| Title of Invention | DISPLAY SYSTEM AND DISPLAY APPARATUS |
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| Abstract | If a device non-compatible with CEC is contained in an input path when a display apparatus is HDMI-connected hierarchically to a plurality of external devices, an external device which has transmitted < Active Source > is selected as an operation object device. A TV (100) is HDMI-connected hierarchically to external devices (an AV amplifier (20a), recorders (10a, 10c), a DVD player (10b) ) in a tree shape. The TV (100) receives < Active Source > indicating an active state capable of video output from the DVD player (10b) and transmits < Set Stream Path > for switching the input path to the DVD player (10b). When a device non-compatible with CEC (AV amplifier (20a)) is contained in the input path which transmits < Set Stream Path >, the TV (100) selects the DVD player (10b) specified < Active Source > as an operation object device. |
| Full Text | DESCRIPTION DISPLAY SYSTEM AND DISPLAY APPARATUS Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a display system, and a display apparatus, more specifically, to a display system including a display apparatus capable of being con»«cted to an output apparatus (external device) such as a DVD recording apparatus through a digital interface such as an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and a display apparatus constituting the system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] . HDMIs have come into wide use as a digital interface for transmission of video/audio. The HDMI is arranged for AV devices by adding an audio transmission function and a copyright protection function to DVI which is a connection standard for a PC and a display. Conventionally, a plurality of cables for each signal of video/audio/control have been used for the connection.,between devices , however, sin-ce the HDMI needs only one cable and control signals correspond to bidirectidtial transmission, it has also been possible to operate the entire AV system such as a home theater with one remote controller by relaying the control signal to an output apparatus such as an STB (Set Top Box) and a DVD player connected by the HDMI from a monitor.- [0003] The basic specification for the standard of the HDMI was established in,,pecerti,ber 2002 by the standardization organization of HDMI Licensing, LLC (HDMI standard Verl.0) ,and: a rule for CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) was added as a control protocol for performing control between A'V devices in December 2005 (HDMI standard Verl.2a, refer to Non-Patent Literature 1). After that, although some revisions have been made, description of the CEC will hereinafter be based on the standard after the HDMI standard Verl.2a and be referred to as the HDMI standard unless otherwise noted. [0004] Note that, terms about the CEC are defined in *2.2 Glossary of Terms" of the HDMI standard, "CEC 2 . 2 Glossary of Terms" and the like, where one that has an HDMI input terminal is defined as a sink device, one that has an. HDMI output terminal and outputs an AV stream is defined as a source device , and one that has an HDMI input terminal and output terminal and inputs/outputs an AV stream is defined as a repeater device. [0005] In the HDMI standard, control between devices using the CEC is defined'. According to thepEC, various kinds of control are possible based on individual physical addresses and logical addresses assigned to each device existing on an HDMI network. For example, when reproduction of video is made by depressing a reproduction button, or the like, of a DVD player connected by HDMI while a user views digital, broadcast on a television, the television automatically switches to an input connected with the DVD player. Moreover, operation menu displayed on the DVD player, ,on/off of a power source and the like is able to be operated from a remote controller of the television. [0 006] In addition, the HDMI standard' prescribes that operation is able to be made even when a maximum of 10 devices including a television are connected, thus it is possible to connect up to nine external devices to a television. When one device compatible with HDMI CEC is connected to the television, it is clear which device is operated from a remote controller, however, when a plurality of devices compatible with HDMI CEC are connected, there is a problem that it is hard to recognize which device is operated from the television using a remote controller of the television. [0007] Hence, it is considered that, when operating of the device compatible with HDMI CEC from the television using the remote controller of the television as described above, by selecting a device actually displaying video on the television as a device targeted for the operation, the operation-'otoject device is limited from-.a plurality of devices. In the HDMI standard, as a CEC message for clearly indicati'ng such a device displaying video on the television, capable of outputting stable video signal (that is, in an active state), the DVD player outputs an AV stream as.veii** broadcasts network. Note that, although an example in a case of operating a reproduction button of a DVD player has been described above, it is similar in the next case. For example, in a case where [000 8] However, a methd'd in which an "active device" which has broadcasted selectively corresponded prescriptions are mixed in various prescriptions of the CEC, thus posing the following disadvantage. Assumed is a state where a television includes a plurality of. HDMI input, termirnals, and for example, a device A and a device B that are devices compatib-le with HDMI CEC are connected to each of the HDMI input terminals . First, it is assumed that a user operates a reproduction button of the device A intending to operate the device A connected to the television. In this case, since the device A is an operable device, the device A broadcasts Next, it is assumed that the user performs input switching operation of the television intending to operate the device B and selects a connected input of the device B. However, there is a case where the device B does not broadcast Even after a user displays video to instruct switching to a device desired to be an operation object. when the switching destination device is not an 'active device", the television does not recognize the device as an' operation object device, .thus it is impossible to,, operate -the switching destination device from the television.. . - [0010] Contrary to this, even when a device is not an -"active device", there is a method that the television recognizes the device as an operation object device. This method is , regardless of presence/absence of [Non-Patent Literature 1] High-Definition "Multimedia Interface Specification Version 1. 2a Supplement 1 Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), December 14 2005 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIO-N PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION [0011] Hbvever, the above-dascribed method in which th.e; device specified by For example, it is assumed that a television, a repeater device and a source device are connected in this order and the repeater device is a device non-compatible with CEC. In a case where video output operation is made to the source device or The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object is to provide a display system capable of, in a case where a plurality of external devices are HDMI-connected .to .a dispray apparatus hierarchica'l'ly and a de"vlQe non-compatible with CEC is contained in an input path, selecting an external device that has transmitted MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS [0013] In order' to solve the above problem, a first technical means of the present invention is a display system wherein"a display apparatus and a plurality of external devices are HDMI-connected hierarchically in a tree shape, wherein the display apparatus is provided with a CEC interface which receives a first CEC message indicative of being in an active state capable of outputting video, from any of external device out of the plurality of external devices, and which transmits a second CEC message to switch an input path to the external device, and operation object device selection means for selecting, when a device non-compatible with CEC is contained in the input path for transmitting the second CEC message, an external device that corresponds to a physical address specified by the first CEC message as an operation object device. [0014] A second technical means is the display system as defined in the first technical means, wherein the operation object device selection means compares a first physical address contained inthe first CEC message received from the external device, with a second physical address contained in the second CEC i»essage transmitted from the display apparatus , and when an input path shown by the second physical addr««s is contained in an input path shown by the -first physical address, an external device that corresponds to a physical address specified by the first CEC message is selected as an operation obj ect device. [0015] A third technical means is the display system as defined in _the .first technical ..means, wherein the operation object device selection means selects an external device specified by the-second CEC message as an operation object device when a device non-compatible with CEC is not contained in the input path for transmitting the second CEC message. [0016] A fourth technical means is the display system as defined in any one of the first through the third technical means, wherein the first CEC message is A fifth technical means is the display apparatus constitutes the display system as defined in any one of the first through the fourth technical means. EFFECT OF THE INVENTION [0018] According'.tq the present invention, in a case where a plurality of.external devices are HDMI-connected to a display apparatus hierarchically and wtren a device non-compatible,with CEC'is contained in an input path, without selecting an operation object device by device is possible, and thereby a user may operate the connected external device smoothly without particular consciousness about device compatible/noq-compatible with HDMI CEC. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0019] Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structural example of important parts according to HDMI connection in a display -system of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a structural example of a display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a view illustrating an example of a method for selecting an operation object device by the display system of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a view showing an example of communication processing by CEC when input switching is performed by video output from a source device. EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS [0020] 10...source device, 10a, lOc.recorder, 10b...DVD player, 11...HDMI transmitter,, 12...H0ST CPU.,: 13...front microcomputer, 14...CEC I/F, 20...repeater de.vice, 20a...AV amplifier, 21...HDMI receiver, 22...flDMI transmitter, 23...HOST CPU, 24, 32...front microcomputer,. 25...CEC I/F, 30...sink device, 31...H0ST CPU, 33...CEC I/F, 34...memory, 35...1ight receiving portion, 36,..remote controller, 41...TMDS line, 42...CEC line, 100.,television apparatus. 101...TV tuner, 102...demultiplexer, 103...decoder, 104...system control portion, 104a...operation object device selection means > 105...bus arbitration portion, 106, 107...external input terminal, 108, 109...HDMI terminal, 110...image processing portion, lll,..d€vice driving portion, 112...frame memory, 113...displ"ay apparatus, 114...inf rared ray receiving portion, 115...memory, 116...audio processing portion, 117...speaker PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION [0021] Preferred embodiments according to a display system and a display apparatus constituting the system of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments of the present invention, a CEC message included in the HDMI standard is used. The CEC message is device control signal standardized by the HDMI. [0022] Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structural example of important parts according to HDMI connection in the display system of the present invention, which shows the structure ~ in which a soufcTe? device 10, a repeater device 20 and'a sink device SO are connected through an HDMI cable. -Note that, the sburce device 10 is, for example, such as a DVD recorder, an HDD recorder, a DVD player, a digital system VTR, and a digital video camera, each of which has an HDMI Output terminal. The repeater device 20 such as an AV amplifier, a recorder, and a player, each of which has HDMI input terminal and output terminal. The sink device 30 is a display apparatus including a liquid crystal televisicE and a monitor, each of which has an HDMI input terminal. When the repeater device 20 such as an AV amplifier has a plurality of HDMI" irnput terminals, a plurality "of the source devices 10 can be connected to the repeater device 20 and an input line can be switched using a selector function of the AV amplifier. [0023] The sink device 30 according to the present invention detects operation states of the repeater device 20 and the source device 10, and uses a CEC message transferred through a CEC line 42 to control the operation states of the repeater device 20 and the source device 10. As has been described above, the CEC message is device control signal based on a CEC protocol of the HDMI standard. In addition., by exchanging the device control signal between devices, various operation controls are realized between the sink device 30 and a connected device. [0024] Note that, the HDMI cable includes a TMDS XTransition Minimized Differential Signaling) line (digital signal line) 41 for transmitting videoi/audio signal as digital signal in a differential method and the CEC line 42 which is a bidirectional bus for transmitting common control signal (CEC message) between devices. In addition, the HDMI cable includes a DDC (Display Data Channel) line (not shown) which is used for transmission of EDID (Extended Display Identification Data), authentication of HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Conj:ent Protection system) and the like. [0025] Description will hereinafter be given for a structure of important parts according to HDMI connection of the source device 10, the repeater device 20, and the sink device 30. The source device 10 includes an HDMI transmitter 11, a HOST CPU 12, a front microcomputer 13, and a CEC interface (hereinafter, CEC I/F) 14. The HDMI transmitter 11 reads video data and audio data recorded on a medium such as a DVD, for example, to convert into an AV stream in an HDMI format, in which audio signal is inserted in a blanking period of video signal. Then, the converted AV stream is transferred to the repeater device 20 through the TMDS line 41 by the HDMI transmitter 11. The HOST CPU 12 includes an HDMI controller for controlling operation of the HDMI transmitter 11. [0026] The CEC I/F 14 is connected to the CEC line 42 in the HDMI cable and allows bidirectional communication , of a CEC message with the repeater device 20., The CEC I/F 14 is controlled by the front microco-mputer 13 including a CEC controller so that HDMI-connected devices can be controlled using the CEC message. In the case of the CEC, logical address (type of device) and physical address (position of device) of each HDMI-connected device are obtained, and therefore it is possible to transmit the CEC message to a desired device by specifying the physical address. [0027] ..,, The HOST CPU 12 controls the entire apparatus t Moreover, the front microcomputer 13 operates with low electrl'c power and aiways monitors a CEC message transferred from the CEC line 42. In addition, when there is a remote controller, the presence/absence of transmission of remote controller signal thereof is monitored. Moreover, even when the power source of the HOST CPU 12 is cut because of a stand-by mode of the apparatus and the like, the front microcomputer 13 operates (operates in a state capable of at least transferring a CEC message). [0028] The repeater device 20 includes an HDMI receiver 21, an HDMI transmitter 22, a HOST CPU 23, a front microcomputer 24, and a-CEC I/F 25. The repeater device 20 receives an AV stream transferred from the source device 10 at the HDMI receiver 21 and further transmits the AV stream to the sink device 30 from the HDMI transmitter 22. In addition, the CEC line 42 between the repeater device 20 and the source device 10 and the CEC line 4.2 between the rept.r device 20 and the sink device 30 are-~&onnected by thB'CEC I/F 25. [0029] - The HOST CPU 23 and the front microcomputer 24 have the similar function to that of the above-mentioned source device 10, and the HOST CPU 23 controls the HDMI receiver 21 and the HDMI transmitter 22 as well as controls the entire apparatus. In addition, the front microcomputer 24 includes a CEC controller for monitoring a CEC message transferred from the CEC line 42. [0030] . ,: The sink device 30 includes a HOST CPU 31 containing an HDMI receiver, a front microcomputer 32,• a CEC I/F 33, a memory .34, and a light receiving portion 35. The sink device 30 receives the AV stream transferred by the repeater device 20 at the EOST'CPV 31 containing the HDMI receiver. The- HDMI receiver may be separated from the HOST CPU 31. In addition, with the CEC,I/F 33, the CEC line 42 between the sink device 30 and the repeater device 20 is connected. A control program of the sink device 30 and the like are stored in the memory 34. In addition, the memory 34 stores physical addresses of the repeater device 20 and the source device 10 that are BDMI-connected to the sink device 30 based on the HDMI standard. [0031] J The HOST CPU 31 contains the HDMI receiver and controls the entire apparatus. Moreover, the front microcomputer 32 includes a CEC controller for monitoring a CEC message transferred from the CEC line 42. The front microcomputer 32 controls the light receiving portion 35 for receiving, remote controller signal frpfn the remote controller 36.v- In addition, even when the povjrer source of the HOST CPU'-Sl is cut because of a stand-by mode of the apparatus and the like, the front microcomputer 32 operates to maintain a state capable of transmitting/receiving a CEC message and receiving remote controller signal. [0032] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a structural example of the display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example where the display apparatus of the present invention is applied to a television apparatus. In "'the figure, 100 denotes a television Apparatus which has an HDMI CEC function similar to that of the sink device 30 shown in Fig. 1. The television apparatus 100 includes a TV tuner 101 for selecting and demodulating television broadcast signal, a demultiplexer 102 for extracting EPG (registered trademark) data from demodulated broadcast signal and separating the demodulated data, and a decoder 103 for decoding separated video signals and audio signals of digital broadcast. [0033] Moreover, the television apparatus 100 has a system control portion 104 for performing control of the entire system, and a bus control portion 105 for granting permission of using a bus in response to a request of using bus from the system control portion 104. When there is a request of using bus at one time, the bus control portion 105 pTrprnptly grants p'fetiqission to use the bus, and when there-are a plurality" of requests at one time, that is, when requests of usirig bus compete with each other, permission of using bus is granted according to priority previously determined by the system control portion 104 and the like. [0034] The television apparatus 100 is provided with two external input terminals 106 and 107 (external input terminals 1 and 2), and two HDMI terminals 108 smd 109 (HDMI terminals 1 and 2). An input switching menu is prepared in order to switch the external input terminals 106 and 107 and the'HDMI terminals 108 and 109, and is held in a memory 115. The memory.115 is a nonvolatile i&emory or the like»,. and stores a control program for operating the television apparatus 100 and various kinds of data. The external input terminals 106 and 107 are terminals for external input except for HDMI input, and are interfaces of, for example, such as a video input terminal, IEEE 1394, and USB (registered trademark). The HDMI terminals 108 and 109, including CEC I/F shown in Fig. 1, connect a plurality of external devices through an HDMI cable for transmitting/receiving a CEC message between external devices by a CEC line as well as receiving video signal (including audio signal) from external devices by a TMDS line. [0035] In an image processing portion 110, video signal converting processing such as noise reduction, scaling, and IP conversion, is appropriately performed as the occasion demands. In addition, image quality adjustment such.-a5 image quality emphasis correcting processing and Y correcting processing is appropriately performed. Moreover, in image signal converting processing, a frame memory 112 is used to perform various kinds of three-dimensional image processing. A device driving portion 111 controls driving of a display apparatus 113 such as a liquid crystal panel to cause the display apparatus 113 to display video signals output from the image processing portion IIQ,,, In addition,- the television apparatus 100 is provided with an infrared ray receiving portion 114 for receiving infrared ray signal from a remote controller (not shown) oper-ated by a u s e r . [0036] Further, audio signal decoded by the decoder 103 is processed at an audio processing portion 116 and this audio signal is supplied to a speaker 117 to reproduce sound. [0037] The system control portion 104 includes,the front microcomputer shown in Fig. 1 and the like, and controls input switching of the TV tuner 101, the external input terminals 106 and 107, and the HDMI terminals 108 and 109. In addition, the system control portion 104 performs analysis of a CEC message transmitted/received through the HDMI terminals 108 and 109 and control of operations based on the analysis result. [0038] A main characteristic part of the present invention liep in that, in a case where*, a, plurality of e'Sttrnal devices are connected to the tel.evision apparatrus 100 through the HDMI terminals 108 and 109 hierarchidally in a tree shape and a device non-compatible with CEC is contained in an input path, selecting an external device that has transmitted object device by Furthermore, the television apparatus 100 includes, when a device non-compatible with CEC is contained in an input path for transmitting Description will be given for a method for selecting an operation object device by a display system of the present invention with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 below illustrating a specific example. [0040] Fig. 3 is a view illustrating an" example of a method for selecting an operation object device by the display system -of- the present invention. In this example, the television apparatus (hereinafter, TV) 100 as a sink device includes two HDMI inputs (input 1 and input 2), wherein one input 1 is connected to an AV amplifier 20a as a repeater device, and further the AV amplifier 20a-includes two HDMI inputs (input 3 and input 4), wherein the input 3 is connected to a recorder 10a as a source device and the input 4 is connected to a DVD player 10b as a source device. Additionally, the other input 2 is connected to a recorder 10c as a source device. Note that, numbers of (0.0.0.0), (1.0.0.0), ..., (2.0.0.0) assigned to each device are physical addresses showing connected positions of each device. [0041] Fig. 4 is a view showing an example of communication processing by CEC when input switching is performed by video output from a source device. Fig. 4 (A) shows an example of a case where the AV amplifier 20a as the repeafer /device is a device compati'brle with HDMI CEC," and Figv 4 (B) shows an example of a case where ttie AV amplifier 20a as the repeater device is a device non-compatible with CEC. Note that; description for the communication processing in Figs. 4 (A) and (B) will be given based on the connection example of Fig. 3, and a command transmission illustrated by a dotted line shows processing of transmitting from a transmission source by broadcast. [0042] In Fig. 4.(A) , when a reproduction button of a DVD player 10b at physical address (1.2.0.0) is pressed and reproduction of AV stream is started during the viewing video recorded ina recorder 10c on TV 100, the DVD player 10b transmits At the physical address (1.2.0.0) specified by the finally transmitted Hereinbefore, description has been . given illustrating a case where the reproduction button of the DVD player 10b was pressed, however, it is also similar in a case where from other device compatible with HDMI CEC due to a user operation, and a DVD player 10b broadcasts Here, bo.th the According to the example of Fig. 4 (A) , in response to the video output operation for the source device, However, when the AV amplifier 20a is a device non-compatible with CEC, because of not reacting to operation object, and the DVD player 10b is not able to become asan operation object. Description for this will be given based on Fig. 4 (B) . [0046] In Fig. 4(B) , whe-n a reproduction button of a DVD player 10b at physical-address (1.2.0.0) -is pressed and reproduction of AV stream is started dyring the viewing video recorded in a recorder 10c on TV 100, the DVD player 10b transmits Then, the TV 100 which is not able to receive As a result, at a physical address specified by [00 48'] To improve such a problem, processing described below is executed in the present invention. The TV 100 recognizes that the 'active device" is the DVD player 10b at the time Note that, the above-described processing is executed only in a cse where the AV amplifier-.-.Oa is the., device non-compatible with CEC, and when tivje AV amplifier 20a is the-device compatible with HDMI;.CEC, as shown in Fig. 4 (A), an operation object device is updated by the physical address specified by the Update processing of an operation object device when the AV amplifier 20a does not correspond to CEC, or corresponds to CEC, is executed by operation object device selection means 104a shown in Fig. 2. The operation object device selection means 104a is able to determine whether AV amplifier 20a is device compatible with HDMI CEC or non-corresponding device by presence/absence of a response to a CEC message Here, a physical address of the AV amplifier 20a is (1.0.0.0) and a physical address of the DVD player 10b is (1.2.0.0) , therefore it is understood that an input path up to the physical address (1.0.0.0) of the AV amplifier 20a is contained in an input path up to the physical address (1.2.0.0) of the DVD player 10b. Nonetheless, since there is no response to a CEC message from the AV amplifier 20a at the physical address (1.0.0.0), it is recognized that it is a device non-compatible with CEC. In the case of the device non-compatible with CEC, because of not responding to a CEC message, the physical address (1.0.0.0) of the AV amplifier 20a is not appropriate as a physical address of an operation object device. Thereby, an op'eration •Qbject device is not updat-ed by the physicafl- address -(1.0.0.0) of the AV amplifier,20a, and the DVD player -10b at the physical address,. (1.2.0.0) specified by [0051] That is, the operation object device selection means 104a shown in Fig. 2 compares the first physical address ..(1.2.0.0) included in the By performing the above-described processing, in a network structure to which a plurality of devices are HDMI-connected, even when a CEC non-corresponding repeater device exists between a sink device (TV) and a source device, the source device notifies TV of CLAIMS 1. (Amended) A display system" wherein a display apparatus and a plurality of 'external devices are HDMI-connected hierarchically in a tree shape, wherein the display apparatus is provided with a CEC interface which receives a first CEC message indicative of beinging an active state capable of outputting video, from any of external device out of the plurality of external devices, and which transmits a second CEC message to switch an input path to the external device, and operation object device selection means for selecting, when a device non-compatible with CEC is contained in the input path for transmitting the second CEC message, an external device that corresponds to a physical address specified by the first CEC message as an operation object device. 2. (Amended) The display system as defined in Claim 1, wherein the operation object device selection means compares a first physical address contained in the first CEC message received from the external device, with a -.>-•- ,;•*,.., -.,; second physical address contained in the second CEC message transmitted from the display apparatus, and when an input path shown by the second physical address is contained in an input path shown by the first physical address, an external device that corresponds to a physical address specified by the first CEC message is selected as an operation object device. 3. The display system as defined in Claim 1, wherein the operation obj ect device selection means selects , an external device specified by the second CEC message as an operati-on object device, when a device non-compatible with CEC is not corjt-ained in the input path for transmitting the second CEC message. 4. The display" system as defined in any one of Claims 1 through 3, wherein the first CEC message is message is 5. A display apparatus that constitutes the display system defined in any one of Claims 1 through 4. |
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| Patent Number | 269270 | |||||||||
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| Indian Patent Application Number | 7656/CHENP/2009 | |||||||||
| PG Journal Number | 42/2015 | |||||||||
| Publication Date | 16-Oct-2015 | |||||||||
| Grant Date | 13-Oct-2015 | |||||||||
| Date of Filing | 29-Dec-2009 | |||||||||
| Name of Patentee | SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA | |||||||||
| Applicant Address | 22-22, NAGAIKE-CHO, ABENO-KU, OSAKA-SHI, OSAKA 545-8522 | |||||||||
Inventors:
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| PCT International Classification Number | H04N5/44 | |||||||||
| PCT International Application Number | PCT/JP08/62276 | |||||||||
| PCT International Filing date | 2008-07-07 | |||||||||
PCT Conventions:
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