Program switching device and method

• US 6,519,009 B1
• Filed: 05/07/1998
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hanaya, Hiroyuki, Yuchi, Hirofumi, Ohta, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US09/074,297
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.544, H04/N.5445, 348/906, 348/564, 348/565, 348/569, 348/570, 348/460, 725/39, 725/40, 725/41, 725/43, 725/52, 725/38
• US Class Current: 348/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0255 Display systems therefor

Abstract

A digital broadcast signal formed of compressed video data multiplexed with compressed audio data and program guide data is received. The signal is demultiplexed, and a display processor processes the program guide data so as to display a program guide window containing a number of program names. A cursor for designating a desired program is moved in the window and a controller controls the receiver so that a program designated by the cursor is received.

Claims

1. A digital broadcast signal receiver, wherein compressed video data, compressed audio data, and program guide data are multiplexed in a digital broadcast signal being received, comprising:

receiving means for receiving a digital broadcast signal,

demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the received digital broadcast signal into compressed video data, compressed audio data, and program guide data;

video decoder means for decoding the demultiplexed compressed video data;

program information display processing means for processing the demultiplexed program guide data so as to display a program guide window having a cursor and a plurality of program cells in which a respective program name is displayed;

cursor moving means for moving a cursor on the program guide window; and

control means for controlling the receiving means to receive the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means.

8. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 1, wherein the control means checks a conditional access status, and the control means controls the receiving means to display as a background to the program guide window the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means only when it is determined as a result of the check of the conditional access status that the program designated by the cursor is permitted to be received.

9. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting means for setting whether a pay per view program is displayed as the background to the program guide window when the cursor designates a program cell of the pay per view program,

wherein the control means controls the receiving means to display as the background to the program guide window the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means only when the setting means is set such that the pay per view program is displayed.

10. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means comprises:

tuner means for selecting a single carrier of a plurality of carrier waves, each of the plurality of carrier waves transmits the compressed video data, the compressed audio data, and the program guide data corresponding to respective programs;

demodulating means for demodulating the selected single carrier wave; and

error correction means for correcting transmission errors of the demodulated carrier wave, wherein

the demultiplexer means extracts at least compressed video data corresponding to a signal program and supplies the extracted compressed video data to the video decoder means.

11. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 10, wherein the control means controls the tuner means to select the single carrier on which compressed video and audio data of the program designated by the cursor are transmitted.

12. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 11, wherein the control means controls the tuner means only when compressed video and audio data corresponding to the program designated by the cursor are transmitted on a different carrier wave from the carrier wave selected previously.

2. A digital broadcast signal receiver, wherein compressed video data, compressed audio data, and program guide data are multiplexed in a digital broadcast signal being received, comprising:

receiving means for receiving the digital broadcast signal;

demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the received digital broadcast signal into compressed video data, compressed audio data, and program guide data;

video decoder means for decoding the demultiplexed compressed video data;

program information display processing means for processing the demultiplexed program guide data so as to display a program guide window having a cursor and a plurality of program cells in which respective program names are displayed;

cursor moving means for moving the cursor on the program guide window; and

control means for controlling the receiving means to receive a program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means, wherein the control means controls the receiving means to display as a background to the program guide window the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means only when the program designated by the cursor is able to be received.

3. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 2, wherein the control means checks a conditional access status, and the control means controls the receiving means to display as a background to the program guide window the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means only when it is determined as a result of the check of the conditional access status that the program designated by the cursor is permitted to be received.

4. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 2, further comprising:

setting means for setting whether a pay per view program is displayed as the background to the program guide window when the cursor designates a program cell of the pay per view program,

wherein the control means controls the receiving means to display as the background to the program guide window the program designated by the cursor as the cursor is moved by the cursor moving means only when the setting means is set such that the pay per view program is displayed.

5. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 2, wherein the receiving means comprises:

tuner means for selecting a single carrier of a plurality of carrier waves, each of the plurality of carrier waves transmits the compressed video data, the compressed audio data, and the program guide data corresponding to respective programs;

demodulating means for demodulating the selected single carrier wave; and

error correction means for correcting transmission errors of the demodulated carrier wave, wherein

the demultiplexer means extracts at least compressed video data corresponding to a single program and supplies the extracted compressed video data to the video decoder means.

6. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 5, wherein the control means controls the tuner means to select the single carrier on which compressed video and audio data of the program designated by the cursor is transmitted.

7. The digital broadcast signal receiver according to claim 6, wherein the control means controls the tuner means only when compressed video and audio data corresponding to the program designated by the cursor are transmitted on a different carrier wave from the carrier wave selected previously.