Visual content signal display apparatus and a method of displaying a visual content signal therefor

• US 7,746,356 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Top Victory Investments Limited (TPV Technology Co., Ltd. (f/k/a Nanjing Huadong Electronics Information & Technology))
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Meinders, Erwin Rinaldo
• Primary Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MOTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US10/568,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20060268363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/634, 345/1.1, 382/190
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas

Abstract

The invention relates to a visual content signal display apparatus (100) comprising a receiver (101) which receives a visual content signal. The receiver (101) is coupled to a primary display processor (103) which is coupled to a primary display (105) and presents the visual content signal thereon. The receiver (101) is further coupled to an extraction processor (107) which extracts background content information from the visual content, signal. The background content information is fed to a secondary display processor (109) which generates a surround image on the basis of the extracted background content information. The surround image comprises visual characteristics corresponding to the visual characteristics of the image of the primary display (105). The display apparatus (100) further comprises a secondary display unit (111), coupled to the secondary display processor (109), and operable to display the surround image on a secondary display area whereby a combined display having an increased viewing angle is achieved. The surround image is preferably projected onto walls and ceiling of a room thereby providing an enhanced viewing experience.

Claims

1. A visual content signal display apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a visual content signal;

means for presenting the visual content signal on a primary display;

means for extracting background content information from the visual content signal;

means for generating a surround image in response to the background content information; and

means for displaying the surround image on a secondary display area thereby providing a combined display having an increased viewing angle.

2. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for displaying the surround image is operable to project the surround image on to an external surface of an object.

3. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 2 wherein the external surface is an internal surface of a room.

4. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for extracting is operable to extract real time background content information from the visual content signal, and the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate a real time surround image in response to the real time background content information.

5. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for extracting is operable to extract the background content information in response to background meta-data comprised in the visual content signal.

6. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for extracting is operable to extract the background content information in response to a content analysis of the visual content signal.

7. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 6 wherein the content analysis comprises image object recognition.

8. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for generating a surround image is operable to perform motion estimation of an image object and to generate the surround image in response to the motion estimation.

9. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the background content information comprises a visual characteristic of an image section of the visual content signal proximal to an edge of the primary display;

the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate at least a partial surround image having a corresponding visual characteristic; and

the means for displaying the surround image is operable to display the partial surround image proximal to the edge.

10. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for generating a surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to a predetermined image associated with the background content information.

11. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to a predetermined default image if no valid background content information is determined.

12. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image at a lower quality than a quality of the display of the content signal on the primary display.

13. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image with a quality that decreases for increasing distance from the primary display.

14. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image in response to characteristics of a viewing environment associated with the secondary display area.

15. The visual content signal display apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for determining a category of the visual content signal and wherein the means for generating the surround image is operable to generate the surround image processing in response to the category.

16. A method of displaying a visual content signal with a visual content display apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a visual content signal with a receiver of the apparatus;

presenting the visual content signal on a primary display;

extracting background content information from the visual content signal with an extraction processor of the apparatus;

generating a surround image in response to the background content information with a secondary display processor of the apparatus; and

displaying the surround image on a secondary display area thereby providing a combined display having an increased viewing angle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of background content characteristics, and wherein generating a surround image in response to the background content information includes selecting one of the stored images in response to the extracted background content information.

18. A system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a visual content signal;

a primary display processor for processing the visual content signal and for providing an image for display on a primary display;

an extraction processor for extracting background content information from the visual content signal;

a second display processor for generating a surround image in response to the extracted background content information; and

a secondary display for displaying the surround image on a secondary display area surrounding the primary display,

wherein a combination of the image and the surround image provide a greater viewing angle than the image alone.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system stores a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of background content characteristics, and wherein the second display processor selects one of the stored images in response to the extracted background content information and generates the surround image from the selected stored image.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system stores a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of background content characteristics, and wherein the second display processor selects at least two of the stored images in response to the extracted background content information and generates the surround image from the at least two selected stored images.