On screen display apparatus and method for displaying menu thereon

• US 20060202978A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jeong-yeon, Lee, Sang-hee
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42692 for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]
• 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 21/4316 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

An on screen display (OSD) apparatus and a method for displaying a menu on the OSD apparatus are provided. The ODS apparatus includes: a memory module which stores a system program and data for a first region, where the data for the first region includes a plurality of first menu items; a screen which displays the first region; an input device which generates signals for displaying the first region on the screen; and a controller which divides the first region into a first sub-region and a second sub-region by using the system program, upon receipt of signals from an input device, and which displays the first sub-region and the second sub-region at different heights on the screen.

Claims

1. An on screen display (OSD) apparatus comprising:

a memory module which stores data for a first region and which stores a system program, wherein the data for the first region comprises a plurality of first menu items;

a screen which displays the first region;

an input device which generates signals for displaying the first region on the screen; and

a controller which divides the first region into a first sub-region and a second sub-region and displays the first sub-region and the second sub-region at different heights on the screen.

2. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein, if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, the controller displays help information for the at least one first menu item on the screen.

3. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein, if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, the controller displays at least one sub-menu item for the at least one first menu item on the screen.

4. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller moves the first menu items horizontally on the screen upon receipt of move signals from an input device.

5. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein, if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, the controller animates the at least one first menu item and displays the at least one first menu item which is animated on the screen.

11. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller divides the first region into the first sub-region and the second sub-region by using the system program upon receipt of signals from the input device.

12. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the input device is a remote control.

13. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the input device is a control panel.

6. A method for displaying a menu in an on screen display (OSD) apparatus, comprising:

storing a system program and data for a first region, wherein the data for the first region includes a plurality of first menu items;

generating signals for displaying the first region on a screen;

receiving signals from an input device; and

dividing the first region into a first sub-region and a second sub-region, by using the system program, upon receipt of the signals from the input device, and displaying the first sub-region and the second sub-region at different heights on a screen.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, displaying help information for the at least one first menu item on the screen.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, displaying at least one sub-menu item for the at least one first menu item on the screen.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

moving the first menu items horizontally on the screen upon receipt of move signals for moving the menu items, after the first region is displayed.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising a step of:

if at least one the first menu item of the plurality of first menu items is displayed in the first sub-region, animating the at least one first menu item and displaying the animated first menu item on the screen.

14. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the input device is a remote control.

15. The OSD apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the input device is a control panel.