Program selecting and character broadcasting receiving set

• US 5,373,324 A
• Filed: 10/15/1992
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Kazuo, Hasebe, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US07/961,411
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706-710, 358/142, 358/147, 358/183, 358/188, 358/242, 358/22, 348/461, 348/465, 348/468, 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/162, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 345/146, 345/145
• US Class Current: 348/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A character broadcasting receiving set is provided with: a receiving device for receiving a character signal transmitted from a broadcasting station; a decoding device for decoding the received character signal; and a displaying device, including a screen, for displaying one of character broadcasting programs including a menu program to select a desired program out of the character broadcasting programs, on the screen on the basis of the decoded character signal. The character broadcasting receiving set is also provided with: an inputting device for inputting and specifying, on the screen, a display position of a program number among characters in the displayed menu program; and a display controlling device for controlling the displaying device to display the character broadcasting program corresponding to the program number which display position is specified by the inputting device.

Claims

1. A character broadcasting receiving set comprising:

a receiving means for receiving a character signal transmitted from a broadcasting station;

a decoding means for decoding the received character signal;

a displaying means, including a screen, for displaying on said screen on the basis of the decoded character signal, one of a plurality of character broadcasting programs including a menu program useable by a user to select a desired program out of the plurality of character broadcasting programs;

an inputting means for inputting and specifying a chosen program number from among characters in the displayed menu program by allowing the user to position an indicator on said display means at a chosen position selected from any of a plurality of display positions, said chosen position being a display position on the screen of the chosen program number;

a memory means for storing display content data, which indicate values of program numbers included in characters in the displayed menu program, at storage positions in a one-to-one correspondence with the display positions of said display content data; and

a display controlling means for controlling said displaying means to display the character broadcasting program corresponding to the chosen program number, on the basis of the storage positions and the display content data stored in said memory means, by reading the content data from said memory means at a storage position derived from said inputting means.

2. A character broadcasting receiving set according to claim 1, wherein said characters in the displayed menu program comprise a plurality of eligible program numbers and other characters, and wherein said display controlling means is adapted to judge whether said chosen position corresponds to one of the plurality of eligible program numbers, or to the other characters in the displayed menu program, and to control the displaying means to display the character broadcasting program associated with said one of the plurality of eligible program numbers when it judges the specified display position corresponds to said one of the plurality of eligible program numbers.

3. A character broadcasting receiving set according to claim 1, wherein said inputting means comprises a pointing device, said pointing device being one of a group consisting of a light pen, a mouse, and a mouse tablet.

4. A character broadcasting receiving set according to claim 2, wherein said inputting means comprises a pointing device, said pointing device being one of a group consisting of a light pen, a mouse, and a mouse tablet.

5. A character broadcasting receiving set according to claim 1, wherein said memory means comprises a region of a random access memory, which forms a table for identifying the program numbers.

6. A character broadcasting receiving set according to claim 2, wherein said memory means is adapted to store said one of the plurality of eligible program numbers when said display controlling means judges the specified display position corresponds to said one of the plurality of eligible program numbers.