Digital multimedia broadcasting receiver having a location information notification function and method of the same

• US 7,796,939 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Seong Geun
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/699,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 4554561-457, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/500, 455/517, 455427-429, 455/466, 4554141-4144, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/7, 455/24, 455/11, 370/310, 370/315, 725 62- 72
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations

Abstract

A digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) receiver and a method for notifying location information of the receiver is provided. The DMB receiver stores location information of each gap filler matched to a gap filter identification (GFID), and the gap filler relays digital multimedia broadcasting data transmitted from a satellite. The receiver performs receiving digital multimedia broadcasting data from the gap filler, detects the GFID of the gap filler from the received digital multimedia broadcasting data, detects location information of the gap filler by using the GFID and outputs the location information. Therefore, a user in motion may watch DMB without any risk of missing a destination.

Claims

1. A digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) receiver, the receiver comprising:

a location information storing unit for storing location information of gap fillers, which relay digital multimedia broadcasting data transmitted from a satellite;

a receiving unit for receiving digital multimedia broadcasting data including a gap filler identification (GFID);

a sub control unit for detecting the GFID from the received digital multimedia broadcasting data;

a main control unit for receiving the detected GFID from the sub control unit, searching the location information storing unit by using the GFID, and detecting location information corresponding to the detected GFID; and

an output unit providing the location information.

2. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein the location information storing unit stores specific local information matched to the GFID.

3. The DMB receiver of claim 2, wherein the location information storing unit stores a subway station name matched to the GFID.

4. The DMB receiver of claim 3, wherein the location information storing unit matches the GFID of a receiver located between a first subway station and a second subway station to either the first or the second subway station name, and stores information indicating that the matched subway station name is a nearby subway station name.

5. The DMB receiver of claim 4, wherein the location information storing unit includes a flag representing whether a subway station name matched to the GFID is a subway station where a corresponding gap filler is located or a subway station located near the corresponding gap filler.

6. The DMB receiver of claim 5, wherein the main control unit detects a name of the subway station where the gap filler is located or the name of the subway station located near the gap filler as location information corresponding to the GFID.

7. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein the sub control unit stores GFID storage field information in advance, and detects GFID by using the GFID storage field information.

8. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein the main control unit outputs a control signal which notifies that a user of the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver is in motion to the output unit, when the location information corresponding to the GFID does not exist in the location information storing unit.

9. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein when the location information corresponding to the detected GFID does not exist in the location information storing unit, the main control unit determines an advance direction of a user of the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver, detects a nearby GFID of a gap filler located adjacent to a gap filler corresponding to the detected GFID toward an advance direction of the user, detects nearby gap filler location information corresponding to the nearby GFID, and detects nearby location information based on the nearby gap filler location information to transfer the detected nearby location information to the output unit.

10. The DMB receiver of claim 9, wherein, in order to determine the advance direction of the user, the main control unit detects and stores a serial number corresponding to the detected GFID in the location information storing unit, compares the serial number corresponding to a current GFID with the serial number corresponding to an immediately previous GFID, and determines whether the advance direction is in a forward direction or a backward direction based on the comparison result.

11. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein the output unit is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

12. The DMB receiver of claim 1, wherein the receiver is one of a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. A method of notifying location information of a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) receiver, wherein the DMB receiver stores location information of each gap filler matched to a gap filter identification (GFID), the gap filler relaying digital multimedia broadcasting data transmitted from a satellite, the method comprising:

receiving digital multimedia broadcasting data from the gap filler;

detecting, by a sub control unit, the GFID of the gap filler from the received digital multimedia broadcasting data;

receiving, by a main control unit, the detected GFID from the sub control unit, searching a location information storing unit by using the GFID, and detecting location information of the gap filler by using the GFID; and

outputting the location information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting of the GFID is performed using a pre-stored GFID storage field information.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting of the location information includes detecting information on a subway station in which the gap filler is located or information on a subway station near a location of the gap filler by using the GFID.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the outputting of the location information includes outputting the information on the subway station in which the gap filler is located or the information on the subway station near a location of the gap filler.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a notification that a user of the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver is in motion, when the location information corresponding to the GFID does not exist.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining an advance direction of a user of the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver when the location information corresponding to the GFID does not exist;

detecting a nearby GFID of a gap filler located adjacent to a gap filler corresponding to the detected GFID toward the advance direction of the user;

detecting nearby gap filler location information corresponding to the nearby GFID; and

outputting nearby location information by using the nearby gap filler location information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining of the advance direction includes:

detecting and storing a serial number corresponding to the detected GFID;

comparing the serial number corresponding to a current GFID with the serial number corresponding to an immediately previous GFID; and

determining the advance direction as a forward direction or a backward direction based on the comparison result.