Display control apparatus and method

• US 7,971,219 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iino, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baig; Sahar A
• Application Number:
  US10/381,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,267 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/58, 725/37, 725/55
• US Class Current: 725/58
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

The invention relates to a display control apparatus and method that make it possible to easily recognize detailed information relating to an overlap time slot in an apparatus capable of setting recording reservations for programs whose broadcast time slots overlap with each other. Program-11 that will be broadcast from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. on channel-123 and program-14 that will be broadcast from 11:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. on channel-124 have an overlap broadcast time of 11:40 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Of a block of program-11, a portion of the overlap time slot is given a color (hatched) meaning that an action corresponding to a set reservation will be executed in spite of the overlap in broadcast time with the other program. Of a block of program-14, a portion of the overlap time slot is given a color (dotted) meaning that an action corresponding to a set reservation will not be executed because of the overlap in broadcast time with the other program. The invention can be applied to equipment for processing TV programs such as STBs.

Claims

1. A display control apparatus capable of setting a recording reservation or a viewing reservation for programs whose time slots overlap with each other, comprising:

reservation setting means for setting a recording reservation and a viewing reservation for a program;

acquiring means for acquiring electronic program guide information;

display means for displaying the electronic program guide information acquired by the acquiring means;

priority rank setting means for setting a priority rank to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation that is set for each of the programs; and

wherein a time slot of a program for which the recording reservation or the viewing reservation has been set by the reservation setting means overlaps with that of another program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set, the display means displays the electronic program guide information in such a manner that the time slot of the program and that of the another program are each represented as a respective block relative to a common time axis, and

wherein the time slot that is given a first pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed and the time slot given a first pattern does not overlap with the time slot of any other program,

wherein the time slot that is given a second pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because, although the time slot given a second pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program, a higher priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the time slot that is given a third pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation cannot be executed because the time slot given a third pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program and a lower priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the display means displays a list display comprising the reservation information including a program title, a broadcast channel, and information indicating a broadcast date and time, a reservation icon, information indicating a recording device to record the program, and information indicating whether the reservation currently set is effective or not.

2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the electronic program guide information in such a manner that the first time slot portion and the second time slot portion are given different colors.

3. A display control method of a display control apparatus capable of setting a recording reservation or a viewing reservation for programs whose time slots overlap with each other, the method comprising:

a reservation setting step of setting a recording reservation and a viewing reservation for a program;

an acquiring step of acquiring electronic program guide information;

a display step of displaying the electronic program guide information acquired by processing of the acquiring step; and

setting a priority rank to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation that is set for each of the programs,

wherein a time slot of a program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set by processing of the reservation setting step overlaps with that of another program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set, the electronic program guide information is displayed by processing of the display step in such a manner that the time slot of the program and that of another program are each represented as a respective block relative to a common time axis,

wherein the time slot that is given a first pattern-1 is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because and the time slot given a first pattern does not overlap with the time slot of any other program,

wherein the time slot that is given a second pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because, although the time slot given a second pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program, a higher priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the time slot that is given a third pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation cannot be executed because the time slot given a third pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program and a lower priority rank is set for the program than for the other program,

wherein the display step displays a list display comprising the reservation information including a program title, a broadcast channel, and information indicating a broadcast date and time, a reservation icon, information indicating device to record the program, and information indicating whether the reservation currently set is effective or not.

8. The display control method according to claim 3, wherein the displaying of the electronic program guide information comprises displaying the first time slot portion and the second time slot portion as different colors.

4. A display control apparatus capable of setting a recording reservation or a viewing reservation for programs whose time slots overlap with each other, comprising:

reservation setting means for setting a recording reservation and a viewing reservation for a program; and

display means for displaying, in a list form that is independent of a time axis common to a plurality of programs, pieces of reservation information relating to recording reservations or viewing reservations set by the reservation setting means; and

priority rank setting means for setting a priority rank to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation that is set for each of the programs,

wherein a time slot of a program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set by the reservation setting means overlaps with that of another program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set

wherein the time slot that is given a first pattern-1 is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because and the time slot given a first pattern does not overlap with the time slot of any other program,

wherein the time slot that is given a second pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because, although the time slot given a second pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program, a higher priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the time slot that is given a third pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation cannot be executed because the time slot given a third pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program and a lower priority rank is set for the program than for the other program,

wherein the display means displays a list display comprising the reservation information including a program title, a broadcast channel, and information indicating a broadcast date and time, a reservation icon, info indicating a recording device to record the program, and information indicating whether the reservation currently set is effective or not.

5. The display control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein icons indicating whether the pieces of reservation information are effective in the overlap time slot are added as the pieces of discrimination information.

6. The display control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein indicators are added as the pieces of discrimination information, each of the indicators being such that of a time slot of the program a time slot during which an action corresponding to a recording reservation or a viewing reservation will be executed and a time slot during which the action corresponding to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation will not be executed are shown in different colors.

9. The display control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display means displays, in said list form, pieces of reservation information relating to recording reservations or viewing reservations for programs for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set by the reservation setting means, independent of whether the programs have overlapping time slots.

10. The display control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the pieces of reservation information displayed by the display means corresponds to a respective program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set.

7. A display control method of a display control apparatus capable of setting a recording reservation or a viewing reservation for programs whose time slots overlap with each other, the method comprising:

a reservation setting step of setting a recording reservation and a viewing reservation for a program; and

a display step of displaying on an electronic program guide, in a list form that is independent of a time axis common to a plurality of programs, pieces of reservation information relating to recording reservations or viewing reservations set by processing of the reservation setting step; and

a priority setting step for setting a priority rank to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation that is set for each of the programs,

wherein a time slot of a program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set by processing of the reservation setting step overlaps with that of another program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set,

wherein the time slot that is given a first pattern-1 is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because and the time slot given a first pattern does not overlap with the time slot of any other program,

wherein the time slot that is given a second pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because, although the time slot given a second pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program, a higher priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the time slot that is given a third pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation cannot be executed because the time slot given a third pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program and a lower priority rank is set for the program than for the other program,

wherein the display step displays a list display comprising the reservation information including a program title, a broadcast channel, and information indicating a broadcast date and time, a reservation icon, information indicating a recording device to record the program, and information indicating whether the reservation currently set is effective or not.

11. The display control method according to claim 7, wherein icons indicating whether the pieces of reservation information are effective in the overlap time slot are added as the pieces of discrimination information.

12. The display control method according to claim 7, wherein indicators are added as the pieces of discrimination information, each of the indicators being such that of a time slot of the program a time slot during which an action corresponding to a recording reservation or a viewing reservation will be executed and a time slot during which the action corresponding to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation will not be executed are shown in different colors.

13. The display control method according to claim 7, wherein displaying, in said list form, pieces of reservation information relating to recording reservations or viewing reservations for programs for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set includes displaying a piece of reservation information for a first program that does not have an overlapping time slot with any other program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set, together with a piece of reservation information for a second program that has an overlapping time slot with at least one other program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set.

14. The display control method according to claim 7,

wherein each of the pieces of reservation information corresponds to a respective program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set.

15. A display control apparatus capable of setting a recording reservation or a viewing reservation for programs whose time slots overlap with each other, comprising:

a reservation setting part configured to set a recording reservation and a viewing reservation for a program;

an acquiring part configured to acquire electronic program guide information;

a display part configured a priority rank setting to set a priority rank to the recording reservation or the viewing reservation that is set for each of the program and the other program,

wherein when a time slot of a program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set by the reservation setting part overlaps with that of another program for which a recording reservation or a viewing reservation has been set,

wherein the time slot that is given a first pattern-1 is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because and the time slot given a first pattern does not overlap with the time slot of any other program,

wherein the time slot that is given a second pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation can be executed because, although the time slot given a second pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program, a higher priority rank is set for the program than for the other program, and

wherein the time slot that is given a third pattern is a time slot during which an action corresponding to a reservation cannot be executed because the time slot given a third pattern overlaps with the time slot of another program and a lower priority rank is set for the program than for the other program,

wherein the display part displays a list display comprising the reservation information including a program title, a broadcast channel, and information indicating a broadcast date and time, a reservation con, information indicating a recording device to record the program, and information indicating whether the reservation currently set is effective of not.