KR102051419B1 - Set-top box for displaying multiple programs on a screen - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a set-top box using a portable information terminal to easily select a broadcast program and perform multi-screen control. The set top box of the present invention can operate in one of a single screen mode and a multi-screen mode. In the multi-screen mode, a TV video signal of a broadcast program from the first channel to the fourth channel is composed of one screen, and then encoded into a compressed video signal according to the digital TV standard, and converted into a signal according to the DLNA standard. Is sent to. According to the present invention, a multi-screen consisting of four broadcast programs on one screen is displayed on a television, and the portable terminal device connected to the same LAN network can perform a channel change operation or the like.

Description

Set-top box for displaying multiple programs {set-top box for displaying multiple programs on a screen}

The present invention relates to a set-top box for multi-display of a broadcast program, and more particularly, to a set-top box for easily selecting a broadcast program and performing multi-screen control using a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet PC. It is about.

A set top box (STB) refers to an indoor device for providing subscribers with terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting or satellite broadcasting at home. The set-top box receives digital broadcast information transmitted from a broadcasting station through an IP network, a cable network, and the like, and decodes a broadcast signal of a channel desired by the viewer from the received digital broadcast information and transmits it to the television.

In general, a set-top box transmits only one broadcast channel signal to a television, and an operation such as selection of a broadcast channel is performed by an infrared remote controller. However, in order to use a variety of set-top boxes, a device (registered patent 10-0556375) that can be used to drive a plurality of televisions using a single set-top box, or images of two smartphones can be displayed on the television screen at the same time. A device (registered patent 10-1456276) and the like have been proposed.

However, the conventional set-top box does not display multiple TV programs on one television screen by multiplexing and also performs channel selection and the like by using a remote controller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and multiple TV programs can be displayed on a single screen while being displayed on the screen, and a portable program such as a smartphone or a tablet PC can be used to easily select broadcast programs and control multi-screen. It is an object of the present invention to provide a set-top box that can enable.

A set top box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an Ethernet interface for communicating with one or more portable information terminal devices through a wired or wireless local area network (LAN); A digital TV broadcast signal receiver for receiving a digital TV broadcast signal; A plurality of decoders for decoding a digital TV broadcast signal and outputting a video signal; A screen configuration unit configured to configure one or more screen signals by using video signals from the plurality of decoders; A plurality of encoders for encoding one or more screen signals output from the screen configuration unit into compressed video signals; A DLNA server for transmitting a compressed video signal output from the encoder to a playback device through the Ethernet interface and receiving a control command from the portable information terminal device; And a control unit configured to receive a digital TV broadcast signal of a specified channel and configure a screen according to a control command from the portable information terminal device input through the DLNA server.

The screen configuration unit may output one screen signal in which a plurality of images are configured as one screen by using the plurality of video signals under the control of the controller. In one embodiment, four decoders are provided, and the screen configuration unit outputs one screen signal having four images composed of one screen using four image signals from four decoders under the control of the controller. The control unit may decode the broadcast signals from four channels among the digital TV broadcast signals input through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver according to a control command from the portable information terminal device received through the DLNA server. To control. On the other hand, if there is no information on the four channels in the control command from the portable information terminal device, it is also possible to select the four channels previously selected as the four channels.

The control unit scans a channel included in the broadcast signal received through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver at power-on, stores it in a memory, starts the DLNA server function, and accesses one or more channels connected through the DLNA server. The scanned channel information is transmitted to the portable information terminal device.

The control unit decodes a broadcast signal from a predetermined channel to the four decoders according to a multi-screen mode switching control command from the portable information terminal device, and encodes the decoded signal to the four encoders through the screen configuration unit. Control to transmit the encoded signal to the portable information terminal device.

If the portable information terminal device is switched to a digital media controller (DMC) by selecting another digital media renderer (DMR) in the portable information terminal device, the controller stops transmitting the encoded signal to the portable information terminal device. The screen configuration unit is configured to output one screen signal including a plurality of images into one screen to the other digital media renderer (DMR) by using the video signal of.

The control unit controls to transmit the multi-screen signal previously transmitted to the digital media renderer (DMR) to the portable information terminal device according to the digital media controller (DMC) mode end control command from the portable information terminal device.

According to the present invention, multiple TV programs can be displayed on a single screen by multiplexing, and a broadcast program can be easily selected and multi-screen control can be performed using a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet PC.

1 is a view for explaining an environment in which a set-top box is used for multiple broadcast program display of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a set-top box for multiple broadcast program display of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a data flow when controlling a set-top box for multiple display of a broadcast program of the present invention using a portable information terminal device.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a view for explaining an environment in which a set-top box is used for multiple broadcast program display of the present invention.

The set-top box 100 of the present invention converts a TV signal from a cable TV network into a signal that can be viewed on a television, and transmits the signal to a television 400 through an in-house internet network. The set top box 100 may transmit a TV signal from one channel to the television 400, but may configure the TV signal from a plurality of channels into one screen and transmit the TV signal to the television 400. The set top box 100 may be wirelessly connected to the local area network (LAN) of the home through the Internet router 300 or may be connected by wire. The set top box 100 also functions as a digital living network alliance (DLNA) server, that is, a digital media server (DMS). DLNA is a network technology standard for media transmission and control between terminals in the home. The terminals developed in accordance with the DLNA guidelines use the Internet protocols such as HTTP, RTP / RSTP, etc. under the Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth networks. We can share music, video contents

The router 300 is wirelessly connected to a portable information terminal device 200 such as a smartphone or a tablet PC in the same room. In the present invention, the portable information terminal device 200 may operate as a digital media player (DMP) or a digital media controller (DMC). That is, according to the operating mode, the TV broadcast output through the set-top box 100 is reproduced, or a control operation such as a multi-screen control displayed on the television 400 is performed. The router 300 may also be connected to an external internet network to play a video received through the television 400.

Meanwhile, although FIG. 1 illustrates a case in which the portable information terminal device 200 is connected to the internal LAN network using the sharer 300, the present invention may be connected using a wireless access point rather than the sharer 300. Applicable

Next, with reference to Figure 2 will be described the internal configuration of the set-top box for multiple broadcast program display of the present invention.

The set-top box 100 for multi-display broadcasting program of the present invention receives the digital TV broadcast signal through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver. 2 illustrates a case in which a cable TV signal transmitted through a coaxial cable is received through digital TV broadcasting. That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the digital TV broadcast signal receiver includes a splitter 120 and an ATSC interface 130. The splitter 120 receives a signal input through a coaxial cable and branches the signal into two or more signals. One of the signals branched from the splitter 120 is used to decode the set top box 100, and the other is output to the outside through the OUT terminal of the set top box 100. The ATSC interface 130 is a module for receiving a digital TV broadcast signal of an ATSC (Advanced Television System Committee) method, which is a digital TV standard.

Among the received digital TV broadcast signals, signals of up to four broadcast channels are selected by the channel selectors T1, T2, T3, and T4. The controller 110 controls the channel selectors T1, T2, T3, and T4 to select a default channel or a channel selected by the user. The digital TV broadcast signals of the selected channel are decoded by four decoders 151, 152, 153, and 154, respectively, to output audio signals and video signals.

The screen configuration unit 160 delivers the audio and video signals from the four decoders 151, 152, 153, and 154 to the encoders 171, 172, 173, and 174, respectively, under the control of the controller 110. Alternatively, video signals from a plurality of decoders are used to form one screen signal and output to one of four encoders.

That is, in the single screen mode, the screen configuration unit 160 transfers audio and video signals from the four decoders 151, 152, 153, and 154 to the encoders 171, 172, 173, and 174, respectively. Accordingly, four channels of TV broadcast signals are transmitted to up to four terminals, including the TV 400 and the portable information terminal device 200, and each terminal independently reproduces the TV broadcast of the selected channel. . For example, it is possible to watch a drama broadcast on the TV 400, a sports broadcast broadcast on the father's smartphone, a music broadcast on the smartphone of the big boy, and a cartoon broadcast on the tablet PC of the little boy. That is, in the single screen mode, the portable information terminal device 200 operates as a digital media player (DMP).

On the other hand, in the multi-screen mode, the screen configuration unit 160 displays the video signals from the four decoders 151, 152, 153, and 154, that is, the TV video signals of the broadcast program from the first channel to the fourth channel. As shown in 4, it is composed of one screen and then output to one of four encoders. The encoder encodes and outputs a multi-screen signal output from the screen configuration unit into a compressed video signal according to the digital TV standard. The compressed video signal output from the encoder is converted into a signal according to the DLNA standard in the DLNA server 180 and is connected to the portable information terminal device 200 or via an Ethernet interface 190 for connecting to a wired or wireless local area network (LAN). Is sent to the television 400.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the multi-screen consisting of four broadcast programs on one screen is displayed on the portable information terminal device 200 or the television 400. On the other hand, in the multi-screen mode, the audio signal output to the portable information terminal device 200 or the television 400 is such that only audio of a predetermined channel among four channels, for example, audio of a channel displayed on the upper left of the screen, is output. It is possible to configure. Alternatively, the portable information terminal apparatus 200 may be configured to select a channel through which audio is output.

On the other hand, if another DMR 400 such as a television 400 is selected instead of the portable information terminal device 200, the portable information terminal device 200 operates as a digital media controller (DMC). In the DMC mode operating as the DMC (Digital Media Controller), the portable information terminal device 200 performs operations such as selecting a channel to be displayed on each screen in the multi-screen mode, entering the multi-screen mode, and ending the DMC mode. It is performed in the device 200.

The control command from the portable information terminal device 200 operating as a digital media controller (DMC) is received from the DLNA server 180 through the Ethernet interface 190, and the control unit 110 is set-top box according to the received control command. Each component of 100 is controlled. Meanwhile, a control command from the portable information terminal apparatus 200 operating as a digital media player (DMP) is also received by the DLNA server 180 through the Ethernet interface 190. The control unit 110 according to the received control command Each component of the set top box 100 is controlled. The control command from the portable information terminal apparatus 200 operating as a DMC (Digital Media Controller) is a control command for changing a channel constituting the multi-screen displayed on the television 400, canceling the multi-screen mode, terminating the DMC mode, and the like. The control command from the portable information terminal apparatus 200 operating as a digital media player (DMP) includes a selection of a channel of a broadcast screen displayed on the portable information terminal apparatus 200, an adjustment of an audio volume, and a multi-screen. Entry to the mode, and the like.

The control command for requesting entry into the multi-screen mode from the portable information terminal apparatus 200 may or may not include information about four channels to be displayed in the multi-screen mode. If the control command from the portable information terminal device 200 does not have information about four channels, the controller 110 may be configured to select the four channels previously selected as the four channels. To this end, the set top box 100 may be provided with an inactive memory for storing information about a channel previously selected.

According to an exemplary embodiment, rather than storing such information in the set-top box 100, the portable information terminal apparatus 200 may always transmit information about four channels constituting a multi-screen. If the user requests to enter the multi-screen mode without specifying four channels, the mobile information terminal device 200 selects the four channels previously seen and sends them to the multi-screen mode control command. Information about the four channels designated as defaults may be included in the entry control command to the multi-screen mode.

Next, an operation flow between the set top box, the portable information terminal device and the television will be described with reference to FIG. 3. 3 is a view showing a data flow when controlling a set-top box for multiple display of a broadcast program of the present invention using a portable information terminal device.

First, the user installs and executes an application (hereinafter, referred to as a broadcast multi-display application) for broadcast program multi-display control in the portable information terminal apparatus 200 (step 501).

In addition, when power is applied to the set-top box 100, the set-top box 100 is a power-on reset to initialize the DLNA server 180 (step 601). That is, when the set-top box 100 is powered on and reset, the controller 110 scans and stores the channels included in the broadcast signal received through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver in memory and starts the DLNA server function. The DLNA server 180 periodically scans whether DMP or DMC exists.

When the broadcast multi-display application is executed in the portable information terminal apparatus 200 in the state where the set-top box 100 is initialized, the broadcast multi-display application searches for a DLNA server (step 503), and the DLNA server selected by the user among the searched DLNA servers. Channel information is received from step 180 (step 602, step 505). In addition, when the TV 400 is powered on, the TV 400 searches for a DLNA server and stores information about the DLNA server (step 701). The broadcast multi-display application registers the television 400 connected to the same LAN as a digital media renderer (DMR).

The DLNA server 180 transmits a broadcast program of a specific channel (first channel) encoded with a compressed video signal according to the DLNA standard to a DMP requesting the corresponding channel through a LAN (step 603), and the portable information terminal device 200 Reproduces the received broadcast program (step 507). The broadcast program may be configured to transmit a broadcast program of a default channel at first, and to transmit a broadcast program of a corresponding channel when the user selects a channel using the portable information terminal device 200.

As described above, when the portable information terminal apparatus 200 operates as a DMP and reproduces a broadcast program, when the user presses the cast button provided in the broadcast multi-display application (step 509), the broadcast multiplexing of the portable information terminal apparatus 200 is performed. The display application retrieves and displays the playable DMR (step 511). Then, the user selects a desired DMR among the displayed DMRs (step 513), and the broadcast multi-display application switches the corresponding portable information terminal device 200 to a digital media controller (DMC), and the DLNA server 180 selects the corresponding portable information. The DMR stops transmitting the encoded signal to the terminal device 200 and selects a single screen signal or a multi-screen signal in which a plurality of images are configured as one screen using a single video signal or a plurality of video signals according to the screen mode. Control to output to (Digital Media Renderer). That is, the broadcast multi-display application of the portable information terminal apparatus 200 which has been operated as a DMC transmits information about the channel (address value) to the television 400 as the selected DMR (step 515).

Subsequently, a single screen signal or a multi-screen signal is transmitted from the set top box 100 to the television 400 according to the screen mode (step 605). That is, in the multi-screen mode, the multi-screen signal as shown in FIG. 4 is transmitted to the television 400, and the television 400 reproduces it (step 703).

As described above, in the multi-screen mode, in the state in which a multi-channel broadcast program is broadcasted on the television 400 in the form as shown in FIG. 4, the user uses a portable information terminal apparatus 200 operating as a DMC to display a broadcast channel on the screen. Can be selected or the display position can be changed.

In addition, the user may select the DMC end button by using the portable information terminal device 200 operating as the DMC. When the DMC end button is selected (step 517), the portable information terminal device 200 transmits a DMC mode end control command to the DLNA server 180 (step 519). The broadcast multi display application converts the corresponding portable information terminal device 200 to DMP, and the DLNA server 180 receives the multi-screen signal transmitted to the previous DMR according to the DMC mode end control command from the portable information terminal device 200. The mobile information terminal 200 transmits the information to the portable information terminal device 200 (step 607). Then, the multi-screen display on the television 400 is terminated and the multi-screen displayed on the television 400 is displayed on the portable information terminal device 200 (step 521).

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using several Example, it is an illustration, and this invention is not limited to a specific Example.

In addition, all elements constituting the embodiment of the present invention is described as being combined or operated in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this embodiment. In other words, within the scope of the present invention, all of the components may be selectively operated in combination with one or more.

The terms "comprise", "comprise" or "have" described above mean that the corresponding component may be included unless specifically stated otherwise, and thus, other components are not excluded. It should be construed that it may further include other components.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

100 set-top boxes,
200 portable information terminal device,
300 routers,
400 TV.

Claims (13)

An Ethernet interface for communicating with one or more portable information terminal devices through a wired or wireless local area network (LAN);
A digital TV broadcast signal receiver for receiving a digital TV broadcast signal;
A plurality of decoders for decoding a digital TV broadcast signal and outputting a video signal;
In the single screen mode, a plurality of screen signals are output using a plurality of video signals from the plurality of decoders. In the multi screen mode, a plurality of videos are output to one screen using a plurality of video signals from the plurality of decoders. A screen configuration unit for outputting one configured screen signal;
A plurality of encoders for encoding one or a plurality of screen signals output from the screen configuration unit into compressed video signals;
The compressed video signal output from the encoder is transmitted to a portable information terminal device or a television (hereinafter referred to as a 'playback device' collectively referred to as a portable information terminal device and a television) through the Ethernet interface and controlled from the portable information terminal device. A DLNA server for receiving a command; And
One or more portable information terminal devices that are connected through the DLNA server to start the DLNA server function by scanning the channels included in the broadcast signal received through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver and storing them in a memory at power-on. Transmits the scanned channel information to the plurality of encoders in the single screen mode so that the screen component transfers the audio and video signals from the plurality of decoders to the plurality of encoders as they are. In the multi-screen mode, a plurality of video signals are decoded by the plurality of decoders and the decoded signals are configured by one screen signal. And the one screen signal to the plurality of Control unit for controlling to transmit one encoded signal encoded by one of the coders to the playback device
Set top box having a. delete The method of claim 1,
The decoder is provided with four,
The screen configuration unit is a set-top box, characterized in that for outputting one screen signal consisting of four images of one screen using the four video signals from the four decoders under the control of the controller in the multi-screen mode. The method of claim 3,
The control unit decodes, from the four decoders, the broadcast signals from four channels among the digital TV broadcast signals input through the digital TV broadcast signal receiver according to a control command received from the DLNA server. Set-top box, characterized in that to control to. The method of claim 4, wherein
And, if there is no information about the four channels in the control command from the portable information terminal device, selecting the four channels previously selected as the four channels. delete The method of claim 1,
Four decoders and four encoders are provided,
The control unit decodes, from one of the four decoders, a broadcast signal from a channel selected from among digital TV broadcast signals input through the digital TV broadcast signal receiving unit according to a channel selection control command from the portable information terminal device in the single screen mode. And transmitting the decoded signal to one of the four encoders through the screen configuration unit to encode the encoded signal, thereby transmitting the encoded signal to the portable information terminal device. The method of claim 1,
The control unit in the multi-screen mode set-top box, characterized in that for controlling only the audio of a predetermined channel of the plurality of channels are output. The method of claim 1,
If the portable information terminal device is switched to a digital media controller (DMC) by selecting another digital media renderer (DMR) in the portable information terminal device, the controller stops transmitting the encoded signal to the portable information terminal device. And a screen configuration unit configured to output one screen signal including a plurality of images to one screen by using a plurality of video signals to the other digital media renderer (DMR).
delete delete delete The method of claim 9,
The control unit controls to transmit the multi-screen signal transmitted to the digital media renderer (DMR) to the portable information terminal device according to the digital media controller (DMC) mode end control command from the portable information terminal device. Set top box.

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