Electronic content guide system and electronic content guide displaying method

• US 6,305,018 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hirofumi Usui, Naomasa Takahashi, Peter Shintani
• Original Assignee: Hirofumi Usui, Naomasa Takahashi, Peter Shintani
• Inventors: Usui, Hirofumi, Takahashi, Naomasa, Shintani, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/429,579
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.550, H04/N.5445, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/906, 725/39, 725/49, 725/48
• 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 content guide system comprising:

first receiving means for receiving a first electronic content guide;

second receiving means for receiving a second electronic content guide that differs from said first electronic content guide;

integrating means for integrating said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide and producing an integrated content guide;

selecting means for selecting a desired content from said integrated electronic content guide; and

determining means for determining which of said first and second content guides provides the desired content selected by said selecting means.

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

storage means for storing said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide,

wherein said integrating means integrates said first and second electronic content guides stored in said storage means.

3. The electronic content guide system according to claim 1, wherein said integrating means integrates said first and second electronic content guides in a predetermined uniform format.

4. The electronic content guide system according to claim 1, wherein said integrating means integrates said first and second electronic content guides by performing one of adjusting said first electronic content guide to a first predetermined format of said second electronic content guide and adjusting said second electronic content guide to a second predetermined format of said first electronic content guide.

5. An electronic content guide method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first electronic content guide;

receiving a second electronic content guide that differs from said first electronic content guide;

integrating said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide and producing an integrated content guide;

selecting a desired content from said integrated electronic content guide; and

determining which of said first and second content guides provides the desired content selected in said step of selecting.

6. The electronic content guide method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of storing said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide,

wherein said step of integrating includes integrating said first and second electronic content guides stored in said step of storing.

7. The electronic content guide method according to claim 5, wherein said step of integrating integrates said first and second electronic content guides in a predetermined uniform format.

8. The electronic content guide method according to claim 5, wherein said step of integrating integrates said first and second electronic content guides by performing one of adjusting said first electronic content guide to a first predetermined format of said second electronic content guide and adjusting said second electronic content guide to a second predetermined format of said first electronic content guide.

9. An electronic content guide system comprising:

a first receiver for receiving a first electronic content guide;

a second receiver for receiving a second electronic content guide that differs from said first electronic content guide;

an integrator for integrating said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide and producing an integrated electronic content guide;

a selector for selecting a desired content from said integrated electronic content guide; and

a controller for determining which of said first and second content guides provides the desired content selected by said selector.

10. The electronic content guide system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a memory for storing said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide,

wherein said integrator integrates said first and second electronic content guides stored in said memory.

11. The electronic content guide system according to claim 9, wherein said integrator integrates said first and second electronic content guides in a predetermined uniform format.

12. The electronic content guide system according to claim 9, wherein said integrator integrates said first and second electronic content guides by performing one of adjusting said first electronic content guide to a first predetermined format of said second electronic content guide and adjusting said second electronic content guide to a second predetermined format of said first electronic content guide.

13. An electronic content guide system comprising:

receiving means for receiving at least two electronic content guides corresponding respectively to two different content providing systems;

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

determining means for determining which system of said two content providing systems provides the content selected by said selecting means; and

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

14. The electronic content guide system according to claim 13, further comprising:

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

15. The electronic content guide system according to claim 14, wherein said at least two electronic content guides include first and second electronic content guides, and further comprising integrating means for integrating said first and second electronic content guides.

16. An electronic content guide method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least two electronic content guides corresponding respectively to two different content providing systems;

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

determining which system of said two content providing systems provides the content selected in said step of selecting; and

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

17. The electronic content guide method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of storing the at least two electronic content guides.

18. The electronic program guide method according to claim 17, wherein said at least two electronic content guides include first and second electronic content guides, and further comprising the step of integrating said first and second electronic content guides.

19. An electronic content guide apparatus comprising:

a display processor to present to a user at least two electronic content guides corresponding to two different content providing systems;

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

a controller for determining which system of said two different content providing systems provides the content selected by said selector and for generating a command signal to tune the content selected by said selector in accordance with a determination of said system by said controller.

20. An electronic content guide system comprising:

a receiver for receiving at least two electronic content guides corresponding to two different content providing systems;

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

a controller for determining which system of said two content providing systems provides the content selected by said user and for generating a command signal to tune the content selected by said user in accordance with a determination of said system by said controller.

21. An electronic content guide method comprising the steps of:

displaying at least two electronic content guides corresponding to two different content providing systems;

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

determining which system of said two content providing systems provides the content selected in said step of selecting; and

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

22. An electronic content guide system comprising:

storage means for storing a first electronic content guide of a first system and a second electronic content guide of a second system differing from said first system; and

an integrating system for integrating said first and second electronic content guides into an integrated electronic content guide, wherein said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides in a predetermined uniform format different from formats of said first and second systems which formats are also different from each other.

23. The electronic program guide system according to claim 22, wherein said storage means stores said first and second electronic content guides after said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides.

24. The electronic program guide system according to claim 22, wherein said storage means stores said first and second electronic content guides before said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides, and said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides are read out from said storage means.

25. The electronic content guide system according to claim 22, further comprising receiving means for receiving said first and second electronic content guides from said first and second systems respectively.

26. The electronic content guide system according to claim 22, further comprising generating means for generating display data of said integrated electronic content guide.

27. The electronic program guide system according to claim 26, further comprising specifying means for specifying a condition for displaying said integrated electronic content guide.

28. An electronic program guide system according to claim 26, further comprising display means for displaying said integrated electronic content guide based on said display data generated by said generating means.

29. An electronic content guide system comprising:

storage means for storing a first electronic content guide of first system and a second electronic content guide of a second system differing from said first system; and

an integrating system for integrating said first and second electronic content guides into an integrated electronic content guide, wherein said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides by adjusting said first electronic content guide to a first predetermined format of said second electronic content guide or adjusting said second electronic content guide to a second predetermined format of said first electronic content guide.

30. The electronic content guide system according to claim 29, wherein said storage means stores first and second electronic content guides after said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides.

31. The electronic content guide system according to claim 29, wherein said storage means stores first and second electronic content guides before said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides, and said integrating system integrates said first and second electronic content guides are read out from said storage means.

32. The electronic content guide system according to claim 29, further comprising receiving means for receiving said first and second electronic content guides from said first and second systems, respectively.

33. The electronic content guide system according to claim 29, further comprising generating means for generating display data of said integrated electronic content guides.

34. The electronic content guide system according to claim 33, further comprising specifying means for specifying a condition for displaying said electronic content guide.

35. The electronic content guide system according to claim 33, further comprising display means for displaying said integrated electronic content guide based on said display data generated by said generating means.

36. An electronic content guide system comprising:

storage means for storing a first electronic content guide of a first system and a second electronic content guide of a second system differing from said first system;

an integrating system for integrating said first and second electronic content guides into an integrated electronic content guide;

selecting means for selecting a desired content from said integrated electronic content guide;

generating means for generating a first command for specifying said desired content selected by said selecting means; and

converting means for converting said first command generated by said generating means into a second command of a third system to which said desired content belongs.

37. The electronic content guide according to claim 36, wherein said converting means has a rewritable memory.

38. The electronic content guide according to claim 36, wherein said converting means is provided to a remote commander.

39. An electronic content guide displaying method comprising steps of:

storing a first electronic content guide of a first system and a second electronic content guide of a second system differing from said first system;

integrating said first and second electronic content guides into an integrated electronic content guide by adjusting said first content guide to a first predetermined format of said second electronic content guide or adjusting said second electronic content guide to a second predetermined format of said first electronic content guide; and

displaying said integrated electronic content guide.

40. An electronic content guide system for transmitting electronic content guides different from area to area and selecting an electronic content guide of a predetermined area on a receiving side of said electronic content guide system, wherein said electronic content guide contains mail-matter delivery area information and said mail-matter delivery-area information is used for identifying an area to which mail matter is to be delivered.

41. An electronic content guide displaying method comprising steps of:

storing a first electronic content guide of a first system and a second electronic content guide of a second system differing from said first system;

integrating said first and second electronic content guides into an integrated electronic content guide by integrating said first and second electronic content guides in a predetermined uniform format different from formats of said first and second systems which formats are also different from each other; and

displaying said integrated electronic content guide.

42. An electronic content guide system comprising:

first receiving means for receiving a first electronic content guide;

second receiving means for receiving a second electronic content guide that differs from said first electronic content guide;

storage means for storing said first electronic content guide and said second electronic content guide;

display means for displaying said first and second electronic content guides;

selecting means for selecting a desired content from the displayed first and second electronic content guides;

generating means for generating a command to tune the desired content selected by said selecting means;

determining means for determining which of said first and second content guides provides the desired content selected by said selecting means; and

transmitting means for transmitting said generated command in response to a system determination of said determining means.