WO1999035828A1 - Syntoniseur de chaines pour poste de television - Google Patents

Syntoniseur de chaines pour poste de television Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999035828A1
WO1999035828A1 PCT/US1999/000059 US9900059W WO9935828A1 WO 1999035828 A1 WO1999035828 A1 WO 1999035828A1 US 9900059 W US9900059 W US 9900059W WO 9935828 A1 WO9935828 A1 WO 9935828A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
identification information
station
input device
computer
tuning
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/000059
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Theodore Wugofski
Original Assignee
Amiga Development Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Amiga Development Llc filed Critical Amiga Development Llc
Priority to AU21019/99A priority Critical patent/AU2101999A/en
Publication of WO1999035828A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999035828A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
    • H04N5/50—Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/414—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
    • H04N21/4143—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/434—Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/4345—Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/438—Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
    • H04N21/4383—Accessing a communication channel
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB

Definitions

  • CHANNEL TUNER FOR TELEVISION Related Applications This application is related to the co-assigned and co-filed applications, "Method for managing multiple channel maps from multiple input devices in a multimedia system,” “Previous, favorite, and frequent channel management system,” “System for time-shifting events in a multi-channel convergence system,” “System for resolving channel selection in a multi-channel system,” and “A system for managing favorite channels,” all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
  • This invention relates generally to convergence systems and more particularly to a system, apparatus, and method for tuning a television to a selected channel.
  • a convergence system refers to a system that includes capabilities that otherwise are provided by separate systems.
  • the Gateway Destination PC/TN System available from Gateway 2000, Inc., provides for both computer and television capability.
  • convergence systems such as the Gateway Destination system permit users to utilize both television and computer capabilities within the same system.
  • Some TV users find it difficult or unwieldy to remember the channel number associated with a particular TV channel. For instance, a TV user may want to switch to the ⁇ BC channel but may not remember the particular number associated with such channel. This problem is more pronounced for a person who has relocated to a new city in which the channel designations are more likely vastly different from the channel designations of the city from where he came. For example, a person who lives in New York may know that the NBC station is on Channel 4 or that ESPN2 is on Channel 48.
  • the invention described below permits a television watcher to switch to a channel without necessarily remembering the number associated with a particular channel.
  • a television watcher need only remember for example the call letters of the station he wishes to watch, which will inevitably be easier to remember than the number assigned to the channel.
  • Figure 1 is a diagram of a digital processing device, such as a computer, in conjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be implemented.
  • Figure 2 depicts the sequence of steps performed by an embodiment of a system for tuning a television to a selected channel.
  • Figure 3 describes a computerized system for tuning to a channel.
  • inventions of the present invention are amenable to inclusion into or development in conjunction with a software architecture of a convergence system as described in co-pending, co-assigned co-filed application entitled ".Architecture for Convergence Systems,” which is hereby incorporated by reference.
  • Digital processing device 10 is operatively coupled to tuner 12, monitor 14, pointing device 16, and keyboard 18.
  • Digital processing device 10 includes a processor (for example, an Intel Pentium processor), random-access memory (RAM) (preferably, at least thirty-two megabytes), read- only memory (ROM), and one or more storage devices, such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive (into which a floppy disk can be inserted), an optical disk drive, and a tape cartridge drive.
  • RAM random-access memory
  • ROM read- only memory
  • storage devices such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive (into which a floppy disk can be inserted), an optical disk drive, and a tape cartridge drive.
  • the memory, hard drives, floppy disks, etc. are types of computer-readable media.
  • the invention is not particularly limited to any type of digital processing device 10.
  • digital proces- sing device 10 is a PC-compatible computer running an operating system such as a version of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
  • digital processing device 10 will also be referred to as computer 10.
  • the construction and operation of such computers are well known within the art.
  • Computer 10 includes integrated therein or coupled thereto hardware to provide for what is k .
  • a "convergence environment" such that computer 10 provides capability beyond ordinary PC operation, such capability preferably including TV capability.
  • the Gateway Destination System provides a convergence environment across two primary modes of operation: TV viewing and PC operation.
  • Computer 10 is integrated at least with tuner 12 and desirably provides for integration with or includes audio/visual (AV) (i.e., multimedia) devices including without limitation a sound card, a digital video disc (DVD) player, a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) receiver, AV inputs for external or auxiliary devices, a CD-ROM player, an AV tuner having at least radio tuning capability, a cable decoder, a VCR, a laser disc player, a CD player, a DBS integrated receiver-decoder (IRD), and a video camera.
  • AV audio/visual
  • VCR digital video disc
  • DBS direct broadcast satellite
  • Monitor 14 permits the display of information, including computer, video, and other information, for viewing by a user of the computer.
  • monitors include cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, as well as flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
  • Pointing device 16 permits the control of the screen pointer provided by the graphical user interface of operating systems such as ver- sions of Microsoft Windows.
  • the invention is not limited to any particular pointing device 16.
  • Such pointing devices include touch pads, mouses, trackballs, and point sticks.
  • computer 10 is a Gateway 2000, Inc. Destination System computer
  • monitor 14 includes a super- VGA CRT display
  • pointing device 16 is a mouse.
  • keyboard 16 permits entry of textual information into computer 10, as .known within the art, and the invention is not limited to any particular type of keyboard.
  • identification information regarding a channel is inputted by means of an input device such as keyboard 18.
  • identification information may be, for example, the affiliate call letters such as NBC, ABC, CBS, etc., or the station call letters such as WNBC, W.ABC, WPIX, etc.
  • the identification information may also be inputted as partial call letters. For example, entering "HB” or "H” will be enough to identify the HBO station unless another station also had call letters starting with "H” or "HB.”
  • the identification information may comprise call letters of a station, where the station is a network affiliate.
  • the identification information may also be numeric in nature, as defined within the system. For example, even if the ABC station is say channel 4, a user instead may designate it as channel 25 if he so chooses.
  • a computer program that is executed by the processor of computer 10. The computer program reads the identification information inputted into keyboard 18, retrieves the tuning info ⁇ nation from a table stored in the computer-readable medium, and directs the system to tune tuner 12 to the channel corresponding to the tuning information. Therefore, in the examples given above, inputting the letters ".ABC" or the number "25” on keyboard 18 would direct the system to tune to the ABC station.
  • this invention permits a television watcher to switch to a channel without necessarily remembering the number associated with a particular channel.
  • one advantage resulting from this present invention is that a television watcher need only remember for example the call letters of the station he wishes to watch, which will inevitably be easier to remember than the number arbitrarily assigned to the channel.
  • Step 1 involves inputting the identification information regarding the desired channel. As described above, this step may be accomplished by inputting the identification information using keyboard 10 in Figure 1.
  • Step 2 the system determines the tuning information regarding the channel by performing a table lookup.
  • This Step 2 is described more fully in co-filed application [450.225US1/96-0456], previously incorporated by reference, as Channel Map Services. Briefly, however, an application program that is capable of causing a suitably equipped computer to execute proper commands can direct the computer to look up the identification information in a table, which contains tuning information for corresponding identification information. Once the inputted identification information is found in the table, the system can then determine the tuning information regarding the channel. Step 3 then tunes the tuner to the channel based on the tuning information, which is produced by Step 2. The operation of this step is well known in the art.
  • Identification information regarding a channel is inputted by means of input device 30.
  • input device 30 may be a keyboard. It may also be a device by which alphanumeric information may be inputted. .Another input device 30 is a microphone; the invention is not so limited.
  • Application program 32 which is able to run within computerized system, looks up in table 34 the identification information inputted and retrieves the corresponding tuning info ⁇ nation.
  • table 34 may be stored in the computerized system having a memory.
  • table 34 may contain first and second columns of information, the first column in which the inputted identification information will be searched and the second column which will contain the corresponding tuning information.
  • Application program 32 then tunes tuner 36 to the channel corresponding to the tuning information retrieved from table 34.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Circuits Of Receivers In General (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention, qui s'inscrit dans le cadre des dispositifs de convergence, se rapporte à un système, à un appareil et à un procédé qui sont destinés à régler un poste de télévision sur une chaîne sélectionnée. Dans un mode de réalisation, on introduit des informations d'identification telles que l'indicatif d'appel d'une station. Les informations d'identification sont ensuite recherchées dans une table qui contient des informations de syntonisation, et le poste de télévision est réglé en fonction des informations de syntonisation récupérées.
PCT/US1999/000059 1998-01-05 1999-01-05 Syntoniseur de chaines pour poste de television WO1999035828A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU21019/99A AU2101999A (en) 1998-01-05 1999-01-05 Channel tuner for television

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US276198A 1998-01-05 1998-01-05
US09/002,761 1998-01-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999035828A1 true WO1999035828A1 (fr) 1999-07-15

Family

ID=21702378

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1999/000059 WO1999035828A1 (fr) 1998-01-05 1999-01-05 Syntoniseur de chaines pour poste de television

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2101999A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999035828A1 (fr)

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4959720A (en) * 1989-04-06 1990-09-25 Rca Licensing Corporation Tuner control apparatus having tune-by-label capability
US5045947A (en) * 1989-05-31 1991-09-03 Jack Beery Television receiver having memory control for tune-by-label feature
US5192999A (en) * 1991-04-25 1993-03-09 Compuadd Corporation Multipurpose computerized television
US5253067A (en) * 1991-12-16 1993-10-12 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. Channel labeling apparatus for a television receiver wherein graphics and text labels may be selected from a preprogrammed list
US5359367A (en) * 1989-10-09 1994-10-25 Videologic Limited Personal computer with broadcast receiver on expansion board controlled by computer microprocessor
WO1996027949A1 (fr) * 1995-03-06 1996-09-12 Rosetta Laboratories Pty. Ltd. Recepteur radio pilote par ordinateur
US5625422A (en) * 1993-12-22 1997-04-29 Goldstar Co., Ltd. Method for channel selection and tuning based upon set channel positions
EP0776127A2 (fr) * 1995-11-24 1997-05-28 Hitachi, Ltd. Procédé de transmission de données vidéo et dispositif de réception pour sa mise en oeuvre

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4959720A (en) * 1989-04-06 1990-09-25 Rca Licensing Corporation Tuner control apparatus having tune-by-label capability
US5045947A (en) * 1989-05-31 1991-09-03 Jack Beery Television receiver having memory control for tune-by-label feature
US5359367A (en) * 1989-10-09 1994-10-25 Videologic Limited Personal computer with broadcast receiver on expansion board controlled by computer microprocessor
US5192999A (en) * 1991-04-25 1993-03-09 Compuadd Corporation Multipurpose computerized television
US5253067A (en) * 1991-12-16 1993-10-12 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. Channel labeling apparatus for a television receiver wherein graphics and text labels may be selected from a preprogrammed list
US5625422A (en) * 1993-12-22 1997-04-29 Goldstar Co., Ltd. Method for channel selection and tuning based upon set channel positions
WO1996027949A1 (fr) * 1995-03-06 1996-09-12 Rosetta Laboratories Pty. Ltd. Recepteur radio pilote par ordinateur
EP0776127A2 (fr) * 1995-11-24 1997-05-28 Hitachi, Ltd. Procédé de transmission de données vidéo et dispositif de réception pour sa mise en oeuvre

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2101999A (en) 1999-07-26

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