NUM> to scale the input contents (S1310), and the second scaler <NUM> does not apply the scaling magnification to the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM>, but maintains the resolution of the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM> and displays the contents (S1320).

For example, in the case in which a user performs a touch manipulation while viewing a video, such that a user interface screen is displayed or in the case in which a screen displayed on the display <NUM> is intended to be captured and stored, the controller <NUM> does not perform scaling by driving both of the first scaler <NUM> and the second scaler <NUM>, but may rapidly perform scaling using only the first scaler <NUM>.

Meanwhile, in the case in which the controller determines that the operation mode is Mode <NUM>, the second scaler <NUM> does not perform the scaling. Therefore, the first scaler <NUM> does not need to transmit the additional information including the characteristic information of the contents, the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler, and the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents to the second scaler <NUM>.

In addition, the second scaler <NUM> does not apply the scaling magnification to the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM>, but maintains the resolution of the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM>. An operation in which the second scaler <NUM> does not apply the scaling magnification to the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM> may be implemented by turning off the second scaler <NUM> to allow the second scaler <NUM> not to perform any operation, be implemented by allowing the second scaler <NUM> to set the second scaling magnification to <NUM> to scale the contents, or be implemented by allowing the second scaler <NUM> to bypass and output data on the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, which illustrates that the controller <NUM> determines that an operation mode is Mode <NUM>, a case in which the display device <NUM> is operated at a low power is illustrated. In detail, in the case in which a user setting or a remaining capacity of a battery is decreased to a predetermined threshold value or less or in the case in which the display device <NUM> needs to be operated to ensure a use time set by the user, the controller <NUM> may determine that the operation mode is Mode <NUM>.

Therefore, even though the original resolution of the contents is the same as the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, the first scaler <NUM> sets the first scaling magnification to be smaller than <NUM> to down-scale the input contents (S1410), the controller <NUM> determines the second scaling magnification in consideration of a resolution of the contents scaled in the first scaler <NUM> and the output resolution of the display device <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> up-scales the contents down-scaled in the first scaler <NUM> (S1420).

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, in the case in which the original resolution of the input contents is 2560x1440, when the remaining capacity of the battery of the display device <NUM> is decreased to the predetermined threshold value or less, such that the display device <NUM> needs to be operated at the low power, the first scaler <NUM> may down-scale the original resolution of the input contents to 1920x1080 and transmit the contents downscaled to 1920x1080 to the display <NUM> through the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> included in the display <NUM> may up-scale the contents down-scaled to 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, which is the output resolution of the display device <NUM>.

Therefore, the resolution of the contents transmitted through the frame buffer <NUM> and the interface <NUM> is 1920x1080, such that a data rate is decreased by <NUM>% and amounts of used power or resources are also decreased, thereby making it possible to decrease a decrease rate in the battery of the display device <NUM>.

In addition, likewise, the first scaler <NUM> determines the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> on the basis of the characteristic information of the contents and the power state of the display device <NUM> and may additionally detect metadata or a high frequency component for the resolution of the contents for sufficiently reconstructing the resolution of the contents later in the display <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may determine the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> in consideration of the characteristic information of the contents, the scaling scheme of the first scaler, and the metadata, the high frequency component, or the like, for the resolution of the contents, included in additional information received from the first scaler <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the first scaler <NUM> may differently apply the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to each of frames of the contents to perform scaling, the controller <NUM> may determine the second scaling magnification for each of the frames of the contents, and the second scaler <NUM> may perform scaling on the basis of the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> determined for each of the frames of the contents and the second scaling magnification determined in the controller <NUM>.

That is, the first scaler <NUM>, the controller <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may differently apply the first scaling magnification, the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>, the second scaling magnification, and the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> to each of the frames of the contents to perform scaling.

<FIG> is a view for describing a process of performing scaling on each of frames according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> may determine an operation mode for each of frames <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> in consideration of an image processing state, characteristics of contents, a power state of the display device, and the like, and the first scaler <NUM>, the controller <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may differently apply the first scaling magnification, the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>, the second scaling magnification, and the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> to each of the frames <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> depending on the determined operation mode to perform scaling.

For example, the controller <NUM> determines that the operation mode is Mode <NUM> in Frame <NUM><NUM>, such that the first scaler <NUM> is in charge of scaling up to a specific resolution depending on the characteristics of the contents or the user setting. Then, the second scaler <NUM> performs scaling to be matched to the output resolution of the display device <NUM>. Then, when a situation in which a user interface screen needs to be rapidly displayed as an overlapped screen due to an input of a touch manipulation of the user in Frame <NUM><NUM> occurs, the controller <NUM> determines that the operation mode is Mode <NUM>, such that the first scaler <NUM> scales a user interface screen corresponding to the immediately input contents or user manipulation up to the output resolution of the display device <NUM>.

In addition, the controller <NUM> may determine that the operation mode is Mode <NUM> to perform scaling to drive the display device at a low power in the next Frame <NUM><NUM>, and then changes the operation mode to Mode <NUM> in Frame <NUM><NUM>.

As described above with reference to <FIG>, the first scaler <NUM>, the controller <NUM>, and the second scaler <NUM> may apply different scaling magnifications and scaling schemes to each of the frames of the contents depending on the characteristics of the contents, the power state of the display device <NUM>, the user setting, and the like, to perform the scaling.

Meanwhile, in the case in which the first scaling magnification is a value that exceeds <NUM> and is less than <NUM> and the second scaling magnification is a value that exceeds <NUM>, the first scaler <NUM> down-scales the contents, and the second scaler <NUM> up-scales the down-scaled contents.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating components of a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The system <NUM> includes a display device <NUM>, a contents providing device <NUM> providing contents to the display device <NUM>, and an interface <NUM> transmitting the contents scaled in the contents providing device <NUM> to the display device <NUM>, wherein the contents providing device <NUM> image-processes the contents, scales the contents at a first scaling magnification, and transmits the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification to the display device <NUM>, and the display device <NUM> determines a second scaling magnification on the basis of a resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification and an output resolution of the display device <NUM>, scales the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification depending on the second scaling magnification, and displays the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification.

For example, in the case in which a mobile device (not illustrated) and a television (TV) (not illustrated) perform wireless communication therebetween to perform a mirroring operation in which contents reproduced in the mobile device (not illustrated) are reproduced in the TV (not illustrated), the mobile device (not illustrated) may image-process the contents, scale the contents at a first scaling magnification, and transmit the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification to the TV (not illustrated), similar to the image processor <NUM> described above, and the TV (not illustrated) may determine a second scaling magnification on the basis of a resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification in the mobile device (not illustrated) and an output resolution of the TV (not illustrated), scale the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification in the mobile device (not illustrated) and received from the mobile device (not illustrated) depending on the second scaling magnification, and display the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification.

In this case, the interface <NUM> may be implemented by wireless communication.

The contents providing device <NUM> determines the first scaling magnification and a scaling scheme of the contents providing device <NUM> on the basis of characteristic information of the contents, a power state of the contents providing device, and a connection state between the contents providing device and the display device. That is, the contents providing device <NUM> may decide whether or not a resolution of the contents is a high resolution, whether or not a consumption state of a battery of the contents providing device <NUM>, a connection state of a channel through which the contents providing device and the display device are connected to each other are smooth, and the like, and determine the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the contents providing device <NUM> on the basis of the decision.

In addition, the contents providing device <NUM> transmits at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and information on the scaling scheme of the contents providing device <NUM> to the display device <NUM>, and the display device <NUM> may determine a scaling scheme of the display device <NUM> on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the contents providing device <NUM>. Here, the process of determining the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> described above may be similarly applied.

Meanwhile, <FIG> is a block diagram illustrating detailed components of a display device configuring the system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The display device <NUM> includes a plurality of scalers <NUM> and <NUM> and a controller <NUM>. In an example which does not form part of the claimed invention, the controller <NUM> may control some of the plurality of scalers <NUM> and <NUM> to be turned off and control the others of the plurality of scalers <NUM> and <NUM> to scale contents scaled at a first scaling magnification depending on a second scaling magnification.

For example, when the contents down-scaled in the contents providing device <NUM> are input to the display device <NUM>, the controller <NUM> may control the first scaler <NUM> to be turned off to allows the contents to pass through the first scaler <NUM>, and control the second scaler <NUM> to scale the contents to be matched to an output resolution of the display device <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may also control the first scaler <NUM> to scale the contents down-scaled in the contents providing device <NUM> up to a specific resolution in consideration of characteristic information of the contents, a power state of the display device <NUM>, or the like, and control the second scaler <NUM> to scale the contents up to the output resolution of the display device <NUM>.

In addition, the scheme of applying different scaling magnifications and scaling schemes to each of the frames of the contents to perform the scaling described above with reference to <FIG> may also be applied to a process of performing the scaling in the system <NUM> described above with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> is a flow chart for describing a controlling method for a display device including a first scaler and a second scaler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to the controlling method illustrated in <FIG>, the contents are image-processed and are scaled at the first scaling magnification (S1810).

In addition, the second scaling magnification is determined on the basis of the resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification and the output resolution of the display device <NUM> (S1820).

Then, the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification are scaled depending on the second scaling magnification, and the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification are displayed (S1830).

Here, in the process (S1810) of scaling the contents at the first scaling magnification, the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> may be determined on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the power state of the display device <NUM>.

In addition, the controlling method for a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure further includes transmitting at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> to the second scaler <NUM>, wherein in the process (S1830) of displaying the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification, the scaling scheme of the second scaler may be determined on the basis of at least one of the characteristic information of the contents and the information on the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM>.

In addition, in the process (S1810) of scaling the contents at the first scaling magnification, the first scaling magnification and the scaling scheme of the first scaler <NUM> may be differently applied to each of the frames of the contents to perform the scaling, in the process (S1820) of determining the second scaling magnification, the second scaling magnification may be determined for each of the frames of the contents, and in the process (S1830) of displaying the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification, the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> may be determined for each of the frames of the contents and the scaling may be performed on the basis of the scaling scheme of the second scaler <NUM> and the second scaling magnification determined for each of the frames of the contents.

Meanwhile, in the case in which the first scaling magnification is <NUM> or more and less than <NUM> and the second scaling magnification is <NUM> or more, in the process (S1810) of scaling the contents at the first scaling magnification, the contents are down-scaled, and in the process (S1830) of displaying the contents scaled depending on the second scaling magnification, the down-scaled contents are up-scaled.

Here, the characteristic information of the contents includes at least one of a kind of contents, a size and a distribution of boundary lines of objects included in the contents, a kind and a distribution of characters included in the contents, and the resolution.

Meanwhile, a non-transitory computer readable medium in which a program sequentially performing the controlling method according to the present disclosure is stored may be provided.

As an example, a non-transitory computer readable medium in which a program performing image-processing the contents and scaling the contents at the first scaling magnification, determining the second scaling magnification on the basis of the resolution of the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification and the output resolution of the display device, and scaling the contents scaled at the first scaling magnification depending on the second scaling magnification is stored may be provided.

The non-transitory computer readable medium is not a medium that stores data therein for a while, such as a register, a cache, a memory, or the like, but means a medium that semi-permanently stores data therein and is readable by a device. In detail, various applications or programs described above may be stored and provided in the non-transitory computer readable medium such as a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a hard disk, a Blu-ray disk, a universal serial bus (USB), a memory card, a read only memory (ROM), or the like.

Claim 1:
A display device (<NUM>) comprising:
an image processor (<NUM>);
a controller (<NUM>); and
a display (<NUM>);
an interface (<NUM>) connecting the image processor (<NUM>) and the display (<NUM>) to each other;
the image processor (<NUM>) comprising:
a first scaler (<NUM>) configured to down-scale first contents at a first scaling magnification obtained based on a kind of the first contents, a resolution of the first contents and a power state of the display device (<NUM>), and
a frame buffer (<NUM>) configured to output the first contents down-scaled by the first scaler (<NUM>) to the display (<NUM>) through the interface (<NUM>);
wherein the controller (<NUM>) is configured to determine a second scaling magnification based on the down-scaled first contents and an output resolution of the display device (<NUM>); and
wherein the display (<NUM>) comprises a second scaler (<NUM>) configured to obtain second contents by up-scaling, using an up-scaling scheme, the down-scaled first contents received from the frame buffer (<NUM>) through the interface (<NUM>) based on the second scaling magnification and is configured to display the second contents;
wherein the second scaler (<NUM>) is configured to determine an up-scaling scheme among a plurality of up-scaling schemes on the basis of the kind of the first contents, and
wherein a first up-scaling scheme among the plurality of up-scaling schemes is determined in case the kind of the first contents is a text and a second up-scaling scheme among the plurality of up-scaling schemes is determined in case the kind of the first contents is an image including a natural scenery.