GB2378837A - User specified programme selection - Google Patents

User specified programme selection Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2378837A
GB2378837A GB0214236A GB0214236A GB2378837A GB 2378837 A GB2378837 A GB 2378837A GB 0214236 A GB0214236 A GB 0214236A GB 0214236 A GB0214236 A GB 0214236A GB 2378837 A GB2378837 A GB 2378837A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
programme
rating
user
broadcast data
viewing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0214236A
Other versions
GB0214236D0 (en
GB2378837B (en
Inventor
Paul Jackson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arris Global Ltd
Original Assignee
Pace Micro Technology PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pace Micro Technology PLC filed Critical Pace Micro Technology PLC
Publication of GB0214236D0 publication Critical patent/GB0214236D0/en
Publication of GB2378837A publication Critical patent/GB2378837A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2378837B publication Critical patent/GB2378837B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/438—Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving MPEG packets from an IP network
    • H04N21/4383—Accessing a communication channel
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/4508—Management of client data or end-user data
    • H04N21/4532—Management of client data or end-user data involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/475—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
    • H04N21/4756—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/482—End-user interface for program selection
    • H04N21/4821—End-user interface for program selection using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

A broadcast data system is provided which includes a broadcast data receiver. The receiver receives and processes data from which television and/or radio programmes can be generated for selection by a user and auxiliary information can be provided in the form of an EPG for display on a display screen. The system includes a means whereby the user can selectively rate television and/or radio programmes indicated as available for viewing on the EPG and, on the basis of the ratings selected by the user, the broadcast data receiver selects a programme for viewing and/or generates a display to indicate to the user when one or more programmes are available for viewing. The rating may be a numerical value or be either a rating or no rating for a particular program. The system may include means to rate all episodes of a series if one episode is rated by the user.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>
User Specified Programme Selection The invention of this application relates to the provision of programme information for television and/or radio channels.
In particular, the invention is for use with broadcast data systems which provide, in addition to data for the generation of the radio and television programmes on selected channels, auxiliary information which allows, on the display screen of, for example, a television set connected to a broadcast data receiver, the generation of an electronic programme guide (EPG). An EPG provides a user with a visual indication of the programmes that are available to be watched at that instant or in the future, and the option of ascertaining further information relating to the same.
The advent of digital data broadcast systems has meant that a wide variety of television and radio channels are now available to be selected by a user. The broadcast data system includes a broadcast data receiver at the user's premises connected to, or forming part of, a television set or other display means. An EPG is typically generated as part of the broadcast system as, in practise, this is the only practical way in which the schedules of all of the multitude of channels can be made available to a user.
The user can then scroll through the EPG displayed on the display screen typically using a remote control and be informed of when programmes are available, the times of the programmes and/or the like, and select to view the same.
It is known that a user, after a period of time, normally defines a selected number of channels from the available channels which carry the type of programme which they particularly wish to watch, and which they wish to be able to view programming information on without having to scroll through the remainder of the channels. Thus, it is possible for a user to specify a list
<Desc/Clms Page number 2>
of favourite channels, and information relating to the programmes on these channels is displayed in the absence of programme information from other non-specified channels.
It is also known for a broadcaster or service provider to look at data which is representative of a user's programme viewing history and identify particular programmes which the broadcaster believes may be of particular interest to the user and/or of greater interest than other programmes available at that time.
However, the user has no current ability to select particular programmes which they wish to view, either at the expense of other programmes, or alternatively, to select those programmes for which they only wish to obtain information.
The aim of the present invention is to allow the user of a broadcast system to specify criteria and/or particular programmes to form a basis for which programmes can be presented for viewing to the user.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a broadcast data system, said system including a broadcast data receiver for the reception and processing of data from which television and/or radio programmes can be generated for selection by a user and auxiliary information can be provided in the form of an EPG for display on a display screen, and wherein the system includes a means whereby the user can selectively rate the television and/or radio programmes displayed on the EPG and, on the basis of said ratings selected by the user, the broadcast data receiver selects a programme for viewing and/or generates a display to indicate to the user when one or more programmes are available for viewing.
<Desc/Clms Page number 3>
Thus, the broadcast data receiver selects a programme or generates a display relating to one or more rated programmes based on the ratings given for those programmes by the user when a rated programme becomes available for viewing.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the user, upon viewing an EPG on a display screen, can scroll through said programmes which are displayed and, as they scroll through the programmes, enter a rating for some or all of said programmes, but more typically selected programmes. The rating is received, processed and stored by the broadcast data receiver (BDR) along with an identification of the selected programme.
In one embodiment, the rating can be a simple rating (i. e. , all or nothing) in that a programme can be given a no rating value or a rating value. Alternatively, a series of ratings in terms of priority can be given so that a programme can have, for example, a rating ranging from zero to four, with four representing the most favoured programmes of the user.
Typically, if a user gives one episode of a programme a particular rating, then that rating will be provided for each of the episodes in the series of programmes. The broadcast data receiver saves the rating in conjunction with the programme identification code, then when that episode and subsequent episodes of that programme are received by the BDR, the BDR matches the identification code and stores it with the received data, and allocate the rating to the received programme.
In practise, if the user provides a favourable programme rating for a programme which is available for viewing at that time, then the broadcast data receiver can tune to receive the data for that programme (i. e. , automatically) and immediately generate the
<Desc/Clms Page number 4>
particular programme on the display screen for viewing by the user, if the display screen is switched on.
Alternatively, the broadcast data receiver can generate a display as an overlay over a whole or part of the display screen, such as in the form of a pop-up window, with an indication that a rated programme is available for viewing at that time. Furthermore, if a rated programme becomes available for viewing during subsequent viewing in the same day or days thereafter, then the broadcast data receiver can either automatically tune to and display that programme when it becomes available for viewing, or generate a display either at the time of the programme or a predefined period of time before the showing of the programme to alert the user. Typically the action which is taken by the broadcast data receiver can be selected by the user from an options menu or furthermore may be defined with respect to the rating given to the programme. For example, a programme with a relatively high priority rating may be automatically tuned to and generated for display by the broadcast data receiver when it becomes available for viewing, whereas the broadcast data receiver may be controlled to only generate a display indicating the showing of a programme with a lower priority rating.
Typically, the entry of the rating can be performed by operation of a remote control device by the user. This can take place when the broadcast data receiver is in a particular operating condition, which allows movement of a highlighted portion around the EPG to allow the selection of a particular programme in accordance with conventional EPG systems. Once a particular programme is highlighted, the operation of a particular number or symbol on the remote control device allows a particular rating to be allocated to that programme with the rating then being stored with the programme data.
<Desc/Clms Page number 5>
In a further feature of the invention, if there is a conflict between rated programmes (i. e. , if the scheduled viewing time of equally rated or non-equally rated programmes are the same or at overlapping times), the broadcast data receiver is controlled to refer to the particular rating level given to the conflicting programmes. The broadcast data receiver can be set to show the highest priority programme to the user but can of course revert to the lower priority programme before or after the showing of the high priority programme. In addition, if the higher priority programme is being shown, the broadcast data receiver can also be controlled to activate the recording medium to allow data for the lower priority programme to be recorded for viewing subsequently and vice versa.
In a further feature of the invention, once the user has generated rating values for selected programmes, the user is presented with an option as part of the EPG to select to display schedule details for only those programmes which are rated or for those programmes which have a particular ratings value. This allows a reduced, increased relevance, EPG to be provided to the user.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein :- Figure 1 illustrates an example of a conventional EPG display; Figure 2 illustrates a process by which programmes can be selected and rated in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 illustrates a display which can be generated in accordance with the present invention; and
<Desc/Clms Page number 6>
Figure 4 illustrates the display of rated programmes as part of an EPG.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is illustrated an EPG grid 2 of programmes which is typically displayed on a display screen on a television set. The grid comprises a number of cells 4 and each cell represents a television or radio programme. The grid is positioned with respect to a time bar 6 so that the start of each cell with reference to the time bar indicates the start of the programme and the end of each cell with reference to the time bar represents the end of each programme. A column of programme channels 8 is also provided so that by referring to the programme channel column and time bar and appropriate cell, the location and start and end times of each programme can be identified relatively easily by a user viewing the EPG grid.
The television set 11 is connected to a broadcast data receiver 10 which in turn is connected to a communication means by which digital data can be received (not shown). The received digital data typically comprises video and/or audio data for the generation of television and/or radio programmes, displayed on the display screen and auxiliary data from which the EPG itself is generated and displayed.
A user can view different channels and time periods on the EPG using a remote control to move around the grid and selecting to display particular portions of the grid. The remote control typically allows the control via a highlighted cell portion which highlights a particular programme, as indicated by the reference numeral 16 in Figure 2. If the user wishes to move the highlighted portion to a different cell on the EPG display, the user can select page up/page down buttons on the remote control, or alternatively use arrow keys provided on the remote control, which allow the movement of the highlighted portion in
<Desc/Clms Page number 7>
specified directions. In whichever case, in accordance with the invention, once the user has identified a particular programme of interest and highlighted the relevant EPG cell, as illustrated in Figure 2, they can use a ratings key provided on the remote control device. When the user selects the ratings key, the signal is sent from the remote control device to the broadcast data receiver 10 that a rating is to be allocated to that particular programme. The broadcast data receiver identifies the identification code for the selected programme on the EPG, and saves this in conjunction with the ratings value in a memory store in the BDR.
In one embodiment, and in a simplified manner, the depression of the ratings key allows a rating of higher priority to be given to that programme than those programmes which have no rating.
Alternatively, a further key may be depressed by the user to give the selected programme a particular rating from a range of ratings. For example, a rating between zero to four can be given by the depression of any of the numbered buttons zero to four on the remote control. In either case, the broadcast data receiver allocates the programme rating with the programme identification code and stores the data in memory, along with the start time and channel location for that particular programme. It is envisaged that if a number of different ratings are available, the memory will be compartmentalised into different rating compartments and the programme will be allocated to an appropriate rating compartment in the memory.
For example, if the highlighted programme is given the rating 3, then that programme information will be held in a compartment in the memory of the receiver with other programme details having the rating 3.
If the programme which is selected and rated is available for viewing at that instant, then the user may select that the BDR
<Desc/Clms Page number 8>
automatically tunes and generates that particular programme for viewing on the display screen. If the programme is not available for viewing immediately, but is in the future, then the
user can specify whether the programme, when it is available, is user can speci automatically generated on the display screen by the BDR, or whether and/or additionally, a display is to be generated on the screen at a predefined time prior to and/or at the time when the programme is available.
Figure 3 illustrates the type of display window 20 which can be generated when a particular rated programme is available for viewing. The user can then tune to the particular channel indicated at the particular time and view the programme.
In one embodiment, if a particular episode of a programme is chosen, the other episodes which are subsequently available for viewing can be given the same rating by the BDR without further intervention by the user.
If a series of different rating levels are available, it is possible that the user may rate a number of programmes which are all available for viewing at the same time or with overlapping times.
In this case, the BDR can be set to automatically compare the rating levels for the programmes and then generate for viewing, the programme which has the highest rating level. At the same time, the BDR can automatically store programme data relating to programmes with the lower rating levels. Alternatively, a message can be displayed to the user to inform them that they can select to store programme data relating to other rating level programmes. In any case, it is preferred that a display, similar to that shown in Figure 3, is generated to indicate to the user that the programme which is to be shown is selected because of its higher rating and is being shown at the expense of another programme which has been rated, albeit lower, by the user.
<Desc/Clms Page number 9>
Figure 4 indicates a further feature in that the user can, at any time, select to control the BDR to generate a particular option of the EPG which displays details of those programmes 14 which have been previously allocated a rating. Typically the programmes can be indicated on the display in different levels of rating 16-24, if these are available, thereby allowing the user to quickly and easily determine the times of generation of the programmes in which they are particularly interested.

Claims (25)

Claims :-
1. A broadcast data system, said system including a broadcast data receiver for the reception and processing of data from which television and/or radio programmes can be generated for selection by a user and auxiliary information can be provided in the form of an EPG for display on a display screen, and wherein the system includes a means whereby the user can selectively rate the television and/or radio programmes and, on the basis of said ratings selected by the user, the broadcast data receiver selects a programme for viewing and/or generates a display to indicate to the user when one or more programmes are available for viewing.
2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the user rates said programmes by entering a rating for one or more selected programmes from the EPG display.
3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the rating selected by the user is received, processed and stored in memory by the broadcast data receiver along with identification means for the selected programme.
4. A system according to claim 3 wherein once the selected programme is received by the broadcast data receiver, the receiver matches the programme identification code therewith and allocates the rating to the selected programme accordingly.
5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the selective rating is for a programme to either have a rating or not have a rating.
<Desc/Clms Page number 11>
6. A system according to claim 1 wherein a rating is given to a selected programme from a range of ratings, each rating within the range relating to a different level of viewing priority for the user.
7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the memory in or connected to the broadcast data receiver is compartmentalised, with each rating being allocated its own memory compartment, such that when a rating is allocated to a programme, at least the programme identification and rating are stored in the relevant rating compartment in the memory.
8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the rating includes a number allocated to a programme.
9. A system according to claim 1 wherein if a user allocates a rating to one episode of a serial programme, that rating is allocated for each further episode of the programme series.
10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the broadcast data receiver saves the rating in memory in conjunction with programme identification means, such that when the episode and further episodes are received by the receiver, the receiver matches the identification means with the episode programme (s) and allocates the relevant rating thereto.
11. A system according to claim 1 wherein if a user allocates a programme rating to a programme which is available for viewing at that time, the broadcast data receiver tunes into that programme and displays the programme on the display screen.
<Desc/Clms Page number 12>
12. A system according to claim 1 wherein if a user allocates a programme rating to a programme which is available for a time in the future, the broadcast data receiver tunes into that programme and displays the programme on the display screen when the programme becomes available for viewing.
13. A system according to claim 1 wherein the broadcast data receiver generates a display as an overlay over a whole or part of the display screen, the display indicating a rated programme is available for viewing at that time or in a pre- defined period of time.
14. A system according to claim 1 wherein the user is able to select from an options menu whether the broadcast data receiver selects a rated programme for viewing or whether the receiver generates a display to indicate that a rated programme is available for viewing at that time or in a pre-defined period of time.
15. A system according to claim 1 wherein the broadcast data receiver determines whether to select a rated programme for viewing or generate a display to indicate that a rated programme is available for viewing at that time or in a pre-defined period of time based on priority of the rating given to the programme.
16. A system according to claim 15 wherein if a high priority rating is allocated to a programme, the broadcast data receiver selects the programme for viewing.
17. A system according to claim 15 wherein if a low priority rating is allocated to a programme, the broadcast data receiver generates a display to indicate that a rated
<Desc/Clms Page number 13>
programme is available for viewing at that time or in a pre- defined period of time.
18. A system according to claim 1 wherein a remote control device is used by the user to input a rating for a programme into the EPG.
19. A system according to claim 18 wherein a rating button is provided on the remote control device, such that when a programme is highlighted with a highlighted portion in the EPG display, depression of the rating key allocates a rating to the highlighted programme.
20. A system according to claim 18 wherein a number key on the remote control device is depressed to allocate a rating to a programme in the EPG display, when said programme is highlighted with a highlighted portion.
21. A system according to claim 1 wherein if the scheduled viewing times of rated programmes are at the same or overlapping times, the broadcast data receiver indicates this to the user in a display accordingly.
22. A system according to claim 1 wherein if the scheduled viewing times of rated programmes are at the same or overlapping times, the broadcast data receiver shows the programme with the highest priority rating.
23. A system according to claim 22 wherein the broadcast data receiver displays a programme with a lower priority rating before and/or at the end of the programme with the higher priority rating.
<Desc/Clms Page number 14>
24. A system according to claim 22 wherein the broadcast data receiver is activated to record a programme of lower priority rating if it is being shown at the same time or overlaps with the scheduled viewing time of a programme with a higher priority rating.
25. A system according to claim 1 wherein once a user has rated one or more programmes, an EPG is generated containing details relating to the rated programme or programmes only.
GB0214236A 2001-06-21 2002-06-20 User specified programme selection Expired - Fee Related GB2378837B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0115132.3A GB0115132D0 (en) 2001-06-21 2001-06-21 User specified programme selection

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GB0214236D0 GB0214236D0 (en) 2002-07-31
GB2378837A true GB2378837A (en) 2003-02-19
GB2378837B GB2378837B (en) 2005-07-06

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GB0214236A Expired - Fee Related GB2378837B (en) 2001-06-21 2002-06-20 User specified programme selection

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007057852A2 (en) * 2005-11-21 2007-05-24 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Optimally selecting tv programs with time margins
WO2011053270A1 (en) 2009-10-29 2011-05-05 Thomson Licensing Source-independent content rating system and method

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5699107A (en) * 1995-05-05 1997-12-16 Microsoft Corporation Program reminder system
EP0944253A1 (en) * 1998-03-17 1999-09-22 Sony Corporation Epg receiving apparatus and method and providing medium
WO2000030350A1 (en) * 1998-11-16 2000-05-25 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Apparatus for receiving programs

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5699107A (en) * 1995-05-05 1997-12-16 Microsoft Corporation Program reminder system
EP0944253A1 (en) * 1998-03-17 1999-09-22 Sony Corporation Epg receiving apparatus and method and providing medium
WO2000030350A1 (en) * 1998-11-16 2000-05-25 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Apparatus for receiving programs

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007057852A2 (en) * 2005-11-21 2007-05-24 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Optimally selecting tv programs with time margins
WO2007057852A3 (en) * 2005-11-21 2007-08-16 Koninkl Philips Electronics Nv Optimally selecting tv programs with time margins
WO2011053270A1 (en) 2009-10-29 2011-05-05 Thomson Licensing Source-independent content rating system and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0115132D0 (en) 2001-08-15
GB0214236D0 (en) 2002-07-31
GB2378837B (en) 2005-07-06

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20210620