Television – Basic receiver with additional function
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2002-12-31
Miller, John (Department: 2614)
Television
Basic receiver with additional function
C348S555000, C348S575000, C348S554000, C348S445000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06501510
ABSTRACT:
PRIORITY
This application claims priority to an application entitled “Digital/Analog Broadcast Signal Processing Unit” filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jun. 26, 1998 and assigned Serial No. 98-24414, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal processing unit, and more particularly, to a digital/analog broadcasting signal processing unit for processing a video/audio signal by receiving an analog broadcasting signal and a digital broadcasting signal, and switching a signal processing block used in common by digital processing hardware and analog processing hardware.
2. Description of the Related Art
Even with the development of broadcasting techniques, analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting cannot be simultaneously achieved. However, it is envisioned that one day broadcasting stations will be able to transmit a digital broadcast signal and an analog broadcast signal at the same time. At a receiver end, equipment will be needed for receiving and processing the analog and digital signals transmitted by the broadcasting stations.
For example, the receiver end will need to have an analog video/audio signal processing circuit for receiving and processing the analog broadcast signals, and a digital video/audio signal processing circuit for receiving and processing the digital broadcast signals. The analog and digital signal processing circuits of the prior art are not designed as a single unit, and hence, will need to be separately installed.
In operation, when an analog television broadcast signal is received, a video/audio signal will be processed by the analog video/audio signal processing unit, and when a digital television broadcast signal is received, a video/audio signal will be processed by the separate digital video/audio signal processing unit. Accordingly, there is a need for a video/audio signal processing block capable of being used in common for processing analog and digital signals to defray costs associated with installing two signal processing circuits instead of one.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problem, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit by which a video/audio signal is processed by a video/audio signal processing block capable of being used in common in an analog-broadcast video/audio signal processing circuit and in a digital-broadcast video/audio signal processing circuit by switching and connecting the block for common use by an analog broadcast signal processing block or a digital broadcast signal processing block
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit for processing analog and digital broadcast signals, the analog and digital broadcast signals received via an antenna and tuned by a tuner, the unit includes a digital broadcast signal processor for demodulating the digital broadcast signal tuned by the tuner, demultiplexing the demodulated digital broadcast signal into video and audio signals, and decoding the audio and video signals; an analog broadcast signal demodulator for demultiplexing the analog broadcast signal tuned by the tuner into analog video and audio signals and demodulating the video and audio signals; an audio switching unit for receiving the audio signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; a video switching unit for receiving the video signals output from at least one of the digital broadcast signal processor and analog broadcast signal demodulator and selecting one input signal; an audio signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the audio switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the audio signal, and for outputting the compensated audio signal via a speaker; and a video signal processing block for receiving the output signal of the video switching unit, for compensating characteristics of the video signal, and for outputting the compensated video signal.
The digital/analog broadcast signal processing unit further includes a controller for determining whether the digital broadcast signal is received, and generating one of the first switching control signal and the second switching control signal for selecting one signal of the audio and video switching units according to one of a presence or absence of the digital broadcast signal, and a selection of a user via a key input unit connected to the controller.
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Dilworth & Barrese LLP
Lo Linus H.
Miller John
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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