JP4814602B2 - In-vehicle digital television receiver and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  According to the present invention, in an in-vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver and its control method, the output content is temporarily switched to another source such as a CD or a terrestrial analog television while obtaining EPG data in the DTV. It eliminates unpleasantness caused by blank time such as silence.

  In recent years, with the development of information processing technology following the advancement of electronic technology, car audio systems having functions such as radio viewing and CD players are similar to car navigation systems that use CD-ROM drives for reading map data and the like. With the progress of integration, it is possible to watch TV on a common display screen, and the era called AVN (Audio Visual Navigation) has arrived.

  Sometimes it is time to introduce a new terrestrial digital television broadcast (abbreviated as DTV in this application). DTV has various advantages. One of them is that EPG data for displaying an electronic program guide (referred to as “EPG” in the present application) can be obtained from a program broadcast wave. is there.

The EPG displays a program guide on the screen based on distributed EPG data, and can search for program information by keywords or the like, and can reserve viewing or recording by a cursor or the like (for example, see Patent Document 1). In analog television broadcasting, a server called a host station or the like determined in advance for each region distributes EPG data for all channels in that region in principle through the room for television broadcasting waves.
JP 2004-336212 A

  However, in DTV, the broadcast wave of each receiving channel includes only the EPG data of the receiving station and does not include the EPG data of other stations. Therefore, in order to display the latest EPG for other stations and update the EPG data in the receiver with the DTV receiver, the user needs to switch the channel selection to the target channel and acquire EPG data. It was cumbersome.

  In addition, when there is only one tuner, it is impossible to acquire EPG data while watching the desired TV program. In particular, it takes time to acquire EPG data for all receivable channels, and audio is also used. The video was interrupted for a long time and was unpleasant.

  In a general home receiver, EPG data can be sequentially acquired for each station as a background process during a standby state in which the user turns off the main power switch, such as at midnight. Such a method is practically impossible to adopt in an in-vehicle device because there is a concern that the battery will run out.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to use a CD or a terrestrial analog in an in-vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver and its control method while acquiring EPG data in the DTV. By temporarily switching the output contents to another source such as a TV, the unpleasantness caused by the blank time such as silence is eliminated.

  The present invention solves the above problems as follows. It should be noted that the method is appropriately read as “means” → “processing”.

  According to an aspect of the present invention (claims 1 and 3), an operation unit that receives an operation, a DTV reception unit that selects each channel of the DTV, and a source that selects other types of broadcasts or reproduces a sound source And an output unit that outputs at least one of sound and video, and sequentially performs EPG data acquisition by channel scanning for one or more channels of the DTV during that time. The electronic control means for switching the output contents of the output unit to broadcast or sound source by the providing source is provided.

  In this way, during EPG data acquisition such as full channel scan by operations while watching DTV, the output content is automatically switched temporarily to another source such as CD or terrestrial analog television, and when acquisition is completed, DTV By returning to, unpleasantness due to blank time such as silence can be effectively eliminated.

  According to another aspect of the present invention (Claims 2 and 4), in any one of the above aspects, the electronic control unit is a selection unit that receives a selection operation as to whether or not to perform the switching when acquiring the EPG data. It is characterized by including.

  In this way, when acquiring EPG data, it is possible to select whether or not to switch to another source, so that flexible usability can be finely tailored according to preferences and circumstances for each specific user and each time of use. It becomes feasible.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the in-vehicle digital television (DTV) receiver and its control method, the contents temporarily output to other sources such as CD and terrestrial analog television while acquiring EPG data in the DTV. By switching between, it becomes possible to eliminate unpleasantness due to blank time such as a silent state.

  Based on the above, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the premise common to the description in the background art and the subject is omitted.

[1. (Configuration and basic effects)
In the present embodiment, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the AVN (audio / visual navigation) center unit 1 is set as the master side and the DTV receiver 3 is set as the slave side. This is an in-vehicle digital television receiver (also called “system” as a whole), and can be grasped as its control method.

  The parts shared by the center unit 1 and the DTV receiver 3 include a monitor screen part D, a speaker SP, and a key operation part K. Among these, the key operation unit K is an operation unit that receives operations, and appropriately uses a remote control unit, a touch panel, and the like in addition to key switches. The video and audio output units are a monitor screen unit D (liquid crystal display panel or the like) and a speaker SP (car-mounted speaker or the like).

  Next, the center unit 1 includes a CD unit 11 such as an autochanger that reproduces a CD, an ATV unit 12 that receives an ATV (terrestrial analog television broadcast), and an AVN microcomputer 15. Of these, the AVN microcomputer 15 is a so-called master microcomputer. Specifically, the AVN microcomputer 15 controls each part of the center unit 1, and determines and controls processing of each function and mode for the entire system including the DTV receiver 3. I do.

  The output content to the output unit (D, SP) is called a receiver “set mode” or simply “mode”, and depending on the source of video and audio being output, DTV mode, CD output mode, analog TV The output mode is called.

  The DTV receiver 3 is a DTV receiver that selects each channel of the DTV. In relation to the DTV receiver 3, the center unit 1 outputs the output contents to the output unit (D, SP) as follows: It is positioned as a source for selecting other types of broadcasts or playing sound sources

  The DTV receiver 3 includes the following blocks shown in FIG. That is, the tuner pack 31 performs channel selection. The OFDM unit 32 extracts a TS (transport stream) signal by decoding an OFDM (Orthogonal Wave Frequency Division Multiplexing) signal by FFT (Fast Fourier Transform). The MPEG unit 33 further decodes the TS signal to obtain audio data, image data, and control data (program configuration information, EPG data, etc.), and performs MPEG decoding on audio and video data. The DTV microcomputer 35 controls these units.

  The DTV microcomputer 35, as an electronic control means, sequentially acquires EPG data by channel scanning for one or more channels of the DTV, and during that time, the output contents of the output unit (D, SP) are determined by the center unit 1. Switch to broadcasting or sound source (electronic control processing). Such acquisition of EPG data may be performed at the time of power-on of the entire system, in addition to the case where it is performed in response to an operation on the key operation unit K during viewing of the DTV.

  In this way, during EPG data acquisition such as full channel scan by operations while watching DTV, the output content is automatically switched temporarily to another source such as CD or terrestrial analog television, and when acquisition is completed, DTV By returning to, unpleasantness due to blank time such as silence can be effectively eliminated.

[2. Example of processing procedure)
An example of the processing procedure according to the above is shown in FIG. That is, when the DTV microcomputer 3 recognizes the key operation of the channel scan start instruction from the user in the DTV mode during DTV viewing, the DTV microcomputer 3 switches the mode to another mode by, for example, acting on the set mode management function to the AVN microcomputer 15. Request (step 1). Thus, if there is no problem in switching, switching from the DTV mode to another mode (CD output mode, analog TV output mode, etc.) is performed from the center unit 1 side (step 2).

  For example, when switching to ATV (analog television), since it is a simulcast that simultaneously broadcasts the same content as the DTV, it may be switched to the same program. In addition, specifications for switching to a CD, a terrestrial radio tuner, a satellite radio, and the like are also conceivable.

  After the switching is normally completed (step 2), the center unit 1 side is in an active state, while the DTV receiver 3 side is in a back mode (background operation state) in the entire system, and EPG data acquisition is performed. Therefore, a channel scan is started (step 3). In the channel scan, first, the DTV microcomputer 35 sequentially requests the OFDM unit 32 to change the frequency channel, and if it is stationed (receivable), the ETV data is acquired from the broadcast wave via the MPEG unit 33. This process is repeated for all channels, and the EPG database 34 stored in the DTV receiver 3 is updated (step 4).

  After all-channel scanning is performed and EPG data is acquired, the DTV microcomputer 35 switches from the other mode to the DTV mode by, for example, acting on the set mode management function to the AVN microcomputer 15 in order to return to the original DTV mode. Requests a switching instruction to return.

  This is because, since the AVN microcomputer 15 is on the entire control side (master side), processing and instructions from the master side are required for the DTV receiver 3 on the slave side to return to the active state. If there is no particular hindrance to the request, it receives a switching instruction issued from the AVN microcomputer 15 and returns to the DTV mode in which the DTV receiver 3 is active.

  As described above, during EPG data acquisition such as full channel scan by operations while watching DTV, the output contents are automatically switched temporarily to another source such as CD or terrestrial analog TV, and when the acquisition is completed By returning to DTV, unpleasantness due to blank time such as a silent state can be effectively eliminated, and the user can easily use the latest EPG data.

[3. Other embodiments]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, The following example and another example are included. For example, although the above embodiment shows an example in which two microcomputers are used as the control means, the number of microcomputers may be one (FIG. 3). In the example of FIG. 3, the single microcomputer 54 drives the SW (switch) 1 for video switching and the SW 2 for audio switching by a switching control signal indicated by a broken line, so that the output units (D, SP) The output content is normally DTV (terrestrial digital television broadcast) from the DTV tuner 51, and switching to terrestrial analog television broadcast from the ATV tuner 52 and CD sound from the CD unit 53 during EPG data acquisition.

  Further, when EPG data is acquired, a selection operation as to whether or not to switch output contents may be accepted. This selection may be set in advance using a switch, a setting screen, or the like, or each time EPG data is obtained, the user may be asked for permission (confirmation) as to whether or not to switch. In this way, when acquiring EPG data, it is possible to select whether or not to switch to another source, so that flexible usability can be finely tailored according to preferences and circumstances for each specific user and each time of use. It becomes feasible.

The functional block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the process sequence in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows a structure about the other example of embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... AVN center unit 11, 53 ... CD unit 12 ... ATV unit 15 ... AVN microcomputer 3 ... DTV receiver 31 ... Tuner pack 32 ... OFDM unit 33 ... MPEG unit 35 ... DTV microcomputer D ... monitor screen unit SP ... speaker K ... Key operation unit S ... Each step 51 of the procedure ... DTV tuner 52 ... ATV tuner 54 ... Microcomputer

Claims (4)

An operation unit for receiving an operation, a DTV receiving unit for selecting each channel of the DTV, a providing source for selecting another type of broadcast or reproducing a sound source, and an output unit for outputting at least one of sound and video In-vehicle digital television receiver comprising
EPG data acquisition is sequentially performed by channel scanning for one or more channels of the DTV, and electronic control means for switching the output contents of the output unit to broadcast or sound source by the providing source during the acquisition is provided. In-vehicle digital TV receiver.   2. The in-vehicle digital television receiver according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit includes a selection unit that receives a selection operation as to whether or not to perform the switching when the EPG data is acquired. An operation unit for receiving an operation, a DTV receiving unit for selecting each channel of the DTV, a providing source for selecting another type of broadcast or reproducing a sound source, and an output unit for outputting at least one of sound and video In a control method of a vehicle-mounted digital television receiver comprising:
It includes electronic control processing for sequentially obtaining EPG data by channel scanning for one or more channels of a DTV and switching the output content of the output unit to broadcast or sound source by the providing source. Control method for in-vehicle digital television receiver.   4. The method of controlling an in-vehicle digital television receiver according to claim 3, wherein the electronic control process includes a selection process for accepting a selection operation as to whether or not to perform the switching when acquiring the EPG data.

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