KR100998898B1 - Digital satellite broadcasting receiver and method for receiver Electronic Program Guide using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital satellite broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to a digital satellite broadcast receiver and an EPG storage control method using the same. The digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention is a multi-switching unit for receiving and dividing the digital satellite broadcasting signal of the low-noise-amplified RF band into a plurality of outputs through each path, and outputs to each path from the multi-switching unit. Receives a plurality of satellite signals to be tuned and demodulated in a specific channel and output in the form of TP, and stores the program guide information to send a request for program guide information from a specific sub-unit, and each in an independent space It is installed, and there is no satellite tuner inside, and receives the TP signal of the corresponding channel from the main unit, descrambles, decodes and displays, and receives a program guide information from the main unit to search and view it It consists of subunits.

Main unit, sub unit, program guide information (EPG)

Description

Digital satellite broadcasting receiver and method for receiving electronic program guide using the same}

1 is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-channel digital satellite broadcast receiver according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed block diagram of the main unit of Figure 1

3 is a detailed block diagram of each sub-unit of FIG.

4 is a block diagram showing an example of requesting EPG information using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating an EPG DB of a main unit of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention.

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

101: satellite antenna 102: LNB

103: multi-switching unit 110: main unit

200: CPU 210: multi tuner unit

220: multi-channel TP distribution unit 230: A / V decoder

240: modem 250: CAS unit

260: encryption engine 270: EPG DB                 

280: main transceiver unit 301: sub transceiver unit

302: decryption and A / V decoder 303: memory

304: front panel

The present invention relates to a receiver for receiving digital satellite broadcasting, and more particularly, to the EPG data of sub-units through a main unit in a main unit for tuning multiple channels simultaneously and sub-units for tuning each different channel in a plurality of spaces. The present invention relates to a digital satellite broadcasting receiver and a program guide information receiving method.

In general, digital satellite broadcasting has spread rapidly to Europe, Japan, Asia, and Africa since the world's first DirecTV in 1994, and can be viewed anywhere in the world.

Digital satellite broadcasting is a method of compressing video / audio / additional data and transmitting digitally through satellites in MPEG 2 standard, and is related to a wide coverage area and region which are inherent to satellites compared to other transmission media. Due to the lack of equal broadcasting quality, economics of establishing a satellite broadcasting network, and simplicity of satellite channels, it is mainly led by pay broadcasting companies.

In addition, the receiver capable of receiving the digital satellite broadcast employs a CAS (Conditional Access System) that restricts the reception so that only subscribers can receive the pay broadcast.

The CAS receives a TV program and a data service signal scrambled by a transmitting station in a receiver for pay per channel (PPC) or pay per view (PPV) other than the free and basic channel of satellite broadcasting. It is a system for managing authorized subscribers to receive service by descrambling using a smart card. Here, the PPC is a service that collects a predetermined fee for receiving a channel and is able to receive a broadcast, and the PPV is a service that calculates and charges a fee per program as a reception time. To this end, the CAS operator issues a smart card to the subscriber. Smart cards are also known as Conditional Access Modules (CAMs).

For example, the smart card stores channel information that a user can view in the memory part in the case of a pay channel, and usage information in the case of a PPV.

The PPV service allows the user to purchase a movie or sporting event in advance, for example. In other words, the user may purchase a paid viewing program through the smart card.

Therefore, it is possible to extract the information stored in the smart card at the request of the limited reception system operator or the receiver, and since the smart card has a decoding function to descramble the scrambled signal, it is possible to descramble the scrambled TV program. Provide the required key.

The digital satellite broadcast includes not only a program but also program guide information. The program guide information is called APG (Advanced Program Guide) in digital satellite broadcasting such as DirecTV, and EPG (Electronic Program Guide) in digital terrestrial broadcasting.

However, the program guide information is additional data information that allows viewers to use the TV more conveniently. Viewers have to obtain information about the current and future broadcast programs through newspapers and other guide media. have.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and in the digital broadcast receiver having multiple units, a digital satellite broadcast receiver for setting EPG data of another subunit through a main unit and using the same The present invention provides a method for receiving program guide information.

       According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the multi-switching unit for dividing the received low noise amplified digital satellite broadcast signal into a plurality of output through each path;

        The multi-switching unit receives a plurality of satellite signals output through the respective paths, and tunes and demodulates them into a specific channel, converts them into TP form, descrambles them, stores the program guide information, and stores the program guide information. A main unit for transmitting the request if required; And

        Each unit is installed in a separate space, and there is no satellite tuner and CAS therein. The main unit receives and decodes the stream signal of the corresponding channel from the main unit, and displays the channel selection or purchase information input by the user. And a plurality of sub-units receiving program guide information from the main unit and searching and viewing the program guide information.

         Preferably, the main unit is provided with a modem, and each sub unit independently transmits and receives user authentication and purchase information with the satellite broadcasting service provider through the modem of the main unit.

       According to another feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the step of transmitting a program guide information request message to a specific sub-unit main unit, the program guide information requested by the specific sub-unit program guide information of the main unit Reading from the database; And transmitting the read program guide information to the sub unit to view the transmitted program guide information in the sub unit.

       Preferably, the main unit transmits the update notification message to the subunit when updating the program guide information, and transmits the updated program guide information request from the subunit.

       In addition, the sub-unit may store the environment setting for the program guide information search in the main unit to perform a category-specific search for each sub-unit.

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 block diagram of a multi-channel digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention, in which an antenna 101 capable of receiving a high frequency band digital satellite broadcast and a satellite signal of a high frequency band received through the antenna 101 are shown. Low Noise Amplifier (LNB) 102 for low noise amplification, a multi-switching unit 103 for dividing the satellite signals output from the LNB 102 into a plurality of paths, and outputting them through respective paths; In step 103), a plurality of satellite signals output through each path are input, and each sub unit is tuned and demodulated to a channel required by each sub unit through a multi tuner, converted into a transport stream (TP), and then descrambled. The main unit 110 for storing the pay-per-view program viewing records of the plurality of sub-units which are outputted to the main unit 110, and are installed in separate spaces, respectively. It is composed of a plurality of sub-units 120 for receiving a stream of a descrambled specific channel from the A / V decode and then display and watch the pay-per-view (PPV) program.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the main unit 110, and includes a plurality of tuners and demodulators 211 to 21n to receive satellite RF signals output through the respective paths from the multi-switching unit 103 to receive each sub. A multi-tuner unit 210 that simultaneously tunes to a channel required by the unit, demodulates it, and outputs it in the form of TP, and a CAS unit 250 that performs user authentication and descrambling of the main unit and each sub unit using an integrated smart card. And outputs the TP signal output from each tuner and demodulator of the multi-tuner unit 210 to the CAS unit 250 to perform descrambling, and then transmits the descrambled stream signal to the TV connected to the main unit and each sub unit. Multi-channel TP distribution unit 220 for controlling the overall operation of the main unit, and also the main unit and satellite broadcasting service provider, and the main unit and each sub-unit The central processing unit (CPU) 200 for controlling data communication of the data, and the stream of the main unit that is descrambled and output from the multi-channel TP distribution unit 220 under the control of the CPU (200), audio and video The A / V decoder 230 and the CPU 200 which decode the separated audio stream and the video stream into respective decoding algorithms and output them to a TV connected to the main unit 110 for display. In accordance with the multi-channel TP distribution unit 220, the decoded and output streams of each sub-unit is encrypted by a predetermined encryption algorithm and the engine 260, encrypted by the encryption engine 260 The stream is transmitted to each sub unit or user authentication information, channel selection information, and purchase information transmitted from each sub unit are received. It is installed only in the main transceiver unit 270 and the main unit 110 to output to the CPU 200, and receives the user authentication and purchase information transmitted from each sub-unit through the CPU 200 to the satellite broadcasting service provider And a modem 240 for transmitting and receiving the relevant information from the satellite broadcasting service provider and outputting it to the CPU 200.

3 is a detailed block diagram of each of the sub-units, which is a sub-integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) that receives an encrypted stream signal transmitted from the main unit 110 and restores the original digital video and audio signal. A display device (for example, a TV) for displaying the video signal is connected and does not include a satellite tuner, a modem, and a CAS.                     

Referring to FIG. 3, a sub transmission / reception unit 301 or a ROM receives an encrypted stream transmitted from the main unit 110 or transmits channel information, purchase information, etc. input by a user to the main unit 110. Memory 303, which is composed of a plurality of RAMs, and an encrypted stream output from the sub transceiver unit 301 using a predetermined decryption algorithm, and then separates the audio and video signals from the decrypted TP signal. And a decoding and A / V decoder 302 for decoding the video signal with the corresponding decoding algorithm using the memory 303, respectively. Also, the decryption and A / V decoder 302 may transmit the user input signal (eg, channel information, purchase information, etc.) input through a remote control unit (eg, a remote controller) to the main unit 110. Output to the transceiver 301.

In the ROM of the memory 303, various control programs for controlling sub-units are mapped, and the RAM reads and decodes data necessary for writing and reading a bit stream for decoding and motion compensation during A / V decoding. Used to write data and read data to be displayed.

In the present invention configured as described above, the modem 240 is not installed in each subunit, but only in the main unit 110, and data communication between each subunit and the satellite broadcasting service provider is performed by the modem of the main unit 110. Made through 240. That is, the main unit 110 independently transmits purchase information of each subunit to the satellite broadcasting service provider, and transmits the result back to the corresponding subunit.

Therefore, there is no need to install a modem for each subunit, so that the cost burden of the user can be reduced, and the configuration of each subunit is simplified.

In addition, like the modem 240, the CAS unit 250 is not installed in each sub unit, but is installed only in the main unit 110, and the smart card inserted into the CAS unit 250 is an integrated smart card. ), And manages information related to user registration, authentication, and billing through data communication between the main and sub units and the satellite broadcasting service provider, and stores a decryption key for descrambling scrambled data. .

In this case, the satellite broadcasting service provider may provide a subscriber service such as discounting the subscription fee according to the number of sub units controlled by the main unit.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of requesting EPG information using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention, and the main unit has an EPG DB to store program information for digital broadcasting. A case of requesting EPG information from each sub unit will be described below.

When the sub unit transmits the EPG data request message to the main unit (S100), the main unit records the history of the EPG data request for a predetermined time, and then the main unit transmits the EPG data to the sub unit (S101).

When the EPG data needs to be updated, the main unit transmits an EPG data update notification message to the sub unit (S110).

Then, the sub unit transmits the EPG data update request message to the main unit (S111), and the main unit which has received the EPG data update checks the request history and the required version of the sub unit with respect to the EPG update request, and updates only the necessary information. The information is transmitted (S112).

5 is a diagram illustrating an EPG DB of a main unit of the digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention. Environment settings for EPG information retrieval of each sub unit are stored in the main unit, thereby enabling a custom search for each sub unit.

For example, the first sub unit may set category sports in the EPG information as a basic environment and the second sub unit may set category news as the basic environment.

In addition, by storing the history of the search results for each subunit can be extended to the personalization function for each subunit.

As described above, the present invention has an effect that the viewer can easily search and view information on the current broadcast and the future broadcast program directly on the screen without a newspaper or other guide medium.

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 embodiments, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (5)

A multi-switching unit for dividing the digital satellite broadcast signal received from the antenna into the same plurality of digital satellite broadcast signals and outputting the plurality of divided digital satellite broadcast signals through respective paths; A main unit which receives a plurality of digital satellite broadcast signals output through respective paths from the multi-switching unit, descrambles a requested program from a sub unit, and transmits program guide information of the satellite broadcast signal; And And a sub unit for requesting the program guide information from the main unit, receiving the program guide information to search for a specific program from the received program guide information, and requesting the found specific program from the main unit. And the main unit transmits an update notification message to the sub unit when the program guide information is updated. The method of claim 1, The main unit is equipped with a modem, And the sub unit transmits and receives user authentication and purchase information to and from a satellite broadcasting server through the modem. Dividing a digital satellite broadcast signal received from an antenna into a plurality of identical digital satellite broadcast signals, and receiving the same plurality of digital satellite broadcast signals and program guide information of the satellite broadcast signal output through respective paths; ; When the program guide information is updated, transmitting an update notification message to a remote subunit; Receiving a request for viewing and program guide information on a specific channel of the plurality of digital satellite broadcast signals from the remote subunit; And And descrambling a program of the specific channel among the plurality of digital satellite broadcast signals received through the respective paths, and transmitting the requested program guide information. delete delete

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