Method and apparatus for utilizing blank space on a high definition television screen

• US 20060059514A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ryal, Kim Annon, Hsiao, Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/938,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20060059514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4622 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios

Abstract

A method and system for displaying media in the otherwise blank spaces remaining when a standard television signal is viewed on a high definition television screen and vice versa. In one embodiment, two separate media are accessed by a set top box for a high definition television screen. A standard television broadcasting signal is accessed as well as second media signal. The second media signal may consist of for example advertisements, program guide information, an internet browser, other media, etc. The standard television signal is rendered on a main portion of the high definition television screen, while the second media occupies the remaining space.

Claims

1. A method of displaying onto a television comprising:

accessing a standard definition signal comprising first media;

accessing second media from information separate from said first media;

generating a composite signal comprising said first media and said second media; and

based on said composite signal, rendering said first media onto a first portion of a high definition television screen and rendering said second media onto a second portion of said high definition television screen, wherein said second portion is not required for display of said first media and is left blank in absence of said second media.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said second media comprises program guide information.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said second media comprises a web browser.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said second media comprises advertisement content.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion is a left portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a right portion of said high definition television screen.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion is a right portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a left portion of said high definition television screen.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said first portion is a middle portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a left and right portion of said high definition television screen.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said standard definition signal is substantially compliant with a 4:

3 aspect ratio display format and wherein said high definition television screen is substantially compliant with a 16;

9 aspect ratio display format.

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said generating said composite signal comprises combining a first video surface plane related to said first media and a second video surface plane related to said second media.

10. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said second media is received during a video blanking interval of said standard definition signal.

11. A set top box for a displaying onto a television comprising:

means for receiving a first standard definition signal comprising first media;

means for receiving a second media from information separate from said first media; and

means for generating a composite signal comprising said first media and said second media;

wherein said first media is to be rendered onto a first portion of a high definition television screen and said second media is to be rendered onto a second portion of said high definition television screen, wherein said second portion is left blank in absence of said second media.

12. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said second media comprises program guide information.

13. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said second media comprises a web browser.

14. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said second media comprises advertisement content.

15. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said first portion is a left portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a right portion of said high definition television screen.

16. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said first portion is a right portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a left portion of said high television screen.

17. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said first portion is a middle portion of said high definition television screen and wherein said second portion is a left and right portion of said high definition television screen.

18. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said standard definition signal is substantially compliant with a 4:

3 aspect ratio display format and wherein said high definition signal is substantially compliant with a 16;

9 aspect ration display format.

19. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said generating said composite signal comprises combining a first video surface plane related to said first media and a second video surface plane related to said second media.

20. A set top box as described in claim 11 wherein said second media is received during a video blanking interval of said standard definition signal.

21. A method of displaying onto a television comprising:

accessing a high definition definition signal comprising first media;

accessing second media from information separate from said first media;

generating a composite signal comprising said first media and said second media; and

based on said composite signal, rendering said first media onto a first portion of a standard television screen and rendering said second media onto a second portion of said standard television screen, wherein said second portion is not required for display of said first media and is left blank in absence of said second media.

22. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said second media comprises program guide information.

23. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said second media comprises a web browser.

24. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said second media comprises advertisement content.

25. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said first portion is a top portion of said standard television screen and wherein said second portion is a bottom portion of said standard television screen.

26. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said first portion is a bottom portion of said standard television screen and wherein said second portion is a top portion of said standard television screen.

27. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said first portion is a middle portion of said standard television screen and wherein said second portion is a top and bottom portion of said standard television screen.

28. A method as described in claim 21 wherein said high-definition television signal is substantially compliant with a 16:

9 aspect ratio display format and wherein said standard definition television screen is substantially compliant with a 4;

3 aspect ratio display format.