Image display device, image display method, and television receiver

• US 20050264702A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshii, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/687
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/062 Adjustment of illumination source parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0653 Controlling or limiting the speed of brightness adjustment of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/16 Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/57 : Control of contrast or brightness
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/58 : in dependence upon ambient light

Abstract

An image display device controls a screen luminance to an appropriate value in response to switching of a display mode, thereby displaying each of television broadcast program images and graphic user interface images (including an electronic program guide, and a variety of setting menus) in an easy-to-see and power-saving manner. The image display device switches between a mode of displaying the television image and a mode of displaying the graphic user interface image. In response to the mode switching instruction, the device controls variably luminance intensity of a backlight source, thereby providing a screen luminance appropriate for each mode.

Claims

1. An image display device switchable between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying a graphic user interface image, wherein the image display device comprises a controller which carries out variable control of a screen luminance in response to the mode switching.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the controller varies luminance intensity of a backlight source for backlighting a passive-type light modulator that displays an input image signal.

3. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the controller slows a rate of change in the screen luminance at the moment of switching from the mode of displaying the television image to the mode of displaying the graphic user interface image.

4. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the mode switching between the mode of displaying the television image and the mode of displaying the graphic user interface image is performed based on a screen switch command from a user.

5. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the graphic user interface image is an electronic program guide display image.

6. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the graphic user interface image is a variety of setting menus display image.

7. An image display method, comprising steps of:

switching between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying a graphic user interface image; and

variable controlling a screen luminance in response to the mode switching.

8. An image display device switchable between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying a computer image, wherein the image display device comprises:

a passive-type light modulator displaying an input image signal through a backlight source; and

a controller which carries out variable control of luminance intensity of the backlight source in response to the mode switching.

9. The image display device according to claim 8, wherein the controller slows a rate of change in the luminance intensity of the backlight source at the moment of switching from the mode of displaying the television image to the mode of displaying the computer image.

10. The image display device according to claim 8, wherein the mode switching between the mode of displaying the television image and the mode of displaying the computer image is performed based on an input switch command from a user.

11. An image display method, comprising steps of:

switching between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying a computer image; and

variable controlling, in response to the mode switching, luminance intensity of a backlight source for backlighting a passive-type light modulator that displays an input image signal.

12. An image display device switchable between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying an image of a screen for inputting character, wherein the image display device comprises a controller which carries out variable control of a screen luminance in response to the mode switching.

13. The image display device according to claim 12, wherein the controller varies luminance intensity of a backlight source for backlighting a passive-type light modulator that displays an input image signal.

14. The image display device according to claim 12, wherein the controller slows a rate of change in the screen luminance at the moment of switching from the mode of displaying the television image to the mode of displaying the image of a screen for inputting character.

15. The image display device according to claim 12 wherein the mode switching between the mode of displaying the television image and the mode of displaying the image of a screen for inputting character is performed based on a screen switch command from a user.

16. The image display device according to claim 12, wherein the screen for inputting character is an Internet browser screen.

17. The image display device according to claim 12, wherein the screen for inputting character is an electronic mail browser screen.

18. The image display device according to claim 12, wherein the screen for inputting character is a software keyboard screen.

19. An image display method, comprising steps of:

switching between a mode of displaying a television image and a mode of displaying a image of a screen for inputting character; and

variable controlling a screen luminance in response to the mode switching.

20. A television receiver comprising:

a receiver receiving a plurality of different types of broadcasts; and

a display displaying a program image relating to a broadcast received by the receiver;

wherein the television receiver comprises a controller which carries out variable control of a screen luminance of the display in response to a broadcast type of the program image.

21. The television receiver according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of types of broadcasts comprise at least a television broadcast and a data broadcast, and

wherein the controller lowers the screen luminance of the program image of the data broadcast than the screen luminance of the program image of the television broadcast.

22. The television receiver according to claim 21, wherein the controller slows a rate of change in the screen luminance at the moment of switching from the screen luminance in displaying the program image of the television broadcast to the screen luminance in displaying the program image of the data broadcast.

23. The television receiver according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of broadcast types further comprises a radio broadcast, and

wherein the controller lowers the screen luminance of the program image of the radio broadcast than the screen luminance of the program image of the data broadcast.

24. The television receiver according to claim 20, wherein the controller varies luminance intensity of a backlight source for backlighting a passive-type light modulator that displays an input image signal.

25. The television receiver according to claim 20, wherein the broadcast type of the program image is switched based on a switch instruction from a user.

26. An image display method for displaying program images of a plurality of broadcast types, the image display method comprising steps of:

detecting the broadcast type of a program image to be displayed; and

variable controlling a screen luminance in response to the detected broadcast type.