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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a channel selection control
signal generator means for generating a channel selection control signal
in response to a channel selecting manipulation performed by a user, and a
channel selector means for selecting a desired program channel from
broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal, said
apparatus further comprising:
a channel history memory for storing program channels, which have been
selected by said channel selector means on a plurality of occasions during
a predetermined number of past weeks, each selected program channel being
stored with an indication of the day of the week and the hour of the day;
a decision means for checking the stored contents of said channel history
memory and making a decision as to whether any frequent reception program
channel selected and received at a frequency higher than a predetermined
value exists on the same day of the week and at the same hour during said
predetermined number of past weeks; and
a control means responsive to a detection of the existence of any frequent
reception program channel executed by said decision means and generating a
control signal to instruct recording of the signal of the frequent
reception program channel.
2. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
control means generates, in response to a detection of the existence of
any frequent reception program channel executed by said decision means, a
control signal to instruct recording of the signal of the frequent
reception program channel on a recording medium only when said frequent
reception program channel is not being selected by said channel selector
means.
3. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
control signal includes a channel selection command for instructing a
selection of the frequent reception program channel being broadcast at
present, and a recording start command for instructing a start of
recording the signal of said frequent reception program channel on said
recording medium.
4. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising a recording/playback unit incorporated therein integrally to
record the signal of said frequent reception program channel on a
recording medium, wherein said control signal is supplied to said
recording/playback unit, and the signal of said frequent reception program
channel is recorded by said recording/playback unit on the basis of the
control signal obtained from said control means.
5. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising a control signal output means for transferring the control
signal to an external recording/playback unit connected to an outside of
said broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein the signal of said frequent
reception program channel is recorded on a recording medium loaded in said
recording/playback unit.
6. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said
control signal output means converts the control signal into an infrared
signal and transmits the control signal to said external
recording/playback unit.
7. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising a storage means for storing a history of the signal of said
frequent reception program channel in response to generation of the
control signal by said control means.
8. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a channel selection control
signal generator means for generating a channel selection control signal
in response to a channel selecting manipulation performed by a user, and a
channel selector means for selecting a desired program channel from
broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal, said
apparatus further comprising:
a channel history memory for storing program channels, which have been
selected by said channel selector means on a plurality of occasions during
past weeks, corresponding to the days of the weeks and the hours relative
to the channel selections;
a decision means for checking the stored contents of said channel history
memory and making a decision as to whether any frequent reception program
channel selected and received at a frequency higher than a predetermined
value exists on the same day of the week and at the same hour in the past;
and
a control means responsive to a detection of the existence of any frequent
reception program channel executed by said decision means and generating a
control signal to instruct recording of the signal of the frequent
reception program channel
wherein said channel selector means includes a first channel selector and a
second channel selector; and said control means supplies, in response to a
detection of the existence of any frequent reception program channel
executed by said decision means, a channel selection command to said
second channel selector for instructing a selection of the frequent
reception program channel being broadcast at present, only when said
frequent reception program channel is not selected by said first channel
selector, and instructs a start of recording the signal of said frequent
reception program channel on a recording medium.
9. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 8, further
comprising:
a control means for generating a control signal in response to a detection
of the existence of any frequent reception program channel executed by
said decision means and when some program channel other than said frequent
reception program channel is being received by said first channel
selector, so as to instruct said second channel selector to receive said
frequent reception program channel; and
a signal processing means for processing signals in such a manner that a
picture of a program channel being received by said first channel selector
is displayed on a main screen while a picture of said frequent reception
program channel being received by said second channel selector is
displayed on a subsidiary screen.
10. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, when
no command is transmitted by a user to select said frequent reception
program channel by said first channel selector within a predetermined
period of time from the start of displaying the picture of said frequent
reception program channel on the subsidiary screen, said signal processing
means discontinues displaying the picture on said subsidiary screen, and
said control means generates said control signal.
11. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a channel selection control
signal generator means for generating a channel selection control signal
in response to a channel selecting manipulation performed by a user, and a
channel selector means for selecting a desired program channel from
broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal, said
apparatus further comprising:
a channel history memory for storing program channels, which have been
selected by said channel selector means on a plurality of occasions during
past weeks, corresponding to the days of the weeks and the hours relative
to the channel selections;
a decision means for checking the stored contents of said channel history
memory and making a decision as to whether any frequent reception program
channel selected and received at a frequency higher than a predetermined
value exists on the same day of the week and at the same hour in the past;
and
a control means responsive to a detection of the existence of any frequent
reception program channel executed by said decision means and generating a
control signal to instruct recordinq of the signal of the frequent
reception program channel
further comprising a channel history write means for measuring the present
date, day and hour while checking received program channels at a
predetermined time interval, and storing the result thereof in said
channel history memory.
12. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said
channel history write means deletes from said channel history memory old
data after a lapse of a predetermined time period.
13. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said
channel history write means checks the received program channels at a
predetermined time interval only when said broadcast receiving apparatus
is switched on, and stores the result thereof in said channel history
memory.
14. A broadcast receiving apparatus having a channel selection control
signal generator means for generating a channel selection control signal
in response to a channel selecting manipulation performed by a user, and a
channel selector means for selecting a desired program channel from
broadcast waves in response to the channel selection control signal,
wherein said channel selector means includes a first channel selector and
a second channel selector, said broadcast receiving apparatus further
comprising:
a channel history memory for storing program channels, which have been
selected by said channel selector means on a plurality of occasions during
past weeks, corresponding to the days of the weeks and the hours relative
to the channel selections;
a decision means for checking the stored contents of said channel history
memory and making a decision as to whether any frequent reception program
channel selected and received at a frequency higher than a predetermined
value exists on the same day of the week and at the same hour in the past;
a control means responsive to a detection of the existence of any frequent
reception program channel executed by said decision means and generating a
control signal to instruct reception of said frequent reception program
channel by said second channel selector when some program channel other
than said frequent reception program channel is being received by said
first channel selector; and
a signal processing means for processing signals in such a manner that a
picture of program channel received by said first channel selector is
displayed on a main screen while a picture of said frequent reception
program channel received by said second channel selector is displayed on a
subsidiary screen.
15. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 14, further
comprising a message generator means for generating a message which
notifies the user that a frequent reception program channel is being
broadcast at present besides the program channel being received by said
first channel selector, wherein said message is displayed together with
the pictures on said main and subsidiary screens.
16. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, after
a lapse of a predetermined time period, said signal processing means
discontinues displaying the picture of said frequent reception program
channel, which is being received by said second channel selector, on the
subsidiary screen.
17. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 14, further
comprising a channel history write means for measuring the present date,
day and hour while checking received program channels at a predetermined
time interval, and storing the result thereof in said channel history
memory.
18. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said
channel history write means deletes from said channel history memory old
data after a lapse of a predetermined time period.
19. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said
channel history write means checks the received program channels at a
predetermined time interval only when said broadcast receiving apparatus
is switched on, and stores the result thereof in said channel history
memory. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus which
prevents a user from missing his favorite program which is watched or
listened to frequently in a television receiver or a radio receiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
In watching or listening to a broadcast program in a television or radio
receiver, it is generally observed that a user usually intends to receive
the same program every week at a specific time. In many cases, the
receiving apparatus is tuned to the same program channel for selectively
receiving that program at the same hour on the same day of the week,
particularly with regard to any serial program or a favorite program of
the user.
It is supposed in this specification that a term program channel signifies
a channel number allocated to a broadcasting station and is distinguished
from a transmission channel numbered per partial frequency band which is a
division of a broadcast-wave transmission band.
When a user is watching or listening to a broadcast program by a television
receiver or a radio receiver, a case may occur where the user carelessly
keeps the receiver tuned in to some other program channel and misses his
favorite program which is regularly received every week (hereinafter a
broadcast program received frequently in this manner will be referred to
as a frequent reception program, and a channel of such a frequent
reception program will be referred to as a frequent reception program
channel).
In view of the above, the present applicant previously proposed an improved
receiving apparatus as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/170,799 (filed on Dec. 21, 1993), wherein a selected channel data
storage means is provided for successively storing the program channels
selected by a tuner on each day of the week and on each hour which are
used as parameters, and the frequency of each program channel selected by
the tuner is calculated from the contents of the storage means, and a
decision is made as to whether the relevant program channel is a frequent
reception channel or not. When there is any frequent reception program
channel on the same day of the week and the same hour relative to the
present time point and the relevant channel presently is not coincident
with the program channel being received, that is, when the broadcast
program watched usually at a high frequency is not being watched at that
time, advice information is displayed on the screen or is emitted in the
form an audio output to thereby arouse the user's attention.
In the above previous proposal, the apparatus is so contrived that even
when a power switch in the television receiver is in its off-state, an
audio output representing the advice information for the user is emitted
to arouse the user's attention.
However, if such advice information is supplied from the television or
radio receiver to the user as described, there may still exist a case
where the user misses watching or hearing such information. In this case,
the desired favorite program has already started at the time of the user's
notice of the advice information, and consequently it follows that the
user misses the beginning of a mystery drama for example or fails to grasp
the plot of the story.
Also in the absence of the user, such advice information is quite
meaningless if outputted as mentioned, and the user is obliged to give up
reception of his favorite program.
For the purpose of solving this problem, it may be contrived to perform a
reserved recording operation for a frequent reception program channel by
the use of a recorder/player such as a VTR. However, many users think that
the manipulation for such reserved recording is generally complicated and,
taking erroneous manipulation and so forth into account, it is not exactly
expected that the users properly utilize the reserved recording function.
Furthermore, if there is any advice information that signifies the
existence of a frequent reception program on another channel, the
information generally obtainable in such a case is no more than "Usually
you watch channel A now" or "Usually you listen to broadcast A now" for
example, and it is impossible to directly find the content of the program
therefrom. Accordingly, prior to selective change of the channel, the user
needs to confirm the program of another channel on the basis of his memory
or to find the content of that program by referring to a television
program table or the like, whereby extreme inconvenience is unavoidable.
In addition, due to some delay in changing the channel, there also arises
the aforementioned problem that the user misses the beginning of a mystery
drama or fails to grasp the plot of the story.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a broadcast
receiving apparatus which enables a user to watch his favorite frequent
reception program without fail, although the user is not receiving and
watching that program at present (including a case where a power switch is
in an off-state).
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
broadcast receiving apparatus having a channel selection control signal
generator means for generating a channel selection control signal in
response to a channel selection performed by a user, and a channel
selector means for selecting a desired program channel from broadcast
waves in response to the channel selection control signal. The broadcast
receiving apparatus further comprises a channel history memory for storing
program channels, which have been selected by the channel selector means
on several occasions during past weeks, corresponding to the days of the
weeks and the hours relative to the channel selections; a decision means
for checking the stored contents of the channel history memory and making
a decision as to whether any frequent reception program channel selected
and received at a frequency higher than a predetermined value exists on
the same day of the week and at the same hour in the past; and a control
means responsive to a detection of the existence of any frequent reception
program channel executed by the decision means and generating a control
signal to instruct recording of the signal of the frequent reception
program channel.
In the receiving apparatus of the present invention, when there is
detected, from the stored contents of the channel history memory, the
existence of any program channel usually received more frequently than a
predetermined value on the same day of the week and at the same hour as
the present time, then such program channel is received if it is not being
currently received, and the signal thereof is recorded automatically by a
recording/playback unit which is incorporated in the receiving apparatus
or is connected thereto via a control line and so forth. Consequently the
user is enabled to watch or listen to the recorded program with certainty
by reproducing the same later.
Furthermore, since the broadcast program of the frequent reception channel
is automatically recorded, an advantageous effect is achieved in that such
automatic recording can be performed even in the case in which the user is
absent from home or the power switch is off, and a complicated presetting
operation for reserved recording or the like is no longer necessary.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description which will be given with
reference to the illustrative accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment representing the
broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating how to manage channel
history data used in the embodiment of the broadcast receiving apparatus
of the invention;
FIG. 3 is another schematic diagram illustrating how to manage the channel
history data used in the embodiment of the broadcast receiving apparatus
of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a procedure of storing the channel history
data used in the embodiment of the broadcast apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the channel history data of one
day used in the embodiment of the broadcast receiving apparatus of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the channel history data of
three weeks relative to the same days thereof used in the embodiment of
the broadcast receiving apparatus of the invention;
FIGS. 7, 7A and 7B are flow charts illustrating an operation of
automatically video-recording a frequent reception channel in the
embodiment of the broadcast receiving apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 8 shows an exemplary message displayed on a screen in the embodiment
of the broadcast receiving apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 9 shows an example of pictures displayed on the screen in the
embodiment of the broadcast receiving apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 10 shows exemplary contents of an automatically recorded history
displayed on the screen in the embodiment of the broadcast receiving
apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of another embodiment representing the broadcast
receiving apparatus of the invention; and
FIG. 12 is a partial block diagram of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter a preferred embodiment representing the broadcast receiving
apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings which show an exemplary television receiver adapted
for ground-wave analog television broadcast.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one preferred embodiment representing such a
television receiver. This television receiver has a picture-in-picture
(hereinafter referred to as PinP) function capable of displaying a minor
picture in a partial small area of an entire display screen, and
incorporates a video recording/playback unit therein for recording a
program on another different channel. Therefore, this television receiver
has a double tuner construction in which it is equipped with two tuners.
However, one of the tuners is used for displaying a picture on the PinP
child screen and is also used as a video recording source. Accordingly,
this television receiver does not have a function for switching parent and
child screens in the PinP mode.
In the following description, the PinP and video recording signal lines
will be explained as a sub system, while the other signal lines will be
explained as a main system.
In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1M and 1S denote a main tuner and a sub
tuner, respectively. Broadcast waves received by an antenna are
distributed and supplied to the main tuner 1M and the sub tuner 1S. The
tuners 1M and 1S serve to select desired channels in response to a channel
selection control signal obtained from a control circuit 100 which is
formed of an undermentioned microcomputer. In one case, the channel
selection control signal is generated in the control circuit 100 in
accordance with a user's selective manipulation of a remote commander or
the like. And in another case, this signal is generated in the control
circuit 100 itself regardless of the user's selective manipulation, as in
an undermentioned mode of automatically recording a frequent reception
program or for displaying such a frequent reception program on the PinP
child screen.
The broadcast-wave signals of the channels selected by the tuners 1H and 1S
are converted into video intermediate frequency (IF) signals and then are
supplied to video IF amplifier/detector circuits 2M and 2S respectively.
The IP signals are amplified in the circuits 2M and 2S, and further the
video and audio signals are demodulated therein.
The demodulated video signal obtained from the video IF amplifier/detector
circuit 2M is supplied to one input terminal TV of a switch circuit SW1,
while the demodulated audio signal is supplied to one input terminal TV of
a switch circuit SW3.
The demodulated video signal obtained from the video IF amplifier/detector
circuit 2S is supplied as a video recording source to a video
recording/playback unit 10 while being supplied also to one input terminal
S of a switch circuit SW2. And the demodulated audio signal from the video
IF amplifier/detector circuit 2S is supplied merely to the video
recording/playback unit 10, because the sound relative to the child
picture displayed in the PinP mode is generally not reproduced.
The reproduced video signal obtained from the video recording/playback unit
10 is supplied to the other input terminal VT of the switch circuit SW1
and the other input terminal VT of the switch circuit SW2. Meanwhile the
reproduced audio signal from the video recording/playback unit 10 is
supplied to the other input terminal VT of the switch circuit SW3.
The switch circuits SW1, SW2 and SW3 are selectively changed in response to
a switching signal outputted from a control circuit 100. The switch
circuits SW1 and SW3 serve to select either the signal from the main tuner
1M or the reproduced signal from the video recording/playback unit 10, and
a switching signal to the two circuits SW1 and SW3 is common.
More specifically, in response a user's selective actuation of an
undermentioned remote commander for watching the broadcast program of the
channel selected by the main tuner 1M, each of the switch circuits SW1 and
SW3 is changed to connect one input terminal TV thereof, whereby the video
recording/playback unit 10 is placed in a playback mode. And in response
to a user s selective actuation for watching and listening the reproduced
video signal and audio signal, each of the switch circuits SW1 and SW3 is
changed to connect the other input terminal VT thereof.
The switch circuit SW2 serves to select either the video signal of the
program selected by the sub tuner 1S to be displayed on the PinP child
screen, or the reproduced video signal outputted from the video
recording/playback unit 10. When the video signal obtained from the sub
tuner to be displayed on the PinP child screen is selected by the user,
the switch circuit SW2 is changed to connect its one input terminal S; and
when the reproduced video signal from the recording/playback unit 10 is
desired, the switch circuit SW2 is changed to connect the other input
terminal VT thereof.
The video signal obtained from the switch circuit SW1 is supplied via a
video signal processing circuit 3M to a PinP composite circuit 4.
Meanwhile the video signal obtained from the switch circuit SW2 is
supplied via a video signal processing circuit 3S to the PinP composite
circuit 4. In the video signal processing circuit 3S, the picture size of
the input video signal is so compressed as to be suitably displayed on the
PinP child screen.
When a PinP display operation is performed, a control signal is supplied
from the control circuit 100 to the PinP composite circuit 4, and the
video signal outputted from the video signal processing circuit 3S is
composited to be superimposed as a child picture. However, when such a
PinP display operation is not performed, the video signal obtained from
the video signal processing circuit 3M is outputted as it is through the
PinP composite circuit 4.
The video signal from the PinP composite circuit 4 is supplied to a
superimpose display processing circuit 5. This circuit 5 is supplied with
a signal denoting a character, figure, pattern or the like as will be
described later, and a process of displaying an alarm mark or the like in
a superimposed state on the screen is executed in response to the control
signal supplied from the control circuit 100 to the superimpose display
processing circuit 5. The signal to be superimposed on the picture is
generated in accordance with the operation of the control circuit 100, as
will be mentioned later.
In this embodiment, the video signal from the superimpose display
processing circuit 5 is supplied to a CRT display device 6, so that there
are displayed, on its screen, color pictures of the broadcast programs
received by the tuners 1M and 1S or color pictures composed of the
reproduced signal from the video recording/playback unit 10.
The audio signal obtained from the switch circuit SW3 is supplied via an
audio processing circuit 7 to an audio amplifier 8 and then is reproduced
by a loudspeaker 9. In this embodiment, the volume and tone of the sound
to be reproduced are controlled in the audio amplifier 8 by the control
signal from the control circuit 100.
The video recording/playback unit 10 employed in this embodiment is
structurally similar to a video tape recorder using an 8-mm magnetic video
tape or the like as a recording medium. Since its structure is well known,
an explanation thereof is omitted here.
Now the control circuit 100 will be described in detail below. The
television receiver of this embodiment is so constructed that, when a main
power switch is turned on in a state where the television receiver is
connected to an AC outlet socket, its power on/off control can be executed
by manipulation of a remote commander. And during an on-state of the main
power switch, the control circuit 100 is kept in an operable condition.
As mentioned, the control circuit 100 is equipped with a microcomputer,
wherein a CPU 101, a ROH 103, a DRAM 104 and an SRAM 105 are connected to
a system bus 102. Further I/O ports 111 to 117 are connected also to the
system bus 102 so that various signals can be inputted or outputted
therethrough.
For example, a channel selection control signal is supplied via the I/O
port 111 to the main tuner 1M and the sub tuner 1S. Meanwhile a control
command for starting or stopping a recording or playback operation is
supplied from the control circuit 100 via the I/O port 112 to the video
recording/playback unit 10, or a mode status signal is delivered from the
video recording/playback unit 10 via the I/O port 112 to the control
circuit 100. And a switch control signal to any of the switch circuits
SW1, SW2 and SW3 is supplied from the 1/O port 113.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a clock circuit which indicates the present
time and, in this embodiment, as will be described later, it serves also
as a timer to generate an interrupt timing signal when the CPU 101
executes an interrupt process. A source voltage is applied continuously to
the clock circuit 11 even when the power switch of the television receiver
is at its off-position. In this embodiment, although not shown, the
voltage to the clock circuit 11 is supplied from a separate power source
such as an ordinary or rechargeable battery. The time data and the timer
data obtained from this clock circuit 11 are delivered via the I/O port
114 to the system bus 102.
The time of the clock circuit 11 can be corrected by execution of a program
in the CPU 101. The clock circuit 11 further has date (of year, month,
day, and day of week) in addition to the time data (of hour, minute and
second). In this embodiment, however, the data relative merely to day of
week and time are sufficient as time parameters which are used
correspondingly to undermentioned channel history data.
In this specification, channel history data signifies the status of
selection of program channels by the tuner 1M stored in a memory
(undermentioned SRAM 105), e.g., the data that represents the channel
number selected by the tuner 1M on a certain day of week and at a certain
hour in the past. In this embodiment, the channel history data covers a
plurality of weeks.
Control signals are supplied to the PinP composite circuit 4 and the
amplifier 8 via the I/O port 115.
A work signal for determining whether or not to execute a superimpose
display is supplied via the I/O port 116 to the superimpose display
processor 5. The content of such superimpose display includes, for
example, a channel number indicative of the channel selected at the
channel change time, the channel being received now, a bar indicating the
level of the adjusted sound volume, or a message which will be described
later.
For executing such superimpose display, a video RAM 12 is connected to the
system bus 102. In the video RAM 12, there are once stored character data
and symbol data formed in the control circuit 100 by the use of character
data recorded in the ROM 103, and the desired data is supplied via a
display controller 13 to a superimpose display processor 5 in accordance
with program control of the CPU 101 so as to be used for superimpose
display on the screen.
In this case, font data and image data of characters and symbols required
for superimpose display are stored in the ROM 103. Such font data and
image data of the required characters and symbols are read out by the CPU
101 and then are transferred to arbitrary addresses in the video RAM 12,
from which the data are supplied via the display controller 13 to the
superimpose display controller 5, where the image data from the video RAM
and the video signal are composited and then are displayed on the screen
of the CRT display device 6 for an adequate period of time.
In the superimpose display mode, an image superimposed through an overlay
process is displayed on the screen of the CRT display device 6.
In the television receiver of this embodiment, various control actions are
performed wirelessly by manipulation of a remote commander 14. When an
infrared remote control signal for example is generated from this remote
commander 14, this signal is received by a remote control signal
receiver/decoder 15 in the television receiver, wherein the remote control
signal thus received is decoded and then is supplied via the I/O port 117
to the system bus 102.
Subsequently the CPU 101 interprets the remote control signal thus inputted
via the I/O port 117, and executes its control action with regard to
program channel selection, sound volume, PinP composite, superimpose
display, selective change of the switches SW1-SW3, or operation mode of
the video recording/playback unit 10.
The DRAM 104 is used principally as a work area for calculation and so
forth. Meanwhile the SRAM 105 has a last memory function for storage of
the channel and the sound volume in response to an on/off action of the
power switch and is used as a recording area for holding undermentioned
channel history data. In this embodiment, the SRAM 105 has a structure of
a nonvolatile memory where its power supply is backed up with a battery.
Therefore, even if the television receiver is in a power-off state, the
SRAM 105 is always backed up so that its content is never erased.
›First embodiment of processing to generate channel history data!
In this embodiment, the status of channel selection of the main tuner 1M is
sampled at a predetermined time interval, and the selected program channel
at each sampling point is written in the SRAM 105, whereby channel history
data is stored therein.
In the case of this embodiment, an interrupt process is executed at a
predetermined time interval in accordance with the timer data obtained
from the clock circuit 11, and after the main tuner 1M is searched with
respect to the status of program channel selection thereof, such program
channel selection status of the tuner 1M at that time point is stored in
the SRAM 105.
In the channel history data generating method of this embodiment, the CPU
101 executes an interrupt process at a fixed time interval, so that if the
start time point is known as absolute time data, it becomes possible to
find the time at each sampling point on the basis of the lapse therefrom.
Consequently, it is not necessary to store the time data at each sampling
point in the SRAM 105.
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 are image diagrams showing how to manage the channel
history data in the above case. More specifically, the memory areas in the
SRAM 105 for storage of the channel history data are illustrated as images
in the diagrams. In each of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, an arrow denotes the
position of a pointer P. The pointer P indicates the memory area being
currently used at the present time. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the memory
areas in the SRAM 105 for channel history data are managed as a ring
structure image-wise.
This embodiment is so contrived that channel history data of n weeks (where
n is an integer 2 or greater) anterior to the present time point are
always stored in the SRAM 105, and the latest channel history data are
successively stored in sequence while the old data anterior by more than n
weeks are destroyed.
More specifically, the tuner 1M is scanned at an interval of ten minutes
for example to acquire a channel history, and the channel history data
thus obtained are managed by successive address spaces at an interval of
ten minutes, as shown in FIG. 2A. And when the memory areas of the ring
structure illustrated in FIG. 3 are filled with the data, the oldest
channel history data is destroyed as shown in FIG. 2B, while the present
channel history data newly inputted is stored in the memory.
In this case, the channel history data stored in the SRAM 105 are those of
at least a plurality of weeks, as described already. And the CPU 101 is
capable of managing such channel history data in the SRAM 105 per day of
week. If the sampling is performed at an interval of 10 minutes, 144-fold
data thereof correspond to one day, and 7-fold data thereof correspond to
one week, so that the entire channel history data can be managed with
simplicity merely by counting the number of such data.
In this case, input of channel history data by the aforementioned interrupt
process is begun at the actual start time of each program as xx:01, xx:11,
xx:21, xx:31 or the like.
Prior to storage of channel history data into the data memory area of the
SRAM 105, this area is initialized or cleared. And simultaneously the
position of the history storage pointer is also initialized. Since the
past history data are cleared by such initialization, setting of the
initialization is performed, in a television receiver for example,
together with allocation of remote control buttons to program channels, or
with registration of the present time in the clock circuit 11.
Here the allocation of remote control buttons to program channels signifies
a user's operation of allocating specific channels of remote control
buttons to program channels (broadcast stations). Such setting of channels
and so forth are performed generally at the time of purchase of the
television receiver, but may be executed by the user as well.
In this embodiment, a channel history reset button is provided on the
remote commander 14, and the content of the channel history area in the
SRAM 105 can be initialized in the same manner as mentioned by pressing
the reset button. The provision of this reset button is derived from the
fact that, since the contents of television broadcast programs in Japan
are widely changed in spring and fall, it is necessary that the past
channel history data be reset by the user at such seasonal changes of
programs so as to prevent erroneous selection of any wrong channel | | |
