Image display apparatus having a graphical user interface for a plurality of input ports and method for operating the same

• US 8,804,043 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Sungsuk
• Primary Examiner(s): KOSTAK, VICTOR R
• Application Number:
  US13/834,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 348/705, 348/706, 348/588, 348/565, 348/564, 348/584, 348/589, 348/600, 710/8, 710 15- 19, 710 62- 64, 345/629, 345/634, 345/641, 715764-766, 715/788, 715/790, 715/793, 715/794, 715/797, 715/810, 715/828, 715/835, 715/838
• US Class Current: 348/584
• 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 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/67 for matrixing camera processing pipelines for matrixing of colour signals H04N23/85

Abstract

An image display apparatus and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The method for operating an image display apparatus includes displaying a first image, displaying per-input port images that are being received or have been received through a plurality of input ports on a per-input port basis so that the per-input port images are distinguished from one another according to the input ports, upon receipt of a per-input port image view input, selecting one of the per-input port images, and displaying an image corresponding to an input port through which the selected per-input port image is being received or has been received. The per-input port images are displayed overlapped with one another.

Claims

1. A method for operating an image display apparatus, comprising:

displaying an image;

displaying per-input port images that are being received or have been received through a plurality of input ports on a per-input port basis so that the per-input port images are distinguished from one another according to the input ports, upon receipt of a per-input port image view input;

selecting one of the per-input port images; and

displaying an image corresponding to an input port through which the selected per-input port image is being received or has been received,

wherein, when displaying the per-input port images, the per-input port images are displayed overlapped with one another,

wherein the per-input port images include objects indicating the input ports, and

wherein each objects indicating the input ports are displayed in each per-input port images and are not overlapped with the other per-input port images.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of input ports through which the displayed per-input port images are being received or have been received are currently available input ports among input ports of the image display apparatus.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying of per-input port images comprises displaying the per-input port images in order of the latest use.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the displayed per-input port images is a last reproduced image displayed in the image display apparatus.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the presence of an input port providing recorded images among the plurality of input ports, the displaying of per-input port images comprises displaying an image corresponding to the input port, only when playback of the recorded image has not ended yet through the input port.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the per-input port images include at least one of an High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) image, a broadcast image, a Component image, a Red, Green, Blue (RGB) image, or a Video ON Demand (VOD) image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the per-input port images is smaller than the first image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein an image that is being received or has been received through an input port corresponding to the first image is highlighted.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the image that is being received or has been received through the input port corresponding to the first image has at least one of a largest size, a largest periphery thickness, or a highest brightness, or is placed at a foremost position.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing final images received through the input ports and reproduced in the image display apparatus,

wherein the per-input port images are final images except for a currently viewed image.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when an input port among the plurality of input ports is unavailable, displaying a blank image as the per-input port image corresponding to the unavailable input port,

wherein the blank image includes an object indicating the unavailable input port.

12. An image display apparatus comprising:

a display to display a first image;

an interface unit having a first plurality of input ports, to receive per-input port images through a second plurality of input ports; and

a controller to upon receipt of a per-input port image view input, control display of per-input port images that are being received or have been received through the second plurality of input ports on a per-input port basis so that the per-input port images are distinguished from one another according to the input ports, and when one of the per-input port images is selected, to control display of an image corresponding to an input port through which the selected per-input port image is being received or has been received,

wherein, when the controller controls the display of the per-port images, the per-input port images are displayed overlapped with one another,

wherein the per-input port images include objects indicating the input ports, and

wherein each objects indicating the input ports are displayed in each per-input port images and are not overlapped with the other per-input port images.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second plurality of input ports through which the per-input port images are being received or have been received are currently available input ports among the first plurality of input ports of the interface unit.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the display displays the per-input port images in order of the latest use.

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a memory to store last reproduced images displayed in the image display apparatus,

wherein the display displays a last reproduced image stored in the memory as at least one of the per-input port images.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein in the presence of an input port providing recorded images among the plurality of input ports, the display displays an image corresponding to the input port, only when playback of the recorded image has not ended yet through the input port.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the display highlights an image that is being received or has been received through an input port corresponding to the first image.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the display displays the image that is being received or has been received through the input port corresponding to the first image in at least one of a largest size, a largest periphery thickness, or a highest brightness, or the display places the image at a foremost position.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a memory to store final images received through the input ports and reproduced in the image display apparatus,

wherein the display displays a currently viewed image and final images stored in the memory as the per-input port images.

20. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when an input port among the plurality of input ports is unavailable, a blank image is displayed as the per-input port image corresponding to the unavailable input port,

wherein the blank image includes an object indicating the unavailable input port.