KR20040064015A - A image display device having improved pvr function and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An image display device having an improved PVR(Personal Video Recorder) function and a method therefor are provided to automatically recognize and record a corresponding broadcasting program without selecting a separate function such as reservation record when a user sets a specific time and a specific program through a turning-on time function. CONSTITUTION: A CPU(18) controls the operation of each composition element in response to a command signal inputted from the outside. An EEPROM(Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM)(12) receives turning-on information and broadcasting channel information of an image display device through the CPU(18), and stores turning-on information and broadcasting channel information. An HDD(16) records a broadcasting program corresponding to turning-on information and broadcasting channel information of the image display device in response to a certain control signal transmitted from the CPU(18). The CPU(18) displays the broadcasting program stored in the EEPROM(12) and records the corresponding broadcasting program in the HDD(16).

Description

Image display device having improved PVR function and method thereof {A IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED PVR FUNCTION AND METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a video display device having a PVR function, and more particularly, to a video display device having a PVR function for automatically recording and playing a corresponding broadcast program without a user's special operation when setting the on time function of the video display device. A display device and a method thereof.

Personal Video Recorder (PVR) is a personal video recording and playback device that can store TV programs using a device similar to a hard disk (HDD) of a computer, and can record many programs at the same time. In other words, PVR has developed along with digital technology, and it is possible to record several programs at the same time by using the function of computer hard disk, so that viewers can watch programs according to their needs without being bound by the schedule of broadcasting stations. It is evaluated as a technology that greatly enhances this.

In particular, the PVR is equipped with a mass storage device such as a hard disk, so that unlike a conventional analog VCR (Video Cassette Recorder), there is no need for a separate recording storage medium such as a video tape or a CD.

Recently, digital TVs incorporating such PVR functions have been released. Accordingly, the viewer can record a broadcast program while watching high quality digital video, and can also play back the recorded broadcast.

On the other hand, in the conventional digital TV with a built-in PVR function, when a viewer inputs and sets information on a specific channel at a specific time, the digital TV turns on the TV at a specific time. This function is called 'on time function'.

However, the conventional on time function is to display a broadcast program of a specific channel at a specific time set, and does not include a separate recording function. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the viewer cannot watch a desired program when the viewer is not watching the TV for a predetermined period of time or when a TV malfunction occurs.

Therefore, when the user sets the on time function, there is a demand for technical means for automatically recognizing and recording a program of a corresponding time even without a separate operation of the user.

In order to solve the above-described problem, when the user sets a specific time and a specific program through the on time function, the broadcast program may be automatically recognized and recorded even if a separate function such as a scheduled recording is not selected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a video display device having a function capable of and a method thereof.

Other objects and advantages other than the above objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a digital TV having a PVR function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation algorithm in setting an on time function in a digital TV having a PVR function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the main parts of the drawing

10: Micom 12: EEPROM

14: A / V signal processing unit 16: HDD

18: CPU 100: Digital TV

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a video display device having a recording and playback function includes a control unit for controlling the operation of each component in response to a command signal input from an external device, and an on time of the video display device input from an external device. And a memory unit configured to receive and store broadcast channel information through the control unit, and to record a broadcast program corresponding to an on time and broadcast channel information of the video display device in response to a predetermined control signal transmitted from the control unit. Means for displaying a broadcast program corresponding to an on time and broadcast channel information of the video display device stored in the memory unit, and recording the corresponding program on the recording unit.

In addition, the operation method of setting the on time function of the video display device having a recording and playback function according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of receiving information on the on time and the broadcast channel of the video display device from the outside; Storing the input information on the on time and the broadcast channel of the video display device; when the on time is reached, moving to the broadcast channel to display the corresponding program; and recording the displayed program. It is provided.

When the user sets the ON time function in the video display device according to the present invention, the video display device not only displays the program of the corresponding channel at the set ON time but also automatically records the program. As a result, the user may not watch TV at the time of turning on, or may play and watch the program when he / she wants to repeatedly watch the program.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a digital TV 100 having a PVR function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the digital TV 100 includes a microcomputer 10 that receives a command signal from an operation panel provided in the TV or a remote controller (not shown) disposed outside and processes the command signal, and a control signal output from the microcomputer. In response to the EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) 12, which stores predetermined data, and A / V signals for converting and processing A / V (Audio / Video) data transmitted from broadcasting stations into data suitable for digital TV. The processor 14 includes an HDD 16 that receives the A / V data and stores the A / V data in real time when recording a broadcast program, and a CPU 18 that controls operations of the components.

Here, the microcomputer 12 is a control device for processing 8-bit or 16-bit data, and mainly processes a command signal (for example, a command signal for turning on / off the power supply of the TV power source, etc.) transmitted from the user to the TV. do. On the other hand, the CPU 18 is a control device that processes 32-bit data and controls the operation of each component of the digital TV.

In addition, the EEPROM 12 stores the specific time and specific channel information that the user wants to watch through the microcomputer 10, and also stores EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information. The EPG is a program list transmitted from broadcasting stations as a service provided in digital broadcasting. The program list includes a category of each program (eg, entertainment, sports, news, etc.), a start time, a broadcast time, information on a broadcast station, and the like.

Hereinafter, the operation of the digital TV 100 having the PVR function according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described in more detail. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation algorithm when setting on-time function of a digital TV according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a signal for setting the on-time function from the outside is input (step 10). In other words, the TV's turn-on time and channel information desired to be viewed are input from the user. At this time, the microcomputer 10 receives the set ON time and channel information and stores it in the EEPROM 12. Next, the CPU 18 determines whether the set on time has been reached (step 12). When the on time has come (YES in step 12), the CPU 18 determines whether the TV is on (step 14). When the TV is turned on, the CPU 18 reads the on time and channel information from the EEPROM 12, moves to the corresponding channel set and displays the broadcast program (step 16). If the TV is not turned on, the TV is turned on via the microcomputer 10 (step 18), and then the CPU 18 moves to the set channel to display the corresponding broadcast program (step 16). . Next, the CPU 18 stores the broadcast program displayed by using the PVR function on the HDD (step 20). Next, when a channel switching command signal from the outside is input to the microcomputer 10 (step 22), the CPU 18 outputs an OSD (On Screen Display) asking whether to continue storing the currently displayed program. (Step 24). When a command signal is inputted to continue the storage of the program currently being displayed (YES in step 24), the CPU 18 switches channels, while referring to the EPG information stored in the EEPROM 12, the current program. The storage continues until the end of (step 26). On the other hand, when a command signal to stop storing of a program is input (NO in step 24), the CPU 18 switches the channel after deleting the previously stored program (step 28). This terminates the operation of the on-time function.

On the other hand, in step 22, when the channel switching command signal is not input, the CPU 18 refers to the EPG information stored in the EEPROM 12 and continues storing until the end of the current program (step 30). This terminates the operation of the on-time function.

According to the present invention, when the user sets the ON time function in a digital TV equipped with the PVR function, the program of the corresponding channel is displayed as well as the program of the corresponding channel when the ON time is set even though there is no other function setting. It will be saved to HDD automatically. That is, the scheduled recording function is performed only by setting the on time function.

Therefore, when the user cannot watch TV at a preset on time, or wants to repeatedly watch the set program, the user can play and watch the program automatically stored in the HDD.

In the above, the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified within the scope of the appended claims and should not be considered as being limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

Claims (5)

In the video display device having a recording and playback function, A controller for controlling the operation of each component in response to a command signal input from the outside; A memory unit configured to receive and store on time and broadcast channel information of the video display device input from the outside through the controller; And recording means for recording a broadcast program corresponding to an on time and broadcast channel information of the video display device in response to a predetermined control signal transmitted from the controller, The control unit displays a broadcast program corresponding to the on time and broadcast channel information of the video display device stored in the memory unit and simultaneously records the corresponding program to the recording unit. Video display equipment. The method of claim 1, The memory unit is a nonvolatile memory, And an electronic program guide (EPG) information stored in the memory unit. In the operation method of setting the on time function of the video display device having a recording and playback function, (a) receiving information about an on time and a broadcast channel of the video display device from an external source; (b) storing the information on the time of on and broadcasting channel of the video display device; (c) moving to the broadcast channel and displaying a corresponding program when the on time comes; (d) recording the displayed program Method of operating the on time function of the video display device, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 3, (e) receiving a channel switching command signal from the outside; (f) outputting an OSD asking whether to continue recording of the currently displayed program; (g) moving to a channel corresponding to the channel switching command signal while continuing to record the program, when a signal is input to continue recording of the program currently being displayed. Operation method of the on time function of the video display device further comprising a. The method of claim 3, The step (d) of the operation of the on-time function of the video display device, characterized in that recording by the end of the current program with reference to the EPG information.