JPS60144085A - Character broadcast receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To discriminate easily a channel of a desired character broadcast program by connecting a channel switching control section to a central processing section and switching sequentially and continuously a channel based on a command signal so as to retrieve a retrieval information signal in a television signal of all channels at the same time. CONSTITUTION:When the retrieval of character information of all channels is commanded to the central processing section 43, a switching control section 51 controls switchingly a tuner section 22 and a channel number of the received channel is changed to, e.g., a minimum value. Then the presence of the character broadcast at a channel is checked, and when the character broadcast is conducted, a channel number and the character information are extracted and stored in a multi-memory 40. A switching control section 50 controls switchingly the tuner section 22 and increments the channel number of the tuner section 22 by one. Whether or not a character broadcast receiver 1 is in the character multiplex mode is checked, and in case of the mode, the retrieval information of the character broadcast stored in a multi-memory 50 is outputted as a retrieval information signal and the content is displayed on a CRT32.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Technical Field> The present invention utilizes the vertical blanking period of a television signal to process character (multiplex) signals transmitted by data packets whose unit length is the horizontal scanning period. The present invention relates to a teletext receiver for receiving teletext broadcasts, and particularly relates to searching for teletext programs, etc.

<Prior art> In teletext broadcasting, text information is transmitted only during the vertical blanking period of the television signal, so it takes time to transmit the text information. Even when a user operates to receive a broadcast program (for example, a teletext broadcast of a weather forecast), it often takes a considerable amount of time to wait until the program is displayed on the CRT. Moreover, since teletext is not available all the time, viewers do not even know whether they will be able to watch their desired program (weather forecast), making them feel anxious during this waiting time. In order to eliminate this anxiety, some teletext receivers are designed to display search information such as the program number of each teletext program being received at once during this waiting time to notify viewers. . This is a method in which the search information is obtained from the contents given by a program index packet (PIF) during teletext broadcasting, and this information is displayed all at once, and this process can be executed in a short time. Accordingly, based on the display contents, it is possible to know in a short time whether or not the desired program is being broadcast, thereby eliminating the above-mentioned concerns. However, this search information
The viewer is only given teletext broadcasts currently being broadcast on the channel selected in the tuner section, and cannot know whether the desired teletext broadcast is being broadcast on other channels.

Therefore, for example, if you want to watch a weather forecast teletext program regardless of the channel, in order to search for the channel on which this program is being broadcast, switch the tuner's channel number in order and display the search information for each channel in order. This required the complicated operation of searching for the content, and it was not sufficient to meet the needs of viewers.

Purpose This invention was developed in view of these problems, and allows users to simultaneously display teletext search information for all channels and broadcast a desired teletext program without having to repeatedly operate channels. The purpose is to let you know which channels are being used.

<Example> The present invention will be described in detail below based on an example shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the teletext receiver of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates the teletext receiver of this embodiment, and reference numeral 2 indicates a television signal receiving section of this receiver 1. In FIG.

The television signal receiving section 2 includes a receiving antenna 21 and a tuner that amplifies a multi-channel television signal inputted through the receiving antenna 21 and then extracts a television signal of a selected channel number from this signal. Part 22 and this extracted television (i
The television signal processing circuit 24 includes a detection circuit 23 for detecting the signal, and a television signal processing circuit 24 for performing normal video signal processing and color signal processing on the television signal output from the detection circuit 23. 3 is a display section. This display section 3 includes an output circuit 31 that switches between a television signal from the television signal processing circuit 24 and a character information signal given from a decoder section 4 (to be described later), or a superimposed output of both, and a CRT 32. have. 4 is a decoder unit that processes character information. The decoder section 4 includes a sampling circuit 41 for extracting a character signal from the television signal outputted from the tuner section 22 of the television signal receiving section 2 and applied via the detection circuit 23, and a sampling circuit 41 for extracting a character signal from the television signal outputted from the tuner section 22 of the television signal receiving section 2 described above and given through the detection circuit 23; A buffer memory 42 for temporarily storing data, and a C
It has a central processing section 43 with a built-in PU, and a character signal supply circuit 44 that supplies a character 'IR information signal given from the processing section 43 to the output circuit 31 of the display section 3. The central processing section 43 of the decoder section 4 controls not only the decoder section 4 but also various sections of the entire teletext receiver 1, as well as processes character information on the character signal provided via the buffer memory 42. Then, the obtained character information is supplied to the character signal supply circuit 44 as a character information signal.

In addition, this text information processing involves detecting the presence or absence of text broadcasting in the television broadcast of each channel number, and furthermore, detecting the presence or absence of text broadcasting in the television broadcast of each channel number. It also includes processing for searching for search information such as broadcast program numbers.

This decoder section 4 further includes a CP of the central processing section 43.
U has a ROM 45 and a RAM 46 used for operation, as well as a changeover switch between the teletext reception mode and television broadcast reception mode of the teletext receiver 1, and a keyboard, and issues command signals in response to key input. the operating section 47 which is given to the central processing section 43, the channel number display device 46 during teletext broadcasting, the power-on notification circuit 49 which emits a signal when the main power of the teletext reception 4-1 is turned on, and each channel obtained by the central processing section 43. It also has a multi-memory 50 for storing search information such as numbers, teletext program numbers, and other search information. Furthermore, the decoder section 4 is provided with a switching control section 51, which constitutes the essential part of the present invention. This switching control section 51
When a command signal is input from the operating section 47 via the central processing section 43, the channel numbers of the tuner section 22 of the receiving section 2 are sequentially and continuously switched based on the signal.

Therefore, in this teletext receiver 1, in the teletext reception mode, a television signal of a channel number selected by the tuner section 22 is extracted from a multi-channel television signal input manually through the antenna 21, and The signal is sent to the sampling circuit 4 via the amplification and detection circuit 23.
given to the engineer. This extraction circuit 41 extracts a character signal from the television signal, and the extracted character signal is provided to a central processing unit 431 via a buffer memory 42. The central processing unit 43 includes an operation unit 47
Based on the command signal from , this character signal is subjected to character information processing, and the character information including the obtained search information and the like is converted into a character information signal, which is sent to the output circuit 31 of the display section 3 via the character fimino supply circuit 44. give to The character information signal given to this circuit 31 is sent alone or superimposed with the television signal from the television signal processing circuit 24, and then
Displayed on RT32.

- Next, based on the operation command given from the operation unit 47,
The search process for character information included in the television signals of all channels, which is performed mainly by the central processing section 43 and the switching control section 51, will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In this teletext receiver 1, this process is performed on this receiver (i',
The process is started when the main power of 'El is turned on or in response to a key input to the operation unit 37 that commands the process. That is, in this case, first, the central processing unit 43 is instructed to execute the process (search for character 1t1 information of all channels) [step 1]. The switching control unit 41 controls the tuner unit 22 to change the channel number of the receiving channel, for example, to the lowest value (the channel number before the change is designated as the selected channel number i) [Step 2]. Next, the presence or absence of teletext broadcasting on the channel is checked [Step 3]. If teletext broadcasting is being performed, it is determined YES and the process proceeds to step 4, in which character information is extracted from this channel number and the character signal at this channel number and stored in the multi-memory 40.
Proceed to the next step 5. In step 3 above, if teletext is not being performed, N is selected in step 3.
It is judged as o and jumps directly to step 5 from this step.

In step 5, it is determined whether the processing described above (the processing in steps 3 and 4) has been completed for all channels of the tuner section 22. If it is not finished yet, press N.
The determination is O and the process proceeds to step 6. In step 6, the switching control section 50 performs switching control on the tuner section 22 to increase the channel number of the tuner section 22 by one. After this process is completed, the process returns to step 3, and the above-described operations are repeated from here. In step 5, if the processes in steps 3 and 4 described above have been completed for all channels, YES is determined in step 5 and the process proceeds to step 7. In this step, it is checked whether the teletext reception (L41 or text multiplex mode) is selected. If it is in that mode, it is determined as YES and the process proceeds to the next step 8. In this step, the information stored in the multimemo 1J50 is The teletext search information (which is the search information) is output as a search information signal, and this content (that is, the search information for all channels) is displayed on the CRT 32. Also, the teletext search information is displayed on the channel number display device 48. Displays the channel number being processed.Next, proceed to step 9.In addition, in step 7, if it is not the character multiplex mode, it is determined as No in that step, and in this case, step 8 is omitted by 1 and this step is performed. Step 9 directly jumps to step 9. In step 9, the switching control section 51 switches the tuner section 2
Return channel 2 to the original channel (specified channel number mentioned above). Next, after a short waiting time [step IO], this processing operation is ended.

FIG. 3 shows a channel number display device 48 of the decoder section 4.
FIG. On the front panel 481 of this display device, the channel numbers of the tuner section 22 are written in a horizontal line in order, and above each channel number, a display element 482 such as an LED is displayed corresponding to the channel number. Same as number IF 4'-7;il fr
L'M, 'J Wll Blue h Mar1 % 'Z -L
When searching for a teletext broadcast at + and Δ g +-'→11°, the display element 482 of only the channel on which the teletext broadcast is being performed lights up.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a display screen 321 of search information for all channels on the CRT 32. In the same figure, the display of ALL CHANNEL from the top of the display screen 321 indicates a search↑n report for all channels, CH indicates a channel number, and PROGRAM indicates a teletext program number. The aforementioned search information signals are displayed on this display screen 321 in a matrix format. The first one from the left in this matrix format display
The numbers in the column are located at the top and bottom of the CH display, and these numbers indicate channel numbers.

Further, the numerical value below the PROGRAM in the figure from the second column onward in each row indicates the program random number of the teletext program being broadcast on the channel number. Therefore, the row in which only the channel number of "1st column" is displayed attracts the attention of channels that do not have teletext broadcasting.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control of the display screen of the CRT 32, which is performed mainly by the central processing unit 43 of the teletext receiver when receiving a desired teletext broadcast is commanded via the operation unit 47. be. When receiving the command, the central processing unit 43 first checks whether teletext is being broadcast on the selected channel (step 11). Y at the time of the broadcast
If it is determined to be ES, the process proceeds to step 12, and the channel in which the desired teletext program is being broadcast on the station is checked. If it is being broadcast, the teletext screen is displayed on the CRT 32. [Step 13]. In step 12, if the desired teletext broadcast is not being performed on the channel, select NO.
It is determined that this is the case, and the process proceeds to step 4, in which the search information for the teletext broadcast with this designated channel number ' is displayed on the CRT 32.

If NO in step II, that is, if teletext is not being broadcast on the selected channel, proceed directly from this step to step 15, search for teletext programs on all channels using the method described above, and search for teletext programs on all channels. Search Ti? '4 signal is displayed on CRT32.

According to this Ministry's proposal, as described in Section 2, a switching control section is provided to control the channel switching of the tuner section, and this switching control section is connected to the central processing section, so that the control section is connected to the central processing section. Channels are turned off one after another based on command signals manually input to the switching control unit, and the search information signals in the television signals of all channels are searched simultaneously, eliminating the hassle of channel operations. You can know the channel on which the teletext program you wish to view is being broadcast without any need.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a teletext receiver according to an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a flowchart 1 to 3 showing text information search processing for all channels. FIG. 4 is a front view of the channel number display device, FIG. 4 is a front view showing a screen for displaying search information on a CRT, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing when commanding reception of a desired teletext broadcast. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Teletext receiver, 2... Receiving section, 22... Tuner section, 43... Central processing section, 47... Group operation section , 50...Multi memory, 51...Switching control section. Applicant Sharp Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Kazuhide Okada Figure 3 (Company) Figure 5 Proceedings Amendment (voluntary) Relationship to the case Patent applicant Address 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka City name
(504) Sharp Corporation Companywide Representative Saeki Asahi 4, Written amendment to agent procedure (method) % formula % 3, Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment Patent applicant address 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka City Name (
504) Sharp Corporation Representative Saeki Asahi 4, Agent 8, Contents of amendment

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A receiving section having a tuner section for selecting a multi-channel television signal, means for searching for a search information signal such as a teletext program number in the television signal selected by the tuner section, and a means for searching for a search information signal such as a teletext program number in the television signal selected by the tuner section; In the teletext receiver, the teletext receiver is equipped with a working memory for storing information stored in the channel, a central processing section for controlling the retrieval means, the working memory, and an operation section for inputting command signals to the central processing section. A switching control unit for controlling switching is provided, and this switching control unit is connected to the central processing unit, and the channels are successively connected in sequence based on command signals input from the operating unit to the switching control unit via the central processing unit. A teletext receiver in which the search information signals in the television signals of all channels are simultaneously searched by switching automatically.