JPH11312955A - Channel selection device and video display equipment using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a channel selection device which selects a channel that is normally viewed on the day of the week and at the time band when a TV power source is turned. SOLUTION: This device is equipped with a tuner 2, a channel selection means 3 for specifying number of channel selection (a channel) of this tuner 2, a memory 20 having a storage table 21 of a basic time unit every day of the week, a clock means 11 for outputting the day of the week and time information, a control means 4 which has the station selection number to which a viewer gives a channel selection instruction within the basic time unit stored in the storage table 21 of the day of the week and the time up to N at each time, and an instruction input means 5 for giving the control means 4 the instruction to supply a power source or to select channel. The control means 4 refers to the present day of the week and the time from information of the clock means 11, reads out the channel selection number stored in the storage table 21 corresponding to this day of the week and the time with every constant interval of time in the order in which they are stored anew and notifies the channel selection means 3 of it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel selection device used for a TV, a radio, and the like, and a video display device using the channel selection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a TV provided with a conventional tuning device shown in, for example, the Mitsubishi Color Television Service Manual. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an antenna, 2 denotes a tuner, and 3 denotes a tuner 2. Is a control means for designating a tuning number to the tuning means 3 and outputting display information of the tuning number to the mixer 7, and 5 is a control means which is operated by a viewer. 4 is an instruction input means for giving an instruction to turn on power or select a station. Reference numeral 6 denotes an image processing circuit for processing a signal from the tuner 2, and reference numeral 8 denotes an image display means such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display. Reference numeral 9 denotes a last channel memory for storing a tuning number (channel) selected immediately before power-on, and is connected to the control means 4.

Next, the operation will be described. The viewer can issue various commands to the control means 4 by the command input means 5 and operate the TV. Generally, the command input means 5 is a key switch provided on a remote control or a TV main body. The control means 4 is usually constituted by a microcomputer, and works so that when the viewer issues a command to turn off the TV, the last selected channel number is stored in the last channel memory 9.

[0004] Here, when a power-on command is input to the control means 4 by the command input means 5, the control means 4 turns on the power of the TV, and at the same time, changes the tuning number which had been tuned before the power was turned on. The data is read from the channel memory 9 and output to the channel selecting means 3. As a result, the tuner 2 selects a tuning number (hereinafter, referred to as a last channel) selected before turning on the power, and outputs the program information to the video processing circuit 6. The video processing circuit 6 performs signal processing for converting the obtained program information into a signal form in which the display means 8 can display a video. This video signal is supplied to the display means 8 via the mixer 7 and the viewer displays the video of the last channel on the display means 8.
You can see it at At this time, the display information of the character of the last channel number is output from the control means 4 to the mixer 7 in synchronization with the screen, so that the viewer can display the last channel number on the screen of the display means 8 in addition to the video of the last channel. You can see it in

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a TV provided with another conventional channel selection device.
Is a channel program connected to the control means 4, 11
Is a clock means connected to the control means 4, and other components are the same as those in FIG.

[0006] In FIG.
Input the power-on time and the designated channel selection number to the channel program 10 via the control means 4. Control means 4
Turns on the power of the TV at the specified time by the clock means 11 and outputs the specified tuning number to the tuning means 3. In this way, the viewer can automatically turn on the TV at the specified time with the specified channel selection number.

[0007]

Since the conventional channel selection device is configured as described above, when the power is turned on, only the channel selection number selected before the power was turned on is selected. It was necessary to re-select the station in order to see the program that was frequently watched during the time zone. For this reason, if the user forgets to tune in, the program may be missed.

Further, the channel program 10 shown in FIG. 10 has a problem that a program to be viewed can be reserved in advance, but the operation is complicated, and a channel not reserved cannot be viewed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and automatically selects a tuning number which has been actually selected recently in the time zone of the day of the week when the power is turned on. To provide a channel selecting device for providing information for selecting a channel to a viewer and a video display device using the channel selecting device.

Also, when the power is turned on, even if the tuning number selected before the power was turned on is continued, the tuning number of the program frequently viewed in the time zone of the day of the week is displayed on the screen. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tuning device that can be used.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A tuning apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a tuner for selecting a channel to obtain program information; a tuning means for designating a tuning number (channel) of the tuner; A memory having a storage table of a basic time unit, a clock means for outputting day and time information, and up to N channel selection numbers for which a viewer has issued a channel selection command in the basic time unit, the number of the corresponding day of the week and N Control means for storing in a storage table at the corresponding time, and command input means for issuing a power-on or tuning instruction to the control means, the control means, when power is turned on, the current day of the week and With reference to the time, the channel selection numbers stored in the storage table corresponding to the day of the week and the time are read out in the newly stored order and notified to the channel selection means. .

In the above configuration, when the same number is included in the N tuning numbers stored in each storage table, the control means deletes the oldest data in the stored order. It was done.

Further, the control means has a function of updating the N tuning numbers stored in each storage table to new ones one by one when receiving the next tuning command.

A video display device according to the present invention is a tuner for selecting a channel to obtain program information, a channel selecting means for specifying a channel selection number (channel) of the tuner, and storing a basic time unit for each day of the week. A memory having a table, clock means for outputting day of the week and time information, and a storage table for the corresponding day of the week and the corresponding time in the memory up to N times each time a channel is selected by the viewer within the basic time unit. A control means for storing a signal from the tuner, a display means for displaying a video signal as a video, and a command input means for giving a power-on or tuning instruction to the control means. When the power is turned on, the means refers to the current day of the week and time from the information of the clock means, and selects a channel number stored in a storage table corresponding to the day and time. It reads, in which the image of the tuned the N channel selection number (channel) to notify to the tuning means is configured to display on the display means.

Further, in the above configuration, a mixer is provided on the output side of the video processing circuit, and the control means operates when the power is turned on.
The tuning number stored in the storage table is read out and notified to the tuning means, and in synchronization with this, the tuning number is added to the mixer, and the tuning number is added to the video and displayed on the display means. It was made.

The image processing apparatus further includes a multi-screen processing circuit for reducing the video signal selected by the tuner to N multi-screens, and the control means controls the N selection numbers (channels) stored in the storage table. The multi-screen processing circuit is controlled so that an image is displayed on the display means at a time.

The command input means has a function of arbitrarily changing the number (N) of tuning numbers stored in each storage table by a viewer's operation.

The command input means has a function of erasing part or all of the tuning number data stored in the memory by a viewer's operation.

Further, a last channel memory for storing a tuning number selected immediately before the power is turned on is provided, and the control means, when the power is turned on, a tuning number stored in the last channel memory, or Read one of the tuning numbers stored in the storage table of the memory,
This is to notify the channel selection means.

When the power is turned on, the control means reads out the tuning number stored in the last channel memory and notifies the tuning means, and reads out the tuning number stored in the storage table to the mixer. In addition, the N channel selection numbers stored in the storage table are added to the video of the last channel and displayed on the display means.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a TV provided with a channel selection device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an antenna, 2 denotes a tuner, and 3 denotes a channel for selecting the tuner 2. Means 4,
Is a control means for designating a tuning number to the tuning means 3 and outputting display information of the tuning number to the mixer 7, to which a last channel memory 9 is connected. Reference numeral 5 denotes an instruction input means for giving a power-on or tuning instruction to the control means 4 by operation of a viewer, 6 a video processing circuit for processing a signal from the tuner 2, 7 a mixer, 8 a CRT.
And a liquid crystal display device for displaying an image. Reference numeral 9 denotes a last channel memory for storing a tuning number (channel) selected immediately before power-on, and is connected to the control means 4. Reference numeral 20 denotes a memory connected to the control means 4, which has a table 21 in basic time units for each day of the week. Here, as an example, a description will be given on the assumption that the basic time unit is one hour. The control means 4 receives a command from the command input means 5. Further, a video processing circuit 6 is connected to the tuner 2, and is connected to a display means 8 via a mixer 7. The control means 4 is connected to a memory 20 having a table 21 in basic time units for each day of the week. The memory 20 is a set of basic time unit tables 21 for each day of the week. here,
As an example, a description will be given on the assumption that the basic time unit is one hour.

The table 21 stores a channel selection number when a channel selection command is executed by a viewer within the time period from Sunday 3:00 to PM 3:59 specified by the clock means 11. . In this example, it can be seen that the first channel selection number by the viewer in this time zone is channel 3. Similarly, it can be seen that the second channel has 7 channels, the third channel has 9 channels, and the Nth channel has 1 channel.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing how the tuning numbers are stored. In FIG. 2, when a viewer issues a channel selection command at a basic time unit of, for example, 3:00 PM on Sunday (step 21), a predetermined time has elapsed after the channel selection (that is, a program of the channel is previewed for a predetermined time). (Step 22), the control means 4 refers to the clock means 11 to select the storage table 21 from the memory 20 (step 23), and thereafter, selects the maximum number of stations selected in the basic time unit. The N tuning numbers are stored in the storage table 21 (step 24).

In this state, for example, when the viewer
When the power of the TV is turned on during the time from 3:00 to 3:59 PM, the control means 4 first outputs the N-th stored latest channel number 1 channel to the channel selection means 3. I do. As a result, the tuner 2 selects one channel, and the viewer can automatically select the first channel that was being watched one week ago at the same time when the TV is turned on.

Subsequently, the control means 4 automatically outputs the (N-1) th stored channel selection number 4 channel to the channel selection means 3 after a predetermined time, for example, 10 seconds. The control means 4 further continues automatically at the interval after a certain period of time.
-From the second to the first stored channel selection number 3 channels are sequentially output to the channel selection means 3.

This situation is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 and FIG. In FIG. 3, when the viewer issues a power-on command by the command input means 5 (step 31), the control means 4
Determines whether or not to select a tuning number in the last channel memory 9 (step 32), and if YES, reads out tuning data from the last channel memory 9 and gives it to the tuning means 3 (step 33). If NO, clock means 1
1, the storage table 21 is selected from the memory 20 (step 34). Further, the control means 4 determines whether or not data is stored in the storage table 21 (step 35), and if there is data, reads out tuning data from the storage table 21 and sends it to the tuning means 3 one after another at regular intervals. Give the tuning number. Therefore, N screens are displayed on the display means 8 at regular intervals as shown in FIG.

A supplementary description of the storage table 21 will be given.
As shown in FIG. 1, when all N tuning numbers are stored,
P from Sunday 3:00 specified by the clock means 11
If a further tuning command is executed by the viewer within the time until M3: 59, the tuning number is stored as Nth. At this time, in this example, the (N−1) -th channel selection number by the viewer in this time zone is replaced with the first N-th stored content channel. Similarly N
The second tuning number is replaced with four channels.
In this way, the first tuning number is replaced with seven channels. At this time, channel 3 which was the original data of the first tuning number is replaced with channel 7 and is updated and deleted.

Also, when the viewer first purchases a TV and then performs a TV channel selection operation in that time zone, or executes an erasing command, there is no channel selection data in the memory 20 for that time zone. At this time, the control means 4 reads out the tuning number selected before turning on the TV power from the last channel memory 9 and outputs it to the tuning means 3. In this case,
Automatically, the channel number selected before turning on the TV is continuously viewed when the power is turned on. This state is as shown in the flowchart (step 33) of FIG.

If the viewer wants to continue to select the selected channel number when turning on the power before turning on the TV, the viewer always reads from the last channel memory 9 instead of from the memory 20 when turning on the TV. , The control means 4 may be operated so that the tuning number selected before turning on the TV power is read out and output to the tuning means 3. In this case, the control means 4
Can be switched to the above setting by the operation of the command input means 5 by the viewer. This situation is as shown in the flowchart (step 32) of FIG.

When the viewer wants to display on the screen the N pieces of tuning number information stored in the time zone of the day of the week, the information is stored in the storage table of the basic time unit of the day of the week. Character information corresponding to the N tuning numbers may be output from the control means 4 to the mixer 7. In this case, the control means 4 can output the character information corresponding to the channel selection number in synchronization with the display screen in response to a command from the viewer. Thus, the viewer can see and confirm on the screen of the display means 8 the N channel numbers stored in the basic time unit of the day in addition to the video. In addition,
The screen display of the character information corresponding to the N tuning numbers stored in the storage table can be displayed even when the display screen is the last channel, and this is shown in FIG.

When the viewer desires, any one of the N tuning numbers stored in the storage table in arbitrary basic time units can be deleted. In addition, the viewer can issue a command to erase all the contents of the memory 20. Here, the erasure command from the viewer is input from the command input means 5 to the control means 4, and the control means 4 operates to delete the range of the memory 20 designated by the viewer. This situation is shown in steps 61 to 64 of the flowchart of FIG. Further, the viewer can arbitrarily change the integer N, which is the number of tuning numbers stored in each time slot, by the command input means 5.

Although the above description has been made with respect to a TV, the present invention can be applied to a radio or the like and has the same effects. A radio does not have a display means like a TV, so it is not possible to display a tuning number on a screen. it can.

Embodiment 2 FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a TV provided with the tuning device according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, an example in which a signal from the tuner 2 is directly connected to the video processing circuit 6 has been described. However, as in the second embodiment, the signal is passed through the multi-screen processing circuit 22 and connected. May be. Hereinafter, FIG. 7 will be described in detail.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 22 denotes a multi-screen processing circuit, which is connected to the tuner 2 and converts a video signal input from the tuner 2 into a still image, and divides the video signal into an arbitrary number N on the screen. It can be displayed on one split screen. 23 is a changeover switch. In FIG. 8, N = 9
2 shows an example of a screen display. In this example, when the viewer turns on the power of the TV, the tune number selected by the ninth viewer in the time zone of the day is output to the channel selection means 3, and the tuner 2 receives the tune number. The video signal of the tuning number is output to the multi-screen processing circuit 22.

The multi-screen processing circuit 22 digitizes the obtained video signal and compresses it into a still image having a size of 1 / N. In this way, the video signal of the tune number selected by the ninth viewer is displayed as a still image in the upper left cell. Thereafter, the control means 4 controls the multi-screen processing circuit 22 so that the video signal of the channel number selected by the eighth viewer is displayed as a still image on a cell in the upper part of the screen. Hereinafter, in the same machine, the video signal of the channel number selected by the viewer first is displayed as a still image in the lower right area of the screen.

In FIG. 7, the changeover switch 23 has a function of selecting whether the video signal received by the video processing circuit 6 is a moving image signal from the tuner 2 or a still image from the multi-screen processing circuit 22.

[0037]

According to the present invention, in the time zone of the day of the week, the video of the channel number previously selected by the viewer is
Since V is automatically selected and displayed sequentially when the power is turned on, it is possible to provide information for the viewer to select a program that the viewer usually views frequently, thereby making the viewer more convenient.

In addition, a plurality of videos of channel selection numbers actually previously selected by the viewer in the time zone of the day are automatically selected and displayed on one screen when the TV is turned on. Can provide information for selecting a program that is usually viewed frequently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a TV using a channel selection device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of storing a tuning number according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of reading a tuning number according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display mode of a screen of a tuning number read according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state of a tuning number displayed on a screen according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of memory erasure according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a TV using a channel selection device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a TV using a conventional tuning device.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a TV using another conventional channel selection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 antenna, 2 tuner, 3 tuning means, 4 control means, 5 command input means, 6 video processing circuit, 7 mixer, 8 display means, 9 last channel memory,
11 clock means, 20 memory, 21 table, 22
Multi-screen processing circuit, 23 changeover switch.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A tuner for selecting a program to obtain program information, a tuning means for designating a tuning number (channel) of the tuner, a memory having a storage table of a basic time unit for each day of the week, A clock means for outputting time information, a control means for storing, in the memory, a table of the corresponding day of the week and the corresponding time up to N numbers of channel selections for which the viewer has issued a channel selection command within the basic time unit, and The control means includes an instruction input means for issuing a power-on or channel selection instruction. When the power is turned on, the control means refers to the current day and time from the information of the clock means, and stores the current day and time. A channel selection device, wherein the channel selection numbers stored in the table are read out in the newly stored order and notified to the channel selection means. 2. The control means, if the same number is included in the N tuning numbers stored in each storage table,
2. The channel selection device according to claim 1, wherein data stored in the oldest order is deleted. 3. The control means has a function of updating the N tuning numbers stored in each storage table to new ones one by one when receiving a next tuning command. The channel selecting device according to claim 1, wherein 4. A tuner for selecting a program to obtain program information, a tuning means for designating a tuning number (channel) of the tuner, a memory having a storage table of a basic time unit for each day of the week, Clock means for outputting time information, control means for storing up to N channel numbers for which the viewer has issued a channel selection command within the basic time unit in the storage table for the corresponding day of the week and the corresponding time in the memory, and the tuner A video signal processing circuit for processing a signal from the display device, a display means for displaying a video signal as a video image, and an instruction input means for issuing a power-on or tuning instruction to the control means. The current day of the week and time are referred to from the information of the clock means, the channel selection number stored in the storage table corresponding to the day of the week and the time is read, and the channel selection means is notified. A video display device characterized in that the video of the N selected numbers (channels) selected thereby is displayed on the display means. 5. A mixer is provided on the output side of the video processing circuit, and the control means reads out a tuning number stored in a storage table and notifies the tuning means when the power of the apparatus is turned on, and synchronizes with this. 5. The video display device according to claim 4, wherein the channel selection number is added to the mixer, and the channel selection number is added to the video and displayed on the display means. 6. A multi-screen processing circuit for reducing a video signal selected by a tuner to N multi-screens, wherein the control means controls N number of channel selection numbers (channels) stored in a storage table. 6. The video display device according to claim 4, wherein the multi-screen processing circuit is controlled so that the video is displayed on the display means at one time. 7. The selection method according to claim 1, wherein the command input means has a function of arbitrarily changing the number (N) of tuning numbers stored in each storage table by a viewer's operation. Station equipment. 8. The channel selection device according to claim 1, wherein the command input means has a function of erasing part or all of the channel selection number data stored in the memory by a viewer's operation. 9. A last channel memory for storing a tuning number selected immediately before the power is turned on, wherein the control means, when the power is turned on, a tuning number stored in the last channel memory, or 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the tuning numbers stored in the storage table of the memory is read out and notified to the tuning means.
A channel selection device or a video display device according to claim 8. 10. The control means reads out the tuning number stored in the last channel memory to notify the tuning means when the power is turned on, and reads the tuning number stored in the storage table to the mixer. 10. The channel selection device or the video display device according to claim 9, wherein N channel selection numbers stored in the storage table are added to the video of the last channel and displayed on the display means. .