TWI413412B - Set-top box and program recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

A set-top box includes a program recording module, an identifier generate module, a matching module, and a marking module. The program recording module records television programs to a storage system. The identifier generate module generates identifiers of frames of a program title. The matching module compares a transport stream number of an I-frame of the recorded program after the program title with a first one of the identifiers. The matching module then compares frames after the I-frame with remainder of the identifiers one by one upon the condition that the transport stream number of the I-frame matches the first one of the identifiers. The marking module marks the I-frame upon the condition that the frames after the I-frame matches the remainder of the identifiers one by one. A program recording method of the set-top box is also provided.

Description

Set-top box and method for recording television program

The present invention relates to a set-top box, and more particularly to a method of recording a television program on a set-top box.

The set-top box is often used to record TV programs, and generally it is directly recording the TV program sent by the head end, and then all the recorded programs are completely played when the user needs to watch, including the advertisement program. Nowadays, TV program providers basically use advertising as their main income, so the frequency of inserting advertisements in TV programs is getting higher and higher, and the time is getting longer. For example, a common 45-minute episode of a TV series will be inserted more than three times a day for about 5 minutes, and finally it will take more than 60 minutes for a 45-minute TV program, which causes users to watch TV. Users generally want to skip the advertisement and only watch the TV program content while playing the recorded TV program.

In view of the above, it is necessary to provide a set-top box that can mark the title of the movie program before each program segment to skip the advertisement inserted in the television program according to the user's needs when playing the recorded television program.

In addition, it is also necessary to provide a method for recording a television program on a set-top box, which can mark the title of the movie program before the program segment, so as to skip the advertisement inserted in the television program according to the user's needs when playing the recorded television program.

The set-top box in the embodiment of the present invention is used for recording a television program, including a recording module, a recording module, a matching module, and a marking module. The recording module is configured to receive a television program to be recorded from the head end to be recorded to the memory, wherein the television program includes a plurality of consecutive titles, program segments, and advertisements, each of the heads includes a plurality of picture groups, and each picture group includes an I frame. , a plurality of B frames and a P frame, each frame including a complex transport stream. The recording module is configured to sequentially record the feature identification words corresponding to each frame of each of the user-defined slice headers, wherein the feature recognition word uses the type of each frame and the transmission stream included in each frame The number is expressed. The matching module is configured to determine whether the number of transmission streams of the I frame in the subsequently received television program matches the recorded first feature identification word, and in the I frame and the recorded first feature identification word When matching, it is sequentially determined whether the type of the frame after the I frame and the number of transmission streams match the recorded feature identification one by one. The marking module is configured to tag the I frame in the recorded television program when the frame after the I frame and the recorded feature recognition word can be matched one by one.

Preferably, when receiving the signal of the beginning of the slice header, the recording module sequentially records the type of each frame and the transmission stream included in each frame from the first I frame in the subsequently received television program. The number is received until the end of the slice is received, and the type of each frame and the number of transport streams it includes are combined into the feature identification word of each frame.

Preferably, the recording module uses two octet hexadecimal digits to indicate the type of each frame and the number of transport streams, and combines the two octet hexadecimal digits by an OR operation to form each message. The feature identifier of the box.

Preferably, the signal at the beginning of the slice and the signal at the end of the slice are sent by the user via the remote controller of the set-top box.

Preferably, the marking module is further configured to record the frame serial number corresponding to each label.

Preferably, the set-top box further comprises a positioning module and a playing module, wherein the playing module is configured to display the recorded program segments and play the program segments selected by the user, and each program segment includes a title corresponding to the label, the program segment and ad. The positioning module is configured to receive the filtered advertisement signal sent by the user during the playing of the television program, and locate the broadcast television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding label of the next program segment to skip the advertisement to play the next program segment.

The method for recording a television program in a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: receiving a television program to be recorded from a head end to be recorded to a memory, wherein the television program includes a continuous loop of a title, a program segment, and an advertisement, and each of the titles includes A plurality of picture groups, each picture group includes an I frame, a plurality of B frames and a P frame, each frame includes a plurality of transport streams; and each frame of each of the user defined slice headers is sequentially recorded. Corresponding feature identification words, wherein the feature recognition word is represented by the type of each frame and the number of transmission streams included in each frame; determining whether the number of transmission streams of the I frame in the subsequently received television program is The first feature identification word of the record is matched; if the I frame matches the first feature identification word recorded, the type of the frame and the number of transmission streams after the I frame are sequentially determined whether The recorded feature identification words are matched one by one; and if the frame after the I frame and the recorded feature recognition words can be matched one by one, the I frame is tagged in the recorded television program.

Preferably, the step of recording the feature identification word corresponding to each frame of each picture group in the user-defined slice header comprises: receiving a chip start signal during the recording process; and receiving the first one of the subsequently received television programs The I frame begins to record the type of each frame and the number of transport streams included in each frame until the end of the slice is received; and the type of each frame and the transport stream included therein The number synthesizes the feature identification word of each frame.

Preferably, the type of each frame and the number of transport streams are recorded using octet hexadecimal digits, and the two octet hexadecimal digits are combined by an OR operation to form a feature of each frame. Identify the word.

Preferably, the method for recording a television program by the set-top box further comprises: recording a frame serial number corresponding to each tag; displaying the recorded program segments, each program segment including a title corresponding to the title, the program segment, and the advertisement Playing a program segment selected by the user; receiving a filtered advertisement signal sent by the user during the playing of the television program; and positioning the played television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding label of the next program segment to skip the advertisement playing next Program passage.

The above and the technical effects of the invention can be easily understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a diagram showing an application environment and a function module of an embodiment of the set-top box 10 of the present invention. The set top box 10 in the present embodiment is used to record a television program transmitted by the head end 20. In the present embodiment, the set-top box 10 includes a processor 12, a memory 14, a recording module 100, a recording module 102, a matching module 104, a marking module 106, a playing module 108, and a positioning module 110. The processor 12 executes the recording module 100, the recording module 102, the matching module 104, the marking module 106, the playing module 108, and the positioning module 110 stored in the memory 14 to implement the functions of the module.

The recording module 100 receives the television program to be recorded from the head end 20 for recording to the memory 14. Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic structural diagram of a television program recorded on the set-top box 10 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the television program includes a plurality of consecutive titles, a program segment, and an advertisement. Among them, the program segment is formed by the TV program provider dividing the television program into plural parts for the insertion of the advertisement. The title is a short piece of content that is played back when you switch back to the TV show after each time the ad is played.

According to the MPEG encoding format, each slice header includes a Group of Pictures (GOP), and a GOP is a set of consecutive frames. MPEG encoding divides the frame into three types: I, P, and B. I is an internal coded frame, P is a forward predictive frame, and B is a two-way interpolated frame. Simply put, the I frame is a complete picture, while the P frame and the B frame record changes relative to the I frame. Without the I frame, the P frame and the B frame cannot be decoded. Each frame includes a Transport Stream (TS), and the head end 20 transmits the frame by transmitting a complex transport stream.

When the recording module 100 starts recording a television program, the user can define the title of the title when the title is played. For example, the user can input the start and end signals of the slice by the function button on the remote controller (not shown) of the set-top box 10 to tell the set-top box 10 that the title is being played during the start signal and the end signal. . At this time, the user record module 102 sequentially records the feature identification words corresponding to each frame of each picture group in the user-defined slice header. Specifically, the recording module 102 receives the start signal of the slice header during the recording process, and sequentially records the type of each frame and the transmission included therein from the first I frame in the subsequently received television program. The number of streams until the end of the slice is received. Then, the recording module 102 synthesizes the type of each frame and the number of transport streams included therein into the feature identification words of each frame.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the feature recognition word generated by the set-top box 10 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, a special number is used in advance to indicate the type of the frame. In order to reduce the space occupied by the special number, the hexadecimal digit of eight bits is preferentially selected. For example, 0x10000000 represents the I frame, 0x00000000 represents the B frame, and 0x20000000 represents the P frame. In other embodiments, other numbers may be used to indicate the type of the frame, and only need to be preset. The number of transport streams is also preferentially represented by the hexadecimal digits of eight bits. For example, if the number of transport streams of the I frame of the first picture group is counted as 1128, it can be represented by 0x00000468. The frame type can then be combined with the number of transport streams using an OR operation. For example, the feature identifier of the I frame of the first picture group can be ORed by 0x10000000 for expressing the frame type I frame and the number 0x00000468 of the transmission stream in the I frame, that is, 0x10000468.

The matching module 104 determines whether the number of transmission streams of the I frame in the subsequently received television program matches the recorded first feature identification word. If the I frame in the subsequently received television program matches the recorded first feature identification word, it indicates that the I frame may be the beginning of the next header. At this time, the matching module 104 starts to sequentially determine whether the type of the frame after the I frame and the number of transmission streams match the recorded feature identification one by one.

The following describes in detail, in conjunction with FIG. 3, how the matching module 104 sequentially determines whether the type of the frame after the I frame and the number of transport streams match the recorded feature identification one by one. First, the matching module 104 receives the second frame, first determines its type, and counts the number of transport streams, and then combines the frame type with the number of transport streams, and determines whether the combined result is compared with FIG. 3. The second feature identification word shown is the same. If the combined result is not the same as the second feature identification word, it means that the title is not being played, so the comparison is stopped and the next I frame is continued.

If the combined result is the same as the second feature recognition word, it indicates that the second frame matches the second feature recognition word. Then, the matching module 104 determines whether the received third frame matches the third feature identifier, and if it matches, determines whether the received fourth frame matches the fourth feature identifier, and so on. Until all the feature recognition words are compared.

If the frame after the I frame and the recorded feature recognition word can be matched one by one, the tag module 106 tags the first matching I frame in the recorded television program. Each tag corresponds to a program segment, and each segment includes a title, a program segment, and an advertisement. Referring to FIG. 2, the slice header 1, the program segment 1, the advertisement 1 form the program segment 1, the title header 2, the program segment 2, the advertisement 2 form the program segment 2, and so on.

In this way, the set-top box 10 can be quickly positioned to the title by the label, so that the advertisement can be filtered accordingly. Specifically, the tag module 106 records the frame serial number corresponding to each tag. The play module 108 displays the recorded program segments for the user to select and play the program segments selected by the user. During the playback, if an advertisement is encountered, the user can send a signal to skip the advertisement by using the function key on the remote controller. The positioning module 110 receives the filtered advertising signal sent by the user during the playing of the television program, and locates the broadcasted television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding label of the next program segment to skip the advertisement to play the next program segment.

4 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for recording a television program by the set-top box 10 of the present invention. The method is used in the set-top box 10 of Figures 1 and 2 and is completed by the functional module shown in Figure 2.

In step S400, the recording module 100 receives the television program to be recorded from the head end 20 for recording to the memory. In step S402, the recording module 102 sequentially records the feature identification words corresponding to each frame of each picture group in the user-defined slice header, wherein the feature recognition word uses the type of each frame and the transport stream included therein. The number is expressed. In step S404, the matching module 104 compares the number of transmission streams of the subsequently received I frame with the recorded first feature identification word. In step S406, the matching module 104 determines whether the number of transport streams of the compared I frame matches the recorded first feature identifier. If the aligned I frame does not match the recorded first feature identifier, indicating that the playback is not the slice header, then in step S404, the matching module 104 continues to compare the transmission stream of the subsequently received I frame. The number and the first feature identifier recorded.

If the aligned I frame matches the recorded first feature identifier, indicating that the playback may be a slice header, then in step S408, the matching module 104 sequentially determines the matched I frame. Whether the type of the frame and the number of transport streams match the recorded feature identification one by one. If there is a feature identification word that does not match the corresponding frame, indicating that the title is not played at this time, then in step S404, the matching module 104 continues to compare the number of transmission streams of the subsequently received I frame with the recorded number. A feature identification word.

If the frame after the matched I frame and the recorded feature recognition word can be matched one by one, indicating that the title is played at this time, in step S410, the marking module 106 will be in the recorded television program. The matching I frame is tagged.

In step S412, the matching module 104 determines whether the program is recorded. If not, the steps S404 to S410 are repeatedly performed to continue marking the next title.

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of an embodiment of the feature identification word of the frame in the slice header in step S400 of FIG. In step S500, the recording module 102 receives the signal of the start of the slice header during the recording process. In step S502, the recording module 102 sequentially records the type of each frame and the number of transport streams included therein from the first I frame in the subsequently received television program until the end of the slice is received in step S504. signal of. In step S506, the recording module 102 synthesizes the type of each frame and the number of transport streams included therein into the feature identification words of each frame.

6 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of playing a recorded television program on the set-top box 10 of the present invention. In step S600, the marking module 106 records the frame serial number corresponding to each label. In step S602, the play module 108 displays the recorded program segments for the user to select. Each of the tags corresponds to a program segment, and each segment includes a title, a program segment, and an advertisement. In step S604, the play module 108 plays the program segment selected by the user. During the playback, if an advertisement is encountered, the user can send a signal to skip the advertisement by using the function key on the remote controller. In step S606, the positioning module 110 receives the filtered advertisement signal sent by the user during the playing of the television program. In step S608, the positioning module 110 locates the broadcasted television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding tag of the next program segment to skip the advertisement to play the next program segment.

The set-top box 10 of the present invention and the method for recording the same for the television program mark the first frame of each title by recording the feature identification word of each frame of the slice header, so that the next time the recorded television program is played Skip ads can be played directly to increase user satisfaction.

In summary, the present invention complies with the requirements of the invention patent and submits a patent application according to law. The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and equivalent modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art of the present invention should be included in the following claims.

10‧‧‧Machine box

20‧‧‧ head end

12‧‧‧ Processor

14‧‧‧ memory

100‧‧‧recording module

102‧‧‧recording module

104‧‧‧ Matching module

106‧‧‧Marking module

108‧‧‧Playing module

110‧‧‧ Positioning Module

1 is a diagram showing an application environment and a function module of an embodiment of a set-top box of the present invention.

2 is a schematic structural view of a television program recorded on the set-top box of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of generating a feature recognition word on the set-top box of FIG. 1. FIG.

4 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for recording a television program on a set-top box of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of an embodiment of the feature identification word of the frame in the slice header in step S400 of FIG.

6 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a recorded television program played by the set-top box of the present invention.

10‧‧‧Machine box

20‧‧‧ head end

12‧‧‧ Processor

14‧‧‧ memory

100‧‧‧recording module

102‧‧‧recording module

104‧‧‧ Matching module

106‧‧‧Marking module

108‧‧‧Playing module

110‧‧‧ Positioning Module

Claims (10)

A set-top box for recording television programs, including:
a recording module, configured to receive a television program to be recorded from a head end to be recorded to a memory, wherein the television program includes a plurality of consecutive titles, a program segment, and an advertisement, each of the slices includes a plurality of picture groups, and each picture group includes an I a frame, a plurality of B frames and a P frame, each frame including a plurality of transport streams;
a recording module, configured to sequentially record a feature identifier corresponding to each frame of each of the user-defined slice headers, wherein the feature recognition word uses the type of each frame and the transmission included in each frame The number of streams is represented;
The matching module is configured to determine whether the number of transmission streams of the I frame in the subsequently received television program matches the recorded first feature identification word, and sequentially determine the I that matches the first feature identification word. Whether the type of the frame after the frame matches the number of the transport stream and the recorded feature identifier; and the marking module is used for both the frame after the I frame and the recorded feature recognition word. When matching one by one, the I frame matching the first feature identification word is tagged in the recorded television program. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the recording module records each frame sequentially from the first I frame in the subsequently received television program when receiving the signal of the start of the slice header. The type and the number of transport streams included in each frame until the end of the slice is received, and the type of each frame and the number of transport streams it includes are combined into the feature identifier of each frame. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein the recording module expresses the type of each frame and the number of transport streams as eight-digit hexadecimal digits, and combines them by an OR operation to form each The feature identifier of the frame. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein the signal of the start of the slice and the end of the slice are sent by the user via the remote control of the set-top box. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the marking module is further configured to record a frame serial number corresponding to each label. The set-top box as described in claim 5 of the patent scope further includes:
a playing module, configured to display the recorded program segments and play the program segments selected by the user, each program segment includes a title corresponding to the title, a program segment and an advertisement; and a positioning module for playing during the television program Receiving the filtered advertising signal sent by the user, and positioning the played television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding label of the next program paragraph to skip the advertisement to play the next program paragraph. A method for recording a television program on a set-top box, comprising:
Receiving a television program to be recorded from the head end to be recorded to the memory, the television program includes a continuous loop of the title, a program segment and an advertisement, each of the headers including a plurality of picture groups, each picture group including an I frame, a plurality of B messages a frame and a P frame, each frame including a plurality of transport streams;
The feature identification words corresponding to each frame of each picture group in the user-defined slice header are sequentially recorded, wherein the feature recognition word is represented by the type of each frame and the number of transmission streams included in each frame;
Determining whether the number of transmission streams of the I frame in the subsequently received television program matches the recorded first feature identification word;
If the I frame matches the recorded first feature identifier, it is sequentially determined whether the type of the frame after the I frame and the number of transport streams match the recorded feature identifier one by one; and If the frame after the I frame and the recorded feature recognition word can be matched one by one, the I frame is tagged in the recorded television program. The method for recording a television program in a set-top box according to claim 7, wherein the step of recording the feature identification word corresponding to each frame of each of the user-defined slice headers comprises:
Receiving a signal at the beginning of the slice during recording;
Starting from the first I frame in the subsequently received television program, the type of each frame and the number of transmission streams included in each frame are sequentially recorded until the end of the slice is received; and each message is received. The type of the frame and the number of transport streams it includes are combined to form the feature identification word for each frame. The method for recording a television program in a set-top box according to claim 8 , wherein the type of each frame and the number of the transport stream are recorded by using an octet hexadecimal digit, and combined by an OR operation. To form a feature recognition word for each frame. The method for recording a television program in a set-top box as described in claim 7 of the patent application, further comprising:
Record the serial number of the frame corresponding to each label;
Displaying the recorded program segments, each program segment including a title corresponding to the title, program segment and advertisement;
Playing a program segment selected by the user;
Receiving a filtered advertising signal sent by the user during the playing of the television program; and positioning the played television program to the frame serial number of the corresponding label of the next program segment to skip the advertisement to play the next program segment.