KR100702228B1 - Efficient method for scheduling program repeatedly broadcasted through digital broadcasting - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a scheduling method and system that enables a user to watch a program simply and efficiently through re-broadcast when a situation in which a user cannot watch the program occurs while watching a program. The method according to the present invention (a) when the user is in a situation in which the user cannot see the program being watched in the middle of watching a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, In response to activating a bookmark function, bookmarking the scene; (b) extracting a program title to which the bookmarked scene belongs and elapsed time until the bookmarked scene is displayed at the digital broadcast receiving terminal; (c) detecting, at the digital broadcast receiving terminal, whether a program corresponding to the program title has been re-broadcasted based on the electronic program guide information, and a time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed; and (d) In the broadcast receiving terminal, as a result of the detection, a program corresponding to the program title is rebroadcasted. And, when the time corresponding to the elapsed time, by the input of the tuning signal to the corresponding channel according to the automatic tuning of reservation or the user for the program, and a step of tuning to a channel to which the program broadcast. The method does not need to store the remainder of the program from which viewing was interrupted, and does not need to be directly searched to watch the program following a previously watched scene.

Description

Efficient METHOD FOR SCHEDULING PROGRAM REPEATEDLY BROADCASTED THROUGH DIGITAL BROADCASTING

1 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred embodiment of a scheduling method of a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting according to the present invention.

2 is a screen illustrating a specific implementation of a bookmarked program schedule table according to the present invention.

3 is a screen illustrating a specific implementation of an EPG screen reflecting a bookmarked program schedule according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to a scheduling method of a program repeatedly broadcast through digital broadcasting. More specifically, the present invention relates to a scheduling method that enables the user to watch the program simply and efficiently through re-broadcast when a situation in which the user cannot watch the program occurs while watching the program.

Broadcasting is largely divided into digital broadcasting and analog broadcasting. Currently, digital broadcasting is commercially available, and it is believed that it will soon replace conventional analog broadcasting. Currently, the standardization of digital broadcasting is rapidly progressing, and various technical developments are progressing in the fields of transmission of digital signals through a broadcasting network, multiplexing of data, processing video and audio signals, and display of digital television. Digital broadcasting is capable of compressing information data compared to analog broadcasting, and has excellent transmission speed, sound quality and image quality.

Digital broadcasting can implement interactive television (interactive television) by data broadcasting. Interactive television allows viewers to interact with the TV beyond just channel, volume, and videotape manipulation. Thus, it is possible to access video on demand via television and participate in payment, banking, shopping, booking, games or forums.

Unlike conventional analog broadcasting, digital broadcasting has an advantage that digital modulation enables efficient use of frequency. Therefore, digital broadcasting can implement a multi-channel service. At present, the number of channels operated by Skylife, a digital satellite broadcasting service provider, far exceeds 100 channels. By implementing such a multi-channel service, channel providers develop and provide specialized contents to attract user's attention. One of the phenomena that occurs when multi-channel services and specialized contents are provided is that the same content is repeatedly broadcasted several times.

Meanwhile, in order to store a program to be watched, a system employing a hard disk such as a PVR (PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER) or a DVR (DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER) has been provided. Regarding the storage of a program using a hard disk and the like, see US Pat. Nos. 4,839,743, 5,109,482, 6,895,171, and the like. The system having the PVR or DVR function is provided with a hard disk, and the user can record and view desired information on the hard disk while watching TV. However, systems with the PVR or DVR function (eg, set-top boxes) are not becoming common due to the high price of the system having the function. The system creates an economic burden on the user.

It is an object of the present invention to view a program again in a simple and efficient manner when a situation arises in which the user cannot watch the program in the middle of watching the program, without any additional storage medium storing the program. To provide a way to do this. More specifically, according to the present invention, when a situation occurs in which a user cannot watch a program in the middle of watching a program without any additional storage medium for storing the program, the scene is generated in a simple and efficient manner. The program can be connected to watch the program.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a) when the user is in a situation where the user cannot see the program being watched in the middle of watching a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, the user in a scene where the situation occurs Bookmarking the scene in response to the activation of the bookmark function by (b) extracting a program title to which the bookmarked scene belongs and an elapsed time until the bookmarked scene is displayed at the digital broadcast receiving terminal; (C) detecting whether the program corresponding to the program title is re-broadcasted and the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed based on the electronic program guide information in the digital broadcast receiving terminal; and (d) In the digital broadcast receiving terminal, a pro corresponding to the program title is detected. When the RAM is re-broadcasted and the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed, tuning to the channel on which the program is broadcast by automatic tuning reservation for the program or input of a tuning signal to the channel by the user. A scheduling method of a program repeatedly provided through a digital broadcast is provided.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, between the steps (a) and (b) of the program that is repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting further comprising the step of activating the user login window to receive the user identification information A scheduling method is provided.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, before performing the tuning to the channel on which the program of step (d) is broadcast, the program corresponding to the program title is rebroadcast by the electronic program guide application, There is provided a scheduling method of a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, which further includes activating a pop-up window indicating that the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a digital broadcast receiving terminal to which the program scheduling function is added.

While watching a program delivered via broadcast, a situation often arises in which the program can no longer be viewed. When this happens, many users have a desire to see the remainder that has not been watched continuously in the scene they were watching. If a storage medium for implementing a PVR (or DVR) is built in the receiving terminal, the storage after the scene being viewed may be stored in the storage medium, and the stored data may be recovered from the storage medium. However, such reproduction cannot be applied to a receiving terminal having no storage medium. In addition, even in a receiving terminal having a storage medium, the reproduction by the above-described method may be difficult. For example, in the case of the DMB receiving terminal, not only the capacity of the storage medium is small, but also due to the limitation of the battery capacity, continuous reception for a long time is difficult. Therefore, a case arises in which it is impossible to receive all of the remaining portions that have not been viewed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for efficiently viewing the remainder continuously in a scene that has been watched without storing the broadcast program.

The present invention provides a method of efficiently scheduling a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, not by using the bookmark function alone, but through the integrated use of the bookmark function and the electronic program guide application.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred embodiment of a scheduling method of a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, it is first determined whether a bookmark function is activated in the middle of viewing a program (S100). The bookmark function is activated by the user in a scene in which the situation occurs when the user is in a situation where the user cannot see a program currently being viewed. For example, the bookmark function may be activated if a user is in a hurry and can no longer watch television or wants to watch a program on another channel. If the bookmark function is activated, the bookmarked scene is captured and stored as an image file (S200). Then, identification information of the bookmarked scene such as the program title and the elapsed time is extracted from the bookmarked scene (S300). At this time, the management of the bookmarked information is performed by an electronic program guide application (EPG application) for managing the broadcast program guide information displayed on the screen of the digital television. When the program corresponding to the program title is re-broadcasted (S400) and the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed (S500), the EPG application activates a pop-up window to inform that a program scheduled by a bookmark is being broadcasted ( S600). Thereafter, in response to the tuning signal of the user's program to the channel on which the program is broadcast, the bookmarked program is tuned to the channel on which the program is broadcast (S700), and the program is viewed following the bookmarked scene (S800). Meanwhile, when a program scheduled by the bookmark is automatically reserved, the program may be immediately changed to a channel on which the program is broadcast without activating a pop-up window.

According to a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scheduling method of the program repeatedly provided through the digital broadcast, when the bookmark function is activated by the user, by adding a step of receiving the user identification information by activating the user login window It includes. The user login procedure allows an individual user to perform his or her own program scheduling by means of a bookmark when the digital broadcast receiving terminals are used together by a plurality of users.

According to the present invention, no external storage medium is used to store the remainder of the program that was not watched. The remaining program that has not been watched is not stored in the digital broadcast receiving terminal, but only information for identifying a program for which viewing is stopped, such as a program title and elapsed time, is extracted. And the identification information of the program which stopped viewing is managed by an EPG application with electronic program guide information. If the identification information of the program that has been stopped watching and the electronic program guide information match, the EPG application notifies the user that the program that has been stopped watching is being broadcast following the bookmarked scene, or the channel on which the program is automatically broadcasted. Tune with.

2 is a screen illustrating a specific implementation of a bookmarked program schedule table according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the schedule table includes a program title 101 to which a bookmarked scene belongs, a start time 102 at which the program is broadcast, an elapsed time 103 indicating when viewing is stopped, And a reservation item 104 for performing automatic tuning to the bookmarked program. At this time, the program title 101 to which the bookmarked scene belongs and the elapsed time 103 indicating when the viewing was stopped are data extracted from the bookmarked scene, and the start time 102 at which the program is broadcasted is determined from EPG information. The data obtained. In addition to the above items, an image 105 of the bookmarked scene may additionally be provided. Specifically, in the bookmarked program schedule table shown in FIG. 2, the bookmarked program is "spring day" "My name is Kim Sam-soon" "beginner English conversation" and the like, and the program "spring day" refers to EPG data, 2005 It will be rebroadcast at 21:30:00 on May 21, 21, and informs the user that the program has been interrupted after being watched for 30 minutes and 23 seconds. In addition, the program "spring day" has not been set an automatic reservation, so when the bookmarked scene is broadcast, the user will be notified by activation of a popup window. On the other hand, the bookmarked program "My name is Kim Sam-soon" is set to automatic reservation, and therefore, after the program is broadcast for a time corresponding to the elapsed time 103, tuning to the channel where the program is automatically broadcast This will be done. The above information is managed by the EPG application and can be provided on the EPG screen. The table is displayed on the screen by selection of the "view bookmark schedule" icon (reference numeral 205 in FIG. 3), which is implemented as a menu of the EPG application. This is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 3. Meanwhile, the bookmarked program schedule table shown in FIG. 2 is an example, and if necessary, a function button such as channel information on which the bookmarked program is broadcast and a cancel function setting for the bookmarked program may be additionally provided. . The program broadcast time 102 and the elapsed time 103 may be represented in a graphic form.

3 is a screen illustrating a specific implementation of an EPG screen reflecting a bookmarked program schedule according to the present invention. 3 illustrates that a channel item 201, a time item 202, and program title information 203 are provided on an EPG screen. EPG screens can be implemented in various ways, for more detailed description of EPG screens, see US Pat. Nos. 5,479,266, 5,585,838, and 5,850,218. In the EPG screen, programs indicated by the symbol "B" 204 indicate that a bookmark function is set for the corresponding program. Specifically, the bookmarked program schedule table is displayed on the screen in the same manner as the bookmarked program schedule table illustrated in FIG. 2 by clicking on the "view bookmark schedule" icon 205 presented at the bottom of the EPG screen. .

The scheduling method of a program delivered through digital broadcasting according to the present invention provides the following effects.

First, while watching a particular program, the remaining portion not watched is not stored in the digital broadcasting receiving terminal. Thus, no storage medium is used to store the remaining unviewed. This makes it possible to view a program following a scene where viewing is interrupted by using a digital broadcast receiving terminal having no PVR (or DVR) function. This is particularly useful for DMB receiving terminals, where there is no storage medium (hard disk) or there is insufficient capacity.

Second, the bookmarked information is managed together with the EPG data by the EPG application. This enables efficient viewing of a program where viewing is interrupted. The EPG application may notify the user that a program where viewing is interrupted is being broadcast following a bookmarked scene, or automatically tune to a channel on which the program is broadcast. Thus, there is no need to search directly for viewing following a previously viewed scene.

Claims (6)

(a) In the middle of watching a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, when the user is unable to see a program currently being viewed, the user can activate a bookmark function in a scene where the situation occurs. In response, bookmarking the scene, (b) extracting, at the digital broadcast receiving terminal, the program title to which the bookmarked scene belongs and the elapsed time until the bookmarked scene is displayed; (c) detecting, at the digital broadcast receiving terminal, whether a program corresponding to the program title has been re-broadcasted based on the electronic program guide information, and a time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed; and (d) In the digital broadcast receiving terminal, if the program corresponding to the program title is re-broadcast and the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed, the automatic tuning reservation for the corresponding program or the corresponding channel by the user Tuning the program to a channel on which the program is broadcast, by input of a tuning signal to a channel, the method for scheduling re-watching of a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting without performing recording of the program. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of activating a user login window and receiving user identification information between steps (a) and (b). How to schedule a review. The method according to claim 1, wherein before performing tuning to a channel on which the program of step (d) is broadcast, a program corresponding to the program title is re-broadcasted, and the time corresponding to the elapsed time is elapsed. And activating a pop-up window. The method of claim 1, further comprising: reactivating a pop-up window. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said steps (a) to (d) are managed by an electronic program guide application. a) in response to the activation of the bookmark function by the user in a scene in which the situation occurs when the user is in a situation where the user cannot see the program currently being viewed while repeatedly watching the program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting. Means for bookmarking the scene; b) means for extracting the program title to which the bookmarked scene belongs and the elapsed time until the bookmarked scene is displayed; c) means for detecting, based on the electronic program guide information, whether or not the program corresponding to the program title has been rebroadcasted and the time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed; d) As a result of the detection, when a program corresponding to the program title is re-broadcast and a time corresponding to the elapsed time has elapsed, automatic tuning reservation for the corresponding program or a tuning signal input to the corresponding channel by the user. Performing bookmark scheduling for re-watching of a program repeatedly provided through digital broadcasting, without performing recording of the program, including means for providing subsequent broadcast viewing to a scene where viewing is stopped by tuning to a corresponding channel. Digital broadcast receiving terminal. 6. The digital broadcast receiving terminal as set forth in claim 5, wherein the digital broadcasting receiving terminal is a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) receiving terminal.

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