Digital/analog broadcast receiving device capable of limiting change in setting in operation setting menu thereof

• US 6,888,576 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Takagi, Toshihiro, Nagamura, Yoshihisa, Ishihara, Kazuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US10/077,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 348/569, 348/564, 348/553, 348/554, 348/555, 348/739, 725/38, 725/59, 725/131, 725/139, 725/151, 386/83, 345/707
• US Class Current: 348/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42638 involving a hybrid front-end, e.g. analog and digital tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27

Abstract

A digital/analog broadcast receiving device has either in a first setting mode (proficient mode) in which whole of setting items can be changed without any limitation and a second setting mode (beginner mode) in which the setting items can be changed with some limitation. The receiving device is set in the second setting mode at the time of shipment from a factory. On the screen displaying thereon a setting menu including setting items for a various operations, such a setting item that cannot be changed is not displayed or prevented from being selected. Thus, the menu items that are desired not to be touched by a beginner user etc. can be prevented from being displayed or selected, so as to improve the operability and also protect the settings.

Claims

1. A digital/analog broadcast receiving device comprising:

a receiver for receiving an encoded digital/analog broadcasting signal originated from a broadcasting station;

a digital/analog decoder for decoding the digital/analog broadcasting signal received at the receiver and then outputting the signal to a display which displays an image;

a memory for storing set contents relating to various operations of the receiving device;

a control unit for controlling the receiving device according to the set contents stored in the memory; and

an input device for inputting a user'"'"'s channel selecting instruction and the set contents to be stored in the memory to the control unit, in such a configuration that the input device can be used to make settings in a setting menu including setting items for the operations by using a cursor on a screen displayed at the display, wherein;

the memory stores therein a proficient setting mode in which the whole of setting items can be changed without any limitation and a beginner setting mode in which the setting items can be changed with some limitation, the setting items that cannot be changed as a limitation include an all-settings clearing and the receiving device being set in the beginner setting mode at the time of shipment from a factory;

the receiving device can be switched between the proficient setting mode and the beginner setting mode by an operation instruction sent from the input device; and

the control unit controls the device so that the setting items which cannot be changed in the beginner setting mode are either not displayed on the display or prevented from being selected by the input device.

2. A digital/analog broadcast receiving device comprising:

a receiver for receiving an encoded digital/analog broadcasting signal originated from a broadcasting station;

a digital/analog decoding section for decoding the digital/analog broadcasting signal received at the receiver and then outputting the signal to a display which displays an image;

a memory for storing set contents relating to various operations of the receiving device;

a control unit for controlling the receiving device according to the set contents stored in the memory; and

an input device for inputting a user'"'"'s channel selecting instruction and the set contents to be stored in the memory, to the control unit in such a configuration that the input device can be used to make settings in a setting menu including setting items for the operations by using a cursor on a screen displayed at the display to the control unit, wherein;

the memory stores therein a first setting mode in which the whole of setting items can be changed without any limitation and a second setting mode in which the setting items can be changed with some limitation; and

the control unit controls the device so that the setting items which cannot be changed in the second setting mode are either not displayed on the display or prevented from being selected by the input device.

3. The digital/analog broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, wherein the second setting mode is set when the power is supplied to the receiving device.

4. The digital/analog broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, wherein the receiving device receives a digital broadcast according to the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) standard and an analog broadcast according to the NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) standard.

5. The digital/analog broadcast receiving device according to claim 3, wherein the receiving device receives a digital broadcast according to the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) standard and an analog broadcast according to the NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) standard.