VIDEO/SOUND OUTPUT DEVICE AND EXTERNAL SPEAKER CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090262256A1
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Masazumi, Mizoguchi, Masahiko, Mitani, Akihiro, Kataoka, Mitsuteru, Kase, Hiroshi, Asayama, Sako, Murakami, Toshiki
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/738
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/642 Disposition of sound reproducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/15 Transducers incorporated in visual displaying devices, e.g. televisions, computer displays, laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A television set includes: an internal speaker which outputs sound; a memory which holds information; a remote controller receiver which receives an instruction from the outside of the television set; a microcomputer which causes, based on a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode received by the remote controller receiver, the memory to hold any one of (a) information that indicates a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from the internal speaker and (b) information that indicates a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker that is a speaker outside the television set; and an HDMI/CEC communication unit which outputs the information that indicates the sound output mode and that is held by the memory, to an amplifier which controls to operate or not operate the speaker outside the television set.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A video and sound output device which outputs video and sound, said video and sound output device comprising:

an internal speaker operable to output sound;

a holding unit operable to hold information which indicates at least one of a plurality of sound output modes;

a receiving unit operable to receive a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode;

a management unit operable to cause, based on the mode specifying instruction received by said receiving unit, said holding unit to hold at least one of;

(a) information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from said internal speaker, or

(b) information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker outside said video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to output the information indicating the sound output mode held in said holding unit, to an external speaker control device which controls the external speaker.

34. The video and sound output device according to claim 33,

wherein said output unit is operable to output information to the external speaker control device such that;

(a) when the information indicating the first sound output mode is received, the sound is not outputted from the external speaker; and

(b) when the information indicating the second sound output mode is received, the sound is outputted from the external speaker.

35. The video and sound output device according to claim 33,

wherein said output unit is operable to output information indicating a changed sound output mode to the external speaker control device when the information indicating the sound output mode held in said holding unit is changed.

36. The video and sound output device according to claim 33 further comprising

a control unit operable (a) to cause the sound to be outputted from said internal speaker, when the information indicating the first sound output mode is held in said holding unit, and (b) not to cause the sound to be outputted from said internal speaker when the information indicating the second sound output mode is held in said holding unit.

37. The video and sound output device according to claim 36,

wherein, when the information indicating the first sound output mode is held in said holding unit, said control unit is operable to control a volume of the sound outputted from said internal speaker based on a sound volume change instruction for changing the volume of the output sound when said receiving unit receives the sound volume change instruction from the outside of said video and sound output device;

and

when the information indicating the second sound output mode is held in said holding unit, said output unit is operable to output sound volume control information for controlling a volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker based on the sound volume change instruction when said receiving unit receives the sound volume change instruction from the outside of said video and sound output device.

38. The video and sound output device according to claim 33,

wherein said output unit is operable to (a) output power supply control information for turning OFF the external speaker control device to the external speaker control device when the information indicating the first sound output mode is held in said holding unit, and (b) output a power supply control information for turning ON the external speaker control device to the external speaker control device when the information indicating the second sound output mode is held in said holding unit.

39. The video and sound output device according to claim 33,

wherein said receiving unit is operable to receive the mode specifying instruction from a remote controller which controls the external speaker control device.

40. An external speaker control device which controls an external speaker outside a video and sound output device, said external speaker control device comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from the external speaker, from the video and sound output device; and

a sound control unit operable (a) not to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when said receiving unit receives information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when said receiving unit receives information indicating the second sound output mode.

41. The external speaker control device according to claim 40,

wherein said sound control unit is operable to control a volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker, based on sound volume control information for controlling the volume of the sound outputted from the external speaker when the sound volume control information is received from the video and sound output device, when said receiving unit receives the information indicating the second sound output mode.

42. The external speaker control device according to claim 40, further comprising a power control unit operable to (a) turn OFF said external speaker control device when said receiving unit receives the information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) turn ON said external speaker control device when said receiving unit receives the information indicating the second sound output mode.

43. The external speaker control device according to claim 40, further comprising an external device control unit operable to control an operation of a predetermined device outside said external speaker control device based on the information indicating the sound output mode received by said receiving unit.

44. The external speaker control device according to claim 43,

wherein said predetermined device is a lighting device such that the external device control unit is operable to (a) cause the lighting device to light up, when the information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and (b) cause the lighting device to light down when the information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

45. The external speaker control device according to claim 40, further comprising

an output unit operable to output a mode specifying instruction for specifying the sound output mode to the video and sound output device.

46. The external speaker control device according to claim 45,

wherein said output unit is operable to output the mode specifying instruction to the video and sound output device when a predetermined button on a remote controller which controls a main body of said external speaker control device is pressed.

47. A sound signal output device which outputs sound signals of a plurality of channel modes, said sound signal output device comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside a video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an external speaker outside of the video and sound output device, from a video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to (a) output a sound signal whose number is a first channel number when said receiving unit receives information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) output a sound signal whose number is a second channel number that is larger than the first channel number when said receiving unit receives information indicating the second sound output mode.

48. A video and sound output device which outputs video and sound, said video and sound output device comprising:

a holding unit operable to hold information indicating at least one of a plurality of sound output modes;

a receiving unit operable to receive a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode;

a management unit operable to cause, based on the mode specifying instruction, said holding unit to hold at least one of;

(a) information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a first external speaker that is a first speaker outside said video and sound output device, or

(b) information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a second external speaker that is a second speaker outside said video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to output the information indicating the sound output mode held in said holding unit, to another video and sound output device having the first external speaker and to an external speaker control device which controls the second external speaker.

49. The video and sound output device according to claim 48,

wherein the another video and sound output device is operable (a) to cause the sound to be outputted from the first external speaker when the information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and (b) not to cause the sound to be outputted from the first external speaker when the information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

50. The video and sound output device according to claim 48,

wherein the external speaker control device is operable (a) not to cause the sound to be outputted from the second external speaker when the information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and (b) to cause the sound to be outputted from the second external speaker when the information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

51. The video and sound output device according to claim 48,

wherein said output unit is operable to output information indicating a changed sound output mode to the another video and sound output device and the external speaker control device when the information indicating the sound output mode held in said holding unit is changed.

52. A sound output mode notification method comprising:

receiving a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

managing to cause, based on the received mode specifying instruction, a holding unit to hold one of;

information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device;

or

information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

outputting the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit, to an external speaker control device which controls the external speaker.

53. A sound output control method comprising:

receiving information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside a video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device, from a video and sound output device; and

controlling the sound to not be outputted from an external speaker when information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and controlling the sound to be outputted from the external speaker, when information indicating the second sound output mode, is received.

54. A sound signal output method comprising:

receiving information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside a video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device, from a video and sound output device; and

outputting a sound signal whose number is a first channel number when information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and a sound signal whose number is a second channel number that is larger than the first channel number when information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

55. A sound output mode notification method comprising:

receiving a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

managing to cause, based on the received mode specifying instruction, a holding unit to hold at least one of;

information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a first external speaker outside the video and sound output device;

or

information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a second external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

outputting the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit to another video and sound output device having the first external speaker and to an external speaker control device which controls the second external speaker.

56. An integrated circuit comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

a management unit operable to cause, based on the mode specifying instruction received by said receiving unit, a holding unit to hold one of;

(a) information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device;

or

(b) information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to output the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit to an external speaker control device which controls the external speaker.

57. An integrated circuit comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from a speaker inside a video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device, from a video and sound output device; and

a sound control unit operable (a) not to cause the sound to be outputted from an external speaker when said receiving unit receives information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when said receiving unit receives information indicating the second sound output.

58. An integrated circuit comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside a video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device, from a video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to (a) output a sound signal whose number is a first channel number when said receiving unit receives information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) output a sound signal whose number is a second channel number that is larger than the first channel number when said receiving unit receives information indicating the second sound output mode.

59. An integrated circuit comprising:

a receiving unit operable to receive a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

a management unit operable to cause, based on the mode specifying instruction received by said receiving unit, a holding unit to hold one of;

(a) information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a first external speaker outside the video and sound output device;

or

(b) information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a second external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to output the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit, to another video and sound output device having the first external speaker and to an external speaker control device which controls the second external speaker.

60. A program which causes a computer to execute a method comprising:

receiving a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

managing to cause, based on the received mode specifying instruction, a holding unit to hold one of;

information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device;

or

information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

outputting the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit to an external speaker control device which controls the external speaker.

61. A program which causes a computer to execute a method comprising:

receiving information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from the external speaker from a video and sound output device; and

controlling (a) sound to not be outputted from an external speaker when information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and (b) controlling sound to be outputted from the external speaker when information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

62. A program which causes a computer to execute a method comprising:

receiving information indicating a first sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from an internal speaker inside the video and sound output device and a second sound output mode in which the sound is outputted from the external speaker from a video and sound output device; and

outputting a sound signal whose number is a first channel number when information indicating the first sound output mode is received, and a sound signal whose number is a second channel number that is larger than the first channel number when information indicating the second sound output mode is received.

63. A program which causes a computer to execute a method comprising:

receiving a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode from outside of a video and sound output device;

managing to cause, based on the received mode specifying instruction, a holding unit to hold at least one of;

information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a first external speaker outside the video and sound output device;

or

information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from a second external speaker outside the video and sound output device; and

outputting the information indicating the sound output mode held in the holding unit to another video and sound output device having the first external speaker and to an external speaker control device which controls the second external speaker.

64. A video and sound output system comprising:

a video and sound output device which outputs video and sound; and

an external speaker control device which controls an external speaker outside said video and sound output device,

wherein said video and sound output device comprises;

an internal speaker operable to output sound;

a holding unit operable to hold information which indicates at least one of a plurality of sound output modes;

a receiving unit operable to receive a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode;

a management unit operable to cause, based on the mode specifying received by said receiving unit, said holding unit to hold at least one of;

(a) information indicating a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from said internal speaker;

or

(b) information indicating a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker outside said video and sound output device; and

an output unit operable to output the information indicating the sound output mode held in said holding unit, to an external speaker control device which controls the external speaker, and

said external speaker control device includes;

a receiving unit operable to receive the information indicating the sound output mode from said video and sound output device; and

a sound control unit operable (a) not to cause sound to be outputted from the external speaker when said receiving unit receives the information indicating the first sound output mode, and (b) to cause the sound to be outputted from the external speaker when said receiving unit receives the information indicating the second sound output mode.