JP2002077834A - Digital broadcast receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital broadcast receiver in which the resolution of video output can be switched easily to correspond with the resolution of a connected video display and handling can be made convenient for a user. SOLUTION: The digital television broadcast receiver (STB 12) for outputting a received digital television broadcast program to a television receiver 13 while converting the resolution thereof and displaying a video comprises a push switch 15 for switching the resolution of an output video signal without utilizing the display screen of the television receiver 13, and a liquid crystal display 16 for displaying a resolution switched by the push switch 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast program optionally broadcast at a plurality of resolutions and outputting the digital broadcast program, and more particularly to a digital broadcast receiving apparatus for changing the resolution of a received program to another resolution. It relates to the improvement of those that can be converted to video output.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in a digital broadcasting system in recent years, each broadcast program is, for example, 48
0i (interlace), 1080i, 480p (progressi
ve), 720p, etc., and are optionally broadcast at a plurality of resolutions.

For this reason, in a digital broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast program, it is necessary to convert the resolution of the received program so as to correspond to the resolution of the connected television receiver and output the video. Occurs.

In this type of digital broadcast receiving apparatus,
When converting the resolution of a received program, first, a menu screen for setting the resolution is displayed on the screen of the connected television receiver so as to be superimposed on the display image of the received program.

[0005] In this case, the digital broadcast receiving apparatus has the lowest resolution D1 (480) so that the resolution of the video output can be output by any type of television receiver.
i).

Thereafter, the user operates, for example, a direction key or a decision key for moving a cursor up, down, left, or right, so as to sequentially switch from a low resolution to a high resolution.

[0007]

However, in the conventional resolution conversion means of such a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, when the resolution of the video output exceeds the resolution that can be output on a television receiver, the resolution is not increased. No image is displayed on the screen of the receiver, including the menu screen for setting the resolution.

When no image is displayed on the screen, an operation for displaying the menu screen for setting the resolution is performed again to change the resolution from the lowest resolution D1 to the higher resolution. It is necessary to perform switching from the beginning, and there is a problem that handling becomes complicated for the user.

[0009] This problem is caused not only when the resolution of the video output of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus is switched, but also because the resolution of the broadcast program is increased in the middle, and the resolution exceeds the resolution that can be output by the television receiver. Will also occur in the same case.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can easily switch the resolution of a video output so as to correspond to the resolution of a connected video display. It is an object of the present invention to provide a very good digital broadcast receiving device that can be conveniently used.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention is intended to convert a received digital broadcast program into a video display with its resolution converted. Further, an operation means for switching the resolution of the output video signal without using the display screen of the video display is provided.

According to the above arrangement, the operating means for switching the resolution of the output video signal is provided without using the display screen of the video display. The video output resolution can be easily switched to correspond to the resolution of the connected video display with a simple operation of operating the operation means without displaying the resolution setting menu screen on the screen of the display. Therefore, it is possible to make the handling convenient for the user.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes an antenna which receives digital broadcast waves.
The digital broadcast wave received by the antenna 11 is supplied to an STB (Set Top Box) 12, which is a digital broadcast receiving device.

The STB 12, which will be described later in detail, performs a decoding process, a resolution conversion process, and the like after selecting a signal corresponding to a desired program from an input digital broadcast wave. Then, the video signal output from the STB 12 is supplied to the television receiver 13 which is a video display, and is displayed as a video.

FIG. 2 shows the back panel 14 of the STB 12. The rear panel 14 has a push switch 15 for switching the resolution of the video output.
And a liquid crystal display 16 for displaying the current resolution switched by the push switch 15.

Each time the push switch 15 is pressed, the resolution of the video output is set to D1 (480).
i), D2 (1080i), D3 (480p), D4
(720p), that is, a function of sequentially switching from a lower resolution to a higher resolution.

The switching of the resolution is performed cyclically, for example, when the push switch 15 is pressed while the resolution D4 is the highest, the display returns to the lowest resolution D1. The resolution D1 switched by operating the push switch 15
To D4 are displayed on the liquid crystal display 16.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the STB 12. That is, the digital broadcast wave received by the antenna 11 is supplied to the tuner unit 17 and a signal corresponding to a desired program is selected. The signal extracted by the tuner unit 17 is supplied to a decoding unit 18 where the signal is separated into an audio component and a video component, and subjected to decoding processing.

Of these, the audio signal decoded by the decoding unit 18 is supplied to the television receiver 13 as it is for audio reproduction.

The video signal decoded by the decoding unit 18 is converted by the graphic unit 19 into, for example, data for composing various menu screens or ST data.
After superimposing data and the like for displaying the state of B12, the data is supplied to the resolution conversion unit 20.

The resolution converter 20 converts the resolution of the input video signal into the value of the push switch 1.
The image data is converted into the resolution set by the operation 5 and output to the television receiver 13 for video display.

The tuner section 17 and the decoding section 1
8, a graphics unit 19, a resolution conversion unit 20, etc.
, Their operations are generally controlled.

The microcomputer 21 has
By receiving the operation information of the push switch 15 and controlling the resolution conversion unit 20, the push switch 1
The video signal of the resolution set by the operation 5 is generated. Further, this microcomputer 21
By controlling the liquid crystal display 16, the push switch 15
Displays the resolution set by the operation.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the resolution switching operation in the STB 12. First, when started (step S1), the microcomputer 21 controls the resolution conversion unit 20 so that the resolution becomes D1 as an initial value, and causes the liquid crystal display 16 to display the resolution D1.

Next, in step S2, the microcomputer 21 determines whether or not the push switch 15 has been operated. If not (NO), the microcomputer 21 waits until the push switch 15 is operated. Thereafter, when it is determined that the push switch 15 has been operated (YES), the microcomputer 2
In step S3, 1 determines whether or not the current resolution is D4.

If it is determined that the current resolution is not D4 (NO), the microcomputer 21 increases the current resolution by one step in step S4, and displays the updated resolution on the liquid crystal display in step S5. And the process returns to step S2.

In step S3, if the current resolution is D4
If it is determined that the current resolution is (YES), the microcomputer 21 forcibly sets the current resolution to D1 in step S6, causes the liquid crystal display 16 to display the resolution in step S5, and proceeds to step S2. Is returned to the process.

According to the above-described embodiment, the STB 12
A push switch 15 for switching the resolution of the video output and a liquid crystal display 1 for displaying the current resolution are provided.
6 is provided, and the resolution of the video output can be switched without displaying the menu screen for setting the resolution on the screen of the television receiver 13.

That is, each time the resolution is switched, the push switch 1 is displayed without displaying the menu screen for setting the resolution on the screen of the television receiver 13.
The resolution of the video output can be easily switched so as to correspond to the resolution of the connected television receiver 13 by a simple operation of only pressing the 5, thus making the handling convenient for the user. It becomes possible.

Here, FIGS. 5 and 6 show modifications of the above-described embodiment, respectively. First, in FIG. 5, an up switch 22 and a down switch 23 are provided instead of the push switch 15 to switch the resolution of the video output of the STB 12.

In this case, the up switch 22 functions to switch the resolution in the order of D1 to D4, that is, cyclically sequentially from a lower resolution to a higher resolution, each time the switch is pressed, and the down switch 23 functions as a down switch. Each time a pressing operation is performed, the function is such that the resolution is sequentially switched in the order of D4 to D1, that is, sequentially from a high resolution to a low resolution.

As described above, by providing the operating means for switching the resolution from the lower to the higher and the operating means for switching the resolution from the higher to the lower, it is possible to more easily and quickly select the resolution. It becomes possible.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, dedicated switches 24 to 27 are provided for each of the resolutions D1 to D4 instead of the push switch 15 in order to switch the resolution of the video output of the STB 12. Things.
These dedicated switches 24 to 27 are selectively operated and are designed so as not to be repeatedly operated.

As described above, each of the resolutions D1 to D4
A dedicated switch 24 to 27 is provided for each time, and a desired resolution can be directly selected, so that the resolution can be selected more easily and quickly. Can be made easier to handle.

Further, a push switch 15 and an up switch 22 for switching the resolution of the video output described above.
Each of the down switch 23, the dedicated switches 24 to 27, and the like may be installed not only on the STB 12 itself but also on a remote controller (not shown) for operating the STB 12.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0037]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to easily switch the resolution of the video output so as to correspond to the resolution of the connected video display, and to provide an extremely good digital broadcast receiving apparatus that can make the handling of the user convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention and illustrating a connection relationship between an STB and a television receiver.

FIG. 2 is a rear view illustrating a push switch and a liquid crystal display installed on the STB according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an STB according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart shown to explain the resolution switching operation of the STB in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a rear view shown for explaining a modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a rear view shown for explaining another modification example of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 antenna, 12 STB, 13 television receiver, 14 rear panel, 15 push switch, 16 liquid crystal display, 17 tuner section, 18 decoding section, 19 graphic section, 20 resolution conversion Reference numeral 21: microcomputer, 22: up switch, 23: down switch, 24 to 27: dedicated switch.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A digital broadcast receiving apparatus for converting the resolution of a received digital broadcast program and outputting the converted digital broadcast program to a video display, wherein the resolution of the output video signal is switched without using the display screen of the video display. A digital broadcast receiving device comprising operating means. 2. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operation means is installed in said digital broadcast receiving apparatus itself. 3. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operation means is installed in a remote controller for operating said digital broadcast receiving apparatus. 4. The operating means includes an operating element for sequentially switching the resolution of an output video signal from low to high or from high to low each time the operating means is operated. The digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein: 5. An operation device comprising: a first operation unit for sequentially switching a resolution of an output video signal from a lower one to a higher one each time the operation unit is operated; 2. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second operator for sequentially and cyclically switching a signal resolution from a higher signal to a lower signal. 6. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means has a dedicated operator for switching to each of the switchable resolutions. 7. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the resolution switched by said operation means without using a display screen of said video display.