DE102005021243B4 - A method of controlling the recording of a digitally transmitted television program and apparatus for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for controlling a recording of a digitally transmitted television program (DVB) with the steps
Providing preliminary program information (vPI) related to a first data source, including a title, a scheduled start time, and a scheduled end time,
Selecting a program to be recorded by a user and storing the preliminary program information (vPI) of the program to be recorded,
Determination of an observation time (tBZ) taking into account the planned start time,
Receiving a digitally transmitted television program provided by a second data source from the observation time (tBZ) and extracting current program information (aPI), which also includes a title, from the received television program,
By comparing the read current program information (aPI) with the stored provisional program information (vPI), determining whether the current program information (aPI) relates to the program to be recorded, the comparing comparing a similarity comparison of the title from the current program information (aPI) with the Includes titles from the preliminary program information (vPI),
- start recording if ...

Description

The The invention relates to a method for controlling the recording a digitally transmitted television program and a device for receiving and recording a digitally transmitted Television program.

A important basic function for recording equipment for television programs, such as. VC (Video Cassette) Recorder, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) Recorder, or hard disk recorder, is that the user broadcasts to automatic Select recording in advance can. A well-known, simple realization represents the timed The user is provided with the expected start and stop times of the program to be recorded as well as the transmission channel the recording device then, using a built-in clock recording starts and stops at the specified times. Due to frequent shift of airtime leads this timed recording often leads to unsatisfactory results, parts or even the entire program to be recorded is not in are included in the recording.

to Workaround this problem was for the analog broadcast television program called Video Programming System (VPS) introduced. In this system, each shipment is assigned a numeric code (VPS code) assigned, which is not visible with the picture information broadcast becomes. additionally status information is broadcast along with the numeric code, indicating whether the program is already running with this code, paused or already finished. Instead of start and stop times for a recording Broadcast, the user in this system gives him the TV magazines known VPS code of a recorded program before the recording device. The recorder then continuously reads in the transmitted VPS code and compares it with the stored code of the program to be recorded. With agreement becomes the associated one Status signal evaluated and the recording started accordingly and stopped.

At the digitally transmitted Television (Digital Video Broadcast, DVB) is a basically similar system known. The higher transmission capacity of the digital Television allows also the transmission more extensive additional information than was possible with the VPS system. This information, called the Event Information Table (EIT), includes the scheduled air time, the name of the broadcast, if applicable a brief description and status information in which indicated is, if the program is already running, shortly is running or not yet running. The content of the Event Information Table covers according to the DVB underlying standard EN 300 468 of the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) the schedule for a maximum of 2 weeks in advance from. Actually transmit Most broadcasters have information for scheduled broadcasts in the EIT, however, only a few days to a week in advance.

Based on the data the Event Information Table can be used for the digitally transmitted A similar television Recording control, as it is known from the VPS system implemented become. The user gives the title of a program to be recorded the recording device which then sets the Event Information Table to a matching one Entry examined. If a match Entry is found, the associated status information for Control of recording begins. In addition, the relatively allow extensive information of the Event Information Table, an electronic Program Guide (Electronic Program Guide, EPG) for presentation to produce on the television screen. In this case, the user needs the title of a program to be recorded, for identification the shipment serves not to enter, but he can this shipment in a simple way select from the electronic program guide, whereupon taken over the title becomes.

Such a recording control is for example from the document EP 1058454 A2 known. According to the method described in this document, information about a program to be recorded is stored after being selected from an electronic program guide. Subsequently, currently received program information is compared with the stored and controlled in accordance with the recording status contained in the currently received program information recording. For example, the information used for comparison includes the title of the program. By repeatedly comparing the information about the program to be recorded with the currently received program information, it is ensured that the recording is correctly controlled even with changed transmission times.

Similar methods also disclose the publications EP 1162839 A2 and WO 2004/051996 A1. In the method according to the document EP 1162839 A2 For comparison of stored program information and current program information, a program identification number contained in the EIT is used. The method described in WO 2004/051996 A1 is based on a comparison of the transmission times and the transmission duration of a program.

In all three cases, the stored information becomes the program to be recorded as well as the currently received program information taken from the additional information sent with the television program. Stored and up-to-date information thus comes from the same data source.

Next The recording devices considered so far are devices known, the additional provide access to internet-based services. Such equipment become common referred to as Multimedia Center, an example is the Activy Media Center of Fujitsu Siemens Computers. About a number of service providers are diverse on the internet and extensive information on the planned television program available, the creating a much larger and more comfortable one Electronic Program Guide, as it is based on the sent with the Event Information Table. For example, additional and background information about certain shipments as well as and sound sequences as a preview (trailer) are offered to the user. So desirable this form of electronic program guide due to their higher Information content for however, the user proves to be an automatic user Recording control as unsuitable because it is not guaranteed that the specified transmission times actually correspond to the current transmission times.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, a method for controlling a recording of a digitally transmitted television program specify that the user is sending on the basis of preliminary program information, which are not broadcast with the program, but from one additional Data source and scheduled transmission times contain, for recording selects the recording of the program but to the actual, possibly of the planned Transmission time deviating time takes place. It is another task the present invention, a device for receiving and for Recording a digitally transmitted Television program in which a program is broadcast on the basis of provisional program information, which are not broadcast with the program, but from one additional Date source and include scheduled airtime and controls a record of the program at the actual broadcasting time becomes.

These The object is achieved by a method for controlling a recording a digitally transmitted Television program according to claim 1 and a device for receiving and recording a digitally transmitted Television program according to claim 18 solved.

According to the invention to a user selected to be recorded from a first data source preliminary program information, a title and a planned start time and a planned one Include end time, stored. From an observation date, the under consideration scheduled start time is determined by a second Data source provided current program information read and with the stored preliminary Program information to determine if the current program information on the program to be recorded wherein the comparison is a similarity comparison of a Title from the current program information with a title the provisional Includes program information. If the comparison shows that the current program information on the program to be recorded refer to the recording based on the current program information the program to be recorded started or stopped. As a result of that the current program information with the stored preliminary program information can be related the current program information used to control the recording times become. For different data sources for the preliminary and current program information is not guaranteed that the titles contained in this information match, even if the preliminary and refer the current program information to the same program. By using a similarity comparison The title can still be determined if the information is refer to the same broadcast or not.

In An advantageous development of the method is a Hilfsstartzeitpunkt considering the scheduled start time and start the recorder, if no current program information is available and the one to be recorded Shipment calculated auxiliary start time is reached. In another advantageous embodiment the process of the invention is analog calculated an auxiliary end time and the recording stopped, if no current program information is available and the one to be recorded Shipment calculated auxiliary end time is reached.

In another embodiment of the method according to the invention, the current program information includes the start or end time of a program and it is determined based on a comparison of start or end time with the stored start or end time of the recorded program whether the current program information refer to the program to be recorded. In this case, in one embodiment, the accuracy of the start or end can be determined to the minute time points are tested and preferably tested in a further embodiment, whether start or end times match up to a predetermined tolerance period.

advantageously, become the preliminary program information taken from an internet-based service.

Further Embodiments of the method according to the invention are the subject the dependent claims.

The Invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment using a Figure explained in more detail.

The FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment the method according to the invention in a flowchart.

In Step A of the procedure becomes preliminary program information vPI provided. Such preliminary Program information vPI comprise at least the scheduled transmission times, So start time and end time or alternatively start time and the duration of the program, a title designating the program, and information about the transmission channel, for example channel number of the transmitter, frequency of the sender or an abbreviation designating the sender. The preliminary program information vPI can doing so from different data sources, such as Internet or terrestrial or satellite-based radio transmission, come. The preliminary Program information vPI advantageously becomes receivable for all Transmitter for the scheduled shipments of the next Collected days and weeks and in a clear form as electronic Program magazine EPG. For this purpose, e.g. a Table or a graph showing the individual shipments as blocks be played back on a timeline. To display the preliminary program information vPI can display the screen (TV, monitor), which is also for playback the programs to be recorded is used. Alternatively, one may be used to display the preliminary program information vPI provided display unit, such as a liquid crystal display used become. To the user as possible extensive information about Being able to provide the scheduled shipments will serve as a data source for the preliminary program information preferred internet-based services used. Are such services however, temporarily or generally, e.g. because of missing technical requirements for certain users, not available alternatively resort to program information that the radio based transmitted with the television signal become. Such information is for example for digitally transmitted Television DVB in the further explained below Event Information Table EIT included. Furthermore, in step A, a variable rec is defined, where the current state of the recording (e.g., "started" or "not started") is stored. At the beginning of the procedure, rec is set to the "not started ".

In Step B of the process becomes a transmission to be recorded by the user selected. This can be done in different ways using known input methods (Device keys, Remote control buttons, mouse or trackball pointer, etc.). The inventive method is for simplicity only for a selected one Shipment shown. But it goes without saying that by the user at the same time or in several selection steps at several times several programs for recording can be marked. After selection, the preliminary program information vPI or relevant parts of the preliminary program information vPI saved. They are below as stored program information designated gPI. Relevant parts of the vPI that are stored in gPI In particular, such information will be included in the course the further method used to identify a shipment become. In this embodiment are the title of the program as well as the planned start time and the planned end time. However, the inventive method can in easily transfer or extend to other information as long as this information helps identify a shipment are suitable.

In Step C of the procedure will be based on the stored scheduled Start time and the scheduled end time other times calculated for control in the further course of the procedure be used. These are an observation time tBZ, a Auxiliary start time tHS and an auxiliary end time tHE. The observation time tBZ marks the point in time, from when in the course of the procedure read current program information and stored with the be compared (see below). In the simplest case will be tBZ calculated at the point to be recorded from the scheduled start time Shipment is deducted a fixed period of time. This time span should be like this be measured that they are possible Transmission shifts of a program earlier than planned Transmission time includes, so for example of the order of magnitude be an hour.

If, for example due to transmission errors or due to omissions of the broadcaster in the course of the process, no current program information aPI should be available, is provided according to the invention, at a time to avoid controlled recording control. For this purpose the auxiliary start and end times tHS, tHE are required. In the simplest case, they can be calculated from the planned start and end times by subtracting (at the start time) or adding (at the end time) a fixed period of time. This is usefully in the range of minutes, so that at least for small sidetranslations neither the start nor the end of a program is missing in the recording. The time span should not be too long to avoid unnecessary storage capacity when recording the program. In addition to the simplest cases described, in which tBZ, tHS, tHE are calculated using fixed time periods, the time periods are stored in a variable, non-volatile memory and a method is used to adjust the length of the time periods to actually observed airtime shifts. This can be done, for example, in the recorded for each recorded program, the planned start time or planned end time with the actual start and end times of the program, which are determined in the further course of the process, and the average of the thus determined actual airtime shifts in these periods to be included. It is also conceivable that the time spans are determined, stored and used in a transmitter-specific manner.

step D of the procedure shows a loop, which until reaching the Observation time tBZ is waiting. t gives the current time in an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention provided by a clock. The use of a holding pattern for the determination of the observation time tBZ is only exemplary. In another embodiment of the method can Of course tBZ and the transition to the next Process E different, e.g. be made event-driven.

From At the observation time tBZ, the method is continued with step E. In step E, the channel of the digitally transmitted television program DVB on which the selected Transmit broadcast is received, and the sent program information aPI extracted from the Event Information Table EIT.

In Step F of the method become the read current program information aPI compared with the stored program information gPI. This comparison can include several sub-steps. In the case of Event Information Table EIT of DVB are entries not only to one, but contain too many shipments, so it is required each Entry of the table with the stored program information compare gPI to identify the entry of the table, which refers to the program to be recorded or in all probability refers.

For the comparison stands for the title stored in gPI and the planned start and end dates End times of the program to be recorded available. A Difficulty in this comparison arises from the fact that the stored program information gPI and the current Program information aPI in the inventive method in the normal case come from different data sources, which is why aPI and gPI can be slightly different, although they refer to the same broadcast.

A Method to still get the latest program information aPI the chosen To identify a consignment offers a multi - stage comparison procedure, in which the comparison criteria of Be softened step by step. For example, in one first step as criterion the absolute semantic match the title is set and, if no match is found, in the second step, the comparison criterion be softened by just an approximate match the title is required. Tests for an approximate match of semantic expressions are known. For example, you can for one approximate Compare items except Be left out or it will be due to the frequency of syllables used on probable agreement closed. If there is no current program information on the second level aPI can be found where the title meets the criterion can be in a third Stage as a criterion the exactness of the minute from the stored Start or end time with start and end time from the current Program information aPI be used. Even with mismatched Title according to the previous one Criteria is the likelihood that this is the recorded program is acting, big, if exactly the same transmission times are available. As a fourth stage can a comparison of the airtime not on an exact minute basis, but with a certain tolerance period, which is a few minutes can be set. Without departing from the basic idea of the invention, can a comparison of the current program information aPI with the stored program information gPI based both on other criteria, as well as on the basis of other identification features as title and send time.

If no current program information aPI suitable for the program to be recorded can be found in step F, the current time t is compared with the auxiliary start time tHS and auxiliary end time tHE determined in step C in steps I and J of the method. If neither of these two times is reached, the procedure will be aborted Repeat step E. However, if the auxiliary start time tHS has been reached and the recording has not yet started, the process branches from step J to step L where the recording is started and this is recorded in the variable rec. Subsequently, the process is also repeated from step E. In an analogous manner, branching is made from step I to step K if the auxiliary end time has been reached and the recording has already been started. In step K, the recording is stopped in the case whereupon the process is terminated.

If in step F current program information for the selected program could be identified, the process branches to the steps G and H respectively. In steps G and H, the one to be recorded is Broadcast assigned status information from the current program information evaluated. According to the DVB standard becomes the send state of a broadcast in the Event Information Table EIT through one of five possible states described. These states are "undefined", "not running "," starting soon "," interrupted "and" running ". Other standards can however, use a smaller or larger number of possible states here. Furthermore, not all of the possible states of the appropriate broadcasters also used. To be favoured of the method according to the invention therefore only the states which relates to whether a program is running or not running, evaluated. Including other states but may well be considered to be pulled.

Becomes in step H, the state "running" for a record to be recorded Broadcast and the recording has not yet started has been the method branches from step H to step L to the Start recording the program. Again the procedure becomes then repeated from step E.

is however, the recording has already been started, and will be in step G found that the current program information for the recorded Shipment will display the status "does not run", becomes Step K branches, the recording stopped and the procedure completed.

Furthermore It is conceivable that the current program information continues aPI be evaluated. If e.g. the program to be recorded aPI, e.g. due to negligence the broadcaster is not provided with status information, probably but the following on the record to be recorded, can the recording will be stopped when the aPI indicate that the the following program has already started. Another evaluation the current program information aPI is the duration a shipment as a difference of the final and Start time to determine.

If including this duration a small tolerance of a few seconds exactly the specified and, typically, rounded to full minutes, transmission duration according to the preliminary program information vPI, this can be taken as an indication that the current program information issued by the broadcaster not really indicate the current send status, but only reflect the expected schedule. In such cases can be provided be, contrary to the status information of the aPI to stop, but for safety's sake until the auxiliary end time to continue.

by the broadcasters will be the EIT in typically at a distance of Transfer seconds, the standard of the DVB provides a maximum of 20 seconds. Adapted to it may be the alternate extraction of current program information in step E as well as the evaluation of this information in the steps F to J may be at a repetition rate of several passes per Second happen, so starting and stopping recordings by the method according to the invention Can be done to the second.

By the repeated execution From step E, you can take a shot timed by step J was initiated because current program information aPI, e.g. were temporarily unavailable due to bad reception conditions at the start of the broadcast, in certain circumstances nevertheless initiated at the correct time by step G and due current program information aPI be ended.

Also when the inventive method is described with reference to a flowchart, an implementation This procedure in its temporal and structural course is not exactly the same Correspond to flowchart. as already mentioned, it is for example possible, in a device according to the invention for receiving and recording the digitally transmitted television program to provide a timer which, when the times tBZ, tHE, tHS corresponding process steps starts event-driven.

A so-called state machine also represents a suitable implementation for the method according to the invention. The states that this state machine can assume correspond to different process situations. A state would be, for example, waiting for the observation time, another state would be characterized, for example, in that the recording has already started and that current program information for the selected program be received. The change from one to another state of the machine can in turn then event-controlled, for example, initiated by the timer or in response to a change in the status information of the recorded program or due to user input (eg premature termination of the process or deliberate change of the recorded program during a recording) using appropriate rules.

VPI

preliminary program information

GPI

saved provisional program information

TBZ

Observation time

tHS

Auxiliary starting time

tHE

Auxiliary end time

aPI

current program information

rec

status recording (started / not started)

Claims (18)

Method for controlling a recording of a digitally transmitted TV program (DVB) with the steps - Providing one first data source related preliminary program information (vPI) containing a title, a scheduled start time and a include planned end time, - Select one to record Transmission by a user and storing the preliminary program information (vPI) of the program to be recorded, - Determination of an observation time (tBZ) under consideration the planned start time, - receiving one of one second data source provided digitally transmitted television program from the observation time (tBZ) and extracting current Program information (aPI), which also includes a title, from the received TV program, - by comparing the read current program information (aPI) with the stored preliminary program information (vPI) Determine if the current program information (aPI) refer to the program to be recorded, the comparison a similarity comparison of Title from the current program information (aPI) with the title from the preliminary Includes program information (vPI), - start recording, if the current program information (aPI) is to be recorded Refer to the consignment and indicate that the consignment to be recorded begins - To stop the recording when the current program information (aPI) refer to the program to be recorded and indicate that the program to be recorded is finished. The method of claim 1, with the additional steps - Calculation an auxiliary start time (tHS) taking into account the planned Start time, - Start the recording device, if no current program information (aPI) to be recorded Shipment available are and the auxiliary start time (tHS) is reached. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, with the additional steps - Calculation an auxiliary end time (tHE) taking into account the planned End time, - To stop the recording device, if no current program information about the program to be recorded available and the auxiliary end time (tHE) is reached. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recording device alternatively is stopped when displaying the current program information (aPI), that the program following the program to be recorded has begun Has. Method according to one of claims 3 or 4, with the additional ones steps - Determine a current duration of a program to be recorded as a difference between the times at which the current program information (aPI) indicate that the program to be recorded starts or ends, - Continue the Record over the time at which the current program information (aPI) is displayed, that the program to be recorded ends, until the auxiliary end time (tHE) if the current duration is within a specified tolerance period equal to a duration rounded to full minutes according to the preliminary program information (vPI) is. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined Tolerance period is a few seconds. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the observation time (tBZ) a predetermined period of time before the scheduled start time the record to be recorded is. Method according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the auxiliary start time (tHS) a predetermined period of time before the scheduled start time the record to be recorded is. Method according to one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the auxiliary end time (tHE) a predetermined period of time after the planned end time of the is to be recorded. Method according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the time periods are fixed. Method according to one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the time periods are variable and for each program to be recorded the scheduled start time with the actual time of starting the recording and the mean of the differences influences the value of the time periods. The method of claim 9, wherein the period of time is variable and for each program to be recorded the planned end time with the actual Time of stopping the recording is compared and the mean the differences affect the value of the time periods. Method according to one of claims 11 or 12, wherein the digitally transmitted Television program includes programs of various stations and in which for each Sender specific values for the individual periods, stored and used. Method according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the current Program information (aPI) include the start or end time of a program and based on a comparison of start or end time with the stored start or end time of the recorded program it is determined whether the current program information (aPI) refer to the program to be recorded. The method of claim 14, wherein to the minute Equality of start and end times is tested. The method of claim 14, wherein testing is performed whether start or end times match up to a specified tolerance period. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 16, in which the provisional program information (vPI) taken from an Internet-based service. Device for receiving and recording a digitally transmitted TV program (DVB) with - Means for providing from provisional program information obtained from a first data source (CPI), - means, a user based on the preliminary program information (vPI) Select allow a program to be recorded, - one Memory for the preliminary ones Program information of the selected consignment to be recorded, - one receiver for a provided digitally transmitted from a second data source TV program and - one Aufzeichengerät for recording the digitally transmitted TV program characterized in that one with the recipient and the recorder Control unit is provided which is adapted to - current Program information (aPI) from the digitally transmitted television program to extract and - by Comparison with the stored preliminary program information (vPI) to determine if the current program information (aPI) to the recorded program, the comparison a similarity comparison a title from the current program information (aPI) with a Title from the preliminary Includes program information (vPI), and - to instruct the recording device to start a recording when the current program information (aPI) refer to the program to be recorded and indicate that a begins to be recorded, and - stop the recording, if the current program information (aPI) is to be recorded Refer to the consignment and indicate that the consignment to be recorded finished.