Electronic program guide system and electronic guide displaying method

• US 6,075,570 A
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter, Takahashi, Naomasa, Usui, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/273,872
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/906
• US Class Current: 725/49
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic program guide system and an electronic program guide displaying method that allow a desired program to be selected in a short time and at a high degree of reliability. EPG data of programs received by an IRD 4 through a satellite and EPG data of programs transmitted as a ground wave and received by a TV receiver 5 are converted into EPG data with an integrated format by an EPG receiver 6. The integrated EPG data is then output and displayed to the TV receiver 5.

Claims

1. An electronic program guide system comprising:

receiving means for receiving at least two electronic program guides corresponding respectively to two different broadcasting systems;

selecting means for selecting a desired program from said electronic program guides;

determining means for determining which system of said two broadcasting systems has broadcast the program selected by said selecting means; and

generating means for generating a command signal to tune the program selected by said selecting means in accordance with a determination of said determining means.

2. The electronic program guide system according to claim 1, further comprising:

storage means for storing said at least two electronic program guides.

3. The electronic program guide system according to claim 2, wherein said at least two electronic program guides include first and second electronic program guides, and further comprising integrating means for integrating said first and second electronic program guides.

4. An electronic program guide method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least two electronic program guides corresponding respectively to two different broadcasting systems;

selecting a desired program from said at least two electronic program guides;

determining which system of said two broadcasting systems has broadcast the program selected in said step of selecting; and

generating a command signal to tune the program selected in said step of selecting in accordance with a determination made in said step of determining.

5. The electronic program guide method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of storing said electronic program guide.

6. The electronic program guide method according to claim 5, wherein said at least two electronic program guides include first and second electronic program guides, and further comprising the step of integrating said first and second electronic program guides.

7. An electronic program guide apparatus comprising:

a display processor to present to a user at least two electronic program guides corresponding to two different broadcasting systems;

a selector operated by the user to select a desired program from displayed at least two electronic program guides; and

a controller for determining which system of said two different broadcasting systems has broadcast the program selected by said selector and for generating a command signal to tune the program selected by said selector in accordance with a determination of the broadcasting system by said controller.

8. An electronic program guide system comprising:

a receiver receiving at least two electronic program guides corresponding to two different broadcasting systems;

a selector operated by a user to select a desired program from said at least two electronic program guides displayed to the user; and

a controller determining which system of said two broadcasting systems has broadcast the program selected by said selector and for generating a command signal to tune the program selected by said selector in accordance with a determination of the broadcasting system.

9. An electronic program guide method comprising the steps of:

displaying at least two electronic program guides corresponding to two different broadcasting systems;

selecting a desired program from said at least two electronic program guides displayed in said step of displaying;

determining which system of said two broadcasting systems has broadcast the program selected in said step of selecting; and

generating a command signal to tune the program selected in said step of selecting in accordance with a determination of said determining step.