APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING A COMMAND, METHOD FOR DISPLAYING USER INTERFACE OF MEDIA SIGNAL, AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAME, APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING MIX SIGNAL AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100014693A1
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Im, Kyeong Su, Park, Sung Ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/111 for graphical orchestra or soundstage control, e.g. on-screen selection or positioning of instruments in a virtual orchestra, using movable or selectable musical instrument icons soundstage sound field effects G10H2210/305
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/091 Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files metadata G10H2240/075
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/03 Application of parametric coding in stereophonic audio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/00 Indicating arrangements; Control arrangements, e.g. balance control

Abstract

An apparatus for inputting commands required for controlling a mix signal and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes an input unit, a control unit converting an input signal received via the input unit to a per-source menu display command, the control unit controlling a per-source menu display image to be outputted based on a source information corresponding to a mix signal in accordance with the per-source menu display command, and a display for outputting the per-source menu display. Accordingly, a volume level is adjusted per a source signal included in such a mix signal as a video signal, an audio signal, and the like or an ambience (relative position) is adjusted. And, a user is always able to confirm information on a source signal (or object signal) associated with a mix signal (or synthetic object signal).

Claims

1. An inputting apparatus comprising:

an input unit;

a control unit converting an input signal received via the input unit to a per-source menu display command, the control unit controlling a per-source menu display image to be outputted based on a source information corresponding to a mix signal in accordance with the per-source menu display command; and

,

a display for outputting the per-source menu display image.

2. The inputting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pointing device or a direction key, wherein the control unit converts the input signal received via the pointing device or the direction key to a per-source level adjust command.

3. An inputting apparatus comprising:

an input unit;

a control unit converting an input signal received via the input unit to a per-source menu display command; and

a wireless communication unit transmitting the command converted by the control unit to an external device.

4. An inputting apparatus comprising:

an input unit; and

a control unit converting an input signal received via the input unit to a voice mute command or a voice level adjust command, the control unit outputting a control information on a mix signal based on the voice mute command or the voice level adjust command.

5. An inputting apparatus comprising:

an input unit;

a control unit converting an input signal received via the input unit to an ambience image display command, the control unit controlling an ambience image to be outputted based on a source information corresponding to a mix signal in accordance with the ambience image display command; and

a display to which the ambience image is outputted.

6. The inputting apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a pointing device or a direction key, wherein the control unit converts the input signal received via the pointing device or the direction key to an ambience adjust command and then outputs a control information on the mix signal based on the ambience adjust command.

7. An inputting method comprising:

receiving a shortcut key register command;

selecting one of a plurality of keys, one of a plurality of sources, and one of at least one or more functions; and

storing by matching the selected function for the selected source to the selected key,

wherein a plurality of the sources comprise at least one of a source of an audio signal and a source of a video signal and wherein the at least one function comprises at least one of a sound mute, an ambience adjustment, and a level adjustment.

8. An inputting apparatus comprising:

an input unit for selecting one of a plurality of keys, one of a plurality of sources, and one of at least one or more functions;

a memory unit storing a command information for each of a plurality of the keys;

and a control unit matching the selected function for the selected source to the selected key, the control unit storing a result of the matching in the memory unit,

wherein a plurality of the sources comprise at least one of an object of an audio signal and an object of a video signal and wherein the at least one function comprises at least one of a sound mute, an ambience adjustment, and a level adjustment.

9. A method of displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

having a specific mix signal selected; and

displaying a list of a source signal by inquiring an information on the source signal corresponding to the mix signal,

wherein the displaying is maintained while the mix signal is selected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information on the source signal is extracted from a side information corresponding to the mix signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of the source signal comprises at least one of a musical instrument name, a singer name and a character of the source signal included in the mix signal.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

having a single source selected from the list of the source signal; and

further displaying a volume level adjust image for the selected source.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

having a single source selected from the list of the source signal; and

displaying an equalizer adjust image or an ambience adjust image for the selected source.

14. An apparatus for displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

an input unit for selecting one of a plurality of mix signals;

a control unit displaying a list of a source signal by inquiring an information of the source signal corresponding to the mix signal; and

a display for displaying the list of the source signal,

wherein the displaying is maintained while the mix signal is selected.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a second display,

wherein the input unit is to select a source from the list of the source signal and

wherein the control unit displays at least one of metadata, a volume level adjust image, an equalizer adjust image and an ambience adjust image for the selected source on the second display.

16. A method of displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

having a specific mix signal selected; and

displaying an icon corresponding to a source signal based on an information of the source signal by inquiring the information of the source signal corresponding to the mix signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information of the source signal is extracted from a side information corresponding to the mix signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

if an execution command for one of the icons is received, displaying a level adjust image of the source signal corresponding to the selected icon.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

if a command for a level adjustment is received, varying a shape of the selected icon in accordance with an adjusted level,

wherein the shape of the selected icon comprises at least one of a size, a color, a brightness, and a position within the image.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

if one of the icons is selected, displaying an equalizer image of the source signal corresponding to the selected icon.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

if a command for a per-subband level adjustment is received, remixing the mix signal by adjusting a subband level of the source signal corresponding to the selected icon.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising, if one of the icons is selected, displaying an ambience adjust image of the source signal corresponding to the selected icon, wherein the ambience adjust image displays a per-source signal relative position.

23. An apparatus for displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

an input unit for selecting one of a plurality of mix signals;

a control unit displaying an icon corresponding to a source signal based on an information of the source signal corresponding to the mix signal selected by the input unit; and

a display unit for displaying the icon corresponding to the source signal.

24. A method of displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

receiving a playback command for the mix signal; and

if a level of a source signal corresponding to the mix signal varies per a time, displaying a shape of an image of the source signal by varying the shape per the time,

wherein the shape of the image comprises at least one of a size, a color, a brightness, and a position within the image.

25. An apparatus for displaying an interface of a mix signal, comprising:

an input unit for inputting a playback command for the mix signal;

a control unit, if a level of a source signal corresponding to the mix signal varies per a time, the control unit controlling a shape of an image of the source signal to be displayed by varying the shape per the time; and

a display unit for displaying the image corresponding to the source signal,

wherein the shape of the image comprises at least one of a size, a color, a brightness, and a position within the image.

26. A method of processing a signal, which is carried out by a remix information providing server connected to a user terminal via a communication network, the method comprising:

having a remix information requested by the user terminal; and

transmitting the requested remix information to the user terminal,

wherein the remix information comprises at least one of a mix signal, a source signal included in the mix signal, a mix parameter for controlling the mix signal per the source signal, an up-mix signal for upmixing the mix signal, and an icon or emoticon for representing the source signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the remix information includes a modified mix signal generated from excluding a partial source signal from the source signal included in the mix signal.

28. The method of claim 27, if a request for a transmission of the modified mix signal is made by the user terminal, the method further comprising:

enabling a user to select a source signal to be excluded from the mix signal; and

generating the modified mix signal from which the selected source signal is excluded,

wherein in the transmitting, the modified mix signal is transmitted to the user terminal.

29. The method of claim 26, the transmitting comprising transmitting the remix information to the user terminal if a payment for the remix information is made.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the remix information providing server is connected to a banking organ or a mobile communication service provider via the communication network and,

wherein the payment is made in a manner of making a request for user terminal authentication information to the user terminal, requesting an authentication by transmitting the authentication information inputted by the user terminal to the banking organ or the mobile communication service provider, and if the user terminal authentication is completed, requesting the payment by transmitting a payment information to the banking organ or the mobile communication service provider.

31. A method of processing a signal, which is carried out by a user terminal connected to a remix information providing server via a communication network, the method comprising:

making a request for a remix information by accessing the remix information providing server;

transmitting a payment information requested by the remix information providing server to the remix information providing server; and

if a payment is made, receiving the remix information from the remix information providing server,

wherein the remix information comprises at least one of a mix signal, a source signal included in the mix signal, a mix parameter for controlling the mix signal per the source signal, an up-mix signal for upmixing the mix signal, and an icon or emoticon for representing the source signal.

32. A remix information providing server, which is connected to a user terminal via a communication network, the remix information providing server comprising:

a transceiving unit having a remix information requested by the user terminal, the transceiving unit transmitting the requested remix information to the user terminal;

a database unit extracting the requested remix information in response to a request made by the user terminal;

a payment processing unit, if a use of the remix information is charged for, the payment processing unit processing a payment for the use of the remix information; and

a control unit controlling the remix information requested by the user terminal to be transmitted to the user terminal,

wherein the remix information comprises at least one of a mix signal, a source signal included in the mix signal, a mix parameter for controlling the mix signal per the source signal, an up-mix signal for upmixing the mix signal, and an icon or emoticon for representing the source signal.

33. A user terminal, which is connected to a remix information providing server via a communication network, the user terminal comprising:

a communication unit making a request for a remix information to the remix information providing server, the communication unit receiving the requested remix information;

a user interface for receiving a control information;

a remix rendering unit remixing a source signal included in a mix signal using the remix information and the control information;

and a control unit controlling the source signal included in the mix signal to be remixed by controlling the user terminal overall,

wherein the remix information comprises at least one of a mix signal, a source signal included in the mix signal, a mix parameter for controlling the mix signal per the source signal, an up-mix signal for upmixing the mix signal, and an icon or emoticon for representing the source signal.