EP1936842A1

EP1936842A1 - Efficient tuning in broadcast networks

Info

Publication number: EP1936842A1
Application number: EP06026553A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franklin Selgert
Original assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
Priority date: 2006-12-21
Filing date: 2006-12-21
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Also published as: WO2008074416A1

Abstract

A device for efficient tuning to broadcast signals, comprising means for receiving a message comprising broadcast related information.
The device is able to request via the mobile communications network, a message comprising broadcast or programme related information, which can be used in deciding to switch to a specific programme.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the tuning of receivers for broadcast networks.

Background of the invention

Digital television broadcast for handheld receivers is a new service which enables consumers and business users to watch broadcast television when and where they like. Several technologies have been developed which can be applied, like integrated services digital broadcasting (ISDB-T), digital multimedia broadcast (DMB), Qualcomm mediaflo and digital video broadcast for handhelds (DVB-T).
Various new mobile devices are being developed which are able to receive broadcast television.

Problem definition

The tuning of mobile devices which are able to receive broadcast television can be very time consuming. Tuning can easily take more then one minute and in some cases more then two minutes. The device needs to scan the available frequency bands, until the broadcast signal from the desired service provider is found.

Aim of the invention

The aim of the invention is to reduce the time needed for tuning a mobile receiver to the frequency of a service provider and to provide other advantages, as detailed below.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a solution for the efficient tuning of receiving devices in a broadcast network.
According to an aspect of the invention, the device for receiving broadcast signals comprises means for receiving a message comprising broadcast related information. The device for receiving broadcast signals can be integrated with a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone. On the other hand, the device for receiving broadcast signals can be connected with a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone. The message comprising broadcast related information can be received via the broadcast network (such as DVB-H) or via the mobile communication network. In the latter case, the message can be embodied in a short message (SMS), a multimedia message (MMS) or the like. The message contains the frequency at which a service provider transmits a broadcast signal (transmitter frequency), or a bandwidth in which the transmitter frequency is located. Such a bandwidth can be much smaller then the total bandwidth available in the broadcast network. The information from the message is sent from the mobile phone to the receiver (e.g. via an external connection or via an internal connection) and the receiver extracts the broadcast related information, i.e. the transmitter frequency or the bandwidth.
In this way the frequency at which the service provider transmits is either immediately apparent, or the time needed for searching the transmission frequency can be limited to the time needed to tune the receiver within the specified frequency band.
According to another aspect of the invention, the receiver uses the received transmission frequency or transmission frequency for tuning the receiver. This can be done automatically, in which case the broadcast related information received is not shown to the user and the user does not need to perform some action. As an option, the broadcast related information received can be presented to the user, after which the user can decide what to do and can tune the receiver manually.
According to another aspect of the invention, the receiver device comprises means for making contact with a mobile communication network. As explained above, the receiver can be integrated with a mobile phone, in which case the contacting with the mobile communication network can be achieved by registering the device to the mobile communication network, similarly as a mobile phone does. The receiver device can however also be connected to a mobile phone via an external connection, in which case the contacting with the communication network can be achieved by establishing a connection between the receiver device and the mobile phone via the external connection.
After the mobile communication network has been contacted, according to a further aspect of the invention, the device is able to request, via the mobile communication network, a message comprising broadcast related information. The request can be a message, such as a short message (SMS) or multimedia message (MMS), which is sent to a specific number for such requests. The specific number to which requests are sent can be one or more telephone numbers managed by the broadcast network operator. In this case broadcast related information can be requested for all service providers that are available on the broadcast network. As an option, the specific number to which requests are sent is managed by a service provider. In this way no information about the service provider needs to be included in the request. After sending the request to the network operator or service provider, the message comprising broadcast related information can be received as explained above, and tuning can be performed efficiently.
As an option, the receiving device can be equipped with a transmitter that uses a return channel in the broadcast network for sending the request for a message comprising broadcast related information. Such a return channel is e.g. available in DVB-H based broadcast networks.
As another option, the receiver device can be equipped with means for receiving a broadcast message comprising the requested broadcast related information. The broadcast message can be sent and received via the broadcast network. In this case the receiver needs not to contact a mobile communication network in order to receive the message comprising broadcast related information.
According to an aspect of the invention, the receiver device comprises means for adding the actual location of the device to the request for a message comprising broadcast related information. To this end the receiver device is integrated with, or connected to, a mobile phone. The integrated or connected mobile phone connects to a location server and requests the actual location, e.g. based on the location inter-operability forum (LIF) mobile location protocol, also known as the LIF TS 101 specification. After receiving the actual location from the location server, the receiver device can add the location to the request for a message comprising broadcast related information. This allows the network operator and service provider to respond with broadcast related information, which is also location specific. This is most beneficial when service provider programs are transmitted at different transmission frequencies or different bandwidths at various locations.
According to another aspect of the invention, the receiver device comprises means for receiving a message comprising program related information. The program related information can specify a specific program, the start- and ending time, the program subject and other program related information. The program related information can be presented to the user by the receiver device either on request by the user or automatically. This enables users to receive program related information before or during the transmission of a program. The user can use the program related information to decide to switch to a specific program, or to watch a specific program later.
According to another aspect of the invention, the device comprises means for requesting a message comprising program related information. The request can be sent either via a mobile communication network, or the return channel of the broadcast network. This allows the user to take the initiative when program related information is desired.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the device comprises means for requesting program related information related to a specific subject. The device allows the user to input the specific subject and includes the specific subject in the request. This allows the service provider or network operator to supply program related information related to the specific subject, which is subsequently received by the device and can be presented to the user. As an option, the receiver device can switch automatically to a program indicated in the program related information, which is related to the subject specified by the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, the receiver device comprises means for requesting program related information related to a specific service provider. In this case the user is interested to known which programs are transmitted by a specific service provider. The device allows the user to input the name of the service provider and the request is sent to the network operator via either a mobile communication network or the return channel of the broadcast network. Subsequently the device receives the message comprising program related information for the service provider specified.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to exemplary embodiments shown in Fig. 1, which shows a schematic representation of a mobile receiver 100, a mobile phone 101, a broadcast network 102 and a mobile communication network 103, as well as the interaction between them.

Detailed description of the invention

For the purpose of teaching of the invention, preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the sequel. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that other alternative and equivalent embodiments of the invention can be conceived and reduced to practice, the scope of the invention being only limited by the claims as finally granted.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the mobile receiver 100 is able to receive digital programs sent by a broadcast network 102. The frequency of the broadcast signal, at which a program 1 from a specific service provider is transmitted, may not be known to the user of the mobile receiver.
According to the invention, a service provider 104 or network operator 105 can send a message to a mobile phone which contains the frequency at which, or the frequency band in which, a service provider transmits its programs. The message is sent to the mobile phone via a mobile communications network 103. The message flow is indicated by arrow 5 (from the network operator), arrow 8 (from the service provider) and arrow 6 (from the network to the mobile phone). The message can e.g. be embodied in a multimedia message (MMS) or short message (SMS) and can be transmitted either to a specific telephone number, or as a broadcast message. When sent as a broadcast message, the service provider or network operator can easily reach large amounts of mobile users, to indicate at which frequency (or in which frequency band) a service provider is transmitting. As an option, also the program and subject of the program can be included in the message, which can be beneficial for example in actual news programs and urgent programs related to public order and health.
In one embodiment of the invention a mobile receiver 100 is integrated with a mobile phone 101. In this case the message received containing broadcast related information (frequency or frequency band) can be forwarded from the mobile phone to the mobile receiver internally, which is performed automatically. In another embodiment, the mobile receiver 100 is connected to a mobile phone 101 via an external connection. In this case the user needs to configure the connection manually. Such a connection can be achieved via e.g. a serial cable, an infrared connection or a bluetooth connection. These connection types are standard on most mobile phones today and messages received can be forwarded to connected devices via user menus.
Two options are provided by the invention at the moment the mobile receiver receives a message with broadcast related information. As a first option, the mobile receiver tunes the receiver automatically to the frequency of the service provider, as specified in the message, and starts displaying the program.
As a second option, the user is provided with an audio or visual message, in which the user is notified of the service provider name and the frequency information supplied in the message received. It is now a decision for the user to tune to the service providers frequency. As a result of both options, the user is now able to quickly tune the mobile receiver to the transmission frequency of a service provider. In the first option this is even provided for automatically. Compared to the prior art, in which the entire frequency bands that are available in the broadcast network have to be scanned, this results in an efficient and much less time-consuming effort in order to tune the mobile receiver.
In the embodiment of the invention the user can request a message containing the frequency or the frequency band at which a service provider transmits, by sending a request message to the network operator 105 or service provider 104 via the mobile communication network 103. The message flow in this case is indicated by arrows 3 and 4 (network provider as addressee), or arrows 3 and 7 (service provider as addressee). In this situation the addressee of the request message responds with a message containing the frequency information to the mobile phone that sent the request. The receiving and handling of the message containing the frequency information is the same as described above.
In an embodiment of the invention the user can request a message containing frequency information for a service provider by sending a message via the return channel of the broadcast network 102, as indicated with arrow 2. A return channel is e.g. available in DVB-H based broadcast networks. In the embodiment the mobile receiver 100 is designed to be used with DVB-H and offers the possibility to send messages via the return channel to the user. The user can select either the network operator 105 or the service provider 104 as addressee, via connections a or b. After receiving the request message from the mobile receiver, the network provider or service provider responds with the message containing frequency information via mobile communication network 103, as explained above.
The embodiment of the invention provides the user an option to insert location based information in the request to the service provider or network operator. To this end the user first requests the location of the mobile phone via a location server 107, via the mobile communication network. Location based services have been standardized, i.e. the communication between the mobile phone and the location server 107 is according to the LIF TS 101 specification from the location inter-operability forum. After receiving the location from the location server 107, the user adds the location to the request for the frequency information. The service provider or network operator is now able to respond with frequency information that is specific for the location at which the user (and the mobile receiver) resides. This will especially be beneficial in cases where different frequencies are used on different antennas throughout the broadcast network, for one service provider.
In another embodiment of the invention the user can request program related information from the network operator or a service provider. In this case the operation is the same as explained above, but now the user indicates in the request that program related information is desired. Two options are provided for in the embodiment. According to the first option the user indicates that he is interested in a specific subject. The service provider or network operator will respond with a message containing information on one or more programs that are related to the subject specified in the request. According to the second option the user indicates that he is interested in a specific service provider. In this case the service provider or network operator will respond with a message containing information on one or more programs that will be transmitted by the service provider that was specified in the request.

Claims

Device for receiving broadcast signals, comprising means for receiving a message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to claim 1, comprising means for tuning a receiver according to received broadcast related information.
Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising means for making contact with a mobile communication network.
Device according to claim 3, comprising means for requesting via a mobile communication network a message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to claim 3 or 4, comprising means for requesting via a return channel of a broadcast network a message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to claim 4 or 5, comprising means for adding a location to a request for a message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for receiving a short message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for receiving a multimedia message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for receiving a broadcast message comprising broadcast related information.
Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for receiving a message comprising program related information.
Device according to any of the claims 3 to 10, comprising means for requesting via a mobile communication network a message comprising program related information.
Device according to any of the claims 3 to 11, comprising means for requesting via a return channel of a broadcast network a message comprising program related information.
Device according to claim 11 or 12, comprising means for requesting program related information related to a specific subject.
Device according to claim 11, 12 or 13, comprising means for requesting program related information related to a specific service provider.