METHOD OF NAVIGATING THROUGH A CONTENT DATABASE STORED ON A DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of navigating through a content database stored on a digital media player; the player receives broadcast digital media content and the database defines the different digital media content available for viewing or listening to on the player.
The method enables, in one implementation, an end-user to browse an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) on a small display (e.g. 20 by 8 characters) of a digital radio.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Digital media players that receive broadcast digital media content are principally digital radios, such as radios conforming to the DAB or DRM standards; digital televisions (e.g. conforming to the DVB-H standard) form an emerging category. These devices will typically receive and display information defining the different digital media content available. For example, a DAB digital radio will receive and store a list of the available station names in a database; the user can typically scroll through this list, which generally just shows the name of a single station at any one time; the user can select a station and the DAB radio will then automatically tune to that station.
If a user is listening to a given station at a given time, he may wish to see a list of other programmes on that station later on in the day. Likewise, he may wish to see a list of the programmes on other stations currently being broadcast. Currently, it is not possible to do this at all on current digital radios.
Digital televisions have EPGs that are far richer and complex than the limited EPGs found on current digital radios. A user can typically call up an EPG that lists programmes according to genre (e.g. News, Kids, Films etc); when watching a particular channel, it is also typically possible to call up information on the programme being
watched and to navigate to information about earlier and later programmes on that channel. It is also usually possible to see a list of the programmes on other stations currently being broadcast. However, the manner in which this information is called up is not generally that intuitive or easy to recall. Also, the information can take up considerable space on the display, which can be problematic where the display is small. Finally, navigation usually requires significantly more than 3 hard buttons.
The present invention aims to address these deficiencies.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The invention relates to a method of navigating through a database stored and displayed on a digital media player that receives broadcast digital media content, the database defining the different digital media content available for viewing or listening to on the player. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) displaying a list of items from the database that relates to a first broadcast programme, the set of items including an item defining a station name and an item defining the time the related programme is broadcast; (b) providing a selecting system to enable the end-user to select an item in the list;
(c) providing a navigation system to enable the end-user to navigate through the list, such that, if a station name or broadcast time has been selected, then the navigation system enables the end-user to call up information on a different, second programme.
The user is therefore able to easily navigate to see information about other programmes, using either station or time as the variable: for example, assume that a programme on station name X at programme time Y is displayed: if station name X is selected (e.g. a simple push action on a rotary encoder), then in effect the station name is being made the variable, with the time being kept as a constant. (In the Detailed Description section, we refer to the station name as being in the 'edit' mode, since the user can generate a revised EPG in which the station name is edited/altered, whilst keeping the programme time the same). Using the navigation system will then allow the user to alter the value of this variable — i.e to cause the device to show information on programmes on other channels that match, overlap or approach (as much as possible) the time Y of the original programme. The user can typically scroll up and down a list of these other programmes or channels using up/down navigation keys or the rotary action of the rotary encoder.
Hence, the navigation system can be used to show information on programmes on other channels that match the time Y of the original programme. The user can readily select any newly listed programme (e.g. a push on the rotary encoder) to automatically tune to that programme (or automatically record or pause that programme).
Likewise, if programme time Y is selected, that is being made the variable, with the station name being kept constant. Using the navigation system will then cause the device
to show information on different programmes available on station X at different times. Again, The user can readily select any newly listed programme (e.g. a push on the rotary encoder) to tune to that programme.
It is possible to reverse this approach — i.e. if the station name is selected, then it is not being made the variable, but instead, is the constant. Navigation will then result in a list of different programmes on Station X at different times. Similarly, if the programme time Y is selected, that time becomes the constant factor and navigation will result in the programmes available across different station at times that match (as closely as possible) or overlap (as much as possible) being listed.
The invention is especially useful where the display is a dedicated text display, such as one displaying no more than 10 lines of text, since it requires only limited information to be displayed. The selecting system can be a single button; for example, the navigation system can be a rotary encoder with a push button for selection. The navigation system may also be one or more pairs of buttons.
The structured nature of the design also lends itself to easy implementation in an object - oriented programming language.
The digital media player may conform to any of the following standards: DAB, DRM, DVB-H, FM-RDS, AMSS, IBOC, and may operate principally as a digital radio, digital television player or mobile telephone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows the main EPG screen of a digital media player in accordance with the present invention; the programme name ('Kelli') is shown selected.
Figure 2 shows the main EPG with the station name selected ('Capital Disney')
Figure 3 shows the main EPG screen; the user is able to alter or edit the programme start and end times.
Figure 4 shows the programme options screen;
Figure 5 shows the programme search screen;
Figure 6 shows the programme list screen;
Figure 7 is a flow diagram for a typical browse through the EPG.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
User Control
Navigation in this EPG browsing scheme may be accomplished using a rotary encoder. In this context, a rotary encoder is a rotary dial with a set number of fixed rotary positions. Each time the dial is moved the encoder sends a signal that the dial has moved and the direction it has moved in. There is no indication of absolute position of the dial. The dial should incorporate a push button. The system described works equally well with left and right buttons instead of a rotary encoder (i.e. one or more pairs of buttons).
The main EPG screen An example of the main EPG screen is shown in Figure 1. The first three lines consist of the Programme tide, the Station name and the Programme time (extents). The lower half of the screen (under the dividing bar) presents additional descriptive information about the programme. This block of text may be larger than the display area and can be scrolled to view the entire text. The underlying database is a flat (2D) non-hierarchical database of information, although hierarchical databases can also be used.
When on the main EPG screen, the user is able to "select" either the programme name, the station name, the time or the programme description using the input device left and right actions. When one of the top 3 items is selected, this is indicated by the black bar shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. When the description pane is selected, (by moving down from the programme time) further movements down scroll the text to show additional descriptive information. The text must be scrolled all the way to the top again before the selection moves back to the programme time.
To activate or edit the entries the push button is pressed (the push button on the rotary encoder for example). For the programme name item, this moves the user to the programme options screen (see Figure 4). For the station name and programme time items, pressing the button activates edit mode. In this mode the appearance of the selected item is modified to indicate editing: see the small arrows at the left and right of the programme time in Figure 3.
When in edit mode for the programme time, pressing the left or right buttons moves the programme on to the next or previous programme on the selected station. The programme name and description are updated immediately.
When editing the station name, pressing the left or right buttons changes the station to the previous or next station in the list and a new programme is selected. The programme selected will be the one on the new station which is on at the same time as the programme on the previous station started (where possible).
To exit edit mode for the station name or programme time, the push button is pressed.
Auxiliary screens
Programme options screen
The programme options screen is accessed by pressing the push button on the main EPG screen when the programme name is selected. This screen gives the user access to additional options relevant to the programme or its station. In Figure 4, the two available options are to select the station on which this programme will be aired and to set up a timer recording for this programme. It is also possible to select a 'pause' function (not listed in Figure 4).
The Programme Search Screen
Figure 5 shows the programme search screen which lets the user select a station and the date and time to begin browsing the EPG. The initial values for the station, date and time will be the currently playing station and the curtent date and time. These values may be edited using a similar method to that described above for moving through stations and programmes. The values of these fields are restricted by the information available in the EPG database on the receiver. Selecting the find button searches the EPG database for the relevant programme and moves the user to the programme list screen (Figure 6).
The Programme List Screen The programme list screen is accessed from the programme search screen by activating the find button. This screen displays the item on the selected station which is the nearest
match timewise to the search time: it also displays the names of other programs that are on around that time. This list is scrollable and different items may be selected by pressing the left and right buttons. To get more information about a particular program, the user can press the push button to bring up the main EPG screen.
Screen flow diagram
Figure 7 shows the screen flow diagram, demonstrating the manner in which the user is able to navigate between screens.
A second button, the back button, may be added to allow the user to return to the previous screen to alter a selection. However, it is not required.