US5966186A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital broadcast receiving device capable of indicating a receiving signal strength or quality
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1997-07-11
•
Granted: 1999-10-12
•
Expires: 2017-07-11
Abstract
Abstract An error detecting/correcting circuit 9 in a digital broadcast receiving device calculates a error rate from the error amount for the amount of input information. A controlling part 15 converts the error rate into the C/N ratio as a receiving signal quality and indicates it on a screen of a TV receiver 5 or other indicator 18. In this method, after digitally demodulating the received digital broadcasting signal, the error rate is obtained by an error detecting part 9 and the error rate is converted into the receiving signal quality for indication. Therefore, compared with the reception performance indication based on the input level such as the AGC voltage, the method is high both in precision and in stability. The receiving signal quality can be detected only while receiving a digital broadcasting signal, so with reference to the converted receiving signal quality in antenna bearing adjustment, a digital broadcasting signal can be surely received without confusing it with an analog broadcasting signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideo Shigihara
- 👤 Yasuyuki Nonaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 01:43
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N17/00; H04N17/04; H04N17/004; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N21/43; H04N21/438; H04N21/4381; H04N21/442; H04N21/44209; H04N21/47; H04N21/485
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: means for measuring an input field strength of the received digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first indicating means for indicating said input field strength; means for detecting transmission errors of the received digital broadcasting signal; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; and second indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: means for measuring an input field strength of the received digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first indicating means for indicating said input field strength; means for detecting transmission errors of the received digital broadcasting signal; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; and second indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
170 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: first detecting means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said first detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; first indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality; means for generating an AGC voltage according to an input level of said receiving circuit and automatically controlling an output level to be constant; second detecting means for detecting the input level based on the AGC voltage from said AGC means; and second indicating means for indicating the input level detected by said second detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
170 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: first detecting means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said first detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; first indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality; means for generating an AGC voltage according to an input level of said receiving circuit and automatically controlling an output level to be constant; second detecting means for detecting the input level based on the AGC voltage from said AGC means; and second indicating means for indicating the input level detected by said second detecting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, comprising: means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; and warning means for indicating a warning when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, comprising: means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; and warning means for indicating a warning when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, comprising: means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; warning means for indicating a warning when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate; and means for muting both video and audio signal outputs or either one when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, comprising: means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; warning means for indicating a warning when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate; and means for muting both video and audio signal outputs or either one when said judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, comprising first judging means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; warning means for indicating a warning when said first judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate; second judging means for judging whether said digital broadcast receiving device is in an antenna bearing adjustment mode or not; and means for outputting the video and audio signal outputs as they are in the antenna bearing adjustment mode; and means for muting both the video signal output and the audio signal output or either one when said first judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate in any mode other than the antenna bearing adjustment mode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, comprising: first judging means for judging that adequate signal quality is not obtained any longer based on the output of said converting means when the received digital broadcasting signal contains many transmission errors; warning means for indicating a warning when said first judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate; second judging means for judging whether said digital broadcast receiving device is in an antenna bearing adjustment mode or not; and means for outputting the video and audio signal outputs as they are in the antenna bearing adjustment mode; and means for muting both the video signal output and the audio signal output or either one when said first judging means judges that the signal quality is not adequate in any mode other than the antenna bearing adjustment mode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 2, comprising: means for displaying a special function screen in an antenna bearing adjustment mode; and signal quality means for indicating both said signal quality and said input level on said special function screen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A digital broadcasting receiving device according to claim 9, comprising means for indicating the input level after indicating the signal quality on said special function screen and securing it.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
197 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: first detecting means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first calculating means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said first detecting means; means for generating an AGC voltage according to the input level of said receiving circuit and automatically controlling an output level to be constant; second detecting means for detecting the input level based on the AGC voltage from said AGC means; second calculating means for calculating a first receiving signal quality based on the error rate in a domain where the error rate can be measured and for calculating a second receiving signal quality based on said input level in a domain where the error rate cannot be measured; and means for indicating the calculated first and second receiving signal qualities.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
197 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating and converting a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into a video and audio analog signal which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: first detecting means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first calculating means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said first detecting means; means for generating an AGC voltage according to the input level of said receiving circuit and automatically controlling an output level to be constant; second detecting means for detecting the input level based on the AGC voltage from said AGC means; second calculating means for calculating a first receiving signal quality based on the error rate in a domain where the error rate can be measured and for calculating a second receiving signal quality based on said input level in a domain where the error rate cannot be measured; and means for indicating the calculated first and second receiving signal qualities.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
A digital broadcast receiving device according to claim 11, comprising: third calculating means for calculating a correlation between said error rate and said input level in a domain where said error rate can be measured; and means for correcting discontinuity between the domain where said error rate is used and the domain where said input level is used according to the correlation difference between said error rate and said input level in the indication of said first and second receiving signal qualities.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
130 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: means for measuring an input field strength of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first indicating means for indicating said input field strength; means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; and second indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
130 words
A digital broadcast receiving device for demodulating a digital broadcasting signal received at a receiving circuit into which is used in the digital broadcasting system that codes both video and audio signals or either one and adds additional data for control and information transmission and an error correction symbol for improving transmission errors, comprising: means for measuring an input field strength of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; first indicating means for indicating said input field strength; means for detecting transmission errors of the digital broadcasting signal received at the receiving circuit; means for calculating an error rate from the detection results of said detecting means; means for converting said error rate into a receiving signal quality; and second indicating means for indicating said receiving signal quality.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
WO1988004862A1
Cited
US4935814A
Cited
US5289178A
Cited
WO1992012600A1
Cited
EP0507440A1
Cited
US5483690A
Cited
US5436675A
Cited
US5371550A
Cited
US5287115A
Cited
JPH06315040A
Cited
EP0687028A1
Cited
US5749046A
Cited
US5574509A
Cited
JPH08242259A
Cited
US5603107A
Cited
JPH0937178A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-10-11 | 2003-04-12 | 2003-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-11 | 2007-04-12 | 2007-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-11 | 2011-04-12 | 2011-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |