KR100528881B1 - Digital TV for short-cut and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a digital imaging apparatus. When the analog mode menu key signal is input, the digital video device generates a micro mode for creating an analog mode user interface window for changing and setting the analog broadcast state and option functions. When a set-top module for generating a digital mode user interface window for changing a function and one of a digital mode menu key signal and an analog mode menu key signal is input, a corresponding window among the user interface windows generated by the set-top module and the microcomputer is input. And an output unit for displaying on the screen, and the microcomputer controls the output unit to switch on the screen to display a user interface window corresponding to another mode menu key signal. Accordingly, the digital mode and analog mode menus can be utilized with a simple key operation.

Description

Digital video device supporting shortcut function between menus and its conversion method {Digital TV for short-cut and method

The present invention relates to an integrated digital imaging device, and more particularly, to an integrated type set-top module that supports a shortcut function to an analog mode menu while executing an option of executing a digital mode menu. A digital imaging device.

Digital video devices, such as digital TVs, convert and compress analog signals, such as video and audio information, into digital signals consisting of 0s and 1s by using advanced digital technology. The device converts the original video and audio and outputs it on the screen.

Digital TVs can receive analog signals, convert them to output signals, and output them, as well as general analog TVs, and also receive and convert digital signals transmitted by digital technology to output signals. In this specification, a state of receiving and outputting an analog signal is called an analog mode, and a state of receiving and outputting a digital signal is called a digital mode.

On the other hand, in a digital TV, a receiver called a set-top box is required to receive and broadcast a digital signal. The set-top box refers to a device that amplifies or removes noise from an antenna and transmits the video signal to a TV according to a channel desired by a viewer. That is, a device necessary for receiving cable or satellite broadcasting, and a device for transmitting a video signal to a TV according to a channel desired by a viewer by amplifying a video signal received from an antenna or removing noise. Means. Such a set-top box is not separately built, and a digital TV that receives a digital broadcast signal in addition to an external device is called a separate digital TV, and a digital TV having a set-top box is called an integrated digital TV.

The set-top box includes a system interface for receiving digital signals, a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the received signals into three parallel signals: video, audio, and data (VAD), and video and audio. Video and audio decoders, graphics processors, and NTSC encoders that convert digitally processed video signals into analog form for display on the screen. ) And its own controller to convert digital signals into analog signals and input them to the TV.

On the other hand, TVs generally have menu buttons that allow a user to select various options. The user can press a menu key on the TV main unit and the remote control to use the functions such as channel search, channel storage, video adjustment, sound adjustment, and date and time input. In addition, the digital TV includes not only an analog mode menu supported by a conventional analog TV but also a digital mode menu function utilized only in a digital mode for receiving digital broadcast. When the user inputs the digital mode menu key, the video and audio processing unit of the set-top box communicates with the control unit of the digital TV itself to execute a function corresponding to the option set by the user.

Digital TV users can set and use the general options used in the digital broadcasting mode in the digital mode menu. However, if the analog mode menu has options that cannot be set in the digital mode menu, the analog mode menu can be used even in the digital broadcasting mode. You can set the option by using. As a representative example, the analog mode menu is used to adjust analog data such as sound and video.

1 is a diagram illustrating a process of switching to an analog mode menu while using a digital mode menu in a conventional digital TV.

The user inputs the digital mode menu key provided in the remote controller to bring up the digital mode menu 20 on the screen 10, and sets options (a in FIG. 1). At this time, if it is necessary to use the analog mode menu, once the digital mode menu OFF key to enter the digital mode menu 20 disappears on the screen (b in Fig. 1), and then enter the analog mode menu key again to enter the analog mode The menu 30 is called on the screen (Fig. 1C). Until now, when the analog mode menu key was input without turning off the digital mode menu, nothing worked.

On the other hand, Figure 2 is a flow chart of the operation of the controller to perform this function.

When the analog mode menu key is input from the user (S 51), it is determined whether the digital mode menu 20 is displayed on the screen in the current state (S 52). Referring to this flowchart, if the digital mode menu 20 is not utilized, the analog mode menu 30 is displayed on the screen, but if the digital mode menu is utilized, no operation is performed (S 53). ).

Therefore, according to the conventional digital TV, in order to convert between user menus, there is an inconvenience of having to turn off the previous menu and input the menu key again. In other words, if the user needs to use the analog mode menu for a while while the user utilizes the submenu attached to the main menu, turn off the digital mode menu, use the analog mode menu, and then turn on the digital mode menu again. Since it has to enter, there was an inconvenience of having to repeat several keystrokes.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital imaging apparatus and a method for supporting the shortcut function with a single key input between the digital mode menu and the analog mode menu. have.

When the analog mode menu key signal is input, the digital video apparatus according to the present invention generates a analog mode user interface window that can change and set the analog broadcast state and option functions. The set-top module and the set-top module for generating and transmitting a digital mode user interface window for changing and setting a state and an optional function, and any one of the digital mode menu key signal and the analog mode menu key signal is inputted. And an output unit for displaying a corresponding window on the screen among the user interface windows generated by the microcomputer.

At this time, the microcomputer controls the output unit to switch on the screen to display the corresponding user interface window when another mode menu key signal is input while displaying the corresponding user interface window.

Preferably, the apparatus may further include a remote controller signal processor configured to receive one of a digital mode menu key signal and an analog mode menu key signal from a user input device and transmit the received signal to the microcomputer.

Meanwhile, when one of the digital mode menu key and the analog mode menu key is input, the microcomputer automatically turns off the user interface window being executed and displays a user interface window corresponding to the input mode menu key on the screen. Can be.

On the other hand, the method of supporting the shortcut function between menus in the digital imaging apparatus according to the present invention, (a) receiving any one of the digital mode menu key signal and the analog mode menu key signal, (b) digital mode menu key signal Generating a digital mode user interface window for changing the digital broadcast signal processing function, and (c) if an analog mode menu key signal is received, opening the analog mode user interface window for changing the analog broadcast signal processing function. (D) displaying a user interface window corresponding to the received mode menu key signal on the screen, and (e) if an opposite mode menu key signal is input during display of the user interface window, Switching to and displaying a corresponding user interface window.

In this case, the step (e) may include determining whether one of the digital mode menu key and the analog mode menu key is input, determining whether a user interface window opposite to the input mode menu key is running, and Preferably, the user interface window is turned off when the user interface window is running, and the user interface window corresponding to the input mode menu key is displayed on the screen.

According to the present invention, in the digital broadcast viewing mode, while executing the menu for the digital mode, the menu for the analog mode can be called up and executed.

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

3 shows a simple block diagram of the configuration of a digital TV according to the present invention. According to the drawing, the digital TV includes an antenna unit 310, a signal processor 320, a MICOM 330, a set top module 340, a remote controller signal processor 350, and an output unit 360. Include. Other detailed configurations are not directly related to the core of the present invention, so descriptions and explanations are omitted.

The antenna unit 310 serves to receive an external broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station. The external broadcast signal includes not only an existing analog signal but also a digital broadcast signal.

The analog signal received from the antenna unit 310 is converted into a signal of a form that can be output from the signal processing unit 320 and is output on the screen through the output unit 360 under the control of the microcomputer 330 of the general analog signal The processing method.

However, in the case of a digital signal, once received, the set-top module 340 needs to undergo a process of converting it into an analog signal. In the case of separate digital TVs, this can be done in a separate set-top box. Digital broadcast signals include video, audio, and data (VAD) signals, which are sent in MPEG2-TS format and the data conforms to the DSM-CC standard. The set-top module 340 decodes the received VAD signal for each format and converts the received VAD signal into an analog signal. The converted analog signal is input to the signal processor 320, converted into an output form, and then displayed on the screen.

On the other hand, the set-top module 340 communicates with the microcomputer 330 to generate a digital mode user interface (user interface) window that can change the screen state and option functions in the digital mode. When the digital mode user interface window is displayed on the screen, the user can change and set the screen state and other functions by using the numeric buttons, direction buttons, confirmation buttons, etc. of a separate input device (eg, a remote controller). The set-top module 340 transmits information about whether or not the digital mode user interface window is displayed to the microcomputer 330 connected through the communication port, and is displayed on the screen through the output unit 360.

The output unit 360 outputs a broadcast signal and simultaneously displays a user interface window on the screen so that a user can set a function.

On the other hand, the remote control signal processing unit 350, and receives the external remote control signal and serves to input to the microcomputer 330. In particular, when a mode menu key is input from the outside, a signal for displaying a corresponding mode menu on the screen is input to the microcomputer 330.

When the mode menu key is input from the remote control signal processor 350, the microcomputer 330 controls the overall digital TV system to display a mode menu corresponding to the mode menu key. That is, in the digital mode for receiving and outputting the digital broadcast signal, when the digital mode menu key is input, the digital mode user interface window generated by the set-top module 340 is displayed on the screen. At this time, between the microcomputer 330 and the set-top module 340 is required to exchange the status information protocol (protocol), to implement this, the microcomputer 330 and the set-top module 340 is connected to the transmission and reception port. Preferably, they may be interconnected using UART input / output ports. Meanwhile, an analog mode user interface window is required to change an analog screen state and function, and the microcomputer 330 generates such a user interface window and outputs it on the screen through the output unit 360.

When menu setting information is input from the microcomputer 330 through the transmission / reception port, the self-control unit (not shown) of the set-top module 340 performs an operation corresponding to a situation set by the user.

Meanwhile, when the analog mode menu key is input to utilize the analog mode menu while utilizing the digital mode menu, the microcomputer 330 turns off the currently displayed digital mode menu state on the screen, and displays the analog mode menu on the screen. Display. After that, when the digital mode menu key is input again, the analog mode menu is turned off on the screen, and the digital mode menu is displayed again on the screen.

On the other hand, Figure 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of such a microcomputer 330. According to the drawing, first, when the analog mode menu key is received (S410), it is determined whether the current digital mode menu is displayed on the screen (S420). If the digital mode menu is not set, the analog mode menu is directly called up like a conventional digital TV (S430).

If the digital mode menu has been set, it is automatically turned off (S440), and the analog mode menu is displayed (S430). Therefore, even if the user performs only one key operation, the analog mode menu is immediately displayed on the screen.

5 illustrates a state in which a shortcut between a digital mode menu and an analog mode menu is executed in a digital mode for receiving digital broadcast. When the analog mode menu key is input while the digital mode menu 110 is displayed on the screen 100 as shown in FIG. 5A, the analog mode menu 120 is immediately displayed as shown in FIG. 5B. It can be displayed on the screen. On the contrary, when the digital mode menu key is input while the analog mode menu 120 is displayed, the digital mode menu 110 is directly displayed as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the user can use the mode menu more easily.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the digital mode menu is called on the screen to set the digital TV option while receiving digital broadcasting, the analog mode menu can be directly called up with only one or two key operations. do. Accordingly, the user can easily adjust the analog state.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a menu conversion process in a conventional digital imaging apparatus;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a menu conversion method of a conventional digital imaging apparatus;

3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital imaging apparatus supporting a shortcut function between menus according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a shortcut method between menus of a digital imaging apparatus according to the present invention;

5 is a diagram illustrating a menu conversion process in the digital imaging apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

310: antenna unit 320: signal processing unit

330: microcomputer 340: set-top module

350: remote control signal processing unit 360: output unit

Claims (5)

A microcomputer that generates an analog mode user interface window for changing and setting analog broadcast states and optional functions; A set-top module for generating a digital mode user interface window for changing and setting digital broadcasting states and optional functions; And And an output unit which displays one of the analog mode user interface window and the digital mode user interface window on a screen. The microcomputer displays a user interface window corresponding to the input menu key signal when a menu key signal for another mode is input while one of the analog mode user interface window and the digital mode user interface window is displayed on the screen. And controlling the output unit to display on the image. The method of claim 1, And a remote controller signal processor configured to receive one of a predetermined digital mode menu key signal and an analog mode menu key signal from a user input device, and transmit the received signal to the microcomputer. The method of claim 2, The microcomputer displays the analog mode user interface window on the screen when the analog mode menu key signal is input, and displays the digital mode user interface window on the screen when the digital mode menu key signal is input. And a set top module and the output unit. Displaying one of an analog mode user interface window for changing and setting an analog broadcast state and an option function and a digital mode user interface window for changing and setting a digital broadcast state and an option function; And, If a menu key signal for another mode is input, turning off the user interface window displayed on the current screen and displaying a user interface window of a mode corresponding to the input menu key signal; How to support shortcuts between menus on your device. The method of claim 4, wherein And the menu key signal is input from a user input device.