Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-07
2001-10-30
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C725S052000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311329
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an information providing apparatus and method, a display controlling apparatus and method, an information providing system and a transmission medium, and more particularly to an information providing apparatus and method, a display controlling apparatus and method, an information providing system and a transmission medium by which, when, for example, data of a program table including characters and images are to be transmitted, the amount of data to be transmitted is reduced and a change of the program table can be performed rapidly.
Ordinarily, in order to get a program table of a television, a television program column of a newspaper or a magazine is referred to. Meanwhile, in recent years, it has been increased to practice to provide a program table through the Internet. In this instance, a program table is described in a describing language such as the HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). A user can observer the program table using a predetermined browser. Further, it is also possible to provide data of the program table by media such as broadcasting radio waves or the like.
However, a program table provided through the Internet is described in a describing language such as the HTML, and image data or the like are sometimes included in the program table. Further, in such a case that a program table includes, for example, a re-forecast program, since data overlap, there is a problem in that a large amount of data is involved and a considerable time is required for transmission or reading in of the data.
It is another problem that, if the broadcasting date or the broadcasting time of a predetermined program in a program table or contents of a program are changed, much time is required since it is required to change all portions relating to the program and re-send data of the changed portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information providing apparatus and method, a display controlling apparatus and method, an information providing system and a transmission medium by which the amount of data to be transmitted when data of a program table composed of characters and images or the like are to be transmitted is reduced and it is made possible to cope with a change in contents of data rapidly.
In order to attain the object described above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing apparatus, comprising hierarchizing means for hierarchizing electronic program guide information to be provided into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, first providing means for providing at least one of the hierarchized first information and second information, and second providing means for providing layout information from within the electronic program guide information which relates to a layout when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing method, comprising the steps of hierarchizing electronic program guide information to be provided into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, providing the hierarchized first information or second information, and providing layout information from within the electronic program guide information which relates to a layout when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission medium which transmits a program, the program including the steps of hierarchizing electronic program guide information to be provided into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, providing at least a one of the hierarchized first information or second information, and providing layout information which relates to a layout when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen.
In the information providing apparatus, the information providing apparatus and the transmission medium, electronic program guide information to be provided is hierarchized into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information. Then, at least one of the first information and the second information, and layout information from within the electronic program guide information which relates to a layout when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen, are provided.
Thus, with the information providing apparatus, the information providing apparatus and the transmission medium, since electronic program guide information is hierarchized into first information and second information so that they may be provided together with layout information, in such a case that re-forecasting is performed or a program is changed, the amount of data to be provided can be reduced.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display controlling apparatus, comprising first acquiring means for acquiring, from within electronic program guide information hierarchized into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, at least one of the first information and the second information, second acquiring means for acquiring layout information of the electronic program guide information regarding a layout when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen, and producing means for producing display information to be used to display the electronic program guide information from at least one of the first information and the second information, and the layout information.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display controlling method, comprising the steps of acquiring, from within electronic program guide information hierarchized into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, at least one of the first information and the second information, acquiring layout information regarding a layout of the electronic program guide information when the EPG information is to be displayed on a screen, and producing display information to be used to display the electronic program guide information from at least one of the first information and the second information, and the layout information.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission medium which transmits a program, the program including the steps of acquiring, from within electronic program guide information hierarchized into first information which designates predetermined information and second information to be referred to by the first information, at least one of the first information and the second information, acquiring layout information regarding a layout of the electronic program guide information when the electronic program guide information is to be displayed on a screen, and producing display information to be used to display the electronic program guide information from at least one of the first information and the second information, and the layout information.
In the display controlling apparatus, the display controlling method and the transmission medium, at least one of the first information and the second information, and the layout information are fetched. Then, display information to be used to display the electronic program guide information is produced from at least one of the first information and the second information, and the layout information.
With the display controlling apparatus, the display controlling method and the transmission medium, since display information to be used to display the ele
Hanai Tomoyuki
Kaihoko Toshiya
Nishina Yasutomo
Terakado Tomoko
Brown Reuben M.
Chang Dexter T.
Faile Andrew
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
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