KR20100040120A - A broadcasting receiver and method for searching channel - Google Patents

Abstract

The broadcast receiver according to the present embodiment is a heterogeneous transmission path, comprising: a tuner for receiving a signal provided through a first transmission path and a second transmission path; A signal processing unit which performs signal processing so that a signal received through the tuner can be displayed on a display unit; And a controller configured to control the tuner to receive a signal provided through any one of the heterogeneous transmission paths, and to create a channel map by using the broadcast channel searched by the tuner. The tuner is controlled to search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel in a zigzag (zig-zag) with respect to signals provided through the first transmission path and the second transmission path.

Description

A broadcast receiver and method for searching channel

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver, and to a method and apparatus for reducing the time of channel search in relation to a function of automatically setting a channel from a received signal.

In the case of digital broadcasting, the transmission principle basically uses analog radio waves and is transmitted through a limited channel band.

Due to such a broadcasting environment, a broadcast receiver capable of receiving digital broadcasting provides an environment in which analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting can be tuned at the same time, and products corresponding to various types of digital broadcasting reception are needed as the broadcasting environment changes. Is being provided.

For example, in terms of a transmission path, it is classified into air and cable, and channel maps for each transmission path are formed differently. In terms of the transmission method, a receiver corresponding to analog, 8 / 16VSB, and 64 / 256QAM methods may be provided.

In addition, depending on the receiver system, there may be a case of a radio wave transmission method such as a terrestrial wave or a cable for the same input terminal.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frequency of a broadcast channel.

Referring to FIG. 1, over-the-air broadcasting is allocated from channel 2 to channel 69, and cable broadcasting is allocated from channel 1 to channel 135. In general, whether a channel has a synchronization signal or a carrier locking signal is detected at a frequency corresponding to each number, and if there is a synchronization signal or a carrier lock signal, the channel is stored. .

On the contrary, if the synchronization signal or carrier lock of the channel at the frequency is not applied, the channel is not stored.

However, in the case of a user performing automatic channel search, the digital broadcast receiver in the related art performs channel search on a broadcast of a transmission path without a broadcast signal while sequentially searching for channels. There is a problem that takes a lot of time.

For example, according to the prior art, the channel search according to the transmission path and transmission method is performed in the order of terrestrial-analog, terrestrial-digital, cable-analog, and cable-digital, and the signal of either terrestrial or cable Channel search is also performed for the other transmission path even under the condition of receiving.

Therefore, the prior art, which does not take into account the broadcasting environment in which only one signal of the terrestrial wave and the cable is input, needs to be improved.

The present invention considers a broadcasting environment in which a frequency band is partially overlapped in both terrestrial transmission and cable transmission. By skipping a search, a broadcast receiver and a channel search method that can reduce the time of channel search are proposed.

The broadcast receiver according to the first embodiment is a heterogeneous transmission path, comprising: a tuner for receiving a signal provided through a first transmission path and a second transmission path; A signal processing unit which performs signal processing so that a signal received through the tuner can be displayed on a display unit; And a controller configured to control the tuner to receive a signal provided through any one of the heterogeneous transmission paths, and to create a channel map by using the broadcast channel searched by the tuner. The tuner is controlled to search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel in a zigzag (zig-zag) with respect to signals provided through the first transmission path and the second transmission path.

In a broadcast receiver capable of receiving signals provided in a first transmission path and a second transmission path as heterogeneous transmission paths, the broadcast receiver according to the second embodiment receives signals provided by analog and digital transmission methods. Possible first and second tuners; A signal processing unit which performs signal processing so that a signal received through the first tuner and the second tuner can be displayed on a display unit; And a controller configured to determine a transmission path of channel search of the first tuner and the second tuner during automatic channel search, and to create a channel map using a broadcast channel provided through the first tuner or the second tuner. Under the control of the controller, the first tuner and the second tuner may search channels in a zigzag pattern for signals provided in the first transmission path and the second transmission path, or may be provided in the analog transmission method and the digital transmission method. Searching channels in zigzag for signals is characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a channel searching method, comprising: alternately searching for a first transmission path and a second transmission path with respect to a signal provided through each transmission path; Determining a transmission method of the found channel when a broadcasting channel is searched for a signal provided through the first transmission path; And performing a channel search operation on only one of an analog channel and a digital channel among the signals provided through the first transmission path according to the determination result.

According to the broadcast receiver and the channel search method as proposed, an unnecessary search time can be reduced by performing a channel search process only on the radio transmission path where the channel signal is searched.

In addition, in channel signal search for heterogeneous transmission paths such as terrestrial wave and cable, channel signal search between terrestrial wave and cable search is performed in zig-zag to efficiently determine the transmission path to be skipped. There are advantages to it.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings for the present embodiment will be described in detail. However, the scope of the idea of the present invention may be determined from the matters disclosed by the present embodiment, and the idea of the invention of the present embodiment may be performed by adding, deleting, or modifying components to the proposed embodiment. It will be said to include variations.

In the following description, the word 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the broadcast receiver according to the first embodiment includes a tuner 101 which receives analog and digital signals and outputs them as IF signals, and displays analog broadcast signals and digital broadcast signals received through the tuner 101. Signal processing unit 210 for processing a displayable signal through the 500, and a video processing operation to be output through the display unit 500 for the video signal of the broadcast signal processed by the signal processing unit 210 A video processor 400 and a control unit 300 for controlling the tuner 101 to perform a channel tuning operation through any one of the transmission path of the terrestrial wave or the cable transmission path for the received broadcast signal.

In addition, the broadcast receiver may further include a storage means 600 for storing broadcast information of a channel received through the tuner 101, and a key input unit 302 for receiving a user's request command.

In detail, the control unit 300 performs a channel search operation on a broadcast signal received through the tuner 101 or a user's request or automatically, and at this time, a broadcast signal according to a heterogeneous transmission path through the tuner 101. Is received, the tuner 101 searches each broadcast signal along a heterogeneous transmission path in a zig-zag.

For example, when the user inputs the automatic channel setting, the control unit 300 controls the tuner 101 to search the channel in a zigzag pattern between the analog-terrestrial broadcast signal and the analog-cable broadcast signal. In this regard, the control unit 300 controls the tuner 101 to search the channel in a zigzag pattern between the digital-terrestrial broadcast signal and the digital-cable broadcast signal.

For example, the tuner 101 detects whether a broadcast signal is received through the terrestrial channel 2 through the terrestrial transmission path using an intermediate frequency of 57 MHz, and if the broadcast signal does not exist, searches for an intermediate frequency of 57 MHz. Search again whether the broadcast signal according to the cable transmission path is received through the cable channel 2.

That is, when there is no broadcast signal transmitted through the terrestrial transmission path for the channel to be searched, it is determined by a zigzag whether or not the broadcast signal exists through a cable having a different transmission path.

However, when the broadcast signal is received in any one of the transmission paths during the zigzag channel search process between the terrestrial wave and the cable through the tuner 101, the control unit 300 stores the data in the storage means 600 for the corresponding channel found. ), And the channel search process is performed only on the broadcast signals received through the transmission path where the broadcast signal existed through the tuner 101.

In more detail, the controller 300 has a synchronization signal of a channel or a carrier locking signal at a frequency of each transmission scheme and channel for each transmission path stored in the frequency table storage unit 602 of the storage means 600. The presence or absence of a broadcast signal is searched for using whether or not.

The search process of the presence or absence of the broadcast signal is performed by the tuner 101 in a zigzag between the terrestrial (analog or digital) and the cable (analog or digital) channel.

In addition, when a broadcast signal is received through a specific transmission path, for example, a terrestrial transmission method, information about a found channel is stored in the channel map storage unit 601 of the storage unit 600, and a broadcast signal exists. The tuner 101 is controlled so that the channel search is performed only for the terrestrial wave.

In addition, after the transmission path for channel search is determined by the controller 300, a specific transmission method may be skipped even when searching for a channel such as analog and digital.

That is, while a broadcast channel is searched between a terrestrial wave and a cable channel centered on a transmission path through a tuner, when a broadcast channel exists for digital-terrestrial waves, analog channels are skipped and the digital channel is skipped when searching for a terrestrial channel. The broadcast channel search can be performed only for the channels.

As mentioned above, the terrestrial and cable methods, which can be distinguished according to the classification of transmission paths, do not simultaneously receive terrestrial and cable broadcast signals by a single broadcast receiver because some intermediate frequencies of the broadcast channels overlap.

Accordingly, a broadcast receiver capable of receiving terrestrial and cable broadcast signals searches channels in a zigzag pattern for terrestrial waves and cables, so that a broadcast receiver that needs to select a transmission path of any one of the terrestrial waves and cables is selected according to channel search. The time required can be reduced.

In addition, the zigzag channel search process between the terrestrial wave and the cable broadcast signal by the tuner 101 may be performed for the digital-terrestrial broadcast signal and the digital-cable broadcast signal, and the channel search process for the analog broadcast signal may be performed. Next, channel search for the digital broadcast signal may be performed, and channel search may be performed by changing the order.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Compared to the case of FIG. 2, the broadcast receiver illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a plurality of tuners capable of receiving analog and digital broadcast signals, and in this case, the first tuner 101 provides an analog-ground wave. The presence or absence of the broadcast signal between the analog and the cable is searched zigzag, and the presence or absence of the broadcast signal between the digital-terrestrial wave and the digital-cable is searched zigzag by the second tuner 102.

While the broadcast receiver according to the first embodiment performs a process of searching for a broadcast channel in a zigzag pattern with respect to heterogeneous transmission paths, the broadcast receiver of the second embodiment is disclosed in a heterogeneous transmission method together with heterogeneous transmission paths. Searching for a broadcast channel in a zigzag manner is performed.

The broadcast receiver of the second embodiment receives the first and second tuners 101 and 102 for receiving analog and digital signals and outputs them as IF signals, and the analog and digital broadcast signals received through the tuners 101 and 102. Signal processing unit 210 and 220 for processing a displayable signal through the display unit 500 and an image signal among broadcast signals processed by the signal processing unit 210 and 220 through the display unit 500. The video processor 400 may perform a video processing operation, and the controller 300 may control the tuners 101 and 102 to perform a channel search in a zigzag pattern between a terrestrial wave and a cable for a received broadcast signal.

In addition, the broadcast receiver may further include a storage means 600 for storing broadcast information of a channel received through the tuners 101 and 102, and a key input unit 302 for receiving a user's request command. .

A detailed description of the components overlapping with FIG. 2 among the components shown in FIG. 3 will be omitted, and a detailed description will be given focusing on a configuration distinguished from the case of FIG. 2.

The broadcast receiver of the second embodiment classifies a transmission scheme and a transmission path for a received signal, and a signal searched by the first tuner and the second tuner may be classified by the transmission scheme and its transmission path.

That is, the first tuner 101 searches for the presence or absence of a channel with respect to a broadcast signal received through the analog-terrestrial wave and the analog-cable, and the second tuner 102 receives the digital-terrestrial wave and the digital-cable. The presence or absence of a channel is searched for a broadcast signal.

When the controller 300 determines that a broadcast signal exists for any one channel through one of the first tuner 101 and the second tuner 102, the control unit 300 transmits the corresponding signal through the other tuner. Controls whether a broadcast channel exists or not with respect to a signal provided as a path.

For example, if the broadcast channel through the analog-terrestrial wave is searched while the first tuner 101 searches for the presence of a broadcast channel with respect to a signal according to the analog-terrestrial wave and the analog-cable transmission method, the controller 300 The first tuner 101 detects the presence or absence of a broadcast channel with respect to the signal received through the analog-terrestrial wave, and the digital-terrestrial transmission method among the terrestrial waves of the same transmission path through the second tuner 102. Control to search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel with respect to the signal provided by.

That is, when a channel is searched through the first tuner, the controller 300 determines whether the second tuner has a broadcast channel with respect to a signal provided by a heterogeneous transmission method for a transmission path corresponding to the found channel. To control.

In this regard, the first tuner 101 can search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel in a zigzag fashion with respect to the signals provided through analog-ground waves and digital-ground waves provided by the same transmission path. The tuner 102 may zigzag search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel with respect to a signal provided by an analog cable and a digital cable with respect to the cable transmission path.

For example, when a broadcast channel is searched with an analog-terrestrial wave received through the first tuner 101, the controller 300 transmits a terrestrial wave transmission path to the first tuner 101 and the second tuner 102. Control to search for a broadcast channel with respect to the signal provided by.

In this case, the controller 300 controls the channel search on the signal provided by the analog-terrestrial wave through the first tuner, and the channel search is performed on the signal provided by the digital-ground wave through the second tuner. Control to be performed.

That is, when two tuners capable of receiving analog and digital broadcast signals are provided, the first tuner and the second tuner search for heterogeneous transmission paths or heterogeneous transmission methods.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel search operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, a channel search process of a broadcast receiver is initiated by a user's automatic channel search request.

In this case, it is assumed that the broadcast receiver is provided with signals through heterogeneous transmission paths, and that signals provided through the transmission paths are classified into analog and digital as transmission methods.

The search process of a zigzag channel is started for heterogeneous transmission paths by the tuner of the broadcast receiver (S101).

At this time, the zigzag channel search between the analog-terrestrial wave and the analog-cable channel may be performed according to the distinction of the transmission paths, and the zigzag channel search between the digital-terrestrial wave and the digital-cable channel may also be performed.

If there is a synchronization signal of a channel at a corresponding frequency or a carrier locking signal with respect to a signal received through the corresponding channel, there will be a case where a broadcast channel exists.

By this determination process, it is determined whether a broadcast channel is searched for a signal provided by the terrestrial wave in the transmission path (S102). Determination process for follows (S103).

As a result, if the transmission method of the searched channel is analog, the channel tuning operation through the tuner is performed to search the broadcast channel for the analog-terrestrial channel (S104), and the channel map is performed for the channels of the search result. It creates (S105).

On the other hand, if a broadcast channel exists in a signal provided by the terrestrial wave and the transmission method is digital, a search operation of the broadcast channel is performed on the digital-terrestrial channel (S106), and a channel map is performed on the channels of the search result. To create (S105).

In addition, as a result of the determination in step S102, when a broadcast channel is not searched for a signal provided through the terrestrial wave, it is determined whether a specific channel is searched for a signal received through a cable through a transmission path (S107).

As a result, when a broadcast channel is searched for a signal provided by a cable, a process of determining a transmission method for the found channel is performed (S108). When the transmission method is analog, a broadcast channel for an analog-cable channel is performed. Search (S109) and channel map creation (S105).

As a result of the determination in step S108, when the transmission method is digital, the broadcast channel search (S110) and channel map creation (S105) for the digital-cable channel are performed.

In the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, a channel is searched in a zigzag channel through a single tuner for a transmission path distinguished from a terrestrial wave and a cable, and then a distinction based on a transmission scheme for a signal provided through a corresponding transmission path is used. The process of searching for channels has been described.

In view of the foregoing, it is also possible to perform channel search using the first tuner and the second tuner like the broadcast receiver of the second embodiment, which will be replaced with FIG. 3 and the description thereof.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frequency of a broadcast channel.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a channel search operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (11)

A heterogeneous transmission path, comprising: a tuner for receiving a signal provided through a first transmission path and a second transmission path; A signal processing unit which performs signal processing so that a signal received through the tuner can be displayed on a display unit; And And a controller configured to control the tuner to receive a signal provided through any one of the heterogeneous transmission paths, and to create a channel map using the broadcast channel searched by the tuner. And the control unit controls the tuner to search for the presence or absence of a broadcast channel by zig-zag with respect to signals provided through the first transmission path and the second transmission path. The method of claim 1, When a broadcast channel is included in the signal provided through the first transmission path, the controller controls the tuner to perform a search process of the broadcast channel only for the signal provided through the first transmission path. Broadcast receiver. The method of claim 2, The controller determines an analog or digital transmission scheme for the broadcast channel found in the signal provided through the first transmission path. And the control unit controls the tuner to perform channel search only on the analog signal provided through the first transmission path or perform channel search only on the digital signal provided through the first transmission path. The method of claim 1, And the first transmission path is terrestrial air, and the second transmission path is cable. The method of claim 1, The tuner performs a search operation on the first channel or the second channel from the signal provided on the second transmission path after performing the search operation on the first channel from the signal provided on the first transmission path. Broadcast receiver, characterized in that. A broadcast receiver capable of receiving signals provided in a first transmission path and a second transmission path as heterogeneous transmission paths, A first tuner and a second tuner capable of receiving signals provided in analog and digital transmission schemes; A signal processing unit which performs signal processing so that a signal received through the first tuner and the second tuner can be displayed on a display unit; And And a controller configured to determine a transmission path for channel search of the first tuner and the second tuner during automatic channel search, and to create a channel map using a broadcast channel provided through the first tuner or the second tuner. , Under the control of the controller, the first tuner and the second tuner search for a channel zigzag with respect to signals provided in the first transmission path and the second transmission path, or in response to the signals provided in the analog transmission method and the digital transmission method. And a channel zigzag search for the broadcast receiver. The method of claim 6, The first tuner performs a zigzag channel search for the analog signal provided to the first transmission path and the analog signal provided to the second transmission path, And the second tuner performs a zigzag channel search for the digital signal provided to the first transmission path and the digital signal provided to the second transmission path. The method of claim 6, The first tuner performs a zigzag channel search for the analog signal and the digital signal provided through the first transmission path, And the second tuner performs a zigzag channel search for the analog and digital signals provided through the second transmission path. The method of claim 6, And wherein the first transmission path is a terrestrial channel and the second transmission path is a cable channel. Searching for a first transmission path and a second transmission path alternately with or without a broadcast channel with respect to a signal provided in each transmission path; Determining a transmission method of the found channel when a broadcasting channel is searched for a signal provided through the first transmission path; And And performing a channel search operation on only one of an analog channel and a digital channel among the signals provided through the first transmission path according to the determination result. The method of claim 10, And the first transmission path and the second transmission path are terrestrial channels or cable channels.

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