Method for storage of a channel for a consumer electronics appliance

• US 7,061,549 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt Gmbh (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt Gmbh (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Mabon, Jean-Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US09/786,610
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: 348/731, 348/732, 348/553, 348/714, 348/725, 348/569, 348/734, 725/15, 725/38, 455/181.1, 455/186.1, 455/185.1
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• 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 21/44222 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035

Abstract

In consumer electronics appliances, for example in the case of a television set, it is known for there to be a key on the remote control which allows the user to switch over to the previously selected channel. However, a disadvantage of this conventional solution is that, once the user has jumped from one channel to the next, which is called zapping, the television recognizes only the last channel in the zapping sequence as the last channel in each case. The invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for storage of a channel. The method according to the invention for storage of a channel in consumer electronics appliance which can be switched over between different channels is distinguished in that the reception duration of the current channel is determined, and in that, as soon as the reception duration exceeds a predetermined time interval ZE, the channel is stored as a channel of interest.

Claims

1. A method for storing and selecting a single broadcast channel of interest in a consumer electronics appliance, which can be switched over between different channels, comprising the steps of:

determining if an uninterrupted reception duration of a currently received channel has exceeded a time interval, said determining step being performed only until said uninterrupted reception reception duration exceeds said time interval;

memorizing said currently received channel as said single channel of interest, in response to determining that said uninterrupted reception duration of said currently received channel exceeds said time interval;

identifying switching between said different channels; and

changing over to said single channel of interest upon activation of a dedicated command.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling a user to set said time interval.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said changing over step is initiated by operating a control element.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing a picture relating to said single channel of interest as video information in a frame memory.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of erasing said single channel of interest after a program on said single channel of interest has ended.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the changing over step comprises the step of displaying said single channel of interest using a picture in picture feature.

7. A method for storing and selecting a single channel of interest for a television set, which can be switched over between different program channels, comprising the steps of:

setting a time interval;

determining if an uniterrupted reception duration of a currently received channel has exceeded said time interval, said determining step being performed only until said uninterrupted reception duration exceeds said time interval;

memorizing said currently received channel as said single channel of interest in response to determining that said uninterrupted reception duration of said currently received channel exceeds said time interval;

identifying switching between said different program channels; and

changing over directly to said single channel of interest upon activation of a dedicated command.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said changing over step is initiated by operating a control element.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of storing a picture relating to said single channel of interest as video information in a frame memory.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of erasing said sinlge channel of interest after a program on said single channel of interest has ended.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the changing over step comprises the step of displaying said single channel of interest using a picture in picture feature.