JP2004282564A - Ground wave digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to obtain a retrieval result without specifying retrieval conditions every time when retrieving program and to preset a channel matching with the retrieval conditions specified by the user to a remote controller. <P>SOLUTION: A retrieval part 61 sequentially extracts program IDs of programs of which the major classification and the intermediate classification inputted in boxes 611, 612 are described by a content describer of an EIT (Event Information Table) and the entire or a part of a character string inputted in a box 613 is described by a short form event describer from the EIT. A setting part 62 associates the program IDs extracted by the retrieval part 61, button numbers corresponding to the retrieval conditions and the number of times of depression with one another and stores them in a button setting table 81. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital terrestrial broadcast receiver.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a conventional broadcast receiver, various techniques have been proposed for allowing a viewer to easily select a desired broadcast program. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique capable of skip-selecting a program having the same attribute as a currently viewed program. According to Patent Literature 1, when a user operates a program search key of the remote control transmitter 11, the control circuit 6 extracts attribute information such as a genre of the program currently being viewed. Next, the extracted attribute information is compared with the attribute information of another program currently transmitted, and if they match, the program is extracted and stored. In this way, by operating the up / down key of the remote control transmitter 11, only the program having the same attribute as the currently viewed program can be skipped.
[0003]
Alternatively, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique capable of selecting a program corresponding to a genre preferred by a viewer. According to Patent Literature 2, attribute data such as a genre the viewer likes is stored in the memory 19 in advance. When the viewer presses the favorite genre button 17a, the control unit 16 causes the monitor 2 to display a program including attribute data matching the attribute data stored in the memory 19. The viewer can select a desired program from the displayed programs by using the tuning button 17b. Thus, the viewer can immediately select a program from a favorite genre.
[0004]
On the other hand, Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique for excluding a channel stored in a preset memory from searched channels when searching for a channel in a genre designated by a user. According to Patent Document 3, first, the user operates the operation unit 11 to store a channel desired by the user in the preset memory 12. Then, when the user operates the operation unit 11 to select a genre of a channel to be searched, the control unit 6 searches for a channel to which the selected genre is added from channels being broadcast. Then, the control unit 6 excludes the channels stored in the preset memory 12 from the searched channels and displays the channels on the display device 10. By doing so, preset channels can be excluded from the search results and the search results can be displayed, which is convenient for performing a genre search in channels that the user rarely watches.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-261733 (paragraphs 0034 to 0039, FIG. 2)
[0006]
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-10-28243 (paragraphs 0052 to 0057)
[0007]
[Patent Document 3]
JP-A-2002-51277 (paragraphs 0026 to 0034)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the technique described in Patent Document 1, a program including attribute information that matches the attribute information of the program currently being viewed can be skipped, but the searched program cannot be preset in the remote control transmitter 11. In addition, the user must operate the program search key of the remote control transmitter 11 each time to search for a channel.
[0009]
According to the technique described in Patent Document 2, a program including attribute data matching the attribute data stored in the memory 19 is displayed on the monitor 2, but the attribute data matching the attribute data stored in the memory 19 is displayed. It is not possible to preset a program including the program on the remote controller 17. In order to display such a program, it is necessary to press the favorite genre button 17a each time.
[0010]
According to the technique described in Patent Document 3, a channel obtained by excluding a channel stored in the preset memory 12 from the searched channels is displayed on the display device 10, but this channel cannot be stored in the preset memory 12. In addition, in order to search for a channel, it is necessary to operate the operation unit 11 each time to select a genre.
[0011]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to obtain a search result without specifying a search condition every time a user searches for a program. Another object of the present invention is to preset a channel that matches a search condition specified by a user in a remote controller.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a digital terrestrial broadcast receiver according to claim 1 includes a search condition input receiving unit that receives an input of a search condition of a digital terrestrial broadcast program, and the program based on the input search condition. A search unit that performs a search at power-on, a setting unit that sets a program corresponding to a search condition to a channel selection button, and a program corresponding to the search condition ends when the channel selection button is pressed. A broadcast schedule selection unit that displays a future broadcast schedule of a program corresponding to the search condition and receives a selection of a desired broadcast schedule, and receives a selection as to whether or not to execute the search, and when the execution is selected, An execution selection accepting unit for causing the search unit to perform the search, and accepting a selection as to whether or not to perform a re-search when there is no program corresponding to the search condition. A re-searching unit for causing the item input receiving unit to receive the input of the search condition again, and performing a search for the program again based on the search condition input to the search unit, wherein the setting unit corresponds to the search condition. When there are a plurality of programs to be selected, each program is set as a channel selection button in correspondence with the number of times the channel selection button is pressed.
[0013]
3. A terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein: a search condition input receiving unit that receives an input of a search condition of a terrestrial digital broadcast program; and a search that is performed when the power is turned on based on the input search condition. And a unit.
[0014]
According to the invention, once the user inputs the search condition, the program is searched according to the search condition input when the power of the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver is turned on. Therefore, the user can search for a desired program without frequently inputting search conditions.
[0015]
A terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to a third aspect is the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to the second aspect, further comprising a setting unit that sets a program corresponding to the search condition to a tuning button.
[0016]
According to the above invention, the program corresponding to the search condition is set to the channel selection button. Therefore, the user can view the program corresponding to the search condition only by operating the channel selection button.
[0017]
In the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 4, in the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 3, when there are a plurality of programs corresponding to the search condition, the setting unit selects a program. The channel selection button is set in correspondence with the number of times of pressing.
[0018]
According to the above invention, the program corresponding to the search condition is set corresponding to the number of times the tuning button is pressed. Therefore, the user can select and watch a desired program from a plurality of programs set to one channel selection button by pressing the channel selection button a predetermined number of times.
[0019]
The terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 5, wherein in the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 3, the program that satisfies the search condition is terminated when the tuning button is pressed. And a broadcast schedule selection unit for displaying a future broadcast schedule of a program corresponding to the above and receiving a selection of a desired broadcast schedule.
[0020]
According to the present invention, when a program corresponding to the search condition ends when the channel selection button is pressed, a desired broadcast schedule can be selected from future broadcast schedules of the program corresponding to the search condition. If the selected broadcast schedule is a recording schedule such as a start-up schedule of a receiver or a VTR, for example, a viewing reservation or a recording reservation of a program corresponding to the search condition can be made. That is, even if the user misses viewing or recording of a program corresponding to the search condition, the user can reliably view or record the program at the next broadcast by making a reservation.
[0021]
A terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 6 is the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein selection of whether or not to execute the search is accepted, and when the execution is selected, the search unit Further comprising an execution selection receiving unit for causing the search to be performed.
[0022]
According to the above invention, it is possible to select whether or not to execute a search. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary search from being executed each time the power is turned on.
[0023]
The terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 7, in the terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 2, accepts a selection as to whether or not to perform a re-search when a program corresponding to the search condition does not exist; When a re-search is selected, the apparatus further comprises a re-search unit that causes the search condition input reception unit to receive an input of a search condition again, and causes the search unit to search for a program again based on the search condition input. It is characterized by.
[0024]
According to the invention, even when there is no program corresponding to the search condition, the search can be performed by inputting the search condition again.
[0025]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<First embodiment>
(1) Hardware Configuration FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of a terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. This receiver includes an OFDM tuner circuit 1, a DE / MUX circuit 2, an MPEG DECODER circuit 3, a GRAPHIC circuit 4, an NTSC encoder circuit 5, a CPU 6, memories 7, 8, and an infrared receiving unit 9. Have. The OFDM tuner circuit 1 receives a broadcast signal based on the frequency of the channel set by the CPU 6. The DE / MUX circuit 2 decodes the OFDM signal into data in the MPEG format, outputs the data to the MPEG DECODER circuit 3, and inputs the area identification information included in the NIT (Network Information Table) to the CPU 6. The MPEG DECODER circuit 3 decodes data in MPEG format. The GRAPHIC circuit 4 converts the decoded data in the MPEG format into an image signal. The NTSC encoder circuit 5 converts an image signal into an NTSC signal and outputs it to a display device 20 such as a television. If the television has a D terminal, an image signal may be input to the D terminal.
[0026]
The CPU 6 performs a channel scan by setting the frequency of the channel in the OFDM tuner circuit 1. As a result of the channel scan, if it is determined that a broadcast signal from a certain broadcasting station can be received normally and well, the CPU 6 stores a channel list in which the identification number of the broadcasting station is associated with the frequency in the memory 8.
[0027]
The CPU 6 is connected to the infrared receiver 9. The infrared receiving section 9 receives an infrared signal based on an operation of the tuning button 100 of the remote controller 10. The infrared signal includes information indicating the numbers 1 to 12 of the tuning button 100 (hereinafter, number information). The CPU 6 is operated based on the number information, the number of times the same channel selection button 100 is pressed, that is, the number of times the same number information is received, the channel list, and the button setting table 81 stored in the memory 8. The frequency corresponding to the tuning button 100 is set in the OFDM tuner circuit 1, and a broadcast signal is received. As will be described later, the button setting table 81 defines correspondences between the numbers 1 to 12 of the tuning buttons 100, the number of times the tuning button 100 is pressed, and the identification numbers of the broadcasting stations.
[0028]
The memory 7 is a volatile memory, for example, a RAM. The memory 7 temporarily stores information included in the received signal. The memory 8 is a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, for example, an EEPROM.
[0029]
(2) Functional Configuration (2-1) Memory FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of information stored in the button setting table 81. In this table, the button number, the program ID, and the number of times of pressing are stored in association with each other. The button numbers are numbers 1 to 12 of the tuning button 100. The program ID is a program identifier. The program ID also includes the identification number of the broadcasting station that broadcasts the program. For example, the program ID “P003 / B001” includes the broadcast station identification number “B001”. The number of presses indicates the number of presses of a button for displaying a channel that broadcasts the program when there are a plurality of program IDs associated with the channel selection button. For example, when the tuning button 100 with the number “1” is pressed once, the frequency of the broadcasting station that broadcasts the program with the program ID “P003 / B001” is set in the OFDM tuner circuit 1 by the CPU 6. When the channel selection button with the number “1” is pressed twice, the frequency of the broadcast station that broadcasts the program with the program ID “P008 / B005” is set in the OFDM tuner circuit 1.
[0030]
(2-2) CPU
Referring to FIG. 1 again, the CPU 6 includes a search condition input receiving unit 60, a search unit 61, a setting unit 62, and a re-search unit 63. The search condition input receiving unit 60 receives, from the remote controller 10 or the like, search conditions that are conditions for the search unit 61 to search for a program.
[0031]
The input of the search condition is performed on the search condition input screen of FIG. In this search condition input screen, a condition to be satisfied by a program to be searched can be input for each of the button numbers 1 to 12. The conditions that can be input are the genre and the keyword of the program, and the genre can be further divided into a large category and a middle category. Here, any of “sports”, “variety”, and “news” can be selected from the box 611 as a large classification. The medium category classifies the genre of the program in more detail for the selected large category. Here, for the large category "sports", "baseball", "soccer", and "golf" can be selected from the box 612. An arbitrary character string can be input in the box 613. For example, a character string such as a program name or a name of a cast of the program is input. It is not necessary to input all of the large classification, the middle classification, and the character string as the search condition, and it is sufficient to specify one of them. For example, only a major classification or a character string may be input. Further, the search conditions that can be input on this screen are not limited to the above, and it is possible to input anything other than the genre and keyword of the program, for example, the parental control age, as the search conditions.
[0032]
The search unit 61 searches for a program specified by the input large category, middle category, and keyword based on an EIT (Event Information Table) transmitted from a broadcasting station. The EIT includes a short event descriptor that describes a program name and a brief description of the program, a content descriptor that describes a large genre category and a middle genre category of the program, and the like. The search unit 61 determines that the major category and the middle category entered in the boxes 611 and 612 are described in the EIT content descriptor, and that all or a part of the character string entered in the box 613 is an EIT short-form event. The program ID of the program described in the descriptor is sequentially extracted from the EIT.
[0033]
The setting unit 62 stores the program ID extracted by the search unit 61, the button number corresponding to the search condition, and the number of times of depression in the button setting table 81 in association with each other. The number of times of pressing may be, for example, the order of extracting the program IDs by the search unit 61, but may be determined by another method. Hereinafter, the information stored in the button setting table 81 is referred to as button setting information.
[0034]
When there is no program corresponding to the search condition as a result of the search by the search unit 61, the re-search unit 63 causes the display device 20 to display a screen prompting the re-search (see FIG. 4), and executes the re-search by the remote controller 10. Accept input. Then, the search condition input receiving unit 60 is made to again receive the input of the search condition, and the search unit 61 is made to again search for the program with the input search condition.
[0035]
(3) Process Performed by CPU The flow of the channel setting process performed by the CPU 6 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The channel setting process starts when the power of the receiver is turned on.
[0036]
Step (hereinafter, referred to as S) 11: The search unit 61 sequentially searches for programs according to the search conditions input for each button number on the search condition input screen in FIG. The search order may be, for example, from the one with the smallest button number.
[0037]
S12: The search unit 61 determines whether there is a program corresponding to the search condition input on the search condition input screen. If there is, the process proceeds to S13. If not, the process proceeds to S14.
[0038]
S13: The setting unit 62 stores the program ID extracted by the search unit 61, the button number corresponding to the search condition, and the number of presses in the button setting table 81 in association with each other.
[0039]
S14: The re-search unit 63 causes the display device 20 to display a screen indicating that there is no program corresponding to the search condition input on the search condition input screen and prompting for a re-search, as shown in FIG.
[0040]
S15: The re-search unit 63 receives an input of selection of “Re-search” or “keep the current channel” from the remote controller 10 or the like on the screen of FIG. If “Research” is selected, the process proceeds to S17, and if “Keep current channel” is selected, the process proceeds to S16.
[0041]
S16: The search unit 61 determines whether or not the search has been performed for all the button numbers for which the search conditions are specified. If all the button numbers have been searched, the process ends. If all the button numbers have not been searched, the process returns to S11, and a program search is performed using the search conditions input for the button numbers that have not been searched yet.
[0042]
S17: The search condition input receiving unit 60 displays the search condition input screen of FIG. 3 and receives the input of the search condition. Then, returning to S11, the search unit 61 searches for a program using the input search conditions.
[0043]
By the above processing, once the search condition is input on the search condition input screen, a program that matches the search condition is searched when the receiver is turned on, and the program ID of the program corresponding to the search condition and the channel selection button are set. The numbers are stored in the button setting table 81 in association with each other. That is, if the user specifies the search condition and turns on the power of the receiver again, the user can view the favorite program only by pressing the channel selection button 100.
[0044]
Further, by the above processing, the button setting table 81 stores the button number and the program ID in association with the number of times the tuning button 100 is pressed. Therefore, by pressing the channel selection button 100 a predetermined number of times, the user can select and view a desired program from a plurality of programs set on one channel selection button 100.
[0045]
Further, according to the above-described processing, even when there is no program corresponding to the search condition, whether the search condition is input again to execute the search, or whether the program set to the channel selection button 100 is to be left as it is. The user can make a selection. Therefore, the user can set the favorite program to the tuning button 100 by appropriately changing the search condition.
[0046]
<Other embodiments>
(A) In the first embodiment, when a program identified by the program ID stored in the button setting table 81 is selected by the tuning button 100, the program may have already ended. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, a screen indicating that the program has already ended and a list of the scheduled broadcast date and time may be displayed on the display device 20. Further, on this screen, a program to be viewed or recorded may be selected from a list of scheduled broadcast dates and times. By doing so, even if the user misses watching or recording a program that meets the search condition, the user can reliably view and record the program at the next broadcast by making a reservation.
[0047]
(B) Whether to execute the button setting process of the first embodiment may be set from a menu screen or the like. This can prevent unnecessary execution of the button setting process each time the power of the receiver is turned on. When the button setting process is not executed, a table (tuning button assignment table) in which the identification numbers of the broadcasting stations in each region and the numbers 1 to 12 of the tuning buttons stored in the memory 8 correspond to each other. It may be used instead of the setting table 81.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, once a user inputs a search condition, a program is searched according to the search condition input when the digital terrestrial broadcast receiver is turned on. Therefore, the user can search for a desired program without frequently inputting search conditions.
[0049]
Further, according to the present invention, a program corresponding to the search condition is set to the channel selection button. Therefore, the user can view the program corresponding to the search condition only by operating the channel selection button.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a terrestrial digital broadcast receiver.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual explanatory diagram of information stored in a button setting table.
FIG. 3 is a display example of a search condition input screen.
FIG. 4 is a display example of a re-search designation screen.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a channel setting process.
FIG. 6 is an example of a screen showing a list of scheduled broadcast dates and times.
[Explanation of symbols]
60: search condition input receiving unit 61: search unit 62: setting unit 63: re-search unit 81: button setting table

Claims (7)

A search condition input receiving unit that receives an input of a search condition of a terrestrial digital broadcast program; a search unit that searches for the program based on the input search condition when the power is turned on; and a button for selecting a program that meets the search condition. And a setting unit for setting, when a program corresponding to the search condition is terminated when the tuning button is pressed, displaying a future broadcast schedule of the program corresponding to the search condition and selecting a desired broadcast schedule. A broadcast schedule selection unit for receiving the search, an execution selection reception unit for receiving a selection as to whether or not to execute the search, and causing the search unit to perform the search when the execution is selected; When a program does not exist, a selection as to whether or not to perform a re-search is accepted. If a re-search is selected, the search condition input accepting unit is made to accept an input of a search condition again, and the search condition is inputted to the search unit. And a re-search unit for re-searching the program based on the search condition, wherein the setting unit associates each program with the number of times the channel selection button is pressed when a plurality of programs corresponding to the search condition exist. A terrestrial digital broadcast receiver characterized by setting a channel selection button. A terrestrial digital broadcast comprising: a search condition input receiving unit that receives an input of a search condition of a terrestrial digital broadcast program; and a search unit that searches for the program based on the input search condition when the power is turned on. Receiving machine. The terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 2, further comprising a setting unit that sets a program corresponding to the search condition to a channel selection button. The terrestrial digital broadcasting according to claim 3, wherein, when there are a plurality of programs corresponding to the search condition, the setting unit sets each program in the channel selection button in association with the number of times the channel selection button is pressed. Broadcast receiver. When the program corresponding to the search condition is completed when the tuning button is pressed, a broadcast schedule selection unit that displays a future broadcast schedule of the program corresponding to the search condition and receives a selection of a desired broadcast schedule is provided. The terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 3, further comprising: 3. The terrestrial digital broadcasting according to claim 2, further comprising an execution selection receiving unit that receives a selection as to whether or not to execute the search and causes the search unit to perform the search when the execution is selected. Broadcast receiver. When there is no program corresponding to the search condition, a selection as to whether or not to perform a re-search is received, and when the re-search is selected, the search condition input receiving unit is made to receive the input of the search condition again, 3. The terrestrial digital broadcast receiver according to claim 2, further comprising a re-search unit that searches for a program again based on the search condition input to the unit.

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