Automatic channel memory device

Abstract

In a broadcasting signal processor, an automatic channel memory device for determining whether a broadcasting signal is present in a channel tuned according to user's selection, and for automatically memorizing the tuned channel if a broadcasting signal is present in the tuned channel, is provided. A user's selected broadcasting channel can be accurately stored in a memory without using a separate memory button, thereby simplifying key operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A channel memory device in a broadcasting signal processor, comprising:
 a key input for inputting a channel number according to a user's selection; a tuner for tuning to the channel corresponding to the channel number selected by the key input, among received broadcasting signals;   a signal processor for processing a composite video signal of said channel tuned and output from the tuner;   a memory for storing the channel number; and   a controller for receiving the channel number output from the key input and storing the channel number output from the key input in the memory while controlling the tuner to tune to a broadcasting channel corresponding to the received channel number,   wherein the controller receives a signal output from the signal processor, determines whether a broadcasting signal is present in the currently tuned broadcasting channel and stores the corresponding broadcasting channel number in the memory only if said broadcasting signal is present.   
     
     
       2. The channel memory device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a character signal generator for generating a character signal for indicating the memorization of the channel number selected by the key input;   a mixer for mixing a signal output from the signal processor with a signal output from the character signal generator; and   a display for displaying a signal output from the mixer.   
     
     
       3. The channel memory device according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls the character signal generator to generate a current broadcasting channel number and a character signal indicating the memorization of the channel number, so that said user can easily identify the memorized broadcasting channel. 
     
     
       4. A channel memory device in a broadcasting signal processor, comprising:
 a key input for inputting a channel number according to a user's selection;   a tuner for tuning to a channel corresponding to the channel number selected by the key input, among received broadcasting signals;   a signal processor for processing a composite video signal of said channel tuned and output from the tuner;   a memory for storing the channel number; and   a controller for receiving the channel number output from the key input and automatically storing the channel number output from the key input in the memory while controlling the tuner to tune to a broadcasting channel corresponding to the received channel number,   wherein the controller receives a signal output from the signal processor, determines whether a broadcasting signal is present in the currently tuned broadcasting channel and stores the corresponding broadcasting channel number in the memory only if said broadcasting signal is present.   
     
     
       5. The channel memory device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a character signal generator for generating a character signal for indicating the memorization of the channel number selected by the key input;   a mixer for mixing a signal output from the signal processor with a signal output from the character signal generator; and   a display for displaying a signal output from the mixer.   
     
     
       6. The channel memory device according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller controls the character signal generator to generate a current broadcasting channel number and a character signal indicating the memorization of the channel number, so that said user can easily identify the memorized broadcasting channel. 
     
     
       7. A broadcast signal receiving device comprising:
 a remote control unit having a plurality of buttons for inputting a channel number according to a user's selection;   a tuner for tuning to a channel of the channel number selected on the remote control unit by a user, among received broadcast channels;   a signal processor for processing a signal of the channel tuned and output from the tuner;   a channel map memory for storing memorized channels; and   a controller for storing the channel number in the channel map memory without receiving two or more input operations on the remote control unit by a user in selecting the channel number on the remote control unit for the tuning to the channel and storing the channel number in the channel map memory, if the controller determines that a broadcast signal is present in the tuned channel,   wherein the tuned channel is not an automatically scanned channel.   
     
     
       8. A broadcast signal receiving device comprising:
 a remote control unit having a plurality of buttons for inputting a channel number according to a user's selection;   a tuner for tuning to a channel, corresponding to the channel number selected by the remote control unit, among received broadcast channels;   a signal processor for processing a signal of the channel tuned and output from the tuner;   a channel map memory for storing memorized channels; and   a controller for storing the channel number in the channel map memory without receiving an additional input operation by the user via the remote control unit after the channel number is selected, if the controller determines that a broadcast signal is present in the tuned channel,   wherein the tuned channel is not an automatically scanned channel.    
     
     
       9. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 8, the additional input operation is an input operation which is operated by the user's input selecting one or more buttons on the remote control unit.  
     
     
       10. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 8, the additional input operation is an input operation which is operated by the user's input selecting a menu displayed on a screen of the broadcast signal receiving device.  
     
     
       11. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 8, further comprising:
 a character signal generator for generating a character signal for indicating memorization of the channel selected by the remote control unit;   a mixer for mixing the processed signal output from the signal processor with the character signal output from the character signal generator; and   a display for displaying the mixed signal output from the mixer.   
     
     
       12. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 11, wherein the controller controls the character signal generator to generate the channel number, and a character signal indicating memorization of the channel number, so that said the user can easily identify the memorized channel number. 
     
     
       13. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 8, wherein the controller determines that the broadcast signal is present in the tuned channel by determining that the broadcast signal is output from the signal processor.  
     
     
       14. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 13, wherein the broadcast signal output from the signal processor is a composite video signal.  
     
     
       15. A method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal receiving device, the steps comprising:
 inputting a channel number according to a user's selection;   tuning to a channel, corresponding to the channel number, among received broadcast channels;   processing a signal of the channel tuned; and   storing the channel number without receiving multiple input operations by the user via a remote controller after the channel number is selected, if a broadcast signal is present in the tuned channel,   wherein the tuned channel is not an automatically scanned channel.    
     
     
       16. The method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal device according to claim 15, the multiple input operations are input operations which are operated by the user's inputs selecting buttons of the remote controller.  
     
     
       17. The broadcast signal receiving device according to claim 15, the multiple input operations are input operations which are operated by the user's inputs selecting menus displayed on a screen of the broadcast signal receiving device.  
     
     
       18. The method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal device according to claim 15, the steps further comprising:
 generating a character signal for indicating memorization of the channel;   mixing the processed signal output from the processing the signal of the channel tuned with the character signal output from the generating the character signal; and   displaying the mixed signal output from the mixer.    
     
     
       19. The method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal device according to claim 18, wherein the generating the character signal comprises generating the channel number and a character signal indicating memorization of the channel number, so that the user can easily identify the memorized channel number.  
     
     
       20. The method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal device according to claim 15, further comprising determining that the broadcast signal is present in the tuned channel by determining that the broadcast signal is output from the processing the signal of the channel tuned.  
     
     
       21. The method of memorizing channels in a broadcast signal device according to claim 20, wherein the broadcast signal output from the processing the signal of the channel tuned is a composite video signal.