KR20090036386A - Broadcasting receiver and method for searching a broadcasting program - Google Patents

Abstract

A broadcasting receiver and a method for searching a broadcasting program are provided to increase search convenience when displaying a searched result to a user through one screen. A demodulator(602) demodulates a signal tuned by a tuner unit to restore received broadcast data. A network interface unit(620) receives an internet protocol packet in a broadcasting receiver through an internet network. A demultiplexer(604) demultiplexes the received signal into service information data, audio data, and video data. A channel manager(614) produces and manages a channel map(616) by referring to information about a received channel included in service information data. An application controller(618) controls an operation of the broadcasting receiver by using various applications of the broadcasting receiver.

Description

Broadcasting receiver and method for searching a broadcasting program}

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver and a broadcast program search method, and more particularly, to a broadcast receiver for receiving a broadcast from various sources and a method for searching the received broadcast program.

Conventional broadcast receivers have been serviced in such a way that content produced by a broadcaster is transmitted through a radio wave transmission medium such as terrestrial, cable, or satellite broadcasting, and the user views the receiver through a receiver capable of receiving the respective delivery media. .

However, as digital-based digital broadcasting technology has been developed and commercialized in existing analog broadcasting, real-time broadcasting, contents on demand, games, and news using Internet networks connected to homes in addition to existing radio waves or wired cable media. It is now possible to provide a variety of content services to the user.

An example of providing a content service using the Internet network is IPTV (Internet Protocol TV). The IPTV transmits various information services, video contents, and broadcasts through an internet network and provides them to the receiver of the user. The Internet network may be implemented on various types of networks such as an optical cable network, a coaxial cable network, a fiber to the home (FTTH), a telephone network, and a wireless network based on an Internet Protocol (IP).

When receiving broadcast data from various broadcast sources as described above, since a program that a user can watch is diversified, a search method for easily accessing a program that a user wants to view is needed. However, in the conventional search method, there is an inefficient problem in searching for a broadcast program received from various sources as described above.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast receiver and a search method capable of efficiently searching for a broadcast program received from various sources.

The broadcast program search method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a search keyword of a program to be searched, searching for a program corresponding to the search keyword individually for each broadcast source that can be viewed by a receiver, in each of the broadcast sources Integrating the individually searched search results, and displaying the integrated search results on a screen.

In the broadcast receiver according to the present invention, a broadcast receiver capable of watching a broadcast from a plurality of broadcast sources, the application control unit receiving a search keyword and searching for a broadcast program individually for each viewable broadcast source and integrating the searched results. And a display unit for displaying the integrated search result on the screen.

According to the broadcast receiver and the broadcast program search method of the present invention, there is an effect that can efficiently search for broadcast data received from various sources. In addition, when the searched result is displayed to the user on one screen, it is possible to increase the convenience of the search and to use the search screen for advertisement, product or service search.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In addition, the terms used in the present invention was selected as a general term widely used as possible now, but in certain cases, the term is arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case the meaning is described in detail in the corresponding description of the invention, It is to be clear that the present invention is to be understood as the meaning of terms rather than names.

Operation of the broadcast receiver and the broadcast program search method according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Sources that can receive broadcasts such as terrestrial, satellite, cable, and IPTV are becoming more and more diversified, and broadcast data received using a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) may be stored. The user may use a search function to watch a desired broadcast among broadcast data of various sources as described above. However, in the case of the existing broadcast data search, the broadcast is searched individually for each broadcast source and search results are provided to the user.

1 is a schematic diagram of a process of searching for a broadcast program according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a desired broadcast is searched among one or more broadcast sources, and the search results are integrated and provided to the user.

The broadcast receiver may be a broadcast program recorded in a storage device (for example, an HDD, etc.) provided inside or outside the broadcast receiver using a DVR or the like, or a broadcast program (for example, terrestrial or satellite broadcast) transmitted through a radio wave medium. Etc.), a broadcast program (for example, cable broadcasting, etc.) transmitted through a wired medium, a broadcast program (for example, IPTV, etc.) transmitted through an IP network, and the like can be searched and provided to the user. The search source is an example, and another broadcast source may be further added.

The broadcast receiver receives a search keyword from a user through a program search application. When the search keyword is input, the broadcast receiver searches for a broadcast source and a recorded broadcast program connected to the broadcast receiver. When the keyword is input, the broadcast receiver may previously present a keyword having a high search frequency to the user. In addition, even if the user inputs only some letters or some spellings of the desired keyword, the completed keyword may be presented in advance.

For example, it is assumed that a broadcast program recorded in a broadcast receiver exists as shown in FIG. 1, and an input source of an IPTV, a cable, or a terrestrial broadcast is connected.

When a search keyword is input, the program search application searches for a broadcast program corresponding to the keyword for each source. The broadcast program search is performed individually, and the search results individually performed are returned to the program search application. For example, a broadcast program recorded in a storage device searches for a broadcast program corresponding to a keyword from a recording DB, and a cable or terrestrial broadcast program is transmitted from a DB of a program guide such as an EPG (Electronic Program Guide). Search for the corresponding broadcast program. In the case of IPTV, an IPTV program schedule provided from an IPTV portal site can be searched. The search may be performed in parallel at the same time, or may be performed sequentially in a predetermined order, which is implementation dependent.

When a search result performed in each source or the like is returned, the program search application integrates the search result and displays it on the screen. In this case, when the search result is displayed, the search result may be reprocessed according to a set value. For example, the search results may be rearranged according to the preferred genre, or re-searched from the search results.

The broadcast receiver forms an EPG database using program specific information (PSI) / program and system information protocol (PSIP) or service information (PSI / SI) information included in a broadcast signal of a cable or terrestrial broadcast, or separately. EPG data may be received through the EPG receiving apparatus of the EPG, and the EPG search may be performed. In the case of IPTV, the broadcast receiver may access the IPTV portal site to search for a program, or search for a program by making a database of information about each service provided with the IPTV server access information. In the case of satellite broadcasting, a program may be searched using the received program guide information.

When searching for a broadcast program recorded in a broadcast receiver, the corresponding program may be searched using a keyword stored together with the recorded broadcast program.

2 is a diagram illustrating a recorded program and a search keyword according to an embodiment of the present invention. The broadcast receiver stores the keyword of the program together with the program in an internal or external storage device.

For example, in FIG. 2, programs of 'a current magazine', 'VJ commando', and '9 o'clock news' are stored in broadcast data having a program ID of 1001. One or more programs may be stored in the broadcast data. The broadcast receiver stores the keywords of the broadcast program, 'a preview', 'magazine', 'VJ', 'commando', '9 o', and 'news' together with the broadcast program data. The keywords are values extracted from PSI / PSIP, PSI / SI information, etc. received with a broadcast program. The keyword may use information such as a title of a program, a broadcast time, a channel number, a broadcasting company, a viewing grade, a genre, a cast, and the like, and which information may be used as a keyword may vary depending on implementation.

The broadcast receiver may form a keyword DB using the extracted keywords as described above. 3 is a diagram illustrating a search keyword database according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 illustrates a database formed by using a keyword extracted from a program storage list as shown in FIG.

In the database of FIG. 3, a keyword and a program ID corresponding to the keyword are stored. For example, there are 1001 and 1002 program IDs having keywords for 'a preview'. When a hash function and a table are used in the database as described above, keyword storage and retrieval speed can be further improved.

When the broadcast receiver receives a corresponding keyword from the user, when searching for a recorded program, the broadcast receiver may search for the program by using a storage list and a database as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, if the keyword 'magazine' is inputted, a recorded program having a program ID 1001 and a recorded program having 1002 are returned as a search value.

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a program search screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. When a user inputs a program search command using an input means such as a remote controller, a touch screen, or an input button, the program search application of the broadcast receiver causes the search window of the screen 400 to be displayed on the screen. The search window may be implemented through an OSD (On Screen Display).

When the user displays the search window as described above, the user can input a search keyword in the search box. As the keyword, information such as a title of a program, a broadcasting time, a channel number, a broadcasting company, a viewing grade, a genre, and a cast member may be used. When the search keyword is input, the broadcast receiver performs a program search separately for each connected broadcast source and a recorded broadcast program. The search method is as described above.

The individually searched search results are integrated through a program search application to be displayed on the screen. The program search application may receive all of the search results and display them on the screen, or the search results may be updated on the screen whenever a search result occurs.

The screen 410 schematically shows the integrated search result. The screen may be displayed through an OSD. In addition, the screen may be displayed in full screen or may be displayed in a small screen.

In the screen of 410, the recorded program, the program searched in the cable or terrestrial EPG, and the IPTV broadcast program are divided into three parts and displayed on the screen. However, the search results from more sources may be added. It may be displayed over, or may be displayed using a scroll (scroll) method. That is, the screen is an embodiment, and the configuration of the screen may vary according to implementation.

The user may ignore the search result and perform a re-search, or may select a desired program using the search result and perform an operation on the selected program. That is, the selected program can be played, scheduled play, scheduled recording, recorded program deletion, VOD (Video On Demand) download, and the like. Work on the selected program may vary depending on the characteristics of the corresponding source.

For example, for a recorded program, you can play, delete, or register a favorite program, and for a program searched by EPG, you can perform program recording, scheduled recording, viewing, or scheduled viewing. have. In the case of IPTV, VOD program download and play, download and save, favorite program registration, real-time multicasting program recording, reservation recording, viewing, reservation viewing, etc. can be performed. Alternatively, in the case of an advertising program, the advertisement details can be viewed, recorded, watched, or the advertisement product or service can be purchased.

In FIG. 4, screen 420 represents a screen for inputting a task execution command for the selected program, and screen 430 represents a screen for playing the selected program.

When performing a work on the selected program as described above, the broadcast receiver may store a search history or a searched result. By storing the search result as described above, the user may view the previous search result again or perform a new search using another keyword.

5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a software system of a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the case of a software system of a broadcast receiver, the software system may be divided into a hardware layer, a middleware layer, and an application layer. In FIG. 5, the application 500 is included in an application layer, and includes a recording / playback / storage module 510, a database management system (DBMS) 520, a file system 530, an EPG interface 540, and an IPTV data processor. 550 is included in the middleware layer, and the storage unit 560, the database unit 570, and the Ethernet 550 are included in the hardware layer. Although there is a device driver layer between the hardware layer and the middleware layer, it is not shown in FIG. 5.

Various applications may exist in the application layer, and the application performs a corresponding operation according to the programmed contents. For example, the program search application receives external input from a user and displays a program search result on a screen.

Hereinafter, a description will be given focusing on the drawing of FIG. 5 and the program searching process described above. It is assumed that the application 500 existing in the application layer of FIG. 5 is a program search application.

When a user inputs a program search command using a remote controller or an input button, the program search application of the application layer displays a program search screen on the screen. When a program search keyword is input to the program search screen, the program search application transmits the search keyword to a database management system (DBMS) 520, and the DBMS 520 performs a search related to each source.

For example, when a broadcast receiver has an IPTV broadcast, a cable or terrestrial broadcast, or a recorded broadcast program as a source, the DBMS 520 transmits a search keyword to perform a program search for each of the sources.

The file system 530 controls input and output of a file and manages files stored in the storage unit 560. When the search keyword is received from the DBMS 520, the file system 530 searches for a broadcast program corresponding to the received search keyword and returns a search result to the DBMS 520.

With regard to cable or terrestrial broadcasting, the EPG interface 540 manages EPG information and provides information on a program. Upon receiving a search keyword from the DBMS 520, the EPG interface 540 searches for a corresponding program from an EPG database stored in the database unit 570. The searched result is returned to the DBMS 520.

The IPTV data processor 550 processes and manages data related to IPTV. Upon receiving a search keyword from the DBMS 520, the IPTV data processor 550 searches for a program schedule provided from an IPTV portal site through a network interface unit such as an Ethernet 580. The search result is returned to the DBMS 520.

As described above, the program search process for each source is performed separately, and the search results are also returned individually. The DBMS 520 integrates the returned search results and sends them to the program search application. The program search application causes the received search result to be displayed on the screen. As described above with reference to FIG. 4, the display method may be implemented in various ways.

The user may use the program search result to select a desired program, play a program, or record a video. For example, when a user wants to perform a task by selecting one of the stored programs, the user inputs a task command by using an external input means such as a remote controller. The application related to the recorded program interprets the corresponding command and transmits it to the recording / playback / storage module 510, and the recording / playback / storage module 510 corresponds to the file system 530 to find and execute the command. Send the command. The file system 530 searches for a program file stored in the storage unit 560 according to the received command and executes a command.

In the case of performing an operation by selecting one IPTV program among the searched programs, the application interprets the corresponding command and transmits the command to the IPTV data processor 550, and the IPTV data processor 550 includes a network interface unit such as Ethernet 580. Commands such as reception and playback of the program are performed.

6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. The broadcast receiver includes a tuner unit 600, a demodulator 602, a demultiplexer 604, an A / V decoder 606, a display unit 608, a service information database The unit 610, the service information decoder 612, the channel manager 614, the channel map 616, the application & UI manager 618, and the network interface unit ) 620, an IP data processor 622, a memory 624, a storage controller 626, and a storage 628. The broadcast receiver may be a digital television (DTV) capable of receiving digital broadcasts.

The tuner 600 may receive a broadcast signal by tuning a frequency corresponding to a specific channel. The tuner 600 may be a tuner for receiving terrestrial, satellite, or cable broadcasts. In addition, according to an embodiment of the broadcast receiver, one or more tuners may be used for the broadcast receiver. For example, when all terrestrial, satellite and cable broadcasts can be received, each tuner unit corresponding to the terrestrial, satellite and cable broadcasts is required. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, a description will be made with respect to one tuner unit. Meanwhile, the operation of the tuner unit 600 may be controlled by the channel manager 614.

The demodulator 602 demodulates the signal tuned by the tuner 600 and restores the received broadcast data. The demodulation scheme corresponds to a scheme modulated by the transmitter, and different demodulation schemes may be used depending on a source. For example, North American terrestrial broadcasting can be demodulated according to VSB, and cable broadcasting can be demodulated according to QAM.

The network interface unit 620 receives the IP packet to the broadcast receiver through the Internet network or transmits the IP packet to the Internet network. IP data received by the broadcast receiver or data transmitted to the Internet network is processed by the IP data processor 622 according to the IP protocol. The IP data processing unit 622 accesses a server of a corresponding channel and receives data under the control of the channel manager 614. The IP data processor 622 transmits the received data to the demultiplexer 604 to demultiplex the data.

The demultiplexer 604 demultiplexes a signal received from the demodulator 602 or the IP data processor 622 into service information data such as PSI / PSIP, PSI / SI table data, audio data, and video data. It plays a role. The demultiplexing of the audio data and the video data may be controlled by the channel manager 614, and the service information data may be controlled by the service information decoder 612.

The demultiplexed service information data is transmitted to the service information decoder 612, and the demultiplexed audio data and video data are transmitted to the A / V decoder 606. The A / V decoder 606 decodes the received audio data and video data according to a corresponding coding scheme. The service information decoder 612 parses service information data such as PSI / PSIP, PSI / SI table data, and extracts information about a program included in the data. The extracted information is transmitted to the service information database unit 610 for storage and management.

The channel manager 614 creates and manages a channel map 616 by referring to information about a received channel included in the service information data. The channel manager 614 may perform channel switching and the like with reference to the channel map 616. The channel manager 614 sets an A / V PID (Packet ID) corresponding to the selected channel to the demultiplexer 604 to decode A / V data of the corresponding channel.

The application controller 618 controls the operation of the broadcast receiver using various applications of the broadcast receiver. In addition, the operation progress or the result according to the operation may be displayed on the screen through the GUI (Graphic User Interface). The screen configuration may be implemented by an OSD (On Screen Display).

The program search application described above may operate under the control of the application control unit 618. The program search application receives a search keyword and stores an EPG database or stored in the service information database unit 610. The program is searched using the recorded program information stored in the unit 628 and the IPTV program information received through the network interface unit 620. In the case of IPTV, information about the IPTV broadcasting service may be received together with server access information and stored in the service information database unit 610. In this case, the information stored in the service information database unit 610 may be stored. You can also search for programs.

The program search result found for each source may be integrated in the application controller 618 and displayed on the display unit 608 through an OSD.

The memory 624 stores setup data and the like for the system. Non-volatile memory (NVRAM) or flash memory may be used as the storage. The storage controller 626 controls to store the video / audio data in the storage 628 or to read and reproduce the data stored in the storage 628. The storage unit 628 receives and stores video / audio data from the A / V decoder 606 under the control of the storage control unit 626, or stores the video / audio data stored in the storage unit 628 in A / V. Transmit to V decoder 606 to decode.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a data retrieval process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The user inputs a program search command using an external input device such as a remote controller, a touch screen, an input button, and the like to search for a desired broadcast program. When the above command is input, the broadcast receiver displays a program search window on the screen.

When the search window is displayed on the screen, the user inputs search information or a search keyword for program search (S700). When the search information is input, the broadcast receiver searches for a corresponding program of each source connected to the broadcast receiver according to the search information (S710). The search is performed individually for each source, and the search results are also returned individually.

When the search result is returned, the search result is integrated (S720), and the integrated search result is displayed on the screen (S730). The search result may be displayed by collecting all the searched results, or may update the search results on the screen every time it is searched. In addition, the search results may be displayed by reprocessing the returned results.

When the search result is displayed on the screen, the user may select a desired program or perform a re-search using the search result (S740). If the user starts rescanning, it starts from step S700.

When the user selects a desired program among the searched programs and inputs a command such as play or recording, the user performs an operation on the corresponding program according to the command (S750).

The above contents may be used in a broadcast receiver, and the broadcast receiver is a generic term for a receiver capable of receiving a broadcast signal. In addition, the above contents may be applied to a broadcast receiver regardless of a reception type such as fixed or mobile reception.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified by those skilled in the art as can be seen from the appended claims, and such variations are within the scope of the present invention. .

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process of searching for a broadcast program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating a recorded program and a search keyword according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a search keyword database according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a program search screen as an embodiment according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a software system of a receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a data retrieval process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

600: tuner unit 602: demodulation unit

604: demultiplexer 606: A / V decoder

608: display unit 610: service information database unit

612: service information decoder 614: channel manager

616: channel map 618: application control unit

620: network interface unit 622: IP data processing unit

624: memory 626: storage control

628: storage

Claims (9)

In the broadcast program search method, Receiving a search keyword of a program to search for; Individually searching for a program corresponding to the input search keyword for each broadcast source viewable by a receiver; Incorporating search results individually retrieved from each broadcast source; And And displaying the integrated search result on the screen. The method of claim 1, Selecting a program using the displayed search result, and performing a command for the selected program. The method of claim 1, The viewable broadcast source, A broadcast program searching method comprising at least one of a radio wave medium transmission broadcast, a wired medium transport broadcast, an IP network transmission broadcast, and a recorded and stored broadcast. The method of claim 1, Searching for the program, A program search method for searching for a program of a corresponding source using program guide information, a keyword database of a recorded program, and IPTV program information received from a server. A broadcast receiver capable of watching broadcasts from a plurality of broadcast sources, An application control unit which receives a search keyword and searches for a broadcast program individually for each of the viewable broadcast sources and integrates the searched results; And And a display unit for displaying the integrated search result on a screen. The method of claim 5, wherein The broadcast source, And at least one of radio wave medium transmission broadcast, wired medium transmission broadcast, IP network transmission broadcast, and recorded and stored broadcast. The method of claim 5, wherein And a database unit for storing program guide information of a broadcast received through a radio wave medium or a wired medium. The method of claim 5, wherein And a storage unit which stores recorded broadcast data and a keyword database of the broadcast data. The method of claim 5, wherein A network interface unit for transmitting and receiving data through an IP network; And And an IP data processor configured to process data transmitted and received through the network interface unit.

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