Timesharing of a display screen

• US 7,430,018 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Patel, Neelakant Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke; Brian P
• Application Number:
  US12/054,145
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/54, 348/564, 348/565, 348/588, 345/1.3
• US Class Current: 348/588
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing

Abstract

Since a continuous movie effect is created at 24 frames/second, a TV or a movie screen capable of displaying 48 frames/second can alternate the frames from two different programs, so that the frames of each program will have the rate of 24 frames/second. Two viewers wearing eye-pieces with phase locking strobe, running at 24 frames/second, can each lock on different set of alternating frames, and block the other set. The strobe is synchronized with the display, so that each of the viewers gets to see only the 24 frames/sec that is relevant to the program that viewer is watching. One embodiment allows other viewer to view another program at 24 frames/second. Each viewer also has a separate audio feed associated with his or her viewing program.

Claims

1. A method for timesharing of a display screen in a multimedia display system, said method comprising:

said multimedia display system receiving multiple program feeds;

wherein each of said multiple program feeds having same frame rates;

multiplexing frames from each of said multiple program feeds, by interleaving one frame from each of said multiple program feeds sequentially in the same repeating order;

displaying said multiplexed frames from each of said multiple program feeds at a boosted frame rate;

wherein said boosted frame rate is equal to the number of interleaved program feeds times an original viewing frame rate;

setting a blanking period between each frame raster on said display screen;

defining a threshold blanking period;

if number of said multiple program feeds increases such that said blanking period is shorter than said threshold blanking period, then increasing raster speed, to reduce frame display duration;

wherein said raster speed is preconfigured to a set of raster speeds;

automatically adjusting an attribute of said display screen, to compensate for reduction of display brightness, due to any reduced display duration;

signaling viewer eye pieces about any changes in said raster speed;

wherein one of multiple-viewer apparatuses for viewing said display screen comprising a viewing strobe, and a first rotating disc with one or more slots angularly uniformly distributed, with a slot opening in a user'"'"'s line of sight;

adjusting said slot opening, using an adjustable mask, or using a second rotating disc;

wherein said second rotating disc rotating at the same speed, but out-of-phase, with respect to said first rotating disc;

a phase lock module, with a feedback mechanism, adjusting any deviation in operation of said first rotating disc, using a synchronization signal;

wherein said slot opening is adjusted inversely proportional to said raster speed;

synchronizing said multiple program feeds with audio data;

selecting one of said multiple program feeds to view;

transmitting a frame synching signal to each of said multiple-viewer apparatuses which is associated with said selected one of said multiple program feeds to view; and

wherein frequency of said frame synching signal is the same or a whole fraction of said original viewing frame rate.