Power-saving channel scanning for multi-channel broadcasting

• US 20060225109A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Dong-Uk
• Application Number:
  US11/330,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060225109A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A power-saving channel scanning system and a method thereof for multi-channel broadcasting stops the scanning operation of a digital tuner installed in a broadcast receiving device (Set-Top Box (STB)) and switches to a power-saving mode when a cable is cut off or no signal is received in a multi-channel broadcasting system. The power-saving channel scanning system includes a broadcast receiving terminal measuring broadcasting channel powers in order and switching from a normal mode to a power-saving mode when the powers of all of the measured channels are outside the range of a predetermined normal channel power.

Claims

1. A power-saving channel scanning system for multi-channel broadcasting, the system comprising:

a broadcast receiving terminal adapted to;

receive and measure broadcasting channel powers of at least two channels in order; and

to switch from a normal mode to a power-saving mode upon a determination that all of the measured channel powers are outside a predetermined range of normal channel power.

2. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiving terminal comprises:

a tuning unit adapted to scan at least two channels in order;

a channel power measurement unit adapted to measure the power of the channels scanned by the tuning unit; and

a controller adapted to switch the tuning unit from the normal mode to the power-saving mode upon the determination that the powers of all of the channels measured by the channel power measurement unit are outside the predetermined range of the normal channel power.

3. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 2, wherein the tuning unit switched to the power-saving mode by the controller is adapted to be switched back to the normal mode in response to a system event signal and to scan every channel of a frequency band in a predetermined time.

4. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device adapted to monitor the broadcasting channel power in real time and to generate an abnormal condition alarm upon a determination that the powers of all of the monitored channels are outside the predetermined range of the normal channel power.

5. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiving terminal is adapted to predetermine the range of the normal channel power by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

6. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 2, wherein the broadcast receiving terminal is adapted to predetermine the range of the normal channel power by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

7. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 3, wherein the broadcast receiving terminal is adapted to predetermine the range of the normal channel power by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

8. The power-saving channel scanning system of claim 4, wherein the broadcast receiving terminal is adapted to predetermine the range of the normal channel power by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

9. A power-saving channel scanning method for multi-channel broadcasting, the method comprising:

measuring at least two broadcasting channel powers in order; and

switching a tuner scanning channels from a normal mode to a power-saving mode upon a determination that all of the measured channel powers are outside a predetermined range of a normal channel power.

10. The power-saving channel scanning method of claim 9, wherein the range of the normal channel power is predetermined by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

11. The power-saving channel scanning method of claim 9, further comprising scanning channels of an entire frequency band at regular intervals upon the tuner being returned to the normal mode in response to a system event signal being generated.

12. A power-saving channel scanning method for multi-channel broadcasting, the method comprising:

monitoring at least two broadcasting channel powers in real time; and

generating an abnormal transmission network condition alarm upon a determination that all of the channel powers monitored in real time are outside a predetermined range of a normal channel power.

13. The power-saving channel scanning method of claim 12, wherein the range of the normal channel power is predetermined by subtracting a predetermined value from a downstream standard signal level of a standard input signal provided by broadcasting standards and adding a predetermined value to an upstream standard signal level.

14. A power-saving channel scanning method for multi-channel broadcasting, the method comprising:

scanning at least two broadcasting channel powers in order;

detecting an intermediate frequency signal from a radio frequency signal input during the scanning; and

switching a tuner scanning channels from a normal mode to a power-saving mode upon a determination that all of the received channel powers of the entire frequency band are outside a predetermined range of a normal channel power as a result of tuning the channels through the detected intermediate frequency signal.