FR3024316A1 - ELECTRONIC GUIDE TO TELEVISION CHANNEL PROGRAMS AND BROADCASTING CHANNELS - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device (100) for remote control of a set-top box (STB) for television (TV) for updating a mapping between a plurality of identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3 ) associated with television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3) and a plurality of identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3) each associated with a channel on which is broadcast one of said channels (CH1, CH2, CH3), said device (100) comprising: - second communication means (12) configured to establish a connection to the Internet network (N INT) via a mobile telephone network (N_CELL), - an electronic storage medium (22) able to receive a channel data stream (D_CHA), and storing said mapping between each of the identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) and the identifier (ID1, ID2, ID3) associated therewith, and - a processor (21 ) configured to update via the cellular network (N CELL) and function of the received stream (D CHA), said mapping (M) by downloading on a remote central server (S) a computer file (F EPG) of the electronic program guide type.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD AND PRIOR ART The present invention relates to the field of television broadcasting, and more particularly to the broadcasting of information relating to TV channels accessible on a television. Many channels are now accessible on a television, especially when it is connected via a set-top-box decoder to cable, satellite or DSL (acronym for "Digital Subscriber Line"). The selection of a television channel via a remote control can become very tedious for the user who must always remember the number associated with each channel to which he has access. Conventionally, each television channel is broadcast on a channel, called broadcast channel (for example: channel 23 for the channel "TF1"). In order to watch the desired channel, the user must select on his remote control an identification number which he knows to correspond to this channel (for example the key "1" or the sequence of keys "0" and "1" of the remote control for the channel "TF1").

The remote control then sends to television the sequence of the keys selected by the user (for example the "1" key), and the tuner of the television or of the decoder is preprogrammed to know the identifier associated with the channel on which the broadcast is broadcast. string corresponding to the sequence of keys (for example the channel 23, which corresponds to the string "TF1", for the key "1").

However, it is possible that the decoder and / or the TV do not know the mapping (or "mapping") between the identification number (for example the "1" key on the remote control for the "TF1" channel) and the channel identifier (for example channel 23 for the channel "TF1"). In the same way, the broadcaster can absolutely decide overnight that the channel in question (for example here "TF1") is broadcast on a new channel (for example channel 18 instead of channel 23). In some cases (eg in developing countries) neither the television nor the decoder has an Internet connection. It is therefore difficult in this kind of situation to retrieve these information directly and in real time, and thus have an up-to-date mapping allowing direct access to the desired channel. Without a connection to the Internet, it is generally necessary to retrieve this information, for example by mail, and to adjust the tuner or decoder accordingly by indicating to it the new mapping of the broadcast channels. The Applicant therefore submits that today an operator, who is responsible for the broadcasting of television channels, does not have simple and automated mechanisms to provide the decoder and / or the television with the information relating to this mapping in order to facilitate SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The object of the present invention is to improve the situation described above. The object according to the present invention aims to remedy the various drawbacks mentioned above by proposing a simple solution for having an up-to-date mapping for accessing its television directly to the desired television channel 15, this without the decoder or the TV has a connection to the Internet. For this purpose, the object of the present invention relates to a method for updating a mapping between: a plurality of determined identification numbers associated with television channels, and a plurality of identifiers each associated with to a channel on which is broadcast one of said channels. According to the invention, the television channels are accessible on a television via a set-top box.

Advantageously, the method according to the invention is implemented by computer means and comprises the following steps: a reception of a stream of channel data containing information relating to the identification numbers of each of the television channels, and a download, according to the received stream, of a computer file of the electronic program guide type. Advantageously, the computer file includes an up-to-date mapping between the identification numbers and the identifiers.

Advantageously, the download of the computer file is made from a remote central server accessible on the Internet network via a mobile telephone network. Preferably, this mobile telephone network is of the GSM / GPRS type.

Thus, thanks to this succession of technical steps, characteristic of the present invention, it is no longer systematically necessary to have a set-top box or a television set connected to the Internet network to obtain an up-to-date mapping between the identification numbers. channels that are accessible on the TV and the identifiers of the channels on which these channels are broadcast.

According to the invention, the electronic remote control device (for example a digital tablet) retrieves this mapping via a mobile telephone network, and acts as a simple remote control vis-à-vis the set-top box; it will be understood here that the set-top box does not necessarily need to transmit to the device.

In the same way, the set-top box (or the television set) does not need to be connected to the Internet network here or to be programmed manually to recover the mapping as it is necessarily the case in existing solutions in the Internet. state of the art. Advantageously, the method comprises, prior to the receiving step, a remote interrogation of the electronic device for recovering the stream of string data. Preferably, this interrogation is performed via wireless communication means. Alternatively, the receiving step includes loading the stream of channel data from an integrated SIM card in the device. In this alternative, the SIM card stores the string data after initialization of the device. Advantageously, access to the mobile telephone network is made possible by the use of the connection data of a SIM card read by a card reader 30 embedded in the device. Advantageously, the download of the computer file is performed by querying the central server: periodically according to a determined period, preferably equal to 1 day, or 3024316 4 on request. Advantageously, after the downloading step, the updated mapping is recorded on an electronic storage medium. Advantageously, the method according to the invention comprises a selection of an identification number, and a determination of the identifier associated with the identification number selected according to the downloaded map. In the context of a satellite television, each of the identifiers corresponds to a frequency of the channel on which one of the television channels is broadcast.

The object of the present invention also relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted to the execution of the steps of the method as described above, this in particular when said computer program is executed by at least one processor. Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of a source code, an object code, or an intermediate code between a source code and an object code, such as only in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form. Similarly, the object of the present invention is to provide a computer readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded including instructions for performing the steps of the method as described above. On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit-type ROM, or a magnetic recording means, for example a diskette of the following type: "Floppy disc" or a hard disk. On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal can be conveyed via an electric or optical cable, by conventional radio or radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other means. The computer program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded to an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question. Correlatively, the present invention also relates to an electronic remote control device of a television set-top box for updating a mapping between a plurality of determined identification numbers associated with television channels and a plurality of identifiers each associated with a channel on which one of the channels is broadcast. According to the invention, the device comprises: a) a communication module comprising: second communication means configured to establish a connection to the Internet network via a mobile telephone network, and b) a computer processing module comprising: an electronic storage medium capable of receiving a stream of channel data containing information relating to the identification numbers of each of the television channels, and storing the mapping between each of the identification numbers and the identifier which is therefor associated, and - a processor configured to cooperate with the second communication means and the electronic storage medium for updating, via the mobile telephone network 20 and according to the received stream, the mapping by downloading to a remote central server a computer file of the electronic program guide type, said file comprising an up-to-date mapping between the numbers ros of identification and identifiers. Advantageously, the remote control electronic device comprises computer means configured for the implementation of the various steps of the method as described above. Finally, the present invention also relates to a computer system comprising: a television set, a set-top box connected to the television for broadcasting television channels on the television set, and an electronic remote control device as described above. Thus, thanks to these different technical, functional and structural characteristics, the present invention provides an object of simple use allowing the user to directly access the desired television channel without worrying about possible changes in channel allocation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description below, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate an embodiment of this embodiment, which is devoid of any limiting character and on which: FIG. Figure 1 shows a schematic view of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 2 represents a flowchart representing the different steps of the method of the invention according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION An electronic control device according to an advantageous exemplary embodiment as well as the corresponding method will now be described in the following with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. For the record, An up-to-date mapping between the identification number of a television channel selected on the remote control device and the channel number identifier broadcasting the selected television channel is one of the objects of the present invention. In other words, to allow the user to keep for all of his channels accessible via his bouquet the same numbering on his electronic control device (or remote control), this without worrying about possible changes frequency plan is one of the objectives of the present invention. The example described here relates to the case of satellite television; obviously, it will be understood here that this is a purely illustrative example in no way limiting. In the case of this so-called satellite television, the frequency plan evolves regularly over time as a function of the reallocation of the frequencies of the satellites. Indeed, a broadcaster may decide impromptu change of the broadcast channel of a television channel. It is therefore necessary to have an up-to-date mapping M between the identification numbers NUM1, NUM2, and NUM3 associated with the television channels CH1, CH2, and CH3 and the identifiers ID1, ID2, and ID3 each associated with the channel on which is diffused each of these chains CH1, CH2, and CH3. The mapping M referred to in the context of the present invention thus acts as a transfer function F, which, as a function of time t, associates with a vector of identification numbers relating to Vc chains: [NUM1 (CH1) NUM2 (CH2), NUM3 (CH3)] (for example the vector [key 01 for "TF1", key 02 for "France2", key 03 for "France3"]) a frequency vector Vf: [ID 1 , ID2, ID3] (for example: the vector [23, 17, 12]). The underlying concept of the present invention is to use an electronic remote control device 100 provided with a cellular connection, for example 3G, to obtain this mapping M. In the example described here, this electronic device of FIG. command 100 can also be used as a remote control. We talk about "smart TV Remote-Control" (also known by the acronym "sRC").

In the example described here and as illustrated in FIG. 1, the electronic remote control device 100 may be a communication terminal of the type for example a digital tablet under "Android0"; this tablet is therefore configured to control a STB decoder box of the type "set-top-box" for TV TV. It thus has a dedicated software application for this purpose, for example the "Tivipedia®" application. It is initially desirable for the device 100 to be aware of the television channels CH1, CH2, CH3 which are accessible on the TV set via the STB decoder. In the example described here, the device 100 has first wireless communication means 11 which, during a step SO, interrogate the set-top box STB in order to recover, during a step Si, a data stream D_CHA. This data flow D_CHA comprises all the information relating to the identification numbers NUM1, NUM2, and NUM3 of each of the television channels CH1, CH2, and CH3 accessible via the set-top box STB.

Alternatively, it is possible to envisage other embodiments: it can be provided for example that the D_CHA stream is loaded directly on the SIM card 31 of the security module 30, for example during the initialization of the device 100. Preferably, the wireless communication means 11 thus use a communication protocol of the type for example "Wifi®", "Bluetooth0", "Zigbee0"; it can also be a communication protocol of the RF or IR type. Once received, this D_CHA information is stored in a step S2 on an electronic storage medium 22 of the type for example ROM.

The D_CHA data stream being recovered and recorded on the medium 22, the second communication means 12 of the communication module 10 cooperate with the SIM card 31 of the security module 30 to establish during a step S4 a connection to the network. Internet N INT.

Typically, the SIM card 31 establishes access to the Internet via the mobile network N_CELL. The reading S3 of the SIM card 31 by a 32 card reader 32 embedded in the device allows the establishment of this connection to the Internet. The connection is managed here by the processor 21 of the processing computer module 20. In the example described here, the mobile telephone network N_CELL is of the GSM / GPRS type. Once the connection has been established, the processor 21 transmits via the second communication means 12 a request REQ to interrogate, during a step S5, the central server S in order to trigger the downloading S6 of a computer file F_EPG of the electronic guide type. programs. In the example described here, this request REQ comprises the information relating to the data flow D_CHA (that is to say here the information relating to the identification numbers NUM1, NUM2, and NUM3 of the television channels CH1, CH2, and CH3). In the example described here, this downloaded file F_EPG includes an up-to-date mapping M between each of the identification numbers NUM1, NUM2, and NUM3 of the television channels CH1, CH2, and CH3 and the associated identifiers ID1, ID2, and ID3. . According to the preferred embodiment, it can provide a daily, weekly, monthly, or download on request of the user. Following this downloading S6, the up-to-date mapping M is recorded during the step S7 on the electronic storage medium 22. Thus, in the example described here, the user selects the desired channel during a step S8. CH1, CH2 or CH3 by touching on the touch interface 40 of the display module 40 a zone associated with the identification number NUM1, NUM2 or NUM3. Following this selection S8, the processor 21 queries the electronic storage medium 22 to determine, according to the downloaded map M, the identifier ID1, 30243169 ID2, or ID3 associated with the selected identification number NUM1, NUM2, or NUM3. Thus, in the example described here, when the user selects the "1" key on the interface 41 of his device 100, the latter gives the command to the set-top box STB 5 to broadcast on the television the channel "23". ", Corresponding for example to the channel" TF1 ". Consider the situation in which the broadcaster changes the channel associated with this string, for example channel 18 instead of channel 23. In this example, with the present invention, device 100 is automatically informed of this channel reallocation. In this example, the next day, following a selection of the identification number (key "01") associated with the channel "TF1", the device 100 will instruct the set-top box STB to broadcast on the television the channel "18". ". This remapping is completely transparent to the user.

The present invention thus makes available to the user / viewer an object of simple use, serving on the one hand remote control, and can also on the other hand through its SIM card access the Internet to update the mapping. It is then sufficient for the person consulting his electronic program guide to select on the touch screen the desired program to access it directly without worrying at any moment about the channel on which this program is broadcast. It should be observed that this detailed description relates to a particular embodiment of the present invention, but in no case this description is of any nature limiting to the subject of the invention; quite the contrary, it aims to remove any imprecision or misinterpretation of the claims that follow.

Claims (14)

REVENDICATIONS1. Method for updating a mapping between a plurality of determined identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) associated with television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3) and a plurality of identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3 ) each associated with a channel on which is broadcast one of said channels (CH1, CH2, CH3), said TV channels being accessible on a television (TV) via a set-top box (STB), said method implemented by a electronic control device (100) comprising the following steps: - a reception (51) of a channel data stream (D_CHA) containing information relating to the identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) of each of said service channels; television (CH1, CH2, CH3), and - a download (S6), according to said received stream (D CHA), of a computer file (F_EPG) of the electronic program guide type, in which said file (F_EPG) includes an up-to-date mapping (M) between said i numbers identification (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) and said identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3), and wherein the downloading (S6) of said computer file (F_EPG) is performed from a remote central server (S) accessible on the Internet network (N INT) via a mobile telephone network (N CELL). 2. Method according to claim 1, comprising, prior to the receiving step (51), a remote interrogation (SO) of said electronic device (100) via wireless communication means (11) to recover said chain data stream (D_CHA). The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (51) comprises loading said channel data stream (D_CHA) from a SIM card (31) integrated in the device (100), said SIM card storing the chain data (D_CHA) following prior initialization of said device (100). 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mobile network (N CELL) is GSM / GPRS type. 3024316 11 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the access to the mobile telephone network (N CELL) is made possible by the use of connection data of a SIM card (31) read by a reader of board (32) embedded in said device (100). 6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the downloading (S6) of said computer file (F EPG) is performed by interrogating said central server (S): periodically according to a determined period, preferably equal to 1 day, or - on request. 7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein after downloading (S6), the up-to-date mapping (M) is recorded on an electronic storage medium (22). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a selection (S8) by means of said device (100) of an identification number (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3), and a determination (S9). the identifier (ID1, ID2, ID3) associated with said identification number (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) selected according to the downloaded map (M). 9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, for a satellite television, each of the identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3) corresponds to a frequency of the channel on which is broadcast one of said television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3). Computer program comprising instructions adapted for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 when said computer program is executed by at least one processor. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9. 3024316 12 An electronic set-top box remote control device (100) for updating a mapping between a plurality of associated identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3) and a plurality of identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3) each associated with a channel on which is broadcast one of said channels (CH1, CH2, CH3), said device (100) comprising: a) a communication module (10) comprising: - second communication means (12) configured to establish a connection to the Internet network (N INT) via a mobile telephone network (N CELL), and b) a computer processing module (20) comprising: an electronic storage medium (22) adapted to receive a chain data stream (D_CHA) containing information relating to the identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) each of said television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3), and at the same time ser said mapping between each of the identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) and the identifier (ID1, ID2, ID3) associated therewith, and - a processor (21) configured to cooperate with the second communication means 20 (12) and the electronic storage medium (22) for updating, via the mobile telephone network (N CELL) and according to the received stream (D CHA), said mapping by downloading to a remote central server (S a computer file (F_EPG) of the electronic program guide type, said file (F_EPG) including an up-to-date mapping (M) between said identification numbers (NUM1, NUM2, NUM3) and said identifiers (ID1, ID2, ID3 ). 13. An electronic remote control device (100) according to claim 12, comprising computer means configured for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 2 to 9. 14. Computer system (200) comprising: - a television (TV); - a set-top box (STB) connected to said television (TV) for broadcasting television channels (CH1, CH2, CH3) on said television (TV); and 3024316 13 - an electronic device (100) for remote control of said set-top box (STB) according to claim 12 or 13.