KR19980078731A - TV's voice mute control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the audio mute release of a TV such that the audio mute state is not released when the volume is reduced through the remote controller or the key input device in the audio mute state. A muting process of maintaining the output of the image when the mute key is manipulated in, and performing audio muting by suppressing the output of the audio amplifier; When the volume control key is operated in the mute state, it is characterized in that it comprises a mute release process for selectively controlling the release of muting according to the volume increase / decrease key that is operated.

Description

TV's voice mute control method

The present invention is to provide a voice mute release control method of the TV so that the voice mute state is not released when the volume is reduced through the remote control or key input device in the voice mute state.

A typical television receives and demodulates a broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station and outputs the demodulated signal as a video signal and an audio signal through a CRT and a speaker. Such a general TV has a voice mute function so that only the voice is not emitted while the image is continuously displayed. Referring to FIG. 1, the configuration and function of a general TV having the voice mute function are as follows. Same as

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an antenna, 2 denotes an RF amplification unit for amplifying a radio frequency (hereinafter referred to as RF) signal received through the antenna 1, and 3 denotes the RF amplification unit ( A first mixer which mixes the radio frequency signal output from 2) and the oscillation frequency signal output from the local oscillation circuit 17 to be described later and outputs an intermediate frequency signal (hereinafter referred to as IF).

Further, reference numeral 4 denotes an IF amplifier section for amplifying the intermediate frequency signal output from the first mixer 3, and 5 denotes an image intermediate frequency signal PIF in the intermediate frequency signal output from the IF amplifier section 4. And a P / S separator for separating the voice intermediate frequency signal SIF, and 6 represents a voice detector for detecting a voice signal from the voice intermediate frequency signal SIF output from the P / S separator 5. 7 denotes an image detector for detecting an image signal from an image intermediate frequency signal PIF output from the P / S separator 5.

In addition, reference numeral 8 denotes a remote control device that allows a viewer to select a desired channel or to select each mode of the television, that is, a TV / AV mode, and 9 denotes an infrared signal from the remote control device 8. 10 shows a receiver for converting a conventional code signal, 10 denotes a channel memory in which predetermined channel data is stored, and 11 denotes a microprocessor which controls the entire system in accordance with an input signal from the remote controller device 8.

In addition, reference numeral 12 denotes a screen display for overlapping and outputting a character or a picture on a screen on which a broadcast signal is output separately from the broadcast signal according to the control signal of the microprocessor 11 (On Screen Display). (Hereinafter referred to as OSD), and 13 denotes a PWM generator which generates a predetermined pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to a control signal from the microprocessor 11, and 14 denotes the above. An integration circuit for integrating the PWM signal output from the PWM generator 13 to generate a predetermined level signal is shown.

In this case, when the viewer selects a predetermined channel using the remote controller device 8, the microprocessor 11 reads out channel data corresponding to the channel selected by the viewer from the channel memory 10 and then based on the selected channel. By controlling the PWM generator 13 to generate a predetermined PWM signal, the PWM signal is output as a voltage control signal corresponding to the channel selected by the viewer through the integrator circuit 14.

In addition, reference numeral 15 is provided for a precise tuning operation, and represents an Auto Fine Tunning circuit (hereinafter referred to as AFT) circuit 15, and 16 represents a voltage signal applied from the integrating circuit 14; An adder for adding a voltage signal applied from the AFT circuit 15 is shown, and 17 represents a local oscillating circuit for outputting a predetermined oscillation frequency.

In addition, reference numeral 18 controls the amplification degree of the above-described RF amplifier 102 and the IF amplifier 4 on the basis of the level of the image signal detected by the image detector 7, the image detector ( Figure 7 shows the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) circuit that controls the video signal output level from 7).

On the other hand, reference numeral 19 denotes an external AV device such as a VCR or a laser disc player, and 20 denotes the voice detector 6 and the image detector 7 according to the switching signal from the microprocessor 11 described above. A first switching unit for selectively outputting audio and video signals from the external AV device 19 and audio and video signals from the external AV device 19 is shown.

Further, reference numeral 23 denotes a color, tint, and brightness according to a control signal from the microprocessor 11, although not shown for an image signal output from the first switching unit 20. A video processing unit which processes (Brightness) and the like and outputs R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) signals corresponding to the video signal.

The RGB signal output from the image processor 23 is output by mixing RGB and OSD blanking signals Y ′, which are output signals of the OSD generator 12 described above, in the second mixer indicated by reference numeral 24. Reference numeral 25 denotes a CRT driving unit for driving the CRT based on the RGB signal output from the mixer 24.

Although reference numeral 21 is not shown for the audio signal output from the first switching unit 20, the base, treble, and volume (according to the control signal from the microprocessor 11) are not shown. A voice processing unit for executing voice processing such as a volume), and 22 denotes a voice amplifying unit for amplifying and outputting the voice signal processed by the voice processing unit 21 to a speaker.

In the general TV configured as described above, when the viewer selects the TV / AV mode using the remote control device 8, the microprocessor 11 controls the first switching unit 20 so that the voice detector 6 And by selectively outputting the video and audio signals from the video detector 7 or the video and audio signals from the external AV device 19 to the video processor 23 and the audio processor 21. Can watch the video and audio through the CRT and speakers of the TV.

In the TV operating as described above, referring to the conventional voice mute function, first, when a user inputs the voice mute function by operating the remote controller 8 or a key input device (not shown) to mute the voice, The processor 11 performs an audio mute function by turning off the output of the voice amplifier 22 so that sound is not output to the speaker. At this time, the image is continuously displayed through the above-described process.

As described above, when the user decreases or increases the volume through the limiter device 8 or the key input device while the voice is muted, the mute state is automatically released and the voice is transmitted to the outside through the speaker.

In other words, the conventional audio mute device suddenly outputs the sound volume before the audio mute, since the sound mute is automatically released when the volume decrease key or the volume increase key is operated in the mute state. It caused a lot of problems that the viewers or people around you are surprised by the sound.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is that when the volume is reduced through the remote control or key input device in the voice mute state, the sound mute state is not released so that the sound is suddenly output due to the automatic release of the voice mute. The present invention provides a method of controlling the mute of the TV to prevent the viewer or a person around from being surprised.

1 is a general TV system block diagram,

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a voice mute control device of the TV to which the present invention is applied;

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing a voice mute release control method of the TV according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: remote control or key input device 101: microcomputer

102: audio amplifier

A feature of the present invention for achieving the above object is a TV having a function of displaying an image as it is and controlling only the output of the audio according to the operation of the audio mute key. When the key is operated, the output of the image is maintained, and the muting process is performed to suppress the output of the audio amplifying unit, and the volume increase / decrease key is operated when the volume increase / decrease control key is operated in the voice mute state. And optionally a mute release control process for controlling the release of muting.

In an additional aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the mute release control process includes a process of selectively releasing a voice mute according to the operation of the volume increase / decrease key, and automatically mute the voice mute according to an input of a mute release key. It is a process of release.

In an additional aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the process of selectively releasing voice mute according to the volume increase / decrease key may include: maintaining a voice mute state when a volume decrease key is input in the voice muting state ( S5) (S6), and if the volume increase key is operated in the voice muting state, step S7-S9 of releasing the voice muting and increasing the volume to a level desired by the user.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a TV voice mute device to which the present invention is applied. As shown therein, a remote control or key input device 100 for selecting a channel or inputting a voice mute / release function and inputting a volume control function, and a function setting signal obtained from the remote control or key input device 100. According to the microcomputer 101 for controlling the output of the video and audio, the audio output according to the operation state of the audio mute / release key and the volume control key, and the audio output control signal output from the microcomputer 101 The audio amplifier 102 is configured to output the input audio to a speaker or suppress the output thereof.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a voice mute release of a TV according to the present invention.

As shown, when a channel is selected by the user (S1), controlling the output of the video and audio of the selected channel (S2), and when the mute key is operated in the state of outputting the video and audio ( S3), while maintaining the output of the image and enabling the volume mute terminal of the audio amplifier 102 to mute the voice (S4), if the volume reduction key is input in the voice muting state, the voice mute state is maintained as it is. Step (S5) and step (S6), when the volume increase key is operated in the voice muting state, canceling voice muting and increasing the volume to a level desired by the user (S7-S9), and muting in the voice muting state. When the release key is input, the step of releasing muting and maintaining the previous voice output is performed (S11).

Referring to Figure 2 attached to the voice mute release control method according to the present invention made as described above is as follows.

As is well known, the microcomputer 101 controls a tuner (not shown) to tune a channel corresponding to a channel selected from the remote controller or the key input device 100 so that the image of the channel is a CRT and the audio is a speaker. Each control is output so as to be output (S1) (S2).

In this state, when the user manipulates the mute key to mute the voice (S3), the microcomputer 101 recognizes this and enables the volume mute terminal in the audio amplifier 102, thereby enabling the audio. The amplifier 102 mutes the voice by suppressing the output of the input audio (S4).

In this state, the microcomputer 102 continuously searches for the output of the remote controller or the key input device 100. At this time, when the volume reduction key is operated, the microcomputer 101 maintains the current muting state as it is. The enable state of the volume mute terminal is maintained (S5) (S6). As a result, the audio amplifier 102 also suppresses the audio output as it is. This prevents viewers or those around you from being surprised by the sudden mute release while the previous volume level is quite high.

Next, when the user operates the volume increase key while the voice is muted as described above, the microcomputer 101 recognizes this and disables the volume mute terminal of the audio amplifier 102 to mute the sound. Accordingly, the audio amplifier 102 amplifies the input audio to a predetermined level and transmits the audio to the outside through the rear speaker (S7) (S8). At this time, the microcomputer 101 increases the output volume level according to the volume increase level manipulated by the user (S9).

On the other hand, when the user operates the mute release key of the remote control or key input device 100 to release the voice mute in the state that the voice mute is maintained as described above, the microcomputer 101 recognizes this and the audio amplification unit The audio mute is automatically released by disabling the volume mute terminal at 102 (S10) (S11).

As described above, in the present invention, when the volume decrease key is operated in the voice muting state, the voice muting state is maintained without canceling the voice muting. Suddenly loud sound can be prevented from going outside, which can prevent the viewer or people around you from being surprised.

Claims (3)

In a TV having a function of displaying an image as it is and controlling only the output of audio according to the operation of the audio mute key, A muting process of maintaining the output of the image and suppressing the output of the audio amplifier when the mute key is operated while outputting the image and the audio of the selected channel; When the volume increase / decrease control key is operated in the voice mute state, a mute release control process for controlling the release of muting is selectively performed according to the manipulated volume increase / decrease key. . The method according to claim 1, wherein the mute release control step of the step of selectively canceling the voice mute according to the operation of the volume increase / decrease key; A method of controlling the mute of the TV, characterized in that the process of automatically releasing the voice mute according to the input of the mute release key. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of selectively releasing the voice mute according to the volume increase / decrease key comprises: maintaining the voice mute state as it is when the volume decrease key is input in the voice muting state (S5), and When the volume increase key is operated in the voice muting state, the step of releasing the voice muting and increasing the volume to a level desired by the user (S7-S9) characterized in that the TV mute mute release control method.