Title of Invention

TELEVISION SET AND METHOD FOR SETTING AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS

Abstract

A television set with a receiver (102), an output part (112,120), a controller (124) and a memory (126) and method for setting audio and video output modes. In a television set for receiving and processing a program guide including categories of programs, audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs are stored. The program guide is received and the categories of the programs are stored. If a user selects a program, the category of the selected program is read. The audio and video output modes corresponding to the read category are read, and at least one of the audio and video outputs is selectively set to at least one of the corresponding audio and video output modes.

Full Text

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a television set and in particular, to a method for setting audio and video output modes of the television set. 2. Description of the Related Art A television set has a plurality of audio and video output modes so that a user may set audio and video output modes suitable for a viewing program. Therefore, the user can view the program with optimal sound and image by setting the audio and video output modes of the television set to modes suitable for the viewing program. However, in order to appropriately set the audio and video output modes [to appropriate audio and video output modes], the user should directly manipulate a user interface of the television set, such as a keypad or a remote controller etc. Consequently, it is inconvenient to manually select the audio and video output modes. - 1A- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a television set and method for automatically-setting audio and video output modes [to mode] suitable for a program. The present invention includes a method for [selectively] setting [at least one out of] audio and video output modes in a television set for receiving and processing a program guide including categories of programs. In one embodiment of the method, audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs are stored. The program guide is received and the categories of the programs are stored. If a user selects a program, the category of the selected program is read. The audio and video output modes corresponding to the read category are read, and at least one of the audio and video outputs is selectively set to the corresponding [at least one out of the read] audio and video output modes. The present invention also includes a television set for [selectively] setting [at least one out of] audio and video outputs. One embodiment of the television set includes: a receiver for receiving programs and a program guide including categories of the programs; an output part - 2 - for processing audio and video signals of the received program and generating the audio and video output modes; a memory for storing the categories of the programs and storing audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs; and a controller for controlling the output part so as to selectively set at least one [out] of the audio and video outputs to [at least one out of] the audio and video output modes corresponding to the category of the received program. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from a review of the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a television set to which the present invention is applicable; and Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing a process for setting audio and video output modes according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of - 3 - the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known functions or constructions which may obscure the invention in unnecessary detail are not described in detail. If a broadcasting station broadcasts information on a program to be broadcasted and a category of the program, a television set according to the present invention receives the information on the program and the category of the program and stores the received information in a memory. If the user selects the program, the television set reads the information on the category of the selected program and appropriately sets the audio and video output modes [to appropriate modes] which are previously set. A digital broadcasting such as an HDTV {High Definition Television) provides a program guide so that the user can know the program to be broadcasted. Especially, the U.S. ATSC (Advanced Television System Committee) standard specifies an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) including the information on the program to be broadcasted and the category of the program. Therefore, if the present invention is applied to the HDTV, there is no need to additionally transmit the information on the program to be broadcasted - 4 - and the category of the program. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the HDTV to which the present invention is applied. A tuner 102 selects a radio f recruencv (RF) channel according to the control of a microprocessor 124 from a broadcasting signal received through an antenna 100. [receives a broadcasting signal through an antenna 100 and selects a radio frequency (RF) channel according to the control of a microprocessor 124.] Further, the tuner 102 outputs [generates] an intermediate frequency (IF) signal of the selected channel. An IF module 104 converts the IF signal outputted [generated] from the tuner 102 into a baseband signal. A channel decoder 106 decodes the baseband signal outputted [generated] from the IF module 104 to reproduce a transport stream (TS) . A TS decoder 108 separates the transport stream into an audio stream, a video stream and additional data. An audio decoder 110 receives the audio stream and restores audio data by decoding the audio stream. An audio processor 112 processes the audio data and outputs the processed audio data as an audio signal. [processes the audio data and supplies the processed audio signal to a speaker 14. ] The audio signal is outputted through a speaker 14. A video decoder 116 receives the video stream and restores video data by decoding the video stream. An OSG - 5 - (On-Screen Graphic) mixer 118 mixes the video data with OSG data according to the control of the microprocessor 124. A video processor/generator 120 processes the mixed video data and outputs the processed data as a video signal, [supplies the processed video signal to an image receiving tube 122.] The video signal is outputted through an image receiving tube 122. The microprocessor 124 executes a command received through a user interface 134 from a keypad 128 or an infrared (IR) remote controller 130 according to a program stored in a memory 126. The command supplied from the IR remote controller 130 is transmitted to an IR receiver 132 as an IR signal and then applied to the user interface 134. The additional data generated from the TS decoder 108 is supplied to the microprocessor 124. This additional data includes the EPG information. A memory 126 includes a read only memory (ROM) for storing a program of the microprocessor 124, a random access memory (RAM) for temporarily storing data generated in the process of executing the program of the microprocessor 124, an electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) for storing various reference data, and the like. Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing a process for setting - 6 - the audio and video output modes. The microprocessor 124 checks whether the EPG information is received at step 200. If the EPG information is received, step 200 proceeds to step 202, and if not, step 200 goes to step 206. That is, if the EPG information is received, the microprocessor 12 4 stores, at step 202, the information on the programs and the program categories [category of the program] contained in the EPG information. The program categories [category of the program] are classified as listed below in Table 1. Table 1 Classification[Category] Program Cateqory 0 Movie 1 Sports 2 Music 3 Drama 4 News 5 Shopping 6 Others - 7 - The information on the program categories [category of the program] classified as shown in Table 1 is contained in the EPG information. If the information on the program and the category of the program is stored, the microprocessor 124 performs an operation for processing the EPG at step 204. Meanwhile, if the EPG information is not received, the microprocessor 124 checks, at step 206, whether the user selects the program by use of the key pad 12 8 or the IR remote controller 130. If the program is not selected, the microprocessor 124 performs other operations according to the selection by the user [a corresponding operation] at step 208. If the program is selected, the microprocessor 124 controls the tuner 102 and the TS decoder 108 in order to output the audio and video signals of the program selected by the user at step 210. [generates the audio and video signals of the program selected by the user at step 210. That is, the microprocessor 124 controls the tuner 102 and the TS decoder 108. ] The TS decoder 108 separates the transport stream into the audio and video transport streams of the program selected by the user according to the control of the microprocessor 124. The audio and video transport streams are respectively supplied to the audio decoder 110 and the video decoder 116. The audio decoder 110 restores the audio data. The audio processor 112 processes the audio - 8 - data and supplies the processed audio signal to the speaker 114. On the other hand, the video decoder 116 restores the video data from the video stream. The video data is processed by the video processor/generator 12 0 and supplied to the image receiving tube 112 . [The video processor/ generator 120 processes the video data and supplies the processed video signal to the image receiving tube 112.] If the audio and video signals begin to be outputted [generated], the microprocessor 124 reads, at step 212, the category of the program selected by the user from the memory 126. Examples of the audio and video output modes corresponding to each category are listed below in Table 2. Table 2 Category Audio Output Video Output Mode Mode Movie Movie mode Movie mode [0] Sports Movie mode Sports mode [1] - 9 - Music[2] Music mode Standard mode Drama [3] Standard mode Standard mode News [4] Standard mode Speech mode Shopping[5] Standard mode Speech mode As indicated in Table 2, if the category is a movie program ["0", that is, if the user selects a movie program] , the audio output mode is a movie mode emphasizing a low-pitched tone and the video output mode is [set to] the movie mode emphasizing contrast. If the category is a sports program ["1", that is, if the user selects a sports program], the audio output mode is [set to] the movie mode emphasizing the low-pitched tone and the video output mode is a sports mode emphasizing resolution and contrast. If the category is a music program ["2", that is, if a music program is selected], the audio output mode is [set to] a music mode emphasizing a high-pitched tone and the low-pitched tone and the video output mode is a standard mode. If the category is a drama program ["3", that is, if a drama program is selected], the audio and video output modes are [set to] the standard mode. If the category is a news or - 10 - shopping program ["4" or "5", that is, if the user selects a news or shopping program], the audio output mode is [set to] the standard mode and the video output mode is [set to] a speech mode which reduces the low-pitched tone and generates a clear voice. The table designating the audio and video output modes corresponding to each category is previously stored in the memory 126. At step 214, the microprocessor 124 reads the audio and video output modes corresponding to the category of the program selected by the user from the table and sets the audio and video output modes to the read audio and video output modes. The audio processor 112 and the video processor/ generator 12 0 adjust the audio and video outputs according to the audio and video output modes of the selected program, respectively. As described above, the audio and video output modes are automatically set according to the category of the program. Therefore, the user can watch an image and sound [television] without manipulating the key pad or the remote controller. Although the audio and video output modes are automatically set, the user may newly set the audio and video output modes by manipulating the key pad or the remote - 11 - controller. While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. - 12 - 13 1. A method for setting audio and video output modes in a television set for receiving and processing a program guide comprising categories of program, said method comprising the steps of: storing audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs; receiving said program guide and storing the categories of the programs; if a user selects a program, reading the category of the selected program; and reading the audio and video output modes corresponding to the read category and selectively setting at least one of said audio and video output modes to the corresponding audio and video output modes. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of selectively setting at least one of said audio and video output modes to other audio and video output modes selected by the user. 3. A Television set for conducting the method as claimed in claim 1 for setting audio and video output modes comprising: - a receiver (102) for receiving programs and a program guide including categories of the program. An output part (112,120) for processing audio and radio signals of the received program and generating the audio and video output modes. A controller (124) for controlling said output part so as to selectively set at least one of the said audio and video outputs to the audio and video output modes corresponding to the category of the received program. 14 CHARACTERISED IN THAT a memory (126) being interposed in an interface of the said receiver for storing the categories of the programs and storing audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs. A television set with a receiver (102), an output part (112,120), a controller (124) and a memory (126) and method for setting audio and video output modes. In a television set for receiving and processing a program guide including categories of programs, audio and video output modes corresponding to the categories of the programs are stored. The program guide is received and the categories of the programs are stored. If a user selects a program, the category of the selected program is read. The audio and video output modes corresponding to the read category are read, and at least one of the audio and video outputs is selectively set to at least one of the corresponding audio and video output modes.

Documents:

00140-cal-1998-abstract.pdf

00140-cal-1998-claims.pdf

00140-cal-1998-correspondence-1.1.pdf

00140-cal-1998-correspondence.pdf

00140-cal-1998-description(complete).pdf

00140-cal-1998-drawings.pdf

00140-cal-1998-form-1.pdf

00140-cal-1998-form-2.pdf

00140-cal-1998-form-3.pdf

00140-cal-1998-form-5.pdf

00140-cal-1998-pa.pdf

00140-cal-1998-priority document(others).pdf

00140-cal-1998-priority document.pdf

140-CAL-1998-FORM-27.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-abstract.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-claims.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-correspondence.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-description (complete).pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-drawings.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-examination report.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-form 1.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-form 2.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-form 3.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-form 5.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-letter patent.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-pa.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-priority document.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-specification.pdf

140-cal-1998-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf