KR100774202B1 - Channel searching device and mtehod according to user setting - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for searching a channel according to the setup of a user are provided to allow a user to view a channel more easily according to the necessity of the user by tuning only a signal which satisfies a search condition set up by the user as a channel. A signal detecting unit(21) detects an RF(Radio Frequency) signal from a plurality of received channels, and discriminates the intensity of the detected signal. A scramble detecting unit(24) detects whether a scramble exists in the signal detected by the signal detecting unit(21). A memory unit(26) stores a weak signal recognition value according to the minimum signal intensity of user setup for recognizing the RF signal and a channel search condition. If the intensity of the RF signal is higher than the weak signal recognition value set up by the user and the scramble is not detected in the detected signal, a control unit(25) selects a corresponding channel.

Description

Channel search device and method according to user setting {CHANNEL SEARCHING DEVICE AND MTEHOD ACCORDING TO USER SETTING}

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a channel searching apparatus according to user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 illustrates a channel search menu screen of user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a packet configuration of a broadcast signal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel searching method of user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: remote control 20: tuner

21: signal detector 22: A / D converter

23: TP decoder 24: scrambling detector

25 control unit 26 memory unit

27: audio / video processing unit 28: display unit

29: speaker

The present invention relates to a channel search method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a channel search method according to a user setting for searching and storing only a channel satisfying a setting condition required by a user in a digital TV system.

The TV system has a channel automatic setting function for automatically searching and setting broadcast channels transmitted from each broadcasting station.

The automatic channel setting function automatically sets a channel without using the channel selection key attached to the remote controller or the main body to select a desired channel and turn on the TV. This feature is called Full Auto Search.

Full Auto Search is a function that automatically searches for and records frequencies of RF (Radio Frequency) signals inputted by different channels during initial TV operation.

The TV Full Auto Search function can detect an RF signal of 30dB or more, and recognize a RF signal of 50dB or more as a strong signal. At this time, the strong signal is in a state that can be viewed on a clear screen, while the weak signal is not.

Therefore, since the TV viewing is almost impossible as the channel to which the weak signal is input, the channel to which the weak signal is input is hardly selected when watching a broadcast program.

However, such a conventional channel search method has a problem in that it does not recognize an RF signal of 30 dB or less and skips when performing a full auto search function in an urban area where deafness or ghosts frequently occur. If you want to select only channels that provide more than 30dB of signal out of the hearing loss area, there is a problem in that channel storage space is consumed by detecting unnecessary signals and selecting unnecessary channels.

In addition, even if there is a synchronization signal in the weak signal, the video and audio data is unsuitable for the user to view, and even in the case of the scramble (Scramble) channel, although it is not possible to search the channel, it takes a long time by searching the channel. there was.

Therefore, the desired channel could not be watched at the place where the viewer is located at a time, and there was a troublesome problem that the user had to select the corresponding channel and delete the channel which was impossible to watch or was unnecessary for the user.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to tune to the channel only the signal that satisfies the search conditions set by the user to make it easier to watch the channel according to the user's needs An apparatus and method for channel searching according to a user setting is provided.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a channel search apparatus according to a user setting includes: a signal detector configured to detect an RF signal in a plurality of received channels and determine the strength of the detected signal; and a signal detected by the signal detector. A scramble detector for detecting whether a scramble exists in the memory, a memory unit for storing the weak signal recognition value of the RF signal and a channel search condition set by the user, and the strength of the RF signal is greater than or equal to the weak signal recognition value. If the scrambling is not detected in the received signal, it includes a control unit for selecting the channel.

Here, the weak signal recognition value can be adjusted to 20dB or more and 50dB or less, and a signal below the weak signal recognition value according to a user setting is recognized as a no signal.

In this case, the RF signal may be applied to a filter according to a user setting, and the filter may skip a channel providing only an audio signal or a video signal.

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, a channel search method according to a user setting may include storing a channel search condition of an input user setting, receiving a key signal of a channel search according to the stored condition, and detecting an RF signal. Determining the strength of the signal and recognizing it as a signal if the determined signal strength is greater than or equal to a weak signal recognition value of a user setting according to a channel search condition, and determining whether a scramble is detected in the recognized signal. And if the intensity of the RF signal is equal to or greater than the weak signal recognition value and scrambling is not detected in the detected signal, selecting and storing the corresponding channel.

In this case, when the filter is applied to the channel search condition, the method may further include skipping the channel by applying a function of the corresponding filter to the RF signal.

Here, it is preferable that the filter skips a channel providing only an audio signal or a video signal.

In addition, the weak signal recognition value can be adjusted to more than 20dB or less than 50dB, the signal below the weak signal recognition value according to the user setting is characterized in that it is recognized as a no signal.

Hereinafter, a channel search apparatus and a method according to a user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a channel searching apparatus according to user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a channel search apparatus according to a user setting includes a remote controller 10, a tuner unit 20, a signal detector 21, an A / D converter 22, a TP decoder 23, and a scrambler. It consists of the detection part 24, the control part 25, the memory part 26, the audio / video processing part 27, the display part 28, and the speaker 29. As shown in FIG.

First, the remote controller 10 includes a plurality of keys, and transmits a key signal to the TV to select a channel change and a user setting menu.

When the signal detector 21 receives a signal from the tuner unit 20 through an antenna, the signal detector 21 detects RF signals output from a plurality of received channels, and determines the strength of the detected RF signal.

The A / D converter 22 recognizes a weak signal when the analog RF signal strength detected by the signal detector 21 is equal to or greater than a weak signal recognition value of a user setting previously stored in the memory unit 26 by the user. The signal is converted into a signal and transmitted to the controller 25 described later.

Although not shown, the automatic gain control voltage of the detected digital RF signal is output from the AGC (Automatic Gain Control) to adjust the amplification degree according to the strength of the received signal.

The TP decoder 23 decodes data from the RF signal output by the signal detector 21 and the AGC, and the scramble detector 24 determines whether a scramble exists in the packet header of the decoded data. To judge. At this time, the operation of the scrambling detector 24 is controlled by user setting, and the scrambling control bit is determined on the header of the signal received during the operation of the scrambling detector 24 to determine whether or not scrambling is performed. If it is determined that the scrambling is done, the packet of the corresponding signal channel is ignored.

If the intensity of the RF signal is equal to or greater than the weak signal recognition value set by the user, and the scrambling is not detected in the recognition detected signal, the controller 25 selects the corresponding channel and stores the selected channel in the memory unit 26. Here, the memory unit 26 stores the channel search condition and the weak signal recognition value set and registered by the user, and the channel information selected by satisfying the user channel search condition is stored. Accordingly, the memory unit 26 preferably uses EEPROM, which is a fixed memory device capable of inputting or deleting data by electrical means.

In addition, the control unit 25 provides the audio / video processing unit 27 with audio / video and additional data of the broadcast signal detected by passing the user setting search condition, and the audio / video processing unit 27 is The image data received under control is displayed on the display unit 28, and the audio data is output to the speaker 29.

2 is a diagram illustrating a channel search menu screen of user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a menu screen of a user setting provided by a channel search apparatus according to a user setting of the present invention. When the user selects a channel search by using a key button provided in the remote controller 10 or the TV main body, all of the channel search is performed as in the prior art. It provides OSD menu to select channel search (full auto scan) or user-defined smart search.

At this time, when the user selects the smart search of the user setting, the search condition for setting the weak signal recognition value of the channel to be tuned according to the user setting, skipping of the scramble channel, and applying other filters Provide a submenu on the screen. When the search condition of the channel is set by the user, the search condition of the channel is stored in the memory unit 26 to select a channel that satisfies the stored search condition.

Here, if a skip of the scrambled channel is applied to the search condition by the user, as shown in FIG. 3, the scrambling detector 24 determines whether the scrambling control bit included in the header of the received broadcast signal packet is scrambling or not. Detect. At this time, if the signal received by the scramble detector 24 is determined to be a scrambled channel, the controller 25 ignores the received packet.

A channel searching method of a channel searching apparatus according to a user setting having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4 as follows.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel searching method of user setting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the user's channel search method, the user presses the power button provided on the remote control 10 or the TV to turn on the TV, and when the channel search button is pressed, all channels are searched and the user's smart search is performed. Provide a menu with OSD.

Subsequently, the smart search menu is selected by the user, and the lower level of the search condition for setting the weak signal level according to the search condition of the channel to be tuned, skipping the scramble channel, and applying other filters When the selection input of the menu is completed, the input channel search condition is stored in the memory unit 26.

Thereafter, when the RF signal is received through the antenna (S100), the controller 25 determines the TV on / off (S101) and the channel search condition based on the input key signal (S102). At this time, if the smart search function that satisfies the search condition preset and stored in the memory unit 26 is selected by the user, the controller 25 performs the smart search function.

On the other hand, when the user selects all the channel searching functions or other menus provided by the TV, the selected function is performed (S104).

Subsequently, when a broadcast signal is received through the antenna ANT according to the smart function execution function, the signal detector 21 detects an RF signal from the received signal. At this time, it is recognized whether the input broadcast signal is an analog or digital signal, detects the signal accordingly, and determines the strength of the detected signal (S103). Here, if the detected RF signal is an analog signal and the strength of the detected RF signal is equal to or greater than a recognition value of a user setting previously stored in the memory unit 26, the A / D converter 22 may weaken the input broadcast signal. Is converted into a digital signal and then transmitted to the control unit 25.

On the other hand, when the detected RF signal is a digital signal, the signal detector 21 determines the strength of the signal using AGC information, and as described above, the strength of the detected signal is stored in the memory unit 26. If it is equal to or greater than, the signal is recognized as a weak signal.

At this time, the weak signal recognition value setting of the user setting is recognized as a no signal if the RF signal is less than the user set recognition value (S105) (S108), and if the RF signal is above the user setting grade and less than 50dB (S106), it is recognized as a weak signal If the RF signal is 50dB or more (S107), it is recognized as a strong signal (S110). Here, the weak signal recognition value of the user setting is preferably set to 20dB or more and 50dB or less.

Subsequently, if it is determined that the received RF signal is equal to or smaller than a user set recognition value, the process proceeds to step 117 to determine whether there are other channels that have not been searched among the received broadcast signals.

On the other hand, if the received RF signal is determined to be a weak signal or a strong signal more than a weak signal recognition value set by the user, and is input as a signal, the TP decoder 23 decodes the input signal, and the scramble detector 24 decodes the received signal. The scrambling control bit included in the header of the digital signal is determined to determine whether the corresponding packet is scrambled (S112).

As a result of the determination, when the scrambled channel is detected, the controller 25 ignores the packet and proceeds to step 117. If the scrambled channel is not detected, the controller 25 checks whether other applied filters are present (S113).

Here, the other applied filter is selected by the user when the smart search menu is selected. If the other filter is not selected and applied, the other channel is tuned and stored in the memory unit 26 (S116).

Subsequently, when a filter is applied by user selection, the controller 25 applies a filter function to the input signal and skips a channel that does not satisfy the corresponding function. In this case, the filter applied by the user selection proceeds to step 117 ignoring the channel providing only the audio signal or the video signal.

On the other hand, if the signal passing through the application filter according to the user selection (S114) is determined as a signal of a valid channel by the controller 25 (S115) and stores the channel in the memory unit 26 (S116).

Subsequently, it is determined whether the search of all channels is completed (S117). If the search of all channels is not completed, the process proceeds to step 103 and repeats the above-described steps, and if the search of all channels is completed, the smart search of the user setting is completed. Terminate the function.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a receiver for channel search is described as a TV only. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied to various receivers having a fixed or mobile broadcasting terminal as a receiver.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Of course, any person skilled in the art can make various modifications, and such changes are within the scope of the claims.

According to the present invention as described above, by setting the channel search condition by setting the recognition value of the weak signal, the user can more easily search for the channel required where the user is located, the received broadcast signal is weak signal Even though it is recognized as a scramble channel, the channel storage space is effectively used because the channel is not selected.

In addition, by adjusting the search condition so that the user selects only the channel required by the user, the user can select the corresponding channel individually and do not need to delete the channel that cannot be tuned or watched.

Claims (7)

A signal detector which detects an RF signal in a plurality of received channels and determines the strength of the detected signal; A scramble detector for detecting whether scramble exists in a signal detected by the signal detector; A memory unit configured to store a weak signal recognition value and a channel search condition according to a minimum signal strength of a user setting for recognizing the RF signal; And And a control unit for selecting a corresponding channel when the strength of the RF signal is equal to or greater than a weak signal recognition value set by the user and the scrambling is not detected in the detected signal. The method of claim 1, The weak signal recognition value may be adjusted to 20 dB or more and 50 dB or less, and a signal less than or equal to the weak signal recognition value according to the user setting is recognized as a no signal. The method of claim 1, The RF signal may be applied to a filter according to a user setting, and the filter skips a channel providing only an audio signal or a video signal. Storing a weak signal recognition value and a channel search condition according to a minimum signal strength of a user setting for recognizing an RF signal, and receiving a key signal of a channel search according to the stored condition; Detecting an RF signal to determine the strength of the signal, and recognizing the signal as a signal if the strength of the determined signal is equal to or greater than the weak signal recognition value set according to the channel search condition; Determining whether scramble is detected in the recognized signal; And If the strength of the RF signal is greater than or equal to the weak signal recognition value and scrambling is not detected in the detected signal, selecting and storing a corresponding channel. The method of claim 4, wherein And applying a filter function to the RF signal when the filter is applied to the channel search condition, skipping the channel. The method of claim 5, And the filter skips a channel providing only an audio signal or a video signal. The method of claim 4, wherein The weak signal recognition value may be adjusted to 20 dB or more and 50 dB or less, and a signal less than or equal to the weak signal recognition value according to the user setting is recognized as a no signal.

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