KR100685973B1 - Television receiver and method for random tunning of channel - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a television receiver and a method capable of randomly tuning only a channel transmitting an arbitrary broadcast genre among various kinds of broadcast genres transmitted through a plurality of broadcast channels, wherein one of broadcast channel information according to a predetermined broadcast genre is provided. When a broadcast channel of the broadcast genre of is selected and a control command for instructing to execute random tuning for the broadcast channel of the selected broadcast genre is input, the random tuning mode for performing random tuning for the broadcast channel of the selected broadcast genre is set. A first step of making; When the channel-up control signal is input while the random tuning mode for the broadcast channel of the selected broadcast genre is set, the broadcast channel information of the selected broadcast genre is searched among the broadcast channel information constructed in the predetermined channel map, and then the upper level of the current broadcast channel. Tuning to a broadcast channel set to a channel; And when a channel down control signal is input in a state in which a random tuning mode for a broadcast channel of the selected broadcast genre is set, searching for broadcast channel information of the selected broadcast genre from broadcast channel information constructed in a predetermined channel map, And tuning to a broadcast channel set as a lower channel.

TV, random, tuning, channel

Description

Television receiver and method for random tuning of channels {Television receiver and method for random tunning of channel}

1 is a block diagram of a television receiver for random tuning of channels according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart of a method for random tuning of channels in a television receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3A and 3B are exemplary screen diagrams illustrating a random tuning process of channels in a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: TV receiver 101: Tuner

102: screen 103: speaker

104: A / D converter 105: video processing unit

106: audio processor 107: image processor

108: amplifier 109: storage unit

110: control unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to television receivers and, more particularly, to television receivers and methods capable of randomly tuning only channels transmitting arbitrary broadcast genres among various kinds of broadcast genres transmitted through multiple broadcast channels.

In response to the transformation of digitalization of broadcasting, in order to meet the diverse service needs of viewers who have become accustomed to computers and the Internet, various services such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting and satellite broadcasting are being provided. Viewers watch current events, sports, life information, education and entertainment programs through various broadcasting channels of multi-channel television.

By the way, viewers are watching various broadcasts as above, but in order to watch their favorite broadcasts, there is a problem of remembering a broadcast channel or searching a plurality of broadcast channels each time. Therefore, recently, the above-mentioned problems have been solved by a method of specifying a preferred channel and a method of selecting a preferred channel that display only a broadcast channel preferred by a user. Preferred channel designation method specifies the user's favorite broadcasting channel among the cable television broadcasting channels, and sets the preferred channel memory map of the cable television broadcasting so that the user can use it, and operates the preferred channel up / down keys of the remote controller. The user can easily select a channel. As an example of such a preferred channel designation method, Korean Patent Publication No. '1999-0033631' published on May 15, 1999 (name of the invention: a method for designating a preferred channel for cable television) is disclosed.

In addition, the preferred channel selection method includes a terrestrial broadcast mode for sequentially tuning a terrestrial broadcast channel and a terrestrial broadcast channel and a cable broadcast channel in a plasma display panel (PDP) television having a cable broadcast mode for sequentially tuning a cable broadcast channel. By designating the preferred channels and configuring the preferred channel map to sequentially tune only the preferred channels registered through the preferred channel broadcast mode, the user's convenience of channel selection is further enhanced in a PDP television having a plurality of broadcast channels. As an example of the preferred channel selection method, Korean Patent Publication No. 2000-0044755 published on July 15, 2000 (name of the invention: a preferred channel selection method of PDTV) is disclosed.

However, as described above, the method of sequentially tuning the preferred channels using the favorite channel up / down keys increases the user's preferred channel, for example, if the user's favorite channel is 20 or more, 20 channels are selected. There was a problem with tuning sequentially. In order to solve this problem, Korean Patent Application No. 2002-22832 (name of the invention: a preferred channel selection method of multi-channel television) classifies preferred channels into preferred channel groups in multi-channel television to quickly and easily select a preferred channel. A preferred channel selection method is proposed.

In a brief description of the domestic patent application and proposed technical features, a method of selecting a plurality of channels of a channel of a television, comprising: a plurality of preferred channels preset by a user among the plurality of channels; Classifying into groups, storing a frequency of the preferred channels selected by the user in units of the preferred channel group, switching to a preferred channel mode for selecting the plurality of preferred channels, and the plurality of preferred channels And when a first preferred channel group selection signal for selecting a first preferred channel group among the groups is input, displaying a preferred channel having the highest frequency among the preferred channels included in the first preferred channel group. It features.

However, in the conventional preferred channel selection method as described above, the preferred channels are classified into preferred channel groups so that the preferred channels with high frequency are displayed to view the displayed channel information to select a channel. In addition to being used in homes and workplaces made up of members, these members prefer different broadcasting genres, so the frequency of the preferred channels displayed on the screen may increase the confusion in selecting viewers. exist.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is a television receiver capable of randomly tuning only a channel that transmits any broadcast genre among various kinds of broadcast genres transmitted through a plurality of broadcast channels. And methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a television receiver and a method for allowing a viewer to easily select a broadcast channel of a desired genre by selectively tuning only a channel transmitting an arbitrary broadcast genre.

It is still another object of the present invention to tune a broadcast channel by allowing a viewer to randomly tune a broadcast channel of a desired genre by pressing only the channel up / down keys, thereby greatly reducing the time required to select a broadcast channel. To provide.

The television receiver of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a tuner for tuning a plurality of broadcast channels received; A storage unit which stores channel number information for each broadcast genre and a channel map on which various channel information is constructed; And a control unit for controlling reception and output of a composite video signal received through the tuner and controlling tuning of a broadcast channel according to channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map. The control unit stores menu contents used for setting a random tuning function of a broadcast channel, and the controller controls setting of a random tuning function of a broadcast channel according to the contents of the menu content, and a random channel up / down control signal is provided. When input, it is characterized in that the tuning by tuning the broadcast channel according to the channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map.
When the random channel up control signal is input, the controller selects a specific channel by randomly tuning the higher channel from the current channel.
When the random channel down control signal is input, the controller selects a specific channel by randomly tuning the lower channel from the current channel.
The controller controls the channel to be tuned only within a specific broadcast genre established in the channel map according to the random channel up / down control signal.
The channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map is preferably set by default, updated by a user, and reset.
In addition, the tuning method of the present invention comprises the steps of tuning a plurality of broadcast channels received; Storing a channel map in which channel number information for each broadcast genre and various channel information are constructed; And controlling the reception and output of the composite video signal received through the tuner, and controlling the tuning of the broadcast channel according to the channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map. And the storing step stores menu contents used for setting the random tuning function of the broadcasting channel, and the tuning control step controls setting of the random tuning function of the broadcasting channel according to the contents of the menu content, When a channel up / down control signal is input, the broadcasting channel is randomly tuned and tuned according to channel number information for each broadcasting genre constructed in the channel map.
In the tuning control step, when the random channel up control signal is input, a specific channel is tuned by randomly tuning the higher channel from the current channel.
In the tuning control step, when the random channel down control signal is input, a specific channel is tuned by randomly tuning the lower channel from the current channel.
The tuning control step controls the channel to be tuned only within a specific broadcast genre established in the channel map according to the random channel up / down control signal.
The channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map is preferably set by default, updated by a user, and reset.
Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

delete

delete

1 is a block diagram of a television receiver for random tuning of channels according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the television receiver 100 of the present invention includes a tuner 101 for receiving a composite video signal transmitted from a broadcasting station and outputting an analog video signal and an audio signal, and a screen for displaying the video signal. 102, a speaker 103 for outputting an audio signal, an A / D converter 104 for converting an analog video signal output from the tuner 101 into a digital video signal, and an A / D converter 104 The video processor 105 makes the digital video signal output from the video signal suitable for the screen 102, and the audio processor 106 makes the audio signal output from the tuner 101 into a signal suitable for the speaker 103. ), An image output unit 107 for outputting the video signal output from the video processor 105 to the screen 102, and an audio signal output from the audio processor 106 to be amplified and output to the speaker 103. amplifier 108.

In addition, the television receiver 100 of the present invention includes a storage unit 109 for storing a channel map including channel information such as a channel number, a reception frequency of each channel, and a broadcasting genre of each channel, Control unit for controlling the reception and output of the image signal, and the random tuning of the channels built in the channel map stored in the storage unit 109 according to the channel up / down control signal input through a remote control, etc. 110.

The tuner 101 receives a composite video signal transmitted through a plurality of channels and outputs an analog video signal and an audio signal included in the composite video signal to the A / D converter 104 and the audio processor 106, respectively. The controller 110 tunes a channel indicating a broadcast output among a plurality of channels.

The storage unit 109 stores an execution program for execution of random tuning and normal tuning according to the present invention, a channel map used for random tuning and normal tuning, and also stores various information and various programs. Are stored. The storage unit 109 may be implemented as a memory device such as RAM, EEPROM, or a hard disk driver (HDD), but it may be preferably implemented as a hard disk driver.

Here, the channel map is constructed with various channel information, for example, frequency, major channel number, minor channel number, reception frequency of each channel, channel number for each broadcasting genre, and information about the broadcasting genre of each channel. Each channel number may be constructed in a table form as shown in [Table 1].

   Broadcast genre     Channel number     movie      Channel17      Channel 30      Channel 49     drama      Channel 36      Channel56      Channel 75      · · ·       · · ·     sports      Channel33      Channel45      Channel64

The information about the channel number for each broadcast genre as shown in [Table 1] is set as default, updated and reset by the user, and broadcasted through the modem when a modem (not shown) is installed. It may be downloaded from a server (not shown) for managing and providing information. At this time, the controller 110 resets the information on the channel number for each broadcast genre input by the user or downloaded through the modem according to the user's update instruction.

In addition, the storage unit 109 includes menu contents required for executing the random tuning function, for example, channel information for classifying broadcast genres, that is, broadcast genres according to channels as shown in [Table 2], in the form of a table. Stored.

  One   Movie Channel Tuning   2   Drama Channel Tuning   3   Audio Channel Tuning   . . .       . . .   n   Sports Channel Tuning

The menu contents related to the broadcast genre for each channel as shown in [Table 2] are set by default, arbitrarily set or updated by the user, and are reset. Also, when the modem is mounted, the broadcast information is managed through the modem. And it may be downloaded from a server (not shown) to provide. At this time, the controller 110 resets the menu content regarding the channel-specific broadcast genre input by the user or downloaded through the modem according to the user's update instruction.

As described above, the controller 110 performs a random tuning function using the channel information stored in the storage unit 109 as follows.

First, when a user instructs execution of a random tuning function using a remote controller or the like, the controller 110 executes a random tuning execution program stored in the storage unit 109.

In this state in which the random tuning execution program is executed, the user selects a channel related to one broadcast genre, for example, a movie channel, from among the channel information for each broadcast genre stored in the above [Table 2]. When instructing to execute, the controller 110 performs random tuning for a movie channel, wherein the user can select a channel up / down key (not shown) attached to the television receiver 100 or a channel up / down key on the remote controller (not shown). Press (not shown) to select and watch only a movie channel. That is, if a user presses a channel up key among channel up / down keys on the remote controller while the broadcasting object currently being output through one of the broadcasting channels is output through the screen 102, the control unit 110 selects a predetermined channel. The tuner 101 is controlled to receive one movie channel among a plurality of broadcast channels constructed in the map, and the tuner 101 is controlled to receive the movie channel closest to the current broadcast channel among the upper channels of the current broadcast channel. Here, when the user presses the channel down key, the controller 110 controls the tuner 101 to receive the movie channel closest to the current broadcast channel among the lower channels of the current broadcast channel constructed in the predetermined channel map.

Next, a process of performing a random tuning function by the television receiver of the present invention having the above-described functions and configurations will be described in more detail with reference to a flowchart.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a random tuning method of channels in a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the user is watching a broadcast through the television receiver, when the user presses the menu key on the remote controller (S201), the television receiver is outputting the broadcast as shown in FIG. 3A 102. In operation S202, the highest menu items are displayed among the menu contents stored in the storage unit 109.

When the user selects a random tuning item using the remote controller while the top menu items are displayed (S203), the television receiver sets the " random tuning mode " for performing the random tuning function of the broadcast channel (S204). As shown in 3b, broadcast channel items by broadcast genre linked to a lower path of the random tuning item, for example, a movie channel, a drama channel, an audio channel, and a sports channel item, are displayed on the screen 102 (S205). ).

In the display process (S202, S205), the television receiver outputs the image of the broadcast transmitted from the broadcasting station on the full screen and outputs the contents of the predetermined menu item on the sub-screen, or outputs the image of the broadcast on the regular screen. In the state, the contents of the predetermined menu item are output in the subtitle form, that is, the OSD method. Here, the normal screen is a screen occupying the entire surface of the screen 102, and the subscreen is a screen displayed on one side of the normal screen. In addition, the television receiver may output a content of a predetermined menu item in a pop-up form, that is, a pop-up screen, while the video of the broadcast is output on the full screen.

When the user selects the drama channel tuning item while the broadcast channel items are displayed (S206), the television receiver finally sets the random tuning mode for the drama channel (S207).

In the state where the random tuning mode for the drama channel is set through the setting process of the random tuning function, the TV receiver determines whether the user presses a channel up key or a channel down key on the remote controller (S208). That is, the television receiver determines whether a channel up control signal or a channel down control signal is input from the remote controller.

If the channel up control signal is input as a result of the determination in the determination process (S208), the TV receiver receives the broadcasting channels related to the drama genre from the broadcasting channel information constructed on the predetermined channel map (S209), and then the upper level of the current broadcasting channel. Among the drama channels set as the channel, the tuner is tuned to the highest drama channel closest to the current broadcast channel (S210).

When the channel down control signal is input as a result of the determination in the determination process (S208), the TV receiver receives the broadcast channels related to the drama genre from the broadcast channel information constructed on the predetermined channel map (S211), and then lowers the current broadcast channel. Among the drama channels set as the channel, the tune is performed to the lower drama channel closest to the current broadcast channel (S212).

The random tuning function for the drama channel is continuously performed until the random tuning mode is released by the user. However, when the random tuning mode is set, the user does not use the channel up / down keys on the remote control to select a channel. When the numeric key is pressed, the television receiver tunes to the broadcast channel selected via the numeric key regardless of whether the random tuning mode is set.

In the above process, as an example, a random tuning function for a drama channel has been described. However, the technical idea of the present invention is to set a random tuning mode for various broadcast channels through the process described above, and then to randomize the broadcast channel. It is in performing tuning.

On the other hand, to cancel the random tuning mode, the user presses the menu key on the remote control and selects a normal tuning item using the remote control while the top menu items are displayed on the screen 102 as shown in FIG. 3A. Set to normal tuning mode and release random tuning mode.

When the user presses the channel up key or down key on the remote control with the normal tuning mode set, the TV receiver tunes to the upper or lower channel of the current broadcast channel, but each time the channel up key or down key is pressed, one channel is pressed. Channel tuning is performed sequentially.

Although the technical spirit of the present invention has been described in detail according to the above-described preferred embodiment, it should be noted that the above-described embodiment is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that various embodiments are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

As described above, the present invention allows a viewer to easily broadcast a desired genre by randomly tuning a channel that transmits an arbitrary broadcast genre by pressing channel up / down keys among various kinds of broadcast genres transmitted through a plurality of broadcast channels. By allowing the channel to be selected, the user's convenience can be facilitated, thereby increasing the viewer's satisfaction with the product.

Claims (10)

A tuner for tuning a plurality of broadcast channels received; A storage unit which stores channel number information for each broadcast genre and a channel map on which various channel information is constructed; And a control unit for controlling reception and output of a composite video signal received through the tuner and controlling tuning of a broadcast channel according to channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map. The storage unit stores menu contents used for setting a random tuning function of a broadcast channel, The control unit controls the setting of a random tuning function of a broadcast channel according to the contents of the menu content, and when a random channel up / down control signal is input, the controller controls the broadcast channel according to channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map. A television receiver characterized by tuning in a random manner. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And when the random channel up control signal is input, tunes to a particular channel by randomly tuning the higher channel from the current channel. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And when the random channel down control signal is input, tunes a specific channel by randomly tuning the lower channel from the current channel. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And the channel selection is performed only within a specific broadcast genre established in the channel map according to the random channel up / down control signal. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And the channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map is set by default, updated by the user, and reset. Tuning a plurality of broadcast channels received; Storing a channel map in which channel number information for each broadcast genre and various channel information are constructed; And A control method of a television receiver comprising controlling the reception and output of a composite video signal received through the tuner and controlling the tuning of a broadcast channel according to channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map. In the storing step, menu contents used for setting a random tuning function of the broadcast channel are stored. The tuning control step may control the setting of a random tuning function of a broadcast channel according to the contents of the menu content, and when a random channel up / down control signal is input, broadcast according to channel number information for each broadcast genre established in the channel map. A channel random tuning method of a television receiver, characterized in that the channels are tuned in a random manner. The method of claim 6, The tuning control step, And when the random channel up control signal is input, tunes a specific channel by randomly tuning the higher channel from the current channel. The method of claim 6, The tuning control step, And when the random channel down control signal is input, tunes a specific channel by randomly tuning the lower channel from the current channel. The method of claim 6, The tuning control step, And channel selection is performed only within a specific broadcast genre established in the channel map according to the random channel up / down control signal. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Channel number information for each broadcast genre constructed in the channel map is set by default, updated by the user and reset the channel random tuning method of the television receiver.

Images