Image display apparatus and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11665397-B2
Application number	US-202117322731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	May 18, 2020
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an image display apparatus and a method thereof. The image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a display; an external device interface configured to perform short-range communication; and a controller configured to: when the number of external devices communicatively connected with the image display apparatus is one, or when a bandwidth usage for the short-range communication is less than a predetermined reference, transmit an entire signal to the one external device, when the number of the external devices is two or more, and the bandwidth usage is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference, acquire a plurality of channel signals from the entire signal; transmit a first channel signal to a first external device among the external devices; and transmit a second channel signal to a second external device among the external devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display apparatus comprising:
a display;
an external device interface including at least one communication module configured to perform short-range communication; and
a controller configured to:
determine a number of external audio devices communicatively connected with the image display apparatus, and compare a bandwidth usage for the short-range communication to a predetermined reference,
wherein the predetermined reference is determined according to a maximum allowable value of the bandwidth usage used for the short-range communication, and
based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more, and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference:
acquire a plurality of channel signals from the entire audio signal;
transmit a first channel signal from among the plurality of channel signals to a first external audio device among the external audio devices; and
transmit a second channel signal from among the plurality of channel signals to a second external audio device among the external audio devices.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference, the controller is configured to determine the first external audio device and the second external audio device based on an order in which the two or more external audio devices are connected to the image display apparatus.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of microphones,
wherein, based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference, the controller is configured to:
sequentially transmit sample audio signals to the two or more external audio devices;
control the plurality of microphones to receive audio output from the external audio devices;
determine positions of the external audio devices based on signals received from the plurality of microphones; and
determine the first external audio device and the second external audio device based on the positions of the external audio devices.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference, the controller is configured to:
sequentially transmit sample audio signals to the two or more external audio devices;
receive, through the external device interface unit, data on loudness of audio received by each of a plurality of microphones provided in a remote control device from the remote control device;
determine positions of the external audio devices based on based on the received data on the loudness of audio; and
determine the first external audio device and the second external audio device based on the positions of the external audio devices.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the positions of the external audio devices based on a difference between loudness of audio received by each of the plurality of microphones.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one speaker,
wherein the controller is configured to:
process the entire audio signal and the plurality of channel signals based on a predetermined audio parameter in relation to audio output;
output audio corresponding to the processed entire audio signal through the at least one speaker; and
transmit the processed plurality of channel signals to the external audio devices, respectively.

7. A method of an image display apparatus including, the method comprising:
determining a number of external audio devices communicatively connected with the image display apparatus, and comparing a bandwidth usage for the short-range communication to a predetermined reference,
wherein the predetermined reference is determined according to a maximum allowable value of the bandwidth usage used for the short-range communication; and
based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more, and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference:
acquiring a plurality of channel signals from the entire audio signal;
transmitting, through the external device interface, a first channel signal from among the plurality of channel signals to a first external audio device among the external audio devices; and
transmitting, through the external device interface, a second channel signal from among the plurality of channel signals to a second external audio device among the external audio devices.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
based on the number of the external audio devices being two or more and the bandwidth usage being greater than or equal to the predetermined reference, determining positions of the external audio devices, and determining the first external audio device and the second external audio device.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the determining of the first external audio device and the second external audio device comprises:
determine an order in which the two or more external audio devices are connected to the image display apparatus; and
determining the first external audio device and the second external audio device according to the determine order.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the determining of the first external audio device and the second external audio device comprises:
sequentially transmitting sample audio signals to the two or more external audio devices;
receiving, through a plurality of microphones of the image display apparatus, audio output from the external audio devices;
determining positions of the external audio devices based on signals received from the plurality of microphones; and
determining the first external audio device and the second external audio device based on the positions of the external audio devices.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the determining of the first external audio device and the second external audio device comprises:
sequentially transmitting sample audio signals to the two or more external audio devices;
receiving, through the external device interface unit, data on loudness of audio received by each of a plurality of microphones provided in a remote control device from the remote control device;
determining positions of the external audio devices based on based on the received data on the loudness of audio; and
determining the first external audio device and the second external audio device based on the positions of the external audio devices.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the determining of the positions of the external audio devices comprises:
determining the positions of the external audio devices based on a difference between loudness of audio received by each of the plurality of microphones.

13. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
processing the entire audio signal and the plurality of channel signals based on a predetermined audio parameter in relation to audio output;
outputting audio corresponding to the processed entire audio signal through at least one speaker of the image display apparatus; and
transmitting the processed plurality of channel signals to the external audio devices, respectively.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, based on the number of extern

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Donghee
• Kim Sijin
• Kim Taeyoung
• Hwang Soonhyung
• Kim Hyorim
• Kim Minjae

Classifications

• H04N21/4852

  for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo · CPC title

• H04N21/8106

  involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages · CPC title

• H04N21/439

  Processing of audio elementary streams · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04N21/43637

  involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth®, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] (arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114) · CPC title