Transmission device and terminal device for automatic reception/recording of broadcast programs

• US 6,732,372 B2
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Oizumi, Shigeru, Tomita, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/838,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.7173, 348/12, 348/113, 348/7, 348/565, 345/327, 345/354, 455/4.2, 725/37-61, 725/86-87, 386/83
• US Class Current: 725/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416

Abstract

A device for sending broadcast-program information to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network so that the plurality of terminal devices display the broadcast-program information on display screens. The device includes an addition unit attaching at least one of a reception setting button and a recording setting button to broadcast-program information which is to be sent to a terminal device, the reception setting button and the recording setting button being used in the terminal device for issuing a request to make settings for automatic receiving and recording, respectively, of a selected broadcast program. The device further includes an execution-information extracting unit obtaining execution information in response to the request, the execution information specifying information necessary for making the settings, and a transmission unit sending the execution information to the terminal device.

Claims

1. A device for sending detailed broadcast-program guide information that a user requested to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network so that said plurality of terminal devices display said detailed broadcast-program guide information on display screens thereof, said device comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

an addition unit to attach one of a reception setting button and a recording setting button to said detailed broadcast-program guide information sent to a terminal device, said reception setting button and said recording setting button each comprising an indicator indicative of a location in the network of said device for sending said detailed broadcast-program guide information, said reception setting button and said recording setting button being used in said terminal device to send a request to said location in the network for making settings for automatic receiving and recording, respectively, of a selected broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time;

an execution-information extracting unit to obtain execution information in response to said request sent from said terminal device via the network, said execution information specifying information necessary for said terminal device to make said settings; and

a transmission unit to send said execution information to said terminal device.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a broadcast-program management unit storing information on broadcast programs;

a shift-button addition unit to attach shift buttons to broadcast programs appearing on a listing of broadcast programs sent to said terminal device, said shift buttons being used in said terminal device to issue a request for program-guide information on a selected broadcast program by selecting a corresponding one of said shift buttons; and

a program-guide extracting unit to extract said program-guide information on said selected broadcast program from said broadcast-program management unit in response to said request for program-guide information,

wherein said addition unit attaches said one of said reception setting button and said recording setting button to said program-guide information.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a generation unit to extract information from said broadcast-program management unit with respect to broadcast programs corresponding to a date and a time indicated by said terminal device, and to edit the extracted information to generate said listing of broadcast programs.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network is an information service network.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said execution information includes a channel number, a broadcast date, a starting time, and an ending time of said selected broadcast program.

6. A device for receiving detailed broadcast-program guide information that a user requested from a transmission device connected via a network and for displaying said detailed broadcast-program guide information on a display screen thereof, said device comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

a display unit which displays a button comprising an indicator to indicate a location in the network of said transmission device for sending said detailed program guide information, said button being operated to send a request to said location so as to call upon said transmission device to send execution information;

a receiving unit to receive execution information from said transmission device, said execution information specifying information necessary for making settings indicating a predetermined date and time and corresponding to automatic receiving and automatic recording of a selected broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at the predetermined date and time;

a setting-file unit to store said execution information;

a check unit to check if the date and the time specified in said execution information has arrived; and

an instruction unit to give one of a first instruction to a receiver to receive said selected broadcast program, and a second instruction to a recorder to record said selected broadcast program based on said execution information, when the predetermined date and time has arrived.

7.The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said instruction unit comprises a remote controller to control one of said receiver and said recorder.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said receiver and said recorder is integrated with said device in a single casing.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said network is an information service network.

9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said execution information includes a channel number, a broadcast date, a starting time, and an ending time of said selected broadcast program.

10. A method of controlling automatic receiving and automatic recording of a selected broadcast program by using one of a receiver and a recorder, respectively, in a system comprising a server device which transmits one of detailed broadcast-program guide information that a user requested to a plurality of terminal devices via a network, so that said terminal devices display said detailed broadcast-program guide information on display screens thereof, said method comprising:

displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

attaching one of a reception setting button and a recording setting button to said detailed broadcast-program guide information in said server device, said reception setting button and said recording setting button each comprising an indicator to indicate a location of said server device in the network;

sending said detailed broadcast-program guide information from said server device to a terminal device;

issuing a request corresponding to one of said automatic receiving and said automatic recording of a selected broadcast program from said terminal device to said server device by using one of said reception setting button and said recording setting button, respectively, displayed by said terminal device, to send said request to said location in the network, the selected broadcast program being scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time and the issued request indicating the corresponding one of automatic receiving and automatic recording to occur at the scheduled date and time;

obtaining execution information in said server device in response to said request from said terminal device, said execution information specifying information necessary for making settings corresponding to one of said automatic receiving and said automatic recording;

sending said execution information from said server device to said terminal device;

storing said execution information in a file in said terminal device;

checking in said terminal device if a date and a time specified in said execution information has arrived; and

giving, by using said terminal device, one of a first instruction to said receiver to receive said selected broadcast program, and a second instruction to said recorder to record said selected broadcast program, based on said execution information when said date and time has arrived.

11. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said execution information includes a channel number, a broadcast date, a starting time, and an ending time of said selected broadcast program.

12. A device for sending detailed program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device connected via a network, comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

a first sending unit to send the detailed program guide information to the terminal via the network, the detailed program guide information having a recording setting button attached thereto for recording a broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time;

an extracting unit to extract execution information to record the broadcast program in response to a request issued from the terminal device when the recording setting button is operated, said execution information specifying information necessary for said terminal device to make settings corresponding to the operation of the recording setting button and indicating instructions for recording the broadcast program at the scheduled date and time; and

a second sending unit to send the execution information to record the broadcast program to the terminal device via the network.

13. The device of claim 13, wherein said first sending unit sends the detailed program guide information in such a form as customized by a user of the terminal device.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the detailed program guide information has a table format in which channels are shown in a first grid and time-slots are shown in a second grid.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the execution information includes at least a date, a starting time, and a channel of the program to be recorded.

14. The device of claim 14, wherein the customized program information has a customized order of channel appearances when displayed at the terminal device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of channels when displayed at the terminal device.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of categories when displayed at the terminal devices.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of time slots when displayed at the terminal devices.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein settings of customized program information are protected by user password.

21. A device for sending detailed program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device connected via a network, comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

a first sending unit to send the detailed program guide information to the terminal device via the network, the detailed program guide information having a TV setting button attached thereto for reception of a broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time;

an extracting unit to extract execution information specifying information necessary for said terminal device to make settings corresponding to reception of the broadcast program at the scheduled date and time in response to a request issued from the terminal device when the TV setting button is operated; and

a second sending unit to send the execution information for reception of the broadcast program to the terminal device via the network.

22. The device of claim 22, wherein said first sending unit sends the detailed program guide information in such a form as customized by a user of the terminal device.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the execution information includes at least a date, a starting time, and a channel of the program to be received.

23. The device of claim 23, wherein the customized program information has a customized order of channel appearances when displayed at the terminal devices.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of channels when displayed at the terminal device.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of categories when displayed at the terminal devices.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the customized program information has a customized selection of time slots when displayed at the terminal devices.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein settings of customized program information are protected by user password.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the program information has a table format in which channels are shown in a first grid and time-slots are shown in a second grid.

30. A device for sending detailed program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device connected in a network, comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

a first sending unit to send the detailed program guide information to the terminal device via the network, the detailed program guide information having a recording setting button attached thereto to record a broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time;

an extracting unit to extract execution information to record the broadcast program at the scheduled date and time in response to a request issued from the terminal device when the recording setting button is operated; and

a second sending unit to send the execution information to record the broadcast program to the terminal device via the network, wherein the recording setting button includes an assigned URL to identify a location of the device for sending the detailed program guide information in the network.

31. A device for sending detailed program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device connected in a network, comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

a first sending unit to send the detailed program guide information to the terminal device, the detailed program guide information having a TV setting button attached thereto for reception of a program;

an extracting unit to extract execution information for reception of a program in response to a request issued from the terminal device when the TV setting button is operated; and

a second sending unit to send the execution information for reception of the program to the terminal device via the network, wherein the TV setting button includes an assigned URL to identify a location of the device for sending the detailed program guide information in the network.

32. A device for sending detailed broadcast-program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device over a network, said device comprising:

an initial-setting screen displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

an addition unit to attach a setting button to the detailed broadcast-program guide information to be sent to a terminal device and indicating a specific broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time; and

a transmission unit to send execution information to the terminal device responsive to operation of the setting button at the terminal device, the execution information comprising an instruction for one of setting a receiver to receive and setting a recorder to record the specific broadcast program at the predetermined date and time.

33. A method for sending detailed broadcast-program guide information that a user requested to a terminal device over a network, the method comprising:

displaying a standard setting button and a modify-setting button, wherein the standard setting button issues an instruction to assign channel numbers and the modify setting button provides one of an instruction to assign non-standard channel numbers, a request to change customized categories, and a request to change a password;

attaching a setting button to the detailed broadcast-program guide information to be sent to a terminal device and indicating a specific broadcast program scheduled for broadcast at a predetermined date and time; and

sending execution information to the terminal device responsive to operation of the setting button at the terminal device, the execution information comprising an instruction for one of setting a receiver to receive and setting a recorder to record the specific broadcast program at the predetermined date and time.