JP2005218131A - Channel tuning method of digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a channel tuning method of a digital broadcasting receiver which is very user-friendly without tuning the channel of one and the same program a plurality of times to present the channel to a user. <P>SOLUTION: In a step S3, it is determined whether a designated channel number exists on a NIT (network information table). If the channel number exists (Y), in a step S4, it is determined whether a channel to be tuned from now on is the same component as a channel tuned up to now. If it is the same component (Y), a return is made to a step S2. If it is not the same component (N), in a step S5, a transponder with the designated channel existing is tuned, in a step S6, a PAT (program association table) is received, and in a step S7, a PMT (program map table) is received to extract image and sound packets, completing tuning processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a channel selection method for a digital broadcast transmitter, and more particularly to a channel selection method for a digital broadcast transmitter that can be used when a channel is sequentially selected.

  In digital broadcasting, video, audio, and additional data are time-division multiplexed and transmitted in a packetized stream. Video, audio, and additional data are divided into small groups (188 bytes) of a certain size called TS packets, and are transmitted in a time-division multiplexed manner. Each TS packet is given an identification number called PID (Packet ID). The same type of data is assigned the same PID. Of course, the same PID is assigned to the same video and the same audio.

  Among the additional data, NIT, PMT, PAT, EIT, etc. are related to channel selection of the receiver. NIT is an abbreviation for Network Information Table, and is a list of all channels broadcast in the network and data indicating the information. PMT is an abbreviation for Program Map Table, and is information data of a channel currently being broadcast. PAT is an abbreviation for Program Association Table, and is data indicating PID information of the PMT. EIT is an abbreviation of Event Information Table, and is information data for each program for current and future programs.

When the digital broadcast receiver is turned on, it first receives the NIT, obtains data indicating a list and information of all channels broadcast in the network, receives the PAT, and selects the channel selected by the user. PMT is searched for, and channel information is obtained.
The user can use the channel selection function sequentially to know the contents of a program that is currently being broadcast or to select a channel. The sequential channel selection function is a function that automatically selects and displays a channel currently being broadcast in a short time in order. When the desired channel is displayed, the user can select the desired channel and continue to watch it by performing operation input with a remote control transmitter or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a conventional sequential channel selection method. In FIG. 3, when the program starts (step S1), a channel number obtained by adding 1 to the current channel number (starting from 0 when the power is turned on) is set (step S2). Next, it is determined whether there is a designated channel number on the NIT (step S3). If it does not exist (N: No), the process returns to step S2. If it exists (Y: Yes), a transponder with a designated channel is selected (step S5). Then, the PAT is received, and the PMT PID for the channel to be selected is acquired (step S6). Next, the PMT is received to acquire channel information, and an instruction to extract video and audio packets is given to the transport decoder (step S7), thereby completing the channel selection process.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-275476

  By the way, in BS digital broadcasting scheduled to start broadcasting in Japan in December 2000, three channels of SDTV (standard TV broadcasting) or one channel of HDTV (high-definition TV broadcasting) are used in one transport stream in a time-sharing manner. A mixed operation is planned. Normally, the SDTV 3 channels have different channel numbers, and the channels are in an independent relationship. When the operation of configuring one HDTV component group with each independent channel is performed, if the channel sequential channel selection operation is performed during HDTV broadcasting, the same content channel is selected multiple times, There was a problem that it was presented and was very unusable.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem. Even when the same component group is transmitted with a plurality of channel numbers at the same time in the same transport stream, the channel of the same event is set. An object of the present invention is to provide a channel selection method for a digital broadcast receiver that is very convenient to use without being selected multiple times and presented to the user.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a channel selection method for a digital broadcast receiver that receives a digital broadcast in which video information and additional information are transmitted. A first step (S2) for setting the channel number of the channel to be selected next to the channel number of the channel, and a network information table (NIT) in which the channel number of the channel to be selected next is included in the additional information. ) In the second step (S3) for determining whether or not the channel number of the next channel to be selected is determined in the second step. Based on program data in an event information table (EIT) included in the information, the component of the channel to be selected next is the current channel By providing a third step (S4) for determining whether or not the channel components are the same, the same component is transmitted on a plurality of channels in the same transport stream at the same time. The present invention provides a channel selection method for a digital broadcast receiver, wherein channel selection is performed by treating the plurality of channels as one channel.

  According to the present invention, when the same component group is transmitted on a plurality of channels in the same transport stream at the same time, the channel of the same component group (same event) is selected a plurality of times to the user. It is possible to greatly improve the usability without presenting it.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital broadcast receiver. In FIG. 2, the transmitted digital broadcast wave comes from the antenna 1 and is supplied to the tuner 2 in the digital broadcast receiver 9. The tuner 2 switches the reception transponder, demodulates the received signal, corrects an error, and supplies the transport stream to the transport decoder 3 under the control of the system controller 7.

  The transport decoder 3 extracts necessary video and audio packets from the transport stream under the control of the system controller 7 and supplies them to the AV decoder 4 as well as additional information packets such as program information and channel information. Are also extracted and supplied to the system controller 7. The AV decoder 4 decodes video and audio packets, obtains a video output signal and an audio output signal, supplies them to the monitor 5, and reproduces the video and audio.

  The operation input unit 6 includes a receiver main body and attached remote control transmitter keys, and transmits a user operation instruction input to the system controller 7. The system controller 7 interprets the contents of the user's operation instruction input, and supplies program information to the display control unit 8 when, for example, a program guide key is pressed. The display control unit 8 creates display image data such as a program guide based on the program information and the like, supplies it to the AV decoder 4, superimposes it on the video output signal, and displays it on the monitor 5.

  FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the sequential channel selection method of the present invention. In FIG. 1, when the program starts (step S1), a channel number obtained by adding 1 to the current channel number (starting from 0 when the power is turned on) is set (step S2). Next, it is determined whether there is a designated channel number on the NIT (step S3). If it does not exist (N: No), the process returns to step S2.

  If it exists (Y: Yes), based on the program data in the EIT, determine whether the channel to be selected is the same component (same event) as the channel that has been selected so far (Step S4). If it is the same component (Y), the process returns to step S2. If not the same component (N), a transponder with a designated channel is selected (step S5). Then, the PAT is received, and the PMT PID for the channel to be selected is acquired (step S6). Next, the PMT is received, channel information is acquired, and an instruction to extract video and audio packets is given to the transport decoder 3 (step S7), thereby completing the channel selection process.

  When the same component group is transmitted with a plurality of channel numbers at the same time in the same transport stream by the channel selection operation described above, the plurality of channels are set as one channel and the channels are sequentially Since channel selection and display at the time of channel selection are performed, there is no problem that the same channel is selected a plurality of times and presented to the user.

3 is a flowchart for explaining a sequential channel selection method of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of a digital broadcast receiver. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the conventional sequential channel selection method.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Antenna 2 Tuner 3 Transport decoder 4 AV decoder 5 Monitor 6 Operation input part 7 System controller 8 Display control part 9 Digital broadcast receiver

Claims (1)

In a channel selection method of a digital broadcast receiver that receives a digital broadcast in which video information and additional information are transmitted,
When selecting channels sequentially,
A first step of setting a channel number of a channel to be selected next with respect to a channel number of the current channel;
A second step of determining whether the channel number of the channel to be selected next exists in a network information table (NIT) included in the additional information;
When it is determined in the second step that the channel number of the next channel to be selected exists, the next step is based on program data in an EIT (Event Information Table) included in the additional information. Providing a third step of determining whether the component of the channel to tune to is the same as the component of the current channel,
A digital broadcasting receiver characterized in that, when the same component is transmitted on a plurality of channels in the same transport stream at the same time, channel selection is performed by treating the plurality of channels as one channel. Channel selection method.

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