Terminal and method for displaying digital broadcasting channel information

• US 20060143651A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Tae-Hyung
• Application Number:
  US11/291,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Disclosed is a terminal and method for receiving digital broadcasting and displaying channel information including image information. The terminal includes a digital broadcasting reception unit for receiving digital broadcasting channel guide information; a mobile communication unit for receiving image guide information about broadcast programs; a memory unit for storing the digital broadcasting channel guide information received through the digital broadcasting reception unit and the image guide information received through the mobile communication unit; a control unit for searching the digital broadcasting channel guide information stored in the memory unit for guide information about broadcast programs corresponding to the image guide information stored in the memory unit, and combining the searched guide information about broadcast programs with the image guide information; and a display unit for displaying the combined information.

Claims

1. A method for displaying digital broadcasting channel information in a terminal including a digital broadcasting reception unit, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing digital broadcasting channel guide information;

receiving and storing image guide information about broadcast programs;

searching the stored digital broadcasting channel guide information for guide information about broadcast programs corresponding to the image guide information; and

combining and displaying the searched guide information about broadcast programs and the image guide information.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image guide information includes data transmitted using a data communication scheme of the terminal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image guide information includes data transmitted using a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) scheme.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image guide information includes data transmitted using a wireless Internet scheme.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image guide information comprises:

still-picture or moving-picture graphic data for providing graphic information about each broadcast program;

channel identifiers for representing channel information about the respective broadcast programs; and

program identifiers for searching the stored channel guide information for time and content information about the respective broadcast programs.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the terminal includes a table which comprises:

a graphic discrimination field for indicating whether a graphic data contains moving picture data;

a channel field for storing the channel identifiers; and

a program field for storing the program identifiers,

wherein, when the image guide information is received, data included in the image guide information are stored according to the fields of the table.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a completion identifier is set in the table when data for each broadcast program included in the received image guide information has been stored according to the fields of the table.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein, when new image guide information is received, a completion identifier of the table is reset, and thereafter the fields of the table are initialized, data for each broadcast program included in the new image guide information are stored according to the fields of the table, and the completion identifier is set.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stored digital broadcasting channel guide information is searched for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers stored in the channel and program fields of the table.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the combined searched guide information about broadcast programs includes guide information of broadcast programs searched in the digital broadcasting channel guide information which is combined with corresponding graphic data for each broadcast program included in the image guide information.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the combined searched guide information about broadcast programs includes channels, broadcasting time, content information and graphic information about digital broadcast programs.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when the combined searched guide information about broadcast programs is displayed, graphic information, time and content information about broadcast programs provided through a predetermined channel are displayed.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein graphic information, time and content information about broadcast programs provided through a channel according to a request for checking guide information about broadcast programs when displaying information corresponding to another channel.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when the combined searched guide information about broadcast programs is displayed, graphic information, channels, time and content information about broadcast programs are displayed according to broadcasting time.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, when the combined searched guide information is displayed, graphic information, channels, time and content information about specific broadcast programs requested by a user are displayed.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a code/decoder (CODEC) capable of displaying graphic information of one of a still picture and moving picture according to the graphic discrimination field of the table is selected to display graphic information included in the combined searched guide information.

17. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the image guide information is set to be used for a background-image slide function for changing a background image at a predetermined times; and

displaying still picture or moving picture graphic data as a background image based on the determination.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a step of adjusting a display time period for the image guide information displayed as the background image depending on a user'"'"'s selection.

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

searching the stored digital broadcasting channel guide information for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers for the respective broadcast programs included in the image guide information, when it is determined that the image guide information is set to be used for the background-image slide function; and

extracting broadcast time information from among the searched guide information of broadcast programs and displaying graphic data of the image guide information as a background image at a predetermined time based on the extracted broadcast time information.

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

searching the stored digital broadcasting channel guide information for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers for the respective broadcast programs included in the image guide information, when it is determined that the image guide information is set to be used for the background-image slide function; and

extracting broadcast time information from among the searched guide information of broadcast programs and displaying the extracted broadcast time information together with graphic data of the image guide information displayed as the background image.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a step of adjusting a display time period for the image guide information and broadcast time information displayed as the background image depending on user'"'"'s selection.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising a step of displaying the graphic data of the image guide information and the extracted broadcast time information as the background image at a predetermined time based on the extracted broadcast time.

23. A terminal for receiving digital broadcasting and displaying digital broadcasting channel information, the terminal comprising:

a digital broadcasting reception unit for receiving digital broadcasting channel guide information;

a mobile communication unit for receiving image guide information about broadcast programs;

a memory unit for storing the digital broadcasting channel guide information received through the digital broadcasting reception unit and the image guide information received through the mobile communication unit;

a control unit for searching the digital broadcasting channel guide information stored in the memory unit for guide information about broadcast programs corresponding to the image guide information stored in the memory unit, and combining the searched guide information about broadcast programs with the corresponding image guide information; and

a display unit for displaying the combined information.

24. The terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile communication unit receives the image guide information transmitted using a data communication scheme of the terminal.

25. The terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile communication unit receives the image guide information transmitted using a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) scheme.

26. The terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile communication unit receives the image guide information transmitted using a wireless Internet scheme.

27. The terminal as claimed in claim 23, wherein the image guide information comprises:

still-picture or moving-picture graphic data for providing graphic information about each broadcast program;

channel identifiers for representing channel information about the respective broadcast programs; and

program identifiers for searching the stored channel guide information for time and content information about the respective broadcast programs.

28. The terminal as claimed in claim 27, wherein the memory unit includes a table which comprises:

a graphic discrimination field for indicating whether a graphic data is a moving picture;

a channel field for storing the channel identifiers; and

a program field for storing the program identifiers.

29. The terminal as claimed in claim 28, wherein the control unit distinguishes data of broadcast programs included in the image guide information received through the mobile communication unit, inputs the data of broadcast programs into the fields of the table, and stores the data of broadcast programs in the memory unit.

30. The terminal as claimed in claim 29, wherein the control unit sets a completion identifier in the table when the image guide information corresponding to the fields of the table is input.

31. The terminal as claimed in claim 30, wherein, when the control unit receives the image guide information through the mobile communication unit, the control unit resets a completion identifier of the table, initializes the fields of the table, stores data for each broadcast program included in the received image guide information according to the fields of the table, and thereafter sets the completion identifier in the table.

32. The terminal as claimed in claim 29, wherein the control unit searches the digital broadcasting channel guide information stored in the memory unit for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers stored in the channel and program fields of the table.

33. The terminal as claimed in claim 32, wherein the control unit combines the search guide information about broadcast programs including guide information of broadcast programs searched in the digital broadcasting channel guide information with corresponding graphic data for each broadcast program included in the image guide information to create combined information.

34. The terminal as claimed in claim 33, wherein the combined information includes channels, broadcasting time, content information and graphic information about digital broadcast programs.

35. The terminal as claimed in claim 34, wherein the control unit displays the combined information corresponding to a predetermined channel through the display unit.

36. The terminal as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a user interface unit for receiving an operation request for the terminal from a user,

wherein the control unit displays the combined information corresponding to the predetermined channel through the display unit when receiving a request for checking guide information about broadcast programs of another channel through the user interface unit.

37. The terminal as claimed in claim 34, wherein the control unit displays the combined information through the display unit according to broadcast time.

38. The terminal as claimed in claim 34, wherein the control unit displays the combined information of specific broadcast programs through the display unit when the user requests the combined information of the specific broadcast programs through the user interface unit.

39. The terminal as claimed claim 35, wherein the control unit selects a coder/decoder (CODEC) capable of displaying graphic information of at least one of a still and moving picture according to the graphic discrimination field of the table to display graphic information included in the combined information through the display unit.

40. The terminal as claimed in claim 36, wherein, when image guide information stored in the memory unit is set to be used for a background-image slide function included in the terminal, the control unit displays graphic data of the image guide information as a background image through the display unit.

41. The terminal as claimed in claim 40, wherein the control unit receives a display time period for the image guide information displayed as the background image through the user interface unit.

42. The terminal as claimed in claim 40, wherein the control unit searches the digital broadcasting channel guide information stored in the memory unit for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers for the respective broadcast programs included in the image guide information, extracts broadcast time information from among the searched guide information of broadcast programs, and displays graphic data of the image guide information as a background image through the display unit at a predetermined time based on the extracted broadcast time information.

43. The terminal as claimed in claim 40, wherein the control unit searches the digital broadcasting channel guide information stored in the memory unit for guide information about broadcast programs including channel identifiers and program identifiers which are identical to channel identifiers and program identifiers for the respective broadcast programs included in the image guide information, extracts broadcast time information from among the searched guide information of broadcast programs, and displays the extracted broadcast time information through the display unit as the background image together with graphic data of the image guide information.

44. The terminal as claimed in claim 43, wherein the control unit receives a display time period for the image guide information and broadcast time information displayed as the background image through the user interface unit.

45. The terminal as claimed in claim 43, wherein the control unit displays the graphic data of the image guide information and the extracted broadcast time information, through the display unit, as the background image at a predetermined time based on the extracted broadcast time.