Digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception and method for processing digital broadcast

• US 7,675,877 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Chul Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/298,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 455/412.2, 455/3.06, 455/557, 455/185.1
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for performing a time shift function according to a current call connection state are disclosed. If a user enters a call connection mode with another party while viewing digital broadcast signal, received digital broadcast signal is recorded. If the call connection mode is terminated, the digital broadcast signal stored from a start time of the call connection mode is reproduced and displayed. Therefore, although the user loses specific broadcast signal received during a call connection time, the user can continuously view the lost broadcast signal without any loss after the lapse of the call connection time.

Claims

1. A method for processing a digital broadcast signal via a digital device, the method comprising:

receiving a digital broadcast signal;

storing the received digital broadcast signal in a memory of the digital device;

receiving or transmitting a communication signal;

detecting start and end times of a call connection mode;

determining whether a time shift mode is established if the call connection mode begins such that the received digital broadcast signal is stored in the memory; and

reproducing the digital broadcast signal stored in the memory on the basis of a setup time of the time shift mode when the call connection mode is terminated, wherein the storing step further includes, if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed when sending a call request signal to a called party, storing a digital broadcast signal received from a specific time at which the called party answers the call request signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the received digital broadcast signal is not displayed if the call connection mode begins.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a video signal of the digital broadcast received at the start time of the call connection mode in the form of a still image.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a video signal of the digital broadcast if the call connection mode begins; and

reproducing the stored digital broadcast signal or displaying a currently-received digital broadcast signal according to user setup condition information if the call connection mode is terminated.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the time shift mode is pre-established or is established when a communication sound is generated, starting the call connection mode simultaneously with storing the received digital broadcast signal; and

determining a reproduction start time of the stored digital broadcast signal to be a start time of the call connection mode if the call connection mode is terminated.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the time shift mode is established during the call connection mode, storing the digital broadcast signal received from a setup time of the time shift mode; and

determining a reproduction start time of the stored digital broadcast signal to be a setup time of the time shift mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed by a user when the user receives a call request signal from a caller party, starting the call connection mode, and at the same time storing the received digital broadcast signal; and

if a “

Call”

button is pressed by the user, performing only the call connection mode without storing the received digital broadcast signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the time shift mode is released, providing a specific situation in which the time shift mode can be established, and controlling a record operation of the received digital broadcast signal according to mode setup condition information.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

if the time shift mode is released, displaying the received digital broadcast signal or not displaying the received digital broadcast signal according to display setup condition information.

10. A digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception, comprising,

a broadcast receiver configured to receive a digital broadcast signal;

a storage unit configured to store the digital broadcast signal received in the broadcast receiver;

a transmission/reception unit configured to receive or transmit a communication signal; and

a controller configured to detect start and end times of a call connection mode, store the digital broadcast signal received in the storage unit, and display a video signal of the digital broadcast signal when the start time of the call connection mode is detected, and reproduce the stored digital broadcast signal or display currently-received digital broadcast signal according to user setup condition information when the end time of the call connection mode is detected, wherein the controller, if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed when sending a call request signal to a called party, stores a digital broadcast signal received from a specific time at which the called party answers the call request signal.

11. A digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception, comprising:

a broadcast receiver configured to receive a digital broadcast signal;

a storage unit configured to store the received digital broadcast signal;

a transmission/reception unit configured to receive or transmit a communication signal; and

a controller configured to detect start and end times of a call connection mode, determine whether a time shift mode is established if the call connection mode begins such that the received digital broadcast signal is stored in the storage unit, and reproduce the digital broadcast signal stored in the storage unit on the basis of a setup time of the time shift mode when the call connection mode is terminated, wherein the controller, if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed when sending a call request signal to a called party, stores a digital broadcast signal received from a specific time at which the called party answers the call request signal.

12. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the received digital broadcast signal is not displayed if the call connection mode begins.

13. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller displays a video signal of the digital broadcast received at the start time of the call connection mode in the form of a still image.

14. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller displays a video signal of the digital broadcast if the call connection mode begins, and reproduces the stored digital broadcast signal or displays a currently-received digital broadcast signal according to user setup condition information if the call connection mode is terminated.

15. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller, if the time shift mode is pre-established or is established when a communication sound is generated, starts the call connection mode simultaneously with storing the received digital broadcast signal, and determines a reproduction start time of the stored digital broadcast signal to be a start time of the call connection mode if the call connection mode is terminated.

16. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller, if the time shift mode is established during the call connection mode, stores the digital broadcast signal received from a setup time of the time shift mode, and determines a reproduction start time of the stored digital broadcast signal to be a setup time of the time shift mode.

17. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller,

if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed by a user when the user receives a call request signal from a caller party, starts the call connection mode, and at the same time stores the received digital broadcast signal, and

if a “

Call”

button is pressed by the user, performs only the call connection mode without storing the received digital broadcast signal.

18. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller, if the time shift mode is released, provides a specific situation in which the time shift mode can be established, and controls a record operation of the received digital broadcast signal according to mode setup condition information.

19. The digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception according to claim 11, wherein the controller, if the time shift mode is released, displays the received digital broadcast signal or does not display the received digital broadcast signal according to display setup condition information.

20. A digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception, comprising:

a broadcast receiver configured to receive a digital broadcast signal;

a storage unit configured to store the digital broadcast signal received in the broadcast receiver;

a transmission/reception unit configured to receive or transmit a communication signal; and

a controller configured to detect start and end times of a call connection mode, determine whether a simultaneous viewing/recording mode is established if the call connection mode begins such that the received digital broadcast signal is stored in the storage unit and at the same time is displayed, and output the digital broadcast signal stored in the storage unit or currently-received digital broadcast signal according to user setup condition information if the call connection mode is terminated, wherein the controller, if a predetermined button assigned for the time shift mode is pressed when sending a call request signal to a called party, stores a digital broadcast signal received from a specific time at which the called party answers the call request signal.