WO2015078521A1

WO2015078521A1 - Analog/digitial broadcast system and method of managing a channel list

Info

Publication number: WO2015078521A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/075114
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mustafa Ilker Uzun; Cengiz Berkay; Ibrahim Ipek; Tamer Katip; Osman Osman; Ali Kelem; Osman Yilmaz
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2013-11-29
Filing date: 2013-11-29
Publication date: 2015-06-04
Also published as: EP3075165A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of managing a channel list (1) including channels available for navigation/selection by a user through a remote control having a plurality of color buttons. The method of the present invention comprises: a step (S9) of allocating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button of the remote control for a first predetermined duration, a preferred channel in the channel list (1) into a respective one of a plurality of categories (2) in the channel list (1), wherein the plurality of categories (2) being respectively associated with the plurality of color buttons; and a step of exclusively activating (S10), upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a second predetermined duration, the channels of a respective category (2) in the channel list (1) so as to permit a user to navigate/select exclusively the channels in said respective category (2) in the channel list (1) while skipping over the channels which have not been allocated to said respective category (2).

Description

ANALOG/DIGITIAL BROADCAST SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING A CHANNEL LIST

The present invention relates to a method of managing a channel list, in particular a channel list which includes TV and/or radio channels. The present invention more particularly relates to a method of allocating the channels into user preferred categories and permitting navigation/selection of the channels in these categories.

Digital modulation techniques have been considerably developed over the last decades. The improvements in the bandwidth efficiencies have resulted in an increase in the capacity of the RF spectrum. Consequently, the number of commercial radio and TV stations using the RF spectrum has increased. The television and radio channels available via digital video broadcasting which use satellite, terrestrial, cable, internet and similar distribution facilities have reached enormous high numbers. The analog/digital broadcast tuners of set-top boxes nowadays locate several hundreds of available channels. Thus, the customers are offered a wide variety of programs from which they can benefit.

However, a problem with the number of available channels is that the electronic program guides of set-top boxes create very long channel lists. The channels are typically sorted according to the order they are found. However, the channels which a user is interested for are generally dispersed far apart from each other. Therefore, the user must navigate in the channel list in order to find/select a preferred channel.

The navigation task is typically performed with a remote controller by using navigation buttons typically configured by up/down arrow buttons or +/- buttons. Alternatively buttons on the set-top box endowed with similar functions may also be used. Using these buttons to navigate in a channel list is very time-consuming and cumbersome. Therefore, electronic program guides have been further developed to facilitate navigation/selection of channels in the channel list in accordance with a user’s preferences. In particular, a user is allowed to create and edit a personalized list that matches his/her profile.

Several methods are known for managing channel lists. In a commonly known technique the user is enabled to change the order of the channels in the channel list. Thereby, a user can gain quick access to a preferred channel.

US 2010/0333141 A1 discloses a method that allows a user to edit a list of digital broadcast channels according to the user’s preference. The method includes a step of moving, when a user selects a position in the listed channels, at least one selected channel to the selected position and displaying it thereon.

A drawback of this and similar techniques is that the user must spend a considerable amount of time to personalize the channel list through performing a series of button operations.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a method of managing a channel list which overcomes the aforementioned problems of the prior art and which enables a user to quickly personalize a channel list in accordance with his/her preferences and which also enables quick access to the preferred channels in the personalized channel list.

This objective has been achieved by the method of managing a channel list according to the present invention as defined in claim 1, and the digital/analog broadcast system according to the present invention as defined in claim 12. Further achievements have been attained by the subject-matters respectively defined in the dependent claims.

In the method of the present invention, the channel list which includes channels available for navigation/selection by a user is manageable through a remote control that has buttons for navigation/selection as well as a plurality of color buttons. The method of the present invention comprises a step of allocating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a first predetermined duration, a preferred channel in the channel list into a respective one of a plurality of categories in the channel list, wherein the plurality of categories are respectively associated with the plurality of color buttons.

The method of the present invention further comprises a step of exclusively activating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a second predetermined duration, the channels of a respective category in the channel list so as to permit a user to navigate/select exclusively the channels in said respective category in the channel list while skipping over the channels which have not been allocated to said respective category.

In an embodiment, the first predetermined duration is equal to or longer than a predetermined period whereas the second predetermined duration is shorter than the same predetermined period. The predetermined value is preferably between 1 to 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 to 4 seconds, or even more preferably 3 seconds.

In another embodiment, the preferred channel to be allocated in the allocation step is the channel being currently viewed/listened by the user.

In another embodiment, the entire channel list is displayed on the screen in form of a table. In this embodiment, the table comprises: a number and a name of each available channel; and an indication which represents the category of each channel. The indication provides visual aid to distinguish the categories of the channels. In a version of this embodiment, the indication is a background color of a field in the table. Each field bears the name of a channel and/or a number of the channel. The background color corresponds to a color of the color button associated with the respective category of that channel.

By the present invention, the user is enabled to establish a personalized channel list in less time and through fewer button operations. By the present invention, the user is also enabled to select a preferred channel in the channel list in less time and through fewer button operations. Thereby the management of the channel list is facilitated. In addition, less energy is consumed to operate the remote controller for managing the channel list. Thus, the batteries of the remote controller last longer.

Additional advantages of the method of managing a channel list according to the present will become apparent with the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 – is a channel list according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 – is a flowchart showing the steps of a method of managing the channel list according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The reference signs appearing on the drawings relate to the following technical features.

Channel list
Channel categories
Indication
Field
Table

The analog/digital broadcast system (not shown) comprises: a broadcast receiver for locating available TV and/or radio channels; a screen for displaying the TV channels and also for displaying a channel list (1) including the available TV channels and/or radio channels; a loud speaker, headphone or the like; a remote controller for navigating/selecting channels in the channel list (1) to be viewed/listened; and a control unit for controlling the broadcast receiver, the screen and the loudspeaker.

The channel list (1) includes channels available for navigation/selection by a user through a remote control (Fig. 1). The remote controller includes: buttons for navigating the channel list (1); buttons for selecting a preferred channel in the channel list (1); and among other commonly known buttons, in particular, a plurality of color buttons. The remote controller has four color buttons including red, green, yellow and blue.

The method of the present invention comprises a step (S9) of allocating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a first predetermined duration, a preferred channel in the channel list (1) into a respective one of a plurality of categories (2) in the channel list (1) (Fig. 2). The plurality of categories (2) are respectively associated with the plurality of color buttons (Fig. 1).

The method of the present invention further comprises a step of exclusively activating (S10), upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a second predetermined duration, the channels of a respective category (2) in the channel list (1) so as to permit a user to navigate/select exclusively the channels in said respective category (2) in the channel list (1) while skipping over the channels which have not been allocated to said respective category (2) (Figs. 1 and 2).

In the following, the method of the present invention will be further explained using an example for the case where the color button is red (Fig. 1). In this example, a user has allocated the channels 1 to 4, and 9 to 10 in the channel list into the category associated with red (hereinafter referred to as the “red category”) by actuating the red button. For the allocation process the user must actuate the red button for a first predetermined duration. Thereby, the user is enabled to successively allocate according to his preference a plurality of channels to a same category. When the user decides to navigate/select the channels allocated to the red category, then the user must actuate the red button for a second predetermined duration. The second predetermined duration is different than first predetermined duration. Thereby, the user is enabled to exclusively navigate the channels in the list which have been allocated to the red category. That means, as the user navigates in the channel list, those channels which have not been allocated into the red category i.e., channels 5 to 8 or which have not been allocated into any category, (none in this example) are skipped over, in other words, the navigation prompter displayed in the channel list which is movable by the navigation buttons jumps from channel 4 to 9 or vice versa when navigating up or down through the channel list. These channel are ignored for the purpose of navigation and selection. However, the entire channel list can be activated with a button other than a color button for unrestricted navigation and selection of each available channel. Thereby, the user can quickly reach a preferred channel in the channel list which has been allocated into the red category. The above example applies to any of the four colors. Moreover the present invention is not limited to four color buttons. Thus the remote controller can be provided with five or more color buttons to increase the number of available categories. In Fig. 1 the colors have been substituted with grayscales only for illustrative purposes.

In an embodiment, the first predetermined duration is equal to or longer than a predetermined period Tp whereas the second predetermined duration is shorter than the predetermined period Tp. Hence, the user must press a preferred color button relatively longer for allocating a preferred channels into the respectively preferred category. However to activate the channel list so as to navigate exclusively the channels in a category of a preferred color, the user must press the preferred color button relatively shorter. The predetermined value Tp is not limited to a specific value. However, the predetermined value is preferably between 1 to 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 to 4 seconds, or even more preferably 3 seconds.

In another embodiment, the preferred channel to be allocated in the allocation step (S9) is the channel being currently viewed/listened by the user. In this embodiment, the allocation step (S9) includes a step of designating (not shown) the preferred channel to be allocated into the respective one of a plurality of categories (2) in the channel list (1). In the designation step it is judged that the channel being currently viewed/listened is the preferred channel to be allocated.

In another embodiment, the method comprises: a step of displaying the entire channel list (1) on the screen in form of a table (5) (Fig. 1). In this embodiment, the table (5) comprises: a number and a name of each available channel; and an indication (3) which represents the category (2) of each channel. The indication (3) provides visual help to distinguish the categories of the channels. If the entire channel list (1) is recalled by a color button, the user can navigate only those channels allocated to the category (2) corresponding to that color button. However, if the channel list (1) is recalled without using a color button, e.g., by a menu button, the user can unrestrictedly navigate and select a channel in the channel list while still viewing the indications (3) (Fig. 1). This facilitates management of the channel list (1).

In another embodiment, the indication (3) is a background color of a field (4) in the table (5) (Fig. 1). Each field (4) bears the name of a channel and/or a number of the channel. The background color corresponds to a color of the color button associated with the respective category (2) of that channel. The present invention is not limited to use of an indication (3) in form of a background color. Visual markings with associated colors can be alternatively utilized.

In an embodiment, the method comprises: a first step (S3a) of detecting actuation of the color button; a second step (S3b) of detecting the uninterrupted actuation duration T of the color button being actuated in the first detection step (S3a); a first step (S3c) of determining the category (2) associated with the color button being actuated in the first detection step (S3a); and a second step (S3d) of determining whether the uninterrupted actuation duration T corresponds to one of the first predetermined duration or the second predetermined duration (Fig. 2).

In another embodiment, the method by comprises a third step (S5) of determining, when the uninterrupted actuation duration of the currently actuated color button corresponds to the first predetermined duration, whether said preferred channel has been previously allocated to a category (2); and a step of removing (S6), if the determination in third step (S5) is affirmative, the preferred channel from the previously allocated category (2) prior to allocating the preferred channel to the category (2) associated with currently actuated color button (Fig. 2). Thereby, the user is enabled to change the previous preferences.

In another embodiment, the method comprises: a step (S1a) of initiating a channel search to locate available TV and/or radio channels; a step (S1b) of creating a channel list (1) including the available channels located in the channel search step (S1a); and a step (S2a) of entirely activating the created channel list (1) so as to permit the user to navigate the entire channel list (1) and to permit the user to select out of the entire channel list (1) a preferred channel for viewing on a screen or listening through a loudspeaker or the like (Fig. 2).

In another embodiment, the method comprises: a step (S2b) of auto-selecting the first channel in the channel list (1) and causing the auto-selected channel to be displayed/listened as a default channel unless the user has selected another channel as a preferred channel (Fig. 2).

In another embodiment, the method comprises: a fourth step (S4) of determining, when the uninterrupted actuation duration T of the currently actuated color button corresponds to the second predetermined duration, whether the created channel list (1) has already been entirely activated; and a step (S7) of entirely activating, if the determination in the fourth determination step (S4) is negative, the created channel list (1) so as to permit the user to initially navigate the entire channel list (1) and to initially permit the user to select out of the entire channel list (1) a preferred channel for viewing on a screen or listening through a loudspeaker or the like (Fig. 2).

By the present invention, the user is enabled to quickly personalize a channel list in accordance with his/her preferences. By the present invention, the user is also enabled to quickly select a preferred channel in the personalized channel list.

Claims

A method of managing a channel list (1) including channels available for navigation/selection by a user through a remote control having a plurality of color buttons, comprising the steps of:

- allocating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button of the remote control for a first predetermined duration, a preferred channel in the channel list (1) into a respective one of a plurality of categories (2) in the channel list (1), wherein the plurality of categories (2) being respectively associated with the plurality of color buttons (S9) and

- exclusively activating, upon an uninterrupted actuation of a preferred color button for a second predetermined duration, the channels of a respective category (2) in the channel list (1) so as to permit a user to navigate/select exclusively the channels in said respective category (2) in the channel list (1) while skipping over the channels which have not been allocated to said respective category (2) (S10).
The method according to claim 1, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a first step (S3a) of detecting actuation of the color button,

- a second step (S3b) of detecting the uninterrupted actuation duration T of the color button being actuated in the first detection step (S3a),

- a first step (S3c) of determining the category (2) associated with the color button being actuated in the first detection step (S3a),

- a second step (S3d) of determining whether the uninterrupted actuation duration T corresponds to one of the first predetermined duration or the second predetermined duration.
The method according to claim 2, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a third step (S5) of determining, when the uninterrupted actuation duration of the currently actuated color button corresponds to the first predetermined duration, whether said preferred channel has been previously allocated to a category (2) and

- a step of removing (S6), if the determination in third step (S5) is affirmative, the preferred channel from previously allocated category (2) prior to allocating the preferred channel to the category (2) associated with currently actuated color button.
The method according to claim 2 or 3, the method being characterized in that the first predetermined duration is equal to longer than a predetermined period Tp and the second predetermined duration is shorter than the predetermined period Tp.
The method according to claim 4, the method being characterized in that the predetermined value is between 1 to 5 seconds, more preferably between 2 to 4 seconds, or even more preferably 3 seconds.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a step (S1a) of initiating a channel search to locate available TV and/or radio channels,

- a step (S1b) of creating a channel list (1) including the available channels located in the channel search step (S1a) and

- a step (S2a) of entirely activating the created channel list (1) so as to permit the user to navigate the entire channel list (1) and to permit the user to select out of the entire channel list (1) a preferred channel for viewing on a screen or listening through a loudspeaker or the like.
The method according to claim 6, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a step (S2b) of auto-selecting the first channel in the channel list (1) and causing the auto-selected channel to be displayed/listened as a default channel unless the user has selected another channel as a preferred channel.
The method according to claim any one of claim 6 or 7, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a fourth step (S4) of determining, when the uninterrupted actuation duration T of the currently actuated color button corresponds to the second predetermined duration, whether the created channel list (1) has been entirely activated; and

- a step (S7) of entirely activating, if the determination in the fourth determination step (S4) is negative, the created channel list (1) so as to permit the user to navigate the entire channel list (1) and to permit the user to select out of the entire channel list (1) a preferred channel for viewing on a screen or listening through a loudspeaker or the like.
The method according to claim any one of claims 1 to 8, the method being characterized by further comprising:

- a step of displaying the entire channel list (1) on a screen in form of a table (5), wherein the table (5) comprises

- a number and a name of each available channel and

- an indication (3) which represents the category (2) of each channel.
The method according to claim 9, the method being characterized in that the indication (3) is a background color of a field (4) in the table (5), wherein the field (4) bears the name of the channel and/or a number of the channel, and the background color corresponds to a color of the color button associated with the respective category (2) of the channel.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the method being characterized in that:

- the allocation step (S9) includes a step of designating the preferred channel to be allocated into the respective one of a plurality of categories (2) in the channel list (1), wherein in the designation step it is judged that the channel being currently viewed/listened is said preferred channel.
A digital/analog broadcast system comprising:

- a broadcast receiver for locating available TV and/or radio channels,

- a screen for displaying the TV channels and for displaying a channel list (1) including the available TV channels and/or radio channels,

- a loud speaker or the like,

- a remote controller for enabling navigation/selection of channels in the channel list (1) to be viewed/listened, wherein the remote controller has at least four color buttons including red, green, yellow and blue and

- a control unit for controlling the broadcast receiver, the screen and the loudspeaker, the system being characterized in that

- the control unit is configured to execute the method steps defined in any one of the method claims 1 to 11.
Use of a remote controller for managing a channel list (1) according to the method steps defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the remote controller has at least four color buttons including red, green, yellow and blue.
A program comprising computer readable codes for causing a digital/analog broadcast system to execute the method steps according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
A computer readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 14.