KR19990039631A - ATV system capable of simultaneous video display of virtual channels and its channel selection method - Google Patents

Abstract

The ATV system capable of simultaneous video display of virtual channels and its channel selection method displays all four virtual channel broadcasts per channel during SD format broadcasting and displays them simultaneously on a four-split screen. It is for easy channel selection. According to the present invention, four T / S decoders are provided to separate video, audio, and other data from each broadcast signal for four virtual channels corresponding to a channel received during SD format broadcasting, and four T / S decoders. By reconstructing the video data of the virtual channels separated by each of the video to a moving picture, the format of the restored video to meet the screen divided into four equal to the display on the same screen so that the user can select the channel while viewing it. Accordingly, the present invention provides the advantages of simultaneously displaying all four virtual channels on a screen and allowing a user to easily select a desired channel while viewing the same.

Description

AT system capable of simultaneous moving picture display of virtual channels and channel selection method

The present invention relates to an ATV system (Advanced Television System), and in particular, when displaying the four virtual channel (Virtual Channel) broadcast per channel at the same time when the SD format broadcast all display a moving picture, the user wants through this The present invention relates to an ATV system capable of simultaneously displaying a virtual channel so that a channel can be easily selected, and a channel selection method thereof.

In recent years, ATV, which corresponds to high definition television (HDTV), which is undergoing a development competition, is a TV that has improved performance compared to a conventional television system by applying a digital signal processing technique. In the standard (SD) format broadcast in relation to the standard of the ATV, there are four virtual channels containing different broadcast programs per channel. That is, four channels of virtual channels 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, and 11-4 are multiplexed and transmitted together in the channel 11 when the SD format is broadcasted. When receiving the SD format broadcast, the receiver displays only the broadcast of one specific channel among four virtual channels on the screen so that the user can watch. In this case, only one specific channel among the four virtual channels existing per channel can be viewed by the user, and the other three channels cannot be checked unless the user selects the channel. In addition, there is a hassle that the user has to go to the channel one by one to select the channel of the desired broadcast. In order to solve this problem, a prior art has been proposed in which each broadcast for four virtual channels corresponding to a received channel is simultaneously displayed on one screen so that a user can select a desired channel while viewing all four virtual channel broadcasts. One example is shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general ATV system, which includes all the components for receiving and receiving digital broadcast signals, and is separated from four virtual channel broadcast signals corresponding to channels received by the T / S decoder 14. And a voice decoder 15 for decoding and reconstructing the video signal, a video decoder 16 for decoding and reconstructing the separated video data, and a memory 17 for storing the video data of each reconstructed channel broadcast. In addition, a format converter 18 for receiving the video data of each channel broadcast stored in the memory 17 through the video decoder 16 and converting the format to meet the quadrant screen standard, and the video of each channel broadcast converted in format. A display unit 19 for simultaneously displaying data on one screen is provided. The operation of the FIG. 1 system having such a configuration will be described in more detail.

The virtual channel defined in the SD format of the ATV system transmits four different broadcast programs on one channel in a multiplexed form. The tuner 11 tunes a broadcast signal of a predetermined channel received through an antenna and outputs it to the IF module 12. The IF module 12 converts the tuned broadcast signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and outputs it to the A / D converter 13. The A / D converter 13 converts the applied IF signal into digital data and outputs it to the T / S decoder 14. The T / S decoder 14 separates video, audio, and other data from four virtual channel broadcast signals contained in digital data, respectively. The video decoder 16, which receives video data separated from four virtual channel broadcast signals by the T / S decoder 14, restores each applied video data and stores it in the memory 17 once. The voice decoder 15, which receives voice data separated from the four virtual channel broadcast signals by the T / S decoder 14, restores one of each of the applied voice data and transmits it to the viewer for listening. In addition, other data separated from the four virtual channel broadcast signals by the T / S decoder 14 are applied to a predetermined processing block, not shown, to perform necessary processing. The format converter 18 reads the video data of each virtual channel stored in the memory 17 through the video decoder 16, and divides the screen data of the display unit 19 into four equal parts of the read video data of each virtual channel. Convert the format to match. The display unit 19 simultaneously displays the image data of each virtual channel, which is format-converted in the quad-screen format, on the screen in the form of a still image. On the screen of the display unit 19, broadcast signals of four virtual channels are displayed as still images. Then, the user selects a desired channel while watching the broadcast screens of the four virtual channels displayed on the screen of the display unit 19.

However, as shown above, four virtual channels displayed when selecting four virtual channels inputted in the SD format are displayed on the screen at the same time as still images only.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ATV system capable of simultaneous moving picture display of one virtual channel so that all four virtual channel broadcasts can be displayed in a moving picture format in the SD format broadcast of the ATV.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily selecting a desired channel while watching all four virtual channel broadcasts displayed as moving images in an ATV system capable of simultaneously displaying moving images of virtual channels.

1 is a block diagram showing a general ATV system,

2 is a block diagram showing an ATV system to which the present invention is applied;

3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the system of FIG.

4 is a screen state diagram of the display unit of FIG. 2.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

15: voice decoder 17: memory

18: format converter 19: display unit

21 input unit 22 central processing unit (CPU)

25: Video decoder 231 to 234: T / S decoder

241 to 244: switch

The ATV system capable of simultaneous moving picture display of virtual channels according to the present invention for achieving the above objects is an ATV system that broadcasts a standard (SD) format in which four virtual channels exist per channel. A plurality of T / S decoders that separate video, audio, and other data from each broadcast signal for the virtual channel, and the video data of the virtual channels separated by the plurality of T / S decoders, are restored to a moving image. A video decoder which reads video data of virtual channels stored in a memory, temporarily stores video data reconstructed by the video decoder, and video data applied from the video decoder in four equal parts. A format converter for converting the format, and a video of the format-converted virtual channels on a quadrant screen. It includes a display for simultaneously displaying the itaconic.

The channel selection method of the ATV system to achieve another object of the present invention, in the channel selection method of the ATV system, (1) determining whether the broadcast of the received channel is in the SD format, (2) the determination result, Displaying the broadcast signals of the received channels as a whole on the screen if not in SD format broadcasting, and displaying all of the broadcast signals for the virtual channels corresponding to the received channel as moving images on the screen in the case of SD format broadcasting; (3) selecting a desired channel among the virtual channels on the displayed screen, and (4) displaying the received broadcast signal of the selected channel as a whole on the screen.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an ATV system to which the present invention is applied. In the same configuration of the system of FIG. 1, the four T / S decoders 231 to 340 between the A / D converter 13 and the video decoder 25 according to the present invention. 234 and the switches 241 to 244 are configured to be further connected between the respective T / S decoders 231 to 234 and the voice decoder 15. Since the component blocks of FIG. 2 having the same reference numerals as those of FIG. 1 perform the same functions as the corresponding blocks of FIG. 1, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The operation of the system of FIG. 2 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the ATV system, the central processing unit (CPU) 22 controls the operation of each component as a whole. The tuner 11 tunes a predetermined channel under the control of the CPU 22, and outputs the broadcast signal of the tuned channel to the IF module 12. The IF module 12 converts the input broadcast signal into an IF signal and outputs it to the A / D converter 13. The A / D converter 13 converts the input IF broadcast signal into digital data and outputs it to four T / S decoders 231 to 234.

When the broadcast signal of the received predetermined channel is input, the CPU 22 checks whether it is SD format broadcast (step 301). As a result of the check, if it is not the SD format broadcast, the CPU 22 controls the operation of each component to display the broadcast signal of the received channel on the display 19 in full screen (step 302). For step 302, the CPU 22 controls only one of the four T / S decoders 231 to 234 to operate. Of the four T / S decoders 231 to 234, the T / S decoder under the control of the CPU 22 separates video, audio, and other data multiplexed into an input digital broadcast signal, and separates the separated video data. Are output to the video decoder 25 and audio data to the audio decoder 15 through corresponding switches. The other data is input to the CPU 22 to perform necessary processing. The voice decoder 15 restores the input voice data and externally transmits the voice data. The image decoder 25 restores the input image data and stores it in the memory 17 once. The format converter 18 reads the image data stored in the memory 17 through the image decoder 25, converts the format into a predetermined display standard, and supplies the converted image to the display unit 19. The display unit 19 displays the format-converted image data on the screen as a whole so that a user can watch a normal broadcast screen.

On the other hand, if the broadcast signal of the predetermined channel received as a result of the check in step 301 is in the SD format, the CPU 22 controls the operation of each configuration such that four virtual channel broadcasts included in the channel are simultaneously displayed on one screen in a moving picture form. do. Based on this, the four T / S decoders 231 to 234 separate video, audio, and other data from the broadcast signals of the corresponding channels among the four virtual channel broadcast signals included in the input broadcast signals (step 303). . The video decoder 25 receives the video data of each channel broadcast separated from each of the four T / S decoders 231 to 234, restores the video data in one screen unit, and stores the video data in the memory 17 (step 304). . The format converter 18 converts the moving picture data of each virtual channel stored in the memory 17 through the image decoder 25 so as to conform to a standard obtained by dividing the screen of the display 19 into four (step 305). The display unit 19 simultaneously displays moving image data of each virtual channel, which is format-converted into the four-split screen standard, on one screen as shown in FIG. 4 (step 306). Then, each of the broadcast signals of the four virtual channels CH1, CH2, CH3, and CH4 is displayed on the screen of the display unit 19 in a moving picture. The user selects a desired broadcast by moving a cursor located on the screen of the display unit 19 in a predetermined order by operating the input unit 21 such as a remote controller or key metrics. At this time, the CPU 22 outputs the voice data of the channel corresponding to the current cursor position so that the user can hear it (step 307). For step 307, the CPU 22 corresponds to the channel corresponding to the current cursor position among the switches 241 to 244 respectively receiving voice data of four virtual channels separated from the four T / S decoders 231 to 234. Only the switch receiving the voice data of "ON" is controlled. The switch in the " ON " state of the four switches 241 to 244 outputs the input voice data to the voice decoder 15. The voice decoder 15 restores the input voice data and plays the voice of the corresponding channel to the user according to the current cursor position. The user selects a desired channel while watching the screen of the display unit 19 obtained through the above process and listens to the voice, and according to the user's channel selection, the CPU 22 controls the operation of each component to broadcast the broadcast signal of the selected channel. The display 19 is displayed in full screen (step 308). For step 308, the CPU 22 controls only the T / S decoder to process the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the user among the four T / S decoders 231 to 234. The video decoder 25 restores video data input from a T / S decoder operating among four T / S decoders 231 to 234. The format converter 18 converts the image data restored by the image decoder 25 into a predetermined display standard and supplies the converted image data to the display unit 19. The display unit 19 displays the format-converted image data on the screen as a whole so that a user can normally watch a broadcast screen.

As described above, the ATV system and the channel selection method capable of simultaneous moving picture display of the virtual channel according to the present invention, the simultaneous display of all four virtual channels present in each channel on the same screen when the ATV SD format broadcast And, according to the user's selection, it adaptively listens to the voice corresponding to one of the four broadcast screens, and the user can select the desired channel while watching the displayed screen and the voice, so that the user's channel selection is easy. Has

Claims (7)

In an ATV system that broadcasts a standard (SD) format broadcasting in which four virtual channels exist per channel, A plurality of T / S decoders that separate video, audio, and other data from each broadcast signal for a virtual channel corresponding to a received channel; A video decoder for restoring video data of the virtual channels separated by the plurality of T / S decoders to a moving picture and outputting the moving picture data to a memory, and reading the moving picture data of the virtual channels stored in the memory; A memory for temporarily storing moving image data reconstructed by the image decoder; A format converter for converting the video data applied from the video decoder into a quadrant screen standard; And And a display unit for simultaneously displaying moving image data of the format-converted virtual channels on a screen in quadrant form. The ATV system of claim 1, further comprising a switch connected to the plurality of T / S decoders and receiving and selectively outputting voice data of virtual channels separated by each T / S decoder. The ATV system according to claim 2, wherein the switch selects and outputs audio data of a virtual channel corresponding to a cursor position on a screen of the display unit. In the channel selection method of the ATV system, (1) determining whether a broadcast of a received channel is in SD format; (2) As a result of the determination, if it is not SD format broadcast, the broadcast signal of the received channel is displayed on the screen as a whole, and if it is SD format broadcast, the broadcast signal for virtual channels corresponding to the received channel is displayed as a moving image on one screen. Displaying all of them; (3) selecting a desired channel among the virtual channels on the displayed screen; And And (4) displaying the received broadcast signal of the selected channel as a whole on a screen. The method of claim 4, wherein the step (2) is for SD format broadcasting, (2a) separating video, audio, and other data from respective broadcast signals for virtual channels corresponding to the received channel; (2b) restoring video data of each of the separated virtual channels to a moving picture; (2c) converting the video data of each of the reconstructed virtual channels to meet a plurality of screen specifications; And (2d) A channel selection method comprising the step of simultaneously displaying on the screen a moving picture data that has been converted into a format divided into multiple equal parts. The channel selection method of claim 5, further comprising: restoring only the voice data corresponding to the channel selected by the step (3) of the voice data of each of the virtual channels separated in the step (2a) and outputting the external signal. Way. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step (3) selects a desired channel while moving the cursor on the displayed screen in a predetermined order.