Television set capable of controlling external device and image storage controlled by television set
First Claim
1. An image storage to be separately connected to a television set comprising:
- a main memory for storing a plurality of digital still image data;
a digital circuit for retrieving desired one of the plurality of digital still image data from the main memory;
an input circuit for receiving a control signal from the television set;
an output circuit for transmitting a still image signal on the basis of the digital still image data retrieved by the digital circuit;
a memory controller for changing the main memory between the rested condition and the active condition,wherein the memory controller is designed to change the main memory from the active condition to the rested condition in response to the input circuit which receives the control signal with the main memory in the active condition, the change being postponed till a completion of the retrieval of the digital still image data if the control signal is received with the digital circuit in the course of retrieving the digital still image data from the main memory.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image storage for storing digital still image data is connected to a television set for selectively watching a broadcast program in a first mode or a still image transmitted from the image storage in a second mode. The image storage has an input circuit for receiving a control signal form the television set and an output circuit for transmitting a still image signal to the television set on the basis of the digital still image data, the output circuit being responsive to the control signal. The television set, on the other hand, has an output circuit for transmitting the control signal to the image storage. By means of the control signal, the image storage is automatically turned on or off when the television set is turned on or off, respectively. The control signal makes image storage operative or inoperative when the television set is in the second mode or in the first mode, respectively, to save power consumption with the television set in the first mode. The image storage may be further connected to a printer, wherein the image storage further has an output circuit for transmitting an output signal to the printer in response to the control signal from the television set, the output signal being an image signal to be printed or a control signal for the printer function.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An image storage to be separately connected to a television set comprising:
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a main memory for storing a plurality of digital still image data; a digital circuit for retrieving desired one of the plurality of digital still image data from the main memory; an input circuit for receiving a control signal from the television set; an output circuit for transmitting a still image signal on the basis of the digital still image data retrieved by the digital circuit; a memory controller for changing the main memory between the rested condition and the active condition, wherein the memory controller is designed to change the main memory from the active condition to the rested condition in response to the input circuit which receives the control signal with the main memory in the active condition, the change being postponed till a completion of the retrieval of the digital still image data if the control signal is received with the digital circuit in the course of retrieving the digital still image data from the main memory.
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2. An image storage to be separately connected to a television set comprising:
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a main memory for storing a plurality of digital still image data; a digital circuit for retrieving desired one of the plurality of digital still image data from the main memory; an input circuit for receiving a control signal from the television set; an output circuit for transmitting a still image signal on the basis of the digital still image data retrieved by the digital circuit; a memory controller for changing the main memory between the rested condition and the active condition, wherein the memory controller is designed to change the main memory from the active condition to the rested condition in response to the input circuit which receives the control signal with the main memory in the active condition, the change being postponed for a predetermined time period after the control signal is received by the input circuit.
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3. A television set to be connected to an image storage comprising:
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a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program; an input circuit for receiving a still image signal transmitted from the image storage; a monitor for selectively displaying one of the broadcast program from the television circuit and the still image on the basis of the still image signal received by the input circuit; an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to the image storage; and a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for the monitor to display the broadcast program and a second mode for the monitor to display the still image, and a manually operable member for controlling the television circuit in the first mode and for controlling the output circuit in the second mode; and wherein the mode selector is designed to automatically change from the second mode to the first mode when the image storage is turned off with the television set in the second mode.
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4. A television set to be connected to an external device comprising:
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a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program; an input circuit for receiving an image transmitted from the external device; a monitor for selectively displaying one of the broadcast program from the television circuit and the image on the basis of the image signal received by the input circuit; and a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for the monitor to display the broadcast program and a second mode for the monitor to display the image from the external device, the mode selector being designed to automatically change from the second mode to the first mode when the external device is turned off with the television set in the second mode.
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5. A television set to be connected to an external device comprising:
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a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program; an input circuit for receiving an image transmitted from the external device; a monitor for selectively displaying one of the broadcast program from the television circuit and the image on the basis of the image signal received by the input circuit; a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for the monitor to display the broadcast program and a second mode for the monitor to display the image from the external device, and an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to make the external device operative when the mode selector selects the second mode;
wherein the output circuit is designed to further transmit a control signal to make the external device inoperative when the mode selector selects the first mode with the television set in the second mode.
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6. A television set to be connected to an external device comprising:
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a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program; an input circuit for receiving an image transmitted from the external device; a monitor for selectively displaying one of the broadcast program from the television circuit and the image on the basis of the image signal received by the input circuit; a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for the monitor to display the broadcast program and a second mode for the monitor to display the image from the external device, and an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to make the external device operative when the mode selector selects the second mode; wherein an actual mode change from the first to second mode is postponed until the external device is actually made operative after the mode selector selects the second mode.
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7. A television set to be connected to an external device comprising:
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a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program; an input circuit for receiving an image transmitted from the external device; a monitor for selectively displaying one of the broadcast program from the television circuit and the image on the basis of the image signal received by the input circuit; a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for the monitor to display the broadcast program and a second mode for the monitor to display the image from the external device, and an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to make the external device inoperative when the mode selector selects the first mode with the television set in the second mode.
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Specification