IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20150009334A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: HYUN, Jinho, KWON, Kwanghun
• Granted Patent: US 9,661,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body

Abstract

Discussed is an image display apparatus including a main body; a display unit displaying at least one screen image; a capturing unit mounted on the main body and capturing an image using a single image sensor; a drive unit that receives a control signal for selectively activating any one of first and second modes that differ depending on whether or not to use an infrared light-cut filter, to drive the capturing unit; and a controller that outputs a first control signal for establishing a connection between the single image sensor and the infrared light-cut filter when one screen image for capturing an image corresponding to a first function is displayed and that outputs a second control signal for establishing a connection between the single image sensor and a visible light-cut filter when another screen image for capturing an image corresponding to a second function is displayed.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a display unit configured to display at least one screen image;

a capturing unit mounted on the main body and configured to capture at least one image using a single image sensor;

a drive unit configured to receive a control signal for selectively activating any one of a first mode and a second mode that differ depending on whether or not to use an infrared light-cut filter, in order to drive the capturing unit; and

a controller configured to;

output a first control signal for establishing a connection between the single image sensor and the infrared light-cut filter when one screen image for capturing an image corresponding to a first function is displayed on the display unit, and

output a second control signal for establishing a connection between the single image sensor and a visible light-cut filter when another screen image for capturing an image corresponding to a second function is displayed to the display unit.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first function is a function for an ordinary photographing or a video telephone call, and

wherein the second function is an infrared light photographing function for obtaining information on a user'"'"'s gaze.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display unit to output at least one indicator which corresponds to each of control signals that are output according to a change from the first function to the second function and a change from the second function to the first function, respectively.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the first control signal is received, the drive unit drives the capturing unit so that the infrared light-cut filter is slid to be positioned in front of the single image sensor, and

wherein, when the second control signal is received, the drive unit drives the capturing unit so that the visible light-cut filter is slid to be positioned in front of the single image sensor.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one switch configured to perform an on/off operation on the infrared light-cut filter and the visible light-cut filter according to the control signal,

wherein the drive unit is further configured to operate a switching element provided in the switch according to the control signal that is received, in order to selectively perform any one of the first function and the second function.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capturing unit is further configured to detect ambient intensity of illumination, and

wherein, when it is determined that the ambient intensity of illumination detected through the capturing unit is low intensity of illumination in a state where the one screen image for capturing the image corresponding to the first function is output to the display unit, the controller outputs the second control signal to the drive unit.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that a user'"'"'s position is out of a predetermined range from the display unit for a predetermined time in a state where the another screen image for capturing the image corresponding to the second function is output to the display unit, the controller outputs the first control signal to the drive unit.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is further configured to include a first region and a second region that is distinguished from the first region, and

wherein the controller is further configured to control display of the one screen image for capturing the image corresponding to the first function to the first region, and to control display of the another screen image for capturing the image corresponding to the second function to the second region.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when a user'"'"'s gaze detected through the capturing unit is fixed on the first region, the controller controls output of the first control signal to the drive unit, and

wherein, when the user'"'"'s gaze detected through the capturing unit is fixed on the second region, the controller controls output of the second control signal to the drive unit.

10. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light-cut filter and the visible light-cut filter are arranged to be sideways together in one direction and away from the single image sensor or are arranged to be sideways in opposite directions, respectively, and away from the single image sensor, and

wherein the drive unit is further configured to drive a photographing in such a manner that one, which corresponds to the received control signal, of the infrared light-cut filter and the visible light-cut filter, is connected to be positioned in front of the single image sensor.

11. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bezel portion that is formed along a front side edge of the display unit,

wherein the capturing unit that captures an image of a user using at least the single image sensor is mounted on the bezel portion, and multiple infrared light emitting elements that are arranged to be spaced a predetermined distance relative to one another and away from the capturing unit are built into the bezel portion, and

wherein, when an infrared light photographing mode is activated, the controller drives the capturing unit and controls operation of each of the multiple infrared light emitting elements, based on a third control signal.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, when the infrared light photographing mode is activated, the controller:

detects a position of a user who is present within a predetermined range from the display unit, and

outputs a control signal for selectively operating the multiple infrared light emitting elements that are arranged in the bezel portion, based on the detected position of the user.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a photographing area for the capturing unit is divided into multiple areas, and

wherein, when the infrared photographing mode is entered, the controller:

detects the photographing area corresponding to the detected position of the user, and

outputs the control signal for selectively operating at least one infrared light emitting element of which a light emitting range has an effect on the detected photographing area.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when the infrared photographing mode is activated, the controller outputs the control signal for causing only the infrared light emitting element corresponding to the detected position of the user to emit light.

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, when the detected photographing area is changed from a first area to a second area, the controller controls display of a screen image corresponding to the changed photographing area to one region of the display unit.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein based on a user input, the controller controls display of an indicator that visually indicates a position of the infrared light emitting element in operation, among the multiple infrared light emitting elements, to one region of the display unit.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, based on driving of the capturing unit and an operation of each of the multiple infrared light emitting elements, the controller:

recognizes movements of left and right eyes of a user who is present within a predetermined range from the display unit, and

selects a specific object on the screen image that is output, based on the recognized movements of the left and right eyes.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a sensing unit configured to detect a state of ambient intensity of illumination,

wherein the controller is further configured to control emission of light of the multiple infrared light emitting elements in different patterns according to the detected state of intensity of illumination.

19. The image display apparatus according to 18, wherein first multiple infrared light emitting elements adjacent to the capturing unit and second multiple infrared light emitting elements that are arranged to be spaced away from the capturing unit are built into the bezel portion, and

wherein, when the detected state of intensity of illumination is a state of high intensity of illumination state or an ordinary state, the controller controls emission of light of the second multiple infrared light emitting elements according to a position of a user that is detected, and when the detected state of intensity of illumination is a state of low intensity of illumination, the controller controls emission of light of the first multiple infrared light emitting elements according to the detected position of the user.

20. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the number of multiple infrared light emitting elements that are built into the bezel portion is determined in proportion to a size of the display unit.