KR20070010641A - The device, method for tuning the channel of digital broadcasting, and the system for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and system for tuning a digital broadcasting channel and method for controlling the apparatus are provided to transmit information about physical channels and virtual channels from a digital broadcasting transmitting station, and tune a desired virtual channel using the information in a digital broadcasting receiver. A digital broadcasting channel tuning system includes a digital broadcasting transmitting station and a digital broadcasting receiver(301). The digital broadcasting transmitting station transmits information about a physical channel and a virtual channel as transport stream signals. The digital broadcasting receiver receives the transport stream signals and tunes a physical channel mapped to the virtual channel using the information included in the transport stream signals. The digital broadcasting transmitting station transmits the information with general broadcasting data streams.

Description

The device, method for tuning the channel of digital broadcasting, and the system for controlling the same}

1 illustrates a general channel scheme

2 is a flowchart (flow chart) showing a channel tuning method of digital broadcasting according to the prior art;

3 is a block diagram illustrating a channel tuning system for digital broadcasting, in accordance with the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating a transport stream containing channel map (Ch Map) information according to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart (flow chart) illustrating a channel tuning method of digital broadcasting according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawings *

301: digital broadcast transmitter 302: digital broadcast receiver

303: Tuner

304: Transport stream demultiplexing and decoding unit (TS Demux and Decoder)

305: video decoder 306: display unit

307: Audio decoder 308: Speaker

309: PSI / PSIP decoder 310: PSIP DB

311: control unit 312: input unit

313: channel map storage unit 314: OSD processing unit

The present invention relates to digital broadcasting, and more particularly, to a channel tuning apparatus for digital broadcasting, a control method thereof, and a system thereof.

Recently, with the rapid development of digital broadcasting, various channels are being introduced, and the number of channels is increasing rapidly. In addition, minor channels included in major channels have also appeared, and concepts such as physical channels and virtual channels have emerged. Unlike conventional analog broadcasting, physical channels of digital broadcasting need to recognize a channel number of digital broadcasting separately from a user. However, it is virtually impossible for the user to recognize many of the channels, and it is desirable to maintain the recognition of the existing analog channel number.

1 is a diagram illustrating a general channel configuration table. Hereinafter, the physical channel, the virtual channel, the major number, and the minor number will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 1.

The channel number is divided into a physical channel number (Physical Ch number) and a virtual channel number (Virtual (Logical) Ch number), and the virtual channel number is again composed of a major number and a minor number. Can be.

The physical channel number is a concept of 1: 1 matching to a physical frequency band and is information required for actual tuning.

The virtual channel number is a channel number provided by a broadcaster and is displayed on a TV set or used when a user moves a channel. Since the virtual channel number is literally a virtual number, the virtual channel number is irrelevant to the frequency band, and theoretically, the broadcast channel can be used repeatedly.

For example, when the virtual channel number is 13-2, 13 is a major number, and 2 is a minor number. However, in the case of analog channels, unlike a digital broadcast stream, only one stream can be received. Therefore, the major number is the same as the physical channel number, and the minor number is always zero.

2 is a flowchart (flow chart) showing a channel tuning method of digital broadcasting according to the prior art. Referring to FIG. 2, a method of tuning a digital broadcast channel in a conventional digital broadcast receiver is as follows.

The digital broadcast reception device performs an auto channel search function (S201). Here, the automatic channel search refers to a channel search function that skips a channel in which a broadcast signal is not received or a channel in which a signal is weak and automatically sets only channels in which a broadcast signal is received.

According to the result of performing the automatic channel search function (S201), a channel map is constructed and the contents of the channel map are stored (S202). In this case, the channel map refers to channel-related information stored in a memory of the digital broadcast receiver, and means that the tuning and stream-related information are databased.

At this time, the user inputs a major number of the desired channel with the numeric keys (S203).

The digital broadcast receiver receiving the primary number determines whether the primary number is information stored in the channel map (S204).

As a result of the determination (S204), when the major number is information stored in the channel map, the minor numbers belonging to the major number are displayed in a list form (S205).

In the display screen S205, when the user selects a desired channel number (S206), a signal of a physical channel number mapped to the virtual channel number selected by the user in the channel map is tuned (S207).

However, if the main number is not information stored in the channel map as a result of the determination (S204), the input number is recognized as a physical channel number and tuned to a frequency signal corresponding to the physical channel number. (S208).

However, the channel tuning system of the conventional digital broadcasting described above has the following problems.

Conventionally, if there is no physical channel information mapped to a specific virtual channel in the channel map, even if the user attempts to tune to the specific virtual channel, another physical channel that the user does not want at all (but only the channel number is the same) There was a problem that can not be tuned).

For example, when the virtual channel number "13" is not stored in the channel map even when the automatic channel search is not performed, or when the user inputs "13" as the number key, the channel map is performed. Since there is no information about the virtual channel number "13", there is a problem in that "13" is recognized as the physical channel number "13-0" and the user tunes to a channel that the user does not want.

Of course, one can also consider how the user can remember all the physical channels and the corresponding virtual channels, but this is very inconvenient and virtually impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to transmit information on a physical channel and a virtual channel in a digital broadcasting transmission station, and use the information in a digital broadcasting reception apparatus, so that the user desires The present invention provides a channel tuning apparatus for digital broadcasting, a control method thereof, and a system for tuning a channel.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a digital broadcast transmission station for transmitting information on a physical channel and a virtual channel as a transport stream signal, and the transport stream signal. And a digital broadcast receiver configured to tune to a physical channel mapped to the virtual channel by using information about the physical channel and the virtual channel in the transport stream. Provides a channel tuning system for broadcasting.

The digital broadcast transmission station may transmit information on the physical channel and the virtual channel together with the general broadcast data stream.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an input unit for inputting a number of a channel desired to be received and watched by a broadcast, and a transport transmitted from a digital broadcast transmission station when the channel number is not stored in a channel map storage unit. A controller for searching for a physical channel mapped with the number of the input channel by using information on the physical channel and the virtual channel in the stream, and a tuner unit for selecting a signal for the found physical channel. It provides a digital broadcast receiving apparatus characterized in that the configuration.

The digital broadcast receiver further comprises an OSD processing unit for outputting a list of the subchannels to an OSD screen when the controller determines that there are two or more minor channels of the channel input through the input unit. It is preferable.

The controller does not store the channel number in the channel map storage but uses the information about the physical channel and the virtual channel in the transport stream transmitted from the digital broadcast transmission station. When the mapped physical channel cannot be searched, it is preferable to determine the input channel number itself as a physical channel.

Preferably, the tuner is tuned to a signal for the determined physical channel.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the steps of inputting the number of the channel that you want to receive and watch the broadcast, and using the information on the physical channel and the virtual channel in the transport stream transmitted from the digital broadcast station, The present invention provides a channel tuning method for digital broadcasting, comprising: searching for a physical channel mapped with a number of the channel, and tuning to a signal for the found physical channel.

In the searching, the physical channel corresponding to the virtual channel in the transport stream may be determined by determining the number of the input channel as a virtual channel.

In the channel tuning method of the digital broadcast, it is preferable that the searching step is executed when the number of the input channel is not stored in the channel map storage.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a transport stream signal relating to information of a physical channel and a virtual channel can be used, so that the user desires a virtual channel without understanding the physical channel and the virtual channel and without performing additional procedures. There is an effect that can be tuned to.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention that can specifically realize the above object will be described.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a channel tuning system for digital broadcasting according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, a channel tuning system for digital broadcasting and a digital broadcasting receiver according to the present invention will be described in detail as follows.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main components of the present invention are illustrated, and the basic components for receiving and displaying the digital broadcast signal in the digital broadcast receiver are briefly illustrated or omitted. However, even though the illustration and detailed description of the basic components are omitted, those skilled in the art can understand the channel tuning apparatus, the control method, and the system of the present invention in digital broadcasting in spite of the omission.

The digital broadcast transmission station 301 configures information about a physical channel used by each broadcaster and a virtual channel mapped to the corresponding physical channel into a transport stream, and transmits the information to the digital broadcast reception device 302. do.

Meanwhile, a transport stream containing channel map information, such as the transport stream, is illustrated in FIG. 4. However, the transport stream may be allocated and transmitted according to a specific frequency, or the digital broadcast transmission station 301 may multiplex (MUX) information on the physical channel and the virtual channel together with a general broadcast data stream. .

However, the digital broadcast transmitting station 301 is not particularly limited here, and information about a physical channel and a virtual channel to be broadcasted can be received from a broadcasting station and transmitted to the digital broadcasting receiving device 302 in the form of a transport stream. May be a specific repeater, or an existing station.

The digital broadcast receiver 302 is an apparatus in which the present invention is implemented and includes components to be described later. However, the digital broadcast receiver 302 is not particularly limited. For example, the digital broadcast receiver 302 may be any device capable of receiving digital broadcast such as a television, a monitor, a mobile phone, a DMB, or the like.

The tuner 303 may receive a transport stream and general broadcast stream including information on a physical channel and a virtual channel from the digital broadcast transmission station 301 through an antenna (not shown).

Meanwhile, the input unit 312 inputs a virtual channel number that the user wants to watch. However, the input unit 312 is not particularly limited herein, and may be any one or more of a remote controller or a local key attached to the digital broadcast receiver.

The controller 311 first determines whether a virtual channel number input through the input unit 312 is stored in the channel map storage unit 313.

If the determined virtual channel number is not stored in the channel map storage unit 313 as a result of the determination by the controller 311, the controller 311 transmits a transport transmitted from the digital broadcast transmission station 301. The information about the physical channel and the virtual channel in the stream is used to search whether there is a physical channel mapped with the input channel number.

If the physical channel exists as a result of the search by the controller 311, the tuner 303 tunes a transport stream signal having a frequency corresponding to the physical channel.

Of course, as a result of analyzing the transport stream containing information on the physical channel and the virtual channel, the control unit 311 has two minor channels included in the virtual channel number input through the input unit 312. In this case, the list of subchannels is output through the display unit 306.

However, as a result of the determination of the control unit 311, the input channel number is not stored in the channel map storage unit 313, and the physical channel and the virtual channel in the transport stream transmitted from the digital broadcast transmission station 301 are provided. Even when using the information on, if the physical channel mapped with the input channel number cannot be searched, the input channel number itself is determined as the physical channel.

At this time, the tuner 303 tunes a transport stream signal having a frequency assigned to the input channel number.

5 is a flowchart (flow chart) illustrating a channel tuning method of digital broadcasting according to the present invention. A method of tuning a channel of digital broadcasting will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

A major number of a virtual channel is input through the input unit in operation S501.

It is determined whether the input main number is stored in the channel map (S502).

As a result of the determination (S502), if the input major number is stored in the channel map, a list of minor numbers included in the major number is displayed (S503). Of course, if the minor number is one, it may not be displayed.

At this time, a specific channel number is selected from the displayed list (S504).

On the basis of the channel map, the digital broadcast signal corresponding to the frequency of the physical channel mapped to the specific channel number is tuned (S505).

However, if the input main number is not stored in the channel map as a result of the determination (S502), the transport stream signal including the information about the physical channel and the virtual channel transmitted from the digital broadcasting transmission station is analyzed (S506).

It is determined whether information corresponding to the main number of the input virtual channel exists in the analyzed transport stream (S507).

As a result of the determination (S507), if information corresponding to the main number of the input virtual channel exists in the transport stream, the physical channel corresponding to the main number of the virtual channel is searched for, and to the frequency of the found physical channel. The corresponding digital broadcast signal is tuned (S508).

As a result of the determination (S507), if information corresponding to the main number of the input virtual channel does not exist in the transport stream, the main number of the input virtual channel is recognized as a physical channel number, and digital broadcasting of the corresponding frequency is performed. The signal is tuned (S509).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and as can be seen in the appended claims, modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

The channel tuning apparatus for digital broadcasting, the control method thereof, and the effects of the system according to the present invention described above will be described below.

According to the present invention, when tuning a channel, a virtual channel not included in the channel map can be automatically recognized and tuned, so that a user does not need to separately remember a physical channel, and the user can prevent tuning to an unwanted channel. have.

Claims (9)

A digital broadcast transmission station transmitting information on a physical channel and a virtual channel as a transport stream signal; And And a digital broadcast receiver configured to receive the transport stream signal and tune to a physical channel mapped to the virtual channel by using information on a physical channel and a virtual channel in the transport stream. And a channel tuning system for digital broadcasting. The method of claim 1, The digital broadcast transmission station, And transmitting information on the physical channel and the virtual channel together with a general broadcast data stream. An input unit for inputting a number of a channel desired to be broadcasted and watched; If the channel number is not stored in the channel map storage unit, the channel number is mapped to the input channel number by using information on a physical channel and a virtual channel in a transport stream transmitted from a digital broadcasting station. A controller for searching for a physical channel; And And a tuner unit configured to tune into a signal for the searched physical channel. The method of claim 3, wherein And if the control unit determines that there are at least two minor channels of the channel input through the input unit, further comprising an OSD processing unit for outputting a list of the subchannels to an OSD screen. Receiver. The method of claim 4, wherein The control unit, Although the channel number is not stored in the channel map storage unit, even if the information on the physical channel and the virtual channel in the transport stream transmitted from the digital broadcasting transmission station is used, the channel number is mapped with the input channel number. And if the physical channel cannot be found, determining the input channel number itself as a physical channel. The method of claim 5, The tuner unit, And digitally tune to a signal for the determined physical channel. Inputting a number of a channel desired to be broadcasted and watched; Searching for a physical channel mapped with the number of the input channel by using information on a physical channel and a virtual channel in a transport stream transmitted from a digital broadcasting station; And And tuning to a signal for the found physical channel. The method of claim 7, wherein The searching step, And determining the number of the input channel as a virtual channel and searching for a physical channel corresponding to the virtual channel in the transport stream. The method of claim 8, And searching if the number of the input channel is not stored in the channel map storage unit.

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