Image processing apparatus

• US 7,496,278 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takashi, Miyamoto, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendmagegn; Girumsew
• Application Number:
  US10/501,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 386/52, 386/64, 386/95, 345/589, 348/734
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A signal processing apparatus, the operation of which is controlled by a remote controller, designates procedure for reproducing an image signal stored on a recording medium; allocates a reproduction function corresponding to the designated reproduction procedure to the operating key of the remote controller; generates reproduction management data that includes operating key information indicating the operating key to which the reproduction function is allocated, and reproduction procedure information indicating the designated reproduction procedure; and writes the reproduction procedure management information to the recording medium.

Claims

1. A signal processing apparatus operated by a remote controller comprising:

a designation unit arranged to designate reproduction procedure of an image signal recorded on a recording medium;

a management data processing unit arranged to allocate to an operating key of said remote controller, a reproduction function that corresponds to said designated reproduction procedure, generate reproduction procedure management information which includes operating key information indicating the operating key to which said reproduction function is allocated, and reproduction procedure information indicating said designated reproduction procedure, and further generate registered image management data for identifying image data designated through said reproduction procedure;

a recording unit arranged to record on said recording medium the reproduction procedure management information, wherein said recording unit writes onto said recording medium said registered image management data;

a reproduction unit arranged to reproduce said image signal and said reproduction procedure management information stored on said recording medium;

a control unit arranged to control the reproduction operation of said reproduction unit based on said reproduction procedure management information that is reproduced by said reproduction unit;

a reception unit arranged to receive a television broadcast; and

a first output unit arranged to output, to a display device, an image signal associated with said television broadcast received by said reception unit and an image signal reproduced by said reproduction unit; and

a second output unit arranged to output, to said display device, an image signal reproduced in accordance with said reproduction procedure,

wherein said reproduction unit includes a memory unit having a plurality of memory planes, and

wherein, based on said reproduction procedure designated in accordance with said reproduction procedure management information, said control unit determines the memory plane to which said image signal is to be written, and said control unit detects a display resolution and the number of display colors designated by said reproduction procedure, and compares the detected display resolution and number of display colors with the display resolution and the number of display colors of said display device to determine to which memory plane said image signal is to be written.

2. A signal processing apparatus operated by a remote controller comprising:

a designation unit arranged to designate reproduction procedure of an image signal recorded on a recording medium;

a management data processing unit arranged to allocate to an operating key of said remote controller, a reproduction function that corresponds to said designated reproduction procedure, and generate reproduction procedure management information which includes operating key information indicating the operating key to which said reproduction function is allocated, and reproduction procedure information indicating said designated reproduction procedure;

a recording unit arranged to record on said recording medium the reproduction procedure management information;

a reproduction unit arranged to reproduce said image signal and said reproduction procedure management information stored on said recording medium;

a control unit arranged to control the reproduction operation of said reproduction unit based on said reproduction procedure management information that is reproduced by said reproduction unit;

a reception unit arranged to receive a television broadcast; and

an output unit arranged to output, to a display device, an image signal associated with said television broadcast received by said reception unit, an image signal reproduced by said reproduction unit, and an image signal reproduced in accordance with said reproduction procedure,

wherein said reproduction unit includes a memory unit having a plurality of memory planes, and

wherein said control unit determines the memory plane to which said image signal is to be written, based on said reproduction procedure designated in accordance with said reproduction procedure management information, and said control unit detects a display resolution and the number of display colors designated by said reproduction procedure, and compares the detected display resolution and number of display colors with the display resolution and the number of display colors of said display device to determine to which memory plane said image signal is to be written.

3. A signal processing method performed by a remote controller comprising the steps of:

designating reproduction procedure of an image signal recorded on a recording medium;

allocating to an operating key of said remote controller, a reproduction function that corresponds to said designated reproduction procedure, and generating reproduction procedure management information which includes operating key information indicating the operating key to which said reproduction function is allocated, and reproduction procedure information indicating said designated reproduction procedure;

recording on said recording medium the reproduction procedure management information;

reproducing said image signal and said reproduction procedure management information stored on said recording medium;

controlling the reproduction operation in said reproducing step based on said reproduction procedure management information that is reproduced in said reproducing step;

receiving a television broadcast; and

outputting, to a display device, an image signal associated with said television broadcast received in said reception step, an image signal reproduced in said reproducing step, and an image signal reproduced in accordance with said reproduction procedure,

wherein said reproducing step uses a memory unit having a plurality of memory planes, and

wherein said control step includes determining the memory plane to which said image signal is to be written, based on said reproduction procedure designated in accordance with said reproduction procedure management information, and said control step further includes detecting a display resolution and the number of display colors designated by said reproduction procedure, and comparing the detected display resolution and number of display colors with the display resolution and the number of display colors of said display device to determine to which memory plane said image signal is to be written.