Screen filled display of digital video content

• US 8,284,311 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunton, Randy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): YENKE, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/008,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 348563-570, 348580-582, 348555-556, 348/584, 348/585, 348/445, 348/468
• US Class Current: 348/556
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• 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 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440272 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios

Abstract

A dynamic region, such as subtitles, is detected in a stream of digital video, and displayed along with a static region also in the stream, such as a video region, so that nearly all of the total vertical display area of a monitor displaying the dynamic and static regions is filled. For example, when the dynamic region is detected, the vertical size of the static region is adjusted to allow the vertical display of the dynamic and static region on the monitor simultaneously, without extending beyond or reducing to less than the total vertical display size of the monitor. Also, when the dynamic region is not detected, the vertical height of the static region is adjusted to fill the total vertical display size. Moreover, iterative increase and decrease in the vertical sizes of the regions may allow for a more pleasant viewer experience.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting whether to display a dynamic region of a coded stream of digital video data to be displayed over a period of time, by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of the stream to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor, the dynamic region to be displayed during a selected sub-period of the period of time but not during another different selected sub-period of the period of time, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a different second portion of the monitor, wherein detecting decoded digital data only representing text includes;

monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data, finding a stream of characters of only digital text data included in the channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data, and based on finding characters of only digital text data, decreasing a vertical size of the static region;

then

monitoring the decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data, not finding characters of only digital text data included in the channel having decoded text data content, and based on not finding characters of only digital text data, increasing a vertical size of the static region and not combining the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein combining comprises:

combining a pre-scaled buffer output from a video decoder with a pre-scaled buffer output from a graphics engine into a single output of combined data to a scaler that scales the combined data into the output to the display.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a third coded signal comprising the first coded signal and the second coded signal, wherein detecting comprises monitoring the third coded signal and detecting that the dynamic region does not exist if the first coded signal does not exist, and detecting that the dynamic region does exist if the first coded signal does exist and is detected in the third coded signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting a coded version of only text data in the first signal, and decoding the coded version into only coded digits representing characters of text, separately from decoding the second signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein detecting is only based on detecting decoded graphics text from a decoded version of the first signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein the dynamic region is an active display area of text graphics, the static region is an active display area of video, and the text graphics is to be displayed on the monitor and under the video.

5. A method comprising:

detecting whether to display a dynamic region of a coded stream of digital video data to be displayed over a period of time, by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of the stream to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor, the dynamic region to be displayed during a selected sub-period of the period of time but not during another different selected sub-period of the period of time, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a different second portion of the monitor,

wherein detecting decoded digital data only representing text includes monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data to find or not find a stream of characters of only digital text data included in the channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data, and

not combining the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device when characters of only digital text data are not found.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein combining comprises:

combining a pre-scaled buffer output from a video decoder with a pre-scaled buffer output from a graphics engine into a single output of combined data to a scaler that scales the combined data into the output to the display.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a third coded signal comprising the first coded signal and the second coded signal, wherein detecting comprises monitoring the third coded signal and detecting that the dynamic region does not exist if the first coded signal does not exist, and detecting that the dynamic region does exist if the first coded signal does exist and is detected in the third coded signal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting includes detecting a coded version of only text data in the first signal, and decoding the coded version into only coded digits representing characters of text, separately from decoding the second signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein detecting is only based on detecting decoded graphics text from a decoded version of the first signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein the dynamic region is an active display area of text graphics, the static region is an active display area of video, and the text graphics is to be displayed on the monitor and under the video.

9. A method comprising:

detecting whether to display a dynamic region of a coded stream of digital video data to be displayed over a period of time, by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of the stream to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor, the dynamic region to be displayed during a selected sub-period of the period of time but not during another different selected sub-period of the period of time, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a different second portion of the monitor,

wherein detecting decoded digital data only representing text includes monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data,

combining the dynamic region and the static region into an output to a display device when characters of only digital text data are found; and

not combining the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device when characters of only digital text data are not found.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein combining comprises:

combining a pre-scaled buffer output from a video decoder with a pre-scaled buffer output from a graphics engine into a single output of combined data to a scaler that scales the combined data into the output to the display.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a third coded signal comprising the first coded signal and the second coded signal, wherein detecting comprises monitoring the third coded signal and detecting that the dynamic region does not exist if the first coded signal does not exist, and detecting that the dynamic region does exist if the first coded signal does exist and is detected in the third coded signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting includes detecting a coded version of only text data in the first signal, and decoding the coded version into only coded digits representing characters of text, separately from decoding the second signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein detecting is only based on detecting decoded graphics text from a decoded version of the first signal of the stream of digital video data, wherein the dynamic region is an active display area of text graphics, the static region is an active display area of video, and the text graphics is to be displayed on the monitor and under the video.

13. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store an application to be executed by the processor; and

a device including;

a detector to detect whether to display a dynamic region by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of a stream of digital video data to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor only when the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a second portion of the monitor regardless of whether or not the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, wherein detecting a dynamic region includes monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data, and finding a stream of characters of only digital text data included in the channel having decoded text data content; and

further comprising;

based on finding characters of only digital text data, decreasing a vertical size of the static region;

then

monitoring the decoded graphics stream channel only having the coded digits representing characters of only digital text data,

not finding characters of only digital text data included in the channel having decoded text data content; and

based on not finding characters of only digital text data, increasing a vertical size of the static region and not combining the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device;

a frame buffer to;

(a) adjust a vertical display size of the second portion sufficiently to include display of the dynamic and static regions on the monitor in vertical alignment, and minimize a vertical portion of the monitor not displaying the dynamic or static regions, while the characters of only digital text data are found, and

(b) adjust a vertical display size of the second portion sufficiently to include display of the static region on the monitor, and minimize a vertical portion of the monitor not displaying the static region, while the dynamic region is not detected;

a blender to combine the characters of only digital text data and the static region into an output to the frame buffer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a graphics branch having a graphics engine and a first frame buffer to output a pre-scaled graphics buffer output from the graphics engine;

a video branch having a video decoder and a second frame buffer to output a pre-scaled buffer video output from the video decoder;

the blender to combine the pre-scaled graphics buffer output with the pre-scaled buffer video output.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the detector further send detector information to a final frame buffer and a scaler;

wherein the final frame buffer and scaler perform the adjusting and blending based on the received detector information, and wherein the frame buffer orients the first and second portion for display on the monitor in a vertical alignment, wherein the frame buffer is to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the first and second portions are not displayed, while the dynamic region is detected, and to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the second portion is not displayed, while the dynamic region is not detected.

16. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store an application to be executed by the processor; and

a device including;

a detector to detect whether to display a dynamic region by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of a stream of digital video data to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor only when the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a second portion of the monitor regardless of whether or not the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, wherein detecting a dynamic region includes monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data to find or not find a stream of characters of only digital text data included in the channel having decoded text data content, and to not combine the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device when characters of only digital text data are not found; and

a blender to combine the characters of only digital text data and the static region into an output to the frame buffer.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a graphics branch having a graphics engine and a first frame buffer to output a pre-scaled graphics buffer output from the graphics engine;

a video branch having a video decoder and a second frame buffer to output a pre-scaled buffer video output from the video decoder;

the blender to combine the pre-scaled graphics buffer output with the pre-scaled buffer video output.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the detector further send detector information to a final frame buffer and a scaler;

wherein the final frame buffer and scaler perform the adjusting and blending based on the received detector information, and wherein the frame buffer orients the first and second portion for display on the monitor in a vertical alignment, wherein the frame buffer is to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the first and second portions are not displayed, while the dynamic region is detected, and to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the second portion is not displayed, while the dynamic region is not detected.

19. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory to store an application to be executed by the processor; and

a device including;

a detector to detect whether to display a dynamic region by detecting decoded digital data only representing text, the dynamic region including the decoded digital data only representing text data of text of a stream of digital video data to be displayed in a first portion of a monitor only when the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, the stream including a different second coded signal including a static region to be displayed in a second portion of the monitor regardless of whether or not the decoded digital data only representing text is detected, wherein detecting a dynamic region includes monitoring a decoded graphics stream channel only having digits representing characters of only digital text data;

a frame buffer to;

(a) adjust a vertical display size of the second portion sufficiently to include display of the dynamic and static regions on the monitor in vertical alignment, and minimize a vertical portion of the monitor not displaying the dynamic or static regions, while the characters of only digital text data are found, and

(b) adjust a vertical display size of the second portion sufficiently to include display of the static region on the monitor, and minimize a vertical portion of the monitor not displaying the static region, while the dynamic region is not detected;

a blender to combine the characters of only digital text data and the static region into an output to the frame buffer by;

combining the dynamic region and the static region into an output to a display device when characters of only digital text data are found; and

not combining the dynamic region and the static region into the output to the display device when characters of only digital text data are not found.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a graphics branch having a graphics engine and a first frame buffer to output a pre-scaled graphics buffer output from the graphics engine;

a video branch having a video decoder and a second frame buffer to output a pre-scaled buffer video output from the video decoder;

the blender to combine the pre-scaled graphics buffer output with the pre-scaled buffer video output.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the detector further send detector information to a final frame buffer and a scaler;

wherein the final frame buffer and scaler perform the adjusting and blending based on the received detector information, and wherein the frame buffer orients the first and second portion for display on the monitor in a vertical alignment, wherein the frame buffer is to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the first and second portions are not displayed, while the dynamic region is detected, and to detect an unused vertical portion of the monitor where the second portion is not displayed, while the dynamic region is not detected.