JPH05328244A - Channel selection device for television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the channel selection device for a television receiver by which channel selection is easily implemented while confirming simultaneously a video image content of other station. CONSTITUTION:In the channel selection of a television receiver, video images a-i of plural stations are reduced and displayed on a screen simultaneously through split, and after a cursor 1 displayed on the screen is moved, a station of a video image indicated by the cursor 1 is selected. Furthermore, a picture memory and two tuning systems are incorporated in the television receiver and the two tuning systems reduce video data of plural stations sequentially in the case of channel selection and sends the result to the picture memory and the data stored in the memory are displayed. Furthermore, the video image of two stations among video images of plural stations are displayed in real time as a motion picture and the moving pattern station is revised by the movement of the cursor displayed on the screen and after an object station is decided, the station is confirmed to make the channel selection complete. Thus, the channel selection is attained while confirming simultaneously the video image content of other station.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel selection device in a television receiver.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the mainstream of the channel selection of a television receiver is that the entire screen is changed at once by performing some channel selection operation. The tuning operation is performed by rotating the station display dial built into the television, pressing the station display button (channel button) on the television or the remote controller, or by the up and down buttons on the remote controller. There were many ways to change. As another channel selection method, when a specific channel selection operation is performed, the screen of another station is displayed as a child screen in one corner of the screen, or still images of multiple stations are displayed on one screen at the same time. Although some can be seen, the actual tuning is done by pressing the station display button on the remote controller.
Related patents for this type of device include, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 62-130080 and 62-21379.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional channel selection method does not consider the point of performing channel selection while confirming the broadcast contents of a plurality of stations in real time, and when a certain station is selected. The contents of other stations could not be viewed at all, or only two stations could be viewed, or even if three or more stations could be viewed, only still images were displayed.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a channel selection device for a television receiver which enables easy channel selection while simultaneously confirming the video contents of other stations. ..

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, when selecting a television receiver, the images of a plurality of stations are reduced and simultaneously displayed on one screen in a divided manner, and the screen is also displayed. After moving the cursor displayed above, the station of the image indicated by the cursor is selected.

In this case, an image memory and two or more reception tuning systems are provided so that images of at least two or more stations can be simultaneously viewed as a moving image. Further, in the simultaneous split display of a plurality of videos at the time of tuning, only the video displayed immediately before the start of the tuning operation is displayed larger than the other videos. Further, a remote controller such as an input means for controlling the operation direction of the movement of the cursor using the rotation of a sphere, or an input means having a key top capable of controlling the operation direction of the cursor movement in at least four directions is remotely controlled. It can be so.

[0007]

In the channel selection device of the present invention, images of a plurality of stations are reduced and simultaneously displayed on one screen, and the cursor displayed on the screen can be moved to select the image station.
It is possible to easily select while checking the video contents of other stations at the same time.

In this case, by providing an image memory and two tuning systems, a total of three or more stations including the station currently being received are reduced and displayed at once. The image of the station received by one tuning system is reduced and displayed as a real-time moving image as the image of the current receiving station, and is displayed larger than the other images. Further, the other tuning system successively receives a plurality of stations including the current receiving station, reduces the size of the received still image in the image memory, and displays it on the screen. At the same time, even with this tuning system, the image of the current receiving station is reduced for the time being and displayed as a real-time moving image with a cursor on the still image of the current receiving station.
Then, when the cursor is moved by using the remote controller, the location of the moving image changes with the movement of the cursor, and by repeating the operation of moving the cursor, the desired station can be made into a moving image. Furthermore, the remote controller can issue a confirmation instruction to change the currently receiving station to the selected station.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of channel selection according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram showing changes in screens during channel selection according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a remote controller used for channel selection according to the present invention.

2A and 2B, FIG. 2A shows a normal reception state of the television receiver. For example, it is assumed that a total of 12 stations from station a to station l can be received in alphabetical order. It is assumed that the tuner (hereinafter referred to as "tuner 1") is receiving station d therein. Next, the remote controller issues an instruction to change the screen to the tuning mode. In this embodiment, this change instruction is
Issued by touching a trackball, cross cursor keys, or joystick lever on the remote controller shown at 2 in FIG. 3A, 3 in 3B and 4 in 3C. After the change instruction, the tuner that has received the d station until then continues to receive the d station and displays the video as a moving image in the upper left quarter of the screen (hereinafter, this upper left 4
One-half of the moving image is called the "temporary selection screen". At the same time, the other tuner (hereinafter referred to as "tuner 2") sequentially saves the images of all 12 stations being broadcast at that time in the image memory as still images of 1/8 of the full screen. After displaying in the remaining three quarters of the screen,
The tuner 2 also receives the d station, displays the d station portion of the still image as a moving image, and the cursor frame is also displayed in this portion (hereinafter, the moving image in the cursor frame is referred to as a "search screen"). .. The screen immediately after changing to the channel selection mode is shown in FIG. 2B (hereinafter, the state in which the temporary channel selection screen and the search screen match each other is referred to as a “temporary channel selection state”). After that, by rotating the trackball 2 on the remote controller, pressing the cross cursor key 3 or tilting the joystick lever 4, the cursor frame on the screen is moved in units of stations. The tuner 2 receives the station, the screen of the station becomes a search screen and a moving image is displayed, and the moving image of the station that was previously the search screen is changed to a still image. C in FIG. 2 indicates that the cursor is moved to the j station portion and this screen is the search screen (hereinafter, a state where this temporary selection screen and the search screen are different is referred to as a “search state”). Referred to). In the search state, when the confirmation instruction is transmitted by pressing the confirmation instruction button on the remote controller shown by 5 in FIG. 3, the tuner 1 receives the j station, and the temporary selection screen of the upper left quarter is displayed. The station is replaced and the video is displayed, and the station is temporarily selected again. here,
When the confirmation instruction is transmitted again by the remote controller, the channel selection is completed and the entire screen is switched to station j. 2D and 2E show that station j, which was in the tentative channel selection state, has been selected. In the tentative channel selection state, if the user wants to tune to another station without ending the channel selection, the cursor is moved without issuing a confirmation instruction, and the search screen is in a search state different from the tentative channel selection screen. F in FIG. 2 indicates that the state is changed from the tentative channel selection state to the search state again, and the search screen is the station a. Further, G of FIG. 2 and H of FIG. 2 indicate that the station a is tentatively selected from the search state and displayed on the tentative channel selection screen portion, and finally the station a is selected. It goes without saying that stations other than the station j and the station a can be selected by the same method.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart summarizing the above-described channel selection operation.

Since the present embodiment has two tuners, it is possible to divide the reception work of a plurality of stations into two tuners when displaying a plurality of stations at the same time. As a result, it is possible to display a plurality of screens at high speed.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the embodiment in which two tuners are provided has been described, but according to the present invention, an external input device connected to the television receiver in addition to the images of a plurality of stations. , For example, by reducing the image of a video tape recorder, video disk, cable TV, personal computer, etc., and displaying it on one screen at the same time, and moving the cursor displayed on the screen The station or external input of the image shown may be selected.

[0015]

According to the present invention, it is possible to display images of a plurality of stations on one screen at the same time, and to display only the currently receiving station in a large size. Further, by moving the cursor on the screen by remote control. Any station can be specified.
Therefore, it is possible to search for the target station while checking the video contents of other stations at the same time. Can be stationed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of channel selection according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram showing a change in screen during channel selection according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a remote controller used for channel selection according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Cursor display frame, 2 ... Trackball, 3 ...
Four-way cursor key, 4 ... Joystick lever, 5
...... Confirmation instruction buttons, a to j …… Sending screen of each station

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masaki Furui 4, 6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Hitachi Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoko Kubo 4, 6 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Hitachi (72) Inventor Shizue Abe 4-6, Sugawadai Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Hitachi

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. When selecting a television receiver, the images of a plurality of stations are reduced and simultaneously displayed on one screen in a divided manner, and after the cursor displayed on the screen is moved, the image indicated by the cursor is displayed. A station selection device for a television receiver, characterized in that the station is selected. 2. A television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising an image memory and two or more reception tuning systems, wherein images of at least two or more stations can be simultaneously viewed as a moving image. Tuning device 3. The television according to claim 1, wherein, in the simultaneous split display of a plurality of videos at the time of channel selection, only the image displayed immediately before the start of the channel selection work is displayed larger than the other images. John receiver channel selection device 4. A channel selection device for a television receiver according to claim 1, wherein the channel selection device is remotely controlled by a remote controller. 5. A channel selecting device for a television receiver according to claim 4, wherein the cursor is moved by an input means for controlling an operation direction by utilizing rotation of a sphere. 6. A channel selection device for a television receiver according to claim 4, wherein the cursor is moved by an input means having a key top capable of controlling at least four operation directions.