JP2002107475A - Time setting device, time setting method and medium with time setting program recorded on it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correctly set the time even when there is a rebroadcasting program. SOLUTION: When broadcasting a broadcasting radio wave on which time information in superimposed, a channel for broadcasting the broadcasting radio wave is scanned by a tuner 11 under the control by a microcomputer 20, the time information is acquired from the received broadcasting radio wave by an IC 70 for PDV, and since the time is set to the selected present time by selecting faster information among the acquired time information, even if rebroadcasting is performed, the time is not incorrectly set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a time adjustment device, a time adjustment method, and a medium on which a time adjustment program is recorded for receiving a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of time setting device,
One disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-352252 is known. In the time setting device disclosed in the publication, time information is acquired while performing auto-scanning of a channel, and when the acquired time information is different for each broadcast radio wave, time information that matches most is selected to set the time. I try to match.

[0003]

In the above-described conventional time setting device, the automatic scan is performed on a plurality of channels. Therefore, the time at the end of the scan and the time of the time information acquired on each channel are not compared. And the value was different, and accurate time adjustment was not possible. In addition, a local cable station in the United States may broadcast a program broadcasted on a network station with a shifted date / time, and if such a program is frequently present, the program may be broadcast on the date / time broadcast on the network station. After all,
The exact time could not be set. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a time adjustment device, a time adjustment method, and a medium on which a time adjustment program can be easily and accurately adjusted.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving a broadcast wave on which time information from a broadcasting station to which a predetermined channel is allocated is superimposed; An auto-tuning means for scanning a channel on which a broadcast wave is broadcast by the receiving means, a time information obtaining means for obtaining time information from the broadcast wave received by the receiving means, and a time information obtaining means. And a clock estimating means for estimating the current time based on a plurality of pieces of time information obtained by the above-mentioned method, and a clock means for adjusting the time to the estimated current time.

[0005] In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, a broadcasting station to which a predetermined channel is assigned broadcasts a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed. The channel on which the broadcast wave is broadcast is scanned. Since the time information obtaining means obtains time information from the broadcast radio wave received by the receiving means, the time estimating means estimates the current time based on the plurality of time information obtained by the time information obtaining means. The clock means adjusts the time to the estimated current time.

That is, for example, when time information is superimposed on a rebroadcast broadcast wave, the time information differs for each broadcast wave, and a plurality of different time information is obtained. Therefore, it is assumed that what is considered to be the current time is estimated from the time information and is regarded as the time in the corresponding value range. Here, the receiving means only needs to be able to receive a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed, and the broadcast wave itself is intended for any purpose although television broadcasting is generally appropriate. May be. Therefore, even in this sense, a broadcast station to which a predetermined channel is assigned can be applied to a radio broadcast station or the like as a channel simply representing a frequency.

The auto-tuning means causes the receiving means to scan, but it is sufficient if it can cover almost all the channels on which the above-mentioned broadcast radio waves are broadcast. In a strict sense, it covers all the channels, or only the channels currently being broadcast. It is not necessary to find out. Further, such scanning may be controlled by a microcomputer or the like by software, or may be controlled by a hardware sequence.

The time information obtaining means obtains the time information from the received broadcast radio waves. The time information obtaining means obtains the time information not only for the FM multiplex broadcast in which the time information is always superimposed but also for the time signal generated at regular intervals. May be performed so as to obtain the following. More specifically, the EDS superimposed on the vertical retrace period of the television broadcast wave
It is preferable to use the information of (Extended Data Services).

The clock means may be any means capable of adjusting the time to the estimated current time, may be an independent clock means, may be realized by one function such as a microcomputer, or may be another clock means. It may be one that is incorporated in an IC or the like, or may be one that is implemented as such a control terminal if it is implemented as a correction instruction to an external clock. The time estimating means only needs to be able to estimate the current time based on a plurality of pieces of acquired time information, and various configurations can be adopted. As a specific example, the invention according to claim 2 is the time adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the time estimating means includes:
Of the plurality of pieces of time information acquired, a more advanced one is estimated as the current time.

[0010] In the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, a more advanced one of a plurality of acquired time information is estimated as the current time. This is because, even in a situation where a plurality of rebroadcasts exist in a broadcast wave, their time information is all past and the current time is always considered to be the most advanced. Here, the time estimating unit estimates, as the current time, a more advanced one of the acquired plural pieces of time information, but it is not always necessary to count down to a minute value such as a time in seconds. In other words, even if it is time information, it is usual to specify up to the date to specify the time, and if there is only one channel with the most advanced date in the acquired time information, it is determined in units of hours, minutes, and seconds The channel is presumed to be a more advanced time without performing the above.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the time adjustment device according to any one of the first and second aspects, the time information obtaining means is scanning by the auto tuning means. , The elapsed time from the acquisition time point is added to the acquired time information. In the invention according to claim 3 configured as described above, in a state where the scanning is performed by the auto-tuning means, the time information acquiring means calculates the elapsed time from the acquisition time with respect to the acquired time information. to add.

That is, the time elapsed during the execution of the auto-tuning is added to the acquired time information, and the time estimating means compares the plurality of pieces of time information in order to estimate the current time. However, there is no superiority in the condition regardless of the first channel or the last channel of the auto tuning. Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the time adjusting apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the clock means controls the receiving means to control the time of the estimated current time. Broadcast radio waves from the broadcast station from which the information was acquired are received again,
The time information obtaining means is controlled to obtain time information from the received broadcast radio wave and adjust the time.

[0013] In the invention according to claim 4 configured as described above, the clock means controls the receiving means to transmit a broadcast radio wave from a broadcasting station from which the estimated time information of the current time is obtained. Is received again, and the time information acquisition means is controlled to acquire time information from the received broadcast radio wave and adjust the time. In other words, the time can be adjusted more accurately by re-selecting a channel for which the obtained time information is considered to be the current time, and re-acquiring the time information to adjust the time.

As described above, the method of regarding the time information that is more advanced as the time of the area is not necessarily limited to a physical device, and it can be easily understood that the method also functions as the method. Therefore, the invention according to claim 5 is a time adjustment method for receiving a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed and adjusting the time, wherein the broadcast wave on which time information from a broadcast station to which a predetermined channel is assigned is superimposed is superimposed. Is scanned, time information is acquired from the received broadcast wave, and the current time is estimated based on the plurality of pieces of acquired time information to adjust the time. In other words, there is no difference in that the present invention is not necessarily limited to a substantial device and is also effective as a method.

By the way, such a time setting device that regards the time information that is more advanced as the time of the area may exist alone or may be used in a state of being incorporated in a certain device. However, the idea of the invention is not limited to this, but includes various aspects. Therefore, it may be software or hardware,
It can be changed as appropriate. In the case where the software of the time setting device is used as an example of realizing the idea of the invention, the software naturally exists on a recording medium on which such software is recorded, and must be used. As an example,
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medium storing a time setting program for receiving a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed and performing time adjustment, wherein the broadcast is provided with time information from a broadcasting station to which a predetermined channel is assigned. A reception function for receiving radio waves, an auto-tuning function for scanning a channel on which the broadcast radio waves are broadcast by this reception function, and a time information acquisition for acquiring time information from the broadcast radio waves received by the reception function A configuration in which the computer realizes a function, a time estimation function for estimating the current time based on a plurality of pieces of time information acquired by the time information acquisition function, and a clock function for adjusting the time to the estimated current time. There is.

Of course, the recording medium may be a magnetic recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or any recording medium to be developed in the future. Also, the duplication stages of the primary duplicated product, the secondary duplicated product, and the like are equivalent without any question. Although different from the above-described medium, if the supply method is performed using a communication line, the communication line is used as a transmission medium and the present invention is used. Further, even when a part is implemented by software and a part is implemented by hardware, the concept of the invention is not completely different,
A part may be stored on a recording medium and read as needed as needed.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the present time is estimated based on a plurality of pieces of time information. A matching device can be provided. Also,
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the time is adjusted to the time of the advanced time information, the time can be accurately adjusted with a simple configuration even when there is a rebroadcast or the like. Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the time can be adjusted without being affected by the order in which the automatic tuning is performed.

Further, according to the invention according to claim 4,
Since the time is adjusted based on the time information immediately after the acquisition, the time can be adjusted more accurately. Further, claim 5
According to the invention, since the time is adjusted to the time of the advanced time information, it is possible to provide a time adjusting method capable of accurately adjusting the time with a simple configuration even when there is a rebroadcast or the like. Further, according to the invention of claim 6, since the time is adjusted to the time of the advanced time information, a time adjustment program capable of accurately adjusting the time with a simple configuration is recorded even when there is a rebroadcast or the like. A medium can be provided.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a main part of a video deck to which a time setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Referring to FIG. 1, a tuner block 10 includes a tuner 11 and an IF 12, receives a tuning frequency from a microcomputer 20, receives a television broadcast wave via an antenna 13, and outputs an intermediate frequency signal. The intermediate frequency signal is supplied to a video IC 30. The video IC 30 drives a servo motor and transmits and receives a head signal while receiving a detection signal from a sensor in a video mechanism (not shown). , And tape feed.

The tuner block 10 is directly connected to the microcomputer 20. The video IC 30 and the microcomputer 20 are connected to each other via the IIC bus 40. Is running the control. Further, the microcomputer 20 has a built-in timer 21 which detects a timer reservation operation and the like from the operation panel 50 and can realize timer reservation recording and the like based on the time counted by the timer 21. Further, when the power of the VCR is turned on, the time setting program is automatically started and the timer 21 is turned on.
Adjusts the time of use. In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 20 and the video IC 30 exist independently, but they may be configured integrally.

The IIC bus 40 is a standardized bus for serial data communication, and includes a data line DT and a clock line C.
LK. Although the communication protocol as a specific standard content is omitted, each device connected to the IIC bus 40 is assigned an individual 8-bit slave address, and the address data is output to the data line DT. The communication partner can be specified. It is also normal for one of the communication parties to output an ACK signal if the other requests authentication. In addition, an EEPROM 60 for storing initial settings and the like, a PDC IC 70 for extracting time information superimposed on broadcast radio waves, and the like are also connected to the IIC bus 40.

The EEPROM 60 is a non-volatile storage area.
Preset data indicating the presence / absence of a broadcasting station, the configuration status of the device, and the like are written and referenced when necessary. In the present embodiment, as described later, the broadcast channel serving as a reference when the microcomputer 20 acquires the time information is set to the EEPRO.
M60 is written. Of course, other storage elements or the like can be employed, and the data may be stored in another RAM area or the like each time the power is turned on.

The PDC IC 70 is a data slicer that extracts data such as time information when the data is included in a television broadcast signal. The data to be superimposed in this manner includes a broadcast station ID in addition to the time information. In the present embodiment, only the time information is acquired, and the acquired time information is transmitted to the microcomputer via the IIC bus 40. 20 so that it can be obtained. Here, the time information includes a date and a time. The method of superimposing time information may be realized as one form of FM multiplex broadcasting,
A configuration in which several bits of digital data are included between each horizontal scanning signal serving as a video signal and one set of digital data is transmitted using several frames may be used. Further, it is not always necessary to superimpose it on the broadcast radio wave itself, and it is also possible to obtain a time information by detecting a time signal broadcast at regular time intervals. For example, a time signal may be broadcast at 7:00 am, noon and 7:00 pm, and the power may be turned on during that time zone to adjust the time.

In the above configuration, the tuner 11
The tuner block 10 including
The microcomputer 20 for instructing the receiving frequency of the tuner 11 to receive a predetermined broadcast wave constitutes an auto tuning means, and the PDC IC 70 for inputting the broadcast wave via the video IC 30 and extracting the time information includes the time information. The microcomputer 20 which constitutes an acquisition unit and acquires the time information extracted by the PDC IC 70 and uses it for the timer 21 on the basis of either one constitutes a time estimation unit and a clock unit.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a schematic flowchart of the time setting process executed by the microcomputer 20.
The operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to this flowchart. It should be noted that a preset for storing the presence / absence of a broadcast channel can be realized in advance in the video deck, and it is assumed that a channel having a broadcast radio wave is previously written in the EEPROM 60 as a memory channel.

In this situation, when the power is turned on to the VCR, the microcomputer 20 starts the time setting process. In step 100, the microcomputer 20 reads out the memory channels in the order of channel numbers and performs channel scanning to be received by the tuner 11. Execute. In step 110, it is determined whether or not a broadcast station exists in the memory channel,
If it is not determined that there is a broadcast station, step 15
At 0, it is determined whether or not scanning has been completed for all of the memory channels, and the channel scanning from step 100 onward is repeated until it is determined that all of the channels have been completed.

If it is determined in step 110 that a broadcasting station is present, communication is further performed with the PDC IC 70 via the IIC bus 40 in step 120, and the time information is superimposed on the broadcasting wave of the tuned broadcasting station. Inquires if you have been. If it is not determined in step 120 that the time information has been superimposed, the processes in step 150 and thereafter are repeated in the same manner as described above. Step 1
If it is determined in step 20 that the time information has been superimposed, the time information and the channel number of the broadcasting station obtained in step 130 are stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20.

Further, in step 140, the elapsed time from the time when the data is stored in the RAM in step 130 of the previous loop is stored in step 130 of the previous loop.
By the time of execution, it is added to all times of all channels stored in the RAM. That is, this step 1
By 40, the time spent in the channel scan is added to all the time information stored in the RAM other than the time information stored in the immediately preceding step 130.
Therefore, regardless of the magnitude of the numerical value of the channel number, the time information of the channel number on which the regular current time information is superimposed is substantially equal to the current time. The elapsed time is measured by the timer 21 in the microcomputer 20. Thereafter, it is determined in step 150 whether or not scanning has been performed for all of the memory channels in the same manner as described above, and the processing in step 100 and thereafter is repeated until scanning for all channels is completed.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the scanning has been completed for all the memory channels, step 160
In step 170, a channel on which the most advanced time information is superimposed is selected from among the time information stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20, and the selected channel is selected again in step 170, and the selected channel is selected. The time information is extracted from the broadcast wave and the timer time is adjusted. Needless to say, in the present embodiment, the time is calculated so as to be substantially equal to the current time by the processing of step 140, so that the time may be adjusted based on the calculation result, but the time information is extracted again. By doing so, the time can be adjusted more accurately.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the channel selection processing subroutine shown in step 160. In this channel selection processing, when the most advanced time information can be extracted by determining only the date among the time information stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20, only the date is determined. Speeding up. For this purpose, in step 200, first, the microcomputer 20
Of all the time information stored in the RAM within the server. Then, in step 210, it is determined whether only one of the most advanced dates has been detected as a search result.

If only one of the most advanced dates is detected in step 210, the time information is the most advanced among all the stored time information. The channel thus set is stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20. Unless only one of the most advanced dates is detected in step 210, there are a plurality of pieces of time information of the most advanced date, and among them, the most advanced time information exists. Further, the most advanced time is searched for in the search result of step 200.

Then, the channel having the time information of the most advanced time searched in step 240 is stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20. As a result of such processing, the channel having the most advanced time information is stored in the RAM in the microcomputer 20 after the execution of the channel selection processing subroutine. That is, the current time is estimated based on a plurality of pieces of time information by the channel selection routine, and the channel of the broadcast wave on which the time information estimated to be the current time is superimposed is stored. ing.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the timer time adjustment processing subroutine shown in step 170. In this timer time adjustment process, the R
The time is adjusted based on the time information of the channel stored in the AM. In step 300, the tuner 11 is controlled to select the stored channel. Further, in step 310, the PDC
It communicates with the IC 70 via the IIC bus 40, extracts time information in the broadcast wave of the selected broadcasting station, and sets the time of the timer 21 as the current time at step 320 as the current time.

Next, the above operation will be described with reference to a specific example. FIG. 5 shows an example of time information stored in the RAM of the microcomputer 20 as time elapses in a state where broadcast radio waves are present in channels 1 to 4. In this specific example, the current time is “March 3
The date is “T-2a”, and the time information superimposed on the broadcast radio waves of channels 3 and 4 is the current time. At this time, channel 1 is the time “T1” of “January 1” 2 is a rerun of the program that was broadcast at the time “T2-a” on “February 2”.

When the power is turned on to the video deck according to the present embodiment, scanning starts from channel 1, and it is determined in step 110 that there is a broadcasting station, and in step 120 it is determined that there is time information. . Assuming that the time information is extracted at “T-2a” of “March 3”, which is the current time, the time information stored for channel 1 is the time information of “January 1” as shown in FIG. T
1 ". Therefore, in step 130, the microcomputer 20
"January 1" and "T1" are stored in the RAM.

Next, the channel 2 is selected through the determination in step 150, and the determination processing in steps 110 and 120 is performed. At this time, if it takes “a second” for the channel selection and the discrimination, etc., the time “T2−
Since “a” is advanced by “a seconds”, the time information of channel 2 stored in the RAM of the microcomputer 20 in step 130 is the time “T2” of “February 2”. On the other hand, “a second” is also added to the time information of the channel 1 by the processing of step 140, and the time information becomes “T1 + a” of “January 1” as shown in FIG.

When the same processing is further performed after spending “a seconds” and the time information of channel 3 is stored,
For "January 1""T1 + 2a", channel 2
, Time information of “February 2” and “T2 + a” is stored. Here, the current time advances to “2a seconds” from the start of the scan to time “T”, and time information “March 3” and “T” is stored for channel 3. Further, if the same processing is performed after spending “a second”, “T4” is set for channel 4 based on the time information.
Is stored.

Here, the time information superimposed on the broadcast wave of channel 4 is the current time.
The time information stored for is “March 3” as in channel 3, and “T4” is equal to “T + a”. For channels 1 and 2, "a seconds" is added to the time information. When the scanning of channels 1 to 4 is completed in this way, "January 1" and "T1 + 3a" for channel 1 and "February 2" for channel 2 as shown in FIG. “T2 + 2a”, time information “March 3” and “T + a” for channel 3 and time information “March 3” and “T4 (= T + a)” for channel 4 are stored.

The microcomputer 20 proceeds to step 160 in this state.
Of the channel selection processing subroutine of step 2
Search for the most advanced date at 00. Since the most advanced date is “March 3” for channels 3 and 4, step 2
At 10, it is determined that there is not only one search result. Therefore, in step 230, the most advanced time is searched, and in step 240, "channel 3" which is the channel of the most advanced time "T + a" is stored.

As a result, the time of the channel 3 on which the current time is superimposed is estimated as the current time. In step 170, the timer time is adjusted using the channel 3. That is, in step 300, the tuner 11 is driven to select the channel 3, and in step 310, the time information superimposed on the channel 3 is extracted. Time adjustment. As a result,
This means that the timer 21 has been accurately adjusted to the current time.

As described above, when the broadcast wave on which the time information is superimposed is being broadcast, the channel on which the broadcast wave is broadcast is controlled by the tuner 1 under the control of the microcomputer 20.
In addition to scanning at 1, the PDC IC 70 obtains time information from the received broadcast radio wave, selects a more advanced one of the obtained time information, and sets the time to the selected current time. Therefore, even if rebroadcasting or the like is performed, the time is not set by mistake.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video deck to which a time setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a time adjustment process.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a channel selection processing subroutine.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a timer time adjustment processing subroutine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of time information stored in a RAM of a microcomputer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tuner block 11 ... Tuner 12 ... IF 13 ... Antenna 20 ... Microcomputer 21 ... Timer 30 ... Video IC 40 ... IIC bus 50 ... Operation panel 60 ... EEPROM 70 ... IC for PDC

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/081

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A receiving means for receiving a broadcast wave on which time information from a broadcasting station to which a predetermined channel is assigned is superimposed, and an auto-tuning means for scanning the channel on which the broadcast wave is broadcast by the receiving means. Time information acquiring means for acquiring time information from the broadcast radio wave received by the receiving means; and time estimating means for estimating a current time based on a plurality of pieces of time information acquired by the time information acquiring means. And a clock means for adjusting the time to the estimated current time. 2. The time adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the time estimating means estimates a more advanced one of the acquired pieces of time information as a current time. Time setting device. 3. The time adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the time information acquiring unit is configured to add the acquired time information to the acquired time information while scanning by the auto tuning unit. A time adjustment device for adding an elapsed time from the acquisition time. 4. The time adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the clock means controls the receiving means to obtain time information of the estimated current time. A time adjustment device for re-receiving a broadcast wave from a broadcasting station, controlling the time information acquisition means to acquire time information from the received broadcast wave, and adjusting the time to the time. 5. A time adjusting method for receiving a broadcast radio wave on which time information is superimposed and adjusting the time by scanning a broadcast radio wave on which time information from a broadcast station to which a predetermined channel is assigned is superimposed and receiving the broadcast radio wave. A time adjustment method comprising: acquiring time information from the obtained broadcast radio wave; estimating a current time based on the acquired plurality of pieces of time information; and adjusting the time. 6. A medium storing a time adjustment program for receiving and adjusting a time by receiving a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed, and receiving a broadcast wave on which time information is superimposed from a broadcast station to which a predetermined channel is assigned. A reception function to perform, an auto-tuning function to scan a channel on which the broadcast radio wave is broadcast by the reception function, a time information acquisition function to acquire time information from the broadcast radio wave received by the reception function, A computer is provided with a time estimation function for estimating the current time based on a plurality of pieces of time information acquired by the time information acquisition function, and a clock function for adjusting the time to the estimated current time. A medium on which a time setting program is recorded.