JPH1075402A - Setting function controller for user side terminal for television broadcasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify operation by a user by displaying a setting procedure picture only for a setting function item selected necessarily for the user when there are plural setting function items. SOLUTION: Based on menu picture information, various kinds of setting procedure picture information and program guidance information or the like stored in a storage device 9, a program guidance image generating circuit 4 prepares respective required images on a display memory. Then, these respective images are successively read out and displayed through a multiplexer 7 onto a display 8. Based on a control signal from a CPU, this multiplexer 7 selects either the output of a video processing circuit 3 or the output of the program guidance image generating circuit 4 and supplies it to the display 8. When selecting any prescribed selection item, a cursor is moved onto the prescribed selection item by cursor move keys 12L, 12R, 12U and 12D and a select key 13 is pushed later.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a setting function control device for a user terminal in a television broadcasting system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) put into practical use in the United States, a large number of channels of 150 or more are prepared, and a large number of programs are provided. In this system, guide information of a currently broadcasted program and a program to be broadcasted in the future is transmitted at predetermined time intervals together with original program data. The user terminal has a function of displaying a program guide screen (program guide table) based on the program guide information.

[0003] As shown in FIG.
A part of the program guide table e of the entire program guide table E corresponding to the received all program guide information is displayed as a program guide screen.
On the program guide screen, a plurality of program guides are displayed in a matrix with the vertical axis as the channel number axis and the horizontal axis as the time axis. In this example, the program guide screen displays programs for five channels, that is, two and a half hours of programs. At the left end, channel numbers are displayed vertically. In the row corresponding to each channel, a frame indicating the time zone of each program broadcast by that channel is displayed, and the title names (A to P) are displayed in each frame.

On the program guide screen, a program can be specified,
A cursor for scrolling the program guide screen is displayed. This cursor movement is performed by operating four cursor movement keys provided for each of the left, right, up, and down directions. Each time a cursor movement key for moving up or down is operated, the cursor moves in units of one channel. Each time a cursor movement key for moving left or right is operated, the cursor moves in a predetermined time unit.

[0005]

By the way, it is convenient if the program guide displayed on the program guide screen can be limited according to the user's preference. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide the user terminal with a function of limiting the category of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen or limiting the channel of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen.

In such a case, category setting,
Channel setting and the like are performed by the user. However, there is a problem that as the number of setting function items increases, the number of setting procedure screens increases, and the operation becomes complicated for the user.

According to the present invention, when there are a plurality of setting function items, the setting procedure screen is displayed only for the setting function items selected as necessary by the user, thereby simplifying the operation by the user. It is an object of the present invention to provide a setting function control device for a user terminal in a television broadcasting system that can perform the setting.

[0008]

A setting function control device for a user terminal in a first television broadcasting system according to the present invention allows a user to select a required setting function item from a plurality of types of setting function items. Input means, and, among a plurality of types of setting function items, a setting procedure screen can be displayed for a setting function item selected by the user as necessary, and a setting procedure screen is displayed for a setting function item not selected as necessary by the user. On the other hand, there is provided a means for disabling the display of the setting procedure screen.

A setting function control device for a user terminal in a second television broadcasting system according to the present invention requires a means for displaying a menu screen including a plurality of types of setting function items, and a plurality of types of setting function items. Input means for allowing a user to select a setting function item, means for displaying a setting procedure screen corresponding to the specified setting function item when a setting function item selected as necessary by the user is specified on a menu screen ,
When a setting function item that is not selected as necessary by the user is specified on the menu screen, a means for invalidating the specification and not displaying the setting procedure screen corresponding to the specified setting function item is provided. It is characterized by.

The setting function items include, for example, a setting function item for setting a category of a program guide displayed on the program guide screen and a setting function item for setting a channel of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen. ing.

The setting function items include, for example, a setting function item for setting a category of a program guide displayed on the program guide screen, a setting function item for setting a channel of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen, and A setting function item for specifying a user to set the setting function item for each of a plurality of users is included.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) practically used in the United States will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Programs provided in DSS include DS.
There are free programs that can be viewed for free if a system usage fee such as a fee for joining S and a basic fee are paid, and paid programs that are charged separately from the system usage fee. Pay programs are purchased in advance in units of channels and those that are charged only when viewed (PPV: pay
per view). In order to view a PPV program, it is necessary to perform a purchase procedure on a television screen before the program starts or when the program is being broadcast.

[1] Description of Configuration of User Terminal

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the user terminal.

As the user terminal, a combination of a television receiver and a program guide display control device, or a television receiver incorporating a program guide display control circuit is used. The user terminal is a CPU for controlling the entire user terminal or the program guide display control device.
6 is provided. The CPU 6 includes a storage device 9 for storing the program and necessary data. CPU
The operation unit 5 including a remote controller and the like is connected to 6. The CPU 6 controls the tuner 2 to display the program selected by the operation unit 5, and generates a program guide image generating circuit 4 for generating a program guide image.
Control.

The input terminal 1 receives a high-frequency signal from a parabolic antenna (not shown). The signal input to the input terminal 1 is sent to the tuner 2. In the tuner, processes such as frequency conversion and QPSK demodulation are performed, and a digital video signal stream is generated. The output of the tuner 2 is sent to the video processing circuit 3.

In the video processing circuit 3, the stream output from the tuner 2 is MPEG-decoded, and an analog video signal, such as an NTSC signal, to be displayed on a display 8 such as a CRT is generated. This video signal is sent to the display 8 via the multiplexer 7 to be displayed on the display 8.

Further, the video processing circuit 3 extracts program guide information and time information indicating the current time from the output of the tuner 2 and supplies them to the CPU 6. The program guide information and the time information supplied to the CPU 6 are stored in the storage device 9. The storage device 9 further stores in advance menu screen information for displaying a menu screen and setting procedure screen information for displaying various setting procedure screens, as well as information on a purchased PPV program. The information on the PPV program is stored.

The program guide image generation circuit 4 has a display memory (not shown). The program guide image generation circuit 4 stores a menu image, various setting procedure images, and a program guide image on the display memory based on menu screen information, various setting procedure screen information, program guide information, and the like stored in the storage device 9. Created. Then, the images created on the display memory are sequentially read and sent to the display 8 via the multiplexer 7 to be displayed on the display 8. The multiplexer 7 selects one of the output of the video processing circuit 3 and the output of the program guide image generation circuit 4 based on the control signal from the CPU 6 and supplies the selected output to the display 8.

The operation unit 5 includes a menu key 11 for displaying a menu screen, and four cursor movement keys 12 for moving a cursor in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.
L, 12R, 12U, 12D, a select key 13 for performing a selection input, a channel UP / DOWN key 14U for changing a channel upward or downward,
14D and the like are provided.

[2] Explanation of menu screen

FIG. 2 shows an example of the menu screen.

In this example, the setting function items include a category setting function item for limiting a category of a program guide displayed on the program guide screen, and a channel for limiting a channel of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen. Setting function items, user setting function items for performing the above category setting and channel setting for each of a plurality of users,
There are other basic setting function items.

The menu screen includes an upper setting function item display area 21 (hereinafter referred to as a main menu display area),
A setting procedure screen display area (hereinafter, referred to as a submenu display area) 22 below the main menu display area 21 is provided.

In the main menu display area 21, a user setting button 31 for setting a user, a category setting button 32 for setting a category of a program guide to be displayed on the program guide screen, and a category setting button 32 for displaying on the program guide screen A channel setting button 33 for setting a channel number of the program guide, a start time of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen, a guide button 34 for displaying the program guide screen, and basic setting function items are set. Basic setting function item setting button 35 is displayed.

Next to the user setting button 31, the currently set selection item is displayed. By default, the first user (USER1) is set.

The category setting button 32 displays a currently set selection item. By default, a selection item “ALL” meaning all categories is set.

The channel setting button 33 displays the currently set selection item. By default, a selection item “ALL” meaning all channels is set.

The guide button 34 displays the character of the currently set selection item. By default, a selection item "CURRENT" for displaying a program guide for only the program currently being broadcast is set.

When it is desired to display the program guide screen, the cursor is moved on the guide button 34 by the cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12U, 12D. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the sub-menu 44 is displayed in the sub-menu display area 22, and the cursor moves to the sub-menu 44.

The submenu 44 includes a selection item "C" for displaying a program guide for only the program currently being broadcast.
URENT ", a selection item" +0 HRS "for setting the display start time of the program guide to the current time, a selection item" +5 HRS "for setting the display start time of the program guide to a time 5 hours after the current time, and the like. The item is displayed.By default, the selection item “CURRENT” is set.When the select key 13 is pressed after the cursor is moved to a predetermined selection item, the program guide is displayed according to the selection item. The screen is displayed.

When the select key 13 is pressed after the selection item "CURRENT" is selected, a program guide of only the program currently being broadcast is displayed. Selection item "+0"
If the select key 13 is pressed after the "HRS" is selected, the display start time of the program guide becomes the current time, and the program guide for a predetermined time for a plurality of channels is displayed. When the select key 13 is pressed after is selected, the display start time of the program guide becomes the time after 5 hours from the current time, and the program guide for a predetermined time for a plurality of channels is displayed.

When setting the basic setting function item, the cursor is moved to the basic setting function item setting button 35 by the cursor moving keys 12L, 12R, 12U and 12D. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, a submenu 4 for the basic setting function item is displayed in the submenu display area 22.
5 is displayed and the cursor is
Move up.

The sub-menu 45 includes the viewed PP
Selection item "PURCHAS" for displaying V program
E ", a selection item" MESSAGES "for opening and displaying the mail sent via the telephone line, a selection item" INSTALLATION "for displaying a screen for adjusting the angle of the antenna, and user settings. function,
A selection item “OPTION” for setting whether or not the user needs the category setting function and the channel setting function is displayed.

To select a predetermined one of these selection items, the cursor movement keys 12L and 12L are used.
After the cursor is moved to a predetermined selection item using R, 12U, and 12D, the select key 13 may be pressed.

By such an operation, the selection item "OPT"
When “ION” is selected, as shown in FIG. 5, a function necessity setting procedure screen for setting whether the user is necessary or unnecessary for the user setting function, category setting function, and channel setting function. 50 is displayed.

In the function necessity setting procedure screen 50, a check box 51 for a category setting function and a character "CH" are arranged next to the character "CATEGORY".
A check box 52 for the setting function of the channel arranged next to "ANNEL", and a character "MULTI US"
A check box 53, a OK button 54, and a CANCE for a user setting function, which are arranged next to “ER”.
The L button 55 is displayed.

The user presses the select key 13 after moving the cursor to a check box corresponding to a function considered necessary. Then, a check mark is displayed in the check box. FIG. 6 shows an example in which a check mark is displayed in a check box for a category setting function. After setting the necessity / non-necessity for various setting function items in this way, when the cursor is moved to the OK button 54 and the select key 13 is pressed, the screen returns to the menu screen.

For a setting function set to be necessary on the function necessity setting procedure screen 50, when the cursor is moved to the setting button 31, 32, 33 on the menu screen, a corresponding submenu is displayed. And the cursor moves to the submenu.

FIG. 7 shows a submenu 41 (setting procedure screen) for a user setting function item, and FIG. 8 shows a submenu 42 (setting procedure screen) for a category setting function item.
FIG. 9 shows a submenu 43 (setting procedure screen) for the channel setting function item.

In the submenu 41 for the user setting function item, as shown in FIG. 7, the first user's selection item "USER1" and the second user's selection item "USER1" are selected.
2 ", third user's selection item" USER3 "and fourth
The user's selection item "USER4" is displayed.

When the user wants to set the second user as the user, for example, he moves the cursor to the selection item "USER2" and then presses the select key 13. Then, the second user is set as the user, and the character “USER2” is displayed beside the user setting button 31. At the same time, the submenu 41 is closed.

A user color corresponding to the user is set in advance. For example, user colors are preset such that the user color for the first user is yellow, the user color for the second user is green, the user color for the third user is blue, and the user color for the fourth user is orange. When the cursor is moved to the selection item “USER1”, the setting button 31 changes to yellow, and the selection item “USE1” is displayed.
When the cursor moves to "R2", the setting button 31 changes to green. Therefore, the user can recognize the user number selected by the user and the user color corresponding to the user number.

In the sub-menu 42 for the category setting function item, as shown in FIG. 8, a selection item "ALL" for selecting all categories, a selection item "MOVIE" for selecting a movie, and a sports item are selected. The selection items such as "SPORTS" for selecting a news item and "NEWS" for selecting a news item are displayed.

For example, when the user wants to set a movie as a category, the user may move the cursor to the selection item "MOVIE" and then press the select key 13. Then, the movie is set as the category, and the character “MOVIE” is displayed on the category setting button 32. At the same time, the submenu 42 is closed. When such a category setting is performed, when a program guide screen is displayed, a program guide for only a channel including a program matching the set category is displayed.

In the submenu 43 for the channel setting function item, as shown in FIG. 9, a selection item "ALL" for selecting all channels, and a selection item for selecting a channel on which a PPV program is broadcast. Selection items such as "PPV" and a selection item "PROMO" for selecting a channel on which an advertisement-only program is broadcast are displayed.

The user may, for example, select P
To set a PV program, the user may move the cursor to the selection item “PPV” and then press the select key 13. Then, the PPV program is set as the channel, and the character “PPV” is displayed on the channel setting button 33. At the same time, the submenu 43 is closed.

Regarding the setting function which is not set as necessary on the function necessity setting procedure screen 50, even if the cursor is moved to the setting button 31, 32, 33 on the menu screen, the corresponding sub menu is displayed. Do not show. Therefore, the setting content of the setting function that is not set as necessary is the default setting content.

[3] Description of display processing of program guide screen

The processing for displaying the program guide screen will be described. Here, a case where the selection item “+ 0HRS” is selected from the submenu 44 for the guide button 34 will be described.

The program guide information sent to the user side terminal includes, for example, guide information of each program for all channels from the current time to a time 24 hours ahead. The program guide information of one program includes a title name, a fee for a PPV program, a category (sports, music, drama, news, etc.), start and end times, and the like.

The CPU 6 regards the guide information of each program for all channels as two-dimensional array information in which the vertical direction is the channel number and the horizontal direction is the time, as shown in the upper part of FIG. And an index table that can be accessed using the slot number indicating the time. The slot number is, for example, a number assigned every 30 minutes. The area E of the two-dimensional array corresponding to all the program guide information shown in the upper part of FIG.
Is referred to as the entire program guide area.

When the program guide screen restriction condition is set for the currently set user, the entire program guide area E conforms to the restriction condition of all the channels. This is an area composed of guide information of each program for all the channels. In this case, an index table is generated that corresponds to an area composed of guide information of each program for all of the channels that meet the limiting conditions among all the channels.

Submenu 4 for guide button 34
When the selection item “+ 0HRS” is selected from 4,
Based on the channel number, the current time, and the index table selected immediately before, the CPU 6 generates a display table as shown in FIG. In FIG.
Program guide display information is stored in each small area (hereinafter referred to as a cell) in the area except the leftmost one column. Therefore,
In this example, a display table corresponding to a program guide for 5 channels × 5 cells (corresponding to 2.5 hours) is created. Each cell in the leftmost column stores a channel number (absolute channel number) or data of a station name corresponding to the channel number.

In FIG. 10, x of (x, y) described as an index for each cell is a channel relative number (a relative channel number between cells in the display table, and an absolute channel number). Y is a slot relative number (a relative slot number between cells in the display table, not an absolute slot number). The second cell So from the left at the top is referred to as a reference cell.

The program guide display information stored in each cell is:
It consists of a title name, the number of exclusive cells, a rating, information indicating whether or not purchased, a category, and the like. The number of exclusive cells is
The number of cells included from the cell to the cell where the program ends. Therefore, when the program ends in the cell, the number of exclusive cells becomes one. Based on the display table thus created, the program guide image generation circuit 4 generates, for example, an image corresponding to the program guide screen as shown in FIG. 12 on the display memory. Then, the image generated on the display memory is sent to the display 8, so that a program guide screen as shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the display 8.

FIG. 12 shows a program guide screen when the first user (USER1) is set. Also,
FIG. 13 shows a program guide screen when the second user (USER2) is set. The background color of the program guide screen is different for each set user. That is, the background color of the program guide screen is determined according to the user color described above. For example, the background color of the program guide screen for the first user is yellow, the background color of the program guide screen for the second user is green, the background color of the program guide screen for the third user is blue, and the fourth user Of the program guide screen is orange.

Each user (USER1 to USER)
For each 4), a color palette used for displaying the program guide screen may be separately set, so that the range of pixel colors that can be used for each user's program guide screen may be changed.

FIG. 11 shows a procedure of a program guide screen display process executed by the CPU 6 and the program guide image generation circuit 4.

Submenu 4 for guide button 34
When the selection item "+ 0HRS" is selected from 4, the channel number and the current time selected immediately before are read, and a reference cell is set from the entire program guide area E (see FIG. 14) (step 1). Here, the selection item "+0"
Since “HRS” has been set, the program guide information corresponding to the channel number and the current time selected immediately before is stored in the reference cell.

The display table shown in FIG. 10 is created based on the set reference cells and the index table (step 2). At this time, each condition set on the menu screen is reflected in the display table.

Information in the display table is sent from the CPU 6 to the program guide image generation circuit 4. The program guide image generation circuit 4 performs a program guide image generation process based on the transmitted information (step 3). That is, a program guide image is generated on the display memory. The program guide images generated on the display memory are sequentially read out and sent to the display 8, whereby a program guide screen corresponding to the set user is displayed on the display 8. After that, a key input waiting state is set.

If there is a select key input by the select key 13 (YES in step 4), program selection
A predetermined selection process such as program reservation is executed.

Cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12
If there is a cursor key input by U, 12D (YES in step 5), the processing of steps 6, 7, 8, or 9 is performed according to the operated cursor movement keys 12L, 12R, 12U, 12D.

That is, the operated key is the left movement key 12
If it is L, the process proceeds to step 6 and it is determined whether or not movement from the left end of the entire program guide area E to the left has been commanded. If the operated key is the right movement key 12R, the process proceeds to step 7, where it is determined whether or not movement from the right end of the entire program guide area E to the right has been commanded. If the operated key is the upward movement key 12U, the process proceeds to step 8, where it is determined whether or not an upward movement from the upper end of the entire program guide area E has been instructed. If the operated key is the down key 12D, the process proceeds to step 9;
It is determined whether a downward movement has been commanded from the lower end of the entire program guide area E.

When the movement from the left end of the entire program guide area E to the left is instructed (YES in step 6), when the movement from the right end to the right of the entire program guide area E is instructed (at step 7). If YES, a command is issued to move upward from the upper end of all program guide areas E (YE in step 8).
S) Or, if a command to move downward from the lower end of the entire program guide area E is issued (YES in step 9), that is, if it is a command to move outside the entire program guide area E, the cursor Cannot be moved, and the process returns to step 4 to wait for key input.

If the cursor movement command by the cursor key input is a movement command within the entire program guide area, the position to which the cursor is moved is calculated (step 10).
If the cursor movement command is a movement command in the left and right direction, the movement amount is set to one cell (one slot) in the left and right direction, and the position of the cursor movement destination is calculated. When the cursor movement command is a vertical movement command, the movement amount is calculated as one cell (one slot) in the vertical direction, and the destination position of the cursor is calculated. Then, it is determined whether or not the position of the cursor movement destination is within the program guide screen displayed on the display 8 (step 11).

When the position of the cursor movement destination is within the program guide screen displayed on the display 8, the cursor image in the display memory is moved so that the cursor is displayed at the movement destination position. (Step 12).

If the position to which the cursor is moved is outside the program guide screen displayed on the display 8, the reference cell is changed in order to change (scroll) the program guide screen (see FIG. 4). Step 13). In this reference cell changing process, a position in the entire program guide area E that is away from the current reference cell by the amount of cursor movement in the cursor movement direction is set as a new reference cell. When a new reference cell is set by the reference cell changing process, the process returns to step 2. Therefore, the display table of FIG. 10 is created based on the newly set reference cell, and a new program guide screen is displayed on the display 8. That is, the program guide screen is updated.

[0071]

According to the present invention, when there are a plurality of setting function items, the setting procedure screen is displayed only for the setting function items selected as necessary by the user, so that the user can make the setting procedure screen. Operation can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user terminal.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a menu screen.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a submenu displayed when a cursor is moved over a guide button.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a submenu 45 displayed when a cursor is moved on a basic setting function item setting button 35;

FIG. 5 shows a selection item “OPTIO” from a submenu 45.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the function necessity setting procedure screen displayed when "N" is selected.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a function necessity setting procedure screen when a check mark is displayed in a check box for a category.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a submenu 41 displayed when a cursor is moved on a user setting button 31.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a submenu displayed when a cursor is moved over a category setting button.

9 is a schematic diagram showing a submenu 43 displayed when a cursor is moved on a channel setting button 33. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a display table.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a part of a procedure for displaying a program guide screen.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a program guide screen when a first user is set.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a program guide screen when a second user is set.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a program guide screen displayed on a user terminal in DSS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Tuner 3 Video processing circuit 4 Program guide image generation circuit 5 Operation unit 6 CPU 7 Multiplexer 8 Display 9 Storage device 31 User setting button 32 Category setting button 33 Channel setting button 34 Guide button 35 Basic setting function item setting buttons 41 to 45 Submenu 50 Function necessity setting procedure screen

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An input means for allowing a user to select a required setting function item from a plurality of types of setting function items, and a setting function selected by the user as necessary from a plurality of types of setting function items Means for enabling the setting procedure screen to be displayed for the item and disabling the setting procedure screen for the setting function item not selected as necessary by the user; Setting function control device. 2. A means for displaying a menu screen including a plurality of types of setting function items; an input means for allowing a user to select a required setting function item from a plurality of types of setting function items; Means for displaying a setting procedure screen corresponding to the specified setting function item when the selected setting function item is specified on the menu screen, and setting function items not selected as necessary by the user on the menu screen Means for invalidating the specification when specified in the above, and for not displaying the setting procedure screen corresponding to the specified setting function item, the setting function control device of the user terminal in the television broadcasting system, comprising: 3. The setting function item includes a setting function item for setting a category of a program guide displayed on the program guide screen and a setting function item for setting a channel of the program guide displayed on the program guide screen. Claims 1 and 2
A setting function control device for a user terminal in the television broadcasting system according to any one of the above. 4. The setting function item includes a setting function item for setting a category of a program guide displayed on a program guide screen.
2. A setting function item for setting a channel of a program guide displayed on a program guide screen, and a setting function item for specifying a user in order to set each of the setting function items for each of a plurality of users. And a setting function control device for a user terminal in the television broadcast system according to any one of claims 1 and 2.