KR20000005276A - Bookmarking television program and channel selections - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and apparatus are to enable a viewer to select broadcast signals conveniently by displaying broadcast signals, such as programs and channels, on a screen of a television set. CONSTITUTION: An apparatus displays broadcast programs on selected channels to a viewer, marks at least one program in response to a first signal from the viewer, marks one or more of the channels in response to a second signal from the viewer, stores signals corresponding to the marked programs and channels; and sequentially displays the marked programs and channels in response to a third signal from the viewer. To aid the viewer, a method and apparatus for displaying broadcast information, such as television signals, on a television are provided. The apparatus displays a plurality of icons on the screen, sequentially moves an icon cursor from one icon to another icon in response to a first signal from a television viewer to point to one icon at a time, and displays text associated with the pointed icon only.

Description

Broadcasting program and channel display device and method

The present invention relates to the selection of broadcast signals, and more particularly to the convenient selection of broadcast signals, such as television programs or channels, by the viewer.

Since the early days of television, the number of available channels has gradually increased. The opening of the UHF band for broadcast use, the development of cable television infrastructure and the introduction of readily available direct satellite broadcast reception have all increased the number of available channels and programs. In the late 20th century in the United States, there are hundreds of channels for the private broadcast market (the number of programs also increases). Such broadcast signals include television signals or signals for other types of broadcast media.

This proliferation of channels and programs greatly expands the choice of channels and programs. However, viewers must not only learn how to use a specific time frame and a specific channel, but also perform a difficult task of simply finding a program to watch. Many television viewers turn on the television set and turn channels to find the programs they are interested in. For example, if you have ten channels, the time to run them is short. However, if there are hundreds of programs available, the time required to view all channels becomes very long. Unless the viewer knows exactly what channel he or she wants to watch, turning the channel will be enjoying the television itself.

The present application includes drawings showing electronic program guide information and illustrations output on a television screen by the present invention. The contents disclosed by this patent application document include copyrighted media. Copyright owners do not object to facsimile copying of patent application documents or patent disclosures, such as files or records filed with the Office. However, any copyrights retained for all other copies.

The invention can be better understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1A shows an example of a set top device and a television set suitable for the device of the present invention; Fig. 2B shows the internal circuit configuration and general operation of the set top device of Fig. 1A;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a remote control suitable for use in connection with the set top device and television set of FIG. 1A;

3A-3B show television outputs showing icons bookmarked programs and channels, respectively;

4A-4K show television output images of programs and channel examples in which the viewer bookmarked the programs and channels according to the present invention;

5A-5C show television output video recalling the bookmarked programs and channels of FIGS. 4A-4K;

6A-6D show the detailed configuration and operation of the icon bar output by the present invention.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device connected to a broadcast signal such as a television signal, and a television for a broadcast program and channel output on a screen of a television set. A set and a method for outputting broadcast signals such as programs and channels on a screen of a television set. The apparatus comprises means for outputting a broadcast program of a channel selected by the viewer, means for displaying one or more programs that match the first signal from the viewer, one corresponding to the second signal from the viewer, or Means for displaying two or more channels, means for storing the displayed program and a signal consistent with the channel, and means for continuously outputting the displayed program and the signal in accordance with a third signal from the viewer. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for outputting broadcast information such as a television signal on a screen of a television. The apparatus comprises means for outputting a plurality of icons on the screen and for continuously moving the icon cursor from one icon to another in accordance with a first signal generated by a television viewer at one time pressing one icon. Means, and means for outputting text relating only to the pressed icon.

The present invention will be better understood from the viewer's point of view of the set top device 12 and television set 16 shown in FIG. 1A and the remote control 10 shown in FIG. 1B.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the set top device 12 is connected to a broadcast medium (which is not shown in the figure) and to the broadcast signal input of the television set 16. As shown in FIG. The set top device 12 operates to select a particular channel received and output a program of that channel via the television set 16. The set top device 12 suitably includes an infrared ray (IR) receiver 18 operative to receive a remote control signal from the remote control. This allows the viewer to select a particular channel received by the command of the set-top device 12 via the remote control or by an operation controller (not shown in the figure) on the set-top device 12. The set-top device 12 generates its output shown on the screen of the television 16, extracts Electronic Program Guide (EPG) information from an externally received signal, and internal memory (this is shown in the figure). And a circuit for storing this signal. The signal of the electronic program guide information is transmitted through the current UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band or any broadcast band such as a television cable and direct satellite broadcasting.

1B shows the internal circuit configuration and general operation of the set top device 12. As shown therein, the set-top device 12 includes a tuner / decoder 28, a controller 21, a remote controller receiver 23, an electronic program guide information extractor 25, an output generator 36, and a presentation. It comprises a (Presentation) part 38. The remote controller 23 is connected to the infrared receiver 18, and converts the received infrared signal into an electronic command signal to be input to the controller 21. The control unit 21 operates in accordance with the general operation of the set-top device 12. The control unit 21 is suitably configured as a microprocessor or a microcontroller. One function of the control unit 21 is to generate a channel selection control signal of the tuner / decoder 28. The tuner / decoder 28 receives an external broadcast video signal and performs a function of separating a desired channel that matches the channel selection control signal.

The program guide information extractor 25 separates the EPG information from the received signal. In one embodiment of the invention, this information is extracted from the blanking interval of the currently selected channel. Of course, it is also possible for the EPG information to be multiplexed into video information for output in other ways. In another embodiment of the present invention, the tuner / decoder 28 is shifted to a specific electronic program guide information channel that only carries EPG information.

In addition, the control unit 21 controls the output generator 36 to generate an electronic program output and immediately respond to the EPG information used in the electronic program guide extraction unit 25, and furthermore, received through the remote control receiver 23. Control to respond to user commands. In addition, the controller 21 controls the output generator 36 to generate various outputs and prompts such as icons representing various functions. These functions suitable for the present invention are described next. In addition, the electronic memory space is included in the controller 21 to store various electronic signals in response to a user command, and the controller 21 operates by using the stored signals.

The presentation unit 38 combines the video signal received from the tuner / decoder 28 with the program guide output signal generated by the output generation unit 36 to generate a video signal for output. Some prompts and outputs are double printed on the video programming of the selected channel. The other output will occupy the entire screen and this will completely replace the selected channel.

Further details of the internal configuration of the set top device 12 are the same as in the prior art, which is not described herein any further. Any combination of hardware or software may be used to carry out the functions of the set top device 12.

Of course, a separate set-top device may be used as the device for practicing the present invention. For example, some or all of the set top device may be located within the television 16 itself or within an interactive television network connected with the set top device 12.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a remote controller 10 suitable for use in connection with the set top device 12 and television set 16 of FIG. 1A. Of course, the remote controller 10 is not shown to be the same size as the television set 16 of Fig. 1A. The remote controller 10 includes a numeric keypad 13, a volume controller 14, a channel controller 15, a vertical cursor arrow key 17A and a horizontal cursor arrow key 17B, an on / off switch 24, a TV button ( 20), a guidance button 22, a selection button 24, and an option button 26 are provided. The on / off switch 18 turns the set top device 12 on or off. The numeric keypad 13 and the channel controller 15 are used for channel selection. The volume control unit 14 adjusts the volume of the television set 16. The TV button 20, the guide button 22, the select button 24, and the option button 26 are used to select a program from the EPG information signal. An example of such an operation is described in the "ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE WITH ENHANCED PRESENTATION" filed and filed with the US Patent Office on November 10, 1995 by the inventor and its agent.

In accordance with the present invention, at any time watching the television set 16, the viewer can "bookmark" a program or channel that they would like to see quickly later. In a very simple form, the present invention works like a "recall" in many television sets, allowing the viewer to toggle between the two most recently watched channels. For example, if there are 32 channels (and programs) in the present invention, they will be displayed and recalled. This can create a list of channels that viewers like most when they haven't decided what to watch, and show them what programs they watched when they were watching. .

The feature of the bookmark is to toggle between three steps: Mark Program, Mark Channel, and Unmark. When the viewer is watching a non-displayed program he wants to "bookmark," the viewer simply selects the program to bookmark by simply pressing the select button 24 on the remote controller 10. A concave check mark icon 30 in the upper right corner of the screen of FIG. 3A is displayed when instructing the current program. Of course, other icons may be used. In order to avoid visual congestion with the underlined broadcast image, this is not shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. These bookmarks remain only while the program continues to be broadcast. When the program ends, the bookmark is automatically deleted.

If the select button 24 is pressed again on the displayed program, as shown in Fig. 3B, the concave check mark changes to a filled concave check mark icon representing the channel rather than the program. Other icons can likewise be used for this function. Until the viewer removes the bookmark, the displayed channel is permanently memorized for the current viewer, even after the end of the current viewing or after the television is turned off.

If the viewer presses the select button 24 again, the channel bookmark icon 31 is removed and the icon disappears. When the user turns the channel, the bookmark icon 30 or 31 is output for only a few seconds so as not to interfere with the broadcast video of the television set 16.

Signals for recalling bookmarked programs and channels are stored in the set-top device 12. The bookmarked programs and channels are stored even when the television set 16 is turned off. However, as indicated by the EPG signal received by the set-top device 12 as described above, the displayed program is removed when this program is finished.

At this time, the viewer can turn over the bookmarked programs and channels through the bookmarked programs and channels at any point during normal viewing using the recall button 27 on the remote controller 10. The viewer can also move to all channels using the channel up or down button 15. If no program or channel is displayed, the last channel visited by the set-top device 12 to be toggled by the television set 16 among the last two channels visited when the viewer presses the recall button 27 several times. do.

4A-4K illustrate the invention used by the viewer. Each figure shows an example of a broadcast image on a television set 16 in which a viewer has bookmarked a program and a channel. 4A shows an image of a first channel. In Fig. 4B, the select button 24 has been pressed twice and the channel has been bookmarked. This represents the shaded icon 33 in the upper right corner of the television set 16. At this time, the channel is changed to another image of FIG. 4C. 4D shows that the viewer changed the channel again. As such, Figure 4E shows another channel. At this time, the viewer bookmarks the broadcast program by pressing the selection button 24 once. 4F shows the bookmarked program icon 34 at the top right of the image. 4G and 4H show that the viewer changed channels twice. The shaded bookmarked channel icon shown in Figure 4I indicates that the viewer pressed the select button 24 twice to select the channel shown in Figure 4H. The viewer then makes two channel changes, as shown in Figures 4J and 4K.

As a result, after changing among the eight channels, the viewer bookmarked two channels and one program. When the recall button 27 is pressed, the set top device 12 recalls the first bookmarked channel, as shown in FIG. 5A. When the recall button 27 is pressed again, the bookmarked program appears as shown in Fig. 5B. When the recall button 27 is pressed a third time, as shown in Fig. 5C, the second bookmarked channel comes out. As noted above, the bookmarked program of FIG. 5B ends when the viewer presses the recall button 27, and the set-top device 12 only recalls the bookmarked channel.

All television set images are mentioned in the figures with information on television set 16. As noted above, bookmarking programs and channels and recalling bookmarked programs and channels may be performed while the set top device 12 is in a simple broadcast reception mode. The screen of the television set 16 simply outputs the broadcast image of the selected channel (and the temporary program and channel bookmark icon). Bookmarking programs and channels and recalling bookmarked programs and channels may also be performed in other modes of the set top box.

3A-3B, 4A-4K and 5A-5C, the set top device 12 is in an EPG output mode in which electronic program guide information can be obtained and output to the television set 16. In this mode, the icon bar 40 and the electronic program guide information are output. This example is shown in Figures 3A and 3B. In this and other EPG output modes, as detailed in the aforementioned patent application, the viewer can view the schedule of the broadcast program, and the program can be selected for present and future viewing.

In one aspect of the invention, the viewer can also bookmark programs and channels during the EPG output mode by selecting such a program from the EPG information. The program will be broadcast in the future or at a selected point in time. The bookmarking program is executed by moving the icon cursor 42 over the icon bar 40 on the display / non-display icon 54. Pressing the select button 24 at this time bookmarks the program selected for later recall (until the end of the broadcast program).

In another aspect of the present invention, set-top device 12 creates an icon bar for output onto the screen of television set 16 at the viewer's request. The icon bar is made up of a series of icons with the identified functions so that the viewer can execute the context that the icon bar means. The viewer can move the icon cursor box 42 from one icon to the next using the arrow buttons 17B of '<-' and '->' on the remote controller 10. When the icon cursor box 42 is over the function to select, this function is selected by pressing the select button 24 on the remote controller 10. As shown in the example shown in Figs. 6A-6C, the icon bar 40 has icons 51 and 52, which are included in the display / non-display icon 54. As shown in Figs. 6A-6C, the icon cursor 42 is moved to the left by pushing the left arrow button 17B.

The number of available icons is not limited to the size of the screen. The viewer will access more icons by moving the icon cursor box 42 to the left or right of the icon bar. The icon cursor box 42 causes the icon to be shown so that the viewer can use the icon when the viewer moves the arrow button to the left or right as appropriate. In addition, the partial icon is shown at the end of the bar to emphasize the fact that there are more functions in that direction. For example, if there are no more icons on the left side, the icon cursor box 42 only shows the right arrow.

As shown in Figs. 6A-6D, the icon cursor box 42 is accompanied by a character bar 43 explaining the function of the icon where the icon cursor box 42 is located. By providing text for the icon cursor, more choices are possible than providing text menus in the same screen space. At the same time, the character bar 43 provides a large amount of character space for international translation of each function of the icon. The example shown in FIG. 6D shows an example of the German phrase for "Record".

Using an icon bar and an icon cursor makes it easy for viewers to create the same watchlist. For example, the icon bar 40 shown in FIG. 6A is a viewer icon 53 that allows the icon bar to be used to view or add watch lists. For example, in the electronic program guide information 41 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the viewer "BOB" is identified. Once you have selected the "Add Viewer" function, use the arrow buttons 17A and 17B and the select button 24 to create a viewer's name to add from the letters on the on-screen table to add the viewer. You can do it.

In accordance with the present invention, there will be a separate list of bookmarked programs and channels for each identified viewer. By controlling the remote controller 10 to identify the viewer with a prompt output to the television set 16 via the set top device 12, the viewer has personally bookmarked programs and channels. Thus, each viewer does not have to waste time running channels and programs that the viewer does not want.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention may use various changes, modifications, and equivalents. It is clear that the present invention can be applied in the same manner by appropriately modifying the above embodiments. Accordingly, the above description does not limit the scope of the invention as defined by the limitations of the following claims.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the selection of broadcast signals for televisions, and in particular, it can be used in the field of conveniently selecting broadcast signals such as television programs and channels by viewers.

Claims (23)

A television set for displaying broadcast programs and channels on a device and screen coupled to broadcast signals, Means for displaying a broadcast program of a selected channel to a viewer; Means for displaying at least one of the broadcast programs in accordance with a first signal from the viewer; Means for marking one or more of the channels in accordance with a second signal from the viewer; Means for storing signals consistent with the indicated programs and channels; And means for continuously displaying the displayed programs and channels in accordance with a third signal from the viewer. The method of claim 1, The apparatus is connected with broadcast electronic program guide information signals, and the storing means removes signals corresponding to the displayed program in accordance with the broadcast electronic program guide information signals indicating the end of the displayed program. Program and channel display. The method of claim 1, wherein the device, And a means for displaying a first icon on the screen in accordance with the program display means for displaying a program. The method of claim 1, wherein the device, And means for displaying a second icon on the screen in accordance with the channel display means for displaying a channel. The method of claim 1, wherein the device, And non-display means for displaying the displayed program or the displayed channel in accordance with the fourth signal from the viewer. The method of claim 5, wherein the device, And a remote controller connected to the viewer and having a first button and generating first, second, or fourth signals when the first button is sequentially pressed. Device. An apparatus for displaying broadcast signal information on a television screen, Means for displaying a plurality of icons on the screen; Means for sequentially moving an icon cursor from one icon to another to indicate one icon at a time in accordance with a first signal from the viewer; And means for displaying a character associated only with the indicated icon. The method of claim 7, wherein the icon display means, And means for arranging the plurality of icons on a horizontal bar displayed on the screen. The method of claim 8, wherein the character display means, And displaying the text on a bar adjacent to the indicated icon. The method of claim 9, wherein the character display means, And a character bar under the indicated icon. The method of claim 7, wherein the character display means, And displaying the character for displaying a function related to the instructed icon. A method of displaying broadcast programs and channels on a television screen, Displaying a broadcast program associated with channels selected to a television viewer on the television screen; Displaying the one or more programs in accordance with a first signal from the television viewer; Displaying the one or more channels in accordance with a second signal from the television viewer; Storing signals corresponding to the programs and channels; Displaying the displayed programs and channels on the television screen in accordance with a third signal from the television viewer. The method of claim 12, wherein the storing step, And removing signals corresponding to the displayed program corresponding to the broadcast electronic program guide information signal indicating the end of the program. The method of claim 12, wherein the program display step, And displaying the first icon. The method of claim 12, wherein the channel display step, And displaying a second icon. The method of claim 12, wherein And not displaying the displayed program or the displayed channel in response to a fourth signal from the viewer. A method of displaying broadcast signal information on a television screen, Displaying a plurality of icons on the screen; Means for sequentially moving an icon cursor from one icon to another to select one icon at a time in accordance with signals from the viewer; And displaying a character related only to the selected icon. The method of claim 17, wherein the icon display step, And arranging the plurality of icons on a horizontal bar displayed on the screen. The method of claim 18, wherein the character display step, And displaying the text adjacent to the selected icon. The method of claim 19, wherein the character display step, And displaying characters on a bar below the selected icon. The method of claim 17, wherein the icon cursor, And a box around an icon to which the cursor is moved. The method of claim 17, wherein the character display step, And displaying a letter describing the function of the selected icon. The method of claim 22, wherein the character is, And displaying a broadcast program and a channel adjacent to the selected icon.