Broadcast receiver

• US 20060221257A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Takao
• Granted Patent: US 7,659,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/738
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals

Abstract

A broadcast receiver includes a varying unit which varies an output volume of broadcast audio, a display unit which displays a subtitle, which represents content of the broadcast audio, and a control unit which controls the display unit to display the subtitle when the broadcast receiver is in an operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed and when the output volume is less than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiver comprising:

a varying unit which varies an output volume of broadcast audio;

a display unit which displays a subtitle, which represents content of the broadcast audio; and

a control unit which controls the display unit to display the subtitle when the broadcast receiver is in an operation mode inhibiting displaying subtitles and when the output volume is less than a predetermined value.

2. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display unit such that in a case where the output volume is varied from a value less than the predetermined value to a value not less than the predetermined value when the broadcast receiver is in the operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed, the display of the subtitle is continued for a predetermined time period from a time instant of the variation of the output volume.

3. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein the varying unit decreases the output volume below the predetermined value when a telephone conversation is conducted near the broadcast receiver.

4. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiver includes an internal speaker, or the broadcast receiver is connectable to an external speaker, and the broadcast audio and a reception-call voice for a telephone conversation are output from the internal speaker or the external speaker, and

the varying unit decreases the output volume below the predetermined value when the reception-call voice is output from the internal speaker or the external speaker.

5. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein the varying unit varies the output volume in accordance with a request by a user.

6. A broadcast receiver which includes an internal display or is connectable to an external display, comprising:

a varying unit which varies an output volume of broadcast audio;

a first control unit which controls the internal display or the external display such that a subtitle representative of content of the audio is displayed only at a time of an operation mode in which subtitles are displayed; and

a second control unit which controls the internal display or the external display such that the subtitle is displayed when the broadcast receiver is in an operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed and when the output volume is less than a predetermined value.

7. The broadcast receiver according to claim 6, wherein the second control unit controls the internal display or the external display such that in a case where the output volume is varied from a value less than the predetermined value to a value not less than the predetermined value when the broadcast receiver is in the operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed, the display of the subtitle is continued for a predetermined time period from a time instant of the variation of the output volume.

8. The broadcast receiver according to claim 6, further comprising a unit which detects a call-ON state in which a telephone conversation is conducted near the broadcast receiver,

wherein the varying unit decreases the output volume below the predetermined value when the call-ON state is detected.

9. The broadcast receiver according to claim 6, further comprising:

a unit connectable to an external speaker, or a internal speaker; and

a unit which outputs the broadcast audio and a reception-call voice for a telephone conversation from the internal speaker or the external speaker,

wherein the varying unit decreases the output volume below the predetermined value when the reception-call voice is output from the internal speaker or the external speaker.

10. The broadcast receiver according to claim 6, further comprising a unit which inputs a request for varying the output volume by a user,

wherein the varying unit varies the output volume in accordance with the request.

11. A broadcast receiver for receiving video and audio signals and having a speaker outputting audio corresponding to the received audio signals with an output volume comprising:

a display unit which is capable of displaying video and subtitles representing content of the audio; and

a control unit which controls the display unit to display the subtitle when the broadcast receiver is in a predetermined mode inhibiting displaying the subtitles and when an output volume of the speaker is varied from a first value larger than a predetermined value to a second value less than the predetermined value.