Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/731,461, filed on Apr. 2, 2007. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to television, and more particularly, to a system and method to display multiple pictures on a television set. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The introduction of High Definition Television (HDTV) and the flat panel display has led to new and pleasant experience in watching television. The slimness of a flat panel television set saves space and allows a consumer to place a larger television in a room of limited size. HDTV sets support high resolution and better picture quality. Many HDTV sets sold today are flat panel television sets. 
     Along with the improved resolution and picture quality, the trend in HDTV sales has been towards a general increase in the size of the average television display. For example, in United States, the average size of a HDTV set sold is now approximately 30 inches, diagonal. In some Asian countries, the average size is even larger than 32 inches. 
     A large screen allows a consumer to more comfortably view multiple pictures. For example, a consumer may watch the Super Bowl on a large picture on the display screen, while simultaneously viewing an NBA game between the Sacramento Kings and the LA Lakers on a smaller picture, a local college basketball between Stanford and Berkeley on a third picture, and a hockey game between New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks on a fourth picture on the television display. Not to miss any important news, the consumer may view CNN or FOX on a fifth picture. Last but not least, they may also view a sixth picture, such as from a baby monitor their 8-month old baby&#39;s room, at the same time. On a traditional smaller television screen, having six picture frames displaying simultaneously on the screen would necessitate that at least some of the picture frames would be so small as to be difficult to view at an average or normal viewing distance. With the large screen, however, more the larger display area allows for more picture detail to be discerned at the same distance than with a smaller television screen. 
     Currently, there are several ways to view multiple pictures simultaneously on a television set. Picture in picture (PIP) allows two pictures to be shown on a television set at the same time, with a smaller picture displayed on top of, or overlaying, a larger picture. Since the smaller picture overlays the larger picture, the larger picture is not entirely visible. This is often extremely inconvenient, as the overlaid picture may cover a portion of the larger picture of interest to the viewer. For example, the overlaid portion might cover the end zone of a football game. 
     Moreover, conventional PIP often does not display the overlaid pictures in their intended resolution or aspect ratio. 
     Also, there are PC television cards that can generate and present for display thumb-nail size pictures of many channels, and allow a user to select a channel to view from the small pictures. These small pictures are intended for channel selection purposes. They are small and difficult to be watched over a long period of time. Moreover, the PC television card can only tune to one channel at a time, thus the television channels are scanned one at a time to refresh the pictures. Due to limited processing speed, not all images and sounds of a given television channel are captured by the PC television card. The scanning and tuning speed may be so slow such that the pictures are effectively displayed as still images, or at best in a slow motion manner. 
     When going from a relatively small conventional television display to a larger and flatter display having improved resolution, consumers expect a major change in their enjoyment of the television viewing experience, especially after they have invested in a good quality large screen HDTV set. 
     Thus, there is a need to display multiple pictures on a high resolution large screen television set without overlaying another picture, while preserving the high resolution of the displayed pictures. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention provides a television system including an input interface for receiving video data from a plurality of video streams and transferring the video data to a frame controller in communication with a television display. Each of the plurality of video streams has a display aspect ratio, and the frame controller causes the video data from each of the plurality of different video streams to be displayed in a separate frame on the television display. Each frame occupies an area of the television display separate from an area occupied by any other frame. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the input interface receives video data from one or more sources selected from the list including broadcast television, cable television, satellite television, video cassette player (VCR), and digital versatile disk (DVD). 
     In one aspect of the invention, the input interface receives video data in one or more of the following formats: NTSC, PAL, and HDTV. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the input interface includes one or more of a coaxial interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), component interface, composite interface, an Ethernet interface, or a wireless network interface. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the input interface includes a wireless network. Any wireless network may be used, including a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) network, or and Ultra-wideband (UWB) network. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the frame controller includes a plurality of tuners, each configured to generate a sub-frame signal from the video data from one of the video streams, with each sub-frame signal corresponding to one of the separate display frames. The frame controller is further configured to combine the sub-frame signals into a frame signal for display on the television display. 
     Another aspect of the invention also includes a control device for communicating instructions to the frame controller. The communicated instructions include what video streams are to be displayed in which frames. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the frame controller communicates with the control device by infrared signals, radio signals, or a data network. If a data network is used, it may be any of Ethernet, WLAN, WiMAX, or any other data network. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the control device is a remote control, a cell phone, a personal computer or a laptop computer. 
     Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for of displaying video from a plurality of video streams on a television display. The method includes inputting video data from the plurality of video streams to a frame controller, each video stream having a display aspect ratio, causing the video data from each of the plurality of video streams to be displayed in a separate frame on the television display. Each display frame occupies an area of the television display separate from the area occupied by any other frame. 
     Another aspect of the present invention provides a television system including an input interface for receiving high definition television (HDTV) video data from a plurality of video streams and transferring the HDTV video data to a frame controller in communication with a television display. Each of the plurality of video streams has a display aspect ratio, and the frame controller causes the HDTV video data from each of the plurality of different video streams to be displayed in high resolution a separate frame on the television display. At least one of the video streams is displayed in a frame having a height and a width in proportion to the video stream&#39;s aspect ratio. Furthermore, each frame further occupies an area of the television display separate from an area occupied by any other frame 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a television set with a multi-picture frame; 
         FIG. 1 a    is a schematic diagram illustrating a picture and a frame controller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating controlling operations of a multi-picture frame, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 a    is a schematic diagram depicting a process to swap the television channel of two displayed pictures, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2 b    is a schematic diagram depicting a process to change a television channel of a display picture, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a schematic diagram depicting the use of a television channel selection list for selecting a television channel to display, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3 b    is a schematic diagram depicting the use of a television channel name list for selecting a television channel to display, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art, that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present invention. Furthermore, reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
     The term “video data” referred to in the descriptions of various embodiments of the invention herein described is intended to generally describe electronic audio and video signals containing or incorporating video for display on a television or other video display device. This term is used in the broadest sense as known in the electronic arts, and may include analog and/or digital signals. Likewise, the term “video stream” is used in a non-limiting fashion and generally refers to the collection of video data, together with any carrier signals, data headers or other electronic information, which singularly or taken together allow the described embodiments to operate. For example, a digital video stream from a given video source might include multiple packets of compressed video data, each packet or group thereof having one or more packet headers. Typically, one or more of the headers includes information relating to the video data, such as the compression algorithm used, the aspect ratio, etc. 
     The term “aspect ratio” referred to in the descriptions of the various embodiments of the invention herein described refers to the ratio of the width of the video display image to the height of the video display image. For most NTSC television display images the current aspect ratio is 4:3. High-definition Television (HDTV) uses an aspect ratio of 16:9, which is similar to the aspect ratio used by motion pictures. Reference herein to displaying a video stream in a frame having a height and a width proportional to the video stream&#39;s aspect ratio means that an HDTV video stream is displayed filling a frame having a width:height ratio of 16:9. Similarly, a standard NTSC television video stream would be displayed filling a frame having a Width:height ration of 4:3. 
     As used herein, the terms “picture frame” and “frame” refer to the borders of a displayed picture. Unless otherwise specified, a picture frame does not necessarily have a border of any particular width, i.e., a displayed picture might occupy the entire area of the picture frame, or the picture frame may include a border. Reference to locations on a display device may be made by referring to either the location of the picture frame or to the location of displayed picture itself, without limitation. Reference to the size of a picture frame refers to the height and width of the frame, and frames of differing width and/or differing height are referred to as being of different sizes. 
     As used herein, the term “picture” refers to the whole of the display image and its picture frame, unless otherwise indicated, without limitation. 
     An embodiment of the present invention advantageously provides for the display of multiple pictures on a high resolution large screen television set without overlaying another picture, while preserving the high resolution and aspect ratio of the displayed pictures. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a television set  100  displaying a multi-picture frame and a frame controller  150 . Television set  100  is an electronic device that receives and displays images and sounds. In one embodiment, television set  100  receives images and sounds as video data or a video stream from a television channel  131 , which may originate from a broadcast television network, a cable television network, a satellite television network, or Internet Protocol television (IPTV) network. Alternatively, the video data may originate from a VCR, a DVD player, a digital video recorder (DVR), a set top box, or any other video source. 
     In an embodiment, television set  100  includes a screen capable of displaying a multi-picture frame  120  large enough for a user to comfortably watch multiple pictures from 6 feet away. In one embodiment television set  100  has a screen size of at least 32 inches, or 80 cm. In another embodiment, a user watches television set  100  from 15 feet away, and the screen size is at least 60 inches or 150 cm. 
     Multi-picture frame  120  includes multiple pictures  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  128 ,  129 . Picture  128  is a major picture having a display size larger than the smaller pictures  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127  and  129 . Multi-picture frame  120  differs from picture-in-picture (PIP) in that a small picture does not overlay over the large picture  128  in multi-picture frame  120 . Moreover, the large picture  128  does not occupy the full screen, as in a conventional PIP. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, television set  100  has a screen size of 32 inches diagonal, picture  128  has a size of 22 inches diagonal, and picture  121  has a size of 9 inches diagonal. In another exemplary embodiment, television set  100  has a screen size of 40 inches diagonal, picture  128  has a size of 27 inches diagonal, and picture  121  has a size of 12 inches diagonal. In still another exemplary embodiment, television set  100  has a screen size of 60 inches diagonal, picture  128  has a size of 42 inches diagonal, and picture  121  has a size of 16 inches diagonal. 
     In various embodiments, picture  128  may have a picture resolution and aspect ratios of NTSC standard, defined by National Television System Committee, Phase Alternating Line (PAL), DVD video, or HDTV. In one embodiment, picture  128  has a better picture resolution than NTSC, PAL or HDTV. 
     The layout of the multiple pictures depicted in  FIG. 1  is exemplary in nature. In various embodiments the number, dimensions and positions of the various pictures or picture frames may differ. For example, in one embodiment the size of large picture  128  is as depicted, but the sizes of the small pictures are different. 
       FIG. 1 a    is a block diagram depicting a picture  124  and a frame controller  150 . Picture  124  can be a larger picture  128  or smaller picture  127 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, picture  124  displays images and sounds, i.e., the video signal of television channel  134 . In one embodiment, picture  124  displays cable television channel  34 , or video from a DVD player. Typically different pictures such as picture  123  and picture  129  display different television channels  133  and  139 . For example, in one embodiment, picture  123  displays cable television channel  34 , picture  129  displays broadcast television channel  48 , picture  123  displays satellite television channel  93 , and picture  127  displays a movie from a VCR. 
     Referring once again to  FIG. 1 , in an embodiment of the invention, pictures  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  128 , and  129  display television channels  131 ,  133 ,  135 ,  137 ,  138  and  139 , respectively. 
     In one embodiment, television  120  displays the sounds of the largest picture  128  and not of other pictures. Alternatively, in another embodiment, television  120  may display the sounds of picture  129  or of another picture as selected by the user. 
     Frame controller  150  controls multi-picture frame  120 . In an embodiment, frame controller  150  includes input interface  192  connecting to television channels  131 ,  133 ,  135 ,  137 ,  138  and  139 . Input interface  192  may include any of a coaxial interface, a Radio Frequency (RF) interface, a High-Definition Multimedia interface (HDMI), a component interface such as YPbPr or YCbCr interface, a composite interface, an Ethernet interface, or a wireless network interface. Frame controller  150  receives video streams of the said television channels from the input interface  192 . 
     Frame controller  150  connects to television set  100 . In one embodiment, frame controller  150  includes an output interface  195  connecting to television set  100 . Frame controller  150  sends frame signal  180  for multi-picture frame  120  over output interface  195  to television set  100 . In one embodiment, output interface  195  may include an RF interface, an HDMI interface, an S-video interface, a component interface, or a composite interface. Output interface  195  may include a wireless network such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) network. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 a   , frame controller  150  includes a tuner  154  handling a video stream or signal for picture  124 . Based on television channel  134  of picture  124 , tuner  154  selects television channel  134  from input interface  192 , receives the video stream or signal  164  of television channel  134 , transforms channel video stream or signal  164  to sub-frame signal  184 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , frame controller  150  includes multiple tuners  151 ,  153 ,  155 ,  157 ,  158 ,  159  corresponding to multiple pictures  121 ,  123 ,  125 ,  127 ,  128 , and  129 , accordingly. Tuners  151 ,  153 ,  155 ,  157 ,  158  and  159  generate sub-frame signals  181 ,  183 ,  185 ,  187 ,  188  and  189 . Frame controller  150  combines sub-frame signals  181 ,  183 ,  185 ,  187 ,  188  and  189  into frame signal  180 , and transmits frame signal  180  over output interface  195  to television set  100 . Television set  100  subsequently displays frame signal  180 . 
     In one embodiment, television set  100  includes the frame controller  150 . In such an embodiment the output interface  195  may be an internal bus or other connection within the television set  100 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates controlling operations of a multi-picture frame  120 . In an embodiment of the invention, frame controller  150  controls operations of the multi-picture frame  120 , and a user  104  uses a controlling device  106  to instruct frame controller  150 . Frame controller  150  connects to the controlling device  106  through, for example infrared signals, radio signals, or a data network such as Ethernet, WLAN, or WiMax. In alternative embodiments, the controlling device  106  is a remote control, a mobile device such as a cell phone, a personal computer or a laptop. 
       FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b    are block diagrams illustrating picture swapping and changing operations, respectively, in an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     In  FIG. 2 a   , frame controller  150  provides a swap operation  115   a  swapping picture  121  with picture  128 . User  104  selects, using controlling device  106 , picture  121  and picture  128 . The user  104  then selects swap operation  115   a . In response to receiving the swap operation  115   a  signal from the controlling device  106 , frame controller  150  informs tuner  151  to transform channel signal  161  to sub-frame signal  181  using a large picture resolution of picture  128 . Frame controller  150  informs tuner  158  to transform channel signal  168  to sub-frame signal  188  using a small picture resolution of picture  121 . When frame controller  150  composes sub-frame signals  181 ,  183 ,  185 ,  187 ,  188  and  189 , frame controller  150  places sub-frame signal  188  to the location of picture  121  and sub-frame signal  181  to the location of picture  128 . 
     The replacement of picture  128  by picture  121  may be performed in several ways. In an embodiment, frame controller  150  informs tuner  158  to select television channel  131 . Tuner  158  receives channel signals  168  from television channel  131 , transforms channel signals  168  to sub-frame signal  188 . In another embodiment, frame controller  150  informs tuner  158  not to transform channel signal  168 . Frame controller  150  informs tuner  151  to transform channel signal  161  to sub-frame signal  188  using picture resolution of picture  128 , in addition to sub-frame signal  181  using current small picture resolution of picture  121 . Frame controller places sub-frame signal  188  to the location of picture  128 . 
     A user  104  may swap two small pictures, such as picture  123  and picture  125 , rather than swapping a small picture and a large picture. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 b   , in an embodiment, frame controller  150  provides a change operation  115   b  to change a television channel of a displayed picture. In exemplary operation, a user  104  selects picture  125 , which is displaying television channel  135 . Next, user  104  selects the change channel operation  115   b  using the controlling device  106 , and further selects another television channel to display. In one embodiment, the user  104  selects the new television channel directly, whereas, in an alternative embodiments, the user  104  selects the next channel in a sequence of channels, or the previous channel, or another video source altogether, such as DVD player. In one embodiment, the user  104  keys in a television channel number or name. Frame controller  150  determines television channel  235  and informs tuner  155  to switch to television channel  235 . 
       FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    illustrate the use of a television channel selection list and a television channel name list, respectively, for selecting a television channel to display. 
     In one embodiment, frame controller  150  determines the second television channel  235  based on picture  125 . For example, picture  125  may be associated with a pre-determined television channel list  205  for picture  125 .  FIG. 3 a    illustrates television channel list  205  for picture  125 . Picture  125  is currently displaying television channel  135 . When the user  104  selects the next television channel, frame controller  150  determines the second television channel  235  from television channel list  205  to be cable channel  57 . In another, frame controller  150  connects to a datastore  220  that includes television channel list  205 . Frame controller  150  matches picture  125  against datastore  220  and retrieves television channel list  205 . 
     In another embodiment, frame controller  150  queries a network computing device  222  that includes television channel list  205 . Frame controller  150  sends picture  125  and television channel  135  to computing device  222 . Frame controller  150  obtains television channel  235  from computing device  222 . 
     In an embodiment, the user  104  specifies television channel  235  by channel name  215 , as depicted in  FIG. 3 b   . Frame controller  150  matches channel name  215  against television channel name list  207  and retrieves the corresponding television channel  235 . In one embodiment, frame controller  150  connects a datastore  220  that includes television channel name list  207 . Frame controller  150  matches picture  125  against datastore  220  and retrieves television channel name list  207 . 
     In another embodiment, frame controller  150  queries a network computing device  222  that includes television channel name list  207 . Frame controller  150  sends picture  125  and channel name  215  to computing device  222 . Frame controller  150  obtains television channel  235  from computing device  222 . 
     Numerous other operations may be performed by the frame controller  150  as directed by a user  104 . For example, operation  115  can be used to increase or reduce the size of picture  128 . In one embodiment, operation  115  can be to swap the picture whose sounds are audible between picture  123  and picture  128 . In another embodiment, frame controller  150  connects to a recorder such as a DVD recorder, and operation  115  can be used to record television channel  135  of picture  125 . In yet another embodiment, operation  115  can be used to restart a television program of television channel  137  of picture  127 , or to pause, fast forward or fast backward television channel  137  of picture  127 . 
     Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: h