KR20010083342A - Apparatus and method for channel-management of a set-top box - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and method for managing channels in a set top box are provided to store broadcasting channel information received from analog and digital broadcasting satellites in a look-up table and select a desired channel. CONSTITUTION: A channel controller(400) includes a channel memory(410). The channel controller(400) stores broadcasting channel information received from analog and digital broadcasting satellites in a channel memory(410) and outputs a channel change signal according to a channel change request of a viewer. A switching controller selectively drives a digital signal processor or an analog processor based on the stored broadcasting channel information. A multi switch(600) selects one of the digital signal processor and the analog processor according to a control of the switching controller and outputs a video satellite signal and an audio satellite signal.

Description

Apparatus and method for managing a channel of a set top box {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CHANNEL-MANAGEMENT OF A SET-TOP BOX}

The present invention relates to a channel management apparatus and method for a set-top box, and more particularly, to a channel management apparatus for selecting a channel by storing channel information on a broadcast provided from an analog broadcast satellite and a digital broadcast satellite, respectively, in a look-up table; It is about how to do this.

In general, satellite broadcasts are classified into analog satellite broadcasts and digital satellite broadcasts according to the type of transmission and reception signals. Accordingly, a set-top box for processing a satellite broadcast signal and controlling the direction of an antenna is also analog and digital. In different ways.

The reception method of the analog satellite broadcasting and the digital satellite broadcasting is different from each other, and the method is as follows.

In the analog set-top box, a viewer of an analog satellite broadcaster changes the transpond information of the satellite, views an image on a TV screen, determines whether the satellite broadcaster is desired, inputs transpond information of the selected satellite broadcaster, and By repeating one operation, transpond information of a satellite transmitting a satellite broadcast desired to be watched is stored in the set-top box.

As such, the most basic function of the set-top box is reception of a broadcast program and a display function on a screen, which can be implemented through processing in various modules.

Functions that the set-top box should have in order to implement such a function will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

1 is a view for explaining a general set-top box for receiving digital satellite broadcast.

As shown in FIG. 1, a set-top box for receiving digital satellite broadcasting processes a signal received from a broadcasting satellite to detect an I / Q signal, and QPSK demodulation and forward error correction for each I / Q signal. ) A decoded channel unit 10, a demultiplexer 20 for parsing and filtering a transport stream input from the channel unit 10, and restoring demultiplexed audio and video data. A decoder unit 30 for controlling the entire system and an output unit 40 including an audio DAC 42 and a PAL / NTSC video encoder 44 for reproducing the restored audio and video data as analog signals. CPU 50 is included.

The set-top box for receiving digital satellite broadcast has been described above, but the description of the set-top box for receiving analog satellite broadcast is omitted.

2A is a diagram for explaining conventional digital channel management, and FIG. 2B is a diagram for explaining conventional analog channel management.

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2B, the viewer displays only digital channels on the screen in OSD form to manage digital channels, and only analog channels on screen to manage analog channels. Display separately.

In the case of managing channels by receiving broadcast signals provided from a plurality of satellites, that is, a plurality of digital broadcast satellites and a plurality of analog broadcast satellites, the viewer should know whether the broadcast channel to be selected is a digital broadcasting channel or an analog broadcasting channel. There is a problem.

In addition, even if the viewer is familiar with the broadcast channel that he / she wants to watch, there is a problem in that the digital or analog broadcast mode is selected and the channel is selected again after the broadcast mode is selected.

The technical problem of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a channel management apparatus of a set-top box for facilitating the management of analog satellite broadcasting channels and digital satellite broadcasting channels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a channel management method using the channel management apparatus of the set-top box.

1 is a view for explaining a general set-top box for receiving digital satellite broadcast.

2A is a diagram for explaining conventional digital channel management.

2B is a diagram for explaining conventional analog channel management.

3 is a block diagram of a channel management apparatus of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel management method of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5A is a diagram for explaining an example of channel management according to the present invention.

5B illustrates another example of channel management according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100 tuner control unit 200 digital processing unit

210, 310: RF tuner 220, 320: video processing unit

230, 330: audio processing unit 300: analog processing unit

400: channel manager 410: channel memory

500: switching control unit 600: multi switch

610, 620: changeover switch

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a channel management apparatus of a set-top box, which includes a digital processor for separating and outputting a video signal and an audio signal from a broadcast signal provided from a digital broadcast satellite, and an analog broadcast satellite. In the set-top box including an analog processor for outputting video and audio signals from the broadcast signal,

A channel manager including a channel memory to store broadcast channel information of the analog and digital satellites in the channel memory according to a channel selection operation of the viewer, and output a corresponding channel change signal according to a channel change request of the viewer;

A switching controller for alternatively driving the digital processor and the analog processor based on the stored broadcast channel information; And

And a multi-switch for selecting one of the digital processing unit and the analog processing unit to output a video satellite broadcast signal and an audio satellite broadcast signal under the control of the switching controller.

In addition, the channel management method of the set-top box according to one feature for realizing another object of the present invention includes a digital processing unit for separating and outputting video and audio signals from a broadcast signal provided from at least one digital broadcast satellite, In the channel management method of the set-top box comprising an analog processing unit for separating and outputting video and audio signals from a broadcast signal provided from at least one analog broadcast satellite,

(Iii) storing analog and digital channel information in accordance with the channel selection operation of the viewer;

(Ii) checking whether a channel change request is made from the viewer; And

(Iii) when the channel change request is made by the viewer in step (ii), when the change requested channel is analog, the analog processor is driven to switch to the corresponding channel, and when the change requested channel is digital Driving the digital processing unit to switch to a corresponding channel.

According to the channel management apparatus and method of the set-top box, the channel can be changed smoothly even if the viewer does not know the analog satellite broadcasting channel and the digital satellite broadcasting channel separately.

In addition, the channel can be easily changed without changing the mode from the analog broadcast channel to the digital broadcast channel or vice versa.

Then, embodiments will be described so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of a channel management apparatus of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the channel management apparatus of the set-top box according to the present invention includes a tuner controller 100, a digital processor 200, an analog processor 300, a channel manager 400, a switching controller 500, and a multi controller. Switch 600.

The tuner controller 100 selects and drives any one of the digital processor 200 and the analog processor 300 according to the input drive control signal CTL.

The digital processing unit 200 includes a digital RF tuner 210, a first video processing unit 220, and a first audio processing unit 230, and performs digital broadcasting according to a driving control signal CTL provided from the tuner control unit 100. Separates and outputs video and audio signals from satellite broadcast signals.

In addition, the analog processor 300 includes an analog RF tuner 310, a second video processor 320, and a second audio processor 330, and according to the driving control signal CTL provided from the tuner controller 100. Outputs video and audio signals from the broadcast signal of a broadcast satellite.

In the above description, the video processing unit and the audio processing unit have been separately described, but the video signal and the audio signal may be processed separately without being separated, and then the video signal and the audio signal may be separated at the output side.

The channel manager 400 includes a channel memory 410 that stores broadcasting channel information of each of an analog satellite and a digital satellite according to a viewer's key operation. The channel manager 400 stores channel information stored in the channel memory 410 according to a viewer's key operation. Read and display, and outputs the channel change signal 401 to the switching controller 500 when a channel change request is received from the viewer.

In this case, the broadcast channel information stored in the channel memory 410 is stored by mixing the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel, or by separating the memory into two blocks and separating the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel into each separated memory block. Stored.

The switching controller 500 outputs the driving control signal CTL to the tuner controller 100, the digital processor 200, and the analog processor 300 based on the channel change signal 401 provided from the channel manager 400. The driving of each processing unit is alternative, and the first and second switching signals 501 and 502 are output to the multi switch 600.

The multi-switch 600 may be any one of a video and audio signal output from the digital processor 200 or the analog processor 300 according to the first and second switching signals 501 and 502 provided from the switching controller 500. Select to output a video satellite broadcast signal V and an audio satellite broadcast signal A. FIG.

Hereinafter, the operation of the channel management apparatus of the set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel management method of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 to 4, first, the analog channel information and the digital channel information are stored in the channel memory 410 of the channel manager 400 (step S10). In this case, each channel information to be stored is mixed and stored sequentially or separately stored in an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel.

Then, it is checked whether there is a request for displaying channel information (step S20), and if there is a request for displaying channel information, analog and digital channel information stored in the channel memory 410 is displayed on the screen (step S30). In this case, the displayed channel information is in the form of an OSD (On Screen Display) that is overlapped with a general broadcast viewing screen.

Then, it is checked whether or not there is a change request of the broadcast viewing channel from the viewer (step S40). If there is no channel change, it is checked whether a predetermined time has elapsed (step S50).

If a predetermined time has elapsed in step S50, the channel information displayed in the OSD form is erased on the screen (step S55).

If there is a change in the broadcast viewing channel in step S40, it is checked whether it is an analog channel (step S60), and in the case of an analog channel, a drive control signal CTL is provided to the tuner controller 100, and the analog processor 300 After driving each module by providing a drive control signal (CTL) to the analog RF tuner 310, the second video processor 320 and the second audio processor 330 (step S70), it switches to the corresponding channel. (Step S75).

In addition, in step S60, when the drive is not an analog channel, the drive control signal CTL is provided to the tuner controller 100, and the digital RF tuner 210, the first video processor 220, and the first audio of the digital processor 200 are provided. The driving control signal CTL is provided to the processing unit 230 to drive each module (step S80), and then switching to the corresponding channel (step S85).

5A is a diagram for explaining an example of channel management according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are mixed and stored in one channel memory, and the mixed broadcast channel information is sequentially output and displayed according to the display request of the viewer.

5B illustrates another example of channel management according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5B, one channel memory is divided into two memory blocks, one block of the divided memory blocks are sequentially stored in the digital broadcast channel, and the other block of the divided blocks is sequentially stored in the analog broadcast channel. To store and output broadcast channel information stored in each memory block according to a display request of a viewer.

Although the above has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be able to variously modify and change the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. It will be appreciated.

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the viewer does not know the analog satellite broadcast channel and the digital satellite broadcast channel separately, the information of the viewable satellite broadcast channel is displayed on the screen in OSD form, and the change of the displayed channel information is If there is, the channel can be changed smoothly by selecting the channel.

In addition, when the satellite broadcast channel to be viewed is changed, the channel can be smoothly changed without changing the mode from the analog broadcast channel to the digital broadcast channel or vice versa.

Claims (8)

A set top box comprising a digital processor for separating and outputting video and audio signals from a broadcast signal provided from a digital broadcast satellite, and an analog processor for outputting video and audio signals from a broadcast signal provided from an analog broadcast satellite. A channel manager including a channel memory to store broadcast channel information of the analog and digital satellites in the channel memory according to a channel selection operation of the viewer, and output a corresponding channel change signal according to a channel change request of the viewer; A switching controller for alternatively driving the digital processor and the analog processor based on the stored broadcast channel information; And And a multi-switch for selecting one of the digital processing unit and the analog processing unit to output a video satellite broadcast signal and an audio satellite broadcast signal under the control of the switching controller. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel manager, The channel management apparatus of the set-top box, characterized in that for displaying the channel information of the stored satellite broadcasting on the screen according to the viewer's operation. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel manager, And at least one analog broadcast channel and at least one digital broadcast channel are mixed in the channel memory and sequentially stored in the channel memory. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel manager, At least one analog broadcast channel or digital broadcast channel is sequentially stored in one divided memory block by dividing the channel memory into two memory blocks, and at least one digital or analog broadcast channel is sequentially stored in another divided memory block. Channel management apparatus of the set-top box, characterized in that for storing. A set-top includes a digital processor for separately outputting video and audio signals from broadcast signals provided from at least one digital broadcast satellite, and an analog processor for separately outputting video and audio signals from broadcast signals provided from at least one analog broadcast satellite. In the channel management method of the box, (Iii) storing analog and digital channel information in accordance with the channel selection operation of the viewer; (Ii) checking whether a channel change request is made from the viewer; And (Iii) when the channel change request is made by the viewer in step (ii), when the change requested channel is analog, the analog processor is driven to switch to the corresponding channel, and when the change requested channel is digital And driving the digital processing unit to switch to a corresponding channel. The method of claim 5, wherein the storing of the channel information of the step (iii), And at least one analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel are mixed and sequentially stored. The method of claim 5, wherein the storing of the channel information of the step (iii), And at least one analog broadcast channel and at least one digital broadcast channel are stored separately for each type of broadcast channel. The method of claim 5, wherein step (ii) comprises: And checking whether there is a request for displaying channel information, and displaying the stored channel information when there is a display request.