Electronic apparatus, control method, and storage medium
View Patent ↗According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a virtual identification information generator and a display controller. The virtual identification information generator generates a virtual identification information item to virtualize the display, for each of two or more external devices wirelessly connected to the electronic apparatus by use of a wireless communication module, based on specific identification information of the display including information indicative of properties of the display. The display controller displays image signals transmitted from the external devices on a display. The display image signals are generated by the external devices based on the virtual identification information items.
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a display;
a wireless communication module;
a virtual identification information generator configured to generate a virtual identification information item to virtualize the display, for each of two or more external devices wirelessly connected to the electronic apparatus by use of the wireless communication module, based on specific identification information of the display comprising information indicative of properties of the display;
a virtual identification information returning module configured to return the virtual identification information item generated by the virtual identification information generator to each of the respective external devices which request the specific identification information of the display; and
a display controller configured to display image signals transmitted from the external devices on the display, the display image signals being generated by the external devices based on the virtual identification information items returned by the virtual identification information returning module,
wherein the display controller comprises a first display mode in which the image signals transmitted from the external devices are displayed side by side on the display, and a second mode in which one of the image signals transmitted from the external devices is exclusively selected and displayed on the display.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change the information indicative of the properties of the display in the specific identification information of the display, and to include the changed information in each of the virtual identification information items generated for the respective external devices.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change the information indicative of the properties of the display in the specific identification information of the display, according to a wireless connection state between the wireless communication module and each of the external devices.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change resolution of the display.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change a refresh rate of the display.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change number of colors the display can display.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a sound processor, wherein:
the specific identification information of the display comprises information indicative of properties of the sound processor; and
the virtual identification information generator is configured to change a sound signal bit rate the sound processor can process.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a sound processor, wherein:
the specific identification information of the display comprises information indicative of properties of the sound processor; and
the virtual identification information generator is configured to change number of sound signal channels the sound processor can process.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the virtual identification information generator is configured to change part of a serial number in the specific identification information of the display and uniquely assigned to the display, to different values for the respective external devices.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless connection controller configured to limit a number of the external devices wirelessly connected to the electronic apparatus by use of the wireless communication module, to a first number.
11. A method of controlling an electronic apparatus comprising a display and a wireless communication module, the method comprising:
generating a virtual identification information item to virtualize the display, for each of two or more external devices wirelessly connected to the electronic apparatus by use of the wireless communication module, based on specific identification information of the display comprising information indicative of properties of the display;
returning the generated virtual identification information items to the respective external devices which request the specific identification information of the display; and
displaying image signals transmitted from the external devices on the display, the image signals being generated by the external devices based on the returned virtual identification information items,
wherein the displaying the image signals comprises a first display mode in which the image signals transmitted from the external devices are displayed side by side on the display, and a second mode in which one of the image signals transmitted from the external devices is exclusively selected and displayed on the display.
12. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which is executable by a computer comprising a display and a wireless communication module, the computer program controlling the computer to function as:
a virtual identification information generator configured to generate a virtual identification information item to virtualize the display, for each of two or more external devices wirelessly connected to the computer by use of the wireless communication module, based on specific identification information of the display comprising information indicative of properties of the display;
a virtual identification information returning module configured to return the virtual identification information item generated by the virtual identification information generator to each of the respective external devices which request the specific identification information of the display; and
a display controller configured to display image signals transmitted from the external devices on the display, the image signals being generated by the external devices based on the virtual identification information items returned by the virtual identification information returning module,
wherein the display controller comprises a first display mode in which the image signals transmitted from the external devices are displayed side by side on the display, and a second mode in which one of the image signals transmitted from the external devices is exclusively selected and displayed on the display.