GB2374974A

GB2374974A - Integrated digital television recorder

Info

Publication number: GB2374974A
Application number: GB0110073A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Jeffery Pearce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-04-25
Filing date: 2001-04-25
Publication date: 2002-10-30
Also published as: GB0110073D0

Abstract

An Integrated Digital Television Recorder 1 (idTR) enables television programs broadcast via the digital terrestrial television system to be recorded and subsequently replayed without the need for additional equipment other than an appropriate UHF aerial 6 and the necessary interconnects. The device may make use of digital or analogue recording techniques and may use removable or non-removable media. The device should consist of a single 'box'. The device may also include facilities to enable television apparatus not equipped with the circuitry required to view digital terrestrial television broadcasts to view such channels.

Description

INTEGRATED DIGITAL TELEVISION RECORDER (idTR) This invention relates to a device that enables television programs broadcast via the digital terrestrial television system to be recorded and subsequently replayed without the need for additional equipment other than an appropriate UHF aerial and the necessary interconnects. The replay of such recordings will also require a television set.

VIS videotape recorders are commonplace and enable television broadcasts to be recorded and subsequently replayed. However, such devices contain only analogue UHR receiver circuitry thereby precluding the ability to record from digital terrestrial television broadcasts without additional equipment. The additional equipment required usually take the form of an integrated digital television set or the infamous'set-top'digital decoder box such as that provided by OnDigital. When paired with such equipment recording digital terrestrial television broadcasts is possible, however * The reception of the digital terrestrial television broadcast is performed outside of the box in which the recording process is performed, * With most embodiments it is only possible to record the channel that is currently selected for viewing, as the device containing the digital terrestrial television reception circuitry generally contains only one instance of this circuitry, * The channel to be recorded is selected on a device other than that which performs the recording process.

An object of this invention is to provide the facility to record television programs broadcast via the digital terrestrial television system without additional equipment other than a suitable aerial and the necessary interconnects. This removes the dependence on auxiliary equipment to record digital terrestrial television broadcasts, which leads to a number of advantages over existing video recorders with only analogue reception circuitry, specifically . The ability to record channels that are only available via the digital terrestrial television system * The ability to record digital terrestrial television whilst watching other channels Accordingly, this invention provides within a single device the circuitry required to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts in the United Kingdom along with a method of recording such broadcasts in addition to a means of connection to a television set so such recordings can be replayed.

Preferably the device will provide the end user with certain additional benefits, particularly * Televisions not equipped to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts will be able to display such broadcasts where a particular embodiment provides the currently selected digital terrestrial television channel in a form that such a television can display 'The implementation of basic television and video-type hardware can be streamlined as a'set-top box' will not be required to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which n FIGURE 1 shows a logical diagram of a typical installation scenario..

As shown in Figure 1, a typical installation scenario will consist of, * An Integrated Digital Television Recorder (1) 'A SCART lead (2) linking the Integrated Digital Television Recorder to the television set 'A television set with a SCART socket (3) '750 co-axial cable (4) linking the Integrated Digital Television Recorder to the television set * 750 co-axial cable (5) linking the aerial to the Integrated Digital Television Recorder * A UI IF aerial (6) suitable for the reception of digital terrestrial television The Integrated Digital Television Recorder (1) is sited in place of a conventional \'HS video recorder and is used in a similar manner. The television set (3) may be either a conventional analogue unit or an Integrated Digital Television set.

When connected in this way, the Integrated Digital Television Recorder can be used to record digital terrestrial television broadcasts, and to play back such recordings. Where an Integrated Digital Television set is used, digital terrestrial television broadcasts may be recorded whilst another such channel is viewed. Where an analogue television is used, only the digital terrestrial television channel that is being recorded could be viewed as the system contains only one digital terrestrial television receiver circuit.

A typical embodiment of the Integrated Digital Television Recorder will consist of a number of functional components within the device. These are,

* The digital terrestrial television receiver circuitry. This allows the device to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts. This circuitry will typically convert the incoming signal into a form suitable for use throughout the rest of the machine.

'The analogue television receiver circuitry. This is used to enable the machine to receive and record analogue television broadcasts.

* The analogue RF modulator circuitry. This provides output via analogue UHF bands. This is used to connect the device to televisions that are not equipped with SCART sockets, and may also be used to output digital terrestrial television broadcasts via analogue UHF bands. A pass-through circuit would normally be present to allow a television connected up-stream to tune to analogue and digital terrestrial television without dependence on the Integrated Digital Television Recorder.

* The SCART interface circuitry. SCART sockets are used to provide composite/RGB input and output as are those in conventional video recorders. This allows connection to other devices such as D\TD players, televisions and'set-top boxes'without the need to use the RF modulator circuitry * The recording subsystem. Typically this would be a VHS videotape transport, although may be digital, such as a D\'D-R or D\TD-RAM system, or indeed non-removable storage such as a hard disk.

* A display panel and remote control subsystem. This provides the user interface in exactly the same way as the display panel and remote control subsystem provides the user interface in a conventional video recorder.

* A central control unit. This provides co-ordination, timer functions, on-screen display and control of all subsystems within the machine.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. The Integrated Digital Television Recorder contains within a single device the circuitry required to receive digital terrestrial television broadcasts in the United Kingdom along with a method of recording such broadcasts in addition to a means of connection to a television set so such recordings can be replayed.
2. An Integrated Digital Television Recorder as claimed in Claim 1 in which selected digital terrestrial television broadcast channel can be viewed using television apparatus not equipped with the circuitry required to view such channels without additional equipment via a modulated analogue UI IF output.
3. An Integrated Digital Television Recorder as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which selected digital terrestrial television broadcast channel can be viewed using television apparatus not equipped with the circuitry required to view such channels without additional equipment via a SCART output.
4. An Integrated Digital Television Recorder as claimed in any preceding claim in which the recording system used makes use of removable media such as videotape or DVD.
5. An Integrated Digital Television Recorder as claimed in any preceding claim in which the recording system used makes use of non-removable media such Flash RAM, Hard Disk, or other such technology.
6. An Integrated Digital Television Recorder substantially as herein described.