Broadcast Type Estimation for Faster TV Channel Installation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for channel search in television receivers that support both analog and digital broadcasting are inefficient due to the lack of a smart decision mechanism for broadcast type discrimination, leading to unnecessary time expenditure on testing the wrong broadcast type.
Innovation Solution
The method employs power level distribution analysis across the frequency spectrum to estimate the most likely broadcast type first, allowing for intelligent channel search by differentiating between analog and digital signals based on power level differences and sampling steps, and automatically switching to the alternative type if initial estimation fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If automatic channel search is performed on both analog and digital broadcasting frequencies, then complete channel coverage is achieved, but search time is significantly extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary power level measurements across the frequency spectrum before actual channel searching. By measuring power levels at candidate frequencies and comparing them against threshold values, the system pre-identifies which frequencies are likely to contain broadcasts. This preliminary action eliminates the need to test every frequency during the actual search, significantly reducing search time while maintaining complete channel coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from simple signal presence to power level magnitude. By measuring and comparing power levels at different frequencies against predetermined thresholds, the system can distinguish between frequencies that are likely to contain broadcasts and those that are not. This parameter change enables intelligent filtering of search candidates, reducing the number of frequencies that need to be fully tested during channel search.
2Reliability
If broadcast type discrimination is performed by sequential testing of analog then digital, then all broadcast types are detected, but time is wasted testing the wrong broadcast type first
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the discrimination parameter from sequential type testing to power level-based probability estimation. By measuring power levels and comparing them against thresholds specific to analog and digital broadcasting characteristics, the system estimates which broadcast type is most likely present at each frequency. This allows the system to test the correct broadcast type first or skip frequencies entirely, eliminating wasted testing time while maintaining reliable detection of all broadcast types.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
This invention speeds up channel search process performed on multiple broadcast types by a new method which estimates the broadcast type by the use of power levels which are extracted from the given frequency spectrum. By using the power level distribution on a given frequency spectrum, the broadcast type of a signal (analog/digital) is estimated and this estimation is used in channel search procedure by fistly testing each frequency step with its estimated broadcast type. This method can be used on all set top boxes, digital plasma-tft televisions, integrated digital televisions which have the support for multiple broadcast types.