TH18592B - Which television systems are compatible with HDTV and NTSC channels? - Google Patents

Abstract

A television receiver system, consisting of an HDTV tuner and an NTSC tuner, responds to the input of a channel number, channel up/down commands, or channel indicator bar. In channel selection mode, the controller searches the "matched channel" table for the corresponding HDTV and NTSC channels. If an HDTV channel is present with the channel number or indicator bar, the HDTV tuner is controlled to select the HDTV channel. If no HDTV channel is present, the NTSC tuner is controlled to select the appropriate NTSC channel. Alternatively, the controller determines whether an HDTV signal is actually received; if not, it instructs the NTSC tuner to select the appropriate NTSC channel. Another mode of operation involves the "matched channel" information being transmitted via Extended Data Service (EDS) and automatically loaded into memory.

Claims (13)

1. A picture processing device capable of receiving a first television signal broadcast on a conventional television channel one and a second television signal broadcast on a high-definition television channel two, in which a memory circuit (162) can store information relating the transmission of the conventional television channel one (410) and the high-definition television channel two (420), in which the first and second television channels are related for use by the same television program. A controller (160) connected to the memory circuit (162) is a switch (SW4) for selecting the conventional picture signal at the first input or the high-definition picture signal at the second input under the control of the controller (160). The controller (160) causes the switch (SW4) to select the conventional picture signal in response to the determination that the high-definition picture signal is not present. 2. The equipment of claim 1 where the existing conventional signal is an NTSC signal. 3. The equipment of claim 1 where the existing conventional signal is a PAL signal. 4. The device of claim 1 where the existing conventional signal is a SECAM signal. 5. The device of claim 1 in which such controller (160) responds (310) to input of a channel change command, by searching for such memory circuits and retrieving the channel numbers (421-426) of such high-definition television broadcasts and the channel numbers (411-416) of such traditional television broadcasts, such controller (160) causes the such HDTV tuner (122) and the such traditional tuner (124) to adjust to the appropriate channel according to the retrieved channel numbers, and such controller (160) causes such switch (SW4) to select (330, 340) such high-definition video signals to see the response to the determination (320) to determine if a video signal is present. 6. Television system equipment under claim number 5 where the existing tuner signal is an NTSC signal. 7. Television system equipment under claim number 5 where the existing tuner signal is a PAL signal. 8. Television system equipment of claim number 5 where the existing modulator signal is a SECAM signal. 9. The device of claim 5, in which such memory circuit (162) also stores the associated tab information (430) for high-definition television broadcasting and existing conventional television broadcasting, and such controller (160) responds to the input of tab information, by locating such memory circuit and retrieving the channel numbers (421-426) of such high-definition television broadcasting and the channel numbers (411-416) of such conventional television broadcasting, and such controller (160) causes such HDTV tuner (122) and such conventional tuner (124) to tune to the appropriate channel according to the retrieved channel numbers. 10. The equipment of claim number 9 where the existing conventional signal is an NTSC signal. 11. The equipment of claim number 9 where the existing conventional signal is a PAL signal. 12. The device of claim number 9 where the existing conventional signal is a SECAM signal. 13. The device under any of the preceding claims shall also include a circuit (685) for receiving and processing the supporting information transmitted between the corresponding parts of the existing conventional television signal, which indicates the availability of a high-definition channel, and such controller (660) responds to input of the channel change command and, in response to such supporting information indicating the availability of a high-definition channel, searches the memory circuit (662) and retrieves the channel number of the broadcast of such high-definition television channel. Such controller (660) causes the said switch (SW4) to select the such high-definition video signal for viewing. Such controller (662) responds to input of the channel change command and, in response to such supporting information indicating the non-availability of a high-definition channel, causes the said switch (SW4) to select the existing conventional video signal for viewing.