KR20080069020A - Method and apparatus for providing electronic program guide's user interface - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing a user interface of an EPG(Electronic Program Guide) are provided to enable a user to easily predict which one a focus will be moved to among programs identified by an ID object when a focus movement command is inputted. A focus control module disposes a focus in a broadcasting program of a currently-watching channel if there is broadcasting program information of the currently-watching channel(S10). An ID(IDentification) object control module displays an ID object based on current time(S12). A highlight control module highlights a program list, where the focus is not disposed, by using a specific color among program lists broadcasted at a reference time of the ID objects(S14). If an up/down navigation key is inputted, the focus control module moves the focus to a program corresponding to an input direction among programs identified by the ID object(S24,S26).

Description

Method and apparatus for providing Electronic Program Guide's user interface

1 is a configuration diagram of a general electronic program guide screen;

2 is an internal block diagram of an apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention;

3 is an exemplary view showing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention;

4 and 5 are exemplary diagrams when the reference time of the identification entity in FIG. 3 is changed;

6 is an exemplary diagram when the focus is shifted in FIG. 3;

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

12: identification object control module 14: focus control module

16: Highlight control module 20: Channel number display window

22: time display window 24: program information display window

26: identification object

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide in which a user can easily predict a moving position of a focus.

As digital broadcasting becomes full-fledged, TVs and set-top boxes equipped with an electronic program guide (EPG) function are gradually increasing.

The EPG is displayed on the screen of a digital TV, and refers to a kind of program schedule that includes programs and summaries for each channel.

Viewers can easily determine which broadcast program is being broadcast on which day, for example, about one week later by operating the EPG with a remote controller. In addition, if a desired broadcast program name is designated, more detailed information can be obtained than a schedule, and according to a service, a reserved program can be designated by specifying a broadcast program name from a screen of a program guide.

Electronic program guide operators collect notice programs or program-related information from broadcasting stations and program providers (PPs), and send them to digital TV in real time by channel, subject, time zone, and viewer characteristics. Accordingly, digital TV viewers can obtain channel information quickly and easily by using such EPG.

The general EPG is divided into three parts, as shown in FIG. 1. That is, the channel number display window 100 for displaying the channel, the time display window 102 for displaying the time, and the program information display window 104 for displaying the information of the program broadcast in the channel and time zone selected by the user. .

That is, the program title is displayed in a grid composed of a channel axis and a time axis, and in this case, each grid width is a broadcast time of the corresponding program. This differs slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, and the overall EPG composition is not very different.

A method for controlling the cursor position in this EPG has been disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-58390.

According to the present disclosure, when there is broadcast program information of a channel currently being viewed, the cursor is displayed at a corresponding broadcast program location when the EPG display is set, and if there is no broadcast program information of a channel currently being viewed, the broadcast program position of the current program among adjacent programs is displayed. Display the cursor at.

If it is determined that the cursor has moved up (or down), the cursor is moved to the broadcast program position of the upper (or lower) channel closest to the current time, and if it is determined that the cursor has moved left (or right), the left side The cursor is moved to the broadcast program position closest to the broadcast program currently being viewed among the broadcast programs on the right (or right side).

In the conventional EPG screen, the cursor position control method moves the focus to the nearest program cell when the user moves the cursor up, down, left, and right in the program in which the current focus is located. The disadvantage is that the user cannot easily recognize it.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a method and apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide that enables a user to easily predict a moving position of a focus.

However, the objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide, the method including: providing an identification object for identifying a program list for each channel broadcasted at a predetermined reference time; And moving the focus to any one of a program list for each channel identified by the identification object according to the focus shift command.

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an identification object control module for providing an identification object for identifying a program list for each channel broadcasted at a predetermined reference time; And a focus control module for shifting focus to any one of a program list for each channel identified by the identification object according to a focus shift command.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings, and the advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be embodied in various different forms, and the present embodiments merely make the disclosure of the present invention complete and common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Hereinafter, a method and apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying block diagrams or drawings of the process flow diagram.

At this point, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and combinations of flowchart illustrations may be performed by computer program instructions.

Since these computer program instructions may be mounted on a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, those instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment may be described in flow chart block (s). It creates a means to perform the functions.

These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement functionality in a particular manner, and thus the computer usable or computer readable memory. It is also possible for the instructions stored in to produce an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block (s). Computer program instructions It is also possible to mount on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, so that a series of operating steps are performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-implemented process to perform the computer or other programmable data processing equipment. It is also possible for the instructions to provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block (s).

In addition, each block may represent a portion of a module, segment, or code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function (s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, the two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending on the corresponding function.

2 is an internal block diagram of an apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention.

The viewer turns on the digital TV and selects a desired channel by using a remote controller. At this time, if you want to see the electronic program guide on any channel, select the menu provided by the digital TV using the remote control. Here, the menu may include various functions such as time setting and screen setting. When the user selects to view the electronic program guide among various functions, the digital TV displays the electronic program guide received or stored in advance from the program provider in real time on the screen.

The user interface providing apparatus 10 of the electronic program guide may be included in a TV, a set-top box, or the like, and may be implemented as one or a plurality of modules.

As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus for providing a user interface of the electronic program guide according to the present invention includes an identification object control module 12, a focus control module 14, and a highlight control module 16.

The identification object control module 12 provides an identification object 26 for identifying the program list for each channel broadcasted at a predetermined reference time with the remaining program list.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the identification object 26 extends in the longitudinal direction of the channel number display window 20 on the basis of a predetermined reference time of the time display window 22 and is broadcasted at each time program. Preferably, the list is in the form of a sliding bar that visually distinguishes it from the rest of the program list.

Of course, the identification object 26 is not limited to the sliding bar form, and may be any type as long as it can visually distinguish the program list for each channel broadcast at a predetermined reference time from the other program lists.

The sliding bar is a list of the remaining channel programs at that time except for the program in which the focus is located (in the case of FIG. 3, "Human TV pleasant ..."), in the case of FIG. 119 "," legend palm "," English ... "), but it is of course possible to extend the sliding bar on the program in which the focus is located.

In addition, the identification object control module 12 changes the reference time at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the time display window 22 according to the user's reference time change input (for example, input of left and right arrow keys on the remote controller), and identifies the identification object ( 26) is moved to the program list for each channel broadcasted at the changed reference time.

The identification object control module 12 rapidly changes the reference time of the identification object 26 when the left and right arrow keys are continuously pressed or continuously pressed for a predetermined time.

The focus control module 14 moves the focus to any one of the program list for each channel identified by the identification object 26 according to the focus movement command. In FIG. 3, the program " human TV pleasant ... " is a portion where the focus is located according to a user's input command, and the focus shift command typically uses the arrow keys on the remote control.

The highlight control module 16 includes a list of programs except for the focused program among the list of programs broadcasted at the reference time of the identification object 26 (in the case of FIG. 3, "Jungle tree loved ...", "Emergency structure 119"). , "Legendary Spa", "English ...").

On the other hand, whenever the focus moves, the identification object control module 12 and the highlight control module 16 respectively identify the identification object 26 in the remaining program list except for the program in which the focus is located among the program list identified by the identification object 26. And highlights. Of course, as described above, the identification object 26 may also be located on the focused program list.

4 and 5 illustrate an example in which the highlight area or the focus area is changed when the reference time of the identification object 26 is changed. Here, the electronic program guide is a lattice structure consisting of a channel axis and a time axis. Of course, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any form may be used as long as it is an electronic program guide displaying programs broadcasted by time and channel.

FIG. 4 shows that the changed reference time of the identification object 26 is compared to FIG. 3 within the airing time of the programs "Jungle love ...", "Emergency structure 119", "Human TV pleasant ..." 3, the focus is placed on the program "Human TV pleasant ..." as shown in FIG. 3, and is highlighted in the programs "Jungle jujube love ...", "emergency structure 119".

However, in the case of the SBS channel and the EBS channel, the program broadcasted at the reference time of the identification object 26 is changed from "Legendary Night" to "8 o'clock News" and "English ..." to "Nature and Human", respectively. The area is moved.

In FIG. 5, the changed reference time of the identification object 26 passes through all of the programs located in the highlight area and the focus area of FIG. 3, and the highlight and focus areas are all changed.

FIG. 6 shows that in the state of FIG. 3, the user inputs an up arrow key of the remote controller and the focus is shifted to the "emergency structure 119" which is an upward program. As the focus moves to the upper program, the identification object 26 and the highlights remain in the program except "Emergency 119" ("Jungle Love ...", "Human TV Joy ...", "Legendary Night", " English ... ").

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention. For reference, the case where the identification object 26 is not located on the focused program will be described as an example.

When the EPG display function is set, the EPG is displayed. If there is broadcast program information of the channel currently being viewed, the focus control module 14 places the focus on the broadcast program of the channel currently being viewed (S10). In addition, the identification object control module 12 displays the identification object 26 based on the current time (S12).

At this time, the highlight control module 16 highlights a program list having no focus in the program list broadcasted at the reference time of the identification object 26 with a specific color (S14).

If the user inputs the left arrow key (or the right arrow key) (S16), the focus control module 14 moves the focus to the program broadcasted at the changed time of the same channel (S18), and the identification object control module ( 12 displays the identification object 26 again based on the changed reference time (S20). In addition, the highlight control module 16 highlights a program list having no focus in the program list broadcasted at the reference time of the identification object 26 in a specific color (S14).

On the other hand, when the up and down arrow keys are input (S24), the focus control module 14 moves the focus to a program corresponding to the input direction among the programs identified by the identification object 26 (S26). In addition, the identification object control module 12 displays the identification object 26 again in a list other than the focused program (S20), and the highlight control module 16 displays a list of programs broadcast at a reference time of the identification object 26. The program list without focus is highlighted in a specific color (S14).

Of course, when the identification object 26 is located on the focused program, the process of re-displaying the identification object after step S26 of the flowchart of FIG. 7 is omitted, and the process directly proceeds to step S14.

Thus, the present invention makes it easy for the user to anticipate that the focus will move to any of the programs identified by the identification object 26 when the focus movement command is entered.

Although the method and apparatus for providing a user interface of an electronic program guide according to the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings illustrated as above, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein, Of course, various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea.

As described above, according to the method and apparatus for providing a user interface of the electronic program guide according to the present invention, the user can easily predict the movement position of the focus.

Claims (5)

Providing an identification object for identifying a program list for each channel broadcasted at a predetermined reference time; And And moving the focus to any one of a program list for each channel identified by the identification object according to a focus shift command. The method of claim 1, And changing the reference time at predetermined intervals according to the change command of the reference time, and moving the identification object to a program list for each channel that is broadcast at the changed reference time. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And highlighting a list of programs other than the focused program in the list of programs broadcast at the reference time of the identification object. The method of claim 2, Accelerating the change of the reference time when the command for changing the reference time is plural times consecutively or for a predetermined time. An identification object control module for providing an identification object for identifying a program list for each channel broadcasted at a predetermined reference time; And And a focus control module for shifting focus to any one of a program list for each channel identified by the identification object according to a focus shift command.

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