Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module including: an antenna receiving a wireless signal; a distributing unit distributing and outputting the wireless signal into a wireless signal including a VHF band signal and a wireless signal including a UHF band signal; a VHF processing unit generating and outputting a VHF intermediate frequency signal from the wireless signal including the VHF band signal; a UHF processing unit generating and outputting a UHF intermediate frequency signal from the wireless signal including the UHF band signal; and a demodulating unit demodulating the VHF intermediate frequency signal output from the VHF processing unit and the UHF intermediate frequency signal output from the UHF processing unit. Therefore, a manufacturing cost may be reduced, switching loss may be prevented.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0052308, filed on May 31, 2011, entitled “Terrestrial Broadcasting Receiver”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As a terrestrial broadcasting standard, there is a national television system committee (NTSC) scheme, which is an analog scheme, used in the Republic of Korea and the United States of America or an advanced television system committee (ATSC) scheme, which is a digital scheme. 
         [0006]    As other analog schemes, there are a phase alternation line system (PAL) scheme, a sequential color with memory (SECAM) scheme, and the like, and as other digital scheme, there are a digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) scheme, an integrated services digital broadcasting-terrestrial (ISDB-T) scheme, and the like. 
         [0007]    A portable device includes a receiving module appropriate for receiving and modulating/demodulating these terrestrial broadcasting standards, thereby making it possible to receive terrestrial broadcasting. However, since mobility becomes important in the portable device, when the portable device receives these terrestrial broadcasting standards, a receiving rate is deteriorated. 
         [0008]    Therefore, terrestrial broadcasting standards appropriate for the portable device have been suggested. As these terrestrial broadcasting standards, there are a terrestrial-digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) scheme, a digital video broadcasting-handheld (DVB-H) scheme, an integrated services digital broadcasting-terrestrial (ISDB-T) scheme, a 1 seg scheme, a China multimedia mobile broadcasting (CMMB) scheme, an advanced television systems committee-mobile/handheld (ATSC-M/H), and the like. 
         [0009]    In order to receive these suggested standards of terrestrial broadcastings, the portable device requires an antenna and a receiving circuit. To this end, a scheme of configuring a receiving device so as to include an antenna for receiving a very high frequency (VHF) band signal and an antenna for receiving an ultra high frequency (UHF) band signal, that is, two antennas or a scheme of configuring a receiving device so as to include a single antenna and a radio frequency (RF) switch to thereby separate a signal into a VHF band and a UHF band through the RF switch has been used. 
         [0010]    According to the related art, when the antennas are individually used, loss is minimized and a circuit configuration is also simple; however, a manufacturing cost of a product increases. 
         [0011]    In addition, when a single antenna is used and a signal is separated using the RF switch, a manufacturing cost of a product decreases; however, loss is generated at the time of switching. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module in which a single antennal is used and a signal received in the antenna is distributed without using a switch. 
         [0013]    According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module including: an antenna receiving a wireless signal including a very high frequency (VHF) band signal and an ultra high frequency (UHF) band signal; a distributing unit receiving the wireless signal from the antenna and distributing and outputting the wireless signal into a wireless signal including the VHF band signal and a wireless signal including the UHF band signal; a VHF processing unit tuning a VHF band with respect to the wireless signal including the VHF band signal distributed through the distributing unit and generating and outputting a VHF intermediate frequency signal; a UHF processing unit tuning a UHF band with respect to the wireless signal including the UHF band signal distributed through the distributing unit and generating and outputting a UHF intermediate frequency signal; and a demodulating unit demodulating the VHF intermediate frequency signal output from the VHF processing unit and the UHF intermediate frequency signal output from the UHF processing unit. 
         [0014]    The terrestrial broadcasting receiving module may further include an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protecting unit connected between the antenna and the distributing unit to thereby allow static electricity to flow in a ground. 
         [0015]    The ESD protecting unit may include: an ESD protecting capacitor having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the ground; and an ESD protecting inductor having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the ground. 
         [0016]    The distributing unit may include: a blocking filter blocking a wireless signal for a cellular phone among the wireless signal received from the antenna; a low pass filter passing the VHF band signal among a wireless signal passing through the blocking filter therethrough; and a high pass filter passing the UHF band signal among the wireless signal received from the antenna therethrough. 
         [0017]    The blocking filter may include: a first inductor having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the low pass filter; and a first capacitor having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the low pass filter. 
         [0018]    The low pass filter may include: a second inductor having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the blocking filter and the other terminal connected to a ground; and a second capacitor having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the blocking filter and the other terminal connected to the ground. 
         [0019]    The distributing unit may further include a matcher positioned between the blocking filter and the low pass filter to thereby match an impedance therebetween. 
         [0020]    The matcher may include a capacitor for matching having one terminal connected to the blocking filter and the other terminal connected to the low pass filter. 
         [0021]    The distributing unit may further include a direct current (DC) coupler positioned at an output terminal of the low pass filter and removing a DC component. 
         [0022]    The DC coupler may include a DC coupling capacitor having one terminal connected to the low pass filter and the other terminal connected to the VHF processing unit. 
         [0023]    The high pass filter may be a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. 
         [0024]    The distributing unit may further include a filter supporter driving the high pass filter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a configuration of a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a distributing unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a graph showing S parameter transfer characteristics of the distributing unit of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a configuration of a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protecting unit and a distributing unit of the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a graph showing S parameter transfer characteristics of the distributing unit of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    The terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to typical meanings or dictionary definitions, but should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts relevant to the technical scope of the present invention based on the rule according to which an inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to describe most appropriately the best method he or she knows for carrying out the invention. 
         [0033]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the specification, in adding reference numerals to components throughout the drawings, it is to be noted that like reference numerals designate like components even though components are shown in different drawings. Further, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known art related to the present invention may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0034]    Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a configuration of a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is configured to include an antenna  1 , a distributing unit  2 , a VHF processing unit  10 , a UHF processing unit  20 , and a demodulating unit  30 . 
         [0037]    Here, the VHF processing unit  10  includes a VHF tuner  11 , a VHF mixer/oscillator  12 , and a VHF intermediate frequency filter  13 , and the UHF processing unit  20  includes a UHF tuner  21 , a UHF mixer/oscillator  22 , and a UHF intermediate frequency filter  23 . 
         [0038]    In this configuration, the antenna  1  receives a wireless signal including a VHF band signal and a UHF band signal and provides the received wireless signal to the distributing unit  2 . 
         [0039]    In addition, the distributing unit  2  receives the wireless signal including the VHF band signal and the UHF band signal from the antenna, and provides the wireless signal including the VHF band signal to the VHF processing unit  10  and provides the wireless signal including the UHF band signal to the UHF processing unit  20 . 
         [0040]    Meanwhile, the VHF processing unit  10  tunes a VHF band with respect to the wireless signal including the VHF band signal distributed through the distributing unit  2  and generates and outputs a VHF intermediate frequency signal. 
         [0041]    In the VHF processing unit  10 , the VHF tuner  11  tunes the VHF band with respect to the wireless signal distributed through the distributing unit  2 , and includes an input tuner input tuning the VHF band with respect to a single signal distributed through the distributing unit  2 , an RF amplifier amplifying an output signal of the input tuner by a set gain, and an inter-stage tuner inter-stage tuning the VHF band with respect to an output signal of the RF amplifier. 
         [0042]    In addition, the VHF mixer/oscillator  12  converts the signal passing through the VHF tuner  11  into an intermediate frequency signal, and includes an oscillator oscillating a resonant frequency of a resonator to thereby provide a VHF oscillating frequency and a mixer mixing the signal passing through the VHF tuner  11  with the oscillating frequency of the oscillator to thereby provide the intermediate frequency signal. 
         [0043]    The VHF intermediate frequency filter  13  passes the intermediate frequency signal among the signal output from the VHF mixer/oscillator  12  therethrough. 
         [0044]    Next, the UHF processing unit  20  tunes a UHF band with respect to the wireless signal including the UHF band signal distributed through the distributing unit  2  and generates and outputs a UHF intermediate frequency signal. 
         [0045]    In the UHF processing unit  20 , the UHF tuner  21  tunes the UHF band with respect to the wireless signal distributed through the distributing unit  2 , and includes an input tuner input tuning the UHF band with respect to a single signal distributed through the distributing unit  2 , an RF amplifier amplifying an output signal of the input tuner by a set gain, and an inter-stage tuner inter-stage tuning the UHF band with respect to an output signal of the RF amplifier. 
         [0046]    In addition, the UHF mixer/oscillator  22  converts the signal passing through the UHF tuner  21  into an intermediate frequency signal, and includes an oscillator oscillating a resonant frequency of a resonator to thereby provide a UHF oscillating frequency and a mixer mixing the signal passing through the UHF tuner  21  with the oscillating frequency of the oscillator to thereby provide the intermediate frequency signal. 
         [0047]    The UHF intermediate frequency filter  23  passes the intermediate frequency signal among the signal output from the UHF mixer/oscillator  22  therethrough. 
         [0048]    Meanwhile, the demodulating unit  30  demodulates the VHF intermediate frequency signal or the UHF intermediate frequency signal. 
         [0049]    The terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention configured as described above receives the VHF band signal and the UHF band signal using a single antenna  1 , thereby making it possible to reduce a cost. 
         [0050]    In addition, since the VHF band signal and the UHF band signal received in the antenna  1  are distributed using the distributing unit  2 , a switching operation is not required, thereby making it possible to prevent switching loss. Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a separate switch device is not required, thereby making it possible to miniaturize a product. 
         [0051]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a distributing unit of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the distributing unit of  FIG. 1  includes a blocking filter  100 , a matcher  200 , a low pass filter  300 , a direct current (DC) coupler  400 , a high pass filter  500 , and a filter supporter  600 . 
         [0053]    The blocking filter  100  is formed of a first inductor L 11  and a first capacitor C 11  that are connected in parallel with an output terminal of the antenna. That is, the blocking filter  100  is formed of the first inductor L 11  having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the matcher  200  and the first capacitor C 11  having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the antenna and the other terminal connected to the matcher  200 . 
         [0054]    In this configuration of the blocking filter  100 , when the distributing unit does not include the matcher  200  that may be omitted, the other terminal of the first inductor L 11  is connected to the low pass filter  300  and the other terminal of the first capacitor C 11  is also connected to the low pass filter  300 . 
         [0055]    This blocking filter  100  blocks a wireless signal for a cellular phone that is positioned adjacent to the VHF band signal, for example, a global system for mobile communication (GSM) signal. 
         [0056]    In addition, the matcher  200  is formed of a capacitor C 12  for matching that has one terminal connected to the blocking filter  100  and the other terminal connected to the low pass filter  300 . 
         [0057]    The matcher  200  matches an impedance between the blocking filter  100  and the low pass filter  300 . 
         [0058]    Next, the low pass filter  300  is formed of a second inductor L 12  positioned between an output terminal of the matcher  200  and a ground and a second capacitor C 13  positioned between the output terminal of the matcher  200  and the ground. 
         [0059]    In this configuration of the low pass filter  300 , when the distributing unit does not include the matcher  200  that may be omitted, one terminal of the second inductor L 12  is connected to the blocking filter  100  and one terminal of the second capacitor C 13  is also connected to the blocking filter  100 . 
         [0060]    The low pass filter  300  as described above passes the VHF band signal of 240 MHz or less among the signal received in the antenna therethrough. 
         [0061]    The low pass filter  300  includes the DC coupler  400  connected to an output terminal thereof, wherein the DC coupler  400  removes a DC component and passes the VHF band signal therethrough. 
         [0062]    The DC coupler  400  as described above is formed of a DC coupling capacitor C 14  having one terminal connected to the low pass filter  300  and the other terminal connected to the VHF processing unit  10  to thereby remove the DC component and pass the VHF band signal therethrough. 
         [0063]    Meanwhile, the high pass filter  500  may be connected to the output terminal of the antenna  1 , pass the UHF band signal of 470 MHz or more, and be formed of, for example, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. 
         [0064]    This high pass filter  500  is driven by the filter supporter  600  formed of three inductors L 21  to L 23 . 
         [0065]      FIG. 3  is a graph showing S parameter transfer characteristics of the distributing unit of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0066]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in an S parameter transfer characteristics curve of the distributing unit of  FIG. 2 , marks  1  and  2  of S 3 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 170 MHz to 230 MHz, which is a VHF receiving band. 
         [0067]    Further, in the S parameter transfer characteristics curve, marks  3  to  5  of S 2 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 470 MHz to 770 MHz, which is a UHF receiving band. 
         [0068]    Next, in the S parameter transfer characteristics curve, marks  6  and  7  of S 2 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 824 MHz to 915 MHz, which is a communication frequency band of a cellular phone, and shows blocked performance at 40 dB. 
         [0069]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a configuration of a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0070]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is configured to include an antenna  1 , a distributing unit  2 , an ESD protecting unit  3 , a VHF processing unit  10 , a UHF processing unit  20 , and a demodulating unit  30 . Here, the VHF processing unit  10  includes a VHF tuner  11 , a VHF mixer/oscillator  12 , and a VHF intermediate frequency filter  13 , and the UHF processing unit  20  includes a UHF tuner  21 , a UHF mixer/oscillator  22 , and a UHF intermediate frequency filter  23 . 
         [0071]    Unlike the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the ESD protecting unit positioned between the antenna  1  and the distributing unit  2 , such that it may be protected from electrostatic discharge. Other configurations and operations of the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention are the same as those of the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0072]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram of an electrostatic discharge protecting unit and a distributing unit of the terrestrial broadcasting receiving module of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0073]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the ESD protecting unit  3  is formed of an ESD protecting capacitor C 31  connected to an output terminal of the antenna and an ESD protecting inductor L 31  connected between an output terminal of the ESD protecting capacitor C 31  and a ground, and allows static electricity input through the antenna  1  to flow in the ground, thereby making it possible to protect terrestrial broadcasting receiving module from the static electricity. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of  FIG. 2 . Therefore, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0074]      FIG. 6  is a graph showing S parameter transfer characteristics of the distributing unit of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0075]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , in an S parameter transfer characteristics curve of the distributing unit of  FIG. 5 , marks  1  and  2  of S 3 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 170 MHz to 230 MHz, which is a VHF receiving band. Further, in the S parameter transfer characteristics curve, marks  3  to  5  of S 2 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 470 MHz to 770 MHz, which is a UHF receiving band. 
         [0076]    Next, in the S parameter transfer characteristics curve, marks  6  and  7  of S 2 ,  1  indicate transfer characteristics in a band from 824 MHz to 915 MHz, which is a communication frequency band of a cellular phone, and shows blocked performance at 40 dB. 
         [0077]    As set forth above, according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the VHF wireless signal and the UHF wireless signal are received using only a single antenna, thereby making it possible to reduce a cost. 
         [0078]    In addition, according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the signal is distributed without a switch, thereby making it possible to minimize switching loss. 
         [0079]    Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a separate switch device is not required, thereby making it possible to miniaturize a product. 
         [0080]    Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Accordingly, such modifications, additions and substitutions should also be understood to fall within the scope of the present invention.