METHOD FOR SETTING CONTENTS OF CHANNEL CORRESPONDING TO SPECIFIC PROGRAM CATEGORY, METHOD FOR PLAYING PROGRAMS, AND APPARATUS THEREOF

• US 20080196063A1
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MAVS Lab Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MAVS Lab Incorporated
• Inventors: Shih, Hsuan-Huei
• Application Number:
  US11/675,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20080196063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4532 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 21/84 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for setting channel contents are provided. A method includes: associating a specific channel with a specific program category; assigning a program to the selected specific channel when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is available from a live multimedia stream source; and assigning at least a pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category from a storage device to the selected specific channel when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source. Therefore, a user can easily and conveniently watch programs corresponding to a favorite program category on the selected specific channel.

Claims

1. A method for setting channel contents, comprising:

associating a specific channel with a specific program category;

when the specific channel is selected and a program corresponding to the specific program category is available from a live multimedia stream source, assigning the program to the selected specific channel; and

when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, assigning at least a pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category from a storage device to the selected specific channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the program into the storage device as one pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category while the program is being played or delivered.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific channel is a virtual channel comprising a plurality of physical channels of the live multimedia stream source;

and the step of assigning the program to the selected specific channel comprises;

if the program corresponding to the specific program category is available from at least one of the physical channels, assigning the program to the selected virtual channel.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

according to an electronic program guide (EPG), determining whether the program is available from at least one of the physical channels.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

according to an electronic program guide (EPG), determining whether the program is available from the live multimedia stream source.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of assigning the pre-stored program to the selected specific channel comprises:

when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, selecting the pre-stored program out of a plurality of pre-stored programs in the storage device according to play lengths of the pre-stored programs and the EPG, and then assigning the pre-stored program to the selected specific channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is a TV program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is an audio broadcasting program.

9. A multimedia apparatus for setting channel contents, comprising:

a storage device, storing at least a pre-stored program corresponding to a specific program category; and

a controlling circuit, coupled to the storage device and a live multimedia stream source, for associating a specific channel with the specific program category, wherein when the specific channel is selected and a program corresponding to the specific program category is available from a live multimedia stream source, the controlling circuit assigns the program to the selected specific channel; and

when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, the controlling circuit assigns at least the pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category from the storage device to the selected specific channel.

10. The multimedia apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a recording device, coupled to the controlling circuit, the storage device, and the live multimedia stream source, the recording device controlled by the controlling circuit for recording the program into the storage device as one pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category while the program is being played or delivered.

11. The multimedia apparatus of claim 10, wherein the specific channel is a virtual channel comprising a plurality of physical channels of the live multimedia stream source;

and if the program corresponding to the specific program category is available from at least one of the physical channels, the controlling circuit assigns the program to the selected virtual channel.

12. The multimedia apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controlling circuit determines whether the program is available from at least one of the physical channels according to an electronic program guide (EPG).

13. The multimedia apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controlling circuit determines whether the program is available from the live multimedia stream source according to an electronic program guide (EPG).

14. The multimedia apparatus of claim 13, wherein when the specific channel is selected and the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, the controlling circuit selects the pre-stored program out of a plurality of pre-stored programs in the storage device according to play lengths of the pre-stored programs and the EPG, and then assigns the pre-stored program to the selected specific channel.

15. The multimedia apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program is a TV program.

16. The multimedia apparatus of claim 9, wherein the program is an audio broadcasting program.

17. A method for playing programs, comprising:

selecting a specific channel associated with a specific program category;

when a program corresponding to the specific program category is available from a live multimedia stream source, playing the program on the selected specific channel; and

when the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, playing at least a pre-stored program corresponding to the specific program category from a storage device.

18. A multimedia apparatus for playing programs, comprising:

a storage device, storing at least a pre-stored program corresponding to a specific program category;

an output device; and

a controlling circuit, coupled to the storage device, the output device, and a live multimedia stream source, for selecting a specific channel associated with the specific program category, wherein when a program corresponding to the specific program category is available from the live multimedia stream source, the controlling circuit controls the output device to play the program on the selected specific channel; and

when the program corresponding to the specific program category is unavailable from the live multimedia stream source, the controlling circuit controls the output device to play at least the pre-stored program from the storage device.