JP3599993B2 - Information display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information display device for displaying a video signal in a video signal on a screen, capturing data from a computer network such as the Internet and an intranet, converting the data into a video signal, and displaying the video signal on the screen.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The Internet is a computer network in which a large number of computers are connected on a worldwide scale, and each computer stores various information that can be read. This information includes e-mails, various programs, home pages, and the like, and can be communicated in both directions. The home page is a cover and a table of contents of one piece of information, and necessary information can be searched by selecting a picture (icon) and a word on the home page.
[0003]
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of connection between each computer and the Internet. In this connection example, the personal computer 7 is connected to the telephone line 2 via a modem 8 or a terminal adapter, and the telephone line 2 is connected to a modem 3 or a terminal adapter of a provider which is a connection service company. The modem 3 is connected to a server 4 which is a provider computer.
[0004]
The server 4 is always connected to the Internet 6 via a router 5 for setting a relay route.
The personal computer 7 makes a call when necessary and connects to the Internet 6 via the server 4 of the provider (dial-up connection).
Recently, an information display device that can connect to the Internet 6 instead of the personal computer 7 and display various information of the Internet on a screen thereof has been proposed.
[0005]
The connection between the information display device and the Internet is, for example, as shown in FIG. In this connection example, the information display device 1 remotely operated by the remote control device 20a is connected to the telephone line 2. The information display device 1 has a built-in modem. The telephone line 2 is connected to a modem 3 or a terminal adapter of a provider which is a connection service company, and the modem 3 is connected to a server 4 which is a computer of the provider.
[0006]
The server 4 is always connected to the Internet 6 via a router 5 for setting a relay route.
When the remote control device 20a is operated from the information display device 1, a telephone call operation is automatically performed, and the information display device 1 is connected to the Internet 6 via the server 4 of the provider (dial-up connection).
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The Internet has a frame function of setting a plurality of frames in one window and displaying different pages in each of the plurality of frames. When a homepage using the frame function is displayed on a personal computer, for example, As shown in FIG. 11, a scroll bar 52 for scrolling one frame for each of a plurality of frames on the screen is displayed. In one of the plurality of frames, the scroll bar 52 is pointed by the cursor 53. Therefore, other frames are not affected by scrolling.
[0008]
When a homepage using such a frame function is displayed on a television receiver as the information display device 1 described above, the amount of information that can be displayed on one screen is 640 × 480 pixels, which is used in a personal computer. Since the number is smaller than 800 × 600 pixels or 1024 × 768 pixels of the display device, the amount of information that can be displayed in one of a plurality of frames on the screen is small, making it hard to see. Also, even if a small character font is used, the characters become small and difficult to read.
[0009]
In addition, a user who connects to the Internet using a television receiver is often unfamiliar with the above-described frame function, and may be puzzled by a display screen using the frame function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides information that makes it easy to view a homepage using a frame function even on a screen having a small amount of information that can be displayed on one screen such as a television receiver. It is an object to provide a display device.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An information display device according to a first invention displays an image signal in a video signal on a screen, fetches data from a computer network, converts the data into a video signal, and displays the image signal on a screen. A receiving means for receiving an information page using a frame function for setting a plurality of frames and displaying different pages in each of the plurality of frames, and displaying one frame of the information page received by the receiving means on the entire screen Display means for displaying, an icon corresponding to each of the plurality of frames, and an icon for selecting a frame to be displayed by the display means, and a means for selecting any of the icons displayed by the means. It is characterized by.
[0011]
In this information display device, a plurality of frames are set in one window, and an information page using a frame function of displaying different pages in each of the plurality of frames is received by a receiving unit, and the display unit receives the information page. One frame of the information page is displayed on one screen. The means for displaying an icon displays an icon for selecting a frame to be displayed by the display means corresponding to each of the plurality of frames, and the means for selecting selects any of the displayed icons.
Accordingly, each page of a plurality of frames by the frame function can be displayed on the entire screen for each frame, and even on a screen having a small amount of information that can be displayed on one screen such as a television receiver, the frame can be displayed. The homepage using the function can be easily viewed.
[0012]
The information display device according to a second aspect of the present invention further includes a frame function display means for displaying the information page received by the receiving means by the frame function, and an operation button for displaying the information page on the frame function display means. The frame function display means displays the information page on the screen when the operation button is operated.
[0013]
In this information display device, when the operation button is operated, the frame function display means displays the information page received by the receiving means on the screen by the frame function. Thereby, the display screen of a plurality of frames by the frame function can be viewed.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a connection example between the information display device according to the present invention and the Internet. In this connection example, the information display device 1a remotely operated by the remote control device 20a is connected to the telephone line 2. The information display device 1a has a built-in modem. The telephone line 2 is connected to a modem 3 or a terminal adapter of a provider which is a connection service company, and the modem 3 is connected to a server 4 which is a computer of the provider.
[0015]
The server 4 is always connected to the Internet 6 and is connected to the Internet 6 via a router 5 for setting a relay route.
When the remote control device 20a is operated from the information display device 1a, a telephone call operation is automatically performed, and the information display device 1a connects to the Internet 6 via the provider server 4 (dial-up connection).
[0016]
The configuration of the information display device 1a is as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2 (the audio relationship is omitted). The television wave received by the antenna 10a is selected by the tuner 10, and the selected TV is displayed. The video signal of the John radio wave is detected by the video intermediate frequency / detection circuit 11. From the detected video signal, a luminance signal Y and color difference signals BY and RY are extracted by a video chroma processing unit 12.
[0017]
The extracted luminance signal Y and color difference signals BY and RY are converted by the video signal processing unit 13 into red, green and blue color signals R, G and B. The color signals R, G, and B are supplied to the RGB matrix 15 via the switching unit 14 and output to the CRT 17 for each color.
The video signal detected by the video intermediate frequency / detection circuit 11 is also supplied to a sync separation / deflection processing unit 16 to extract a vertical sync signal and a horizontal sync signal. The extracted vertical synchronizing signal and horizontal synchronizing signal are supplied to the CRT 17 and used as a screen scanning synchronizing signal.
[0018]
On the other hand, the Internet processing unit 22 connected to the communication line 24 extracts the red, green, and blue color signals R, G, and B of the video signal from the data provided via the communication line 24, and extracts the color signals R, G, and B. G and B are supplied to the RGB matrix 15 via the switching unit 23 and output to the CRT 17 for each color. When displaying only the screen of the Internet, the Internet processing unit 22 independently creates a vertical synchronization signal and a horizontal synchronization signal, and the vertical synchronization signal and the horizontal synchronization signal are supplied to the CRT 17 and used as screen synchronization signals. used.
[0019]
The channel selection CPU 20 outputs a channel selection instruction signal to the tuner 10 in accordance with an instruction from the remote control device 20a by an optical signal, a radio signal, or the like, transmits and receives a signal to and from the Internet processing unit 22, and sets the information display device 1a. Control the operation. Further, if necessary, an instruction signal is also output to the on-screen display control unit 21 so that the on-screen display control unit 21 gives a video signal to the RGB matrix 15.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the Internet processing unit 22. The Internet processing unit 22 includes a CPU 31 for controlling the entire Internet processing unit 22, a flash memory 34 for storing a program that can be updated at a later date, and a ROM 32 for storing data and programs that will not be updated at a later date, such as font data. And a working RAM 33.
[0021]
The Internet processing unit 22 also includes a channel selection CPU I / F (interface) 35 for connecting to the channel selection CPU 20, an image memory 40 in which video signals are written and read, and an image processing unit that writes video signals to the image memory 40. 39, a serial I / F 37, an I / O port 30a, a serial I / F 38 for connecting to an external personal computer or the like, a keyboard I / F 36 for connecting to a keyboard, and the above-described components. A bus 50, a modem 50 connected to the communication line 24, a TA (terminal adapter) 51 for connecting to the ISDN line, and an image memory 40 connected to the switching unit 23 and the video processing unit such as the RGB matrix 15. And a D / A converter 41 connected thereto. The serial I / F 37 is connected to one of the modem 50 and the TA 51 as necessary.
[0022]
Hereinafter, the operation of the information display device 1a having such a configuration will be described.
When the mode for operating as a normal television is designated by the channel selection CPU 20, the information display device 1 a tunes the television wave received by the antenna 10 a by the tuner 10 in accordance with an instruction from the channel selection CPU 20. Is done. A video signal is detected from the selected television wave by a video intermediate frequency / detection circuit 11, and a luminance signal Y and color difference signals BY, RY are detected by a video chroma processing unit 12 from the detected video signal. Is extracted.
[0023]
The extracted luminance signal Y and color difference signals BY and RY are converted by the video signal processing unit 13 into red, green and blue color signals R, G and B. The color signals R, G, and B are supplied to the RGB matrix 15 via the switching unit 14 and output to the CRT 17 for each color.
From the video signal detected by the video intermediate frequency / detection circuit 11, a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal are extracted by a sync separation / deflection processing unit 16. The extracted vertical synchronizing signal and horizontal synchronizing signal are supplied to the CRT 17 and used as a synchronizing signal when scanning each color signal R, G, B on the screen.
[0024]
When the mode in which the information display device 1a operates as the information display device 1a is designated by the channel selection CPU 20, the CPU 31 is interrupted. When the CPU 31 is interrupted, the CPU 31 reads the video signal for one screen of the initial screen from the flash memory 34 and sets it in the RAM 33.
Further, the CPU 31 outputs a switching signal via the I / O port 30a, stops the output from the switching unit 14, and switches the input to the RGB matrix 15 only from the switching unit 23 and the on-screen display control unit 21. You.
[0025]
The image processing unit 39 activates the DMA controller incorporated in the CPU 31 every time a horizontal synchronizing signal is given by the incorporated clock, and causes the DMA 33 to read out each color signal R, G, B of the video signal for one scanning line from the RAM 33. , To the image memory 40. The image memory 40 writes and reads out each of the color signals R, G, and B based on the timing of a clock incorporated in the image processing unit 39. The read color signals R, G, and B are provided to the RGB matrix 15 via the switching unit 23 and output to the CRT 17 for each color.
[0026]
As a result of the above-described operation, an initial screen as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display screen of the CRT 17. The operator can change the picture (icon) of “Shop information”, “Travel / sightseeing”, “News”, “Learning”, “Amusement”, “Regional and corporate information”, “Original”, “Search” and “Email” When the user operates the remote control device 20a from the inside and selects and decides, for example, a picture of “Travel / Sightseeing”, the Internet processing unit 22 executes the “Travel” as shown in FIG.・ Display the selection screen of "sightseeing". Hereinafter, similarly, each time a selection is made and determined on the selection screen, a similar lower selection screen in which options are arranged in a tree shape is displayed. That is, when performing horizontal or vertical display scrolling on the selection screen, the cursor 46 is moved to the upper, lower, left and right ends on the display screen by operating the remote control device 20a, and the cursor 46 is moved in the direction in which the screen is to be scrolled. By operating, the display can be scrolled.
[0027]
The remote control device 20a is provided with a selection button (43) on the upper right side, a decision button (44) on the left end, and various operation buttons (4) on the center, like a picture 42 displayed at the bottom of the initial screen (FIG. 4). 45). The operation button (45) also includes an operation button (45a) for displaying a plurality of frame screens by the frame function.
The selection button (43) is capable of freely moving the position of the pointer or cursor or the like of the "pointing hand" in eight directions, and is a picture that overlaps the pointer or cursor when the enter button (44) is operated. An item displayed as a character string (including a button-shaped picture) is selected and determined.
[0028]
When the selection is determined on the selection screen and the search proceeds, a picture related to the searched item is read from the flash memory 34 and displayed on the display screen. When the operator operates the remote control device 20a to make a selection from this picture, the CPU 31 reads out the telephone number of the server 4 of the provider, performs a telephone call operation, and communicates with the server 4 of the provider and the Internet processing unit. 22 is connected. When connected to the provider server 4, the URL corresponding to the picture determined and determined is called and connected.
[0029]
When data of the connected URL home page is transmitted via the communication line 24 and the modem 50, the CPU 31 converts the data into a video signal and sets the video signal in the RAM 33. The video signal set in the RAM 33 is displayed on the display screen as in the case of the initial screen.
To call a URL that has not been registered, "URL input" on the menu screen (menu bar) of the browser displayed at the top of the screen as shown in FIG. input.
[0030]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a display operation when accessing a homepage using the frame function. When the CPU 31 receives the data of the homepage and starts the display operation of the frame function (S10), the frame scanned and displayed first (the frame at the upper left corner of the screen) as shown in FIG. (S12). The frame displayed first may be arbitrary. When accessing a homepage that does not use the frame function, a normal display operation is performed.
At this time (S12), as shown in FIG. 8, the CPU 31 selects selection buttons (icons) 52 to 55 for selecting a frame to be displayed on the entire screen corresponding to each of a plurality of frames by the frame function at the top of the screen. (S14).
[0031]
In the state (S14) described above, the cursor 46 is moved on the selection buttons 53 to 55 other than the selection button 52 corresponding to the frame displayed on the screen on the screen, and the determination button 44 is depressed (operated). When the selection buttons 53 to 55 are selected (S16), the CPU 31 displays a frame corresponding to the selected selection buttons 53 to 55 on the entire screen (S18). Displaying a frame on the entire screen can be realized by using a conventional technique, for example, a technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-176824.
[0032]
In the state described above (S14 or S18), when the operation button 45a for displaying a plurality of frame screens by the frame function of the remote control device 20a is pressed down (operated) (S20), the CPU 31 proceeds to FIG. The original screen composed of a plurality of frames is displayed by the frame function as shown in (2) (S22).
In this state (S22), when the operation button 45a is pressed down again (S24), the first frame to be scanned and displayed is displayed on the entire screen (S12). Instead of the operation button 45a, an icon of an operation button for displaying a multi-frame screen by a frame function may be provided on the screen, and the cursor 46 may be used to select and operate (operate).
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the information display apparatus which concerns on 1st invention, each page of several frames by a frame function can be displayed on the whole screen for every 1 frame, and the information which can be displayed on 1 screen like a television receiver Even on a screen with a small amount, it is possible to easily view a homepage using a frame function.
[0034]
According to the information display device of the second aspect, each page of a plurality of frames by the frame function can be displayed on the entire screen for each frame, and information that can be displayed on one screen like a television receiver Even on a small screen, a home page using the frame function can be easily viewed, and a display screen of a plurality of frames by the frame function can be viewed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of connection between an information display device according to the present invention and the Internet.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an information display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an Internet processing unit.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an initial screen of the Internet.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a selection screen of “travel / sightseeing”.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a menu screen of a browser.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the information display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation of the information display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation of the information display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the Internet.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for describing a display screen by a frame function of the personal computer.
[Explanation of symbols]
1a Information Display Devices 14, 23 Switching Unit 17 CRT
20 channel selection CPU
20a Remote control device 22 Internet processing unit 24 Communication line 31 CPU
32 ROM
33 RAM
34 Flash memory 39 Image processing unit 40 Image memory 45a Operation buttons 46 Cursors 52 to 55 Selection buttons (icons)

Claims (2)

In an information display device that displays a video signal in a video signal on a screen, captures data from a computer network, converts the data into a video signal, and displays the video signal on the screen, a plurality of frames are set in one window, Receiving means for receiving an information page using a frame function of displaying a different page in each of the frames; display means for displaying one frame of the information page received by the receiving means on the entire screen; An information display apparatus comprising: means for displaying an icon for selecting a frame to be displayed by the display means, and means for selecting one of the icons displayed by the means. A frame function display unit for displaying the information page received by the receiving unit by the frame function; and an operation button for displaying the information page on the frame function display unit, wherein the operation button is operated. 2. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein the frame function display means displays the information page on the screen.

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