JP2000350118A - Program guide display device and program guide display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a program guide display device that can provide an electronic program guide corresponding to a plurality of networks. SOLUTION: In the case that 1st program information guiding a program broadcast of a 1st network attended with reception of the 1st network in advance is stored and a 2nd network is received, a program guide relating to the program broadcast of the 2nd network is generated on the basis of the 2nd program information guiding the program broadcast of the 2nd network stored attended with this reception and a program guide relating to the program broadcast of the 1st network is generated on the basis of the 1st program information stored in advance and the generated program guides are displayed as a list by means (1, 3, 6, 7, 8).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a CS (communic
The present invention relates to a program guide display device and a program guide display method for displaying program information superimposed on a broadcast program transmitted by digital broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In CS digital broadcasting, program information is superimposed on program broadcasting. The program broadcast includes at least one of a video signal and an audio signal. The program information includes program channel identification information (channel number and channel name), program identification information (program name), broadcast date information, and broadcast date. It includes start time information, program length information, program category information, detailed program description, and the like. The program information indicates information of a program currently being broadcast and a program scheduled to be broadcast in the future. In CS digital broadcasting, about 1
Weekly program information is transmitted.

[0003] This CS digital broadcast is operated on multiple channels, and various channel selection methods based on program information have been proposed in order to realize easy channel selection. As a typical example, an electronic program guide (EPG) is known. The function of the electronic program guide is mounted on a CS digital broadcast receiver, and is realized in the CS digital broadcast receiver. On the electronic program guide screen, two parameters, channel and time, are used as parameters. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a list of program names or channel names is displayed in a matrix in which the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents channel numbers. It has become. On this electronic program guide screen, it is possible to change (select) a channel with an up / down cursor provided on a remote controller and change (select) a time zone with a left / right cursor.

[0004]

However, the display target of the above-mentioned electronic program guide is only one of the program name and the channel name, and these display targets cannot be easily selected (switched). In addition, CS digital broadcasting is transmitted by a plurality of networks, and there is no electronic program guide corresponding to the plurality of networks.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its object to provide a program guide display device and a program guide display method described below.

(1) A program guide display device and a program guide display method capable of providing an electronic program guide whose display target is not limited to only one of a program name and a channel name.

(2) A program guide display device and a program guide display method capable of providing an electronic program guide corresponding to a plurality of networks.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, a program guide display device and a program guide display method according to the present invention are configured as follows.

[0009] A program guide display device of the present invention is a receiving means for switching and receiving a plurality of networks each containing program information, and updates and stores the program information of each network received by the receiving means each time reception is switched. Storage means, creation means for creating a plurality of network program guides based on the program information stored in the storage means, and display means for displaying the program guide created by the creation means; When display of a plurality of network program guides is instructed during reception of one of the networks, a plurality of network program guides are created based on the program information stored in the storage means.

According to the program guide display method of the present invention, a first step of switching and receiving a plurality of networks each including program information, and each time the reception of the program information of each network received in the first step is switched. A second step of updating and storing the program guide in the first step; when a display of a program guide of a plurality of networks is instructed during reception of one of the plurality of networks, the information is stored in the storage means. A third step of creating and displaying a plurality of network program guides based on the program information.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a television broadcast receiving system (program guide display device) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The television broadcast receiving system shown in FIG.
A PU 1, a ROM 2, a RAM 3, a remote control receiving section (infrared signal receiving section) 4, a key input section 5, a tuner 6, a video encoder 7, a TV 8, and a remote control 9 are provided.

The MPU 1 controls the entire television broadcast receiving system. The ROM 2 stores a control program of the MPU 1 and the like. The RAM 3 stores various data.
The remote control receiving unit 4 receives various infrared signals transmitted from a remote control transmitting unit (infrared signal transmitting unit) of the remote control 8 and transmits information (various instructions) obtained by the reception to the MPU.
Tell 1 The key input unit 5 receives a key input from the user and transmits information (various instructions) obtained by receiving the key input to the MPU 1.

The tuner 6 receives a digital television signal transmitted from a broadcasting satellite. The digital television signal includes a video signal and an audio signal as a program broadcast, and program information is superimposed on the video signal and the audio signal. The program information includes information related to the program broadcast, such as channel information indicating the relationship between the channel number and the channel name of the program broadcast, program name information indicating the program name, program broadcast date information indicating the date of the program broadcast, and program broadcast start. The information includes program broadcast start time information indicating time, length information indicating the length of broadcast time of program broadcast, and the like. Then, an electronic program guide is generated and displayed based on the program information.

The video encoder 7 is for displaying the digital television signal received by the tuner 6 on the TV 8. The remote controller 9 is for remotely operating the television broadcast receiving system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the remote controller 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote controller 9 includes a remote controller transmitting section 9a, a program guide key 9b, a left cursor key 9c,
A right cursor key 9d, an up cursor key 9e, a down cursor key 9f, and the like are provided. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, operations using various keys provided on the remote controller 9 will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The key input unit 5 is provided with keys that perform the same functions as the various keys provided on the remote controller 9, and operation using the keys provided on the key input unit 5 may be performed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing switching between “channel name display” and “program name display” on the electronic program guide screen. More specifically, FIG. 3 shows a screen displaying a list of program names in a matrix in which the vertical axis represents channel numbers and the horizontal axis represents time, a screen displaying a list of channel numbers, and a screen displaying a mixture of program names and channel numbers. It is the figure which showed switching typically.

The screen 1 has a program guide key 9
It is a screen displayed when b is pressed. Screen 1-1 is
It is a mixed screen of channel name display and program name display. The screen 1-2 is a single screen only for displaying the program name. When the program name information for all channels is stored in the RAM 3 of the television broadcast receiving system, the screen 1-2 is displayed when the program guide key 9b of the remote controller 9 is pressed. When the program name information for all channels is not stored in the RAM 3 of the television broadcast receiving system and the channel information for all channels (information of the channel name corresponding to the channel number) is stored When the program guide key 9b of the remote control 9 is pressed, the screen 1-1 is displayed.
Is displayed. On the screen 1-1, the program name is displayed prior to the channel name. That is, the channel information is supplemented for a portion where the program name information is insufficient.

When the left cursor key 9c of the remote controller 9 is pressed in the state of the screen 1, the screen 2 is displayed. Screen 2
Is a single screen showing only the channel name. When the right cursor key 9d of the remote controller 9 is pressed in the state of the screen 2, the screen 1 is displayed (return to the screen 1). That is, the screen 1 (program name display) and the screen 2 (channel name display) can be switched and displayed simply by pressing the left cursor key 9c and the right cursor key 9d.

When the right cursor key 9d of the remote controller 9 is pressed in the state of the screen 1, the cursor on the matrix of the screen 1 moves rightward, and the time is advanced to the future. That is, the name of the previous (future) program is displayed. Thereafter, when the left cursor key 9c of the remote controller 9 is pressed, the cursor on the matrix of the screen 1 moves to the left, and the time is returned to the past. That is, the name of the later (current) program is displayed (return to screen 1).

FIG. 4 shows the screen 1-1 shown in FIG. 3 more specifically.

First, the background on which the screen 1-1 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed (state of the television broadcast receiving system shown in FIG. 1)
Will be described. For example, it is assumed that the television broadcast receiving system shown in FIG. 1 is in a state where television broadcasts can be received via a plurality of networks. Here, it is assumed that television broadcasts can be received via network A, network B, and network C.

[0024] Program information A is superimposed on a program broadcast of the network A transmitted by the network A. The program information B is superimposed on the program broadcast of the network B transmitted by the network B. The program information C is superimposed on the program broadcast of the network C transmitted by the network C. Each program broadcast of the network A, the network B, and the network C includes at least one of a video signal and an audio signal. The program information A includes date and time information on the broadcast date and time of the program broadcast on the network A, program name information indicating the program name of the program broadcast on the network A, and channel information indicating the relationship between channel numbers and channel names in the program broadcast on the network A. It is included. The program information B includes date and time information on the broadcast date and time of the program broadcast on the network B, program name information indicating the program name of the program broadcast on the network B, and channel information indicating the relationship between channel numbers and channel names in the program broadcast on the network B. It is included. The program information C includes date and time information related to the broadcast date and time of the program broadcast on the network C, program name information indicating the program name of the program broadcast on the network C, and channel information indicating the relationship between channel numbers and channel names in the program broadcast on the network C. It is included.

The tuner 6 of the television broadcast receiving system shown in FIG. 1 selects one of the networks A, B, and C and receives a program broadcast transmitted via the selected network. . RAM
3 updates and stores the program information superimposed on the program broadcast received by the tuner 6. The program information is kept stored even after the reception of the program broadcast is stopped. In particular, only the program information superimposed on the program broadcast may be kept stored.

The program guide key 9b of the remote controller 9 receives a request for a program guide. As described above, in the television broadcast receiving system in which a plurality of networks can be switched and received, the program guide key 9b of the remote controller 9
It is assumed that is pressed. In this case, the program broadcast of the network being received, the program broadcast of the network that has been received at least once in the past, and the program broadcast program of the network that has never been received in the past are displayed on the screen 1-1. Display format is different. The reason is as follows.

The program information for guiding the broadcast of the program on the network being received is naturally obtained because it is being received. That is, the program information for guiding the broadcast of the program on the network being received is updated and stored in the RAM.

Channel information included in program information that guides a program broadcast on a network that has been received at least once in the past has been obtained when received in the past. That is, program information that guides a program broadcast on a network that has been received at least once in the past is updated and stored in the RAM 3 when received in the past.

No program information that guides a program broadcast on a network that has never been received in the past has not been obtained (stored).

If the network B and the network C have been received at least once in the past while the network A is being received, the electronic program guide screen displayed when the program guide key 9b of the remote controller 9 is pressed is shown in FIG. 1 is a screen 1-1 shown in FIG. That is, for the channels 110 and 111 belonging to the network A, a program guide as shown in FIG. 4 is generated based on the date and time information, the program name information, and the channel information included in the program information A (program name display). ). Channel 2 belonging to network B
Regarding 10 and channel 211, a program guide as shown in FIG. 4 is generated based on the channel information included in the program information B (channel name display). For the channel 310 belonging to the network C, the program information C
A program guide as shown in FIG. 4 is generated (channel name display) based on the channel information included in. The above-described program guide is generated by the MPU 1 and the video encoder 7 based on the program information updated and stored in the RAM 3, and the generated program guide is displayed on the TV 8.

In the electronic program guide screen shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that the cursor is positioned at "animation" of channel 111.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the electronic program guide screen shown in FIG.
It is a figure showing an example of an electronic program guide screen displayed by pressing c. That is, FIG. 4 is a diagram more specifically showing the screen 2 shown in FIG.

When the left cursor key 9c of the remote controller 9 is pressed while the electronic program guide screen shown in FIG. 4 is being displayed, the screen is switched to a single screen only for displaying the program name. That is, the display of the program names of the channels 110 and 111 belonging to the network A is switched to the display of the channel names (a program guide as shown in FIG. 5 is generated based on the channel information included in the program information A). The channel names of the channels belonging to the networks B and C remain unchanged. Such switching of the display mode is realized by control of the MPU 1 based on the program information updated and stored in the RAM 3.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when the electronic program guide (screen 2) is displayed while the program broadcast on network A is being displayed while the program broadcast on network A is being received. It is a diagram showing a state in which a so-called electronic program guide screen (semi-transparent) multiplex-processed on a program screen is superimposed.

Next, extraction of program information will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, and display of an electronic program guide based on program information (display for each channel) will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. .

As shown in FIG. 7, a program broadcast transmitted via a predetermined network is received by the tuner 6 (ST1). The program information is extracted by the MPU 1 from the program broadcast received by the tuner 6 (ST
2). The program information extracted by the MPU 1 is stored in the RAM 3 (ST3).

As shown in FIG. 8, when the guide display target channel belongs to the currently received network (ST4, YES), the program name information included in the program information updated and stored in the RAM 3 On the basis of this, each program name in the guide display target channel is displayed (ST
5). This is a case where the guide display target channel belongs to a network that is not currently received (ST4,
NO), if the program information of the network that is not currently received is not stored in the RAM 3 (ST6, N
O) A blank is displayed on the guide display target channel without displaying the program name or the channel name (ST).
7). This is a case where the guide display target channel belongs to a network that is not currently received (ST4,
(NO), if the program information of the network that is not currently received is updated and stored in the RAM 3 (ST
6, YES), the channel name in the guide display target channel is displayed based on the channel name information included in the program information updated and stored in the RAM 3 (ST8).

Hereinafter, the functions and effects of the present invention will be summarized.

In a television broadcast receiving system supporting a plurality of networks, it is more convenient to view channel guides of all networks across the networks in order of channel number (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). In the conventional television broadcast receiving system, it was not possible to receive a channel guide of a network other than the network that is currently receiving, that is, a network that is not receiving. This is because the program information (program name information and channel name information) of the program broadcast of the network not being received has not been obtained. That is, in the conventional television broadcast receiving system, the guide column of a channel belonging to a network not being received is blank.
In this case, no information is given to a channel belonging to a network that is not receiving, which is very inconvenient. Generally, it is not easy for a viewer to imagine the characteristics of a channel from the channel number alone. If only the channel name is displayed, the contents of the program broadcast of that channel can be predicted. Also, reconnect from the currently receiving network to another network that is not receiving,
If you try to get information about a channel belonging to this other network, during the process of reconnecting to another network,
Viewers will have to wait. Also, when displaying an electronic program guide while displaying a program broadcast transmitted via a specific network, it is not possible to reconnect from this specific network to another network. That is, in such a case, it is not possible to obtain information on a channel belonging to another network.

The TV broadcast receiving system according to the present invention can solve the above-mentioned problem by updating and storing program information for guiding a program broadcast on a network which has been received at least once in the past. It is possible to provide a very effective electronic program guide for the viewer. In addition, when updating and storing program information that guides a program broadcast on a network that has been received even once in the past, a method of storing only channel information included in the program information may be considered. Generally, information such as a program name and a program broadcast start time may become meaningless as time passes even if it is stored. On the other hand, the channel information (the relationship between the channel number and the channel name) is unchanged in a long term, and by updating and storing the channel information, the channel name of the channel belonging to the network which is not currently received can be changed. Can be displayed.

Further, the television broadcast receiving system of the present invention can switch between channel name display and program name display with one touch on an electronic program guide screen including a currently received network and a currently unreceived network. When the display is switched to the program name display, if there is no program name information of a specific channel, the guide is supplemented with the channel name information for the specific channel. The television broadcast receiving system according to the present invention can provide an electronic program guide corresponding to a plurality of networks.

[0042]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides the following program guide display device and program guide display method.

(1) A program guide display device and a program guide display method capable of providing an electronic program guide whose display target is not limited to only one of a program name and a channel name.

(2) A program guide display device and a program guide display method capable of providing an electronic program guide corresponding to a plurality of networks.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a television broadcast receiving system (program guide display device) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a remote controller for controlling the television broadcast receiving system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an electronic program guide screen displaying a list of program names in a matrix in which the vertical axis represents channel numbers and the horizontal axis represents time,
FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing screen switching of an electronic program guide screen for displaying a list of channel numbers and an electronic program guide screen for displaying a mixture of a program name and a channel number.

4 is a diagram specifically showing an electronic program guide screen (screen 1-1 shown in FIG. 3) in which a program name and a channel number are mixedly displayed in a matrix in which a vertical axis represents a channel number and a horizontal axis represents a time. .

5 shows an electronic program guide screen (FIG. 3) displayed when the left cursor key of the remote controller is pressed while the electronic program guide screen shown in FIG. 4 (screen 1-1 shown in FIG. 3) is displayed. FIG. 2 is a diagram specifically showing a screen 2) shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a screen (superimposed) when an electronic program guide (screen 2 shown in FIG. 3) is displayed while program broadcasts on the predetermined network are being displayed while program broadcasts on the predetermined network are being received. It is a figure which shows an example of an (electronic program guide screen).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the extraction of program information.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating generation and display (generation and display for each channel) of an electronic program guide based on program information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conventional electronic program guide screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... MPU 2 ... ROM 3 ... RAM 4 ... Remote control receiving part (infrared signal receiving part) 5 ... Key input part 6 ... Tuner 7 ... Video encoder 8 ... TV 9 ... Remote control 9a ... Remote control transmitting part 9b ... Program guide key 9c ... Left cursor key 9d Right cursor key 9e Upper cursor key 9f Lower cursor key

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A receiving means for switching and receiving a plurality of networks each containing program information, a storing means for updating and storing program information of each network received by the receiving means each time reception is switched, and the storing means Receiving means for generating a program guide for a plurality of networks based on the program information stored in the storage unit; and displaying means for displaying the program guide generated by the generating means, and receiving one of the plurality of networks. A program guide display device, wherein when a display of a program guide of a plurality of networks is instructed, a program guide of a plurality of networks is created based on the program information stored in the storage means. 2. The program information includes date and time information indicating a broadcast date and time of a program, program name information indicating a program name, and channel information indicating a relationship between a channel number and a channel name. When the display of a plurality of network program guides is instructed during reception, the program information is generated based on at least the date and time information and the program name information included in the reception network program information stored in the storage unit. The program guide display device according to claim 1, wherein the program guide and the program guide generated based on the channel information stored in the storage unit are mixedly displayed. 3. When an instruction to change the display mode of a program guide is given in a state in which a program guide indicating a program name and a program guide indicating a channel name are mixedly displayed.
3. The program guide display device according to claim 2, wherein a program guide is generated and displayed based on the channel information stored in the storage unit. 4. A first step of switching and receiving a plurality of networks each including program information, and a second step of updating and storing program information of each network received in the first step each time reception is switched.
And when displaying a program guide of a plurality of networks during reception of one of the plurality of networks by the first step, based on the program information stored in the storage means, A third step of creating and displaying a program guide for a network of minutes.