Image display device, viewing device and methods for operating the same

A method for operating an image display device including a display and an input unit associated with the image display device, the method comprising:

• starting, by the image display device, a setting of a multi-user mode based on a first input from the input unit, the multi-user mode allowing first and second different viewing devices associated with the image display device to respectively view different images on the same display at a same time by different users;
• searching for input images to be used in the multi-user mode;
• displaying the input images on the display;
• sequentially selecting first and second images among the input images during the search based on at least one user input, as the different images to be subsequently viewed respectively by the first and second viewing devices on the same display at the same time;
• during the setting of the multi-user mode, simultaneously displaying, on the display, channel information of the selected first image and user information associated with the selected first image, and channel information of the selected second image and different user information associated with the selected second image;
• determining whether the first image is the same as the second image;
• providing a notification message indicating that the first and second images are the same in response to determining that the first image is the same as the second image;
• and
• completing the setting of the multi-user mode based on a second input from the input unit,
• wherein in the multi-user mode, a channel search range for the first viewing device and a channel search range for the second viewing device are set to be different from each other.

An image display device comprising:

• a display arranged to display a first image and a second image;
• a wireless communication unit arranged to transmit or receive data to or from a first viewing device and a second viewing device;
• and
• a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit and to:
• pair the first viewing device with the image display device,
• display, on the display, the first image corresponding to a first channel during a first period in synchronization with the first viewing device so that the first image can be viewed with the use of the first viewing device,
• pair the second viewing device with the image display device for a multi-user mode, the multi-user mode allowing the first and second viewing devices to respectively view different images on the same display at a same time,
• display, on the display, the second image corresponding to the first channel or a second channel during a second period subsequent to the first period in synchronization with the second viewing device so that the second image can be viewed with the use of the second device but cannot be viewed with the use of the first viewing device,
• display, on the display, a predetermined third image not associated with any channel
• display, on the display, a predetermined third image not associated with any channel during a third period immediately subsequent to either the first or second period, so that the number of images being displayed on the display during the first through third periods is greater than the number of the viewing devices paired with the image display device during the same first through third periods,
• in the multi-user mode, set a channel search range for the first viewing device and a channel search range for the second viewing device to be different from each other,
• determine whether the first image for the first viewing device is the same as the second image for the second viewing device, and
• provide a notification message indicating that the first and second images are the same in response to determining that the first image for the first viewing device is the same as the second image for the second viewing device.

A viewing device comprising:

• a frame including a left-eye glass and a right-eye glass;
• a selection unit disposed on the frame and arranged to allow a channel search from a predetermined channel search range and a channel selection by a direct manipulation of the selection unit by a user, and to generate a channel selection signal corresponding to the channel selection, wherein the predetermined channel search range is set differently according to at least one of age, preference, gender, recently viewed channels, and program rating of a user of the viewing device;
• a wireless communication unit arranged to transmit or receive data to or from an image display device;
• and
• a controller configured to control the left-eye glass, the right-eye glass, the selection unit and the wireless communication unit, and arranged to:
• transmit the channel selection signal to the image display device,
• perform a control operation to pair the viewing device with the image display device using the wireless communication unit,
• enable viewing of a first image corresponding to a first channel corresponding to the channel selection signal, during a first period in synchronization with the viewing device so that the first image can be viewed with the use of the viewing device,
• not enable viewing of a second image corresponding to the first channel or a second channel during a second period subsequent to the first period in synchronization with the viewing device so that the second image cannot be viewed with the use of the viewing device,
• determine whether the first image is the same as the second image, and
• provide a notification message indicating that the first and second images are the same in response to determining that the first image is the same as the second image.