Receivers for television signals

• US 7,356,828 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sky CP Limited (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: British Sky Broadcasting Limited (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Townsend, Christopher, Holliday, David, Webber, Alun David, Crossley, Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak; Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US10/685,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20040080673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/553, 348563-565, 348/725, 348/460, 348/734, 725 39- 59
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/4755 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A receiver for television signals is arranged to receive video signals comprising video data and information data. The receiver is arranged to respond to viewer operation of a control device (28). The receiver includes a processor (23) for processing selected information data to convert the same into signals representative thereof for output to a television in combination with the video signals. In one mode of operation the decoder responds to manipulation of the control device by causing brief scheduling information pertaining to programmes transmitted in the received signal to be displayed. In another mode of operation the receiver is arranged to display detailed scheduling information pertaining to plural different television signals. The receiver is operable to receive signals containing video data representing a plurality of video clips. The processor is arranged to process the signals and to cause simultaneous display of the clips on a television screen. The processor is arranged to respond to user manipulation of the control device by storing data for subsequent viewing of user selected programmes. The decoder may further comprise a modem (32) and a CD-ROM drive (25a).

Claims

1. A receiver for receiving digital television signals transmitted in a plurality of channels each comprising video data and information data the receiver comprising:

a decoder for separating the information data and the video data and converting the video data on a selected channel into signals for output for a television;

a store for storing information data;

a viewer operable control device; and

a processor connected to receive the information data from the decoder circuit and/or the store, the processor being arranged to;

respond to viewer operation of the control device by processing selected information data to convert the same into signals representative thereof for output for a television in combination with the video signals, and

vary both the selected channel and the selected information data in response to one said viewer operation of the control device, and to vary only the selected information data in response to a different said viewer operation of the control device.

2. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information data is carried in each channel and comprises programme scheduling information for plural channels.

3. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the decoder and the processor are arranged to respond to said different viewer operation of the control device by varying the information represented by the output signals to correspond to scheduling information for programs in another channel different from the selected channel.

4. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected information comprises current scheduling information for programmes in the selected channel, and the processor is arranged to respond to said different operation by outputting signals representing scheduling information at a different time in the present channel.

5. A receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein the selected information comprises current scheduling information for programmes in another channel different than the selected channel, and the processor is arranged to respond to said different operation by outputting signals representing scheduling information at a different time in the other channel.

6. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information data comprises detailed programme scheduling information for plural channels, which scheduling information data is carried occasionally by each channel, and the decoder is arranged to store the detailed scheduling data in the store.

7. A receiver as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processor is arranged to respond to viewer operation of the control device by processing data from the store to derive therefrom signals representing selected detailed information in selected channels for output to a television.

8. A receiver as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processor is arranged to respond to viewer operation of the control device by storing, for a selected programme in the channels, viewing data to enable the programme to be viewed when video data therefore is transmitted in a channel at a scheduled time.

9. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of channels comprises video and information data for a plurality of video clips which video clips each represent a respective programme available or to be made available for viewing.

10. A receiver as claimed in claim 9, wherein the decoder is arranged to output signals representing the plural video clips for simultaneous display in respective portions of a television screen, and the processor is arranged to respond to viewer operation of the control device by storing for a selected video clip viewing data to enable the programme to which the selected clip relates to be viewed when video data therefore is transmitted in a channel at a scheduled time.

11. A receiver as claimed in claim 9, wherein the decoder is arranged to respond to viewer operation of the control device by outputting signals representing a selected one of the video clips for display on the television screen, and the processor is arranged to respond to said viewer operation by processing the information data and outputting signals representing scheduling information for the selected clip.

12. A receiver as claimed in claim 11, wherein the processor is arranged to respond to further viewer operation of the control device by storing viewing data to enable the programme represented by the clip to be viewed when video data therefore is transmitted in a channel at a scheduled time.

13. A receiver as claimed in claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to store the viewing data in the store in such a manner as to enable custom channel data to be defined, the decoder and the processor being arranged to operate according to the custom channel data depending on viewer operation of the control device.

14. A receiver as claimed in of claim 1, further comprising a modem interface or a modem to enable the processor to transmit and receive signals via a telephone line, the processor being arranged to output signals to the modem for transmission depending on received information data and user operation of the control device.

15. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an identifying device containing unique identity data to enable the receiver to be uniquely identified, and wherein the information data in the channels comprises message data for a receiver of a specified identity, and the processor is arranged to respond to the message data depending on the identity data in the identifying device by storing the message data in the store and converting the same into signals representing a message for output for a television.

16. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information data comprises updating data which is transmitted occasionally for use by the processor.

17. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a CD-ROM drive for reading a CD containing updating data for use by the processor.

18. A receiver as claimed in claim 16, wherein said updating data comprises data defining new applications to be executed by the processor.

19. A receiver as claimed in claim 16, wherein said updating data comprises template data for use by the processor in defining the format in which information is represented by the signals output for a television.

20. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the viewer operable control device comprises a remote control device.

21. A receiver as claimed in claim 1 connected to a television.