KR20000044749A - Method for searching channel in multimedia television - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for searching a channel in a multimedia television is provided to search programs of various broadcasting channels by using a PIP(Picture In Picture) function. CONSTITUTION: A method for searching a channel in a multimedia television comprises the following steps. Broadcasting channels are selected among various broadcasting channels and the selected broadcasting channels are designated as preferred channels. The search time for the preferred channels is stored. The stored preferred channel and the search time information are read if a channel search key signal is received when an arbitrary channel is received among the various broadcasting channels. The preferred channels are sequentially tuned and displayed on a part of a screen during time corresponding to the search time. A broadcasting signal of a selected channel is switched to a normal mode if an arbitrary channel is selected during sequential displaying of the tuned channel.

Description

Channel Navigation Method in Multimedia Television

The present invention relates to a channel automatic search method of a multimedia television. More particularly, the channel automatic search for a multimedia television suitable for performing a program search for a plurality of broadcast channels in a multimedia television using a picture in picture (PIP) function. It is about a method.

In recent years, existing analog terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, internet broadcasting, digital broadcasting (including HDTV broadcasting), various information media (e.g., e-mail using a local network, internet access, VOD, teleshopping, telemedicine diagnosis, etc.) The development of multimedia television as an integrated TV that can accommodate both) is actively progressing everywhere, and considering the current development status, commercialization and expansion will be realized soon.

On the other hand, the multimedia television is provided with a channel search function that allows the user to more easily browse the programs currently being broadcast on a plurality of broadcast channels to watch the desired broadcast program, Figure 4 is a conventional multimedia television A diagram for describing a channel search method will be described below with reference to the drawings.

While the user selects and watches any broadcast channel among a plurality of broadcast channels provided in the multimedia television, the user inputs a channel search key signal by operating a key input means to search for each program currently being broadcast on each broadcast channel. If so, the channel search screen as shown in the figure is displayed. That is, as shown in the drawing, a main screen 41 and a plurality of channel search windows 43 for the currently viewed broadcast channel are displayed, and each channel search window 43 using the PIP function is used for each broadcast channel. The program being broadcast in is displayed, allowing the user to select the desired channel.

However, in the conventional channel search screen, a plurality of broadcast channels are simultaneously displayed using the plurality of channel search windows 43, and the broadcast channels displayed in each channel search window 43 are intervals of several seconds (for example, , 3 seconds) is displayed continuously, there is a problem that the user can not easily grasp the program broadcast in each channel. In addition, due to the rapid development of such a multimedia broadcasting system, a broadcast channel received from a multimedia television is rapidly increased, or a broadcast program received from each broadcast channel by a conventional channel search method as described above, that is, a search method for all broadcast channels. When searching for the channel, the time required for searching the channel is inconvenient.

Accordingly, the present invention devised in light of the above, the user can preset and store the user's favorite broadcast channel in the multimedia television accommodating a plurality of broadcast channels, and can perform channel searching only within the preset. An object of the present invention is to provide a channel searching method in a multimedia television.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for searching for a broadcast channel in a multimedia television that receives and selectively displays broadcast signals for a plurality of broadcast channels, wherein a part of the plurality of broadcast channels is selected and preferred. Setting a channel and storing a search time for each preferred channel; A second step of reading the stored preferred channel and search time information for each preferred channel when a channel search key signal is input during a normal viewing mode for receiving and displaying any broadcast channel among the plurality of broadcast channels; A third step of sequentially tuning each preferred channel by one channel for a time corresponding to a search time of each preferred channel and displaying the same on a partial region of the normal viewing mode screen; When an arbitrary broadcasting channel is selected while the respective preferred channels are sequentially displayed, a channel searching method of the multimedia television comprising the step of tuning the broadcast signal of the selected channel to the normal viewing mode is provided.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia television suitable for applying a channel searching method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a channel searching process of a multimedia television according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a view for explaining a channel searching method of a multimedia television according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a view for explaining a channel searching method in a conventional general multimedia television.

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

10: key input unit 20: control unit

30 memory unit 40 tuner and demodulation unit

50: First MPEG Decoder 60: Second MPEG Decoder

70: video synthesizer 80: video encoder

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

First, the core technical idea of the present invention is to configure a search window for a plurality of channels on the main screen being viewed in the conventional channel search mode, and to display the broadcast screens for all channels continuously by using each search window. In contrast, in the present invention, when the channel search mode is performed by the user's request, only one search window is configured on the main screen currently being viewed, and the broadcast signal for the preferred channel preset by the user using the search window is used. By switching only the display at predetermined time intervals, the user can more easily navigate the channel.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia television suitable for applying a channel searching method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key input unit 10, the control unit 20, the memory unit 30, the tuner and The demodulator 40 includes a first MPEG decoder 50, a second MPEG decoder 60, an image synthesizer 70, and a video encoder 80.

Referring to the figure, the key input unit 10 is composed of various function keys including a channel change key, a channel select key, and the like and a plurality of keys (buttons) including numeric keys, and key signals corresponding to a user's key operation. Generated and provided to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 controls the overall operation of the multimedia television based on the key signal provided from the key input unit 10 and the signals generated by various constituent means constituting the multimedia television, and in particular, the user provides the multimedia television. After the various control values set for controlling the operation of the multimedia television using various menu screens are stored in the memory unit 30, the overall operation of the multimedia television is controlled based on various preset control values.

The memory unit 30 stores various types of information (including channel ID information) provided from the control unit 20 as described above. In particular, according to the present invention, a part of a plurality of broadcasting channels may be set by a user. Will save the information.

The tuner and demodulator 40 extracts a broadcast signal for a predetermined channel from a broadcast signal received from the outside based on the tuning control signal of the controller 20, and transmits the extracted broadcast signal through demodulation and error correction. Restore the stream, and provide the restored transport stream to the first and second MPEG decoders 50 and 60 based on the control signal of the controller 40, while the multimedia television is initially powered on. The channel identifier information is extracted from the received broadcast signal, and the extracted channel identifier information is provided to the controller 20.

The first and second MPEG decoders 50 and 60 decode a transport stream corresponding to a broadcast signal of a predetermined channel provided from the tuner and the demodulator 40 such as variable length decoding, inverse DCT, inverse quantization, and motion compensation. The video signal is reconstructed into an original video signal before encoding, and the restored video signal is provided to the image synthesizing unit 70. In particular, the first MPEG decoder 50 outputs the broadcast signal provided from the tuner and the demodulator 50 through the signal processing process as described above in the normal viewing mode, and the second MPEG decoder 60 of the user When the channel search function based on key manipulation is performed, the broadcast signal for the search channel provided from the tuner and the demodulator 40 is decoded and output. That is, the second MPEG decoder 60 decodes and outputs the second broadcast signal provided from the tuner and the demodulator 60 through a predetermined signal processing process only when performing the channel search mode according to the present invention.

In addition, the image synthesizing unit 70 transmits a broadcast signal for two channels provided from the first MPEG decoder 50 and the second MPEG decoder 60 based on a preset screen format based on a control signal of the controller 20. Outputs in the form of a picture in picture (PIP) screen. That is, the image synthesizing unit 70 is configured to include each element for implementing the PIP function as in the conventional general multimedia television, and the channel search mode by the user's key manipulation is executed, and thus the control unit 20 When the control signal is provided, each video signal provided from the first MPEG decoder 50 and the second MPEG decoder 60 is configured to be output as one screen of a predetermined form.

The video encoder 80 converts the video signal provided from the image synthesizing unit 70 into an NTSC or PAL analog signal, and provides the converted NTSC or PAL analog signal to a display side (not shown) to display on the screen.

Meanwhile, in order to apply the channel searching method in the multimedia television according to the present invention, the user sets one or more broadcasting channels preferred by the user among the plurality of broadcasting channels provided in the multimedia television and a channel searching time for each set channel. Thus, each set information must be stored in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30.

For example, a user sets a channel of CH 3, CH 6, CH 10, CH 15, CH 21, and CH 34 among a plurality of broadcast channels, searches for CH 3 for 7 seconds, and searches for CH 6 for 10 seconds. When the search time of CH 10 is set to 15 seconds, the search time of CH 15 is set to 10 seconds, the search time of CH 21 is set to 20 seconds, and the search time of CH 21 is set to 10 seconds, the control unit 20 sets each channel set by the user. Information and search time information are stored in the memory unit 30. In this case, when the user sets only a preferred channel and does not set a search time for each set channel, the controller 20 sets the search time for each channel to a preset time (for example, to perform an efficient channel search function). , 7 seconds).

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a channel searching process of a multimedia television according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A series of processes described above with reference to FIG.

First, the preferred channel selected by the user through the above-described process is preset and stored in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30 (step 201), and then the overall operation of the multimedia television is displayed by the user selecting an arbitrary broadcasting channel. If the channel search key signal for performing channel search is input through the key input unit 10 during the normal viewing mode (step 203), the control unit 20 responds to the input channel search key signal. Then, the overall operation of the multimedia television is switched to the channel search mode, and a control signal is generated in the image synthesizing unit 70 to display the channel search screen as shown in FIG. 3 (step 207). That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the PIP channel search window 33 is displayed in a predetermined area of the main screen 31 currently viewed (for example, the lower right portion of the main screen 31).

In addition, the controller 20 reads user's preferred channel information and search time information for each preferred channel previously stored in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30 (step 209). If the search time is not set, the predetermined time (for example, 7 seconds) is automatically set as the search time.

Subsequently, the control unit 20 generates a control signal to the tuner and demodulator 40 to sequentially tune each preferred channel set by the user based on the preferred channel information read in step 209 described above ( Step 211), by providing the broadcast signal for the tuned preferred channel to the second MPEG decoder 60, the broadcast signal of the channel during the search time set by the user or automatically preset search time is the image synthesizer 70 Is displayed in the search window 33 (step 213).

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the user may select a desired broadcast channel by referring to a broadcast program displayed on the channel search window 33 displayed on a portion of the main screen 31. If the user inputs a key signal for terminating the channel search process by operating the key input unit 10 during the search mode (step 217), the controller 20 responds to the input channel search end key signal in response to the input of the tuner and the tuner. The control unit 40 generates a control signal and turns off the channel search window 33 displayed on the current screen, thereby terminating the channel search mode (step 219).

Thus, the overall operation of the multimedia television is switched to the normal viewing mode in which only the screen for the broadcast channel the user is currently watching is displayed as in the initial stage 203 described above (step 221).

Otherwise, the user's key input unit 10 is displayed while the broadcast signal for each preferred channel set by the user is sequentially displayed through the channel search window 33 at a predetermined time interval through the aforementioned step 213. When a channel selection key signal for selecting an arbitrary channel is input by the operation (step 215), the control unit 20 responds to the input channel selection key signal to the tuner and demodulator 40 and the image synthesizer 70. By generating a control signal for turning off the channel search window 33, the channel search mode is terminated (step 223).

Subsequently, the control unit 20 generates a tuning control signal for tuning the channel selected by the user in step 215 and provides the tuner and demodulator 40 to the tuner and demodulator 40. By tuning and outputting the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the user based on the tuning control signal, the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the user is displayed on the screen through a predetermined signal processing process (step 225). Therefore, the overall operation of the multimedia television is switched to the normal viewing mode, and the user can watch the broadcast program of the channel selected by the user during the channel search mode (step 227).

As described above, according to the present invention, when the channel search mode is performed in the multimedia television, the channel search of the user is more easily performed by sequentially configuring some broadcast channels preset by the user as a single search screen. There is an effect that can be made, and the channel search time can be set arbitrarily by the user, thereby improving the overall function of the multimedia television with respect to the channel search function.

Claims (1)

A method of searching for a broadcast channel in a multimedia television that receives and selectively displays broadcast signals for a plurality of broadcast channels, the method comprising: A first step of selecting some broadcast channels among the plurality of broadcast channels as a preferred channel and storing a search time for each preferred channel; A second step of reading the stored preferred channel and search time information for each preferred channel when a channel search key signal is input during a normal viewing mode for receiving and displaying any broadcast channel among the plurality of broadcast channels; A third step of sequentially tuning each preferred channel by one channel for a time corresponding to a search time of each preferred channel and displaying the same on a partial region of the normal viewing mode screen; And a fourth step of tuning to a normal viewing mode by tuning a broadcast signal of the selected channel when an arbitrary broadcasting channel is selected while the respective preferred channels are sequentially displayed.