JPH06178298A - Terminal controller and terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To send control data for a short period of time without a heavy burden of a terminal controller even when there are lots of terminal equipments. CONSTITUTION:A terminal controller 1 reads repetitively control data to control each terminal equipment 2 from a RAM 4 and uses a generating means 5 to convert the data into an analog video signal and uses an RF modulator 6 to modulate the signal into an RF signal and sends through a control dedicated channel, and the terminal equipment 2 receives the RF signal by a controlling tuner 13 to reproduce control data. Thus, it is not required to send sequentially the control data at every terminal equipment 2 according to a communication procedure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal control device and a terminal device in a CATV system, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional CATV system provided in, for example, a racetrack.

[0003] In the figure, 1 ₀ CATV terminal control apparatus comprising a CPU30 and modem 31, 6 ₁ ~6n the RF modulator for modulating each broadcasting respectively, 12 R
Mixer for mixing the output of the F modulator, 2 ₀ CAT
A V terminal unit, the CATV terminal unit 2 _0, a modem 32, CPU 18, includes a tuner 15 and a video processing circuit 16, each terminal 2 _0, corresponding TV
A monitor 17 is provided.

Next, the operation will be described.

[0005] CATV terminal control apparatus 1 _0, each CATV terminal unit 2 ₀ through the dedicated control line 33, sends control data for the video processing such as channel change and freezing. Each CATV terminal unit 2 _0, the modem 32
The control data is received via the CPU 18, and the CPU 18 controls the tuner 15 and the video processing circuit 16 based on the control data to display the image of the designated channel on the TV monitor 17.

Accordingly, in such a CATV system, for example, among the plurality of CATV terminal unit 2 ₀ installed in each location of the racetrack, in certain CATV terminal unit 2 _0, it reflects the image of the odds information, Another CAT
In V terminal unit 2 _0, it reflects the image in the competition, or the still another CATV terminal unit 2 _0, so that perform control such images Utsushidasu in competition frozen.

[0007]

However, in such a conventional example, when there are a large number of terminal devices, control signals must be sequentially transmitted in accordance with the communication procedure for each terminal device. However, there is a problem that the load of the terminal control device becomes heavy and control in real time becomes difficult.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and even if there are a large number of terminal devices, the load of the terminal control device does not become heavy, and the control data can be transmitted in a short period of time. The purpose is to be able to send.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is constructed as follows.

That is, the terminal control device of the present invention stores the control data for controlling each terminal device and the storage part for reading the control data and converting the control data into an analog signal. It is provided with means for generating a signal and an RF modulator for modulating the analog video signal into an RF signal and transmitting it as a control-dedicated channel.

Further, the terminal device of the present invention reproduces control data from a control tuner for receiving the RF signal of the control dedicated channel transmitted from the terminal control device and an analog video signal received by the control tuner. And means.

[0012]

According to the above construction, the terminal control device repeatedly reads out control data for controlling each terminal device, converts it into an analog video signal, modulates it into an RF signal and sends it out on the control dedicated channel, The device is this R
Since the control signal is received by the control tuner to reproduce the control data, it is not necessary to sequentially transmit the control data according to the communication procedure for each terminal device as in the conventional example.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Example 1. FIG. 1 shows C of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a CATV terminal control device 1 in the ATV system, and FIG.
It is a block diagram of the ATV terminal device 2, and the same reference numerals are attached to the portions corresponding to the conventional example of FIG.

The CATV terminal control device 1 of this embodiment is
Unlike the conventional example, instead of sending control data for video processing such as channel change and freeze to each CATV terminal device through a dedicated control line, the control data is converted into an analog video signal and modulated into an RF signal. Then
It is sent as a control-dedicated channel.

Therefore, the CATV terminal control device 1 repeatedly reads out the control data stored in the RAM 4 and the RAM 4 for storing the control data from the CPU 3 for controlling each CATV terminal device 2, and outputs the analog video signal. It comprises a generating means 5 for generating, and an RF modulator 6 for modulating the analog video signal from the generating means 5 into an RF signal and transmitting it as a control-dedicated channel.

The generation means 5 includes a write / read controller 7 for controlling writing / reading of control data from the CPU 3 to / from the RAM 4, and a parallel / serial converter for converting the control data read from the RAM 4 into serial data. 8 and a D / A converter 9 for converting serial data from the parallel / serial converter 8 into an analog signal
And the analog signal from this D / A converter 9
A mixer 10 for adding a vertical synchronization signal and outputting as an analog video signal, and a timing generator 11 for generating a synchronization signal and controlling the timing of each part are provided.

In this CATV terminal control device 1, each CA
The control data for controlling the TV terminal device 2 is RAM
Written to 4. Next, the control data in the RAM 4 is read at the timing of the video signal corresponding to the synchronization signal output from the timing generator 11, converted into serial data by the parallel / serial converter 8, and further D / A converted. Logic "1"
Data is converted into an analog signal with a brightness level of 100% and logic “0” is converted into an analog signal with a brightness level of 0%, and horizontal and vertical synchronization signals are added to form an analog video signal.
The modulator 6 modulates the RF signal and sends it out as a control-dedicated channel.

FIG. 3 shows each CA stored in the RAM 4.
It is a figure which shows the correspondence of the control data of a TV terminal device, and the TV screen of the analog video signal produced | generated based on this control data. In this Example, it corresponds to each CATV terminal device 2 from 1 to n. Each control data to be converted is converted into an analog video signal for each horizontal scanning line and transmitted.

The operation of reading the control data from the RAM 4 and converting the control data into an analog video signal for transmission is performed by RA.
It is repeated except for the period in which new control data is written in M4 from the CPU 3.

The RF signal of the control-dedicated channel from the CATV terminal control device 1 is mixed with the output from each of the RF modulators 6 ₁ to 6 n for modulating each broadcast by the mixer 12 and transmitted to the CATV terminal device 2. It

On the other hand, the CATV terminal device 2 has a control tuner 13 for receiving, via the distributor 35, the RF signal of the control dedicated channel transmitted from the CATV terminal control device 1 as described above, and the control tuner 13. And a reproducing means 14 for reproducing control data from the analog video signal received and demodulated by the control circuit, and controls the tuner 15 and the video processing circuit 16 on the basis of the reproduced control data in the same manner as in the conventional example. Channel video
It has a CPU 18 for displaying on the V monitor 17.

The control tuner 13 selects the RF signal of the control-dedicated channel from the frequency-multiplexed RF signals and demodulates the analog video signal.

The reproducing means 14 for reproducing the control data from the analog video signal has a luminance signal separation circuit 19 for separating the luminance signal from the analog video signal, a synchronization separation circuit 20 for further separating the synchronization signal, the synchronization signal and each terminal. A timing generator 22 for timing each part based on unique device address information 21; a comparator 23 for converting a luminance signal into serial control data;
A serial / parallel converter 24 for converting serial data from the comparator 23 into parallel data and a register 25 for temporarily storing the control data from the serial / parallel converter 24 are provided, and are unique to each terminal device. Control data corresponding to the terminal device 2 is given from the register 25 to the CPU 18 based on the address information.

In this embodiment, as described above, 1 to n
Each control data corresponding to each CATV terminal device 2 up to is converted into an analog video signal for each horizontal scanning line and transmitted. Therefore, for example, in the case of the m-th terminal device 2, the m-th The control data reproduced from the analog video signal corresponding to the horizontal scanning line will be given.

In the CATV terminal device 2, the control tuner 13 selects and demodulates the RF signal of the control-dedicated channel, the reproduction means 14 reproduces the control data, and the CPU 18 causes the tuner 15 to reproduce the control data based on the control data. Also, the video processing circuit 16 is controlled to display the image of the designated channel on the TV monitor 17.

As described above, the CATV terminal control device 1 converts the control data for controlling each CATV terminal device 2 into an analog video signal, modulates it into an RF signal, and sends it out as a control-dedicated channel. In the device 2, since the control tuner 13 selects the RF signal of the control-dedicated channel to demodulate the analog video signal and reproduces the control data from the analog video signal for control, each terminal can be controlled like the conventional example. It is not necessary to sequentially transmit control data according to the communication procedure for each device,
The load on the terminal control device 1 is reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, since the analog video signal of one horizontal scanning line of the TV screen is assigned to one terminal device 2, even if the number of the terminal devices 2 is large, the control data is very short. Will be sent.

Further, since the CATV terminal control device 1 converts the control data into an analog video signal and repeatedly sends it, even if the control data cannot be received due to the influence of noise or the like, the next normal signal can be received. Therefore, malfunction can be prevented.

Although the above-described embodiment has been described by applying to a CATV system for transmitting by cable, as another embodiment of the present invention, the output of the mixer 12 is transmitted by an antenna and the antenna on the terminal device 2 side is used. It may be configured to receive.

In the above embodiment, the control of the video output of the CATV terminal device 2 has been described. However, as another embodiment of the present invention, it is applied to the control of another device connected to the CATV terminal device 2. Of course, it is good.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the terminal control device repeatedly reads out control data for controlling each terminal device, converts it into an analog video signal, and modulates it into an RF signal for exclusive control. Send out on the channel,
Since the terminal device receives the RF signal by the control tuner and reproduces the control data, it is not necessary to sequentially transmit the control data according to the communication procedure for each terminal device as in the conventional example. Thus, even if there are many terminal devices, the load on the terminal control device can be reduced and control data can be transmitted in a short period.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a CATV terminal control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a CATV terminal device corresponding to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a correspondence relationship between control data and a converted analog video signal.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CATV Terminal Control Device 2 CATV Terminal Device 4 RAM 5 Generating Means 6 RF Modulator 13 Control Tuner 14 Reproducing Means

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 9, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART FIG. 4, for example, racetrack, a block diagram of a conventional CATV systems provided such a station.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0006] Therefore, in such a CATV system, for example , a plurality of Cs installed at each place.
Among the ATV terminal devices 2 ₀ , one CATV terminal device 2 ₀ displays the image of broadcast 1 and another CATV terminal device 2 0
In _0, it reflects the broadcast 2 video, or in yet another CATV terminal unit 2 _0, so that perform control such project a broadcast 1 of the image frozen.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0020

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The operation of reading the control data from the RAM 4 and converting the control data into an analog video signal for transmission is performed by RA.
New control data is written from M3 to CPU4.
It is repeated except for the straight line elimination period.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0029

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Further, since the CATV terminal control device 1 converts the control data into an analog video signal and repeatedly sends it, even if the control data cannot be received due to the influence of noise or the like, the next normal signal can be received. Therefore, the terminal can be surely controlled .

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing control data for controlling each terminal device, a unit for reading the control data and converting the control data into an analog signal, and adding a synchronization signal to generate an analog video signal, An RF modulator that modulates an analog video signal into an RF signal and sends the RF signal as a control-dedicated channel. 2. A control tuner for receiving an RF signal of a control dedicated channel sent from a terminal control device, and means for reproducing control data from an analog video signal received by the control tuner. And the terminal device.