KR20070058039A - Combination system of digital set-top box and personal video recorder, and method for controlling thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A combo system of a digital set-top box and a PVR(Personal Video Recorder) and a control method therefor are provided to automatically convert a current mode into a personal recording mode when an HDD(Hard Disc Drive) module is connected through an external terminal of the set-top box. A demultiplexer(24) tunes a signal of a certain broadcasting channel, and scrambles or descrambles the tuned signal. A hard disc interface(32) mutually connects an HDD module(100) with a digital set-top box(10). When the HDD module(100) connects to the digital set-top box(10) through the hard disc interface(32), a microcomputer(34) receives a program of a personal recording function through a predetermined broadcasting channel and stores the received program. The microcomputer(34) formats an HDD of the HDD module(100), resets a system of the digital set-top box(10), and embodies the digital set-top box(10) as a PVR.

Description

COMCOMATION SYSTEM OF DIGITAL SET-TOP BOX AND PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THEREOF

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording device according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a control method of a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording apparatus according to the present invention.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

14, 16: tuner 18, 20: demodulator

22: network connection 24: DE-MUX

32: hard disk interface 34: microcomputer

36: key input unit 38: memory

40: audio decoder 42: video decoder

100: HDD module

The present invention relates to a digital set-top box, and more particularly, to a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording device capable of implementing the digital set-top box as a personal recording device and a control method thereof.

A digital set-top box is a receiver that can receive digital broadcasting (satellite, cable, terrestrial), and receives digital broadcasting (video / audio) signals in the form of compressed MPEG-2 display devices such as TVs. Is a kind of digital multimedia device to transmit to.

On the other hand, a personal recording device (PVR) is a next-generation recording device capable of recording a predetermined amount of broadcast programs according to storage capacity through a hard disk drive (HDD) built in a television main body.

However, the current digital set-top box is configured separately from the personal recording device (PVR) or because the hard disk drive is installed in the set-top box, in order to implement a personal recording function, the user had to have a set-top box installed in the product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and provides a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording device which is automatically converted to a personal recording mode when the hard disk module is connected through an external terminal of the set-top box. It is.

Another object of the present invention is a digital set-top box and a personal recording device in which a program for a personal recording mode is automatically upgraded when a hard disk module is connected to a digital set-top box, and the hard disk is automatically reset after being formatted and automatically converted to a personal recording mode. To provide a control method of the combo system.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a digital set-top box, a module having a demux for tuning a signal of any broadcast channel and scrambled or descrambled the tuned signal, and a digital set-top box and an external hard disk. When the hard disk module is connected to the digital set-top box through the hard disk interface and the hard disk interface is connected to the digital set-top box, the program of the personal recording function is received through the preset broadcast channel and stored there, and the hard disk module of the hard disk module is formatted. And a microcomputer that controls the system to be reset later and implemented as a personal recording device.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a digital set-top box, the method including determining whether a digital set-top box and a module having an external hard disk are connected to each other, and as a result of the determination, the digital set-top box and the hard disk module are determined. When connected with each other, receiving and storing a program of a personal recording function through a preset broadcast channel, formatting the hard disk of the hard disk module, and resetting the system of the digital set-top box to be implemented as a personal recording device. It includes the steps to.

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

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording apparatus according to the present invention.

1, a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording apparatus according to the present invention includes an antenna (11, 12), satellite and terrestrial broadcast tuners (14, 16), demodulators (18, 20), network Connection unit 22, DE-MUX 24, CAM 26, controller 28, smart card interface 30, hard disk interface 32, microcomputer 34, key input unit 36 , A memory 38, an audio decoder 40, a video decoder 42, and the like. Here, reference numeral 10 denotes a digital set top box.

The satellite broadcast tuner 14 and the terrestrial broadcast tuner 16 are provided from an LNB converter which receives signals transmitted from the respective antennas 10 and 12, removes noise, and converts them into frequency bands that can be processed by a digital set-top box. Only arbitrary broadcast channels are selected and amplified.

The demodulators 18 and 20 frequency convert a transponder including the corresponding broadcast channel received from the satellite broadcast tuner 14 and the terrestrial broadcast tuner 16 to baseband, and convert the frequency of the original broadcast channel with QPSK. Demodulate and deliver to DE-MUX 24.

The network connection unit 22 receives the cable broadcast and transmits the channel frequency of the cable broadcast to the DE-MUX 24.

The DE-MUX 24 scrambles the bit stream of the broadcast signal and decodes it into the original broadcast signal when the satellite broadcast channel, the terrestrial broadcast channel, or the cable broadcast channel is a free channel broadcast. And video decoder 42).

The DE-MUX 24 may include an Entitlement Manage Message (EMM) packet, which is a paid reception restriction signal in a bit stream of a corresponding broadcast signal when the satellite broadcast channel, the terrestrial broadcast channel, or the cable broadcast channel is a pay channel broadcast. The encrypted random number generation value from the Entitlement Control Message (ECM) packet is transmitted to the CAM 26 or the smart card interface 30 through the microcomputer 34 and the controller 28. Also, the DE-MUX 24 converts the control word (CW), which is a random number generated value decoded from the CAM 26 or the smart card interface 30, into the microcomputer 34 and the controller 28. It receives the data and decodes the EMM packet and the ECM packet by using it and decodes it into a stream of the original broadcast signal.

The CAM 26 communicates with the microcomputer 34 through the controller 28 when the PCMCIA module, which is a PC card equipped with a CAS function capable of watching pay channel broadcasting, is inserted into the CI slot of the broadcast receiver.

The smart card interface 30 communicates with the microcomputer 34 through the controller 28 when the smart cards 30 equipped with the CAS function for watching pay channel broadcasting are inserted into the CAS slot.

The hard disk interface 32 communicates with the microcomputer 34 when the hard disk (HDD) module 100 is connected to an external terminal of the digital set-top box.

The microcomputer 34 controls internal components of the digital set-top box 10, and tunes any broadcasting channel among satellite broadcasting, terrestrial broadcasting, and cable broadcasting according to the key signal input from the key input unit 36. Then, the bit stream of the tuned broadcast channel is controlled to be parsed into video, audio, etc. through the DE-MUX 24.

When the hard disk (HDD) module 100 is connected to an external terminal of the digital set-top box 10 through the hard disk interface 32, the microcomputer 34 of the present invention, the tuner 14, 16, network connection 22 ), Go to the preset channel, tune and save the program of the tuned channel, upgrade the program to support the personal recording function, and format the hard disk (HDD) module 100 to reset the system. After rebooting, the digital set-top box 10 is controlled to operate as a personal recording device.

The key input unit 36 is a portion for receiving a key signal for operating the digital set-top box or receiving a remote control signal.

The memory 38 stores control word information used for descrambling pay channel broadcasting, and stores data necessary for controlling the operation of the microcomputer 34.

The audio decoder 40 decodes the audio stream from the broadcast stream delivered from the DE-MUX 24 using an MPEG decompression algorithm, and then outputs the audio stream to a speaker or an audio amplifier of a television.

The video decoder 42 decodes the video stream by the MPEG decompression algorithm from the broadcast stream delivered from the DE-MUX 24 and outputs it to a monitor of a television or the like.

The combo system of the digital set-top box and the personal recording apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, when the hard disk (HDD) module 100 is connected to the external terminal of the digital set-top box 10 through the hard disk interface 32 In order to control the tuner 14 or 16 or the network connection unit 22, the tuner moves to a preset broadcast channel, and tunes and stores a program of the tuned channel to upgrade a program supporting the personal recording function. After the hard disk is formatted through the HDD module 100, the digital set-top box 10 is reset and the system is rebooted. Then, the digital set-top box 10 is implemented as a personal recording device. That is, after descrambling or descrambling the program of any broadcast channel of satellite, terrestrial or cable broadcasting in the demux 24, the program is stored in the hard disk (HDD) module 100 through the hard disk interface 32. .

2 is a flowchart sequentially illustrating a control method of a combo system of a digital set-top box and a personal recording apparatus according to the present invention.

1 and 2, the combo system of the digital set-top box and the personal recording apparatus according to the present invention operates as follows.

When the hard disk (HDD) module 100 is connected to an external terminal of the digital set-top box 10, the microcomputer 34 determines whether a program upgrade key signal is input through the key input unit 36 (S10 to S20).

As a result of the S20 determination, when a program upgrade key signal is input, the microcomputer 34 controls the tuners 14 and 16 or the network connection unit 22 to move to a preset broadcast channel, and tunes the program of the tuned channel. 38) to upgrade the program to support the personal recording (PVR) function. (S30 ~ S40)

The microcomputer 34 adds a personal recording (PVR) function to the menu of the digital set-top box 10 according to the program upgrade result of the personal recording (PVR) function and outputs it through the OSD screen (S50).

The microcomputer 34 sends a format signal to the hard disk (HDD) module 100 connected through the hard disk interface 32, and the hard disk (HDD) module 100 transmits the pre-stored data of the hard disk (HDD). Delete and format (S60).

The microcomputer 34 resets the digital set-top box 10 to reboot the system, and then the digital set-top box 10 is implemented as a personal recording device.

Although not shown in the drawing, when the digital set-top box 10 is implemented as a personal recording device, the microcomputer 34 may program programs of any one of satellite, terrestrial, and cable broadcasting in the DE-MUX 24. After scrambling or descrambling, it is transferred to the hard disk (HDD) module 100 through the hard disk interface 32 and stored in the hard disk (HDD).

As described above, when the hard disk module is connected to the digital set-top box, the present invention tunes a preset broadcast channel to automatically upgrade a program for personal recording, and automatically resets the system after the hard disk is automatically formatted so that the digital set-top box is personalized. It should be implemented as a recording device.

Therefore, the present invention can be used as a personal recording device when the hard disk module is connected to the digital set top box without installing a hard disk drive in the digital set top box product.

On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, various modifications are possible by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims to be described later.

Claims (2)

In a digital set top box, A demux for tuning the signal of any broadcast channel and scrambling or descrambling the tuned signal, A hard disk interface for connecting the digital set-top box and a module having an external hard disk to each other; When the hard disk module is connected to the digital set-top box through the hard disk interface, a program of a personal recording function is received and stored through a preset broadcast channel, and the system is reset after formatting the hard disk of the hard disk module. To control your personal recording device Combo system of digital set-top box and personal recording device comprising a. In the control method of the digital set-top box, Determining whether the digital set-top box and the module having an external hard disk are connected to each other; As a result of the determination, when the digital set-top box and the hard disk module are connected to each other, receiving and storing a program of a personal recording function through a preset broadcast channel; Formatting a hard disk of the hard disk module; Resetting the system of the digital set-top box to implement a personal recording device comprising the control method of the combo system of the digital set-top box and the personal recording device.

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