KR20040078194A - data broadcasting detecting device and the operating method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A data broadcasting application searching apparatus and a method for operating the apparatus are provided to allow a user to search and select a data broadcasting application while watching the data broadcasting application. CONSTITUTION: The data broadcasting application searching apparatus includes a broadcasting receiver(110), a stream processor(120), a memory(130), a user command input unit(140), and a controller(160). The broadcasting receiver receives broadcasting streams including data broadcasting programs and data broadcasting information. The stream processor processes the broadcasting streams. The memory stores the data broadcasting programs and data broadcasting information. The user command input unit receives a command signal input by a user. The controller controls the broadcasting receiver, the stream processor, the memory and the user command input unit and searches a data broadcasting program according to the command signal.

Description

Data broadcasting detecting device and the operating method

The present invention relates to a data broadcasting search apparatus and a method of operating the same, which enables a digital broadcasting receiver to efficiently search for and view a data broadcasting application.

Recently, the modern society is facing the information age due to the remarkable development of the information communication field and the electronic and internet due to the digital revolution, and the spread of information using the wired / wireless media in the conventional spread of information by simple contact. It is also possible to receive the information necessary for themselves in real time.

In recent years, the digitization of television broadcasting which is basically provided in each household is rapidly progressing, and digital television has become a huge and efficient information storage medium and a medium for providing information.

In general, digital television refers to a general term for television broadcasting transmitted digitally. In the United States, we decided to adopt digital for the next generation of televisions called ATV (Advanced television). In Europe, many projects such as HD DIVINE such as Swedish broadcasting, SPECTRE of the UK and DIAMOND of French broadcasting are in progress. Research is being actively conducted in each country in the next generation television system linked with ISDN or computer network.

Meanwhile, a stream transmitted in digital broadcasting may transmit data information together with a video / audio signal. Here, the data information transmitted along with the video / audio signal is based on markup data such as HTML of ATVEF (Advanced Television Enhancement Forum), XDML of Digital TV Application Software Environment (DASE), and Xlet of DASE. Java-based data information.

In preparation for the digital broadcasting, many companies are developing digital televisions and set-top boxes capable of receiving digital broadcasting and data broadcasting, and are expected to receive the most attention when the use of digital television becomes common. This field is related to data broadcasting.

Currently, the specification of the reception method for data broadcasting is defined all over the world, and it is continuously improving / developing.

In the digital broadcasting, various additional information is provided to the user by using data broadcasting technology as well as high-definition and high-quality AV (audio / video) broadcasting.

Conventional analog broadcasting can only carry one video in one radio wave, and audio has to be transmitted in another radio wave. However, the above-mentioned digital broadcasting has a quality in addition to the advantage that a plurality of video or audio can be loaded in one radio wave. It is a next-generation broadcasting technology that can operate, reproduce, and accumulate information without compromising information.

As such, when several data broadcasting applications are included and transmitted in one broadcast stream, only one application is executed by the user's selection.

Currently, as a method for searching for and executing the data broadcasting application, an EPG (electronic programming guide) is used to sequentially provide not only the title of the data broadcasting application but also all text information related to the application.

In this case, users have difficulty in finding the desired application because the user only looks at the information of the provided application and guesses which application.

In other words, only the title is selected from the list in order to find the desired application, and if it is not the desired application, the process is repeatedly performed to return to the list to select the desired application, so that the same process is repeatedly executed to find the desired application. The problem occurs that goes through.

In addition, since the data broadcasting application provided by each broadcasting channel must be checked for each channel, in the case of an application existing in another channel, the application must be executed after changing the channel.

Therefore, even when reconfirming the data broadcasting application of the previous channel, it is inconvenient to execute again after switching to the previous channel.

The present invention provides a data broadcasting search apparatus and a method for operating the data broadcasting application in a digital broadcasting receiver, wherein the user can browse, select, and browse the execution screen of the data broadcasting application with a simple operation regardless of the broadcasting channel. The purpose is to provide.

1 is a block diagram showing a data broadcast search apparatus in a digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a data broadcast search apparatus in a digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention.

<Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawings>

100: digital broadcast receiver 110: broadcast receiver

120: stream processing unit 130: memory unit

140: user command input unit 150: interface unit

160: control unit

In order to achieve the above object, a data broadcast search apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a broadcast receiver for receiving a broadcast stream including data broadcast and data broadcast information; A stream processor for processing the broadcast stream; A memory unit for storing the data broadcast and data broadcast information; A user command input unit configured to receive a command signal input by the user; And a controller configured to control the broadcast receiving unit, the stream processing unit, the memory unit, and the user command input unit, and to control the data broadcasting to be searched on the execution screen by the command signal.

The controller may be configured to automatically switch channels according to the presence or absence of available data broadcast on a channel when there is a previous or next command for data broadcast search.

The data broadcast is characterized in that a Java application program (Xlet).

In addition, in order to achieve the above object, a method of operating a data broadcast search apparatus according to the present invention includes the steps of a user selecting a data broadcast application search mode; Displaying an application execution screen of a current channel in the search mode; Inputting a previous or next application search command in the search mode; Determining whether there is another application in the current channel according to the search command; If there is another application in the current channel, displaying an execution screen of the application, and if there is no other application, automatically switching to the nearest channel having another application; And displaying an execution screen of the application of the automatically switched channel.

The application may be a Java application for data broadcasting.

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

1 is a block diagram illustrating a data broadcast search apparatus in a digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention.

Data transmitted in digital broadcasting is largely data data based on Java and data information based on markup.

In particular, Java-based data broadcasting applications are called xlets.

The data broadcast search apparatus according to the present invention includes a broadcast receiver 110, a stream processor 120, a memory 130, a controller 160, a user command input unit 140, and an interface unit 150.

The broadcast receiver 110 is tuned to a channel set by the controller 160 according to a command input through a user command input unit and receives a data broadcast application together with a broadcast signal.

The stream processor 120 separately detects and demodulates and amplifies a broadcast stream including video / audio broadcast signals transmitted from the broadcast receiver 110 and data information such as data broadcasting applications into video and audio / data signals. The television is transmitted through the interface unit 150.

The memory unit 130 stores broadcast signals provided from channels and broadcasting stations, application information for data broadcasting, and applications.

The interface unit 150 is for communication between a digital broadcast receiver and a television, and includes an AV connection line, a single connection terminal, a power supply, a LAN, and a serial.

In addition, a key input unit (not shown) is an input means for performing an operation of the digital broadcast receiver, and includes various keys for performing the operation, and outputs a key signal corresponding to a user's key operation. A user uses a remote control for convenient input at a remote location, and transmits a key signal corresponding to a predetermined key provided in the remote control on an infrared carrier, and transmits a user command input unit 140 provided in the digital broadcasting receiver 100. Receives an infrared signal applied to the remote control in amplified and detected by applying a detected key signal to the controller 160 to be described later.

The controller 160 performs an overall operation based on the key signal from the user command input unit 140, and the broadcast receiving unit 110, the stream processing unit 120, the memory unit 130, and the interface unit 150. Control the overall data and store the data broadcasting application provided from the broadcasting station, or search or execute the received data broadcasting application regardless of the channel according to a key signal input by the user.

In more detail, the controller 160 controls the broadcast receiver 110 to set a broadcast channel to receive a broadcast signal, and when the data broadcast application and data broadcast information provided with the broadcast signal arrive, the memory unit 130. Store in

In addition, when the user inputs a specific key for data broadcast search such as 'xlet search mode', the controller 160 performs the first xlet on the channel currently being viewed on the broadcast screen.

When the user inputs a specific key such as next (->) or previous (<-), the controller 160 terminates the currently performing xlet and performs another xlet in the current channel or the next or previous channel. Controls the execution of xlets by searching.

The present invention makes it possible to receive, efficiently browse, and browse data broadcasting applications through a broadcast stream transmitted from a broadcasting station.

The broadcasting station continuously transmits the xlets included in the broadcast stream corresponding to each channel in real time, and the digital broadcasting receiver 100 transmits data broadcasting information transmitted with the xlet, that is, information about which xlets are in which channels. Stored in the memory unit 130.

Next, a method of operating a data broadcast search apparatus in a digital broadcast receiver according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying flowchart of FIG. 2.

First, data broadcast and data broadcast information are received and stored (S100).

That is, the data broadcast information is information on which xlets are transmitted through which channel. For example, the data broadcast information is as follows.

Channel 1: xlet1

Channel 7: xlet2, xlet3, xlet4

Channel 9: xlet5, xlet6

As described above, the data broadcasting information transmitted from the broadcasting station is received by the digital broadcasting receiver, and when the user requests to perform the xlet while watching the broadcast of the set channel, the received first xlet is performed (S110).

For example, if the user requests to perform data broadcasting while watching channel 7, xlet2 is performed.

When a user inputs a specific key set for data broadcast search in order to search for an executable xlet (S120), the user enters the xlet search mode and the digital broadcast receiver receives a key value of the remote controller through the user command input unit.

When the xlet search mode command is input and the user inputs a specific key for data broadcast search such as next (->) or previous (<-) (S130), it is determined whether another xlet exists in the current channel (S140). .

If there is another xlet in the current channel, the current xlet is terminated and the next xlet of the current channel is executed to search for data broadcast (S150).

For example, if the user enters the following key while searching for xlet2, xlet2 terminates and xlet3 is executed.

As described above, when there is an xlet to be viewed while searching for an xlet which is an application for data broadcasting in a round-robin manner (S160), the corresponding xlet is executed by inputting a selection key (S180).

If there are no other xlets in the current channel, it is determined whether there is an xlet in another channel (S141), and if there is an xlet, the running xlet is terminated and the channel is automatically switched to the nearest channel in which the xlet exists (S142). The first xlet of the switched channel is performed (S143).

For example, if the next key is entered in xlet4 while searching for data broadcasting application in channel 7, xlet4 is terminated, the channel is changed to 9, and xlet5 is executed.

If there are no more xlets to run, a message indicating that there is no xlet to run is presented to the user, and the xlet search mode is terminated (S170), and the previously executed xlet is continued (S180).

On the other hand, the above embodiment also reverses when searching using the previous (<-) key in the xlet search mode.

Although the present invention has been described in detail through specific examples, it is intended to describe the present invention in detail, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and should be understood by those skilled in the art within the technical spirit of the present invention. It is obvious that modifications and improvements are possible.

The present invention provides an intuitive search method for a user to select and watch a desired xlet by searching a data broadcasting application in a digital broadcasting receiver so that the broadcast channel can be automatically switched in the data broadcasting search so that the xlets can be conveniently and efficiently. This has the effect of allowing you to navigate and select

In addition, by performing a data broadcast directly to the user of the overall screen appearance of the xlet by allowing the user to select and watch the desired xlet accurately has the effect of solving the hassle.

Claims (5)

A broadcast receiver for receiving a broadcast stream including data broadcast and data broadcast information; A stream processor for processing the broadcast stream; A memory unit for storing the data broadcast and data broadcast information; A user command input unit configured to receive a command signal input by the user; And a controller configured to control the broadcast receiving unit, the stream processing unit, the memory unit, and the user command input unit, and control the data broadcast to be searched to the execution screen by the command signal. The method of claim 1, And the controller controls the channel to be automatically switched according to the presence or absence of available data broadcast on the channel when there is a previous or next command for data broadcast search. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the data broadcast is a Java application program (Xlet). A user selecting a data broadcast application search mode; Displaying an application execution screen of a current channel in the search mode; Inputting a previous or next application search command in the search mode; Determining whether there is another application in the current channel according to the search command; If there is another application in the current channel, displaying an execution screen of the application, and if there is no other application, automatically switching to the nearest channel having another application; And displaying an execution screen of the application of the automatically switched channel. The method of claim 4, wherein And said application is a Java application for data broadcasting.