Program guiding apparatus and method

• US 7,065,777 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Inoue, Tatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamarre, Guy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US09/981,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 348/569, 348/563, 348/564, 348/906, 725/39, 725/43
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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

Abstract

A program guide is generated, in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on a display priority level set corresponding to each of categories, a display mode corresponding to each of the categories, and program information. Thus, a user can identify a category via the corresponding display mode for displaying the corresponding program cells, in the program guide. The user can also view program cells in the display modes corresponding to respective categories, in the program guide, whereby the user can quickly locate an area or areas crowded with programs belonging to favorite categories.

Claims

1. A program guiding apparatus comprising:

a storing device for storing program information including a category to which a program belongs;

a display priority setting device for setting a display priority level for displaying a program cell corresponding to said category;

a display mode setting device for setting a display mode for displaying said program cell corresponding to said category;

a generating device for generating a program guide in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on said display priority level, said display mode, and said program information;

a displaying device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen;

an accepting device for accepting a designation of an area including at least two of said program cells on said displayed program guide; and

a collecting device for collecting statistics on a predetermined program attribute for at least one program corresponding to at least one of said program cells included in said designated area,

wherein said a displaying device displays said designated predetermined area and said statistics.

2. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a search device for searching for an area in which a predetermined program attribute satisfies a predetermined condition, in said program guide, and indicating said searched area in said program guide.

3. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said accepting device accepts a direction to move said searched area, and

said search device searches for another area in which said predetermined program attribute satisfies said predetermined condition, other than said previously searched area, every time said search device accepts said direction to move the area.

4. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display priority level is automatically set based on a viewing history by a user.

5. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display priority level is set by a user.

6. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display mode includes a shape, a pattern, or a color of a program cell, or combinations thereof.

7. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of categories, and wherein further said display priority level and said display mode are set for each of said plurality of categories to display program cells corresponding to said each of said plurality of categories.

8. The program guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display priority level is automatically set based on a recording history by a user.

9. A program guiding method, comprising:

storing program information including a category to which a program belongs;

setting a display priority level for displaying a program cell corresponding to said category;

setting a display mode for displaying said program cell corresponding to said category;

generating a program guide in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on said display priority level, said display mode, and said program information;

displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen;

accepting a designation of an area including at least two of said program cells on said displayed program guide; and

collecting statistics on a predetermined program attribute for at least one program corresponding to at least one of said program cells included in said designated area,

wherein said a displaying device displays said designated predetermined area and said statistics.

10. A program guiding apparatus comprising:

a storing device for storing program information including a category to which a program belongs;

a display priority setting device for setting a display priority level for displaying a program cell corresponding to said category;

a display mode setting device for setting a display mode for displaying said program cell corresponding to said category;

a generating device for generating a program guide in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on said display priority level, said display mode, and said program information;

a displaying device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen;

an accepting device for accepting a selection of one program cell of said plurality of program cells arranged on said displayed program guide and for accepting a designation of an area including at least two program cells of said program cells on said displayed program guide,

wherein said generating device generates an information display screen based on a mode related to said display mode for displaying said selected program cell;

a collecting device for collecting statistics on a predetermined program attribute for at least one program corresponding to at least one of said program cells included in said designated area,

wherein said a displaying device displays said information display screen, said designated predetermined area, and said statistics.

11. A program guide apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores a first category corresponding to a first program and a second category corresponding to a second program; and

a control circuit that generates a program guide containing a first program cell corresponding to the first program and a second program cell corresponding to the second program,

wherein the control circuit assigns the first category with a first priority and assigns the second category with a second priority based on a preference of a user; and

a display that simultaneously displays the first program cell and the second program cell in the program guide, that the displays a first visual indication that indicates that the first program cell is assigned to the first priority, and that the displays a second visual indication that indicates that the second program cell is assigned to the second priority.

12. The program guide apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said control circuit determines said preference of the user based on a program viewing history of the user.

13. The program guide apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said control circuit determines said preference of the user based on a user input that associates the first category with the first priority and associates the second category with the second priority.

14. The program guide apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first visual indication comprises displaying the first program cell with a first shape and the second visual indication comprises displaying the second program cell with a second shape.

15. The program guide apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first visual indication comprises displaying the first program cell with a first color and the second visual indication comprises displaying the second program cell with a second color.

16. The program guide apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first visual indication comprises displaying the first program cell with a first pattern and the second visual indication comprises displaying the second program cell with a second pattern.

17. The program guide apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first visual indication comprises displaying the first program cell with at least one of a first shape, a first color, and a first pattern and the second visual indication comprises displaying the second program cell with at least one of a second shape, a second color, and a second pattern.

18. The program guide apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said control circuit determines said preference of the user based on a program recording history of the user.