JP4110583B2 - Operation method and electronic device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an operation method for operating an external device connected to an operation terminal by operating a display of a screen of browsing software operating on a terminal on a computer network with an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard. And electronic devices .
[0002]
[Prior art]
A system for operating a device connected to a computer on the screen of the computer is conventionally known. However, in this system, since the data sent to the device connected to the computer is input to the computer in advance, the operation of the device is limited to the range of the data.
[0003]
Furthermore, there are known systems in which a terminal on a computer network receives data from a server or other terminal on the network and controls a device connected to the terminal based on the data. Since only a predetermined set of controls is performed using dedicated control software, it is necessary to change the control software of the terminal when changing the contents of control.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention relates to a system for receiving program data from a server on a network at an operation terminal on a computer network and controlling external equipment connected to the user based on the program data. It is an object to make it possible to change the control content of an external device connected to an operation terminal without any change.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0005]
The operation method according to the present invention receives program data from a server via a network by an operation terminal, and accesses a reservation / channel selection button for performing reservation / channel selection of the external device and a server of related data. A step of displaying the received program data on a display screen of the operation terminal together with a link button for downloading and displaying related data, and a predetermined by an input device among the program data displayed on the display screen of the operation terminal Selecting the program, and selecting the program when the program selected on the operation terminal is being broadcast when the reservation / channel selection button is pressed while the program data is displayed. In this way, a channel selection command is given to the external device, and when the selected program is pre-broadcast, a recording reservation command is given to the external device so as to reserve the program. And a step. When the link button displayed together with the program data is pressed, the related data is downloaded from the server to the operation terminal via the network, and the related data is stored in the operation terminal together with the reservation / channel selection button. When the reservation / channel selection button displayed on the display screen and displayed together with the related data is pressed, when the program selected on the operation terminal is being broadcast, the external device is selected to select the program. An instruction is given, and when the selected program is pre-broadcast, a recording reservation instruction is given to the external device so as to reserve the program.
[0006]
The electronic device according to the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives program data and related data from a server via a network, and a display that controls the program data and related data received by the receiving unit to be displayed on a display screen. A control means; an input device for selecting a predetermined program from the program data displayed on the display screen; and an external device for selecting the program when the program selected by the input device is being broadcast. And a processing means for giving a recording reservation command to an external device so as to make a recording reservation for the program when the selected program is before broadcasting. When displaying the program data, the display control means accesses a reservation / channel selection button for performing reservation / channel selection of the external device and a related data server to download and display related data. When the link button is pressed and the related data is displayed, the reservation / channel selection button is displayed. The processing means selects the program when the program selected by the input device is being broadcast when the reservation / channel selection button is pressed when the program data and related data are displayed. In this way, the channel selection command is given to the external device, and when the selected program is before broadcasting, the video recording reservation command is given to the external device so as to make a recording reservation for the program.
[0007]
According to the present invention, a server on a network is accessed at an operation terminal on the network. Then, the program data and related data from the server are downloaded and displayed on the display screen of the operation terminal, and the program is selected by operating the display screen with the input device. This operation channel selection instruction and the recording reservation command corresponding to is sent to an external device connected to the operation terminal, an external device is controlled. Thereby, the operability is improved.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a channel selection / reservation system to which the present invention is applied. The channel selection / reservation system, the operation terminal 1, a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) 2 serving as an external device, and a television receiver (hereinafter referred to as TV) 3 serving as an external device. The operation terminal 1 is connected to the modem 5 of the provider 6 by a modem 14 and a wired or wireless telephone line 4. A program data server 8, a broadcast station server 9, and other servers 10 are connected to the Internet 7. The operation terminal 1 and the provider 6 may be a medium other than a telephone line (for example, a cable television network or a wireless communication line).
[0010]
The operation terminal 1 is composed of, for example, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer), to which a keyboard 11, a mouse 12, an infrared light emitting unit 13, and a modem 14 are connected. Moreover, browsing software 15 such as a WWW (World Wide Web) browser is provided inside.
[0011]
The keyboard 11 and the mouse 12 are used for the user to input various commands. The infrared light emitting unit 13 transmits an infrared signal for the operation terminal 1 to control the VTR 2 and the television 3. The modem 14 modulates and transmits data created by the operation terminal 1 and receives and demodulates data sent via the telephone line 4. Here, instead of the infrared light emitting unit 13, the operation terminal 1, the VTR 2, and the television 3 may be connected by a cable, a radio wave, or the like.
[0012]
2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the operation terminal 1 when performing channel selection / reservation using the system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows an image displayed on the display (not shown) of the operation terminal 1 at that time. It is a figure which shows a part of. The operation when performing channel selection / reservation will be described below.
[0013]
First, when the user performs a predetermined operation using the key word 11 and the mouse 12, the operation terminal 1 creates a command for accessing the home page of the program data server 8 connected to the Internet 7, and the modem 14 is operated. (Step S1). This command is sent to the provider 6 via the telephone line 4 and the modem 5, and is sent to the program data server 8 connected to the Internet 7 via this command.
[0014]
Upon receiving this command, the program data server 8 sends the program data to the operation terminal 1 via the Internet 7. This program data is received and demodulated by the modem 14 and is taken into the operation terminal 1. The operation terminal 1 downloads the program data and displays the program guide and various buttons on the display (step S2).
[0015]
The image displayed on the display is, for example, as shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, a detailed button, a notice button, a reservation / channel selection button, and a link button are displayed on the program guide display screen. The user can select a program by looking at this program guide and press a desired button. The operation terminal 1 performs the process described below according to the button pressed by the user.
[0016]
When the user presses the reservation / channel selection button (YES in step S3, reservation / channel selection in S4), if the selected program is currently being broadcasted, the channel is selected on the television 3; To make a recording reservation (step S5). In this process, a tuning command (control signal for specifying a channel) is given to the tuner of the television 3 via the infrared light emitting unit 13, or a recording reservation command (control signal including recording start time, end time, and channel) is given to the VTR 2. Realize by giving. For programs that may change the broadcast time (for example, prolonging the broadcast time of professional baseball broadcasts and deferring the broadcast time of the subsequent programs), by providing the identification information in the program data, The recording end time can be changed automatically or upon user designation when making a recording reservation.
[0017]
If the user presses the notice button or the detail button (YES in step S3, notice or details in S4), the notice data or detailed data is requested from the program data server 8 (step S6). In response to this request, the program data server 8 sends notice data or detailed data to the operation terminal 1. The operation terminal 1 downloads and displays the advance notice data or the detailed data (step S7).
[0018]
A reservation / channel selection button, a program guide button, and an end button are displayed on a part of an image (not shown) displayed at this time. When the user presses the reservation / channel selection button (YES in step S8, reservation / channel selection in S9), if the selected program is currently being broadcast, the TV 3 selects the channel, and if it is before the broadcast, VTR2 To make a recording reservation (step S5). If the program guide button is pressed, the program guide display screen is displayed again (YES in step S8, program guide in S9). If the end button is pressed (YES in step S8, end in S9), the process ends.
[0019]
Further, when the user presses the link button, the server of related data is accessed (step S10). As a result, related data is downloaded and displayed (step S11).
[0020]
3 (2) to 3 (5) show examples of related data. (2) is the homepage of the TV station, (3) is the homepage of the sponsor, (4) is the homepage of the publisher of the original drama, and (5) is the homepage of the talent office.
[0021]
On the homepage of the TV station, program guide (detailed contents of the program etc.) and a reservation / channel selection button are displayed. On the sponsor's home page, a list of programs provided by the sponsor including the program selected in the program guide and a reservation / channel selection button are displayed. On the publisher's home page, an introduction screen of the original drama and a reservation / channel selection button are displayed. On the homepage of the talent office, a list of the talented programs including the program selected in the program guide and a reservation / channel selection button are displayed. Here, the channel selection button may be displayed when the program selected by the user is currently being broadcast, and the reservation button may be displayed before the broadcast. Although not shown here, a program guide button and an end button are also displayed.
[0022]
When the user views the homepage of the broadcast station and presses the reservation / channel selection button (YES in step S12, reservation / channel selection in step S13), if the selected program is currently being broadcasted, the channel 3 is selected, If it is before broadcasting, a recording reservation is made with the VTR 2 (step S5). If you look at the publisher's homepage and press the Reservation / Channel selection button, if you look at the sponsor's homepage, select a program from the list of offered programs and press the Reservation / Channel selection button, you will see the Talent Office homepage The same applies to the case where a program is selected from the list of starring programs to watch and the reservation / channel selection button is pressed.
[0023]
If the program guide button is pressed (YES in step S12, the program guide in S13), the program guide display screen is displayed again. If the end button is pressed (YES in step S12, ends in S13), the process is performed. finish.
[0024]
Thus, according to the channel selection / reservation system to which the present invention is applied, data related to the program can be accessed immediately by using the Internet. In addition, watching the detailed data and related data, you can select the actual broadcast and make a recording reservation on the spot, so you can expect an increase in the audience rating. Furthermore, it is possible to easily and carefully select a program to be viewed or a program to be reserved for recording from among multi-channel broadcast programs.
[0025]
Note that the operation terminal can always automatically download data from each server and store the data in a memory connected to the operation terminal. In this case, since the stored data is read out instead of accessing the server by a user operation, the display speed is improved.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an external device is operated using the latest program data and related data transmitted via the network by operating on the screen of the operation terminal connected to the computer network. Can be controlled.
[0027]
The screen display and device operation data can be updated at any time by changing the transmission data of the server on the network. Therefore, it is possible to easily change the operability of the device, change the function, etc. according to the situation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a channel selection / reservation system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the operation terminal when performing channel selection / reservation using the system of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of an image displayed on an operation terminal when channel selection / reservation is performed using the system of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation terminal, 2 ... VTR, 3 ... Television, 7 ... Internet, 8 ... Server of program data, 11 ... Keyboard, 12 ... Mouse

Claims (3)

To receive program data from the server via the network at the operation terminal, to access the data server related to the reservation / channel selection button for performing reservation / channel selection of the external device, and to download and display the related data Displaying the received program data together with a link button on the display screen of the operation terminal ;
Selecting a predetermined program by an input device from program data displayed on the display screen of the operation terminal ;
If the reservation / channel selection button is pressed while the program data is displayed, and the program selected on the operation terminal is being broadcast, a channel selection command is sent to the external device to select the program. the given, when the selected program is prior to the broadcast, possess and providing the recording reservation command to the external device to make a reservation of the program,
When the link button displayed together with the program data is pressed, the related data is downloaded from the server to the operation terminal via the network, and the related data is displayed together with the reservation / channel selection button on the display screen of the operation terminal. Displayed on
When the reservation / channel selection button displayed together with the related data is pressed, when the program selected on the operation terminal is being broadcast, a channel selection command is given to an external device to select the program, and the selection is performed. An operation method of giving a recording reservation command to an external device so as to make a reservation of the program when the recorded program is before broadcasting .   2. The operation method according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. Receiving means for receiving program data and related data from a server via a network;
Display control means for controlling the program data and related data received by the receiving means to be displayed on a display screen ;
An input device for selecting a predetermined program from the program data displayed on the display screen ;
When the program selected by the input device is being broadcast, a channel selection command is given to an external device so that the program is selected , and when the selected program is before broadcasting, the recording reservation of the program is performed. Processing means for giving a recording reservation command to an external device ,
When the display control means displays the program data, the display control means accesses a data server related to the reservation / channel selection button for performing reservation / channel selection of the external device, and downloads and displays related data. Link button and
When the link button is pressed and the related data is displayed, the reservation / channel selection button is displayed,
When the program data and the related data are displayed and the reservation / channel selection button is pressed, the processing means selects the program when the program selected by the input device is being broadcast. An electronic device characterized in that a channel selection command is given to an external device, and a recording reservation command is given to the external device so as to make a recording reservation for the program when the selected program is before broadcasting .

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