Sound mode switching method for multichannel selection and device thereof

• US 5,442,452 A
• Filed: 08/24/1992
• Issued: 08/15/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ryu, Jae-chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US07/931,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 358/143, 358/903
• US Class Current: 386/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/607 for more than one sound signal, e.g. stereo, multilanguages H04N5/602 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9305 involving the mixing of the reproduced video signal with a non-recorded signal, e.g. a text signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/802 involving processing of the sound signal H04N9/806, H04N9/835 take precedence

Abstract

A sound mode switching method for multichannel selection a video tape recorder uses a first step of making judgements on the selections of a multi-voice mode setting key and a main picture switching key, a second step for deciding the sound mode and for storing the sound mode data into a memory, a third step for making a judgement on the selection of a channel for the main picture and for outputting the selected multi-voice mode signals, and a fourth step for replacing the sub-picture. A device for multichannel selection comprises a microcomputer, a multi-voice mode selecting circuit, and a multi-voice module. According to the present invention, during a multichannel selection, independent sound signals can be outputted for the respective channels under a multi-voice mode and therefore, different sound signals can be displayed and enjoyed in a unique manner depending on the contents of the pictures for the respective channels.

Claims

1. A sound mode switching method for multichannel selection in a picture-in-picture video device displaying a main picture and sub-pictures overlapping portions of said main picture, said method comprising:

detecting selection of a multi-voice mode setting key for enabling entrance into a multi-voice setting mode;

in response to said multi-voice mode setting key being selected, enabling user input of sound mode data indicative of multi-voice modes for at least one of said sub-pictures and said main picture by means of a language selecting key until a multi-voice mode setting release key is selected;

storing said sound mode data into memory locations corresponding to said at least one of said sub-pictures and said main picture; and

enabling user selection of channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures to be thereafter displayed as said main picture in response to user selection of an audio selecting key, displaying the user selected channels as said main picture, and outputting audio signals corresponding to said user selected channels and said sound mode data.

2. A sound mode switching method according to claim 1, wherein if the selected channel is the same as said designated channel, a multi-voice module selects a multi-voice audio signal corresponding to said sound mode data for said designated channel.

3. A sound mode switching method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

after enabling user selection of channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures to be thereafter displayed as said main picture, providing strobe stilling data to a sub-tuner generating said sub-pictures to thereby freeze images in said sub-pictures; and

after displaying the user selected channels as said main picture, updating said sub-pictures by supplying strobing stilling release data to said sub-tuner to thereby enable a moving state of said images in said sub-pictures.

4. A sound mode switching device for multichannel selection in a picture-in-picture video device, said device comprising:

a remote controller comprising at least a multi-voice mode setting key, a language selecting, a multi-voice mode setting release key and an audio selecting key;

a microcomputer responsive to said remote controller, for accessing into a multi-voice mode in response to said multi-voice mode setting key, for making selection of multi-voice modes for a selected displayed channel from a plurality of displayed channels as a mini picture and sub-pictures displayed on a screen and storing user entered sound mode data indicative of the selected multi-voice mode in a memory, until receipt of said multi-voice mode setting release key, and for enabling a change-over of visual display of the selected displayed channel from one of said sub-pictures into said main picture on said screen in response to said audio selecting key, and outputting sound mode control signals corresponding to said selected displayed channel in accordance with said sound mode data stored in said memory;

multi-voice mode selecting means for generating a multi-voice mode selecting signal in response to said sound mode control signals upon selecting change-over of said main picture; and

a multi-voice module for decoding and providing multi-voice audio signals corresponding to said multi-voice mode selecting signal.

5. The sound mode switching device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said multi-voice mode selecting means varies an impedance value in accordance with the input-voice selecting signals so that a corresponding multi-voice audio signal can be selected by said multi-voice module.

6. A sound mode switching device according to claim 4, wherein said multi-voice mode selecting means generates said multi-voice mode selecting signal by enabling one of a high state, a low state and a high impedance state.

7. A sound mode switching device according to claim 6, wherein said multi-voice mode selecting means comprises a transistor receiving a first input multi-voice selecting signal at a first terminal and receiving a second input multi-voice selecting signal through a diode at a second terminal.

8. The sound mode switching device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said microcomputer is adapted for storing sound mode data indicative of a different multi-voice mode for each of said plurality of displayed channels.

9. A sound mode switching process for multichannel selection in a video tape recorder, said process comprising:

storing different selected multi-voice mode data indicative of multi-voice broadcasts for each one of a plurality of channels simultaneously displayed as a main picture and sub-pictures on a screen in response to user first operation of an input device;

making selection of channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures on said screen to be displayed as said main picture on said screen and enabling a visual display of a selected channel from one of said sub-pictures as said main picture on said screen in response to user second operation of said input device, said second operation controlling a change-over of a main picture display;

providing multi-voice selecting signals in response to the stored selected multi-voice mode data upon activation of said second operation of said input device; and

providing individual multi-voice audio broadcast signals of said selected channel displayed as said main picture in response to said multi-voice selecting signals.

10. A sound mode switching method for multichannel selection in a picture-in-picture video device, said method comprising:

displaying a video picture comprising a main picture image from a first channel and a sub-picture image from a second channel, and providing for user selection of a multi-voice mode for said second channel;

upon user selection of said multi-voice mode for said second channel, storing multi-voice mode data corresponding to the selected multi-voice mode for said second channel into a memory location corresponding to said second channel;

in response to said second channel being selected to replace said first channel as said main picture image, displaying said second channel as said main picture image; and

in response to said second channel being selected to replace said first channel as said main picture image, generating an output audio signal of said second channel selected in response to said multi-voice mode data stored into said memory location corresponding to said second channel.

11. A sound mode switching method according to claim 10, further comprised of converting said sub-picture image from a strobe moving state to a strobe still state thereby freezing said sub-picture image after said second channel is selected to replace said first channel as said main picture image.

12. A sound mode switching method according to claim 11, further comprised of converting said sub-picture image from said strobe still state to said strobe moving state thereby enabling a moving state of said sub-picture image after displaying said second channel as said main picture image.

13. A sound mode switching method for multichannel selection in a television set displaying broadcasting programs of respective channels, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting selection of a multi-voice mode setting key for enabling entrance into a multi-voice setting mode;

in response to said multi-voice mode setting key being selected, enabling user input of sound mode data indicative of multi-voice modes for at least one of said channels by means of a language selecting key;

storing said sound mode data into memory locations corresponding to said at least one of said channels until a multi-voice setting release key is selected; and

enabling user selection of a channel currently displayed and outputting audio signals corresponding to the selected channel and said sound mode data.

14. A sound mode switching method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

after enabling user selection of channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures to be thereafter displayed as said main picture, providing strobe stilling data to a sub-tuner generating said sub-pictures to thereby freeze images in said sub-pictures; and

after displaying the user selected channels as said main picture, updating said sub-pictures by supplying strobing stilling release data to said sub-tuner to thereby enable a moving state of said images in said sub-pictures.

15. A sound mode switching method for multi-channel selection for use in a television set displaying broadcasting channels as a main picture and sub-pictures on a screen, comprising the steps of:

accessing into a multi-voice mode in response to instructions of a multi-voice mode setting key;

making selection of sound mode indicative of different broadcasting languages for a broadcasting channel from at least one of said main picture and said sub-pictures displayed on said screen, in response to instructions of a language selecting key;

storing sound mode data of the selected sound mode into a memory, until receipt of instructions of a multi-voice mode setting release key;

making selection of broadcasting channels corresponding to said sub-pictures currently displayed on said screen to be displayed as said main picture on said screen and enabling a visual display of a selected broadcasting channel from one of said sub-pictures as said main picture on said screen, in response to instructions of an audio selecting key; and

outputting multi-voice broadcast signals corresponding to said selected broadcasting channel in dependence upon said sound mode data stored in said memory.

16. The sound mode switching method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

after enabling user selection of broadcasting channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures to be thereafter displayed as said main picture, providing strobe still data to a tuner generating said sub-pictures to thereby freeze images in said sub-pictures; and

after displaying the selected broadcasting channel from one of said sub-pictures as said main picture, updating said sub-pictures by supplying strobing release data to said tuner to thereby enable rotation of said images in said sub-pictures.

17. A sound mode switching method for multi-channel selection of a picture-in-picture processing system capable of displaying a main picture and a plurality of sub-pictures within said main picture and having a multi-voice mode of operation, comprising the steps of:

accessing into said multi-voice mode of said picture-in-picture processing system in response to a first instruction key;

making selection of sound modes for broadcast channels representative of at least one of said sub-pictures displayed on a screen and entering sound mode data indicative of multi-voice broadcasting for the respective broadcast channels in response to a second instruction key, and storing said sound mode data into a memory until receipt of a third instruction key;

making selection of broadcast channels corresponding to said sub-pictures currently displayed on said screen and interchanging a visual display of a selected broadcast channel from one of said sub-pictures as said main picture on said screen in response to a fourth instruction key; and

outputting multi-voice broadcast sounds of said selected broadcast channel in accordance with said sound mode data stored in said memory, after the selected broadcast channel from one of said sub-pictures is interchanged with said main picture and displayed as said main picture.

18. The sound mode switching method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

after enabling user selection of broadcast channels currently displayed as said sub-pictures to be thereafter displayed as said main picture, providing strobe still data to a tuner generating said sub-pictures to thereby freeze images in said sub-pictures displayed on said screen; and

after displaying the selected broadcast channel from one of said sub-pictures as said main picture, updating said sub-pictures by supplying strobing release data to said tuner to thereby enable rotation of said images in said sub-pictures.

19. The sound mode switching method as claimed in claim 17, further comprised of said sound mode data representing one of a native-language broadcast, a foreign-language broadcast and a native-plus-foreign-language broadcast of a corresponding selected broadcast channel.