JP2001036828A - Television signal selecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a television signal selecting device to enhance convenience of selection of a television program and to shorten program selecting time by eliminating transition time when channels are switched in appearance and simultaneously securing time to perform a scramble releasing processing of paid broadcast. SOLUTION: This television signal selecting device is constituted of plural television signal circuits 12, 13, a signal selecting circuit 14 to select demodulated television signals from the receiving circuits 12, 13 and a control circuit 15 to perform channel selection control of the receiving circuits 12, 13 and selection switching control of the signal selecting circuit 14, switching of the signal selecting circuit 14 is controlled by the control circuit 15 and the signal selecting circuit 14 is switched in a period evading the transition time when the output of either one of the receiving circuits is selected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a television receiver capable of receiving and displaying a multi-channel television signal, sequentially receiving and selecting a multi-channel television signal, and displaying an image of the sequentially received and selected television signal. The present invention relates to a television signal tuning device that can display and search for a desired broadcast program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of cable television and satellite broadcasting, television broadcasting programs are transmitted on an extremely large number of channels, and viewers can select their favorite television broadcasting programs from many channels. At this time, the viewer finds a channel transmitting a desired program from the television broadcast program table, and controls a tuner, which is a channel selection device provided in the television receiver, to select a designated channel. ing.

However, since the TV broadcast program table mainly describes only limited information such as the title of the program and the performers, it is difficult to grasp the contents of the program, and the viewer is required to receive the channel of the TV receiver. Is generally changed, and the program video of each channel is displayed on a television receiver to search for a desired program.

A function of automatically changing reception channels one after another and displaying program contents (hereinafter referred to as a channel search function) as an auxiliary means for a viewer to search for a favorite program.
Have been developed and put to practical use.

[0005] Generally, a television receiver has a single channel selection device, and when switching the reception channel, it takes some time until the image of the selected channel is normally displayed. I have. This is mainly because it takes some time until the television receiver synchronizes with the transmitted television signal, during which the output signal becomes unstable. For this reason, in a conventional television receiver, until a stable reception and reproduction process can be performed at the time of channel switching, a video mute is applied to prevent unstable images from being displayed on a cathode ray tube, and a selected television signal is output stably. The video is displayed after the state is reached.

[0006] It is extremely difficult to eliminate the time (hereinafter referred to as transition time) until the received television signal is stabilized when the channel is switched. However, for the viewer, the transition time is meaningless time, and the more channels, the more time is required for channel search.

[0007] When a television signal is scrambled and transmitted as in the case of pay broadcasting, it is necessary to display the video after descrambling the scramble. For this reason, in the case of a pay broadcast program, the time required for the descrambling process is also meaningless for the viewer.

[0008]

In a conventional television receiver for multi-channel reception, when performing a channel search by sequentially switching the reception channels, a transition time is generated every time the channels are switched, and a pay-per-view broadcast is generated. When the channel No. is selected, a descrambling processing time is added to the transition time, and there is a problem that it takes much time to select a program using a channel search.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention eliminates the apparent transition time at the time of channel switching, secures time for performing descrambling processing of pay broadcasting, improves the convenience of television program selection, and improves program selection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a television signal tuning device capable of reducing time.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a television signal selecting apparatus having a channel search function, wherein an input terminal to which a multi-channel television signal is supplied, and a television signal supplied to the input terminal are received and selected. And a plurality of reception tuning means capable of outputting demodulated television signals of arbitrary channels, respectively, and demodulated signals from the plurality of reception tuning means are respectively inputted, and any one of the plurality of input signals is provided. Signal selecting means for selecting and outputting, a signal processing means for processing the demodulated signal selected by the signal selecting means and supplying it to a display means, a tuning operation in the plurality of receiving tuning means, and The switching operation of the signal selecting means can be controlled, and the channels selected by the plurality of reception tuning means are sequentially switched at predetermined time intervals during the channel search. And control means for sequentially switching the signal selection operation by the switching means, and sequentially outputs the demodulated signals from the plurality of reception tuning means at a predetermined cycle and displays a search screen on the display means. A television signal tuning device characterized by being made possible.

[0011] The reception channel selection means of the television signal channel selection apparatus of the present invention has a transition time from the time of channel switching to the time when the demodulated signal is stably output, and the control means includes the signal selection means. When the switching control is performed, the switching is performed during a period that avoids the transition time of the receiving channel selection unit to be selected next.

Further, the present invention provides a television signal tuning apparatus having a channel search function, which receives and tunes a multi-channel television signal and outputs at least one first demodulated television signal of an arbitrary channel. Reception tuning means, at least one second reception tuning means capable of receiving and tuning a pay television signal and outputting a demodulated television signal of a descrambled arbitrary channel; And a signal selecting means for selecting and outputting any one of the plurality of input signals, and processing the demodulated signal selected by the signal selecting means. Signal processing means for supplying the signal to the display means, and controlling the channel selection operation of the first and second reception selection means and the switching operation of the signal selection means. Control means for sequentially switching channels to be tuned by the first and second reception tuning means at a predetermined time interval during a search, and sequentially switching a signal selection operation by the switching means; Alternatively, a demodulated signal from the second reception tuning means is sequentially switched at a predetermined cycle and output, so that a search screen can be displayed on the display means.

[0013] The first reception tuning means of the television signal tuning apparatus of the present invention has a transition time from the time of channel switching to the stable output of the demodulated signal, and the second reception tuning means. The station means has a transition time from the time of channel switching until the descrambling process is performed, and the control means, when switching control of the signal selecting means, selects the first or second reception tuning means to be selected next Is controlled so as to switch to a period avoiding the transition time.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a television signal tuning apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the television signal tuning apparatus according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1 denotes a television signal input terminal connected to an antenna or a cable of a cable television. A receiving circuit A12 and a receiving circuit B13 are connected to the television signal input terminal 11. The receiving circuit A12 and the receiving circuit B13 respectively select a tuner for selecting a TV signal of an arbitrary channel among the multi-channel TV signals arriving at the TV signal input terminal 11, and demodulate the TV signal selected by the tuner. And a demodulation circuit for performing the operation. The demodulated signal selected and demodulated by the receiving circuit A12 is supplied to one input terminal of a signal selecting circuit 14, and the demodulated signal selected and demodulated by the receiving circuit B13 is supplied to the other input terminal of the signal selecting circuit 14. Supplied.

A control circuit 15 is connected to the receiving circuit A12, the receiving circuit B13, and the signal selecting circuit 14. A control signal for channel selection is supplied from the control circuit 15 to the reception circuits A12 and B13, and the reception circuit A1 is supplied to the signal selection circuit 14.
2, a switching control signal for alternately selecting and outputting demodulated signals from B13. A common terminal of the signal selection circuit 14 is connected to a video signal processing circuit (not shown) via an output terminal 16, and the video signal processing circuit processes demodulated television signals from the reception circuits A12 and B13. A video signal is supplied to display means such as a CRT (not shown).

The operation of the television signal tuning apparatus having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 2A and 2B show an operation at the time of a channel search. FIG. 2A shows a channel selection state in the receiving circuit A12, and FIG. 2B shows a receiving circuit B13.
Shows the channel selection state of the channel. (C) shows the selection operation in the signal selection circuit 14.

In the receiving circuit A12, the selected channel is sequentially switched in response to a tuning control signal from the control circuit 15. In FIG. 2A, the receiving circuit A12 has the channels N-1, N, and N + 1. ,... Are sequentially selected. Similarly, in the receiving circuit B13, the tuning channel is sequentially switched in response to the tuning control signal from the control circuit 15, and in FIG. 2B, the receiving circuit B13 controls the channels M-1, M, and M.
.., Channels M + 1,... Are sequentially selected.

The signal selection circuit 14 includes a control circuit 15
In response to the switching control signal from the receiving circuit A, the switching operation is performed, and the demodulated output from the receiving circuit A12 or the receiving circuit B13 is selectively output. In FIG.
1, channel M-1, channel N, channel M,
This shows how demodulated outputs of channels N + 1,... Are sequentially selected.

That is, the control circuit 15 controls the signal selection circuit 1
4 are alternately switched, and the periods c1, c3, and c in FIG.
5, the demodulated signal of the channel selected by the receiving circuit A12 is selectively output, and in the periods c2, c4, c6,..., The demodulated signal of the channel selected by the receiving circuit 13 is selectively output. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, a transition time t1 occurs when each channel is switched. However, the signal selection circuit 14 performs the switching operation in a period that avoids the transition time t1, so that the output terminal 16 Means that a signal having no transition time t1 is output as shown in FIG.

That is, the control circuit 15 includes the receiving circuit A12
And when sequentially switching the channel of the receiving circuit B13,
Channels are sequentially selected while being shifted in time so that the transition times t1 of both receiver circuits do not overlap with each other, and when switching the signal selection circuit 14, the operation is performed so as to switch to a period that avoids the transition time t1. .

Therefore, at the time of the channel search, the channel is switched smoothly and quickly, a video signal not including the transition time t1 is output to the output terminal 16, and the displayed search screen can be sequentially switched without stagnation.

When a desired channel is found by the channel search, the viewer only needs to give an instruction to the control circuit 15 at that time. The signal selection circuit 14 controls to continuously receive the channel.
Are controlled to switch to the side receiving the desired channel.

An instruction from the viewer to the control circuit 15 can be given by using key operation means (not shown) such as a remote controller.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of another embodiment of the television signal tuning apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of a television signal tuning device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 31 in FIG. 3 denotes an input terminal of a television signal 1 connected to an antenna or a cable of a cable television. The receiving circuit D32 and the receiving circuit E33 are connected to the television signal input terminal 31. The receiving circuit D32 and the receiving circuit E33 each include a tuner for selecting an arbitrary television signal from the multi-channel television signals arriving at the television signal input terminal 31, and a demodulation for demodulating the television signal selected by the tuner. It is composed of circuits and the like. Reference numeral 34 denotes an input terminal of a television signal 2 for pay broadcast connected to an antenna or a cable of a cable television. The receiving circuit F35 is connected to the input terminal. The television signal 2 for pay broadcasting is generally transmitted by adding scramble to a television signal, and descrambling data is provided only to a subscriber who can descramble the scramble. Therefore, the receiving circuit F35 includes a tuner for selecting the pay television signal 2 arriving at the input terminal 34, a descrambling for descrambling the pay television signal 2 selected by the tuner, and a descrambled television signal. And a demodulation circuit for demodulating the signal.

The demodulated signals selected and demodulated by the receiving circuits D32, E33, and F35 are supplied to input terminals of a signal selecting circuit 36, respectively.
A video signal processing circuit (not shown) is connected via an output terminal 38, and the video signal processing circuit
The demodulated television signals from 32, E33, and F35 are processed to supply video signals to display means such as a cathode ray tube (not shown). Further, the receiving circuit D3
2, a control circuit 37 is connected to E33, F35 and the signal selection circuit. A control signal for channel selection is supplied from the control circuit 15 to the receiving circuits D32, E33, and F35, and the demodulated signals from the receiving circuits D32, E33, and F35 are sequentially transmitted to the signal selecting circuit 14. Is supplied with a switching control signal for selective output.

The operation of the television signal tuning apparatus having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4A and 4B show the operation at the time of the channel search in FIG. 3, wherein FIG. 4A shows the channel selection state in the reception circuit D32, and FIG. 4B shows the channel selection state in the reception circuit E33. ing. (C) shows a channel selection state in the receiving circuit F35,
(D) shows the selection operation in the signal selection circuit 36.

In the receiving circuit D32, the selected channel is sequentially switched in response to a tuning control signal from the control circuit 37. In FIG. 4A, the receiving circuit D32 uses the receiving circuit D32 to perform channel N-1, channel N, and channel N. .., N + 1,... Are sequentially selected. Similarly, in the receiving circuit E33, the tuning channel is sequentially switched in response to the tuning control signal from the control circuit 37, and in FIG.
.., Channels M + 1,... Are sequentially selected.

Further, the receiving circuit F35 includes a control circuit 37.
4C, the channel is sequentially switched in response to the channel selection control signal. In FIG. 4C, the channel L-1, channel L, channel L + 1, and channel L + 1 are received by the receiving circuit F35.
.. Are sequentially selected.

The signal selection circuit 36 includes a control circuit 37
The switching operation is performed in response to the switching control signal from the receiving circuit D, and the demodulation output from the receiving circuit D32, E33 or the receiving circuit F35 is selectively output. In FIG. , Channel L-1, channel N, channel M, channel L, channel N
+1 and channels M + 1,... Are sequentially selected.

That is, the control circuit 37 controls the signal selection circuit 3
6 are alternately switched, and the periods d1, d4, d in FIG.
7... Selectively output the demodulated signal of the channel selected by the receiving circuit D32, and during periods d2, d5, d8... Select and output the demodulated signal of the channel selected by the receiving circuit E33, and output the period d3. In d6, the demodulated signal of the channel selected by the receiving circuit F35 is selectively output. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, a transition time t2 occurs at each channel switching, and in FIG. 4C, a transition time t3 required for descrambling occurs at each channel switching. 36 shows these transition times t
Since the switching operation is performed during a period avoiding 2, t3,
A signal having no transition time is output to the output terminal 38 as shown in FIG.

That is, the control circuit 37 controls the reception circuit D32
And when sequentially switching the channel of the receiving circuit E33,
Channels are sequentially selected while being shifted in time so that the transition times t2 of both receiving circuits do not overlap each other, and when the channels of the receiving circuits E33 and F35 are sequentially switched, the transition times t2 and t3 of the two receiving circuits are mutually set. Channels are sequentially selected while being shifted in time so as not to overlap with each other, and when switching the signal selection circuit 36, the operation is performed so as to switch to a period avoiding the transition times t2 and t3.

Therefore, at the time of channel search, the channel is switched smoothly and quickly, and the output terminal 38
, A video signal not including the transition times t2 and t3 is output, and the displayed search screen can be sequentially switched without stagnation.

When a desired channel is found by the channel search, the viewer may give an instruction to the control circuit 37 at that time. Thus, the control circuit 37 controls one of the receiving circuits to continuously receive the desired channel, and the signal selecting circuit 36 is controlled to switch to the side receiving the desired channel. You.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, two receiving circuits have been described. However, two or more receiving circuits may be used. Further, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, a description has been given using a plurality of television signal receiving circuits and one pay television receiving circuit. However, a plurality of pay television signal receiving circuits may be provided. By providing a descrambling function for pay television signals in all receiving circuits, it is possible to select a channel regardless of whether or not the charge is free.

[0037]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when a desired program is searched by a channel search, a signal unstable period immediately after a channel change and a transition time for descrambling a pay channel are found. This has the effect that the video display by the channel switching is performed without interruption and the program search time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a television signal tuning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of one embodiment of the television signal tuning apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the television signal tuning apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of another embodiment of the television signal tuning device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... TV signal input terminal 12 ... Receiving circuit A 13 ... Receiving circuit B 14 ... Signal selection circuit 15 ... Control circuit 16 ... Output terminal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A television signal tuning apparatus having a channel search function, comprising: an input terminal to which a multi-channel television signal is supplied; and receiving and tuning a television signal supplied to the input terminal; A plurality of receiving channel selecting means capable of outputting a demodulated television signal; and a signal selecting unit to which demodulated signals from the plurality of receiving channel selecting means are respectively input and selecting and outputting any one of the plurality of input signals. Means, a signal processing means for processing the demodulated signal selected by the signal selection means and supplying the processed signal to a display means, and controlling a tuning operation by the plurality of reception tuning means and a switching operation of the signal selection means. A plurality of reception tuning means for sequentially switching channels at predetermined time intervals during the channel search; Control means for sequentially switching the signal selection operation according to the above, wherein the demodulated signals from the plurality of reception tuning means are sequentially switched and output at a predetermined cycle, and a search screen can be displayed on the display means. Characteristic television signal tuning device. 2. The reception channel selection unit has a transition time from a channel switching time to a stable output of a demodulated signal, and the control unit performs switching control of the signal selection unit. 2. The television signal tuning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching is performed during a period that avoids a transition time of a reception tuning section selected next. 3. A television signal selection device having a channel search function, wherein at least one first reception selection means capable of receiving and selecting multi-channel television signals and outputting demodulated television signals of arbitrary channels, respectively. At least one second reception selecting means capable of receiving and selecting a pay television signal and outputting a demodulated television signal of a descrambled arbitrary channel; and the first and second reception selection means. A signal selecting unit that receives a demodulated signal from the local unit, selects one of the plurality of input signals and outputs the selected signal, and a display unit that processes the demodulated signal selected by the signal selecting unit. And a signal processing means for supplying a signal to the first and second reception selection means, and a switching operation of the signal selection means can be controlled. Control means for sequentially switching channels to be tuned by the first and second reception tuning means at predetermined time intervals, and sequentially switching a signal selecting operation by the switching means, 2. A television signal tuning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the demodulated signals from the receiving tuning means are sequentially switched and output at a predetermined cycle, and a search screen can be displayed on the display means. 4. The first reception tuning means has a transition time from a channel switching time to a stable output of a demodulated signal, and the second reception tuning means has a transition time from a channel switching time. The control means has a transition time before being descrambled, and the control means, when switching the signal selection means, avoids the transition time of the first or second reception channel selection means to be selected next. 4. The television signal tuning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control is performed so as to switch the television signal.