Visual content signal display apparatus and a method of displaying a visual content signal therefor

• US 20060268363A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Top Victory Investments Limited (TPV Technology Co., Ltd. (f/k/a Nanjing Huadong Electronics Information & Technology))
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Meinders, Erwin
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/453
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas

Abstract

The invention relates to a visual content signal display apparatus (100) comprising a receiver (101) which receives a visual content signal. The receiver (101) is coupled to a primary display processor (103) which is coupled to a primary display (105) and presents the visual content signal thereon. The receiver (101) is further coupled to an extraction processor (107) which extracts background content information from the visual content, signal. The background content information is fed to a secondary display processor (109) which generates a surround image on the basis of the extracted background content information. The surround image comprises visual characteristics corresponding to the visual characteristics of the image of the primary display (105). The display apparatus (100) further comprises a secondary display unit (111), coupled to the secondary display processor (109), and operable to display the surround image on a secondary display area whereby a combined display having an increased viewing angle is achieved. The surround image is preferably projected onto walls and ceiling of a room thereby providing an enhanced viewing experience.

Claims

1. A visual content signal display apparatus (100) comprising:

means (101) for receiving a visual content signal;

means (103) for presenting the visual content signal on a primary display (105);

means (107) for extracting background content information from the visual content signal;

means (109) for generating a surround image in response to the background content information; and

means (111) for displaying the surround image on a secondary display area thereby providing a combined display having an increased viewing angle.

2. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (111) for displaying the surround image is operable to project the surround image on to an external surface of an object.

3. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the external surface is an internal surface of a room.

4. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (107) for extracting is operable to extract real time background content information from the visual content signal, and the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate a real time surround image in response to the real time background content information.

5. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (107) for extracting is operable to extract the background content information in response to background meta-data comprised in the visual content signal.

6. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (107) for extracting is operable to extract the background content information in response to a content analysis of the visual content signal.

7. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the content analysis comprises image object recognition.

8. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the means (109) for generating a surround image is operable to perform motion estimation of an image object and to generate the surround image in response to the motion estimation.

9. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the background content information comprises a visual characteristic of an image section of the visual content signal proximal to an edge of the primary display;

the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate at least a partial surround image having a corresponding visual characteristic; and

the means (111) for displaying the surround image is operable to display the partial surround image proximal to the edge.

10. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (109) for generating a surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to a predetermined image associated with the background content information.

11. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to a predetermined default image if no valid background content information is determined.

12. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image at a lower quality than a quality of the display of the content signal on the primary display.

13. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image with a quality that decreases for increasing distance from the primary display.

14. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to characteristics of a viewing environment associated with the secondary display area.

15. A visual content signal display apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for determining a category of the visual content signal and wherein the means (109) for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image processing in response to the category.

16. A method of displaying a visual content signal comprising the steps of:

receiving a visual content signal;

presenting the visual content signal on a primary display (105);

extracting background content information from the visual content signal;

generating a surround image in response to the background content information; and

displaying the surround image on a secondary display area thereby providing a combined display having an increased viewing angle.

17. A computer program enabling the carrying out of a method according to claim 16.

18. A record carrier comprising a computer program as claimed in claim 17.