JPH0468620A - Channel selection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select a desired channel automatically by learning at least one preceding week of channel selection data, storing the result and controlling the channel selection based on the read channel selection data. CONSTITUTION:When a signal designating the selection of a desired channel is inputted to a CPU 3, the CPU 3 stores the weekday, the time and the channel as a channel selection data into a memory 24 under the control of the CPU 3 only when the CPU 3 selects a same channel for, e.g. >=10min. When a same channel is viewed for, e.g. >=10min the channel selection data stored in the memory 24 is rewritten into a new channel selection data even when a past old channel selection data is stored therein. The stored channel selection data is read simultaneously only when power is applied at almost the same time of a next same weekday under the control of the CPU 3 and a channel in response to the read channel selection data is selected.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention applies to received television signals and AM signals.

The present invention relates to a channel selection device that selects an FM broadcast signal or the like.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention learns and stores the tuning data set by the tuning means for at least one week in the past, reads out the tuning data at the time when the power is turned on when the power is turned on, and reads out the tuning data at the time when the power is turned on. By controlling the channel selection operation of the channel selection means based on the channel selection data, for example, the channel selected at the time of t's on becomes the same as the channel selected at the same time last week. This is a channel selection device that allows you to tune into a program that you watch continuously at the same time as the power is turned on, without having to go through the trouble of specifying the channel and tuning.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a channel selection device includes a tuner to which a received signal received by an antenna is supplied. This tuner is supplied with control signals from the CPU, etc., which performs overall control.
The tuner selects a designated channel in response to this control signal, and supplies this channel selection output signal to, for example, a monitor device or a speaker.

The user turns off the power after selecting a channel and watching a desired program in this way, but the power supply to all devices is not actually turned off, and when the power is turned on again. For example, the channel selection device, CPU, etc. are supplied with a power source 1 for standby so that the device can be activated immediately when the device is turned on. Therefore, even if you turn off ITS after watching any of the above programs, the next time you turn on the power, conventional channel selection devices will automatically select the channel you were watching immediately before TA was turned off. Was.

C invention tries to solve the problem! [Problem] Here, broadcast program programs of broadcasting stations are generally set on a weekly basis, and the same program is often broadcast on the same day of the week and at the same time. Since the desired channel to be selected is often determined depending on the time zone, it would be very convenient if the desired channel was automatically selected at the same time as tB neon.

However, the conventional channel selection device described in -F only automatically selects the channel that was being viewed immediately before the power was turned off, so the user could select the channel broadcasting the desired program after the power was turned on. It was very troublesome as I had to call again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.
To provide a channel selection device that automatically selects a desired channel without having to select the desired channel again after turning on the channel.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention comprises: a tuning means for tuning a channel designated by a received signal; a storage means for learning and storing tuning data set in the tuning means for at least one week in the past;
The above-mentioned problem is solved by having a control means for reading out the tuning data at that time from the storage means when the power is turned on, and controlling the tuning operation of the tuning means based on the read tuning data. do.

[Effect]

Since the channel selection device according to the present invention learns and stores the channel selection data set in the storage means for at least the period from leaving to S, when the power is turned on, the channel selection data of the previous week is stored from the storage means, for example. The same channel as the previous week can be selected and output.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of a channel selection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The channel selection device according to the present invention can be provided, for example, in a television signal receiving device as shown in FIG.

The television signal receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 1 receives, for example, a satellite (BS) broadcast television signal (SHF) and a terrestrial broadcast television signal (VHF).

Both UHF and UHF can be received.

First, the above-mentioned terrestrial broadcast television signals in the VHF band and the UHF band are received by the antenna 1 and supplied to the first tuner 2 .

This first tuner 2 includes a CPU 3 that performs overall control.
A control signal is supplied from the Note that this control signal is, for example, a signal output from the cPU 3 in response to the received signal when the CPU 3 receives a signal specifying a desired channel from the remote controller (remote control) 25. The first tuner 2 includes the C
The specified channel is selected according to the control signal from the PU 3, and this selection output signal is sent to the first selector 4.
supply to.

This first selector 4 also receives a B signal, which will be explained later, in response to a satellite broadcast television signal, in addition to the above-mentioned channel selection output signal.
S selection output signal, video tape recorder (VTR),
A video signal is supplied from a video signal generation circuit 5 such as a video disc player (VDP). In addition,
Each signal supplied to the selector 4 is, for example, a signal conforming to the NTSC system, which is the standard system in Japan. The first selector 4 selects each of the supplied signals in response to a control signal from the CPU 3,
This NTSC system selection signal is used as ED TV (Ext
ended Definition Te1evisi
on) is supplied to the signal processing circuit 6 and the video signal processing circuit 7.

The HDTV signal processing circuit 6 is an EDTV signal processing circuit that sequentially scans the NTSC selection signal to improve image quality.
After signal processing, this HDTV signal is sent to the second selector 8.
supply to.

On the other hand, the satellite broadcast television signal (BS signal) transmitted in the 12Gk band (SHF band) is transmitted by the BS antenna 9.
The signal is received by the BS converter 10, converted into a 1 GHz band signal, and supplied to the second tuner II.

Similar to the first tuner 2, the second tuner 11 selects a specified channel in response to a control signal from the CPU 3 and outputs a BS selection output signal. If the channel selection output signal is a signal that has been band compressed and transmitted using the MUSE method, this signal is supplied to the third selector 12 as the MUSE channel selection output signal. In addition, the above B
If the S tuning output signal is an NTSC signal, it is supplied to the first selector 4.

The third selector 12 is supplied with a MUSE signal from the MUSE VTR 1 3 and a MUSE signal from the MUSE VDP 1 4 in addition to the MUSE channel selection output signal. This third selector 12 selects a MUSE signal according to the control signal from the CPLI 3 from among the MUSE signals supplied, and sends this to the MUSE signal.
The signal is supplied to the E decoder 15.

The MUSE decoder 15 decodes the supplied MUSE signal using a plurality of sampling frequencies to generate a high-definition signal, and supplies this to the second selector 8.

The second selector 8 is supplied with a baseband signal from a baseband signal generation circuit 16 such as a baseband VTR or a baseband signal P in addition to the HDTV signal and the high-definition signal. The second selector 8
is the CPU 3 among the respective supplied signals.
The selected signal is selected and supplied to the audio processor 18, and is also supplied via the video signal processing circuit 7 to a CRT (cathode ray tube) I7 serving as display means. As a result, an image corresponding to the signal of the designated channel is displayed on the CRT 17.

In response, the audio processor 18 reproduces an audio signal from the supplied signal. and,
For example, if the supplied signal is a stereo broadcast signal, the right (R) speaker 19 and the left (L)
) An audio signal is supplied to the speaker 20, and if the supplied signal is a high-definition broadcasting signal, the light speaker 19. Left speaker 20. center(
C) Speaker 21. Audio signals are supplied to each of the surround left (SL) speaker 22 and surround right (SR) speaker 23. Thereby, it is possible to produce pronunciation according to the audio mode of the received signal.

Further, the video signal processing circuit 7 to which the signal selected by the second selector 8 and the NTSC signal selected by the first selector 4 are supplied mainly controls the selected channel under the control of the CPU 3. Displaying images from other channels on a predetermined tilt of the screen that is displaying Bull's image,
It has functions such as so-called PinP (picture in picture) and so-called PoutP (picture out picture), which displays videos of multiple other channels around the screen that displays the video of the selected channel. When used, video signal processing is mainly performed such as superimposing a video signal of a selected channel with a video signal of another channel and supplying the same to the CRT 17. In addition,
This video signal processing circuit 7 superimposes a screen display signal, supplied from the CPU 3, for displaying, for example, the channel number of the selected channel, on the video signal of the selected channel, and outputs the superimposed signal. It also processes video signals. As a result, the channel number, etc. of the selected channel is displayed in a predetermined area of the display screen.

Here, the channel selection device according to the present invention has a memory 24 which is a storage means capable of learning and storing tuning data of, for example, the -weekly channel selected in the past.

That is, when a signal specifying the selection of a desired channel is supplied from the remote controller 25 to the CPU 3 as described above, the CPU 3 selects the desired channel on that day of the week, only if the same channel has been selected for more than 10 minutes, for example. At that time, the channel is controlled to be stored in the memory 24 as channel selection data.

As a result, the memory 24 stores channels selected as channel selection data that meet the above requirements for each time period of each day of the week, and for example, a timetable as shown in FIG. 2 is stored. It is formed. Note that the memory 24
A backup power source is supplied to the station even when the main power source is off, so that the stored channel selection data is not lost even when the main power source is off. In addition, the channel selection data stored in the memory 24 is rewritten to new channel selection data even if the previous old channel selection data is stored, if the same channel is watched for more than 10 minutes as described above. It will be done. Then, when the power is turned on at approximately the same time on the same day of the week next week, the channel selection data stored in this manner is read out at the same time as the power is turned on under the control of the CPU 3. A channel is selected according to the selected channel selection data.

The storing/reading operation of the channel selection data by the CPU 3 will be explained using the flowchart of FIG. 3.
It starts when the power is turned on.

Next, in step 50, the CPU 3 determines whether it has been within 10 minutes since the television signal selection device was powered off, and if YES, the process proceeds to step 51; if NO, the process proceeds to step 52. move on.

In step 51, the CPU 3 controls the first tuner 2 or the second tuner 11 to select the channel that was being selected immediately before the power was turned off, and the process proceeds to step 54.

In step 52, the CPU 3 uses the memory 24.
It is determined whether or not the channel selection data corresponding to when the power was turned on is stored in the memory, and if No, the process proceeds to step 51, where the channel selected immediately before the power was turned off is selected as described above, and the step , the process advances to block 54, and if Yes, the process advances to step 53.

In step 53, the CPU 3 uses the memory 24.
The channel selection data stored at the same time one week ago is read out, a channel corresponding to this channel selection data is selected, and the process proceeds to step 54.

Here, if the program that the user wants to watch starts at 8:00, for example, the user may not necessarily turn on the power at exactly 8:00, but may turn on the power at 7:50 or 8:00. The time at which the power is turned on varies depending on the time, such as turning on the power at 10:00 p.m. Therefore, fuzzy control as shown in FIG. 4 is used for the tuning operation of the tuning device according to the present invention when the power is turned on.

In FIG. 4, for example, the channel selection data stored in the memory 24 is channel A until 8:00 o'clock;
Assuming that it was channel B from 0:00 onwards, the probability that the channel the user is trying to select when the power is turned on is Jhai A nayan channel is 8 as shown by the solid line in the figure.
The probability decreases as the hour approaches OO minutes, and conversely, the probability that the channel 2J to 2B that the user is trying to select when N'll is on is 8 as shown by the dotted line in the figure.
It rises as the hour approaches. Therefore, if the time when the user turns on the power is 7:40, the CPU 3 controls the first tuner 2 or the second tuner 11 to select the A channel. Also, if the time when the user turns on the power is 7:50, the probability that the channel the user is trying to select at this time is channel B
The probability of being Chanful is the same (50%),
In this case, the CPU 3 controls the first tuner 2 or the second tuner 11 to select, for example, the B channel. That is, the time when the power source is turned on is 7:05 p.m.
The channel A is selected before 0 minutes, and the channel A is selected after the rL power-on time is 7:50.6 Note that the probability of channel A and the probability of channel B are the same. Control may be performed such that channel A is selected when the probability is (50%).

In this way, by performing the channel selection operation when the power is turned on using the fuzzy control described above, it is possible to perform channel selection closer to the user's intention.

In step 54, the CPU 3 determines whether 10 minutes or more have passed since the current channel was selected. If YES, the process proceeds to step 55; if NO, this determination is repeated.

If, for example, 10 minutes or more have passed since the current channel was selected in step 54, the CPU 3 determines that the program is a program that the user habitually views. As a result, in step 55, the CPU 3
For example, in step 5, the current day of the week, 1 time, and the channel are controlled to be stored in the memory 24 as channel selection data.
Return to 5.

As is clear from the above description, the channel selection device according to the present invention stores at least one week's worth of channel selection data in the memory 24, such as the time of day of the week, channel, etc. of a channel that the user has been tuning for, for example, 10 minutes or more. At the same time as the power is turned on, the channel selection data corresponding to the time when the power was turned on is read out from the memory 24, and the channel corresponding to this tuning data is selected. At the same time, the user can select the desired channel. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the troublesome effort of re-selecting any channel after turning on the power, and it is possible to fully automate the operation of the device.

In addition, such control can be achieved by simply configuring the memory 24 and operating the CPU 3 according to a software program, so that the circuit configuration can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

In addition, in the explanation of the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the channel selection device according to the present invention is provided in a television signal receiving device has been explained, but the channel selection device can also be used in other ways, such as an AM/FM radio receiving device, a transceiver, etc. It can be installed in any device whose purpose is to select channels. Also,
When the same channel is continuously selected for 10 minutes or more, it is stored as channel selection data, but this may be any number such as 15 minutes or 20 minutes, and the memory 24
Although the storage capacity of the data is assumed to be one week's worth, it is of course possible to store it for -months or one year, for example.

[Effects of the Invention] The channel selection device according to the present invention learns and stores the channel selection data set in the channel selection means for at least one week in the past, and reads out the channel selection data at that time when the power is turned on. By controlling the channel selection operation of the channel selection means based on the read channel selection data, it is possible to select the channel intended by the user at the same time as the power is turned on. It is possible to eliminate the troublesome effort of reselecting channels, and it is possible to support full automation of equipment operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a television signal receiving device equipped with a channel selection device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a television signal receiving device provided with a channel selection device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the channel selection device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a graph for explaining how to select channels by the channel selection device according to the present invention. It is. 1...Antenna 2...First tuner 3...
......CPU 4...First selector 6...
......EDTV signal processing circuit 7...
......Video signal processing circuit 80. ．． 8. ,,,,,,
, second selector 9...BS antenna 10...BS converter 11
......Second tuner 12...
......Third selector 15...
...MUSE decoder 17...
・CRT 18・・・・・・・・・Audio processor 2
4・・・・・・・・・Memory patent

Claims (1)

[Scope of claims] Tuning means for tuning a channel designated by a received signal; storage means for learning and storing tuning data set in the tuning means for at least one week in the past; and a power source. A channel selection device comprising: control means for reading channel selection data at that time from the storage means when turned on, and controlling the channel selection operation of the channel selection means based on the read channel selection data.