Method for providing previous watch list of contents provided by different sources, and display device which performs same

• US 9,819,997 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Hyunkyung, Cho, Suyeon, Lee, Suzin
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Tung T
• Application Number:
  US13/635,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 725 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440272 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score

Abstract

A display device and a method of providing a contents list are provided. An apparatus/method is provided. The method includes: playing contents; determining whether the contents are played more than a predetermined time; when the contents are played more than the predetermined time, storing contents information including source information on the contents in a previously-viewed-contents list; and displaying the stored previously-viewed-contents list according to a user'"'"'s input.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcasting signal including a broadcasting program;

an interface unit configured to receive a request from a remote controller or a local key;

an external signal input unit configured to receive a content image from an external device connected to the device;

a memory unit configured to store a plurality of items that have been previously output, executed or accessed; and

a control unit configured to;

receive the request for displaying the plurality of items on a screen of a display device, and

output the plurality of items according to the request,

wherein the plurality of items include a first item including information identifying a content provider providing a content through a network, a second item including information identifying the broadcasting program which is displayed for more than a predetermined time on the screen of the display device, and a third item including an access path for identifying the external signal input unit receiving the content image provided from the external device connected to the device,

wherein the plurality of items are arranged in an order of an item that has been recently output, executed or accessed,

wherein the plurality of items are displayed on an initial screen when the device is turned on, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to;

store, in the memory unit, a thumbnail extracted from the content image if the content image is displayed for more than the predetermined time on the screen of the display device, and store the access path of the content image, and

output the thumbnail with the access path on the third item.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the memory unit further stores information on the content and the information comprises source information on the content and a title of the content.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein when the first item is selected, the control unit outputs contents history including contents previously output among contents provided from the content provider.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives a command for outputting a menu which is used for aligning the plurality of items and outputs the menu according to the received command.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the menu includes a time option for aligning the plurality of items in a time order, and

the control unit aligns the plurality of contents items in a recently accessed item order in response to a selection signal for selecting the time option in the menu.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the menu includes a content provider option for aligning the plurality of items in a content provider order, and

the plurality of items are grouped by each item having the same content provider in response to a selection signal for selecting the content provider option included in the menu.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit deletes first stored information on a previously output, executed or accessed item when the plurality of items is more than a predetermined number.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein when information on a previously output, executed and accessed item is stored for more than a predetermined time, the control unit deletes the information on the previously output, executed and accessed item.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit identifies a user of the device by using a login or a camera and outputs the plurality of items corresponding to the identified user.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the information identifying the content provider includes a name of the content provider, a thumbnail image of the content provided from the content provider, a URL access information corresponding to the content, or a title of the content.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the information identifying the broadcasting program includes a name of broadcasting station, a channel number of the broadcasting program, or a thumbnail image of the broadcasting program.

12. A device comprising:

a display unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcasting signal including a broadcasting program;

an external signal input unit configured to receive an image signal a content image from an external device connected to the device;

an interface unit configured to receive a request from a remote controller or a local key;

a memory unit configured to store a plurality of items that have been previously displayed, executed or accessed; and

a control unit configured to;

receive the request for displaying the plurality of items, and

display the plurality of items according to the request,

wherein the plurality of items include a first item including information identifying a content provider providing a content through a network, a second item including information identifying the broadcasting program which is displayed for more than a predetermined time, and a third item including an access path for identifying the external signal input unit receiving the content image provided from the external device connected to the device,

wherein the plurality of items are arranged in an order of an item that has been recently output, executed or accessed,

wherein the plurality of items are displayed on an initial screen when the device is turned on, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to;

store, in the memory unit, a thumbnail extracted from the content image if the content image is displayed for more than the predetermined time on the display unit, and store the access path of the content image, and

display the thumbnail with the access path on the third item.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the information identifying the content provider includes a name of the content provider, a thumbnail image of the content provided from the content provider, a URL access information corresponding to the content, or a title of the content.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the information identifying the broadcasting program includes a name of broadcasting station, a channel number of the broadcasting program, or a thumbnail image of the broadcasting program.

15. A device comprising:

a display unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcasting signal including a broadcasting program;

an external signal input unit configured to receive a content image from an external device connected to the device;

an interface unit configured to receive a request from a remote controller or a local key;

a memory unit configured to store a plurality of items that have been previously displayed or accessed; and

a control unit configured to;

receive the request for displaying the plurality of items, and

display the plurality of items according to the request,

wherein the control unit is further configured to;

display the plurality of items including a first item including information identifying the broadcasting program which is displayed for more than a predetermined time and a second item including an access path for identifying the external signal input unit receiving the content image provided from the external device connected to the display device,

wherein the plurality of items are arranged in an order of an item that has been recently displayed or accessed,

wherein the plurality of items are displayed on an initial screen when the device is turned on, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to;

store, in the memory unit, a thumbnail extracted from the content image if the content image is displayed for more than the predetermined time on the display unit, and store the access path of the content image, and

display the thumbnail with the access path on the second item.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the information identifying the broadcasting program includes a name of broadcasting station, a channel number of the broadcasting program, or a thumbnail image of the broadcasting program.