Television receiver and tuning control method including a program-scanning mode

• US 5,818,541 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimomura, Kazuya, Kono, Haruko, Matsuura, Chifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/711,955
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 348/564, 348/565, 348/567, 348/569, 348/570, 348/588, 348/589, 348/731, 348/732
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

When a program-scanning is executed, the scanning picture is displayed such that contents of the image can be reliably recognized while an image of the program that has been displayed so far is displayed on the picture screen. A television receiver has a function to display a sub-picture smaller than a main picture. When the television receiver enters a program-scanning mode, a broadcasting program or an image source whose image has been displayed on the whole picture screen of a display or whose image has been displayed as a main picture (41) is displayed on a sub-picture screen (42). Image of a plurality of broadcasting programs which result from changing the tuning state in the tuner are sequentially displayed on the main picture (41), thereby executing the program-scanning.

Claims

1. A television receiver in which independent images are respectively displayed on a sub-picture screen of a part of an image display area and a main picture screen of an image display area other than said sub-picture screen, comprising:

first and second tuners for independently carrying out tuning operations and respectively providing output signals;

signal processing means supplied with one of said output signals from one of said first and second tuners for processing said one output signal to display said one output signal on said sub-picture screen;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the other of said output signals from said first and second tuners and an output signal from said signal processing means;

switching means for selectively supplying the output signals of said first and second tuners to said signal processing means and said synthesizing means; and

control means for controlling said switching means such that a video signal received at one of said first and second tuners and displayed on said main picture screen is displayed on said sub-picture screen, and displaying a video signal of said main picture screen by sequentially changing a tuning channel of the other of said first and second tuners.

2. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising operation means operated by a viewer and wherein when an operation is carried out by said operation means, said control means starts controlling said switching means and starts changing said tuning channel.

3. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting a period during which a TV commercial is broadcast and received and wherein when said detecting means detects that a broadcasting of said TV commercial is started, said control means starts controlling said switching means and starts changing the tuning channel.

4. The television receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switching means selectively switches the video signals from one of said first and second tuners and an external video signal input from outside.

5. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting a channel to be tuned and wherein said control means sequentially changes the tuning channel in accordance with said setting means.

6. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising clock means for counting a time when said control means starts controlling said switching means and starts changing the tuning channel and wherein when said clock means detects that a predetermined time has passed, said control means stops changing the tuning channel and returns said switching means to an original state.

7. The television receiver according to claim 6, further comprising operation means operated by a viewer and wherein when an operation is effected by said operation means before said clock means detects that said predetermined time has passed, said control means stops changing the tuning channel.

8. The television receiver according to claim 6, further comprising operation means operated by a viewer and wherein when an operation is effected by said operation means before said clock means detects that said predetermined time has passed, said control means stops changing the tuning channel and returns said switching means to the original state.

9. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising superimposing display means for overlaying channel information upon pictures displayed in said sub-picture screen and said main picture screen.

10. The television receiver according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting a period during which the tuning channel is sequentially changed.

11. A method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver in which an image display area is divided into a main picture screen and a sub-picture screen on which independent images are displayed and a viewer is allowed to select a desired channel, comprising:

a first step for displaying a video signal, which has been received at a first tuner and displayed on said main picture screen, as a sub-picture;

a second step for displaying a video signal received at a second tuner as a main picture; and

a third step for sequentially changing a tuned channel by said second tuner at every predetermined time period.

12. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 11, further comprising a fourth step of setting a predetermined time during which said channel is changed sequentially.

13. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 12, further comprising a fifth step for accepting a first operation done by a viewer and wherein said first, second and third steps are executed when said first operation is accepted.

14. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 13, further comprising a sixth step for detecting a period during which a commercial is broadcasted and wherein said first, second and third steps are executed when a broadcasting of said commercial is started.

15. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 14, further comprising a seventh step for setting a tuned channel and wherein the tuned channel selected by said second tuner in said third step is changed in accordance with a set channel.

16. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 15, further comprising an eighth step for starting counting a time when said third step starts changing a channel and a ninth step for displaying a picture displayed on said sub-picture screen on said main picture screen.

17. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 16, further comprising a tenth step for accepting a second operation done by a viewer and an eleventh step for stopping a change of channel in said third step and displaying a picture displayed on said sub-picture screen on said main picture screen when said second operation is accepted before an elapse of said predetermined time is detected.

18. The method of controlling a channel-selection of a television receiver according to claim 17, further comprising a twelfth step for overlaying channel information upon pictures displayed on said sub-picture screen and said main picture screen.

19. A method of operating a television receiver in which an image display area is divided into a main picture screen and a sub-picture screen on which independent images are respectively displayed and in which a viewer selects a desired channel, including:

a first step of displaying a video signal, which has been received at a first tuner and displayed on the main picture screen, on the sub-picture-screen;

a second step of displaying a video signal, which is received by a second tuner, on said main picture screen; and

a third step of sequentially changing a channel selected by said second tuner at every predetermined time.