This invention relates generally to the display of information intended for higher resolution display on a lower resolution format receiver.
There is increasing interest in displaying information normally displayed on a computer monitor on a television receiver. For example, set-top computers display computer information on an associated television receiver. In this way, conventional computer functions can be achieved without the cost of a monitor and in addition, computer functions can be applied to television reception. For example, set-top computers may implement electronic programming guides which allow access to programming information on the Internet or other sources. These guides also allow the user to select programs for viewing on his or her television receiver through interactions with graphical user interfaces.
Conventionally, computer systems display information on computer monitors in a non-interlaced or progressively scanned format making use of individual pixels which are displayed essentially simultaneously. Television receivers have conventionally utilized an interlaced display. An interlaced display may be divided into two interleaved segments. The odd numbered segments are scanned first and then the even numbered segments are interleaved in between to create a complete picture. Each of the segments, which are formed by a scanning electron gun, may be described as a “field.” A conventional television picture or frame may be made up of two fields. Recent digital television standards may also use progressive or non-interlaced scanning approaches.
Information, which was intended to be displayed on a computer monitor, may be degraded when displayed on a television screen. Among other things, the resolution on most television receivers is substantially less than that of computer monitors. The interlacing of the picture on the television receiver may also cause information to be lost. In addition, the color resolution of monitors may be better so that adverse hue and color saturation may occur when displaying computer information on television receivers.
In view of the lower resolution of most television receivers, a decimator may be used to intelligently remove horizontal rows of data from a frame meant for computer display. However, while this approach preserves the layout of the frame, it results in loss of resolution.
In some cases, content developed for display on a higher resolution display may actually be displayed on a lower resolution display than was intended. For example, content developed in a 1024×764 format may be displayed on a 640×480 display (such as a high definition TV display). Because the display resolution is lower, some of the data may be difficult to read.
Thus there is a continuing need for better ways to display information designed for a higher resolution format on a lower resolution display.