Apparatus and method increasing speed of receiving television broadcasts

An apparatus for receiving television broadcasts, comprising:

• a first tuner section for receiving one of a plurality of digital television broadcasts, said first tuner section selecting one carrier from an input signal and producing an output signal;
• a digital demodulation processing section for obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal by demodulating said output signal from said first tuner section, by separating a desired channel, and by performing decoding;
• a second tuner section for receiving one of a plurality of analog television broadcasts, said second tuner section selecting one carrier from said input signal and producing an output signal;
• an analog demodulation processing section for obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal in a desired channel by demodulating said output signal from said second tuner section;
• means for making a changeover between selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said digital demodulation processing section for use as reception outputs, and for selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said analog demodulation processing section for use as said reception outputs;
• a channel map memory for storing identification information for enabling each selectable channel to be identified as a digital television broadcasting channel or an analog television broadcasting channel;
• and
• means for making a determination as to whether a channel selected by a user is a digital television broadcasting channel or an analog television broadcasting channel based on said identification information from said channel map memory, for supplying a tuning control signal to a corresponding one of said first tuner section and said second tuner section, and for controlling said changeover means.

An apparatus for receiving television broadcasts, comprising:

• a first tuner section for receiving one of a plurality of digital television broadcasts, said first tuner section selecting one carrier from an input signal and producing an output signal;
• a digital demodulation processing section for obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal by demodulating said output signal from said first tuner section, by separating a desired channel, and by performing decoding;
• a second tuner section for receiving one of a plurality of analog television broadcasts, said second tuner section selecting one carrier from said input signal and producing an output signal;
• an analog demodulation processing section for obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal in a desired channel by demodulating said output signal from said second tuner section;
• means for making a changeover between selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said digital demodulation processing section for use as reception outputs, and for selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said analog demodulation processing section for use as said reception outputs;
• means for controlling said means for making a changeover according to whether a channel selected in accordance with a tuning operation performed by a user is a digital television broadcasting channel or an analog television broadcasting channel;
• and
• means for supplying a signal for receiving a broadcast signal in a channel that is predicted to be next selected by said user in a vicinity of said received channel to one of said first and second tuner sections that is currently not receiving said broadcast signal from which said output video signal and said output audio signal are used as reception outputs through said means for making a changeover.

An apparatus for receiving television broadcasts, comprising:

• a first tuner section for receiving one of a plurality of digital television broadcasts, said first tuner section selecting one carrier from an input signal and producing an output signal;
• a second tuner section for receiving one of said plurality of digital television broadcasts, said second tuner section selecting one carrier from said input signal and producing an output signal;
• a first digital demodulation processing section for separating a desired channel and obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal by demodulating said output signal from said first tuner section, said first digital demodulation processing section including a channel equalizer formed of a digital filter;
• a second digital demodulation processing section for obtaining an output video signal and an output audio signal in a desired channel by demodulating said output signal from said second tuner section, said second digital demodulation processing section including a channel equalizer formed of a digital filter;
• a coefficient memory for storing equalizer coefficients for a plurality of channels to be supplied to said digital filter of said channel equalizer;
• means for generating equalizer coefficients to be supplied to each channel equalizer based on at least some of said equalizer coefficients in said coefficient memory;
• means for making a changeover between selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said first digital demodulation processing section for use as reception outputs, and for selecting said output video signal and said output audio signal from said second digital demodulation processing section for use as reception outputs;
• means for controlling said means for making a changeover according to a tuning operation performed by a user;
• and
• means for supplying a signal for receiving a broadcast signal in a channel that is predicted to be next selected by said user in a vicinity of said received channel to one of said first and second tuner sections that is currently not receiving said broadcast signal from which said output video signal and said output audio signal are used as reception outputs through said means for making a changeover.

A method of receiving television broadcasts using a receiving apparatus which has first and second tuner sections for receiving television broadcasts, at least one of said first and second tuner sections including a channel equalizer formed of a digital filter, and which outputs image data and sound data in a desired digital television broadcasting channel selected and received by one of said first and second tuner sections, said method comprising:

• providing equalizer coefficients for a plurality of channels in a coefficient memory to be supplied to said digital filter of said channel equalizer;
• receiving a broadcast signal in a desired channel by one of said first and second tuner sections to obtain an image display and an audio output from said received broadcast signal;
• generating equalizer coefficients supplied to said channel equalizer based on said television broadcast signal and at least some of said equalizer coefficients in said coefficient memory;
• and
• receiving a broadcast signal in another channel that is predicted to be next selected by a user in a vicinity of said received channel, said reception being performed in said tuner section that is currently not receiving said broadcast signal from which said image display and said audio output are obtained.