Circuit and method for transmitting/receiving a code-inserted video signal

• US 5,432,558 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Duck-Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/142,909
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 348/460, 348/461, 348/478, 348/466, 348/473, 348/563, 348/731, 348/734, 348/906, 348/7, 380/10
• US Class Current: 348/460
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A circuit and method for performing a specific function at a receiving side if a video signal in which a code is inserted is transmitted. A transmitting side of a broadcasting system transmits a video signal in which a given code relating to a specific function like a time correction or a program reservation of a receiving side is inserted. The receiving side detects the code and then transmits the detected code to a circuit for performing the specific function by inputting a one touch key. Without the key input of a user, the corresponding time correction function is automatically controlled according to the code detected from a received video signal.

Claims

1. A circuit for transmitting/receiving a video signal, comprising:

transmitting means for generating a first code for controlling a time correction function of a receiving side and a second code for controlling a program reservation function of a receiving side, and for inserting said first and second codes into a predetermined line of said video signal and transmitting the code inserted video signal;

means at said receiving side for receiving said code inserted video signal;

detecting means for detecting said first and second codes from said code inserted video signal received from said transmitting means; and

code processing means for decoding the detected first code so as to perform said time correction function in response to user activation of a time correction key one time and for decoding the detected second code so as to perform said program reservation function in response to user activation of a reservation key one time.

2. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined line is a line of the vertical blanking interval.

3. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means comprises:

a code generator for generating said first and second codes;

a code inserter for receiving said video signal and said first or second code generated by said code generator for inserting said first or second code into said predetermined line to produce said code inserted video signal; and

a video transmitter for transmitting said code inserted video signal.

4. The circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said predetermined line is a line of the a vertical blanking interval of said video signal.

5. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises a code detector for detecting said first or second code transmitted in said predetermined line of said code inserted video signal and outputs said detected code.

6. The circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said code processing means comprises:

a low pass filter for removing noise in said detected code; and

an error corrector for determining whether said detected code is normally received and for transmitting said detected code, when normally received, to a timer circuit or a reservation circuit.

7. The circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said code processing means comprises:

a correlating detector for receiving said detected code and for outputting a waveform indicative of a correlation degree of said detected code;

a comparator for comparing said waveform to first and second threshold values, wherein said waveform is judged to be a video signal if said waveform is determined to be between said first and second threshold levels and said waveform is judged to be said detected code if said waveform has a value greater than said first threshold value or less than said second threshold value;

an error detector for receiving said detected code from said comparator for executing a parity check of said detected code to confirm that an accurate code has been received, said error detector providing, if said detected code is determined to be accurate, said detected code to a timer circuit in response to a time correction key being operated one time or a reservation circuit in response to a reservation key being operated one time.

8. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means comprises:

filtering means for extracting a specific frequency component from said predetermined line of said code inserted video signal;

code generating means for generating said first or second code;

modulation means for modulating said first or second code to said specific frequency component for generating a modulated code; and

frequency synthesizer means for inserting the modulated code in said predetermined line of said video signal and transmitting the code-inserted video signal to said receiving side.

9. The circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said detecting means comprises:

first filtering means for extracting a modulated signal from said predetermined line of said code inserted video signal.

10. The circuit as in claim 9, further comprising:

second filtering means corresponding to said modulated code for calculating an absolute value of said extracted modulated signal and for low-pass filtering the calculated absolute value to eliminate a noise component to generate a demodulated signal.

11. The circuit as in claim 10, wherein said code processing means comprises:

error correcting means for checking for an error of said demodulated signal and transmitting the error corrected code to a timer circuit in response to a time correction key being operated one time or a reservation circuit in response to a reservation key being operated one time.

12. The circuit as in claim 11, wherein said error correcting means comprises:

means for obtaining a mutual correlating function between the demodulated signal and a desired code format, and for checking a correlated degree, said demodulated signal being regarded as code data if said correlated degree is greater than a first level or less than a second level, and said demodulated signal being regarded as a video signal if said correlated degree is between said first and second levels.

13. The circuit as in claim 1, wherein said first code contains real time information and said second code contains program information.

14. The circuit as in claim 13, wherein said code processing means automatically adjusts the time of a timer circuit in said receiving side in response to said time information in said first code and automatically programs a reservation circuit in said receiving side in response to said program information in said second code.

15. An apparatus for transmitting a video signal from a transmitting device and for receiving said video signal at a receiving device responsive to a time correction key and a reservation key, said apparatus comprising:

transmitting means for generating a first code having real time information and a second code having broadcasting channel and time information of a corresponding program to be generated, and for inserting said first code or said second code in said video signal and transmitting the code inserted video signal;

means for detecting said first code or said second code in said code inserted video signal received from said transmitting means;

means for automatically adjusting a timing circuit in response said first code when said time correction key is activated a single time;

displaying means for providing an indication that said second code has been detected; and

means responsive to a single activation of said reservation key for storing said channel and time information in response to said second code for controlling said receiving device to automatically display or record said corresponding program.

16. A method for correcting time in a television receiver having a timer circuit and being connectable to receive from a broadcast station a video signal containing a time correcting code, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting said time correcting code from the video signal received by the receiver;

checking at the receiver whether a correction key is activated by a user; and

decoding said time correcting code when said correction key is activated one time and correcting the current time according to the decoded time correcting code in said timer circuit.

17. A method for transmitting/receiving a code inserted video signal, comprising the steps of:

inserting a first code and a second code into a predetermined line of a video signal, wherein said first code controls a time correction function at a receiver and said second code controls a program reservation function at said receiver, for producing a code inserted video signal;

transmitting said code inserted video signal;

receiving said code inserted video signal;

detecting said first and second codes and separating said first and second codes from said code inserted video signal; and

decoding the detected and separated first code so as to perform said time correction function in response to user activation of a time correction key one time and for decoding the detected and separated second code so as to perform said program reservation function in response to user activation of a reservation key one time.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said predetermined line is a line in the vertical blanking interval of said video signal.

19. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said inserting step comprises the step of inserting said first and second codes into a vertical blanking interval of said video signal;

and said detecting step comprises the step of detecting the vertical blanking interval of said video signal.

20. The method for transmitting/receiving a code inserted video signal, comprising the steps of:

detecting a predetermined line of a video signal;

eliminating a band of said video signal, said band having a specific frequency, in response to said detected predetermined line;

generating a modulated code by modulating one of a first code and a second code by said specific frequency, wherein said first code controls a time correction function at a receiver and said second code controls a program reservation function at said receiver;

inserting said modulated code into said video signal in place of the eliminated band, to produce a code inserted video signal;

transmitting said code inserted video signal;

receiving said code inserted video signal;

extracting said modulated code from said code inserted video signal; and

decoding said modulated code to reproduce one of said first code and said second code, said first code being decoded so as to perform said time correction function in response to user activation of a time correction key one time and said second code being decoded so as to perform said program reservation function in response to user activation of a reservation key one time.