Patent ID: 7716706
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: H01Q,H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital television broadcast signal receiver to be connected with a multi-directional antenna having multiple receiving directions as specified by an applicable standard and thus arranged to receive a television broadcast signal from one of the multiple directions which has selectively been enabled, comprising: a receiving direction control signal output unit for supplying the multi-directional antenna with a control signal to determine the direction in which a television broadcast signal is received; a tuner to be connected to the multidirectional antenna for receiving the television broadcast signal; a broadcast signal processing unit for subjecting the television broadcast signal received by the tuner to predetermined processing actions; a image signal output unit for supplying a monitor with a processed signal produced by the broadcast signal processing unit; a memory in which the processed signal produced by the broadcast signal processing unit is temporarily stored; a receiving direction determining unit for determining from the processed signal stored in the memory a direction in which a television broadcast signal at each channel is received at optimum; and a main controller for controlling an action of each component of the digital television broadcast signal receiver, wherein the receiving direction control signal output unit is arranged for sending the control signal to the multi-directional antenna at given intervals of time so that the multi-directional antenna is sequentially turned in the multiple directions, the tuner is arranged for measuring an intensity of a received television broadcast signal at each channel, and determining and storing in the memory, the measured intensity of the, television broadcast signal received from each of the multiple directions, a direction in which a television broadcast signal at the each channel is received at optimum, a maximum of the intensity of the received signal, and a threshold of the intensity of the received signal which is set to a level lower than the maximum of the intensity of the received signal and used for starting turning movement of the multi-directional antenna, the receiving direction control signal output unit includes a receiving direction control unit for, when detecting that an intensity of a received signal at a channel being tuned drops down from the threshold for the channel that is stored in the memory, controllably modifying the receiving direction of the multi-directional antenna, and the receiving direction control signal output unit keeps the multi-directional antenna not turned for modifying the receiving direction for a predetermined period of marginal time after the intensity of the received signal at the channel has dropped down from the threshold stored in the memory, the predetermined period of marginal time and the threshold are variable, depending upon a condition of the received signal.