Method for displaying program information and image display apparatus thereof

• US 9,106,956 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chun, Seungsik, Lee, Kyungjin, Kim, Hyunseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huerta, Alexander Q
• Application Number:
  US13/398,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20120331505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 725/9, 725/11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4532 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 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying information are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes obtaining, by an image display apparatus, viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels; generating priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information; and visually indicating, on a display unit of the apparatus, a plurality items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information on an image display apparatus including a display unit, comprising:

obtaining, by the image display apparatus, viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

generating priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information;

visually indicating, on the display unit, a plurality of items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information;

obtaining, by the image display apparatus, channel change history information on the plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

receiving a user input for selecting one of the plurality of items; and

displaying, on the display unit, a history of channel changes on the basis of the selected item based on the channel change history information,

wherein the displayed history of channel changes indicates at least one other item of the plurality of items corresponding to at least one changed channel associated with the selected item,

wherein the at least other item of the plurality of items corresponding to at least one changed channel is highlighted on the basis of the selected item, and

wherein connection lines which connect the at least one highlighted item and the selected item to each other are displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the viewing history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a viewing time duration for the program or channel,

a number of times the program or channel was viewed during a preset time period, and

a last viewing time for the program or channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating step includes:

determining the priority information for each of the programs based on (a) a viewing time duration, (b) a number of times of viewing, (c) a last viewing time, or any weighted combination of (a), (b) and (c).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the visually indicating step includes one of the following:

displaying the plurality of items in different sizes to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying a different number of a specific mark on each of the plurality of items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying the plurality of items overlapped with each other where one of the items having a highest priority is displayed at a forefront or center compared to other items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the visually indicating step, the plurality of items are arranged on the basis of at least one of a user, a day of the week, a time zone, and a genre.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the channel change history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a time in which signals about a channel change are input;

a channel number of the input time; and

a time section maintained for the channel number, based on a user input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of items includes at least one of program information, content provider information, and a representative thumbnail image associated with the program or channel corresponding to that item.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

when a user directs a pointer to a specific item among the plurality of items, displaying at least one of program information, content provider information, and other thumbnail images associated with the program or channel corresponding to the specific item.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining step obtains the viewing history information for each of a plurality of different viewers.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when a specific item among the plurality of items is selected, visually indicating a channel switching pattern associated with the selected specific item.

11. An image display apparatus comprising:

a display unit; and

a control unit configured to control the display unit and to;

obtain viewing history information on a plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

generate priority information for the programs or channels based on the obtained viewing history information;

visually indicate, on the display unit, a plurality of items corresponding respectively to the plurality of programs or channels to be distinct from each other according to the generated priority information;

obtain channel change history information on the plurality of programs or channels based on a previous viewing of the plurality of programs or channels;

receive a user input for selecting one of the plurality of items; and

display, on the display unit, a history of channel changes on the basis of the selected item based on the channel change history information,

wherein the displayed history of channel changes indicates at least one other item of the plurality of items corresponding to at least one changed channel associated with the selected item,

wherein the at least other item of the plurality of items corresponding to at least one changed channel is highlighted on the basis of the selected item, and

wherein connection lines which connect the at least one highlighted item and the selected item to each other are displayed.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the viewing history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a viewing time duration for the program or channel,

a number of times the program or channel was viewed during a preset time period, and

a last viewing time for the program or channel.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the priority information by determining the priority information for each of the programs based on (a) a viewing time duration, (b) a number of times of viewing, (c) a last viewing time, or any weighted combination of (a), (b) and (c).

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to visually indicate the plurality of items by:

displaying the plurality of items in different sizes to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying a different number of a specific mark on each of the plurality of items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items, or

displaying the plurality of items overlapped with each other where one of the items having a highest priority is displayed at a forefront or center compared to other items to reflect different priorities of the programs or channels corresponding to the items.

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of items are arranged on the basis of at least one of a user, a day of the week, a time zone, and a genre.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the channel change history information for a program or channel includes at least one of:

a time in which signals about a channel change are input;

a channel number of the input time; and

a time section maintained for the channel number, based on a user input.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of items includes at least one of program information, content provider information, and a representative thumbnail image associated with the program or channel corresponding to that item.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

when a user directs a pointer to a specific item among the plurality of items, display at least one of program information, content provider information, and other thumbnail images associated with the program or channel corresponding to the specific item.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit obtains the viewing history information for each of a plurality of different viewers.

20. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

when a specific item among the plurality of items is selected, visually indicate a channel switching pattern associated with the selected specific item.