KR19990012744A - Program guide - Google Patents

Abstract

end. The technical field to which the invention described in the claims belongs

The present invention relates to a program guiding method of a digital multichannel television broadcast receiver.

I. The technical problem that the invention is trying to solve

Provides a program guide with detailed information to the user without interrupting the output of the program.

All. Summary of Solution of the Invention

A program guide information storing step of receiving program guide information from a tuned high frequency channel and storing the program guide information in a memory; and in response to a program guide command of a user, reading the program guide information for a digital channel currently tuned in the memory; And a graphic data generating step of generating graphic data for outputting the program guide graphic according to the drawing tube, and an output step of mixing the tuned digital channel program and the graphic data and outputting the graphic data to the receiving tube. It is done.

la. Important uses of the invention

Used in digital multichannel television broadcast receivers.

Description

Program guide

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to digital multichannel television broadcasting systems, and more particularly to a program guide method.

Digital multichannel television broadcasts, such as HDTV (High Definition Television) in the United States, typically transmit a number of tunable programs over one high frequency channel as defined by the National Television System Committee (NTSC). Here, the normal program is associated with the digital channel so that the program transmitted through the one high frequency channel can be easily distinguished from the user's point of view.

As such, a plurality of tunable programs are transmitted on one high frequency channel, so that it is difficult for a user to find out which program broadcasts on which digital channel. Accordingly, the conventional digital multichannel television receiver has provided a program guide function.

The program guide function is to display a program table consisting of program schedules of all channels according to a user's request in the entire award hall. As described above, the digital multi-channel television receiver has stopped outputting the program that the user was watching. Accordingly, when the user wants to receive the program guide, the user must consider the interruption of the viewing of the program.

In addition, in order to display the program schedule of all channels in the award hall as described above, the normal program table only shows the names of the programs. Accordingly, the user has a disadvantage in that a user needs to input a separate command in order to know detailed information about the program, for example, the plot and the grade of the program.

As described above, when the program guide function is performed, the output of the program being viewed by the user is interrupted, and in order to obtain detailed information of the program, a separate command input is required.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a program guide method of a digital multi-channel television broadcast receiver that provides a program guide including detailed information to a user without interrupting the output of the program.

1 is a block diagram of an HDTV receiver;

2 is a flowchart of a program guide method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a program guide according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention for achieving the above object is a program guide information storage step of receiving the program guide information from the tuned high-frequency channel and storing in the memory, and in response to a program guide command of the user, the digital currently tuned in the memory A graphic data generation step of generating program data for the channel and outputting the program guide graphic accordingly to the award hall; and mixing the program and the graphic data of the selected digital channel with the award pipe. It characterized in that it comprises an output step for outputting to.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and the annexed drawings, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. And a detailed description of known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows a block diagram of an HDTV receiver, which is a type of digital multi-channel television, to which the present invention is applicable, the tuner 102 selects a radio frequency selected by a user from a broadcast reception signal through the antenna 100. FIG. The channel is tuned under the control of the microprocessor 124. Accordingly, the tuner 102 outputs a channel tuned intermediate frequency (IF) signal, and is converted into a baseband signal by the IF module 104 and output to the channel decoder 106. The channel decoder 106 reproduces the TS (Transport Stream) by channel decoding the baseband signal input from the IF module 104.

The TS decoder 108 separates and outputs an audio stream and a video stream according to a program selected by a user in the TS under the control of the microprocessor 124.

The audio stream is applied to the audio decoder 110 to restore audio data, and the restored audio data is processed by the audio processor 112 as a voice signal and then output to the speaker 114. The video stream is applied to the video decoder 116 to restore the video data, and the restored video data is applied to the OSG (On Screen Graphic) mixer 118 to provide OSG data under the control of the microprocessor 124. And are processed by the image processing output unit 120 and then applied to the water pipe 122 as a video signal.

The microprocessor 124 may store a program stored in the memory unit 126 in response to a command input from a keypad 128 or a pointing device 130 through a user interface 134. Perform according to. In this case, the command applied from the pointing device 130 is received by the IR receiver 132 as an IR (Infra Red) signal and applied to the user interface 134. Further, additional data is applied to the microprocessor 124 from the TS decoder 108, and the additional data includes electronic program guide information. The electronic program guide information usually includes only information on digital channels belonging to the corresponding high frequency channel.

The memory unit 126 may include a read only memory (ROM) for storing a program of the microprocessor 124, a RAM for temporarily storing data according to program execution of the microprocessor 124, and various reference data. EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) for storing the data.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2 which shows a flowchart of a program guiding method according to an embodiment of the present invention applicable to the HDTV receiver.

Here, the HDTV receiver is tuned to a specific digital channel belonging to a specific high frequency channel and outputs audio and video of a program of the digital channel. During the output of the program, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 136 to search whether the electronic program guide is received from the tuned high frequency channel, and if the electronic program guide is received, proceeds to step 138. The electronic program guide is stored from the high frequency channel.

In step 140, the microprocessor 124 searches whether the user commands the program guide by operating the keypad 128 or the pointing device 130. In this case, when the user commands a program guide, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 144. Otherwise, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 142 to perform a corresponding operation.

In step 144, the microprocessor 124 searches for the number of digital channels of the high frequency channel to which the currently selected digital channel belongs, and then proceeds to step 146.

In step 146, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 148 if the number of digital channels of the tuned high frequency channel is greater than 1, otherwise proceeds to step 156.

In step 148, the microprocessor 124 reads the program guide information for the program of the digital channel currently tuned from the electronic program guide information stored in the memory unit 126. In this case, the microprocessor 124 generates OSG data for displaying the program guide OSG according to the program guide in the receiving hall 122. The program guide OSG occupies a portion of the receiving hall 122.

The microprocessor 124 generates OSG data for displaying icons corresponding to the digital channels belonging to the selected high frequency channel in the water pipe 122. In particular, the microprocessor 124 displays an icon corresponding to the digital channel currently selected among the icons as an OSG distinguished from other icons.

In addition, the microprocessor 124 generates OSG data for displaying an up / down key for allowing a user to up / down a high frequency channel.

The OSG for the program guide and the OSG for the icon and the OSG for up / down the high frequency channel are provided to the OSG mixer 118. The OSG mixer 118 mixes the OSG and the video of the program of the high frequency channel to which the currently tuned digital channel provided from the video decoder 116 belongs, and receives the image tube 122 through the image processing and output unit 120. Will print

Referring to FIG. 3, which shows an output example of the water pipe 122 at this time, a program output area PO is located on the left side of the water pipe 122, and a program that is currently tuned in the program output area PO. Video is output.

The program guide area GD is located on the right side of the water pipe 122, and the icons I1, I2, and I3 corresponding to digital channels belonging to the currently selected high frequency channel are located in the program guide area GD. The up / down keys K1 and K2 for up / down the high frequency channel and the program guide graphic PC for the second digital channel currently tuned among the digital channels of the high frequency channel are displayed. In particular, an icon I2 representing the second digital channel among the icons I1, I2, and I3 is displayed to be distinguished from other icons. The program guide graphic PC includes a program schedule according to time, and includes detailed information such as a name, a category, an audience rating, and a broadcast time for the corresponding program.

In step 156, the microprocessor 124 reads the program guide information for the program of the digital channel currently tuned from the electronic program guide information stored in the memory unit 126. In this case, the microprocessor 124 generates OSG data for displaying the program guide OSG according to the program guide in the receiving hall 122. The program guide OSG occupies a portion of the receiving hall 122.

In addition, the microprocessor 124 generates OSG data for displaying an up / down key for allowing a user to up / down a high frequency channel.

The OSG for the program guidance and the OSG for up / down of the high frequency channel are provided to the OSG mixer 118. The OSG mixer 118 mixes the OSG and the video of the program of the high frequency channel to which the currently tuned digital channel provided from the video decoder 116 belongs, and receives the image tube 122 through the image processing and output unit 120. Will print In this case, the output of the water pipe 122 may be a case where the icons I1, I2, and I3 are deleted in FIG. 3.

In operation 158, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to operation 160 when the user operates the up / down key of the high frequency channel as the keypad 128 or the pointing device 130 to command the switching of the high frequency channel. If no, go to step 164.

In step 158, the microprocessor 124 selects a high frequency channel to which the user switches. After the tuning, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 162 to tune any one digital channel belonging to the tuned high frequency channel, and then proceeds to step 144 to perform a program guide for the digital channel. do. Tuning of the digital channel may be predetermined at the time of manufacture.

After displaying the program guide graphic, the microprocessor 124 searches for whether a time when the user has not performed any operation reaches a predetermined time in step 164. At this time, the microprocessor 124 proceeds to step 166 when the time without user's operation reaches a predetermined time and deletes and terminates the program guide, icon, and channel up / down keys, otherwise proceeds to step 150. Continue to search for user interaction.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention is described above. First, the HDTV receiver receives and stores electronic program guide information from a channel that has been tuned, and also stores electronic program guide information received from a channel that has been previously tuned.

If the user commands a detailed program guide while watching a program of a digital channel belonging to a specific high frequency channel, the HDTV receiver retrieves the number of digital channels of the high frequency channel to which the digital channel currently viewed by the user belongs. In this case, if the number of digital channels is one, the program guide for the corresponding digital channel and the keys for switching to another high frequency channel are displayed.

Since the program guide is a program guide for the digital channel, it does not require much area to display the information. Accordingly, the program of the digital channel tuned to the part other than the program guide area is output. The program guide also includes detailed information of the program. Therefore, the user can continue to view the program that he / she was watching even if the program command is commanded, and detailed information of the program can be viewed without a separate operation.

When the number of digital channels belonging to the specific high frequency channel is plural, the program guide for the corresponding digital channel and the keys for switching to another high frequency channel are displayed and the icons for switching to another digital channel are displayed. . Among the icons, an icon corresponding to the digital channel currently selected is displayed separately from other icons.

When the user selects the icon, the HDTV receiver tunes to the corresponding digital channel, outputs the program of the corresponding digital channel, and simultaneously performs program guidance for the corresponding digital channel.

When the user operates a key for switching a high frequency channel, the HDTV receiver switches to the corresponding high frequency channel and selects one of the digital channels belonging to the high frequency channel. The HDTV receiver outputs a program of the tuned digital channel and performs a program guide for the digital channel.

As described above, the present invention can watch a program even when the program is guided, and there is a convenience in that detailed information of the program can be viewed by a single program guide command.

Claims (9)

In the program guide method of the digital multi-channel television broadcast receiver, A program guide information storage step of receiving program guide information from a tuned high frequency channel and storing the program guide information in a memory; A graphic data generating step of responsive to a program guide command of a user, reading program guide information for a digital channel currently tuned in the memory, and generating graphic data for outputting the program guide graphic accordingly to the receiving hall; And an output step of mixing the tuned digital channel program and the graphic data and outputting the mixed data. The method of claim 1, wherein the program guide graphic, Program guide method, characterized in that located in a certain part of the receiving hall. The method of claim 1, wherein the program guide information, Program guide method characterized in that the program schedule and the detailed information of the program. In the program guide method of the digital multi-channel television broadcast receiver, A program guide information storage step of receiving program guide information from a tuned high frequency channel and storing the program guide information in a memory; A program guide graphic data generation step of responsive to a program guide command of a user, reading program guide information for a digital channel currently tuned in the memory, and generating graphic data for outputting the program guide graphic accordingly to the receiving hall; Wow, A channel searching step of searching for digital channels belonging to the tuned high frequency channel; An icon graphic data generation step of generating graphic data for outputting icon graphics corresponding to each of the digital channels to the receiving hall; And an output step of mixing the tuned digital channel program, the program guide graphic and the icon graphic, and outputting the mixed channel. The method of claim 4, wherein the icon graphic data generating step, And if there is only a digital channel currently tuned to the tuned high frequency channel in the channel searching step, not generating the icon graphic. The method of claim 4, wherein the icon graphic data generating step, And the icon graphic for the digital channel tuned among the digital channels is generated as graphic data distinct from the icon graphic of the non-tuned digital channels. The method of claim 4, wherein Selecting a digital channel corresponding to the icon when the user selects an icon for the currently untuned program; A graphic data generation step of generating program guide information for the tuned digital channel from the memory and generating graphic data for displaying the program guide graphic accordingly according to the receiving station; And a graphic updating step of updating the program guide graphic outputted to the award hall with a program guide graphic for the tuned digital program. In the program guide method of the digital multi-channel television broadcast receiver, A program guide information storing step of receiving program guide information received from a previously tuned high frequency channel and program guide information received from a currently tuned high frequency channel and storing the program guide information in a memory; In response to a user's program guide command, first program guide graphic data for reading program guide information for a digital channel currently tuned in the memory, and generating graphic data for outputting the program guide graphic accordingly to the receiving hall. Creating step, An output step of mixing the tuned digital channel program with the program guide graphic and outputting the mixed graphic to the water pipe; When the user switches a high frequency channel, a high frequency channel tuning step of tuning the high frequency channel; A second program guide graphic data generation step of selecting one of the digital channels of the high frequency channel and generating graphic data for outputting a program guide graphic for the digital channel to a receiving pipe in a memory; And a graphic updating step of updating the program guide graphic outputted to the award hall to the program guide graphic of the selected digital channel. In the program guide method of the digital multi-channel television broadcast receiver, A program guide information storing step of receiving program guide information received from a previously tuned high frequency channel and program guide information received from a currently tuned high frequency channel and storing the program guide information in a memory; In response to a user's program guide command, first program guide graphic data for reading program guide information for a digital channel currently tuned in the memory, and generating graphic data for outputting the program guide graphic accordingly to the receiving hall. Creating step, A high frequency channel switching graphic data generation step of generating graphic data for outputting a high frequency channel switching graphic for a high frequency channel switching to the receiving tube, An output step of mixing the tuned digital channel program, the program guide graphic and the high frequency channel switching graphic, and outputting the mixed channel; When the user selects the high frequency channel graphic, a high frequency channel tuning step of tuning the high frequency channel; A second program guide graphic data generation step of selecting one of the digital channels of the high frequency channel and generating graphic data for outputting a program guide graphic for the digital channel to a receiving pipe in a memory; And a graphic updating step of updating the program guide graphic outputted to the award hall to the program guide graphic of the selected digital channel.