KR20080096111A - Method for restricting audio hearing in digital video device - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for restricting audio listening in a digital video device is provided to check whether a user is an adult when the user selects and watches an adult designated broadcast or title, generate noise of specific frequency bands(18,000Hz~20,000Hz), and mix and output the noise with an audio signal, thereby preventing children or teenagers from normally listening to various harmful sound the adult designated broadcast or title generates. A micom checks whether child lock in a broadcast program selected by a request of a user is set(S11). If it is not set, a corresponding program is output to an external device such as TV. The micom controls an OSD generator and displays a password input screen on a TV screen(S13) when the child lock is set in the broadcast program. The micom checks whether an input password is equal to a password prestored in a memory(S14). The micom controls a noise generator, generates noise for restricting audio listening(S16), and mixes and outputs the generated noise(S17).

Description

Method for restricting audio listening in digital video device

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an internal configuration of a digital imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an exemplary view showing an audio signal spectrum of a digital imaging device according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

       10: tuner 11: signal processing unit

       12: MPEG decoder 13: micom

       14: OSD generator 15: DVD record system

       16: hard disk record system 17: memory

       18: noise generator

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for restricting audio listening in a digital video device. For example, in an optical disc device such as a DVD recorder or various types of digital video devices in which a set-top box and a hard disk recorder are integrated, an adult-only broadcast or an adult-only title In the case of playing and watching the digital signal, the noise of a certain frequency band that does not affect adults with weak hearing is mixed and output to the audio signal, thereby limiting the children or adolescents from hearing various harmful sounds output from the adult material. The present invention relates to a method for restricting audio listening in a device.

In general, in a digital video apparatus such as a set-top box (STB), when a user selects and selects any one broadcasting channel, the broadcasting channel is tuned, and the data stream of the broadcasting program provided through the broadcasting channel is audio and video. In addition to being separated into data, it is decoded into original audio and video and displayed on the screen of an external connection device such as a television with various guide message images or menu images.

Recently, various types of broadcasting programs are being broadcast through digital broadcasting. For example, adult-only broadcasting programs, which are not suitable for children or teenagers, are transmitted in a scrambled transport stream requiring decryption. do.

In addition, in a digital imaging apparatus such as a set-top box for receiving this, a configuration means such as a de-scrambler is additionally included in the signal processing process, and children or teenagers can watch an adult-only broadcast without permission. It is a situation that restricts viewing of an adult-only broadcasting channel by setting a password in advance in a digital video device to prevent such a thing.

However, in the case of adult-only broadcasts or adult-only titles, in order to restrict the viewing of children or teenagers, the video signal is distorted or a child lock is set using a password or a specific key value. This is limited to the video signal, so that the audio signal reproduced from the adult material to children or adolescents sensitive to sound is output without any limitation, there was a problem that various harmful sounds are exposed to children or adolescents as it is.

In addition, adult-only broadcasts, or broadcasts for adult-only titles, are only partially set to restrict the viewing of the video signal. There was a problem that the harmful sound of the adult notice broadcast is exposed as it is.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and for example, in various types of digital video apparatuses, check whether a viewing restriction is set on a channel tuned by a user, and a viewing restriction is set. In the case of a channel, a method of restricting audio listening in a digital video device which checks a password and outputs noise generated in a specific frequency band that does not affect adults to be mixed with the audio signal. The purpose is to provide.

In addition, another object of the present invention, if the channel selected by the user is a notice broadcast channel or a notice broadcast, whether the current broadcast is an adult-only broadcast, if the broadcast is an adult-only broadcast, affects adults It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device that generates noise of a specific frequency band which is not known and mixes the generated noise into an audio signal.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to check if the parental level is set to the title requested to play when the user requests to play the adult-only title, and if the title is set to the parental control, the password is checked, It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device that generates noise in a specific frequency band that does not affect the audio signal and mixes the generated noise into an audio signal.

In order to achieve the above object, the method for limiting audio listening in a digital video apparatus according to the present invention comprises the steps of checking whether a parental level is set through service information of a tuned channel, and when the parental level is set. And displaying a password input screen to confirm the input password, and if the input password matches a pre-stored password, descrambles and outputs the scrambled video signal, and suppresses audio listening restriction noise. It is characterized in that it comprises three steps of generating and mixing (Mixing) to the audio signal.

According to the present invention, when the tuned channel is being broadcast, the step 4 of checking whether the current broadcast is an adult-only broadcast through service information of a corresponding broadcast program, and if the broadcast is an adult-only broadcast, audio listening restriction noise The method may further include five steps of generating a mixed signal and outputting the mixed audio signal.

The audio listening restriction noise of the present invention is characterized in that the sound of the frequency band that is not heard by the adult, the audio listening restriction noise, characterized in that the sound of the frequency band that can be heard by children or adolescents, The band is characterized in that 18,000Hz-20,000Hz.

In addition, another feature of the present invention is the first step to check whether the parental level is set to the inserted title, the second step of confirming the password entered by displaying a password input screen, if the title is set, and the input If the password is matched with the previously stored password, and performing the title playback operation, and generating the audio listening restriction noise, and mixing (Mixing) the audio signal, characterized in that it comprises a three steps.

The audio listening restriction noise of the present invention is characterized in that the sound of the frequency band that is not heard by the adult, the audio listening restriction noise, characterized in that the sound of the frequency band that can be heard by children or adolescents, The band is characterized in that 18,000Hz-20,000Hz.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a method for restricting audio listening in a digital imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an internal configuration of a digital imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

First, the audio listening limiting method of the present invention can be applied to an optical disk device such as a DVD recorder, or various types of digital video apparatuses in which a set-top box and a hard disk recorder are integrated, for example, a hard disk recorder and a DVD in a set-top box. As shown in FIG. 1, a digital video device having a recorder integrated thereon includes a tuner 10, a signal processing unit 11, an MPEG decoder 12, a microcomputer 13, an OSD generating unit 14, and a DVD recording system. 15, the hard disk record system 16, the memory 17, the noise generator 18, and the like.

The tuner 10 tunes and tunes a broadcast channel requested by a user, and receives a broadcast signal provided through the broadcast channel. The signal processor 11 converts the broadcast signal into an audio and video signal. The MPEG decoder 12 restores and decodes the audio and video signals and outputs the original audio and video signals to an external connection device such as a television.

In addition, the microcomputer 13 performs a broadcast reception operation by operating the tuner 10, the signal processor 11, and the MPEG decoder 12 according to a user's request, and intermittently through the broadcast channel. After storing the various service information (SI) provided in the memory 17, the service information is read, and the operation of the OS generating unit 14 is controlled to operate the current or scheduled broadcast. Additional information on various broadcast programs and additional screens using EPG information are displayed on a television screen.

Meanwhile, the microcomputer 13 tunes a channel through the tuner 10 according to a user's request, and determines whether a child lock is set in the corresponding channel through service information SI of the tuned channel. When the viewing is set to the channel where the parental level is set, the OSD generating unit 14 is operated to display the password input screen on the television screen and to display the input password in advance in the memory 17. Make sure it matches the saved password.

When the password matches, the microcomputer 13 controls the signal processor 11 to descramble the scrambled broadcast signal, and decodes the original audio and video signal through the MPEG decoder 12. Output to an external device such as a television.

At this time, the microcomputer 13 controls the noise generator 18 to generate audio listening restriction noise, and mixes the generated noise into an audio signal to output the noise. Here, the audio listening limit noise is not heard by, for example, a hearing-impaired adult, and it is preferable that audible murmur sounds of a frequency band (18,000 Hz-20,000 Hz) that are heard by children or adolescents.

Meanwhile, the microcomputer 13 operates and controls the DVD record system 15 or the hard disk record system 16 according to a user's request. For example, the microcomputer 13 stores various titles stored on a recording medium such as an optical disk or a hard disk. Perform a playback operation on a broadcast program, movie, video, and the like.

The microcomputer 13 acquires information on a title requested to be reproduced through navigation information of the corresponding title, checks whether the title is an adult-only title having a parental level, and generates the OSD when the parental level is set. The unit 14 is operated to display the password input screen on the television screen and to check whether the input password matches the password previously stored in the memory 17.

When the password matches, the microcomputer 13 operates the DVD record system 15 or the hard disk record system 16 to perform a playback operation on the title requested for playback.

At this time, the microcomputer 13 controls the noise generator 18 to generate the audio listening limit noise, and mixes the generated noise into an audio signal and outputs the noise. In this case, the audio listening limit noise is, for example, inaudible to a hearing-impaired adult, and audible tones in the frequency band (18,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz) that audible to adolescents are preferable.

An operation process of the digital imaging apparatus to which the audio listening limiting method according to the present invention configured as described above is applied will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an audio signal spectrum of the digital video device according to the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, in the digital video apparatus to which the audio listening limiting method according to the present invention is applied, when the user selects and selects any one broadcasting channel, the microcomputer 13 may operate the tuner 10. Operation control to tune a broadcast channel, retrieve service information (SI) of a broadcast program received through the tuned broadcast channel, and perform a series of operations of storing various additional information of the broadcast program in the memory 17. It is performed (S10).

The microcomputer 13 checks through the service information (SI) whether a parental lock is set for a broadcast program of a channel selected at the user's request (S11), and the parental control is checked for the broadcast program ( If Child Lock) is not set, the broadcast program is displayed on an external connected device such as a television. Here, the child lock classifies the age at which the broadcast program can be viewed. For example, a parent rating is set in the broadcast program to restrict children or teenagers from watching the adult-only program. It is to.

In addition, when the parental control (Child Lock) is set in the broadcast program, the microcomputer 13 operates the OSD generator 14 to display the password input screen through a television screen ( S13), it is checked whether the input password matches the password previously stored in the memory 17 (S14).

If the password matches, the microcomputer 13 controls the signal processor 11 to release the viewing restriction set in the corresponding broadcast program that descrambles the scrambled broadcast signal, and the MPEG The decoder 12 decodes the original audio and video signals and outputs them to an external connection device such as a television (S15).

At this time, the microcomputer 13 controls the noise generator 18 to generate noise for limiting audio listening (S16), and mixes the generated noise into an audio signal and outputs it (S17). ). Here, the audio listening limit noise, for example, as shown in Figure 5, is a frequency band that is not heard by adults who are somewhat hearing impaired, listening in the frequency band (18,000 Hz-20,000 Hz) that children or adolescents can hear Disgusting sounds are desirable. For example, the average person can hear sounds up to the frequency band (20-20,000 Hz), but as they age, their hearing weakens. The sound is not heard well.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, in the digital video apparatus to which the audio listening limiting method according to the present invention is applied, the microcomputer 13 selects a channel tuned according to a user's request or is a notice-only channel. If the channel is in operation (S20), it is checked whether the current broadcast is an adult-only broadcast through the service information (SI) of the corresponding broadcast program (S21).

In this case, whether the current broadcast is an adult-only broadcast is confirmed through electronic program guide (EGG) information included in the service information (SI). In such electronic program guide information, a transmission channel is included. Numbers, channel names, program names, schedules, program category information of each program, attribute information of streams constituting each program, and viewing ratings of each program are included. The program category information is classified into a number of categories such as movies / dramas, news / events, entertainment, sports, and the like. Further, the stream attribute information indicates an attribute of audio / video (for example, aspect ratio of video, mono audio, stereo audio, surround audio, etc.) of the stream constituting each program.

The microcomputer 13 outputs a notice broadcast provided through a corresponding broadcast program to an external connection device such as a television when the broadcast is not an adult-only broadcast as a result of confirmation (S22), and is confirmed as a result of the confirmation. When the broadcast is an adult-only broadcast, the noise generator 18 is controlled to generate noise for limiting audio listening (S23), and the generated noise is mixed with the audio signal and output (S24).

Here, the audio listening limit noise is, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a frequency band which is not heard by an adult who is somewhat hearing impaired, and is a frequency band (18,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz) that can be heard by a child or adolescent. Unpleasant sounds are desirable.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for limiting audio listening in a digital video device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the microcomputer 13 operates and controls the DVD record system 15 or the hard disk record system 16 according to a user's request, and stores the data on a recording medium such as an optical disk or a hard disk. For example, playback operations of various titles, for example, broadcast programs, movies, and videos, are performed.

In this case, the microcomputer 13 acquires information on the title requested to be reproduced through navigation information of the corresponding title (S30), confirms whether the title is set to a parental level (S31), and as a result, the parental level is set. If the title is not a title, the DVD record system 15 or the hard disk record system 16 is operated to perform a playback operation on the title requested for playback (S32).

In addition, the microcomputer 13, when the viewing result is a title set the viewing restriction, the operation control the OSD generating unit 14, and outputs the password input screen on the television screen (S33), the input If the password matches the password pre-stored in the memory 17 (S34), and if the password does not match, as a result of the operation, the OSD generating unit 14 is controlled to display a guide message for prohibiting title playback. The display is then outputted, and the title playback operation ends (S35).

In addition, when the password matches, the microcomputer 13 operates the DVD record system 15 or the hard disk record system 16 to perform a playback operation on the corresponding title requested for playback (S36). The noise generating unit 18 is controlled to generate noise for limiting audio listening (S37), and the generated noise is mixed with the audio signal and output (S38). Here, the audio listening limit noise, for example, as shown in Figure 5, is a frequency band that is not heard by adults who are somewhat hearing impaired, listening in the frequency band (18,000 Hz-20,000 Hz) that children or adolescents can hear Disgusting sounds are desirable.

As described above, the present invention mixes and outputs 18,000 Hz or more of hearing awkward noise sound to an audio signal of an adult-only broadcast or an adult-only title, thereby not only restricting viewing of the video signal but also listening to the audio signal. There is an advantage to limit.

In addition, even if the tuned channel predicts the adult-only broadcast, the program information (SI) of the broadcast program determines whether the currently broadcast program is an adult, so that a child or adolescent hears audible noise to the audio signal. By mixing and outputting, there is an advantage of preventing exposure to various harmful sounds of adults with strong selectivity to children or adolescents.

As described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed for purposes of illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art can further various other embodiments within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention disclosed in the appended claims. Improvements, changes, substitutions or additions will be possible.

The method for limiting audio listening in a digital video apparatus according to the present invention, which is made as described above, is performed in an optical disc device such as a DVD recorder or various types of digital video equipment in which a set-top box and a hard disk recorder are integrated. If you choose to watch a broadcast or watch an adult-only title, after checking the adult status, you can generate noise in a specific frequency band (18,000 Hz-20,000 Hz) that does not affect adults. By mixing the signal and outputting the signal, it is possible to restrict children or adolescents who are not the adult audiences to normally hear various harmful sounds reproduced from an adult-only broadcast or an adult-only title.

Claims (9)

Checking whether the parental level is set through service information of the tuned channel; A second step of confirming an input password by displaying a password input screen when the parental level is set; And And if the input password matches the previously stored password, descrambling and outputting the scrambled video signal, and generating audio listening restriction noise to mix and output the mixed signal to the audio signal. A method for restricting audio listening in a digital video apparatus, characterized in that. The method of claim 1, If the tuned channel is being broadcast, determining whether the current broadcast is an adult-only broadcast through service information of a corresponding broadcast program; If the broadcast is an adult-only broadcast, the audio listening restriction method of the digital video device, characterized in that further comprising the step of generating (Mixing) and outputting the audio listening restriction noise to the audio signal. The method of claim 1, And the audio listening restriction noise is a sound of a frequency band which is inaudible to an adult. The method of claim 1, The audio listening restriction noise is a sound of a frequency band that can be heard by a child or adolescent. The method according to claim 3 or 4, And the frequency band is 18,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Checking whether a parental level is set for the inserted title; A second step of confirming an input password by displaying a password input screen when the title is set to the parental level; And And if the input password matches a previously stored password, performing a title playback operation and generating audio listening restriction noise to mix and output the mixed audio signal to the audio signal. How to restrict audio listening in. The method of claim 6, And the audio listening restriction noise is a sound of a frequency band which is inaudible to an adult. The method of claim 6, The audio listening restriction noise is a sound of a frequency band that can be heard by a child or adolescent. The method according to claim 7 or 8, And the frequency band is 18,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

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