Viewing management for video sources

• US 6,363,204 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sturgeon, Derrill L., Johnson, Drew S., Howard, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/940,336
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.591, 386/1, 386/45-46, 386/125-126, 386/83, 386/96, 348/554-555, 348/559-560, 348/563-568, 348/596, 348/705-706, 348/552, 725/133, 725/141, 725/110, 725/112, 345/718-719
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A system operable with a Digital Versatile/Video Disc source, provided with a scheme for preferably automatically pausing the playback of a DVD title when a user indicates that another activity is to be engaged. By automatically pausing the title playback, computational load on a processor subsystem associated with the system is minimized while graceful management of the additional video sources is effected. When the user switches to experiencing the DVD source as the primary source, the playback of the title is preferably automatically resumed.

Claims

1. A computer convergence system operable to provide personal computer mode functions and operable to provide TV mode functions, said system comprising:

a convergence functionality device operable to generate TV mode function signals;

a computer subsystem coupled to said convergence functionality device to receive and manage said TV mode function signals, said computer subsystem operable under control of an operating system to execute user selectable personal computer programs and to generate personal computer mode function signals;

a display monitor having a first full screen image viewing surface and a second image viewing surface, said second viewing surface having a smaller area than and located within the area of said first viewing surface;

said computer subsystem operable to control selective display of images on said first and second viewing surfaces of said monitor;

said computer subsystem operably responsive to user commands from a user input device;

said display monitor operable in a personal computer mode to receive said personal computer mode function signals and to generate a full screen display having characteristics emulating a PC monitor display, and at the same time to generate a display from a video source on said second viewing surface;

said computer subsystem operable to minimize said second viewing surface and to pause said display from said video source, and subsequently to maximize said second viewing surface and to resume said display from said video source;

said display monitor operable in a TV mode;

to receive TV mode function, signals from the convergence functionality device originating from a first video source operable to stream a recorded first video sequence to said computer subsystem, to provide a user selectable full screen over scan mode display of said recorded first video sequence on the first viewing surface of said display monitor;

said display monitor also operable in said TV display mode to receive TV mode function signals from the convergence functionality device originating from a second video source operable to stream a second video sequence to said computer subsystem to generate simultaneously with said full screen display of said recorded first video sequence, a user selectable, viewable display of said second video sequence on said second viewing surface;

said computer subsystem operable in said TV display mode in response to a command from said user input device to swap said displays on said first and second viewing surfaces, displaying said recorded first video sequence stream on said second viewing surface and generating a full screen user viewable display of second video sequence stream on said first viewing surface, and to pause said recorded first video sequence at a playback position;

said computer subsystem also operable in said TV mode in response to a command to re-swap said paused, recorded first video sequence from said second viewing surface and to resume user viewable full screen display of said recorded first video sequence stream commencing at said playback position.

2. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said first video source operable to stream recorded video sequences to said computer subsystem comprises a DVD player.

3. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said second video source operable to stream video sequences to said computer subsystem comprises a TV receiver.

4. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said first video source operable to stream recorded video sequences to said computer subsystem comprises a DVD player, and wherein said second video source operable to stream video sequences to said computer subsystem comprises a TV receiver.

5. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said user viewable full screen display of said recorded first video sequence stream resumes automatically commencing at said playback position following said reswap command.

6. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said reswap command is generated in response to operation of said user input device.

7. The computer convergence device of claim 1, wherein said computer subsystem is further operable to access to a communications network.

8. A computer convergence system operable to provide personal computer mode functions and operable to provide TV mode functions, said system comprising:

a convergence functionality device operable to generate TV mode function signals;

a computer subsystem coupled to said convergence functionality device to receive and manage said TV mode function signals, said computer subsystem operable under control of an operating system to execute user selectable personal computer programs and to generate personal computer mode function signals;

a display monitor having a first full screen image viewing surface and a second image viewing surface, said second viewing surface having a smaller area than and located within the area of said first viewing surface;

said computer subsystem operable to control selective display of images on said first and second viewing surfaces of said monitor;

said computer subsystem operably responsive to user commands from a user input device;

said display monitor operable in a personal computer mode to receive said personal computer mode function signals and to generate a full screen display having characteristics emulating a PC monitor display, and at the same time to generate a display from a video source in said second viewing surface;

said computer subsystem operable to minimize said second viewing surface and to pause said display from said video source, and subsequently to maximize said second viewing surface and to resume said display from said video source;

said display monitor operable in a TV mode;

to receive said TV mode function signals from the convergence functionality device a recorded first video sequence to said computer subsystem originating from a DVD video source, to provide a user selectable full screen over scan mode display of said recorded first video sequence on the first viewing surface of said display monitor;

said display monitor also operable in said TV display mode to receive TV mode function signals from the convergence functionality device originating from a TV receiver source to generate simultaneously with said full screen display of said recorded first video sequence, a user selectable, viewable display on said second viewing surface generated by video signals from said TV receiver source;

said computer subsystem operable in said TV display mode in response to a command from said user input device to swap said displays on said first and second viewing surfaces, displaying said recorded first video sequence stream on said second viewing surface and providing a full screen user viewable display on said first viewing surface, generated by said video signals from the TV receiver, and automatically to pause said recorded first video sequence at a playback position;

said computer subsystem also operable in said TV mode in response to a command to re-swap said paused, recorded first video sequence from said second viewing surface and automatically to resume user viewable full screen display of said recorded first video sequence stream commencing at said playback position.