MULTI-IMAGE SWITCHING METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20130247113A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Ren-Zhen, Jiang, Jian-Qun, Ye, Xiang
• Application Number:
  US13/804,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247113A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel

Abstract

A multi-image switching method is provided. The switching method includes steps of: establishing a connection between a portable device and a smart device, and fetching a program source list from the smart device; transmitting a watch request message to the smart device according to a user-selected program source from the program source list, wherein the watch request message includes program source identification information; and receiving program information, which is corresponding to the program source identification information and replied by the smart device in response to the watch request message, and providing the program information to the portable device for display. Therefore, according to the embodiments, the same or different program information may be simultaneously viewed on the portable device and the smart device after establishing the connection between the portable device and the smart device through a handshake protocol.

Claims

1. A multi-image switching method, comprising:

establishing a connection between a portable device and a smart device, and fetching a program source list from the smart device;

transmitting a watch request message to the smart device according to a user-selected program source from the program source list, wherein the watch request message comprises a program source identification information; and

receiving a program information corresponding to the program source identification information, wherein the program information is replied by the smart device in response to the watch request message, and providing the program information to the portable device.

2. The multi-image switching method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a fetch request message for fetching the program source list from the smart device after establishing the connection between the portable device and the smart device.

3. The multi-image switching method according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing the connection between the portable device and the smart device comprises:

the portable device transmitting a handshake request message by broadcasting;

monitoring a broadcasting port to receive a handshake acknowledgement message replied by the smart device; and

transmitting a handshake success message to the smart device.

4. A multi-image switching method for a smart device, comprising:

receiving and decoding a plurality of program sources to generate at least one set of program information and a program source list;

establishing a connection with a portable device, and transmitting the program source list to the portable device;

receiving a watch request message transmitted by the portable device, wherein the watch request message comprises program source identification information; and

fetching program information corresponding to the program source identification information, and transmitting the program information to the portable device for display.

5. The multi-image switching method according to claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting a fetch request message for fetching the program source list from the smart device after establishing the connection between the portable device and the smart device.

6. A multi-image switching system, comprising:

a smart device, for decoding a plurality of received program sources to output at least one set of program information, and generating and transmitting a program source list accordingly; and

a portable device, signally connected to the smart device, for receiving and fetching the program source list from the smart device;

wherein the portable device transmits a watch request message comprising a program source identification information according to a user-selected program source from the program source list;

wherein the smart device transmits a program information corresponding to the program source identification information to the portable device after receiving the watch request message; and

wherein the portable device receives and displays the program information.

7. The multi-image switching system according to claim 6, comprising at least one portable device.

8. The multi-image switching system according to claim 6, wherein the portable device comprises:

a first fetching module, for fetching the program source list from the smart device;

a first transmission module, for transmitting the watch request message to the smart device according to the user-selected program source from the program source list; and

a first reception module, for receiving the program information corresponding to the program source identification information, wherein the program information is replied by the smart device in response to the watch request message, and displaying the program information.

9. The multi-image switching system according to claim 8, wherein the portable device further comprises:

a second transmission module, for transmitting a request message for fetching the program source list from the smart device.

10. The multi-image switching system according to claim 8, wherein the portable device further comprises:

a first handshake module, for establishing a connection between the portable device and the smart device, comprising;

a first transmission unit, for transmitting a handshake request message;

a reception unit, for monitoring a broadcasting port and receiving a handshake acknowledgement message replied by the smart device accordingly; and

a second transmission unit, for transmitting a handshake success message to the smart device after the reception unit receives the handshake acknowledgment message replied by the smart device.

11. The multi-image switching system according to claim 6, wherein the smart device comprises a multi-image switching unit, and the multi-image switching unit comprises:

a generation module, for decoding a plurality of program sources to output at least one set of program information and generate the program source list;

a third transmission module, for transmitting the program source list to the portable device after establishing the connection with the portable device;

a second reception module, for receiving the watch request message; and

a fourth transmission module, for transmitting the program information corresponding to the program source identification information to the portable device.

12. The multi-image switching system according to claim 11, wherein the third transmission module initiatively transmits the program source list to the portable device, and the program source list is updated in real-time.

13. The multi-image switching system according to claim 6, wherein the smart device comprises a multi-image switching unit, and the multi-image switching unit comprises:

a third reception module for receiving an information publish request message from the portable device after the connection is established with the portable device;

a fifth transmission module for transmitting an information publish permission message to the portable device;

a fourth reception module for receiving an information from the portable device via a transmission channel; and

a third display module for displaying and outputting the information received from the portable device.