JP2012160919A - Electronic apparatus and notification method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus and a notification method capable of suitably giving a user information on satellite broadcast as a measure against difficulty in viewing terrestrial digital broadcasting.SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus according to the embodiment comprises reception means, determination means, and notification means. The reception means receives information indicating a local region. The determination means determines whether the installation place is in a local region in which the satellite broadcast as a measure against difficulty in viewing terrestrial digital broadcasting is available, on the basis of the received information indicating the local region. The notification means gives the information on the satellite broadcast when the installation place is the local region in which the satellite broadcast is available.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electronic device and a notification method.

  Currently, broadcast waves are undergoing a complete transition from analog broadcasting to terrestrial digital broadcasting. However, at present, there are areas where it is difficult to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting (hereinafter also referred to as terrestrial digital broadcasting). Therefore, even in areas where it is difficult to receive terrestrial digital broadcasts, terrestrial digital broadcasting that tentatively broadcasts terrestrial digital broadcast programs using satellite broadcasts so that users can view programs broadcast on terrestrial digital broadcasts. Countermeasure satellite broadcasting is provided.

JP 2008-72335 A

  Users apply to the Digital Terrestrial Digital Obstacle Prevention Satellite Broadcasting Reception Center and, if permitted, can view the digital terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast. If the user does not know itself or does not know the application method, the user cannot apply. In this case, there is an inconvenience that the user cannot view the broadcast corresponding to the terrestrial digital broadcast until the user obtains the information and applies for it.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a notification method capable of suitably notifying a user of information about terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting.

The electronic device according to the embodiment includes a reception unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The receiving means receives information indicating the area. The discriminating unit discriminates whether or not the installation location is an area where the terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting can be used based on the received information indicating the area. The notifying means notifies the information about the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast when the installation location is an area where the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast can be used.

The block diagram which shows an example of the internal structure of DTV in embodiment. The block diagram which shows an example of the function structure of DTV in embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of the process regarding the notification which DTV in embodiment performs. The flowchart which shows an example of the process regarding the notification which DTV performs in a modification.

  An example of an embodiment relating to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal structure of the DTV 1 in this embodiment.

  The DTV 1 is, for example, a digital television, and is an example of an electronic device in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the DTV 1 is shown as an example of an electronic device. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) player, an STB (Set Top Box), or a PC ( Various devices such as a personal computer are considered as examples of electronic devices.

  The DTV 1 includes a control unit 156 that controls the operation of each unit of the apparatus. The control unit 156 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like. The control unit 156 is a system stored in advance in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 157 according to an operation signal input from the operation unit 116 or an operation signal transmitted from the remote controller 117 and received via the light receiving unit 118. A control program and various processing programs are started. The control unit 156 controls the operation of each unit of the apparatus using a RAM (Random Access Memory) 158 as a work memory according to the activated program. The control unit 156 includes a flash memory 159 which is a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device, and can store information such as various data and setting values.

  The input terminal 144 supplies a satellite digital television broadcast signal received by the BS / CS digital broadcast receiving antenna 143 to the satellite digital broadcast tuner 145. The tuner 145 tunes the received digital broadcast signal and transmits the tuned digital broadcast signal to a PSK (Phase Shift Keying) demodulator 146. The PSK demodulator 146 demodulates a TS (Transport Stream) and supplies the demodulated TS to the TS decoder 147a. The TS decoder 147a includes the TS as a digital video signal, a digital audio signal, and a data signal. After decoding into a digital signal, it is output to the signal processing unit 100. Here, the digital video signal is a digital signal related to video that the DTV 1 can output, and the audio signal is a digital signal related to audio that the DTV 1 can output. The data signal is a digital signal related to information related to a broadcast program of broadcast waves, including program related information that is information used when the DTV 1 generates an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) that is a program guide, for example. The program related information includes information such as the title of the broadcast program, detailed information about the program, program start time, program end time, and the like.

  The input terminal 149 supplies a terrestrial digital television broadcast signal received by the terrestrial digital broadcast receiving antenna 148 to the terrestrial digital broadcast tuner 150. The tuner 150 tunes the received digital broadcast signal, and transmits the tuned digital broadcast signal to each OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) demodulator 151. The OFDM demodulator 151 demodulates the TS and supplies the demodulated TS to each TS decoder 147b. The TS decoder 147b decodes the TS into a digital video signal, an audio signal, and the like, and then the signal processing unit 100. To output this.

  As an example, the DTV 1 can also watch CATV by connecting a CATV (Common Antenna Television) tuner to the input terminal 149 to which the antenna 148 is connected.

  The signal processing unit 100 performs appropriate signal processing on the digital signal output from the TS decoders 147a and 147b or the control unit 156. More specifically, the signal processing unit 100 separates the digital signal into a video signal, a digital audio signal, and a data signal. The separated video signal is output to the graphic processing unit 152, and the audio signal is output to the audio processing unit 153. The signal processing unit 100 also performs predetermined digital signal processing on the input signal from the line input terminal 137.

  An OSD (On Screen Display) signal generation unit 154 generates an OSD signal for displaying a UI (user interface) screen and the like under the control of the control unit 156. The data signal separated from the digital broadcast signal in the signal processing unit 100 is converted into an OSD signal of an appropriate format by the OSD signal generation unit 154 and output to the graphic processing unit 152.

  The graphic processing unit 152 performs a decoding process on the digital video signal output from the signal processing unit 100. The decoded video signal is combined with the OSD signal output from the OSD signal generation unit 154 to be combined and output to the video processing unit 155. The graphic processing unit 152 can also selectively output the decoded video signal or OSD signal to the video processing unit 155.

  The video processing unit 155 performs image quality correction on the signal output from the graphic processing unit 152 and then converts the signal into an analog video signal in a format that can be displayed by the display unit processing unit 155. The video signal converted into analog by the video processing unit 155 is displayed on the display unit 120.

  The display unit 120 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays an image using liquid crystal.

  The audio processing unit 153 converts the input audio signal into an analog audio signal in a format that can be reproduced by the speaker 110. The audio signal converted into analog is output to the speaker 110 and reproduced.

  The LAN terminal 131 is connected to the control unit 156 via the LAN I / F 164. The LAN terminal 131 is used as a general LAN-compatible port using Ethernet (registered trademark). In this embodiment, a LAN cable is connected to the LAN terminal 131 so that it can communicate with the Internet 3.

  A USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal 133 is connected to the control unit 156 via the USB I / F 166. The USB terminal 133 is used as a general USB compatible port. For example, a mobile phone, a digital camera, a card reader / writer for various memory cards, an HDD, a keyboard, and the like are connected to the USB terminal 133 via a hub. The control unit 156 can perform communication (transmission / reception) of information with a device connected via the USB terminal 133.

  The HDD 170 is a magnetic storage medium built in the DTV 1 and has a function of storing various information possessed by the DTV 1.

  Here, terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting will be described.

  The terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcast is a broadcast that tentatively broadcasts a digital terrestrial broadcast program using satellite broadcast, and is broadcast by simultaneous broadcast using an empty channel of BS digital broadcast. In addition, there are restrictions on the areas where this digital terrestrial TV satellite broadcasting can be viewed, making it difficult to receive digital terrestrial broadcasting, and terrestrial digital TV satellite broadcasting can be used (use permitted). ) Regions are published in a list called the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting target list (white list).

  When the DTV 1 in the present embodiment performs the initial setting and the installation location is an area where the terrestrial digital refractory satellite broadcasting can be used (use is permitted), the terrestrial digital refusal is difficult for the user. Notify information about countermeasure satellite broadcasting.

  That is, when the place where the DTV 1 is installed corresponds to an area listed in this terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcast target list, the DTV 1 notifies the user of information about this terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcast. Hereinafter, this notification method will be mainly described.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the DTV 1 in the present embodiment.

  The initial setting unit 21 has a function of performing various necessary settings when the DTV 1 is activated for the first time after being purchased by the user. At the time of initial setting, the initial setting unit 21 allows the user to make various selections / inputs using, for example, OSD, and sets the DTV 1 based on the selection / input. At the time of initial setting in the present embodiment, the initial setting unit 21 creates a screen that allows the user to select / input a residential area name and a postal code in the residential area, and displays the screen on the display unit 120.

  The scanning unit 22 has a function of executing scanning. Channels are assigned to services provided by broadcast stations. This channel is a predetermined frequency band, and during normal operation, the tuner 150 and the tuner 145 can acquire each service by tuning the received broadcast wave based on the channel information of the DTV 1. The scan executed by the scan unit 22 is such that the tuner can be tuned to all receivable channels to search for a channel provided with the service, and select a channel if there is a channel provided with the service. Refers to the action to register. When the scanning unit 22 performs scanning and discovers a channel to which a service is provided from a broadcasting station, the tuner 150 and the tuner 145 can acquire each service based on the information on the discovered channel thereafter. . In the present embodiment, the scanning unit 22 inputs a scan result of terrestrial digital broadcasting to the determination unit 24.

  The flash memory 159 stores a terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcast target list 23. The terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting target list 23 is an area in which it is difficult to receive digital terrestrial broadcasting as described above, and indicates the areas where the terrestrial digital difficulty-inhibiting satellite broadcast can be used (permitted to be used). It is a list. In the present embodiment, the flash memory 159 is exemplified as having the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight anti-satellite broadcast target list 23 that is data listed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and in areas where it is difficult to receive digital terrestrial broadcasting. Thus, the information on the areas where the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting can be used (the use is permitted) need not be in the list format, but may be in any format that can be used by the determination unit 24. The contents of the list 23 do not have to be fixed, and may be updated by obtaining new information from outside such as via the network 3.

  The discriminating unit 24 has a function of discriminating whether or not to notify the user of information on the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting and executing processing based on the discrimination result. The determination unit 24 determines whether or not to notify the user of information about the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting based on the following two determination results. First, the location of the DTV 1 is determined based on the name of the residential area selected / input in the initial setting and the postal code information in the residential area and the terrestrial digital refractory satellite broadcasting target list 23. It is determined whether or not the location is usable. Next, it is determined whether or not the scanning unit 22 has scanned the terrestrial digital broadcast. Based on the determination results of the two determinations, the determination unit 24 determines whether or not to notify the user of information about the terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcast.

  The notification unit 25 has a function of notifying the user of information about the terrestrial digital difficulty-observation satellite broadcast. In this embodiment, there are several notification methods as described below.

  One notification method is a method in which the channel displayed by the DTV 1 is switched to the data broadcasting of the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting in the BS digital broadcasting. In the data broadcasting of the terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting, information for applying for the terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting is shown. For example, in data broadcasting, the counter telephone number of the digital terrestrial TV satellite reception center and the URL of the homepage are indicated. When the user views this data broadcast, the counter / how to apply for the digital terrestrial TV satellite counter I can understand and apply. However, if not notified in this way, it is difficult for the user to obtain an opportunity to view this data broadcast. When the notification is performed by this notification method, the notification unit 25 automatically switches the channel displayed by the DTV 1 to the data broadcasting of the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting in the BS digital broadcasting as described above.

  As another notification method, there is a method in which the DTV 1 presents its own information to the user. In this case, the DTV 1 stores in advance the information on the telephone number of the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcasting reception center as described above and the URL of the homepage, and displays this information to the user. Can perform notifications (provide information). In this case, for example, the DTV 1 can display an image that can be displayed on the display unit 120, which includes a telephone number of the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcasting reception center, a homepage URL, and a description of the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting. It has information, and it is good also as notifying a user by displaying this. Such information and image information may be information that can be updated from the outside using the network 3 or the like. When notification is performed by this method, the notification unit 25 transmits image information to the OSD signal generation unit 154, for example, and causes the display unit 120 to display an image for notification to the user as the OSD.

  Further, as a notification method different from the above, there is a method of automatically connecting to a predetermined site when communication with the Internet 3 is functioning. This predetermined site may be, for example, the homepage of the terrestrial digital blindsight countermeasure satellite broadcasting reception center or another site prepared for providing information on the terrestrial digital blindsight countermeasure satellite broadcast. When notifying by this method, the notification unit 25 activates a browser (not shown) and inputs a predetermined URL to the browser, thereby causing the display unit 120 to display a predetermined site.

  The mail system 26 is a system for showing notification information from a broadcasting station or from the DTV 1 itself to the user. The mail system 26 displays on the display unit 120 information to be notified to the user that the broadcast station has included in the broadcast wave and information to be notified to the user by the DTV 1 itself. When the mail system 26 detects information to be notified to the user included in the broadcast wave, the mail system 26 displays an icon as an OSD on the display unit 120. When the user selects an icon using the remote controller 117 or the like, the mail system 26 displays information to be notified to the user included in the broadcast wave on the display unit 120 as “notification from the broadcasting station”. The mail system 26 displays an icon as an OSD on the display unit 120 when the DTV 1 itself detects information to be notified to the user. When the user selects an icon using the remote controller 117 or the like, the mail system 26 causes the display unit 120 to display information that the DTV 1 itself should notify the user as “notice about this apparatus”. Examples of the “notice about this apparatus” at this time include a notice issued by the DTV 1 regarding a recording reservation or the like.

  Next, the flow of processing executed by the DTV 1 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing related to notification executed by the DTV 1 in the present embodiment.

  For example, when the DTV 1 is activated for the first time after being purchased by the user, the initial setting unit 21 of the DTV 1 starts the initial setting (step S31).

  When the initial setting starts, the initial setting unit 21 displays a selection / input screen for the zip code / residential area to the user, and accepts an input of the zip code / residential area (step S32). That is, at this time, the initial setting unit 21 receives information indicating a region as a receiving unit.

  Next, as an initial setting, the scanning unit 22 executes a scanning process (step S33).

  Steps S32 and S33 and other initial setting processes are executed, and the initial setting unit 21 completes the initial setting (step S34).

  When the initial setting is completed, the determination unit 24 determines whether or not the postal code / residence area information selected / input by the user corresponds to the area information in the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting target list 23 ( Step S35). At this time, the determination unit 24 may directly compare the area information in the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight anti-satellite broadcast target list 23 with the information on the residential area input by the user to determine whether or not it corresponds. Further, the user's residence area is specified based on the postal code input by the user, and the specified residence area is compared with the area information in the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting target list 23 to determine whether or not to respond. It is also possible to perform the determination.

  When the zip code / residential area information corresponds to the area information in the terrestrial digital obstruction countermeasure satellite broadcast target list 23 (step S35: Yes), the determination unit 24 then scans the terrestrial digital broadcast by the scan process at the initial setting. It is determined whether or not the service has been found (step S36). At this time, the determination unit 24 performs determination based on the scan result received from the scan unit 22.

  In step S36, when the terrestrial digital broadcasting service cannot be found at the time of initial setting (step S36: No), the area where the DTV 1 is installed can use the digital terrestrial digital vision countermeasure satellite broadcasting (use is permitted). ) Since the area is a place where digital terrestrial broadcasting cannot be substantially received, the determination unit 24 issues a notification instruction to the notification unit 25, and the notification unit 25 provides the user with information about the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast. Notification is made (step S37). As a notification method at this time, the channel is switched to the data broadcasting of the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcasting, the information about the own terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcasting is notified, or the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcasting Various notification methods, such as presenting a user with a site where the information is displayed, can be considered. Since details of these notification methods are described in the description of the notification unit 25 described above, they are omitted here.

  When the postal code / resident area information does not correspond to the regional information in the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting target list 23 in step S35 (step S35: No), the terrestrial digital broadcasting service can be found at the initial setting in step S36. (Step S36: Yes), or after the end of step S37, a series of processes relating to the notification executed by the DTV1 of the DTV1 ends.

  The DTV 1 in the present embodiment can suitably notify the user of information about the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting.

  In addition, since the DTV 1 makes two determinations as to whether the information on the residential area corresponds to the information on the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcasting target list 23 and whether or not the digital terrestrial broadcasting has been scanned. Therefore, it is possible to accurately grasp whether or not the use of the terrestrial digital difficulty-inhibiting satellite broadcast is really necessary, and to notify the user in need of the information about the terrestrial digital difficulty-inhibiting satellite broadcast.

  Furthermore, since the DTV 1 can individually notify information to users who need to use terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting, even if the advertising activity is not performed by the provider, effective and leak-free notifications can be made. It can be carried out.

  Since the DTV 1 performs the above notification at the time of initial setting, the installed user can immediately recognize the reason why digital terrestrial broadcasting cannot be received and can cope with it.

  Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described.

(Modification of the embodiment)
In this modification, the configuration of the DTV 1 is the same as that of the above embodiment, and a duplicate description is omitted. In this modification, the process related to the notification executed by the DTV 1 is partially different from the above embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing related to notification executed by the DTV 1 in this modification.

  Steps S41 to S46 in FIG. 4 of the present modification are the same as steps S31 to S36 in FIG. 3 of the above embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In step S46, when the terrestrial digital broadcasting service cannot be found at the time of initial setting (step S46: No), the area where the DTV 1 is installed can use the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting (use is permitted). ) Since the area is a place where digital terrestrial broadcasting cannot be substantially received, the discriminating unit 24 issues a notification instruction to the mail system 26, and the mail system 26 informs the user of information about the terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast. Notification is made (step S47).

  At this time, the mail system 26 displays an icon and notifies the user who has selected the icon information about the terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcasting as “notice about this apparatus”. In the “Notice about this unit” here, the display unit 120 displays the telephone number of the digital terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcasting reception center, the URL of the home page, and the explanation of the digital terrestrial digital satellite countermeasures satellite broadcasting. Is displayed.

  In this modification, a new configuration for notification needs to be added to the DTV 1 in order to notify the user of information about the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting using a mail system generally provided in the DTV. There is no. If the information notified by the mail system 26 is stored and a trigger for performing this notification is set, the DTV 1 can suitably notify the user of information about the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... DTV, 3 ... Internet, 110 ... Speaker, 120 ... Display part, 100 ... Signal processing part, 116 ... Operation part, 117 ... Remote controller, 118 ... Light receiving part, 131 ... LAN terminal, 133 ... USB terminal, 137 ... Line input terminal, 143 ... antenna, 144 ... input terminal, 145 ... tuner, 146 ... PSK demodulator, 147 ... TS decoder, 148 ... antenna, 149 ... input terminal, 150 ... tuner, 151 ... OFDM demodulator, 152 ... Graphic processing unit, 153 ... Audio processing unit, 154 ... OSD signal generation unit, 155 ... Video processing unit, 156 ... Control unit, 157 ... ROM, 158 ... RAM, 160 ... Camera, 164 ... LAN I / F, 166 ... USB I / F, 21 ... initial setting section, 22 ... scanning section, 23 ... list of terrestrial digital hard-to-sight countermeasure satellite broadcasts, 24 ... discriminating unit, 25 ... notification unit, 26 ... mail system.

Claims (8)

Receiving means for receiving information indicating a region;
Based on the received information indicating the area, a determination means for determining whether the installation location is an area where the terrestrial digital difficulty-inhibiting satellite broadcast can be used;
When the installation location is an area where terrestrial digital difficulty-inhibiting satellite broadcasting can be used, notification means for notifying information about terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting;
An electronic device comprising:   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the notification means switches the broadcast to be displayed to a data broadcast of a terrestrial digital hard-to-sight satellite broadcast in a BS digital broadcast.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is a mail system for performing various notifications to a user.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the installation location is an area where the terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting can be used, based on a terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight countermeasure satellite broadcast target list. It further comprises scanning means for performing a broadcast wave scan,
The determination means further determines whether or not the scanning means has found a terrestrial digital broadcast service,
The notifying means is an area where the digital terrestrial digital blindness countermeasure satellite broadcast can be used, and when the scanning means cannot find a digital terrestrial broadcast service, The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein: Further comprising initial setting means for performing initial setting;
The discriminating unit discriminates whether or not the installation location is a region where the terrestrial digital hard-to-see satellite broadcasting can be used based on information indicating the region input when the initial setting unit executes the initial setting. Item 1. An electronic device according to Item 1.   The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the notification. Based on the information indicating the received area, it is determined whether the installation location is an area where terrestrial digital difficulty-free satellite broadcasting can be used,
A notification method for notifying information on terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting when the installation location is an area where terrestrial digital difficulty-in-sight satellite broadcasting can be used.

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