Broadcast receiver and channel scanning method

• US 7,308,236 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fukushima, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US11/122,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 455/161.2, 455/179.1, 455/184.1, 455/181.1, 455/186.1, 455/512, 455/566, 455/187.1, 455/188.1, 455/279.1, 455/276.1, 455/150.1, 455132-139, 455272-273, 455/151.1, 455/166.2, 455/95, 455/88, 455/3.02, 455/158.1, 455/158.3, 455/277.1, 370/366, 370/468, 370/527, 342/100, 381/77, 381/86
• US Class Current: 455/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0058 provided with channel identification means arrangements for monitoring the use made of broadcast services H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0091 provided with means for scanning over a band of frequencies H03J1/0058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

A channel scanning method in a multi-channel digital broadcast is provided for enabling a user to identify the broadcast contents of a channel being currently received with accuracy during the channel scan, even though the broadcast contents may change within a channel scanning time period. In one embodiment of the channel scanning method, a receive channel is switched at predetermined intervals (the scanning time period), it is checked whether the broadcast contents of the channel being received currently, after the channel switching, will change within the scanning time period, and a time period for receiving the channel is prolonged, if the broadcast contents will change.

Claims

1. A channel scanning method for switching a receive channel at predetermined time intervals, comprising:

extracting information which is transferred together with the broadcast contents of a next channel to be received and which specifies a time of a changeover of said broadcast contents;

checking whether or not the broadcast contents of said next channel will change within the predetermined time interval in the case of switching to the next receive channel, with reference to said extracted information; and

receiving said next channel if the broadcast contents will not change, while if the broadcast contents will change, repeatedly performing said extracting and checking acts for a further channel to be received.

2. The channel scanning method according to claim 1, wherein said information for specifying the changeover time of the broadcast contents relates to a stop time of said broadcast contents, or a starting time of the next broadcast contents.

3. The channel scanning method according to claim 1, wherein said broadcast contents include a piece of music, and wherein said information for specifying the changeover time of the broadcast contents is calculated from information on a full-length of the piece of music and information on an elapsed time of the piece of music being performed currently.

4. A multi-channel broadcast receiver that has a channel scanning function of switching a receive channel at predetermined time intervals, comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to perform a channel scan;

receive-channel switching means for performing a channel switching operation at the predetermined time intervals when the instruction to perform the channel scan is received;

time counting means for counting an elapsed time after the channel switching;

means for extracting information which is transferred together with the broadcast contents of a next channel to be received and which specifies a time of a changeover of said broadcast contents; and

receive-channel determining means for checking whether or not said broadcast contents of the next channel will change within the predetermined time interval in the case of switching to the next channel, with reference to said extracted information, and for receiving said next channel if the broadcast contents do not change, while if the broadcast contents will change, repeatedly performing said extracting and checking functions for a further channel to be received.

5. The broadcast receiver according to claim 4, wherein information extracted by said extracting means, which is operable to extract the information for specifying the time of the changeover of the broadcast contents, relates to a stop time of said broadcast contents, or a starting time of the next broadcast contents.

6. A multi-channel broadcast receiver that has a channel scanning function of switching a receive channel at predetermined time intervals, comprising:

a broadcast receiving section for receiving a broadcast wave;

an instructing section for receiving an instruction to perform a channel scan;

a time counting section for counting an elapsed time after a channel switching; and

a controller for controlling said broadcast receiving section by performing a channel switching operation at the predetermined time intervals when the instruction to perform the channel scan is received, for referring to information which is transferred together with the broadcast contents of a next channel to be received and which specifies a time of a changeover of said broadcast contents, for checking whether or not said broadcast contents of the next receive channel will change within the predetermined time interval in the case of switching to the next receive channel, and for receiving said next channel if the broadcast contents do not change, while if the broadcast contents will change, repeatedly performing said checking function for a further channel to be received.