Digital broadcast receiver and broadcast data display method for simultaneous display of multi-channel visual images

• US 20070277214A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hyun, Lee, Ki, Yoon, Sang, Seo, Kwang
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45457 applied to a time segment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A digital broadcast receiver and broadcast data display method enabling simultaneous display of multi-channel visual images are disclosed. The broadcast data display method includes receiving digital broadcast data on a plurality of channels; simultaneously outputting on a single screen real-time broadcast data of a selected channel and still images of the remaining channels; and periodically updating the still images of the remaining channels. Thereby, up-to-date multi-channel visual images are simultaneously output. Hence, the user can easily perform channel selection and channel switching.

Claims

1. A digital broadcast receiver comprising:

a broadcast receiving unit for simultaneously receiving digital broadcast data on a plurality of channels;

a broadcast output unit for simultaneously outputting real-time broadcast data of a particular one of the channels and still images of the remaining channels on a single screen; and

a still image updater for periodically updating the still images of the remaining channels.

2. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiving unit simultaneously receives digital broadcast data on one major channel and at least one minor channel.

3. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 2, further comprising a channel setting unit for setting channels to be received by the broadcast receiving unit.

4. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 3, wherein the channel setting unit resets a current minor channel on the basis of a channel switch condition set in advance.

5. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 4, wherein the channel setting unit stores a channel list having a plurality of channel identifiers, selects in sequence one of the channel identifiers in the channel list on the basis of the condition to switch the channel, and resets the current minor channel to a channel of the selected channel identifier.

6. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 5, wherein the channel identifiers on the channel list have to be greater than or equal to the preset quantity of minor channels to be simultaneously output to the single screen.

7. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 6, wherein the channel list has channel identifiers selected by a user.

8. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 6, wherein the channel list has identifiers of favorite channels automatically collected from a channel reception history.

9. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 6, wherein the channel list has identifiers of available channels scanned by the digital broadcast receiver.

10. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 6, wherein the channel list has channel identifiers generated using information from an electronic program guide.

11. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 4, wherein the condition to switch the channel is one of a channel change request input by a user, a preset channel change period, and detection of an I-frame on the current minor channel.

12. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 3, wherein in response to a channel change request from a user the channel setting unit sets the channels to be received using channel identifiers accompanied by the channel change request.

13. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 5, wherein the still image updater comprises:

an I-frame detector for repeatedly detecting an I-frame in broadcast data of the current minor channel on an I-frame period basis; and

an I-frame storage for storing detected I-frames of the minor channels and updating a stored I-frame of the current minor channel with a newly detected I-frame.

14. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the I-frame detector pre-stores I-frame periods of the minor channels, and detects an image frame received on the current minor channel at each I-frame period thereof as an I-frame.

15. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the I-frame detector compares sizes of received image frames and detects a relatively large image frame as an I-frame.

16. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 13, wherein the I-frame storage stores and updates I-frames corresponding to a current minor channel.

17. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 16, wherein the broadcast output unit comprises:

a major channel buffer for storing real-time broadcast data of the major channel; and

an image synthesizer for generating a screen output image using the real-time broadcast data stored in the major channel buffer and I-frames stored in the I-frame storage.

18. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 17, wherein the image synthesizer sequentially selects from the I-frame storage a quantity of I-frames equal to the preset quantity of minor channels to be simultaneously output to the single screen, and combines the selected I-frames with a video signal of the major channel to generate a screen output image.

19. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 3, wherein the broadcast receiving unit comprises:

a demultiplexer for separating individual digital broadcast signals from digital broadcast data simultaneously received on at least two channels; and

a first switch for switching major and minor channel data transmission paths at an output terminal of the demultiplexer.

20. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 19, wherein the channel setting unit outputs, on the basis of a channel switch request from a user or the condition to switch channel set in advance, a control signal to the first switch for switching major and minor channel data transmission paths.

21. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 20, wherein the condition to switch the channel is a channel switch period.

22. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 20, wherein the condition to switch the channel is a channel switch time.

23. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 16, wherein the broadcast output unit comprises:

a major channel buffer for storing real-time broadcast data of the major channel;

a minor channel buffer for storing real-time broadcast data of the minor channels;

an image synthesizer for generating a screen output image using the real-time broadcast data stored in the major channel buffer or minor channel buffer and I-frames stored in the I-frame storage; and

a second switch for connecting either an output terminal of the major channel buffer or an output terminal of the minor channel buffer to an input terminal of the image synthesizer.

24. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 23, wherein the still image updater further comprises a third switch for directing either broadcast data of the major channel or broadcast data of the minor channels to an input terminal of the I-frame detector.

25. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 24, wherein the channel setting unit outputs, on the basis of a channel switch request from a user or a channel switch condition set in advance, a control signal to the second switch and third switch for switching major and minor channel data transmission paths.

26. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 25, wherein the condition to switch the channel is a channel switch period.

27. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 25, wherein the condition to switch the channel is a channel switch time.

28. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 25, wherein the second switch connects the output terminal of the minor channel buffer to the input terminal of the image synthesizer, in response to a control signal from the channel setting unit, if the third switch directs broadcast data of the major channel to the input terminal of the I-frame detector, and connects the output terminal of the major channel buffer to the input terminal of the image synthesizer, if the third switch directs broadcast data of the minor channels to the input terminal of the I-frame detector.

29. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 25, wherein the third switch directs broadcast data of the minor channels to the input terminal of the I-frame detector, in response to a control signal from the channel setting unit, if the second switch connects the output terminal of the major channel buffer to the input terminal of the image synthesizer, and directs broadcast data of the major channel to the input terminal of the I-frame detector, if the second switch connects the output terminal of the minor channel buffer to the input terminal of the image synthesizer.

30. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 1, wherein the broadcast output unit outputs the real-time broadcast data and still images to corresponding display areas in the single screen.

31. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 30, further comprising an input unit for receiving a user input to select one of the display areas, and wherein the broadcast output unit performs switching between the major channel and a minor channel associated with the selected display area or enlargement of the selected display area, in response to a display area selection by a user through the input unit.

32. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 31, wherein the broadcast output unit enlarges the selected display area using pre-stored enlargement information, if a display area associated with the major channel is selected.

33. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 31, wherein the broadcast output unit performs switching between the major channel and the minor channel, if a display area associated with a minor channel is selected.

34. The digital broadcast receiver of claim 1, further comprising an image scaler for resizing the real-time broadcast data and still images according to positions and sizes of corresponding display areas associated with individual channels.

35. A broadcast data display method for a digital broadcast receiver, comprising:

receiving digital broadcast data on a plurality of channels; and

outputting simultaneously real-time broadcast data of a selected one of the channels and still images of the remaining channels on a single screen.

36. The broadcast data display method of claim 35, further comprising periodically updating the still images of the remaining channels.

37. The broadcast data display method of claim 35, wherein the receiving step comprises simultaneously receiving digital broadcast data on one major channel and at least one minor channel.

38. The broadcast data display method of claim 35, further comprising setting, using a channel list having a plurality of channel identifiers, one channel as a major channel and at least one channel as minor channel.

39. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the channel identifiers on the channel list have to be greater than or equal to the preset quantity of major and minor channels to be simultaneously output to the single screen.

40. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the channel list has identifiers of channels selected by a user.

41. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the channel list has identifiers of favorite channels automatically collected from a channel reception history.

42. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the channel list has identifiers of channels scanned by the digital broadcast receiver.

43. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the channel list has channel identifiers generated using information from an electronic program guide.

44. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the simultaneously outputting step comprises:

outputting real-time broadcast data of the major channel; and

outputting I-frames detected in broadcast data of the individual minor channels in sequence together with the real-time broadcast data to the single screen, wherein the sequence includes one I-frame from each of the preset minor channels.

45. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, further comprising switching major and minor channel data transmission paths, according to a channel switch request from a user or a channel switch condition set in advance.

46. The broadcast data display method of claim 38, wherein the simultaneously outputting step further comprises:

dividing the single screen into display areas, and outputting the real-time broadcast data and the still images to their corresponding display areas;

receiving a user input to select one of the display areas; and

performing channel switching or enlargement of the selected display area, depending upon channel-display area association.

47. The broadcast data display method of claim 46, wherein the simultaneously outputting step further comprises enlarging the selected display area using pre-stored enlargement information, if the selected display area is associated with the major channel.

48. The broadcast data display method of claim 46, wherein the simultaneously outputting step further comprises performing switching between the major channel and the minor channel associated with the selected display area, if the selected display area is associated with one of the minor channels.

49. The broadcast data display method of claim 35, wherein the simultaneously outputting step further comprises:

dividing the single screen into display areas corresponding to the individual channels;

displaying the real-time broadcast data in one of the display areas; and

displaying the still images of I-frames in the corresponding remaining display areas.

50. The broadcast data display method of claim 49, wherein the simultaneously outputting step further comprises resizing the real-time broadcast data and the still images according to positions and sizes of their corresponding display areas.

51. A broadcast data display method for a digital broadcast receiver, comprising:

displaying a channel list having identifiers of available channels, in response to a broadcast reception request from a user;

displaying broadcast data of a channel selected by the user from the channel list on a screen in a full-screen mode;

dividing, in response to a request of all-channel view during channel list display or broadcast reception, the screen into display areas corresponding to the individual available channels of the channel list;

displaying real-time broadcast data of the selected channel in a corresponding display area of the screen; and

displaying still images of the remaining channels simultaneously or sequentially in their corresponding display areas.

52. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising resizing the real-time broadcast data and the still images according to positions and sizes of their corresponding display areas.

53. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, wherein the still images are I-frames detected in broadcast data of the remaining channels other than the selected channel.

54. The broadcast data display method of claim 53, wherein the I-frames are detected in decoded video data of the corresponding channels.

55. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, wherein the still images are raw images captured from the most recently decoded broadcast data of the remaining channels other than the selected channel.

56. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising periodically updating the still images of the remaining channels.

57. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising setting one channel as a major channel and at least one channel as minor channels on the basis of user selections.

58. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, wherein the channel identifiers on the channel list have to be greater than or equal to the preset quantity of major and minor channels to be simultaneously output to the screen.

59. The broadcast data display method of claim 58, wherein the channel list has identifiers of channels selected by the user.

60. The broadcast data display method of claim 58, wherein the channel list has identifiers of favorite channels automatically collected from a channel reception history.

61. The broadcast data display method of claim 58, wherein the channel list has identifiers of channels scanned by the digital broadcast receiver.

62. The broadcast data display method of claim 58, wherein the channel list has channel identifiers generated using information of an electronic program guide.

63. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising switching between data transmission paths of the selected channel and of a newly selected one of the remaining channels, according to a channel switch request from a user or a channel switch condition set in advance.

64. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising performing a user-requested function in response to a user input, wherein the performing a user-requested function step further comprises:

dividing the screen into display areas, and outputting the real-time broadcast data and the still images to their corresponding display areas;

receiving an input from the user to select one of the display areas; and

performing channel switching or enlargement of the selected display area, depending upon channel-display area association.

65. The broadcast data display method of claim 64, wherein the performing channel switching or enlargement step further comprises enlarging the selected display area using pre-stored enlargement information, if the selected display area is associated with the selected channel for real-time broadcast data.

66. The broadcast data display method of claim 64, wherein the performing channel switching or enlargement step further comprises switching between the selected channel and the remaining channel associated with the selected display area, if the selected display area is associated with one of the remaining channels for still images.

67. The broadcast data display method of claim 51, further comprising the steps, performed during broadcast reception, of:

dividing the screen into display areas corresponding to currently active channels;

displaying real-time broadcast data of one of the active channels in a corresponding display area of the screen; and

displaying I-frames of the remaining active channels as still images in their corresponding display areas.

68. The broadcast data display method of claim 67, further comprising resizing the real-time broadcast data and the still images of I-frames according to positions and sizes of their corresponding display areas.