METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SCANNING TELEVISION CHANNELS

• US 20100177252A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Burciu, Liviu, Suzuki, Yuko, Schupp, William, Wu, Max, Takaya, Norifumi, Larsen, Tonni Sandager
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/732
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A method of scanning television channels at initial setup. The method includes at a first power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a first scanning setup procedure during which the television is unusable by a user. The first power mode is when the television is at a full power mode. The detected channels are automatically provided for use by the television upon completion of the first scanning setup procedure. The method further includes automatically scanning for channels using a second scanning setup procedure at a second power mode following the first power mode. The second power mode is at a lower power mode than the first power mode, and the second scanning setup procedure is more time consuming in comparison to the first scanning setup procedure. Additional channels not detected during the initial setup by the first scanning setup procedure are automatically detected at the second power mode.

Claims

1. A method of scanning television channels at initial setup, said method comprising:

at a first power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a first scanning setup procedure during which said television is unusable by a user, wherein said first power mode is when said television is at a full power mode;

upon completion of said first scanning setup procedure, automatically providing detected channels for use by said television; and

at a second power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a second scanning setup procedure, wherein said second power mode is at a lower power mode than said first power mode, and wherein said second scanning setup procedure is more comprehensive in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said automatically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure further comprises:

automatically detecting additional channels not detected during said initial setup by said first scanning setup procedure.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

in response to said detecting said additional channels, automatically providing said additional channels for use by said television when said television is at said first power mode.

4. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

in response to said detecting said additional channels, automatically prompting said user that said additional channels are detected, wherein said prompting occurs at said first power mode.

5. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

subsequent to said automatically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure, automatically and periodically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure at standby power mode.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said second scanning setup procedure has a longer time out parameter for finding a channel in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said first scanning setup procedure is limited to using a carrier and a modulation used to find a first detected channel when detecting remaining channels.

8. A computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed implement a method for scanning television channels at initial setup, said method comprising:

at a first power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a first scanning setup procedure during which said television is unusable by a user, wherein said first power mode is when said television is at a full power mode;

upon completion of said first scanning setup procedure, automatically providing detected channels for use by said television; and

at a second power mode, automatically scanning for channels using a second scanning setup procedure, wherein said second power mode is at a lower power mode than said first power mode, and wherein said second scanning setup procedure is more comprehensive in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure.

9. The computer readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein said automatically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure further comprises:

automatically detecting additional channels not detected during said initial setup by said first scanning setup procedure.

10. The computer readable medium as described in claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

in response to said detecting said additional channels, automatically providing said additional channels for use by said television when said television is at said first power mode.

11. The computer readable medium as described in claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

in response to said detecting said additional channels, automatically prompting said user that said additional channels are detected, wherein said prompting occurs at said first power mode.

12. The computer readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

subsequent to said automatically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure, automatically and periodically scanning for channels using said second scanning setup procedure at standby power mode.

13. The computer readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein said second scanning setup procedure has a longer time out parameter for finding a channel in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure.

14. The computer readable medium as described in claim 8, wherein said first scanning setup procedure is limited to using a carrier and a modulation used to find a first detected channel when detecting remaining channels.

15. A television set comprising:

a power detector operable to automatically detect a power mode of said television set;

a first scan component for automatically scanning for channels at a first power mode using a first scanning setup procedure during which said television is unusable by a user;

a processor for processing data, wherein said processor automatically provides detected channels resulting from said first scanning setup procedure for use by said user;

a second scan component for automatically scanning for channels at a second power mode using a second scanning setup procedure, wherein said second scanning setup procedure is more lengthy and comprehensive in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure, and wherein said second scanning setup procedure is operable to detect channels in addition to detected channels resulting from said first scanning setup procedure; and

a display for rendering images.

16. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said channels in addition to detected channels resulting from said first scanning setup procedure are automatically provided to said user at said first power mode.

17. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said processor automatically prompts said user that said channels in addition to detected channels resulting from said first scanning setup procedure are detected, wherein said prompting occurs at said first power mode.

18. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said first power mode is when said television is at a full power mode.

19. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said second scan component automatically and periodically scans for channels using said second scanning setup procedure at a standby power mode.

20. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said second scanning setup procedure has a longer time out parameter for finding a channel in comparison to said first scanning setup procedure.

21. The television set as described in claim 15, wherein said first scanning setup procedure is limited to using a carrier and a modulation used to find a first detected channel when detecting remaining channels.