MULTIPLE REMOTE CONTROLLERS THAT EACH SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTROLS A DIFFERENT VISUAL PRESENTATION OF A 2D/3D DISPLAY

• US 20110159929A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/315 the parallax barriers being time-variant
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/356 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/368 for two or more viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/373 for tracking forward-backward translational head movements, i.e. longitudinal movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/376 for tracking left-right translational head movements, i.e. lateral movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/378 for tracking rotational head movements around an axis perpendicular to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/38 for tracking vertical translational head movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/403 the images being monoscopic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/405 the images being stereoscopic or three dimensional
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video

Abstract

Remote control devices that can be used to independently modify multiple visual presentations that are simultaneously displayed by a screen assembly are described, wherein at least one of the visual presentations is observable by a first viewer but not a second viewer. The remote control devices can also be used to independently select media content upon which each of the multiple visual presentations is based and to control the manner in which such media content is delivered to the screen assembly. In accordance with certain embodiments, at least one of the visual presentations comprises a three-dimensional visual presentation. Display systems that include such remote control devices and methods of operating the same are also described.

Claims

1. A viewer interface system supporting a first viewer and a second viewer, the viewer interface system interacting with a screen assembly having a display area, the viewer interface system comprising:

screen interface circuitry through which first visual content and second visual content are delivered to the screen assembly to produce a corresponding, simultaneous display of both a first visual presentation and a second visual presentation, the first visual presentation and the second visual presentation overlapping at least in part in the display area of the screen assembly, the first visual presentation being observable by the first viewer and not by the second viewer, while the second visual presentation being observable by the second viewer and not by the first viewer;

a first input interface that receives first input from the first viewer;

first remote control circuitry that responds to the first input by sending a first control signal via the screen interface circuitry to modify the first visual presentation;

a second input interface that receives second input from the second viewer; and

second remote control circuitry that responds to the second input by sending a second control signal via the screen interface circuitry to modify the second visual presentation.

2. The viewer interface system of claim 1, wherein the first visual presentation comprises a three-dimensional presentation.

3. The viewer interface system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

the first remote control circuitry being disposed in the first housing; and

the second remote control circuitry being disposed in the first housing.

4. The viewer interface system of claim 3, further comprising phone circuitry, and the phone circuitry being disposed in the first housing.

5. The viewer interface system of claim 3, further comprising computing device circuitry, and the computing device circuitry being disposed in the first housing.

6. A display system supporting a first viewer and a second viewer, the display system comprising:

a screen assembly having a display area, the screen assembly operable to deliver both a first visual presentation and a second visual presentation, the first visual presentation overlapping at least in part with the second visual presentation in the display area of the screen assembly, the first visual presentation being observable to the first viewer but not the second viewer;

a first remote control unit operable to generate a first remote control signal responsive to user input received from the first viewer; and

control circuitry communicatively connected to the first remote control unit and to the screen assembly, the control circuitry operable to receive the first remote control signal and, responsive thereto, to modify the first visual presentation.

7. The display system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second remote control unit operable to generate a second remote control signal responsive to user input received from the second viewer; and

the control circuitry is also communicatively connected to the second remote control unit and is further operable to receive the second remote control signal and, responsive thereto, to modify the second visual presentation.

8. The display system of claim 7, wherein the first remote control unit and the second remote control unit communicate with the control circuitry via a common application programming interface.

9. The display system of claim 6, wherein the first visual presentation comprises a visual overlay over the second visual presentation.

10. A method of operation of a display system that includes a screen assembly operable to simultaneously present first content via a first screen region and second content via a second screen region, the method comprising:

causing a first visual presentation in the first screen region based on the first content, the first visual presentation being viewable by a first viewer but not by a second viewer;

causing a second visual presentation in the second screen region based on the second content;

receiving a first remote control signal from a first remote control; and

causing, in response to at least the receipt of the first remote control signal, a modification to the first visual presentation without causing a modification to the second visual presentation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first content comprises three-dimensional content.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second visual presentation being viewable by the second viewer but not by the first viewer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the modification comprising one or more of:

a brightness modification associated with the first screen region;

a contrast modification associated with the first screen region;

a colorization modification associated with the first screen region;

a number of perspective views modification associated with the first screen region;

a resolution modification associated with the first screen region; and

a three-dimensional intensity modification associated with the first screen region.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a second remote control signal from a second remote control; and

causing, in response to at least the receipt of the second remote control signal, a modification to the second visual presentation without causing a modification to the first visual presentation.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

interpreting the first remote control signal in accordance with a common application programming interface.

16. A remote control unit used with a screen assembly having a display area that is simultaneously viewed by a first viewer and a second viewer, the screen assembly simultaneously supporting a first visual presentation and a second visual presentation via the display area, the first visual presentation being based on first content and the second visual presentation being based on second content, the remote control unit comprising:

a user interface operable to receive first user input from the first viewer;

processing circuitry that responds to the first user input by producing a first remote control signal, the first remote control signal being suitable to cause the first visual presentation to be observable by the first viewer but not by the second viewer; and

a transmitter that delivers the first remote control signal.

17. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the user interface is further operable to receive second user input from the first viewer;

and

the processing circuitry is further operable to process the second user input to generate a second remote control signal, the second remote control signal being suitable to cause a modification in the first visual presentation.

18. A display system supporting a first viewer and a second viewer, the display system comprising:

a screen assembly operable to simultaneously present a first view and a second view, the first view being observable by the first viewer but not by the second viewer; and

control circuitry communicatively connected to the screen assembly, the control circuitry operable to receive a first remote control signal from a first remote control and, responsive thereto, to cause at least first media content to be presented via the first view but not via the second view.

19. The display system of claim 18, wherein the first view is an overlay on the second view.

20. The display system of claim 18, wherein the second view being observable by the second viewer but not the first viewer.

21. The display system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is also operable to receive a second remote control signal from a second remote control and, responsive thereto, to cause a modification to the second view.

22. The display system of claim 18, further comprising eyewear that assists in making the first view observable by the first viewer.

23. The display system of claim 18, wherein the screen assembly further comprises a light manipulator, and the light manipulator assists in making the first view observable by the first viewer.