KR20070075128A - Broadcast receiver and method for switching television channels - Google Patents

Abstract

A broadcasting receiving apparatus and a method for controlling channel switching are provided to previously decode a channel expected to be switched and selectively output a broadcasting signal when channels are continuously switched according to a channel switching signal to reduce a channel switching delay time. A broadcasting receiving apparatus includes first and second decoders(140,150), a channel estimator(191), and a determination unit(193). The first and second decoders decode a broadcasting signal of a predetermined channel. The channel estimator estimates up/down channels to be switched from a current channel according to a received up/down key signal and a channel expected to be switched from the up/down channels. The determination unit controls one of the first and second decoders to decode a broadcasting signal of the estimated channel while the other one of the first and second decoders decodes broadcasting signals of the up/down channels.

Description

Broadcast receiver and method for controlling channel switching {Broadcast receiver and method for switching television channels}

1 is a block diagram of a broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention ;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a channel switching control method of a broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a channel switching control method when an up key signal is input in the present broadcast receiving apparatus.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: broadcast receiving device 110: key input unit

120: first tuner 130: second tuner

140: first decoder 150: second decoder

160: switching unit 170: signal processing unit

180: output unit 190: control unit

191: channel calculation unit 193: determination unit

195: motion control unit

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus and a channel switching control method thereof, and more particularly, to decode a channel expected in advance when a channel is continuously changed by pressing an up / down moving button, and selectively according to a channel switching signal. A broadcast receiving apparatus and a channel switching control method for reducing a channel switching delay time by outputting a broadcast signal.

In general, a broadcast receiving apparatus receives and processes a broadcast signal and outputs the same on a screen. When receiving a broadcast signal through a public network or a satellite network such as a digital TV, it takes time to check the frequency and timing of the received broadcast signal, and thus a predetermined time delay occurs in the decoding process.

 When the user wants to switch the broadcast currently displayed on the screen to another channel, the user can input the channel number by using the remote controller and the external operation key or press the up / down navigation button to switch the channel. .

However, in such a channel switching method, the user is inconvenient to wait for a predetermined time until the decoding of the channel to be switched is completed every time the channel is switched. That is, when the user wants to switch channels, the channel is not immediately switched, and the channel screen before the switching is output as it is for a predetermined time or the channel is switched after the black screen is output for a predetermined time.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to decode the expected channel in advance when the channel is continuously changed by pressing the up / down movement button, and to reduce the channel switching delay time by selectively outputting a broadcast signal according to the channel switching signal. A broadcast receiving device and a channel switching control method thereof are provided.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a broadcast receiving apparatus includes: first and second decoders for decoding a broadcast signal of a predetermined channel; A channel calculator for calculating an expected channel, which is a channel to be changed from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal and a channel to be changed from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal. ; And while one of the first and second decoders decodes the broadcast signal of the upper and lower channels calculated by the channel calculator, the other of the first and second decoders is calculated by the channel calculator. And a determination unit controlling to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel.

Preferably, when it is determined that the uplink key signal is received, the channel calculator calculates an uplink channel by increasing the current channel by one, calculates an expected channel by increasing one calculated uplink channel, and receives the downlink key signal. If it is determined, the lower channel is calculated by reducing the current channel by one, and the expected channel is calculated by decreasing the calculated lower channel by one.

Also preferably, the operation control unit for transmitting a channel switching signal to switch from the current channel to the up / down channel, and the switching unit for switching to the up / down channel received in the current channel by the channel switching signal, characterized in that it further comprises do.

On the other hand, the channel switching control method of the broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, the up / down channel which is a channel to be changed from the current channel by the received up / down key signal and from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal Calculating a predicted channel, which is a channel to which a change is expected, and controlling to decode the calculated broadcast signal of the calculated predicted channel while decoding the calculated upper / lower channel broadcast signal.

Preferably, in the channel calculating step, when it is determined that the uplink key signal is received, the uplink channel is calculated by increasing the current channel by one, the estimated channel is calculated by increasing the calculated uplink channel by one, and the downlink key signal is received. If it is determined that the current channel is calculated by reducing the current channel by one decrease, and by reducing the calculated lower channel by one.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

1 is a block diagram of a broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the present broadcast receiving apparatus includes a key input unit 110, a first tuner 120, a second tuner 130, a first decoder 140, a second decoder 150, and a switching unit 160. ), A signal processor 170, an output unit 180, and a controller 190.

First, the key input unit 110 In order to select a function supported by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, a plurality of numeric keys, direction keys, confirmation keys, and the like are provided, and a signal corresponding to a key selected by the viewer is applied to the controller 190 to be described later. Here, the key input unit 110 may be provided in the main body of the broadcast receiving device 100 or implemented as a remote controller.

The first tuner 120 and the second tuner 130 tune one channel by the pre-international language signal of the controller 190 to be described later among the plurality of broadcast signals received through the antenna 105. That is, the first tuner 120 and the second tuner 130 receive and tune a broadcast signal corresponding to a channel selected by a user among a plurality of broadcast signals received through the antenna 105.

The first decoder 140 and the second decoder 150 decode the broadcast signals of the channels output from the first tuner 120 and the second tuner 130, respectively. Each of the first decoder 140 and the second decoder 150 may be controlled according to the control of the controller 190 to be described later. The broadcast signal of at least one of the current channel (N), the up / down channel, and the expected channel is decoded. At this time, the decoder for decoding the broadcast signal of the expected channel buffers the decoded data. Here, the up / down channel is a channel to be changed from the current channel by the received up / down key signal, and the expected channel is a channel to be changed from the up / down channel.

The switching unit 160 selectively outputs any one of signals received from the first decoder 140 and the second decoder 150 according to the channel switching signal of the controller 190 to be described later.

The signal processor 170 processes the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the switching unit 160 into a viewable signal. That is, the signal processor 170 generates broadcast data that can be viewed by performing signal processing such as noise reduction and detail improvement on the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the switching unit 160. The signal processor 170 provides the generated broadcast data to the output unit 180.

The controller 190 controls and manages the overall operation of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to a signal transmitted from the key input unit 160 by a viewer's key input and a control program stored in a ROM (not shown). The controller 190 includes a channel calculator 191, a determiner 193, and an operation controller 195.

The channel calculator 191 determines whether the up / down key signal is received, and calculates an up / down channel calculation and an expected channel according to the received up / down key signal. In this case, the channel calculator 191 calculates an expected channel based on the first / lowest key signal input first. That is, for example, when the first uplink key signal is input, the channel calculator 191 calculates an uplink channel N + 1 for the uplink key signal using the current channel N, and calculates the channel calculator. 191 calculates an expected channel N + 2 by determining that an uplink key signal is input again next time.

The determination unit 193 determines a decoder that decodes the broadcast signal of the current channel N, and the determination unit 193 determines that the up / down channel broadcast signal calculated by the channel calculator 191 is the current channel N. Control to be decoded by another decoder that is not used for decoding broadcast signals. In addition, the determination unit 193 determines a decoder to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel calculated by the channel calculator 191 and controls the determined decoder to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel.

That is, the determination unit 193 determines whether the first decoder 140 or the second decoder 150 decodes the broadcast signal of the upper / lower channel calculated by the channel calculator 191. The other one of the 140 and the second decoder 150 controls to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel calculated by the channel calculator 191.

The operation controller 195 controls the first tuner 120 and the second tuner 130 to tune and output a signal of a channel corresponding to a key selected by the viewer among a plurality of broadcast signals received through the antenna 105. do. In addition, the operation controller 195 controls the switching unit 160 by transmitting a channel switching signal to switch from the current channel N to the up / down channel.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a channel switching control method of a broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a channel switching control method when an up key signal is input in the present broadcast receiving apparatus.

2 and 3, first, the broadcast signal of the current channel (N) is output to the output unit 180 (S210). That is, the video and audio of the current channel N that the viewer is watching are output to the output unit 180.

Subsequently, the channel calculator 191 determines whether the up / down key signal is received (S220). That is, the channel calculator 191 determines whether the up / down key signal is selected by the viewer.

The channel calculator 191 calculates an up / down channel and an expected channel (S230). Here, the up / down channel is a channel to be changed from the current channel by the received up / down key signal, and the expected channel is a channel to be changed from the up / down channel.

That is, when it is determined in step S220 that the uplink key signal is received, the channel calculator 191 calculates the uplink channel N + 1, which is a channel for the uplink key signal, and determines that the uplink key signal is continuously received. Calculate the expected channel (N + 2). If it is determined in step S220 that the downlink key signal is received, the channel calculator 191 calculates the lower channel N-1, which is a channel for the downlink key signal, and determines that the downlink key signal is continuously received. Calculate the expected channel (N-2).

Subsequently, the decoder decodes the broadcast signal of the upper and lower channels (S240).

That is, when the determiner 193 determines that the broadcast signal of the current channel N is being decoded by the first decoder 140, the determiner 193 may determine the broadcast signal of the received up / down channel by the second decoder ( 150 to decode. If the determination unit 193 determines that the broadcast signal of the current channel N is being decoded by the second decoder 140, the determination unit 193 may determine the broadcast signal of the received up / down channel from the first decoder ( 150 to decode.

The operation controller 195 controls the switching unit 160 by transmitting a channel switching signal to switch to the up / down channel received in the current channel N (S250).

Subsequently, the determination unit 193 determines a decoder to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel, and controls the determined decoder to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel (S260). At this time, the decoder for decoding the broadcast signal of the expected channel buffers the decoded data.

In detail, for example, when the broadcast signal of the current channel N is output to the output unit 180 by decoding the broadcast signal of the current channel N from the first decoder 140, The channel calculator 191 calculates and outputs the upper channel N + 1 and the expected channel N + 2. In addition, the determination unit 193 controls the second decoder 150 to decode the broadcast signal of the channel N + 1 for the uplink key signal.

At this time, when the decoding is completed in the second decoder 150, the operation controller 195 controls the switching unit 160 to switch from the current channel (N) to the upper channel (N + 1) which is a channel for the up key signal. do. When the switching unit 160 switches from the current channel N to the upper channel N + 1, the determination unit 193 receives the broadcast signal of the expected channel N + 2 from the first decoder 140. Control to decode.

The signal processor 170 performs predetermined signal processing on the decoded up / down channel broadcast signal (S270). That is, the signal processor 170 generates broadcast data that can be viewed by performing signal processing such as noise removal and detail enhancement on the broadcast signal of the channel selected by the switching unit 160 under the control of the operation controller 195.

The signal processor 170 provides the generated broadcast data to the output unit 180 (S280).

On the other hand, in the broadcast receiving apparatus and the channel switching control method according to the present invention, the channel switching to the up / down channel which is a channel to be changed from the current channel by the up / down key signal received in the current channel (N) in step S250 When this occurs, the operations of step S260 for decoding the expected channel and step S270 for signal processing of the up / down channel broadcast signal may be reversed, or steps S260 and S270 may be simultaneously performed.

In addition, in the broadcast receiving apparatus and the channel switching control method according to the present invention, a channel switching effect may be added by using an OSD (On Screen Display) so that a screen which is switched to a user is smoothly displayed when switching channels.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus and the channel switching control method according to the present invention, the upper channel (N + 1), the lower channel (N-1), and the predicted channel calculated by the channel calculator 191 from the current channel are described. As an example to assist the convenience, the upper channel, lower channel, and expected channel calculated from the current channel in the channel calculator 191 may be applied to the effective channel and the preferred channel. Here, the effective channel is a channel through which a broadcast signal is received, and the preferred channel is a channel preset with a channel that a viewer mainly watches.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the channel is continuously changed by pressing the up / down moving button, the channel expected delay time is decoded in advance and the broadcast signal is selectively output according to the channel change signal. It can be shortened.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

Claims (5)

First and second decoders for decoding broadcast signals of a predetermined channel; A channel calculator for calculating an expected channel, which is a channel to be changed from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal and a channel to be changed from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal. ; And While one of the first and second decoders decodes the broadcast signal of the upper and lower channels calculated by the channel calculator, the other of the first and second decoders is calculated by the channel calculator. And a determination unit which controls to decode the broadcast signal of the expected channel. The method of claim 1, The channel calculator, If it is determined that an uplink key signal is received, calculate an uplink channel by increasing the current channel by one, calculate the expected channel by increasing the calculated uplink channel by one, And if it is determined that the downlink key signal is received, calculating the lower channel by reducing the current channel by one and calculating the expected channel by reducing the calculated lower channel by one. The method of claim 1, An operation control unit which transmits a channel switch signal to switch from the current channel to the up / down channel; And And a switching unit for switching to the up / down channel received in the current channel by the channel switching signal. Calculating an expected channel which is a channel to be changed from the up / down channel by the received up / down key signal and an up / down channel which is a channel to be changed from the current channel by the received up / down key signal; And controlling to decode the calculated broadcast signal of the expected channel while decoding the calculated broadcast signal of the upper / lower channel. The method of claim 1, The channel calculation step, If it is determined that an uplink key signal is received, the upper channel is calculated by increasing the current channel by one, and the expected channel is calculated by increasing the calculated upper channel by one. And calculating the lower channel by reducing the current channel and calculating the expected channel by decreasing the calculated lower channel by one.

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