WO2024098974A1

WO2024098974A1 - Display device and control method for external device

Info

Publication number: WO2024098974A1
Application number: PCT/CN2023/120463
Authority: WO
Inventors: 朱敏
Original assignee: 青岛海信传媒网络技术有限公司
Priority date: 2022-11-10
Filing date: 2023-09-21
Publication date: 2024-05-16
Also published as: CN115835348A

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure are a display device and a control method for an external device. The method comprises: after a display device is turned on or a signal source is switched, detecting the device states of external devices, which are connected to the display device; and when there is an external device that is being in an operation state and is not currently displaying a picture by means of a display, controlling the external device to turn off or to be standby. Therefore, the problem of a waste of resources caused by long-term turning on of an external device, which is connected to a display device, is solved.

Description

A control method for display device and external device

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This disclosure claims the priority of the Chinese patent application filed with the Chinese Patent Office on November 10, 2022, with application number 202211403425.8, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this disclosure.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of smart televisions, and in particular to a control method for a display device and an external device.

Background technique

Display devices refer to terminal devices that can output specific display images, which can be terminal devices such as smart TVs, mobile terminals, smart advertising screens, projectors, etc. Taking smart TVs as an example, smart TVs are based on Internet application technology, have open operating systems and chips, have open application platforms, can realize two-way human-computer interaction functions, and are TV products that integrate multiple functions such as audio and video, entertainment, and data to meet the diverse and personalized needs of users.

The audio and video data played by the display device can come from different signal sources. For example, a smart TV can be connected to a cable TV signal line through a coaxial cable signal line to receive a live TV signal. In this case, the signal source of the smart TV is the live TV signal. The display device can also be provided with multiple different types of external device interfaces, such as High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Composite Video Interface (AV), etc. These interfaces can provide different signal sources for the display device by connecting different external devices or signal lines.

Display devices are usually connected to multiple external devices. Users can switch the connected external devices by switching the signal source, so that the display device can display the audio and video data input by the external device. However, external devices connected to the display device but not in use may always be turned on, resulting in energy waste of the external devices. When there are many external devices connected to the display device, the user cannot accurately distinguish the signal source connection status, resulting in the inability to accurately switch the signal source, which reduces the user experience.

Summary of the invention

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method for a display device and an external device to solve the problem that an external device connected to the display device is in a powered-on state for a long time, resulting in energy waste.

On the one hand, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a display device, including: a display, an external device interface, and a controller. The external device interface is configured to connect an external device; the controller is configured to:

In response to a screen-on operation event of the display, detecting access information of the external device interface;

Reading the device status of the external device according to the access information;

Traversing the device states of the plurality of external devices to determine a target external device, wherein the target external device is an external device whose device state is in a running state and which is not currently displaying an image through the display;

A shutdown instruction is sent to the target external device, where the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to standby or shut down.

On the other hand, some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a method for controlling an external device, which is applied to a display device, wherein the display device includes a display, an external device interface, and a controller; the external device interface is connected to an external device; and the method for controlling the external device includes:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

FIG1 is a usage scenario of a display device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG2 is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of the control device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a display device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG4 is a software configuration diagram of a display device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a connection state between a display device and an external device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a connection interface in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between a display device and an external device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the control relationship between the display device and the external device when a standby command is input in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the control relationship between the display device and the external device when a standby wake-up command is input in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG10 is a schematic flow chart of a method for controlling an external device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a process of displaying a default signal source in response to a power-on instruction in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG12 is a schematic diagram of an automatic standby setting interface for an external device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of detecting the operating status of an automatic control function in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a process of sending a close instruction to a target external device in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a process of switching a signal source in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of shutting down unused external devices after switching signal sources in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed ways

The following embodiments are described in detail, and examples thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementations described in the following embodiments do not represent all implementations consistent with the present disclosure. They are only examples of systems and methods consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure as detailed in the claims.

It should be noted that the brief description of terms in the present disclosure is only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, these terms should be understood according to their ordinary and common meanings.

The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. in the specification, claims and the above drawings in this disclosure are

Used to distinguish between similar or similar objects or entities and does not necessarily imply a particular order or sequence.

Unless otherwise indicated, it is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances.

The terms "comprises," "comprising," and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclude inclusion, for example, a product or device comprising a list of components is not necessarily limited to all the components expressly listed but may include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such product or device.

The term "module" refers to any known or later developed hardware, software, firmware, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, or combination of hardware and/or software code that is capable of performing the functions associated with that element.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a usage scenario of a display device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG1 , the display device 200 also performs data communication with the server 400 , and the user can operate the display device 200 through the smart device 300 or the control apparatus 100 .

In some embodiments, the control device 100 may be a remote controller, and the communication between the remote controller and the display device includes infrared protocol communication or Bluetooth protocol communication, and at least one of other short-range communication methods, to control the display device 200 wirelessly or wired. The user may control the display device 200 by inputting user commands through at least one of buttons on the remote controller, voice input, and control panel input.

In some embodiments, the smart device 300 may include any one of a mobile terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, a laptop computer, an AR/VR device, etc.

In some embodiments, the smart device 300 may also be used to control the display device 200. For example, the display device 200 may be controlled using an application running on the smart device.

In some embodiments, the smart device 300 and the display device may also be used to communicate data.

In some embodiments, the display device 200 can also be controlled in a manner other than the control device 100 and the smart device 300. For example, the user's voice command control can be directly received through a module for obtaining voice commands configured inside the display device 200, or the user's voice command control can be received through a voice control device set outside the display device 200.

In some embodiments, the display device 200 also communicates data with the server 400. The display device 200 may be allowed to communicate via a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), and other networks. The server 400 may provide various content and interactions to the display device 200. The server 400 may be one cluster or multiple clusters, and may include one or more types of servers.

In some embodiments, the software steps executed by a step execution subject can be migrated to another step execution subject in data communication with it as required. Exemplarily, the software steps executed by a server can be migrated to a display device in data communication with it as required, and vice versa.

FIG2 exemplarily shows a block diagram of a configuration of a control device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIG2 , the control device 100 includes a controller 110, a communication interface 130, a user input/output interface 140, a memory, and a power supply. The control device 100 can receive an input operation instruction from a user, and convert the operation instruction into an instruction that can be recognized and responded to by the display device 200, playing the role of an interactive intermediary between the user and the display device 200.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a display device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment.

In some embodiments, the display apparatus 200 includes at least one of a tuner 210, a communicator 220, a detector 230, an external device interface 240, a controller 250, a display 260, an audio output interface 270, a memory, a power supply, and a user interface.

In some embodiments, the controller includes a central processing unit, a video processor, an audio processor, a graphics processor, a RAM, a ROM, and a first interface to an nth interface for input/output.

In some embodiments, the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting images, and a driving component for driving image display, which is used to receive image signals output from a controller, display video content, image content, and a menu control interface component and a user control UI interface, etc.

In some embodiments, the display 260 may be at least one of a liquid crystal display, an OLED display, and a projection display, and may also be a projection device and a projection screen.

In some embodiments, the communicator 220 is a component for communicating with an external device or a server according to various communication protocol types.

In some embodiments, the detector 230 is used to collect signals of the external environment or external interaction. For example, the detector 230 includes a light receiver, a sensor for collecting the intensity of ambient light; or, the detector 230 includes an image collector, such as a camera, which can be used to collect external environment scenes, user attributes or user interaction gestures; or, the detector 230 includes a sound collector, such as a microphone, etc., for receiving external sounds.

In some embodiments, the external device interface 240 may include, but is not limited to, any one or more of the following interfaces: a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), an analog or digital high-definition component input interface (component), a composite video input interface (CVBS), a USB input interface (USB), an RGB port, etc. It may also be a composite input/output interface formed by the above multiple interfaces.

In some embodiments, the controller 250 controls the operation of the display device and responds to user operations through various software control programs stored in the memory. The controller 250 controls the overall operation of the display device 200. For example, in response to receiving a user command for selecting a UI object to be displayed on the display 260, the controller 250 can perform operations related to the object selected by the user command.

In some embodiments, the object may be any one of the selectable objects, such as a hyperlink, an icon or other operable controls. Operations related to the selected object include: displaying a page, document, image, etc. connected to the hyperlink, or executing a program corresponding to the icon.

In some embodiments, the user interface 280 is an interface that can be used to receive control input (such as a physical button on the display device body, or other interfaces).

Referring to Figure 4, in some embodiments, the system is divided into four layers, from top to bottom, namely, the application layer (Applications) layer (referred to as "application layer"), the application framework layer (Application Framework) layer (referred to as "framework layer"), the Android runtime (Android runtime) and system library layer (referred to as "system runtime library layer"), and the kernel layer.

In some embodiments, at least one application is running in the application layer, and these applications can be window programs, system settings programs, clock programs, etc. provided by the operating system, or applications developed by third-party developers. In specific implementations, the application packages in the application layer are not limited to the above examples.

The framework layer provides application programming interfaces (APIs) and programming frameworks for applications in the application layer. The application framework layer includes some predefined functions. The application framework layer is equivalent to a processing center that determines the actions that applications in the application layer take. Through the API interface, applications can access system resources and obtain system services during execution.

As shown in FIG4 , the application framework layer in the embodiment of the present disclosure includes managers, content providers, etc., wherein the manager includes at least one of the following modules: an activity manager for interacting with all activities running in the system; a location manager for providing system services or applications with access to system location services; a package manager for retrieving various information related to the application packages currently installed on the device; a notification manager for controlling the display and clearing of notification messages; a window manager for managing Manages the user interface including icons, windows, toolbars, wallpapers, and desktop widgets.

In some embodiments, the activity manager is used to manage the life cycle of each application and the common navigation back function, such as controlling the exit, opening, and back of the application. The window manager is used to manage all window programs, such as obtaining the display screen size, determining whether there is a status bar, locking the screen, capturing the screen, and controlling the display window changes (for example, reducing the display window, shaking the display, distorting the display, etc.).

In some embodiments, the kernel layer is a layer between hardware and software. As shown in FIG4 , the kernel layer includes at least one of the following drivers: audio driver, display driver, Bluetooth driver, camera driver, WIFI driver, USB driver, HDMI driver, sensor driver (such as fingerprint sensor, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, etc.), and power driver, etc.

Based on the above display device 200, the user can control the display device 200 to present different user interfaces through specific interactive actions. The user interface can be subdivided into multiple types according to the different functions it provides. For example, the user interface provided by the display device 200 may include a signal source interface for controlling the switching of signal sources.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the signal source generally refers to various resource servers, external devices, signal networks, etc. that can provide a specific display screen for the display device 200. The display device 200 can connect different devices and lines through the external device interface 240 to connect different signal sources. For example, the external device interface 240 can be a coaxial cable interface provided on the display device 200. The user can connect the coaxial cable interface to a digital TV signal line to receive a live TV signal from the digital TV signal line and play it on the display 260. For another example, the external device interface 240 can be an HDMI interface provided on the display device 200. The user can connect the HDMI interface to a gaming device to obtain a game screen signal from the gaming device and play it on the display 260.

Since the display device 200 may be provided with multiple types of external device interfaces 240, and the number of each type of external device interfaces 240 may also be multiple, the display device 200 may be connected to multiple signal sources at the same time. For example, the display device 200 may be provided with external device interfaces 240 such as a coaxial cable interface, an HDMI interface, a USB interface, and an AV interface. Each type of external device interface 240 can be connected to an external device or a signal line in accordance with its prescribed interface form. In order to enrich the media playback content of the display device 200, the display device 200 may also be provided with multiple external device interfaces 240 of the same type. For example, the display device 200 may be provided with two HDMI interfaces, namely, an HDMI1 interface and an HDMI2 interface.

As shown in Figure 5, during use, the user can plug the two ends of the HDMI interface data cable into the display device 200 and the external device 500 respectively, and after starting the external device 500 and the display device 200, set the signal source of the display device 200 to the HDMI interface to realize data transmission between the display device 200 and the external device 500.

Obviously, the same type of external device interface 240 can also be connected to different types of signal sources. For example, as shown in FIG6 , the display device 200 is connected to a gaming device via the HDMI1 interface to receive the gaming screen data generated by the gaming device; the display device 200 is also connected to a digital TV set-top box via the HDMI2 interface to receive a TV live signal via the set-top box.

It should be noted that, in order to realize the communication connection between the display device 200 and the external device 500, other connection methods can be used between the display device 200 and the external device 500. The specific connection method can be a wired connection method, such as DVI (Digital Visual Interface), VGA (Video Graphics Array), USB (Universal Serial Bus), etc.; it can also be a wireless connection method, such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth connection, infrared connection, etc. Different communication connection methods can use different information transmission protocols. For example, when the HDMI interface is used to realize the connection, the HDMI protocol can be used for data transmission.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the data transmitted between the display device 200 and the external device 500 can be audio and video data. For example, the display device 200 can be connected to a gaming device via an HDMI interface. When a user performs a game operation, the gaming device can output video data and audio data by running game-related applications. The video data and audio data can be sent to the display device 200 via the HDMI protocol, and output through the screen and speakers of the display device 200 to play the video and audio of the gaming device.

Since the display device 200 and the external device 500 are different types of devices, the user is usually unable to directly control the external device 500 through the display device 200. In order to adapt to different usage scenarios, in some embodiments, some external devices 500 can support automatic control protocols, such as Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) protocols. The external device 500 can be connected to the display device 200 via an HDMI interface data cable using the CEC protocol. The display device 200 can achieve mutual control with the external device 500 through the CEC protocol.

The HDMI CEC control function is a function of consumer electronics control. It can control multiple HDMI devices that support the CEC protocol through one control device 100, thereby eliminating the need to use multiple control devices 100 to control electronic devices. For example, as shown in FIG8 , a user can input a standby command through the control device 100 of the display device 200, and the display device 200 enters a standby state after receiving the standby command, and the display device 200 also controls the external device 500 to enter a standby state. For another example, as shown in FIG9 , a user can input a standby wake-up command through the control device 100 of the display device 200, and the display device 200 turns on after receiving the standby wake-up command, and the display device 200 also controls the external device 500 to turn on.

Therefore, the data transmission between the display device 200 and the external device 500 is not limited to the above-mentioned video data and/or audio data, but may also include other data such as control instructions and device information for realizing linkage control between the display device 200 and the external device 500.

In order to enable the display device 200 to normally present the screen content in each signal source, the display device 200 can only play the audio and video data sent by one of the signal sources at the same time. In this regard, when the display device 200 is connected to multiple external devices 500 through the external device interface 240, the user is required to perform a signal source switching operation to control the display device 200 to select and output the audio and video data input by any external device 500. For example, when the user wants to watch live TV, the signal source of the display device 200 can be set to a coaxial cable interface to play the live TV signal transmitted by the coaxial cable interface. When the user wants to play a game, the signal source of the display device 200 can be controlled to be an HDMI1 interface to play the game screen signal transmitted by the game device. The signal source interface can provide users with operations such as signal source selection and switching. Therefore, multiple interface options can be provided in the signal source interface.

For example, the signal source interface may include a TV live broadcast (coaxial cable interface) option, an HDMI1 option, an HDMI2 option, a USB option, and a screen projection option. The user can control the focus cursor in the signal source interface to move between multiple interface options by using the direction keys on the control device 100, so that after the focus cursor moves to any interface option position, by pressing the "confirm" key, the display device 200 is controlled to play the signal source content corresponding to the selected interface. For example, when the user wants to play a game, the focus cursor can be controlled to move to the HDMI1 interface option and the "confirm" key can be pressed to control the display device 200 to obtain the game screen signal from the game device through the HDMI1 interface, and the corresponding screen in the game screen signal can be presented through the display 260.

Since there are many external devices 500 connected to the display device 200 through the external device interface 240, but the display device 200 only plays the media data corresponding to one signal source during use, the external device 500 that does not play the media data through the display device 200 may be in the power-on state all the time, resulting in increased power consumption of the device and reduced service life of the device. In addition, when there are many external devices 500, the user will not be able to accurately distinguish the signal source connection status, resulting in the inability to accurately switch the signal source, which reduces the user experience.

Therefore, after the display device 200 is turned on or the signal source is switched, the device status of the external device 500 can be detected, and the external device whose device status is in operation and is not currently displaying a picture through the display can be controlled to standby or shut down, thereby reducing the power consumption of the device and increasing the service life of the device. As shown in FIG10, a display device 200 is provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure, and the display device 200 includes a display 260, a controller 250 and a plurality of external device interfaces 240. Among them, the plurality of external device interfaces 240 are respectively connected to different external devices 500, and the display 260 is used to display a user interface and display a media data screen sent by the external device 500. When executing the control method of the external device, the controller 250 is configured to perform the following steps:

S100 , in response to a screen-lighting operation event of the display 260 , detecting access information of the external device interface 240 .

The media images presented by the display 260 can come from different signal sources. The display device 200 is configured with multiple external device interfaces 240, which are connected to the external device 500 through the external device interface 240 to provide different signal sources for the display device 200. The external device 500 includes but is not limited to a set-top box, a game console, etc. At the same time, the display 260 can only play the media images sent by one of the signal sources. The controller 250 can detect the access information of the external device interface 240 in response to the screen light operation event of the display 260. The access information includes relevant information of multiple external devices 500 connected to the external device interface 240, including but not limited to the device type of the external device 500, and the physical channel where the external device 500 connected to the display device 200 is located, such as HDMI1, HDMI2, etc.

Among them, the triggering of the screen light operation event may include multiple types. The screen light operation event may be triggered when the display device 200 is turned on, and the controller 250 responds to the display device 200 power-on instruction input by the user to light up the display 260. The screen light operation event may also be triggered when the controller 250 responds to the switching instruction of switching signal source input by the user, turns off the media asset screen presented by the current connected signal source of the display 260, and displays the media asset screen presented by the signal source connected after the signal source is switched. Therefore, after the display device 200 is turned on or the signal source is switched, the screen light operation event is triggered, and the controller 250 detects the access information of the external device interface 240 in response to the screen light operation event.

S200: Read the device status of the external device 500 according to the access information.

The controller 250 can respond to the screen light operation event of the display 260, detect the access information of the external device interface 240, and read the current device status of each external device 500 connected to the external device interface 240 according to the access information. The device status includes the off state, the standby state and the running state.

S300, traversing the device states of multiple external devices 500 to determine a target external device.

The target external device is an external device 500 whose device status is in the running state and currently not displaying a picture through the display 260. Since the display device 200 can only output media data for one external device 500, in order to save energy, among the multiple external devices 500 connected to the display device 200, the external device 500 that does not output media data through the display device 200 needs to be in a closed or standby state, so that the external device 500 no longer sends media data to the display device 200. In order to determine which external devices 500 do not output media data through the display device 200, the display device 200 can traverse the device status of the multiple external devices 500 connected to the external device interface 240, and determine that the external device 500 that is in the running state and currently not displaying a picture through the display 260 is the target external device.

S400: Send a shutdown instruction to the target external device, where the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to be in standby mode or to be powered off.

After determining the target external device, the display device 200 may send a shutdown instruction to the target external device, and the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to standby or shut down. That is, after receiving the shutdown instruction, the target external device In response to the shutdown command, the device enters a standby or shutdown state to stop signal conversion and the output of audio and video data.

For example, as shown in FIG10 , the display device 200 is provided with two HDMI interfaces, namely HDMI1 and HDMI2, the HDMI1 interface is connected to the game device, and the HDMI2 interface is connected to the set-top box. During use, the game device and the set-top box are both in operation, and both can send media data to the display device 200, but at the same time, the display device 200 can only play the media data sent by one of the devices. If the user selects the game device as the access signal source, the controller 250 controls the display 260 to display the media screen input by the game device, triggers the screen light operation event, and detects the access information of the external device interface 240 in response to the screen light operation event, and the access information includes the game device connected to the HDMI1 interface, and the set-top box connected to the HDMI2 interface. Traverse the device status of the game device and the set-top box, determine that the set-top box is a target external device in the device state and is not currently displaying the screen through the display 260, send a shutdown command to the set-top box, and control the set-top box to standby or shut down.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the display device 200 can be detected in response to the screen-on operation event of the display 260.

The device status of the multiple external devices 500 connected, when it is detected that the device status is in the running state and is not currently

When the external device 500 displays a screen through the display 260, the external device 500 is controlled to standby or shut down.

While not affecting the display device 200 playing the media data input by the current signal source, control the unused external

Put the device into standby or shut down to save energy and extend the service life of the equipment.

In some embodiments, the controller 250 responds to the power-on command input by the user, lights up the display 260, and triggers the screen-on operation event. Since the user has not selected the signal source output by the display device 200 at this time, the display 260 is only in the screen-on state and cannot display the media screen. Therefore, as shown in FIG11, in order to improve the user experience, the controller 250 can be further configured to perform the following steps:

A power-on instruction of the display device 200 input by a user is received.

In response to the power-on instruction, the display 260 is turned on to trigger a screen-on operation event, and the access information of the external device interface 240 is detected.

The display 260 is controlled to display a picture input by a first external device, where the first external device is an external device that serves as a signal source among the external devices connected to the external device interface 260 .

After receiving the power-on command of the display device 200 input by the user, in response to the power-on command, a screen-lighting operation event is triggered, the access information of the external device interface 240 is detected, any external device 500 connected to the display device 200 is selected as the default signal source, the display 260 is controlled to display the media screen input by the default signal source, and a shutdown command is sent to the unused external device 500 to control the unused external device 500 to shut down or standby.

When selecting the default signal source for output, the selection can be made according to the needs of the user, and the external devices 500 connected to the display device 200 are sorted according to the historical selection times of each signal source in the display device 200, so as to select the signal source that meets the user's preferences. For example, in response to the power-on instruction of the display device 200, the access information of the external device interface 240 is detected, and the access information includes the game device connected to the HDMI1 interface and the digital TV set-top box connected to the HDMI2 interface, and the historical selection times of the game signal source and the TV live signal source stored in the display device 200 are called. If the historical selection times of the game signal source are greater than the historical selection times of the TV live signal source, the game device connected to the HDMI1 interface is selected as the default signal source, and the display 260 is controlled to display the game screen input by the game device, and the digital TV set-top box is automatically controlled to shut down or standby.

The signal source that provided the display image before the display device 200 was last turned off can also be used as the default signal source. For example, in response to the power-on instruction of the display device 200, the access information of the external device interface 240 is detected, and the access information includes a game device connected to the HDMI1 interface and a digital TV set-top box connected to the HDMI2 interface. The signal source information that provided the display image before the display device 200 was last turned off is called. If the display device 200 was last turned off, the signal source information that provided the display image If the signal source providing the display image before shutdown is a digital TV set-top box, the digital TV set-top box connected to the HDMI2 interface is selected as the default signal source, the display 260 is controlled to display the live TV image input by the digital TV set-top box, and the game device is automatically controlled to shut down or standby.

Of course, the default signal source is not limited to the above-mentioned external device 500, but can also be various resource servers, signal networks, etc. that can provide specific display images. For example, the display device 200 has a built-in video playback program. In response to the power-on command of the display device 200, the controller 250 controls the display 260 to display the playback interface of the built-in video playback program.

In some embodiments, after the display device 200 is turned on or the signal source is switched, the controller 250 immediately detects the access information of the external device interface 500. It may happen that when the user selects a signal source, the external device 500 corresponding to the signal source is already turned off. Because when the user performs the signal source selection operation, it takes a certain amount of selection time, and when the user switches the signal source, there may be a situation of misselection. Therefore, in order to improve the user experience, the controller 250 can be further configured to perform the following steps:

In response to a screen-lighting operation event of the display 260 , a timer is started.

After the timer accumulates a first preset time, the access information of the external device interface 240 is detected.

Among them, the first preset time can be set according to user needs, and the present disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this. For example, the first preset time is 3 minutes. The controller 250 responds to the screen light operation event of the display 260 and starts the timer. After the timer has accumulated 3 minutes, it detects the access information of the external device interface 240.

In some embodiments, the display device 200 is configured with an automatic standby service for external devices, i.e., an automatic control function. After the display device 200 is turned on or the signal source is switched, when it is detected that there is an external device 500 in operation and not currently displaying a picture through the display 260 among the multiple external devices 500 connected to the display device 200, the external device 500 is automatically turned off or put on standby. As shown in FIG12 , the user can click on a menu option through the main control interface, and a menu option list will pop up. Selecting the “Automatic standby service for external devices” option in the menu option list will generate a prompt window for displaying prompt information such as “After turning it on, the connected set-top box, DVD and other HDMI external devices will automatically go into standby if they are not in use”. When the “Automatic standby service for external devices” option is clicked, the automatic standby service for external devices can be turned on. Therefore, as shown in FIG13 , the controller 250 can also be configured to perform the following steps:

Check the operating status of the automatic control function.

If the running state is the on state, a closing instruction is sent to the target external device.

If the running state is the closed state, first prompt information is generated, and the display is controlled to display the first prompt information.

In this embodiment, before sending a shutdown instruction to the target external device, the controller 250 detects the operating state of the automatic control function, the operating state includes an on state or an off state, if the operating state of the automatic control function is on, it means that the multiple external devices 500 connected to the display device 200 can be automatically controlled, then the shutdown instruction is directly sent to the target external device. If the operating state of the automatic control function is off, it means that the user has not turned on the automatic standby service of the external device, and the multiple external devices 500 connected to the display device 200 cannot be automatically controlled, then the first prompt information can be generated, and the display 260 can be controlled to display the first prompt information.

The first prompt information may be a prompt such as "An unused external device is detected, please turn on the automatic control function" to prompt the user to turn on the automatic control function. After the user turns on the automatic control function, the controller 250 re-detects the operating state of the automatic control function. If the operating state is turned on, the step of sending a shutdown instruction to the target external device may be executed. The first prompt information may also be a prompt such as "A gaming device connected to the HDMI1 interface is detected to be unused, please turn off the device" to prompt the user to manually turn off the target external device.

According to the different transmission protocols supported by the external device 500, the device type of the external device 500 can be divided into two categories, namely automatic control protocol devices and non-automatic control protocol devices. Among them, the automatic control protocol device refers to a device that supports automatic control protocols such as the CEC protocol, for example, a game console, a computer, a set-top box, etc. The display device 200 can directly send control instructions to the automatic control protocol device through the automatic control protocol to control the automatic control protocol device to perform the corresponding operation. Non-automatic control protocol devices are devices that do not support automatic control protocols. For example, cameras, microphones, etc. Therefore, in some embodiments, the display device 200 can detect the device type of the external device 500, that is, detect whether the external device 500 supports automatic control protocols such as the CEC protocol, and execute corresponding steps for the control protocol supported by the external device 500. As shown in Figure 14, the controller 250 can also be configured to perform the following steps:

The device type of the target external device is detected, where the device type includes a first device type that supports an automatic control protocol and a second device type that does not support an automatic control protocol.

If the device type is the first device type, a close instruction is sent to the target external device.

If the device type is the second device type, second prompt information is generated, and the display is controlled to display the second prompt information.

In this embodiment, before sending a shutdown instruction to the target external device, the controller 250 detects the device type of the target external device, that is, detects whether the target external device supports an automatic control protocol such as the CEC protocol. If the target external device is a first device type that supports the automatic control protocol, the shutdown instruction can be directly sent to the target external device. If the target external device is a second device type that does not support the automatic control protocol, a second prompt message is generated and the display 260 is controlled to display the second prompt message. The second prompt message can be a prompt for prompting the user to manually shut down the target external device, so as to prompt the user to manually shut down the device.

In some embodiments, the controller 250 sends a shutdown command to the target external device to control the target external device to shut down or standby. After the target external device executes the shutdown command, a feedback notification of executing the shutdown command is generated synchronously. The controller 250 can determine whether the target external device has completed the operation corresponding to the shutdown command based on the feedback notification. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the controller 250 can also be configured to perform the following steps:

A feedback notification of the target external device executing the close instruction is received, where the feedback notification is execution success or execution failure.

If the feedback notification indicates that the execution is successful, the display is controlled to display a media resource screen of the currently connected signal source.

If the feedback notification is that the execution fails, a third prompt message is generated, and the display is controlled to display the third prompt message.

The controller 250 sends a shutdown command to the target external device, and receives a feedback notification of the target external device executing the shutdown command, the feedback notification being a successful execution or a failed execution. If the feedback notification is a successful execution, the display 260 can be controlled to continue to display the media asset screen of the currently connected signal source. If the feedback notification is a failed execution, a third prompt message is generated, and the display 260 is controlled to display the third prompt message.

The third prompt information may be a prompt such as "Automatic shutdown failed, please turn off the gaming device connected to the HDMI1 interface" to prompt the user to manually turn off the device. Usually, if the feedback notification is an execution failure, it is generally because the automatic control function of the display device 200 and the external device 500 is not turned on. Therefore, the third prompt information may also be a prompt such as "Automatic shutdown failed, please check whether the automatic control function is turned on" to prompt the user to turn on the relevant function.

In some embodiments, in order to monitor whether the external device 500 responds to the shutdown instruction and whether the self-startup or mis-startup problem occurs, the display device 200 may also re-detect the device status of the external device 500 according to a preset frequency, that is, the controller 250 may also be configured to perform the following steps:

After a second preset time has passed, the device status of the target external device is re-detected.

If the device state of the target external device is in the running state and no picture is currently displayed through the display, a closing instruction is sent to the target external device.

After the controller 250 sends a shutdown command to the target external device, in order to avoid the situation where the target external device is not closed, the device status of the target external device can be re-detected after a second preset time interval to determine whether the target external device is closed. The second preset time can be set according to the needs of the user, and the present disclosure does not limit this. For example, after the controller 250 sends a shutdown command to the target external device, after an interval of 10 minutes, the device status of the target external device is re-detected. If the device status of the target external device is detected to be closed or in standby mode, it means that the target external device is shut down or in standby mode successfully, and no processing is performed. If it is detected that the device status of the target external device is still in a running state and the screen is not currently displayed through the display 260, it means that the target external device is not shut down or in standby mode successfully, and a shutdown command is sent to the target external device again. If the feedback notification of the target external device executing the shutdown command is that the execution fails, a prompt message is generated again, and the above steps are repeated until the target device is detected to be in a closed state or in standby mode.

In some embodiments, in order to save energy and increase the service life of the device, the display device 200 can automatically control the unused external device to be turned off or in standby mode. However, when the user switches the signal source, since the unused external device 500 has been turned off, the user needs to re-establish the connection between the display device 200 and the external device 500. For example, when the user selects an external set-top box that has been turned off or in standby mode as the access signal source, the user needs to manually control the external set-top box to be turned on, then switch the data interface, and then establish the connection between the display device 200 and the external set-top box before it can be used. It can be seen that this operation process is relatively cumbersome and affects the user experience.

Therefore, in order to enable the display device 200 to quickly start playing the media asset data of the external device 500, the controller 250 may also be configured to perform the following steps:

Responding to an access operation event of a first external device.

Detecting the first physical channel to which the first external device is connected. Switching the data interface of the display device 200 to the first physical channel to control the display 260 to display the image input by the external device.

Among them, after any external device 500 is connected to the display device 200 through the external device interface 240 such as the HDMI interface, an access operation event will be triggered. When accessing an external device through the external device interface 240, it is necessary to switch the data interface of the display device 200 to the connection interface of the external device 500. Therefore, the controller 250 can respond to the access operation event of the external device 500 and detect the access information of the external device interface. The access information includes which physical channel of the display device 200 the external device 500 is connected to, such as HDMI1, HDMI2, etc. And according to the access information, the data interface of the display device 200 is switched to the target physical channel where the external device 500 is located.

For example, if the target physical channel accessed by the external device 500 is HDMI1 of the display device 200 , the data interface of the display device 200 is switched to HDMI1 .

In this embodiment, when the display device 200 is connected to the external device 500, the controller 250 responds to the access operation event of the external device 500, detects the target physical channel to which the external device 500 is connected, and can automatically switch the data interface, switch the data interface to the target physical channel, and directly start the external device 500 to directly display the media data input by the external device 500 through the display 260. It can be seen that this process does not require user operation, and the display device 200 can be automatically executed, the process is relatively simple, and the user experience is good.

In some embodiments, during the process of switching the signal source, the controller 250 may also be configured to perform the following steps:

Get the switching instruction input by the user for switching the signal source.

In response to the switching instruction, a start instruction is sent to the second external device, wherein the start instruction is used to control the second external device to start up, and the second external device is an external device that serves as a signal source and is in a standby state after the signal source is switched.

The second physical channel to which the second external device is connected is detected, and the data interface of the display device is switched to the second physical channel to control the display to display the picture input by the second external device.

The controller 250 obtains a switching instruction input by a user for switching a signal source. The user can input a switching instruction through a remote controller, a mobile phone or other control device 100 to control the display device 200 to switch a signal source.

For example, the user can switch the display device 200 between multiple signal sources by pressing the "signal source" button on the remote control. Since each signal source can correspond to an external device 500, the process of switching the signal source is the process of switching the external device 500 connected to the display device 200. For another example, the display device 200 can also display a signal source interface to provide an option to switch the signal source. When the user inputs an interactive action through a mobile phone or a remote control and clicks on an option in the signal source list, the display device 200 is switched to the external device 500 that outputs the corresponding option. For example, when the user clicks on the signal source interface through the main control interface or the status bar, the signal source list pops up, and the signal source list may include options such as "HDMI1" and "HDMI2". When the user clicks on the HDMI2 option, the signal source of the display device 200 can be switched to the external device 500 connected to the HDMI2 interface.

For display devices 200 that support other interaction methods, control instructions for switching signal sources can also be input through the supported input methods. For example, for display devices 200 that support intelligent voice systems, content such as "switch signal source" or "connect HDMI2" can be input through voice to control the display device 200 to switch signal sources.

Since the unused external device 500 is in standby mode, if the external device 500 in standby mode is selected as a new signal source, the external device 500 needs to be turned on to display the media data input by the external device 500. Therefore, after the user inputs a switching instruction for switching the signal source, the controller 250 responds to the switching instruction and sends a turn-on instruction to the second external device that serves as the signal source and is in standby mode after the signal source is switched, controls the second external device to turn on, detects the second physical channel connected to the second external device, switches the data interface of the display device 200 to the second physical channel, and realizes the switching of the signal source. The display 260 can display the media screen input by the second external device.

For example, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the HDMI1 interface of the display device 200 is connected to the game device, the HDMI2 interface is connected to the set-top box, the display device 200 currently accesses the signal source as the game device, and the display 260 displays the media asset picture input by the game device. When the user wants to watch the live TV picture, the signal source can be switched. After receiving the switching instruction of the signal source input by the user, the controller 250 switches the data interface of the display device 200 to the output HDMI2 interface, and the display device 200 switches to the media asset data output of the HDMI2 interface, that is, the media asset data sent by the set-top box is received through the HDMI2 interface. After the display device 200 switches the signal source, the screen light operation event of the display 260 is triggered, and the controller 250 sends a shutdown instruction to the game device connected to the HDMI1 interface to control the game device to shut down or standby.

In this embodiment, the unused external device 500 connected to the display device 200 is in a standby state. When the user switches the signal source and selects any external device 500 in the standby state, the external device 500 can be automatically controlled to start, and the data interface can be automatically switched to the target physical channel connected to the external device 500, so as to directly display the media data input by the external device 500 through the display 260, and the unused external device 500 after the signal source is switched can be automatically turned off. This process does not require user operation, and the display device 200 can execute it automatically. The process is relatively simple and convenient, and the user experience is good.

Based on the above display device 200, a method for controlling an external device is also provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure. The control method of the external device can be applied to the above-mentioned display device 200, and includes the following steps:

S300 , traversing the device states of multiple external devices 500 to determine a target external device, where the target external device is an external device 500 whose device state is in a running state and currently not displaying a picture through the display 260 .

S400: Send a shutdown instruction to the target external device, where the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to standby or shut down.

It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the control method of the display device and the external device provided in the above embodiments can detect the access information of the external device interface in response to the screen-on operation event of the display, and then read the device status of the external device connected to the external device interface according to the access information, and determine the target external device whose device status is in the running state and is not currently displaying the picture through the display by traversing the device status of multiple external devices, so as to send a shutdown instruction to the target external device and control the target external device to standby or shut down. By detecting the device status of the external device connected to the display device after the display device is turned on or the signal source is switched, when there is an external device in the running state and is not currently displaying the picture through the display, the external device can be controlled to shut down or standby, thereby solving the problem that the external device connected to the display device is in the turned-on state for a long time, resulting in energy waste.

Similar parts between the embodiments provided in the present disclosure can be referred to each other, and the specific implementation methods provided above are only a few examples under the general concept of the present disclosure, and do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, any other implementation methods expanded based on the scheme of the present disclosure without creative work belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

A display device, comprising:

monitor;

an external device interface configured to connect an external device;

The controller is configured as:

In response to a screen-on operation event of the display, detecting access information of the external device interface;

Reading the device status of the external device according to the access information;

Traversing the device states of the plurality of external devices to determine a target external device, wherein the target external device is an external device whose device state is in a running state and which is not currently displaying an image through the display;

A shutdown instruction is sent to the target external device, where the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to standby or shut down.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller is further configured to:

In response to a screen-lighting operation event of the display, starting a timer;

After the timer accumulates a first preset time, the access information of the external device interface is detected.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller executes sending a shutdown instruction to the target external device, and is further configured to:

Detect the operating status of automatic control functions;

If the running state is the on state, sending a closing instruction to the target external device;

If the running state is the closed state, first prompt information is generated, and the display is controlled to display the first prompt information.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller executes sending a shutdown instruction to the target external device, and is further configured to:

Detecting a device type of the target external device, the device type comprising a first device type that supports an automatic control protocol and a second device type that does not support the automatic control protocol;

If the device type is the first device type, sending a close instruction to the target external device;

If the device type is the second device type, second prompt information is generated, and the display is controlled to display the second prompt information.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller is further configured to:

receiving a feedback notification of the target external device executing the shutdown instruction, wherein the feedback notification is an execution success or an execution failure;

If the feedback notification indicates that the execution is successful, controlling the display to display a media resource screen of the currently connected signal source;

If the feedback notification is that the execution fails, a third prompt message is generated, and the display is controlled to display the third prompt message.
According to the display device of claim 5, the controller is further configured to:

After a second preset time interval, re-detecting the device status of the target external device;

If the device status of the target external device is in the running state and is not currently displayed by the display screen, and sends a close instruction to the target external device.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller is further configured to:

Receiving a power-on instruction of the display device input by a user;

In response to the power-on instruction, the display is turned on to trigger a screen-on operation event, and the access information of the external device interface is detected;

The display is controlled to display a picture input by a first external device, where the first external device is an external device that serves as a signal source among the external devices connected to the external device interface.
According to the display device of claim 7, the controller controls the display to display a picture input by the first external device, and is further configured to:

In response to an access operation event of the first external device, detecting a first physical channel accessed by the first external device;

The data interface of the display device is switched to the first physical channel to control the display to display the image input by the first external device.
According to the display device of claim 1, the controller is further configured to:

Obtaining a switching instruction input by a user for switching a signal source;

In response to the switching instruction, sending a start instruction to the second external device, wherein the start instruction is used to control the second external device to start up, and the second external device is an external device that serves as a signal source and is in a standby state after the signal source is switched;

The second physical channel to which the second external device is connected is detected, and the data interface of the display device is switched to the second physical channel to control the display to display the picture input by the second external device.
A control method for an external device is applied to a display device, wherein the display device comprises a display, an external device interface and a controller; the external device interface is connected to the external device; the control method for the external device comprises:

In response to a screen-on operation event of the display, detecting access information of the external device interface;

Reading the device status of the external device according to the access information;

Traversing the device states of the plurality of external devices to determine a target external device, wherein the target external device is an external device whose device state is in a running state and which is not currently displaying an image through the display;

A shutdown instruction is sent to the target external device, where the shutdown instruction is used to control the target external device to standby or shut down.