System and method for providing fast acquire time tuning of multiple signals to present multiple simultaneous images

• US 6,784,945 B2
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartek, Douglas J., Norsworthy, John P., Birleson, Stanley Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/410,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20030016304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5445, H04/N.545, H04/N.544, H04/N.550, 348/565, 348/553, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/570, 348/725, 348/731, 348/732, 348/733, 348/735, 348/729, 334/1, 334/8, 334/11, 725/39, 725/41, 375/316, 375/324, 375/326, 375/344, 375/350, 455/782.3, 455/192.3, 455/181.11, 455/179.01, 455/77
• US Class Current: 348/731
• 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 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name
• 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/12 Picture reproducers H04N9/11 takes precedence

Abstract

A multiple information decoding system and method are provided in which multiple information content is decoded sequentially and provided to a viewer such that the viewer perceives the information content as being simultaneously decoded. One embodiment of the system and method is in a video display system where RF channels are decoded by a single tuner for concurrent presentation to a display.

Claims

1. A system for decoding a plurality of channels, said system including:

a single video tuner, said tuner having a fast channel acquire time such that the tuner can interleave at least two channels to form two distinct signals which are continuously updated that a user perceives as being formed simultaneously, wherein said acquired time is 5 milliseconds or less.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said channels are decoded from RF signals.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said formed signals are video signals.

4. The system of claim 3 further including an audio tuner separate from said video tuner, and wherein said audio tuner decodes an audio signal associated with a particular channel of said at least two channels.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said video tuner and said audio tuner are part of a display system having PIP capability.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said tuner includes:

a dual conversion RF tuner comprising;

a low noise amplifier passing all channels in a received band;

a first mixer having a first input coupled to said low noise amplifier and a second input coupled to a first local oscillator signal, wherein said first mixer outputs a first IF signal;

a first IF filter coupled to said first mixer and providing coarse channel selection, wherein said first IF filter removes all channels outside a selected frequency band from said first IF signal;

a second mixer having a first input coupled to said first IF filter and a second input coupled to a second local oscillator signal; and

a second IF filter coupled to said second mixer and providing fine channel selection.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said video tuner is utilized in a PC application.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said video tuner is utilized in a security monitoring system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least two channels provide video streams for display of an electronic program guide, wherein said program guide includes text corresponding to each said channel of said at least two channels displayed upon a same screen as said at least two channels, and wherein said at least two channels are displayed as moving pictures.

10. An RF decoding system comprising:

a first tuner for forming a first video image from received RF signals; and

a second tuner for forming a plurality of other video images, each of said other images occluding a separate portion of said first video image, wherein said second tuner has a channel acquire time faster than 5 milliseconds.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said first image has audio associated therewith.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said other images are perceived by a viewer as being simultaneously presented.

13. A method for decoding a plurality of channels, said method including the step of:

providing a single video tuner, said tuner having a fast channel acquire time, wherein said acquire time is 5 milliseconds or less;

operating the tuner to interleave at least two channels to form at least two distinct signals; and

providing, in sequential form, said at least two distinct signals which are continuously updated so that a user perceives them as being formed simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said channels are decoded from RF signals.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said formed signals are video signals.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

decoding, using an audio tuner, an audio signal associated with a particular channel of said at least two channels; and

displaying said at least two channels in conjunction with audibly presenting said audio signal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said video tuner and said audio tuner are part of a display system having PIP capability.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least two channels provide video streams for display of an electronic program guide, including the step of:

displaying a program guide including text corresponding to each said channel of said at least two channels upon a same screen as said at least two channels, and wherein said at least two channels are displayed as moving pictures.

19. A method for decoding RF signals, said method comprising the steps:

forming a first video image from received RF signals, using a first tuner; and

forming a plurality of other video images using a second tuner, each of said other images occluding a separate portion of said first video image, wherein said second tuner has a channel acquire time faster than 5 milliseconds.

20. A method of claim 19 wherein said first image has audio associated therewith.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said other images are perceived by a viewer as being simultaneously presented.

22. The method of decoding signals from a frequency division multiplexed source, said method comprising the steps of:

applying said source to a tuner circuit, wherein said tuner circuit has a channel acquire time less than 5 milliseconds;

alternating the channel selectivity of said tuner circuit to provide multiple decoded signals perceived by a user to be simultaneously provided;

presenting text data on a video display, said text data having information corresponding to a plurality of said multiple decoded signals; and

providing in association with such text data, video images from a plurality of said multiple decoded signals.

23. The method of claim 22 further including the step of:

forming a composite image from said provided multiple decoded signals.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said method is used in a PIP system where there is a main image and a plurality of secondary images which each partially occlude the main image and wherein said decoded signals provide said plurality of secondary images.

25. The method of claim 24 further including the step of:

applying said source to a second tuner; and

adjusting the channel selection of said second tuner to produce said image.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said adjusting step includes:

selection of audio for presentation with said main image.

27. A system for sequentially presenting data, said system comprising:

means for presenting multiplexed signals to a tuner so as to obtain data from selected channels of said multiplexed data;

means for selecting which of said channels is desired at any point in time; and

means for controlling said selecting means so as to alternate within 100 milliseconds between a plurality of said channels.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein an acquire time of said tuner is 5 milliseconds or less.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein said tuner includes:

a dual conversion RF tuner comprising;

a low noise amplifier passing all channels in a received band;

a first mixer having a first input coupled to said low noise amplifier and a second input coupled to a first local oscillator signal, wherein said first mixer outputs a first IF signal;

a first IF filter coupled to said first mixer and providing coarse channel selection, wherein said first IF filter removes all channels outside a selected frequency band from said first IF signal;

a second mixer having a first input coupled to said first IF filter and a second input coupled to a second local oscillator signal; and

a second IF filter coupled to said second mixer and providing fine channel selection.

30. A method for presenting a video guide on a video display, said guide containing text data pertaining to program material available on a plurality of channels, said method comprising the steps of:

providing in association with each such text data, a video image of program material on an associated channel of said plurality of channels; and

operating a tuner having a fast channel acquire time such that the tuner can interleave at least two channels to form at least two distinct signals that a user perceives as being formed simultaneously by providing, in sequential form, at least two channel selections wherein said acquire time is 5 milliseconds or less.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said channels are decoded from RF signals.

32. The method of claim 30 further including the steps of:

decoding, using a second tuner, a particular channel while said fast channel acquire time tuner decodes said at least two selected channels; and

displaying said two selected channels in conjunction with said second tuner decoded particular channel.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said fast channel acquire time tuner and said second tuner are part of a display system having PIP capability.