KR20070063952A - Apparatus and method for providing broadcasting channel list - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for supplying a broadcasting channel list are provided to improve the convenience in searching broadcasting channels by supplying a broadcasting channel list for broadcasting channels in which a user takes an interest together with images about the broadcasting channels. A broadcasting signal processor scans digital broadcasting channels including plural broadcasting channels, and processes broadcasting signals received through the scanned broadcasting channels. A controller(120) filters a broadcasting channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the digital broadcasting channels. A channel list generator(150) generates a broadcasting channel list for the filtered broadcasting channel. A storage unit(140) stores the generated broadcasting channel list. The predetermined condition is satisfied when the broadcasting channel is not changed during a predetermined time. The controller controls the channel list generator to generate the broadcasting channel list whenever the predetermined condition is satisfied.

Description

Apparatus and method for providing broadcasting channel list}

1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a broadcast channel list providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a broadcast channel list according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a process of providing a broadcast channel list provided by a broadcast channel list providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a broadcast channel list, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing a broadcast channel list for a broadcast channel determined to be of interest to a user.

Digital broadcasting has better channel efficiency than analog broadcasting services, and therefore can provide many broadcasting programs. In addition, digital audio broadcasting (DAB), which provides a variety of additional data services such as weather, traffic, entertainment and video, as well as high-quality audio services at the CD level, using the latest audio encoding method with high compression rate. In the DAB, digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) is being developed. Although such digital broadcasting is commercially available, since a large number of broadcasting channels are provided to the user, it is difficult to remember a channel of interest even if the user searches for the broadcasting channel. Therefore, a user must search for a channel to be watched again, and there is a problem in that a channel search time is increased to perform the above operation.

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problem, and a video image received through a broadcast channel for filtering a broadcast channel determined to be of interest to a user during a search for a broadcast channel through a broadcast channel. The present invention also provides an apparatus and method for providing a list of broadcast channels provided to a user.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a broadcast channel list providing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, scanning a digital broadcast channel including a plurality of broadcast channels, and processing a broadcast signal received through the scanned broadcast channel A broadcast signal processor; A controller for filtering a broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the digital broadcast channels; A channel list generator configured to generate a broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel; And a storage unit for storing the generated broadcast channel list, wherein a predetermined condition is satisfied when a state in which no broadcast channel is changed for a predetermined time is maintained, and the controller controls the broadcast channel list whenever a predetermined condition is satisfied. Control the broadcast channel list generation unit to generate a.

The user interface unit may further include a user interface unit configured to receive a user input signal for requesting a list of broadcast channels, and the controller may satisfy a predetermined condition when a user input signal for requesting an operation other than a channel change is received through the user interface unit. I think that.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes an output unit configured to output a broadcast channel list, and when the user input signal for requesting the broadcast channel list is received from the user interface unit, the controller reads the broadcast channel list stored in the storage unit and provides the broadcast channel list. Create a screen to provide through the output unit.

Preferably, the channel list generator receives channel information on the filtered broadcast channel and a video stream transmitted through the filtered broadcast channel from the broadcast signal processor, and captures a decoded frame image from the broadcast signal processor to generate a reduced image. And a broadcast channel list including broadcast channel information, a video stream, and a reduced image.

Preferably, when the electronic program guide information is included in the broadcast signal received through the filtered broadcast channel, the channel list generator generates the broadcast channel list by using the electronic program guide information.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, a broadcast channel list providing method according to another aspect of the present invention, scanning the digital broadcast channel including a plurality of broadcast channels; Filtering a broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the digital broadcast channels; Generating a broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel; Storing the generated broadcast channel list; And when a user input signal for requesting a broadcasting channel list is received, generating and providing a screen for reading the stored broadcasting channel list and providing the broadcasting channel list, wherein the predetermined condition is to change the broadcasting channel for a predetermined time. If no state is maintained, it is satisfied.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a broadcast channel list providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The broadcast channel list providing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a broadcast signal processor 110, a controller 120, a user interface 130, a storage 140, a channel list generator 150, and an output unit ( 160).

The broadcast signal processor 110 may include an antenna 111, a tuner 113, a demultiplexer 115, and a decoder 117. The tuner 113 tunes one channel among the plurality of channels and scans and outputs one digital broadcast signal among a plurality of digital broadcast signals received by the antenna 111. The tuner 113 may process the digital broadcast signal to generate a transport stream. When the tuner 113 processes the digital broadcast signal, channel information about the broadcast channel may be interpreted and output. The demultiplexer 115 demultiplexes the transport stream into video streams, audio streams and data streams, and the decoder 117 can decode the separated video streams, audio streams and data streams.

The controller 120 controls the broadcast signal processor 110, the user interface 130, the storage 140, the channel list generator 150, and the outputter 160, and controls the broadcast signal processor 110. A broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the plurality of digital broadcast channels scanned through the filter is filtered. The predetermined condition may be satisfied that there is no change of the broadcast channel during a predetermined time elapses. Alternatively, the predetermined condition may be, for example, an operation other than a channel change, for example, a volume control operation for the currently provided digital broadcast, or a request for information on the currently provided digital broadcast, through the user interface 130. The user input signal requesting the operation may be satisfied. The user continuously watches the currently provided broadcast without changing the channel, or increases the volume or requests broadcast information by using a remote controller or a key input. This is because the probability of interest may be large.

Accordingly, the controller 120 monitors the tuner 113 and satisfies a predetermined condition when a digital broadcast signal is processed and provided for a broadcast channel to be scanned without changing the broadcast channel for a predetermined time. You can judge. The controller 120 may determine whether a predetermined time has elapsed with respect to the currently provided channel using a counter included therein. Alternatively, the controller 120 may satisfy a predetermined condition when a user input signal for requesting an operation other than a channel change received through the user interface 130 is received while the digital broadcast is received and provided. You can judge.

The channel list generator 150 generates a channel list for the broadcast channel filtered by the controller 120. The controller 120 may control the channel list generator 150 to generate a broadcast channel list whenever a predetermined condition is satisfied. The channel list generation unit 150 may receive a portion of the video stream received through the filtered broadcast channel from the decoder 117, and capture a decoded frame image to generate a reduced image. In addition, the channel list generator 150 may receive channel information interpreted when the broadcast signal is processed by the broadcast signal processor 110. Accordingly, the channel list generator 150 may generate a broadcast channel list including channel information about the filtered broadcast channel, a video stream for the corresponding broadcast channel, and a reduced image. In addition, when the electronic program guide information is included in the broadcast signal received through the filtered broadcast channel, the channel list generator 150 may generate a broadcast channel list using the electronic program guide information.

The controller 120 stores the broadcast channel list generated by the channel list generator 150 in the storage 140. The broadcast channel list is stored in the volatile memory area of the storage 140, and when the power of the broadcast channel list providing apparatus is turned off, the stored broadcast channel list may disappear. The channel list generation unit 150 may include an internal memory to store the generated broadcast channel list.

The user interface 130 includes a keypad or a touch screen to receive a user input signal for requesting to provide a channel list for channel search. The storage unit 140 may store a system control program and temporarily store the broadcast channel list generated by the channel list generation unit 150 as described above. The output unit 160 includes a display unit to display a broadcast channel list.

Hereinafter, a process of providing the broadcast channel list in the broadcast channel list providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a broadcast channel list according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The broadcast signal processor 110 scans a digital broadcast channel including a plurality of broadcast channels based on the user input signal received through the user interface 130 (S210), and the controller 120 scans the digital broadcast. The broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the channels is filtered (S 220).

The channel list generation unit 150 generates a broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel (S330). As described above, the channel list generator 150 receives channel information on the broadcast channel interpreted from the broadcast signal processor 110 and a video stream received through the filtered broadcast channel, and decodes the decoder 117. The captured frame image may be captured to generate a reduced image, and then a broadcast channel list including channel information, a video stream for the corresponding channel, and a reduced image may be generated.

Then, the controller 120 stores the broadcast channel list generated by the channel list generator 150 in the storage 140 (S240). When a user input signal for requesting a broadcast channel list is received from the user interface unit 130 (S250), the controller 120 reads the broadcast channel list stored in the storage 140 and provides a broadcast channel list. It generates and provides through the output unit 160 (S 260).

3 is a diagram illustrating a process of providing a broadcast channel list provided by a broadcast channel list providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus for providing a broadcast channel list according to an embodiment of the present invention may generate and provide a broadcast channel list for a broadcast channel that satisfies a predetermined condition while the user searches for a channel. have. First, when a user changes a channel to a channel 11 while scanning a channel 8 such as the screen 301 through a user interface and a predetermined time passes, the broadcast channel list providing apparatus filters the channel 11 to reduce the screen as shown in the screen 302. An image is generated, and a broadcast channel list is generated and stored using the video stream and the channel information.

Then, when the user changes the channel to channel 39 and a predetermined time passes, the broadcast channel list providing apparatus filters the channel 39 to generate a reduced image such as the screen 303, and uses the video stream and the channel information to broadcast the channel. Create and save a list. Then, if the channel is changed to channel 31 and the channel is changed back to channel 67 without a predetermined time elapsed, as shown in the screen 304, the reduced image is not generated and the broadcast channel list for the channel 67 is Not generated.

As such, after generating and storing a broadcast channel list for a broadcast channel that satisfies a predetermined condition, the user inputs a signal for requesting a broadcast channel search to search for a broadcast channel list determined as a channel list of interest during channel search. The filtered broadcast channel list such as the screen 305 may be provided. In addition, when the user selects one of the reduced images provided on the screen 305, the video stream received through the selected broadcast channel may be reproduced.

The broadcast channel list providing method according to the present invention may be embodied as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. Codes and code segments implementing the above program can be easily deduced by computer programmers in the art. Computer-readable recording media include all kinds of recording devices that store data that can be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical disk, and the like, and may also include those implemented in the form of carrier waves (eg, transmission over the Internet). do. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

The above description is only one embodiment of the present invention, and those skilled in the art may implement the present invention in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described examples, but should be construed to include various embodiments within the scope equivalent to those described in the claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, a broadcast channel list providing apparatus and method for providing a filtered broadcast channel to a user by filtering a broadcast channel determined to be of interest to a user during a broadcast channel search may be provided.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, the broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel determined to be of interest by the user among the broadcast channels whose history has been searched is provided with the image related to the broadcast channel to increase the convenience of the search for the broadcast channel. Can be.

Claims (5)

A broadcast signal processor for scanning a digital broadcast channel including a plurality of broadcast channels and processing a broadcast signal received through the scanned broadcast channel; A controller for filtering a broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the digital broadcast channels; A channel list generator configured to generate a broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel; And A storage unit for storing the generated broadcast channel list, The predetermined condition is satisfied if there is no change of the broadcasting channel during a predetermined time elapses, and the controller controls the channel list generating unit to generate the broadcasting channel list whenever the predetermined condition is satisfied. Broadcast channel list providing apparatus, characterized in that. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a user interface for receiving a user input signal for requesting a list of broadcast channels, And the controller determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied when a user input signal for requesting an operation other than a channel change is received through the user interface unit. The method of claim 2, Further comprising an output unit for outputting the broadcast channel list, When the user input signal for requesting a broadcast channel list is received from the user interface unit, the controller reads the broadcast channel list stored in the storage unit and generates a screen for providing the broadcast channel list and provides the same through the output unit. The channel list generator receives channel information on the filtered broadcast channel and a video stream transmitted through the filtered broadcast channel from the broadcast signal processor, captures a decoded frame image from the broadcast signal processor, and reduces a reduced image. And generating a broadcast channel list including the broadcast channel information, the video stream, and the reduced image. The method of claim 1, And when the electronic program guide information is included in the broadcast signal received through the filtered broadcast channel, the channel list generator generating a broadcast channel list using the electronic program guide information. Scanning a digital broadcast channel comprising a plurality of broadcast channels; Filtering a broadcast channel satisfying a predetermined condition among the digital broadcast channels; Generating a broadcast channel list for the filtered broadcast channel; Storing the generated broadcast channel list; And And when the user input signal for requesting the broadcast channel list is received, generating and providing a screen for reading the stored broadcast channel list and providing the broadcast channel list. The predetermined condition is satisfied if the broadcast channel change state is maintained for a predetermined time.

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