WO2008141542A1

WO2008141542A1 - A method, video device and system for displaying information at the time of switching channels

Info

Publication number: WO2008141542A1
Application number: PCT/CN2008/070272
Authority: WO
Inventors: Xiaoqing Qin
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-05-18
Filing date: 2008-02-04
Publication date: 2008-11-27
Also published as: CN101060616A

Abstract

A method, video device and system for displaying information at the time of switching channels are provided. The method for displaying information at the time of switching channels comprises: after receiving a channel switching command, acquiring the program information corresponding to the switched channel's channel identifiers by the video device; controlling a displaying terminal to display the program information corresponding to the switched channel by the video device.

Description

Information display method, video device and system when channel switching is requested. The application is submitted to the Chinese Patent Office on May 18, 2007, the application number is 200710107965.0, and the invention name is "method of providing program information, program indexing device, video device and system. The priority of the Chinese Patent Application, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

The present invention relates to digital television technology, and in particular, to an information display method, a video device and a system when a channel is switched.

Background technique

At present, with the rapid growth of broadband Internet to provide video on demand, TV programs, video calls, online games, multimedia information and other services to home users, IP-based TV (referred to as IPTV) business has also become a broadband multimedia field. Hot spots of concern. IPTV is the use of broadband networks as the infrastructure, with home TVs or personal computers as the main display terminals, using a series of Internet protocols to carry and transmit encoded and compressed multimedia digital signals, providing home users with a variety of interactions including TV programs. For digital multimedia services and value-added service technologies, users can enjoy video on demand, live video and other services based on IPTV technology through PCs, Set Top Box (STB) + TVs, multimedia phones and more.

Video live broadcast is a basic service of IPTV. In the live video service, when the user switches channels, the set-top box establishes a connection with the media server (Media Server, MS for short) according to the received handover signal, and then receives the media stream. The received media stream is decoded and played. At present, it takes a long time (usually 2 to 3 seconds) to switch from the user-initiated channel to the media stream of the channel after the playback is switched. When the system provides more channels, the user needs to take a long time to scan all the channels, thereby Affects the user experience. To this end, the prior art provides a channel switching scheme: After receiving the channel switching signal, the set top box first displays the prompt content stored locally, such as "Processing, please wait...", or after switching Channel information such as channel number and channel name, after the decoding of the received media stream is completed, the prompt content is closed, and the video is played. In this solution, the prompt content provided to the user is usually known by the user, and is not for the user. Concerned, so the limited effect can be achieved, the user experience is poor, which is not conducive to the promotion and application of IPTV.

Summary of the invention The technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide an information display method, a video device, and a system during channel switching to improve user satisfaction with services during channel switching.

In order to solve the above technical problem, an embodiment of the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

A method for displaying information when a channel is switched includes:

After receiving the channel switching command, the video device acquires program information corresponding to the channel identifier of the switched channel;

The video device controls the display terminal to display program information corresponding to the channel after the switching.

A video device, comprising:

a program information acquiring unit, configured to acquire, after receiving the channel switching command, program information corresponding to the channel identifier of the switched channel;

And a control unit, configured to control the display terminal to display program information corresponding to the channel after the switching. A video system, including a display terminal, further comprising: a video device and an electronic program indexing device; the electronic program indexing device is configured to send program information according to a request of the video device; and the video device is configured to receive a channel switch After the command, the program information request is sent to the electronic program indexing device, and the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching is obtained from the program information sent by the electronic program indexing device, and the display terminal is controlled to display the program information.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic program indexing device may provide program information of the information channel to the video device according to the request of the video device, so that after the channel switching key is triggered, the video device can acquire the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching. And controlling the display terminal to display the program information; since the user can know the program information of the channel after the switching in the channel switching process, the prior art only provides the user with the knowledge that is not concerned by the user during the channel switching process. Compared with the content, the user's satisfaction with the service during the channel switching process can be improved.

DRAWINGS

1 is a flowchart of a method for providing program information according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

2 is a flowchart of a method for providing program information according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

3 is a structural diagram of a video device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

4 is a structural diagram of a video device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a video system according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention; FIG.

6 is a structural diagram of an electronic program indexing device according to Embodiment 7 of the present invention. detailed description

The embodiments of the present invention provide a method for providing program information, an electronic program indexing device, a video device, and a system. The methods and devices of the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below.

Embodiment 1 A method for providing program information, including:

Receiving a program information request from one or more video devices, requesting acquisition of program information according to each of the program information; transmitting the program information to a corresponding video device.

The type of the video device includes: a set top box, a television with a decoding function, a computer, a home media device, a digital entertainment device, a video glasses, and the like. The following is a specific example of a method for providing program information by taking a set top box as an example:

Embodiment 2: A method for providing program information; In this embodiment, an electronic program index

(Electronic Program Guide, EPG for short), after receiving the program information request sent by the STB, the device provides the STB with the program information of the channel after switching; referring to FIG. 1, the following steps are included:

After A1 to A2 and STB are powered on, the user authentication request is sent to the EPG device; the EPG device returns the user authentication response to the STB after acknowledging the user;

A3 to A4, STB sends a request EPG home message to the EPG device; the EPG device returns the EPG home page to the STB by requesting the EPG home response message;

A5 to A6, the STB sends a request for the live channel list message to the EPG device; the EPG device returns a request for the live channel list response to the STB, and provides the live channel list to the STB;

After receiving the channel switching command, the A7 and the STB send a program information request to the EPG device, where the request includes the channel identifier of the channel after the switching;

A8. The EPG device returns, according to the program information request, program information corresponding to the channel identifier to the STB.

A9. The STB controls the display terminal to display the program information.

The display terminal includes a television, a personal computer display, a multimedia mobile phone and the like; the display terminal can display the channel number and the channel name of the channel together with the program information of the channel after the display is displayed;

A10 to All, the STB sends a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) connection establishment request to the MS; the MS returns a media stream connection establishment success response message to the STB; A12 to A13, STB sends a start media play request to the MS; Return to the STB to play back into Work message

A14 to A15 and STB join the multicast group of the switched channel, and receive media stream data of the switched channel sent by the MS;

A16: Decoding the media stream data and playing the same;

A17. Control the display terminal to stop displaying the program information.

In this embodiment, the flow of program information initiated by the STB in step A7 may also be performed simultaneously with A10 or before A10 after A10.

The third embodiment is a method for providing program information. The method in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the first embodiment. The difference is that, in this embodiment, the EPG device can periodically provide all channels to the STB through a timing mechanism. Program information; the STB saves the program information of all channels locally, and updates according to the program information provided by the EPG device; referring to FIG. 2, the embodiment includes the following steps:

B1^B2, after the STB is powered on, sends a user authentication request to the EPG device; the EPG device returns the user authentication response to the STB after acknowledging the user;

B3 to B4, STB sends a request EPG home message to the EPG device; the EPG device returns the EPG home page to the STB by requesting the EPG home response message;

B5 to B6, the STB sends a request for the live channel list message to the EPG device; the EPG device returns a request for the live channel list response to the STB, and provides the direct channel list to the STB;

B7. After receiving the channel switching command, the STB searches for the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching in the locally saved program information;

B8. The STB control display terminal displays the program information.

B9 to B10, the STB sends an RTSP connection establishment request to the MS; the MS returns a media stream connection establishment success response message to the STB;

B11 to B12, STB sends a start media play request to the MS; the MS returns a play success message to the STB;

B13 to B14, the STB joins the multicast group of the switched channel, and receives the media stream data of the switched channel sent by the MS; B15. Decode the media stream data and play it;

B16. Control the display terminal to stop displaying the program information.

In the present embodiment, the flow of program information by the STB in steps B7 and B8 can also be performed simultaneously with B9 or before B9 and after B13.

Embodiment 4, a video device, referring to FIG. 3, the video device 30 includes a storage unit 100, a program information acquiring unit 110, and a control unit 120;

The storage unit 100 is configured to store the program information previously provided by the network side device, and provide the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching to the program information obtaining unit 110 according to the query from the program information acquiring unit 110;

The program information acquiring unit 110 is configured to query the storage unit 110 for program information corresponding to the channel after the switching after receiving the channel switching command;

The control unit 120 is configured to control the display terminal to display the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching; and to control the display terminal to stop displaying the program information after playing the media stream data of the channel after the switching.

The network side device may be an electronic program indexing device.

Embodiment 5, a video device, referring to FIG. 4, the video device 40 includes a program information request sending unit 200, a program information acquiring unit 210, and a control unit 220;

The program information request sending unit 200 is configured to send a request for acquiring channel program information to the network side device after receiving the channel switching command;

The program information obtaining unit 210 is configured to acquire program information from a network side device;

The control unit 220 is configured to control the display terminal to display the program information, and is further configured to control the display terminal to stop displaying the program information after playing the media stream data of the channel after the switching.

The network side device may be an electronic program indexing device.

Embodiment 6 A video system, referring to FIG. 5, includes: a video device 310, a display terminal 320, and an electronic program indexing device 330:

The electronic program indexing device 330 is configured to send the program information according to the request of the video device 310. The video device 310 is configured to obtain, after receiving the channel switching command, the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching from the program information sent by the electronic program indexing device 330; Controlling the display terminal 320 to display the program information; and further for controlling the display terminal 320 to stop displaying after playing the media stream data of the channel after the switching The program information.

The video device 310 can be implemented by using the structures of the video devices in the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment. Embodiment 7 An electronic program indexing device, referring to FIG. 6, includes a receiving unit 610, a program information storage unit 620, and a transmitting unit 630:

5 receiving unit 610 is configured to receive a program information request from a video device;

The program information storage unit 620 is configured to store the program information, and after receiving the program information request, the receiving unit 610 provides the program information of the channel to the sending unit 630 according to the request;

The sending unit 630 is configured to send the program information to the video device.

The types of video devices in the embodiments of the present invention include: a set top box, a television d with decoding function, a computer, a home media device, a digital entertainment device, a video glasses, and the like.

In summary, in an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic program indexing device may provide program information of the information channel to the video device according to the request of the video device, so that after the channel switching key is triggered, the video device can acquire the channel after switching. Corresponding program information, and controlling the display terminal to display the program information; since the user can know the program information of the channel after the switching in the channel switching process, and only providing the user with the user in the channel switching process in the prior art 5, Compared with the content that the user cares about, the user's satisfaction with the service during the channel switching process can be improved.

The method for providing program information, the electronic program indexing device, the video device and the system provided by the present invention are described in detail above. The principles and embodiments of the present invention are described in the following. The description is only for helping to understand the method of the present invention and its thinking; at the same time, for those of ordinary skill in the art, according to the idea of the present invention, there will be changes in specific embodiments and application scopes. The description is not to be construed as limiting the invention.

Claims

Rights request

A method for displaying information when a channel is switched, which is characterized by comprising:

The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring, by the video device, the program information corresponding to the channel identifier of the switched channel comprises:

The video device sends a program information request, where the program information request includes a channel identifier of the channel after switching;

Program information corresponding to the channel identifier of the switched channel is received.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: the video device periodically receiving program information of all channels, and saving the program information locally;

The acquiring, by the video device, the program information corresponding to the channel identifier of the channel after the switching includes: the video device acquiring program information corresponding to the channel after the switching from the locally saved program information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

And displaying, by the display terminal, the channel number and/or the channel name of the channel after the switching, while displaying the program information corresponding to the channel after the switching.

The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the method further comprises: after the video device receives the media stream data of the channel after the switching, controlling the display terminal to stop displaying the location Program information.

6. A video device, comprising:

And a control unit, configured to control the display terminal to display program information corresponding to the channel after the switching.

7. The video device of claim 6, further comprising:

a program information request sending unit, configured to send a program information request to the network side, where the program information request includes a channel identifier of the channel after switching;

The program information acquiring unit receives the channel for acquiring the channel after the switching by receiving from the network side Identify corresponding program information.

8. The video device of claim 6, further comprising:

And a storage unit, configured to periodically receive and store program information of all channels sent by the network side; the program information acquiring unit acquires program information corresponding to the channel after the switching from the program information saved in the storage unit.

The video device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the video device is: a set top box, or a television with decoding function, or a computer, or a home media device, or a digital entertainment device, Or video glasses.

A video system, comprising a display terminal, further comprising: a video device and an electronic program indexing device;

The electronic program indexing device is configured to send program information according to a request of the video device; the video device is configured to send a program information request to the electronic program indexing device after receiving the channel switching command, from the electronic program The program information sent by the indexing device acquires program information corresponding to the channel after the switching, and controls the display terminal to display the program information.

11. The video system of claim 10, wherein the electronic program indexing device comprises:

a receiving unit, configured to receive a program information request from the video device;

a program information storage unit, configured to store program information, and after the receiving unit receives the program information request, provide program information of the channel to the sending unit;

And a sending unit, configured to send the program information to the video device.