Apparatus and method for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal

• US 20060052081A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Cho, Young-Tack
• Application Number:
  US11/213,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal. The apparatus includes a first display unit for displaying the digital multimedia broadcasting channel information, a second display unit for displaying program information corresponding to a channel selected by a user, and a control unit for creating channel information based on electronic channel guide information extracted from a digital multimedia broadcasting signal, sending the channel information to the first display unit, and sending program information to the second display unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal capable of receiving digital multimedia broadcasting, the apparatus comprising:

a first display unit for displaying the digital multimedia broadcasting channel information; and

a second display unit for displaying program information corresponding to a channel selected by a user.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control unit for creating channel information based on electronic channel guide information extracted from a digital multimedia broadcasting signal, sending the channel information to the first display unit, and sending program information:

to the second display unit.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a memory for storing the extracted electronic channel guide information, wherein, if the user selects a digital multimedia broadcasting mode, the electronic channel guide information is read from the memory and the channel information is generated.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein, if the electronic channel guide information is not stored in the memory, new electronic channel guide information is extracted from a received digital multimedia broadcasting signal.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first display unit displays information regarding another function of the terminal.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises:

a phone module; and

a multimedia module,

wherein the phone module controls the first display unit such that the channel information delivered from the multimedia module is displayed on the first display unit.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the phone module detects a channel change input of the user and transmits the channel change input to the multimedia module, the multimedia module determines validity of the channel change input and, if the channel change input is valid, transmits channel change information to the phone module, and the phone module displays changed channel information on the first display unit.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein, if the phone module detects message reception in a state in which the channel information is displayed on the first display unit, the phone module stops displaying the channel information and displays the received message.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises:

a phone module; and

a multimedia module,

wherein the multimedia module controls the first display unit such that the channel information is displayed on the first display unit.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the multimedia module detects a channel change input of a user, determines validity of the channel change input, and, if the channel change input is valid, displays changed channel information on the first display unit.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein, if the multimedia module receives notification of message reception from the phone module in a state of displaying the channel information on the first display unit, the multimedia module stops displaying the channel information and displays a received message.

12. A method for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal that can receive digital multimedia broadcasting including a first module, a second module, a first display unit, and a second display unit, the first module controlling a first function, the first display unit displaying an image according to execution of the first function, the second module controlling a second function, the second display unit displaying an image according to execution of the second function, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, by the first module, a digital multimedia broadcasting mode selection of a user;

notifying, by the first module, the second module of the digital multimedia broadcasting mode selection;

determining, by the second module, if electronic channel guide information exists in a memory;

transmitting, by the second module, the electronic channel guide to the first module, if the electronic channel guide information exists in the memory;

creating, by the first module, channel information by using the electronic channel guide information; and

displaying the channel information on the first display unit.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

if the user selects a desired channel through the channel information, detecting, by the first module, channel selection of the user;

notifying the second module of the channel selected by the user; and

displaying, by the second module, a digital multimedia broadcasting program corresponding to the channel selected by the user on the second display unit.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first module includes a phone module for controlling a portable telephone function.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the second module, if a time to update electronic channel guide information arrives, if the memory has no electronic channel guide information; and

extracting new electronic channel guide information from a digital multimedia broadcasting signal, if the time to update the electronic channel guide information arrives.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the first module, if a message is received in a state in which the channel information is displayed on the first display unit;

if the message is received, stopping, by the first module, display of the channel information; and

controlling the first display unit to display the message.

17. A method for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal that can receive digital multimedia broadcasting that includes a first module, a second module, a first display unit, and a second display unit, the first module controlling a first function, the first display unit displaying an image according to execution of the first function, the second module controlling a multimedia function, the second display unit displaying an image according to execution of the multimedia function, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting, by the first module, digital multimedia broadcasting mode selection of a user;

notifying, by the first module, the second module of the digital multimedia broadcasting mode selection;

determining, by the second module, if electronic channel guide information exists in a memory;

creating, by the second module channel, information by using the electronic channel guide information;

transmitting the channel information to the first module, if the electronic channel guide information exists in the memory; and

displaying, by the first module, received channel information on the first display unit.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

if the user selects a desired channel through the channel information, detecting, by the first module, channel selection of the user;

notifying the second module of the channel selected by the user; and

displaying, by the second module, a digital multimedia broadcasting program corresponding to the channel selected by the user on the second display unit.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

if the second module detects a channel change request of the user during display of the digital multimedia broadcasting program, transmitting, by the second module, channel change information to the first module;

displaying a digital multimedia broadcasting program corresponding to a changed channel on the second display unit;

receiving, by the first module, the channel change information; and

displaying changed channel information on the first display unit.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first module includes a phone module for controlling a portable telephone function.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the second module, if a time to update electronic channel guide information arrives, if the memory has no electronic channel guide information; and

extracting new electronic channel guide information from a digital multimedia broadcasting signal, if the time to update the electronic channel guide information arrives.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

determining, by the first module, if a message is received in a state in which the channel information is displayed on the first display unit;

if the message is received, stopping, by the first module, display of the channel information; and

controlling the first display unit to display the message.

23. A method for displaying digital multimedia broadcasting channel information in a terminal that can receive digital multimedia broadcasting and includes a first display unit and a second display unit, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a digital multimedia broadcasting mode selection by a user;

determining if electronic channel guide information exists in a memory;

if the electronic channel guide information exists, creating channel information using the electronic channel guide information;

displaying the channel information on the first display unit;

detecting a channel selection by the user; and

displaying a digital multimedia broadcasting program corresponding to the channel selected by the user on the second display unit.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a channel change request of the user during display of the digital multimedia broadcasting program;

displaying a digital multimedia broadcasting program corresponding to the changed channel on the second display unit; and

displaying changed channel information on the first display unit.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a time to update electronic channel guide information arrives, if the electronic channel guide information does not exist in the memory; and

extracting new electronic channel guide information from a received digital multimedia broadcasting signal, if the time arrives.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

determining if a message is received in a state in which the channel information is displayed on the first display unit;

stopping display of the channel information; and

displaying a received message on the first display unit, if message reception is detected.

27. A terminal comprising:

a digital multimedia broadcasting module for controlling digital multimedia broadcasting reception;

a first module for controlling a first function;

a first display unit for displaying an image according to the first function and the digital multimedia broadcasting channel information;

a second module for controlling a second function; and

a second display unit for displaying an image according to the second function and the digital multimedia broadcasting program.

28. A terminal comprising:

a digital multimedia broadcasting module for controlling digital multimedia broadcasting reception;

a control module for controlling a predetermined function;

a first display unit for displaying an image according to the predetermined function and the digital multimedia broadcasting channel information according to a control of the control module; and

a second display unit for displaying the digital multimedia broadcasting program according to a control of the control module.

29. The terminal as claimed in claim 28, wherein the control module controls an MP3 player function.

30. The terminal as claimed in claim 28, wherein the control module controls a digital video disc (DVD) player function.

31. The terminal as claimed in claim 28, wherein the control module controls a function for Telemetics.