Image reproduction system and signal processor used for the same
View Patent ↗An image reproduction system includes a TV set, an AV amplifier connected to the TV set, and a plurality of image output devices, such as a DVD player, a set-top box and a game console, connected to the AV amplifier. The ID information of these image output devices is displayed as a list on the screen of the TV set. The user can select any one of the image output devices from the list by using a remote control, for example. The fact of the selection is transmitted to the AV amplifier from the TV set. Upon this, the AV amplifier connects the selected image output device to the TV set, so that the image signals reproduced by the selected device are sent to the TV set.
1. An image reproduction system comprising a display device, a signal processor, and a plurality of image output devices, the display device including:
a display panel;
a list display controller for causing the display panel to display a list of image signal output sources;
an operation input section for enabling a user to select one of the image signal output sources displayed on the display panel;
a display output section for outputting an image signal of the selected one of the image signal output sources to the display panel; and
a plurality of input terminals including a first input terminal of the plurality of input terminals being directly connected to the signal processor, and a second input terminal of the plurality of input terminals being directly connected to one of the plurality of image output devices,
the signal processor being connected to the first input terminal of the display device and including a plurality of specific input terminals and a signal output section for outputting image signals inputted through the specific input terminals to the display device;
at least one of the plurality of image output devices being connected to one of the specific input terminals of the signal processor so that ID information of the image output device can be transmitted or received to output image signals to the signal processor, and at least another of the plurality of image output devices being connected to one of the plurality of input terminals of the display device to output image signals to the display device;
wherein the display device further includes:
a display change section for adding ID information of the respective image output devices connected to the signal processor and input terminal information of said another of the input terminals to the list displayed on the display panel; and
a selection information transmitting section for transmitting selection information to the signal processor when one of the image output devices is selected by the operation input section;
wherein the signal processor further includes:
a device information transmitting section for transmitting ID information of the respective connected image output devices to the display device; and
a switching section for outputting image signals from the selected one of the image output devices to the display device upon receiving the selection information transmitted by the selection information transmitting section.
2. The image reproduction system according to claim 1 , further comprising HDMI cables for connecting between the display device and the signal processor and for connecting between the signal processor and the respective image output devices, wherein the display device, the signal processor and the image output devices conform to HDMI.
3. The image reproduction system according to claim 2 , wherein the selection information transmitted by the selection information transmitting section and the ID information of the image output devices transmitted by the device information transmitting section are sent via CEC control lines included in the HDMI cables.
4. A signal processor used for an image reproduction system that includes a plurality of image output devices and a display device for displaying a list of ID information of the image output devices, the signal processor being connected to the display device and each of the image output devices so that the ID information can be transmitted or received, the signal processor comprising:
specific input terminals being capable of transmitting and receiving the ID information;
an additional input terminal being incapable of transmitting and receiving the ID information;
a signal output section for outputting image signals inputted through the specific input terminals or the additional input terminal to the display device;
a device information transmitting section for transmitting the ID information of the respective image output devices connected to the specific input terminals and input terminal information of the additional input terminal to the display device; and
a switching section for outputting image signals from a selected one of the image output devices to the display device upon receiving image output device selection information transmitted from the display device.
5. A display device used for a image reproduction system that includes a plurality of image output devices and a signal processor, the display device being connected to the signal processor, the display device comprising:
a display panel;
a list display controller for causing the display panel to display a list of image signal output sources;
an operation input section for enabling a user to select one of the image signal output sources displayed on the display panel;
a display output section for outputting an image signal of the selected one of the image signal output sources to the display panel;
a plurality of input terminals including: one input terminal to which the signal processor is directly connected; and another input terminal to which one of the image output devices is directly connected;
a display change section for adding ID information of the respective image output devices connected to the image processor and input terminal information of said another input terminal to the list displayed on the display panel; and
a selection information transmitting section for transmitting selection information to the signal processor when one of the image output devices is selected by the operation input section,
wherein each of the image output devices is connected so that ID information of the image output device can be transmitted to or received from the input terminals or the signal processor device.
6. A tangible computer medium encoded with computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a computer to execute as the list display controller, the operation input section, the display output section, the display change section, and the selection information transmitting section of the display device set forth in claim 5 .