KR100964666B1 - Personal Video Recorder control method for Digital TV - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital TV, and more particularly, to a method of operating a PVR of a digital TV which performs an operation of a personal video recorder (PVR) through an external storage medium. The PTV operation method of the digital TV according to the present invention includes the steps of: initializing a serial interface with a computer in a PTV operation mode; inputting a PVR operation command after the initialization; and analyzing the input PVR operation command. It consists of executing the command.

Personal Video Recorder (PVR)

Description

Personal Video Recorder control method for Digital TV

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a digital TV interfaced with an external storage medium according to the present invention;

2 is a view showing an interface structure for data transmission of a digital TV according to the present invention;

3 is a flowchart showing a PVR operation process of the digital TV according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a recording process during a PVR operation of a digital TV according to the present invention;

5 is a flowchart showing a playback process during a PVR operation of a digital TV according to the present invention;

6 is a flowchart illustrating an application program operation process of a PC connected to an external storage medium according to the present invention;

7 is a diagram illustrating a command transfer between a digital TV and an application program of a PC connected to an external storage medium according to the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

1: tuner 2: demux                 

3: serial converter 4: PC

5: MPEG decoder 6: video decoder

7: display

The present invention relates to a digital TV, and more particularly, to a PVR operation method of a digital TV that performs an operation of a personal video recorder (PVR) using an external medium.

In general, digital TVs have recently been developed with the development of TV technology to transmit broadcast signals, and accordingly, interest in digital TVs using digital transmission methods is increasing.

Also, in Korea, Mugunghwa satellite was launched in August 1995 and began digital test broadcasting in July 1996. Unlike conventional satellite broadcasting, Mugunghwa satellite broadcasting is scheduled to be SDTV-class digital broadcasting. It's almost no different from broadcasting.

The digital TV has a function of storing a video in real time using a PVR while the user is watching a broadcast, and playing the video at a desired time. Can be used for recording meetings.                         

In this case, the PVR system is a system in which an input broadcast signal (digital broadcast, analog broadcast, video, etc.) is used to store image data using an internal storage device (hard disk) to record or play a broadcast.

The PVR system is a storage space of 40GB hard disk, HD class broadcast is 3 hours, SD class is about 20 hours. This system is used by many users, and as the data stored increases, security and management of the system becomes necessary.

However, PTV systems of digital TVs are difficult to implement because they require complex hardware structures to interface with HDDs, and are expensive and require storage media that are cheaper and easier to interface with than HDDs. .

Accordingly, an object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to provide a PVR operation method of a digital TV using a HDD of a PC which is generally widely used. It is for.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the step of digital TV initializing the serial interface with the computer in the PVR operation mode, if the initialization fails, outputs a cable connection request message with the computer, and Initializing a serial interface; receiving a PVR operation command after the serial interface is initialized; checking whether an application program related to a storage medium of the computer is operated when the PVR operation command is received; Outputting an application program execution request message from the computer to operate the application program if the computer is not in operation; analyzing the input PVR operation command to execute the command if the application program is operated; Complete command when completed And forwarding the message, and repeatedly requesting the command to be performed if the command execution completion message is not received.

Preferably, the command execution includes performing a recording operation or performing a reproduction operation. The performing of the recording operation transmits a recording mode request command to the application program via serial when the operation is performed by checking whether an application program of the PC is operated. Converting the stream of digital broadcasting into serial data when the preparation of the PC is completed according to the transferred recording mode request command; and transmitting the converted serial data through a cable and delivering a data transfer completion message to the PC. Is made of.

And, if performing the playback operation, confirming whether the application program of the PC is operating, if the operation, and transmitting a play mode request command to the application program via a serial, when the preparation of the PC is completed according to the delivered play mode request command Receiving data by a cable and converting the data into a stream of digital broadcasting; and decoding and displaying the converted stream of digital broadcasting and delivering a data transfer completion message to a PC.

In addition, the cable uses either USB or IEEE1394.

Hereinafter, a configuration and an operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a digital TV interfaced with an external storage medium according to the present invention can be installed by connecting a TV or a set-top box with a PC and a serial cable.

The serial cable is USB or IEEE 1394.                     

2 is a view illustrating an interface structure for data transmission of an external digital TV to an external storage medium. The stream entering the tuner 1 extracts only the necessary streams to the demux 2 to the MPEG decoder 5. send.

At the same time, in order to transfer data to the PC 4, the parallel data is converted into serial data through the serial converter 3, and the data is changed in accordance with the USB or IEEE1394 protocol to transfer the data to the serial cable.

On the contrary, the data of the serial cable is converted into parallel data and the stream is transmitted to the MPEG decoder 5. After the MPEG decoding, a video signal is produced by the video encoder 6 and displayed.

If only the logic for changing the data path and the IC for making serial data are added between the demux 2 and the MPEG decoder 5, it can be easily implemented. The required ICs are relatively inexpensive, so they do not affect the overall price of the TV or STB. In addition, the circuit structure is simple, making it easy.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of the PVR of the digital TV according to the present invention.

In operation S1 of the TV or STB, it is determined whether to operate in the PVR mode (S2).

As a result of the determination (S2), if the PVR mode is not the normal operation, and in the PVR mode, the serial interface USB or IEEE1394 is initialized (S3 ~ S4).

As a result of the initialization, it is determined whether or not it succeeds (S5), if successful, waits until a PVR command is input (S7), and if not initialized, outputs a cable connection request message with a PC (S6), and initializes the serial interface (S4).

Subsequently, it is determined whether the PVR operation command is input (S8), and if it is input, the operation command is analyzed (S9). If the PVR operation command is not input, it waits until the PVR operation command is input.

Then, recording or replaying is performed according to the analyzed operation command (S10 to S11), and judging whether to end the PVR operation (S12). S7).

4 is a flowchart illustrating a recording operation process of the PVR of the digital TV according to the present invention. The digital TV determines whether an application program of the PC is operated to start a recording operation when a recording command is input (S101).

As a result of the determination (S101), when the application program of the PC is not operated, the PC outputs an application program execution request message on the screen (S102).

On the other hand, if the application program of the PC is operated, and transmits the recording mode request command to the application program via the serial (S103).

If it is determined that the ready command on the PC is checked (S104), and if the ready command is not checked, the recording mode request command is transmitted back to the application through serial (S103), and if the ready command is checked, The stream of digital broadcast is converted into serial data (S105).

If converted into the serial data, data is transmitted via USB or IEEE1394 cable, and the stream of digital broadcasting is decoded and displayed after MPEG decoding (S106 to S107).                     

After the display, it is determined whether the data transfer is completed (S108).

And if the determination result (S108), if the transfer is complete, the transfer complete message is delivered to the PC (S109), and check the completion command to determine whether the data transfer is completed in the PC (S110).

As a result of the determination (S110), if the data transfer completion command is not checked, the transfer completion message is transferred to the PC (S109). If the data transfer completion command is checked, the recording operation is completed.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a playback process during operation of the PVR of the digital TV according to the present invention.

First, when the play command is input, the digital TV starts the play operation and determines whether the application program of the PC is operated (S201).

As a result of the determination (S201), if the application program of the PC is not operated, the PC outputs an application program execution request message on the screen (S202).

On the other hand, if the application program of the PC is operated, and transmits the play mode request command to the application program via the serial (S203).

If it is determined that the ready command on the PC is checked (S204), and if the ready command is not checked, the playback mode request command is transmitted to the application through serial (S203). In step S205, data is received via an IEEE1394 cable.
If data is received through the USB or IEEE1394 cable, the received serial data is converted into a stream of digital broadcasting (S206). In operation S207, the converted digital broadcast stream is decoded after MPEG decoding.

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After the display, it is determined whether the data transfer is completed (S208).

As a result of the determination (S208), if the transfer is completed, the transfer completion message is transferred to the PC (S209), and checks the completion command to determine whether the data transfer is completed in the PC (S210).

As a result of the determination (S210), if the data transfer completion command is not checked, the transfer completion message is transmitted to the PC (S209). If the data transfer completion command is checked, the playback operation is completed.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an application program operation process of a PC connected to an external medium during a PVR operation of a digital TV according to the present invention.

First, when the PC application program is executed, the HDD or IEEE 1394 driver, which is a resource used by the TV or the STB, is initialized (S301).

Then, when the state of the PC is all confirmed, it is determined by checking the cable connection state with the TV or STB, etc. (S302).

As a result of the check determination (S302), if the cable is not connected, outputs a cable connection request message with the TV or STB on the display (S303), and if the cable is connected, waits for a command from the TV or STB (S304).

In operation S305, it is determined whether a command is input.

As a result of the determination (S305), if no command is input, the command is continuously waited from the TV or the STB, and if the command is input, the preparation completion command is transmitted to the TV or the STB (S306).

Then, it is determined whether the transferred command is a recording command or a reproduction command (S307). If the recording command is a recording command, data of the serial cable is stored in the HDD (S308), and it is determined whether the data has been received (S310).
As a result of the determination (S310), if the data is not received, the serial cable data is stored in the HDD (S308). If the data is received, the operation completion message is transmitted to the TV or STB (S312).
In the case of the reproduction command, the data of the HDD is transferred to the serial cable (S309) and it is determined whether the data has been transferred (S311).

As a result of the determination (S311), if the data is not delivered, the data of the HDD is transferred to the serial cable (S309). If the data is received, the operation completion message is transmitted to the TV or STB (S312).

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Then, it is determined whether the operation ends (S313), and when the operation ends, the program ends, and when the operation does not end, the user waits for a command from the TV or the STB.

7 is a diagram illustrating a command transfer process between a digital TV and an application program of a PC connected to an external storage medium according to the present invention. When a recording or playback operation command is transmitted (S401), an operation command confirmation or preparation command is transmitted (S401). In step S402, data is delivered (S403), a data delivery or reception completion command is delivered (S404), and then a data delivery or reception completion confirmation command is delivered (S405).

As such, all commands can be shaken to prevent malfunctions. The sender of the command must always receive a confirmation of the command sent to it. If this is wrong, try again.

Basically, when the command for recording and playback is sent to the application program of the PC, the application program of the PC checks the state of the PC to determine whether the operation of each operation mode is possible, and sends the operation confirmation command only when possible. After the data transfer is completed, the data transfer completion message is sent back to the PC application program and the received application sends the data transfer completion message to complete the series of operations.

As described above, the present invention can lower the high price of the existing PVR to a price equivalent to that of a normal TV or STB, and also shorten the circuit development time by simplifying the circuit. In other words, users can purchase PVR at the price of a regular TV or STB.

And connection with PC can add various additional functions. Because of various functions of PC, if connected to internet, it provides a way to receive various data through internet and transmit it to TV or STB. However, it can receive data about various broadcasts and use them in places such as EPG, and the data stored in PC can be easily processed and transferred to other PCs.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the examples, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (5)

The digital TV initializing a serial interface with the computer in the PVR mode of operation; Outputting a cable connection request message with a computer and initializing a serial interface with the computer if the initialization fails; Receiving a PVR operation command after the serial interface is initialized; Checking whether an application program associated with a storage medium of the computer is operated when the PVR operation command is received; Operating the application by outputting an application execution request message from the computer when the application is not running; Analyzing the input PVR operation command and executing the command when the application program is operated; Delivering a command execution completion message when the command execution is completed; And And repeating the request for performing the command if the command execution completion message is not received. The method of claim 1, And performing a recording operation or performing a reproducing operation. The method of claim 2 Performing the recording operation, Checking whether the application program of the PC operates and transmitting the recording mode request command to the application program via serial; Converting the stream of the digital broadcast into serial data when the preparation of the PC is completed according to the transferred recording mode request command; And And transmitting the converted serial data via a cable and delivering a data transfer completion message to a PC. The method of claim 2, Performing the playback operation, Checking whether the application program of the PC operates and transmitting the reproduction mode request command to the application program via serial; When the preparation of the PC is completed according to the transmitted play mode request command, receiving data through a cable and converting the data into a stream of digital broadcasting; And And decoding and displaying the converted stream of the digital broadcast and delivering a data transfer completion message to a PC. The method according to claim 3 or 4, The cable uses a USB or IEEE1394, characterized in that the digital TV PVR operation method.

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