Television apparatus

• US 8,269,889 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Edmunds, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsia, Sherrie
• Application Number:
  US12/619,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 348/468, 348/460, 348/462, 348/465, 348/738, 340/407.1, 340/407.2
• US Class Current: 348/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals

Abstract

A television apparatus (20) including a display (22) and an audio transducer (24,28) for reproducing video and audio component parts of a television signal. A processor (40) is provided for separating from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal. A controller (46) selectively controls the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer (24,28) at the same time as the display (22) reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced. A user operable interface (30,50,48) is provided for selectively selecting between the standard mode and the audio descriptor mode. The controller (46) is configured to drive the display (42) to provide a mode image (52) providing an indication of the selective mode. It is additionally configured to cause the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected and an additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is deselected.

Claims

1. A television apparatus comprising:

a display and an audio transducer to reproduce video and audio component parts of a television signal;

a processor to separate from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal;

a controller to selectively control the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer at the same time as the display reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced; and

a user operable interface to select between the standard mode and the audio descriptor mode,

wherein the controller is configured to drive the display to provide a mode image providing an indication of the selective mode, and

the controller is additionally configured to cause the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication, different from the audio descriptor component part, whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected.

2. A television apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to drive the audio transducer to produce, as the additional indication, an audible indication.

3. A television apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the audible indication is a predetermined tone.

4. A television apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the audible indication is a spoken message.

5. A television apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the user operable interface includes a vibration device configured to provide vibrations and the controller is configured to drive the vibration device to produce, as the additional indication, vibrations at the user operable interface.

6. A television apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the controller is configured to drive the audio transducer to produce, as the additional indication, an audible indication.

7. A television apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to drive the display to display, as the additional indication, one or more of a bright image, a coloured image, a flashing image and an image larger than said mode image.

8. A television apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to drive the audio transducer to produce, as the additional indication, an audible indication.

9. A television apparatus comprising:

a display and an audio transducer to reproduce video and audio component parts of a television signal;

a processor to separate from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal;

a controller to selectively control the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer at the same time as the display reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced; and

a user operable interface to select between the standard mode and the audio descriptor mode,

wherein the controller is configured to drive the display to provide a mode image providing an indication of the selective mode, the controller is additionally configured to cause the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected, and the controller is additionally configured to cause the television apparatus additionally to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is deselected.

10. A television apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected is different to the additional information whenever the audio descriptor mode is deselected.

11. A method of controlling a television apparatus including a display and an audio transducer for reproducing video and audio component parts of a television signal and a processor for separating from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal, the method comprising:

selectively controlling the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer at the same time as the display reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced;

enabling user selection of either the standard mode or the audio descriptor mode;

driving the display to provide a mode image providing an indication of the selected mode; and

causing the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication, different from the audio descriptor component part, whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected.

12. A method of controlling a television apparatus including a display and an audio transducer for reproducing video and audio component parts of a television signal and a processor for separating from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal, the method comprising:

selectively controlling the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer at the same time as the display reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced;

enabling user selection of either the standard mode or the audio descriptor mode;

driving the display to provide a mode image providing an indication of the selected mode;

causing the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication, different from the audio descriptor component part, whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected; and

causing the television apparatus additionally to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication whenever the audio descriptor mode is deselected.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer-readable instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of controlling a television apparatus including a display and an audio transducer for reproducing video and audio component parts of a television signal and a processor for separating from the television signal an audio descriptor component part for providing an audio description of a corresponding video component part of the television signal, the method comprising:

selectively controlling the television apparatus to operate in one of an audio descriptor mode in which an audio descriptor component part is reproduced by the audio transducer at the same time as the display reproduces the respective corresponding video component part and a standard mode in which the audio descriptor component part is not reproduced;

enabling user selection of either the standard mode or the audio descriptor mode;

driving the display to provide a mode image providing an indication of the selected mode; and

causing the television apparatus to provide, for a visually impaired user, an additional indication, different from the audio descriptor component part, whenever the audio descriptor mode is selected.