TWI493972B - Electronic device and method for displaying an electronic program guide thereof - Google Patents

Description

Electronic device and electronic program form display method thereof

The present invention relates to an electronic device and an electronic program guide (EPG) display method thereof, and more particularly to an electronic device using the concept of a circle and a clock and an electronic program form display method thereof.

Today's electronic program forms are a way of presenting information such as the name, category, and profile of a program, and at the same time, with a scrolling mechanism to avoid too many program forms, and cannot present all the information at the same time. A typical electronic program form can only display programs on a single channel. If there are many channels (for example, there are about 400 TV channels in Germany), and each channel may also contain programs that are to be played in the past, present and future, the user looks for an electronic device. Program information is often time consuming and labor intensive. The more channels there are, the more difficult it is to find the information about the programs you need.

The invention provides an electronic device and an electronic program form display method thereof. The invention uses the concept of a clock and time statistical chart to centrally present electronic program information, so that the user can quickly and conveniently browse and search for program information, so as to solve the problem that the traditional program form is not easy to browse due to information dispersion.

The invention provides an electronic program form display method comprising the following steps. First, information of a plurality of programs in a display period is obtained, and the program information includes at least a playback start time and a playback end time of each program. And then performing the following steps for each program: calculating a starting angle and an ending angle of the program in a circular area or a ring area according to the above display period and the playing start time and the playing end time of each program; The circular area or the circular area displays a sector area which is bounded by the above-mentioned starting angle and ending angle; part of the information or all information of the program is displayed in the sector area.

The invention further provides an electronic device, comprising a signal receiving module, an information processing module, and a display module. The signal receiving module receives a broadcast signal of a plurality of programs in a display period. The information processing module is coupled to the signal receiving module, and the information of the plurality of programs is captured from the broadcast signal, wherein the information of each of the programs includes at least a playback start time and a playback end time of the program. In addition, for each of the above programs, the information processing module calculates a starting angle and an ending angle of the program in a circular area or a ring area according to the display period and the playing start time and the playing end time of the program. The display module is coupled to the information processing module. For each of the programs, a sector area is displayed in the circular area or the ring area, and part of the information or all information of the program is displayed in the sector area. The sector is bordered by the starting and ending angles of the program.

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The electronic device 100 includes a signal receiving module 120, an operation interface module 140, an information processing module 160, and a display module 180. The information processing module 160 is coupled to the other three modules. The electronic device 100 may be a television, a set-top box, or an electronic device such as a smart phone that can be used to watch a television program. The four modules of Figure 1 can be either software or hardware. If it is hardware, the display module 180 can be a display or a device for providing signals to an external display. The operation interface module 140 can be a user interface device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or a remote signal receiver.

The electronic device 100 can display an electronic program form in the form of a clock as shown in FIG. 2. This embodiment corresponds to the circumference of the circular area or the circular area to a display period set by the user. The user can freely set the start time and length of the display period, such as twelve hours of half a day, twenty-four hours of the whole day, or a time period when the user goes home from work. Information such as the name of each program is displayed in the above-mentioned circular area or circular area in accordance with the time sequence in which the program is played. The electronic device 100 also displays a pointer to indicate the current time. The advantage of this form of clock is that it is simple and intuitive.

Each module of the electronic device 100 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The operation interface module 140 receives the user's operation. The signal receiving module 120 receives the broadcast signals of the plurality of programs in the display period, and the broadcast signals may be from a television station, a cable television station, or a program provider on the network. The information processing module 160 retrieves information of the program from the broadcast signal. The above plurality of programs usually come from the same channel selected by the user, and the above channels may be virtual channels opened by a traditional television channel or a program provider on the network. As for how to capture program information, the current TV broadcast signals have standard specifications, and there are fixed fields in the signal to provide program information. For example, the Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) in Europe includes program information in the event information table (EIT: Event Information Table). The program information captured by the information processing module 160 may include the name, category, playback start time, playback end time, and introduction or detailed description of each program.

The information processing module 160 calculates, for each of the above-mentioned programs, a starting angle and an ending angle of the program in the associated circular area or the ring area according to the display period and the playback start time and the playback end time of the program. In the present embodiment, the above-described starting angle and ending angle can be calculated by the following formulas (1) and (2).

SA=(BST-DST)/DL*360...............................(1)

EA=(BET-DST)/DL*360..........................(2)

In formulas (1) and (2), SA and EA are the starting angle and ending angle of the program, respectively. BST and BET are the playback start time and playback end time of the program, respectively, and DST is the start time of the above display period. DL is the length of the above display period.

The display module 180 displays a corresponding sector area for each of the above-mentioned programs in the circular area or the ring area, and the sector area is bounded by the starting angle and the ending angle of the corresponding program. In addition, the display module 180 displays partial information or all information of the corresponding program in each sector area.

Taking FIG. 2 as an example, the display period of FIG. 2 is 12 noon to midnight, and the angle 210 of the 12 o'clock direction indicates the start time and end time of the display period. The electronic device 100 displays the sector regions of the programs 1 to 9 of a certain channel selected by the user in the chronological order of playback in the circular area 200. For example, the playback start time and the playback end time of the program 3 are 3 pm and 4 pm, respectively, so that the sector regions thereof are bounded by the start angle 220 at the 3 o'clock direction and the end angle 230 at the 4 o'clock direction, respectively. The remaining eight shows are also displayed in the same way. In this way, the user can easily judge the playing time from the display position of the program.

In addition, the information processing module 160 calculates a current angle according to the display period and the current time, and the display module 180 displays a pointer toward the current angle in the center of the circular area or the annular area. In the present embodiment, the current angle can be calculated by the following formula (3).

CA=(CT-DST)/DL*360...............................(3)

In formula (3), CA is the current angle, CT is the current time, DST is the start time of the display period, and DL is the length of the display period.

The above pointer is equivalent to the hour hand of the clock, indicating the current time for the user. Taking FIG. 2 as an example, the current time is approximately 7 o'clock in the afternoon, and the pointer 240 is oriented from the center of the circular area 200 toward the current angle 245. The pointer 240 is located in the sector of the program 6, and the user knows that the program 6 is currently being played. The information processing module 160 can capture the current time from the broadcast signal transmitted by the television station or the network program provider, for example, a time and date table (TDT: Time and Date Table) and time in the broadcast signal of the digital video broadcast specification. The TOT: Time Offset Table tells you the current time and date. In addition, the information processing module 160 can also allow the user to set the current time.

In order to allow the user to quickly distinguish past, present and future programs, the information processing module 160 can determine the sector area of each program according to the order of playback start time, playback end time and current time of each program. The color is displayed by the display module 180. Taking FIG. 2 as an example, the pointer 240 is in the sector area of the program 6, indicating that the programs 1~5 have been played, the program 6 is playing, and the programs 7~9 are not yet playing. In this case, the portion from the angle 210 in the clockwise direction up to the angle 245 can be displayed in one color, and the portion from the angle 245 in the clockwise direction up to the angle 210 is displayed in another color. Or display the program 1~5 in the first color, the program 6 in the second color, and the program 7~9 in the third color. Alternatively, the program 1~5 is displayed in the first color, the portion of the program 6 before the current time is displayed in the second color, the portion of the program 6 after the current time is displayed in the third color, and the program is displayed in the fourth color. 7~9.

In addition, the display module 180 can display a specific background color and/or background image in the above-mentioned circular area or ring area according to the current time to remind the user of the current time or date. For example, you can use different background colors or background images during the day and night, or both. Or display the background color and/or background image set by the user at a specific time or date.

The user can add the program to the preset various lists in the screen as shown in FIG. 2. If the operation interface module 140 receives a preset operation corresponding to a certain list in one of the above-mentioned sector regions, the information processing module 160 adds the program corresponding to the sector region to the list. For example, the user can select the program by using the up, down, left and right buttons of the remote controller, and then use the ok button to add the program to the list to be viewed. The display module 180 can display a preset color or pattern in the sector area of each program of each list to indicate the program in the list. For example, the screen of FIG. 2 indicates a list of scheduled viewings in a star pattern 252, and a list of reserved video recordings in a file pattern 254. The list of scheduled viewings includes Program 2, Program 4, and Program 9. The list of reserved videos includes program 7 and program 8.

The information processing module 160 can perform a preset function at the playback start time of each program in the list. For example, for each program in the list to be viewed, the preset function is to ask the user whether to switch to the channel of the program, or to switch directly to the channel of the program. For each program in the list of reserved videos, the default function is to record the program.

The display module 180 can display all the programs of the same list in a circular area or a ring area according to the user's command. For example, all of the programs in the predetermined viewing list or the reserved video list described above may be displayed as separate circular areas or circular areas.

If the programs in a circular area or a ring area are from the same channel, there is no problem that the playback time overlaps each other. However, if the programs are from the same list, because the programs in the list can be selected from a plurality of different channels, the playing time may overlap, causing the display to be unclear. To solve this problem, the display module 180 can display the sector area of each program in a translucent color. The above-mentioned translucent colors will gradually deepen as the program time overlaps, so that the user can see at a glance.

The electronic device 100 can use multiple concentric circles to display more program information. For example, in FIG. 3, the display module 180 displays program information of the same channel for three consecutive days starting today, and three concentric circles 310, 320, and 330 respectively display program information of today, tomorrow, and the next day, and the date prompts 351~353 Point out the dates represented by the three concentric circles. Assuming that today is August 18th, the most central circular area 310 is composed of the sectoral areas of today's programs 11-18, and the circular area 320 is composed of the sectoral areas of the programs 21-29 of August 19, the circular area. 330 consists of a sector of the program 31~37 on August 20.

In the picture of Fig. 3, the most central circular area represents the first day of continuous days, and each outer ring area represents the next day. The first day above is not limited to today, users are free to choose the date of the first day.

In general, the area of the most central concentric circle is larger than each concentric circle of the periphery, so the most central concentric circle can display more kinds of program information than the peripheral concentric circles. For example, the peripheral concentric circles 320 and 330 can display the program name and type, and the center concentric circle 310 can display detailed information such as program introduction in addition to the program name and type. The center and peripheral concentric circles each show which program information can be set by the user.

Each of the fan-shaped regions of the concentric circles may also display a preset color or a preset pattern of each list, such as a star pattern 362 representing a predetermined viewing list and a file pattern 364 representing a reserved video list.

If the operation interface module 140 receives a preset operation of the user, such as a click action, at any concentric circle on the periphery, the display module 180 can switch the concentric circle of the periphery to the most central concentric circle. Thus, the user can switch any of the peripheral concentric circles to the center to view more detailed program information.

In addition to displaying a plurality of concentric circles of programs of the same channel for a plurality of consecutive days, the electronic device 100 can also display programs of a plurality of channels of the same day with a plurality of concentric circles, wherein each concentric circle displays one channel. As shown in FIG. 4, the most central circular area 310 is composed of the sector area of the program of channel A, and the outer ring areas 320 and 330 are composed of the sector areas of the programs of channel B and channel C, respectively. Channel prompts 451~453 indicate the channels represented by the three concentric circles. The plurality of channels displayed by the concentric circles may be preset channels, or may be selected by the user from the channel list, or may be consecutive channels starting from the channel currently viewed by the user.

Although FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 only show three concentric circles, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the electronic device 100 allows the user to set the number of concentric circles displayed simultaneously.

In addition to the above electronic device 100, the present invention also provides a corresponding electronic program form display method. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for displaying an electronic program form according to an embodiment of the invention. This method can be performed by the electronic device 100 or other device. First, information of a plurality of programs in a display period is obtained (step 510). The information of the above program includes at least the playback start time and the playback end time of each program. The following steps are then performed for each of the above programs. The start angle and the end angle of the program in a circular area or a ring area are calculated according to the above display period and the play start time and the play end time of each program (step 520). A sector area corresponding to the program is displayed in the circular area or the ring area described above (step 530), and the sector area is bordered by the starting angle and the ending angle of the corresponding program. Partial information or all information of the corresponding program is displayed in the above sector area (step 540). Next, it is checked whether all of the programs have been displayed (step 550). If so, the process ends here. Otherwise the flow returns and steps 520 through 550 are performed for the next program.

The technical details of the method have been described above in relation to the various embodiments of the electronic device 100, and the details are not repeated herein.

In summary, the present invention utilizes the display form of the clock hands and the clock disc to convey time hints at the display position of the program information, and can display a large amount of program information by using multiple concentric circles, so that the user can quickly learn a plurality of channels or The playing time of many programs for many days, as well as the current time.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

1~9, 11~18, 21~29, 31~37. . . Program and its sector

100. . . Electronic device

120. . . Signal receiving module

140. . . Operation interface module

160. . . Information processing module

180. . . Display module

200. . . Circular area

210, 220, 230, 245. . . Circumferential angle

240. . . pointer

252. . . Watching pattern

254. . . Video pattern

310. . . Circular area

320, 330. . . Ring area

351~353. . . Date prompt

362. . . Watching pattern

364. . . Video pattern

451~453. . . Channel prompt

510~550. . . Process step

1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

2 through 4 are schematic diagrams of electronic program listings in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for displaying an electronic program form according to an embodiment of the invention.

11~18, 21~29, 31~37. . . Program and its sector

310. . . Circular area

320, 330. . . Ring area

362. . . Watching pattern

364. . . Video pattern

451~453. . . Channel prompt

Claims (10)

An electronic program form display method, comprising: obtaining information of a plurality of programs in a display period, wherein information of each of the programs includes at least a playback start time and a playback end time of the program; and performing the following steps for each of the programs : calculating a starting angle and an ending angle of the program in a circular area or a ring area according to the display period and the playing start time and the playing end time of the program; displaying in the circular area or the ring area a sector-shaped area, wherein the sector-shaped area is bounded by the starting angle and the ending angle; displaying part or all of the information of the program in the sector area; displaying a multi-day program of the same channel or the same day by using multiple concentric circles a program of a plurality of channels, wherein each of said concentric circles is composed of one of said plurality of days or said sector of said one of said plurality of channels; and if one of said concentric circles at said periphery receives one The first preset operation switches the concentric circle of the periphery to the concentric circle of the most center. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of programs are from the same channel or the same list, the method further comprising: if a second preset operation is received in one of the sector regions, the sector is shaped The program corresponding to the area is added to the list. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of programs are from the same channel or the same list, and the method further comprises: Displaying a preset color or a preset pattern in a sector area of each program of the list; and performing a preset function at a playback start time of each program of the list; wherein for each program of the list, the program The preset function is to ask the user whether to switch to the channel of the program, switch directly to the channel of the program, or record the program. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting angle of the program is equal to a difference between a playback start time of the program and a start time of the display period divided by a length of the display period and multiplied by 360 The end angle of the program is equal to the difference between the playback end time of the program and the start time of the display period divided by the length of the display period and multiplied by 360. The electronic program form display method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating a current angle according to the display period and a current time; and facing the current angle at a center of the circular area or the circular area Displaying a pointer; wherein the current time is extracted from the broadcast signal of the plurality of programs or from a user setting. An electronic device comprising: a signal receiving module for receiving a broadcast signal of a plurality of programs in a display period; an information processing module coupled to the signal receiving module for extracting information of the plurality of programs from the broadcast signal , the information of each of the above programs to The play start time and the play end time of the program are less included, and for each of the above programs, the program is calculated in a circular area or a ring according to the display period and the play start time and the play end time of the program. a starting point and an ending angle of the area; a display module coupled to the information processing module, for each of the programs, displaying a sector area in the circular area or the ring area, and displaying the sector in the sector area Part of the program or all of the information, wherein the sector is bounded by a starting angle and an ending angle of the program, and the display module uses multiple concentric circles to display multiple days of the same channel or multiple days of the same day. a program of the channel, wherein each of the concentric circles is composed of one of the plurality of days or the sector of the program of the plurality of channels; and an operation interface module coupled to the information processing module for receiving and using Operation, wherein if the operation interface module receives a first preset operation in one of the peripheral concentric circles, the display module will be peripheral Most of the concentric circle concentric switching center. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of programs are from the same channel or the same list, and the display module displays a preset color or a preset pattern in a sector area of each program of the list. The information processing module performs a preset function at a playback start time of each program of the list, wherein for each program of the list, the preset function is to ask the user whether to switch to the channel of the program, and directly switch Go to the channel of the show or video the show. An electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the above The plurality of programs are from the same channel or the same list, and if the operation interface module receives a second preset operation in one of the fan-shaped areas, the information processing module adds the program corresponding to the sector area to the list. . The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the starting angle of the program is equal to a difference between a playback start time of the program and a start time of the display period divided by a length of the display period and multiplied 360. The end angle of the program is equal to the difference between the playback end time of the program and the start time of the display period divided by the length of the display period and multiplied by 360. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the information processing module obtains the current time from the broadcast signal or obtains the current time from the user setting, and calculates a current time based on the display time period and the current time. Angle, the display module displays a pointer toward the current angle at the center of the circular area or the annular area.