BROADCAST RECEIVING APPARATUS

• US 20080034398A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Paolantonio, Sergio, FURUI, Maki, Itagaki, Tsuguo, Moriya, Toshiyuki
• Application Number:
  US11/771,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034398A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/139
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

A broadcast receiving apparatus includes a tuner unit, a display unit on which a program picture is displayed, an input unit including multiple channel operational buttons, and a control unit that controls these units in a centralized manner. When any of the channel operational buttons is touched, the input unit generates a first operational signal. When the channel operational button is depressed, the input unit generates a second operational signal. When the control unit detects the first operational signal during display of the program picture on the display unit, the control unit displays, on the display unit, program information signified by the first operational signal together with the program picture being displayed. When the control unit detects the second operational signal after detecting the first operational signal, the control unit switches the program picture being displayed to a program picture signified by the second operational signal.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving apparatus, comprising:

a tuner unit;

a display unit on which a program picture is displayed;

an input unit that has a plurality of channel operational buttons; and

a control unit that controls these units on a centralized manner,

wherein;

when any of the channel operational buttons is touched, the input unit generates a first operational signal, and when the channel operational button is depressed, the input unit generates a second operational signal; and

when the control unit detects the first operational signal during display of the program picture on the display unit, the control unit displays, on the display unit, program information signified by the first operational signal together with the program picture; and

when the control unit detects the second operational signal after detecting the first operational signal, the control unit switches the program picture being displayed to a program picture signified by the second operational signal.

2. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when the control unit detects the first operational signal during display of the program picture on the entire display screen of the display unit, the control unit displays program information signified by the first operational signal on part of the program picture being displayed.

3. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when the control unit detects the first operational signal, the control unit displays, on the display unit, channel button information together with the program information signified by the first operational signal.

4. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein:

the plurality of channel operational buttons is arrayed in the form of a lattice;

the channel button information is displayed on the display unit while including channel image buttons that are arrayed in the same form of a lattice as the plurality of channel operational buttons are; and

a channel image button signified by the first operational signal and a channel image button relevant to the program picture being displayed are displayed on the display unit so that the channel image buttons can be discriminated and discerned from the other channel image buttons.

5. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein:

the tuner unit includes a plurality of tuners that sample digital broadcasts in different broadcasting modes;

the input unit includes a plurality of broadcasting mode operational buttons associated with the plurality of tuners;

when any of the broadcasting mode operational buttons is touched, the input unit generates a third operational signal; and

when the broadcasting mode operational button is depressed, the input unit generates a fourth operational signal; and

when the control unit detects the third operational signal during display of a program picture of a digital broadcast sampled by the tuner unit, the control unit displays on the display unit broadcasting mode information signified by the third operational signal together with the program picture being displayed.

6. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein when the control unit detects the third operational signal, the control unit displays, on the display unit, mode button information, which includes a plurality of broadcasting mode image buttons associated with the plurality of broadcasting mode operational buttons, together with broadcasting mode information signified by the third operational signal.

7. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein:

the plurality of broadcasting mode operational buttons is juxtaposed;

the mode button information is displayed on the display unit while including broadcasting mode image buttons juxtaposed in the same manner as the plurality of broadcasting mode operational buttons is; and

a broadcasting mode image button signified by the third operational signal is displayed on the display unit so that the broadcasting mode image button can be discriminated and discerned from the other image buttons.

8. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein:

a recorder that records the program picture is included;

the input unit includes a recorder mode operational button to be used to designate a mode in which the recorder is operated;

when the recorder mode operational button is touched, the input unit generates a fifth operational signal; and

when the recorder mode operational button is depressed, the input unit generates a sixth operational signal; and

when the control unit detects the fifth operational signal during display of the program picture, the control unit displays, on the display unit, recorder button information together with the program picture being displayed; and

when the control unit detects the sixth operational signal, the control unit allocates facilities, which are needed to operate the recorder, to the plurality of channel operational buttons, and displays on the display unit the recorder button information representing the allocated facilities.

9. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein:

a recorder that records the program picture is included;

the input unit includes a recorder mode operational button to be used to designate a mode in which the recorder is operated;

when the recorder mode operational button is touched, the input unit generates a fifth operational signal; and

when the recorder mode operational button is depressed, the input unit generates a sixth operational signal; and

when the control unit detects the fifth operational signal during display of the program picture, the control unit displays on the display unit the recorder mode image button together with the program picture being displayed so that the recorder mode image button can be discriminated and discerned from the other image buttons.

10. The broadcast receiving apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein:

the tuner unit includes a first tuner and a second tuner; and

when the control unit detects the first operational signal during display of the program picture received via the first tuner, the control unit receives a program signified by the first operational signal via the second tuner, and displays the program picture received via the second tuner together with the program information signified by the first operational signal.