JPH09331485A - Program guide display controller and television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain the avoidance of selection without the recognition of lapse of time after the broadcasting start of a PPV(pay per view) program by displaying a mark at a current time position on a display device. SOLUTION: Program guide is selected by an operating part 5, a display table is prepared, this table is sent from a CPU 6 to a program guide image generating circuit 4, and program guide images are generated on a display memory. Then, the program guide images generated on the display memory are successively read out and displayed on a display 8. At such a time, when it is judged the current time is included in a broadcasting time zone corresponding to the program guide stored in the display memory, a triangle mark is written at the current time position in the lower area of a display screen, and program guide picture generating processing is finished. Thus, the lapse of time from the start of current broadcasting program can be recognized, and the PPV program can be prevented from being selected and viewed without recognizing the lapse of time from the start of this program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program guide display control device and a television receiver for displaying a program guide necessary for a user to select a desired program from a plurality of channels in television broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) put into practical use in the United States, a large number of channels of 150 or more are prepared, and a large number of programs are provided. In this system, guide information of a currently broadcasted program and a program to be broadcasted in the future is transmitted at predetermined time intervals together with original program data. The user terminal has a function of displaying a program guide screen (program guide table) based on the program guide information.

On the user side terminal, as shown in FIG. 8, a part of the program guide table E corresponding to the received all program guide information is displayed as a program guide screen. On the program guide screen, a plurality of program guides are displayed in a matrix with the vertical axis as the channel number axis and the horizontal axis as the time axis. In this example, the program guide screen displays programs for five channels, that is, two and a half hours of programs. At the left end, channel numbers are displayed vertically. In the row corresponding to each channel, a frame indicating the time zone of each program broadcast by that channel is displayed, and the title names (A to P) are displayed in each frame.

On the program guide screen, a program can be specified,
A cursor for scrolling the program guide screen is displayed. This cursor movement is performed by operating four cursor movement keys provided for each of the left, right, up, and down directions. Each time a cursor movement key for moving up or down is operated, the cursor moves in units of one channel. Each time a cursor movement key for moving left or right is operated, the cursor moves in a predetermined time unit.

[0005] Programs provided in DSS include DS.
There are free programs that can be viewed for free if a system usage fee such as a fee for joining S and a basic fee are paid, and paid programs that are charged separately from the system usage fee. Pay programs are purchased in advance in units of channels and those that are charged only when viewed (PPV: pay
per view).

To view a PPV program, before the program is started or when the program is being broadcast,
The purchase procedure must be performed on the TV screen. That is, to purchase a PPV program, the user selects a PPV program to be purchased from the program guide table shown in FIG. Then, a purchase procedure screen is displayed, and the purchase procedure is performed according to the instructions on the screen. When you watch a PPV program that you have purchased, regardless of the viewing time,
A fixed fee is charged for the PPV program.

[0007]

By the way, after a considerable time has elapsed from the broadcast start time of the PPV program, the user may select the PPV program and watch it without the user recognizing it. . However, even in such a case, since the fixed fee is charged for the PPV program regardless of the viewing time, the PPV program is selected without recognizing the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting of the PPV program. It should be prevented from being viewed.

The present invention provides a program guide display control device and a television receiver capable of avoiding a situation in which a PPV program is selected and viewed without recognizing the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting of the PPV program. The purpose is to do.

[0009]

In a first program guide display control device according to the present invention, a plurality of program guides are arranged in a matrix on the display device, with one of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis being the channel number axis and the other being the time axis. In the program guide display control device to be displayed, a mark is displayed at a position corresponding to the current time in the display area of the display device.

A second program guide display control device according to the present invention is a program guide display control for displaying a plurality of program guides in a matrix on a display device, with one of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis being the channel number axis and the other being the time axis. In the device, means for displaying the mark at the position corresponding to the current time in the display area of the display device and regularly or irregularly,
It is characterized in that a means for moving the mark to a position according to the time at that time is provided.

In the first or second program guide display control device according to the present invention, since the mark is displayed at the position corresponding to the current time in the display area of the display device, the broadcast of the currently broadcast program is started. The elapsed time can be recognized at a glance. For this reason, it becomes difficult for the PPV program to be viewed without recognizing the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting the PPV program.

A television receiver according to the present invention comprises the first program guide display control device or the second program guide display control device according to the present invention.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) practically used in the United States will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[1] Description of Configuration of User Terminal

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the user terminal.

As the user terminal, a combination of a television receiver and a program guide display control device, or a television receiver incorporating a program guide display control circuit is used. The user terminal includes a CPU 6 for controlling the entire user terminal. CPU6
Is provided with a storage device 9 for storing the program and necessary data. The operation unit 5 including a remote controller and the like is connected to the CPU 6. CPU6
Controls the tuner 2 to display the program selected by the operation unit 5 and the program guide image generation circuit 4 for generating a program guide image.

The input terminal 1 receives a high-frequency signal from a parabolic antenna (not shown). The signal input to the input terminal 1 is sent to the tuner 2. In the tuner, processes such as frequency conversion and QPSK demodulation are performed, and a digital video signal stream is generated. The output of the tuner 2 is sent to the video processing circuit 3.

In the video processing circuit 3, the stream output from the tuner 2 is MPEG-decoded, and an analog video signal, such as an NTSC signal, to be displayed on a display 8 such as a CRT is generated. This video signal is displayed on the display 8 by being sent to the display 8 via the multiplexer 7.

Further, the video processing circuit 3 extracts program guide information and time information indicating the current time from the output of the tuner 2 and supplies them to the CPU 6. The program guide information and the time information supplied to the CPU 6 are stored in the storage device 9. The storage device 9 further stores in advance setting screen information for displaying various setting screens such as a menu screen, as well as information on purchased programs.

The program guide image generation circuit 4 has a display memory (not shown). In the program guide image generation circuit 4, various setting images and program guide images are created on the display memory based on the setting screen information, the program guide information, and the like stored in the storage device 9. Then, the images created on the display memory are sequentially read and sent to the display device 8 via the multiplexer 7 to be displayed on the display device 8. The multiplexer 7 selects one of the output of the video processing circuit 3 and the output of the program guide image generation circuit 4 based on the control signal from the CPU 6 and supplies the selected output to the display 8.

The operation unit 5 includes a menu key 11 for displaying a menu screen, and four cursor movement keys 12 for moving a cursor in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.
L, 12R, 12U, 12D, a select key 13 for selection input, and the like are provided. When the user wants to view the program guide screen, the menu screen is displayed by operating the menu key 11, and then the cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12U, 12D and the select key 13 are operated to display the program. The guide display mode may be selected.

To purchase a PPV program, select the PPV program to be purchased from the program guide screen. Then, a purchase procedure screen is displayed, and the purchase procedure may be performed according to the instructions on the screen.

[2] Description of display processing of program guide screen

The process for displaying the program guide screen will be described below. The transmitting side periodically sends the program guide information. The program guide information is, for example, guide information of each program for all channels from the current time to the time 24 hours ahead. The program guide information of one program includes a title name, a fee (rating) for a PPV program, a category (sports, music, drama, news, etc.), start and end times, and the like.

The CPU 6 regards the guide information of each program for all channels as two-dimensional array information in which the vertical direction is the channel number and the horizontal direction is the time, as shown in the upper part of FIG. And an index table that can be accessed using the slot number indicating the time. The slot number is, for example, a number assigned every 30 minutes. The area E of the two-dimensional array corresponding to all the program guide information shown in the upper part of FIG.
It is referred to as the entire program guide area.

When the program guide display is selected by the operation unit 5, the CPU 6 is operated based on the channel number, the current time and the index table which were selected immediately before.
Generates a display table as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, each small area (hereinafter, referred to as an area) except for the leftmost one column
) Is stored with program guide display information. Therefore, in this example, a display table corresponding to the program guide for 5 channels × 5 cells (corresponding to two and a half hours) is created. Each cell in the leftmost column stores a channel number (absolute channel number) or data of a station name corresponding to the channel number.

In FIG. 2, x of (x, y) described as an index for each cell is a channel relative number (a relative channel number between the cells in the display table, and is an absolute channel. Not a number)
y indicates a slot relative number (a relative slot number between cells in the display table, not an absolute slot number). The second cell S from the left in the top row
Let o be the reference cell. The reference cell So stores the program guide display information corresponding to the channel number selected immediately before and the current time.

The program guide display information stored in each cell is
It consists of a title name, the number of exclusive cells, a rating, information indicating whether or not purchased, a category, and the like. The number of exclusive cells is
The number of cells included from the cell to the cell where the program ends. Therefore, when the program ends in the cell, the number of exclusive cells becomes one. Based on the display table thus created, the program guide image generation circuit 4 generates an image corresponding to the program guide screen as shown in the lower part of FIG. 8 on the display memory. Then, the image generated on the display memory is sent to the display 8,
A program guide screen as shown in the lower part of FIG.

Note that the program guide information periodically sent to the user side terminal is added with time information indicating the current time and information indicating whether or not the program information has been changed (program guide information change information). ing. As described above, when the minimum slot unit is 30 minutes, the program guide information is changed at least every 30 minutes.

Further, the CPU 6 performs an interrupt process each time the program guide information is sent. In this interruption processing, it is determined whether or not the program guide information has been changed based on the program guide information change information included in the sent program guide information. When it is determined that the program guide information has been changed, the program guide information change flag FA for storing that the program guide information has been changed is set (FA = 1). Further, the program guide information stored in the storage device 9 is updated and the index table is updated.

Further, in the interrupt processing, it is determined whether or not the previously received time information and the currently received time information are different, and it is determined that the previously received time information and the currently received time information are different. If
The time information change flag FB for storing that the time information has been changed is set (FB = 1), and the time information stored in the storage device 9 is updated.

3 and 4 show the procedure of display processing of the program guide screen executed by the CPU 6 and the program guide image generating circuit 4.

When the program guide is selected by the operation unit 5, the channel number and the current time selected immediately before are read, and the reference cell is set from the entire program guide area E (see FIG. 8) (step 1). ).

The display table shown in FIG. 2 is created based on the set reference cells and the index table (step 2).

The information in the display table is sent from the CPU 6 to the program guide image generation circuit 4. The program guide image generation circuit 4 performs a program guide image generation process based on the transmitted information (step 3). That is, a program guide image is generated on the display memory. The program guide images generated on the display memory are sequentially read out and sent to the display 8, so that the display 8 displays a program guide screen. Details of the program guide image generation processing will be described later.

A time-related image generation process is also performed (step 4). That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the current time is digitally displayed in the upper left part of the display screen, and
A triangular mark ▲ is displayed at a position corresponding to the current time in the lower area of the display screen. Details of the time-related image generation processing will be described later.

Next, it is judged whether or not the program guide information change flag FA is set (step 5). If the program guide information change flag FA is not set, it is determined whether or not the time information change flag FB is set (step 6). If the time information change flag FB is not set, it is determined whether or not there is a select key input by the select key 13 (step 8).
If there is no select key input by the select key 13, cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12U, 12D
It is determined whether or not there is a cursor key input by (step 9). Cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 1
If there is no cursor key input with 2U or 12D,
Return to step 5. Then, the processes of steps 5, 68, and 9 are repeated until there is a key input.

If there is a select key input from the select key 13 (YES in step 8), program selection,
A predetermined selection process such as program reservation is executed.

Cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12
When there is cursor key input by U or 12D (YES in step 9), step 1 is performed in accordance with the operated cursor movement key 12L, 12R, 12U, 12D.
The processing of 0, 11, 12 or 13 is performed.

That is, the operated key is the left move key 12
If it is L, the routine proceeds to step 10, where it is judged whether or not a movement from the left end of the entire program guide area E to the left is instructed. If the operated key is the right move key 12R, the process proceeds to step 11, and it is determined whether or not a move from the right end of the entire program guide area E to the right is instructed.
If the operated key is the up movement key 12U, the process proceeds to step 12 and it is determined whether or not an upward movement command from the upper end of the entire program guide area E is instructed. If the operated key is the down movement key 12D, step 13
Then, it is determined whether or not a downward movement from the lower end of the entire program guide area E has been instructed.

When the movement from the left end of the entire program guide area E to the left is instructed (YES in step 10), the movement from the right end of the all program guide area E to the right is instructed (in step 11). If YES, an instruction is issued to move upward from the upper end of the entire program guide area E (Y in step 12).
ES) or when a command is issued to move downward from the lower end of the entire program guide area E (YES in step 13), that is, when the command is to move outside the entire program guide area E, the cursor is moved. Cannot be moved, the process returns to step 5.

If the cursor movement command by the cursor key input is a movement command within the entire program guide area, the position of the cursor movement destination is calculated (step 14).
If the cursor movement command is a movement command in the left and right direction, the movement amount is set to one cell (one slot) in the left and right direction, and the position of the cursor movement destination is calculated. When the cursor movement command is a vertical movement command, the movement amount is calculated as one cell (one slot) in the vertical direction, and the destination position of the cursor is calculated. Then, it is determined whether or not the position to which the cursor is moved is within the program guide screen displayed on the display 8 (step 15).

When the position of the cursor movement destination is within the program guide screen displayed on the display unit 8, the cursor image in the display memory is moved so that the cursor is displayed at the movement destination position. (Step 16). Then, the process returns to step 5.

When the position to which the cursor is moved is outside the program guide screen displayed on the display 8, the reference cell changing process is performed in order to change (scroll) the program guide screen ( Step 17). In the reference cell changing process, a position in the entire program guide area E, which is apart from the current reference cell in the cursor movement direction by the cursor movement amount, is set as a new reference cell. When a new reference cell is set by the reference cell changing process, the process returns to step 2. Accordingly, the display table of FIG. 2 is created based on the newly set reference cell, and a new program guide screen is displayed on the display 8. That is, the program guide screen is updated.

If the operator's key input is awaited when the program guide screen is displayed, the processing of steps 5, 6, 8 and 9 is repeated. Therefore, while the program guide screen is being displayed, C
When the program guide information change flag FA is set (FA = 1) by the interrupt processing by the PU 6, YES is determined in step 5 and the process proceeds to step 7. When the process moves from step 5 to step 7, the time information indicating the current time should have been updated. In step 7, the reference cell is changed based on the current time represented by the updated time information and the channel number selected immediately before.

Specifically, the reference cell is moved by one cell in the direction in which time advances (to the right). Then, the process returns to step 2, and the display table creating process and the program guide image creating process are performed. That is, when the program guide information change flag FA is set (FA = 1) by the interruption process while the program guide screen is being displayed, the program guide image is updated. The program guide information change flag FA is reset in the program guide image generation process, as described later.

If the time information change flag FB is set (FB = 1) by the interrupt processing by the CPU 6 while the program guide screen is being displayed, YES is obtained in step 6 and the process returns to step 4. Time-related image generation processing is performed. That is, when the time information change flag FB is set (FB = 1) by the interrupt process while the program guide screen is displayed, the time-related image is updated. The time information change flag FB is reset in the time-related image generation process, as described later.

[3] Description of Program Guide Image Generation Processing

FIG. 5 shows the detailed procedure of the program guide image generation processing in step 3 of FIG.

First, the program guide information change flag FA is reset (FA = 0) (step 21). When the program guide information change flag FA is changed from the set state to the reset state, the program guide information change flag FA has already been set when the display of the program guide screen is selected, and steps 1 and 2 are executed. When the program guide information change flag FA is set when the program is moved to step 3 and while the program guide screen is being displayed, steps 5 and 7,
There is a case where the process moves to Step 3 after going through 2.

Next, for each program in the display table, a frame image having a size corresponding to the occupied time of each program is written in the display memory based on the number of occupied cells (step 22).
Next, the cursor image is written in the display memory (step 23). Thereafter, an image (title image) representing the title name is written in each frame (step 24). This completes the program guide image generation process this time.

[4] Description of time-related image generation processing

FIG. 6 shows the detailed procedure of the time-related image generation processing in step 4 of FIG.

First, the time information change flag FB is reset (FB = 0) (step 31). When the time information change flag FB is changed from the set state to the reset state, the time information change flag FB has already been set when the display of the program guide screen is selected, and steps 1, 2, and 3 are performed. There are cases where the process moves to step 4 and cases where the time information change flag FB is set while the program guide screen is being displayed, and the process moves to step 4 via step 6.

Next, numerical values and symbols for digitally displaying the current time are written in the display memory at the upper left portion of the display screen (step 32). The current time is specified by the time information sent from the transmitting side. Then, it is determined whether or not the current time is included in the broadcast time zone corresponding to the program guide stored in the display memory (step 33).

If it is determined that the current time is included in the broadcast time zone corresponding to the program guide stored in the display memory, the position in the lower area of the display screen corresponding to the current time is calculated. Then, (step 34), the triangular mark ▴ is written at the position in the display memory corresponding to the calculated position (step 35). Then, the program guide image generation process this time is ended. As a result, for example, a program guide screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display 8.

If it is determined in step 33 that the current time is not included in the broadcast time zone corresponding to the program guide stored in the display memory, step 3
The program guide image generation process of this time is ended without performing the processes of Steps 4 and 35.

In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Since the triangle mark ▲ is displayed at the position corresponding to the current time in the lower area of the display screen, the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting of the currently broadcast program can be recognized at a glance. Therefore, without recognizing the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting of the PPV program,
It becomes difficult for the PPV program to be selected and viewed.

[0059]

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the PPV program from being selected and viewed without recognizing the elapsed time after the start of broadcasting of the PPV program.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user terminal.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a display table.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of a procedure for displaying a program guide screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a part of a display processing procedure of a program guide screen.

5 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of a program guide image generation process in step 3 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of the time-related image generation processing in step 4 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a program guide screen.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a program guide screen displayed on a user terminal in DSS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Tuner 3 Video processing circuit 4 Program guide image generation circuit 5 Operation unit 6 CPU 7 Multiplexer 8 Display 9 Storage device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A program guide display control device for displaying a plurality of program guides in a matrix on a display device, wherein one of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis is the channel number axis and the other is the time axis, and a current time in a display area of the display device. A program guide display control device characterized in that a mark is displayed at a position corresponding to. 2. A program guide display control device for displaying a plurality of program guides in a matrix on a display device, wherein one of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis is the channel number axis and the other is the time axis, and the current time in the display area of the display device. And a means for displaying the mark at a position corresponding to, and a means for periodically or irregularly moving the mark to a position corresponding to the time at that time, the program guide display control device. 3. A television receiver comprising the program guide display control device according to claim 1.