Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
2004-05-04
Miller, John (Department: 2614)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C725S042000, C725S043000, C725S044000, C725S056000, C348S563000, C348S564000, C348S565000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06732371
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a TV, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV.
2. Description of the Related Art
With converting an analog mode to a satellite broadcasting mode and a digital mode in a TV technology, the TV related technologies are rapidly being developed quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Particularly, the digital mode which can manage more channels than the analog mode will permit the number of broadcasting channels geometrically. Accordingly, a user is not able to utilize various channels with several channels or broadcasting station names only. The user is not able to easily watch its desired broadcasting program, either. Thus, recent TV technologies are provided with a broadcasting information guide function for displaying broadcasting program information for each channel provided from the broadcasting station on a screen when a user desires to do so, to easily identify and select each broadcasting program. Such a broadcasting information guide function is essentially required to cope with development of broadcasting related technologies.
A related art broadcasting information guide function extracts character broadcasting guide information transmitted from the broadcasting station together with a broadcasting signal, for example, a Korean Broadcasting Program System (KBPS) signal in Korea, and processes a series of video signals to simply display the title and time of a program in a character type.
However the related art broadcasting information guide function has several problems.
That is, since the title and time of the program are simply displayed in a character type, the user cannot obtain its desired program information if the user does not know a broadcasting program exactly. In addition, since a character type is only displayed, various types such as a dynamic type are not displayed. As a result, a visual desire of the user cannot be fulfilled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV, that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV, in which various and detailed information is provided to permit a user to easily identify a program and fulfill the user's visual desire.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, an apparatus for guiding broadcasting information of an analog TV having a video processor according to the present invention includes a broadcasting guide information memory for storing broadcasting guide information, a picture in picture (PIP) video memory for storing PIP video information and titles of broadcasting programs for each channel, a PIP processor for performing input/output of information stored in the PIP video memory and PIP video processing, and a broadcasting guide controller for decoding broadcasting guide information contained in a broadcasting signal to be stored in the broadcasting guide information memory, controlling the PIP processor to process broadcasting guide video information among video signals in a PIP type to be stored in the PIP video memory, and controlling the broadcasting guide information memory, the PIP processor and the video processor in accordance with broadcasting guide order of the user to display broadcasting guide information containing characters and videos on a screen.
In another aspect, an apparatus for guiding broadcasting information of a digital TV having a video decoder and an NTSC/PAL encoder according to the present invention includes a broadcasting guide information memory for storing broadcasting guide information, a PIP video memory for storing PIP video information and titles of broadcasting programs for each channel, a PIP processor for performing input/output of information stored in the PIP video memory and PIP video processing, and a broadcasting guide controller for decoding broadcasting guide information contained in a broadcasting signal to be stored in the broadcasting guide information memory, controlling the PIP processor to process broadcasting guide video information among video signals in a PIP type to be stored in the PIP video memory, and controlling the broadcasting guide information memory, the PIP processor, the video decoder and the NTSC/PAL encoder in accordance with broadcasting guide order of the user to display broadcasting guide information containing characters and videos on a screen.
In still another aspect, an apparatus for guiding broadcasting information of a digital TV having a video decoder and an NTSC/PAL encoder according to the present invention includes the steps of displaying a program table for each broadcasting station and each time in accordance with a broadcasting guide key input by a user, and displaying both a PIP video of a current broadcasting program in a channel selected by the user from the program table and one of a PIP video of a previous broadcasting program in the same channel, a PIP video of a next program in the same channel, and PIP videos of previous and next programs in the same channel.
In further another aspect, a method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV according to the present invention includes the steps of displaying a program table for each broadcasting station and each time in accordance with a broadcasting guide key input by a user, and displaying both a PIP video of a broadcasting program in a channel selected by the user from the program table and one of a PIP video of a broadcasting program in an upper channel at equal time, a PIP video of a broadcasting program in a lower channel at equal time, and PIP videos of broadcasting programs in the upper and lower channels at equal time.
In further still another aspect, a method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV according to the present invention includes the steps of displaying a program table and PIP videos for each channel which is currently broadcasting in accordance with a broadcasting guide key input by a user, and displaying detailed broadcasting guide information of a program selected by the user from the program table.
In other aspect, a method for guiding broadcasting information of a TV according to the present invention includes the steps of displaying a program table for each channel which is currently broadcasting in accordance with a broadcasting guide key input by a user, and displaying either PIP videos of programs in an another channel at equal time to a program in a channel selected by the user in the program table, or detailed broadcasting guide information.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
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patent: 6177931 (2001-01-01), Alexander et al.
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Ko Myong Hwa
Lee Jae Kyung
Fleshner & Kim LLP
Hoye Michael W.
LG Electronics Inc.
Miller John
LandOfFree
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