Image displaying system, image displaying device, image data outputting device, image displaying method, image displaying program, and image data outputting program

• US 8,698,702 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sato, Minoru, Kubota, Shinji, Nomizo, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US12/219,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 21- 23, 345 31- 34, 709/232
• US Class Current: 345/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/001 Arbitration of resources in a display system, e.g. control of access to frame buffer by video controller and/or main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances

Abstract

A system consisting of a plurality of terminals storing image data and an image displaying device which are connected with each other through a network capable of two-way communication has the disadvantage of decreasing in throughput on account of slow image data transfer over the network. The image displaying device performs two-way communications with each of the terminals by a communication means at the display device side. Also, the image displaying device acquires image data from a relevant terminal while instructing other terminals to suspend transmission by the image data acquisition controlling means, thereby suspending transmission of image data. The image displaying device displays images by the image displaying means based on the thus acquired image data.

Claims

1. An image displaying device comprising:

a communication unit that performs two-way communications with a first terminal that supplies first image data and a second terminal that supplies second image data;

an image data acquisition controlling unit that acquires the first image data and the second image data from the first terminal and the second terminal;

an image displaying unit that displays at least one image in response to the first image data and the second image data acquired by the image data acquisition controlling unit, and

a mode switching unit that switches between a split display mode and a sequential display mode, so that, in the split display mode, the image displaying unit displays images based on the first image data and the second image data on divided sections of one screen, and in the sequential display mode, the image displaying unit displays one image based on one of the first image data and the second image data the full one screen,

wherein the mode switching unit switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode in response to an operation on at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.

2. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image data acquisition controlling unit controls, in the split display mode, the communication unit in such a way that it designates sequentially each of the first terminal and the second terminal and sequentially acquires the first image data and the second image data for images to be displayed on the divided sections.

3. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein, in the sequential display mode, the image displaying device displays the one image based on the first image data, and sends the second terminal a request to suspend transmission of the second image data.

4. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein in the split display mode, the image displaying device displays a first image based on the first image data and a second image based on the second image data, the first image being substantially equal to the second image in size.

5. The image displaying device as defined in claim 4, wherein in the split display mode, the image displaying device displays four images, each of which are substantially equal in size.

6. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein in the split display mode, the image displaying device displays a first image based on the first image data and a second image based on the second image data, the first image being larger than the second image in size.

7. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein in the split display mode, the one screen is divided into plural areas.

8. The image displaying device as defined in claim 7, wherein in the split display mode, the one screen is equally divided.

9. The image displaying device as defined in claim 8, wherein in the split display mode, the one screen is equally divided into four areas.

10. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode in response to an operation on a remote controller.

11. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode in response to an operation on each of the first and second terminals.

12. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device includes a mode switching button.

13. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device is connected to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal by wire network.

14. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device is connected to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal by wireless network.

15. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device is connected to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal by LAN.

16. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device is connected to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal by internet.

17. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device is connected to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal by USB connection.

18. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device instructs a terminal of the first and second terminals that is sending image data to switch image.

19. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the image displaying device instructs a terminal of the first and second terminals that is sending image data to switch image in response to an operation on a remote controller.

20. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein in the sequential display mode, the image displaying device switches a first image based on the first image data supplied from the first terminal to a second image based on the second image data supplied from the second terminal.

21. The image displaying device as defined in claim 20, wherein in the sequential display mode, the image displaying device switches the first image to the second image according to a user'"'"'s instruction.

22. The image displaying device as defined in claim 20, wherein in the sequential display mode, the image displaying device switches the first image to the second image according to elapsed time.

23. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein in the split display mode, the image data acquisition controlling unit instructs the first and second terminals to suspend transmission.

24. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein if a single terminal of the first and second terminals is connected to the image displaying device, the image displaying device displays in the sequential display mode.

25. The image displaying device as defined in claim 24, wherein if the first and second terminals are connected to the image displaying device, the image displaying device displays in the split display mode.

26. The image displaying device as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode according to number of terminals.

27. The image displaying device as defined in claim 26, wherein the mode switching unit switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode according to number of terminals having responded to broadcast communication.

28. The image displaying device as defined in claim 26, wherein the mode switching unit switches betwen the split display mode and the sequential display mode according to number of terminals having requested connection.

29. An image displaying method for causing an image displaying device to display an image, the image displaying device being connected through a network capable of two-way communications with a first terminal that supplies first image data and a second terminal that supplies second image data, the image displaying method comprising:

acquiring the first image data and the second image data from the first terminal and the second terminal,

displaying at least one image in response to the acquired first image data and the acquired second image data,

switching between a split display mode and a sequential display mode so that, in the split display mode, images are displayed based on the first image data and the second image data on divided sections of one screen, and in the sequential display mode, one image is displayed based on one of the first image data and the second image data on the full one screen,

wherein the switching between the split display mode and the sequential display mode is in response to an operation on at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable image displaying program stored thereon, the image displaying program comprising:

a communication function allowing a computer to perform two-way communications with a first terminal that supplies first image data and a second terminal that supplies second image data,

an image data acquisition controlling function that acquires the first image data and the second image data from the first terminal and the second terminal,

an image displaying function that causes an image display device to display at least one image based on the first image data and the second image data acquired by the image data acquisition controlling function, and

a mode switching function that switches between a split display mode and a sequential display mode so that, in the split display mode, the image displaying function displays images based on the first image data and the second image data on divided sections of one screen, and in the sequential display mode, the image displaying function displays one image based on one of the first image data and the second image data on the full one screen,

wherein the mode switching function switches between the split display mode and the sequential display mode in response to an operation on at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.