KR19990042302A - How to Display the Channel Guide Screen on a Cable TV - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for displaying a cable TV channel guide screen for storing and displaying only cable channel information preferred by a user among a plurality of cable channels in a composite broadcast receiver capable of receiving a cable broadcast signal and a satellite broadcast signal. Pre-stores ID information for each user of the receiver and preferred channel information for cable broadcasting for each user, and receives and temporarily stores an ID for the current user when the receiver is powered on. And a first step of determining a current user ID of the receiver based on the temporarily stored user ID information when the preferred channel guide key signal of the cable broadcast is input during the normal viewing mode of the receiver. Read the preferred channel information for the current user ID. A second step of detecting preferred channel information; a third step of displaying the detected preferred channel information as a guide screen of a predetermined type; and when a key signal for turning off the preferred channel guide screen is generated, the displayed preferred channel And a fourth step of turning off the guide screen and switching the operation of the receiver to the normal viewing mode.

Description

How to Display the Channel Guide Screen on a Cable TV

The present invention relates to a satellite broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to a channel guide screen of a satellite broadcast receiver suitable for displaying a channel guide screen composed of only a user's preferred channel among a plurality of CATV channels provided through a transmission path in a satellite broadcast receiver. It is about a display method.

As is well known, satellite broadcasting is capable of receiving broadcast signals from ground stations (broadcasting earth stations) using broadcast satellites in a stationary orbit about 36,000 kilometers above the equator, and receiving them directly from the satellite receiving antennas in each home. The broadcasting system is a broadcasting system in which the selection range of information is greatly expanded compared to the conventional terrestrial or cable broadcasting system.

The satellite broadcast receiver used for the satellite broadcast receives the bit stream provided from the satellite, processes the broadcast signal of the selected channel, and then provides it to a display device (for example, a TV).

In this case, various information such as broadcast signals (image data and audio data), EIT (event information table), and time data table (TDT) for each channel are included in the bit stream provided from the satellite. In the general satellite broadcasting receiver receiving, the user can control the operation of the satellite broadcasting receiver by using his or her ID and watch the broadcasting program.

On the other hand, in recent years, not only satellite broadcasting but also CATV broadcasting method using cable has been rapidly spreading. If a subscriber (that is, one receiver) wants to receive all of these types of broadcasting signals, Because of the different frequency bands, it would be necessary to have separate satellite tuners and cable tuners.

Therefore, in order to accommodate various types of broadcasts as described above, various types of internal or external tuners may be provided, or two types of broadcasts may be provided in separate signal processing paths (that is, satellite broadcast signal processing paths and cable broadcasts). It may be considered that the receiver employs an integrated complex tuner for processing through a signal processing path, but this causes not only a problem of unnecessarily increasing hardware of the receiver itself, but also an excessive increase in the cost of the receiver. Problems arise.

On the other hand, in view of the above, a complex tuner capable of simultaneously receiving a satellite broadcast signal, a cable broadcast signal, and a terrestrial broadcast signal through a single tuning path has been developed. It is also being developed.

The composite broadcast receiver controls the passband of the received signal and tunes the bandpassed signal based on the user selection signal when the satellite broadcast signal or the cable broadcast signal is received at the input side, and in accordance with the tuned signal and the user selection. By mixing the generated oscillation frequencies, the corresponding channel of the desired broadcast signal is tuned, and the tuned signals are each provided to corresponding demodulators through separate signal processing paths.

In addition, a general composite broadcast receiver is provided with various menu screens for displaying such various information. Among such menu screens, a preferred channel menu screen displaying only some channel information selected by a user among a plurality of channels for satellite broadcasting received from the outside. This is included.

That is, the user selects and stores only a portion of channels that he prefers among a plurality of channels for the satellite broadcast signal received from the outside, so that the user can easily switch to the channel that he prefers. A diagram for describing a preferred channel function in a conventional satellite broadcasting receiver will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, when a user calls a channel guide screen of satellite broadcasts by operating a key input unit to select and store a specific channel of his / her preference among a plurality of satellite broadcast channels, the satellite broadcast channel guide screen as shown in FIG. Is displayed. In addition, the user selects each preferred channel by referring to the displayed guide screen, which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

If the user selects 'COM', 'KBS1', 'CNN', and 'YTN' as shown in the same drawing among the displayed channels, each channel selected by the user has a user ID ( For example, it is stored in the memory means of the receiver together with the family.

If the user inputs a key signal for displaying the preferred channel set by the user again while the preferred channel for the specific user is stored through the above-described process, the ID of the user of the current receiver is detected and By reading the memory means and reading the preferred channel information for the corresponding user ID, the preferred channel guide screen as shown in Fig. 5B is displayed.

However, the preferred channel function provided in such a composite broadcast receiver is possible for each channel of satellite broadcasting but is not provided for the CATV broadcasting channel provided through a separate transmission path. If it is possible to receive a preferred channel for each channel for each user and display it as a guide screen of a predetermined type, it will be possible to meet the needs of a wider variety of users.

Accordingly, the present invention has been devised in view of the above, and receives and stores channel information preferred by each user among a plurality of CATV broadcasting channels received through an external transmission path, and displays it as a guide screen of a predetermined type. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for displaying a channel guide screen of a cable TV.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a composite broadcast receiver capable of receiving a satellite broadcast signal provided from a satellite and a cable broadcast signal provided through a transmission path is composed of only a particular channel of the user's preference among a plurality of channels of cable broadcasting In the method for displaying a guide screen, the receiver, pre-store the ID information for each user of the receiver and the preferred channel information for the cable broadcasting for each user, and for the current user when the receiver is powered on Receiving an ID and temporarily storing the ID, the method, if the preferred channel guide key signal of the cable broadcast is input during the normal viewing mode of the receiver, the current user ID of the receiver based on the temporarily stored user ID information Determining a first step; A second step of reading preferred channel information for each user and detecting preferred channel information corresponding to the determined current user ID; A third step of displaying the detected preferred channel information on a guide screen of a predetermined type; And a fourth step of turning off the displayed preferred channel guide screen and switching the operation of the receiver to the normal viewing mode when a key signal for turning off the preferred channel guide screen occurs. Provide a method.

1 is a block diagram of a composite broadcast receiver suitable for applying a cable TV channel guide screen display method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a view for explaining a channel name input process for a cable TV according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of displaying a channel guide screen of a cable TV according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a view for explaining a channel guide screen display method of the cable TV according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a channel guide screen for a conventional general satellite broadcasting channel.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

102: tuner block 104: MPEG decoding block

106: video encoding block 108: video processing block

110: sync extraction block 112: control block

114: memory block 116: OSD processing block

118: mixer 120: switching block

The above and other objects and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments of the present invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

1 is a block diagram of a composite broadcast receiver suitable for applying a method for displaying a cable TV channel guide screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and includes a tuner block 102, an MPEG decoding block 104, and a video encoding block 106. ), Video processing block 108, sync extraction block 110, control block 112, memory block 114, OSD processing block 116, mixer 118, and switching block 120.

Referring to FIG. 1, the tuner block 102 is based on a tuning control signal provided from a control block 112 to be described later via a line L11, and a broadcast signal receiver (i.e., a satellite reception antenna, a cable, etc.) is not shown. Tunes the broadcast channel selected by the user from the broadcast signal received through the signal and demodulates the tuned broadcast channel signal into the original signal before transmission. In this case, when the satellite broadcast signal is tuned, the demodulated satellite channel signal is transmitted through line L12. The demodulated CATV broadcast channel signal is provided to the video processing block 108 via line L14 when provided to the MPEG decoder block 104 and the cable broadcast signal is tuned.

That is, the tuner block 102 is composed of a composite tuner capable of mode-receiving and tuning satellite and CATV broadcast signals provided through an antenna or transmission line (not shown).

In the MPEG decoder block 104, the compressed and encoded video signal of the tuned satellite broadcast channel provided by the tuner block 102 through the line L12 is compressed in consideration of the spatiotemporal and spatial correlation of the video signal. The encoded video signal is restored to the original signal before encoding using a decoding technique such as variable length decoding, inverse DCT, inverse quantization, and motion compensation, and the recovered digital video signal is transferred to the next video encoding block 106. Is provided.

Next, the video encoding block 106 converts the tuned digital video signal provided in the MPEG decoding block 104 described above into an NTSC or PAL analog video signal and then to the contact b of the switching block 114 via the line L13. to provide.

In addition, the video processing block 108 processes the tuned analog video signal (i.e., cable broadcast channel signal) provided by the tuner block 102 through line L14, e.g., level amplification, noise cancellation, gain control. Various signal processing such as the above is performed and provided to the contact point c of the sync extraction block 110 and the switching block 114 through the line L15.

Meanwhile, the sync extraction block 110 extracts a sync signal, that is, a horizontal sync signal, included in the tuned channel signal provided by the video processing block 108 through the line L15, and the extracted horizontal sync signal is Provided to control block 110 via line L16. In this case, the horizontal sync signal extracted here is used to determine whether the tuned broadcast signal is an effective channel. The existence of the horizontal sync signal is checked for each channel so that only a channel with good viewing can be automatically tuned. It will be performed for a predetermined time.

On the other hand, the control block 112 is, for example, a microprocessor that performs overall operation control of the receiving system, and when the user broadcast channel selection signal (ie, operation signal) is input from the outside, the corresponding tuning control signal Is generated and provided to the above-described tuning block 102 through the line L11, and stores channel information (effective channel) of each broadcast mode (satellite broadcast mode and cable broadcast mode) in the area A of the memory block 114.

And, the preferred channel information selected by each user among the plurality of channels for the satellite broadcast mode and the cable broadcast mode stored in the area A of the memory block 114 is stored in the B area of the memory block 114 together with the respective user ID information. Done.

In other words, in the area A of the memory block 114, a guide screen for displaying each channel information and various OSD data for each broadcasting mode, for example, channel information of each broadcasting mode, and channel information (channel name) of CATV are inputted. Data such as a menu screen to be stored is stored, and ID information for each user and preferred channel information set by each user are stored in the B area.

When the control block 112 sends out a message or a guide screen to a monitor (not shown), the OSD data is extracted from a predetermined area of the memory block 114 to the OSD processing block 116 through the line L18. Will be provided.

In addition, the control block 112, based on a user operation signal from the outside, the switching control signal on the line L17 for switching the output of the broadcast signal corresponding to the broadcast mode currently being viewed or the broadcast mode that the user wants to switch To the switching block 120 to be described later.

The OSD processing block 116 displays the OSD screen data based on the vertical and horizontal sync signals generated for positioning of the OSD data to be sent when the message data is provided from the control block 112 through the line L18. And the OSD screen data configured here is provided to the mixer 118 via line L19.

Therefore, the mixer 118 properly mixes the image data on the line L15 and the OSD screen data when the OSD screen data is provided through the line L19 to provide the contact c of the switching block 120 through the line L20. Also, the mixer 118 bypasses the image data on the line L15 to the contact c of the switching block 120 as it is when there is no OSD screen data on the line L19.

Meanwhile, the switching block 120 selectively switches the video signal output of the tuned cable broadcast (or a mixed video signal mixed with OSD data) and the video signal output of the tuned satellite broadcast channel, and the control block described above through the line L17. Based on the switching control signal provided from 112, when the satellite broadcast mode is selected by the user, the contact ab is connected to provide a video signal of the satellite broadcast channel provided through the line L13 to the display side, not shown, and When the cable broadcast mode is selected, the contact ac is connected to provide a video signal (or a mixed video signal mixed with OSD data) provided through the line L20 to the display side, not shown.

On the other hand, unlike the satellite broadcast signal described above, the general CATV broadcast signal does not include channel information (channel name) for each channel, so that it is difficult for a user to distinguish a plurality of CATV channels. Therefore, the user must go through the process of inputting each channel name of the CATV directly to the desired channel name.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a process of directly setting a channel name of each CATV by the user, which will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, when a user operates a key input means (not shown) to input each channel name of the CATV, and the CATV channel guide key signal is input, the control block 112 activates the CATV stored in the A area of the memory block 114. By reading the channel information and the OSD data and providing them to the OSD processing block 116, the CATV channel guide screen as shown in FIG. 2A is displayed.

Then, the user selects a specific channel of CATV by referring to the displayed guide screen and directly inputs a channel name for the corresponding channel. As shown in the drawing, the user selects 'CH 3' by operating a key input means. Then, the channel name input menu screen as shown in FIG. 2B is displayed by the control block 112 again.

At this time, when the user inputs a new channel name (for example, 'GOLF') for the corresponding channel by using the key input means, the new channel name input is stored in the A area of the memory block 114 and is a valid channel of the CATV. The information is updated, and the currently displayed channel name input menu screen is turned off and the updated CATV channel guide screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 2C.

In addition, the user may repeat the above-described process to input a new channel name for each of the other channels of the CATV. Each channel for which the new channel name is not set by the user is illustrated in FIG. 2C. Only the original channel number is taken.

With each channel name of the CATV set to the channel name desired by the user through the above-described process, each user can compose a channel guide screen composed of only specific channels of the desired CATV. The preferred channel setting process of the cable TV according to the preferred embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows.

If the operation of the composite broadcast receiver performs the normal viewing mode for a specific broadcast mode (step 301), and when a key signal for setting a preferred channel of the CATV is input (step 303), the control block identifies an ID for the user of the current receiver. When the user inputs his or her ID when the receiver is powered on, the user ID is stored in a predetermined area of the memory block 114 to determine the user of the current receiver.

If there is no input for the user ID in the initial state when the power of the receiver is turned on by a specific user, the user ID of the current receiver is automatically registered as a family that is a joint viewing ID.

On the other hand, if the user of the current receiver is determined through the above-described step 305, the channel guide screen of the CATV including the current user ID as shown in FIG. 4A is displayed through the OSD processing block 116 (step 307). If the user does not enter a specific channel that he or she prefers within a predetermined time (step 313), the channel guide screen currently displayed by the control block 112 is automatically turned off (step 315).

On the contrary, if the user selects a specific channel (eg, 'GOLF', 'ABC', 'CAR', 'CATV 29') by referring to the displayed channel guide screen (step 309), Each selected CATV channel is stored with current user ID information in area B of memory block 114 (step 311).

Then, the CATV channel guidance screen currently displayed by the control block 112 is automatically turned off (step 313), so that the overall operation of the receiver is switched to the normal viewing mode of the initial step 301 described above (step 315).

As a result, each user can select and store a specific channel of his / her preference among a plurality of CATV channels through the above-described process, and display and refer to the stored preferred channel information.

3B is a flowchart illustrating a process of displaying the CATV in the state where the preferred channel of the CATV is set through the above-described process, and will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

After the preferred channel for each user is preset through the process as shown in FIG. 3A, while the operation of the receiver is again performed in the normal viewing mode (step 351), the preferred channel guide key signal based on the user's key operation again. Is input (step 353), the control block 112 determines the user of the current receiver using the input user ID when the initial receiver is powered on (step 355).

Then, by reading the preferred channel information for the corresponding ID stored in the area B of the memory block 114 based on the determined user ID (step 357) and providing it to the OSD processing block 116, as shown in FIG. 4B. The same favorite channel guide screen is displayed (step 359).

On the other hand, the preferred channel guide screen displayed at this time, according to the programming process of the control block 112 and the OSD menu data configures the satellite broadcast preference channel and the CATV preferred channel as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4B, a separate CATV preference channel guide screen may be displayed.

Subsequently, a predetermined time elapses or a guide screen off key signal is input without inputting a key signal for performing another specific command while the preferred channel guide screen corresponding to the current user is displayed through the above-described step 359. Once entered (step 361), the control block 112 blocks the operation of the OSD processing block 116 to automatically turn off the currently displayed favorite channel guide screen (step 363) and switches the operation of the receiver to normal viewing mode. (Step 365).

As a result, a user may selectively extract and store only a specific channel of his / her preference among a plurality of CATV channels, and refer to the stored preferred channel by using a predetermined guide screen.

As described above, according to the present invention, a user selects and stores a favorite broadcast channel among a plurality of CATV broadcast channels received through a transmission path in a composite broadcast receiver, thereby efficiently performing CATV channel selection and management. There is an effect that can be, according to the effect that can satisfy the needs of various users.

Claims (4)

In the method of displaying a guide screen consisting of only a specific channel of the user of a plurality of channels of the cable broadcast in the composite broadcast receiver that can accommodate the satellite broadcast signal provided from the satellite and the cable broadcast signal provided through the transmission path, The receiver, Pre-store ID information of each user of the receiver and preferred channel information of cable broadcasting for each user, and temporarily receive an ID of the current user when the receiver is powered on; The method is: A first step of determining a current user ID of the receiver based on the temporarily stored user ID information when a preferred channel guide key signal of the cable broadcast is input during the normal viewing mode of the receiver; A second step of reading preferred channel information for each user and detecting preferred channel information corresponding to the determined current user ID; A third step of displaying the detected preferred channel information on a guide screen of a predetermined type; And a fourth step of turning off the displayed preferred channel guide screen and switching the operation of the receiver to the normal viewing mode when a key signal for turning off the preferred channel guide screen occurs. Way. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth step, If a predetermined time elapses while a key signal for turning off the favorite channel guide screen does not occur, turning off the displayed favorite channel guide screen and switching the operation of the receiver to the normal viewing mode. Channel TV screen display method of the cable TV, including more. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-stored the preferred channel information for the cable broadcasting for each user, Determining a current user ID of the receiver based on the temporarily stored user ID information when a key signal for setting the preferred channel is input during the normal viewing mode of the receiver; A second step of displaying a channel guide screen including the plurality of cable channels; A third step of storing each selected channel together with the determined current user ID information when one or a plurality of arbitrary channels are selected by the user among the plurality of channels; And ending the channel selection process, turning off the channel guidance screen and switching the operation of the receiver to the normal viewing mode. The method of claim 3, wherein the third process, And automatically turning off the displayed channel guide screen if the channel is not selected within a predetermined time period.