KR20000044758A - Method for collecting eit information in digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for collecting EIT(Event Information Table) information in a digital broadcasting receiver is provided to receive EIT information within PSIP(Program and System Information Protocol) information received with a broadcasting signal. CONSTITUTION: A method for collecting EIT information in a digital broadcasting receiver comprises the following steps. A default channel with a predetermined frequency is tuned if a digital broadcasting receiver turns on. EIT information corresponding to the tuned channel is extracted and the extracted EIT information is stored to a memory portion. The broadcasting signal of the tuned channel is output. EIT information corresponding to varied broadcasting channel is extracted if the received broadcasting channel is varied to other broadcasting channel and the extracted EIT information is stored to the memory portion. The varied broadcasting channel is output. The stored EIT information is read from the memory portion and the EIT information is displayed on a screen if a key input signal for displaying program guide of each channel is received. The EIT information is extracted from tuned broadcasting channels if a key input signal for updating the EIT information is received. The extracted EIT information is stored sequentially to the memory portion. The updated EIT information is displayed on the screen.

Description

Receiving EIT Information of Digital Broadcast Receiver

The present invention relates to a digital broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to receive event information table (EIT) information in program and system information protocol (PSIP) information received with a broadcast signal in a digital broadcast receiver that receives a digital terrestrial broadcast signal. It is about how to.

In general, a digital terrestrial broadcasting system compresses and transmits digital video and audio data by using a predetermined compression algorithm, for example, a hybrid encoding algorithm, and restores the video and audio data, which are compressed and transmitted, to the original data to serve a viewer. In the system, the data included in the digital broadcast signal and transmitted include various control data for managing and controlling the operation of the digital broadcast receiver in addition to the compression-encoded video and audio data as described above.

In other words, the digital broadcast signal provided by the digital terrestrial broadcast system largely includes program information and program and system information protocol (PSIP) information. The program information represents, for example, a TV program provided by a broadcaster for the purpose of broadcasting to a subscriber, and includes user information such as video information, audio information, and caption data.

The PSIP information includes a packet ID for demultiplexing video and audio information from a modulation scheme, a carrier frequency, and a packet stream transmitted on a carrier channel, which are required for normal reception of a broadcast program of each channel. Identification) information, program guide information (including program title, start time, brief content, etc.), caption service availability, program grade, current time information, and the like.

Therefore, when a predetermined digital broadcast channel is selected, the digital broadcast receiver is tuned to the corresponding broadcast channel, and then separates the PSIP information from the packet stream and stores the PSIP information in the internal memory, and inverts the video and audio information using the stored PSIP information. Multiplex. In addition, by using the EIT (Event Information Table) information included in the PSIP information, the user performs a service for guiding the start time, the total broadcast time, the title of the TV broadcast program, and the schedule of the TV broadcast program.

Looking at the overall operation of the digital broadcast receiver receiving the digital broadcast signal, when the power of the first digital broadcast receiver is applied by a user's manipulation, the digital broadcast receiver has a physical channel having a default frequency (PC: Physical Channel). ) To receive MGT / VCT (Master Guide Table / Virtual Channel Table) information received from the corresponding physical channel. In this case, the received MGT / VCT information includes IDs for each information table included in the PSIP information, the size of each information table, and a plurality of virtual channels (VCs) included in the current physical channel, and exist within one frequency. Name, channel number, modulation scheme, and ID information of a transport stream corresponding to the channel.

However, even when the MGT / VCT information inserted in the digital broadcast signal is received through the above-described process, the information on the broadcast signal transmitted through the physical channel (PC) having another frequency band is not known.

In detail, in such a digital terrestrial broadcasting system, unlike a general digital satellite broadcasting system or a digital cable broadcasting system, a single network operator (or subscriber management station) collects broadcast signals for a plurality of broadcasting channels, thereby providing information on each channel and information on each channel. Rather than inserting program guide information for each channel into a broadcast signal, each broadcast station inserts and transmits channel information and program guide information broadcast signals for each channel using its own channel.

In other words, in the case of a satellite broadcasting system, if only one repeater is tuned to receive a program association table (PAT), program information for all channels currently being broadcast can be extracted. Even if the MGT information and the VCT information included in the PSIP information are received by tuning to an arbitrary broadcasting station frequency, only program information about a channel transmitted through the tuned frequency is extracted, and any channel and information are transmitted through different carrier frequencies. I can't figure out.

Therefore, in a digital broadcast receiver, a channel map (including all channel information and program information for each channel) for all broadcast channels provided to the digital broadcast receiver only after tuning at least once for all physical channels (PCs). This is made up. Therefore, broadcast program guide information for all channels provided to the digital broadcast receiver, that is, EIT information for each channel, must also be tuned at least once for all physical channels to be composed of complete data to display the program guide information.

Meanwhile, a process of receiving and storing EIT information from broadcast signals of a plurality of physical channels in such a general digital broadcast receiver will be described in detail.

EIT information transmitted through each physical channel is typically transmitted for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 12 hours), which is, in turn, EIT1 (e.g., 3 hours after the current time) for a specific time zone. Program guide information), EIT2 (for example, program guide information from EIT1 up to 3 hours later), EIT3 (for example, program guide information from EIT2 up to 3 hours later), EIT4 (for example, Program guide information from the EIT3 until the next 3 hours).

On the other hand, such EIT information is updated and transmitted periodically (for example, every 3 hours) due to the nature of the information, and as described above in the digital broadcast receiver, the entire broadcast channel must be tuned at least once for all physical channels (PCs). If the user receives and watches only one channel for more than 12 hours corresponding to the entire EIT information, that is, when the EIT information for all the broadcasting channels is received, It is not possible to receive EIT information updated and transmitted at intervals of three hours through the channel, and thus there is a problem that the EIT information stored in the current memory means is already unnecessary information.

In addition, when the user wants to refer to the program guide information for all channels corresponding to the current time, there is a problem of first tuning all channels provided by the digital broadcasting receiver.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above, and the present time is based on the EIT information update request of the user while the EIT information received through a plurality of channels is configured and displayed by the digital broadcasting receiver. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for receiving EIT information of a digital broadcast receiver which can automatically receive EIT information based on a reference.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention receives a digital terrestrial broadcast signal for a plurality of channels received through different frequency bands and displays them through a predetermined signal processing process, and the plurality of broadcast channels by user's work Whenever the selective tuning is performed, the digital broadcasting receiver extracts and stores EIT information included in the broadcast signal of each channel, and displays a program guide screen for each channel based on the stored EIT information for each channel. In the method for receiving information, when the digital broadcast receiver is powered on, tune the default channel having a predetermined frequency, extract the EIT information corresponding to the tuned channel and store it in one region of the memory means; And outputs the broadcast signal of the tuned channel through the predetermined signal processing process. A first step of performing a normal viewing mode; When switching to any other broadcast channel having a different frequency band among the plurality of broadcast channels during the normal viewing mode, the EIT corresponding to the switched broadcast channel is extracted and stored in another area of the memory means, and the switching Performing the normal viewing mode for a broadcast channel which has been broadcast; During the normal viewing mode, when a key signal for displaying a program guide screen for each channel is input, each EIT information stored in each area of the memory means is read, and the respective channels are read based on the read EIT information. A third step of displaying a star program guide screen; When a key signal for updating EIT information for the plurality of broadcast channels is input while the program guide screen for each channel is displayed, the plurality of broadcast channels are automatically tuned in sequence, and each of the tuned broadcast channels is automatically tuned. Extracting EIT information corresponding to each channel from a broadcast signal and sequentially storing the EIT information in the memory means to update EIT information for each channel previously stored in the memory means; And a fifth step of updating and displaying the program guide screen for each channel based on the updated EIT information of each channel.

1 is a block diagram of a digital broadcast receiver suitable for applying an EIT information receiving method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving EIT information of a digital broadcast receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

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

10: key input unit 15: microcomputer

20 tuner and demodulator 25 demultiplexer

30: memory 35: audio decoder

40: Video Decoder 45: Audio DAC

50: Video DAC 55: OSD section

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 digital broadcast receiver suitable for applying an EIT information receiving method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The key input unit 10, the microcomputer 15, the tuner and demodulator 20, and demultiplexing are shown in FIG. A unit 25, a memory unit 30, an audio decoder 35, a video decoder 40, an audio digital analog converter (DAC) 45, a video DAC 50, and an OSD unit 55 are included.

Referring to the figure, the key input unit 10 is composed of key metrics provided on its own panel of a remote controller or a digital broadcasting receiver to generate a corresponding key signal by a user's operation, and the microcomputer 15 generates a key. A control signal corresponding to the key signal applied from the input unit 10 is generated, and various control signals for controlling the operation of each component of the digital broadcasting receiver are generated by a predetermined control routine. .

The tuner and demodulator 20 receives a digital terrestrial broadcast signal received through an antenna (not shown), receives a broadcast signal having a corresponding frequency band based on the tuning control signal of the microcomputer 15, and then retains a VSB (residual signal). Sideband) to output through demodulation process and error correction process. The demultiplexer 25 separates the demodulated broadcast signal output from the tuner and the demodulator 20 into video data, audio data, and various additional data defined by PSIP information.

The audio data separated from the demultiplexer 25 is decoded by the audio decoder 35 and then converted into an analog signal through the audio DAC 45 and output through the speaker (not shown). In addition, the video data separated from the demultiplexer 25 is decoded by the video decoder 40 and then converted into an analog signal through the video DAC 50 and displayed on the screen through a display side (not shown).

Meanwhile, various additional data included in the PSIP information separated from the demultiplexer 25 described above are stored for each data table in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30 through the microcomputer 15, wherein the EIT according to the present invention is used. Information is also stored in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30. The OSD unit 55 configures the EIT information stored in the memory unit 30 as a guide screen in a predetermined form based on the control signal of the microcomputer 15, and outputs the EIT information to the video decoder 40. ) Combines the video signal of the currently tuned broadcast channel with the guide screen provided from the OSD unit 55 to form a single video screen, and the video DAC 50 converts the synthesized digital video signal into an analog video signal. To display on the screen through the display side not shown.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for receiving EIT information of a digital broadcast receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

While the operation of the digital broadcasting receiver configured as shown in FIG. 1 operates in the standby power state (step 201), when the receiver is powered on by the user's key input unit 10 (203), the tuner and the demodulator 20 tunes a preset channel frequency, i.e., a preset default channel, under the control of the microcomputer 15 (step 205), and the demultiplexer 25 extracts PSIP information including EIT information from the tuned broadcast signal. In this case, the microcomputer 15 extracts the PSIP information and the EIT information included in the separated information and stores them in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30 (step 207).

In addition, the broadcast signal of the channel tuned based on the PSIP information extracted in step 207 is separated from the video signal and the audio signal, and after a predetermined signal processing process, is output to the monitor and the speaker (not shown). do.

While the overall operation of the digital broadcasting receiver is operating in the normal viewing mode through the above-described process (step 209), the broadcasting channel currently received through the key input unit 10 has a physical channel (PC) having a different frequency band. When the channel switch key signal for switching to the channel is input (step 211), the microcomputer 15 generates a control signal to the tuner and the demodulator 10 in response to the input channel switch key signal to correspond to the channel switch key signal. The frequency is tuned (step 213). In this case, the channel telephone key signal input in the above-described step 211 means switching to a physical channel (PC) having a different frequency band, rather than switching to a plurality of virtual channels (VC) existing in the same frequency band. do.

Meanwhile, as described above, the demultiplexer 25 separates and outputs PSIP information including a video signal, an audio signal, and EIT information from a broadcast signal of a channel tuned by the tuner and the demodulator 20. The microcomputer 15 stores the EIT information and the PSIP information in another predetermined area of the memory unit 30 again (step 215). Then, the overall operation of the digital broadcast receiver is switched to the normal viewing mode as in step 209 described above.

By repeating each of these processes, the EIT information for each physical channel selected by the user is stored in a predetermined area of the memory unit 30, and the user operates the key input unit 10 to display the program guide screen for each channel. When the program guide screen request key signal for display is input (step 217), the microcomputer 15 responds to the input program guide screen request key signal for each physical channel stored in each area of the memory unit 30. Read the EIT information. Then, the program guide screen for each channel is displayed on the screen through the OSD unit 55 based on the read EIT information (step 219).

Meanwhile, the EIT information stored in the memory unit 30 is updated and transmitted periodically (for example, every 3 hours), and all of the EIT information must be tuned at least once for all physical channels (PCs) as described above in the digital broadcasting receiver. Since the EIT information for the broadcast channel can be received, if the user has tuned all physical channels provided by the digital broadcast receiver at least once before inputting the above-described guide screen key signal, step 219 described above. The program guide screen displayed at will include program information for all channels, and if not, it will consist of only the program information for the channel tuned by the user and not the program information for the entire channel.

In addition, if the occurrence time of the program guide screen request key signal input in the above-described step 217 occurs three hours later (EIT information update period) at the time when the EIT information for each channel is received, the memory unit 30 returns to the memory unit 30. Since the stored EIT information is not updated EIT information, the program guide screen for each channel displayed in step 219 will be the program guide screen for each channel of the past time zone.

On the other hand, while the program guide screen for each channel is displayed through the above-described step 219, the program guide screen displayed on the current screen is a program guide screen of a past time zone or a program guide screen including only some channels, or the If the user inputs a key signal for updating the EIT information, that is, a key signal for updating the program guide screen information for each channel through the key input unit 10 (step 221), the microcomputer 15 causes In response to the input key signal, the tuner and the demodulator 20 generate a tuning control signal for sequentially tuning all physical channels provided to the digital broadcast receiver, that is, all channels having respective frequency bands.

Accordingly, the tuner and the demodulator 20 sequentially tune each physical channel (step 223), and the microcomputer 15 extracts EIT information extracted from the broadcast signal of the tuned channel and provided from the demultiplexer 25. By sequentially storing in the memory unit 30, the EIT information is updated (step 225).

When the tuning process for all the physical channels provided to the digital broadcast receiver is ended through the above-described process, and the EIT information for all the broadcast channels is stored and updated accordingly (step 227), the microcomputer 30 stores the memory unit. The EIT information for each channel stored at 30 is read and the program guide screen for each channel updated through the OSD unit 55 is displayed (step 229).

As described above, according to the present invention, when the user of the digital broadcasting receiver wants to update program guide information for all channels corresponding to the current time, the EIT information is not tuned by manual operation without tuning all channels of the digital broadcasting receiver. By only updating the EIT information received through each channel by inputting only the update signal, there is an effect that can provide convenience according to the user's key operation, thereby improving the overall function of the digital broadcast receiver. It has an effect.

Claims (1)

Receives and displays digital terrestrial broadcast signals for a plurality of channels received through different frequency bands through predetermined signal processing, and whenever the plurality of broadcast channels are selectively tuned by a user's operation, the respective channels Extracting and storing event information table (EIT) information included in a broadcast signal of a channel and receiving the EIT information in a digital broadcast receiver displaying a program guide screen for each channel based on the stored EIT information for each channel To When the digital broadcast receiver is turned on, the default channel having a preset frequency is tuned, the EIT information corresponding to the tuned channel is extracted, stored in one region of the memory means, and the broadcast signal of the tuned channel. A first step of performing a normal viewing mode for outputting through the predetermined signal processing process; When switching to any other broadcast channel having a different frequency band among the plurality of broadcast channels during the normal viewing mode, the EIT corresponding to the switched broadcast channel is extracted and stored in another area of the memory means, and the switching Performing the normal viewing mode for a broadcast channel which has been broadcast; During the normal viewing mode, when a key signal for displaying a program guide screen for each channel is input, each EIT information stored in each area of the memory means is read, and the respective channels are read based on the read EIT information. A third step of displaying a star program guide screen; When a key signal for updating EIT information for the plurality of broadcast channels is input while the program guide screen for each channel is displayed, the plurality of broadcast channels are automatically tuned in sequence, and each of the tuned broadcast channels is automatically tuned. Extracting EIT information corresponding to each channel from a broadcast signal and sequentially storing the EIT information in the memory means to update EIT information for each channel previously stored in the memory means; And updating and displaying the program guide screen for each channel based on the updated EIT information of each channel.