JPS6260371A - Television receiver with auto search function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To search programs currently broadcasted according to the designated type and to select a station broadcasting the program by storing information on television programs including data on the types of broadcasting stations, broadcasting times and programs and designating the type of the television programs. CONSTITUTION:After a TV circuit 13 amplifies a television signal from a tuner 11, it carries out operations such as video detection, synchronizing separation and sound detection, displays a video signal on a CRT display part 14, outputs a sound signal out of a speaker, generate a tuning signal with the aid of the signal from the tuner 11, and outputs the tuning signal to an auto channel circuit 12. An input circuit 15 inputs program information to a program memory 16, and further gives a channel designating signal to the auto channel circuit 12 and a search circuit 18 through a keyboard 17. A timepiece circuit 19 counts date, outputs the current date data to the search circuit 18 and a flag control circuit 20, controls rewriting flags showing the program termination during broadcasting programs. According to an instruction from the keyboard 17, the search circuit 18 searches the contents in the program memory 16, and outputs the channel selecting signal to the auto channel circuit 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a television receiver with an auto-search function that can initially search for and receive a desired type of television program.

F. Prior art and its problems] Currently, television receivers are widely used in most households, and their viewing ratings are extremely high. However, it is common for households equipped with the above-mentioned television receivers to want to watch news or weather forecasts. f:l Ken, sometimes I want to watch movies or watch baseball.

If you want to watch a specific program, you can just look at the TV column in the newspaper and select the program, but this can be a hassle. Furthermore, when using Portable TV, a newspaper is often not at hand when the user is out.

Also, recently, a program identification code broadcasting system, that is, a broadcasting method that attaches a specific code signal to a broadcast program and sends it so that the receiver does not miss the desired program or uses it for automatic recording, etc., has been considered. ing. According to this broadcasting system, if you want to view news, weather forecasts, traffic information, etc., you can set your receiver to these programs and receive the broadcasts as soon as they start.

However, the program identification code broadcasting system in which an identification code is added to the broadcast radio waves as described above requires a tie-up with the broadcasting station, and there is a problem in that the equipment is complicated and large-scale.

[Object of the invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above points.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a television receiver with an automatic search function that, when the type of program such as a weather forecast is specified, automatically searches for and receives the corresponding type of program from among the programs currently being broadcast. do.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention stores television program information including broadcast station data, broadcast time data, and program type data in a program information storage means, and specifies the type of television program. The program information storage means is searched for a program currently being broadcast by type, and the broadcasting station of the program is selected.

[First embodiment of the invention] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall circuit configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 is a tuner, which selects the auto channel circuit 12 from the television broadcast radio waves induced in the antenna 10.
According to the instructions, the broadcast wave of the desired channel is selected, converted to an intermediate frequency, and outputted to the TV circuit 13. This TV
The circuit 13 amplifies the television signal sent from the tuner 11, performs processing such as video detection, synchronization separation, and audio detection, outputs the video signal to the CRT display section 14 for display, and outputs the audio signal. Output from a speaker (not shown). Furthermore, the TV circuit 13 creates a tuning signal based on the signal from the tuner 11 and outputs it to the auto channel circuit 12. Also, in Figure 1, 15
is an input circuit that inputs television broadcast program information to the program memory 16. Furthermore, 17 is a keyboard which provides a channel designation signal to the auto channel circuit 12 and the search circuit 18. A clock circuit 19 counts the date and time and outputs the current date and current time data to the search circuit 18 and the flag control circuit 20. The flag control circuit 20 changes the flags in the program memory 16, for example, the flags such as the program is being broadcast and the program has ended, according to the time data from the clock circuit 19. The search circuit 18 searches the contents of the program memory 16 in accordance with instructions from the keyboard 17, as will be described in detail later, and outputs a channel selection signal to the auto channel circuit 12.

The program memory 16 stores, for example, program information for one week, and the address area is divided into date units, each of which has a leading address (address X) set therein. Figure 2 shows
This shows the configuration of a part of the program memory 16 (May 12th), and shows the program information including the date, channel, day of the week, start time, end time, program type, and whether the program is being broadcast. A flag F1, a flag F2 indicating that the program has ended, a program name, etc. are set. These program information are inputted from the input circuit 15 shown in FIG. 1, and as an input means, for example, there is a method using a barcode reader.

FIG. 3 shows the external configuration of a television receiver when a bar code is used as the means for inputting the program information. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 denotes a television receiver body, on the front of which is provided the CRT display section 14, a drawer-type wireless remote control 23 that functions as the keyboard 11 in FIG. 1, and a bar that functions as the input circuit 15. A code reader 24 is provided. Then, using this barcode reader 24, the TV guide 2
The program information is read from 5 and stored in the program memory 16.

FIG. 4 shows a specific example of a TV guide 25 published as a book, in which a TV program list 26 and a barcode section 27 in which the information is converted into a barcode are printed. . And the above TV guide 2
5 is issued weekly or monthly.

FIG. 5 shows the television receiver main body 21 in FIG.
This figure shows the key arrangement of the remote control 23 (keyboard 1γ) pulled out from the computer. That is, on the upper surface of the remote control 23, channel selection keys 31 for channels 1 to 12 are provided along the upper side, a channel down key 32a is provided on the left side of the key, and a channel up key 3 is provided on the right side of the remote control 23.
2bIfiI is kicked out. For example, "News", "Baseball", "Sports", "Movies", "Drama", "Mango", "Weather Forecast", "Culture", "Singing", " Program designation keys 33 are provided for designating the types of programs, such as "quiz", "wide programs" such as wide shows, and "skits".

Further, below the program designation key 33, there is a volume up key 34a for instructing to raise the audio, a volume down key 34b for instructing to lower the audio, a mute key 35 for temporarily lowering the audio level, and a mute key 35 for temporarily lowering the audio level. a main/sub selection key 36 for selecting the main audio or sub audio;
Video key 37.1 for displaying the VTR playback screen
A power-on key 38a for turning on 8B and a power-off key 38b for turning off the power are provided. When each key is operated, the remote controller 23 sends a code signal corresponding to the key operation to the television receiver body 21 using, for example, infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, high frequency waves, or the like.

Next, details of the search circuit 18 shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, 181 is an address generation circuit, and this address generation circuit 181 is given date data from the clock circuit 19 in FIG. is given.

The address generation circuit 181 operates according to a search command from the keyboard 17, generates address data X according to date data given from the clock circuit 19, and sets it in the address register 182. The address data X set in the address register 186 specifies the start address of the date area of the program memory 16 shown in FIG.

Then, information for one program is retrieved from the program memory 16 according to the specified address, ie, "date" and "channel".
, "Day of the week", "Start time", rll end time j, "Type"
, [Flag FIJ, "Flag F2", and "Program Name" are read and written to the buffer 183. Among the program information stored in the buffer 183, "channel" information is sent to the channel voltage generation circuit 184, "type" information indicating the type of program is sent to the type code comparison circuit 185, and "flag Fil is sent to the flag discrimination circuit 186." This flag determination circuit 186 determines whether the flag F1 read to the buffer 183 is 1" or 1", and if it is "O+t", it is output to the address register 182 via an OR circuit 87. If it is 91 pass, a comparison command is output to the type code comparison circuit 185. The type code comparison circuit 185 also includes a keyboard 17
A code indicating the type of program inputted from the program is given via a type code register 188.

The type code comparison circuit 185 includes the flag discrimination circuit 18
When the “1'' signal is applied from 6 to 6, the buffer 183
The type code read out by the type code is compared with the type code input to the type code register 188, and if they match, a match signal is output to the channel voltage generation circuit 184, and if they do not match, the mismatch signal is sent to the OR circuit. 187 to the address register 182. When the channel voltage generation circuit 184 receives a match signal from the type code comparison circuit 185, it generates a channel voltage according to the channel information provided from the buffer 183, and
The signal is output to the auto channel circuit 12 shown in the figure.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained. First, as shown in FIG. 4, one week's worth of program information or one week's worth of program information printed on the barcode section 27 of the TV guide 25 is read by the barcode reader 24 shown in FIG. It is stored in the program memory 16 shown in the figure.

In addition, in FIG. 1, the program memory 16, the search circuit 1
8. The clock circuit 19 and the flag control circuit 20 are constantly supplied with an operating voltage regardless of whether the power is turned on or off.

The clock circuit 19 always counts the current time, and supplies the current time information and the current day's information to the flag control circuit 20 and the search circuit 18. The flag control circuit 20 Based on the time information from the clock circuit 19, the flags Fl and F2 of the program information stored in the program memory 16 are controlled. This is a flowchart of the lucky change process, and the 0th work will be explained below according to this flowchart.The flag control circuit 20 is
As shown in step △1 of FIG. 7(a), the clock circuit 1
Detection of a 1-minute pulse sent from the clock circuit 19 is performed, and when a 1-minute pulse is detected, the process advances to step A2 and date data is read from the clock circuit 19.

And, uh, flag? The J I11 circuit 20 performs step A
3, in accordance with the date data read from the clock circuit 19, a start address X and an end address XEND for the corresponding date area of the program memory 16 are generated. Then, the flag control circuit 20 sets the designated address N for the program memory 16 to the leading address X, as shown in step A4, and reads out the stored contents of the program memory 16 in step A5. Then, in step 80, the flag F
If the flag F2 is not set, the process proceeds to step A1, where it is determined whether the current time has passed the broadcast start time. If the current time has passed the broadcast start time, the process proceeds to step 88, where it is determined whether the current time has reached the broadcast end time or η, and if the current time has not reached the broadcast end time, that is, , if it is currently being broadcast, the flag F is set in step A9.
1 to Sera l-T. However, if the current time has reached the broadcast end time, the process proceeds from step A8 to step AIO, where flag F2 is set and flag F1 is reset. Then, the above step A9 or step A10
If the above process is completed, or if it is determined in step 86 that 7 lag F2 is set (broadcast end), furthermore, in step A7, the -C docking time has not reached the broadcast start time. If it is determined that the place name is, the process proceeds to step Ail, and it is determined whether the memory specified address 1N or the end address has been reached. If the end address has not been reached yet, the memory specified address N is changed to I'+IJL in step A12. .

Then return to step A5. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated, and if the program is currently being broadcast, flag F1 is set, and if the program has finished broadcasting, flag F2 is set. When the processing for the date area "1-" in the program memory 16 is completed, the judgment result in step A11 becomes YES and the process returns to step A1, where it waits until the next 1-minute pulse is sent from the clock circuit 19. do. As described above, each time a one-minute pulse is output from the clock circuit 19, the flags Fl and F2 are rewritten and controlled.

() Then, the user uses the remote control 23, for example.

1! Operate the power on key 38a! turn on the power,
Select and designate a desired channel using the channel selection key 31 or the channel down key 32a.

When the channel selection key 32b is operated, the operation signal is sent to the auto channel circuit 12 shown in FIG. 1, and the auto channel circuit 12 controls the tuner 11 to select a desired television channel.

Furthermore, if the user wants to watch a specific type of program such as "News,""Baseball," or "Weather Forecast J" in a normal TV viewing state, the user specifies the desired type using the program designation key 33 on the remote control 23. By operating this program designation key 33, the type code for that operation key is sent to the search circuit 18, and the type code register 188 is sent to the search circuit 18.
is set to Also, by operating the program designation key 33, a search command is input to the address generation circuit 181. When this address generation circuit 181 receives the above-mentioned serve command, it generates the start address X of the date area of the program memory 16 in accordance with the date information from the clock circuit 19, and sets it in the address register 182. Then, the data set in this address register 182 specifies the start address X of the date area of the program memory 1G, and 1
Is the information for the program a buff? 183. When the number 411 information is read into this buffer 183, first, the flag F1 is sent to the flag determination circuit 186, and its contents are determined. If the programs that have been continuously output to the buffer 183 are being broadcast, the flag F1 is 0°', so in this case, the flag F1 is 0°' from the flag discrimination circuit 186 through the OR circuit
A +11 signal is output, and the contents of the address register 182 are incremented by [→-11]. This designates the next address in the program memory 16, and the program information stored at that address is read into the buffer 183. Then, in the same way as in the above case, the contents of flag F1 are determined by flag discrimination circuit 1.
86 is determined. If the flag E1 is 0", the same operation as above is carried out; however, if the flag E1 is 1'4, that is, if the program is being broadcast, the search circuit 18 performs a type 1-do comparison. A 1'' signal is sent to circuit 185.

1. When the I-type code comparison circuit 185 receives the '1'' H from the flag discrimination circuit 18G, it compares the persimmon-code and type held in the buffer r183 at that time.
・Shi・Remi, ゛Meta 4886: Compare with the stored type code, and if there is a mismatch, that is, buffer 71
If the program read out at 83 is not the program 7 designated by the remote controller 23, a mismatch signal is output to the address register 182 via the OR circuit w1187. In this connection, the contents of the address register 182 are incremented by "+1" to designate the next address in the program memory 16, and the contents are transferred to the buffer 182.
3. When the program information is set in this buffer 183, the flag F1 and type code are checked as described above. And rose]771
When the type code held in 83 matches the type code held in the register 188, the type code comparison circuit 185 outputs a signal from the channel voltage generation circuit 1.
A match signal is sent to 84. 1-71 I mean, remote control 2
3, the program specification key 33 selects the program type, for example
If News-1 is specified, program memory 18
When the "News" program currently being broadcast is sent to the buffer 183 from
A signal is output and sent to channel voltage generation circuit 184. When this channel voltage generating circuit 184 is given the above-mentioned step code signal, it generates a voltage corresponding to the channel held in the buffer 1183 and outputs it to the auto channel circuit 12. When the auto channel circuit 12 receives a channel voltage from the channel voltage generating circuit 184, it controls the receiving frequency of the tuner 11 in accordance with the channel voltage and selects a station on a designated channel. When the type of program is designated using the program designation key 33 as described above, the channel on which the program is being broadcast is selected and displayed as an image. If no station is selected, the currently selected station continues to be received. By the way, when two or more stations are playing ``News'' at the same time, the station with the lowest order will be received.

In the above embodiment, an image is displayed by selecting a program of the specified type from among the programs currently being broadcast in the poem for which the type of program is specified by the program specification key 33. It is also possible to constantly detect the broadcast of ``News'' and automatically receive it by searching for the ``News J'' station every time there is, for example, ``News''. When performing such processing, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 7(a), after step A9 "rF1 set", the step "search command output" as shown in FIG. 7(b) is performed. A91 will be provided.

The search command output signal is sent from the flag control circuit 20 to the search circuit 18 at fixed time intervals, for example, every minute, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, and is input to the address generation circuit 181 in FIG. . This address generation circuit 181 is
Each time a command signal is given, a leading address is generated, and a search operation for the program memory 16 is started as described above. This search operation selects the designated program type, and for example, every time If U News J appears, a "news" station is searched and displayed as an image.

Second Embodiment of the Invention Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be explained. Figures 8 and 9 show the portaple type liquid crystal display.
This shows an example in which a memory back such as an EP ROM is used as the program information storage means, and FIG. 8 is an external front view, and FIG. 9 is a back view. In FIG. 8, 41 is a case body, and on the front of this case body 41,
Liquid crystal display section 42, keyboard 43, channel display section 4
4 is provided. Further, a rod antenna 45 is provided at the upper part of the case body 41. On the back side of the case body 41, there is a battery storage section 46 as shown in FIG.
A memory pack storage section 47 is provided, and a memory bag 48 is stored within this memory pack storage section 47. Further, a lid 4 is provided in the opening of the memory pack storage section 47.
9 is provided so as to be openable and closable. The memory pack 48 has a locking piece 51 formed at the -4 part, and a terminal portion 52 is provided close to one side of the lower surface, that is, the side on which the locking piece 51 is formed. It is being In addition, the lid body 4
9 has locking pieces 49a and 49b formed at its tip. On the other hand, the memory pack storage section 47 is provided with a contact section 53 at its bottom corresponding to the terminal section 52 of the memory bag 48, and a slit 54 at the negative side for locking the locking piece 51. is provided. Furthermore, the memory pack storage section 47 is provided with slits 55a and 55b above the slit 54 for locking the locking pieces 49a and 49b of the lid body 49, and the lid body is provided on both sides of the opening. 49 are formed with guide grooves 56a and 56b. Thus, when storing the memory bank 48 in the memory bag storage section 41, the locking piece 51 is inserted into the slit 54 to bring the terminal section 52 into contact with the contact section 53. After that, attach the lid body 49 to the guide grooves 56a and 56b of the memory bag storage section 47.1. : 'Q Twist and move the locking pieces 49a and 49b into the slits 55a and 55b to fix them. The memory bag 48 may be purchased with, for example, one TV program program written in advance, or the contents may be rewritten at a specific location.

By using the memory puncture 48 which stores the TV program information for one cycle as described above, the program specified by the keyboard 43 is arbitrarily selected and displayed as an image in the same manner as in the first embodiment. be able to.

[Third Actual Example of the Invention Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 10 shows an example in which a magnetic cassette tape is used as program information storage means in a portable liquid crystal television. That is, as in the second embodiment, a liquid crystal display section 42 and a keyboard 43 are provided on the front of a case body 41 of a liquid crystal television, and a cassette mechanism section 60 is also provided.
is removable. And the case body 41
A rod antenna 45 and a TV operation switch 6 are installed on the top of the
2 is provided, and an operation switch 63 for the cassette mechanism section 60 is also provided. The magnetic cassette tape 61 may be purchased with, for example, one round of television programs written on it in advance, or the contents may be rewritten at a specific location. As described above, by using the magnetic cassette tape 61 in which TV program information for one cycle is stored, and specifying the type of program using the keyboard 43, the stored contents of the magnetic cassette tape 61 are checked. In the same way as in the case of , Nobusada's program is selected and displayed as an image.

[Fourth Embodiment of the Invention] Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 11 shows an example in which an IC card is used as a program information storage means in a portable liquid crystal television. That is, in a liquid crystal television similar to the above-mentioned Embodiment 2.3, an IC card 71 is mounted on the upper part of the case body 41.
A slit 72 for inserting the IC card is provided, and an IC card reading section (not shown) is provided inside the case body 41 in a continuous manner with the slit 71. And the above I
The C card 71 can be purchased with, for example, one round of television programs written in its internal memory in advance, or the stored contents can be rewritten at a specific location. IC card 7 that stores TV program information for one week as described above
1 and specifying the type of program using the keyboard 43, the stored contents of the IC card 71 are checked, and the specified program is selected and displayed as an image in the same manner as in each of the above embodiments.

In each of the above embodiments, a large number of program information is stored in the program memory, but other information such as "news" is stored in the program memory.
``Only specific program information such as ``Weather Forecast J'' may be stored and searchable.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, television program information including broadcast station data, broadcast time data, and program type data is stored in the program information storage means, and the type of television program is specified. By doing so, the program currently being broadcast of the specified type is searched from the program information storage means and the broadcasting station of that program is selected. Desired programs such as forecasts can be automatically selected and received, there is no need to tie up with a broadcasting station, and there is no risk of complicating the device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of information storage in a program memory, and FIG. 3 is an external appearance. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of printing program information of a TV guide, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the keyboard configuration of the remote control, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing details of the search circuit in FIG. 1, FIGS. 7(a) and (b) are flowcharts showing the operation contents, and FIG. 8 is a front view showing the external configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the back side configuration of the same embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 0 is a front view showing the external structure of a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the external structure of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 10...Antenna, 11...Tuner, 12...
Auto channel circuit, 13...TV circuit, 14...
・CR1 display section, 15... Input circuit, 16... Program memory, 17... Keyboard, 18... Search circuit, 19... Clock circuit, 20... Flag sub-surface circuit, 2
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Main body, 23... Remote control, 24... Barcode reader, 25... TV guide, 27... Barcode section, 31... Channel selection key, 32a...
・Channel down key, 32b...Channel up key, 33...Program specification key, 47...Memory pack storage section, 48...Memory back, 52...Terminal section, 60...Cassette shooting Structure, 61...Magnetic cassette tape, 71...IC card. Applicant's Representative Patent Attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 3 Figure 4V4 Figure 5 Figure 7 (b) Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) Program information storage means for storing television program information including broadcast station data, broadcast time data, and program type data, means for specifying the type of television program, and currently broadcasting of the type specified by the means. 1. A television receiver with an auto-search function, comprising: means for searching the program information storage means for a program in the program; and means for selecting a broadcasting station of the program searched by the means. (2) The program information storage means is a means for reading and storing television program information expressed by a barcode with a barcode reader.
A television receiver with an auto search function as described in . (3) The television receiver with an auto-search function according to claim 1, wherein the program information storage means is a memory pack. (4) The television receiver with an auto-search function according to claim 1, wherein the program information storage means is a magnetic tape cassette. (5) The television receiver with an auto-search function according to claim 1, wherein the program information storage means is an IC card.