Apparatus for receiving signals during power-off (stand-by) mode

• US 6,337,719 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1998
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sisvel S.p.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Cuccia, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATNAEL, PAULOS M
• Application Number:
  US09/050,488
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 348/906, 348/553, 348/730, 348/725, 348/465, 348/731, 348/569, 348/570, 455/343, 455/574, 455/38.3
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1615 Switching on; Switching off, e.g. remotely battery saving circuits associated with selective call operation H04W52/00; details of power consumption reduction in a PLL, H03L7/0802, H03L7/14, H03L2207/08, H03L2207/18; muting amplifiers by gain control see H03G3/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a receiving apparatus comprising a receiver for receiving signals, e.g. radio or television signals, which comprises means for collecting particular information incorporated in at least a part of the signals, e.g. in order to build a compound electronic program guide. The apparatus according to the invention is adapted to perform the scanning when the receiver is not in use, e.g. during stand-by mode, or when the apparatus is performing a function which does not involve the receiver.

Claims

1. A digital television receiver for receiving a plurality of digital transport streams, comprising:

a) tuning means for selecting a selected signal from the digital transport streams in response to control signals;

b) first signal processing means for extracting and processing a first type of information, comprising video and audio information, from the selected signal, wherein during a coupled state of the receiver, an input of the first signal processing means is effectively coupled to an output of the tuning means, and during a decoupled state of the receiver, the input of the first signal processing means is effectively decoupled from the output of the tuning means;

c) second signal processing means for extracting and processing a second type of additional information from the selected signal; and

d) controlling means which generate the control signals for controlling the tuning means when the receiver is in the decoupled state, said control signals being chosen such that the tuning means successively scans the digital transport streams, without user instruction, and selects a respective signal from at least a number of the digital transport streams.

2. A receiving apparatus for receiving a plurality of digital transport signals, comprising:

a) tuning means for selecting a selected signal from the digital transport signals in response to control signals;

b) first signal processing means for extracting and processing a first type of information from the selected signal, wherein during a coupled state of the receiving apparatus, an input of the first signal processing means is effectively coupled to an output of the tuning means, and during a decoupled state of the receiving apparatus, the input of the first signal processing means is effectively decoupled from the output of the tuning means;

c) and second signal processing means for extracting and processing a second type of information comprising system information (SI) from the selected signal; and

d) controlling means which generate the control signals for controlling the tuning means when the receiving apparatus is in the decoupled state, said control signals being chosen such that the tuning means successively scans the digital transport streams, without user instruction, and selects a respective signal from at least a number of the digital transport signals.

3. A receiving apparatus for receiving a plurality of transmitted signals, comprising:

a) tuning means for selecting a selected signal from the transmitted signals in response to control signals;

b) first signal processing means for extracting and processing a first type of information from the selected signal, wherein during a coupled state of the receiving apparatus, an input of the first signal processing means is effectively coupled to an output of the tuning means, and during a decoupled state of the receiving apparatus, the input of the first signal processing means is effectively decoupled from the output of the tuning means;

c) second signal processing means for extracting and processing a second type of information from the selected signal, and further extracting from the second type of information electronic program guide (EPG) information such that EPGs from at least two of the transmitted signals are combined into a compound EPG; and

d) controlling means which generate the control signals for controlling the tuning means when the receiving apparatus is in the decoupled state, said control signals being chosen such that the tuning means successively select a respective signal from at least a number of the transmitted signals.

4. A receiving apparatus for receiving a plurality of transmitted signals, comprising:

a) tuning means for selecting a selected signal from the transmitted signals in response to control signals;

b) first signal processing means for extracting and processing a first type of information from the selected signal, wherein during a coupled state of the receiving apparatus, an input of the first signal processing means is effectively coupled to an output of the tuning means, and during a decoupled state of the receiving apparatus, the input of the first signal processing means is effectively decoupled from the output of the tuning means;

c) and second signal processing means for extracting and processing a second type of information from the selected signal;

d) controlling means which generate the control signals in a power-off mode of the apparatus, for controlling the tuning means when the receiving apparatus is in the decoupled state, said control signals being chosen such that the tuning means successively select a respective signal from at least a number of the transmitted signals and;

e) a rechargeable battery for powering the receiving means during the scanning in the power-off mode.