IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE PROGRAM

• US 20090309807A1
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: MATSUMOTO, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,212,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0673 for control of gamma adjustment, e.g. selecting another gamma curve
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

An image display apparatus which is capable of optimizing the image quality of a plurality of display devices having different optical characteristics when carrying out processing of an image signal supplied to the display devices, without providing a dedicated display driving circuit for each display device. The image display apparatus comprises a plurality of liquid crystal display panels (10, 11) having different optical characteristics. A liquid crystal driving circuit (2) processes an image signal outputted to the liquid crystal display panels (10, 11). Operative states of the liquid crystal display panels (10, 11) are detected. At least one processing characteristic of the liquid crystal driving circuit (2) is changed according to the detected operative states.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of display devices having different optical characteristics;

a common display driving unit that processes an image signal based on predetermined control data that is selected from a group consisting of a plurality of control data, and outputs the processed image signal to said plurality of display devices;

a detecting unit that detects operative states of said plurality of display devices; and

a changing unit that changes at least one processing characteristic of said common display driving unit according to the detected operative states.

2. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the predetermined control data is composed of a plurality of setting values which determine the processing characteristic of said common display driving unit,

wherein said changing unit comprises a setting value holding unit that holds the plurality of setting values, and a selecting unit that selects one of the held plurality of setting values according to the detected operative states, and

wherein said changing unit changes the processing characteristic of said common display driving unit by setting the selected setting value to said common display driving unit.

3. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said detecting unit comprises an open-close detecting unit that detects an open-close state of a predetermined one of said display devices, and changes the processing characteristic of said common display driving unit based on the detected open-close state.

4. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said detecting unit comprises a rotation detecting unit that detects a rotational state of a predetermined one of said display devices, and changes the processing characteristic of said common display driving unit based on the detected rotational state.

5. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting unit comprises an open-close detecting unit that detects an open-close state of a predetermined one of said display devices, a rotation detecting unit that detects a rotational state of said predetermined display device, and a control unit that controls display operations of said display devices based on the detected open-close state and rotational state.

6. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a switching unit that switches an image quality-prioritizing in which priority is given to image quality of an image to be displayed on one of said plurality of display devices,

wherein said changing unit comprises a second selecting unit that selects a setting value from the setting values held by said setting value holding unit, according to the switching of said switching unit.

7. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the processing characteristic of said common display driving unit that is changed by said changing unit comprises at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of brightness, contrast, gamma, and white balance of the image signal.

8. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein said plurality of display devices comprise a first display device and a second device, and

wherein the plurality of setting values comprise at least two setting values selected from the group consisting of a first setting value that is most suitable for optical characteristics of the first display device, a second setting value that is most suitable for optical characteristics of the second display device, and a third setting value that is an approximately middle value of the first and second setting values.

9. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of setting values further comprise at least one setting value selected from the group consisting of a fourth setting value that is closer to the first setting value with respect to the approximately middle value, and a fifth setting value that is closer to the second setting value with respect to the approximately middle value.

10. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the first display device is provided on the image display apparatus such that it can be freely opened and closed and can be freely rotated relative to the image display apparatus, and the second display device is fixed to the image display apparatus, and

wherein the image display apparatus further comprises a control unit that controls display operations of the first display device and the second display device, based on an open-close state and a rotational state of the first display device.

11. An image display apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said plurality of display devices comprise liquid crystal display panels.

12. An image signal processing method of processing an image signal supplied to a plurality of display devices having different optical characteristics, using a common display driving unit that processes an image signal based on predetermined control data that is selected from a group consisting of a plurality of control data and outputs the processed image signal to the plurality of display devices, comprising:

a detecting step of detecting operative states of the plurality of display devices; and

a changing step of changing at least one processing characteristic of the common display driving unit according to the detected operative states.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an image signal processing method of processing an image signal supplied to a plurality of display devices having different optical characteristics, using a common display driving unit that processes an image signal based on predetermined control data that is selected from a group consisting of a plurality of control data and outputs the processed image signal to the plurality of display devices, the program comprising:

a detecting module for detecting operative states of the plurality of display devices; and

a changing module for changing at least one processing characteristic of the common display driving unit according to the detected operative states.