JP2007295463A - Electronic program table generating apparatus, method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic program table generating apparatus for searching a program from an electronic program table with less amount of manipulations while keeping the shape of list. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic program table generating apparatus 100 includes a remote control manipulating unit 103b for manipulations on the electronic program table, a program table region information holding unit 105 for holding divided regions on the electronic program table corresponding to arrangement of manipulation buttons of the remote control unit 103b, a processing contents holding unit 106 for holding contents of process for the electronic program table depending on manipulations of numerical buttons, and an EPG control unit 101a for various controls for generation and display of the electronic program table. The EPG control unit 101a reads, when a numerical button is depressed, a region corresponding to each numerical button from the program table region information holding unit 105 and manipulates the electronic program table in accordance with the process contents of the process contents holding unit 106 to the region obtained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic program guide creation device, method, program, and recording medium for creating an electronic program guide for providing program information to a user in a television broadcast receiver.

  The remarkable progress of information and communication technology in recent years has greatly affected not only the industrial world but also the familiar living environment. Television broadcasting, which can be said to be most closely related to our lives as an information source in the field of broadcasting, not to mention rapid digitization in the communication field such as the Internet, is about to change drastically. .

  There are various benefits and services newly provided by digital broadcasting. Among them, the service most closely related to the convenience of users is the provision of an electronic program guide (EPG). The electronic program guide, like the television broadcast program column currently available in newspapers, is a list of program information of each station electronically and displayed on the television broadcast receiver.

  Generally, an electronic program guide is created based on program-related information transmitted together with video information and audio information from a broadcast station in a television broadcast receiver. By using this electronic program guide, the user can easily select a program that he / she wants to view, or can make a viewing reservation or a recording reservation.

  In recent years, with the advancement of hardware, it has become possible to provide a television broadcast receiver with a high-definition display, and information on many programs can be displayed on the screen of the television broadcast receiver while maintaining a visible character size. It has become possible to display.

  As the number of programs displayed at one time in the electronic program guide increases, the number of operations necessary for the user to select a program that the user wants to watch or reserve is increased, resulting in poor usability.

In order to solve such a problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a program information display device that enables a desired program to be selected from an electronic program guide with a small number of operations. This program information display device displays programs in a list form on the electronic program guide as many as the number buttons provided in a general remote controller, and assigns and displays a number button for each program. Thus, the user can select a program using the numeric buttons.
JP 2004-88682 A

  However, the program information display device described in Patent Document 1 cannot display more programs than the number buttons on the remote controller at a time on the electronic program guide, so the listability is greatly reduced. For this reason, the user needs to search for a desired program by performing an operation such as switching pages.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to allow a user to search for a program with a smaller number of operations while maintaining the configuration of an electronic program guide centered on channels and time. The present invention provides an electronic program guide creation device, an electronic program guide creation method, an electronic program guide creation program, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a first technical means of the present invention is an electronic program guide creation device for creating an electronic program guide for a television program operated by an operation means provided with a plurality of numeric buttons. The program table area information holding means for holding information on the divided areas obtained by dividing the display area on the electronic program guide in the same arrangement as the numeric buttons, and the processing common to each numeric button operated by the operating means A processing content holding unit for holding the content, and a processing unit for executing the common processing content held by the processing content holding unit, wherein the processing unit is operated on the numeric buttons by the operation unit. Information on the divided area at a position corresponding to the numeric button is obtained from the program guide area information holding means, and the processing content holding means is used for the divided areas on the electronic program guide. Is obtained by means executes a lifting been said common processing content.

  The second technical means includes program information storage means for storing program information necessary for creating the electronic program guide in the first technical means, and a channel from the program information stored in the program information storage means. Electronic program guide generating means for generating an electronic program guide image with time as an axis, and when the operation means is operated with respect to the numeric buttons, the processing means is located at a position corresponding to the numeric buttons. The information of the divided areas is obtained from the program guide area information holding means, and the common area held by the processing content holding means for the divided areas on the electronic program guide image generated by the electronic program guide generating means. The processing contents are executed.

  According to a third technical means, in the second technical means, the electronic program guide generating means divides the electronic program guide image based on the information of the divided areas held by the program guide area information holding means. It is characterized in that it is generated as an image showing boundaries between regions.

  According to a fourth technical means, in the second or third technical means, the common processing content indicates a process of changing the electronic program guide image generated by the electronic program guide generating means. Is a means for causing the electronic program guide generating means to execute the change.

  According to a fifth technical means, in the fourth technical means, the common processing content is a process of moving a cursor displayed on the electronic program guide image to the divided area corresponding to the operated numeric button. It is characterized by showing.

  A sixth technical means is the fourth technical means, wherein the common processing content is a display range of program information displayed as the electronic program guide image, the divided area corresponding to the operated numeric button. Is a process for changing the display range of the program information displayed on the screen as a reference.

  The seventh technical means is characterized in that in any one of the first to sixth technical means, a user setting means for setting the common processing content by a user operation is provided.

  According to an eighth technical means, in the seventh technical means, the user setting means has means for setting by operation of an operation button disposed on the operation means.

  A ninth technical means is the seventh or eighth technical means, wherein the user setting means comprises means for setting using a graphical user interface screen.

  A tenth technical means is an electronic program guide creation method for creating an electronic program guide for a television program operated by an operation section provided with a plurality of numeric buttons. An area information reading step for reading out information on a divided area obtained by dividing the display area on the table in the same arrangement as the numeric buttons, and a process content common to each numeric button operated on the operation unit from the process content holding unit And a processing step for executing the common processing content, and when the operation unit performs an operation on the numeric button, the division of the position corresponding to the numeric button is performed. Area information is obtained by the area information reading step, and the divided contents on the electronic program guide are read by the processing content reading step. And is obtained by means executes said common processing content.

  An eleventh technical means is a program for creating an electronic program guide for a television program incorporated in a device capable of acquiring a television program, the device comprising an operation unit having a plurality of numeric buttons, a storage unit An image processing unit, and a control unit that controls them, and the operation unit operates the electronic program guide, and the program stores a display area on the electronic program guide from the storage unit to the control unit. An area information reading step for reading out information on divided areas divided in the same arrangement as the arrangement of the numeric buttons, and a processing content reading step for reading out the processing contents common to the numeric buttons operated on the operation unit from the storage unit; And a processing step for executing the common processing contents. When the operation on the numeric buttons is performed on the operation unit, the processing steps are performed. The information of the divided area at the position corresponding to the area is obtained by the area information reading step, and the common processing content read by the processing content reading step is executed for the divided area on the electronic program guide. It is characterized by that.

  The twelfth technical means is a computer-readable recording medium on which the program in the eleventh technical means is recorded.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to divide the electronic program guide into areas, and to operate each area with the numeric buttons on the remote controller that have the same positional relationship. The program can be searched with a small number of operations. As a result, the operability of the electronic program guide can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration example of an electronic program guide creation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes the electronic program guide creation device. The electronic program guide creation device 100 according to the present embodiment is a device that creates an electronic program guide (EPG) of a television program operated by an operating means provided with a plurality of numeric buttons (numeric keys). The operation means here is mainly for the user to operate, and remote operation means such as a remote controller (such as a keyboard or a mouse in the case of a PC) that operates from a position away from the apparatus main body. Is suitable. Hereinafter, the operation means provided with a plurality of numeric buttons will be described by taking the remote operation means as an example, but the operation means provided in the apparatus main body can also be applied.

  The electronic program guide creation apparatus 100 includes program guide area information holding means, processing content holding means, and processing means described below, and preferably also includes program information storage means and electronic program guide generation means. In the program information storage means, program information necessary for creating the electronic program guide is stored while being updated as appropriate, and this program information storage means is exemplified as the memory 102. As the program information 102a, information obtained by separating and demodulating what is carried along with the digital broadcast, or obtaining it from the Internet via a network may be stored.

  The electronic program guide generating means is for generating an electronic program guide image centered on the channel and time from the program information 102a stored in the memory 102, and outputting it to the display unit 200 as an electronic program guide screen. The EPG control unit 101a and the graphic generation unit 104 are exemplified.

  The program guide area information holding means holds information on the divided areas obtained by dividing the display area on the electronic program guide in the same arrangement as the numeric buttons, and is exemplified by the program guide area information holding unit 105. The processing content holding means holds the processing content common to the respective numeric buttons operated by the remote operation unit 103b, and is exemplified by the processing content holding unit 106. The program guide area information holding unit 105 and the processing content holding unit 106 are illustrated as certain storage areas in the memory 102, but may be provided in a storage unit other than the memory 102.

  The processing means executes the common processing content held in the processing content holding unit 106, and is exemplified by an EPG control unit 101a included in a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101. The processing means obtains information on the divided area at the position corresponding to the numeric button from the program guide area information holding part 105 when the remote control unit 103b is operated on the numeric button, and generates an electronic program guide generation means (EPG control). The common processing content held by the processing content holding unit 106 is executed for the divided areas on the electronic program guide image generated by the unit 101a and the graphic generation unit 104).

  As described above, the electronic program guide creation device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes the remote operation unit 103b for performing operations on the electronic program guide as an example of the above-described remote operation means, and the divided areas on the electronic program guide. A program guide area information holding unit 105 that holds the contents, a processing content holding part (processing content setting holding part) 106 that holds the operation contents (processing contents) of the electronic program guide using the numeric buttons, and an electronic program guide that is created and displayed An EPG control unit 101a that performs various types of control, and a graphic generation unit 104 that generates an electronic program guide. When the numeric buttons are pressed, the EPG control unit 101a reads an area corresponding to each numeric button from the program guide region information holding unit 105, and operates the electronic program guide according to the processing setting of the processing content holding unit 106. In the case where the electronic program guide creation device 100 does not include program information storage means and electronic program guide generation means, the electronic program guide creation device 100 may be incorporated in a device provided with these means.

  According to this configuration, the display area on the electronic program guide is divided and stored, the operations associated with the display area are set, and these operations are associated with the numeric buttons of the remote operation unit 103b, so that the electronic program It becomes possible to perform operations on the divided areas on the table. As a result, it is possible to divide the display area and perform an operation on each area while maintaining the list of the electronic program guide. As a result, it is possible to provide an electronic program guide that allows a user to search for a program with a smaller number of operations.

  Hereinafter, an example in which the electronic program guide creation apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a digital television broadcast receiver (hereinafter simply referred to as a digital TV receiver) will be described. The acquisition method, contents, and EPG generation method are different, and the method can be similarly applied. The electronic program guide creation device 100 is not only a TV broadcast receiver, but also a TV broadcast recording device, a cable TV receiver and its recording device, a mobile phone capable of receiving TV broadcasts, and a mobile phone such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). It can also be incorporated into a terminal device or a personal computer (PC) equipped with a TV capture board.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration example of a digital TV receiver including the electronic program guide creation device of FIG. A digital TV receiver 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a digital broadcast tuner / demodulation unit 2, a TS (transport stream) decoder 3, an AV (audio visual) decoder 4, an audio output unit 5, an image superimposing unit 6, and a video. The configuration includes an output unit 7, an external interface 8, a CPU 101, a memory 102, an operation unit 103, and a graphic generation unit 104. Here, the CPU 101 performs overall control of the digital TV receiver 1. The CPU 101, the memory 102, the operation unit 103, and the graphic generation unit 104 constitute an electronic program guide creation device 100, and the image superimposing unit 6 and the video output unit 7 constitute a display unit 200.

  First, each component of the digital TV receiver 1 will be described along with the flow of the digital broadcast signal. Details of the electronic program guide creation device 100 will be described later. When a digital broadcast signal is supplied through an antenna (not shown), the digital broadcast tuner / demodulation unit 2 selects a received signal, performs demodulation and error correction according to the signal form, Multiplexed digital data is generated, and this multiplexed digital data is output to the TS decoder 3.

  The TS decoder 3 decodes the multiplexed digital data output from the digital broadcasting tuner / demodulator 2 to extract a TS, separates the TS into purpose-specific TS packets, and outputs the TS packets to the subsequent AV decoder 4 and the CPU 101. Here, TS is a signal sequence of continuous fixed-length TS packets, and each TS packet may include data signals such as program information and information necessary for channel selection in addition to video / audio signals. . Here, the extracted TS is separated into a TS packet containing a video / audio signal for output to the AV decoder 4 and a TS packet containing a data signal related to broadcast information for output to the CPU 101.

  The AV decoder 4 decodes the TS packet from the TS decoder 3 to generate an audio signal and a video signal. If the audio signal is an audio signal, the AV decoder 4 outputs the audio signal to the audio output unit 5. Output to 6 respectively.

  On the other hand, the CPU 101 stores the TS packet received from the TS decoder 3 in the memory 102. At this time, information about the program displayed in the electronic program guide is stored in the memory 102 as program information 102a. The stored program information 102a is generated as information displayed on the OSD (On Screen Display) by the graphic generation unit 104 in the subsequent stage.

  The graphic generation unit 104 generates OSD information for output to the image superimposing unit 6. The OSD information is an EPG or a menu screen (GUI: graphical user interface) for the user to operate the digital TV receiver 1.

  The image superimposing unit 6 superimposes the video signal decoded by the AV decoder 4 and an image composed of OSD information such as an electronic program guide and a GUI image, and sends them to the video output unit 7 constituting the display unit 200. As the video output unit 7, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), or a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) display is used. When the electronic program guide creation device 100 is incorporated in a recording device such as various recorders, the video output unit 7 serves as an output terminal to various display devices.

  Further, the CPU 101 processes a signal from the operation unit 103 and instructs each unit to perform the operation. The operation unit 103 is an input means for inputting a signal for operating the digital TV receiver 1, and a main body operation unit 103 a provided in the digital TV receiver 1 itself and a remote controller for remote operation outside the apparatus. The remote control unit 103b described above using a (remote control) or the like is used. As described above, the remote operation unit 103b may be another wired input device (such as a keyboard or a mouse) in addition to the remote controller. Although not shown, the CPU 101 sends a channel selection command to the tuner / demodulator 2 based on the channel selection operation from the operation unit 103.

  Further, the CPU 101 performs communication processing with the outside via the external interface 8. For example, the program information 102a stored in the memory 102 can be acquired through an external storage device or the Internet.

  Next, the electronic program guide creation device 100 will be described in more detail. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a remote controller for operating the digital TV receiver of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic program guide displayed on the digital TV receiver of FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a divided area on the electronic program guide held by the program guide area information holding unit of the digital TV receiver of FIG. 2, FIG. 6 is a program guide area information holding unit for the divided area of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting content hold | maintained by.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic program guide creation apparatus 100 includes a CPU 101, a memory 102, a remote operation unit 103b, and a graphic generation unit 104, and displays the generated electronic program guide on the display unit 200. Yes.

  The CPU 101 is a unit that performs overall control of the digital TV receiver 1 and includes an EPG control unit 101a that performs various controls for creating and displaying an electronic program guide. In addition to the program information 102a, the memory 102 further performs a program table area information holding unit 105 for holding a plurality of divided area information (program table area information 105a) on the electronic program table, and the divided areas. And a processing content holding unit 106 for holding the processing content 106a of the operation.

  As the remote control unit 103b, a remote controller 300 that transmits a signal for operating from outside the digital TV receiver 1 as shown in FIG. 3 and a receiver that receives a signal from the remote controller 300 are assumed. On the remote controller 300 side, the remote operation unit 103b has at least numeric buttons 301 for inputting channels and numerical values, a program guide button 302 for displaying an electronic program guide in one push, a cross button for moving a cursor, A decision button 303 for confirming an instruction; and a light receiving means (not shown) for receiving a signal (for example, an infrared signal) by operating each button on the remote controller 300 on the receiving side (light receiving unit side). ing.

  The signal received by the light receiving means is sent to the EPG control unit 101a of the CPU 101. For example, in the remote operation unit 103b, the above-described operators (each button) are linked to the GUI image displayed on the display unit 200. Thus, the user can easily perform all operations of the digital TV receiver 1 using the remote operation unit 103b and the GUI image. A typical image as this GUI image is an electronic program guide. The GUI image is generated by the graphic generation unit 104.

  The graphic generation unit 104 generates GUI images for various operations displayed on the display unit 200 based on program information 102 a that is information related to the electronic program guide stored in the memory 102. For example, an electronic program guide 400 as shown in FIG. 4 is used as the GUI image. The electronic program guide 400 shown in FIG. 4 includes a time slot 401, a channel 402, a program 403, and a cursor 404 indicating that the user has selected from the program 403.

  When the user presses the program guide button 302 to display the electronic program guide 400 as shown in FIG. 4, among the numeric buttons 301 of the remote controller 300, the arrangement is the same as “1” to “9”. As described above, the data of the divided areas <1> to <9> as shown in FIG. Here, the program guide area information holding unit 105 holds information such as coordinates of the divided areas <1> to <9>.

  In addition, based on the program information 102a and information on these divided areas, the program guide area information holding unit 105 stores the area numbers 601, channels 602, and time zones 603 in the areas <1> to <9>. Setting information may be set. When the EPG is operated to change the channel or time zone, the area setting of the program guide area information holding unit 105 is updated as appropriate. Note that the EPG operation described here includes a zoom and scroll operation described later with the numeric buttons of the remote controller according to the present invention.

  In this way, the program guide area information holding unit 105 may hold [A] information on the divided area itself (information such as coordinates indicating the area) as information on the divided area, or [B] instead. As shown in FIG. 6, program information (channel and time zone information included in each area) included in each divided area may be held while being updated as appropriate, and [C] information on divided areas And program information included in each divided area may be held. In the case of [A], when the numeric buttons are pressed, the EPG control unit 101a reads the coordinates of the area corresponding to each numeric button from the program guide area information holding unit 105, and the program information included in the area Are processed and processed by the processing content holding unit 106. In the case of the above [B] and [C], the EPG control unit 101a reads the program information included in the region corresponding to each numeric button from the program guide region information holding unit 105 when the numeric button is pressed, The processing content holding unit 106 is a processing target.

  Further, when generating the electronic program guide, the EPG control unit 101a gives the graphic generating unit 104 the electronic program guide image based on the divided area information held in the program guide area information holding unit 105 by the dotted line in FIG. As shown, the image may be generated as an image showing the boundary between the divided areas. Thereby, the user can visually recognize which area the operation button 301 is pressed to.

  The processing content holding unit 106 holds processing content common to the numeric buttons “1” to “9” in response to the operation of the numeric button 301 of the remote controller 300. In the CPU 101 including the EPG control unit 101a, this common processing content is divided into divisions corresponding to the pressed operation buttons “1” to “9” based on the division region information held by the program guide region information holding unit 105. This is executed for the regions <1> to <9>. As described above, by operating the numeric buttons, it is possible to perform an operation on an area on the electronic program guide having the same relationship as the position of the numeric buttons.

  Here, the common processing content described above will be described in detail. The common processing content preferably indicates processing for changing the generated electronic program guide image. At this time, the processing means described above is a means for causing the electronic program guide generating means to change the electronic program guide image. This change process can be executed by issuing a command to the graphic generation unit 104 by the EPG control unit 101a.

  As such common processing content, the cursor 404 displayed on the electronic program guide image is moved to the divided areas <1> to <9> corresponding to the operated numeric buttons “1” to “9”. It may indicate processing. Accordingly, the cursor on the electronic program guide can be moved by operating the numeric buttons 301. For example, when the numeric button “6” is pressed, the cursor can be moved to a program included in the divided area <6> (for example, a program at the center of the area <6>).

  As another common processing content, the display range of the program information displayed as the electronic program guide image is divided into divided areas <1> to <9> corresponding to the operated “1” to “9”. Processing that changes (zoom processing, scroll processing, etc.) may be shown with reference to the display range of the displayed program information. As a result, the display area on the electronic program guide can be changed by operating the numeric buttons 301. For example, when the number button “6” is pressed, it is possible to perform a process of zooming and displaying the divided area <6> and a process of scrolling around the divided area <6>.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a menu screen for the user to set the operation of the electronic program guide with the numeric buttons displayed on the digital TV receiver of FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 is a simple operation of the menu screen of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the remote controller made executable by.

  Such common processing content is preferably settable by a user operation. Therefore, it is preferable that the electronic program guide creation device 100 includes a user setting unit that sets common processing contents by a user operation.

  Further, it is preferable from the operability that the user setting means has means for setting using a GUI screen as exemplified in FIG. That is, it is preferable that the processing operation setting of the electronic program guide by the numeric buttons 301 can be set on a menu screen 700 by GUI as shown in FIG. The GUI menu screen 700 includes a “cursor movement” button 701, a “zoom” button 702, and a “scroll” button 703. Note that the example in FIG. 7 shows a screen in which the “cursor movement” button 701 is selected.

  Further, the user setting means may have means for setting by operating an operation button provided on the remote operation unit 103b. In other words, the processing operation setting of the electronic program guide by the numeric buttons 301 may be made possible from the remote controller 300 having the numeric button manipulation switching button 801 as shown in FIG. When each button (cursor / zoom / scroll) is pressed, the content of the processing content holding unit 106 may be updated, so that the operation using the numeric buttons may be changed.

  By operating each button (cursor / zoom / scroll) of the switching button 801, the processing content holding unit 106 displays the processing content of the electronic program guide by the numeric buttons 301 as “cursor movement”, “zoom”, or “scroll”. "Is set.

  As described above, the operation for the area on the electronic program guide may be set in advance, or a button for changing the operation is arranged on the remote controller, or set by the user using a GUI screen or the like. You may be able to do it.

  When “cursor movement” is set in the processing content holding unit 106, when any one of the buttons “1” to “9” of the numeric buttons 301 is pressed, the center of each area in FIG. Move the cursor to a program.

  When “zoom” is set in the processing content holding unit 106, each of the areas in FIG. 5 is displayed on the screen of the electronic program guide when any one of the buttons “1” to “9” of the numeric buttons 301 is pressed. The electronic program guide screen is updated so that it becomes a whole. Similarly, when “scroll” is set in the processing content holding unit 106, each of the areas shown in FIG. 5 is displayed as an electronic program when any one of the buttons “1” to “9” of the numeric button 301 is pressed. The electronic program guide screen is updated so as to be the center of the table.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing when an operation using a numeric button is performed in the digital TV receiver of FIG. The flow of processing for creating an electronic program guide by the electronic program guide creating apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the user operates the remote controller 300 (remote operation unit 103b), this is detected by the CPU 101 (step S1). Next, the EPG control unit 101a determines whether or not the button operation of the remote controller 300 is performed on the electronic program guide depending on whether or not the EPG is being displayed (step S2). If it is not a button operation on the EPG, the process ends without doing anything.

  On the other hand, if it is a button operation of the remote controller 300 for the EPG, the process proceeds to step S3, where the EPG control unit 101a presses the number button (any one of “1” to “9”) from the program guide area information holding unit 105. The program table display area (any one of <1> to <9>) and its area setting (channel and time zone information included in the area) are read out to be the target of the next process.

  Next, the common processing content 106a is read from the processing content holding unit 106, and the next processing to be performed is determined based on the operation setting content of the electronic program guide using the numeric buttons (step S4). If “cursor movement” is set as the processing content 106a in the processing content holding unit 106, the cursor is moved to the program at the center of the region setting (step S5). If “zoom” is set as the processing content 106a in the processing content holding unit 106, the electronic program guide screen is updated so that the area setting is the entire screen of the electronic program guide (step S6). When “scroll” is set as the processing content 106a in the processing content holding unit 106, the electronic program guide screen is updated so that the region setting becomes the center of the electronic program guide (step S7). By executing such processing, a series of processing is completed.

  As illustrated in FIG. 9, the present invention is an electronic program guide creation method for creating an electronic program guide for a television program operated by an operation unit (the above-described remote operation unit 103 b) provided with a plurality of numeric buttons. This form can also be adopted. This electronic program guide creation method reads out program information necessary for creating an electronic program guide from the program information storage unit (memory 102), and generates an electronic program guide image centered on the channel and time. From the generation step, from the program guide area information holding unit 105, from the area information reading step for reading out information on the divided areas obtained by dividing the display area on the electronic program guide by the same arrangement as the numeric buttons, from the processing content holding unit 106 The processing content reading step for reading the processing content common to the numeric buttons operated on the operation unit, and the processing step for executing the common processing content are included. Then, the processing step obtains the information of the divided area at the position corresponding to the numeric button by the area information reading step when an operation is performed on the numeric button by the operation unit (remote operation unit 103b), and the electronic program guide generation step The common processing content read by the processing content reading step is executed on the divided areas on the electronic program guide image generated in step (b). Even in this form, various forms of application can be adopted in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS.

  Further, the electronic program guide generation step described above may be incorporated as a separate program so as to be able to cooperate. In any form, the electronic program guide creating method according to the present invention includes a step of reading an area setting corresponding to a number button pressed from the program guide area information holding unit, and an electronic program using the number button from the processing content holding unit. The step of determining the processing to be executed according to the operation setting contents of the program guide and the step of performing processing for the electronic program guide according to the contents of the processing content holding unit can be displayed while maintaining the listability of the electronic program guide. It is possible to divide an area and perform an operation on each area.

  Such electronic program guide creation processing may be realized by a computer. In other words, the present invention can also be adopted as an electronic program guide creation program that is incorporated in a device capable of acquiring a television program and creates an electronic program guide for the television program. Here, the device is assumed to include an operation unit in which a plurality of numeric buttons are arranged (operation on the electronic program guide is performed by this operation unit), a storage unit, an image processing unit, and a control unit for controlling them, TV broadcast receivers such as the digital TV receiver described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9, a TV broadcast recording device, a cable TV receiver and its recording device, a portable terminal device capable of receiving TV broadcasts, and A PC equipped with a TV capture board corresponds to this.

  The electronic program guide creation program according to the present invention reads out the program information necessary for creating the electronic program guide from the storage unit (memory 102) to the control unit, and generates an electronic program guide image centered on the channel and time. An electronic program guide generation step generated by the image processing unit (the above-described graphic generation unit 104 or the like), and information on a divided area obtained by dividing the display area on the electronic program guide by the same arrangement as the number buttons are read from the storage unit. A region information reading step, a processing content reading step for reading processing content common to each numeric button operated by the operation unit (remote operation unit 103b), and a processing step for executing common processing content are executed from the storage unit. It is a program to make it. Here, in the processing step, when an operation is performed on a numeric button in the operation unit, information on a divided region at a position corresponding to the numeric button is obtained in the region information reading step, and the electronic program generated in the electronic program guide generation step The common processing content read by the processing content reading step is executed for the divided areas on the front image. Even in this form, various forms of application can be adopted in the same manner as described with reference to FIGS.

  Further, the electronic program guide generation step described above may be incorporated as a separate program so as to be able to cooperate. Regardless of the form, the electronic program guide creation program according to the present invention includes a step of reading the area setting corresponding to the number button pressed from the program guide area information holding unit 105 to the control unit, and a processing content holding unit A list of electronic program guides is executed by executing a step of determining a process to be executed according to the operation setting contents of the electronic program guide by the numeric buttons from 106 and a step of processing the electronic program guide according to the contents of the process content holding unit 106. The display area can be divided and operations can be performed on the respective areas while maintaining the characteristics.

  For example, when the digital TV receiver 1 according to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 9 is adopted as a device into which the electronic program guide creation program as described above is incorporated, the program includes the electronic TV of the present invention. Only the program table creation function (for example, control by the EPG control unit 101a in FIG. 1) is executed in cooperation with hardware having functions related to reception and output of the remaining broadcasts. The program in this form can be incorporated as firmware that causes the control unit including the CPU 101 to function as each means (or part of each means) according to the present invention described above. By adopting such a configuration, even a general-purpose control unit (a control computer such as a microcomputer having a microprocessor) incorporated in the digital TV receiver 1 can easily perform the electronic program guide of the television broadcast receiver. Can be controlled.

  This firmware is preferably stored in a storage means such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and is preferably configured to be accessed and executed by the CPU 101. For example, the CPU 101 may access the ROM, read the firmware onto a RAM (Random Access Memory), and execute the firmware. The information handled here is temporarily accumulated in the RAM at the time of the processing, and then stored in the memory 102 or the like, and is read out and corrected / written by the CPU 101 as necessary.

  Then, by recording and distributing such firmware on a computer-readable recording medium, a television broadcast receiver can be easily provided with an easy-to-operate electronic program guide creation device simply by including a microcomputer. Can be realized. Also, by recording this firmware on a removable recording medium, various functions and various processes according to the present invention can be realized on any device such as a digital TV receiver.

  Next, a case where a PC is employed as the above-described device will be described. In each part and each processing step of the electronic program guide creation apparatus 100, an arithmetic unit such as a CPU reads a program stored in a storage unit such as a ROM and executes the program, and an input unit such as a keyboard and an output such as a display. It can be realized by controlling the communication means such as an interface circuit or the like. Accordingly, the PC having these means and the TV capture board simply reads and executes the electronic program guide creation program (software) according to the present invention installed in advance, and various functions and functions of the electronic program guide creation device 100 Various processes can be realized. Information handled by the PC is temporarily stored in the RAM at the time of processing, and then stored in various ROMs such as a hard disk, and is read out, corrected, and written by the CPU as necessary. With such a configuration, even a general-purpose PC can easily control creation of an electronic program guide.

  Also, various functions and various processes of the electronic program guide creation device of the present invention can be realized by reading the distributed recording medium in which the PC records the electronic program guide creation program according to the present invention and executing the program. can do. Also, by recording this program on a removable recording medium, various functions and various processes according to the present invention can be realized on any computer.

  As described above, the recording medium on which the firmware and software of the present invention are recorded may be a memory such as a ROM for processing by a PC or a microcomputer, but a program reading device is provided as an external storage device. It may be a program medium that can be read by inserting a recording medium there. As such a program medium, a recording medium configured to be separable from the main body can be applied, a tape system such as a magnetic tape or a cassette tape, a magnetic disk such as a flexible disk or a hard disk, a CD / MO / MD / DVD, or the like. A disk system such as a disk, a card system such as an IC card (including a memory card), or a semiconductor including a mask ROM, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a semiconductor including a flash ROM, etc. There are recording media that carry a fixed program.

  Further, if the system configuration is connectable to a communication network including the Internet, a recording medium that fluidly carries the program may be used so as to download the program from the communication network. Further, when downloading a program from the communication network as described above, it is preferable that the download program is stored in the main device in advance or installed from another recording medium. Further, it is preferable that the firmware or software itself be downloaded to a program storage area (ROM or the like) of the computer by such a download program, so that the firmware or software is executed. .

  As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and the technical means disclosed in the different embodiments can be appropriately combined. Such embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a block diagram which shows simply the example of 1 structure of the electronic program guide preparation apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the structural example of the digital TV receiver provided with the electronic program guide preparation apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the remote controller which operates the digital TV receiver of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the electronic program guide displayed in the digital TV receiver of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the division area on the electronic program guide hold | maintained in the program guide area | region information holding part of the digital TV receiver of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting content hold | maintained by the program schedule area | region information holding part with respect to the division area of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the menu screen which a user sets operation of the electronic program guide by a number button displayed in the digital TV receiver of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the remote controller which enabled execution of the menu screen of FIG. 7 by simple operation. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing when an operation with a numeric button is performed in the digital TV receiver of FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Digital television broadcast receiver, 2 ... Digital broadcast tuner / demodulation unit, 3 ... TS decoder, 4 ... AV decoder, 5 ... Audio output unit, 6 ... Image superposition unit, 7 ... Video output unit, 8 ... External Interface: 100 ... Electronic program guide creation device, 101 ... CPU, 101a ... EPG control unit, 102 ... Memory, 102a ... Program information, 103 ... Operation unit, 103a ... Main unit operation unit, 103b ... Remote operation unit, 104 ... Graphic generation , 105 ... Program guide area information holding part, 106 ... Processing content holding part, 106 a ... Processing content, 200 ... Display part, 300 ... Remote controller, 301 ... Number button, 302 ... Program guide button, 303 ... Direction button and decision Button 400 ... Electronic program guide 401: Electronic program guide time zone display 402 ... Electronic program guide channel display 403 Program display of child program guide, 404 ... Cursor on electronic program guide, 601 ... Region number, 602 ... Channel, 603 ... Time zone, 700 ... Electronic program guide operation menu screen with numeric buttons, 701 ... Move cursor button, 702 ... "Zoom" button, 703 ... "Scroll" button, 801 ... Electronic program guide operation setting button using numeric buttons.

Claims (12)

  An electronic program guide creation device for creating an electronic program guide for a television program operated by an operation means provided with a plurality of numeric buttons, wherein a display area on the electronic program guide has the same arrangement as the arrangement of the numeric buttons. Program table area information holding means for holding information on the divided areas, processing content holding means for holding processing contents common to each numeric button operated by the operation means, and processing contents holding means. Processing means for executing the common processing content, and when the operation means is operated on the numeric buttons, the processing means displays the information on the divided areas at positions corresponding to the numeric buttons. The common processing contents obtained by the area information holding means and executed by the processing contents holding means are executed for the divided areas on the electronic program guide. Child program table creation device.   2. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 1, wherein program information storage means for storing program information necessary for creating the electronic program guide, and a channel from the program information stored in the program information storage means. And an electronic program guide generating means for generating an electronic program guide image with the time axis as an axis, and when the operation means is operated with respect to the numeric buttons, the processing means has a position corresponding to the numeric buttons. The common area held by the processing content holding means for the divided area on the electronic program guide image generated by the electronic program guide generation means, obtained from the program guide area information holding means An electronic program guide creation device characterized by executing the processing content of.   3. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 2, wherein the electronic program guide generation unit is configured to generate the electronic program guide image based on the information on the divided regions held by the program guide region information holding unit. An electronic program guide creation device that generates an image showing boundaries between divided areas.   4. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the common processing content indicates processing for changing an electronic program guide image generated by the electronic program guide generation means, and the processing means Is a means for causing the electronic program guide generating means to execute the change.   5. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 4, wherein the common processing content is to move a cursor displayed on the electronic program guide image to the divided area corresponding to the operated number button. An electronic program guide creation device characterized by showing processing.   5. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 4, wherein the common processing content is a division of a display range of program information displayed as the electronic program guide image corresponding to the operated number button. An electronic program guide creation device characterized by showing processing for changing a display range of program information displayed in an area as a reference.   7. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 1, further comprising user setting means for setting the common processing content by a user operation.   8. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 7, wherein the user setting means includes a means for setting by operating an operation button disposed on the operation means.   9. The electronic program guide creation device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the user setting means includes means for setting using a graphical user interface screen.   An electronic program guide creation method for creating an electronic program guide for a television program operated by an operation section provided with a plurality of numeric buttons, wherein the display area on the electronic program guide is displayed from the program guide area information holding section. An area information reading step for reading out information on the divided areas divided by the same arrangement as the number buttons, and a processing content reading step for reading out the processing contents common to the respective numeric buttons operated on the operation unit from the processing contents holding unit. And a processing step for executing the common processing content, and when the operation unit performs an operation on a numeric button, information on the divided region at a position corresponding to the numeric button is obtained as the region information. Within the common process obtained by the process content read step for the divided area on the electronic program guide obtained by the read step. Electronic program table creation method characterized by the execution.   A program for incorporating a television program into a device capable of acquiring a television program and creating an electronic program guide for the television program, the device comprising an operation unit having a plurality of numeric buttons, a storage unit, an image processing unit, and those The electronic program guide is operated by the operation unit, and the program has the same display area on the electronic program guide as the arrangement of the numeric buttons from the storage unit to the control unit. An area information reading step for reading out information on the divided areas divided by the arrangement, a processing content reading step for reading out processing contents common to the respective numeric buttons operated by the operation unit from the storage unit, and the common processing contents A processing step to be executed. When an operation is performed on a numeric button in the operation unit, the processing step is performed at a position corresponding to the numeric button. A program characterized in that information on a divided area is obtained by the area information reading step and the common processing content read by the processing content reading step is executed on the divided area on the electronic program guide. .   The computer-readable recording medium which recorded the program of Claim 11.

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