Abstract:
A television (TV) with a language selection function and an associated control method is provided which allows a user to select a desired display language regardless of a language in which programming is broadcast. The TV includes a network interface which allows a control unit of the TV to transmit pertinent character information extracted from the broadcast signal to an appropriate translation site through a network interface unit and a translation relay site server. The character information is then translated at the translation site, synched with the corresponding audio information, and relayed back to the control unit for output through the TV. In this manner, character information included in a broadcast signal may be quickly and accurately translated into a language selected by a user and output on a display portion of the TV.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a TV (television), in particular to a TV (Television) having a language selection function and a control method of the same which is capable of displaying character information included in a broadcast signal on a screen. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Recently, various types of televisions from a small model such as a 14 inch television to a projection television not less than 60 inch are introduced to a consumer. 
   In the meantime, the analog TV has lots of problems while developing to a scale-up and a high-function. In other words, there is the problem such as a picture quality lowering, a broadcast channels limitation, an one-way mediums limitation, and market saturation of an analog TV etc. Accordingly, a digital television is introduced in order to make up for the weak points in the analog television. 
   Presently, developing of the technology about the digital TV is progressing actively, the technology has entered a new phase performing a test broadcast or a regular broadcast about the digital TV. 
   The digital TV comprises an additional information providing function as well as a basic video and audio information providing function, among them there is a character information and audio information providing functions such as a caption, a EPG (Electronic Program Guide) etc. 
   Hereinafter, a construction of the digital TV in accordance with the prior art will now be described with reference to accompanying  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the construction of the digital TV in accordance with the prior art. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the digital TV comprises a tuner  1  for tuning in to a broadcast signal of a user selection channel among broadcast signals of each channel received through an antenna, a VSB (Vestigial Side Band) demodulator  2  for correcting an error by demodulating the user selection broadcast signal and outputting the signal after converting it into a transport stream format, a demultiplexer  3  for demultiplexing the transport stream (dividing into video, audio and additional information signal sequence), a MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) audio/video decoder  4  for outputting video and audio signals by extending/restoring the demultiplexed transport stream (video and audio signal sequences), an audio processing unit  5  for converting the audio signal into an analog audio signal in order to output the audio signal through a speaker, a video processing unit  7  for converting the video signal into luminance and color signals in order to display the video signal on a screen, a memory unit  8  for storing the additional information outputted from the demultiplexer  3 , a control unit  6  for controlling each part of the system and performing an database operation about the stored additional information in order to display the information by a graphic user interface, and a network interface unit  9  for performing a two-way communication such as the internet. An output operation of character information of the digital TV will now be described. 
   First, the control unit  6  judges whether a character information mode for providing character information such as a caption or an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) to a user is ‘ON’. In addition, when the user operates the character information mode as an ‘ON’ state, the control unit  6  transmits user selection character information to the MPEG audio/video decoder  4  by setting a pertinent packet ID in the demultiplexer  3 . 
   After that, the control unit  6  controls the MPEG audio/video decoder  4  to extract and transmit only the user selection character information in the character information. Herein, the control unit  6  decodes the character information transmitted from the MPEG audio/video decoder  4 , constructs an OSD corresponding to the transmitted character information, and stores it temporarily in the memory unit  8 . 
   And, the control unit  6  transmits the OSD to the video processing unit  7  in order to display it by mixing with a broadcast video. At the same time, it performs signal processing of audio information synchronized with the OSD and outputs it to a speaker. Herein, the character information is outputted only as the English language or a certain region language. In other words, because character information of the TV in accordance with the prior art is outputted as only one language, it is impossible to perform a language selection in accordance with a user taste, accordingly it is impossible to satisfy a desire of a user. 
   As described above, in the digital TV in accordance with the prior art, because character information is outputted as only the English language or a certain region language, it is impossible to select a language in accordance with a user taste, accordingly it can not satisfy a desire of a user. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the present invention is to provide a TV having a language selection function and a control method of the same which is capable of outputting character information of a TV and audio information corresponding to the character information with a user selection language. 
   In order to achieve the object of the present invention, the TV having the language selection function in accordance with the present invention comprises a control unit for receiving character information translated into a user request language, a video processing unit for displaying the received character information on a screen, and an audio processing unit for outputting audio information synchronized with the translated character information. 
   In addition, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the TV having the language selection function comprises a network interface unit for contacting to a translation site, a storing unit for storing contact information of translation sites corresponding to various languages and an operation program related to translation, a control unit for contacting to the translation site corresponding to a user selection language by using the contact information of the translation site corresponding to the various languages, transmitting character information to be translated in accordance with the operation program related to translation, and receiving the translated character information from the translation site, and a video processing unit for displaying the received character information on a screen. 
   In addition, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the control method of the TV having the language selection function comprises judging whether a language of character information included in a broadcast signal corresponds to a user selection language, transmitting the character information included in the broadcast signal to a translation relay site server in order to translate it into the user selection language when the language of the character information included in the broadcast signal is different from the user selection language, receiving translated character information from the translation site after transmitting the transmitted character information to the translation site in order to translate it into the user selection language, and displaying the received character information on a screen. 
   In addition, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the control method of the TV having the language selection function comprises judging whether a language of character information included in a broadcast signal corresponds to a user selection language, requesting a translation by contacting to an internet translation site corresponding to the user selection language among preset internet translation sites and transmitting the character information when the language of the character information included in the broadcast signal is different from the user selection language, and displaying the translated character information on a screen and outputting the audio information by receiving the translated character information and audio information synchronized with it from the internet translation site. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a digital TV in accordance with the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a digital TV having a language selection function in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are flow charts illustrating a control method of a digital TV having the language selection function of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an operation of a language translation operation in the control method of the digital TV having the language selection function of  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Hereinafter, an embodiment of a TV (Television) having an OSD (On Screen Display) function and a control method of the same in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying  FIGS. 2˜4 . 
     FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a digital TV (Television) having a language selection function in accordance with the present invention. 
   As described in  FIG. 2 , the digital TV having the OSD (On Screen Display) function in accordance with the present invention comprises a tuner  1  for tuning in to a broadcast signal of a channel selected by a user among broadcast signals of each channel received through an antenna, a VSB (Vestigial Side Band) demodulator  2  for correcting an error by demodulating the user selection broadcast signal and outputting the signal after converting it into a transport stream format, a demultiplexer  3  for demultiplexing the transport stream (dividing into video, audio and additional information signal sequences), a MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) audio/video decoder  20  for outputting video and audio signals by extending/restoring the demultiplexed transport stream (video and audio signal sequences), an audio processing unit  21  for converting the audio signal into an analog audio signal in order to output the audio signal through a speaker, a video processing unit  23  for converting the video signal into luminance and color signals in order to display the video signal on a screen, a memory unit  8  for storing the additional information outputted from the demultiplexer  3 , a storing unit  24  for storing contact information of a translation relay site and an operation program related to a translation, a control unit  22  for controlling each unit of the system, storing the stored additional information as an information format to be displayed by a graphic user interface, and transmitting character information and language information to be translated into a user request language, a network interface unit  25  for performing two-way communication such as an internet, a translation site  27  for translating and transmitting the character information, and a translation relay site server  26  for providing the character information transmitted from the translation site  27  to the control unit  22  through the network interface unit  25 . 
   Hereinafter, parts performing the same operation with parts in  FIG. 1  will be described with the same reference numerals, and overlapped explanation will be abridged. 
   Accordingly, the character information processing unit  100 , translation relay site server  26 , translation site  27  comprised in the digital TV having the language selection function in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  are flow charts illustrating the control method of the digital TV having the language selection function of  FIG. 2  according to the present invention, it illustrates selecting a user request language, translating character information into the language selected by the user, and outputting the character information with the language selected by the user. 
   Herein, the character information processing unit  100  comprises the MPEG audio/video decoder  20 , audio processing unit  21 , video processing unit  23 , control unit  22 , network interface unit  25 , and storing unit  24 . 
   First, the control unit  22  judges whether a language change key signal is inputted S 31 . In other words, it is judged whether the language change key signal for selecting a user request language is inputted. 
   When the language change key signal is inputted, the control unit  22  updates the former set user language information into the user selection (request) language S 32 . 
   After that, the control unit  22  judges whether a character information service mode is ‘ON’ S 33 . 
   When the character information service mode is not ‘ON’, the control unit  22  outputs video and audio signals of a general broadcast program to a display and a speaker S 34  by controlling the tuner  1 , VSB demodulator  2 , demultiplexer  3 , MPEG audio/video decoder  20 , video processing unit  23  and audio processing unit  21 . 
   In the meantime, when the character information service mode is ‘ON’, the control unit  22  judges whether a language of character information included in additional information of the transport stream corresponds to the user selection language S 35 . 
   When the language of the character information included in the additional information corresponds to the user selection language, the control unit  22  outputs the character information included in the additional information to the video processing unit  23  in order to display it on the screen S 41 . 
   In the meantime, when the language of the character information included in the additional information does not correspond to the user selection language, the control unit  22  contacts to the translation relay site server  26  through the network interface unit  25  by reading contact information of the translation relay site from the storing unit  24  S 36 . Herein, the contact information can be URL information of the translation relay site which manages overall relay operation such as an internet site contact etc. for translating the character information into the user selection language. In addition, the contact information can be URL information of internet translation sites by each language for performing translation of the character information. 
   After that, the control unit  22  transmits character language information for defining kinds of language of the character information and user language information for defining kinds of user selection language to the translation relay site through the network interface unit  25  S 37 . In addition, the control unit  22  transmits character information (included in the additional information) to be translated to the translation relay site through the network interface unit  25  S 38 . Herein, the character information to be translated can comprise audio information synchronized with itself. 
   When the character language information, user language information, character information to be translated is inputted, the translation relay site server  26  translates the character information to be translated into a user selection language, and transmits the translated character information to the control unit  22  of the TV through the network interface unit  25 . 
   And, the control unit  22  judges whether the translated character information is received from the translation relay site server  26  S 39 . In addition, when the translated character information is received from the translation relay site server  26 , the control unit  22  controls in order to transmit the received character information to the MPEG audio/video decoder  20 . 
   The MPEG audio/video decoder  20  decodes the transmitted character information and audio information synchronized with it, and embodies an OSD about the transmitted character information. 
   After that, the control unit  22  transmits the embodied OSD to the video processing unit  23 . Herein, the video processing unit  23  mixes the transmitted OSD with a broadcast video, and displays it S 40 . At the same time, the control unit  22  transmits the audio information synchronized with the OSD to the audio processing unit  21 . Herein, the audio processing unit  21  performs signal-processing of the transmitted audio information, and outputs the audio information through the speaker. 
   Hereinafter, translating the translated character information into the user selection language in the translation relay site server  26  and transmitting the translated character information to the control unit  22  of the TV through the network interface unit  25  will now be described in detail with reference to accompanying  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an operation translating character information in the control method of the digital TV having the language selection function of  FIGS. 3A and 3B . It will now be described in detail. 
   First, the translation relay site server  26  which is serviced by a TV manufacturer judges whether the language information and character information to be translated is received from outside (for example, TV) S 51 . Herein, the language information means character language information for defining kinds of language of character information included in the additional information and user language information for defining kinds of the user selection language. 
   When the language information and character information to be translated is received through the network interface unit  25  of the TV, the translation relay site server  26  contacts to the translation site  27  corresponding to the received language information S 52 . For example, when the character language information is the English language and the user selection language information is the Hindustani, the translation relay site server  26  contacts to the translation site  27  translating the English language into the Hindustani S 52 . 
   After that, the translation relay site server  26  transmits the character information to be translated transmitted from the TV (control unit  22  of the TV) to the translation site  27 , and requests translation S 53 . Herein, the character information to be translated transmitted from the TV means character information to be translated into the user request language. 
   The translation relay site server  26  judges whether the character information to be translated is translated in the translation site  27  S 54 . In addition, When the character information to be translated is translated, the translation relay site server  26  transmits the translated character information to the control unit  22  of the TV through the network interface unit  25  S 55 . 
   In the meantime, in use of the translation relay site server  26  serviced from the TV manufacturer in the present invention, contact information of the translation site  27  can be updated at any time in order to make the translation relay site server  26  translate instantly and accurately the character information included in the additional information into the user request language. 
   In the meantime, when the character information to be translated is translated directly through the translation site  27  without using the translation relay site server  26 , the control unit  22  judges the language of the character information included in the additional information and the user selection (request) language. 
   After that, when the language of the character information included in the additional information is different from the user selection (request) language, the control unit  22  transmits the character information (to be translated) included in the additional information by contacting directly to the translation site  27  translating the language of the character information included in the additional information into the user request language by using the operation program related to translation stored in the storing unit  24  and the contact information of the translation site, and requests translation. 
   And, the control unit  22  downloads the transmitted character information from the translation site  27 , and outputs the downloaded character information on the screen after decoding and video-processing. At the same time, the control unit  22  transmits the audio information synchronized with the downloaded character information to the audio processing unit  21 . Herein, the audio processing unit  21  outputs the transmitted audio information to the speaker after signal-processing. 
   As described above, the present invention is capable of translating character information such as a caption etc. provided as an additional function of a TV into a user request language instantly and accurately through a translation relay site or a translation site serviced from a TV manufacture side, accordingly the present invention can satisfy a desire of a user, and improve a convenience of a user.