Abstract:
The present invention discloses a combination system and method, including a housing; a first recording/reproducing unit installed inside the housing, for recording/reproducing data in a first recording medium; a second recording/reproducing unit installed inside the housing, for recording/reproducing data in a second recording medium; and a digital broadcast receiving module perpendicularly installed inside the housing, for receiving digital broadcasts externally.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-15572, filed on Mar. 8, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a combination system and method for combining two different devices into one system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing a combination system capable of receiving digital broadcasts.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A combination system or combo-system (or simply ‘combo’) typically refers to more than two different devices being combined into one integrated system. One example of the combo-system is a digital video or versatile disk player/video cassette recorder (DVDP/VCR) combo-system combining the functions of a DVDP and a VCR.  
         [0006]     The DVDP/VCR combo-system includes an exterior housing, a DVDP unit and a VCR unit installed inside the housing. Particularly, the VCR unit includes an analog tuner for receiving an analog broadcast, which is received through an external antenna, through a cable. The analog tuner is connected to a television set (or TV) and allows a user to watch the analog broadcast.  
         [0007]     Of late, a digital broadcasting system with high picture quality and high sound quality is preferred to the traditional analog broadcasting system. To receive a digital broadcast, a digital broadcasting receiver, such as a set-top-box, is required.  
         [0008]     In addition, to watching satellite broadcasting, not ground-wave broadcasting, a user needs a digital broadcasting receiver mounted with a tuner for use exclusively in satellite broadcasting.  
         [0009]     The digital broadcasting receiver is typically integrated into a TV or can be purchased as a separate product.  
         [0010]     However, it is very inefficient to produce and sell home appliances with different functions separately in view of the cost of manufacturing and limited available installation space.  
         [0011]     As an attempt to solve these problems, a combo-system combining more than two products into one system has been developed. In this regard, it is required to develop a combo-system including the digital broadcasting receiver as well.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a combination system combined with a digital broadcasting receiver and recording/reproducing units adopting at least two different recording media and a method thereof.  
         [0013]     In order to achieve the above-described objects of the present invention, there is provided a combination system and method, including a housing; a first recording/reproducing unit installed inside the housing, and for recording/reproducing data in a first recording medium; a second recording/reproducing unit installed inside the housing, and for recording/reproducing data in a second recording medium; and a digital broadcast receiving module perpendicularly installed inside the housing for receiving digital broadcasts from outside.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the first and second recording/reproducing units are installed parallel to each other within the housing, and the module is disposed between the first and second recording/reproducing units.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the combination system further includes a first board electrically connected to the first and second recording/reproducing units, respectively, and the module includes a second board installed on the first board at an upright position, and a digital tuner installed on the second board for receiving digital broadcasts from an external antenna.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the module further includes: a connector for supporting the second board to have an upright position on the first board, and connecting the first and second boards to enable signal communication therebetween; and ground brackets attached to the first board and the second board, respectively, and for electrically connecting the first board and the second board.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the connector and the ground brackets are inserted into the first and second boards, respectively, and are fixed thereto through soldering.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the first recording medium is a disk and the second recording medium is a magnetic tape.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a combination system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a combination system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a board module illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     A combination system in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the combination system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a housing  10  (see  FIG. 2 ), a first recording/reproducing unit  20  installed in the housing  10 , a second recording/reproducing unit  30  installed inside the housing  10 , and a digital broadcast receiving module  40 .  
         [0025]     The housing  10  forms the exterior of the combination system, and has a designated space inside. The housing  10  includes a lower case  11 , an upper case (not shown), and a front panel (not shown).  
         [0026]     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first recording/reproducing unit  20  will be explained in conjunction with a digital video or versatile disk player (DVDP) assembly, which records/reproduces data in a first recording medium such as a disk, for example. That is, the first recording/reproducing unit  20  includes a disk tray  21  for loading/unloading the disk in/out of the housing  10 , a chucking unit  23  mounted on the disk tray for chucking the loaded disk, a driving unit (not shown) for rotating the disk loaded by the disk tray  21  at high speeds, and an optical pickup unit (not shown). Here, the driving unit includes a spindle motor and a turntable. The structures of the driving unit and the optical pickup unit are conventional so no further details will be provided.  
         [0027]     The second recording/reproducing unit  30  records/reproduces data in a second recording medium which is different from the first recording medium. In an embodiment of the present invention, the second recording/reproducing unit  30  will be explained in conjunction with a video cassette recorder (VCR) assembly for example. Therefore, the second recording medium is a magnetic tape. And, the second recording/reproducing unit  30  is installed inside the housing  10  in parallel to the first recording/reproducing unit  20 .  
         [0028]     The structure of the VCR assembly adopted in an embodiment of the present invention for the second recording/reproducing unit  30  is similar to the prior art.  
         [0029]     That is, the VCR assembly includes a head drum  31  installed on a deck frame  33 , a tape loading/unloading unit  33  for loading/unloading a tape into/out of the head drum  31 , a guide unit  35  for guiding the motion of the tape, and a cassette tape holder unit  37 .  
         [0030]     Inside the housing  10  is a first board  50 . The first board  50  is used for the operation of the first and second recording/reproducing units  20 ,  30  and for processing signals therefrom. In short, the first board  50  is called an integration board for integrating the boards for the first and second recording/reproducing units  20 ,  30  into one board. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the first board  50  is installed under the second recording/reproducing unit  30 , and part of the first board  50  is located under the first recording/reproducing unit  20 .  
         [0031]     An analog tuner  51  is installed on the first board  50 . The analog tuner  51  selectively receives necessary analog broadcasting channel signals among broadcasting signals received from an external antenna, and transfers them at a fixed frequency required of the TV.  
         [0032]     The digital broadcast receiving module  40  is installed inside the housing  10  at an upright position. Preferably, the module  40  is disposed between the first and second recording/reproducing units  20 ,  30 . For example, unlike conventional DVD/VCR combo-systems, the module  40  can be installed at a more effective position within the housing  10  without enlarging the product.  
         [0033]     The module  40  includes a second board  41  perpendicularly installed on the first board  50 , and a digital tuner  43  supported by the second board  41 . Designated electronic devices are arranged on a first surface of the second board  41 , and the digital tuner  43  is supported on the second surface of the second board  41 . The digital tuner  43  includes an input unit  43   a  (see  FIG. 3 ) for selectively receiving digital signals from the external antenna, and an output unit  43   b  for outputting a designated signal from the received signals. By connecting the output unit  43   b  to the TV set, a user can watch digital broadcasts.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the module  40  further includes a connector  45  for electrically connecting the second board  41  and the first board  50 , and a ground bracket  47 .  
         [0035]     The connector  45  includes a holder  45   a  for supporting the first and second boards  50 ,  41  through a direct contact, and terminal pins  45   b  extended from the holder  45   a,  each being combined with the boards  50 ,  41 . Through these terminal pins  45   b  the first and second boards  50 ,  41  are electrically connected to each other for transferring signals. Each of the boards  50 ,  41  has a plurality of pin holes  51   a,    41   a  in which the terminal pins  45   b  are inserted, respectively. When the terminal pins  45   b  are respectively inserted into the pinholes  51   a,    41   a,  they are fixed together through soldering.  
         [0036]     Two ground brackets  47  are installed on both sides (i.e., one ground bracket on each side), and the connecter  45  is located therebetween. The ground brackets  47  are inserted into a plurality of ground holes  51   b,    41   b  formed on the first and second boards  50 ,  41 , respectively. After the ground brackets  47  are inserted into the ground holes, they are fixed together through soldering.  
         [0037]     As described above, the connector  45  and the ground brackets  47  respectively connect the first board  50  and the second board  41  electrically, and at the same time support the second board  41  to maintain an upright position on the first board  50 .  
         [0038]     Although an embodiment of the present invention illustrated the DVDP assembly as the first recording/reproducing unit  20  and the VCR assembly as the second recording/reproducing unit  30 , these are only illustrative. In other words, at least two data recording/reproducing equipments among the DVDP assembly, VCR assembly, hard disk drive (HDD) assembly, and digital video disk recorder (DVDR) assembly can be combined with the digital broadcasting receiver into one combo-system.  
         [0039]     As described above, the combination system in embodiments of the present invention has combined the first and second recording/reproducing units such as the DVDP assembly and the VCR assembly with the digital broadcasting receiver into one system. Therefore, customers are provided with a less expensive, three-function combo-product.  
         [0040]     In particular, installing the digital broadcast receiving module inside the housing at an upright position, manufacturers do not have to expand the inside space of the housing or increase the size of the product.