Method and system for processing two analog composite video signals

• US 5,801,785 A
• Filed: 02/13/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hurd, Jonathan James, Worthington, Thomas K., Pancoast, Steven Taylor, Crump, Dwayne Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/600,711
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/566, 348/567, 348/584, 348/586, 348/588, 348/598, 348/599, 348/734, 348/705
• US Class Current: 348/563
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42692 for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for processing two analog composite video signals to be displayed to a human observer. The system includes at least a first and a second video source for generating first and second analog composite video signals respectively, and a selector coupled to the first and second video sources. The selector is operative to supply either the first or second analog composite video signal to one input of a video processor and independently and simultaneously supply either the first or second analog composite video signal to a second input of the video processor. The video processor is operative under control of a CPU to generate an output analog composite video signal comprised of a portion of the analog composite video signal supplied to the video processor'"'"'s first input and a portion of the analog composite video signal supplied to the video processor'"'"'s second input.

Claims

1. A video display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU),

at least a first, second and third video source for generating first, second and third analog composite video signals respectively,

an analog multiplexer coupled to said first, second and third video sources and having first, second and third independent analog video outputs, said third independent analog video output coupled to said third video source, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second and third analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second or third analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second or third analog composite video signal on said second analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (3) either said first, second or third analog composite video signal on said third analog video output,

a video display device for displaying visual images to a human observer,

a video processor operatively coupled to said CPU, said first and second analog video outputs and said video display device for receiving said first and second analog video output signals from said multiplexer and producing an output analog composite video signal, said video processor being operative under control of said CPU to deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce a full screen image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image, and

a system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving, storing and delivering system data and video data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said third video source is a video cassette recorder/player device.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a fourth video source coupled to said analog multiplexer for providing a fourth analog composite video signal to said analog multiplexer,

said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second, third and fourth analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second, third or fourth analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second, third or fourth analog composite video signal on said second analog video output.

4. The system of claim 3, further including a fifth video source coupled to said analog multiplexer for providing a fifth analog composite video signal to said analog multiplexer,

said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second, third, fourth and fifth analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second, third, fourth or fifth analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second, third, fourth or fifth analog composite video signal on said second analog video output.

5. The system of claim 4, further including a sixth video source coupled to said analog multiplexer for providing a sixth analog composite video signal to said analog multiplexer,

said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth analog composite video signal on said second analog video output.

6. The system of claim 5, further including a seventh video source coupled to said analog multiplexer for providing a seventh analog composite video signal to said analog multiplexer,

said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signal on said second analog video output.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said analog multiplexer further includes a third independent analog video output coupled to said third video source, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signal on said second analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (3) either said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signal on said third analog video output.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first video source is a first tuner, said second video source is a second tuner, said third video source is a video cassette recorder/player device, said fourth video source is an MPEG decompression module, said fifth video source is said output analog composite video signal from said video processor, said sixth source is a camera device and said seventh source is a game device.

9. The system of claim 1, further including:

a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from said video display device and having;

a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer;

a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and

control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer;

command receiver circuitry coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving said command signals from said control transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of said visual images; and

said video processor further including command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry for receiving said image directing signals and for modifying said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer.

10. The system of claim 1, further including:

a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from said video display device and having;

a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer;

a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and

control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer;

command receiver circuitry coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving said command signals from said control transmitter circuitry and deriving from said received command signals which one of said first and second analog composite video signals will be supplied on the multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output, and which one of said first and second analog composite video signals will be supplied on the multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output.

11. A method of displaying visual images to a human observer using a video display device comprising the steps of:

providing a first, a second and a third analog composite video signal to an analog video multiplexer, said multiplexer having first, second and third independent outputs, said third independent output coupled to said third analog composite video signal,

first selecting one of said first, second and third analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output,

second selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first selecting step, one of said first, second and third analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output,

selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first and second selecting steps, one of said first, second or third analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s third output,

receiving at a video processor said multiplexer'"'"'s first and second outputs,

generating, with said video processor under control by a CPU, an output analog composite video signal which will produce on said video display device an image comprised of a portion of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output and a portion of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of generating an output analog composite video signal includes producing a full screen image on said display device of the analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of the analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image.

13. The method of claim 11, further including the steps of:

providing a fourth analog composite video signal to said analog multiplexer,

said first selecting step comprising selecting one of said first, second, third or fourth analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output, said second selecting step comprising selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first selecting step, one of said first, second, third or fourth analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the steps of:

providing fifth, sixth and seventh analog composite video signals to said analog multiplexer,

said first selecting step comprising selecting one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output,

said second selecting step comprising selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first selecting step, one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said analog multiplexer includes a third independent analog video output coupled to said third video source,

said first selecting step comprising selecting one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output,

said second selecting step comprising selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first selecting step, one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output, and

selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first and second selecting steps, one of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s third output.

16. The method of claim 11, further including the steps of:

generating, with a manually engageable input device remote from the video display device and manipulable by the human observer, command signals indicative of desired modifications of the displayed visual images and delivering the generated signals to a command transmitter,

transmitting, from the command transmitter and at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer, said command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of the input device by the human observer,

receiving the command signals from said command transmitter and deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of said visual images; and

receiving said image directing signals and modifying said visual images as directed by manipulation of said input device by the human observer.

17. The method of claim 11, further including the steps of:

generating, with a manually engageable input device remote from the video display device and manipulable by the human observer, command signals indicative of desired modifications of the displayed visual images and delivering the generated signals to a command transmitter,

transmitting, from the command transmitter and at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer, said command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of the input device by the human observer,

receiving the command signals from said command transmitter and deriving from said received command signals which one of said first and second analog composite video signals will be supplied on the multiplexer'"'"'s first output, and which one of said first and second analog composite video signals will be supplied on the multiplexer'"'"'s second output.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of receiving, storing and delivering system data, video data, graphics data and electronic program guide data using a single system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor.

19. A video display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU),

at least a first and a second video source for generating a first and second analog composite video signals respectively,

an analog multiplexer coupled to said first and second video sources and having first and second independent analog video outputs, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first and second analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said second analog video output,

a video display device for displaying visual images to a human observer,

a video processor operatively coupled to said CPU, said first and second analog video outputs and said video display device for receiving said first and second analog video output signals from said multiplexer and producing an output analog composite video signal, said video processor being operative under control of said CPU to deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce a full screen image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image,

a compact disc controller coupled to said video processor for providing a digital data stream to said video processor, and

a system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving, storing and delivering system data and video data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said digital data stream includes an audio component.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said digital data stream includes a video component and said video processor is operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first analog video output from said multiplexer, said second analog video output from said multiplexer and said digital data stream and deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce said full screen image on said display device of one of said first analog video output, said second analog video output or said digital data stream and said picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of one of said first analog video output, said second analog video output and said digital data stream.

22. A video display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU),

at least a first and a second video source for generating a first and second analog composite video signals respectively,

an analog multiplexer coupled to said first and second video sources and having first and second independent analog video outputs, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first and second analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said second analog video output,

a video display device for displaying visual images to a human observer,

a video processor operatively coupled to said CPU, said first and second analog video outputs and said video display device for receiving said first and second analog video output signals from said multiplexer and producing an output analog composite video signal, said video processor being operative under control of said CPU to deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce a full screen image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image,

wherein said first video source comprises a first tuner coupled to video reception circuitry which receives signals transmitted at frequencies which are outside direct sensing by the human observer, said first tuner being operative to convert said signals into said first analog composite video signal respectively,

wherein said second video source is a source selected from the group consisting of a second tuner, a video cassette recorder/player device, an MPEG decompression module, said output analog composite video signal from said video processor, a camera device and a game device, and

a system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving, storing and delivering system data and video data.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said second video source comprises said second tuner coupled to said video reception circuitry which receives said signals transmitted at frequencies which are outside direct sensing by the human observer, said second tuner being operative to convert said signals into said second analog composite video signal respectively.

24. A video display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU),

at least a first and a second video source for generating a first and second analog composite video signals respectively,

an analog multiplexer coupled to said first and second video sources and having first and second independent analog video outputs, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first and second analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said second analog video output,

a video display device for displaying visual images to a human observer,

a video processor operatively coupled to said CPU, said first and second analog video outputs and said video display device for receiving said first and second analog video output signals from said multiplexer and producing an output analog composite video signal, said video processor being operative under control of said CPU to deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce a full screen image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image,

a system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving, storing and delivering system data and video data, and

wherein said video processor is operative to generate system graphics which are stored in said system random access memory and overlaid onto said output analog composite video signal output by said video processor.

25. A video display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU),

at least a first and a second video source for generating a first and second analog composite video signals respectively,

an analog multiplexer coupled to said first and second video sources and having first and second independent analog video outputs, said analog multiplexer being operative under the control of said CPU to receive said first and second analog composite video signals and supply (1) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said first analog video output and independently and simultaneously supply (2) either said first or said second analog composite video signal on said second analog video output,

a video display device for displaying visual images to a human observer,

a video processor operatively coupled to said CPU, said first and second analog video outputs and said video display device for receiving said first and second analog video output signals from said multiplexer and producing an output analog composite video signal, said video processor being operative under control of said CPU to deliver to said video display device said output analog composite video signal which will produce a full screen image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first analog video output and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second analog video output, said PIP image overlaying said full screen image,

a system random access memory coupled to said CPU and said video processor for receiving, storing and delivering system data and video data, and

wherein said video processor is operative to extract electronic program guide (EPG) data from either said first or said second analog composite video signals output from said multiplexer, store said EPG data in said system random access memory and overlay said EPG data onto said output analog composite video signal output by said video processor.

26. A method of displaying visual images to a human observer using a video display device comprising the steps of:

providing a first and a second analog composite video signal to an analog video multiplexer, said multiplexer having first and second outputs,

first selecting one of said first and second analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output,

second selecting, independently and simultaneously with said first selecting step, one of said first and second analog composite video signals to supply on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output,

receiving at a video processor said multiplexer'"'"'s first and second outputs,

providing a digital data stream to said video processor from a compact disc controller, and

generating, with said video processor under control by a CPU, an output analog composite video signal which will produce on said video display device an image comprised of a portion of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s first output and a portion of an analog video signal on said multiplexer'"'"'s second output.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of generating an output analog composite video signal includes the step of producing a full screen image on said display device of one of said multiplexer'"'"'s first output, said multiplexer'"'"'s second output or said digital data stream and a picture-in-picture (PIP) image on said display device of one of said multiplexer'"'"'s first output, said multiplexer'"'"'s second output and said digital data stream.