JP2002335465A - Broadcast receiver with menu item display function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a broadcast receiver that has a reduced capacity of a memory built in an OSD circuit to hierarchically display menu items for a user. SOLUTION: Menu items from the highest menu item to a menu item selected finally by a user are arranged hierarchically and the result is outputted as a hierarchical display 110 in a text form on part of menus (1), (2) selected by the user. A descriptor '-' 111 is displayed between the menu items.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus having a menu item display function for hierarchically displaying menu items via the OSD output means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an oscilloscope in which a display screen is divided into a plurality of windows and one of the windows is used to schematically display a hierarchy of menu items is known. No. 147018). In addition, a window display is provided in which a menu is displayed by providing an individual window for each menu item hierarchy, a menu item selected by the user and a corresponding window are connected by a straight line, and the dependency is visually displayed. A method is known (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-276).
194). Also, a menu display system that displays a menu item of an upper hierarchy and a menu item of a lower hierarchy of a menu selected by a user, and can select each menu item while referring to the menu items of the upper hierarchy and the lower hierarchy. Are known (for example, see
-251216). In addition, a file display method is known in which a file selected by a user and files of all layers are displayed side by side in a hierarchically structured file to clarify the hierarchical relationship between layers (for example, a special method). See JP-A-1-206424). Also, when the user operates a cursor on the screen to select one of the menu items, a menu item belonging to the menu item is displayed in accordance with the position of the cursor, and a display method for facilitating selection of the menu item is displayed. Is known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-16349). There is also known a menu system that displays a menu screen selected by a user and a menu screen of a higher rank side by side to facilitate confirmation of a higher rank menu (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-114902).

In recent years, in North America, a broadcasting station has issued an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee).
Digital broadcasts conforming to the standard are distributed. Receiving this digital broadcast, the existing NTSC (National Televis
2. Description of the Related Art Broadcasting receivers (set-top boxes: hereinafter referred to as STBs) for converting signals into signals receivable by a television receiver compatible with analog broadcasting of the Ion Systems Committee are becoming widespread. It is possible to provide the STB with a menu item hierarchy display function and a menu screen display function as described above.

[0004]

By the way, the menu item hierarchy is displayed in a tree diagram, and the menu screen is displayed by OSD.
In order to display, a signal to be added to the video signal must be calculated by performing an arithmetic process for handling graphic data. However, the operation using graphic data requires a large memory capacity as compared with the operation using text data. Therefore, in any of the above technologies, the OSD
The memory capacity for display cannot be saved, and a large-capacity memory is required, which is a factor that hinders cost reduction of the device and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has reduced a memory capacity necessary for displaying a hierarchical structure of menu items that is sufficient for a user, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a broadcast receiving device that can be designed.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input unit for inputting a command to an apparatus main body, and a coded digital / analog broadcast transmitted from a broadcast station. Receiving means for receiving a signal, digital / analog decoding means for decoding a digital / analog broadcast signal received by the receiving means and outputting the decoded signal to a display means for displaying an image connected to the apparatus, and a hierarchical structure relating to the setting of the apparatus Storage means for storing menu items configured in
A predetermined on-screen display (hereinafter, referred to as a display means)
A broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: an OSD output unit for displaying an image; a control unit for controlling each unit of the apparatus; and a menu item display function for displaying a menu item on the display unit via the OSD output unit. At
The control means, when displaying a menu screen corresponding to the menu item selected by the user operating the input means on the display means, from the top menu item to the last menu item selected by the user among the menu items Are sequentially arranged in a hierarchical order, and text is displayed along with the display of the menu screen, and a predetermined descriptor is inserted and displayed between each menu item.

In this configuration, when the user selects any one of a plurality of menu items on the menu screen displayed by OSD in the digital / analog broadcast receiving apparatus, the corresponding menu is subordinate to the subordinate menu. OSD is displayed with the item. At this time, the items from the top menu item to the last menu item selected by the user among all the menu items are OSD-displayed as text data in the hierarchical order. By this OSD display, all the upper menu items to which the menu item last selected by the user belongs are displayed, so that a sufficient amount of information for the user is secured. Further, since the OSD display is performed by text data, the memory capacity built in the OSD output means can be greatly reduced as compared with the case of handling graphic data which is indispensable for displaying the entire hierarchical structure. In addition, the screen area required for displaying the hierarchical structure of menu items is also reduced. For example, when the menu items are displayed and the setting of the apparatus main body is performed while the video is output, the screen area of the display unit is reduced. It is also suitable for limited cases. Also,
A predetermined descriptor, for example, between menu items of each hierarchy, for example,
Since "-" is inserted and displayed, the hierarchical relationship of each layer can be easily determined. The selection of a menu item is performed by using an input means. For example, a desired menu item is selected from a plurality of menu items by operating an “arrow key”, and the selection is made by pressing an “enter key”. Made by

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input unit for inputting a command to the apparatus main body, a receiving unit for receiving an encoded digital broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station, and a receiving unit for receiving an encoded digital broadcast signal. Digital decoding means for decoding a digital broadcast signal and outputting the decoded signal to a display means for displaying an image connected to the apparatus; storage means for storing hierarchically configured menu items related to the setting of the apparatus; On-screen display (hereinafter referred to as OSD)
In a broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: an OSD output unit for performing display; and a control unit for controlling each unit of the device, and having a menu item display function of hierarchically displaying menu items via the OSD output unit, the control unit includes: , Among the menu items, the menu items from the top menu item to the menu item last selected by the user are sequentially arranged in a hierarchical order and displayed as text.

[0009] In this configuration, in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus, items from the top menu item to the menu item last selected by the user among all the menu items are OSD-displayed as text data in a hierarchical order. By this OSD display, all the upper menu items to which the menu item last selected by the user belongs are displayed, so that a sufficient amount of information for the user is secured. Further, since the OSD display is performed by text data, the memory capacity built in the OSD output means can be greatly reduced as compared with the case of handling graphic data which is indispensable for displaying the entire hierarchical structure. The selection of a menu item is performed by using an input means. For example, a desired menu item is selected from a plurality of menu items by operating an “arrow key”, and the selection is made by pressing an “enter key”. Made by

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the broadcast receiving apparatus having the menu item display function according to the second aspect, a predetermined descriptor is inserted between the respective menu items during text display. It is characterized by being displayed. In this configuration, a predetermined descriptor, for example, "-" is inserted between the menu items of each layer and displayed, so that the hierarchical relationship of each layer can be easily determined.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A digital broadcast receiving apparatus (set-top box: hereinafter referred to as STB) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of the STB. STB1 is
Input device 11 (input means) such as a main body button or a remote control
In response to an operation input from a user using the digital broadcast receiver, a digital broadcast signal transmitted from a television broadcast station and coded according to the ATSC is received by the antenna 10, and the
This is a device that converts the video signal into a video signal compliant with the standard and displays it on the display device 12 (display means).

The STB 1 is, for example, an 8VSB (Vestigia
l A tuner 2 (receiving means) for receiving a digital broadcast signal transmitted by a modulation method of Side Band, and converts the digital broadcast signal received by the tuner 2 into a transport stream (TS) signal. The TS conversion circuit 4 analyzes the TS signal converted by the TS conversion circuit 4, decodes the video signal,
A TS analysis circuit 6 for displaying video, a memory 7 (storage means) for storing channel information relating to the transmission frequency of each main channel of digital broadcasting, a broadcasting language, etc., and extracting a digital audio signal of a predetermined broadcasting language. An audio output circuit 9 for outputting audio to the speaker device 15 and a control unit 8 (control means) including a CPU for controlling each unit of the receiving device are provided.

The tuner 2 receives a digital broadcast signal received by the antenna 10, performs a channel selection operation in accordance with a command input by the user from the input device 11 to the control unit 8, and responds to a channel input by the user. Receiving an 8VSB-modulated digital broadcast signal existing in a frequency band of interest. The TS conversion circuit 4 receives the 8VSB received by the tuner 2
The modulated broadcast signal is converted into a TS signal.

The TS analysis circuit 6 analyzes the TS signal converted by the TS conversion circuit 4 and outputs a video signal with an OSD display added to the display device 12 as necessary. FIG.
2 shows a block configuration of an analysis circuit 6. The TS analysis circuit 6
Transport parser 6a, external memory interface 6b, video decoder 6c (digital decoding means)
, A display controller 6d, and an OSD circuit 6e
(OSD output means) and digital video encoder 6f
, An audio interface 6g, a host processor interface 6h, and a PLL (Phase Locked Loo
p) circuit 6i. Transport parser 6
a obtains a TS signal transmitted from the TS conversion circuit 4 and decomposes the TS signal into a video signal, an audio signal, and a control signal. The external memory interface 6b receives a command from the control unit 8 via the host processor interface 6h, and receives a transport parser 6a, a video decoder 6
c and the connection between the display controller 6 d and the memory 7. For example, the video signal, the audio signal, and the control signal decomposed by the transport parser 6a are respectively transmitted to the memory 7 via the external memory interface 6b.
Is stored in

The video decoder 6c receives a command from the control unit 8, reads out and decodes the video signal stored in the memory 7. The display controller 6d includes a control unit 8
And converts the video signal decoded by the video decoder 6c into the NTSC format. The OSD circuit 6e receives a command from the control unit 8 and
c sends the converted NTSC video signal to the digital video encoder 6f.
The digital video encoder 6f
To send to. The OSD circuit 6e can perform an arithmetic process for adding an OSD display for each frame of video signal in response to a command from the control unit 8, and display the OSD display in a predetermined color on the display device 12. In addition, a memory is built in the OSD circuit 6e for performing the above-described arithmetic processing.

The digital video encoder 6f receives a command from the control unit 8, converts a video signal sent from the OSD circuit 6e into an analog signal, and outputs the analog signal to the display device 12. The audio interface 6g sends the audio signal decomposed by the transport parser 6a to the audio output circuit 9. The host processor interface 6h
Transmits a command from the control unit 8 to the transport parser 6a.
, An external memory interface 6b, a video decoder 6c, a display controller 6d, an OSD circuit 6e, and a digital video encoder 6f.
Further, the PLL circuit 6i matches the local oscillation frequency to a predetermined frequency based on the input clock signal.

The memory 7 stores channel information relating to the transmission frequency of each channel and the like and hierarchically arranged menu items relating to the setting of the apparatus. The memory 7 also stores control signals decomposed by the transport parser 6a. The control unit 8 controls the input device 11 by the user.
In response to an input operation using, control of each unit is performed through a data bus (Data-Bus). For example, the control unit 8 reads out a control signal decomposed by the transport parser 6a and stored in the memory 7 to read a VCT (Virtual Channel
Table) is analyzed, and the channel information of the channel currently being received is obtained based on the status signal included therein, and the channel information is output to the display device 12 via the OSD circuit 6e and the digital video encoder 6f.

The audio output circuit 9 converts an audio signal obtained from the audio interface 6g into an audio signal corresponding to the speaker device 15, and sends the audio signal to the speaker device 15. Specifically, the audio signal specified by the control unit 8 is extracted, decoded, and converted into an analog signal. The input device 11 is a device for inputting an operation command such as a channel change by a user to the control unit 8. Examples of the input device 11 include a main body button provided on the front surface of the STB 1 and a remote controller that issues an operation command for the STB 1 using infrared rays or the like. Display device 12
May use a display screen of a television receiver,
In addition to CRT, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
Or a flat panel display device such as a PDP (Plasma Display Panel). At that time, the display device 1
2 may be configured to directly connect from the OSD circuit 6e to the input terminal of the display device 12 without passing through the digital video encoder 6f, as long as the digital signal can be input to the digital video encoder 6f. The speaker device 15 is connected to the audio output circuit 9 and outputs audio based on the audio signal processed by the audio output circuit 9.

FIG. 3 is a tree diagram showing an example of the configuration of a menu (hierarchical menu) hierarchically stored in the memory 7. According to FIG. 3, the “main menu” 100 is the highest order, and the “channel set” 1
Menu items including 01 are subordinate. Here, illustration of other menu items is omitted. Further, below the “channel set” 101, “add / delete” 1
02, menu items “auto memo” 103 and “antenna” 104 are subordinate. In addition, "Add / Delete"
Below “102”, “add” 105 and “delete” 106
Menu items are subordinate.

The control unit 8 in the present embodiment causes the display device to display a menu screen corresponding to the menu item selected by the user operating the input device 11 in the hierarchical menu. FIG. 4 shows, as an example of a menu screen displayed on the display device, a case where a transition has been made from a channel set menu screen to an addition / deletion menu screen. When outputting the channel set menu screen, the control unit 8 issues a command to the OSD circuit 6e, arranges the menu items selected by the user last from the top menu items in hierarchical order, and displays the menu items in a hierarchical manner at the top of the menu screen. In the channel set menu screen, "Add / Delete" 10
2. Menu items of “auto memo” 103 and “antenna” 104 are displayed. In the upper part 110 of the menu screen, menu items from the top “Main Menu” to the “Channel Set” selected last by the user are displayed in a hierarchical order in a hierarchical order. Descriptors "-" are inserted and displayed between the menu items. In this state, the user operates the input device 11
Is operated and "addition / deletion" is selected, an addition / deletion menu screen is output. On this screen,
Menu items “add” 105 and “delete” 106 are displayed. In the upper part 110, menu items from the highest-order "main menu" to the "addition / deletion" selected last by the user are displayed in a hierarchical order in a hierarchical order.

In this embodiment, not all the menu items are displayed in a tree diagram in a hierarchical manner, but each time the menu screen is switched by the user's selection, the menu items selected by the user, that is, insufficient for the user. Display only menu items without a hierarchy. At this time, a descriptor "-" 111 is inserted between the menu items.
If only the menu items selected by the user are displayed using the descriptor "-" 111 in this manner, for example, as shown in FIG. The main part of the hierarchical structure can be displayed by arranging the text data. Therefore, the memory capacity required for displaying the hierarchical structure built in the OSD circuit 6e can be greatly reduced. In addition, the screen area required for displaying the hierarchical structure of menu items is also reduced. For example, when the menu items are displayed and the setting of the apparatus main body is performed while the video is output, the screen area of the display unit is reduced. It is also suitable for limited cases.

The present invention can be variously modified without being limited to the configuration of the above embodiment.
1 is an NTSC digital broadcasting signal and NTSC
May be configured to be able to receive the analog broadcast signal of the above. In this case, it is assumed that the tuner 2 can also receive a broadcast signal in a band to which analog broadcast is distributed.
B1 is separately provided with an analog decoder for decoding the analog broadcast signal received by the tuner 2. Also,
The hierarchical display of the menu items is not limited to being displayed beside the menu screen, and may be displayed alone or together with another display screen. Further, the descriptor inserted between the menu items is not limited to "-", and other characters may be applied.

[0023]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
In the digital / analog broadcast receiving apparatus, even when the capacity of the memory built in the OSD output unit is small, it is possible to perform the hierarchical display of the menu items that is sufficient for the user. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the broadcast receiving device can be reduced. In addition, since a predetermined descriptor is inserted and displayed between the menu items of each hierarchy, the hierarchical relationship of each hierarchy can be easily determined. Therefore, by referring to this hierarchical display, the user can visually easily determine whether to proceed to a lower hierarchical level or to return to a higher hierarchical level.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus, even when the capacity of the memory built in the OSD output means is small, it is possible to perform a hierarchical display of menu items sufficient for the user. it can. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the broadcast receiving device can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a predetermined descriptor is inserted and displayed between the menu items of each layer, so that the hierarchical relationship of each layer can be easily visually determined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a TS analysis circuit of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a tree diagram showing a hierarchical configuration of menu items stored in a memory of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a menu screen and a hierarchical display displayed on the menu screen in the same device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 STB (broadcast receiving device) 2 Tuner (receiving means) 6c Video decoder (digital decoding means) 6e OSD circuit (OSD output means) 7 Memory (storage means) 8 Control unit (control means) 11 Input device (input means) 12 Display device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Manabu Yamamoto 7-7-1 Nakagakiuchi, Daito-shi, Osaka Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Inai 7-7-1 Nakagakiuchi, Daito-shi, Osaka Funai Electric Incorporated F term (reference) 5C025 BA25 BA27 BA28 BA30 CA09 CB09 CB10 DA01 DA05 5E501 AA30 AB06 BA03 BA05 CA02 CC02 EB05 FA22 FA43 FB34 FB44 5K061 AA01 BB07 BB10 DD00 DD10 DD11 DD12 FF01 JJ07

Claims (3)

[Claims] An input unit for inputting a command to an apparatus main body, a receiving unit for receiving an encoded digital / analog broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station, and a digital / analog broadcast received by the receiving unit Digital / analog decoding means for decoding a signal and outputting it to a display means for displaying an image connected to the apparatus, storage means for storing hierarchically structured menu items related to the setting of the apparatus, OSD output means for displaying a predetermined on-screen display (hereinafter, referred to as OSD); and control means for controlling each means of the above-mentioned apparatus, wherein the menu items are displayed on the display means via the OSD output means. In the broadcast receiving apparatus having a menu item display function to be displayed, the control unit operates the input unit to allow a user to make a selection. When a menu screen corresponding to a menu item is displayed on the display means, among the menu items, the menu items from the top menu item to the menu item last selected by the user are sequentially arranged in a hierarchical order, and the menu screen is displayed. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a menu item display function, wherein a text is displayed along with the display, and a predetermined descriptor is inserted and displayed between each menu item. 2. An input unit for inputting a command to an apparatus main body, a receiving unit for receiving an encoded digital broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station, and a decoding unit for decoding a digital broadcast signal received by the receiving unit. Digital decoding means for outputting to a display means for displaying an image connected to the apparatus, storage means for storing hierarchically configured menu items related to the setting of the apparatus, and a predetermined on-screen display ( Hereinafter, referred to as OSD)
A broadcast receiving device comprising: an SD output unit; and a control unit that controls each unit of the device, and having a menu item display function of hierarchically displaying the menu items via the OSD output unit. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a menu item display function, wherein the menu items from the top menu item to the last menu item selected by the user among the menu items are sequentially arranged in a hierarchical order and text-displayed. 3. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a predetermined descriptor is inserted and displayed between the menu items in the text display.