KR20040008328A - Auto channel changing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An automatic channel changing method and apparatus are provided to automatically change a channel without altering channel information recorded in a broadcasting receiver. CONSTITUTION: It is checked whether or not a field strength of a broadcasting signal received through a currently tuned channel is weaker than a predetermined reference value(202). When the field strength of the currently tuned broadcasting signal is weaker than the predetermined reference value, a channel corresponding to the currently tuned broadcasting signal is detected. One of the detected channel and the previously tuned channel is selected and the broadcasting signal output through the selected channel is tuned.

Description

Automatic channel switching method and device {AUTO CHANNEL CHANGING METHOD AND APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for automatically switching channels according to local movement.

In general, broadcasting stations transmit broadcast signals through different channels for different regions due to limitations in transmission power. Accordingly, when moving to another region, reception of the corresponding broadcast signal is stopped, and it is cumbersome for the user to directly find a channel for transmitting the corresponding broadcast signal.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a method of tracking a current location using GPS and switching to a preset channel corresponding to the tracked location has been proposed.

However, in order to automatically switch channels according to the conventional method described above, an expensive GPS terminal must be provided, and if a channel for transmitting a broadcast signal is changed in one region, channel information of all broadcast receivers must be reset according to the change. did.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is not only low cost, but also can automatically switch the channel as it moves to another region without changing the channel information recorded in the broadcast receiver according to the channel change in one region. A channel switching method and apparatus are provided.

1 is a block diagram of a television receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart of an automatic channel switching method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: CPU102: automatic channel setting unit

104: first tuner 106: broadcast signal processing unit

108: broadcast signal output unit 110: first field strength detection unit

112: second tuner 114: second field strength detection unit

116: second broadcast information extraction unit 118: first broadcast information extraction unit

The automatic channel switching method of the present invention for achieving the above object is a first step of checking whether the electric field strength of the broadcast signal received through the channel currently tuned is weaker than a predetermined reference value, and the currently tuned broadcast signal If the electric field strength of the device is weaker than a predetermined reference value, the second step of extracting a channel corresponding to the broadcasting signal currently tuned, selecting one of the extracted channel and the tuned channel and outputting the selected channel And a third step of tuning and outputting the broadcast signal.

The present invention receives and outputs a broadcast signal using one of two tuners, and detects another channel that transmits the corresponding broadcast signal through another tuner, and switches to the detected channel to broadcast even when moving between regions. Enable to continue receiving the signal.

Although the present invention is applicable to a portable or mobile broadcast receiver, the following describes an example applied to a television receiver in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows a block diagram of a television receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the television receiver performs automatic channel switching according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and simultaneously controls the television receiver as a whole. Under the control of the CPU 100, the automatic channel setting unit 102 for detecting an effective channel while changing the channel of the second tuner 112 under the control of the CPU 100, and the control of the CPU 100. A first tuner 104 for tuning a specific channel among the received broadcast signals and outputting a broadcast signal transmitted through the channel, and a broadcast signal processor for processing and outputting a broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 ( 106 and the first signal strength detecting unit 110 and the first field strength detecting unit 110 for detecting the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 and providing it to the CPU 100. Room output from tuner 104 A first broadcast information extracting unit 118 for extracting broadcast information carried in a transmission call and providing it to the CPU 100, and a second tuner 112 for tuning while changing a channel under control of the automatic channel setting unit 102; And a second field strength detector 114 for detecting the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the second tuner 112 and providing it to the CPU 100, and a broadcast signal output from the second tuner 112. And a second broadcast information extraction unit 116 for extracting the broadcast information contained in the. The broadcast information may be KBPS used in analog television broadcasting or PSIP used in digital television broadcasting, and the automatic channel setting unit 102 may include at least a second tuner at a time interval from which broadcast information may be extracted. 112, change the tuning channel.

An automatic channel switching method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention applicable to the above-described television receiver will be described with reference to FIG.

The CPU 100 of the television receiver controls the first field strength detection unit 110 to detect the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 every predetermined time (step 200). When the first field strength detection unit 110 detects and provides an electric field strength of a broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104, the CPU 100 detects the electric field strength detected by the first field strength detection unit 110. It is checked whether it is weaker than a predetermined reference value (step 202). The CPU 100 determines that movement between regions occurs when the detected electric field strength is lower than a predetermined reference value, and controls the automatic channel setting unit 102 to search for an effective channel through the second tuner 112. Under the control of the CPU 100, the automatic channel setting unit 102 varies the tuning channel of the second tuner 112 every predetermined time, detects an effective channel, and provides the effective channel to the CPU 100. 116 extracts the broadcast information contained in the broadcast signal transmitted through the detected effective channel and provides it to the CPU 100. The CPU 100 receives the effective channel and broadcast information transmitted through the effective channel, configures the broadcast information for each effective channel, and stores the broadcast information in the memory, not shown. For example, the CPU 100 constructs and stores information indicating that KBS1 broadcast is transmitted through 9 channels and MBC broadcast is transmitted through 11 channels (step 204).

The CPU 206 checks whether there is a broadcast identical to the broadcast transmitted through the channel tuned by the first tuner 104 among the broadcasts transmitted through the effective channel (step 206). Here, the CPU 206 receives the broadcasting information of the broadcast transmitted through the channel tuned by the first tuner 104 from the first broadcasting information extracting unit 118 and stores it in advance.

If there is a broadcast identical to the broadcast transmitted through the channel tuned by the first tuner 104 among the broadcasts transmitted through the effective channel, the CPU 206 transmits through the channel tuned by the first tuner 104. The second tuner 112 is controlled to tune a channel for transmitting the same broadcast as the broadcast (step 208). Thereafter, the CPU 206 controls the first field strength detection unit 110 and the second field strength detection unit 114 to control the broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 and the broadcast signal output from the second tuner 112. Detects the electric field strength (step 210)

Thereafter, the CPU 100 checks whether the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 is weaker than the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the second tuner 112 (step 212). When the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the first tuner 104 is weaker than the electric field strength of the broadcast signal output from the second tuner 112, the CPU 100 tunes to the channel tuned by the second tuner 112. The first tuner 104 is controlled such that the first tuner 104 tunes a channel transmitting the corresponding broadcast in the moved region.

As described above, the present invention receives and outputs a broadcast signal using one of two tuners, and detects another channel that transmits the corresponding broadcast signal through another tuner, and switches to the detected channel. Even if it moves to, there is an advantage in that it is possible to continuously receive the broadcast signal being received.

In addition, the present invention can reduce the cost by using two tuners, by automatically detecting the broadcast transmitted to the effective channel using the broadcast information contained in the broadcast signal, the information recorded in the broadcast receiver in accordance with the channel change There is an advantage that can be eliminated the hassle of updating.

Claims (4)

In the automatic channel switching method of a mobile or portable broadcast receiver, A first step of checking whether an electric field strength of a broadcast signal received through a channel currently being tuned is weaker than a predetermined reference value; A second step of extracting a channel corresponding to the currently tuned broadcast signal if the electric field strength of the currently tuned broadcast signal is weaker than a predetermined reference value; And a third step of selecting one of the extracted channel and the tuned channel and tuning and outputting a broadcast signal output through the selected channel. The method of claim 1, wherein the second step, Detecting valid channels; Extracting broadcast information from the broadcast signal transmitted through the detected effective channels; Checking whether there is broadcast information corresponding to broadcast information previously extracted from the tuned channel among the extracted broadcast information; Selecting and tuning an effective channel having broadcast information corresponding to the tuned channel; Detecting electric field strengths of the broadcast signal received through the tuned channel and the broadcast signal received through the selected effective channel, respectively; And when the electric field strength of the broadcast signal received through the selected effective channel is stronger than the electric field strength of the broadcast signal received through the tuned channel, tuning to output a broadcast signal received through the selected effective channel. Automatic channel switching method characterized in that. In the automatic channel switching device of a mobile or portable broadcast receiver, A first tuner and a second tuner tuned to each one of the plurality of channels and received through the corresponding channel; A first field strength detector for detecting an electric field strength of the broadcast signal output by the first tuner; A first broadcast information extraction unit for extracting broadcast information from the broadcast signal output by the first tuner; A second field strength detector for detecting an electric field strength of the broadcast signal output by the second tuner; A second broadcast information extraction unit for extracting broadcast information from the broadcast signal output by the second tuner; An automatic channel setting unit for detecting effective channels while changing the tuning channel of the second tuner; When the electric field strength output by the first electric field strength detector is weaker than a predetermined reference value, the tuning channel of the second tuner is converted into an effective channel corresponding to the tuning channel of the first tuner, and the first and second electric field strengths are changed. And a control unit for comparing the output of the detection unit and switching the channel of the first tuner to the tuning channel of the first tuner or the second tuner according to the comparison result. The method of claim 3, wherein the control unit, When the electric field strength output by the first electric field strength detection unit is weaker than a predetermined reference value, the automatic channel setting unit and the second broadcast information extracting unit are controlled to extract broadcast information on respective effective channels, and the extracted broadcast information. If there is broadcast information corresponding to the broadcast information extracted by the first broadcast information extracting unit, after controlling the second tuner to tune an effective channel corresponding to the broadcast information, the first and second electric field strength detection units And comparing the output of the first field strength detection unit and the output of the second field strength detection unit is weaker than the output of the second field strength detection unit, wherein the first tuner controls the first tuner to tune the channel tuned by the second tuner. Switching device.