Program searching in digital multimedia terminal

• US 20060174278A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ha-Yun
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter

Abstract

A digital multimedia terminal comprises a receiving unit to receive a broadcasting signal. The digital multimedia terminal also comprises an input unit adapted to receive input associated with a user preferred program characteristic. The digital multimedia terminal also comprises a controller, operatively coupled to the receiving unit and the input unit, adapted to extract program information from received broadcasting signals and to search extracted program information based on the user preferred program characteristic. The digital multimedia terminal may further comprise a display unit, operatively coupled to the controller, adapted to display program description information associated with the extracted program information that corresponds to a broadcast program having the user preferred program characteristic.

Claims

1. A digital multimedia terminal, comprising:

a receiving unit to receive a broadcasting signal;

an input unit adapted to receive input associated with a user preferred program characteristic;

a controller, operatively coupled to the receiving unit and the input unit, adapted to extract program information from received broadcasting signals and to search extracted program information based on the user preferred program characteristic.

2. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit, operatively coupled to the controller, adapted to display program description information associated with the extracted program information that corresponds to a broadcast program having the user preferred program characteristic.

3. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 2, wherein the input unit is further adapted to receive program selection input from a user based on displayed program description information, the program selection input received from the user indicating a user selected program.

4. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 3, wherein the controller is further adapted to switch program channels in response to the program selection input received from the user.

5. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 4, wherein the display unit is further adapted to display the user selected program in response to switching of program channels by the controller.

6. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 1, further comprising a memory, operatively coupled to the controller, adapted to store the extracted program information.

7. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 1, wherein the user preferred program characteristic is selected from a group of program characteristics.

8. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 7, wherein the group of program characteristics comprises at least one of a program title, an age range, a gender range, and an age restriction.

9. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting signal is a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) signal.

10. The digital multimedia terminal of claim 1, wherein the program information to be extracted from the received broadcasting signals is recorded in a Reserved for advance (Rfa) field of a Fast Information Group (FIG) Type of the received broadcasting signals.

11. A mobile station capable of receiving a multimedia broadcast, the mobile station comprising:

a wireless transceiver adapted for bidirectional communications;

a receiving unit to receive a broadcasting signal;

an input unit adapted to receive input associated with a user preferred program characteristic;

a controller, operatively coupled to the receiving unit and the input unit, adapted to extract program information from received broadcasting signals and to search extracted program information based on the user preferred program characteristic.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, further comprising:

a display unit, operatively coupled to the controller, adapted to display program description information associated with the extracted program information that corresponds to a broadcast program having the user preferred program characteristic.

13. The mobile station of claim 12, wherein the input unit is further adapted to receive program selection input from a user based on displayed program description information, the program selection input received from the user indicating a user selected program.

14. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the controller is further adapted to switch program channels in response to the program selection input received from the user.

15. A program searching method in a digital multimedia terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcasting signal;

extracting program information from received broadcasting signals;

receiving input associated with a user preferred program characteristic; and

searching extracted program information based on the user preferred program characteristic.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying program description information associated with the extracted program information that corresponds to a broadcast program having the user preferred program characteristic.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving program selection input from a user based on displayed program description information, the program selection input received from the user indicating a user selected program.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

switching program channels in response to the program selection input received from the user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying the user selected program in response to switching of program channels by the controller.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing the extracted program information and displaying the program description information based on stored extracted program information.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the user preferred program characteristic is selected from a group of program characteristics.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the group of program characteristics comprises at least one of a program title, an age range, a gender range, and an age restriction.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the broadcasting signal is a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) signal.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the program information to be extracted from the received broadcasting signals is recorded in a Reserved for advance (Rfa) field of a Fast Information Group (FIG) Type of the received broadcasting signals.