Method and apparatus for displaying information about external devices and computer readable recording medium storing program executing the method

• US 20070300188A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hye-rin
• Application Number:
  US11/649,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20070300188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

Provided are a method and apparatus for displaying information about an external device and a computer readable recording medium storing a program executing the method. The display method includes receiving an input signal from the external device; determining an icon to be displayed with reference to information related to the type of the external device, which is included in the input signal; determining an on-screen position at which the icon will be displayed with reference to input terminal information included in the input signal; and displaying the icon at the determined position. Accordingly, a user can be visually and intuitively aware of the connection state of the external device.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information on a display apparatus, comprising:

receiving an input signal from an external device;

determining an icon to be displayed with reference to information related to a type of the external device, which is included in the input signal;

determining an on-screen position at which the icon will be displayed with reference to input terminal information included in the input signal; and

displaying the icon at the determined position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed when the external device is connected to the display apparatus, the state of the external device connected to the display apparatus is changed, or the display apparatus is powered on.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display apparatus corresponds to a digital TV system and the displaying of the icon comprises displaying the icon on the screen of the digital TV system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display apparatus corresponds to a digital TV system and the displaying of the icon comprises displaying the icon in an on-screen display window of the digital TV system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of an icon to be displayed comprises determining an icon to be displayed with reference to information about the state of the external device, which is included in the input signal, and the method further comprises, when the state of the external device is changed, displaying an icon representing the changed state of the external device replacing the currently displayed icon representing a previous connection state of the external device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information about the state of the external device includes at least one of a power-off state, a power-on state, a playing state and an interrupted state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of an icon to be displayed comprises determining an icon to be displayed with reference to information about the model of the external device, which is included in the input signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of an on-screen position at which the icon will be displayed comprises determining an on-screen position corresponding to the position of the input terminal based on the input terminal information, wherein the external device is connected to the input terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of an on-screen position at which the icon will be displayed comprises determining an on-screen position corresponding to an actual position of an input terminal based on the input terminal information, wherein the external device is connected to the input terminal, so that a user can be intuitively aware of which input terminal is connected to the external device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting a display mode of the display apparatus to a mode of displaying contents from the external device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

when the displayed icon is not selected, removing the displayed icon from the screen after a predetermined period of time; and

displaying the removed icon on the screen again when a menu for selecting the external device is selected.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an icon representing a connection terminal of the display apparatus, which is not connected to any external device, at an on-screen position corresponding to the connection terminal.

13. An apparatus for displaying information related to an external device, comprising:

a receiver which receives an input signal from the external device, wherein the input signal comprises information related to a type of the external device and information related to an input terminal;

a storage unit comprising a database which stores icon information for displaying the information related to the external device; and

a controller which receives the input signal from the input signal receiver, searches the database for an icon representing the type of the external device, determines a position at which the searched icon will be displayed, and controls a display unit to display the searched icon at the determined position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller controls the display unit to display the searched icon corresponding to the external device when the external device is connected to the apparatus, a state of the external device connected to the apparatus is changed, or the apparatus is powered on.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a digital TV system, and the controller displays the searched icon on the screen of the digital TV system.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a digital TV system, and the controller displays the searched icon on an on-screen display window of the digital TV system.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller determines the icon to be displayed by searching the database for an icon with reference to information related to a state of the external device, which is included in the input signal, when the state of the external device changes and the controller displays an icon representing the changed state of the external device replacing the currently displayed icon representing a previous connection state of the external device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information about the state of the external device includes at least one of a power-off state, a power-on state, a playing state and an interrupted state.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller searches the database for the icon to be displayed with reference to information related to a model of the external device, which is included in the input signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller determines the icon display position by determining an on-screen position corresponding to the position of the input terminal based on the input terminal information, wherein the external device is connected to the input terminal.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller determines the icon display position by determining an on-screen position corresponding to an actual position of the input terminal based on the input terminal information, wherein the external device is connected to the input terminal, so that a user can be intuitively aware of which input terminal is connected to the external device.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a user input unit, wherein the controller converts a display mode of the apparatus to a mode of displaying contents from the external device when the displayed icon is selected through the user input unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, when the display icon is not selected, the controller removes the displayed icon from the screen after a predetermined period of time and displays the removed icon again when a menu for selecting the external device is selected.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the database includes icon information representing a type, model and state of at least one external device for which the apparatus is configured to be connected.

25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller displays an icon representing a connection terminal of the apparatus that is not connected to any external device, at an on-screen position corresponding to the connection terminal.

26. A computer readable recording medium storing a program implementing functions of displaying information related to an external device connected to a digital TV system, said functions comprising:

receiving an input signal from the external device;

determining an icon to be displayed with reference to information related to a type of the external device, which is included in the input signal;

determining an on-screen position at which the icon will be displayed with reference to input terminal information included in the input signal; and

displaying the icon at the determined position on the screen of the digital TV system.