Broadcasting reception apparatus and data broadcasting method

• US 6,337,715 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Tetsuji, Ishizu, Atsushi, Taniguchi, Shuuhei, Nio, Yutaka, Tsuda, Kenjirou, Inagaki, Satoru, Sakaguchi, Etsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATNAEL, PAULOS M
• Application Number:
  US09/109,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 348/10, 348/565, 348/12, 348/13, 348/6, 348/906, 348/387, 348/423, 348/553
• US Class Current: 348/553
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27

Abstract

A broadcasting reception apparatus includes a display unit for presenting a display showing a plurality of channels, with which the user can recognize whether decoding software programs for decoding program signals being currently broadcast via each channel are held in a library buffer, or not, thereby making possible pleasant zapping.

Claims

1. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software program, for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels, said apparatus comprising:

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs for decoding program signals;

a program obtaining unit for obtaining decoding software programs for decoding program signals from the broadcast signals, and storing the decoding software programs in said library buffer;

a checker for deciding whether said library buffer holds decoding software programs for decoding program signals being transmitted via each of said plurality of channels, or not, and for a channel for which said library buffer does not hold decoding software programs, predicting time which it takes to obtain the decoding software program by said program obtaining unit; and

a channel display unit for presenting a display based on a result of the decision by said checker, the display making it possible to recognize whether said library buffer holds a decoding software program for decoding a program signal being transmitted via each channel, or not, and whether it takes a long or short time to obtain a decoding software program by said program obtaining unit, for a channel for which said library buffer does not hold the decoding software program.

2. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 1 wherein said checker predicts time which it takes to obtain a decoding software program by said program obtaining unit, based on the size of the decoding software program.

3. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 1 wherein said checker predicts time which it takes to obtain a decoding software program by said program obtaining unit, based on the size of the decoding software program and the incidence of the decoding software being provided by broadcasting.

4. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 1 wherein said channel display unit presents the channel display on an EPG display screen used for selecting receiving channels.

5. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 1 wherein said channel display unit presents the channel display on a portion of the display screen while said broadcasting reception apparatus displays a program on a display screen, or on a display unit set up apart from said broadcasting reception apparatus.

6. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels, said apparatus comprising:

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs for decoding program signals;

a download priority order determining unit for determining the order of priority of downloading decoding software programs, using a library EPG which is a list showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the plurality of channels in a matrix of channel and time, wherein said download priority order determining unit counts up the number of programs decoded by each decoding software program from a present time to a predetermined time after using a library EPG, and determines the order of download priority according to a result of the counting; and

a download unit for downloading decoding software programs by broadcasting, based on the order of download priority determined by said download priority order determining unit, and storing the decoding software programs in said library buffer.

7. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 6 further includes:

a library size detector for detecting the size of a decoding software program described in a library EPG; and

an empty amount detector for detecting the empty amount of said library buffer,

said download priority order determining unit determining the order of download priority, based on a result;

off the counting and results of said library size detector and said empty amount detector.

8. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels, said apparatus comprising:

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs for decoding program signals;

a download priority order determining unit for determining the order of priority of downloading decoding software programs, using a library EPG which is a list showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the plurality of channels in a matrix of channel and time,

a download unit for downloading decoding software programs by broadcasting, based on the order of download priority determined by said download priority order determining unit, and storing the decoding software programs in said library buffer; and

a past audience record holding unit for holding a past audience record of the user,

said download priority order determining unit determining the order of download priority based on an audience tendency found from a library EPG and the past audience record.

9. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 8 wherein said download priority order determining unit uses the total audience time of channels listened or watched by the user, as the audience tendency.

10. The broadcasting reception apparatus of claim 8 wherein said download priority order determining unit uses the number of times of audience of channels listened or watched at the same time in the past, as the audience tendency.

11. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels, said apparatus comprising:

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs for decoding program signals;

a download priority order determining unit for determining the order of priority of downloading decoding software programs, using a library EPG which is a list showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the plurality of channels in a matrix of channel and time,

a download unit for downloading decoding software programs by broadcasting, based on the order of download priority determined by said download priority order determining unit, and storing the decoding software programs in said library buffer;

a genre-categorized program table holding unit for holding a genre-categorized program table in which the genre of each program is described; and

a genre holding unit for holding the user'"'"'s favorite genres,

said download priority order determining unit determining the order of download priority based on a library EPG and programs of the genres found from the genre-categorized program table and the user'"'"'s favorite genres.

12. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels, said apparatus comprising:

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs for decoding program signals;

a download priority order determining unit for determining the order of priority of downloading decoding software programs, using a library EPG which is a list showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the plurality of channels in a matrix of channel and time;

a download unit for downloading decoding software programs by broadcasting, based on the order of download priority determined by said download priority order determining unit, and storing the decoding software programs in said library buffer; and

a preset channel holding unit for holding a plurality of channels preset in a remote control with which the user selects channels,

said download priority order determining unit determining the order of download priority based on a library EPG and the channels held in said preset channel holding unit.

13. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels,

a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of channels being disposed in an m×

n matrix (m and n are natural numbers) on an EPG picture,

a receiving channel being selected by choosing one of the plurality of cells on the EPG picture, shifting a cursor from a cell to one of cells adjacent to the former cell by one operation of a remote control,

said broadcasting reception apparatus comprising;

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs; and

a program download unit for deciding whether decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via channels indicated on the EPG picture by a cell pointed by the cursor and its adjacent cells, are held in said library buffer, or not, and when the decoding software program is not held in said library buffer, downloading the decoding software program by broadcasting, and storing the decoding software program in said library buffer.

14. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels,

a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of channels being disposed in an m×

n matrix (m and n are natural numbers) on an EPG picture,

a receiving channel being selected by choosing one of the plurality of cells on the EPG picture, shifting a cursor from a cell to one of cells adjacent to the former cell by one operation of a remote control,

said broadcasting reception apparatus comprising;

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs; and

a program download unit for deciding whether, assuming that a first cell is among the plurality of cells, the cursor shifts from the first cell to a second cell adjacent to the first cell, a third cell is among cells adjacent to the second cell, and positioned in the direction of the cursor shifting, and fourth and fifth cells are adjacent to both of the second and third cells, decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via channels indicated on the EPG picture by second, third, fourth, and fifth cells, are held in said library buffer, or not, and when the decoding software program is not held in said library buffer, downloading the decoding software program by broadcasting, and storing the decoding software program in said library buffer.

15. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels,

a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of channels being disposed in an m×

n matrix (m and n are natural numbers) on an EPG picture,

a receiving channel being selected by choosing one of the plurality of cells on the EPG picture, shifting a cursor from a cell to one of cells adjacent to the, former cell by one operation of a remote control,

said broadcasting reception apparatus comprising;

a display controller for controlling the display of an EPG picture in a way in which cells of the channels, via which program signals transmitted are decoded with the same decoding software program, are clustered together on the EPG picture.

16. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels,

a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of channels being disposed in an m×

n matrix (m and n are natural numbers) on an EPG picture,

a receiving channel being selected by choosing one of the plurality of cells on the EPG picture, shifting a cursor from a cell to one of cells adjacent to the former cell by one operation of a remote control,

said broadcasting reception apparatus comprising;

a display controller for controlling the display of an EPG picture in a way in which cells of the channels, via which program signals transmitted are decoded with decoding software programs stored in said library buffer, are clustered together on the EPG picture.

17. A broadcasting reception apparatus receiving broadcast signals transmitted with a data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals or two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and decoding software programs for decoding the program signals, via a plurality of channels,

a plurality of cells corresponding to the plurality of channels being recursively disposed in an m×

n matrix (m and n are natural numbers) on an EPG picture displayed on a display screen,

a remote control having input keys arranged in an m×

n matrix,

a receiving channel being selected by, after cells are continually selected one time less than the number of recurring times of cell arrangement until only a minimum unit of m×

n matrix is shown on the EPG picture, choosing a cell of the minimum unit of m×

n matrix on the EPG picture by choosing an input key on the corresponding position of the remote control,

said broadcasting reception apparatus comprising;

a library buffer for holding decoding software programs;

a program download unit for deciding whether decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via channels indicated by cells on the minimum unit of m×

n matrix after cells are continually selected one time less than the number of recurring times of cell arrangement, are held in said library buffer, or not, and when the decoding software program is not held in said library buffer, downloading the decoding software program by broadcasting, and storing the decoding software program in said library buffer.

18. A data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and transmitting decoding software programs via a plurality of channels other than the former plurality of channels, said method comprising:

a first step for calculating the number of programs to be decoded by each decoding software program at a certain time, using library EPG data showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the former plurality of channels, along the time axis; and

a second step for providing the plurality of decoding software programs, the number of each decoding software program to be provided being determined according to the ratio of the number of programs calculated in said first step.

19. The data broadcasting method of claim 18 wherein the plurality of decoding software programs are distributedly provided, depending on the number of each decoding software program to be provided.

20. A data broadcasting method of transmitting program signals of two or more kinds of broadcasting formats, and transmitting decoding software programs via a plurality of channels other than the former plurality of channels, said method comprising:

a first step for calculating the number of programs to be decoded by each decoding software program at a certain time, using library EPG data showing decoding software programs for decoding programs transmitted via the former plurality of channels, along the time axis;

a second stop for calculating the total audience rates of respective programs to be decoded with each of the plurality of decoding software program; and

a third step for providing the plurality of decoding software programs, the number of each decoding software program to be provided being determined according to the ratio of values resulting from multiplying the number of programs calculated in said first stop and the total audience rate calculated in said second step.

21. The data broadcasting method of claim 20 wherein the plurality of decoding of software programs are distributedly provided, depending on the number of each decoding software program to be provided.