Poo, Teng Pin (Blk 44 Bedok South Road #11-763, Singapore 4, 46004, SG)
Tan, Men John c/o : Trek 2000 International Ltd. (30 Loyang Way #07-13/14/15 Loyang Industrial Estate, Singapore 9, 50876, SG)
Tan, Henry (1 Palm Drive, Singapore 8, 45645, SG)
Poo, Teng Pin (Blk 44 Bedok South Road #11-763, Singapore 4, 46004, SG)
Tan, Men John c/o : Trek 2000 International Ltd. (30 Loyang Way #07-13/14/15 Loyang Industrial Estate, Singapore 9, 50876, SG)
| 1. | A system for receiving and wirelessly retransmitting a digital TV signal, the system comprising: an aerial for receiving digital TV signals from a digital TV signal source station, a digital TV tuner module electrically connected to the aerial, and for outputting a digital TV signal received by the aerial, a WLAN transmitter module for controlling a first antenna to transmit data to one of more client devices according to a WLAN protocol; and a microcontroller for controlling the WLAN transmitter module to retransmit to the client devices data derived from the digital TV signal output by the digital TV tuner module. |
| 2. | A system according to claim 1 further comprising a storage medium for storing under the control of the microcontroller data output by the digital TV tuner module, and the microcontroller being operating to extract the data from the digital storage medium and retransmit it using the WLAN transmitter module. |
| 3. | A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the WLAN transmitter module is also arranged to receive wireless signals from the one or more client devices. |
| 4. | A system according to claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, in which the microprocessor is operative to store second data received by the WLAN transmitter module from the one or more client devices in the storage module, and, upon receiving a read request from the one of the client devices, to extract the second data from the storage module and retransmit it using the WLAN transmitter module. |
| 5. | A system according to any preceding claim in which the digital TV tuner module is operative under the control of the microprocessor to operate the aerial to transmit data to the digital TV source station. |
| 6. | A system according to any preceding claim further including an antenna for receiving FM radio signals, and an FM tuner module, the system being operative to retransmit signals received by the FM tuner module to the client devices using the WLAN transmitter module. |
| 7. | A system according to any preceding claim further comprising an MPEG decoder for decoding the TV signal output by the digital TC tuner module before it is retransmitted using the WLAN transmission module. |
| 8. | A system according to any preceding claim in which the digital TV tuner module, WLAN transmitter module, and microcontroller are provided within a onepiece unit having a common housing. |
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to devices which are arranged to receive TV signals.
Background of Invention
It is known to provide a personal computer with a plug-in device for receiving digital TV signals. The device includes an aerial and tuner circuitry for extracting a digital TV signal from received radio signals, so that the personal computer can display images (and sound) from the TV signals to a user. Unfortunately, such devices tend to be bulky, mainly because in order to function the aerial must have a certain minimum size.
Summary of the invention
The invention aims to provide new and useful apparatus for receiving digital TV signals.
In general terms, the invention proposes a digital TV receiver system including an aerial for receiving digital TV signals, a digital TV tuner module for selecting a signal received by the aerial, and a WLAN transmitter for retransmitting data output by the tuner module according to a WLAN protocol.
By means of the invention the digital TV signals may be received (and then optionally decoded, as discussed below), and then broadcast over a short range using the WLAN protocol. This makes it possible for multiple users in the WLAN environment to receive the retransmitted signals on respective wireless-enabled client devices (such as personal computers, PDAs, or
mobile phones) having the ability to present TV images (and sound) to users, without the wireless-enabled client devices being any larger than at present.
Preferably the TV receiving system includes an internal storage module (or has access to an external storage module) for storing data obtained from the tuner module. This may make it possible, for example, for the system to record one or more television programmes, for later WLAN transmission. The storage medium may also be used for storing data received from one or more of the client devices (if the WLAN transmitter is in fact a transceiver), and for permitting that data to be accessed by one of more of the client devices, so that the system may function as a WLAN hub with a storage facility.
Optionally, the digital TV tuner module may be operative to transmit signals using the aerial. This makes it possible to transmit data (e.g. data derived from the client devices via the WLAN transceiver) to the source of the digital TV signals.
The system may include a decoder for processing the signals output from the digital TV tuner module before they are retransmitted, for example in order to reduce the computational work the client devices have to perform in order to display the TV images and/or sound. For example, the decoding may be done by an MPEG decoder, such as an MPEG 2 decoder.
Optionally, the device may further include an antenna for receiving FM radio signals, and an FM tuner module. Like the received digital TV signals, the received radio signals obtained from the FM tuner can be retransmitted using the WLAN transmitter.
The system may include a microprocessor coordinating its overall operation, as well as other devices useful to the microprocessor, such as a RAM
memory and a non-volatile memory storing the firmware run by the microprocessor.
Brief Description of The Figures
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, for the sake of illustration only, with reference to the following figures in which: Fig. 1 is block diagram of the embodiment;
Fig. 2 is flow diagram of a process carried out by the embodiment; and Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the process of information flow in the operation of the embodiment.
Detailed Description of the embodiments
Referring to Fig. 1 , an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It includes a micro-controller 1 , an aerial 2, a digital TV tuner module 3, a WLAN module 4 (having its own antenna 10), and a DC power source 5 which may be a battery or alternatively an input from a mains power transformer. In general terms, the digital TV tuner module 3 outputs digital signals received using the aerial 2, and the micro-processor controls the WLAN module 4 to re-transmit these signals (using the antenna 10) as WLAN signals, to one or more WLAN- enabled client devices, which are located within a region where the WLAN signals are transmitted (such as a section of a building).
The digital TV tuner module 3 is preferably arranged to receive signals in at least one of the following protocols: (i) DVB-T; (ii) ATSC; (iii) ISDB-T; and (iv) DMB.
The WLAN module 4 may be of a known design. It is preferably arranged to be able to transmit and receive wireless signals using the antenna 10 in at
least one of the following protocols: (i) IEEE802.11 ; (ii) Bluetooth; (iii) IrDA; (iv) WiMAX; (v) WUSB.
The WLAN module 4 is preferably arranged to be operative to operate in any of unicast, multicast, and broadcast modes, under the control of the microprocessor 1.
Optionally, the digital TV tuner module 3 may further be configured to receive data from the micro-processor 1 and to transmit that data using the aerial 2, e.g. to the digital TV source station.
Optionally, the system may further include a decoder 6, such as an MPEG 2 decoder, for decoding compressed data in the digital TV signal. In this case, the system is operative to decode the received digital TV signal before retransmitting it.
The device preferably includes also a storage module 9, which may be a storage device internal to the system (such as a hard disk, and/or one or more flash memory devices, such as NAND flash memory devices or AG-AND flash memory devices) or alternatively an external storage device which is plugged into the system (e.g. by a cable, or directly). In addition to, or instead of, immediately re-transmitting the received TV data, the microprocessor 1 may control the storage module 9, to store the received data.
Optionally, the system may further include an antenna 7 connected to an FM tuner module 8. The FM tuner module is able to extract data (such as audio signals) from FM radio signals received by the antenna 7. The microprocessor 1 may control the WLAN module 4 to transmit it at once, or store it in the storage module 9 for later transmission.
In addition to storing data received from the tuner modules 3, 8, the microprocessor 1 may also control the tuner storage module 9 to store data received from client devices via the WLAN module 4, and to retransmit it using the WLAN module 4 (e.g. in response to a read signal received by the WLAN module 4 from a client device within the WLAN environment). Thus, the storage module 9 is able to function as a central data store for all the WLAN-enabled devices which can communicate with the embodiment.
Note that the system may further include a RAM memory 11 , which the microprocessor 1 may be configured to use, e.g. as a buffer for storing digital TV data while co-ordinating the operation of the other devices.
Furthermore, the system may include a device 12 for storing application software and firmware to be operated on by the micro-processor 1 , to enable the micro-processor 1 to interact with the tuner module 3 and for WLAN module 4. The device 12 may be any non-volatile memory, such as a ROM, but is more preferably a NOR flash memory device.
Note that the system may be an integrated system, in which the digital TV tuner 3 is integral with (e.g. in the same housing as) the microprocessor 1 and WLAN transmission module 4. The aerial 2 and the antenna 10 may also be integral with this housing (or in other versions of the embodiment may be separable from it). The housing would typically include all the remaining elements of Fig. 1 , except the storage module 9 in the case that the storage module 9 is an external storage device.
Turning now to Fig. 2, the operation of the device will be discussed.
Initially, the device is in a waiting state (indicated by box 10 on Fig. 2). It is displaced from the waiting state by receiving (via the antenna 10 and the
WLAN module 4) a request signal from one of the client devices. The request signal is registered (step 11 ) by the microprocessor 1.
The microprocessor 1 then determines (step 12) whether the request was to access the memory module 9. If so, in step 15 it is determined whether the access request is a request to write data to, or read data from, the memory module 9, and in either case the action specified by the access request is implemented. The system then returns to state 10.
Conversely, if in step 12 the determination is negative, the system passes to step 13 in which it is determined if the request was to activate the TV receiver. If so, the microprocessor 1 turns on the digital TV tuner module 1 , instructing it to search for a TV channel, and, having found it, to pass the received signal from TV Tuner Module 1 (via the microprocessor 1 , or via a bus (not shown in Fig. 1 ) to the MPEG 2 decoder 6 to decode it. The MPEG 2 decoder 6 then passes the decoded signal back to the micro-controller 1 , for the microcontroller 1 to broadcast it using the WLAN module 4 and antenna 10. This state of broadcasting continues indefinitely until (in a series of steps not illustrated in Fig. 1 ) a signal is received from the client device and recognised, instructing that the transmission should stop. The system then returns to state 10.
Conversely, if in step 13 the determination is negative, the system passes to step 14 in which it is determined if the request was to activate the FM tuner 8. If so, in step 17 the microprocessor 1 turns on the FM tuner 8, instructing it to search for a channel, and, having found it, to pass the received signal from TV Tuner Module 1 to the micro-controller 1 , for the micro-controller 1 to broadcast it using the WLAN module 4 and antenna 10. This state of broadcasting continues indefinitely until (in a series of steps not illustrated in
Fig. 1 ) a signal is received from the client device and recognised, instructing that the transmission should stop. The system then returns to state 10.
Conversely, if at step 14 the determination is negative, the system issues an error message (step 16), and returns to state 10.
Although not shown in Fig. 2, the system may in fact include a number of further steps, in which, for example, in the case that the determination in step 14 is negative, the system does not immediately pass to step 16, but instead makes one or more further attempts to identify the signal as a command. If any of these attempts is successful, the command represented by the signal is implemented. Otherwise, if all of these attempts are successful, the process passes to step 16.
The other commands which may be identified include a command to store digital TV data received from the digital tuner 3 in the storage module 9. Such a command may relate to data which the digital tuner 3 should receive at once, or data which the digital tuner should receive in the future, such as at a specified time (e.g. at the time that a certain TV programme begins).
Another possible command would be a command to extract stored data (e.g. stored TV data) from the storage module 9, and to transmit it using the WLAN module 4 and antenna 10. Such a command may indicate whether the data is to be transmitted in unicast, multicast or broadcast mode.
Turning to Fig. 3, the overall communication structure envisaged by the invention is explained. A conventional digital TV signal source station (digital TV signal host) 25 is in two-way communication with the system of Fig. 1 , which is labelled 20 in Fig. 3. The system 20 is itself in two-way communication with one or more client devices 30, which may include a
wireless-enabled PC, a wireless-enabled PDA, a wireless-enabled client, or any other wireless-enabled device.
Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, many variations on the embodiment are possible, as will be clear to a skilled reader, within the scope of the invention.
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