Image system

Abstract

An image system includes image signal generating apparatuses; display apparatuses; and intervention apparatuses. The intervention apparatuses are interconnected between the image signal generating apparatuses and the display apparatuses, convert the image signals from the image signal generating apparatuses to image signals of a first format, add identification information regarding the image signal generating apparatuses to the image signals of the first format, and output the image signals of the first format and the identification information, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image system comprising:
 image signal generating apparatuses, which generate image signals of different formats; 
 display apparatuses, which receive and display the image signals from the image signal generating apparatuses, respectively; and 
 intervention apparatuses, which are interconnected between the image signal generating apparatuses and the display apparatuses, convert the image signals from the image signal generating apparatuses to image signals of a first format, add identification information regarding the image signal generating apparatuses to the image signals of the first format, and output the image signals of the first format and the identification information, respectively, 
 wherein each of the intervention apparatuses includes a transmission intervention unit and a reception intervention unit that are connected to each other, the transmission intervention unit is connected to the corresponding one from among the image signal generating apparatuses, and the reception intervention unit is connected to the corresponding one from among the display apparatuses, 
 wherein the transmission intervention unit converts image signals from the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to image signals of the first format, adds identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the image signals of the first format according to a user input, and transmits the image signals of the first format to the reception intervention unit, and the reception intervention unit finds the identification information in the image signals of the first format from the transmission intervention unit, outputs the identification information, and inputs the image signals of the first format to the display apparatus, and the transmission intervention unit includes an input image decoder, which decodes image signals from a corresponding image signal generating apparatus, an image signal converting unit, which converts the decoded image signals from the input image decoder to image signals of the first format, adds identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the image signals of the first format, and transmits the image signals of the first format to the reception intervention unit, and a first control unit, which communicates with a user interface device and provides the identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the image signal converting unit according to an input signal from the user interface device, and 
 wherein the reception intervention unit includes an identification information searching unit, which finds identification information included in the image signals of the first format from the image signal converting unit of the transmission intervention unit, outputs the identification information, and provides the image signals of the first format to the display apparatus, and a second control unit, which communicates with an identification information displaying device and provides the identification information from the identification information searching unit to the identification information displaying device. 
 
     
     
       2. An image system comprising:
 image signal generating apparatuses, which generate image signals of different formats; 
 display apparatuses, which receive and display the image signals from the image signal generating apparatuses, respectively; and 
 intervention apparatuses, which are interconnected between the image signal generating apparatuses and the display apparatuses, convert the image signals from the image signal generating apparatuses to image signals of a first format, add identification information regarding the image signal generating apparatuses to the image signals of the first format, and output the image signals of the first format and the identification information, respectively, 
 wherein each of the intervention apparatuses includes a transmission intervention unit and a reception intervention unit that are connected to each other, the transmission intervention unit is connected to the corresponding one from among the image signal generating apparatuses, and the reception intervention unit is connected to the corresponding one from among the display apparatuses, 
 wherein the transmission intervention unit converts image signals from the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to image signals of the first format, adds identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the image signals of the first format according to a user input, and transmits the image signals of the first format to the reception intervention unit, and the reception intervention unit finds the identification information in the image signals of the first format from the transmission intervention unit, outputs the identification information, and inputs the image signals of the first format to the display apparatus, 
 wherein image signals of the first format are image signals of high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) format that are encoded in transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) method, and 
 wherein the transmission intervention unit includes an input image decoder, which decodes image signals from the corresponding image signal generating apparatus, a first HDMI encoder, which converts the decoded image signals from the input image decoder to image signals of the HDMI format, adds identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the image signals of the HDMI format by using the TMDS method, and transmits the image signals of the HDMI format to the reception intervention unit, and a first control unit, which communicates with a user input apparatus and provides the identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus to the first HDMI encoder according to an input signal from the user input apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The image system of  claim 2 , wherein the reception intervention unit comprises:
 a HDMI decoder, which decodes the image signals of the HDMI format from the first HDMI encoder, finds identification information included in the image signals of the HDMI format, outputs the identification information, and outputs the decoded image signals of the HDMI format; 
 a second HDMI encoder, which encodes the decoded image signals of the HDMI format from the HDMI decoder by using the TMDS method and provides the encoded image signals to the display apparatus; and 
 a second control unit, which communicates with a identification information displaying device and provides the identification information from the HDMI decoder to the identification information displaying device. 
 
     
     
       4. The image system of  claim 3 , wherein the identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus is added to at least one of info-frame regions providing information regarding various data and unrecognized packet regions in the decoded HDMI format. 
     
     
       5. The image system of  claim 4 , wherein the information regarding various data include information regarding audio video interleave (AVI) data, information regarding source produce descriptor (SPD) data, information regarding audio data, and information regarding moving picture experts group (MPEG) data. 
     
     
       6. The image system of  claim 5 , wherein a unit image frame of HDMI format encoded by using the TMDS method includes control sections, data island sections, and video data sections, and
 the identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus is added to the data island sections. 
 
     
     
       7. The image system of  claim 6 , wherein an image signal of the HDMI format encoded by using the TMDS method is transmitted via 3 data channels and 1 clock channel, where a unit frame of the image signal is transmitted in the order of control period, data island period, control period, and video data period, and
 the identification information regarding the corresponding image signal generating apparatus is added to data island period.