Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
Description
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MULTIPLE SCREENS AND
METHOD OF DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURING MULTIPLE
SCREENS
Technical Field
[1] Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to
providing
and dynamically configuring multiple screens, and more particularly, to
connecting a
plurality of screens to a plurality of output ports so as to dynamically
configure the
plurality of screens which provide multiple contents on a single physical
display
device.
Background Art
[2] Related art broadcast receivers such as digital televisions (TVs) or
digital set-top
boxes provide only one content element on a single physical display device or
simul-
taneously display a main screen and a sub-screen on a single physical display
device.
[3] Even though related art broadcast receivers can simultaneously display
both the main
screen and the sub-screen on the same display screen, they can only arrange
the main
screen and the sub-screen in a limited number of manners. In the case of a
content
displayed within the main screen, all elements of the content, i.e., video
data, audio
data, and other data, are displayed. On the other hand, in the case of a
content
displayed within the sub-screen, only some of the elements of the content are
displayed.
[4] Content sources include a broadcast service such as a satellite
broadcaster, a
terrestrial broadcaster, or a cable broadcaster, a storage medium such as
digital
versatile discs (DVDs), or an external device connected to an input terminal.
However,
it is quite difficult to display contents provided by such various content
sources on a
display screen using the existing broadcast receivers.
[5] In an interactive TV application program environment such as the
Multimedia Home
Platform (MHP), the Advanced Common Application (ACAP), and the Open Cable
Application Platform (OCAP), it is assumed that only one screen is output on a
physical display device.
[6] In the interactive TV application program environment, for example, a Home
Audio/
Video Interoperability (HAVi)-based user interface (UI) is adopted. According
to the
HAVi UI standard, even though no restriction is imposed on the number of
screens
displayed on a physical display device, only one screen is generally displayed
on a
physical display device.
Disclosure of Invention
2
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
Technical Problem
[7] In such an environment, it is difficult to perform operations, such as
decoding, digital
signal processing, user interaction processing, etc. with respect to one among
multimedia contents displayed on a screen while displaying the multimedia
contents on
independent screens. In addition, it is also difficult to dynamically control
the life
cycles of application programs and the use of resources in the units of the
screens.
[8] Accordingly, there exists a need for a method of displaying a variety of
contents on a
dynamically configured screen.
Technical Solution
[9] The present invention provides an apparatus and method for dynamic
configuration
of multiple screens which provide a plurality of contents on a physical
display device.
[10] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
apparatus for
providing multiple screens. The apparatus includes a service processing module
which
generates an output screen and a plurality of logical screens for displaying a
plurality
of services, and an output module which searches the plurality of logical
screens for a
logical screen combination that can be connected to an output port and that is
mapped
to the output screen, and maps the output screen to the output port.
[11] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method of
dynamically configuring multiple screens. The method includes generating an
output
screen and a plurality of logical screens for displaying a plurality of
services, searching
plurality of logical screens for a logical screen combination that can be
connected to an
output port and that is mapped to the output screen, and mapping the output
screen to
the output port.
Description of Drawings
[12] The above and other aspects of the present invention will become more
apparent by
describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the
attached
drawings, in which:
[13] FIGS. 1A to 1H are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a PiP screen
according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[14] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a logical
screen and a
display screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[15] FIGS. 3A to 3E are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a screen
including a
mapper according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[16] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating service sources according to an
exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
[17] FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a non-abstract service and an
abstract
service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
3
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
[18] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating attribute information and interfaces of
a logical screen
and a display screen;
[19] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an attribute 'z-order' of a logical
screen according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[20] FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams each illustrating an attribute
'Display_Area' of a
logical screen according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention;
[21] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method of mapping two services to a
display screen
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[22] FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an apparatus
for providing
multiple screens according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[23] FIGS. 11A and 11B are flowcharts illustrating a method of dynamically
configuring
the multiple screens according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[24] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating software architecture for providing
multiple screens
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[25] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the relationships among modules
constituting an ap-
plication programming interface (API) layer according to an exemplary
embodiment of
the present invention;
[26] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the process of displaying a plurality
of services on
a display screen through logical screens by the modules illustrated in FIG. 13
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[27] FIG. 15 is a state diagram illustrating the operation of the output
module according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[28] FIGS. 16A and 16B are views illustrating an example of a code for
searching and
changing the output port according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention; and
[29] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating the process of changing the plurality
of services
displayed on the logical screen by the modules illustrated in FIG. 13
according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Mode for Invention
[30] Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of
accomplishing the
same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed de-
scription of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The present
invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be
construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein.
Rather,
these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be
thorough and
complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled
in the art,
and the present invention will only be defined by the appended claims. Like
reference
numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
4
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
[31] The present invention is described hereinafter with reference to
flowchart il-
lustrations of user interfaces, methods, and computer program products
according to
exemplary embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block
of the
flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart
illustrations, can be
implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program
instructions
can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose
computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
machine,
such that the instructions, which are executed via the processor of the
computer or
other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing
the
functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.
[32] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer
usable or
computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data
processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the
instructions
stored in the computer usable or computer-readable memory produce an article
of
manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified
in the
flowchart block or blocks.
[33] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or
other pro-
grammable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to
be
performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a
computer
implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or
other
programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified
in the
flowchart block or blocks.
[34] Each block of the flowchart illustrations may represent a module,
segment, or portion
of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing
the
specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some
alternative imple-
mentations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order. For
example,
two blocks illustrated in succession may in fact be executed substantially
concurrently
or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon
the
functionality involved.
[35] For a better understanding of the present invention, the terms used in
this disclosure
will now be defined.
[36] The term'service' indicates a group of multimedia contents displayed
together, i.e., a
group of service components.
[37] Service components are elements of a service and include a video
component, an
audio component, and a data component. A data component is an application in a
service.
[38] Further, the applications are classified into an unbound application and
a service
bound application. Since the unbound application has a high priority, the
resource is
5
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
smoothly allocated. A monitor application corresponds to a specific unbound ap-
plication that has the highest priority.
[39] The service bound application is associated to a transport stream, and
allows a lower
priority than that of the unbound application. The service bound application
does not
function as a critical system. When a competition for resources is occurred,
the service
bound application has a larger possibility of abandoning the resource
allocation than
the unbound application. The service bound application includes a conjunction
type
that operates in conjunction with a stream that is being transported and a non-
conjunction type that operates dependently from the stream.
[40] The term 'service context' indicates an object which can control the
executing of a
service and includes various resources, devices, and execution state
information
needed for providing a service.
[41] The term'physical display device' indicates a physical space which
actually displays
the content of a service.
[42] The term 'display screen' indicates a screen actually displayed on a
physical display
device. An arbitrary service may be directly set in the display screen, and
the display
screen may be displayed on a physical display device. Alternatively, at least
one
logical screen which is mapped to a certain area of the display screen may be
displayed
on the physical display device.
[43] The term 'logical screen' indicates a space in which an arbitrary service
is displayed.
A logical screen is a virtual screen before being mapped to a display screen
and thus is
not displayed on a physical display device.
[44] The logical screen and the display screen may be a combination of a
background still
image, a video raster, and a graphic raster. The graphic raster may be a
combination of
text, lines, colors, and images or a mixture of video frames.
[45] The term 'main service' indicates a service that is selected as a main
service through a
menu displayed on the physical display device or a remote controller by a user
or
through an API by an application, and the screen on which the main service is
displayed is referred to as a'main screen'.
[46] The term 'Picture-in-Picture service' (PiP service) indicates a service
that is selected
as a sub-service in the main service through a menu displayed on a physical
display
device or a remote controller by a user via an API by an application, and the
PiP
service may be displayed on a picture-in-picture screen (PiP screen) or a main
screen.
[47] The PiP screen includes a screen that occupies a part of another screen
as illustrated
in FIGS. 1A to 1D and a screen that is simultaneously displayed with another
screen
without overlapping the other screen as illustrated in FIGS. 1E to 1F. In this
case, it is
understood that the PiP screen may include a screen that is displayed on an
arbitrary
location or area in the physical display device or overlaps another screen, as
illustrated
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
6
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
in FIGS. 1G and 1H.
[48] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a logical
screen and a
display screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[49] Referring to FIG. 2, a service may be displayed using logical screens
210, 212, and
214. The logical screens 210, 212, and 214 are mapped to display screens 220,
222,
and 224 through a mapping block 230.
[50] In detail, the logical screens 210 and 212 are mapped to the display
screen 220, the
logical screens 212 and 214 are mapped to the display screen 222, and the
logical
screens 210, 212, and 214 are mapped to the display screen 224.
[51] In short, at least one logical screen which displays a service is mapped
to an arbitrary
area of a display screen.
[52] The mapping block 230 is a group of various pieces of information needed
for
mapping a logical screen to a display screen. Examples of the various pieces
of in-
formation include coordinate information of a predetermined area on a display
screen
to which each of a plurality of logical screens is mapped, identification
information of
the logical screens and the display screen, and information specifying in what
order the
logical screens are displayed on the display screen.
[53] The mapping block 230 can change the size of the logical screen so to be
allocated in
an arbitrary area of the display screen. That is, the mapping block 230 can
perform
scaling of the logical screen and allocating of the position thereof, and
FIGS. 3A to 3E
are diagrams illustrating a configuration of the screen including a mapper as
the
mapping block.
[54] Referring to FIG. 3A, the main screen including a combination of a
background still
image B, a video raster V, and a graphic raster G is mapped to the entire
display screen
by a mapper with a normal size. The PiP screen including only video components
is
mapped to the entire display screen by the mapper with a reduced size. In this
case, the
mapped PiP screen is displayed on the main screen, which is determined
depending on
a Z value. The reference character Z refers to z-order value which will be
described
later. An overlay screen may be combined with the display screen. The overlay
screen
is a specific screen disposed at the outmost side, and may be used when
providing a
caption function. The PiP screen may have only a video component as
illustrated in
FIG. 3A, or may have a combination of the background still image B, the video
raster
V, and the graphic raster G as illustrated in FIG. 3B.
[55] Referring to FIG. 3C, the main screen including the combination of the
background
still image B, the video raster V, and the graphic raster G is mapped to the
entire
display screen by the mapper with a normal size. Two PiP screens #1 and #2
having
only video component is mapped to an arbitrary area of the display screen by
the
mapper with a reduced size. In this case, the mapped PiP screen is disposed on
the
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
7
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
main screen and the Z value can be constantly maintained. Further, the overlay
screen
may be combined with the display screen. The configuration of the screen may
have a
plurality of PiP screens including only video components as illustrated in
FIG. 3C or a
plurality of PiP screens including a combination of the background still image
B, the
video raster V, and the graphic raster G as illustrated in FIG. 3D.
[56] Picture-outside-Picture (POP) screens are illustrated in FIG. 3E. It can
be understood
that the related art PiP screen is displayed inside the main screen and the
POP screen is
displayed outside the main screen. Referring to FIG. 3E, the plurality of PiP
screens #1
and #2 including a combination of the background still image B, the video
raster V,
and the graphic raster G are mapped to arbitrary areas of the display screen
by the
mapper with a reduced size. In this case, the Z value of the mapped POP
screens #1
and #2 may be constantly maintained. Further, the overlay screen may be
combined
with the display screen.
[57] The mapping block 230 may be realized by interfaces or functions prepared
by
various computer program languages to be executed and create or change the re-
lationship between the logical screen and the display screen by using the
above in-
formation as parameters.
[58] Also, the mapping block 230 may be realized by a hardware which has a
mapping
function between a logical screen and a display screen.
[59] Further, services provided by various service sources may be displayed on
a display
screen, and the display screen may be displayed on a physical display device,
as il-
lustrated in FIG. 4.
[60] There are service sources which provide broadcast services such as a
terrestrial
broadcaster 320 and a cable broadcaster 330, service sources which provide
services
stored in a storage medium such as a personal video recorder (PVR) 340, and
service
sources (not illustrated in FIG. 4) which provide services via a wired network
or a
wireless network.
[61] A broadcast receiver 310 receives services from the service sources and
generates
logical screens displaying each of the received services.
[62] Then, an arbitrary service is directly set on the display screen to be
displayed on a
physical display device using a predefined method or a method set by a user or
an ap-
plication. Otherwise, at least one logical screen that is mapped to an
arbitrary area on
the display screen is displayed on a physical display device 350. In short,
services
provided by the terrestrial broadcaster 320, the cable broadcaster 330, and
the PVR are
displayed on the physical display device 350.
[63] The terrestrial broadcaster 320, the cable broadcaster 330, and the PVR
340 are il-
lustrated in FIG. 4 as being service sources, but the present invention is not
limited to
it. Any type of multimedia content source which provides multimedia contents
that can
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
8
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
be displayed together can be a service source according to an exemplary
embodiment
of the present invention.
[64] Services according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
can be
classified into abstract services and non-abstract services, as illustrated in
FIGS. 5A
and 5B.
[65] The abstract services are not services provided by broadcast signals
transmitted in
real time but services independent of broadcast channels. The abstract
services include
only data components, i.e., applications, without video components and audio
components. Examples of the abstract services include services having unbound
ap-
plications based on the OCAP standard.
[66] The non-abstract services are understood as services other than abstract
services.
[67] According to the current exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
both
abstract services and non-abstract services have independency. For example,
abstract
services may be directly set on the physical display device not through
logical screens
and non-abstract services may be displayed on the logical screens. Then, the
logical
screens may be mapped to the display screen in which the abstract services are
set.
Thereafter, the display screen may be output through the physical display
device. By
doing so, the abstract services can be displayed on the display screen
independently of
the non-abstract services. In addition, the abstract services and non-abstract
services
may be mapped to different logical screens. Thereafter, the logical screens
may be
mapped to a single display screen. In other words, the abstract services can
be
displayed on the display screen independently of non-abstract services.
[68] According to the current exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
the logical
screen and the display screen may be categorized as being different objects.
Al-
ternatively, a screen may serve as a logical screen or a display screen
according to
attribute information of one screen object.
[69] In detail, whether a screen object is a logical screen or a display
screen depends on
the 'type' information among screen object attributes.
[70] The screen object attributes includes 'Type', 'z-Order', 'Display_Area',
'Visibility',
'Associated_Display_Screen', 'Associated_Service_Contexts', and'OutputPort'.
[71] FIG. 6 illustrates attribute information of a screen object and
interfaces for
processing the attributes of the screen.
[72] An attribute 'Type' 510 is for determining a screen type - a logical
screen or a display
screen.
[73] An attribute 'z-Order' 520 is for determining in what order a plurality
of logical
screens are arranged along the z-axis. FIG. 7 illustrates a configuration of
logical
screens on a physical display device for a combination of the values of
attributes 'z-
Order' of the logical screens.
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
9
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
[74] Referring to FIG. 7, first and second logical screens 620 and 630 are
respectively
mapped to predetermined areas of a display screen 610. In detail, the first
logical
screen 620 is displayed on the display screen 610, and the second logical
screen 630 is
displayed on the display screen partially overlapping the first logical screen
620. In
other words, the display screen 610, the first logical screen 620, and the
second logical
screen 630 are sequentially arranged in the direction of the z-axis. In this
case, an
attribute 'z-Order' of the first logical screen 620 may be set to a value of
1, and an
attribute 'z-Order' of the second logical screen 630 may be set to a value of
2. The
attributes 'z-Order' of the first and second logical screens 620 and 630 may
be set to
any numbers or characters as long as they can represent a certain order in
which the
first and second logical screens 620 and 630 are to be arranged along the z-
axis.
[75] An attribute 'Display_Area' 530 is information regarding a display screen
area of a
logical screen, as to be illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B.
[76] FIG. 8A illustrates that a logical screen 710 is mapped to an entire area
of the display
screen 720, and FIG. 8B illustrates that a logical screen 730 is mapped to a
partial area
of the display screen 740.
[77] The attribute 'Display_Area' may include information specifying the two-
dimensional
coordinates of a predetermined portion of a display screen to which the
logical screen
is to be mapped or may include information specifying a predetermined location
on the
display screen and an offset value indicating how much the logical screen
deviates
from the predetermined location on the display screen.
[78] An attribute 'Visibility' 540 determines whether a logical screen is to
be visibly or
invisibly displayed on a display screen. It is possible to make a logical
screen appear
on or disappear from a display screen by altering the value of the attribute
'Visibility'
530.
[79] An attribute 'Associated_Display_Screen' 550 is information regarding
display
screens associated with a logical screen. A logical screen which is not
associated with
any display screens may not be displayed on a physical display device nor be
transmitted to external output devices.
[80] An attribute 'Associated_Service_Contexts' 560 is information regarding
service
contexts connected to a logical screen or a display screen. Services set in
such service
contexts may be displayed on a logical screen or a display screen.
[81] An attribute 'OutputPort' 570 is information regarding devices by which a
display
screen is to be output, and such devices include display screens,
wired/wireless com-
munication media, and various storage media.
[82] Interfaces for identifying or altering the values of the attributes
illustrated in FIG. 6
may be provided. Referring to FIG. 6, the interfaces may include an interface
'SET' for
setting attribute values or connecting a logical screen to a display screen,
an interface
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
10
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
'ADD' for adding attribute values or connecting a logical screen to a service,
an
interface 'GET' for identifying attribute values, and an interface 'REMOVE'
for
deleting attribute values. These interfaces may include processes, functions,
procedures, or methods that perform their functions, respectively.
[83] For example, a method 'getDisplayScreen(void)' returns a display screen
associated
with the current screen. In detail, if the current screen is a logical screen,
the method
'getDisplayScreen(void)' returns the associated display screen. If the current
screen is
display screen, the method 'getDisplayScreen(void)' returns reference
information
regarding the current screen. Further, if the current screen is a logical
screen, but there
is no associated screen, the method 'getDisplayScreen(void)' returns a value
of 'NULL'.
[84] According to another example, a method 'public void set-
DisplayArea(HScreenRectangle rect) throws SecurityException,
IllegalStateException'
provides a function for mapping the current logical screen to a predetermined
area of
the associated display screen. An instance that is provided as a parameter is
of a class
'HScreenRectangle' of a package 'org.havi.ui', and has two-dimensional
position in-
formation. The execution of the methods 'SecurityException' and 'IllegalState-
Exception' may be conducted as an exceptional operation for the method 'setOut-
putScreen(HScreen screen)'. The method 'IllegalStateException' may be executed
when
the current screen is a logical screen or when a portion of a display screen
associated
with a current logical screen cannot change due to the characteristics of a
host
platform.
[85] According to still another example, a method 'getOutputArea(void)'
returns regional
information of a current screen as HScreenRectangle information. If the
current screen
corresponds to a display screen, the method'getOutputArea(void)'returns
HScreen-
Rectangle information having the same value as HScreenRectangle (0,0,1,1). If
the
current screen is a logical screen, the method 'getOutputArea(void)' returns
information
regarding an area on a display screen occupied by the current screen. If the
current
screen is a logical screen but is not associated with any display screen, the
method
'getOutputArea(void)' returns a value 'NULL'.
[86] Certain terms are used throughout the following description to refer to
particular
interfaces. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that a particular
function is
named simply to indicate its functionality. This detailed description of the
exemplary
embodiments does not intend to distinguish between functions that differ in
name but
not function.
[87] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process that two services are set on
two logical
screens to be mapped to a single display screen.
[88] Referring to FIG. 9, a first service includes all the three service
components, i.e.,
video, audio, and data components, and a second service includes only video
and audio
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
11
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
components. However, the present invention does not impose any restrictions on
service components, and the first and second services illustrated in FIG. 9
are
exemplary.
[89] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the first and second services are displayed on
a physical
display device in almost the same manner as in the related art. According to
the current
exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to display a
plurality of
services on a physical display device independently of one another without
imposing
any restrictions on the number of services that can be displayed on a single
display
screen.
[90] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an apparatus for providing multiple screens
according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[91] Referring to FIG. 10, an apparatus 900 for providing multiple screens
includes a
digital signal processing module 940, a service processing module 950, an
output
module 960, and a user/application interface module 965.
[92] Also, the apparatus 900 includes a broadcast signal reception module 910,
a storage
medium 920, and an external input module 930 as service sources, and includes
a
physical display device 970, a storage medium 980, and an external output
module 990
as service output media.
[93] The term 'module', as used herein, means, but is not limited to, a
software or
hardware component, such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or an Ap-
plication Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks. A
module
may advantageously be configured to reside on the addressable storage medium
and
configured to be executed on one or more processors. Thus, a module may
include, by
way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented
software
components, class components and task components, processes, functions,
attributes,
procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware,
microcode,
circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables.
The func-
tionality provided for in the components and modules may be combined into
fewer
components and modules or further separated into additional components and
modules.
[94] The digital signal processing module 940 receives various information of
a service
such as a multimedia content, e.g., video information, audio information, or
data in-
formation, from the broadcast signal reception module 910, the storage medium
920,
or the external input module 930.
[95] The broadcast signal reception module 910 receives a satellite,
terrestrial, or cable
broadcast signal and transmits the received broadcast signal, the storage
medium 920
stores video information, audio information, or data information of a service,
and the
external input module 930 receives video information, audio information, or
data in-
formation of a service from an external device such as a network interface
module
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
12
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
connected to a network.
[96] The digital signal processing module 940 restores a plurality of services
using
received service components. The restored services include abstract or non-
abstract
services.
[97] Here, the phrase 'a plurality of services' refers to two or more services
transmitted by
the broadcast signal reception module 910 or two or more services respectively
transmitted by the broadcast signal reception module 910 and the storage
medium 920.
[98] The digital signal processing module 940 may restore services according
to selection
by a user or an application with the aid of the user/application interface
module 965. In
this case, the user or the application may select the connection between an
arbitrary
service and a screen.
[99] The service processing module 950 generates one or more logical screen
and a
display screen to display services restored by the digital signal processing
module 940.
[100] The output module 960 maps a plurality of logical screens produced by
the service
processing module 950 to the display screen. The mapping of the logical
screens to the
display screen may be conducted using a predefined method or a method set by
the
user with the aid of the user/application interface module 965.
[101] A service restored by the digital signal processing module 940 may not
be processed
by the service processing module 950. Instead, a service restored by the
digital signal
processing module 940 may be directly mapped to a certain portion of a display
screen
generated by the output module 960.
[102] A display screen provided by the output module 960 may be displayed on
the
physical display device 970 or may be stored in the storage medium 980.
Examples of
the storage medium 980 include computer readable floppy discs, hard discs, CD-
ROM.
DVD, DVD-ROM, BD (Blu-ray Disc), and semiconductor memories.
[103] Also, a display screen provided by the output module 960 may be
transmitted to an
external device connected to a network via the external output module 990.
[104] For this, the output module 960 may include a plurality of output ports
via which a
display screen can be provided. In this case, a display screen can be provided
via an
output port set in advance as a default or an output port chosen by the user
with the aid
of the user/application interface module 965.
[105] The output module 960 can search an output port connected to a screen.
That is, the
output module 960 searches an output port connected a predetermined screen
among
screens generated by the service processing module 950.
[106] The screen connected to the output searched by the output module 960 may
be any
one of a logical screen on which an application included in a corresponding
service is
performed or a display screen to which the logical screen is mapped.
[107] In addition, a display screen connected to an output port searched by
the output
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
13
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
module 960 may be a screen on which an application is performed by mapping the
logical screen or a screen on which the application is directly performed
without
mapping the logical screen.
[108] Further, the output module 960 may generate at least one output port
with respect to
one screen so as to be mapped with the screen. In other words, a user or an
application
can transmit contents displayed on the screen to the physical display device
970, the
storage medium 980, or the external output module 990 through the
user/application
interface module 965. At this time, the output module 960 can separately
generate
output port corresponding to each path and map with the corresponding screen.
[109] Further, the output module 960 can change a connection relationship
between the
screen and the output port connected to the screen. For example, when the
first screen
is mapped to the first port and the second screen is mapped to the second
port, the
output module 960 can connect the first screen to the second port or connect
the
second screen to the first port on the basis of the selection of the user or
the ap-
plication.
[110] More than one service may be received. In this case, the service
processing module
950 may generate a plurality of logical screens for representing a plurality
of received
services. That is, the service processing module 950 generate a plurality of
logical
screens which are used to represent a plurality of received services,
respectively.
[111] If the service processing module 950 generates a plurality of logical
screens, the
output module 960 may search the logical screens for a logical screen that can
be
connected to an output port and map an output screen to which the identified
logical
screen combination is mapped to the output port. That is, the output module
960 may
map to a single output screen one or more logical screens that are selected
from among
the logical screens generated by the service processing module 950, and may
map the
output screen comprising the selected logical screens to a single output port.
[112] The output module 960 may search for a logical screen combination that
can be
connected to an output port by referencing the screen attributes of logical
screens and
of the output port. Examples of the screen attributes include screen ratio and
resolution. For example, if the screen ratio of an output port is a high-
definition (HD)
level, the output module 960 may search for HD logical screens. On the other
hand, if
the screen ratio of the output port is a standard-definition (SD) level, the
output module
960 may search for SD logical screens.
[113] The output module 960 may map a logical screen combination that has
already been
mapped to one output port to one or more other output ports. Accordingly, a
screen
may be constituted by a logical screen combination comprising one or more
logical
screens, and the screen may be output via a plurality of output ports.
[114] The user or the application can choose one of a plurality of services or
restore desired
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
14
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
services using the user/application interface module 965. Also, the user can
choose one
of a plurality of display screens using the user/application interface module
965.
[115] Since the modules illustrated in FIG. 10 are divided according to their
functions, it is
possible to be connected to the other modules.
[116] FIG. 11A is a flowchart illustrating a method of dynamically configuring
multiple
screens according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[117] In general, video information, audio information, and data information
constituting a
multimedia content are transmitted in a predetermined format, for example, an
MPEG
stream format. In operation S 1010, an apparatus for providing a service such
as a
multimedia content service receives video information, audio information, and
data in-
formation and restores a service based on the video information, the audio
information,
and the data information. Here, the service restored in operation S 1010 may
be
selected or previously determined by a user or an application. The user may
use a
menu displayed on the display device or a remote controller to select the
connections
between an arbitrary screen and a screen. The application may select the
connections
using an API.
[118] Further, data information includes application information regarding
application for a
service, and this application information includes signal information
indicating
whether the application can be executed on a PiP screen. Examples of the
application
information include an application information table (AIT) based on the MHP
standard
and an eXtended application information table (XAIT) based on the OCAP
standard.
The signal information may be added to the application information.
[119] Thereafter, in operation S 1020, the restored service is set such that
it can be
displayed on a logical screen. In operation S 1030, the logical screen is
mapped to a
display screen. In operation S 1040, the display screen is provided to the
user using a
display screen, a storage medium, or a network.
[120] FIG. 11B is a flowchart illustrating the process of searching and
changing the output
port in detail. In operation S 1050, the output module 960 can search an
output port
connected to the display screen on the basis of a control command from the
user or the
application. In operation S 1060, the output module 960 can change the output
port
connected to the display screen on the basis of a control command from the
user or the
application. That is, when the control command is input to search the output
port from
the user or the application, the output module 960 searches an output port
connected to
the current display screen. Further, when the control command is input to
change the
output port from the user or the application, the output module 960 connects
the output
port connected to the current display screen to another output port so as to
change the
connection relationship.
[121] The restored service is illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B as being
displayed on a
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
15
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
physical display device via a logical screen. However, the restored service
may be
directly displayed on a physical display device without passing through the
logical
screen.
[122] When the user selects the PiP service, the PiP service is realized in
two modes. In the
first mode, only video component for PiP service selected on the main screen
is
provided without creating a separate logical screen for PiP service, that is,
PiP screen.
In the second mode, a separate logical screen for PiP service is created to
provide the
PiP service selected on the created PiP screen.
[123] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a method of mapping only one service to a
display
screen for simplicity. However, a plurality of services may be mapped to a
display
screen with or without passing through a plurality of logical screens.
[124] When a display screen is provided to the user in this manner, the user
can perform a
plurality of services.
[125] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating software architecture for providing
multiple screens
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[126] Referring to FIG. 12, software architecture 1100 includes a device
driver layer 1110,
an API layer 1120, and an application layer 1130.
[127] The device driver layer 1110 receives service components from various
multimedia
content sources and decodes the received service components. Examples of the
received service components include video information, audio information, and
data
information.
[128] The API layer 1120 generates a logical screen and a display screen and
maps a
service, the logical screen, and the display screen to one another.
[129] The application layer 1130 provides a user interface so that a user can
dynamically
configure a logical screen which displays a service or transmits a user
command to the
API layer 1120 so that the API layer 1120 can execute the user command.
[130] The user enables the device driver layer 1110 with the aid of the
application layer
1130 to provide a display screen via a physical display device or to store the
display
screen in a storage medium. In addition, the user can enable the device driver
layer
1110 to transmit a display screen to an external device via a network.
[131] For this, the device driver layer 1110 may include a plurality of output
ports which
can provide a display screen. Otherwise, API layer 1120 may include the
plurality of
output ports.
[132] In order to dynamically configure a plurality of logical screens on a
display screen,
the API layer 1120 may include a plurality of software modules, e.g., a
multiscreen
manager module 'MultiScreenManager' 1210, a multiscreen context module 'Multi-
ScreenContext' 1230, a multiscreen context listener module 'MultiScreenCon-
textListener' 1250, and a multiscreen context event module
'MultiScreenContextEvent'
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
16
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
1240, as illustrated in FIG. 13.
[133] The multiscreen manager module 1210 manages the multiscreen context
module
1230, searches for a desired screen, displays information specifying what
devices are
shared by screens, registers the multiscreen context listener module 1250, or
cancels
the registration of the screen context listener module 1250.
[134] The multiscreen context module 1230 is an interface object associated
with a screen
object 1220 and determines whether the screen object 1220 is to become a
logical
screen or a display screen according to an interface operation performed by
the
multiscreen context module 1230. Various attributes such as the attributes 510
through
570 illustrated in FIG. 6 may be set in the multiscreen context module 1230.
The
multiscreen context module 1230 can provide the functions 'SET', 'ADD', 'GET',
and
'REMOVE' described above with reference to FIG. 6.
[135] When attribute information of the screen object 1220 is altered by the
multiscreen
context module 1230, the multiscreen context event module 1240 serves as an
event
class announcing that the attribute information of the screen object 1220 has
been
changed, and the multiscreen context listener module 1250 serves as a listener
interface object which can be realized in a predetermined application class
which
attempts to receive an event prompted by the multiscreen context event module
1240.
[136] An application 1260 is a module which is driven on the application layer
1130. The
application 1260 allows the user to choose a desired service and to freely
arrange a
plurality of logical screens on a display screen.
[137] In detail, the application 1260 transmits various commands which allow
the user to
dynamically configure and manage logical screens to the multiscreen manager
module
1210, and the multiscreen manager module 1210 controls operations
corresponding to
the various commands to be executed through the multiscreen context module
1230.
[138] The multiscreen context module 1230 is associated with the screen object
1220 and
manages the attribute information of the screen object 1220 illustrated in
FIG. 6. In
order to manage the attribute information of the screen object 1220, the
multiscreen
context module 1230 may include a variety of functions or methods.
[139] The multiscreen manager module 1210 receives service components provided
by
various service sources from the device driver layer 1110 and performs
operations to
display the received service components on a logical screen or a display
screen.
[140] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying a plurality
of services
displayed on respective corresponding logical screens by the modules
illustrated in
FIG. 13 on a display screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention.
[141] Referring to FIG. 14, in operation S1310, the multiscreen manager module
1210
produces a display screen and a number of logical screens corresponding to the
number
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
17
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
of services to be performed.
[142] In operation S1320, the multiscreen manager module 1210 connects the
logical
screens to respective corresponding services received from the device driver
layer
1110. The multiscreen manager module 1210 may call a method
'addServiceContexts'
for each of the logical screens by setting service context objects of the
received
services as parameters for the logical screens services. The method 'addSer-
viceContexts' connects a logical screen to a service and may be provided by
the
multiscreen context module 1230.
[143] In operation S 1330, once the logical screens are connected to the
respective services,
the multiscreen manager module 1210 connects the logical screens to the
display
screen. At this time, the multiscreen manager module 1210 may call a method
'setDis-
playScreen' for each of the logical screens by setting a display screen object
to which
the logical screens are connected as a parameter. The method
'setDisplayScreen'
connects a logical screen to a display screen and may be provided by the
multiscreen
context module 1230.
[144] A method 'setDisplayScreen' may be set to 'public void setDisplayScreen
(HScreen
screen) throws SecurityException, Illegal StateException', and this method
allows an
instance 'HScreen' that is provided as a parameter to be associated with the
current
logical screen. In this case, the instance 'HScreen' is preferably a display
screen.
[145] A parameter of the method 'setDisplayScreen(HScreen screen)' may include
a value
of 'NULL'. In this case, when the method 'setDisplayScreen(HScreen screen)' is
executed without exception handling, the current logical screen is no longer
associated
with the display screen.
[146] The execution of the methods 'SecurityException' and
'IllegalStateException' may be
conducted as an exceptional operation for the method 'setDisplayScreen(HScreen
screen)'.
[147] The method 'IllegalStateException' may be executed when a current screen
is a
logical screen or when a portion of a display screen associated with a current
logical
screen cannot change due to the characteristics of a host platform.
[148] In operation S 1340, areas on the display screen to which the logical
screens are to be
respectively mapped are determined. At this time, a predetermined method
provided by
the multiscreen context module 1230 can be called to determine an area on the
display
screen where the logical screens are to be displayed.
[149] FIG. 15 is a state diagram illustrating the operation of the output
module 960
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The output
module
960 can perform an output port search process 1510, an output port change
process
1520, or a screen search process 1530.
[150] In order to perform the output port search process 1510, the output
module 960 can
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
18
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
call a method 'getOutputPorts'. The method 'getOutputPorts' is used to extract
a video
output port to which the display screen is mapped. The data type of the method
'getOutputPorts' is the same kind of a class 'VideoOutputPort[]' of a package
'org.ocap.hardware'. That is, the method 'getOutputPorts' returns sets of an
instance
'VideoOutputPort' connected to 'HScreen'.
[151] At this time, in a case that the corresponding screen has two kinds of
display screen
and is connected to the video output port, the method 'getOutputPorts' returns
at least
one instance 'VideoOutputPorts'. In a case that the kind of the corresponding
screen is
the logical screen and the logical screen is connected to the display screen,
the method
'getOutputPorts' returns the instance 'VideoOutputPorts' connected to the
display
screen. Further, in a case that the kind of the corresponding screen is the
logical screen
and the logical screen is not connected to the display screen, the method
'getOutputPorts' returns a value NULL.
[152] FIG. 16A is a view illustrating an example of a code for searching the
output port
connected to the screen. In FIG. 16A, the method 'getOutputPorts' is used with
respect
to a screen object 'screen' of a module 'MultiScreenContext'.
[153] In order to perform the output port change process 1520, the output
module 960 can
call a method 'addOutputPorts' or a method 'removeOutputPorts'. The method
'add-
OutputPorts' is used to add instances 'VideoOutputPort' to sets of the video
output port
that is mapped with the screen and has a parameter 'VideoOutputPort' and a
Boolean
flag 'removeExisting', which can remove a previously mapped screen when a new
output port is added.
[154] The method 'addOutputPorts' can be represented by a form of 'void add-
OutputPorts(org.ocap.hardware.VideoOutputPort[] ports, Boolean removeExisting)
throws java.lang.SecurityException, java.lang.IllegalStateException'.
[155] When an exception process of the method 'addOutputPorts' is processed
and a pre-
determined right is not given, the exception of the
'java.lang.SecurityException' may
be performed. When a screen cannot be mapped to a predetermined output port
due to
hardware restrictions, when the instance 'VideoOutputPort' with respect to the
screen
cannot be changed (for example, when a platform is permanently connected to a
pre-
determined set of the instance 'VideoOutputPort'), or when the predetermined
instance
'VideoOutputPort' is already connected to the screen and the Boolean flag 're-
moveExisting' does not return a true value, the exception of
'java.lang.IllegalStateException' may be performed.
[156] The method 'removeOutputPorts' is used to remove the instance
'VideoOutputPort'
from the set of the video output port that is mapped to the corresponding
screen and
has a parameter'VideoOutputPort'.
[157] The method 'removeOutputPorts' can be represented by a form of 'void
remove-
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
19
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
OutputPort(org.ocap.hardware.VideoOutputPort[] ports)
throwsjava.lang.SecurityException, java.lang.IllegalStateException,
j ava.lang.IllegalArgumentException'.
[158] When an exception process of the method 'removeOutputPorts' is processed
and a
predetermined right is not given, the exception of the
'java.lang.SecurityException'
may be performed. That is, the exception of the
'java.lang.IllegalStateException' may
be performed when the corresponding screen is not a display screen, when the
instance
'VideoOutputPort' with respect to the corresponding screen cannot be changed
(for
example, when a platform is permanently connected to a predetermined set of
the
instance 'VideoOutputPort'). Further, the exception of the
'java.lang.IllegalStateException' may be performed when the predetermined
instance
'VideoOutputPort' is not connected to the corresponding screen.
[159] FIG. 16B is a view illustrating an example of a code for changing the
output port
connected to the screen. In FIG. 16B, the method 'addOutputPorts' is used with
respect
to a screen object 'screen' of a module 'MultiScreenConfigurableContext'.
[160] In order to perform the screen search process 1530, the output module
960 may call a
method 'getCompatibleScreens'. The method 'getCompatibleScreens' is a method
for
extracting a screen that can be connected to an output port and returns an
arrangement
of an instance 'HSCreen'.
[161] Here, a screen that can be connected to an output port may be a screen
compatible
with the output port, for example, a screen having the same screen ratio or
the same
resolution as the output port. Therefore, screens that can be searched for
using the
method 'getCompatibleScreens' may include logical screens as well as output
screens.
That is, at least one output screen or logical screen can be searched for
using the
method 'getCompatibleScreens'.
[162] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating the process of exchanging the
services to be
displayed on the logical screen by the modules shown in FIG. 13.
[163] In operation S1410, the multiscreen manager module 1210 temporarily
terminates a
service to be exchanged between two logical screens.
[164] Thereafter, in operation S 1420, information regarding the service is
exchanged
between the two logical screens. At this time, a method
'removeServiceContexts' and a
method 'addServiceContexts' are called for each of the two logical screens,
thereby
exchanging service contexts set in the two logical screens between the two
logical
screens. The method 'removeServiceContexts' removes a service context
connected to
a logical screen, and the method 'addServiceContexts' adds a new service
context to a
logical screen. The methods 'removeServiceContexts' and 'addServiceContexts'
may be
provided by the multiscreen context module 1230. According to the current
exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, service information regarding a service
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
20
WO 2007/114660 PCT/KR2007/001663
connected to logical services is exchanged between the logical services,
thereby
obtaining the effect of exchanging a main screen and a sub-screen. In
addition,
according to the current exemplary embodiment of the present invention, even
when
three or more services are performed on a display screen, they can be
exchanged
between an arbitrary number of logical screens.
[165] In operation S 1430, occurrence of an event in which the connection
between the
service and the two logical screens has been changed is generated. Thereafter,
in
operation S 1440, the multiscreen context event module 1240 transmits the
event to the
multiscreen context listener module 1250, and a service newly connected to the
two
logical screens begins to be performed.
[166] While the present invention has been particularly illustrated and
described with
reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of
ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made
therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as
defined by the
following claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the above-described
exemplary
embodiments have been provided only in a descriptive sense and will not be
construed
as placing any limitation on the scope of the invention.
Industrial Applicability
[167] According to the present invention, in order to dynamically configure a
plurality of
screens that provide a plurality of contents on a physical display screen, the
plurality of
screens is connected to various ports different from each other. Therefore, it
is possible
for a user to use the plurality of screens according to a purpose.
CA 02648599 2008-10-03
