KR100416257B1 - Digital receiver, and method for searching program therein - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a digital receiver for electronic program guide (EPG) data retrieval. The search data is stored in the storage of the digital receiver. The search data is data set according to the user's taste and condition so that the user can easily find the desired channel in many digital channels. When the power is turned on and a signal is received, the received EPG signal is compared with the search data to extract EPG data that matches the condition of the search data. The extracted EPG data is output to the screen by the control signal of the controller. The EPG data may be output as an initial screen, that is, a start program, depending on the user's setting, or may be output along with other analog broadcast screens. Therefore, since the EPG data can be output each time the power is turned on, if the EPG data corresponding to the search data condition is set as the initial screen, the process of outputting the EPG data on the screen by the operation of an input unit such as a remote controller can be omitted. . In addition, setting the search data can alleviate the inconvenience of searching for the EPG data desired by the user each time the digital receiver is operated.

Description

Digital receiver, and method for searching program therein}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for receiving broadcast signals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital receiver and a digital receiver program search for outputting electronic program guide (EPG) data including information of a program in a broadcast signal on a screen. It is about a method.

Digital broadcasting systems generally provide more channels, i.e., a greater number of programs than analog broadcasting systems. However, it is difficult to select a program of desired information by checking the broadcast program time zone in hundreds of channels. EPG data has been proposed to facilitate this program selection.

EPG data refers to program schedules displayed on the screen of digital TV through data broadcasting using unused frequency bands or free channels. By manipulating and searching EPG data with the remote control, the viewer can easily determine which broadcasting program is being broadcast from which station. In addition, by specifying a desired program name, more detailed program information can be obtained. Furthermore, depending on the service, a scheduled recording can also be made by designating a program name from the screen of EPG data. The EPG service provides channel, programming information, and local advertisements through the TV screen, so that broadcasting program information can be easily searched while watching TV, and the EPG data can be immediately modified when the programming is changed.

1 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of a receiver using conventional EPG data.

Referring to FIG. 1, a receiver using conventional EPG data includes a signal receiver 100, a buffer 200, a signal processor 300, a storage 400, a display 500, a remote controller 600, and the like. It has a control unit 700.

The signal receiver 100 receives a broadcast signal and an EPG data signal related to a broadcast program, and in particular, an EPG data signal that is not suitable for transmission on a channel is converted into EPG data suitable for transmission to a receiver.

The buffer 200 temporarily stores the broadcast signal modulated by the signal receiver 100 and the modulated EPG data. The signal processor 300 receives the control signal from the controller 700 and sorts the EPG data temporarily stored in the buffer 200 by various functions such as genre, time, and broadcaster. The storage unit 400 stores EPG data for each function separated by the signal processing unit 300. The display unit 500 displays the EPG data for each function separated by the signal processing unit 300 by the output control signal of the controller 700 on the screen.

The remote controller 600 uses a remote controller such as a remote controller to select desired program information and a corresponding channel by using EGP data or to input information desired by a user. The control unit 700 outputs the separation control signal and sends the EPG data signal stored in the buffer 200 to the signal processing unit 300 to control the separation by function. In addition, the controller 700 receives the signal selected by the remote controller 600 and controls the overall operation.

The EPG data signal is a broadcast program information signal received together with the broadcast signal. Broadcast program information carried in the EPG data signal includes a genre, a program title, a broadcast time, and the like. However, such a receiving device uses EPG data, and whenever the power of the receiving device is turned on, there is an inconvenience in that the EPG data must be loaded on the screen and the user directly selects a desired program.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a receiver and a program retrieval method capable of efficiently using EPG data by setting and creating EPG data to be set every time the receiver is operated. have.

1 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of a receiver using conventional EPG data;

2 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a digital receiver according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the creating unit of the digital receiver according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of input search data, FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of program guide data before being created in the creation unit of FIG. 2;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a program search method of a digital receiver according to the present invention;

6 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a program searching method of a digital receiver according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

200: separation unit 210: input unit

220: storage unit 230: creating unit

232: comparison unit 234: extraction unit

240: output unit 250: control unit

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital receiver, comprising: a separation unit for separating a received signal into a broadcast signal and a program guide signal; A storage unit for storing search data including at least one item of broadcasting time, genre, actor, and director; A generating unit for extracting a guide signal corresponding to the stored search data from the program guide signal to create program guide data; And a controller configured to output a control signal for displaying the program guide data generated by the creator when the power is turned on.

In more detail, the program guide data is output in a chronological order. The program guide data is output in the form of a pop-up window at predetermined time intervals and deleted when a user selects and / or a predetermined time elapses.

The creation unit includes: a comparison unit for comparing the program guide signal and the search data; And an extractor configured to extract the guide signal corresponding to the item of the search data according to the comparison result of the comparator to create the program guide data.

The digital receiver may further include an input unit configured to receive the search data from a user, and the creation unit rewrites the program guide data when the search data is input. The program guide data is output when the output request of the program guide data generated by the user is received.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a program search method of a digital receiver includes receiving search data including at least one item of a broadcasting time, a genre, an actor, and a director from a user; Separating the broadcast signal and the program guide signal from the received signal; Extracting a guide signal corresponding to the search data input by a user from the program guide signal to create program guide data; And outputting the created program guide data when the power is turned on.

Preferably, the outputting step arranges the program guide data by time zone, and outputs the program guide signal based on the search data based on the search data before a predetermined time from the end time of the program being viewed by the user. The program guide data rewritten from is outputted. In the outputting step, if the search data does not exist, the program guide signal is outputted by converting the program guide signal.

The preparing step may include: comparing the program guide signal with the search data; And extracting a guide signal corresponding to the search data from the program guide signal to create the program guide data.

According to the present invention, it is convenient for a user to search for and watch a broadcast in a desired time zone in a digital channel received by setting preferred broadcast program search data. Also, while the broadcast screen is booted, the preferred broadcast program search data for the search data is also output on the screen. Thus, the user can eliminate the inconvenience of having to load the program guide data by operating the remote controller.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a digital receiver according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a creation unit of a digital receiver according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the digital receiver according to the present invention has a separating unit 200, an input unit 210, a storage unit 220, a preparing unit 230, an output unit 240, and a control unit 250.

The separating unit 200 separates the received signal into a broadcast signal bro_sig and a program guide signal epig_sig. The separated broadcast signal bro_sig is output to the output unit 240 through video and audio signal conversion. The program guide signal (epg_sig) having dozens or hundreds of program channel information is sent to the generator 230.

The input unit 210 is an input unit such as a button provided in a remote controller or a receiver. The user inputs search data (search_data) such as a program, a viewable time, and the like using the input unit 210. The storage unit 220 stores the data selected and input by the input unit 210 according to a user's taste in the form of search data (search_data). That is, the search data (search_data) may be referred to as data stored according to a user's taste or condition.

The creation unit 230 creates program guide data (epg_data) from the program guide signal (epg_sig) based on the search data (search_data). The creator 230 inputs the program guide signal bro_sig separated by the separator 200 and search data search_data output from the storage 220. When the search data search_data is input, the creator 230 compares the input program guide signal bro_sig and the search data search_data.

The program guide data (epg_data) corresponding to the condition of the search data (search_data) is created and output to the output unit 240. The creation unit 230 goes one step further from providing a unidirectional program guide of an EPG service company and creates program guide data (epg_data) for providing a personalized service. When new search data (search_data) is input through the input unit 210 from the user, the creator 230 rewrites the program guide data (epg_data).

Referring to FIG. 3, the creator 230 includes a comparator 232 and an extractor 234. The comparison unit 232 compares the input search data (search_data) and the program guide signal (epg_sig), and determines the presence or absence of a program guide signal (epg_sig) corresponding to the search data (search_data). When a program guide signal (epg_sig) based on the search data (search_data) is searched and sent to the extractor 234, the extractor 234 corresponds to a condition of the search data (search_data) in the program guide signal (epg_sig). The program guide signal (epg_sig) is extracted to generate program guide data (epg_data). The created program guide data (epg_data) is output in a chronological order for the user's convenience.

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of search data (search_data), and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of program guide data before being generated by the creation unit 230.

Referring to FIG. 4A, a user may input one or more conditions to create one or more search data (search_data). UD1 is search data created by inputting a search condition of 'news broadcast from CH1, CH7, CH50 from 18:00 on the day to 19:00 on the day.' Similarly, UD2 is search data created under the search condition of 'movies broadcast on all channels from 19:00 to 22:00 on the day'. These search condition items include items such as broadcast time, channel, actor, director, genre, and host. The input search data search_data is stored in the storage 120.

Referring to FIG. 4B, data for the program guide signal (epg_sig) may be divided into areas such as a channel, a day of the week, a time, and a genre, and the cursors (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be remote controllers. Position adjustment is possible by input means such as the like. 4B shows a part of data for the program guide signal (epg_sig).

4C and 4D are program guide data (epg_data) finally generated by the creator 230 by comparing FIGS. 4A and 4B.

In FIG. 4C, UD1 program guide data (epg_data) created based on the UD1 search data (search_data) of FIG. 4A is illustrated. That is, when the power is turned on, the program guide data (epg_data) of the upper ID (here, 'UD1') is output. When the cursor (e) is selected, a news program for CH1 of the UD1 search data (search_data) is output. To retrieve the program guide data (epg_data) for UD2 from UD1, the user moves the cursor from the news area to the movie area (f). Alternatively, when the cursor is moved from the UD1 area to the UD2 area (g), program guide data (epg_data) for the UD2 is output. In addition, when the button for confirming or selecting the input means is pressed at the cursor (f) or (g) position, program guide data (epg_data) related to the movie as shown in FIG. 4D can be viewed.

The output unit 240 is a device for displaying the program according to the broadcast signal bro_sig as well as the program guide data (epg_data) generated by the creator 230 so that the user can view it. If the search data (search_data) is not stored in the storage unit 220, the output unit 240 converts the received program guide signal (epg_sig) into an outputable format and outputs it. Alternatively, only the broadcast signal bro_sig may be converted into a format in which the broadcast signal bro_sig may be output by an operation through a user input means.

The controller 250 transmits a control signal for drawing the program guide signal epg_sig and the search data search_data to the composer 230. In addition, when the power is turned on, a control signal is sent to output the program guide data (epg_data) created by the creator 230 to the output unit 240. In addition, the controller 250 receives the program guide signal (epg_sig) at predetermined time intervals even when the power is off, and generates a control signal so that the creator 230 creates program guide data (epg_data) for the search word (search_data). Output Program guide data (epg_data) created when the power is off is periodically updated. When the power is turned on, the program guide data (epg_data) created last by the creator 230 is output to the screen by a control signal.

The generated program guide data (epg_data) is output in a chronological order when the power is turned on. Furthermore, the power may be output in a pop-up window form at predetermined time intervals after the power is turned on. In addition, it may be output when the program guide data (epg_data) output request from the user.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a program search method of a digital receiver according to the present invention, and a program search method of the digital receiver according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

The user inputs search data in a condition that satisfies the user's taste and condition (S510). When the power is turned on and a signal is received (S520), the received signal is separated into a broadcast signal bro_sig and a program guide signal epg_sig in the separation unit 200 (S530). . The storage unit 220 determines whether the search data search_data is present and searches the stored search data search_data (S540). If search data (search_data) is not found in step S540, the program guide signal (epg_sig) is converted into a format that can be output on the screen (S550). The converted program guide signal (epg_sig) is transmitted to the output unit 240 and output (S580).

When search data (search_data) is found in step S540, the comparison unit 232 compares the search data (search_data) and the program guide signal (epg_sig) (S560). When the comparison of the search data (search_data) and the program guide signal (epg_sig) is completed, the extraction unit 234 extracts the program guide signal (epg_sig) corresponding to the search data (search_data) to create a program guide data (epg_data). (S570).

The created program guide data (epg_data) is output to the screen through the output unit 240 (S580). In operation S580, not only the program guide data (epg_sig) but also the broadcast signal (bro_sig) received together may be simultaneously output. That is, as the power is turned on and the screen for the broadcast signal bro_sig is booted, program guide data (epg_sig) created through the above-described program search method process of the digital receiver may be output together.

The generated program guide data (epg_data) is output to the output unit 240 in chronological order when the power is turned on. If the search data (search_data) does not exist, the program guide data (epg_data) is output by converting the received program guide signal (epg_sig) into an outputable form. Further, the program guide data (epg_data) rewritten from the program guide signal (epg_sig) can be output based on the search data (search_data) before a predetermined time from the end time of the program being viewed by the user.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a program searching method of a digital receiver according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, a user selects and watches a desired broadcast using program guide data (epg_data) output to the output unit 240. At this time, after a predetermined time before the end of the program that the user is watching (S610), new program guide data is created based on the comparison of the search data (search_data) set by the user and the program guide signal (epg_sig) (S620). It can be output to the screen (S630).

For example, the current time is 7:50 pm and the user is watching the news ending at 8 pm. At this time, if the user has stored data on the condition of 'movie broadcasted at 8:00' in the search data (search_data), the news is output before a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes before the broadcast currently being viewed. Program guide data (epg_data) related to 'movies broadcast from 8:00' are outputted on the screen, so that the user can select a broadcast according to the user's taste.

Another embodiment of the digital receiver and the method of searching for a digital receiver program according to the present invention will be described when the power of the digital receiver is turned off. In other words, the plug of the digital receiver is connected to a power outlet and can be used even when the power switch that selects only the on and off of the digital receiver is selected as off. The digital receiver continues to receive the program guide signal (epg_sig) even when the power is off. The comparator 230 continuously creates and updates the program guide data (epg_data) with respect to the search data (search_data) by comparing the stored search data (search_data) with the program guide signal (epg_sig). At this time, when the power is turned on, the last updated program guide data (epg_data) is displayed. As a result, the time for displaying the program guide data (epg_data) on the screen can be shortened.

According to the digital receiver and the program search method of the digital receiver according to the present invention, the user can store the program search data according to the user's preference in the digital receiver. As a result, when the digital receiver is recognized that the power is turned on, the cable broadcasting screen is booted and the program guide data corresponding to the program search data stored by the user can be booted on the screen. Therefore, after the power is turned on, it is possible to alleviate the inconvenience that a user needs to separately load program guide data using an input device such as a remote controller. If the search data is stored, the user may spend less time searching for broadcasts to watch in hundreds of digital channels, that is, program guide data.

Although the above has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, it is usually in the art to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Anyone skilled in the art can make various modifications, as well as such modifications are within the scope of the claims.

Claims (11)

A separation unit for separating the received signal into a broadcast signal and a program guide signal; A storage unit for storing search data including at least one item of broadcasting time, genre, actor, and director; A generating unit for extracting a guide signal corresponding to the stored search data from the program guide signal to create program guide data; And And a controller for outputting a control signal to display the program guide data generated by the creator when the power is turned on. The method of claim 1, And the program guide data are arranged in chronological order. The method of claim 1, The program guide data is output in the form of a pop-up window at predetermined time intervals and is deleted when a user selects and / or a predetermined time elapses. The method of claim 1, The creation unit, A comparator for comparing the program guide signal and the search data; And And an extracting unit extracting a guide signal corresponding to an item of the search data and creating the program guide data according to a comparison result of the comparing unit. The method of claim 1, And an input unit configured to receive the search data from a user. And the creation unit rewrites the program guide data when the search data is input. The method of claim 5, And receiving the output request of the program guide data generated by the user, wherein the program guide data is output. Receiving search data including at least one item of broadcasting time, genre, actor, and director from a user; Separating the broadcast signal and the program guide signal from the received signal; Extracting a guide signal corresponding to the search data input by a user from the program guide signal to create program guide data; And And outputting the generated program guide data when the power is turned on. The method of claim 7, wherein And outputting the program guide data by sorting the program guide data according to time zones. The method according to claim 7 or 8, And the outputting step outputs the program guide data rewritten from the program guide signal on the basis of the search data, a predetermined time before the end time of the program being viewed by the user. . The method according to claim 7 or 8, And outputting the program guide data by outputting the program guide signal if the search data does not exist. The method of claim 7, wherein The creation step, Comparing the program guide signal with the search data; And And extracting a guide signal corresponding to the search data from the program guide signal to create the program guide data.