JP3064086U - Electronic device with automatic clock adjustment function - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To capture time data without hindering viewing by a user. An electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting the current time based on time data transmitted from a PBS station that transmits time data superimposed on a synchronization signal portion of a television signal, When the channel selected by the tuning operation is the channel of the PBS station, the main control unit 7 fetches the time data included in the television signal of the PBS station from the EDS reproducing circuit 6 after the end of the tuning operation. To adjust the current time of the clock unit 8.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting a current time based on time data transmitted from a specific broadcasting station, and more specifically, to an electronic device without hindering viewing by a user. The present invention relates to an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function capable of capturing time data.

Here, the specific broadcasting station is a broadcasting station that transmits time data by superimposing it on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal. More specifically, the specific broadcasting station includes character information including a network name. This is a PBS station that adds various data such as time data, time difference data, and station ID, and superimposes it on the synchronizing signal portion of the television signal for transmission.

[0003]

[Prior art]

 Recently, as a service for people who are deaf, text information including the network name is superimposed on the synchronizing signal portion of the television signal and broadcasted, and this is reproduced as needed by the operation on the receiving side Broadcasting services called closed captions that can be displayed on screen have been launched in the United States and other countries.

[0004] In addition to text information including a network name, so-called EDS broadcast, which adds various information such as time data, time difference data, station ID (broadcast station name), program name, and program start time, is also available. Has been started. In an electronic device capable of receiving such an EDS broadcast, as a means for adjusting the time of a built-in clock, a clock automatic device which takes in time data transmitted from the PBS station and automatically adjusts the current time is used. Some have an adjustment function.

In the automatic clock adjustment function, first, all broadcasting stations are sequentially selected by a normal channel selection operation, and each time one broadcasting station is selected, the television signal transmitted from the broadcasting station is selected. It is determined whether or not time data, which is additional information in the EDS broadcast, is included therein. When time data, which is additional information in the EDS broadcast, is included, the time data is fetched and the built-in clock is adjusted to the current time.

In addition, even if the current time is adjusted at the time of initial setting in this way, the internal clock may be turned after the elapse of time, so in the conventional electronic device, the user turns off the power. Sometimes, the above-mentioned clock automatic adjustment mode is executed. In other words, even if the user turns off the power, the power-on state is maintained internally to execute the clock automatic adjustment function, and the time data, which is additional information in the EDS broadcast, is taken in to adjust the internal clock. After that, the power is turned off internally.

[0007] The reason why the automatic clock adjustment mode is executed when the power is turned off is as follows. That is, if the user selects a desired channel at power-on and executes the automatic clock adjustment mode, if the channel selected by the user is not a PBS station channel, This is because the channel automatically switches to the PBS station channel in order to capture the time data, which causes a problem that the screen being viewed is switched even though the user has not operated it.

[0008]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 As described above, in the above-described conventional electronic device, the automatic clock adjustment function is executed after the power-off operation of the user in order to capture the time data without giving the user a feeling of strangeness. In other words, even if the user turns off the power, the power consumption during the time data acquisition is actually the same as when the power is turned on, and there is a problem that the power is consumed excessively.

[0009] Other electronic devices having a function of automatically adjusting the internal clock include, for example, those described in JP-A-5-249256 and those described in JP-A-8-201446. There is something. The device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-249256 compares a broadcast station time with a receiver time at a preset time, and adjusts the receiver time to the broadcast station time. The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-201546 is designed to automatically correct a built-in clock using a time signal of a radio or television broadcast.

[0010] Then, the data described in JP-A-5-249256 and JP-A-5-249256 are obtained by taking the time data in the EDS broadcast transmitted from the PBS station to obtain the current time. When the present invention is applied to an electronic device that performs adjustment, as described in the above-described conventional technique, when the user executes the automatic clock adjustment mode while the user is selecting a desired channel, the user can perform the operation. There is a problem that the screen is switched even though the operation has not been performed. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function capable of capturing time data without hindering user viewing. Is to do.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is provided in a case where a broadcasting station that superimposes time data on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal and transmits the broadcasting station is a specific broadcasting station. In an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting the current time based on the incoming time data, if the channel selected by the channel selection operation is the channel of the specific broadcasting station, the channel selection operation is performed. After the end, the time data included in the television signal of the specific broadcasting station is fetched and the automatic time adjustment mode for adjusting the current time of the clock section is executed.

[0012] In the invention according to claim 2, when a broadcasting station that transmits time data by superimposing it on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal is a specific broadcasting station, the broadcasting is transmitted from the specific broadcasting station. An electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting the current time of a clock unit by taking in the time data, wherein the electronic device has an automatic setting mode and a manual setting mode as a mode for setting a channel of the specific broadcasting station, When an arbitrary channel is selected by the channel selection operation, if the channel setting of the specific broadcasting station is in the automatic setting mode, the clock automatic adjustment mode is executed after the channel selection operation is completed, and the specific broadcasting station is set. If the channel setting of the channel is in the manual setting mode, after the channel selection operation is completed, it is determined whether or not the channel selected corresponds to the channel set manually. The automatic time adjustment mode is executed only when the clock is adjusted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device having the automatic clock adjustment function according to the first or second aspect, the specific broadcasting station includes a time information, a time difference data, and a character information including a network name. It is characterized by being a PBS station that adds various information such as station ID and superimposes it on the synchronizing signal part of the television signal and transmits it. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device having the automatic clock adjusting function according to the third aspect, the automatic clock adjusting mode is set such that the automatic broadcast adjusting mode is set to a predetermined time after the end of the channel selection operation. Monitors the transmitted network name, time data, time difference data, station ID, and other data. If any data is detected during this fixed time, the time data transmitted thereafter is captured and the clock It is characterized in that the current time is adjusted.

[0014]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a television receiver having an automatic clock adjustment function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This television receiver receives various information such as time data, time difference data, and station ID from character information including a network name, and superimposes the information on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal to transmit the information. A closed caption function that can receive the transmission signal and reproduces the character information transmitted from the PBS station and displays it on the screen, and adjusts the current time by capturing the time data transmitted from the PBS station And an automatic clock adjustment function. In addition, an automatic setting mode and a manual setting mode are provided as modes for setting the channel of the PBS station.

In FIG. 1, a tuner circuit 2 to which a receiving antenna 1 is connected performs a channel selection operation of a receiving channel according to a control signal from a main control unit 7. Are guided to the intermediate frequency amplifier circuit 3. The audio signal from the intermediate frequency amplifier 3 is guided to an audio signal processing system 4, and the video signal from the intermediate frequency amplifier 3 is guided to a video signal processing system 5. The video signal from the intermediate frequency amplification circuit 3 is guided to an EDS reproduction circuit 6 for extracting and reproducing EDS information superimposed on a synchronizing signal portion of the video signal (television signal).

A control signal from the main controller 7 and a synchronization signal (horizontal synchronization signal and vertical synchronization signal) from the video signal processing system 5 are guided to the EDS reproduction circuit 6, and the EDS reproduction circuit 6 6 outputs an RGB signal and a blanking signal to the video signal processing system 5. The main control unit 7 is connected to the clock unit 8, the timer unit 9, and the PBS station storage unit 10 in both directions, and the output of the key input unit 11 is guided. I have.

The EDS information superimposed on the video signal includes various information such as time data, time difference data, station ID (broadcasting station name), program name, and program start time, in addition to character information including a network name. include. In this, the network name and the station ID are information transmitted at an interval of 2 seconds in principle, and the time data is transmitted at a rate of about three times a minute (that is, about once every 20 seconds). Is the information that is inserted and sent between the network name and the station ID.

The EDS reproducing circuit 6 extracts and reproduces such EDS information from the video signal, and adjusts the timing to the synchronization signals (horizontal synchronization signal and vertical synchronization signal) supplied from the video signal processing system 5. , And outputs an RGB signal corresponding to the character information in the EDS information and a blanking signal as a reference for character display timing to the video signal processing system 5. When the EDS reproducing circuit 6 detects any one of the network name, the time data, the time difference data, and the station ID, it outputs a detection signal to the main control unit 7.

The timer unit 9 is a block that measures a certain time (for example, 10 seconds) after the end of the channel selection operation when executing a clock automatic adjustment mode described later. The PBS station storage unit 10 is a block that stores a PBS station selected by a PBS station selecting operation described later. Although not shown, the key input unit 11 includes a power switch, an automatic setting mode switch and a manual setting mode switch for selecting a setting mode of the PBS station, a channel key (numeric keypad) for selecting a channel, and a channel key. It is equipped with various keys provided on a normal TV remote control, such as an up / down key and a volume key for sequentially switching between them.

The main control unit 7 performs control such as switching channels and increasing / decreasing a volume based on various operation signals from the key input unit 11 and also adjusts the current time of the clock unit 8. This block executes an automatic adjustment mode, a PBS station setting mode in which the PBS station channel data set at the time of channel preset is stored in the PBS station storage unit 10, and the like.

That is, when an arbitrary channel is selected by the user's channel selection operation and the channel setting of the PBS station is in the automatic setting mode, the main control unit 7 automatically adjusts the clock after the channel selection operation ends. Execute mode. Also, when an arbitrary channel is selected by the user's tuning operation, if the channel setting of the PBS station is the manual setting mode, the selected channel is manually set after the tuning operation is completed. Judge whether or not it matches the channel, and execute the automatic clock adjustment mode only if it matches. In the automatic clock adjustment mode, the EDS playback circuit 6 is monitored for a certain period of time (for example, 10 seconds) after the end of the channel selection operation, and the network name, time data, and time difference transmitted from the PBS station are monitored. It monitors data such as data and station ID, and confirms by the detection signal from the EDS reproducing circuit 6 that any data has been transmitted during this fixed time. Is read from the EDS reproducing circuit 6 to adjust the current time of the clock section 8.

Next, the clock automatic adjustment mode in the television receiver having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. However, also in the television receiver of the present embodiment, when an AC cord (not shown) is plugged into an outlet, a channel preset is performed as an initial setting, and the PBS station is stored in the PBS station storage unit 10 at that time. The storage of the channel data and the adjustment of the current time of the clock unit 8 are performed. The clock automatic adjustment mode described here is not the operation at the time of such initial setting, but is a processing operation in a state where the user thereafter normally watches the television receiver.

That is, when the user turns on a power switch (not shown) of the key input unit 10 (step S 1), the channel selected when the power switch was turned off last time (the channel stored in the memory unit not shown). Starts the channel selection operation (step S2). When the user operates a channel key (numeric keypad) or an up / down key after turning on the power switch (step S3), a channel selection operation of the channel selected by the operation is started (step S4). ).

Then, when the tuning operation is completed (Yes in step S5), it is next determined whether or not the signal of the selected channel is an external input (step S6). Here, it is determined whether the input is an external input when the external input is, for example, a recorded program reproduced by a connected video cassette recorder and the recorded program is a broadcast of a PBS station. This is because old time data is included in the synchronization signal portion of the recorded video signal, and if this is taken in and the clock unit 8 is adjusted, incorrect time adjustment will result. Therefore, when the input is an external input (when it is determined Yes in step S6), the process ends without executing the clock automatic adjustment mode.

On the other hand, when the signal of the selected channel is not an external input (in the case where it is determined to be No in step S6), next, there is a transmission radio wave from the station on the selected channel. It is determined whether or not (step S7). Here, it is determined whether or not there is a transmission radio wave, for example, at midnight, because the broadcast of that station may have ended. Therefore, if there is no radio wave transmitted from the station on the selected channel (when No is determined in step S7), the process ends without executing the clock automatic adjustment mode.

On the other hand, if there is a transmission radio wave from the station on the selected channel, then it is determined whether the setting mode of the PBS station is the automatic setting mode (the automatic setting mode of the key input unit 10). It is determined whether the switch is turned on) or the manual setting mode is set (whether the manual setting mode switch of the key input unit 10 is turned on) (step S8). Then, if the mode is the automatic setting mode (if Yes is determined in step S8), a clock automatic adjustment operation is started for the currently received channel (step S10).

On the other hand, when the mode is the manual setting mode (No in step S8), it is determined whether or not the currently received channel is the channel of the PBS station set manually. A judgment is made (step S9). Here, in both cases of manual setting and automatic setting, the set channel data of the PBS station is stored in the PBS station storage unit 10. The determination in step S9 can be made by using the stored channel data of the PBS station. As a result of the determination in step S9, if the currently received channel is not the manually set channel of the PBS station (if determined as No in step S9), the video signal of the receiving channel is set. Since it is clear that the time data is not included in the clock, the process ends without executing the clock automatic adjustment mode.

On the other hand, if the currently received channel is a manually set channel of the PBS station (if Yes is determined in step S9), an automatic clock adjustment operation is started (step S10). . In the automatic clock adjustment operation, first, a fixed time (for example, 10 seconds or the like) is measured by the timer unit 9 after the end of the channel selection operation (step S11), and it is confirmed whether or not there is EDS information during the fixed time. (Step S12). Here, what measures 10 seconds is that the network name and the station ID of the EDS information superimposed on the video signal are information transmitted in principle at intervals of 2 seconds. This is because if the channel being used is a PBS station, EDS information must be confirmed within 10 seconds.

That is, the main control unit 7 monitors the EDS reproducing circuit 6 for a certain period of time after the end of the channel selection operation to monitor the presence or absence of EDS information. When it is confirmed that there is any data (if YES in step S12), the time data transmitted thereafter is taken in from the EDS reproducing circuit 6 and the current time of the clock unit 8 is adjusted. Thereafter (step S13), the automatic clock adjustment operation ends (step S14).

On the other hand, if there is no data in the EDS information even if the EDS reproduction circuit 6 is monitored for a certain period of time after the end of the channel selection operation (if No is determined in step S12) Then, the automatic clock adjustment operation ends without taking in the time data (step S14). As described above, according to the electronic device having the automatic clock adjustment function of the present invention, when the user switches the channel, the signal is superimposed on the video signal and transmitted only when the switched channel is the channel of the PBS station. Since the time data in the received EDS information is fetched and the time of the clock section 8 is adjusted, the time data can be fetched without hindering the user's viewing.

In the above embodiment, a television receiver is described as an example of the electronic device of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a video cassette recorder (VCR) or the like may be used. The present invention can be applied to a televideo or the like.

[0033]

[Effect of the invention]

 According to the electronic device having the automatic clock adjustment function of the present invention, when the user switches the channel, the EDS information transmitted by being superimposed on the video signal only when the switched channel is the channel of the PBS station. Since the time adjustment of the clock section is performed by taking in the time data in the time data, the time data can be taken in without hindering the user's viewing.

[Submission date] June 25, 1999

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 transmits a time data that is superimposed on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal when the broadcasting station to be transmitted is a specific broadcasting station. In an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting the current time of the clock unit by taking in the time data that comes in, a key input unit for starting a channel selection operation and detecting time data included in a television signal are detected. An EDS reproduction circuit for performing the operation, a clock unit for displaying time, and a main control unit for taking in time data detected by the EDS reproduction circuit after the end of the channel selection operation and adjusting the current time of the clock unit. It is characterized by:

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0012] In the invention according to claim 2, when a broadcasting station that superimposes time data on a synchronization signal portion of a television signal and transmits the broadcasting station is a specific broadcasting station, the broadcasting is transmitted from the specific broadcasting station. In an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting the current time of a clock unit by taking in the time data, a storage unit for storing a channel of a specific broadcast station in advance, and a key input unit for starting a channel selection operation. An EDS reproducing circuit for detecting time data included in a television signal of a specific broadcasting station; a clock section for displaying time; and a channel stored in the storage section and a key input section after the channel selection operation is completed. The main control unit compares the channel with the set channel, and if they match, fetches the time data detected by the EDS reproducing circuit and adjusts the current time of the clock unit. And a part.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a clock automatic adjustment function according to the first or second aspect, wherein the specific broadcasting station includes the time information and the time difference in the character information including the network name. It is characterized by being a PBS station that adds various information such as data and station ID and superimposes it on the synchronizing signal portion of the television signal to transmit. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device having the automatic clock adjustment function according to the third aspect, the main control unit includes a timer unit for measuring a fixed time after the end of the channel selection operation. The data detected by the EDS reproducing circuit is monitored, and when any one of the network name, the time data, the time difference data, and the station ID is detected during the measurement of the predetermined time by the timer section, the data is transmitted thereafter. It is characterized by taking in time data and adjusting the current time of the clock section.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a television receiver having an automatic clock adjustment function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation in a clock automatic adjustment mode in the television receiver of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 antenna 2 tuner circuit 3 intermediate frequency amplifier circuit 4 audio signal processing system 5 video signal processing system 6 EDS reproduction circuit 7 main control unit 8 clock unit 9 timer unit 10 PBS station storage unit 11 key input unit

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 25, 1999

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims for utility model registration

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Utility model registration claims]

Claims (4)

[Utility model registration claims] When a broadcast station transmitting time data superimposed on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal is a specific broadcast station, the current time is adjusted based on the time data transmitted from the specific broadcast station. When the channel selected by the channel selection operation is the channel of the specific broadcasting station, the electronic device having the clock automatic adjustment function for performing the channel selection operation is included in the television signal of the specific broadcasting station after the channel selection operation is completed. An electronic apparatus having an automatic clock adjustment function, wherein the electronic apparatus has a clock automatic adjustment mode in which time data is taken in and an automatic clock adjustment mode for adjusting the current time of a clock unit is executed. 2. A broadcast station which superimposes time data on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal and transmits the broadcast data as a specific broadcast station. In an electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function for adjusting time, the electronic device has an automatic setting mode and a manual setting mode as a mode for setting a channel of the specific broadcast station, and an arbitrary channel is selected by a channel selection operation. When
When the channel setting of the specific broadcasting station is in the automatic setting mode, the clock automatic adjustment mode is executed after the channel selection operation is completed. When the channel setting of the specific broadcasting station is in the manual setting mode, the channel selection operation is performed. An electronic device having an automatic clock adjustment function, which determines whether or not a selected channel matches a manually set channel after termination, and executes the automatic clock adjustment mode only when the selected channel matches. 3. The specific broadcasting station is a PBS station that adds various information such as time data, time difference data, and station ID to character information including a network name and superimposes the information on a synchronizing signal portion of a television signal for transmission. An electronic device having the timepiece automatic adjustment function according to claim 1. 4. The automatic clock adjustment mode monitors data such as a network name, time data, time difference data, and station ID transmitted from the specific broadcast station for a predetermined time after the end of the channel selection operation. 4. The electronic device having a clock automatic adjustment function according to claim 3, wherein when any data is detected during the predetermined time, the time data transmitted thereafter is taken in and the current time of the clock unit is adjusted.