JP2002185884A - Digital television broadcast receiver and its program guide information display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital television broadcast receiver and its program guide information display method that can display program guide information in a display form, in response to a request of an operator. SOLUTION: The digital television broadcast receiver stores a display structure of an EPG menu edited by the operator of the digital television broadcast receiver, generates an EPG menu, on the basis of the EPG display structure that is stored and the received program guide information (EPG data), and displays the EPG menu on a display screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital television broadcast receiver for receiving digital television broadcasts and a method for displaying program guide information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In digital broadcasting, for example, signals of a plurality of television broadcast programs data-compressed by the MPEG system are multiplexed and broadcast. FIG. 4 shows a conventional example of a digital television broadcast receiver for receiving the broadcast digital broadcast.
Shown in Referring to FIG.
In, a tuner section 13 selects a carrier on which a television broadcast program to be watched by the operator is multiplexed based on an instruction from the operator, and the front end section 15 demodulates the selected carrier. As a result, a transport stream in which compressed data of a plurality of television broadcast programs is multiplexed is obtained.

[0003] The compressed data of the television broadcast program that the operator wants to view is extracted from the transport stream by the transport unit 17. The compressed data of the extracted broadcast program is decoded by a decoder of a decoding unit (AV decoding unit) 23, and an NTSC signal having an analog video signal and an audio signal is formed by an NTSC encoder 25 from the obtained digital data. . The NTSC
The signal is displayed on the display screen of the display means 27, and a part of the display screen of the display means 27 is an EPG when requested by the operator.
(Electronic Program Guide)
Used as a display screen, an electronic program guide (hereinafter also referred to as EPG) is displayed on the EPG display screen.

In digital television broadcasting,
Since an extremely large number of programs are transmitted, a scheme has been devised so that a program to be viewed or a program to be viewed can be easily detected. For example, original data for generating an electronic program guide called EPG ( Hereinafter, also referred to as program guide information or EPG data) is multiplexed with video and audio and broadcast. Note that the NTSC encoder 25
This can be omitted in a device which does not receive a television signal of the NTSC system which has been widely used. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transport stream of digital broadcasting, and FIG. 6 is a standard electronic program guide (hereinafter also referred to as EPG) displayed on a display screen together with a television image.
It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of.

The program guide information includes a program name, a channel number, a broadcast date, a broadcast start time, a broadcast content genre, a flag indicating that the broadcast content is a series, a broadcast time, etc. Data is included. The EPG screen shown in FIG. 6 shows a standard EPG screen generated from the program guide information. In the transport unit 17 of FIG. 4, the EPG data (program guide information)
Are separated, and the EPG decoding unit 1
At 9, the program guide information is extracted and stored in the program guide information storage unit 21.

The stored program guide information is read from the program guide information storage unit 21 based on a display request from the operator, and the EPG decoding unit 19 performs channel number, channel name, program title, and program Display elements such as contents and broadcast time, that is, EPG screen components are decoded and
It is provided to an SD (On Screen Display) unit 45. In the OSD section 45, a display mode (hereinafter, also referred to as an EPG display structure) indicating what arrangement and color is to be displayed when displaying the EPG on the screen is stored in advance. Based on the display structure, EPG image data to be displayed on the display screen is generated from the output of the EPG decoding unit 19 and combined with the decoded image data obtained by the AV decoding unit 23. The synthesizing operation is actually performed on the video ram of the AV decoding unit 23.

[0007]

The OSD section 45 generates image data of an EPG display screen based on a predetermined EPG display structure. That is, on the EPG display screen, predetermined display elements (EP, such as channel numbers, channel names, program titles, program contents, broadcast times, etc.) are displayed.
(G screen component) is displayed, and each display element is displayed at a predetermined position in a predetermined size and in a predetermined color. For this reason, there is a problem that the operator can only see the given one pattern of the EPG screen and cannot display the EPG screen according to the operator's preference and necessity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus for displaying program guide information on a display screen in a display format according to an operator's request, and a method for displaying the program guide information. The purpose is to do.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first invention is a tuner section for selecting a specific carrier, and a tuner section. A front-end unit for demodulating a carrier wave output from the PC and outputting a transport stream; a transport unit for extracting and outputting program guide information and compressed data of a program from the transport stream; and decoding the compressed data. An electronic program guide (EP) generated from a television image and the program guide information on a display screen.
G), further comprising an EPG display structure storage unit for storing the display structure of the EPG screen edited by the operator,
A digital television broadcast receiving apparatus that generates the electronic program guide based on an EPG display structure stored in a PG display structure storage unit and the program guide information, and displays the electronic program guide on a display screen.

According to the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, an electronic program guide (EPG) which receives broadcasted program guide information and generates a display screen based on the program guide information is provided.
Is displayed, the display structure of the EPG screen edited by the operator is stored, and the electronic program guide is generated based on the stored EPG display structure and the program guide information. The EPG can be displayed on the display screen in a display mode of the following.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the digital television broadcast receiver according to the first aspect, the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus further includes an EPG display structure analysis section for checking whether or not the EPG display structure has been changed and the contents of the change. A digital television broadcast receiving apparatus that updates the EPG display structure stored in the EPG display structure storage section when the digital television broadcast is stored.

According to the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, when the stored EPG display structure is changed, new EPG image data is generated. By generating the EPG screen, it is possible to prevent the load on the MPU from increasing.

A third invention is the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the first invention or the second invention, wherein the EPG
This is a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus in which an editable display element among display elements constituting a display structure is determined in advance.

According to the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, even when an operator who is not used to editing an EPG screen performs editing, it is possible to prevent the EPG screen from being destroyed by an incorrect editing operation. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the digital television broadcast receiver according to any one of the first to third aspects,
The display items deleted by the operator by editing the electronic program guide are displayed as E
This is a digital television broadcast receiving device that is displayed near the PG screen.

According to the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, when editing the EPG screen, the operator deletes the display element, which is deleted by the operator, in the vicinity of the EPG screen, for example, by using an icon or the like. The original state can be easily restored by designating the deleted display element with a pointer or the like.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcast date of digital broadcasting,
Digital having a function of receiving program guide information having information on a channel number, a program name, a program content, a program start time, and a program end time, and displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) generated from the program guide information on a display screen. In a method for displaying program guide information of a television broadcast receiving apparatus, a display structure of an EPG screen edited by an operator is stored, and the electronic program guide is generated based on the stored EPG display structure and the program guide information. Is a method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus to be displayed on a display screen.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the fifth aspect, there is provided a method for displaying program guide information.
Check whether the PG display structure has been changed and the changed contents,
A program guide information display method for a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein the stored EPG display structure is updated when the EPG display structure is changed.

According to a seventh aspect, in the program guide information display method of the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the fifth or sixth aspect, an editable display element among the display elements constituting the EPG display structure is set in advance. This is a method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus that has been determined.

According to an eighth invention, in the program guide information display method of the digital television broadcast receiver according to any one of the fifth to seventh inventions, the display item deleted by the operator by editing the electronic program guide is displayed. This is a method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus to be displayed near an EPG screen.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention comprises a digital broadcast date, a channel number,
An EPG screen edited by an operator in a digital television broadcast receiver having a function of receiving program guide information having information on a program name, program contents, a program start time, and a program end time and displaying an electronic program guide on a screen The electronic program guide (EPG image) is generated based on the EPG display structure and the received program guide information, and is displayed on a display screen.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention. The main difference between the digital television broadcast receiver 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the digital television broadcast receiver 50 shown in FIG. 4 is that the device shown in FIG. 1 is provided with an EPG display structure storage unit 31 and an EPG display structure analysis unit 33. Is a point. OSD unit 29
Is different from the operation of the OSD unit 45. In FIG. 1, the illustration of the connection between the system control unit 35 and each element is omitted. It should be noted that the EPG display structure storage unit 31 and the EPG display structure analysis unit 33 are not constituted by independent hardware.
It may be configured by a PU or a memory.

The EPG display structure storage unit 31 includes a storage element, and stores the display structure of the EPG screen edited by the operator via the operation unit 37 and the standard EPG display structure before editing. When editing the EPG displayed on the display means 27, the operator presses the operation means 37 or various command buttons provided on the screen by the operation means 37, or moves the pointer by the operation means 37. . The EPG display structure analysis unit 33 analyzes the command or pointer movement selected by the operator at the time of editing, generates the current EPG display structure, and gives it to the EPG display structure storage unit 31, and the EPG display structure storage unit 31 Stores the given latest EPG display structure.

When there is an EPG display request or when the operator is editing the EPG, O
The SD unit 29 generates EPG image data based on the EPG data given from the program information decoding unit (EPG decoding unit) 19 and the EPG display structure given from the EPG display structure storage unit 31, and Give to V-RAM. With the new EPG image data, V
The RAM is rewritten and displayed on the display means 27 via the NTSC encoder 25;

Hereinafter, the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus 10
Will be described in detail. In FIG. 1, the tuner 13
In the above, after the 12 GHz band satellite broadcast radio wave received by the receiving antenna 11 is frequency-converted by the converter to the 1 GHz band intermediate frequency signal, channel selection is performed based on the channel selection control signal from the system control unit 35. In the tuning,
One carrier is selected from a plurality of carriers included in the 1 GHz band intermediate frequency signal based on a channel selection control signal provided from the system control unit 35. The selected carrier is determined by a channel selection command given to the system control unit 35 by the operator via the operation unit 37.

The output of the tuner section 13 is supplied to a front end section 15. The front end section 15 converts a signal supplied from the tuner section 13 into a digital signal and performs digital demodulation such as QPSK. The front end unit 15 includes an A / D converter, a demodulation unit, a channel equalizer, an error correction decoding unit, and the like. The front end unit 15 sends a transport stream obtained by performing demodulation and error correction processing to the transport unit 17. The transport unit 17 includes a descramble unit that descrambles the scrambled transport stream, a demultiplex unit that separates multiplexed signals, and a D-RAM used in the separation process. Be composed.

The transport stream supplied from the front end unit 15 is descrambled by the de-scramble unit in the transport unit 17, and the multiplexed signal in which a plurality of programs are multiplexed is converted into the multiplex signal by the de-multiplex unit. Separated by FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transport stream of a digital broadcast as described in the conventional example. The transport stream includes, for example, a video signal compressed by the MPEG system, an audio signal compressed by the MPEG system, and program guide information. Data (EP
G data), signals of the Web, games, and the like are allocated to fixed-length packets and stored.

In the service information data stored in the EPG packet, data for channel selection and data such as a descramble key for conditional access are also multiplexed. The demultiplex processing in the demultiplex unit is performed according to the program selection information input to the system control unit 35 by the operator via the operation unit 37 and the menu screen, and receives the selected program (program). Video signal, audio signal,
Packets such as service information data are separated and extracted.

The above separated and extracted video signal and audio signal are supplied to the AV decoder 23, where they are separated from other program guide information (EPG data), data such as captions and text super data, and text broadcast data. Is done. EPG decoding unit 1
In step 9, program guide information is extracted from the above-described program guide information, data such as captions and text super, and data for text broadcast. In the program guide information storage unit (EPG storage unit) 21, the program guide information (E
PG data) is stored in the storage medium. AV decoding unit 23
Is a decoder (DEC) for decoding video signals compressed by the MPEG system and audio signals compressed by the MPEG system.
And a video ram (hereinafter also referred to as V-RAM) for storing the video signal decoded by the decoder.

When an EPG display request is received from the operator, E
The program guide information is read from the PG storage unit 21 and E
It is sent to the PG decoding unit 19 and displayed by the EPG decoding unit 19 such as channel number, channel name, program title, program content, broadcast time, and other display elements (EPG screen components).
Are decoded and supplied to the OSD unit 29. OSD part 29
Reads the EPG display structure from the EPG display structure storage unit 31 and performs EP based on the read EPG display structure.
G image data is generated and sent to the AV decoding unit 23. V
In the RAM, the decoded image data obtained by the AV decoding unit 23 and the EPG data are combined, and the combined image is displayed on the display unit 27.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an EPG display procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, in step S11, it is checked whether the EPG button has been pressed by the operator. If the EPG button has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S13. If not, the process returns to step S11. In step S13, the EPG stored in the EPG display structure storage unit 31
Based on the display structure, the OSD unit generates EPG image data, and the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, EP
It is determined whether the G screen edit button has been pressed. If the button has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S17.
Return to 3.

In step S17, the operator edits the EPG screen using the command buttons and the operating means 37, and proceeds to step S19. In step S19, it is checked whether or not an EPG screen editing operation has been performed.
The process proceeds to step S1, and if not, returns to step S17. In step S21, the EPG display structure is analyzed, and if the display structure has been changed, a new EPG display structure is added to the EP.
The image is stored in the G display structure storage unit 31, and the process proceeds to step S23. In step S23, when the display structure has been changed, the OSD unit 29 generates EPG screen data based on the display structure stored in the EPG display structure storage unit 31, and proceeds to step S25.

In step S25, it is determined whether or not the EPG screen edit end button has been pressed. If the button has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S27. If not, the process returns to step S17. In step S27, it is determined whether the EPG end button has been pressed. If the button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S13. If the button has been pressed, the EPG display flow ends.

In step S13, display elements on which the operator can perform an editing operation are predetermined. For example, channel numbers, channel names, program titles, program contents, and the like can be edited, and broadcast times cannot be edited. And An edit command operable for each display element is set in advance. Commands for performing editing operations include delete, move, restore, fill, standard, etc.Delete is a command to delete the display element selected with the pointer, and restore is the state before deleting the deleted display element Is a command for moving the display position of the selected display element, fill is a command for coloring the selected display element, and standard is a command for returning to the initial setting.

As for the commands and buttons for instructing the start and end of display and editing of the EPG, each command button may be provided on the operation means 37, or each command button is provided on the screen of the display means 27. May be. The items deleted by the deletion command are reduced and displayed in the vicinity of the EPG screen by, for example, icons. Then, the pointing element which has been deleted can be returned to the original state by pointing or clicking on the deleted marking element. A valid command is predetermined for each sign element. For example, when an editing operation is performed on a channel number or a channel name, information on the entire channel is simultaneously edited, and commands valid for the channel number or the channel name are deleted, moved, restored, and standard. Commands valid for the title of the program are fill, standard, and the like, and commands valid for the contents of the program include delete, restore, fill, and standard. You cannot delete, restore, or move only the channel number, the channel name, or the program title.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the EPG display according to the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example of the EPG screen after the operator has edited the standard EPG screen shown in FIG. . The EPG screen shown in FIG. 3 and the standard EPG shown in FIG.
Comparing the screens, in FIG. 3, the display order of the channels is changed, and the description of the program is deleted. For example, when the operator mainly watches channel 140, as in this operator, it is easy to see the indication of channel 140 at the leftmost position. On the other hand, in the case of an operator who rarely watches the 130 channel, the channel can be marked at the rightmost as shown in FIG. 3, or the entire 130 channel can be deleted so as not to be marked. Conversely, an operator who is particularly interested in professional baseball can color the “pro baseball night game” on channel 130. In editing, he points or clicks on the “program title” to color it.
The color may be a specific color set in advance, or the color may be selectable.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when receiving broadcast program guide information and displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) generated from the program guide information on a display screen, an operation is performed. By storing the display structure of the EPG screen edited by the operator and generating the electronic program guide based on the stored EPG display structure and the program guide information, the display screen is displayed in a display form requested by the operator. To EP
G can be displayed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an EPG display procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an EPG display according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional example of a digital television broadcast receiver.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transport stream of digital broadcasting.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a standard EPG display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Tuner section 15 Front end section 17 Transport section 19 Program guide information decoding section (EPG decoding section) 21 Program guide information storage section (EPG storage section) 21 23 AV decoding section 25 NTSC encoder 27 Display means 29 OSD section 31 EPG display Structure storage unit 33 EPG display structure analysis unit 35 System control unit 37 Operating means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/035

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A tuner section for selecting a specific carrier, a front-end section for demodulating a carrier outputted from the tuner section and outputting a transport stream, and compressing program guide information and a program from the transport stream. An electronic program guide generated from a television image and the program guide information on a display screen, comprising: a transport unit that extracts and outputs data; and a decoding unit that stores decoded data of the compressed data in a video ram. (EPG), further comprising an EPG display structure storage unit for storing a display structure of an EPG screen edited by an operator, wherein the EPG display structure storage unit stores the EPG display structure storage unit. The electronic program guide is generated based on a display structure and the program guide information, and is displayed on a display screen. Digital television broadcast receiver. 2. The digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an EPG display structure analysis unit for checking whether or not the EPG display structure has been changed and the contents of the change.
A digital television broadcast receiving apparatus for updating an EPG display structure stored in the EPG display structure storage unit when a PG display structure is changed. 3. The digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an editable display element among display elements constituting said EPG display structure is determined in advance. Receiver. 4. The digital television broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein a display item deleted by an operator by editing the electronic program guide is displayed near an EPG screen. Digital broadcast receiver. 5. An electronic program generated from the program guide information on a display screen by receiving program guide information having information on a broadcast date of a digital broadcast, a channel number, a program name, program contents, a program start time, and a program end time. In a method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiver having a function of displaying a table (EPG), a display structure of an EPG screen edited by an operator is stored, and the stored EPG display structure and the program guide information are stored. A program guide information display method for a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein the electronic program guide is generated based on the electronic program guide and displayed on a display screen. 6. A program guide information display method for a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 5, wherein whether the EPG display structure has been changed and the contents of the change are checked. EP stored
A method for displaying program guide information in a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus, comprising updating a G display structure. 7. A program guide information display method for a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an editable display element among the display elements constituting said EPG display structure is determined in advance. A method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiving apparatus. 8. A program guide information display method for a digital television broadcast receiver according to claim 5, wherein the display item deleted by the operator by editing the electronic program guide is displayed near the EPG screen. A method for displaying program guide information of a digital television broadcast receiver, characterized by displaying.