Broadcasting receiver having operation mode selection function

• US 20020112248A1
• Filed: 02/11/2002
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Katayama, Takahiro, Yamamoto, Manabu, Takagi, Toshihiro, Nishida, Yusuke, Inui, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/09 Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14

Abstract

In a broadcasting receiver having a function to set and select an operation mode of the receiver for each user based on input by a plurality of users, the operation mode is selected for each user to make a user setting and stored in a memory in correlation with a predetermined input pattern of an operation key. When having received a user'"'"'s input in the predetermined pattern, the receiver refers to the memory to select a user setting that corresponds to this input pattern, thus switching the operation mode. It is thus possible to identify the operation mode for each user in use by simple operations.

Claims

1. A digital/analog broadcasting receiver comprising:

a receiver for receiving an encoded digital/analog broadcasting signal originated from a broadcasting station;

a digital/analog decoder for decoding the digital/analog broadcasting signal received from the receiver and then outputting the signal to a display which displays an image;

a memory for storing channel information contained in the broadcasting signal decoded by the digital decoder;

a control unit for controlling each of the other sections of the receiver; and

an input device for a user to input an operation instruction to the control unit, wherein the control unit has a function to set and select an operation mode of the receiver for each user based on inputs by a plurality of users who use the input device;

characterized in that,

the input device has a numeral inputting key for inputting a numeral when the operation mode is selected; and

the control unit assigns a predetermined selection number input by the user to the set operation mode and stores the selection number and the operation mode in correlation with each other in the memory and also, when the user has operated the numeral inputting key to enter the selection number, refers to the memory to select the operation mode that corresponds to the selection number thus entered.

4. The digital/analog broadcasting receiver according to claim 1, further comprising an on-screen display (OSD) for displaying the channel information on the display connected to the receiver, wherein the operation mode is adapted to set a font type, size, and display color of the channel information displayed on the OSD display and a background display color individually for each user.

2. A digital/analog broadcasting receiver comprising:

a receiver for receiving an encoded digital/analog broadcasting signal originated from a broadcasting station;

a digital/analog decoder for decoding the digital/analog broadcasting signal received from the receiver and then outputting the signal to a display which displays an image;

a memory for storing channel information contained in the broadcasting signal decoded by the digital decoder;

a control unit for controlling each of the other sections of the receiver; and

an input device for a user to input an operation instruction to the control unit, wherein the control unit has a function to set and select an operation mode of the receiver for each user based on inputs by a plurality of users who use the input device;

characterized in that,

the input device has an operation key which is assigned a specific operation instruction and direction keys comprised of UP/DOWN keys and RIGHT/LEFT keys each of which is assigned the operation mode for each user; and

the control unit assigns any one of the direction keys input by the user to the set operation mode and stores the direction key and the operation mode in correlation with each other in the memory and also, when the user presses both the operation key and any one of the direction keys, refers to the memory to select the operation mode that corresponds to the direction key thus pressed by the user.

3. A digital/analog broadcasting receiver comprising:

a receiver for receiving an encoded digital/analog broadcasting signal originated from a broadcasting station;

a digital/analog decoder for decoding the digital/analog broadcasting signal received from the receiver and then outputting the signal to a display which displays an image;

a memory for storing channel information contained in the broadcasting signal decoded by the digital decoder;

a control unit for controlling each of the other sections of the receiver; and

an input device for a user to input an operation instruction to the control unit, wherein the control unit has a function to set and select an operation mode of the receiver for each user based on inputs by a plurality of users who use the input device;

characterized in that,

the input device has a numeral inputting key for inputting a numeral when the operation mode is selected; and

the control unit assigns a predetermined selection number input by the user to the set operation mode and stores the selection number and the operation mode in correlation with each other in the memory and also, when the user operates the numeral inputting key to hold the numeral key corresponding to the selection number pressed for at least a predetermined time, refers to the memory to select the operation mode that corresponds to the selection number thus entered.

5. A broadcasting receiver comprising:

a memory for storing an operation mode of the receiver;

a control unit for controlling each of the other sections of the receiver; and

an input device for a user to input an operation instruction to the control unit, wherein the control unit has a function to set and select the operation mode of the receiver for each user based on inputs by a plurality of users who use the input device;

characterized in that,

the input device has a numeral inputting key for inputting a numeral when the operation mode is selected; and

the control unit assigns a predetermined input pattern by use of the numeral inputting key to the operation mode and stores the operation mode in correlation with the input pattern in the memory and, when the user operates the numeral inputting key in the input pattern, refers to the memory to select the operation mode that corresponds to the input pattern.

6. A broadcasting receiver comprising:

a memory for storing an operation mode of the receiver;

a control unit for controlling each of the other sections of the receiver; and

an input device for a user to input an operation instruction to the control unit, wherein the control unit has a function to set and select the operation mode of the receiver for each user based on inputs by a plurality of users who use the input device;

characterized in that,

the input device has a predetermined operation key which is assigned a specific operation instruction and direction keys comprised of UP/DOWN keys and RIGHT/LEFT keys each of which is assigned the operation mode for each user; and

the control unit assigns any one of the direction keys to the operation mode and stores the operation mode in correlation with the direction key in the memory and, when the user presses the operation key and also any one of the direction keys, refers to the memory to select the operation mode that corresponds to the direction key thus pressed.