Digital multimedia broadcasting receiver for preset recording and method thereof

• US 7,801,631 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Sung-Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US11/474,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20070017347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver for preset recording and a method thereof. The method for preset-recording a song provided through a music channel by using present and follow (P/F) information in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver includes measuring a time period elapsed from a first time point at which P/F information is updated while a current song is played, when recording is preset, and calculating a first interval time by subtracting the first time point from an ending time of the currently-played song; starting recording a next-played song, when the time period measured from the first time point reaches the first calculated interval time measuring a time period elapsed from a second time point at which P/F information is updated during preset recording, and calculating a second interval time by subtracting the second time point from an ending time of the song being preset recorded; and ending recording the song being preset-recorded, when the time period measured from the second time point reaches the second calculated interval time.

Claims

1. A method for preset-recording a song provided through a music channel by using Present and Follow (P/F) information in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a central processing unit, a control signal to instruct a multimedia module that a preset recording for a next song has been set;

measuring, by a timer included in the multimedia module, a time period elapsed from a first time point at which P/F information is updated while a current song is played, when recording is preset, and calculating a first interval time by subtracting the first time point from an ending time of the currently-played song;

starting, by a multimedia controller included in the multimedia module, recording of a next-played song, when the time period measured from the first time point reaches the first calculated interval time;

measuring, by the timer, a time period elapsed from a second time point at which P/F information is updated during preset recording, and calculating a second interval time by subtracting the second time point from an ending time of the song being preset recorded; and

ending, by the multimedia controller, recording of the song being preset-recorded, when the time period measured from the second time point reaches the second calculated interval time.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ending time of the currently-played song is extracted from P/F information which is updated before a previous song changes to the currently-played song.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ending time of the song being preset-recorded is extracted from the P/F information updated at the first time point.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

checking whether an automatic preset-recording function is set; and

ending the recording of the song being preset-recorded while simultaneously starting preset-recording a following song, when the automatic preset-recording function is set.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

extracting information about a title and a singer name of the currently-played song and of the next-played song, from the P/F information; and

displaying a music channel broadcasting screen, which provides the information about the title and singer name of the currently-played song and of the next-played song, based on the extracted information.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising displaying a mini Electronic Program Guide (mini-EPG) screen, which provides the information about the title and singer name of the currently-played song, based on the extracted information.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song is displayed when a menu key to enter the mini-EPG screen is operated in the music channel broadcasting screen.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising displaying a mini-EPG screen, which provides the information about the title and singer name of the next-played song, based on the extracted information.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song is displayed, when a predetermined key to enter the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song is operated in the mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song is displayed, when the predetermined key to enter the mini-EPG screen for currently-played song is operated in the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising displaying an indicator, which represents that preset recording for the next-played song has been set, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when the preset recording has been set.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising displaying an indicator, which represents that preset recording for the next-played song has been set, in the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song, when the preset recording has been set.

13. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising displaying a message, which represents that preset recording can be set, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when preset recording is not yet set.

14. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising displaying a message, which represents that preset recording can be canceled, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when the preset recording has been set.

15. A digital multimedia broadcasting receiver for preset-recording a song provided through a music channel by using Present and Follow (P/F) information, the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver comprising:

a multimedia module including a timer and a multimedia controller;

a central processing unit for transmitting a control signal to instruct the multimedia module that a preset recording for a next song has been set;

the timer for measuring a first time period elapsed from a first time point at which P/F information is updated while a current song is played, when preset recording is set, and measuring a second time period elapsed from a second time point at which P/F information is updated during preset recording; and

the multimedia controller for starting recording a next-played song, when the first time period measured from the first time point reaches a first interval time obtained by subtracting the first time point from an ending time of the currently-played song when the preset recording is set, and ending recording of the song being recorded, when the second time period measured from the second time point reaches a second interval time obtained by subtracting the second time point from an ending time of the song being recorded.

16. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 15, wherein the multimedia controller ends the recording of the song being preset-recorded and simultaneously starts preset-recording a following song, when an automatic preset-recording function is set.

17. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a memory for storing updated P/F information, wherein

the central processing unit extracts the ending time of the currently-played song from P/F information, which has been updated before a previously-played song changes to the currently-played song, and has been stored in the memory.

18. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein the central processing unit extracts the ending time of the song being preset-recorded from P/F information, which has been updated at the first time point and has been stored in the memory.

19. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a display unit for displaying a music channel broadcasting screen and a mini Electronic Program Guide (mini-EPG) screen, wherein

the central processing unit extracts information about a title and a singer name of the currently-played song and of the next-played song, from P/F information stored in the memory, and displays the extracted information in the music channel broadcasting screen through the display unit.

20. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein the central processing unit extracts information about a title and a singer name of the currently-played song, from P/F information stored in the memory, and displays the extracted information in a mini-EPG screen through the display unit.

21. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 17, wherein the central processing unit extracts information about a title and a singer name of the next-played song, from P/F information stored in the memory, and displays the extracted information in a mini-EPG screen through the display unit.

22. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a key input unit including a menu key for entering a mini-EPG screen from a music channel broadcasting screen, a predetermined key for switching mini-EPG screens for the currently-played song and the next-played song from one to another, wherein

the central processing unit displays a mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song, when the menu key for entering the mini-EPG screen is operated through the key input unit.

23. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 22, wherein, when the predetermined key for switching the mini-EPG screens is operated through the key input unit in a state in which the mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song is displayed, the central processing unit switches the mini-EPG screen for the currently-played song to the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song.

24. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 22, wherein, when the predetermined key for switching the mini-EPG screens is operated through the key input unit in a state in which the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song is displayed, the central processing unit switches the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song to the mini-EPG screen for currently-played song.

25. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 19, wherein the central processing unit displays an indicator, which represents that preset recording for the next-played song has been set, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when the preset recording has been set.

26. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 22, wherein the central processing unit displays an indicator, which represents that preset recording for the next-played song has been set, in the mini-EPG screen for the next-played song, when the preset recording has been set.

27. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 19, wherein the central processing unit displays a message, which represents that preset recording can be set, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when preset recording is not yet set.

28. The digital multimedia broadcasting receiver as claimed in claim 19, wherein the central processing unit displays a message, which represents that preset recording can be canceled, in the music channel broadcasting screen, when the preset recording has been set.