JPH1169274A - Tuner and signal recording system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent video recording control for each video deck from becoming complicated in the video recording system which consists of a tuner having plural output terminals and of plural video decks. SOLUTION: In a BS tuner 10, a channel selection circuit 21DD-DDa PCM demodulation circuit 27 receive a television signal of a satellite broadcast, a video signal is outputted from video output terminals V1out-Vnout, and an audio signal is outputted from audio output terminals A1out-Anout. Then a desired program channel and a video output terminal and an audio output terminal for signal output are controlled by a microcomputer 40, then video decks V1-Vn with a shuttle link function are connected to the BS tuner 10, then the BS tuner 10 can easily control the video recording of each video deck.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a tuner for a television having a plurality of output terminals and a signal recording system comprising the tuner and a plurality of video decks.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tuner utilizing this kind of technology has a plurality of output terminals, and outputs television signals received from all output terminals. As a usage mode of the tuner having such a configuration, an input terminal of a video deck is connected to each output terminal of the tuner, and a signal recording system including one tuner and a plurality of video decks as a whole is constructed. This signal recording system is suitable, for example, when recording one program on a plurality of tapes simultaneously.

On the other hand, the signal recording system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-154705 is composed of a television and a plurality of video decks, and a tuner of the television and the video deck is shared in the signal recording system. ,
Channels that are not built into the VCR can be recorded.

[0004]

The above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. When connecting to a pay broadcast satellite tuner for video recording, each video deck must perform a recording process such as timer reservation, which is cumbersome.

[0005] On the other hand, there is a video deck with a shuttle link function that executes video recording in accordance with the input state of a television signal. Specifically, the VCR detects video signal input and performs video recording,
The video recording is stopped when the input is interrupted. However, when such a VCR with a shuttle link function is applied to the signal recording system in the conventional technique described above, since the television signal is output from all the output terminals of the tuner, the television signal is output in accordance with the output of the television signal. Therefore, all the VCRs start recording, and the video recording cannot be controlled individually by each VCR.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a tuner and a signal recording system capable of controlling recording of a plurality of video decks with a single tuner easily and inexpensively.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of programs can be reserved based on predetermined time information, and a plurality of programs can be reserved for each program by the reservation means. Channel selection means for selectively receiving a television signal having a frequency corresponding to a channel to be output; a plurality of output terminals capable of outputting the television signal; and an output terminal which specifies the television signal for each program by the reservation means. And an output circuit for outputting.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, a reservation means is provided, and a plurality of programs can be reserved based on predetermined time information. As specific contents of the reservation processing, setting of time information such as a start time and an end time of the program to be received is performed, and a channel of the program and an output terminal for actually outputting a signal among a plurality of output terminals are specified. The tuning means selectively receives a television signal having a frequency corresponding to the channel of the program reserved by the reservation means, and the output circuit outputs the television signal via an output terminal designated by the reservation means.

Of course, the output terminal designated by the reservation means may be one of all output terminals,
A combination of a plurality of output terminals may be used. Further, as a specific configuration for outputting a television signal from a designated output terminal, the above-described output circuit is configured by an open / close type switching element provided in a signal output path of each output terminal. Various modes can be applied, such as switching the switching element appropriately according to the designated output terminal, and there is no particular limitation.

As the output form of the television signal, the television signal may be directly output as a television signal, but may be separated into a video signal and an audio signal for input to a video equipment such as a video deck, or may be appropriately output. It naturally includes the case of performing various signal processing such as analog conversion or digital conversion and outputting. For example, as seen in CS broadcasting, a digital signal system in which video and audio data are MPEG-compressed may be adopted, but it goes without saying that the present invention is applicable as a tuner for such CS broadcasting. Not even.

There is known a video deck having a so-called shuttle link function for video recording of a satellite broadcast or a cable broadcast. The shuttle link function is a function of detecting the input of a television signal, starting video recording based on the television signal, and stopping the video recording when the input of the television signal is interrupted. Therefore, in consideration of a signal recording system including a tuner and a VCR having a shuttle link function for performing video recording based on a television signal tuned to and received by the tuner, if a desired program is reserved on the tuner side, the same applies. Since there is no need to perform reservation control on the VCR side, a signal recording system can be constructed with a simple configuration.

[0012] As a preferred example of a signal recording system comprising a tuner according to the present invention and a video deck having a shuttle link function, the invention according to claim 2 is directed to a television having a frequency corresponding to a channel specified for each program. A tuner having a plurality of output terminals for selectively receiving a signal and outputting the television signal;
A signal recording system comprising a plurality of video decks connected to the tuner for recording an input television signal, wherein the tuner can be reserved to output the television signal from an output terminal designated for each program. The video deck is configured to execute signal recording based on a control signal obtained by detecting the television signal.

[0013] In the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, a plurality of video decks are connected to a plurality of output terminals of the tuner, and the tuner is a channel designated for each program based on reservation contents. And selectively receives a television signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency, and outputs the television signal from a designated output terminal. On the other hand, the video deck detects a television signal output from the tuner, generates a control signal, and executes signal recording based on the control signal.

That is, there is no difference in that not only a tuner alone but also a signal recording system including a tuner and a plurality of video decks having a shuttle link function can function effectively. Of course, the tuner here may exist alone in the signal recording system, or may be a built-in tuner such as a television or a video deck, and is not particularly limited.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a tuner having a plurality of output terminals capable of outputting a television signal, the signal output from each output terminal can be controlled. A tuner capable of controlling recording of a plurality of video decks with one tuner can be provided.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a signal recording system capable of controlling recording of a plurality of video decks with one tuner easily and inexpensively.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a signal recording system to which a tuner according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied in a claim correspondence diagram, and FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration example of the signal recording system in a block diagram.

In FIG. 2, the present signal recording system includes B
S antenna A, BS converter C, BS tuner 1
0 and video decks V1 to Vn. BS
The signal in the 12 GHz band received by the antenna A is converted into a first intermediate frequency signal in the 1 GHz band in the BS converter C and input to the BS tuner 10. The BS tuner 10 selects the first intermediate frequency signal by the tuning circuit 21 and converts the first intermediate frequency signal into a second intermediate frequency signal using a local oscillator (not shown) in the IF circuit 22. Then, the second intermediate frequency signal is FM-demodulated by the FM demodulation circuit 23.
An A / V separation circuit 24 separates the signal into a video signal and an audio signal.

Since the separated video signal is pre-emphasized on the transmitting side, the de-emphasis circuit 2
The signal is returned to the original video signal by 5 and output to an output circuit 30 described later. On the other hand, the audio signal is converted into a PCM signal on the transmitting side,
Since the audio subcarrier is four-phase DPSK modulated with the same PCM signal, first, the separated audio signal is a four-phase DPS.
The signal is demodulated by the K demodulation circuit 26 and a PCM bit stream is output. This PCM bit stream is
The PCM signal processing such as error correction is performed in the M demodulation circuit 27, converted into an analog audio signal by a D / A converter (not shown), and output to the output circuit 30 in the same manner. The channel selection in the channel selection circuit 21 can be reserved as described later, and in this sense, the channel selection circuits 21 to the PCM demodulation circuit 27 constitute a channel selection unit. The detailed configuration of each of the channel selection circuits 21 to the PCM demodulation circuit 27 is within the category of the related art, and thus will not be described in detail here.

The output circuit 30 includes a plurality of video output terminals V1
out to Vnout and the audio output terminals A1out to Anout corresponding to each of the video output terminals are arranged in front of the audio output terminals A1out to Anout, and the video signal input as described above can be distributed and output to each of the video output terminals V1out to Vnout. In addition, the input audio signal can be distributed and output to the audio output terminals A1out to Anout. Specifically, the output circuit 30 is connected to the video output terminals V1out to Vno.
ut and an open / close switch provided on the signal output path of the audio output terminals A1out to Anout, and by appropriately switching these switches,
Signals can be output from specific video output terminals and audio output terminals. In the present embodiment, the switching transistors are provided at appropriate positions, and the switching transistors are realized by applying a control signal from a microcomputer 40 to be described later to each switching transistor. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Various switching techniques can be applied.

Each of the video output terminals V1out to Vnout
Since the same control signal is applied to the switches in the signal output paths of the corresponding audio output terminals A1out to Anout, the two are interlocked. Thereby, for example, the video output terminal V
When a video signal is output from 1out, an audio signal is also output from the audio output terminal A1out.
The video output terminals V1out to Vnout and the corresponding audio output terminals A1out to Anout are connected to video input terminals and audio input terminals (not shown) of the video decks V1 to Vn with a shuttle link function, respectively. The shuttle link function in the present embodiment generates a predetermined control signal based on a video signal input via a video input terminal, and performs video recording based on the control signal. Therefore, for example, when a video signal is output from the video output terminal V1out, an audio signal is also output from the audio output terminal A1out, and the video deck V1 performs video recording.

In this embodiment, the video output terminal V1
out to Vnout and the corresponding audio output terminal A
The configuration is such that the signal outputs from 1out to Anout are linked, but the configuration is not necessarily limited to this configuration. That is, the video decks V1 to Vn are connected to the video output terminals V1o.
Since the video recording is performed in accordance with the input state of the video signal output from out to Vnout, the audio signal may always be output from all the audio output terminals A1out to Anout.

The same applies to a case in which a shuttle link function for executing video recording in accordance with the input state of an audio signal is provided.
The output from 1out to Vnout may be used. Of course, as in the present embodiment, the video output terminal V1ou
t to Vnout and the corresponding audio output terminal A1o
If a configuration is used in which the signal outputs from out to Anout are linked, it is possible to support a shuttle link function of executing video recording in accordance with either a video signal or an audio signal.

The microcomputer 40 controls various kinds of hardware constituting the BS tuner 10, such as the above-described channel selection control in the channel selection circuit 21, switching control in the output circuit 30, and display control of a display (not shown). The actual channel selection operation can be performed via the panel unit 50. The panel unit 50 includes various operation keys (not shown) and a display for displaying operation contents and key inputs. The content of the key operation on the panel unit 50 is detected by the microcomputer 40, and a corresponding process is executed.

The BS tuner 10 has a so-called timer reservation function, and the reservation can be set by operating the operation keys of the panel unit 50.
The microcomputer 40 executes a reservation setting process according to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, when a predetermined key operation is performed via the panel unit 50 to make a timer reservation, in a step S110, a state of waiting for input of time information including a start date and time and an end date and time is displayed. Prompt for input. Here, when the same time information is input, the microcomputer 40 stores the same time information in a predetermined storage area, and shifts to a process of step S120. In this step S120, the process waits for the input of the channel number to be selected. Similarly, the fact is displayed on the display unit to prompt the input, and the input channel number is stored.

Thereafter, in step S130, the fact that the output terminal for actually outputting the signal is specified is displayed on the display. In the present embodiment, the video output terminals V1out to
Vnout and respective video output terminals V1out to V1out
audio output terminals A1out to Anou corresponding to "nout"
t is regarded as a set of output terminals, and output terminal numbers “1” to “n” are assigned to the respective output terminals. Here, when the output terminal numbers “1” to “n” are designated, the microcomputer 40 similarly stores the output terminal numbers in a predetermined storage area. When the designation of the output terminal number is completed in this way, a timer function described later is started in step S140, and the power is turned off in step S150.

It should be noted that step S13 in the present embodiment is used.
In the specification of the output terminal number of 0, not only one output terminal number can be specified, but also a plurality of output terminal numbers can be specified at the same time. Can be performed. Therefore, if the user sets a desired reservation in advance, it is possible to reliably record a desired program on a desired VCR, and a detailed video recording plan can be realized.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the microcomputer 40 when the timer function operates. In FIG. 7, the microcomputer 40 monitors the start date and time stored in the manner described above and the time measurement result of the timer circuit 60 in step S210, and turns on the power in step S220 when the two match. And
In step S230, reception of a television signal having a frequency corresponding to the same channel is started based on the channel number stored as described above. In step S240, the video output terminal and the audio signal are output based on the stored output terminal number. Set the output terminal. Specifically, the microcomputer 40 sends the control signal to control the switching of the output circuit 30 as described above. Then, a video signal and an audio signal are output from the set video output terminal and audio output terminal, respectively. In the next step S250, the end date and time stored as described above and the time measurement result of the timer circuit are monitored.
At 60, the power is turned off. In the above sense, the microcomputer 40, the panel unit 50, and the timer circuit 60 constitute a reservation unit.

In this embodiment, a BS for satellite broadcasting is used.
I am building a signal recording system using a tuner,
Of course, it is not limited to this configuration. That is,
The present invention can be applied to any tuner for television broadcasting without any dependence on analog and digital signal types and other signal systems. For example, the present invention can be applied to a tuner for CS broadcasting, a tuner for cable television broadcasting, and the same applies to a tuner for ordinary television radio broadcasting.

In this embodiment, a tuner that is separate from video equipment such as a video deck is applied.
Of course, a tuner integrated with the video device may be applied, and may be changed as appropriate. further,
In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 40 and the panel unit 50
The channel number and the output terminal number of the program to be received are designated by using the reservation means including the timer circuit 60 and the reservation means. In other words, it is needless to say that the selected channel can be specified via the panel unit 50 even when the timer is not reserved, but it is possible to specify the output terminal number for outputting a signal at this time. Has the same effect.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to a specific video recording plan.
When recording video in triple mode using a 160-minute tape, the maximum recording time of the tape is 8 hours.
The tape is set on each of the tapes 1 and V2 in a state where the tape is wound up for 160 minutes, and the desired reservation is set in the BS tuner 10 as described above.

At the time of setting the reservation, "1" is designated as the output terminal number until the cumulative time of video recording exceeds 8 hours. Then, the BS tuner 10 performs an on / off operation based on the reservation content, receives a television signal as appropriate, and outputs the video signal and the audio signal to the video deck V1. Then, the video deck V1 starts or stops video recording in accordance with the input of the video signal and the audio signal. On the other hand, if the accumulated time of the video recording exceeds 8 hours, the video deck V1 can no longer record, so "2" is designated as the output terminal number at the time of reservation setting so that the video deck V2 executes video recording. Then
The subsequent video recording is similarly performed by the video deck V2. Of course, if the cumulative time of video recording exceeds 16 hours, a tape should be set in VCR V3 or later, and the output terminal number of the corresponding VCR should be specified when setting the reservation of BS tuner 10. In this signal recording system, timer recording for a maximum of 8n hours can be performed.

As another example, a video deck V
1 and V2, a tape is set on the VCR V1, a sports program is set on the tape set on the VCR V1, and a VCR V2
When recording on a tape set in the genre, such as recording a movie program, it is only necessary to specify the output terminal number according to the genre when the reservation of the BS tuner 10 is set. Further, when recording one program on a plurality of tapes, a plurality of output terminal numbers may be designated when setting the reservation of the BS tuner 10, and there is no need to perform cumbersome operations such as dubbing.

As described above, the channel selection circuit 21 to the PCM demodulation circuit 27 can receive the satellite broadcast television signal, output the video signals from the video output terminals V1out to Vnout, and output the audio signals from the audio output terminals A1out to A1out. Anou
In the BS tuner 10 capable of outputting an audio signal from the t, a channel of a desired program and a video output terminal and an audio output terminal for outputting a signal can be controlled by the microcomputer 40. If the video decks V1 to Vn are connected, the video recording of each video deck can be easily controlled on the BS tuner 10 side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims of a signal recording system to which a tuner according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the signal recording system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a microcomputer when a timer is reserved.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a microcomputer when a timer function is executed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tuner 21 ... Tuning circuit 22 ... IF circuit 23 ... FM demodulation circuit 24 ... A / V separation circuit 25 ... De-emphasis circuit 26 ... 4-phase DPSK demodulation circuit 27 ... PCM demodulation circuit 30 ... Output circuit 40 ... Microcomputer 50 ... Panel 60: Timer circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reservation means for reserving a plurality of programs based on predetermined time information; a channel selection means for selectively receiving a television signal having a frequency corresponding to a channel designated for each program by the reservation means; A tuner comprising: a plurality of output terminals capable of outputting the television signal; and an output circuit for outputting the television signal from an output terminal designated for each program by the reservation means. 2. A tuner having a plurality of output terminals for selectively receiving a television signal having a frequency corresponding to a channel specified for each program and outputting the television signal, and an input television connected to the tuner. A signal recording system comprising a plurality of video decks for recording a television signal, wherein the tuner can be reserved to output the television signal from an output terminal designated for each program; A signal recording system for performing signal recording based on a control signal obtained by detecting the television signal.