 |
Description  |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a video display system and, more
particularly, to a video display system capable of superimposing various
information signals, such as the operational mode of a video tape
recorder, etc. upon an image displayed on the picture screen of a
television receiver.
2. Background
A known television receiver having a built-in video tape recorder is
arranged to incorporate a video tape recorder section into the housing of
its television receiver section as one unit. This type of television
receiver is capable of recording a television broadcast received at a
tuner of the television receiver section on the tape of a video tape
cassette loaded onto the video tape recorder section. It can also
reproduce video information reproduced from the video tape on the picture
screen of the television receiver section.
If the video tape recorder functions of recording and reproducing the video
information are combined with the television receiver functions of
receiving and reproducing a broadcast as described above, this combination
of functions enables the circuit portions such as the tuner and so on to
be commonly used, thus simplifying the overall arrangement of the combined
system.
However, such a conventional television receiver having a built-in video
tape recorder has the following defect. When a user inputs operation
commands by using operation keys mounted on the television receiver
section and the video tape recorder section, or the operation buttons of a
remote commander or the like, this type of television receiver does not
display whether or not it is operating properly in accordance with the
desired mode of operation. This causes the user to feel very uncertain
about whether his commands were correct or were properly executed.
In other words, because the television receiver and the video tape recorder
are combined as one unit, the functions of the video tape recorder
section, which has very complicated operations, are additively combined
with the functions of the television receiver section. This combination of
functions forces the user to perform relatively cumbersome operations.
Also, it becomes very difficult for the user to understand and deliver the
required commands for given operating conditions of the video tape
recorder section and the television receiver section.
To remove these defects, the assignee of the present application has
previously proposed a video display system which is disclosed, for
example, in unpublished Japanese Patent Application No. 61-1877. There, a
television receiver in which a television receiver section and a video
tape recorder section are combined as one unit, has a video display system
provided with control means for permitting a responsive operation display,
which indicates how the video tape recorder is operated in response to the
operation commands inputted by the user, and an operating situation
display which indicates the operating state of the video tape recorder
section, on the display screen of the television receiver section. Various
information with respect to the responsive operations done by the video
tape recorder section, when it is operated in response to the user's
commands, are displayed together with operation information of the
television receiver section by using the above mentioned picture display
portion. Accordingly, this makes the television receiver having a built-in
video tape recorder more useful and easier to handle on the whole.
However, when various information is displayed on the picture screen by the
above mentioned video display system, the information hides the picture
corresponding to video signals reproduced from the video tape recorder
section or a video signal received at the tuner, so that the picture on
the picture screen is made very difficult to see.
Specifically, the thus constructed television receiver having a built-in
video tape recorder has to display a great quantity of information, such
as, operation modes, tape speed, recording channel, count value of the
video tape recorder, time, reception channel of the television receiver,
the receiving conditions of sound multiplexed broadcast, etc., all as
display information. Accordingly, to display all of this information on
the picture screen occupies a large area of the picture screen, so the
information displayed hides the picture of the picture screen and thus,
the picture becomes very difficult to see.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved video
display system.
It is another object of this invention to provide a video display system by
which various information can be superimposed upon the picture of a
received video signal while the picture is displayed on the picture screen
in the easiest form to see.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a video display system
for use with a television receiver having a built-in video tape recorder
in which a video tape recorder section and a television receiver section
are combined as one unit.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video
display system comprising:
(a) means for sequentially superimposing N (N.gtoreq.2) information signals
upon the picture of a video signal displayed on a picture screen such that
said N information signals are sequentially displayed at predetermined
positions of said picture screen in parallel relation to one another; and
(b) means for altering the display positions of the information signals is
smaller than said N in such a manner that said display information is
sequentially displayed from the corner of said picture screen.
These and other objections, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiment that is to be read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference numerals identify
like elements and parts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a video display system
according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a picture displayed on the
picture screen by the video display system according to the embodiment of
the invention;
FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating an example of a remote commander used in
the embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart to which reference will be made in explaining the
operation of the video display system of the invention;
FIGS. 5A to 15E are schematic representations respectively illustrating
examples of pictures displayed on the picture screen according to the
embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 16 is a functional block diagram of a system controller used with the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Now, an embodiment of a video display system according to the present
invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the
attached drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of a television receiver 1 having an
embodiment of a video display system according to the present invention.
The television receiver 1 has a video tape recorder section 10
incorporated thereinto. A cathode ray tube (hereinafter referred to as a
CRT) 5 of the television receiver 1 serves as a display portion of this
video display system, and information is displayed on the picture screen
of the CRT 5.
The arrangement of the television receiver 1 will be described hereinbelow.
In accordance with the television receiver 1 shown in FIG. 1, a television
broadcast signal received at an antenna 2 is received by a television
broadcast receiving portion 3. A video detected output signal VD1 from the
receiving portion 3 is supplied through a video amplifying portion 4 to
the CRT 5 forming the picture display portion and thereby displayed on the
picture screen of the CRT 5. At the same time, an audio detected output
signal AD1 from the receiving portion 3 is supplied through an audio
amplifying portion 6 to a loudspeaker 7, from which sound is therefore
emanated. Thus, these components make up a television receiver section 8.
A video information signal AR concerning the television broadcasting
program received at the television broadcast receiving portion 3 is
supplied, for example, to a video tape recorder section 10 and thereby
recorded on a video tape of a video tape cassette (not shown) loaded onto
the video tape recorder section 10. Upon playback, the video tape recorder
section 10 is adapted to supply a reproduced video output signal VD2
played back from the video tape to the video amplifying portion 4 and also
to supply a reproduced audio output signal AD2 to the audio amplifying
portion 6 whereby to display a reproduced picture on the CRT 5 and to
emanate a reproduced sound from the loudspeaker 7.
The television receiver 1 includes, in addition to the above mentioned
circuit elements, a system control portion 11 formed of what may be called
a system control IC (integrated circuit) which controls the television
receiver 1 so as to operate in response to the user's commands.
The system control 11 includes a microprocessor for executing the necessary
instructions, as well as a memory unit for storing the instructions and
temporarily storing data input via the keyboard 17 or the remote commander
15.
The system control portion 11 receives a remote control signal RMC and a
key control signal KYC as operation commands. The remote control signal
RMC is generated from a remote commander 15, which will be described
later, when the user operates the remote commander 15, and is supplied
through a light receiving portion 16 to the system control portion 11. The
key control signal KYC is generated from a key operation portion 17 which
is mounted on the front of the housing of the television receiver 1.
The remote control signal RMC or the key control signal KYC supplies to the
system control portion 11 information signals concerning the television
receiver section 8, such as, a power on/off information signal, a channel
selecting information signal, a sound volume adjusting information signal,
a color adjusting information signal and so on. Also, the remote control
signal RMC or the key control signal KYC supplies to the system control
portion 11 signals to initiate various operation modes, such as, a
recording mode (REC), a playback mode (PLAY), a fast forward mode (FF), a
rewind mode (REW), an eject mode (EJECT), a stop mode (STOP), a pause mode
(PAUSE), etc. and timer-activated operation modes, such as, a
timer-activated playback mode, a timer-activated recording mode a timer
sleep mode and so on as to the video tape recorder section 10.
In addition to the above mentioned arrangement, the system control portion
11 is adapted to supply a control information signal CON to a mode control
portion 21 in the video tape recorder section 10 in response to the
commands inputted by the user. Then, the mode control portion 21 places
the video tape recorder section 10 into a predetermined operational mode
by driving drive control mechanisms 22A, 22B, . . . for a motor and so on.
The video tape recorder section 10 includes sensor portions 23A, 23B, . . .
to check its operational mode. The detected signals from the respective
sensor portions 23A, 23B, . . . are supplied to a parallel-to-serial
converting portion 24, in which they are converted to serial signals,
which are then fed back to the system control portion 11 as operation
detecting signals DTC. In this embodiment, the mode control portion 21
receives and supplies the information signals responsive to the control
information signal CON through the parallel-to-serial converting circuit
24 to the system control portion 11 as the operation detecting signals
DTC.
In this embodiment, the system control portion 11 supplies an operation
display signal VD3 to the video amplifying portion 4, in response to the
contents of the operation command designated by the remote control signal
RMC or the key control signal KYC and in response to the operation
detecting signal DTC indicating the operation state of the video deck or
video tape recorder section 10. The above mentioned operation indicating
signal VD3 is used to display, on the CRT 5, the contents of the operation
command received by the television receiver 1, the responsive operation
state of the television receiver 1 and the presence or absence of
abnormalities by means of a symbol and/or a message.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the video amplifying portion 4 allows the display
on the CRT of a picture corresponding to the video detected output VD1 or
the reproduced video output VD2 on a video display portion 5a of the CRT
5, and a VTR mode display portion 5b, a TV mode display portion 5c, with
first, second and third present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f
superimposed upon the video display portion 5a of the CRT 5. The VTR mode
display portion 5b displays the operation or the like based on the
operation command applied to the video tape recorder section 10 at, for
example, the upper left-hand corner of the picture screen or display
portion 5a of the CRT 5; the TV mode display portion 5c displays the
operation or the like based on the operation command applied to the
television receiver section 8 at, for example, the upper right-hand corner
of the picture screen 5a of the CRT 5; and the first, second and third
present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f display present states such
as current time and so on at, for example, the lower right-hand corner of
the picture screen 5a of the CRT 5. The respective present state display
portions 5d, 5e and 5f are located in the sequential order of the first,
second and third present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f from the
bottom of the picture screen 5a of the CRT 5.
In response to the operation modes of the video tape recorder section 10,
the VTR mode display portion 5b displays, for example, "REC" indicating
the recording mode, "TIMER REC" indicating the timer-activated recording
mode, "PLAY" indicating the playback mode, "FF" indicating the fast
forward mode, "REW" indicating the rewind mode, "AUTO REW" indicating the
automatic rewind mode after the tape was transported to its tape end,
"STOP" indicating the stop mode, "STANDBY" indicating the standby in
timer-activated recording mode, "REC PAUSE" indicating the pause in the
recording mode, "PLAY PAUSE" indicating the pause in the playback mode,
"EJECT" indicating the ejection of the tape cassette, "AUTO EJECT"
indicating that the tape cassette is automatically ejected when recording
is attempted by mistake on a recording-inhibited tape, "EDIT PLAY"
indicating the playback in the automatic edit mode, "EDIT FF" indicating
the fast forward operation in the automatic edit mode, "EDIT REW"
indicating the rewind operation in the automatic edit mode, and "INDEX
SEARCH" indicating the index search operation. Also "SP" indicates a short
play mode and "LP" indicates a long play mode.
The TV mode display portion 5c displays, for example, the reception channel
and the switching state of main/subchannel of sound multiplexed
broadcasting in the television receiver section 8.
The first, second and third present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f
are adapted to display the present time and day of the week, the setting
state of the VTR-sleep-function and the count value of the tape running in
the VTR, respectively. The VTR sleep function is adapted to determine the
operation time of the video tape recorder section 10 and to enable the
video tape recorder section 10 to carry out the reproduction or recording
during the predetermined period of time. In this case, the VTR sleep
function is displayed in the form of the time remaining for operation of
the video tape recorder section 10. The above-mentioned information units
are displayed respectively on the first, second and third present state
display portions 5d, 5e and 5f by the key operation of the remote
controller 15 through the system control portion 11.
The system control 11 preferably incorporates a microprocessor and a
read-write memory for storing data such as, for example, command KYC and
RMC received from the keyboard 17 and the remote commander 16. Operation
of the microprocessor is controlled by a program stored in a read only
memory, which causes the recognition of the commands KYC and RMC and the
recognition of when a new key is pressed on either of the input units 16
and 17. A character generator associated with the microprocessor responds
to data read out of the read-write memory corresponding to information
signals to be superimposed in the video signals derived from the receiving
portion 3 or from the VTR section 10, and the microprocessor controls the
times of operation of character generator so that the appropriate
information signals are produced for superimposition on the video signals
at the correct time for display of the information signals at the
appropriate location on the picture screen. For example, information
signals to appear at the bottom of the screen must be produced later,
during each raster, than signals appearing above or to the left of such
signals, etc.
The control operation done by the system control portion 11 in response to
the key operation will be described hereinafter. In this embodiment, the
operation panel of the remote commander 15 is constructed as shown in FIG.
3.
Referring to FIG. 3, the remote commander 15 is provided with a ten-key
portion 15a used to select the reception channel by the television
broadcast receiving portion 3, a key portion 15b used to operate the
transportation of the video tape in the video tape recorder section 10, a
VTR sleep function setting key 15c, a clock key 15d used to display the
present time, a counter key 15e used to display a count value and a
display key 15f used to maintain the displayed state. Three keys, that is,
the VTR sleep function setting key 15c, the clock key 15d and the counter
key 15e are used to display the above mentioned information signals on the
first, second and third present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f. When
three keys 15c, 15d and 15e are operated by the user, the system control
portion 11 carries out the following control operations, which are
represented in the flow chart in FIG. 4.
Referring to FIG. 4, the control operation of the system control portion 11
begins with step 100. The processing of the microcomputer (system control
portion 11) goes from step 100 to step 101. It is checked, as represented
at decisional step 101, whether any of the keys 15c, 15d and 15e is newly
pressed or not. If any one of the keys is newly pressed, the system
control 11 stores the new data and the processing goes to step 102.
If the count value is commanded to be displayed, or is already being
displayed, in response to an appropriate command having been entered via
FYC or RMC and stored in the memory of the system control 11, as
determined at step 102, the processing goes to the next decisional step
103a. At decisional step 103a, it is checked whether the present time is
to be displayed or not. If the present time is to be displayed, the
processing goes to the next decisional step 104a. Then decisional step
104a checks whether the VTR sleep time information is to be displayed or
not. If it is to be displayed, the processing goes to the next step 105,
in which the present time, the count value and the VTR sleep time
information are displayed, respectively. Then, the processing goes from
step 105 to the next decisional step 106. Then, step 106 checks whether 10
seconds have passed or not since the VTR sleep time information was
displayed. If 10 seconds have passed, the processing goes to step 107, in
which the displayed state is switched to the display of the present time
and the count value. Then, processing goes back to step 101. If 10 seconds
have not passed yet, the processing is repeatedly executed at step 106
until 10 seconds are passed.
If the VTR sleep time information is not displayed as represented at
decisional step 104a, the processing goes to step 108, in which the
present time and the count value are displayed. Then, the processing goes
back from step 108 to step 101.
Other steps following the steps 103b and 104b are indicated generally but
not shown specifically in FIG. 4, because they are similar to the steps
already shown and described above.
If the decisional step 103a determines that the present time is not to be
displayed, then a check is made in step 104b as to whether the sleep time
information is to be displayed. If so, control passes to a step (not
shown) like the step 105, but which is operative to display only the count
value and the sleep time information. Then step 106 is executed, after
which a step like step 107 restores the display to show the count value
only, and returns to step 101. If the step 104b determines that sleep time
is not to be displayed, then a step like step 105 is performed, except
that only the count value is displayed, after which control returns to
step 101.
If the decisional unit 102 determines that the count value is not to be
displayed, then step 103b is performed. Following step 103b, if the
present times is to be displayed, a check is made (like step 104a) to
determine whether sleep time is to be displayed, and if so, a step (not
shown) like step 105 is performed except that the counter value is not
displayed. Then steps similar to 106 and 107 are performed to omit the
display of the sleep time after 10 seconds and display only present time.
Control then returns to step 101.
When step 103b determines that present time is not to be displayed, then
only the sleep time is displayed in a step like step 105 (not shown) and
after 10 seconds the display of the sleep time is erased.
When three information signals are displayed on the first, second and third
present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f, the order of priority for
such displays is predetermined by the system control portion 11. For
example, one information signal is displayed by only the first present
state display portion 5d; two information signals are displayed on the
first and second present state display portions 5d and 5e; and three
information signals are displayed by all of the first, second and third
present state display portions 5d, 5e and 5f. Further, the present time,
the VTR sleep function and the count value are also displayed in the order
of priority pre-determined by the system control portion 11. For example,
a plurality of information signals are displayed in the order of priority
of (1) the present time, (2) the VTR sleep function and (3) the count
value from the bottom of the picture screen of the CRT 5 (from the side of
the first present state display portion 5d). The microprocessor within the
control unit 11 controls the timing of production of signals from the
character generator so that the first position is always occupied when one
or more information signals are displayed and the third position is never
occupied unless three information signals are displayed. The contents of
the displayed information signals are illustrated concretely in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, the first present state display portion 5d displays
the clock, that is, 10:30 A.M. on Thursday as "THU 10:30 AM". The second
present state display portion 5e displays that the VTR sleep function is
effected for 30 minutes as "0.sub.H 30.sub.M TO GO". The third present
state display portion 5f displays that the count value of the tape running
amount is 1234 as "COUNTER 1234". Then, under the control of the system
control portion 11, after 4 seconds have passed since the display of the
clock was started, only "10:30" without "THU" and "AM" is displayed on the
first present state display portion 5d. After 10 seconds have passed since
the display of the VTR sleep function was displayed, this VTR sleep
function "0.sub.H 30.sub.M TO GO" is erased from the second present state
display portion 5e. After 4 seconds have passed since the display of the
count value was started, only "1234" without "COUNTER" is displayed on the
third present state display portion 5f.
When the information signals are displayed by the thus constructed video
display system of this embodiment, the displayed state oft he information
is changed on the picture screen, by way of example, as follows. In this
case, the video display system is operated by pressing the keys on the
remote commander 15 (FIGS. 1 and 3).
To display the count value, the counter key 15e is pressed during the state
at first in which no information is displayed on the picture screen as
shown in FIG. 5A. Then, the count value such as "COUNTER 1234" or the like
is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d as represented
in FIG. 5B. After 4 seconds have passed since the counter key 15e was
pressed, only "1234" is displayed thereon as shown in FIG. 5C. The display
of "1234" is erased by pressing the counter key 15e again as represented
in FIG. 5D.
To display the present time at first, the clock key 15d is pressed during
the state in which no information is displayed as shown in FIG. 6A. Then,
the present time such as "WED 10:30 AM" is displayed on the first present
state display portion 5d, as represented in FIG. 6B. After 4 seconds have
passed since the clock key 15d was pressed, only "10:30" is automatically
displayed thereon as shown in FIG. 6C. The display of "10:30" is erased by
pressing the clock key 15d again, as represented in FIG. 6D. The initial
state in which no information is displayed is also brought about by
pressing the clock key 15d even before 4 seconds have passed.
To display the VTR sleep time information at first, the VTR sleep key 15c
is pressed during the state in which no information is displayed as shown
in FIG. 7A. Then, the present time, that is, "THU 10:30 AM" is displayed
on the first present state display portion 5d and the sleep time
information such as 0.sub.H 30.sub.M TO GO" is displayed on the second
present state display portion 5e, as represented in FIG. 7B. After 10
seconds have passed since the VTR sleep key 15c was pressed, the initial
state in which no information is displayed is automatically returned to,
as represented in FIG. 7C.
To display the present time during the state in which the count value is
already displayed on the first present state display portion 5D as
illustrated in FIG. 8A, the clock key 15d is pressed. Then, the time such
as "THU 10:30 AM" is displayed on the first present state display portion
5d. At the same time, the display of the count value is shifted to the
second present state display portion 5e and the count value "1234" is
displayed thereon as represented in FIG. 8B. After 4 seconds have passed
since the clock key 15d was pressed, the time display is automatically
changed to the display of only "10:30", as represented in FIG. 8C.
To display the count value during the state in which the present time
"10:30" is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d as
illustrated in FIG. 9A, the counter key 15e is pressed. Then, the count
value such as "COUNTER 1234" is displayed on the second present state
display portion 5e, as represented in FIG. 9B. At this time, the first
display portion 5d still displays the present time "10:30". After 4
seconds have passed since the counter key 15e was pressed, the display of
the count value is automatically changed to the display of only "1234" as
represented in FIG. 9C.
To erase the present time from the state in which the present time, "10:30"
and the count value "1234" are displayed respectively on the first and
second present state display portions 5d and 5e as shown in FIG. 10A, the
clock key 15d is pressed. Then, only the count value "1234" is displayed
as represented in FIG. 10B. At that time, the display position of the
count value is shifted from the second present state display portion 5e to
the first present state display portion 5d.
Further, to erase the display of the count value from the state in which
the present time, "10:30" and the count value "1234" are similarly
displayed on the first and second present state display portions 5d and 53
as shown in FIG. 11A, the counter key 15e is pressed. Then, only the
present time, "10:30" is displayed on the first present state display
portion 5d as represented in FIG. 11B. At that time, only the display of
the count value, "1234" is erased from the second present state display
portion 5e and the display position of the present time is not shifted.
To display the VTR sleep time information during the state that the present
time, "10:30" and the count value, "1234" are displayed on the first and
second present state display portions 5 and 5e as shown in FIG. 12A, the
VTR sleep key 15c is pressed. Then, the VTR sleep time information such as
"0.sub.H 30.sub.M TO GO" is displayed additively to the display of the
present time and the display of the count value, as represented in FIG.
12B. If the present time is displayed only by numerals such as "1234", the
day of the week and AM or PM are displayed together. At that time, the
present time, the VTR sleep time information and the count value are
sequentially displayed on the first, second and third present state
display portions 5d, 5e and 5f, respectively. After 10 seconds have passed
since the VTR sleep key 15c was pressed, the initial displayed state is
returned to, in which the present time and the count value are displayed
respectively on the first and second present state display portions 5d and
5e, as represented in FIG. 12C.
To display the VTR sleep time information during the state in which the
count value is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d as
shown in FIG. 13A, the VTR sleep key 15c is pressed. Then, the VTR sleep
time information and the present time are displayed additively to the
display of the count value as represented in FIG. 13B. At that time, the
present time is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d;
the VTR sleep time information is displayed on the second present state
display portion 5e; and the count value is displayed on the third present
state display portion 5f, respectively. After 10 seconds have passed since
the VTR sleep key 15c was pressed, the same initial display state in which
only the count value is displayed is returned to, as represented in FIG.
13C.
To display the VTR sleep time information during the state that present
time is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d as
illustrated in FIG. 14A, the VTR sleep key 15c is pressed. Then, the VTR
sleep time information is displayed in the form of being added to the
display of present time, as represented in FIG. 14B. At that time, the
present time is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d
and the VTR sleep time information is displayed on the second present
state display portion 5e. After 10 seconds have passed since the VTR sleep
key 15c was pressed, the initial display state in which the present time
is displayed is returned to, as represented in FIG. 14C.
In order to display the count value immediately after the VTR sleep time
information and the present time are displayed (as represented in FIG.
15B) is pressed. Then, the count value is displayed in the form of being
added to the display of the VTR sleep time information and the display of
the present time, as represented in FIG. 15C. At that time, the present
time is displayed on the first present state display portion 5d; the VTR
sleep time information is displayed on the second present state display
portion 5e; and the count value is displayed on the third present state
display portion 5f. After 4 seconds have passed since the counter key 15e
was pressed, the display of the count value "COUNTER 1234" is changed to
the display of only numerals ("1234"), as represented in FIG. 15D.
Further, after 10 seconds have passed since the VTR sleep key 15c was
pressed, only the count value "1234" remains displayed as shown in FIG.
15E.
As will be clear from the above mentioned display examples, the information
signals are displayed on the respective present state display portions 5d,
5e and 5f of the picture screen of the CRT 5 of the television receiver 1
according to this embodiment in the following manner. That is, one display
information signal is displayed on the first present state display portion
5d located at the lowermost position from the bottom of the picture
screen; two display information signals are displayed on the first and
second present state display portions 5d and 5e located at the lowermost
position and the next position; and three display information signals are
displayed sequentially on the first, second and third present state
display portions 5d, 5e and 5f, respectively. For this reason, display
information signals are displayed from the corner of the picture screen,
in their order of priority depending upon the number of information
signals being displayed. As a result, the display information is never
displayed, for example, on only the third present state display portion 5f
which is located near the center of the picture screen. Thus, the display
information is always displayed at the corner portion of the picture
screen so as not to disturb the picture of the received television
broadcasting or the picture reproduced from the video tape.
Further, since the VTR sleep time information, which need not be displayed
continuously, is displayed for only 10 seconds, the display of this VTR
sleep time information disturbs the picture reproduced on the picture
screen only during this short period of time.
Furthermore, since the characters such as day of the week, etc. in the
display of the present time and the count value are displayed for only 4
seconds and only the minimum numerals are displayed thereafter, the
picture reproduced on the picture screen can be most effectively be left
undisturbed or hidden by the display of the informations, from this
standpoint, as much as possible. Accordingly, when watching the picture
screen of the CRT 5, the user can observe sufficient information at that
location and understand with confidence the operational mode that the
video tape recorder section 10 is now performing. Also, the picture
reproduced on the picture screen of the CRT 5 becomes easier to see.
Referring now to FIG. 16, a functional block diagram of the system control
portion 11 is illustrated, incorporating a microprocessing unit 30.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the microprocessor 30
within the system control portion 11 may readily be programmed to perform
the steps as illustrated in FIGS. 4-15E. Therefore such programming need
not be discussed in detail. A unit 32 detects a new key when it is
pressed, as indicated by signals in KYC or RMC, and the new key data is
available to the microprocessor in a register 34. The memory 36,
associated with the microprocessor, is updated to incorporate the data
represented by the new key which is depressed, and then the microprocessor
determines what information signals are to be displayed in response to the
updated data stored in the memory, following the steps illustrated in FIG.
4. A timing loop like step 106 may be entered by the microprocessor to
establish both the 10 second and 4 second intervals which are required.
Appropriate signals are then supplied to a character generator 38 from the
microprocessor, and from the memory 36, to cause production of video
signals to be superimposed via the line VD3, at the appropriate times, on
the main video signal supplied to the video amplifier portion 4.
While the system control portion 11 for controlling the display of various
information signals is provided within the television receiver 1 outside
the video tape recorder section 10 as described above, a display signal
generator may instead be provided within the video tape recorder section
10 and display information may be displayed by using the output signal
from this display signal generator.
According to the above mentioned video display system of this invention,
the display information signals, regardless of their number, are displayed
at the position near the corner of the picture screen so as to most
effectively prevent the picture of the received video signal from being
disturbed. Accordingly, various information signals are displayed with
good visability on the picture screen while the picture of the received
video signal or the like is in the easiest form to see.
The above description is given on a single preferred embodiment of the
invention but it will be apparent that many modifications and variations
could be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit or scope of the novel concepts of the invention, so that the scope
of the invention should be determined by the appended claims only.
* * * * *
|
|
 |
|
 |
Description |
|
