Video display appliance capable of adjusting a sub-picture and method thereof

• US 20040155982A1
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Seok Hwa
• Application Number:
  US10/772,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A video display appliance capable of adjusting a sub-picture independent from a main picture using an on-screen display menu in PIP mode and a method thereof are disclosed. The video display appliance includes a key input unit, provided with menu selection keys, vertical and horizontal adjustment buttons for adjusting the level of a selected menu, for receiving an input of a specified key signal, a main-picture signal processing unit for processing a main-picture signal inputted from an outside source in the form of a signal that can be outputted to a display unit, a sub-picture signal processing unit for processing a sub-picture signal inputted from an outside source in the form of a signal that can be outputted to the display unit, a micro-controller for controlling operations of respective constituent elements of the video display appliance, a PIP processing unit for superimposing a sub-picture signal outputted from a memory unit on the main-picture signal outputted from the main-picture signal processing unit, and an on-screen display (OSD) output unit for outputting an OSD menu in superimposition on the signal outputted from the PIP processing unit under the control of the micro-controller. The micro-controller outputs a sub-picture OSD adjustment menu for adjusting the sub-picture in the form of an OSD to the OSD output unit.

Claims

1. A video display appliance capable of adjusting a sub-picture in a picture-in-picture (PIP) mode, comprising:

a key input unit, provided with menu selection keys, vertical and horizontal adjustment buttons for adjusting a level of a selected menu, for receiving an input of a specified key signal;

a main-picture signal processing unit for processing a main-picture signal inputted from an outside source in the form of signal that can be outputted to a display unit;

a sub-picture signal processing unit for processing a sub-picture signal inputted from an outside in the form of a signal that can be outputted to the display unit;

a micro-controller for controlling operations of respective constituent elements of the video display appliance;

a PIP processing unit for superimposing a sub-picture signal outputted from a memory unit on the main-picture signal outputted from the main-picture signal processing unit; and

an on-screen display (OSD) output unit for outputting an OSD menu in superimposition on the signal outputted from the PIP processing unit under the control of the micro-controller;

wherein the micro-controller outputs a sub-picture OSD adjustment menu for adjusting the sub-picture in the form of an OSD to the OSD output unit.

2. The video display appliance of claim 1, wherein the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu comprises adjustable functions subject to control, and a changing amount display section for indicating an adjustment amount of the selected adjustable function subject to control.

3. The video display appliance of claim 1, wherein the functions subject to control that are displayed in the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu include at least one of a sub-picture horizontal size, a sub-picture vertical size, a sub-picture horizontal position, a sub-picture vertical position, a sub-picture brightness, a sub-picture contrast, and a thickness of a border line of the sub-picture.

4. The video display appliance of claim 1, wherein the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu is arranged in a sub-picture region.

5. The video display appliance of claim 1, wherein the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu is arranged in a position selected by a user.

6. The video display appliance of claim 2, wherein the changing amount display section displays the changing amount for a specified function subject to control as a variable histogram, a moving bar or arrows.

7. The video display appliance of claim 2, wherein in the case of displaying the changing amount display section using the variable histogram, the variable histogram is varied in a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction within a reference region, starting from a predetermined position of the reference region.

8. The video display appliance of claim 2, wherein in the case of displaying the changing amount display section using the moving bar, the moving bar is varied in a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction within a reference region, starting from a center line of the reference region.

9. The video display appliance of claim 2, wherein the changing amount display section of the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu indicates a level adjustment state in a vertical direction or in a horizontal direction in accordance with a kind of the function subject to control selected by a user.

10. The video display appliance of claim 2, wherein a level adjustment direction of the changing amount display section for the function subject to be controlled through the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu coincides with an actual changing direction of the sub-picture according to the adjustment.

11. A method of adjusting a sub-picture using an on-screen display (OSD) for a video display unit, comprising the steps of:

judging whether a sub-picture adjustment mode is selected by a user;

if it is judged that the sub-picture adjustment mode is selected by the user, displaying a sub-picture OSD adjustment menu in a specified region of a screen;

if one of functions subject to control is selected from the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu by the user, displaying a level adjustment display section in the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu;

detecting manipulation of a vertical adjustment button or a horizontal adjustment button of a key input unit, and varying a level of the level adjustment display section in response to the button manipulation; and

changing the corresponding function of the actual sub-picture as well as varying the level of the level adjustment section.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a manipulation direction of the vertical and horizontal adjustment buttons of the key input unit, a level-changing direction of the level adjustment display section, and an actually changed direction of the sub-picture coincide with one another.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the functions subject to control that are displayed on the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu include at least one of a sub-picture horizontal size, a sub-picture vertical size, a sub-picture horizontal position, a sub-picture vertical position, a sub-picture brightness, a sub-picture contrast, and a thickness of a border line of the sub-picture.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the level adjustment display section displayed in the sub-picture OSD adjustment menu displays a changing amount of the selected function subject to control using a level meter, arrows or a numeral.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a level meter of the level adjustment display section uses a variable histogram, or a moving bar in a horizontal or a vertical direction.