Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-30
2001-06-05
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S212000, C340S988000, C340S990000, C340S995190, C348S564000, C348S565000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243645
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates an audio-video output device and a car navigation system that can output video and audio information from a TV, a video player, or a car navigation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Audio-video output devices, such as TV receivers, that can output images and voices are used in a wide variety of applications such as terminals for personal computers (PCs) and game computers. Furthermore, as flat and compact displays such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and plasma displays have become available in addition to the conventional CRTs, the applications for displays that can display video information are expanding further. Audio-video output devices equipped with a compact display such as an LCD are also being considered for embedding in cars. One of these applications is an on-board TV receiver which moves with the car and easily provides the enjoyment of TV programs in rest areas and camping sites. This receiver can also be used as the terminal of a car navigation system that indicates/displays the current position and the destination of the car to the driver using GPS (Global Positioning System) data. These audio-video output devices are also being used as the GUI (graphical user interface) terminals for controlling air conditioners and other systems.
As explained above, because audio-video output devices are equipped with the function of a terminal that provides information to users and into which information is input based on visual and audio senses, they are expected to be used in a wide variety of applications in the future, in addition to the applications described above. However, having multiple audio-video output devices for various different applications is inconvenient. For example, installing separate audio-video output devices for a TV, a car navigation system, and a video player in a small space inside a car would be a waste of space, and would also require multiple wiring and power supply facilities as well. Therefore, one idea being suggested is to provide an audio-video output device into which audio-video information for TV and audio-video information for car navigation can be input and displayed by switching the input sources, for example.
By configuring the device such that video information and audio information can be displayed by switching the input sources as explained above, a single audio-video output device can be used to output images and voices from multiple input sources. Therefore, a single audio-video output device can be used both as a TV receiver and a car navigation terminal in a car. However, since the input source must be switched for output, TV programs cannot be viewed when information such as destination and current location is being set using the device as the car navigation terminal. Conversely, even if a change occurs in the car navigation data, etc. while the device is being used as a TV, such a change cannot be communicated. As explained above, a device that displays information by switching the input source requires a small space and small hardware because a single display can display outputs from multiple input sources, and thus offers an advantage of lower overall system cost. However, such a device cannot display information from multiple input sources simultaneously. Therefore, in this respect, it would be more desirable to provide multiple audio-video output devices for the individual systems. However, providing multiple devices poses cost, hardware, and space issues as explained above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide an audio-video output device that can provide the user with information from multiple input sources by means of a single display. Another object of the invention is to provide an audio-video output device that can provide the user with information from one of the multiple input sources on a real-time basis regardless of the mode in which the audio-video output device is set. Still another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted audio-video output device that can provide the user with updated information if the navigation system's information changes while the user is watching the TV, for example; and yet another object of the invention is to provide a car navigation system that can be used for multiple purposes by adopting the audio-video output device according to the invention.
Therefore, the audio-video output device according to the invention is provided with at least two audio input means, or a video output means that can display two pieces of video information by splitting the screen, wherein the audio information or video information from at least two of the multiple sources can be output. Furthermore, one of the two pieces of audio information that can be output from the two audio output means or one of the two pieces of video information that can be split and output, can be allocated to a particular source.
That is, the audio-video output device having two audio output means according to the invention is provided with a first input means into which the video information and audio information from a first source can be input; a second input means into which the video information and audio information from a second source can be input; a video output means that can output the video information from either the first or second source; a first audio output means that outputs the audio information from either the first or second source, whichever is being output to the video output means; and a second audio output means that can output only the audio information from the first source. Since the audio-video output device according to the invention is equipped with the second output means, the audio information from the first source can be output even while the video information and the audio information from the second source are being output from the audio-video output device. Consequently, the information from the first source that is converted into a voice can be constantly monitored. Moreover, providing a first audio selection means that selects either the audio information from the first or second source, whichever is being output to the video output means, and a second audio selection means that selects either the audio information selected by said first audio selection means or the audio information from the first source and supplies it to the second audio output means, allows the user to select whether or not to constantly monitor the first source.
Furthermore, if the video output means is equipped with a multi-screen display mode that displays video information from the first and second sources by splitting the display screen into multiple screens, providing a third audio selection means that selects the audio information from the source displayed in the predetermined area of the display screen and supplies it to the first audio output means and the second audio selection means, enables the selection of the input source for the audio information being supplied from the first audio output means, based on the display position of the image.
Moreover, the audio-video output device according to the invention, which can display video information from at least two sources by splitting the screen, has a first input means that can input the video information and audio information from the first source; a second input means that can input the video information from the second source; a third input means that can input the video information and audio information from the third source; a video output means that can output the video information from the first, second, or third source; and a first audio output means that outputs the audio information from the first, second, or third source, whichever is being output to the video output means; wherein the video output means is provided with a single-screen display mode which displays the first, second, or third source in the display screen and with a multi-screen display mode which splits the display screen, displays the v
Kobayashi Mamoru
Moteki Hiroyuki
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Donnelly Arthur D.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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