METHOD FOR DISPLAYING PROGRAM INFORMATION AND IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS THEREOF

• US 20120331505A1
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Kyungjin, Kim, Hyunseok, CHUN, Seungsik
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying information are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes obtaining, by an image display apparatus, viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels; generating priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information; and visually indicating, on a display unit of the apparatus, a plurality items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information on an image display apparatus including a display unit, comprising:

obtaining, by the image display apparatus, viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

generating priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information; and

visually indicating, on the display unit, a plurality items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the viewing history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a viewing time duration for the program or channel,

the number of times the program or channel was viewed during a preset time period, and

a last viewing time for the program or channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating step includes:

determining the priority information for each of the preferred programs based on (a) a viewing time duration, (b) the number of times of viewing, (c) a last viewing time, or any weighted combination of the (a), (b) and (c).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the visually indicating step includes one of the following:

displaying the plurality of items in different sizes to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying a different number of a specific mark on each of the plurality of items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying the plurality of items overlapped with each other where one of the items having a highest priority is displayed at a forefront or center compared to other items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the visually indicating step, the displayed plurality of items are arranged on the basis of at least one of a user, a day of the week, a time zone, and a genre.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

additionally displaying at least one of program information and content provider information for at least one of the displayed items.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the displayed items includes a representative thumbnail image associated with the program or channel corresponding to that item.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

when a user directs a pointer to a specific item among the displayed items, displaying other thumbnail images associated with the program or channel corresponding to the specific item.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining step obtains the viewing history information for each of a plurality of different viewers.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when a specific item among the displayed items is selected, visually indicating a channel switching pattern associated with the selected specific item.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

additionally displaying at least one of program information and content provider information for at least one of the displayed items, in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the at least one of the displayed items.

12. An image display apparatus comprising:

a display unit; and

a control unit configured to control the display unit and to;

obtain viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

generate priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information; and

visually indicate, on the display unit, a plurality items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the viewing history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a viewing time duration for the program or channel,

the number of times the program or channel was viewed during a preset time period, and

a last viewing time for the program or channel.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the priority information by determining the priority information for each of the preferred programs based on (a) a viewing time duration, (b) the number of times of viewing, (c) a last viewing time, or any weighted combination of the (a), (b) and (c).

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to visually indicate the plurality of items by:

displaying the plurality of items in different sizes to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying a different number of a specific mark on each of the plurality of items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying the plurality of items overlapped with each other where one of the items having a highest priority is displayed at a forefront or center compared to other items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the displayed plurality of items are arranged on the basis of at least one of a user, a day of the week, a time zone, and a genre.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to additionally display at least one of program information and content provider information for at least one of the displayed items.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the displayed items includes a representative thumbnail image associated with the program or channel corresponding to that item.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

when a user directs a pointer to a specific item among the displayed items, display other thumbnail images associated with the program or channel corresponding to the specific item.

20. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit obtains the viewing history information for each of a plurality of different viewers.

21. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

when a specific item among the displayed items is selected, visually indicate a channel switching pattern associated with the selected specific item.

22. The image display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to additionally display at least one of program information and content provider information for at least one of the displayed items, in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the at least one of the displayed items.