KR20050120934A - Method for allocating channel order in digital television - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a channel order allocation method in a digital TV that integrates and stores an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel to improve the convenience of switching between channels. In the broadcasting channel allocation method of the digital TV that the broadcast channel is tuned through the channel and the virtual broadcast channel tuning, the channel setting mode is displayed by the digital TV user, the remote control of the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel When the integrated storage mode is selected to operate by integrating a channel up / down button sequence, the analog broadcast channel is allocated to the physical channel order in the channel map memory of the digital TV, and the digital broadcast channel is allocated in the virtual channel order. When allocating between the physical channels By the remote control channel is easy to up / channel switching between the analog broadcast channels and digital broadcast channels simply by adjusting the down button, it is possible to improve the user's convenience.

Description

Method for allocating channel order in digital television

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel allocation method in digital TV, and more particularly, to a channel order allocation method in digital TV which improves the convenience of switching between channels by storing and storing analog broadcasting channels and digital broadcasting channels.

Looking at the current status of digital TV (DTV) broadcasting in Korea, after the pilot broadcast in 2000, the metropolitan area is performing main broadcasting in 2002, the metropolitan area is scheduled for 2004, and all the DTV broadcasting conversion will be completed by 2010. Is expected.

Looking at the difference between the conventional channel allocation method of analog TV and DTV, in the case of analog TV, only analog channels are searched for and store channel information, while in the case of DTV, analog channels are mixed in a broadcasting environment where analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting are mixed. It should be able to search both and digital channels to store channel information and then display both analog and digital channels according to the viewer's selection conditions.

In addition, the existing analog TV and DTV has a difference in the channel operation method, analog TV is the same broadcast in the Seoul area and the province, but the channel is different from each other by watching TV with each channel transmitted from the transmission station in each region Therefore, when a viewer wants to watch a certain broadcast, he or she must know the channel number of the corresponding broadcaster.

On the other hand, in the case of DTV, the channel is selected and watched by a virtual channel number determined for each broadcasting station separately from the physical channel of the transmitting station. With the concept of virtual channel, the same broadcasting station channels are the same anywhere in the country, Because only the virtual channel needs to be known, convenience can be achieved.

Hereinafter, a channel allocation method of a digital TV according to the prior art will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a diagram illustrating a channel allocation order of a digital TV according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a channel allocation map of analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting according to the prior art.

In FIG. 1, the channel assignment order shows a physical channel and a virtual channel for DTV broadcasting in the metropolitan area. The physical channel is different for each transmission station and also different for each region, but the virtual channel is the same throughout the country.

The virtual channel information is contained in PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) information existing in a table packet in a transport stream (TP), which is a DTV signal, and the virtual channel information after a section filtering process in a DTV selection process. Can be obtained.

Using this virtual channel information, the channel map implementation method used in conventional DTVs simply separates analog channels and digital channels and stores them in a channel memory map, and then allows viewers to select analog channels and digital channels separately. That's the way it is.

When the channel map is implemented in the related art, the problem of the method of selecting a channel by the viewer will be described as an example in which the result of channel selection by a viewer in an area where both analog and digital broadcasting is mixed is shown in FIG. 2.

First, in the case of the conventional DTV, analog broadcasts are stored in the channel map in order based on the physical channels, and digital broadcasts are stored after the analog channels, but not in the physical channel order, but in the order of the virtual channels. That is, in the case of the conventional DTV, when the automatic channel is selected, the channel is tuned from the lowest frequency band to the highest frequency band at a time, and the analog channel information and the digital channel information are separated and stored in the memory.

Therefore, in the case of MBC, the physical channel is 61 channels, which is lower than 68 channels of SBS, but is stored later because the unique virtual channel number is 11-1, followed by SBS of 6-1.

As above, when the analog channel and the digital channel are simply separated and stored in the channel map, when the viewer is implemented to select the analog channel and the digital channel separately, it is inconvenient to switch the channel only within the analog channel or the channel within the digital channel. This does not happen.

However, when a viewer moves from a digital channel to an analog channel or moves from an analog channel to a digital channel by pressing a channel up / down button of a remote controller, inconvenience occurs.

Until all broadcasters stop analog broadcasts and transmit digital broadcasts, viewers often need to switch between analog and digital broadcast channels. In other words, in the case of HD-quality high-definition broadcasting, the SD-class broadcasting, which is watched through a digital channel and produced by an analog camera, is simply converted into a format and transmitted through a digital channel, may cause problems such as deterioration in image quality and color density during format conversion. In this case, it is preferable to watch the broadcast on the analog channel.

Therefore, it is necessary to easily and quickly switch between analog and digital channels in view of the convenience of the viewer.

In the above example, when watching KBS1 (virtual channel: 9-1) among digital channels, and wants to move to KBS1 (9-0) channel, MBC, SBS channel, etc. of analog channel, channel of up / down of remote controller in case of conventional DTV If you press a button to move, you will have to press very many times and it will take a long time.

That is, if you move to the channel down button when moving from the digital KBS1 to the analog KBS1 as shown in FIG. 2, each time the channel down button of the remote controller is pressed, KBS1 (9-1)-> KBS2 (7-1)-> SBS (6-1)-> Analog Wired (125-0)->… -> EBS (13-0)-> MBC (11-0)-> KBS1 (9-0)

Likewise, if you move by pressing the channel UP button, each time you press the channel UP button, KBS1 (9-1)-> MBC (11-1)-> EBS (13-1)-> Analog 2-0 channel ->… -> SBS (6-0)-> KBS2 (7-0)-> KBS1 (9-0)

As such, since there are so many channels between the analog and digital channels, it takes a lot of travel time. This problem also occurs when moving from an analog channel to a digital channel.

Instead of using this method, you can use the number buttons on the remote control to switch channels immediately.

However, even in such a case, the viewer is inconvenient to remember how many times each broadcasting channel is used, and in order to distinguish from the virtual channels of the digital channel, the analog channel number is not merely pressed, but 6-0 in the case of an analog channel. There is a problem of pressing the dash 0 (-0) button, 7-0, 9-0, etc., and in the case of digital channels, dash 1 (-6-1, 7-1, 9-1, etc.) 1) There is a problem of pressing the button further.

In general, it is not inconvenient from the point of view of viewers using the channel up / down buttons most frequently when moving channels.

The channel switching method using the channel allocation of the conventional digital TV has the following problems.

First, when a user moves from an analog broadcast channel to a digital broadcast channel or moves from a digital broadcast channel to an analog broadcast channel, too much time is spent in channel switching when using the channel up / down buttons.

Second, in order to move quickly from an analog broadcast channel to a digital broadcast channel, both the virtual channel number of the analog broadcast and the virtual channel number of the digital broadcast must be memorized.

Third, even though both the virtual channel number of the analog broadcast and the virtual channel number of the digital broadcast are memorized, there is a problem in that a dash key for distinguishing the analog broadcast and the digital broadcast is basically input.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are integrated and stored in the channel map storage unit to switch between channels of analog broadcast and digital broadcast transmitted by the same broadcast station. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a channel order allocation method in a digital TV, which is implemented as a channel up / down button of a remote controller, thereby improving convenience of channel switching.

In order to achieve the above object, a channel order allocation method in a digital TV according to the present invention is an analog broadcast channel in which a broadcast channel is tuned through a physical channel and a broadcast channel assignment method in a digital TV in which a broadcast channel is tuned through a virtual channel. When the channel setting mode is displayed by the digital TV user and the integrated storage mode is selected to operate by integrating the sequence of the remote control channel up / down buttons of the analog broadcasting channel and the digital broadcasting channel, the channel setting memory of the digital TV is stored in the channel map memory. The analog broadcast channels are allocated in the physical channel order, and the digital broadcast channels are allocated between the physical channels in the virtual channel order.

Preferably, when the user selects a separate storage mode to operate by separating the sequence of the remote control channel buttons of the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel, the analog broadcast channels and the digital broadcast channels are separated from the channel map memory of the digital TV. A physical channel of the analog broadcast channel and a virtual channel of the digital broadcast channel are separately allocated.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, a channel order allocation method in a digital TV according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a digital TV according to the present invention.

The digital TV according to the present invention includes a tuner and a channel decoder unit 10 including a tuner for tuning a channel desired by a user in an RF signal input from an antenna and a channel decoder for decoding a broadcast signal input through the tuned channel in the form of a transport stream. ), A data processor 20 for encoding and / or decoding data to be reproduced and stored in the form of the transport stream, a display unit 30 for displaying the data processed by the data processor 20, A channel map storage unit 40 for separately storing the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel in the order of the physical channels, or storing the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel in the order of the physical channels and the virtual channels, and a control signal from the remote controller. Receiving a remote control key input unit 50, and controls the digital TV and the remote control key input unit 50 And a control unit 60 for switching in accordance with the order of the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel stored in the channel map storage unit 40 according to the channel switching signal.

Here, the control unit 60 initially determines the separate storage (see FIG. 4) and the integrated storage (see FIG. 5) through the display unit 30 to determine the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel according to the user's selection. Store separate or integrated.

4 is a diagram illustrating a channel map in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting channels are separately stored as physical channels during channel order allocation in a digital TV according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is in channel order allocation in a digital TV according to the present invention. FIG. Is a diagram illustrating a channel map in which analog and digital broadcasting channels are collectively stored as physical channels and virtual channels.

4 shows an example of a channel map storage according to a separate storage mode substantially the same as the conventional method shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 illustrates a unified storage mode proposed in the channel order allocation method in a digital TV according to the present invention. The following shows an example of saving a channel map.

In the case of FIG. 4, when the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are separately stored, the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are separately stored in the channel map storage unit 40 so that the channel switching time when switching between the analog channel and the digital channel. It takes a lot or you have to press a lot of buttons.

However, in the case of FIG. 5, the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are integrated and stored in the channel map storage 40 so that the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel are adjacent to each other. Channel switching becomes very easy.

In other words, when moving from the digital KBS1 to the analog KBS1 as shown in FIG. 4, when it is stored in the conventional storage mode when moving to the channel down button, KBS1 (9-1)-> KBS2 (7-1)-> SBS (6-1)-> analog wired (125-0)->…. -> EBS (13-0)-> MBC (11-0)-> KBS1 (9-0) channel will be moved in order.

In such a case, since there are so many channels between the digital KBS1 channel and the analog KBS1, it is time-consuming and inconvenient to press the channel down button as many times as the number of channels.

However, as shown in Figure 5, when stored in the unified storage mode can be moved to the digital KBS1 (9-1)-> analog KBS1 (9-0) channel by pressing the channel down button of the remote control only once, very use This is convenient and can save time.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for allocating an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel in a digital TV according to the present invention.

First, when a viewer wants to set a channel, the OSD (On Screen Display) menu is displayed on a screen by using a remote controller, and then a channel setting item for an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel is entered (S10).

Then, the control unit displays, via the display unit, the OSD whether the analog broadcasting channel and the digital channel are separated or stored together (S20).

In this case, when the separate storage mode is selected, the analog channel and the digital channel are separated and stored in the same manner as in the conventional method (S30). When the integrated storage mode is selected, the analog channel and the digital channel are integrated. As shown in FIG. 5, digital broadcast channels having the same virtual channel are stored consecutively after each analog broadcast channel (FIG. 5) (S40).

In the channel sequence allocation method of the present invention described above, when switching to an analog channel while watching a digital channel, the physical channel of the analog broadcast channel and the physical channel of the digital broadcast channel are stored adjacent to each other. It is easy to save the conversion time and there is an effect that can facilitate the user convenience.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments, but should be defined by the claims.

1 is a diagram illustrating a channel allocation order of a digital TV according to the prior art.

2 is a diagram illustrating a channel allocation map of analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting according to the prior art.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a digital TV according to the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating a channel map in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting channels are separately stored as physical channels according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a channel map in which analog and digital broadcasting channels are collectively stored as physical channels and virtual channels according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a channel allocation method of an analog broadcast channel and a digital broadcast channel in a digital TV according to the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10 tuner and channel decoder 20 data processor

30: display unit 40: channel map storage unit

50: remote control key input unit 60: control unit

Claims (2)

In the broadcasting channel allocation method of the digital TV in which the broadcast channel is tuned through a physical channel and the broadcast channel is tuned through a virtual channel, When the channel setting mode is displayed by the digital TV user and the integrated storage mode is selected to operate by integrating the sequence of the remote control channel up / down buttons of the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel, the analog TV is stored in the channel map memory of the digital TV. And assigning broadcast channels in the physical channel order, and assigning the digital broadcast channels between the physical channels in the virtual channel order. The method of claim 1, When the user selects a separate storage mode to operate by separating the sequence of the remote control channel buttons of the analog broadcast channel and the digital broadcast channel, the analog broadcast channels and the digital broadcast channels are separated from the analog map channel memory of the digital TV. The method of allocating a channel order in a digital TV, characterized in that the physical channel of the broadcasting channel and the virtual channel of the digital broadcasting channel are separately allocated.