COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, TRANSMISSION APPARATUS, TRANSMISSION METHOD, RECEPTION APPARATUS AND RECEPTION METHOD

• US 20100033627A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Toshihide, Tsumori, Koki, Kawamura, Ban, Shimizu, Katsuhiro, Tsumura, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/500
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/005 Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• 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: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0125 one of the standards being a high definition standard
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/083 with signal insertion during the vertical and the horizontal blanking interval , e.g. MAC data signals

Abstract

[Object]

To make it possible for the reception side to carry out an optimum process for an image signal (image data) depending upon the type of a content.

[Solving Means]

An AV system 40 composed of an HD recorder 41 and a display unit 42 uses a communication interface of the HDMI. An HDMI source 53 of the HD recorder 41 transmits image data (image signal) in the form of differential signals to an HDMI sink 61 of the display unit 42 through three TMDS channels. The HDMI source 53 inserts content identification information for the identification of the type of a content of image data to be transmitted into an AVI InfoFrame packet placed in a blanking period. A control section 64 of the display unit 42 controls operation of a display processing section 62 which carries out a process for displaying for the image data based on the content identification information (ITC, CT1 and CT0) received by the HDMI sink 61 and a display section 63 for displaying an image.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising

a transmission apparatus, and

a reception apparatus, wherein

said transmission apparatus includes

an identification information insertion section configured to insert, into a blanking period of an image signal of a predetermined content to be transmitted, content identification information for the identification of a type of the predetermined content, and

a transmission section configured to transmit the image signal having the content identification information inserted in the blanking period thereof by said identification information insertion section in the form of differential signals to said reception apparatus through a plurality of channels, and

said reception apparatus includes

a reception section configured to receive the image signal, which has the content identification information inserted in the blanking period thereof, transmitted thereto in the form of differential signals from said transmission apparatus through the plurality of channels,

a display processing section configured to carry out a process for displaying for the image signal received by said reception section, and

a control section configured to control operation of said display processing section based on the content identification information inserted in the blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section.

2. A transmission apparatus, comprising

an identification information insertion section configured to insert, into a blanking period of an image signal of a predetermined content to be transmitted, content identification information for the identification of a type of the predetermined content, and

a transmission section configured to transmit the image signal having the content identification information inserted in the blanking period thereof by said identification information insertion section in the form of differential signals through a plurality of channels.

3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the content identification information is identification information at least for the identification of whether or not the predetermined content is a still picture content.

4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the content identification information is formed from a plurality of data placed hierarchically.

5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the content identification information is formed from first data formed from data of 1 bit and second data formed from data of 2 bits and used further when the first data is in one state.

6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

types of contents which are identified with the content identification information are a dynamic picture, a text, a still picture, a cinema and a game.

7. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the content identification information includes information indicative of the type of the content.

8. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the content identification information includes one or both of information indicative of a vendor name and information indicative of a type of a source apparatus.

9. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said identification information insertion section inserts content identification information for the identification of the type of the content into a blanking period of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted using the AVI InfoFrame of the HDMI.

10. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said identification information insertion section inserts content identification information for the identification of the type of the content into a blanking period of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted using the SPD InfoFrame of the HDMI.

11. The transmission apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said identification information insertion section inserts the content identification information for the identification of the type of the content into a blanking period of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted using one or both of the vendor name region and the source apparatus type region of the SPD InfoFrame of the HDMI.

12. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a color space information insertion section configured to insert color space information of the image signal into a blanking period of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted, wherein

the definition of the color space information varies in response to a type of the content indicated by the content identification information.

13. The transmission apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the definition of the color space information varies at least depending upon whether or not the predetermined content is a still picture.

14. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a quantization range information insertion section configured to insert quantization range information of the image signal into a blanking period of the image signal of the content to be transmitted, wherein

the definition of the quantization range information varies depending upon the type of the predetermined content indicated by the content identification information.

15. The transmission apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the definition of the quantization range information varies at least depending upon whether or not the predetermined content is a still picture.

16. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a reproduction section configured to reproduce and obtain the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted from a recording medium.

17. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a camera section configured to pick up an image of an image pickup object to obtain the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted.

18. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a user operation section configured to allow a user to designate a color space of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted.

19. The transmission apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

a color space information acquisition section configured to acquire information of color spaces which can be supported by a transmission destination of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted from the transmission destination.

20. The transmission apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising

a user operation section configured to allow a user to designate a color space of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted, wherein

the user can designate a predetermined color space from among the color spaces indicated based on the information of the color spaces acquired by said color space information acquisition section through said user operation section.

21. The transmission apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising

a color space setting section configured to select a predetermined color space from among the color spaces indicated by the information of the color spaces acquired by said color space information acquisition section to automatically set the color space of the image signal of the predetermined content to be transmitted.

22. A transmission method, comprising:

an identification information insertion step of inserting, into a blanking period of an image signal of a predetermined content to be transmitted, content identification information for the identification of a type of the predetermined content; and

a transmission step of transmitting the image signal having the content identification information inserted in the blanking period thereof at the identification information insertion step in the form of differential signals through a plurality of channels.

23. A reception apparatus, comprising:

a reception section configured to receive an image signal transmitted thereto in the form of differential signals through a plurality of channels and having content identification information for the identification of a type of a content inserted in a blanking period thereof;

a display processing section configured to carry out a process for displaying for the image signal received by said reception section; and

a control section configured to control operation of said display processing section based on the content identification information inserted in the blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section.

24. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

an input terminal to which a compressed image signal is inputted;

a different display processing section configured to carry out a process for displaying for the image signal inputted to said input terminal; and

a different control section configured to control operation of said display processing section in response to a file format of the image signal inputted to said input terminal.

25. The reception apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said input terminal is a USB terminal.

26. The reception apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said different control section controls said display processing section such that, when the image signal inputted to said input terminal is a JPEG file, a still picture process is carried out for the image signal.

27. The reception apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said different control section controls said display processing section such that, when the image signal inputted to said input terminal is a JPEG file and a particular maker code is included in a tag of the JPEG file, a still picture process is carried out for the image signal.

28. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

said display processing section includes at least a contour emphasis section configured to carry out contour emphasis for the image signal, and

said control section controls such that, when the content identification information indicates a text, the contour emphasis by said contour emphasis section is not carried out for the image signal.

29. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

said display processing section includes at least a color space changing section configured to change a color space, and

said control section controls said color space changing section such that, when the content identification information indicates a still picture, the color space is changed to a color space for a still picture.

30. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

said display processing section includes at least a gradation changing section configured to change a black side gradation, and

said control section controls said gradation changing section such that, when the content identification information indicates a cinema, a gradation on the black side is raised.

31. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

said display processing section includes at least a picture quality improvement section configured to carry out a process for picture quality change for the image signal and providing predetermined delay to the image signal, and

said control section controls such that, when the content identification information indicates a game, the process by said picture quality improvement section is not carried out for the image signal.

32. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

the content identification information indicates a still picture or a dynamic picture, and

said control section

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the still picture, a process suitable for the still picture is carried out for the image signal, and

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the dynamic picture, a process suitable for the dynamic picture is carried out for the image signal.

33. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising

a mode setting section configured to allow a user to set one of an auto mode, a still picture mode and a dynamic picture mode, wherein

the content identification information indicates a still picture or a dynamic picture,

where the auto mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the still picture, a process suitable for the still picture is carried out for the image signal, and

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the dynamic picture, a process suitable for the dynamic picture is carried out for the image signal, and

where the still picture mode or the dynamic picture mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section

controls said display processing section such that a process suitable for the set mode is carried out for the image signal.

34. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

the content identification information indicates a still picture, a dynamic picture, a text, a cinema or a game, and

said control section

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the still picture, a process suitable for the still picture is carried out for the image signal,

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the dynamic picture, a process suitable for the dynamic picture is carried out for the image signal,

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the text, a process suitable for the text is carried out for the image signal,

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the cinema, a process suitable for the cinema is carried out for the image signal, and

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the game, a process suitable for the game is carried out for the image signal.

35. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising

a mode setting section configured to allow a user to set one of auto, still picture, dynamic picture, text, cinema and game modes, wherein

the content identification information indicates a still picture, a dynamic picture, a text, a cinema or a game,

where the auto mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the still picture, a process suitable for the still picture is carried out for the image signal, and

controls said display processing section such that, when the content identification information indicates the dynamic picture, a process suitable for the dynamic picture is carried out for the image signal, and

where the still picture mode, the dynamic picture mode, the text mode, the cinema mode or the game mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section

controls said display processing section such that a process suitable for the set mode is carried out for the image signal.

36. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

within a blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section, color space information whose definition varies in response to the type of the content indicated by the content identification information is inserted in addition to the content identification information, and

said control section controls operation of said display processing section based on the content identification information and the color space information inserted in the blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section.

37. The reception apparatus according to claim 36, wherein

said display processing section includes at least a color gamut expansion section configured to expand the color gamut, and

said control section controls said color gamut expansion section such that, when the color space indicated by the color space information is the sRGB, the color gamut expansion process is carried out for the image signal.

38. The reception apparatus according to claim 36, wherein

the color space information indicates a color space of the sRGB, sYCC or Adobe RGB, and

said control section sets the color space to the color space indicated by the color space information.

39. The reception apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising

a mode setting section configured to allow a user to set one of auto, sRGB, sYCC and Adobe RGB modes, wherein

the color space information indicates an sRGB, sYCC or Adobe RGB color space, and

when the auto mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section sets the color space to a color space indicated by the color space information, and

when the sRGB mode, the sYCC mode or the Adobe RGB mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section sets the color space to a color space corresponding to the set mode.

40. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

within a blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section, quantization range information of the image signal whose definition varies in response to the type of the content indicated by the content identification information is inserted in addition to the content identification information, and

said control section controls operation of said display processing section based on the content identification information and the quantization range information inserted in the blanking period of the image signal received by said reception section.

41. The reception apparatus according to claim 40, wherein

the quantization range information indicates a full range or a limited range, and

said control section sets the quantization range for the image signal to a quantization range indicated by the quantization range information.

42. The reception apparatus according to claim 40, further comprising

a mode setting section configured to allow a user to set one of auto, full range and limited range modes, wherein

when the auto mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section sets the quantization range for the image signal to a quantization range indicated by the quantization range information, and

when the full range mode or the limited range mode is set by said mode setting section, said control section sets the quantization range for the image signal to a quantization range corresponding to the set mode.

43. The reception apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising

a tuner for receiving a broadcasting signal, and

a switch for selectively supplying an image signal received by said tuner or the image signal received by said reception section to said display processing section.

44. The reception apparatus according to claim 36, wherein

said display processing section includes an OSD portion, and

said control section controls said OSD portion such that a type of the content indicated by the content identification information or a type of a color space indicated by the color space information is OSD displayed.

45. The reception apparatus according to claim 36, wherein

said display processing section includes an OSD portion, and

said control section controls said OSD portion such that, when a color space indicated by the color space information is not supported, that the color space is not supported is OSD displayed.

46. A reception method, comprising:

a reception step of receiving an image signal transmitted in the form of differential signals through a plurality of channels and having content identification information for the identification of a type of a content inserted in a blanking period thereof;

a display processing step of carrying out a process for displaying an image for the image signal received at the reception step; and

a control step of controlling operation at the display processing step based on the content identification information inserted in the blanking period of the image signal received at the reception step.

47. A reception apparatus, comprising:

a reception section configured to receive an image signal of a predetermined content which has content identification information for the identification of a type of a content;

a display processing section configured to carry out a process for displaying for the image signal received by said reception section; and

a control section configured to control operation of said display processing section based on the content identification information which the image signal received by said reception section has.

48. The reception apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

the content identification information is inserted in a blanking period of the image signal.

49. The reception apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

the content identification information includes information of a compression method of the image signal.

50. The reception apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said reception section receives a compressed image signal inputted to an input terminal, and

said control section controls said display processing section such that, when the image signal received by said reception section is a JPEG file, a still picture process is carried out for the image signal.

51. The reception apparatus according to claim 50, wherein

said input terminal is a USB terminal.

52. The reception apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said reception section receives a compressed image signal inputted to a USB terminal, and

said control section controls said display processing section such that, when the image signal received by said reception section is a JPEG file and a particular maker code is included in a tag of the JPEG file, a still picture process is carried out for the image signal.

53. The reception apparatus according to claim 52, wherein

said input terminal is a USB terminal.

54. A reception method, comprising:

a reception step of receiving an image signal of a predetermined content which has content identification information for the identification of a type of a content;

a display processing step of carrying out a process for displaying for the image signal received at the reception step; and

a control step of controlling operation at the display processing step based on the content identification information which the image signal received at the reception section has.