JP4703302B2 - Electronic program guide display device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic program guide display device that generates an electronic program guide used for digital broadcasting and the like.

  Program information can be acquired as an electronic program guide through digitization of broadcasting, and viewing programs can be selected from the electronic program guide, and viewing reservations and recording reservations can be made. There is a limitation in the program table that can be displayed, and there is a problem that information of one program becomes small when displaying many broadcasting stations and time zones.

  Therefore, there are the following conventional examples of an electronic program guide display device that can display program information in a program guide in an easy-to-understand manner or change the display frame of the program guide.

  According to Patent Document 1 described below (“JP 11-155110 A”), the entire program table can be displayed in a list format, and detailed information on a desired program can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner. Techniques relating to the apparatus and its method are disclosed.

Further, according to Patent Document 2 described below ("Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-313291"), at least one of the program guide display in the time axis direction and the channel (broadcasting station) axis direction is easy to see for the user. A technique relating to a program guide display apparatus and method capable of displaying is disclosed.
JP 11-155110 A JP 11-313291 A

  However, the electronic program guide display devices disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 make it easy to see only the information of the selected program and the latest program, and the direction of searching (for example, the channel) It is difficult to make it easy to see the entire program in the axis and time axis directions. In other words, the nearest display frame is enlarged to make it easier to see the information of the selected program, but the visibility of the area that the user wants to see is not improved.

  Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of such a situation, and by changing the size of the program display frame of the program guide according to the operation direction, the program that the operator is trying to find and the currently displayed program are displayed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic program guide display device that makes it easy to see information on a program that is being viewed.

  The electronic program guide display device according to the present invention constitutes technical means for solving these problems and has the following features.

  The electronic program guide display device of the present invention is
  Program information extracting means for extracting program information from the received digital broadcast;
  Electronic program guide display means for displaying program information display frames for displaying the program information according to the size, arranged in a matrix and displayed as an electronic program guide;
  With
  Operation detecting means for detecting an operation for moving and displaying a program selection frame representing a selected program in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction from the program information display frame displayed in the electronic program guide;
  When the number of times detected by the operation detecting means is continuously equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times in the same direction, if the direction of movement display is the left-right direction, the program information display frame in the row direction including the program selection frame is displayed. A program information display frame changing means for expanding and changing the width, and changing the width of the program information display frame in the column direction including the program selection frame if the direction to be moved and displayed is the vertical direction.
  It is characterized by having.

  The electronic program guide display device of the present invention is
  Program information extracting means for extracting program information from the received digital broadcast;
  Electronic program guide display means for displaying program information display frames for displaying the program information according to the size, arranged in a matrix and displayed as an electronic program guide;
  With
  Operation detecting means for detecting an operation for moving and displaying a program selection frame representing a selected program in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction from the program information display frame displayed in the electronic program guide;
  When the operation detecting means detects an operation continuously for a set time width or more, if the moving display direction is the left-right direction, the height of the program information display frame in the row direction including the program selection frame is changed and changed. And a program information display frame changing means for widening and changing the width of the program information display frame in the column direction including the program selection frame if the direction to be moved and displayed is the vertical direction,
  It is characterized by having.

  In the electronic program guide display device of the present invention,
  The program information display frame changing means changes the program information display frame when the operation detecting means detects an operation in a direction different from that before the change by the operation detecting means. It is characterized by returning to the height.

  In the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, the program information display frame changing means fixes the left end of the program information display frame and displays it in the right direction when expanding the width of the program information display frame in the column direction. It is characterized by widening the width of the frame.

  In the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, the program information display frame changing means fixes the upper end of the program information display frame in the downward direction when expanding the height of the program information display frame in the row direction. The width of the display frame is widened.

  As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

  The electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is configured as described above, so that when the program information display frame is moved, the program information display frame in the moving direction is larger than the other program information display frames. By being displayed, the amount of information to be displayed is increased, program information can be easily viewed, and a program can be easily searched.

  Further, according to the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, when the program information display frame is moved in the left-right direction, the program information display frame in the moving direction is displayed larger than the other program information display frames. As a result, the amount of information to be displayed increases, program information can be easily viewed, and a program can be easily searched.

  Further, according to the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, when the program information display frame is moved in the vertical direction, the program information display frame in the moving direction is displayed larger than the other program information display frames. As a result, the amount of information to be displayed increases, program information can be easily viewed, and a program can be easily searched.

  Further, according to the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, when the movement in the program guide moves up and down or left and right continuously for a specified number of times or more, the program information display frame in the corresponding movement direction is displayed in another program. By being displayed larger than the information display frame, the amount of information displayed increases, making it easier to see program information and making it easier to find a program.

  Further, according to the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, when the up / down or left / right operation on the program guide operation unit (remote control) is determined as the continuous pressing operation of the remote control, the program information display in the operation direction is performed. By displaying the frame larger than the other program information display frames, the amount of information to be displayed increases, making it easier to see the program information and making it easier to find the program.

  Further, according to the electronic program guide display device of the present invention, when the program information display frame is moved outside the currently displayed program information display frame, the program information display frame in the moving direction (left-right direction or vertical direction) is another program. By being displayed larger than the information display frame, the amount of information displayed increases, making it easier to see program information and making it easier to find a program. Further, by changing the size of the corresponding frame of the program guide in accordance with the movement of the program guide outside the display frame, it is possible to reduce the user's uncomfortable feeling.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electronic program guide display device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the electronic program display device according to the present embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a program guide display example generated by the electronic program guide display device according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic program display device (10) according to the present embodiment receives a digital broadcast and extracts a program information extraction unit (11) that extracts program information, and an electronic program guide from the extracted program information. A control unit (12) that includes an electronic program guide generation unit for generating and controls the entire electronic program display device (10), and a broadcast signal and a generated signal of the electronic program guide from the control unit (12) are combined. Synthesizer 13, display unit (EPG) (14) for displaying the synthesized video signal, and operation unit (15) for externally controlling (including cursor control) the electronic program guide displayed on the display unit And a display frame changing unit (16) for changing the display frame under the control of the operation unit (15).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the program table generated by the electronic program guide display device (10) according to the present embodiment includes a broadcast type display frame (101) indicating the current broadcast type (BS television according to the figure). ), A date display frame (102) for displaying the date of the currently displayed program guide, a time zone display frame (103) for showing the time zone of the program guide, and a broadcast station display frame for displaying the broadcast station name ( 104), a selected broadcast station display frame (105) indicating the currently selected broadcast station, a program information display frame (107) for displaying program information, and a program detailed information display frame (for displaying detailed program information). 109).

  Also, FIG. 2 shows that the broadcast station display frame (110) of the broadcast station name “C TV” in the broadcast station display frame (104) in the program table is displayed larger than the other broadcast display frames. (108) shows a display example when displayed larger than other program display frames.

  First, a display example in which the program information display frame is displayed larger than the other program information display frames in the left-right direction (time axis direction) will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the program selection in the left-right direction is performed as indicated by the double arrow (106), the broadcast station display frame (110) selected for the broadcast station name “C TV” is displayed larger than the other display frames, As shown at 108, the amount of information displayed in the selected program information display frame increases, so that the information of the selected program to be moved becomes easy to see.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a normal program guide.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the size of each display frame of the selected broadcast station display frame (301), the selected time zone display frame (302), and the selected program information display frame (303). Is the same size as other non-selected program information display frames (for example, in the channel axis and time axis directions).

  On the other hand, as described above, in the selected broadcast display frame (105) of the program guide shown in FIG. 2, the fact that it is moving in the horizontal direction indicated by the double arrow (106) means that the selected broadcast station (“ Since there is a high possibility of searching for a program of “C TV”), the display frame of the broadcasting station is enlarged to make it easy to see the program information and to search for the program.

  Next, a display example of a program table in which the program information display frame is displayed larger in the vertical direction (broadcast station selection direction) than other program information display frames will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a program guide in which the program information display frame is displayed larger in the vertical direction than the other program information display frames.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the program selection display frame is moved in the vertical direction (broadcast station selection direction) in the program guide, the vertical program information display frame (in this example, selected) is selected. It can be seen that the display frame of a certain time zone is displayed larger than the other display frames.

  In FIG. 4, when the program is selected in the vertical direction as indicated by the double arrow (203), the broadcast time zone display frame (201) is displayed larger than the other display frames, and the program information is displayed. As the amount of information displayed in the display frame (204) increases, the information of the program to be moved that is to be selected becomes easier to see.

  Thus, as indicated by 203, the fact that the user has moved the selection frame up and down indicates that there is a high possibility that the user is searching for a program in the time zone being moved. By increasing the size of the program information, the program information can be easily viewed and the program can be easily searched.

  Next, in the state of FIG. 4, the table when the program information display frame in the right direction (next time zone) becomes larger by moving the program selection frame to the right and selecting it outside the program guide display frame. An example will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a program guide display example showing a case where the program information display frame in the left-right direction is enlarged.

  As shown in FIG. 4, from the state where the program is enlarged and displayed in the program direction (time direction; PM 8:00), as shown in FIG. When moved in the direction, 403 programs (PM 9:00) are selected, and the broadcast station display frame 401 can be displayed larger than the other display frames.

  Next, in the state of FIG. 6, the program selection frame is further moved downward (from G TV) and selected outside the program guide display frame, so that the program information display frame in the downward direction (selection of the next television station) is displayed. A display example in the case of increasing will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6 shows the state of the normal program table in which the program information display frame of the selected program is displayed in the same size as other time zones as indicated by 501 in the same manner as shown in FIG. FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a program guide display example showing a case where the downward program information display frame becomes larger.

  As shown in FIG. 7, after moving the program selection frame further downward (arrow 602) from the state shown in FIG. 6, a transition of the program selection frame as shown by 602 occurs, and the time zone (601) PM8: 00) display frame is displayed larger than the display frames of other time zones, and as indicated by 603, the size of the program information display frame is increased, and the amount of program information displayed is increased. , It becomes easy to see the program information of the time period.

  Next, an operation procedure for an electronic program guide generated by the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow for changing the size of the display frame of the program guide when the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is operated continuously for the designated number of times or more.

  When an operation is performed with the up / down / left / right buttons of the operation unit 15 (step S101; hereinafter, step display is omitted), it is determined whether or not the current state is the program selection state of the program guide (S102). If (S102; No), the operation on the screen is executed (S103).

  If true (S102; Yes), it is determined whether or not the operation is an up / down operation (S104). If true, the program information display frame in the vertical direction of the currently selected program in the program table being currently displayed is other. It is determined whether or not the display is larger than the program information display frame (S105). If true (S105; Yes), the operation is performed without changing the size of the program information display frame of the program guide. The program selection frame is moved in the direction (S114).

  In S105, if it is false (S105; No), it is determined whether or not the previous operation was also a movement operation in the vertical direction (S106). If true (S106; Yes), the number of continuous operations in the vertical direction is It is determined whether or not the set number of times for enlarging the frame of the program guide is exceeded (S107).

  If the determination in S106 is false (S106; No), it is determined whether the program information display frame in the left-right direction is being enlarged (S108). If false (S108; No), the program selection frame in the operation direction is determined. The movement is performed (S110). If true (S108; Yes), processing that is currently enlarged and displayed in the left-right direction is stopped, and the program selection frame is moved in the operation direction by returning to the normal program table (for example, FIG. 3) (S109).

  If the determination in S107 is true (S107; Yes), the program information display frame in the vertical direction, which is the operation direction, is displayed in an enlarged manner as compared with the other program information display frames, and the program selection frame is displayed in the operated direction. Move (S113).

  If the determination in S107 is false (S107; No), the count of consecutive operations for determining the number of operations is incremented by one (S111), and the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S112).

  If the determination in S104 is false (that is, operation in the left-right direction) (S104; No), in the displayed program guide, the program information display frame in the left-right direction, which is the operation direction, is more than the other program information display frames. It is determined whether or not the image is displayed in an enlarged manner (S115). If the determination result is true (S115; Yes), the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction while the image is displayed in an enlarged manner (S120).

  If it is false (S115; No), it is determined whether or not the previous operation was a left-right operation (S116). If true (S116; Yes), the number of continuous operations in the left-right direction occupies the frame of the program guide. It is determined whether or not the number of times is greater than the set number for increasing (S117).

  If the determination is true (S117; Yes), the program information display frame in the left-right direction, which is the operation direction, is displayed larger than the other program information display frames, and the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction. (S123). If it is false (S117; No), the count of continuous operations for determining the number of operations is incremented by one (S118), and the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S119).

  If the determination in S116 is false (S116; No), it is determined whether the program information display frame in the vertical direction is being magnified (S121). If true (S121; Yes), it is magnified in the current vertical direction. The program selection frame is moved back to the normal program table (for example, FIG. 6) and moved in the operation direction (S122). If false (S121; No), the program selection frame in the operation direction is moved. The movement is performed (S124).

  Next, a processing operation for changing the size of the program information display frame of the program guide when the remote control operation of the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is continuously operated (continuous pressing of the remote control) will be described with reference to FIG. To do.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow for changing the size of the program information display frame of the program guide when the remote control operation of the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is continuously operated.

  Since processes other than the process numbers S207, S211, S212, S216, S217, and S221 shown in FIG. 9 are the same as those in FIG. 8, the process flow in FIG. 8 is referred to.

  First, in the determination of S206, if true (S206; Yes), it is determined whether or not the current up / down operation is a continuous pressing (holding) state of the remote control (S207), and if true (S207; Yes). The program information display frame in the vertical direction that is the operation direction is displayed in an enlarged manner than the other program information display frames, the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S212), and if false (S207; No ), The program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S211).

  If the determination in S215 is true (S215; Yes), it is determined whether or not the current left / right operation is a continuous pressing (holding) state of the remote control (S216). If true (S216; Yes), the operation is performed. The program information display frame in the left-right direction, which is the direction, is displayed in an enlarged manner than the other program information display frames, the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S221), and if false (S16; No), The program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S217).

  In this way, unlike the discrete operations shown in FIG. 8, since the state where the remote controller is continuously pressed is detected, the convenience of the user's operation can be achieved according to the case at that time. .

  Next, the processing operation for changing the size of the program information display frame of the program guide when the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is operated outside the display frame of the currently displayed program guide will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow for changing the size of the program information display frame of the program guide when the electronic program guide display device according to the present invention is operated outside the display frame of the currently displayed program guide. It is.

  Processes other than process numbers S307, S311, S312, S316, S317, and S319 shown in FIG. 10 are the same as those in FIG. 8, and therefore the process flow in FIG. 8 is referred to.

  First, if the determination in S306 is true (S306; Yes), it is determined by the up / down operation whether the operation is an upward / downward operation outside the display frame of the displayed program guide (S307). (S307; Yes), in accordance with the scrolling operation of the program guide, the program information display frame in the up and down direction, which is the operation direction, is displayed larger than the other program information display frames, and the program selection frame is displayed in the operated direction. Is moved (S311).

  If false (S307; No), the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S312).

  If the determination in S315 is true (S315; Yes), the left and right operations determine whether the operation is a horizontal operation outside the display frame of the displayed program guide (S316), and if true (S316) ;)) In accordance with the scrolling operation of the program guide, the program information display frame in the left-right direction, which is the operation direction, is displayed in an enlarged manner than the other program information display frames, and the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction. (S319).

  If false (S316; No), the program selection frame is moved in the operated direction (S317).

  As described above, by changing the program information display frame of the program guide according to the operation direction, it is possible to make it easier to see the information of the program that the operator is trying to find and the currently displayed program.

  Note that the electronic program guide display device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic program display apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a program schedule display produced | generated by the electronic program guide display apparatus which concerns on this embodiment, and is a display example of the program schedule by which a program information display frame is displayed larger than another program information display frame in the left-right direction FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a normal program schedule. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a program schedule by which a program information display frame is displayed larger than another program information display frame in the up-down direction. It is a figure which shows the example of a program schedule display which shows the case where the program information display frame of the left-right direction becomes large. The time zone 501 of the selected program is not the moving state of the program selection frame in the vertical direction (expansion in the time direction), but shows the state of the normal program table displayed in the same size as other time zones. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a program schedule display which shows the case where the program information display frame of a downward direction becomes large. It is a figure which shows an example of the processing flow which changes the magnitude | size of the program information display frame of a program schedule, when it is operated continuously more than the designated frequency | count of operation of the electronic program guide display apparatus by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the processing flow which changes the magnitude | size of the program information display frame of a program schedule, when the remote control operation | movement of the electronic program guide display apparatus by this invention is operated continuously. It is a figure which shows an example of the processing flow which changes the magnitude | size of the program information display frame of a program guide, when it operates outside the display frame of the program guide currently displayed of the electronic program guide display apparatus by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic program guide display apparatus 11 Program information extraction part 12 Control part 13 Composition part 14 Display part 15 Operation part 16 Display frame change means 101 Broadcast classification display 102 Date display frame 103 Time zone display frame 104 Broadcast station display frame 105 Selected broadcast display Frame 106 Double-directional arrow 107 Left-right direction 107 Program information display frame 108 Selected program information display frame 109 Detailed program information display frame 110 Selected broadcast station display frame 201 Time zone display frame 203 Double-directional arrow 301 Broadcast station display frame 302, 601 Time zone display frame 202, 204, 303, 403, 501, 603 Program information display frame 401 Broadcast station display frame 402, 602 Arrow

Claims (5)

  Program information extracting means for extracting program information from the received digital broadcast;
  Electronic program guide display means for displaying program information display frames for displaying the program information according to the size, arranged in a matrix and displayed as an electronic program guide;
  With
  Operation detecting means for detecting an operation for moving and displaying a program selection frame representing a selected program in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction from the program information display frame displayed in the electronic program guide;
  When the number of times detected by the operation detecting means is continuously equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times in the same direction, if the direction of movement display is the left-right direction, the program information display frame in the row direction including the program selection frame is displayed. A program information display frame changing means for expanding and changing the width, and changing the width of the program information display frame in the column direction including the program selection frame if the direction to be moved and displayed is the vertical direction.
  An electronic program guide display device characterized by comprising:   Program information extracting means for extracting program information from the received digital broadcast;
  Electronic program guide display means for displaying program information display frames for displaying the program information according to the size, arranged in a matrix and displayed as an electronic program guide;
  With
  Operation detecting means for detecting an operation for moving and displaying a program selection frame representing a selected program in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction from the program information display frame displayed in the electronic program guide;
  When the operation detecting means detects an operation continuously for a set time width or more, if the moving display direction is the left-right direction, the height of the program information display frame in the row direction including the program selection frame is changed and changed. And a program information display frame changing means for widening and changing the width of the program information display frame in the column direction including the program selection frame if the direction to be moved and displayed is the vertical direction,
  An electronic program guide display device characterized by comprising:   The program information display frame changing means changes the program information display frame when the operation detecting means detects an operation in a direction different from that before the change by the operation detecting means. The electronic program guide display device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic program guide display device is returned to the original size.   The program information display frame changing means fixes the left end of the program information display frame and widens the display frame in the right direction when expanding the width of the program information display frame in the column direction. The electronic program guide display device according to any one of 1 to 3.   The program information display frame changing means fixes the upper end of the program information display frame and widens the display frame in the downward direction when expanding the height of the program information display frame in the row direction. Item 4. The electronic program guide display device according to any one of Items 1 to 3.

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