Character information display apparatus for a partial and a full-screen display

• US 5,671,019 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Morishita, Tatsuo, Isoe, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/363,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 348/468, 348/565, 348/461, 348/563, 348/564, 348/566, 348/567, 348/568, 348/569, 348/570
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A display apparatus for displaying a partial-screen image within a full-screen image includes a change-over switch for exchanging the video signals for the full-screen and partial-screen displays. When only the full-screen image is displayed, character information corresponding to the full-screen image can be turned on or off. When both the full-screen image and the partial-screen image are displayed, a cyclic operation can be performed under control of a controller. The cycle includes: 1) turning on the display of character information corresponding to the full-screen image, 2) turning on the display of character information corresponding to the partial-screen image, and 3) turning off the display of character information. The display apparatus is also capable of turning on the display of character information corresponding to the full-screen image when a mute of sound is turned on and turning off the display of character information when the mute of sound is subsequently turned off.

Claims

1. A character information display apparatus comprising:

first generator means for generating a first video signal for a full-screen image including character information;

second generator means for generating a second video signal for a partial-screen image including character information;

change-over means for exchanging said first video signal for said full-screen image from said first generator means with said second video signal for said partial-screen image from said second generator means;

demodulation means for demodulating said character information extracted from one of said first video signal for said full-screen image and said second video signal for said partial-screen image output from said change-over means;

partial-screen image processing means for compressing said second video signal for said partial-screen image from said second generator means in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction;

first compositing means for compositing said first video signal for said full-screen image from said first generator means and a compressed video signal for said partial-screen image from said partial-screen image processing means to form first composite signals for a first composite image;

second compositing means for compositing said first composite signals from said first composite image and a character signal from said demodulation means to form second composite signals for a second composite image;

display means for displaying said second composite signals from said second compositing means;

controller means provided with a first key for turning ON and OFF a display of said partial-screen image and a second key for turning ON and OFF a display of the character information;

control processor means for controlling said second generator means, said change-over means and said demodulation means under control of said controller means, and further for turning ON and OFF said display of said character information corresponding to said full-screen image when said second key is pressed and said first key is OFF and said partial-screen image is not displayed, and for controlling a cyclic operation to turn ON said display of said character information corresponding to said full-screen image, to turn on said display of said character information corresponding to said partial-screen image and to turn OFF said display of said character information when said second key is pressed and said first key is ON and said partial-screen image is displayed.

3. A character information display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the character information includes a closed-caption signal.

2. A character information display apparatus comprising:

first generator means for generating a first video signal for a full-screen image including a character information;

second generator means for generating a second video signal for a partial-screen image including a character information;

change-over means for exchanging said first video signal for said full-screen image from said first generator means with said second video signal for said partial-screen image from said second generator means;

demodulation means for demodulating said character information extracted from one of said first video signal for said full-screen image and said second video signal for said partial-screen image output from said change-over means;

partial-screen image processing means for compressing said partial-screen image video signal from said second generator means in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction;

first compositing means for compositing said first video signal for the full-screen image from said first generator means and a compressed video signal for said partial-screen image from said partial-screen image processing means to form first composite signals for a first composite image;

second compositing means for compositing said first composite signals from said first composite image and a character signal from said demodulation means to form second composite signals for a second composite image;

display means for displaying said second composite signals from said second compositing means;

controller means provided with a first key for turning ON and OFF a partial-screen image display, a second key for turning ON and OFF a display of said character information, and a third key for turning ON and OFF a mute of sound; and

control processor means for controlling said first generator means and said second generator means under control of said controller means, said change-over means, and said demodulation means and further for turning ON and OFF said display of said character information corresponding to said full-screen image when said second key is pressed and said first key is OFF and said partial-screen image is not displayed, and for controlling a cyclic operation to turn ON said display of said character information corresponding to said full-screen image, to turn on said display of said character information corresponding to said partial-screen image and to turn OFF said display of said character information when said second key is pressed and said first key is ON and said partial-screen image is displayed, and for turning ON and OFF said character information corresponding to said full-screen image when said third key is pressed causing said mute of sound to turn ON and said mute of sound to turn OFF alternately.

4. A character information display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the character information includes a closed-caption signal.

5. A character information display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said display of said character information corresponding to said full-screen image is turned ON when said third key is pressed causing said mute of sound to be turned ON and said display of said character information to be turned OFF when said third key is subsequently pressed causing said mute of sound to be turned OFF.