DTV Receiver Channel Map Retrieval via IP
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital television (DTV) receivers currently require time-consuming channel scanning during boot or reboot to detect and match RF channels with virtual channels, providing limited user information until a channel is tuned and a data stream is acquired.
Innovation Solution
DTV receivers can retrieve service provider information and channel maps via an Internet Protocol (IP) connection by using a standardized hostname and filename to access a web-based service, eliminating the need for channel scanning by parsing a channel map file received from a data server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If DTV receivers scan all RF channel frequencies to detect signals and match with virtual channels, then channel information can be accurately identified, but the process takes a long time and delays user access to channel details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the DTV receiver retrieve and store channel map information from an external source (such as a website or database) before the actual channel scanning process. This pre-acquired channel map data includes pre-matched RF channel frequencies with their corresponding virtual channel numbers and associated metadata, allowing the receiver to skip the time-consuming process of scanning all frequencies and immediately present accurate channel information to users without compromising detection accuracy
2Loss of information
If DTV receivers scan all available RF channel frequencies to detect signals, then complete channel information can be obtained, but the process is time-consuming and does not provide additional user information until a channel is tuned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (such as a web server or database) that provides pre-processed channel information including RF channel frequencies, virtual channel numbers, call letters, and other metadata. This intermediary source supplies comprehensive channel information without requiring the DTV receiver to perform exhaustive scanning, thereby reducing the time to acquire channel data while maintaining complete information availability for users
3Productivity
If DTV receivers use traditional channel scanning methods, then channel detection is performed locally without external dependencies, but the process is inefficient and provides limited user information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scanning process (physically tuning through all RF frequencies and detecting signals) with an information retrieval mechanism that accesses pre-organized channel data from external sources. This substitution eliminates the need for exhaustive frequency scanning and signal detection, significantly improving the speed of channel information retrieval while reducing the complexity of the scanning process through automated data acquisition and processing
Data Source
AI summary
A digital television (DTV) receiver retrieves, from a memory, a standardized hostname and a standardized filename for a web-based service for providing a channel map associated with service providers. The DTV receiver adds, to the standardized hostname, a name for a particular service provider and sends, to a data server, a request for channel map information, where the request is based on the standardized hostname, the name for the particular service provider, and the standardized filename. The DTV receiver receivers, from the data server, a channel map file based on the standardized filename and extracts information from the channel map file to present to a user.