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Television set capable of controlling external device and image storage controlled by television setRelated Patent Categories: Television Signal Processing For Dynamic Recording Or Reproducing, Processing Of Television Signal For Dynamic Recording Or Reproducing, Fast, Slow, Or Stop ReproducingTelevision set capable of controlling external device and image storage controlled by television set description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060133773, Television set capable of controlling external device and image storage controlled by television set. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a Division of application Ser. No. 09/575,824 May 22, 2000. The entire disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a television set connectable to an external device, and more particularly to a system including an image storage and a television set, or to an image storage connectable to a television set, or to a television set to be connected to an external device such as an image storage. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] In this field of art, various types of external devises for storing image have been proposed to be connected to a television set for the purpose of watching the image on the television set. [0006] For example, an image storage for storing still images is proposed to be connected to a television set. Such a still image storage, however, is controlled by itself independently from the television set. In other words, the television set has to be changed from ordinary mode of watching a broadcast program to a mode of introducing outside image signal. The still image storage on the other hand has to be turned on, and the selection or the advancement of the image has to be controlled on the still image storage side. Thus, there has been an inconvenience that the still image cannot be watched on the television set as if it is one of ordinary broadcast programs. The still image storage may be further connected to a printer for getting a hard copy of the still image in the prior art. However, the printer has been controlled by the still image storage. [0007] On the other hand, it has been proposed that an external device connected to the television set is controlled by means of selecting among menu displayed on the monitor of the television set. However, there has been inconveniences still left, and combination the television set and the external device cannot function as if it is an integrated device. [0008] Various attempts in this field of art are disclosed in the related arts, such as Japanese Laid Open Applications, 62-21379, 9-120666 and 9-121313. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] In order to overcome the problems and disadvantages, the invention provides a system including an image storage for storing digital still image data and a television set for selectively watching a broadcast program or a still image on the basis of the digital still image data transmitted from the image storage. The image storage in the system is to be connected to the television set and comprises an input circuit for receiving a control signal form the television set and an output circuit for transmitting a still image signal to the television set on the basis of the digital still image data. The television set in the system, on the other hand, comprises an output circuit for transmitting the control signal to the image storage. Thus, the image storage is controlled by the television set for the purpose of watching the digital still image on the television set in the similar manner to the case of ordinary broadcast program. [0010] The invention further provides a television set to be connected to an external device for receiving an image therefrom, comprising a main switch and an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to turn on or off the external device when the main switch is turned on or off, respectively. In this cooperation, the external device is automatically ready to function when the television set is turned on for instantly responding to a demand of user who may want to watch the image from the external device. The external device is also automatically turned off with the television set for avoiding meaningless power consumption. [0011] The invention still further provides a television set to be connected to an external device, comprising a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for watching a broadcast program and a second mode for watching an image received from the external device and an output circuit for transmitting a control signal to make the external device operative or inoperative when the mode selector selects the second mode or the first mode, respectively. This is advantageous for the external device to save power consumption with the television set in the first mode. [0012] The invention also provides a television set comprising a television circuit including a tuner for receiving a broadcast program, a monitor for selectively displaying a single image and a set of a plurality of divided images, a mode selector for selecting between a first mode for watching the single image on the monitor and a second mode for watching the set of images on the monitor, and a remote controller for controlling the television circuit in the first mode and also for selecting one of the plurality of divided images in the second mode. This makes it possible for the remote controller to be commonly used in controlling ordinary television function and in selecting one of the plurality of images. [0013] According to another feature of the invention, an image storage connectable to a television set and to an external device is proposed to comprise an input circuit for receiving a control signal form the television set and an output circuit for transmitting an output signal to the external device in response to the control signal received by the input circuit. More specifically, the external device is a printer, wherein the output circuit is designed to transmit the output signal to the printer, the output signal being an image signal to be printed or a control signal to control the printer, for example. Thus, the external device such as a printer, which is connected to the image storage, is controllable by the television set. [0014] Other features and advantages according to the invention will be readily understood from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the system of First Embodiment. [0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the system configuration of First Embodiment. [0017] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an image storage. [0018] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a docking station. [0019] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a digital camera. [0020] FIG. 6 is the first flowchart illustrating the operation of the image storage. [0021] FIG. 7 is the second flowchart illustrating the operation of the image storage. Continue reading about Television set capable of controlling external device and image storage controlled by television set... 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