JP5665673B2 - Broadcast receiver - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for switching a broadcast channel to be received when a reception state of a broadcast channel being received deteriorates in a broadcast receiver.

  In the broadcast receiver, when the reception state of the broadcast channel being received deteriorates, as a technique for switching the broadcast channel to be received, the reception state of the broadcast channel being received in the receiver that receives the terrestrial digital TV broadcast is A technology is known that switches a received broadcast channel to a broadcast channel that is broadcast from another broadcast station in the same series as the broadcast station that is broadcasting the broadcast channel that is being received (for example, a patent) Reference 1).

JP 2008-263504 A

Deterioration of the reception status of a broadcast channel being received by a broadcast receiver mounted on a mobile body such as an automobile is caused by the separation of the mobile body from the broadcast area of the broadcast channel being received, radio waves during traveling in mountainous areas or tunnels. This is caused by temporary deterioration of the reception environment.
And switching the broadcast channel to be received to the broadcast channel being broadcast from another broadcast station of the same series is not performed when the reception state deteriorates due to the temporary deterioration of the radio wave reception environment. It is desirable to do this only when the broadcast channel leaves the broadcast area. Since broadcast stations in the same series have different broadcast areas, if the reception status deteriorates due to temporary deterioration of the radio wave reception environment, other broadcast channels broadcast from other broadcast stations in the same series are received well. This is because it can be expected that the reception state can be quickly restored.

  Therefore, only when the receiving broadcast channel leaves the broadcasting area, the switching is performed so that the receiving broadcast channel is switched to the broadcast channel broadcast from another broadcasting station of the same series. It is desirable that this is performed only when the reception state of the broadcast channel continues to deteriorate for a long time.

However, in this case, it takes a long time to switch the receiving channel when the receiving channel is leaving the broadcasting area to the broadcasting channel broadcast from another broadcasting station of the same series. It will be.
Therefore, the present invention enables a switching of a receiving channel to a broadcasting channel broadcast from another broadcasting station of the same series at the time of leaving the broadcasting channel of the receiving broadcasting channel more quickly. Is an issue.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mobile broadcast reception that is applied to a broadcast system that is mounted on a mobile body and that broadcasts broadcast stations belonging to the same program supply line are broadcast on different frequency channels for each region. If the reception failure of the broadcast being received continues longer than the time length set as the reference time length, the received broadcast belongs to the same program supply series as the broadcast station that is broadcasting the received broadcast. Reception broadcast switching means for performing reception broadcast switching processing for switching to broadcasts of other broadcast stations in good condition, a first time length is set as the reference time length, and the first time length is set as the reference time length. A reference time length for updating the reference time length to a second time length shorter than the first time length when reception failure of the reference time length or more continues in the broadcast being received when set. With setting means It is.

  According to such a broadcast receiver, every time a reception failure occurs in the received broadcast, when the reception failure continues for the first reference time, another broadcast station of the same program broadcast series of the receiving broadcast station After the switching to, the broadcast station that receives the failure when the reception failure continues for the second reference time shorter than the first reference time is switched to another broadcast station of the same program broadcast series. It becomes.

  Therefore, using the first reference time, after detecting a long-term reception failure that occurs when the mobile object leaves the receiving broadcast area, the broadcast to be received is switched, and then the user leaves the broadcast area. When a reception failure caused by the above occurs, this is detected using the second reference time, and the broadcast to be received is switched more promptly.

  Therefore, only when a reception failure occurs due to the departure from the broadcast area of the broadcast being received, the broadcast station that is receiving is switched from the broadcast area to another broadcast station while being switched to the other broadcast station. Broadcast stations can be quickly switched when reception failures occur for the second and subsequent times due to the above.

  Here, such a broadcast receiver further includes a storage means for storing a preset table in which a broadcasting station is registered for each of a plurality of preset numbers, and the preset table for a preset number designated by a user. Preset broadcast station reception control means for switching the broadcast to be received to the broadcast of the broadcast station registered in the preset table when the reception failure continues for a time length set as a reference time length in the broadcast being received. The broadcast station that is registered for the preset number that is registered by the broadcast station that is broadcasting the currently received broadcast has a reception state that belongs to the same program supply line as the broadcast station that is broadcasting the currently received broadcast. You may make it further provide the preset update means to update to another favorable broadcasting station.

By doing so, it is possible to update a broadcast station with poor reception registered in the preset table to a broadcast station with good reception of the same program supply series, together with switching of the broadcast to be received.
In the broadcast receiver, the reference time length setting means sets the reference time length to the first time when a predetermined period has elapsed since the second time length was set as the reference time length. You may comprise so that it may return to length. Alternatively, in the broadcast receiver described above, when the second time length is set as the reference time length in the reference time length setting means, the first time length is set as the reference time length. The reference time length during a period in which the same broadcast as the received broadcast is received by switching of the received broadcast by the received broadcast switching processing of the received broadcast switching means performed last in the state When the above reception failure occurs, the reference time length may be returned to the first time length. Alternatively, the broadcast receiver described above is provided with current area estimation means for estimating whether or not the mobile body is currently located in a home area which is a user's home area set in advance, and the reference time length setting means When the second time length is set as the reference time length and the current region estimation means estimates that the mobile body is located in a home area, the reference time length is set to the first time length. You may make it return to time length.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to more quickly switch the received channel to the broadcast channel broadcast from another broadcast station of the same series when leaving the broadcast channel being received. It can be carried out.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the broadcast receiver which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the preset table and home area preset information which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the receiving channel update process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process example of the reception channel update process which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking as an example an application to a broadcast receiver that is mounted on an automobile and receives a terrestrial digital TV broadcast.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the broadcast receiver includes an antenna 1, a front end unit 2, a demodulation unit 3, a video decoder 4, an output processing unit 5, an audio output device 6 including an amplifier, a speaker, and the like, a display device 7, and an input device 8. , A control unit 9 and a memory 10 are provided.
In such a configuration, the front end unit 2 receives the frequency channel designated as the reception channel from the control unit 9 and outputs the received signal to the demodulation unit 3. The demodulator 3 performs O demodulation / decoding processing on the input received signal to restore a TS (Transport Stream), and sends it to the video decoder 4. The video decoder 4 decodes the TS, outputs the decoded video signal and audio signal to the output processing unit 5, and outputs various decoded control information to the control unit 9.

  The output processing unit 5 displays the video signal input from the video decoder 4 on the display device 7 according to the control of the control unit 9, outputs the audio signal input from the video decoder 4 to the audio output device 6, A menu screen for accepting a user operation specified from 9 is displayed on the display device 7, and an operation guidance voice specified from the control unit 9 is output to the audio output device 6.

  Further, the demodulator 3 refers to the reception field strength of the front end unit 2 and the like, and the C / N (Carrier to Noise Ratio) of the received signal of the current reception channel or the BER (Bit (Error Rate; bit error rate) is measured as the reception quality of the received signal and notified to the control unit 9.

Next, a preset table stored in the memory 10 in this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2a, the preset table has 12 entries in which preset numbers from 1 to 12 are registered, and each entry can be associated with one broadcast station, and the corresponding broadcast station A broadcast station name (NID: Network_identification), a sequence ID (Affiliation ID) representing a sequence of broadcast stations to be associated (program supply sequence / network), and a frequency channel of the broadcast station to be associated are registered.

Here, the initial setting of each entry in the preset table is performed by the control unit 9 as follows.
That is, at the time of initial setting of the broadcast receiver, the front end unit 2 scans each frequency channel, and for each preset number, the reception state notified from the demodulation unit 3 of the frequency channels including Remote_Control_Key_ID equal to the preset number Is searched for the broadcasting station performing the best broadcast, and the searched broadcasting station is specified as the broadcasting station registered in the entry of the specific preset number. Remote_Control_Key_ID represents the value of the key number designated by the broadcast station and to which the broadcast of the broadcast station should be assigned.
Alternatively, when a user performs a registration operation to a specific preset number via the input device 8, a broadcast that registers a broadcast station that is broadcasting the frequency channel being received in the entry of the specific preset number. Identify as a station.

  For each preset number, the broadcast station name (NID: Network_identification) and the series ID (Affiliation ID) included in the broadcast from the broadcast station specified as the broadcast station registered in the preset number, and the specified broadcast station The broadcast frequency channel is registered in the preset number entry.

The NID and Remote_Control_Key_ID are included in the NIT (Network Information Table) in the TS of each frequency channel, the sequence ID is included in the BIT (Broadcaster Information Table) in the TS, and the control unit 9 receives these information from the video decoder 4. Get the value.
However, the correspondence between each broadcasting station and the series may be registered in the memory 10, and the control unit 9 may acquire a series ID (Affiliation ID) corresponding to each broadcasting station based on this.
Now, using such a preset table, the control unit 9 registers in the entry of the designated preset number in the preset table when the user performs an instruction to receive a specific preset number on the input device 8. The received frequency channel is set as a reception channel, and the frequency channel set in the front end unit 2 is designated, thereby controlling the broadcast reception of the broadcast station associated with the designated preset number entry.

Hereinafter, reception channel automatic update processing performed by the control unit 9 in such a broadcast receiver will be described.
FIG. 3 shows the procedure of this reception channel automatic update process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, a first reference time T1 (for example, T1 = 50 sec) is set as a timeout time (step 300).
Based on the reception state notified from the demodulator 3, the occurrence of reception failure of the current reception channel is monitored (step 302), and if reception failure occurs, a timer is started (step 304).
Then, before the elapse of the time-out time of the timer measurement time (here, the first reference time T1) (step 308), if the reception failure is resolved (step 306), that is, the reception failure continues for time T1 or longer. If not, the process returns to the monitoring in step 302.
On the other hand, when the time-out time of the timer measurement time (here, the first reference time T1) elapses (step 308), that is, when the reception failure continues for the first reference time T1 or more, the current reception channel As a preset number being received, a preset update process of the preset number being received is performed (step 310).

  In this preset update process, first, a sequence ID (Affiliation ID) is acquired from the entry of the preset number being received in the preset table. Then, the reception state notified from the demodulator 3 of the frequency channels including the sequence ID (Affiliation ID) equal to the acquired sequence ID (Affiliation ID) by causing the front end unit 2 to scan each frequency channel is the best. A broadcast station that performs a simple broadcast is searched, and the searched broadcast station is specified as a new broadcast station that is registered in the entry of the preset number being received. Then, the broadcast station name (NID: Network_identification) and sequence ID (Affiliation ID) included in the broadcast from the specified broadcast station, and the preset channel number being received in the preset table are set in the frequency channel of the broadcast from the specified broadcast station. Update entry.

  If the broadcasting station associated with the preset number being received in this way is updated to another broadcast station in the same series as the broadcast station before the update, it is added to the entry of the preset number being received in the preset table after the update. The registered frequency channel is set as a reception channel and designated to the front end unit 2 to start reception of the broadcast of the updated broadcast station (step 312).

Then, the second reference time T2 (for example, T2 = 2 sec) is set as the timeout time (step 314). Here, the second reference time T2 is a value significantly smaller than the first reference time T1.
Then, the occurrence of the timeout time return event (step 316) and the monitoring of the occurrence of reception failure of the current reception channel are started (step 318). Here, the timeout time return event will be described later.
If a timeout time return event occurs (step 316), the process returns to step 300, the timeout time is returned to the first reference time T1, and the processes after step 300 described above are performed.
On the other hand, if reception failure of the reception channel occurs before the timeout time return event occurs (step 318), a timer is started (step 320).
Then, before the time-out time of the timer measurement time (here, the second reference time T2) elapses (step 324), if the reception failure is resolved (step 322), that is, the reception failure is the second reference time. If it does not continue for the time T2 or longer, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 316 and 318.

  On the other hand, when the time-out time of the timer measurement time (here, the second reference time T2) elapses (step 324), that is, when reception failure continues for time T2 or more, the current reception channel is registered. The preset update processing for the preset number being received is performed as described above using the preset number being received as the preset number being received (step 326).

  If the broadcasting station associated with the receiving preset number by the preset updating process of the receiving preset number is updated to another broadcasting station in the same series as the broadcasting station before updating (step 326), Set the frequency channel registered in the preset number entry being received in the preset table as the reception channel, and specify the set reception channel in the front end unit 2 to start receiving the broadcast of the updated broadcast station. (Step 328).

Then, the process returns to the monitoring in steps 316 and 318.
Here, a timeout time return event whose occurrence is monitored in step 316 will be described.
Any one, a plurality, or all of the following can be used as the timeout time return event.
In other words, the elapse of a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) from the last switching of the reception channel in step 312 may be used as a timeout time return event.
Further, the occurrence of power-on of the broadcast receiver that occurs when the accessory power supply of the automobile is turned on / off may be used as a timeout time return event.
In addition, the time-out time (second reference time T2 in step 324) in a situation where the frequency channel registered in the same preset number as the reception preset number when step 312 is performed is set as the reception channel. ) The above detection of continuation of reception failure may be used as a timeout time return event.

  Alternatively, a GPS receiver or navigation device is mounted on a vehicle so as to be capable of cooperating with a broadcast receiver, and the current location detected by the GPS receiver or navigation device is a pre-registered vehicle user's home location ( For example, it may be used as a timeout time return event that the area has changed to the surrounding area.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2b, the contents of a preset table that can be used favorably in the home area of the user of the car are stored in the memory 10 as home area preset information, and either one of the preset tables or a predetermined number of preset tables are stored. The timeout time indicates that the contents of the preset number entry (broadcast station name, series ID, frequency channel) are the same as the contents registered in the home area preset information as the contents of the preset number and the preset number. It may be used as a return event.

  Here, when the GPS receiver or navigation device is mounted on the automobile as described above, the current position detected by the GPS receiver or navigation device is registered in advance for the creation of the home area preset information. This can be done by storing the preset table at that time as home area preset information when the vehicle is in an area around the home point (for example, home) of the user. Alternatively, the registration of the frequency channel to the home area preset information is performed by using the preset table used in the period in which the preset table has not been updated in the past predetermined period (for example, January) as the home area. This can be done by storing it as preset information.

The reception channel automatic update process performed by the control unit 9 has been described above.
An example of such reception channel automatic update processing is shown in FIG.
Here, in Japan, the broadcasting area of each broadcasting station is shared by a plurality of areas because the broadcasting transmitting station is shared by a plurality of broadcasting stations. Here, a description will be given assuming that “Tokyo area” and “Ibaraki area” adjacent to “Tokyo area” exist as broadcast areas.

  As shown in the figure, the broadcast station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” is registered for preset number 1 in the preset table, the broadcast station “MHK Education Tokyo” is registered for preset number 2, and preset number 12 is set. On the other hand, it is assumed that the broadcasting station “TV Nippon Tokyo” is registered and the broadcasting station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” with preset number 1 is being received.

  In this case, if the reception environment is temporarily deteriorated while the automobile is traveling in the Tokyo area and a broadcast reception failure (400) of the broadcasting station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” occurs, this reception failure does not continue for a long time. Therefore, the reception failure does not continue for the first reference time T1 (for example, 50 seconds), the preset update process and the reception channel switching are not performed, and after the reception state is restored, the broadcast of the broadcast station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” Reception continues as it is.

After that, when the automobile moves from the Tokyo area to the Ibaraki area, a poor reception (401) of broadcasting of the broadcasting station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” occurs.
In this case, since the mobile station has left the Tokyo area, which is the broadcast area of the broadcast station “MHK General Tokyo”, the reception failure of the broadcast station “MHK General Tokyo” continues thereafter. For this reason, the continuation of the first reference time T1 (for example, 50 seconds) of reception failure occurs, and preset update processing of preset number 1 is performed (402) in the Ibaraki area of the same series as the broadcast station “MHK Sogo Tokyo” The broadcast station of preset number 1 is updated to the broadcast station “MHK General Mito”, and the receiving broadcast station is switched to “MHK General Mito”.

Thereafter, when the user performs a reception instruction operation (403) for preset number 2, the broadcast station to be received is switched to “MHK Education Tokyo” registered in preset number 2.
However, at this point in time, since the broadcast station “MHK Education Tokyo” is already away from the Tokyo area where it is broadcast, a reception failure (404) immediately occurs.
Further, in this case, since the preset number 1 has already been updated, the reception failure of the broadcast station “MHK Education Tokyo” has a second reference time T2 (for example, 2 sec) shorter than the first reference time T1. ) Immediately after continuing, the broadcast station with preset number 2 is updated to “MHK Education Mito” which is a broadcast station in the Ibaraki area of the same series as the broadcast station “MHK Education Tokyo” (405), and the receiving broadcast station is Switch to “MHK Education Mito”.

  After that, every time reception failure occurs until the above-described timeout time return event occurs, when the reception failure continues for the second reference time T2, the update of the broadcast station of the preset number being received at that time, The broadcast station to be received is switched to the updated broadcast station.

  Now, as described above, when the car moves from the Tokyo area to the Ibaraki area, the first update or switching is that the car has moved in the broadcasting area because the reception failure has continued for the first reference time T1 or more. Only done if it can be reliably estimated. On the other hand, after the automobile has moved from the Tokyo area to the Ibaraki area, the second reference time is used to update the broadcast station registered in the preset number when the reception failure occurs for the second time or later, and to switch the broadcast station to receive. When T2 continues, it will be done promptly.

  Therefore, according to the reception channel automatic update process according to the present embodiment, only when a reception failure occurs due to the departure from the broadcast area of the broadcast being received, the update of the broadcast station registered in the preset number or the broadcast station to be received While performing switching, it is possible to update the broadcasting station registered in the preset number at the time of reception failure after the second time due to the departure from the broadcasting area and to switch the receiving broadcasting station more quickly. It becomes like this.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Antenna, 2 ... Front end part, 3 ... Demodulation part, 4 ... Video decoder, 5 ... Output processing part, 6 ... Audio | voice output device, 7 ... Display apparatus, 8 ... Input device, 9 ... Control part, 10 ... Memory .

Claims (5)

A mobile broadcast receiver that is applied to a broadcast system that is mounted on a mobile body and that broadcasts from each broadcast station belonging to the same program supply series is broadcast on a different frequency channel for each region,
If reception failure continues for the length of time set as the reference time length for the broadcast being received, the reception status belonging to the same program supply line as the broadcast station broadcasting the broadcast being received is good Receiving broadcast switching means for performing a received broadcast switching process for switching to a broadcast of another broadcasting station;
When the first time length is set as the reference time length, and when the first time length is set as the reference time length, a reception failure of the reference time length or more continues in the broadcast being received And a reference time length setting means for updating the reference time length to a second time length shorter than the first time length. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1,
Storage means for storing a preset table in which broadcast stations are registered for each of a plurality of preset numbers;
Preset broadcast station reception control means for switching a broadcast to be received to a broadcast of a broadcast station registered in the preset table with respect to a preset number designated by a user;
When reception failure continues for longer than the time length set as the reference time length in the broadcast being received, the preset station is registered for the preset number where the broadcast station broadcasting the broadcast being received is registered. A broadcast receiver, comprising: preset update means for updating a broadcast station to another broadcast station having a good reception state belonging to the same program supply series as the broadcast station that is broadcasting the received broadcast. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2,
The reference time length setting means includes returning the reference time length to the first time length when a predetermined period has elapsed since the second time length was set as the reference time length. A featured broadcast receiver. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2,
The reference time length setting means is lastly performed in a state where the first time length is set as the reference time length when the second time length is set as the reference time length. When reception failure of the reference time length or more occurs during the period of receiving the same broadcast as the broadcast to be received by switching of the broadcast to be received by the reception broadcast switching processing of the reception broadcast switching means. The broadcast receiver comprising returning the reference time length to the first time length. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2,
In a home area that is a home area of a user set in advance, a current area estimation unit that estimates whether the mobile body is currently located,
The reference time length setting means, when the second time length is set as the reference time length, when the current area estimation means estimates that the mobile body is located in a home area, the reference time length setting means A broadcast receiver comprising: returning a time length to the first time length.