KR20050014050A - Apparatus and Method for Controlling Channel Selection of Digital TV - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and an apparatus for selecting a channel of a digital television are provided to enable a user who is not familiar with selecting the channel thereof to watch a digital broadcast with priority in case that both of an analog broadcast and the digital broadcast are available for the same program. CONSTITUTION: Broadcast information of all channels received via a tuner is extracted and stored in a storage part(S300). When channel selection information is received from a user, the storage part is searched in order to determine whether an analog broadcast and a digital broadcast for a program corresponding to the channel selection information exist together or not(S301). The digital broadcast is selected with priority if the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast for the program exist together(S304). The program is displayed through a channel of the digital broadcast selected with priority(S306).

Description

Apparatus and Method for Controlling Channel Selection of Digital TV

The present invention relates to a channel TV control method and apparatus for digital TV, which prioritizes digital channels in digital TV systems.

With the advent of digital broadcasting, which has the advantages of clearer TV screens, efficient use of broadcasting resources, compatibility with other devices such as computers, and various scanning lines, broadcasts from Korea and around the world come from analog broadcasting. The transition to digital broadcasting is underway.

The TV system in the process of such a conversion is a conventional analog broadcasting and a newly emerging digital broadcasting at the same time. In such a case, most broadcasters simultaneously broadcast the same program to an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel.

With the introduction of the digital TV system, in the current broadcasting system where the existing analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting are simultaneously broadcast, channel selection is dependent only on the user's direct remote control key selection.

If a person is watching a TV, simply using the channel +/- or numeric keys directly, there is a great chance that they will watch the analog channel without leaving the digital channel for the same program.

Also, even with automatic channel setup, it will not be easy to check the same program for both analog and digital channels.

In the above phenomenon, if the same program is broadcasted in K broadcasting company on analog 6 channel and digital 11-1 channel, the user who is familiar with analog channel selects channel 6 to watch K broadcasting program.

However, general users who are not familiar with the channel selection of the conventional digital broadcasting as described above have a problem of frequently watching analog broadcasting instead of digital broadcasting for the same program.

In addition, users who are more familiar with digital broadcasting also have a problem that the current broadcasting system with many channels is not only easy to identify the same program of analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting but also wastes a lot of time.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for channel TV channel control of digital TV, wherein a user who is not familiar with channel channel broadcasting of digital broadcasting can preferentially watch digital broadcasting for analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting of the same program.

Another object of the present invention is to determine the same program by referring to the additional information of the analog broadcast and digital broadcast, the channel tuning control of the digital TV to perform the automatic switching function to the digital channel only for the same program even if the user tunes the analog channel To provide a method and apparatus.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a digital TV according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing in more detail functionally the control unit shown in Figure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for selecting digital broadcasting as a priority according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of creating a database of channels based programs in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

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

100: IR receiver 110: control unit

120: tuner 130: decoder

140: video processor 150: display unit

160: storage unit 200: broadcast information extraction unit

210: broadcast information analysis unit 220: broadcast information database

230: judgment unit

According to an aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object, in the digital TV equipped with a tuner, a storage unit for storing broadcast information on the result of the automatic channel search performed through the tuner, receiving a channel selection command from the user It is determined whether the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast coexist for the IR receiver and the program corresponding to the channel selection command transmitted from the IR receiver by using the broadcast information stored in the storage unit. There is provided a channel TV control apparatus for digital TV, comprising a control unit for controlling the channel selection and a display unit for displaying a corresponding program selected according to a control signal of the control unit.

The storage unit includes an analog broadcast database storing an analog program list based on a channel and a digital broadcast database storing a digital program list based on a channel according to the automatic channel search result of the tuner.

Whether the same program exists in the analog broadcasting database and the digital broadcasting database of the storage unit is indicated.

The control unit is a broadcast information extraction unit for extracting analog broadcast and digital broadcast information for the channel scanned by the tuner, a broadcast information analysis unit for analyzing the channel and program name for each extracted broadcast information, the broadcast information analysis unit And a determination unit for determining whether the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast coexist using the program name analyzed in FIG.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a digital TV channel control method including a tuner and a storage unit, the broadcast information of all channels received through the tuner is extracted and stored in the storage unit, the channel selection information from the user When received, the storage unit searches and determines whether analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist for a program corresponding to the channel selection information. As a result of the determination, analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting are performed for a program corresponding to the channel selection information. When coexisting, digital broadcasting is first tuned, and a channel TV channel control method for digital TV is provided, wherein the program for the first tuned digital broadcasting channel is displayed.

Extracting and storing the broadcast information in a storage unit may include extracting and analyzing analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information of a channel received through the tuner, and there exists a program in which analog broadcast and digital broadcast coexist according to the analysis result. Whether the same program exists or not is saved.

If only analog broadcast exists for the program corresponding to the channel selection information, the program for the analog broadcast channel is displayed. If only digital broadcast exists, the program for the digital broadcast channel is displayed.

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

1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a digital TV according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the digital TV system includes an IR receiver 100, a controller 110, a tuner 120, a decoder 130, a video processor 140, a display 150, and a storage 160. do.

The IR receiver 100 receives a remote control code selected by a user and transmits the code to the controller 110.

The tuner 120 converts the radio signal transmitted through the antenna into an IF signal according to the analysis information of the remote control code selected by the user and transmits the converted radio signal to the decoder 130.

The tuner 120 is composed of tuner 1 and tuner 2. The tuner 1 receives channel information corresponding to the channel selection information transmitted from the controller 110, and the tuner 2 continuously scans the channel.

According to another embodiment, when the tuner consists of one, the tuner is provided with an automatic channel setting function.

The controller 110 analyzes a remote control code transmitted from the IR receiver 100 and transmits remote control code analysis information to a corresponding device.

If the remote control analysis information is a channel selection command, the controller 110 transmits the channel selection command to the tuner 120.

In addition, the controller 110 extracts and analyzes analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information on the channel scanned by the tuner 120. Then, the controller 110 stores the analyzed broadcast information in the storage unit 160 with a program name based on a channel, and then determines whether a program in which analog broadcast and digital broadcast coexists. As a result of the determination, if there exists a program in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist, the stored program list is rearranged and the presence or absence of the same program is displayed.

For a detailed description of the control unit 110 that serves as described above with reference to FIG.

The decoder 130 decodes the signal transmitted from the tuner 1 and transmits the decoded signal to the video processor 140.

The video processor 140 outputs the signal transmitted from the decoder 130 to the display unit 150.

The storage unit 160 stores broadcast information transmitted from the control unit 110. That is, the storage unit 160 stores analog and digital programs based on channels. At this time, if the same program among the analog program and the digital program exists, whether the same is displayed.

Hereinafter, the operation of the digital TV system configured as described above will be described.

The remote control code selected by the user is transmitted to the controller 110 through the IR receiver 100. The controller 110 analyzes the transmitted remote control code, operates software corresponding to the remote control code interpretation information, and operates a device corresponding to the remote control code interpretation information.

If the remote control code analysis information selected by the user is a channel selection command, the controller 110 adjusts the tuner 1 and then tunes the TV frequency to catch the TV signal. At this time, the controller 110 determines whether a program corresponding to the channel selection command exists in the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast.

As a result of the determination, when a program corresponding to the channel selection command exists in the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast, the controller 110 transmits a digital channel selection command to the tuner 1 to select the digital broadcast. Then, the tuner 1 selects a digital broadcast of a channel corresponding to the digital channel selection command.

If, as a result of the determination, the program corresponding to the channel selection command exists only in the analog broadcast, the controller 110 transmits an analog channel selection command for physical channel tuning to the tuner 1. Then, the tuner 1 selects an analog broadcast of a channel corresponding to the analog channel selection command.

As described above, the TV signal input through the tuner 1 is converted into an analog signal while passing through the decoder 130 and then output through the display unit 150.

2 is a block diagram illustrating in more detail the control unit shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the controller includes a broadcast information extractor 200, a broadcast information analyzer 210, and a determiner 220.

The broadcast information extractor 200 extracts analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information, respectively, for the broadcast channel scanned by the tuner.

The broadcast information analyzer 210 analyzes a channel and a program name with respect to the broadcast information extracted by the broadcast information extractor 200.

The program based on the channel analyzed by the broadcast information analyzer 210 is stored in the storage unit. Therefore, the analog broadcasting program and the digital broadcasting program are separately stored in the storage unit based on the channel.

The determination unit 220 determines whether a program in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist in the program list stored in the storage unit.

As a result of the determination, when there exists a program in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist, the determination unit 220 rearranges the program list stored in the storage unit and displays whether the same program exists.

Hereinafter, an operation of the apparatus for selecting the digital broadcasting configured as above as priority will be described.

The TV system scans the channels at regular time intervals. Then, the broadcast information extractor 200 extracts and separates analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information from the scanned channel.

Then, the broadcast information analyzer 210 analyzes the corresponding channel and program name with respect to the separated analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information.

Then, the broadcast information analyzer 210 stores the corresponding program in the storage unit based on the channel with respect to the analyzed broadcast information. Then, the storage unit stores the analog program list and the digital program list based on the channels, respectively. Accordingly, the storage unit includes an analog broadcast database and a digital broadcast database.

Then, the determination unit 220 determines whether the same program exists in the analog broadcast database and the digital broadcast database. If the same program exists as a result of the determination, the determination unit 220 rearranges the program list stored in the broadcast information database and displays whether the same program exists.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of selecting digital broadcasting as a priority according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, when the channel selection information is received from the user (S300), the TV system determines whether analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist for a program corresponding to the received channel selection information (S302). That is, the TV system determines whether both analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting exist for a program corresponding to the channel selection information.

If the analog broadcasting and the digital broadcasting coexist for the program corresponding to the channel selection information as a result of the determination in step 302, the TV system changes the channel selection to the digital broadcasting channel (S304).

After performing step 304, the TV system displays a program for the changed digital broadcast channel (S306).

That is, when channel tuning is completed to the digital broadcast channel by tuning the tuner, the program of the corresponding channel is displayed by using the video information of the MPEG video decoder which proceeds after the sync check of the VSB and the decoding of the MPEG system decoder.

If there is no digital broadcast for the program corresponding to the channel selection information as a result of the determination in step 302, the TV system displays the program for the analog broadcast channel (S308).

That is, in the case of analog, the muting state of the user interface is determined through a sync check.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of creating a database of channels based programs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the TV system scans a channel (S400) and separates analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information (S402). In order for the TV system to scan a channel, a function such as automatic channel setting is required in one tuner system, and a channel scan using an extra tuner is possible in a two tuner system even while watching. The TV system then builds a database of the separated analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information.

First, a method of creating an analog broadcast database with respect to analog broadcast information will be described.

The TV system extracts analog broadcast information (S404a) and then analyzes the extracted analog broadcast information (S406a). That is, the TV system determines a channel and a program name with respect to the extracted analog broadcast information. A data slicing function such as an NTSC video decoder is used to extract the analog broadcast information, and a KBPS engine is used to analyze the analog broadcast data.

After performing step 406a, the TV system stores an analog program based on a channel corresponding to the analyzed result (S408a). This creates an analog broadcast database in which the analog broadcast list is stored.

Next, a method of creating a digital broadcasting database for digital broadcasting information will be described.

The TV system extracts the digital broadcast information (S404b) and then analyzes the extracted digital broadcast information (S406b). That is, the TV system determines a channel and a program name with respect to the extracted digital broadcast information.

Here, the TV system extracts PSIP data from the MPEG system decoder to extract digital broadcast information, and uses a PSIP engine to analyze digital broadcast information.

After performing step 406b, the TV system stores the digital program based on the channel corresponding to the analyzed result (S408b).

Then, the TV system determines whether the same program exists in the analog broadcast database and the digital broadcast database (S410).

As a result of the determination in step 410, if the same program exists in the analog broadcast database and the digital broadcast database, the TV system rearranges the broadcast information database and displays whether the same program exists (S412).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and many variations are possible by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, in the present TV system where analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting are simultaneously performed, a user can more easily and conveniently watch digital broadcasting with higher resolution and less noise for analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting of the same program. A channel TV control method and apparatus for digital TV can be provided.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method and apparatus for channel TV channel control of a digital TV that allows a user who is unfamiliar with channel channeling of digital broadcasting to preferentially watch digital broadcasting for analog and digital broadcasting of the same program. .

Claims (7)

In a digital TV with a tuner, A storage unit which stores broadcast information about an automatic channel search result executed through the tuner; An IR receiver for receiving a channel selection command from a user; To determine whether analog broadcast and digital broadcast coexist for a program corresponding to a channel selection command transmitted from the IR receiver using broadcast information stored in the storage unit, so that digital broadcast can be tuned to the same broadcast first. Control unit for controlling; And A display unit displaying a corresponding program selected according to a control signal of the controller Channel tuning control device for digital TV comprising a. The method of claim 1, The storage unit includes an analog broadcast database storing an analog program list based on a channel according to the automatic channel search result of the tuner, and a digital broadcast database storing a digital program list based on the channel. Tuning control unit. The method of claim 2, The channel broadcasting control device of the digital TV, characterized in that whether the same program exists in the analog broadcast database and the digital broadcast database of the storage unit. The method of claim 1, The control unit may include a broadcast information extraction unit for extracting analog broadcast and digital broadcast information on the channel scanned by the tuner; A broadcast information analyzer configured to analyze a channel and a program name with respect to the extracted broadcast information; And a determination unit that determines whether analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist using the program name analyzed by the broadcasting information analyzing unit and indicates whether the same program exists in the storage unit. controller. In the digital TV channel control method comprising a tuner and a storage unit, Extracting broadcast information of all channels received through the tuner and storing the broadcast information in the storage unit; Searching for the storage unit to determine whether analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting coexist with a program corresponding to the channel selection information when the channel selection information is received from a user; If the analog broadcasting and the digital broadcasting coexist for a program corresponding to the channel selection information as a result of the determination, tuning the digital broadcasting first; and Processing the program for the first tuned digital broadcast channel to be displayed; Channel tuning control method of the digital TV comprising a. The method of claim 5, Extracting the broadcast information and storing it in a storage unit Extracting and analyzing analog broadcast information and digital broadcast information of a channel received through the tuner; Determining whether a program coexisting with analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting according to the analysis result, and displaying and storing the same program. The method of claim 5, And displaying only a program for an analog broadcast channel if there is only an analog broadcast for the program corresponding to the channel selection information, and displaying a program for a digital broadcast channel if only a digital broadcast exists. Channel tuning control method of digital TV.