KR100426103B1 - Method and apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic EPG video in digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and an apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic EPG(Electronic Program Guide) image in a digital broadcasting receiver are provided to select and designate sub-pictures of a favorite broadcasting program of a user and display the corresponding sub-pictures as the auxiliary mosaic EPG image. CONSTITUTION: One or more sub-pictures corresponding to favorite service information selected and designated by a user or a broadcasting station are selectively extracted among a plurality of sub-pictures included in a mosaic EPG image. The extracted sub-pictures are displayed as an auxiliary mosaic EPG image which is different from a main mosaic EPG image including a plurality of the sub-pictures through a separate screen window.

Description

{Method and apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic EPG video in digital broadcasting receiver}

The present invention selects subpictures of a broadcast program preferred by a user or a broadcaster from among subpictures for a number of digital broadcast programs provided through a mosaic EPG (Electronic Program Guide) service. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a digital broadcasting receiver for displaying and displaying an auxiliary mosaic image.

Recently, an electronic program guide, that is, an EPG service, which provides various broadcast program information has been commercialized, and in a digital broadcast receiver such as a set top box (STB), after receiving the information, By outputting the display through a screen of an external connection device such as a television, it is possible to easily search for broadcast program information desired by a user.

On the other hand, a mosaic epiji service is provided to allow a user to more easily search and select various broadcast programs provided through different broadcasting services. The mosaic epiji service will be described in detail as follows. .

Fig. 1 shows a configuration of a transmitting side and a receiving side for transmitting / receiving a general mosaic easy paper service. The transmitting side 100 includes a mosaic screen generator 10, an encoder 11, a mux, and a modulator ( 12), uplinker 13, and mosaic information generator 14 may be included.

Meanwhile, in the mosaic screen generator 10, various broadcast programs BS 1 to BS k provided through different broadcast services are displayed as sub-pictures of a small size in one screen. A mosaic screen image is generated, and the encoder 11 encodes the mosaic screen image into an MPEG data stream suitable for digital broadcasting.

In addition, the mux and modulator 12 muxes and modulates the mosaic information generated by the mosaic information generator 14 and the encoded MPEG data stream, and then through the uplinker 13 through a broadcast satellite ( 200, the digital broadcast receiver 400 such as a set-top box outputs and displays a mosaic easy-video image received through the broadcast satellite 200 through a screen of the television 500.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the mosaic episode image includes first through fifth corresponding to first through ninth broadcast programs Program 1 through 9 that are provided through different broadcast services. Nine sub-pictures 1 to 9 can be output and displayed within the same screen.

On the other hand, in the digital broadcast receiver 400, a cursor is placed on any one subpicture of the mosaic easy image, for example, while the user places the cursor on the first subpicture. When a selection button provided on the remote controller or the like is clicked on, after searching and referring to mosaic information provided through the mosaic easy service, after selecting a broadcast service provided with a first program corresponding to a first subpicture, the broadcast service is broadcasted. The first broadcast program received through the service is displayed on the main picture screen.

Accordingly, a user having the digital broadcast receiver can search and confirm various broadcast programs provided in different broadcast services simultaneously through the mosaic easy image, and can also easily select and designate any one broadcast service. It becomes possible.

However, in the case of including and transmitting a large number of broadcast program information that is currently on or scheduled to be broadcast, the user may each sub picture within a mosaic easy image that includes sub pictures of numerous broadcast programs. Since you have to search and check them individually, every time you select your favorite broadcast program, there is a problem that you spend a long time every time.

Accordingly, the present invention has been created to solve the above problems, and among the sub-pictures of a number of broadcast programs included in a mosaic ppiji image, the user or broadcaster can select the sub-pictures of a broadcast program that a user prefers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a digital broadcasting receiver for selectively specifying and displaying corresponding subpictures as an auxiliary mosaic image.

1 illustrates a configuration of a transmitting side and a receiving side for transmitting / receiving a general mosaic easy fiji service,

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of selecting and specifying an arbitrary subpicture in a general mosaic image.

3 illustrates a configuration of a digital broadcast receiver to which an auxiliary mosaic image display method and apparatus according to the present invention are applied;

4 illustrates a process of selectively storing user preference service information by an auxiliary mosaic image display method according to the present invention;

5 illustrates an embodiment in which a main mosaic epiji image and a sub mosaic mosaic image are separately displayed together according to the present invention;

6 illustrates an embodiment in which an auxiliary mosaic skin image is independently displayed according to the present invention.

7 and 8 illustrate an embodiment of transmitting user preference service information in the digital broadcast transmission side according to the present invention.

※ Explanation of code for main part of drawing

100: mosaic parchment transmitter 200: broadcast satellite

300: satellite antenna 400: digital broadcast receiver

500: Television 10: Mosaic Screen Generator

11: encoder 12: mux and modulator

13: Up Linker 14: Mosaic Information Generator

15: preferred service information generator 16: service information generator

40: Tuner 41: Demux

42: audio buffer 43: video buffer

44: data buffer 45: MPEG decoder

46: control unit 47: OSD generator

48: memory

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a digital broadcast receiver, the method comprising: extracting at least one subpicture from among a plurality of subpictures included in a mosaic image; ; And outputting and displaying the screened sub-pictures as an auxiliary mosaic image, which is distinguished from a main mosaic image, in which the plurality of server pictures are displayed.

In addition, the auxiliary mosaic image display device in the digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention, the mosaic signal transmitted via digital broadcasting, the first signal for generating a main mosaic image is displayed including a plurality of sub-pictures Processing means; Second signal processing means for selectively extracting at least one or more subpictures from the main mosaic epiji image to generate an auxiliary mosaic epi image from the main mosaic epi image; And control means for controlling the operation of the second signal processing means by referring to the user preference service information transmitted or included in the mosaic epiji information or previously stored in the apparatus.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an auxiliary mosaic image display method and apparatus in a digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram of a digital broadcast receiver to which an auxiliary mosaic image display method and apparatus according to the present invention are applied, and a tuner for tuning a digital broadcast channel to a digital broadcast receiver 400 such as a set-top box. A demux 41 for parsing an MPEG transport stream received through any one of the broadcast services multiplexed on the broadcast channel into audio, video, and data; An audio buffer 42, a video buffer 43, and a data buffer 44 for temporarily storing the audio, video and data, and the original audio and video by decoding the temporarily stored audio, video and data. An MPEG decoder 45 for restoring and outputting the signal is included.

In addition, the digital broadcast receiver 400 displays an overlay of a cursor on a mosaic easy-video image, and outputs and displays an OSD image of a user key input window or a user selection menu. The control unit 46 for controlling the operation of each component means, and a memory 48 for storing the data necessary for the operation control is configured.

In addition, the memory 48 stores and stores user preference service information (User_Favorite_Service_Information) included or transmitted through the mosaic easy service or selected by a user. In the controller 46, the controller 46 is illustrated in FIG. 4. As described above, when the user inputs a direction key or the like provided with a remote controller or the like in a state in which a mosaic phiji image is displayed and output, the OSD generator 47 is controlled to be included in the mosaic phiji image. The cursor is moved to any one displayed subpicture.

On the other hand, in the state where the cursor is moved as described above, for example, when the cursor is located on the first sub-picture, the user selects and inputs a specific key provided on the remote controller, and thus corresponds to the broadcast corresponding to the first sub-picture. When designating a program as a broadcast program of a user preferred service preferred by the user, the controller 46 detects (X, Y) position coordinate values corresponding to the first subpicture, and then the first subpicture. Broadcast program information corresponding to a picture is stored and managed in the memory 48 as first user preference service information.

In addition, the user inputs a direction key or the like provided on a remote controller or the like, selects and inputs the specific key while sequentially moving the cursor to the fifth sub-picture and the ninth sub-picture, to the fifth sub-picture and the ninth sub-picture. If the corresponding broadcast program is designated as the broadcast program of the user's preferred service, the controller 46 may determine (X, Y) position coordinate values corresponding to the fifth subpicture and the ninth subpicture. After detecting, a series of operations of storing and managing broadcast program information corresponding to the fifth subpicture and the ninth subpicture in the memory 48 as second user preference service information and third user preference service information, respectively. Will be performed.

The controller 46 reads the first to third user preference service information stored and managed in the memory 48 when, for example, an auxiliary mosaic image display is requested in response to a user's key input. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the first subpicture and the fifth subpicture, and the second subpicture are separated through a separate screen window that is distinguished from the main mosaic image, in which a plurality of subpictures are collectively displayed. The ninth sub-pictures are divided into and displayed as an auxiliary mosaic easy image, and the auxiliary mosaic easy image may be output and displayed in a divided state through the same screen as the main mosaic easy image.

On the other hand, as another embodiment according to the present invention, the control unit 46, as shown in Figure 6, the first to third user preference service information stored and managed in the memory 48, and other than that Read and refer to other user preference service information, for example, the fourth to sixth user preference service information corresponding to the fifteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-first subpictures; Only the fifth, ninth, fifteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-first subpictures may be output as an auxiliary mosaic image.

Accordingly, the user can easily distinguish and search only any subpictures that he / she prefers within the main mosaic episode image including the subpictures of numerous broadcast programs, thereby quickly selecting and designating a desired broadcast program. It becomes possible.

Meanwhile, the user preference service information stored and managed in the memory 48 as described above may be selected and provided in advance by the broadcaster transmitting the mosaic easy image, for example, the transmitting side providing the mosaic easy service 7, a mosaic screen generator 10, an encoder 11, a mux and modulator 12, an up linker 13, and a mosaic information generator 14 are included. 15 and the service information generator 16 may be further included.

In the mosaic screen generator 10, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, various broadcast programs BS 1 to BS k that are being broadcast or scheduled to be broadcast through different broadcast services are small in one screen. A mosaic screen image displayed as sub-pictures of a size is generated, and the encoder 11 encodes the mosaic screen image into an MPEG data stream suitable for digital broadcasting.

In addition, the mux and modulator 12 muxes and modulates the encoded MPEG data stream and service information (SI) generated by the service information generator 16, and then the uplinker 13 Is transmitted to the broadcast satellite 200 through the < RTI ID = 0.0 > service information generator 16, < / RTI > generated by the mosaic information generator 14 from the mosaic information generator 14, and output from the preferred service information generator 15. A series of operations of additionally transmitting the user preference service information to the service information is performed.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 8, the user preference service information may be additionally recorded as a 'favorite_flag' bit in a mosaic_information_section syntax, and when 'favorite_flag = 1', the corresponding subpicture is a user preference. This indicates that the sub picture corresponds to a service, and when 'favorite_flag = 0', this indicates that the corresponding sub picture corresponds to a sub picture corresponding to a general service.

Accordingly, the digital broadcast receiver 400 which receives the service information can read and receive user preference service information additionally transmitted to the service information and store and manage the stored in the memory 48. The broadcast transmission side selects a broadcast program of the user preferred service based on a user's request received through various networks such as a broadcast program having a high viewer rating or the Internet, and then additionally transmits user preference service information corresponding thereto. An interactive broadcast service may be provided.

For reference, the auxiliary mosaic image is generated and stored by a signal processing unit and a display buffer (not shown) that are operated and controlled by the controller 46 regardless of the OSD generating unit 47. The output may be displayed in a state synthesized with the mosaic image.

Or more, preferred embodiments of the present invention described above, for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art, within the technical spirit and the technical scope of the present invention disclosed in the appended claims below, to further improve various other embodiments Changes, substitutions or additions will be possible.

The method and apparatus for displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a digital broadcasting receiver according to the present invention constructed and configured as described above, extract and extract at least one or more subpictures from among a plurality of subpictures included in a mosaic image. Among the sub-pictures of a number of broadcast programs included in the mosaic epiji image by outputting and displaying the screened sub-pictures as an auxiliary mosaic epi image, which is distinguished from the main mosaic epi image, including the plurality of server pictures. In addition, it is a very useful invention that makes it possible to quickly and easily search and identify subpictures of a user's favorite broadcast program through an auxiliary mosaic image.

Claims (9)

Selecting and extracting one or more subpictures from among a plurality of subpictures included in the mosaic image, matching the preferred service information selected by a user or a broadcaster; And And outputting the selected subpictures as an auxiliary mosaic epiji image through a separate screen window distinguished from the main mosaic epiji image including the plurality of sub pictures. A method of displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a broadcast receiver. delete delete The method of claim 1, In the second step, in the digital broadcasting receiver, the screened sub-picture is outputted and displayed as an auxiliary mosaic EPI image through the same screen together with a main mosaic EPI image including the plurality of server pictures. How to display secondary mosaic image The method of claim 1, In the step 2, the screening and extracting the sub-picture, along with the main mosaic Epiji image including the plurality of server pictures, the output is displayed as an auxiliary mosaic Epiji image through a separate screen window, digital broadcasting, characterized in that A method of displaying an auxiliary mosaic image in a receiver. The method of claim 1, And in the step 2, outputting and displaying only the sub-selected subpictures as an auxiliary mosaic easy image without a main mosaic easy image. First signal processing means for receiving mosaic epiji information transmitted through digital broadcasting and generating a main mosaic epiji image including a plurality of sub pictures; Selecting and extracting one or more subpictures matching the preferred service information selected by a user or a broadcasting company from the main mosaic epiji image, and generating an auxiliary mosaic epiji image of a separate screen window separated from the main mosaic epiji image 2 signal processing means; And And control means for controlling the operation of the second signal processing means by referring to the preferred service information transmitted or stored in the mosaic image information, or previously stored in the apparatus. Epiji video display. The method of claim 7, wherein And the control means controls the second signal processing means to display the auxiliary mosaic easy image together with the main mosaic easy image through a same screen or a separate screen window. Auxiliary Mosaic Fiji Video Display The method of claim 7, wherein The control means controls the first signal processing means and the second signal processing means such that only the auxiliary mosaic easy image is output and displayed without the main mosaic easy image. Epiji video display.