Television – Combined with diverse art device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-22
2004-08-10
Lee, Michael H. (Department: 2614)
Television
Combined with diverse art device
C348S473000, C358S001150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06774951
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital broadcast reception system including a receiver for receiving digital broadcast, a display device for displaying digital broadcast received by a receiver and a printer for printing the content information contained in the digital broadcast received by the receiver. This invention also relates to a digital broadcast printer for printing the contents information generated by the receiver which has received the digital broadcast.
2. Description of Related Art
Up to now, in printing a display picture of e.g. television broadcast, demonstrated on e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) display, an analog video printer is used.
The analog video printer is fed e.g., with analog picture signals output from a display unit
500
, as shown for example in FIG.
1
. That is, in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
, TV signals or picture signals are input to a display device
500
, which display device
500
displays a picture generated from these signals. To an analog printer
501
are fed analog picture signals corresponding to a picture demonstrated on the display device
500
.
The analog video printer
501
digitizes the input analog video signals to store the resulting digital signals as picture data in a frame memory
502
as well as to update the stored picture data from time to time. On receipt of a printing command from outside, updating of the picture data to be recorded on the frame memory
502
is discontinued and picture data stored in the frame memory
502
is read out for printing by a printer engine
503
.
The analog video printer
501
is provided with a printing confirmation display unit
504
employing e.g., a liquid crystal display. The picture data stored in the frame memory
502
is analogized to output resulting analog picture signals. The printing confirmation display unit
504
demonstrates a picture generated from the input analog video signals.
This analog video printer
501
is used for the application for printing a specified picture comprehended in continuous moving pictures data. So, printing commands input from outside are two-stage commands, namely commands for determining a picture to be printed from the moving picture data and a command for starting the printing processing on the so-determined picture. There are occasions where the analog video printer
501
is not provided with a printing confirmation display unit
504
. In such case, the picture for printing cannot be confirmed at the outset.
The above-described conventional analog video printer
501
routinely uses input analog signals conventionally put to practical application, such as NTSC (National Television System Committee) signals, PAL (phase alternation by Line) signals, RGB video signals or S-terminal video signals,
For printing a display picture of an information processor, such as a personal computer, abbreviated below to PC, an analog multi-scan printer or a PC printer is used.
An analog multi-scan printer
510
is fed with analog CRT interface signals, output from a main body unit of the PC
511
to the display device
512
, as shown for example in FIG.
2
. The analog multi-scan printer
510
branches the input analog CRT interface signals to output one of the branched signals to the display device
512
as well as to digitize the other branched signals for storage as picture data in the frame memory
513
for updating from time to time. If a printing command is input from outside, updating of the picture data to be stored in the frame memory
513
is discontinued and the picture data recorded in the frame memory
513
is read out for printing by the printer engine
514
.
Meanwhile, RGB picture signals and synchronization signals thereof are used, as an example, as the analog CRT interface signals. As the signal modes, the signals in the following ranges:
horizontal resolution: 640 to 1600 dots
vertical resolution: 480 to 1200 lines
horizontal deflection frequency: 30 to 107 kHz
vertical deflection frequency: 48 to 160 Hz are routinely used.
The analog multi-scan printer
510
has a multi-scan function for these variable signal modes, and is able to acquire picture data of the size suited to a picture for printing to print the data.
A PC printer
520
is fed with printing data over a universal printer interface, from a main body portion of the PC
521
, in addition to picture signals output from the main body portion of the PC
521
to a display device
522
, as shown for example in FIG.
3
.
In the PC printer
520
, an application program operating in the main body portion of the PC
521
generates text data or picture data. The text data or picture data, generated by the application program, is routed to an OS (operating system) for demonstration on the display device
522
. When fed with a printing command, the OS starts a printer driver within the main body portion of the PC
521
. The printer driver converts the text data or picture data into printing data of a form suited to the PC printer
520
connected to the main body portion of the PC
521
to send the printing data to the PC printer
520
. The PC printer interprets the printing data sent thereto to effect printing by the printer engine
523
.
This PC printer
520
uses e.g., the Bi-Centronics (IEEE-1284), RS-232C, SCSI, Ir-DA or USB, as the general-purpose printer interface.
In receiving e.g., television broadcast for display, the conventional practice has been to receive analog television signals by a reception device and to process these analog television signals by an analog electronic circuit for demonstration on a display device. However, such television broadcast is predicted to be made by digital signals, instead of by analog signals, as conventionally.
Specifically, in Japan, CS digital broadcast was started since October 1996, while digital broadcast is about to be started in CATV, BS broadcast and ground wave broadcast. If the television broadcast is digitized in this manner, pictures of higher quality than before is furnished. In addition, digitization enables not only picture signals but also SI (service information) signals to be furnished, such that, by these SI signals, it becomes possible to utilize the EPG (electronic program guide), that is the program guide information that can be demonstrated on the display device.
By the digitization of the television broadcast, not only the program broadcast but also the variable contents information can be demonstrated in combination on the display device. This contents information is made up of various data, such as still picture data, moving pictures data, text data or music data.
If, in printing the pictures of e.g., television broadcast or variable contents information, in the above-described current status of the art, the above-mentioned conventional analog printer
501
, analog multi-scan printer
510
and the PC printer
520
are used, the degree of freedom of the printing functions or the cost in the printing device present a lot of problems.
Specifically, if the aforementioned analog printer
501
or analog multi-scan printer
510
is used, not only is the circuitry for performing the A/D conversion or D/A conversion required, but also measures need to be taken against signal deterioration or noise, thus complicating the structure of the apparatus to render it difficult to lower the cost. Moreover, the analog printer
501
or analog multi-scan printer
510
is required to be uniquely provided with contents information means for generating the contents information for printing, in addition to the contents information means for generating the contents information for display provided on the analog printer
501
or analog multi-scan printer
510
, so that cost is needed to provide the unique contents information means.
Moreover, when the aforementioned PC printer
520
is used, since the general-purpose printer interface operates at a higher speed, it is possible to transfer picture data without limitation as to the resolution of the picture for printing or the printing quality. However,
Lee Michael H.
Natnael Paulos M.
LandOfFree
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