WO1999031878A1

WO1999031878A1 - A method and an apparatus for controlling a storage device

Info

Publication number: WO1999031878A1
Application number: PCT/DK1998/000524
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jesper Kaagaard; Jan Skaug SØRENSEN
Original assignee: FORCE ELECTRONICS AS
Current assignee: FORCE ELECTRONICS AS
Priority date: 1997-11-26
Filing date: 1998-11-26
Publication date: 1999-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 2000-05-26
Also published as: DK172550B1; WO1999029106A1; AU1434499A; DK135797A; DE29880170U1; DE29880173U1; AU1434599A

Abstract

A method of controlling a storage unit (101, 205, 405) capable of storing transmissions in the form of audio/video signals transmitted from a transmitter via a first communications channel (105) at specific times, information being received via a second electronic communications channel (105) for identifying a plurality of transmissions comprising information on times of the transmissions, said information being input in a storage (201). This is achieved in that, by means of an electronic user interface (501, 601), a user selects such transmissions as are to be stored, and in that the times of the selected transmissions are identified and used for controlling the storage unit (101, 205, 405). More specifically, the method relates to automatic control of when a video recorder is to record, in that the user marks the transmissions he/she wants to be stored on an electronic programme schedule (501, 601), and then the method causes the video recorder to record the marked transmissions. The invention also relates to an apparatus for controlling a storage unit (101, 205, 405).

Description

A method and an apparatus for controlling a storage device

The present invention relates to a method of controlling a storage unit capable of storing transmissions in the form of audio/video signals transmitted from a transmitter via a first communications channel at specific times, information being received via a second electronic communications channel for identifying a plurality of trans- missions comprising information on times of the transmissions, said information being input in a first storage.

The invention moreover relates to an apparatus for controlling a storage unit capable of storing transmissions in the form of audio/video signals transmitted from a transmitter via a first communications channel at specific times, said apparatus comprising means for receiving information from a second electronic communications channel for identifying a plurality of transmissions, said information comprising times of the transmissions, and a first storage in which the information for identifying a plurality of transmissions is stored.

It is well-known that programming in the form of timing of various recording devices, e.g. video tape recorders, may be a rather complicated matter. In particular, timing of recording equipment in connection with a wish for recording a programme or a transmission transmitted by a broadcasting station, e.g. a television station, is in- teresting, as the desired programme or transmission is typically broadcast at a specified time.

When the recording equipment is to be set to record a desired programme on a given channel at a given time, the following setting procedure is typically used: First it is to be specified which programme is to be recorded, when it is broadcast, and on which channel it is broadcast. Then the recording equipment is to be tuned to the channel, and it is to be specified when the recording equipment is to start and stop recording the programme.

Programming in the form of timing the recording equipment typically takes place on the basis of a broadcast pro^¬ gramme supplied directly or indirectly by the broadcasting station. The broadcast programme may e.g. be pub- lished as information in a newspaper or a weekly, as information on a teletext page, as information on a home page on the Internet, or in another form. With such a broadcast programme, the recording equipment may be set as stated above. If several programmes or transmissions are to be recorded, the above-mentioned setting procedure must be followed for each transmission which is to be recorded. This involves a great risk that the user mixes up the various items of information and thereby sets the recording equipment wrongly. As the user typically uses the programming facility because of his or her absence from the recording equipment when the programme is broadcast and is to be recorded, an error in the programming will therefore - typically - not be detected until it is too late and the programme has been broadcast and is - per- haps - not broadcast again.

For some types of video recorders, a method of setting the video recorder by means of a connected television apparatus and a remote control is known. A first step of the method comprises causing the video recorder to assume a programming state by means of a key on the remote control. Then the video recorder presents a menu or a form which may be filled by means of keys on the remote control. Also known are methods of programming video recorders by means of a bar code reader. These methods are based on the printing of bar codes (e.g. in a weekly) together with a description of a transmission broadcast by a broadcasting station. The bar code contains information on when the transmission is broadcast and possibly on the channel on which the transmission is broadcast. Thus, the bar code reader makes it possible to input the bar code and to supply the video recorder with information on when the video recorder is to record transmissions.

The prior art, however, has the problem, as is also explained above, that such video recorders involve a not insignificant risk that the user mixes up the various items of information and thereby sets the recording equipment wrongly. Furthermore, it is a problem that the setting procedures are quite complicated and therefore difficult to comprehend for non-technically minded users.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a readily comprehensible method which does not have the drawbacks described above.

This is achieved when the method mentioned in the opening paragraph comprises the steps that, by means of an electronic user interface, a user selects such transmissions as are desired to store, and that the times of the selected transmission are automatically identified and used for controlling the storage unit.

It is ensured hereby that a storage unit is controlled automatically in response to the programmes selected by means of the electronic user interface. The user thus need not worry about the precise time of the broadcasting of a selected programme - the user can concentrate on deciding the programme which he/she wants to see and select this, following which the actual storage takes place without the assistance of the user.

In a particularly expedient embodiment of the invention, the control of the storage unit takes place by converting the times of the selected transmissions into commands and transferring the commands to the storage unit by means of a communications protocol, so that the storage unit exe^¬ cutes the commands. It is ensured hereby that the pro- gramming facility may take place in a separate physical unit, and that this may communicate with the storage unit .

When information on the communications protocol is input in a second storage, said communications protocol being specific for a selected storage unit, it is ensured that the storage unit may be controlled notwithstanding that it is controlled by supplier-specific commands. It is additionally ensured that several communications protocols may be stored, thereby allowing communication with several different storage media.

When the commands to the storage unit are transferred via an infra-red communications channel, it is moreover en- sured that the storage unit may be controlled in a manner particularly expedient for the user.

In an embodiment of the invention, the commands are transferred to the storage unit via a communications channel, which is also used for remote control of the storage unit. Hereby, an arbitrary storage unit may be controlled by remote control.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the first communications channel is a communications channel which transfers television/video signals. The method therefore finds application to the benefit of a wide group of users, many of whom have no special technical insight and therefore derive much benefit from the invention.

When the second electronic communications channel is a communications channel which transfers teletext signals, it is ensured that both the first and the second communications channels may be received with the same equipment, and the invention may therefore be implemented in a par- ticularly user-friendly manner. Moreover, the programme schedules already provided in connection with teletext may be used.

In still another preferred embodiment of the invention, the user interface is formed by display means displaying a menu having information for identifying a plurality of transmissions, said menu being controlled by an operating panel. Such user interfaces are well-known to most users from known television equipment and can therefore be used without or after a short period of familiarization.

Likewise, it is expedient that the storage unit is a video tape recorder or a digital video disc recorder/player. It will thus be possible to apply the in- vention in connection with existing equipment, and the invention will thus be very easy to install for a user.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for controlling a storage unit.

This is achieved by arranging the apparatus mentioned initially as described in the characterizing portion of claim 10. Preferred embodiments of the apparatus are defined in claims 11-17. The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which

fig. 1 shows the overall structure of a television system consisting of a storage unit, a receiver and display means, said system being arranged such that the storage unit is controlled automatically,

fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the system in fig. 1 in which an electronic program guide (EPG) is used to create a user menu, and illustrates how the storage medium is controlled,

fig. 3a shows a flowchart of how a transmission is se- lected from the EPG and is subsequently stored in the command list,

fig. 3b shows a flowchart of the control procedure,

fig. 4a shows the storage unit reading control sequences of a remote control, which may control a storage medium so that the storage control medium may control the storage unit,

fig. 4b shows a storage control unit communicating with the storage medium via a learned control sequence,

fig. 5 shows a screen picture which represents EPG data, and in which the transmissions to be stored are marked,

fig. 6 shows a screen picture with a survey of the transmissions selected to be stored,

fig. 7 shows an example of how EPG data may be collected. Fig. 1 shows the overall structure of a television system consisting of a storage unit 101, a receiver 102 and dis^¬ play means 103, said system being arranged such that the storage unit is controlled automatically. The storage unit 101, which is e.g. a video or a DVD (digital video disc recorder/player) , is connected via the connection 104 to display means 103, which may be a television appa^¬ ratus. The storage unit 101 is additionally connected to a receiver 102, the receiver unit 102 being arranged so as to receive transmitted audio/video signals 105. The audio/video signals are transmitted to the storage unit 101 via 106 and further to the display means 104. It is thus possible e.g. to have the transmitted video signals displayed on the television apparatus. The storage unit is used for storing the transmitted audio/video signals.

In connection with the control of the storage unit, the user may select the transmissions to be stored via an electronic list of the audio/video signals to be trans^¬ mitted and via signals 107.

Programme of the evening

Discovery 20.00 Killer Whales

21.15 Arthur C. Clark

-> 23.00 Discovery hits

00.30 Goodnight

Films only 20.00 Death by Night

22.30 Goldeneye

01.00 Lovely lady

03.30 Late night show

Table 1 Table 1 shows a selection of programmes which have been timed for transmission, and where the user may mark the individual programme. The receiver 102 subsequently ensures that the storage unit 101 is activated and deacti- vated via the signal 108 when the selected transmissions begin and stop, respectively.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the system in fig. 1, using an electronic programme guide (EPG) to create a user menu, and illustrates how the storage medium is con^¬ trolled. In connection with the EPG, EPG data are stored in a database 201, said EPG data containing information on the transmissions which are broadcast and the time at which the individual transmissions are broadcast. It is described at the end of this application how the EPG data are collected, which is also known from Danish Patent Application No. DK 1357/97. The EPG data are presented to the user by means of a user interface 202, in which the data may be presented as shown in table 1. Via e.g. an operating panel, the user may mark the transmissions to be stored. The selections made are stored in a command list 203, together with a time indicating when the individual command is to performed.

Table 2 The commands that may be stored, may e.g. be RECORD, STOP, POWER OFF, POWER ON associated with a time at which the given command is to be executed. If it has been indicated e.g. that the transmission marked in table 1 is to be stored, the commands shown in table 3 below might be stored, provided that the storage medium is tuned to receive the channel concerned. Alternatively, the information from the EPG is used for creating a command telling which channel is to be tuned, and this command is executed before the following.

Table 3

When the user makes a selection via the user interface, it is checked in the control list whether the selections made are possible relative to the selections which have already been recorded. For example, storage of a transmission cannot be begun at a time when the storage unit is already storing another transmission. In an embodiment, there is a special user screen which presents the selections made, so that the user has an overview of the selections and has the possibility of removing a selection from the command list.

The storage control unit 204 uses the data which are listed in the command list for communicating the given command to the storage medium 205. Fig. 3a shows a flowchart of how a transmission is selected from the EPG and is subsequently stored in the command list 203. The stored EPG data 301 are presented to the user in step 302, and the user may e.g. make se^¬ lections as to which transmissions are to be stored, which takes place in step 303. It is checked in step 304 whether the selections made are in conflict with the se^¬ lections which have already been recorded in the command list 203. If the selection is in conflict with those already made, the user is requested to solve the problem in step 305 by opting out of either the new selection or the selection which was in conflict with the new one. If the selection made is not in conflict with those already re- corded, commands are generated in step 306 and are listed in the command list 203. It is checked in step 307 whether more commands are to be stored, and if so, the method returns to step 302. After commands have been listed in the command list, the control procedure 308 controlling the storage medium itself is performed. In an embodiment the command list may be connected to the EPG data, so that the command times will automatically be updated in the event of a programme change. The apparatus will hereby automatically allow for programme changes, without the user necessarily having to take action.

Fig. 3b shows a flowchart of the control procedure. The next time for the execution of a command is determined on the basis of the command list, i.e. the time which is closest to the actual time. This takes place in step 309, and the actual time is compared with the next command time in step 310. When these times coincide, the command is passed further on to the storage medium, which takes place in step 311. For the above-mentioned technique to be used in connection with existing storage media, it is necessary that the storage control unit can communicate with the storage medium. This is possible by causing the storage control unit to learn the communications protocol of the storage unit .

Fig. 4a shows the storage control unit 401 which learns control sequences by a remote control 402 capable of con- trolling a storage medium via IR communication, so that the storage control unit 401 may communicate with the storage unit. For the storage control unit to learn the control signals of the remote control, it comprises an IR receiver 403 and a transmitter 404. The keys used on the remote control in connection with the control of the storage medium are activated in the vicinity of the storage control unit. The signals are read and stored by the storage control unit 401, which is subsequently capable of communicating with the storage unit.

Fig. 4b shows a storage control unit 401 which communicates with the storage medium 405 via the learned control signals. If the storage control unit is positioned in an audio/video signal receiver, these signals are subse- quently transferred to the storage unit 405 via the cable 406, e.g. a so-called SCART cable.

In another embodiment, it is not IR signals which the storage control unit learns, but a communications proto- col for communication via e.g. a SC/ART cable.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a screen picture on a user screen which presents EPG data, and in which the transmissions to be stored are marked. This is shown at the programmes designated 502, 503 and 504 in the form of a "*" on the screen picture 501. Fig. 6 shows a screen picture on a user screen displaying a survey of the transmissions selected for storage. As will additionally be seen in fig. 6, the screen picture 601 shows the ordering of three programmes which require a total recording time of 1 hour and 25 minutes, which assists a user in checking whether there is sufficient recording time for the recording of all the programmes.

Fig. 7 shows an example of how EPG data may be collected by a collector unit 701. The collector unit 701 collects data from a plurality of information channels. The collector unit comprises a receiver 702. This receiver 702 may be connected to information sources, e.g. the televi- sion network or the Internet, which contain information on the programmes which are transmitted on the individual television channels, e.g. in the form of HTML documents or teletext pages. The receiver 702 is connected to a channel database 703. The channel database 703 comprises data which describe the channels/ Internet pages to which tuning is to be performed and from which data are subsequently to be fetched. When the receiver 702 has been tuned to receive a given channel/Internet page, the channel information is filtered through a filter 704. The filter 704 ensures that only the data concerning the programmes transmitted by the individual television channels pass through the filter. This filtering depends on the channel to be filtered, and the filtering criteria stored in the channel database 703 are specific for the individ- ual channel. The data passing through the filter are subsequently stored in the programme database 705.

The type of information which may e.g. be stored in the channel database 703 and the programme database 705 is shown in the two tables below. Channel database Channel name and number

Channel ID Time of broadcast

Update time Category

Data type Programme mention

Filtering criterion References if any

Channel time zone Extra information if any

Marking field

Table 1 Table 2

The channel database 703 comprises a channel ID which is used for attaching the subsequent information to the individual channel. The update time is used for telling the receiver 702 when it is to tune to the channel concerned and update the programme information. This time is indi- vidual for the channel concerned, and in the case where the programme channel is teletext, the programme information on DR2 may e.g. be updated at 17.00 and TV3 already at 02.00. Data type indicates the data type and is used in connection with teletext to indicate which teletext pages are to be read. The filtering criterion is used for the filter so that just the necessary information passes through the filter and may e.g. be an indication of which lines of e.g. the teletext page contain relevant information. The time zone of the individual channel is stored and is used in the situation where the programme information originates from a channel with a time zone which is different from the time zone in which the information is to be presented. Finally, there is a marking field which may be marked and demarked, respectively. The field is marked as soon as an update has been performed, and is demarked as soon as a new update day begins. Table 2 shows the data which are stored in the programme database. The programme database is arranged such that it attaches some descriptive data to a given broadcast. Channel name and number are used for identifying to the user the channel on which the stated broadcast is sent. The time indicates when the broadcast is sent, and in this connection the time zone from the channel database is used for correcting for time zones. Category indicates to which category the broadcast belongs, e.g. comedy, tragedy, etc. Also a mention of the individual broadcast, and references, if any, of the individual broadcast, such as association with other broadcasts, are stored, and finally space has been allotted to the storage of additional relevant information.

Although the invention has been explained in connection with a preferred embodiment of the invention, other embodiments are possible - without departing from the idea of the invention.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. A method of storing a storage unit (101, 205, 405) capable of storing transmissions in the form of audio/video signals transmitted from a transmitter via a first communications channel (105) at specific times, information being received via a second electronic communications channel (105) for identifying a plurality of transmissions comprising information on times of the transmissions, said information being input in a first storage (201), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, by means of an electronic user interface (501, 601), a user selects the transmissions which are to be stored, and that the times of the selected transmissions are automatically identified and used for controlling the storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the control of the storage unit (101, 205, 405) takes place by converting the times of the selected transmissions into commands and transferring the commands to the storage unit (101, 205, 405) by means of a communications protocol, so that the storage unit (101, 205, 405) executes the commands.

3. A method according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that information on the communications protocol is input in a second storage (204), said communica- tions protocol being specific for a selected storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

4. A method according to claims 2-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the commands for the storage unit (101, 205, 405) are transferred via an infrared communications channel .

5. A method according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the commands for the storage unit (101, 205, 405) are transferred via a communications channel which is also used for remote control of the storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

6. A method according to claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first communications channel (105) is a communications channel which transfers television/video signals.

7. A method according to claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second (105) electronic communica- tions channel is a communications channel which transfers teletext signals.

8. A method according to claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the user interface is formed by display means (103) which display a menu (501, 601) having information for identifying a plurality of transmissions, said menu being controlled by an operating panel (402) .

9. A method according to claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the storage unit (101, 205, 405) is a video tape recorder or a digital video disc recorder/player .

10. An apparatus for controlling a storage unit (101, 205, 405) capable of storing transmissions in the form of audio/video signals transmitted from a transmitter via a first communications channel (105) at specific times, said apparatus comprising means (102) for receiving information from a second electronic communications channel (105) for identifying a plurality of transmissions, said information comprising times of the transmissions, a first storage (201) in which the information for identifying a plurality of transmissions is stored, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus additionally comprises means (204) allowing the user, by means of a user interface (501, 601) , to select such transmissions as are to be recorded, and means (204) for identifying the times of the selected transmissions and for transmitting control signals to the storage unit (101, 205, 405).

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus additionally com^¬ prises means (202) for converting the times of the selected transmissions into commands, means (204) for transferring the commands to the storage unit (101, 205, 405) by means of a communications protocol so that the storage unit (101, 205, 405) may execute the commands.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus additionally com- prises a second storage (204) which contains information on the communications protocol, said communications protocol being specific for a selected storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

13. An apparatus according to claims 11-12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus additionally comprises an infrared communications channel for transferring the commands to the storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the communications protocol is adapted to communicate with a receiver in the storage unit (101, 205, 405) which may also be used for remote control of the storage unit (101, 205, 405) .

15. An apparatus according to claims 10-14, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the first communications channel (105) is a communications channel which transfers television/video signals.

16. An apparatus according to claims 10-15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the second electronic communications channel (105) is a communications channel which transfers teletext signals.

17. An apparatus according to claims 10-16, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means allowing a user to select such transmissions as are to be stored comprise display means (103) which display a menu having information for identifying a plurality of transmissions, and an operating panel for controlling the menu.

18. An apparatus according to claims 10-17, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the storage unit (101, 205, 405) is a video tape recorder or a digital video disc re- corder/player .