KR101341729B1 - Apparatus and method for searching a frequency - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for broadcast frequency search. In the present invention, a broadcast frequency band determined according to a broadcast mode is divided into at least two touch areas. The touch area has an appropriate number of areas so that touch operation can be easily performed. A touch input unit for receiving coordinate data of the touch area is provided when a touch area is touched in the touch area. Two or more coordinate data may be input at the same time. A control unit for receiving the coordinate data and controlling to search only the broadcasting frequency corresponding to the corresponding touch area is provided. When only one coordinate data is input, the controller searches only the broadcasting frequency in the touch region corresponding to the coordinate data. If two or more coordinate data are input, the controller searches all the broadcasting frequencies of the touch region corresponding to the coordinate data. . According to the present invention as described above, since the broadcast frequency search is performed only in the corresponding broadcast frequency band according to the touch manipulation of a plurality of touch regions, the broadcast frequency search time is shortened.

Broadcast frequency, touch area, touch panel, auto search.

Description

Frequency Searcher and Search Method {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING A FREQUENCY}

1 is a block diagram of a device equipped with a touch panel type search key to explain a frequency search method according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram of a frequency searching apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a configuration diagram illustrating a frequency search method using the frequency search apparatus of FIG.

4 is a flowchart of a frequency searching method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100: touch panel 120: frequency display

124: touch area (first to fourth search section)

140: coordinate input unit 150: control unit

160: tuner

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to frequency searching, and more particularly, to a frequency searching apparatus and method for quickly searching for a desired broadcasting frequency in an electronic device to which a touch panel is applied.

As is well known, a user interface-based touch method is applied to various systems so that a user can more conveniently select and input information instead of a key button input method, which is an input means. In the touch system, when a finger or a pen is touched on a touch panel, a signal is input by a pressure sensor and a corresponding function is processed.

Applying the touch-type input method can eliminate the configuration of general mechanical buttons in various portable electronic devices having a small size, so that more functions can be combined and the design can be beautifully designed. Touch panels are being applied to portable electronic devices. Furthermore, in addition to general functions, portable electronic devices incorporate radio frequency (RF) functions to listen to broadcast signals by digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) functions or radio broadcasting frequencies.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a device equipped with a touch panel type search key.

Referring to this, the touch button 10 for operating various functional modes provided by the electronic device is provided. As the touch button 10, a manual search button (▶ |, | ◀) 12a (12b) and a touch for searching while up / down (UP / DOWN) a broadcast frequency by a predetermined frequency unit in the manual search mode, and touch An auto search button (▶▶ |, | ◀◀) 16a (16b) for searching in the auto search mode while up / down (UP / DOWN) all broadcast frequencies is provided.

The manual search button 12a, 12b and the automatic search button 16a, 16b are provided with a mode switching button 14 to toggle any one of the buttons. For example, when the mode switch button 14 is touched, the manual search button 12a, 12b or the auto search button 16a, 16b is toggled and activated as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. It can be seen that.

When the manual search buttons 12a and 12b are touch-operated, the broadcast frequency band can be searched in the up / down direction in a predetermined frequency unit of 50 KHz or 100 KHz in the 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz region of the FM frequency band. do. When the automatic search buttons 16a and 16b are touch operated, the entire broadcast frequencies are searched in the up / down direction in the FM broadcasting frequency band 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz.

As described above, in the conventional broadcast frequency search method, especially when the auto search buttons 16a and 16b are touch-operated, the search is performed for the entire broadcast frequency of the predetermined broadcast mode. there was. For example, when the actual search frequency in the 87.5MHz ~ 108MHz band of the FM broadcast mode is 101.1MHz, when the auto search button 16a, 16b is operated, the search is started from the 87.5MHz or 108MHz.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a frequency search apparatus and method for shortening a frequency search time to quickly find a desired broadcast frequency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital electronic device to which the frequency search apparatus and method are applied.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, a frequency touch unit for dividing a predetermined broadcast frequency band into at least two frequency touch areas to enable touch operation, coordinate data touch-operated from the divided touch areas It includes a coordinate input unit for receiving a control unit for controlling to search only the broadcast frequency assigned to the touch area of the coordinate data.

According to another feature of the present invention, an automatic search button for searching for a broadcast frequency, a frequency touch unit having at least two frequency touch areas, a coordinate input unit for receiving coordinate data of a touch-operated part of the frequency touch unit, the automatic And a control unit for recognizing a search button operation or a touch operation of the frequency touch unit and controlling to search only a broadcast frequency assigned to the touch area of the frequency search or touch-operated coordinate data by the automatic search mode.

The controller controls to search for a broadcast frequency assigned to the generated touch area when a touch manipulation occurs on another touch area while searching for a broadcast frequency in the touch operated area.

The controller may search for all broadcast frequencies provided to the touch-operated region when the touch-operated touch region is two or more.

The control unit controls to search only the broadcast frequency allocated to the touch area having a larger ratio according to the touch ratio of the touch operated touch area when two or more touch operated touch areas are present.

According to another feature of the present invention, a touch operation of an arbitrary touch area in a broadcast frequency band having at least two touch areas, and searching for only a broadcast frequency assigned to the touch operated touch area.

According to another feature of the present invention, detecting whether a touch operation for an arbitrary touch region occurs in a broadcast frequency band having at least two touch regions or an automatic search button for searching a broadcast frequency, the automatic search button is When the operation is performed, the broadcasting frequency search is performed in all bands of the broadcasting frequency, and when the touch operation is performed, searching for only the broadcasting frequency allocated to the touch-produced touch region.

If a touch operation occurs on a new touch area while a broadcast frequency search for one of the touch areas is being performed, the broadcast frequency allocated to the generated touch area is searched for.

When two or more touch areas are touch-operated simultaneously, all broadcast frequencies allocated to the touch-operated touch areas are searched for.

When two or more touch areas are touched at the same time, the broadcasting frequency is searched for in the touch area where the touch area is touched the most according to the touch ratio of the touch operated touch area.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, since only the broadcast frequency in the touch-operated touch area is searched without searching the entire broadcast frequency band, it can be seen that the search time for the desired broadcast frequency is shortened.

Hereinafter, a frequency searching apparatus and a method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram of a frequency search apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a frequency search method using the frequency search apparatus of FIG.

Referring to the drawings, the frequency search apparatus of the present invention is provided with a touch panel 100 for receiving a touch signal from a user. The touch panel 100 allows a corresponding function to be executed according to a touch operated coordinate value. The touch panel 100 is applied with various touch methods such as pressure resistive or capacitive. Typically, the pressure-resistance type is provided with two membranes coated with a resistive material such that a constant interval is maintained, and a current flows through both membranes. At this time, when both membranes are contacted by applying pressure to the membrane, the amount of current flowing changes and detects the touched position. Capacitive coatings apply conductive metal on both sides of the glass and apply voltage across the edges. At this time, the high frequency flows through the touch screen, and when the hand touches, the high frequency waveform changes, and the touched position is detected by detecting the touched position.

The touch panel 100 is provided with buttons 102 for operating various functions.

In detail, referring to FIG. 3, an automatic search button (▶▶ |, | ◀◀) 102a (searching by an automatic search mode while up / down (UP / DOWN) all bands of a broadcast frequency during a touch operation is performed. 102b) is displayed as activated. That is, although not shown in the figure, the manual search buttons (▶ |, | ◀) for searching while up / down (UP / DOWN) the broadcast frequency by a predetermined frequency unit in the manual search mode are inactive. The manual search button or the automatic search button 102a, 102b is located at the same part of the touch panel 100, and each search button is toggled according to the operation of the mode switching button 104 to be activated. And an inactive state.

Reference numeral 106 is a play button, 108a and 108b is a volume control button.

In addition, the touch panel 100 may include a frequency display unit so that a user can check a selected broadcast frequency or search for a broadcast frequency according to a touch operation of the automatic search buttons 102a and 102b or a touch operation in a touch area to be described later. 120 is provided. The frequency display unit 120 includes a first portion 122 displaying a frequency in Arabic numerals and a second portion 124 displaying a band of a broadcasting frequency (hereinafter referred to as a touch area). The touch area 124 is displayed differently according to the broadcast mode, that is, AM mode or FM mode.

The touch area 124 performs a touch function according to a touch operation. The touch area 124 is divided into at least two touch areas. In this embodiment, the description will be made by dividing into four touch regions 124a to 124d. That is, when the currently set broadcast mode is FM mode and its broadcast frequency band is 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz, the touch area is divided into a first search section and a fourth search section.

The first search section 124a is 87.5 MHz to 92.5 MHz band, the second search section 124b is 92.6 MHz to 97.5 MHz band, the third search section 124c is 97.6 MHz to 102.5 MHz band, and the fourth search section. 124d is equal to the 102.6 MHz to 108 MHz band. Of course, the touch area may be divided into various touch areas according to a user's request.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, when a touch operation is performed in an arbitrary touch region divided into the first search section and the fourth search section, a coordinate input unit 140 which receives coordinate data of the corresponding touch area is provided. In the present embodiment, each coordinate data of the first to fourth search sections is referred to as 'X +', 'X-', 'Y +', and 'Y-'.

A control unit 150 is provided to transmit a control signal to control the broadcast frequency only in the corresponding touch area according to the input coordinate data. If the touch area is two or more, the controller 150 searches for a predetermined method, for example, all broadcast frequencies provided to the touched area, or searches for broadcast frequencies of the area where the touch-manipulated area is touched more in the touch area. Do it.

A tuner 160 for searching an actual broadcast frequency is provided according to a control operation of the controller 150.

Next, the frequency searching method according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

First, a description will be given with reference to FIG. 4A.

When the broadcast frequency search is started in step 100, the controller 150 determines whether the automatic search buttons 102a and 102b are currently activated by the mode switching button 104. If the automatic search buttons 102a and 102b are inactive, the manual search button is activated. When the manual search button is touched, a general broadcast frequency search process is performed.

On the other hand, when the auto search buttons 102a and 102b are in an active state, the controller 150 determines whether the auto search buttons 102a and 102b are touch operated or the touch area 124 is operated. do.

In step 102, if the automatic search buttons 102a and 102b are touch-operated, and the set mode is the currently set broadcast mode, for example, the FM mode, the process proceeds to step 104 to the 87.5MHz to 108MHz region of the FM broadcast frequency. Search for the broadcast frequency. In this case, the broadcast frequency search is searched up from 87.5 MHz or the search process is down searched from 108 MHz according to the search direction operation of the auto search buttons (▶▶ |, | ◀◀).

However, if any touch area of the touch area 124 is touch-operated in step 106, the process proceeds to step 108 and coordinate data of the touch-operated touch area is input to the coordinate input unit 140. That is, when the first search section 124a is touch-operated, the coordinate data 'X +' is input. When the second search section 124b is touch-operated, the coordinate data 'X-' is input, and the third search section is input. If 124c is touch-operated, the coordinate data 'Y +' is input, and if the fourth search section 124d is touch-operated, 'Y-' is input.

Coordinate data input to the coordinate input unit 140 is transmitted to the controller 150. In operation 110, the controller 150 controls the tuner 160 to search for a broadcast frequency in a corresponding touch area according to the input coordinate data. For example, when the touch operated area is the third search section 124c, and thus 'Y +', which is coordinate data of the third search section 124c, is transmitted to the controller, the controller 150 is connected to the 'Y +'. The tuner unit 160 is controlled so that only the broadcast frequency search is performed in the 97.6 MHz to 102.5 MHz band. Similarly, when the controller 150 receives 'Y-' which is coordinate data for the fourth search section 124d, the search is performed only in the 102.6 MHz to 108 MHz band of the fourth search section 124d.

When the searched predetermined broadcast frequency is selected, a broadcast signal according to the broadcast frequency is received to listen to the broadcast (step 112).

As such, the entire broadcast frequency band is divided into two or more touch areas (that is, a search section), and only the broadcast frequencies in the touch-operated touch area can be searched, thereby quickly searching for a desired broadcast frequency. In other words, in order to search the 100.4MHz frequency in the third search section 124c, when the auto search buttons 102a and 102b are touch operated, the search is performed from '87 .5MHz 'to the Up method, Since the search was conducted from '108MHz' down, the search time was very long. However, in this embodiment, since the user knows the desired broadcasting frequency to some extent, the search is performed only in the 97.6 MHz to 102.5 MHz band by touching the third search section 124c.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4B, two or more touch areas may be operated simultaneously without any touch operation. That is, in step 120, when the search for the broadcasting frequency is started, and in step 122, when two or more touch areas are touch-operated, in step 124, all coordinates of the touch-operated area are input to the coordinate input unit 140. Then, the input coordinate data is transmitted to the controller 150, and the controller 150 searches for a broadcast frequency corresponding to the search section corresponding to all the coordinates (step 126). For example, when the third search section 124c and the fourth search section 124d are touch-operated at the same time, the search is performed in the 97.6 MHz to 108 MHz band.

Of course, when the two or more touch areas are touch operated, only the broadcast frequency of the search section of the touch area touched most quickly may be searched.

In addition, even when the two or more touch areas are touch-operated, the ratio of the touch-operated area is grasped to search for a broadcasting frequency allocated to an area where the touch ratio of the touch area is larger.

As described above, the present invention described in the above embodiment can be seen that the broadcast frequency band is divided into at least two, and when a touch operation of the divided touch area occurs, only the broadcast frequency corresponding to the touch area is searched. .

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and alternative constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent that other, alternative and equivalent embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

As described above, according to the frequency searching apparatus and method of the present invention, when searching for a broadcasting frequency in an electronic device to which a touch panel is applied, when the touch operation is performed on an arbitrary touch area having a plurality of broadcasting frequency bands according to a broadcasting mode Since only the broadcast frequency corresponding to the touch-operated touch area is searched, the broadcast frequency search time can be shortened.

In addition, since the electronic device to which the present invention is applied is applied with the frequency search method that is conventionally applied, there is an effect of improving the product competitiveness due to the variety of frequency search methods of the user.

Claims (11)

A frequency touch unit for dividing a predetermined broadcast frequency band into at least two frequency touch regions to enable touch operation; A coordinate input unit which receives touch-operated coordinate data among the divided touch areas; And And a control unit for searching only a broadcast frequency assigned to the touch area of the coordinate data and searching for a broadcast frequency assigned to the generated touch area when there is a touch operation in another touch area during the search. An automatic search button for searching for a broadcast frequency; A frequency touch unit having at least two frequency touch regions; A coordinate input unit configured to receive coordinate data of a portion touched by the frequency touch unit; And Recognizing the operation of the automatic search button or the touch operation of the frequency touch unit, searching only the frequency assigned to the touch area of the frequency search or touch operated coordinate data by the automatic search mode, and the touch operation on other touch areas during the search. And a control unit which controls to search for a broadcasting frequency allocated to the generated touch area, if any. delete An automatic search button for searching for a broadcast frequency; A frequency touch unit having at least two frequency touch regions; A coordinate input unit configured to receive coordinate data of a touch-operated part of the frequency touch unit; And Recognize the operation of the automatic search button or the touch operation of the frequency touch unit, and searches only the broadcasting frequencies assigned to the touch area of the coordinate search data or the frequency search by the automatic search mode, but if there are two or more touch operated touch areas And a control unit for searching for broadcast frequencies allocated to all of the operated regions. An automatic search button for searching for a broadcast frequency; A frequency touch unit having at least two frequency touch regions; A coordinate input unit configured to receive coordinate data of a touch-operated part of the frequency touch unit; And Recognizing the operation of the automatic search button or the touch operation of the frequency touch unit, and searches only the broadcast frequency assigned to the touch area of the frequency search or touch-operated coordinate data by the automatic search mode, but when the touch-operated touch area is two or more, And a control unit for controlling to search only a broadcast frequency allocated to a touch area having a larger ratio according to the touch ratio of the touch-operated touch area. A portable electronic device comprising the frequency search device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, and 5. Touch operation of any touch region in a broadcast frequency band having at least two touch regions; Searching only a broadcast frequency allocated to the touch-operated touch area; And And searching for a broadcast frequency allocated to the generated touch area when a touch operation occurs in the new touch area during the search. Detecting whether a touch operation for an arbitrary touch region has occurred in an auto search button operation for broadcasting frequency search or a broadcasting frequency band having at least two touch regions; Searching for a broadcast frequency in all bands of a broadcast frequency when the auto search button is operated, and searching only a broadcast frequency allocated to a touch-produced touch area when the touch is operated; And And searching for a broadcast frequency allocated to the generated touch area when a touch operation occurs in the new touch area during the search. delete Detecting whether a touch operation for an arbitrary touch region occurs in a broadcast frequency band having at least two touch regions or an automatic search button operation for searching a broadcast frequency; And Performing a search of a broadcast frequency in all bands of the broadcast frequency when the automatic search button is operated, and searching only a broadcast frequency allocated to a touch-produced touch area when a touch operation is performed; When two or more touch areas are touch-operated at the same time, frequency searching method, characterized in that for searching all the broadcast frequencies assigned to the touch-operated areas. Detecting whether a touch operation for an arbitrary touch region occurs in a broadcast frequency band having at least two touch regions or an automatic search button operation for searching a broadcast frequency; And Performing a search of a broadcast frequency in all bands of the broadcast frequency when the automatic search button is operated, and searching only a broadcast frequency allocated to a touch-produced touch area when a touch operation is performed; And when more than one touch-operated touch area is searched, searching for only a broadcast frequency assigned to a touch area having a larger ratio according to the touch ratio of the touch-operated touch area.

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