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
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/475—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• • 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
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/42204—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor
  • H04N21/42206—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor characterized by hardware details
  • H04N21/4221—Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• • 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
  • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
  • H04N21/4227—Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• • 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
  • H04N21/4384—Accessing a communication channel involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• • 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
  • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
  • H04N21/4508—Management of client data or end-user data
  • H04N21/4532—Management of client data or end-user data involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences
• • 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
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/482—End-user interface for program selection
  • H04N21/4828—End-user interface for program selection for searching program descriptors
• • 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]
  • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
  • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
  • H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
• • 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
  • H04N21/47—End-user applications
  • H04N21/475—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
  • H04N21/4755—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre

Definitions

• the present invention relates, in general, to a method of selecting channels on a digital TV and, more particularly, to a method of selecting channels on a digital TV which enables rapid and easy switching to a TV user's favorite channel.
• TV broadcasting channels is increasing, so that the number of TV broadcasting channels that can be selected by users is increasing. Accordingly, research into a method of more easily and conveniently selecting TV channels is being actively conducted.
• the channel management module of set-top box middleware searches for channels having content data that include the search term, informs the user of found channels having the content data, and then waits for channel manipulation (switching up/down channels, PVR recording, etc.) by the user.
• EPG Electronic Program Guide
• an object of the present invention is to provide a method of selecting channels on a digital TV which can enable rapid and easy switching to a user's favorite channels using content data.
• the present invention provides a method of selecting channels on a digital television using content data, comprising the steps of a user storing channel selection search information in a user's favorite content database of set-top box middleware by manipulating a remote control; the user selecting a favorite channel mode by manipulating the remote control; and when the user switches up/down through channels by manipulating the remote control after the favorite channel mode has been selected, a channel management module of the set-top box middleware reading the channel selection search information from the user's favorite content database and content data of broadcasting channels from a real-time event management database, searching for a broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection search information, and, if a broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection search information exists, switching to the found channel, or, if no broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection search information exists, switching to an upper channel or lower channel according to an order of broadcasting channels.
• the present invention includes a method of selecting channels of a digital television using content data, comprising the steps of a user storing channel selection exclusion information in a user's favorite content database of set- top box middleware by manipulating a remote control; the user selecting a favorite channel mode by manipulating the remote control; and when the user switches up/down through channels by manipulating the remote control after the favorite channel mode has been selected, a channel management module of the set-top box middleware reading the channel selection exclusion information from the user's favorite content database and the content data of broadcasting channels from a real-time event management database, searching for a broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection exclusion information, and preventing switching to the broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection exclusion information.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of selecting channels according to the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the construction of set- top box middleware for im- plementation of the method of selecting channels.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a method of selecting channels according to the present invention.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of selecting channels according to the present invention, which illustrates an example of a method of inputting search information (for example, a favorite word) for channel selection.
• the genre of broadcasting programs is utilized as the channel selection search information.
• “content level 1" alone may be selected as the channel selection search information or both “content level 1" and “content level 2" may be selected as the channel selection search information.
• the above-described method of selecting channels using the channel selection search information includes the following three steps.
• [21] 1 The step of user storing channel selection search information in the user's favorite content database 15 of the set- top box middleware 10 by manipulating a remote control.
• the set-top box middleware 10 is software which is installed on the microprocessor of a digital broadcasting set-top box.
• the set-top box middleware which is provided with an SI decoder 11, a real-time event management database 12, a channel management module 13 and a user interface 14, is well known and widely implemented, so that detailed descriptions thereof are omitted here.
• the user's favorite content database 15 is stored in a recording medium to store channel selection search information, or channel selection exclusion information, which will be described below, and is an addition to the well-known set- top box middleware 10.
• dedicated keys for inputting channel selection search information may be added to the remote control and utilized, but it is also possible to input channel selection search information using the environment setting key, directional key, and input key of an existing remote control.
• [22] 2 The step of user selecting a favorite channel mode by manipulating the remote control. It is possible to select a general channel mode or the favorite channel mode using an environment setting key, directional key, or input key of an existing remote control, but it is preferred to add a key, dedicated to selecting the general channel mode or the favorite channel mode, to the existing remote control, thereby allowing a user to easily change a channel mode.
• the channel management module of the set- top box middleware 10 reads the channel selection search information from the user's favorite content database 15 and the content data of a broadcasting channel from the real-time event management database 12, searches for broadcasting channels that include the channel selection search information, and, if there is a broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection search information, switches to the found channel, and if there is no broadcasting channel that includes the channel selection search information, switches to an adjacent upper channel or lower channel according to the order of broadcasting channels.
• broadcast content data is decoded by an SI decoder 11 and is stored in a realtime event management database 12. Such content data is periodically updated.
• the channel management module 13 of the set- top box middleware 10 reads the channel selection search information from the user's favorite content database 15 and the content data of a broadcasting channel from the real-time event management database 12, and searches for broadcasting channels the broadcasting program genres of which are "sport/soccer” or "movie/action". If a current channel is channel 10, and a channel-up key is selected, searching upper channels starting from channel 11, according to the order of broadcasting channels, is performed, and then channels the broadcasting program genres of which are "sport/soccer” or "movie/action" are searched for in real time.
• the channel management module 13 automatically switches to the found channel if a channel the broadcasting program genre of which is "sport/soccer” or “movie/action" is found, and switches to upper or lower channel according to the order of broadcasting channels if there is no channel for which the broadcasting program genre is "sport/soccer” or "movie/action".
• FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a method of selecting channels according to the present invention.
• FIG. 3 illustrates another example of the present invention.
• channel selection exclusion information for example, undesirable terms
• the method of selecting channels is implemented in the following three steps.
• [35] 3 The step of the channel management module 13 of the set-top box middleware 10 reading the channel selection exclusion information from the user's favorite content database 15, and the content data of broadcasting channels from the real-time event management database 12, searching for broadcasting channels that include the channel selection exclusion information and not switching to the broadcasting channels that include the channel selection exclusion information when the user switches up/down through channels by manipulating the remote control after the favorite channel mode has been selected.
• the channel selection exclusion information is stored in the user's favorite content database 15 through the user interface 14 of the set- top box middleware 10.
• the channel management module 13 of the set- top box middleware 10 reads the channel selection exclusion information from the user's favorite content database 15, and the content data of broadcasting channels from the real-time event management database 12, and searches for broadcasting channels the broadcast content data of which includes the term "Lee Sun- Shin" or "news". If the current channel is channel 10, and a channel-up key is selected, searching upper channels starting from channel 11 according to the order of broadcasting channels is performed, and then channels including the term "Lee Sun- Shin" or "news” are searched for in real time. In contrast, If the current channel is channel 10, and a channel-down key is selected, searching lower channels starting from channel 9 according to the order of broadcasting channels is performed, and then channels including the terms "Lee Sun-Shin” or "news” are searched for in real time.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Circuits Of Receivers In General (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37532475

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2005
  • 2005-06-15 KR KR1020050051565A patent/KR100770333B1/ko active IP Right Grant
• 2006
  • 2006-03-22 WO PCT/KR2006/001052 patent/WO2006135148A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

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