Abstract:
A digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method of the same. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver includes a tuner that receives a broadcasting signal including a carrier frequency and multiple broadcast programs carried by the carrier frequency, a demodulating unit that demodulates the received broadcasting signal, and a controller that classifies a broadcast program of the demodulated broadcasting signal according to a broadcast program type, and selectively displays the classified broadcast program through a graphical user interface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0044194 filed on May 25, 2005 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method of the same, and more particularly, to a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method, capable of diverse channel configurations depending upon a user&#39;s selection.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Digital multimedia broadcasting (hereinafter, referred to as “DMB”), which is a recent topic of discussion, broadcasts multiple programs via a carrier frequency, similar to existing digital audio broadcasting.  
         [0006]     DMB refers to broadcasting services that enable users who are outdoors or in motion to watch or listen to various multimedia broadcasts via multi-channels, which include video, audio, and data, through a portable or mobile receiver equipped with a non-directional antenna, by sending broadcasting signals via satellites or terrestrial relay stations.  
         [0007]     DMB uses a long band (L-Band) in the 1452-1492 MHz range or a short band (S-Band) in the 2310-2360 MHz or 2533-2655 MHz range in order to provide mobile services differentiated from the existing fixed receiver radio broadcasting.  
         [0008]     Most areas on earth can directly receive satellite DMB broadcasts, but some areas not in the line of sight (LOS) of a satellite can receive them using a gap filler.  
         [0009]     The multimedia services that can be received while a user is in motion are diverse, such as multi-channel audio broadcasting, traffic information, vehicle positioning information, and weather information.  
         [0010]     Because a DMB includes many programs carried by a carrier frequency, a user selects the carrier frequency first and then selects a desired broadcast program from the broadcast programs in the carrier frequency.  
         [0011]     When there are several types of broadcast program types available, such as TV and radio, a user first selects a desired broadcast program type and then selects a desired broadcast program through a broadcast program list displayed according to the selection.  
         [0012]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a receiver that can receive the DMB displays a graphical user interface  10  through which a broadcasting type  11  can be selected. Then, a user selects a desired broadcasting type from the displayed graphical user interface  10  S 10 .  
         [0013]     The receiver displays a broadcast program list  12  based on the desired broadcasting type selected by the user, via the graphical user interface  10 , and then the user selects a desired broadcasting from the displayed broadcast program list S 20 .  
         [0014]     The receiver provides the user with a message  13  to inform him/her that the receiver is conducting a channel switch to a channel corresponding to the desired broadcast program selected by the user. After the channel switch is completed S 30 , the receiver displays the desired broadcast program  20  selected by the user.  
         [0015]     As described above, since a device capable of receiving the DMB configures the channel as provided by broadcasting stations and provides it to the user when he/she selects a desired broadcast program, the user cannot select a channel of preference.  
         [0016]     Where broadcast programs are provided by a plurality of providers, the user has to be familiar with broadcast programs of each provider in advance, thereby causing the user to be inconvenient.  
         [0017]     Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-344337 discloses a receiver and a program receiving method comprising displaying a user&#39;s past received record list in order to allow the user to quickly select a desired program by moving a jog lever up and down by simple operation when a channel is selected from a program list in a receiver receiving broadcast, e.g. DAB, wherein the received record list has a hierarchical structure in which one or more services are arranged under the respective ensembles of which frequencies are different from one another, and one or more service components are arranged under each service, and the program list displays a service list under the selected ensemble and a service component list under the selected service. However, this invention provides programs with only channels provided by broadcasting stations, and thus, thereby making it inconvenient for a user to select his or her favorite channel and difficult to distinguish programs provided by several providers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     An aspect of the present invention provides a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method using the same, which provides a user with a method for configuring various channels.  
         [0019]     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method using the same, which enables a user to configure desired channels since the user can configure the channels with the channels selected by him/her.  
         [0020]     These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following disclosure.  
         [0021]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver including a tuner that receives a broadcasting signal including a carrier frequency and multiple broadcast programs carried by the carrier frequency, a demodulating unit that demodulates the received broadcasting signal, and a controller that classifies a broadcast program of the demodulated broadcasting signal according to a broadcast program type, and selectively displays the classified broadcast program through a graphical user interface.  
         [0022]     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcast program managing method of a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver including receiving a broadcasting signal including a carrier frequency and multiple broadcast programs carried by the carrier frequency, demodulating the received broadcasting signal, and classifying the broadcast programs according to a broadcast program type, and selectively displaying the classified broadcast programs through a graphical user interface. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     The above and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a process of selecting a broadcast program according to a conventional art;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a broadcasting signal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a graphical user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  illustrates a first area of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a channel managing method using a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 7  illustrates a graphical user interface when a service type is changed in the first area of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of this invention is shown.  
         [0032]     Aspects of the present invention and methods of accomplishing the same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the present invention will only be defined by the appended claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.  
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver comprises a tuner  110  for receiving a broadcasting signal, a demodulating unit  120  for demodulating the received broadcasting signal, a decoder  130  for decoding a video signal, and a control unit  140  for extracting a broadcast program list corresponding to a broadcast program type selected by a user through a graphical user interface.  
         [0035]     The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver may further comprise a user input unit  150  by which a user inputs an input value according to the broadcast program type, a memory unit  160  for storing information on the carrier frequency of the broadcasting signal and information on the broadcast program, and a display unit  170  for displaying the broadcast program selected by a user from the broadcast program.  
         [0036]     Hereinafter, the carrier frequency is referred to as ensemble, and the broadcast program is referred to as service.  
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a broadcasting signal received through the tuner  110  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the broadcasting signal received via the tuner  110  may be divided into a main service component and a sub service component. The main service component consists of a video signal and an audio signal, and the sub service component consists of a TMC (Traffic Message Channel) and SI (Service Information). In the DMB, the main service component and the sub service component may be transmitted via as many as 16 sub-channels  210 .  
         [0039]     The main service component and the SI in the sub service component are transmitted via the sub-channel  210 , but the TMC in the sub service component is transmitted separately from the sub channel  210  via the FIDC (Fast Information Data Channel) (not shown) of the FIC (Fast Information Channel). A plurality of services  230  and  240  included in an ensemble  220  may consist of one main service component and one sub service component.  
         [0040]     The SI on a service may be included in the data signal described above. The control unit  140  may store the SI in the memory unit  160 . The stored SI consists of information on a concerned service and information on the ensemble in which the concerned service is included. For example, information on the ensemble “KBS” and information on the concerned services “KBS TV” and “KBS FM” may be stored in the memory unit  160 .  
         [0041]     To select a desired service, a user may request a graphical user interface via the user input unit  150 . The control unit  140  may display the graphical user interface at the user&#39;s request.  
         [0042]      FIG. 4  illustrates a graphical user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the graphical user interface comprises a first area  310  where a user can select a service type, a second area  320  where a service list based on the selected service type is displayed, and a third area  330  where the service is displayed.  
         [0044]     In the first area  310 , plural service type items  311 ,  312 , and  313  are displayed in order to enable a user to select a desired service type. According to an exemplary embodiment, the user may select at least one service type or plural service types from the service type items  311 ,  312 , and  313 . In the present embodiment, it has been described by way of example that a service type list consists of video, audio, and data; however, is not limited thereto. Items may be added, deleted, and changed. Also, a case where the video signal is TV broadcasting, the audio signal is radio broadcasting, and the data signal is additional data, separate from TV broadcasting and radio broadcasting, will be described as an example.  
         [0045]     As illustrated  FIG. 5 , the first area  310  may further comprise a first button  314  to display a service list (designated in advance by the user) via the second area  320 , and a second button  315  to display a list of every service provided to the user. Functions of the first button  314  and the second button  315 , and the number of buttons may be changed depending upon use and need.  
         [0046]     In the second area  320 , the service list corresponding to the service type selected in the first area  310  may be displayed. The displayed service list may consist of ensemble information and service information. As described above, when the service information is “KBS TV”, the service list displayed via the second area  320  may have the format “KBS-KBS TV” which is ensemble-service information together with ensemble information including the concerned service “KBS”. Accordingly, the user can easily identify the provider who provides the concerned service among several providers.  
         [0047]     A channel managing method using the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.  
         [0048]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method of a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0049]     As illustrated, a user requests a graphical user interface via the user input unit  150  in order to select a desired service S 110 .  
         [0050]     The control unit  140  displays the graphical user interface through which the user can select a service type, via the user interface display unit  170  S 120 . The graphical user interface is the as same as that described above with respect to  FIG. 4 . The user can select a desired service type from service type items  311 ,  312  and  313  displayed in the first area  310  S 130 . When the user does not select a service type in the first area  310 , the service type “default” may be selected.  
         [0051]     When the user selects a service type via the displayed graphical user interface S 130 , the control unit  140  displays a service list corresponding to the selected service type via the graphical user interface S 140 . The service list may be displayed via the second area  320  of the graphical user interface of  FIG. 4  in the ensemble-service format.  
         [0052]     Specifically, when the video type list  311  is selected as a service type item, the user can change the selected service type.  
         [0053]     For example, when the user selects the video type  311 , the audio type  312 , and the data type  313  as the service type items, the service list displayed in the second area  320  changes according to the selected service types, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0054]     The user selects a desired service from the service list displayed via the graphical user interface S 150 .  
         [0055]     The control unit  140  allows the service selected by the user to be displayed via the third area  330  S 160 . The graphical user interface is displayed via the display unit  170 .  
         [0056]     As described above, the channel managing method of the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver can reduce the number of steps required to a select desired service, as compared with the conventional method by which the user selects a service type and then selects a service according to the selected service type.  
         [0057]     The first area  310  of the graphical user interface of  FIG. 4 , may contain a first button  314 , by which the user can store his/her favorite services. The first button  314  displays only the services selected by a user from the service list displayed through the second area  320 , without checking the services included in each ensemble. Accordingly, the user can display only favorite service list via the first button  314  by separately collecting his/her items. The second button  315  is used when a user desires to check all the service items currently provided.  
         [0058]     Because the service list displayed via the second area  320  is in the format “ensemble-service”, the user can easily identify the provider. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, because the present invention assumes that an ensemble refers to a provider, the user can easily identify the provider based on the ensemble.  
         [0059]     As described above, the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver and a channel managing method of the same according to the present invention produce one or more of the effects described below.  
         [0060]     DMB services are provided on a service basis, not on an ensemble basis, and a user can easily switch services.  
         [0061]     Because a service list corresponding to a service type selected by the user is in the format of ensemble and service, he or she can easily identify a service provider among several service providers.  
         [0062]     In addition, the channel can be reconfigured according to the user&#39;s favorite channel(s) or service type(s) as well as the channel(s) provided by the provider(s), thereby enhancing the user&#39;s convenience.  
         [0063]     Although the apparatus and method for managing a file system according to the present invention has been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are not limitative, but illustrative in all aspects.