This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 93111914, filed Apr. 28, 2004, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a television (TV) set, and more particularly to a TV set, which modularizes the decoding function and the demodulating function of the motherboard and separates the module formed thereby from the motherboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
The broadcasting signals Sc including cable TV signals, wireless TV signals and radio frequency (RF) input signals, and the baseband audio/video signals Sb including composite-video signals, S-video signals and component-video signals YCbCr, according to various areas and countries, are further classified as US analog signals of an NTSC system, European analog signals of a PAL system, US digital signals of a ATSC system and European digital signals of a DVB system.
A common problem to a TV set user is that an analog TV set of an NTSC system can only receive analog broadcasting programs. If the user wants to upgrade the TV set to receive digital broadcasting programs of an ATSC system or other European broadcasting programs of PAL and DVB systems, the motherboard 100 needs to be replaced with a new one.
When upgrading a TV set, a conventional method is to use a set-top box for the user to view digital broadcasting programs, or renew the TV-interface to receive broadcasting signals and audio/video signals of different systems. Referring to
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a TV set which separates the decoding and demodulating function and the baseband audio/video signal switching function from the motherboard to form an I/O module. The motherboard can be incorporated with various I/O modules according to user's requirement to receive the input broadcasting signals and baseband audio/video signals of different systems, not only enhancing the system upgradeability of the TV set, but also improving production management and reducing the stocks.
The invention achieves the above-identified object by providing a TV set for receiving an input signal. The TV set includes an extended module and a motherboard. The extended module decodes and demodulates the inputted signal and then outputs a baseband audio/video signal. The motherboard includes a universal interface, a signal processing unit and a microprocessor. The universal interface, coupling with the extended module, is for receiving the baseband audio/video signal. The signal processing unit, coupling with the universal interface, is for doing audio/video processing on the baseband audio/video signal and then outputting the processed signal. The microprocessor is for controlling the signal processing unit and the extended module via the universal interface. The input signal includes a broadcasting signal and a number of baseband audio/video signals. The extended module includes a decoding/demodulating unit and a multiplexer. The decoding/demodulating unit decodes and demodulates the broadcasting signal. The multiplexer selects a part of the baseband audio/video signal for the output.
The microprocessor directly controls the decoding/demodulating unit and the multiplexer via the universal interface. The extended module includes a controller, and the microprocessor controls the controller via the universal interface to indirectly control the decoding/demodulating unit and the multiplexer. The universal interface includes a number of European signal pins, a number of US signal pins and a number of Europe/US channel common pins. In case that the input signal is an NTSC audio/video signal, the decoding/demodulating unit includes a US audio/video decoder, and the extended module is coupled to the signal processing unit via the US signal pins, and a part of Europe/US channel common pins of the universal interface. In case that the input signal is a PAL audio/video signal, the decoding/demodulating unit includes a European audio/video decoder, and the extended module is coupled to the signal processing unit via the European signal pins and a part of Europe/US channel common pins of the universal interface.
In case that the input signal is an ATSC audio/video signal, the decoding/demodulating unit includes a US audio/video decoder and a digital analog converter, and the extended module is coupled to the signal processing unit via the US signal pins and a part of Europe/US spec channel common pins of the universal interface. In case that the input signal is a DVB system signal, the decoding/demodulating unit includes an European audio/video decoder and a digital analog converter, and the extended module is coupled to the signal processing unit via the European signal pins and a part of Europe/US spec channel common pins of the universal interface. The extended module includes a DVD decoder for decoding the DVD audio/video signal. The microprocessor uses the detecting signal pins of the universal interface to detect the DVD decoder and uses the controlling signal pins of the universal interface to control the DVD decoder, not only enhancing the system upgradeability of the TV set, but also improving production management and reducing the stocks.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The main feature of the invention lies in modularizing the functions of decoding and demodulating the broadcasting signal and the function of switching the baseband audio/video signal in the motherboard and then separating the above functions from the motherboard to form an independent input/output (I/O) module. So the motherboard, according to user's requirements, can assemble various I/O modules to receive the input broadcasting signals and baseband audio/video signals of different systems, not only enhancing system upgradeability of the TV set, but also conducing to production management and reducing the stocks.
Referring to
Besides, the motherboard 220 includes a universal interface 222, a signal processing unit 224 and a microprocessor 226. The universal interface 222 is for coupling with the I/O module 210 to receive the baseband audio/video signals Scb and Sb. The signal processing unit 224 is for coupling with the universal interface 222 and doing audio/video processing on the baseband audio/video signals Scb and Sb, and then respectively outputting the video signals Si and the audio signals Sv to the display 230 and the speaker 240. The microprocessor 226 controls the signal processing unit 224 and directly detects and controls the decoding/demodulating unit 212 and the multiplexer 214 of the I/O module 210 via pins of the universal interface 222. The motherboard 220, coupled with the I/O module 210 having a controller, can detect the status of the I/O module through the controller and indirectly control the decoding/demodulating unit 212 and the multiplexer 214 via the universal interface by polling method.
The feature of the invention lies in modularizing the functions of decoding and demodulating the broadcasting signals Sc and the function of switching the baseband audio/video signal Sb in the motherboard 220 and then separating the above functions from the motherboard to form an independent input/output (I/O) module 210. The signal processing unit 224 only reserves the basic video, image and audio processing of the baseband audio/video signals Scb and Sb. With the design of the pins on the universal interface 222, the motherboard 220 can be incorporated with various types of I/O modules according to users' requirements to receive the broadcasting signals Sc and the baseband audio/video signals Sb of different systems, thereby enhancing the system upgradeability of the TV set 200.
Referring to Table 1, the universal interface 222 has 62 signal and power pins. Pins 1˜5, 22˜25 and 43˜44 are for transmitting teletext related European TV signals. Pins 6 and 27 are for transmitting European detecting signals SCART. Pins 7˜8, 28˜29, 48 and 53˜54 are for transmitting control signals from the microprocessor 226 to control the I/O module 210, for example, 12C USDA and USDL signals and UART signals. Pins 9˜11 and 30˜32 are for transmitting S-video signals SVHS. Pins 12 and 33˜34 are for transmitting composite-video signals CVBS. Pins 45˜47 are TV-out signal pins. Pins 13, 26, 49˜52 and 57 are power pins. Pins 14, 15˜17, 35˜38 and 58 are for transmitting US audio signals. Pins 18˜20, 39˜41 and 59˜61 are for transmitting component-video signals YUV. Pins 21, 42 and 62 are Europe/US audio signal common pins.
Besides, pins 55˜56 are for transmitting the detecting signals ID_1 and ID_2 to detect the attributes or equipment of the I/O module 210. For example, ID_1=‘1’, ID_2=‘0’, represents that the I/O module 210 is equipped with a DVD decoder (or a DVD player). In short, the above 62 pins include European signal pins such as teletext signal pins and SCART signal pins, US signal pins such as audio signal pins, and Europe/US channel common pins such as video signal pins, component-video signal pins, controlling signal pins, detecting signal pins, power pins and audio signal pins.
The exemplification accompanied by drawings below shows that the motherboard 220 assembles an I/O module 210 of various types via the above-mentioned pins of the universal interface 222. As shown in
As shown in
Besides, as shown in
The designer can choose suitable signal group according to user's requirements when designing the interface pins of the I/O module to provide a desired type of TV set. For example, the user may request two sets of CVBS signals and two sets of SVHS signals as the input source of the baseband audio/video signals. In the meanwhile the function of receiving and demodulating NTSC programs should be provided. Therefore, the I/O module 210 at least needs two sets of CVBS signal pins, two sets of SVHS signal pins, pins of controlling signals USDA and USCL, pins of detecting signals ID_1 and ID_2, audio signals Audio_L and Audio_R, and power pins of +5V and +12V. The microprocessor 226 uses an appropriate control method to complete the functions defined by the TV set according to the status and configuration of the I/O module 210 obtained from the voltage level of the pins of ID_1 and ID_2.
In order that the user can add the function of receiving ATSC digital signals and two sets of component-video signals YPbPr for HDTV by replacing the I/O module 210 after having purchased the TV product, the designer only needs to re-design a new I/O module 210 which can transmit controlling signals RX_232, TX_232, and two sets of YUV signals to the motherboard 220 in addition to the above-mentioned 6 sets of signals and power signals.
According to the above-mentioned preferred embodiment, the TV set of the invention has two advantages:
Firstly, the TV set of the invention modularizes the decoding and demodulating functions which vary with the systems as well as the input/output function of the baseband audio/video signals which varies according to user's needs, and separates the module formed thereby from the motherboard. The separated module is incorporated with the motherboard including a universal interface having power pins and the required pins for receiving signals of various systems such as NTSC, PAL, ATSC and DVB, so the user can select the required type of I/O modules for receiving broadcasting signals and input audio/video signals of different systems, thereby the system upgrade ability of the TV set.
Secondly, since the I/O module has been separated from the motherboard, the designer can change the I/O module to create various TV models without changing the TV exterior design and the motherboard. Furthermore, owing that the motherboard can be used again as the I/O module is renewed, the stocks can be largely reduced. For example, when incorporated with suitable I/O modules, the ten thousand pieces of motherboards currently stored in Taiwan can be assembled to various TV models and sold to US or European nations for receiving TV channel signals of European or US systems, thereby increasing the flexibility of production management.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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93111914 | Apr 2004 | TW | national |