JPH04237218A - Satellite receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set the direction of an antenna in a designated direction in advance before a prescribed time of the designated time when a timer is set while a time is set to the satellite receiver, and starting the timer after the end of setting. CONSTITUTION:The satellite receiver is made up of an actuator driving control section 5 driving and controlling an antenna actuator 3 equipped to a satellite reception antenna 1, a memory section 8 storing an optimum antenna direction setting data for each satellite, a timer section 7 managing timer reservation time and a current time, a control microcomputer 6 controlling the actuator driving control section 5, a power supply section 9 and as reception reproduction section 10, the power supply section 9 turning on off the power supply through manual operation and timer setting, and the reception reproduction section 10 receiving a signal from the frequency converter 2 equipped to the antenna 1, and reproducing the original video signal and the original audio signal.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a method for specifying the antenna direction in advance a certain period of time before the specified time when the timer is turned on, when a timer is set on a satellite receiver that has a built-in satellite receiving antenna driving device and is equipped with a timer function. The present invention relates to a satellite receiver that is driven in a direction and a timer is turned on after setting is completed.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when a timer is set on a satellite receiver that has a built-in satellite receiving antenna drive device and a timer function, the antenna direction is set at approximately the same time as the timer is turned on when the receiver starts operating. was.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, when timer recording of video signals etc. from a satellite receiver is performed on a VTR, a certain period of time after the timer is turned on is spent moving the antenna in the specified direction, and during this time normal reception is not possible. This may cause the beginning part to be unable to be recorded. In view of such drawbacks, the present invention provides a satellite receiver that, in the case of timer reservation, first sets the antenna at a specified position in advance and then starts reception operation when a certain period of time has elapsed before the specified time. The purpose is to

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides an actuator drive for driving and controlling an antenna actuator provided in a satellite receiving antenna in a satellite receiver having a built-in antenna drive device for receiving transmitted radio waves from a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite. A control unit, a memory unit that stores optimal antenna direction setting data for each satellite, a timer unit that manages the current time and timer reservations, and a timer unit that stores the specified power-on time when timer reservations are made. When the current time reaches a certain time before the specified power-on time, the optimum antenna direction position data for the satellite reserved for reception is read out from the memory section and a control signal is output to the actuator drive control section to turn on the antenna. While driving in a specified direction, at the specified time, at least the power supply section for the reception and playback section is turned on and the reception and playback section is set to a reserved reception mode, and a control microcomputer receives satellite radio waves by supplying power from the power supply section. The present invention provides a satellite receiver configured with a receiving and reproducing section that reproduces an original video signal and an original audio signal.

[0005]

[Operation] When the satellite receiver is timer reserved, the control microcomputer outputs a control signal for setting the antenna direction to the specified direction when a certain period of time has elapsed before the specified time when the timer is turned on. When this setting is completed and the specified time comes, the receiver is powered on and starts operating.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A satellite receiver according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of a satellite receiver according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a satellite receiving antenna (hereinafter referred to as an antenna), 2 is a frequency converter included in the antenna 1,
3 is an antenna actuator (
4 is a satellite receiver, 5 is an actuator drive control section, 6 is a control microcomputer, 7 is a timer section, 8 is a memory section, 9 is a power supply section, 10 is a receiving and reproducing section, 11 is a video signal The output terminal 12 is an audio signal output terminal.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained. When the timer is set in the satellite receiver 4, the control microcomputer 6 monitors the timer-set power-on designated time from the timer unit 7 with respect to the current time. Then, when the current time becomes a certain time (N minutes) before the specified time, an operation is started to set the antenna in the direction of the satellite specified when setting the timer. Here, N minutes is the time required to drive the antenna and set it in a specified direction, and is set in consideration of the speed of the antenna driving device and the time required to drive the maximum driving angle of 180 degrees. Usually this time is about 1-2
It's a minute. What actually drives the antenna 1 is an actuator 3 included in the antenna, but it is an actuator drive control section 5 that supplies drive power to the actuator 3 and performs drive control. A control microcomputer 6 controls the actuator drive control section 5 based on a signal indicating the drive state fed back from the actuator 3. Although the optimum direction of the antenna differs from satellite to satellite, the memory section 8 stores this direction data in advance. Therefore, the control microcomputer 6 reads the direction setting data for the designated satellite from the memory section 8 and outputs a control signal based on the data and feedback from the actuator 3 to the actuator drive control section 5. In this way, setting of the antenna direction for the designated satellite is completed before the power is turned on. When the antenna direction setting is completed and the specified power-on time comes, the control microcomputer 6 turns on the power supply section 9 and starts supplying power to the reception and reproduction section 10, which receives the signal from the frequency converter 2 provided in the antenna 1 and converts the original signal. Reproduce. The reproduced video and audio (left and right audio) signals are output to output terminals 11 and 12, and further supplied to the VTR for recording. Incidentally, the reception mode (channel, etc.) at this time is set for the reception reproduction section 10 by the control microcomputer 6 in accordance with the designation at the time of setting the timer. Next, FIG. 2 will be explained. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the above operation of the control microcomputer 6. After setting the timer, when N minutes before the designated (reserved) power-on time (ST1), it is confirmed whether the current direction of the antenna is the normal direction (ST2). If it is in the normal direction, the antenna is not driven; if it is not in the normal direction, the antenna is driven in the normal direction using the data from the memory section 8 and the feedback signal from the actuator 3 (ST3). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not it is the reserved time (ST4), and when the reserved time has come, the power supply unit 9 is turned on (ST5).

[0008]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when timer recording is performed, the antenna is already set in the optimum direction at the time of starting recording, so it is not necessary to set the antenna direction at the same time as recording starts as in the conventional case. This solves the problem of unreceivable reception during this period, and enables complete recording at the same time as the timer is turned on, greatly contributing to improved functionality as a satellite receiver.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of a satellite receiver according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control microcomputer 6. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Satellite receiving antenna 2 Frequency converter 3 Antenna actuator 4 Satellite receiver 5 Actuator drive control section 6 Control microcomputer 7 Timer section 8 Memory section 9 Power supply section 10 Reception playback section 11 Video signal output terminal 12 Audio signal output terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A satellite receiver with a built-in antenna drive device that receives radio waves transmitted from a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite, comprising: an actuator drive control unit that drives and controls an antenna actuator provided in a satellite receiving antenna; A memory section that stores optimal antenna direction setting data, a timer section that manages the current time and time of timer reservations, and a timer section that monitors and compares the designated power-on time when timer reservations are made with the current time. When the specified power-on time reaches a certain time before the specified power-on time, the optimum antenna direction position data for the satellite reserved for reception is read out from the memory section, and a control signal is output to the actuator drive control section to drive the antenna in the specified direction. At the same time, a control microcomputer turns on at least the power supply section for the reception and playback section and sets the reception and playback section to the reserved reception mode, and receives the satellite radio waves by supplying power from the power supply section and outputs the original video signal and original audio signal. What is claimed is: 1. A satellite receiver comprising: a receiving and reproducing unit that reproduces a signal; 2. The satellite receiver includes: an actuator drive control section for driving and controlling an antenna actuator included in a satellite receiving antenna; a memory section for storing optimum antenna direction setting data for each satellite; and a timer section that manages time for timer reservations, and compares and monitors the power-on designated time when timer reservation is made with the current time, and receives information when the current time reaches a certain period of time before the power-on designated time. The optimal antenna direction position data for the reserved satellite is read from the memory section, and while monitoring the feedback signal from the antenna actuator to determine whether the position is normal or not, a control signal is output to the actuator drive control section to drive the antenna in the specified direction. At the specified time, a control microcomputer turns on at least the power supply section for the reception and playback section and sets the reception and playback section to the reserved reception mode, and receives the satellite radio waves by supplying power from the power supply section and outputs the original video signal and original audio. What is claimed is: 1. A satellite receiver comprising: a receiving and reproducing section that reproduces a signal;