System and method for multimedia display

• US 7,426,702 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harman Professional, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Amx LLC (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Barber, Ronald W., Partridge, Charles W., Lee, Mark R., Holub, Douglas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Takele; Meseker
• Application Number:
  US10/681,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 345/716, 345/619, 715/835, 715/760, 715/762, 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

A system of multimedia display on a monitor screen includes at least one graphics source, a display file defining a page having a plurality of buttons, where each button has a set of properties including a specification of a graphics source. The system further includes a graphics controller operable to generate a pixel map, and a graphics arbitrator coupled to the graphics controller operable to select pixels between the pixel map and pixels from the at least one graphics source to be displayed for the page according to the display file.

Claims

1. A system for providing a multimedia display on a display device having a screen, said system comprising:

a plurality of graphics information sources, each of said sources being uniquely identified by a corresponding graphic identifier element;

a display file for defining a page to be displayed on said screen, said page comprising an array of page pixels, said page including at least one window disposed to receive graphics information from each of said sources;

a graphics controller operable to generate an internal map comprising a set of map pixels, each of said map pixels corresponding to a page pixel of said page, each map pixel containing information that indicates the graphics information to be used with its corresponding page pixel, and at least some of said map pixels containing said graphic identifier elements;

a graphics arbitrator disposed to examine each of said map pixels, said graphics arbitrator being operable, when an examined map pixel contains a graphic identifier element identifying a particular source, to provide at least a portion of the graphics information for the corresponding page pixel from said particular source; and

said graphics arbitrator being further operable, when an examined map pixel contains none of said graphic identifier elements, to provide the graphics information for the corresponding page pixel from information contained in the examined map pixel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said graphic identifier elements comprises a key color value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said key color values is encoded in RGB format.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said graphics arbitrator provides a graphics output that includes a combination of both internally generated graphics and video data from each of said sources, said output being directed to said screen for display.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said displayed output is selectively scaled, so that said video data from said plurality of sources appears in a selected rectangular area on said screen.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said page to be displayed includes a plurality of windows, each receiving graphics information from one or more of said sources.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said graphics information sources include at least one device selected from a group that includes a television, a VCR and a computer, and said display device is selected from a group that includes a monitor and a touch panel.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said graphics information sources comprises a component in a control area network.

9. A method for providing a multimedia display on a display device having a screen, said method comprising:

identifying each of a plurality of graphics information sources by assigning respectively corresponding graphic identifier elements thereto;

defining a page to be displayed on said screen, wherein said page comprises an array of page pixels;

generating an internal map comprising a set of map pixels, wherein each of said map pixels corresponds to a page pixel of said page, each map pixel contains information that indicates graphics information to be used with its corresponding page pixel, and at least some of said map pixels contain said graphic identifier elements;

examining each of said map pixels;

when an examined map pixel contains a graphic identifier element identifying a particular source, providing at least a portion of the graphics information for the corresponding page pixel from said particular source; and

when an examined map pixel contains none of said graphic identifier elements, providing the graphics information for the corresponding page pixel from information contained in the examined map pixel.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each of said graphic identifier elements comprises a key color value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of said key color values is encoded in RGB format.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a graphics output including a combination of graphics internally generated within a graphics arbitrator, and video data from each of said sources, is directed to said screen for display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said displayed output is selectively scaled, so that said video data from said plurality of sources appears in a selected rectangular area on said screen.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said page to be displayed includes a plurality of windows, each receiving graphics information from one or more of said sources.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said graphics information sources include at least one device selected from a group that includes a television, a VCR and a computer, and said display device is selected from a group that includes a monitor and a touch panel.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of said graphics information sources comprises a component in a control area network.

17. A system for providing multimedia on a display device, comprising:

one or more graphics sources, wherein each graphics source is configured to provide graphics information, each graphics source being identified by a corresponding graphic identifier;

a display file defining a page having a plurality of page pixels to be displayed on the display device, the page including at least one window, wherein each window is configured to display graphics information received from at least one of the graphics sources;

a graphics controller configured to generate an internal pixel map according to the display file; and

a graphics arbitrator configured to examine each pixel in the internal pixel map, the graphics arbitrator being operable, when an examined pixel contains a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, to provide the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the identified graphics source, and the graphics arbitrator being further operable, when the examined pixel does not contain a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, to provide the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the examined pixel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each graphics source is uniquely identified by a corresponding graphic identifier.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein each graphic identifier comprises a key color value.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein each window includes a set of properties.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the graphics sources comprises a video cassette recorder.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the graphics sources comprises a camera.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the graphics sources comprises a television signal receiver.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the graphics sources comprises a computer.

25. The system of claim 17, further comprising a control area network coupled to a display interface, wherein the display interface includes the at least one display file, the graphics controller and the graphics arbitrator.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the control area network comprises:

a master controller;

at least one control device;

at least one graphics source; and

a network coupled to the master controller, the at least one control device, the at least one graphics source, and the display interface.

27. The system of claim 20, further comprising an editor configured to edit the window properties.

28. A control area network having a multimedia display, comprising:

a master controller coupled to the control area network;

at least one control device coupled to the master controller via the control area network, wherein the control area network is coupled to a display interface, the display interface comprising;

at least two graphics sources, each graphics source having an associated graphic identifier;

a display file defining a page having a plurality of buttons, each button having a set of properties and configured to display graphics information received from a specified graphics source;

a graphics controller configured to generate an internal pixel map; and

a graphics arbitrator configured to examine each pixel in the internal pixel map, the graphics arbitrator being operable, when an examined pixel contains a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, to provide the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the identified graphics source, and the graphics arbitrator being further operable, when the examined pixel does not contain a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, to provide the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the examined pixel.

29. The control area network of claim 28, wherein each graphic identifier comprises a key color value.

30. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the display device includes a screen, the button properties further comprises:

a location of the button on the screen; and

size of the button.

31. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the at least two graphics sources comprise a video cassette recorder.

32. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the at least two graphics sources comprise a camera.

33. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the at least two graphics sources comprise a television signal receiver.

34. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the at least two graphics sources comprise a computer.

35. The control area network of claim 29, further comprising an editor configured to edit the button properties.

36. The control area network of claim 29, wherein the display device is a touch panel.

37. The control area network of claim 29, wherein one of the graphics sources is an internal pixel map.

38. A method of multimedia display on a display device, comprising:

composing a display file describing at least one window of a page to be displayed on the display device, wherein each window is configured to display graphics information received from one or more graphics sources, each graphics source being identified by a corresponding graphic identifier;

receiving a pixel from at least one of the graphics sources;

generating an internal pixel map according to the display file;

examining each pixel in the internal pixel map;

providing the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the identified graphics source when an examined pixel contains a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources; and

providing the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the examined pixel when the examined pixel does not contain a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein each graphic identifier comprises a key color value.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising displaying the provided graphic information.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein each graphic identifier uniquely identifies a respective one of the graphics sources.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising outputting the selected pixel to the display device for display on a screen.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein one of the graphics sources comprises an internal pixel map.

44. A method of multimedia display on a display device comprising:

receiving an internal pixel map according to a display file describing at least two windows, each window having a set of properties and configured to display graphics information received from a specified graphics source, the graphics source having a corresponding graphic identifier;

examining each pixel in the internal pixel map;

providing, when the examined pixel matches the graphic identifier of the specified graphics source, a corresponding pixel from the specified graphics source;

providing, when the examined pixel does not match the graphic identifier, the examined pixel; and

displaying the provided pixel on the display device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein each window comprises a button.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising generating the internal pixel map.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the display device comprises a touch monitor screen.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein examining each pixel in the internal pixel map further comprises determining whether the examined pixel is equal to a key color.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising assigning the graphic identifier to one of the buttons.

50. A computer program product for displaying multimedia on a display device, comprising:

a first computer code for composing a display file describing at least one window of a page to be displayed on the display device, wherein each window is configured to display graphics information received from one or more graphics sources, each graphics source being identified by a corresponding graphic identifier;

a second computer code for receiving a pixel from one of the graphics sources;

a third computer code for generating an internal pixel map according to the display file;

a fourth computer code for examining each pixel in the internal pixel map;

a fifth computer code for providing the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the identified graphics source when an examined pixel contains a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources; and

a sixth computer code for providing the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the examined pixel when the examined pixel does not contain a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein each graphic identifier comprises a key color value.

52. The computer program product of claim 50, further comprising a seventh computer code for displaying the provided graphic information.

53. A system for providing multimedia on a display device, comprising:

one or more graphics sources, wherein each graphics source is configured to provide graphics information, each graphics source being identified by a corresponding graphic identifier;

a display file defining a page having a plurality of page pixels to be displayed on the display device, the page including at least one window, wherein each window is configured to display graphics information received from at least one of the graphics sources;

means for generating an internal pixel map according to the display file;

means for examining each pixel in the internal pixel map;

means for displaying, when an examined pixel contains a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the identified graphics source; and

means for displaying, when an examined pixel does not contain a graphic identifier identifying at least one of the graphics sources, the graphic information for the corresponding page pixel from the examined pixel.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein each graphic identifier comprises a key color value.