Epg display apparatus, epg display method, medium, and program

• US 20030167466A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Masakazu, Yasuno, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

In the case when EPG data of multiple channels is displayed on a display, if the data is attempted to be downsized uniformly and displayed, information of each displayed program is displayed smaller. Hence, such information becomes very difficult for humans to see.

The present invention provides an EPG display apparatus comprising second storage means 4 of storing three-dimensional EPG data obtained by mapping all or part of two-dimensional EPG data on the side face of a cylinder in a three-dimensional space, and control means 5 of displaying all or part of the three-dimensional EPG data stored in the second storage means 4 on a display 8 having a two-dimensional screen.

Claims

1. An EPG display apparatus comprising:

storage means of storing three-dimensional EPG data obtained by mapping all or part of two-dimensional EPG data on a surface of an object having a predetermined shape in a virtual three-dimensional space, and

control means of displaying all or part of said three-dimensional EPG data stored in said storage means on a two-dimensional screen, wherein

the surface of said object includes a visually recognizable front face and a rear face covered by said front face, and

when said EPG data is displayed by said control means by using the shape of said object, clearance regions are included beforehand in said EPG data to be displayed at least at the position corresponding to said front face so that at least part of said EPG data to be displayed at a position corresponding to said rear face is visually recognizable.

2. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shape of said object is a cylinder, a sphere or a polygonal prism.

3. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said control means reverses said EPG data to be displayed at the position corresponding to said rear face and then displays said EPG data.

4. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said clearance region is provided between adjacent channel data of said two-dimensional EPG data.

5. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:

replacement display instruction accepting means of accepting an instruction for replacing a display position of said EPG data to be displayed on the front face of said object with a display position of said EPG data to be displayed on the rear face of said object and displaying said data, wherein

said control means replaces the display position of said EPG data to be displayed on the front face of said object with the display position of said EPG data to be displayed on the rear face of said object and displays said data on the basis of said instruction accepted by said replacement display instruction accepting means.

6. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:

specific channel registration means of accepting registration for displaying the EPG data of only specific channels, and

specific channel display instruction accepting means of accepting an instruction for displaying the EPG data of only said specific channels registered in said specific channel registration means, wherein

the EPG data of only said specific channels corresponds to part of said two-dimensional EPG data.

7. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein all of said two-dimensional EPG data and part of said two-dimensional EPG data are displayed on the same screen.

8. An EPG display apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising:

acquisition means of acquiring information on recorded programs, information on programs scheduled to be recorded or information on programs scheduled to be watched, wherein

said control means displays only the EPG data of programs regarding said information acquired by said acquisition means.

10. A program of causing a computer to function all or part of said storage means and said control means of said EPG display apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. A medium holding said program in accordance with claim 10 and being processable by a computer.

9. An EPG display method comprising:

a storage step of storing three-dimensional EPG data obtained by mapping all or part of two-dimensional EPG data on a surface of an object having a predetermined shape in a virtual three-dimensional space, and

a control step of displaying all or part of said three-dimensional EPG data stored at said storage step on a two-dimensional screen, wherein

the surface of said object includes a visually recognizable front face and a rear face covered by said front face, and

when said EPG data is displayed at said control step by using the shape of said object, clearance regions are included beforehand in said EPG data to be displayed at least at the position corresponding to said front face so that at least part of said EPG data to be displayed at a position corresponding to said rear face is visually recognizable.

11. A program of causing a computer to carry out all or part of said storage step and said control step of said EPG display method in accordance with claim 9.

13. A medium holding said program in accordance with claim 11 and being processable by a computer.