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Television tunerTelevision tuner description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060209217, Television tuner. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a television tuner that receives television broadcast signals with an antenna capable of selecting directivity. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] In television broadcasting, transmitter location may differ with each broadcasting station. In such a case, to receive the radio wave from a desired station, it is necessary to set up the receiver to receive the desired channel and also to adjust the directivity of the antenna toward the transmitter of the desired station. [0005] Conventionally, there is known a television tuner that is equipped with a smart antenna capable of statically changing the directivity by means of an electrical signal, and that allows finding a direction in which the desired channel can be best received by automatically and omnidirectionaly changing the directivity of the smart antenna (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-298226, for example). [0006] Also, the above inventor proposes a television tuner that receives television broadcast signals with the above-mentioned smart antenna, wherein the smart antenna is controlled to change the directivity of the smart antenna omnidirectionaly so as to find a direction in which the desired radio wave is best received, and also to switch receiving channels as appropriate and store receiving channels sequentially which give optimum receiving condition. This television tuner allows automatic storing of receiving channels for all the receiving channels when performing an auto-scan to set receivable television channels, and therefore is very convenient. [0007] However, this television tuner is designed to find the optimum receiving condition by changing the directivity of the smart antenna omnidirectionaly for all the receiving channels, as described above. That is, it is necessary to perform the omnidirectional directivity control of the smart antenna as many times as the number of receiving channels repeatedly. Therefore, it will take too much time if all the channels are scanned. In particular, if the number of receivable channels is large this problem is serious, making the user irritated or uncomfortable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] In view of the above problem, the present invention provides a television tuner that allows a faster auto-scan. [0009] To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a television tuner that receives television broadcast signals with a smart antenna capable of statically selecting the directivity by means of electric signals, including: a directivity control section that outputs an electric signal to select the directivity of the smart antenna; a tuner section that receives television broadcast signals in the predetermined band with the smart antenna; [0010] a signal condition detector section that detects the signal condition of a signal from the tuner section by detecting the AGC voltage specifying the gain of a signal from the tuner and/or the bit error rate of a digital signal from the tuner section; and a channel storing section that stores the receiving channel and the receiving direction of the smart antenna when the signal condition of a signal detected by the signal condition detector section matches the predetermined signal condition, by making them corresponding to each other, wherein: an auto-scan unit is provided that causes the channel storing section to automatically store a plurality of receiving channels; and [0011] the auto-scan unit switches the receiving channels at the tuner section sequentially for the receiving channels except for the receiving channels stored in the channel storing section, causes the signal condition detector section to detect signal condition for each receiving channel, and, after signal condition is detected for every receiving channel by the signal condition detector section, causes the directivity control section to perform a variable directivity control for the antenna. [0012] In the aspect of the invention configured as above, the signal condition detector section detects the signal condition of a signal extracted by the tuner section. The channel storing section stores the receiving channel and the receiving direction of the smart antenna when the signal condition of a signal detected by the signal condition detector section matches the predetermined signal condition, by making them corresponding to each other. The auto-scan unit causes the channel storing section to automatically store a plurality of receiving channels. [0013] Furthermore, the auto-scan unit the auto-scan unit switches the receiving channels at the tuner section sequentially, and, after signal condition is detected for every receiving channel by the signal condition detector section, causes the directivity control section to perform a variable directivity control for the antenna. This makes it possible to perform the variable directivity control for the smart antenna with a one-time for every direction, and thereby to increase the execution speed of the auto-scan. [0014] Also, the auto-scan detects signal condition by switching among the plurality of receiving channels except for the receiving channels stored in the channel storing section. That is, if a receiving channel is stored in the channel storing section, the receiving channel at the tuner section is not switched to that receiving channel nor the signal condition is detected. As a result, the execution speed of the auto-scan can be further increased. [0015] Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a television tuner that receives television broadcast signals with an antenna capable of selecting the directivity, including: a directivity control section that outputs an electric signal to select the directivity of the antenna; a tuner section that receives television broadcast signals in the predetermined band with the antenna; a signal condition detector section that detects the signal condition of a signal output from the tuner section; and a channel storing section that stores the receiving channel when the signal condition of a signal detected by the signal condition detector section matches the predetermined signal condition, wherein: Continue reading about Television tuner... Full patent description for Television tuner Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Television tuner patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Television tuner or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Analog/digital-compatible front-end module Next Patent Application: Flexible display device for displaying electronic information Industry Class: Television ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Television tuner patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.65478 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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