KR20060087943A - Video processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, comprising: a memory in which a plurality of channel numbers corresponding to a plurality of channels are classified into two or more channel number groups and stored in a predetermined order; A display unit for superimposing and displaying the channel number on the image of the corresponding channel; A signal input unit which inputs an increase or decrease signal of the channel number and a change signal of the channel number group by a user input; And a channel number belonging to a next or previous channel number group of the current channel and a channel number belonging to a next or previous channel number group according to the increase or decrease signal of the channel number and the change signal of the channel number group. And a channel selection control unit for controlling the display unit so that the display is superimposed on the image of the corresponding channel. As a result, a desired channel can be conveniently and quickly selected from a plurality of channels.

TV, Channel, Navigation, Channel Number

Description

Image Processing Equipment {VIDEO PROCESSING APPARATUS}

1 is a perspective view showing an image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main internal configuration of the image processing apparatus of FIG. 1.

3 is a diagram illustrating a user interface displaying a channel number according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a table showing an arrangement of channel numbers and channel number groups stored in a memory according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a view for explaining that the channel number and the channel number group is changed according to an embodiment of the present invention,

6 and 7 illustrate a user interface displaying a channel number and a group of channel numbers according to another embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

10: image processing device 20: remote control

12: signal input unit 14: memory

16: Display section 18: Channel selection control section

30: string 40: channel number

42: channel number group

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that can conveniently and quickly select a desired channel from a plurality of channels.

Recently, image processing apparatuses such as TVs that output images and audio by receiving a predetermined signal on a received signal by receiving broadcast signals such as digital TV broadcasting and cable TV broadcasting have been widely used.

In a broadcasting environment in which hundreds of channels exist such as digital TV broadcasting and cable TV broadcasting, it is very difficult for a user to find a desired channel while moving from channel to channel.

On the other hand, the conventional image processing apparatus for digital TV broadcast reception receives an EPG (Electric Program Guide) with a broadcast signal and displays a predetermined user interface during broadcast viewing using channel information such as channel name and genre provided by the EPG. In addition to the channel number, the user can select a desired channel through channel information such as channel name and genre.

However, the conventional user interface is too complicated and inconvenient, such as requiring the user to perform a lot of operations, and the area occupied on the screen is so large that it covers a large part of the screen, which causes a lot of problems in broadcasting.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which can conveniently and quickly select a desired channel among a plurality of channels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of selecting a desired channel with a simple, convenient, and small user interface.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, a plurality of channel numbers respectively corresponding to a plurality of channels are classified into two or more channel number group and stored in a predetermined order; A display unit for superimposing and displaying the channel number on the image of the corresponding channel; A signal input unit which inputs an increase or decrease signal of the channel number and a change signal of the channel number group by a user input; And a channel number belonging to a next or previous channel number group of the current channel and a channel number belonging to a next or previous channel number group according to the increase or decrease signal of the channel number and the change signal of the channel number group. And a channel selection control unit for controlling the display unit such that the display unit is superimposed on an image of a corresponding channel.

The image processing apparatus further includes a remote controller having at least one pair of keys, wherein the signal input unit forwards or reverses the channel number increase or decrease signal and the channel number group by the user's key input from the remote controller. The change signal can be received.

Two pairs of keys of the remote controller corresponding to the increase and decrease signals of the channel number and the forward and reverse change signals of the channel number group, respectively, may be disposed adjacent to each other vertically or vertically.

The channel selection control unit may include two pairs of the channel numbers to be changed by the increase and decrease signals of the channel number and the forward and reverse change signals of the channel number group, respectively. Preferably, the display unit is displayed in advance so as to correspond to the key arrangement.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an image processing apparatus 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The image processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment receives a broadcast signal from a predetermined broadcast station, performs a predetermined process on the received broadcast signal, and outputs an image and audio according to the processed signal.

The image processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment receives, processes, and outputs a broadcast signal through a plurality of channels, and may be, for example, a digital TV. In this case, the broadcast signal received by the image processing apparatus 10 may include information on channel characteristics such as a channel name, a channel genre, and a channel grade. For example, such information may be provided through an electric program guide (EPG). I can receive it.

The image processing apparatus 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment enables the movement of channels in the channel number group unit (hereinafter also referred to as channel navigation) according to the user's operation while outputting the broadcast of the current channel. That is, the image processing apparatus 10 displays the channel number on the screen of the current channel and enables the movement of the channel in the channel number group and the movement of the channel in the channel number group in response to a user input.

The image processing apparatus 10 may include a predetermined input key panel (not shown) mounted on the receiver 10 to receive a user input. As another embodiment, for convenience of the user, FIG. It may also include a remote controller 20 as shown.

2 is a block diagram showing the main internal structure of the image processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment. As shown, the image processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment includes a signal input unit 12, a memory 14, a display unit 16, and a channel selection control unit 18.

The signal input unit 12 inputs an increase or decrease signal of the channel number for selecting the channel number through the input key panel or from the remote controller 20, and provides it to the channel selection control unit 18.

In addition, when the signal input unit 12 receives an increase or decrease signal of the channel number from the remote controller 20, the signal input unit 12 performs predetermined signal processing to convert the received signal into a signal suitable for providing to the channel selection control unit 18. Can be done.

In the memory 14 of this embodiment, channel numbers of a plurality of channels are classified into two or more channel number groups and stored in ascending order. The arrangement of such channel numbers and channel number groups stored in the memory 14 is shown in FIG.

In the present embodiment, the channel numbers 40 of the plurality of channels are classified and stored in the channel number group 42 of ten units. In another embodiment, the channel numbers 40 of the plurality of channels may be classified and stored in the channel number group 42 in units of hundreds.

The display unit 16 superimposes the channel number 40 on the image of the corresponding channel under the control of the channel selection controller 18 and displays it. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 16 may be, for example, a CRT or an LCD, and inputs a channel image processed by a broadcast signal to be displayed on the screen 162, and at the same time a predetermined portion of the screen 162. The channel number 40 is superimposed on the position and displayed.

The channel selection control unit 18 receives an increase or decrease signal of the channel number 40 and a forward or reverse change signal of the channel number group 42 through the key input panel or from the remote controller 20 at the signal input unit 12. Check whether the channel number 40 is displayed on the display unit 16 in accordance with the received signal.

The channel selection control unit 18 of the present embodiment determines whether the signal received from the remote controller 20 to the signal input unit 12 is an increase or decrease signal of the channel number 40 or a forward or reverse change signal of the channel number group 42. Determine. The channel selection control unit 18 compares the frequency of the signal received by the signal input unit 12 with a predetermined reference frequency to determine that the signal is identical, thereby increasing or decreasing the signal of the channel number 40 or the channel number group ( It can be determined by the forward or reverse change signal of 42).

On the other hand, the remote controller 20 of the present embodiment is provided with two pairs of keys to transmit the increase or decrease signal of the channel number 40 and the forward or reverse change signal of the channel number group 42 according to the user's key input. do.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of keys of the remote controller 20 corresponding to the increase or decrease signal of the channel number 40 are up and down 22 and 24, and the forward or reverse change of the channel number group 42 is performed. The pair of keys of the remote controller 20 corresponding to the signal may be arranged left and right 26 and 28. In another embodiment, a pair of keys of the remote controller 20 corresponding to the increase or decrease signal of the channel number 40 correspond to the left and right 26 and 28 and the forward or reverse change signals of the channel number group 42. The pair of keys of the remote controller 20 may be arranged up and down 22 and 24.

In this embodiment, the key corresponding to the increase signal of the channel number 40 is the lower key 24, and the key corresponding to the decrease signal of the channel number 40 is the upper key 24. As another embodiment, the key corresponding to the increase signal of the channel number 40 may be the upper key 22, and the key corresponding to the decrease signal of the channel number 40 may be the lower key 24.

In this embodiment, the key corresponding to the forward change signal of the channel number group 42 is the right key 28, and the key corresponding to the reverse change signal of the channel number group 42 is the left key 26. In another embodiment, the key corresponding to the forward change signal of the channel number group 42 may be the left key 26, and the key corresponding to the reverse change signal of the channel number group 42 may be the right key 28. On the other hand, the remote controller 20 of the present embodiment transmits signals of different frequencies to the two pairs of keys 22 to 28.

5, the operation of changing the channel number 40 and the channel number group 42 by the channel selection control unit 18 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. If the channel selection control unit 18 determines that a signal having a predetermined frequency is received by the remote controller 20 by the predetermined key input (for example, in the present embodiment, the signal corresponding to the key 22) Is determined to be received, the current channel is checked and the channel number 40 of the current channel is displayed on the screen 162 of the display unit 16 so as to overlap the image of the corresponding channel with reference to the memory 14. Let's do it. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the channel selection control unit 18 also displays the channel number 40 and the character string 30 indicating the channel name corresponding thereto at a position adjacent to the channel number 40. As shown in FIG. good.

When the channel selection controller 18 determines that the increase signal of the channel number 40 is received by the input of the key 24 from the remote controller 20 in the state where the channel number of the current channel is "12", the memory 14 ) Is displayed on the screen 162 of the display unit 16 so that the channel number "13" next to the current channel number is superimposed on the image of the corresponding channel.

On the contrary, when the channel selection controller 18 determines that the reduction signal of the channel number 40 is received by the input of the key 22 from the remote controller 20 in the state where the channel number of the current channel is "12", With reference to the memory 14, the channel number " 11 " before the current channel number is displayed on the screen 162 of the display unit 16 so as to overlap the image of the corresponding channel.

On the other hand, when the channel selection control unit 18 determines that the forward change signal of the channel number group 42 is received by the input of the key 28 from the remote controller 20 while the channel number of the current channel is "12". , The screen 162 of the display unit 16 so that the channel number "22" belonging to the channel number group following the channel number group to which the current channel number "12" belongs is superimposed on the image of the corresponding channel with reference to the memory 14. ). As another embodiment, when the channel selection controller 18 determines that the forward change signal of the channel number group 42 is received, the channel selection controller 18 may display "21" which is a channel number belonging to the next channel number group.

In addition, when the channel selection controller 18 determines that the reverse change signal of the channel number group 42 is received by the input of the key 26 from the remote controller 20 while the channel number of the current channel is "12". , The screen 162 of the display unit 16 so that the channel number "02" belonging to the channel number group before the channel number group to which the current channel number "12" belongs is superimposed on the image of the corresponding channel with reference to the memory 14. ).

As described above, the image processing apparatus 10 of the present exemplary embodiment determines whether the signal received from the remote controller 20 to the signal input unit 12 is the change signal of the channel number 40 or the change signal of the channel number group 42. In response to this, not only the movement of each channel but also the movement of the channel by the unit of the channel number group, it is possible to select the desired channel quickly and conveniently in the environment where there are many channels such as the digital TV environment and the cable TV environment. To be able.

The channel selection control unit 18 allows the user to select the channel number 40 or the channel name 30 in order to minimize the portion where the channel number 40 or the channel name 30 is displayed on the screen 162 during the image display of the channel. As long as it is discernible, it is preferable to make the size of the channel number 40 and the channel name 30 as small as possible. In addition, the channel selection controller 18 preferably places the character string 30 at any corner of the screen 162 so that the channel number 40 or the channel name 30 does not interfere with the image of the screen 162. Do.

Therefore, as compared with the existing user interface for channel navigation, which is complicated and takes up most of the screen, by providing a simple and small user interface, channel selection can be facilitated and the screen can be minimized due to channel selection.

In addition to the channel number 40 of the current channel, the channel selection controller 18 may display the channel number when the channel number 40 and the channel number group 42 are changed in the forward and reverse directions together with the current channel number in advance. Can be. In this case, the channel selection control unit 18 replaces the channel number belonging to the channel number group changed in the forward or reverse direction with the increased or decreased channel number and the corresponding key of the remote controller 20 up or down or left and right of the channel number of the current channel, respectively. It is preferable to display in the same arrangement.

For example, when the channel number of the current channel is "12", as shown in FIG. 6, the channel selection controller 18 refers to the memory 14 and increases or decreases the channel number "12", respectively. And the channel numbers "22" and "02" belonging to the channel number group in which the channel number group to which the channel number "11" and the channel number "12" belong are changed in the forward and reverse directions, respectively, below the channel number "12" of the current channel. It can be displayed in adjacent positions of the upper side, the right side, and the left side.

Therefore, the user can know in advance the channel number of the channel to be changed by key input as well as the channel number of the current channel, so that the user can conveniently select a channel.

The channel selection control unit 18 may be implemented in a form that is programmed in software to be suitable for a predetermined general purpose processor, stored in a predetermined memory (eg, a ROM), and executed by the general purpose processor in order to perform such a channel selection function. .

As mentioned above, the present invention has been described in detail through preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may be variously implemented within the scope of the claims. For example, the channel number group is not limited to ten units, and as shown in FIG. 7, a channel number group of hundred units may be moved, such as "12" to "102" or "902".

In addition, the arrangement of the keys of the remote controller corresponding to the change signal of the channel number and the channel number group is not limited to up, down, left and right as in the present embodiment, and may be in various forms such as "X". In this case, the user interface displaying the character string and the channel number preferably corresponds to the key arrangement.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can conveniently and quickly select a desired channel from a plurality of channels.

In particular, according to the present invention, it is possible to quickly and conveniently select a desired channel by enabling the movement of channels in units of channel number groups.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to simply select a desired channel by using a simple user interface. In addition, according to the present invention, by using a small user interface, it is possible to minimize the disturbance on the screen viewing.

Further, according to the present invention, the desired channel can be easily selected by using the user interface corresponding to the arrangement of the operation keys. Further, according to the present invention, the desired channel can be conveniently selected by displaying the channel number of the channel to be changed in advance.

Claims (4)

In the image processing apparatus, A memory in which a plurality of channel numbers corresponding to the plurality of channels are classified into two or more channel number groups and stored in a predetermined order; A display unit for superimposing and displaying the channel number on the image of the corresponding channel; A signal input unit which inputs an increase or decrease signal of the channel number and a change signal of the channel number group by a user input; And According to the increase or decrease signal of the channel number and the change signal of the channel number group, the channel number next or previous to the channel number of the current channel and the channel number belonging to the next or previous channel number group to which the current channel belongs. And a channel selection control unit for controlling the display unit so that the display unit is superimposed on an image of a corresponding channel. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a remote control having at least one pair of keys, And the signal input unit receives an increase or decrease signal of the channel number and a forward or reverse change signal of the channel number group by the user's key input from the remote controller. The method of claim 2, And two pairs of keys of the remote controller corresponding to the increase and decrease signals of the channel number and the forward and reverse change signals of the channel number group, respectively, adjacent to each other vertically or vertically. The method of claim 3, The channel selection control unit may include two pairs of the channel numbers to be changed by the increase and decrease signals of the channel number and the forward and reverse change signals of the channel number group, respectively. And display the display unit in advance so as to correspond to a key arrangement.

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