KR20080005012A - Teminal and method for searching broadcasting channel - Google Patents

Abstract

A terminal and a method for searching for broadcasting channels are provided to search for only signal-receivable channels serviced at the current region, thereby performing a channel search operation promptly. A storage unit(70) stores only plural pieces of channel information allotted to respective regions among total broadcasting channels. A channel search unit(60) searches for only signal-receivable channels from the allotted channel information according to current position. Another storage unit stores only the searched channel information. A controller(90) controls the channel search unit so that the channel search unit receives only the channels selected from the searched channel information. A DMB module(10), which consists of a tuner(12), a demodulator(14) and a decoder(16), receives a DMB broadcasting signal through a DMB antenna(ANT1).

Description

Broadcasting channel search method and terminal device {teminal and method for searching broadcasting channel}

1 is a flowchart illustrating a broadcast channel search method according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram of a mobile phone combined DM terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a broadcast channel search method of the DM terminal of FIG. 2 according to the present invention;

4 is a block diagram of a navigation DMB terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a network diagram illustrating a broadcast channel search method according to the present invention;

<< Explanation of symbols for main part of drawing >>

10: DM module 12: tuner unit

14: demodulation unit 16: decoder unit

20: multimedia processing unit 30: display unit

40: speaker 50: RF receiver

60: channel search unit 70: storage unit

72: search channel list storage unit 74: regional broadcasting channel storage unit

80: input unit 90: control unit

The present invention relates to a broadcast channel search, and more particularly, to a broadcast channel search method and a terminal apparatus for searching and setting only a channel allocated to a current region based on location information as a broadcast channel.

Digital multimedia broadcating (hereinafter referred to as DMB) digitally modulates various multimedia signals such as voice and video and provides them to portable terminals such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and vehicle terminals. Is a broadcast service. The DMB is classified into a terrestrial DMB and a satellite DMB according to a transmission medium (base station / satellite).

Among them, the terrestrial DMMB provides broadcasting services using broadcasting channels allocated to respective regions. Currently, terrestrial DMBs cannot be broadcasted nationwide by the National Single Frequency Network (SFN), unlike satellite DMBs due to the frequency conditions with televisions. It is becoming. For example, six terrestrial DMB operators selected from the metropolitan area are allocated frequencies of 1.536 MHz on channels 8 (180-186 MHz) and 12 (204-210 MHz), respectively, providing 7 television channels, 13 radio channels, It also services eight data channels. In addition, the provinces are divided into five regions including Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gangwon, Gyeongsang, and Jeju, and one channel is allocated to each region to introduce terrestrial DMBs.

Therefore, when the national broadcasting service of the terrestrial DMMB starts, since the broadcasting service varies by region, when the location of the user receiving the DMMB is changed, a broadcast channel that can be served in the region must be newly searched.

As described above, a broadcasting channel searching method of a terminal capable of using DMB service will be described step by step with reference to FIG. 1.

When the channel search is requested by the user, the operation mode of the DM terminal is switched to the search mode (S10). In operation S11, a channel that can be received from the user's current location is searched. At this time, it is checked whether broadcast signals are sequentially received for all serviced channels (S12). The channel search searches all channels determined in the terrestrial DMB standard. In the full channel search, if there are seven channels from channel 1 to channel 7, it checks whether a broadcast is received through each channel sequentially from channel 1 to channel 7.

When the broadcast signal is received as a result of the check in step 12, it is determined that the channel can be received at the current location, and in step 13, the searched channel is recorded in the broadcast channel list (S13). However, if it is determined in step 12 that the broadcast signal is not received, the process returns to step 11 to search for the next channel, for example, channel 2, channel 3, and the like.

In operation 14, it is determined whether the channel search is completed. If the search is completed, the channel search is stopped. Or, if the determination is not completed in step 14, the process returns to step 11 to search for the next channel. As such, when the channel search is completed, if a channel is selected by the user from among the recorded channels, the broadcast of the corresponding channel is received.

However, the above-described prior art has the following problems.

Since all channels serviced in all regions are searched regardless of broadcast channels serviced only in the present location, it takes much time to search for a broadcast channel that can be received. Therefore, when moving to another area, it is necessary to re-search for a broadcast channel receivable in the corresponding area, and even in this case, the entire channel must be searched first.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and has information on the broadcasting channel serving each region, so that when searching for a channel, the channel is searched simply and quickly using the broadcasting service information of the region. An object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast channel searching method and a terminal device.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the present invention includes a storage unit for storing only a plurality of channel information allocated for each region of the entire broadcast channel;

And a channel search unit for searching only channels receivable from the allocated channel information according to current location information.

And a second storage unit for storing only the retrieved channel information.

And a control unit which controls the channel search unit and controls to receive only a channel selected from the found channel information.

The location information is received from a satellite.

The location information is received from the base station.

According to another feature of the invention, the present invention comprises the steps of receiving location information; And retrieving only a broadcast channel receivable from the broadcast channels allocated to the received location information.

If the location information is not received further comprises the step of searching for a broadcast channel receivable in all broadcast channels.

The location information is characterized in that the transmission from the satellite.

The location information is characterized by receiving from the base station.

The channel searching step includes the steps of: accessing the assigned broadcast channel; And searching for only a channel that can receive a broadcast in the accessed broadcast channel.

And recording the searched channel as a receivable broadcast channel.

The method may further include terminating the search if there are no broadcast channels to search.

And searching for the next broadcast channel if the broadcast reception is impossible in the search step.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, it is possible to quickly search for a broadcast channel that can be received at the current location.

Hereinafter, a broadcast channel searching method and a terminal device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration of a mobile phone coupled DMB terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The DMB terminal includes a DMB module 10 for receiving a DMB broadcast signal through a DMB antenna ANT1 and a multimedia processing unit 20 for processing and outputting a broadcast signal received through the DMB module 10.

The DMB module 10 includes a tuner unit 12 for extracting and outputting only a broadcast signal of a channel selected by a user, and a demodulator 14 for demodulating the broadcast signal output from the tuner unit 12. In addition, a decoder 16 for classifying the broadcast signal received from the demodulator 14 into image data, audio data, and text data is output to the multimedia processing unit 20.

The multimedia processor 20 includes an image processor 22, a data processor 24, and a voice processor 26 for processing the image data, text data, and audio data. In addition, a display unit 30 for displaying the output from the image processor 22 and the data processor 24 and a speaker 40 for outputting the output from the audio processor 26 as a voice signal are provided.

In addition, an RF receiver RF unit 50 for receiving current location information from the base station through the antenna ANT2 is provided. A channel search unit 60 is provided for referring to the regional broadcasting channel list based on the location information received through the RF receiver 50 and searching for the channel information receivable at the current location. The channel search unit 60 searches for a channel that can be received among broadcasts serviced in a corresponding region and generates a list of broadcast channels by the controller 90 to be described later.

Search channel list storage unit 72 that stores the list of broadcast channels searched by the channel search unit 60, and broadcast channel storage unit for each region that stores the broadcast channel information allocated to each region for all channels serviced nationwide A storage unit 70 including 74 is provided. In addition, an input unit 80 for receiving a DMb broadcast viewing request and an operation command is provided to the user. The controller 90 controls the operation mode of the DM terminal and controls the operation of each component according to the operation of the input unit 80.

The broadcast channel searching method of the mobile phone combined DM terminal according to the present invention having the configuration as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

When an input signal is generated through an operation of the input unit 80 of the user to watch the DMB broadcast, the controller 90 switches the operation mode to the search mode to search for a broadcast channel that can be received (S20). Subsequently, the control unit 90 receives information on the current position from the base station through the RF receiving unit 50 (S21).

Then, the channel search unit 60 accesses the information on the broadcast channel serviced in the current region from the regional broadcast channel storage unit 74 based on the location information from the controller 90 (S22). For example, according to the current location information, when located in the Chungcheong-do region, the channel search unit 60 provides a list of broadcast channels serving the Chungcheong-do region from the broadcasting channel storage unit 74 for each region, for example, channels 7 and 9. Access channel 11, channel 24, and channel 27.

Next, the broadcast channel receivable at the current position is searched among the accessed broadcast channel list (S23). Here, the channel search unit 60 transmits a channel selection signal corresponding to each channel to the tuner unit 12 based on the broadcast channel list. Then, the tuner unit 12 receives a response signal according to whether or not broadcast reception is possible for the corresponding channel. At this time, the channels in the broadcast channel list are checked sequentially. For example, when the channel search unit 60 transmits a channel selection signal, that is, 'channel 7', to the tuner unit 12, the tuner unit 12 checks whether a broadcast is received from the corresponding channel. Or, if the confirmation result is not received in step 23, the process returns to step 23 to search for the next channel, that is, 'channel 9', 'channel 11', and the like.

When the confirmation result broadcast is received, the channel search unit 60 records the corresponding channel in the search channel list storage unit 72 (S24). Then, it is determined whether the search for the broadcast channel is completed (S25). If the search is completed as a result, the channel search unit 60 stops the channel search and stores the generated broadcast channel list in the search channel storage unit 72. do. Alternatively, when the search for the broadcast channel is not completed in step 25, the process returns to step 23 to search for the next channel.

Next, a configuration of a navigation DMB terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

The DMB terminal is provided with a GPS receiver 150 for receiving location information on the warning, latitude, and altitude from the satellite. A channel search unit 160 is provided for searching for broadcast channels receivable in a corresponding region based on the location information. In addition, an input unit 180 for inputting an operation mode control command of the DM terminal is provided, and the input unit 180 is a touch screen used in common with the display unit 130, or a mode switching key (not shown) is provided separately. It may be provided.

In the present embodiment, since the rest of the configuration is the same as the above-described embodiment, description thereof is omitted for convenience.

Hereinafter, a broadcast channel searching method according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described in detail.

When an operation mode control command is input from the input unit 180 according to a user's request, the controller 190 switches the operation mode. Then, the GPS receiver 150 receives location information such as altitude, longitude, and latitude. Based on the received location information, the channel search unit 160 determines the current location and accesses a list of service broadcast channels corresponding to a corresponding region from the regional broadcast channel storage unit 174. For example, when the current position is point A, as shown in FIG. 5, since the point A belongs to Gyeongsang-do, the channel search unit 160 accesses only a list of broadcast channels of the longitude from the broadcast channel storage unit 174 for each region. do.

After that, the procedure is the same as the above-described embodiment, and will not be described for convenience.

As described above, according to the present invention, the broadcast channel search is possible among the broadcast channels serviced in the corresponding area based on the current location information received from the base station and the satellite, so that the broadcast channel search can be performed quickly.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and many other modifications based on the present invention will be possible to those skilled in the art within the above technical scope.

In the broadcast channel search method and the terminal device according to the present invention as described above in detail can be expected the following effects.

The terminal device stores broadcast channel information allocated for each region and receives current location information from a base station and a satellite. Therefore, unlike the prior art, only the broadcast channels capable of receiving broadcasts are searched among the broadcast channels serviced in the region according to the current location information without searching all the channels.

In addition, since only the broadcast channel serviced in the corresponding area is searched, the broadcast channel search can be performed quickly. In addition, the speed of the search for the broadcast channel provides convenience to the DM service users who move frequently between regions.

Claims (13)

A storage unit for storing only a plurality of channel information allocated for each region among all broadcasting channels; And a channel search unit for searching only channels receivable from the allocated channel information according to current location information. The method of claim 1, And a second storage unit for storing only the retrieved channel information. The method of claim 1, And a control unit which controls the channel search unit and controls to receive only a channel selected from the found channel information. The method of claim 1, And the location information is received from a satellite. The method of claim 1, And the location information is received from a base station. Receiving location information; And searching only a broadcast channel that is receivable among the broadcast channels allocated to the received location information. The method of claim 6, And searching for a broadcast channel receivable from all broadcast channels if the location information is not received. The method of claim 6, And the location information is transmitted from a satellite. The method of claim 6, The location information is received from a base station broadcast channel search method. The method of claim 6, wherein the channel search step, Accessing the assigned broadcast channel; And searching for only a channel that can receive a broadcast from the accessed broadcast channel. The method of claim 10, And recording the searched channel as a receivable broadcast channel. The method of claim 10, And if the broadcast channel to be searched does not exist further, ending the search. The method of claim 10, wherein in the searching step And searching for a next broadcast channel if the broadcast reception is impossible.

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