Mobile Terminal Channel Control Method for Broadcast Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile broadcast terminals face long delays in displaying updated channel information during channel switching, especially in systems like ATSC-MH, which can take up to 60 seconds, causing user inconvenience and potential service disruptions due to suboptimal signal levels.
Innovation Solution
A mobile terminal with a channel control method that utilizes a sleep interval between frames to scan and update channel information ahead of time, including a broadcast reception unit, display unit, control unit, and storage unit to parse frames, extract channel data, and store updated information, allowing for immediate display of channel options without full frequency scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the mobile terminal performs frequency scanning for channel switching, then updated channel information can be obtained, but the channel switching time becomes excessively long (up to 60 seconds)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by scanning and acquiring channel information during the sleep interval before it is actually needed for channel switching. Instead of waiting until a channel switch is requested to begin scanning, the terminal proactively retrieves channel information during the otherwise idle sleep period, so that when switching is needed, the information is already available or nearly available, dramatically reducing the perceived switching time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the periodic structure of broadcast frame transmission, which includes alternating active transmission intervals and sleep intervals. The channel scanning operation is scheduled to occur periodically during these sleep intervals, synchronizing the scanning activity with the natural periodic rhythm of the broadcast system rather than attempting to scan during active transmission periods.
2Loss of information
If the mobile terminal scans multiple channels during channel switching, then comprehensive channel information is obtained, but the scanning time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively scanning only the necessary channels during the sleep interval rather than performing a complete scan of all possible channels. The terminal determines which channels need to be scanned based on the current viewing state and user preferences, acquiring sufficient channel information to enable switching without the overhead of a comprehensive full-spectrum scan.
3Loss of information
If the mobile terminal performs frequency scanning during active transmission, then channel information can be updated immediately, but broadcast data reception is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the periodic transmission structure of the broadcast system, which naturally alternates between active transmission intervals and sleep intervals. By scheduling channel scanning operations to occur during the sleep intervals when no broadcast data is being transmitted, the system achieves channel information updates without interfering with or interrupting the broadcast data reception during active intervals, thus maintaining service reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile terminal capable of receiving mobile broadcast services and a channel control method for the same are provided. The channel control method includes outputting broadcast data present in a frame received on a current channel during a frame transport interval, scanning, during a sleep interval after the frame transport interval, for at least one frequency corresponding to a preset preference channel, extracting channel information by parsing a frame carried by the scanned frequency, and storing the extracted channel information while updating existing channel information. Hence, the channel search time experienced by the user for viewing channel information may be shortened.