CN1812556A - Establishing method and searching method for realizing datalist of television program search - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for setting up data table to realize search of TV program includes picking up information being able to confirm event uniquely from EPG information, making keyword corresponding to said event according to EPG information and using keyword to describe character of corresponding event, setting up event keyword table presenting relation of event to keyword according to relevant ruled syntax on EPG information table in digital TV standard .The means to carry out program search by utilizing said method is also disclosed .

Description

A kind of method for building up and searching method of realizing the tables of data of television program search

Technical field

The present invention relates to digital TV field, particularly a kind of method for building up and searching method of realizing the tables of data of television program search.

Background technology

We know that the growth of television programming provider or TV station's quantity is very rapid, and people only use a satellite receiver at present, can watch hundreds of television channels at home.Review the past, early stage in internet development, because there is not search engine, people get lost in the internet information of magnanimity through regular meeting, until the appearance of Yahoo (Yahoo) search engine, just make people have the ability to find the information of wanting.We have run into similar problem in television system now: along with the appearance of Digital Television, in the near future, television channel quantity can rapidly increase with exponential form.Therefore TV user needs a kind of effective and efficient manner to find out to want the channel seen, rather than picture is being browsed time waste on all channels when going over channel searching.

Solution to the problems described above is to provide electronic program guides (EPG) information to the user at present, and described EPG information generally comprises the classified information (as film, news, physical culture etc.) of channel designation, programm name, program description, broadcast time and program etc.The user is when searching program, only need to use set-top box remote controller television screen to be switched to the interface of EPG, just can see programm name, broadcast time and the program brief introduction of a period of time with each digital TV channel in interior (in a week), except searching in chronological order the program, EPG can also allow you search according to program classification to want the program seen, as search film, promptly can obtain the relevant information of the film that will play in a period of time, comprise movie name, corresponding channel designation, movie contents introduction etc.

Simply introduce the realization of EPG in two main number television standards (U.S. ATSC and European DVB standard) below.Described EPG information is at the conceptive many tables (table) that are divided into, described table is divided into plurality of sections (section) again, pack according to Moving Picture Experts Group-2, (TS) sends user terminal to by mpeg 2 transport stream, described TS is multiplexing, simultaneously also is used for transmitting the signals such as sound, video of TV.Different tables is distinguished with different bag marks (PID) in TS stream, and user terminal is presented on the video screen after can handling through digital TV set-top box after receiving the EPG information that described TS sends, and checks listing or selects program for the user.After the user selected certain program, set-top box can filter out the audio frequency and video TS bag of this program, plays on video screen after treatment.

Use performance system information protocol (PSIP) to transmit described EPG information in the ATSC standard, table relevant with TV programme itself in described PSIP information mainly comprises: virtual channel table (VCT) table, Event Information Table (EIT).Main contents in VCT table and the EIT table such as attached illustrated in figures 1 and 2, mainly comprise among the VCT channel (dominant frequency Taoist monastic name major num. and frequency division Taoist monastic name minor num.), channel breviary name (short name), program number (progr.num.), expanded text position (not shown), this table the ID value contents such as (channel TSID) that flows of corresponding TS.Mainly comprise the title of event number (event id), local time started (local starttime), duration (length among the described EIT, in second) and incident title information such as (title), described event is the exemplary program in the virtual channel that defines among the described VCT, as the event id in the NBZ-S channel 53 incident: be the Car Racing program that begins and continue 9000 seconds (150 minutes) from 15:30, be an incident; Comprise incident expanded text (ETM) among the described ETT, this content is optionally, is used to provide the detailed description about described virtual channel and incident.

More than mainly select from PSIP agreement---the Program and System informafion Protocoi for Terrestrial Broadcast and Cable (Revision B) of ATSC Standard about the content of ATSC standard.

And in the DVB standard, described EPG information is made up of program specific information (PSI) and two parts of business information (SI).

Described PSI comprises four tables: Program Association Table (PAT), Program Map Table (PMT), Conditional Access table (CAT), network information table (NIT).Utilize PSI from a TS who carries a plurality of programs, correctly to find specific program, idiographic flow is as follows, when receiver will receive some appointed programs, it at first obtains the pid value of the PMT of this program from PAT, from TS, find out the corresponding PMT of pid value therewith then, from this PMT, obtain the pid value of the elementary stream of this program of formation, leach elementary streams such as corresponding video, audio frequency and data according to this pid value, the decoding back is restored and is primary signal, and deletion simultaneously contains the transmission bag of all the other PID.

The physical transfer net information such as channel tuning parameter, frequency, symbol rate that comprise program among the described NIT, these information make receiver correctly to decode TS according to user's selection with seldom time-delay or have time-delay ground and change channel, tuner parameters; Described the cipher mode of program among the described CAT, the EMM identification PID that it has comprised program has only the decoder of mandate to receive key by CAT, decodes corresponding data flow.

PSI only provides the information of single TS, the reception function is decoded to the different program streams among the single TS, but it can not provide the relevant business of a plurality of TS and program type, what program, information such as when begin, therefore the DVB system expands PSI, the multiple form of other different information categories is provided, has formed SI.

Comprise nine tables among the described SI, wherein relevant with program main table is following three tables:

1) BAT:BAT table provides the information of related relevant program bouquet, comprises the program business list that program bouquet title and program bouquet are comprised.Utilize BAT can carry out browsing and selecting of related-program or a certain class program easily.

2) SDT:SDT table be used for the type of service (as PAL, NTSC, SECAM, FM broadcasting, teletext, quasi-video request program etc.) of descriptive system title, service supplier, whether the information of aspects such as events corresponding description list is arranged; SDT Service Description Table can be retouched the current transport stream of fortune, also can describe other transport stream, is distinguished by the Table ID that shows.

3) EIT:EIT table comprises the relevant data of incident or program, as the title of incident, time started, time span, running status etc.

But after carefully studying above-mentioned digital television standard ATSC and DVB standard carefully, can find that the description to programm name and content only comprises some text messages usually in the existing digital television standard, and not be suitable for the search purposes.

Summary of the invention

At the problems referred to above, purpose of the present invention just is to provide a kind of more simple television program way of search, people can more easily be found want the program of seeing.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes a kind of method for building up of realizing the tables of data of television program search, be used for carrying out television program search in electronic program guides (EPG) information, this method may further comprise the steps,

In EPG information, extract can unique described event of determining information;

According to the keyword (keyword) of EPG information formulation corresponding to described event, described keyword is used to describe the feature of corresponding event;

According in the digital television standard incident antistop list (EKT) that is used to express event and keyword relation being set up in the respective specified grammer of EPG information table.

Further, in the ATSC standard, each section is according to constructing the grammer of section regulation in the ATSC standard P Session Initiation Protocol among the described EKT, and described keyword root is constructed according to the definition to many character strings in the PSIP agreement.

Further, in the DVB standard, utilize SI table to transmit EPG information, described SI table is used to describe TV program information, it is characterized in that, defines according to the section syntactic definition of SI table in the DVB standard and many character strings and constructs described EKT table.

Further, the corresponding a plurality of keyword of a described event.

Further, the coding of described keyword adopts the multilingual coding.

The invention allows for a kind of list structure of realizing television program search, be used for carrying out television program search in electronic program guide (EPG) information, this table is incident antistop list (EKT), described EKT table is set up according to the respective specified grammer to the EPG information table in the digital television standard, comprise the information and the corresponding keyword keyword thereof that can be unique determine described event among the described EKT, described information that can unique definite event is used to find described event, and described keyword is used to describe the feature of described event.

Utilize the PSIP table to transmit EPG information in the ATSC standard, further, each section constructs according to the grammer of in the ATSC standard P Session Initiation Protocol section being stipulated among the described EKT,

In the DVB standard, utilize SI table to transmit EPG information, described SI table comprises 9 tables, is used to describe TV program information, further, defines according to the section syntactic definition of SI table in the DVB standard and many character strings and to construct described EKT table.

Further, the corresponding a plurality of keyword of a described event.

Further, the coding of described keyword adopts the multilingual coding.

The invention allows for a kind of method that realizes television program search, be used for carrying out television program search, it is characterized by, may further comprise the steps in electronic program guide (EPG) information:

A) set up the EKT table;

B) TV user input search key one;

C) plurality of keywords two identical or close with described keyword one found out in the keyword in more described keyword one and the described EKT table in the EKT table, and further obtain the event number of described keyword two correspondences;

D) find out described event number indication some event relevant information and show.

Further, in step a), set up the EKT table, and described EKT table is delivered to user terminal together with other table in the EPG information by EPG Information Provider.

Further, under user terminal is preserved described EPG information in step a); Then filter out the EKT table in the EPG information under the described preservation in step c), the keyword that utilizes the user to import in described EKT table is retrieved.

Further, filter out the EKT table in the EPG information in the described TS stream that is sent to the TV user terminal in step c), the keyword that utilizes the user to import in described EKT table is retrieved.

Further, user terminal receives EPG information, and program-related information is wherein analyzed, and sets up the EKT table and uses for user search.

The present invention sets up a form that is exclusively used in program searching by utilizing original EPG information, and utilizes this form to carry out program searching, has accelerated the speed of program searching, thereby has made TV user save the time that is used for searching TV program greatly.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the example of a VCT table in the ATSC standard P Session Initiation Protocol;

Fig. 2 is the example of an EIT table in the ATSC standard P Session Initiation Protocol;

The example of Fig. 3 EKT table of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a program searching method flow chart of the present invention.

Embodiment

Illustrate that with specific embodiment the method for building up of EKT table of the present invention utilizes this table to carry out the method for program searching below.

In order to understand the present invention better, at this structure of described EKT is described earlier, in this regulation the structure of EKT is described according to the PSIP agreement in the ATSC standard, described EKT is the same with other table among the PSIP, also be to be divided into some section, spread by TS according to Mpeg-2 standard packing and be passed to user terminal conceptive.Following table 1 promptly is the syntactic structure of the section in the described EKT table:

Grammer	Bit number	Form
			event_keyword_table_section(){ table_id section_syntax_indicator private_indicator reserved section_length source_id reserved version_number current_next_ndicator section_number last_section_number protocol_version num_events_in_section for(j＝0；j＜num_events_in_section；j++){ reserved event_id keyword_length keyword() reserved } CRC_32 }	8 1 1 2 12 16 2 5 1 8 8 8 8 2 14 20 var 4 32	0xDB ‘1’ ‘1’ ‘11’ uimsbf uimsbf ″11″ uimsbf ‘1’ uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf ″11″ uimsbf uimsbf ″1111″ rpchof

Table 1

The grammer specific explanations of EKT table recited above is as follows:

1) table_id: the uimsbf formatted data that is a 8bit, be used to identify this section and belong to described EKT table, select in the span of the table_id that its numerical value can not be used in the PSIP agreement, as being set to any one numeral in 0xCE～0xD2,0xD5～0xDF, 0xE0～0xE5, the 0xE6～0xEF scope; And for the DVB standard, can be set to the arbitrary value of untapped being in " reserved " state, 0x04～0x3F, 0x43～0x45,0x4B～0x4D or 0x79～0x7D.Be set to 0xDB in the PSIP agreement in this routine ATSC standard.

2) section_syntax_indicator: take 1bit, value is set to ' 1 ' 0.

3) private_indicator: take 1bit, value is set to ' 1 '.

4) section_length: be the uimsbf data of a 12bit, be used for identifying this section following closely and up to the byte number of section tail, comprising check digit CRC_32, this numeral should not surpass 4093.

5) source_id: be the uimsbf data of a 16bit, in the VCT table under the PSIP agreement, each virtual channel has a corresponding with it source_id respectively, is used to identify a specific virtual channel.At this, the EKT table utilizes described source_id and hereinafter described event_id to get final product unique event of determining.

6) version_number: be the uimsbf data of a 5bit, be used to identify the version number of this section, whenever the section content changes, then this section version number adds 1.

7) current_next_indicator: take 1bit, value is set to ' 1 '.

8) section_number: be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used to identify the segment number of this section.

9) last_scction_number: be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used to identify the segment number of the final stage of described EKT table.

10) protocol_version: the uimsbf data that are a 8bit, be used to identify the protocol version of described EKT, if promptly the structure in the future described EKT table changes to some extent, then can mark the version number of its variation, be set to " 0 " in present this value.

11) num_events_in_section: be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used for identifying the quantity of the event that this section describe.This value is generally 0 above integer, if this value is " 0 ", then shows the event that does not have description in this section, and promptly this keyword does not have corresponding event at present.

12) event_id: the uimsbf data that are a 14bit, be used to identify the identifier of present described event, described event_id and foregoing source_id combine, and represent certain program of certain channel, promptly can uniquely determine an incident.Described event_id is used as the identifier of event in original EIT table, also be the part of the ETM identifier (ETM_id) in original incident expanded text table (ETT) simultaneously, promptly by a pair of specific source_id and event_id, can find the contents such as event name, channel name, event content description of the specific event of its correspondence.

13) keyword_length: length keywords is the uimsbf data of a 20bit, is used to identify the shared byte number of keyword () field.

14) keyword: keyword is a variable, introduces in detail in the back.

15) CRC_32: check digit is the rpchof formatted data of a 32bit, is according to the annex A of ISO-13818-1 " MPEG-2Systems " standard definition, is used to guarantee to make register null value of output behind each section of handling the EKT table of decoder.

16) Reserved: keep the position, possible modification after being used for.

Below explain in detail the syntactic structure of the keyword that draws according to the relevant regulations in the PSIP agreement, shown in following table 2:

Syntax	No.of Bits	Format
			keyword(){ number_of_keyword for(i＝0；i＜number_of_keyword；i++){ ISO_639_language_code number_of_segment for(j＝0；j＜number_of_segment；j++){ compression_type mode number_of_byte for(k＝0；k＜number_of_byte；k++) compressed_keyword_byte[k]	8 24 8 8 8 8 8	uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf uimsbf bslbf

}

} }

Table 2

1) number_of_keyword: keyword quantity is the uimsbf data of a 8bit, is used to identify the number of all keywords of above-mentioned event_id correspondence, represents i keyword with i in the circulation below.

2) ISO_639_language_code: be the uimsbf data of a 24bit, be used to identify the language form of i keyword.In this example, use ISO 639 standards, described ISO 639 is the standard of two or three letter representation category of language of a kind of usefulness, represents with trigram in this example, and then Chinese is " chi " or " zho ", and English is " eng ".If i key words content is Chinese, then can select " chi " for use.

3) number_of_segment: the joint number amount is the uimsbf data of a 8bit, is used for identifying the joint number of follow-up data.Described joint number i.e. the hop count amount that the keyword character string is divided into, and represents j the segment of i keyword in the circulation below with j.

4) compression_type: compression type, be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used to identify the compression type of j joint, shown in the compression type table 3 specific as follows, compression type 0x01 and 0x02 should only limit the use of in the mode value when the 0x00, represent its coded system adopt among the ATSC A/65B table C.4, C.5, C.6, the standard encoding and decoding table of C.7 definition carries out encoding and decoding to data.

Compression_type	Compression_Method
		0x00	There is not compression
0x01	Huffman coding, use among the ATSC A/65B table C.4 with the table standard encoding and decoding table of definition C.5
		0x02	Huffman coding, use among the ATSC A/65B table C.6 with the table standard encoding and decoding table of definition C.7
0x03～0xAF	Keep
		0xB0～0xFF	Be used for other system

Table 3

5) mode: be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used to the content of every joint and the relation between its coding are described that its essence is a kind of compression method, its particular content is shown in following table 4.If the decoder in the TV set-top box of user terminal is not supported certain mode, the character string that then comprises this kind mode can be left in the basket.If use the mode value of 0x01～0x06,0x09～0x0E, 0x10,0x20～0x27,0x30～0x33 scope, then compression_type should be 0x00, does not promptly have compression.During value in the mode value is above-mentioned 0x01～0x06,0x09～0x0E, 0x10,0x20～0x27,0x30～0x33 scope, the bytes that represents this segment represents low eight in one 16 the Unicode coding, and the mode value itself is its high eight-bit.

Mode	Meaning
		0x00	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0000-0x00FF
0x01	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0100-0x01FF
		0x02	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0200-0x02FF
0x03	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0300-0x03FF
		0x04	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0400-0x04FF
0x05	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0500-0x05FF
		0x06	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0600-0x06FF
0x07-0x08	Reserved
		0x09	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0900-0x09FF
0x0A	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0A00-0x0AFF
		0x0B	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0B00-0x0BFF
0x0C	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0C00-0x0CFF
		0x0D	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0D00-0x0DFF
0x0E	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0E00-0x0EFF
		0x0F	Select Unicode Code Range 0x0F00-0x0FFF
0x10	Select Unicode Code Range 0x1000-0x10FF
		0x11-0x1F	Reserved
0x20	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2000-0x20FF
		0x21	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2100-0x21FF
0x22	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2200-0x22FF
		0x23	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2300-0x23FF
0x24	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2400-0x24FF
		0x25	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2500-0x25FF
0x26	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2600-0x26FF
		0x27	Select Unicode Code Range 0x2700-0x27FF

0x28-0x2F	Reserved
		0x30	Select Unicode Code Range 0x3000-0x30FF
0x31	Select Unicode Code Range 0x3100-0x31FF
		0x32	Select Unicode Code Range 0x3200-0x32FF
0x33	Select Unicode Code Range 0x3300-0x33FF
		0x34-0x3D	Reserved
0x3E	Select Standard Compression Scheme for Unicode(SCSU)[19]
		0x3F	Select Unicode，UTF-16Form
0x40-0x41	Assigned to ATSC standard for Taiwan
		0x42-0x47	Reserved for future ATSC use
0x48	Assigned to ATSC standard for South Korea
		0x49-0xDF	Reserved for future ATSC use
0xE0-0xFE	Used in other systems
		0xFF	Not applicable

Table 4

For example, a Unicode encoded radio is the sequence of " 0x0E50; 0x0E51; 0x0E52 ", may represent with one " joint ": its mode value is " 0x0E ", and the character string byte in its joint is " 0x50,0x51; 0x52 ", therefore utilizes mode that a simple coding delivery form can be provided for 16 Unicode encoded radio.

Standard Compression Scheme for Unicode (SCSU) coded system is selected in mode value " 0x3E " expression for use.

Mode value " 0x3F " expression is used the UTF-16 compiling method and is represented character.About the specific definition of UTF-16, see also the Unicode standard.If use mode value " 0x3F ", the UTF-16 code value that 16 Unicode value is formed should be encoded into the value of uimsbf form

The character string that is not included among the mode " 0x00 " preferably adopts the mode value to be " 0x3E " (recommendation) or " 0x3F " (optional), and the byte number that uses which kind of mode to obtain is few, then uses this kind mode.

6) number_of_byte: be the uimsbf data of a 8bit, be used to identify the byte number of this keyword.K the byte that represents j segment in the circulation below with k.

7) compressed_keyword_byte[k]: represent the k byte of j joint, this space should occupy the integer-bit of a byte, if necessary can polishing to meet the requirements, these data should basis

The requirement of described mode and compression type is write.

Provide the example of a concrete EKT table below according to the grammer in above-mentioned EKT table stage casing, as shown in Figure 3.

In this routine section, the content in first row can be described as gauge outfit, and the content in the described gauge outfit comprises (its value repeats no more in this example for the parameter of fixed value in above-mentioned grammer):

1) identify the table_id that this section belongs to the EKT table: can value be 0xDB,

2) identify the source_id that this section program is originated, suppose that its value is 5,

3) identify the version_number of this section version number, be assumed to be 3,

4) identify the section_number of this section segment number, suppose that its value is 6,

5) identify the segment number last_section_number that this EKT shows final stage, suppose that its value is 60,

6) identify the protocol_version of this table protocol version, in the also unmodified mistake of this hypothesis, so the protocol_version value is 0, later every change once, its value adds 1, and

7) identify the number n um_events_in_section of the described event of this section, in this example, suppose to have described in this section 8 event, so its value is 8.

Source_id in the foregoing is a part of content in the VCT table, combines with event_id among the following keyword and promptly can uniquely determine an incident, and this is one of step when setting up the EKT table.

Content description after the gauge outfit relation of event and keyword.Suppose that 8 event_id values in this section are from 25 to 32, wherein the event of event_id value 25 correspondences is films " Roman Holiday " of playing the 16:20～17:50 period at certain channel, and then can select its keyword when setting up the EKT table is Roman Holiday, Ao Daili. He Ben, Pascal Greggory. and Parker, Audrey.Hepburn, Gregory.Peck, Roman Holiday, Rome etc.In addition described keyword can, can also be director's name, film studio or the like the keyword relevant with this film for movie name, the keyword that extracts from movie name, featured performer title, and the corresponding keyword of other languages.The back gives two examples, it is the available keyword of event_id value 26 pairing " Animal World " and event_id value 32 pairing " travel of film " program, wherein " travel of film " program has been introduced the film performer---the life of Audrey.Hepburn and her masterpiece, so its keyword Ke Yi is Ao Daili. and He Ben, Roman Holiday, lovely lady, Audrey.Hepburn, Gregory.peck etc.

About keyword specifically is how to carry out content encoded can will not describe in detail at this referring to the regulation of the PSIP agreement in the ATSC standard to multiple string structure coding.

After having determined the keyword of certain incident, as long as the regulation of section and multiplestring is tabulated according to above-mentioned PSIP agreement.

Specify the method for carrying out program searching below in conjunction with Fig. 4.

A) set up the EKT table;

What set up the EKT table can be the provider of EPG information, provider finds out associative key according to the relevant information of incident, list in the table, described EKT table is the same with other table in the EPG information, also is divided into section and transmits in TS flows, be transferred to the TV set-top box of user terminal after, can be stored in the memory in the set-top box, after, if the content of EPG information changes, then can refresh the described EPG information that stores; What set up the EKT table also can be the TV set-top box of user terminal, and after receiving EPG information, set-top box can be analyzed it, sets up the EKT table according to certain standard, uses for user search.

B) user imports search key one;

The user can import search key when searching TV programme, keyword can be programm name, performer's name etc., and explanation is arranged in the example in the above, does not repeat them here.

C) plurality of keywords two identical or close with described keyword one found out in the keyword in more described keyword one and the described EKT table in the EKT table, and further obtain the event number of described keyword two correspondences;

In the example explanation is arranged in the above, do not repeat them here.

D) find out described event number indication some event relevant information and show.

After finding event number, can from the EIT table, find about information such as event name, reproduction times, and can further find the detailed character introduction of incident from the ETM table, also can look for its channel information one source_id in the gauge outfit from EKT in addition, therefore can further from the VCT table, find information, comprise channel name etc. about channel.Find on video screen, to show after the described information and check, with the program of selecting to watch certain program or pre-recording to like for the user.

When the user search program, can be by the remote controller input search key of set-top box, as " Roman Holiday ", then this keyword is stored, and is designated as keyword one.Set-top box can be found out the EKT table in the EPG information under the described preservation then, perhaps from the EPG information that the TS flow transmission is come, leach the EKT table, and search whole EKT and show, find out the keyword two that all are complementary with " Roman Holiday ", in this example, can find out event_id in this section at least is two programs of 25 and 32.If the user imports " He Ben ", then also can in EPG information, find at least two results, promptly the event_id in this section is two programs of 25 and 32.

Keyword for user's input, generally can make it comparatively standard through preliminary treatment, as the unified capital and small letter (branch that capital and small letter is arranged as letter in English, perhaps the numeral in the Chinese has the branch of capital and small letter, then can unify capital and small letter earlier, search for again), remove wherein symbol (as the space, make it become independent word one by one), remove wherein insignificant content (as in the Chinese " ", " a " in the English, words such as " the "), perhaps only utilize the root of word to retrieve and (search for as from " graceful " of user's input, extracting " grace ", then also can obtain " grace ", the content of word correspondences such as " gracefully ", also can carry out logical combination and make it to be more conducive to search a plurality of keywords.

The corresponding event_id and the source_id in the above-mentioned gauge outfit that find according to above-mentioned keyword can find corresponding event title and description in the EIT table, also can in the VCT table, find corresponding channel title, channel to describe, be presented on the video screen and check for the user, the user can select wherein certain program to watch, perhaps the pre-recording program.

The definition of above-described EKT table method for building up, list structure and keyword all provides according to relevant regulations in the ATSC standard, for the DVB standard, can correspondingly make change according to its regulation, to obtain being applicable to the EKT table and the key definition of DVB standard to the SI table.

Below simple a kind of program searching engine based on EPG information described, be used for according to the whole EPG information of keyword search of user's input or only search for the EKT table of EPG information, to obtain Search Results.

Each parts described below, operated by rotary motion is in set-top box.

Transmission demodulation multiplexer module grasps transport stream and peels off the TS head, then use pid filter with identification PSIP (performance system information protocol) form for the ATSC standard, for the DVB standard then is SI (system information) form, and those forms are loaded as Installed System Memory, upgrade its programme information related register then.

User's key assignments in the keyword, the user wants to search in all channels, by Long-distance Control (set-top-box system), perhaps keyboard (desktop system) is imported a keyword, microprocessor can send a search command, by writing the PSE register-file keyword is delivered to program searching engine (PSE) then.

Program searching engine (PSE) is PSIP or the SI form in the search system internal memory then, finds the EKT table, according to the keyword retrieval incident.For the ATSC system, PSE probably will be by the method decoding Word message of Huffman form, and PSE will mate at keyword with from the information that internal memory searches.If coincide, it will the update event information register, and the notice microprocessor is searched for successfully.

Program searching engine can be the hardware module among the Digital Television ASIC, and it has and microprocessor, the interface that Memory Controller Hub is connected with the transmission demodulation multiplexer, and perhaps it may be a software function or program, to carry out and the hardware module identical functions.

The above only is a preferred implementation of the present invention; should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, under the prerequisite that does not break away from the principle of the invention; can also make some improvements and modifications, these improvements and modifications also should be considered as protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1, a kind of method for building up of realizing the tables of data of television program search is used for carrying out television program search in electronic program guides (EPG) information, comprises the information of describing channel (channel) and incident (event) in the described EPG information, it is characterized in that,

In EPG information, extract can unique described event of determining information;

According to the keyword (keyword) of EPG information formulation corresponding to described event, described keyword is used to describe the feature of corresponding event;

According in the digital television standard incident antistop list (EKT) that is used to express event and keyword relation being set up in the respective specified grammer of EPG information table.

2, method according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, in the ATSC standard, each section is according to constructing the grammer of section regulation in the ATSC standard P Session Initiation Protocol among the described EKT, and described keyword root is constructed according to the definition to many character strings in the PSIP agreement.

3, method according to claim 1, in the DVB standard, utilize the SI table to transmit EPG information, described SI table is used to describe TV program information, it is characterized in that, define according to the section syntactic definition of SI table in the DVB standard and many character strings and construct described EKT table.

4, according to claim 2 or 3 described methods, it is characterized in that the corresponding a plurality of keyword of a described event.

5, method according to claim 4 is characterized in that, the coding of described keyword adopts the multilingual coding.

6, a kind of method that realizes television program search is used for carrying out television program search in electronic program guide (EPG) information, it is characterized by, and may further comprise the steps:

A) set up the EKT table;

B) TV user input search key one;

C) plurality of keywords two identical or close with described keyword one found out in the keyword in more described keyword one and the described EKT table in the EKT table, and further obtain the event number of described keyword two correspondences;

D) find out described event number indication some event relevant information and show.

7, method according to claim 11 is characterized in that, in step a), sets up the EKT table by EPG Information Provider, and described EKT table is delivered to user terminal together with other table in the EPG information.

8, method according to claim 12 is characterized in that, under user terminal is preserved described EPG information in step a); Then filter out the EKT table in the EPG information under the described preservation in step c), the keyword that utilizes the user to import in described EKT table is retrieved.

9, method according to claim 12 is characterized in that, filters out the EKT table in the EPG information in the described TS stream that is sent to the TV user terminal in step c), and the keyword that utilizes the user to import in described EKT table is retrieved.

10, method according to claim 11 is characterized in that, user terminal receives EPG information, and program-related information is wherein analyzed, and sets up the EKT table and uses for user search.

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