WO1999029106A1

WO1999029106A1 - A method and an apparatus for transferring data from a number of data sources to a number of receivers

Info

Publication number: WO1999029106A1
Application number: PCT/DK1998/000523
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jesper Kaagaard; Jan Skaug SØRENSEN
Original assignee: Force Electronics A/S
Priority date: 1997-11-26
Filing date: 1998-11-26
Publication date: 1999-06-10
Also published as: WO1999031878A1; DK135797A; AU1434499A; DE29880170U1; DE29880173U1; AU1434599A; DK172550B1

Abstract

When showing teletext pages from the channels of a plurality of television suppliers, which may e.g. be satellite channels UHF/VHF, and/or cable-television cables, on a plurality of television receivers (4), the teletext pages are stored in the television receivers, said teletext pages being scanned at regular intervals. The scanned teletext pages are displayed on a screen picture containing a combination of a plurality of teletext pages. The screen picture includes a subarea which shows a menu having graphic function keys. If a video is connected to the television receiver, a user may mark one or more programmes by means of a function key, and then the video is automatically initiated for recording, or the television receiver is activated by the programmes marked, so that the video starts and stops at the exact points of time. For each combination of markings, the total recording time needed is displayed on the screen picture. The invention provides an unprecedented user friendliness, as the user gets a clear overview of the contents of the teletext pages on-line and a demand, so that he does not have to wait for the television apparatus to find a teletext page, which can moreover only be found if the television apparatus is tuned to the television channel of the teletext page concerned. Further, an extremely simple manner of programming a video is obtained. It is noted that the invention is not restricted to be teletext pages from the channels of a plurality of television suppliers, but may also be data from arbitrary data sources.

Description

A method and an apparatus for transferring data from a number of data sources to a number of receivers

The present invention relates to a method of transferring data from a plurality of data sources to a plurality of television receivers, the transferred data being stored in the television receivers.

Finally, the invention relates to an apparatus capable of receiving and storing data from a plurality of data sources .

For many years, teletext pages have been associated with the individual television channels, understood in the way that if a user wants to view a teletext page, he must then tune his television receiver to the television channel concerned and then activate "TTV" via his remote control so that the pages are displayed on a television screen.

Since each channel has a plurality of teletext pages which the users may select, it is necessary via the remote control to enter the number of the page it is de- sired to view. However, the various teletext pages are transmitted together with the television programme in a prioritized order, which means that it takes a certain time, sometimes even a rather long time, before it is possible to view the desired teletext page. This problem has been solved by storing a plurality of teletext pages, so that the user has more rapid access to the individual pages.

It may moreover be irritating that channel switching is necessary to find teletext pages from the television channels of other suppliers, e.g. if it is desired to have an overview of the programmes transmitted on the individual television channels.

It will thus be a great advantage if teletext pages from several television channels could be co-ordinated, so that information on a plurality of teletext pages from various suppliers could be displayed simultaneously. It is also of interest that the user can combine these individually, as desired.

EP Patent Application No. 0 253 110 discloses a video text decoder having a memory for storing a plurality of teletext pages transmitted from a number of television suppliers, e.g. via satellite, or from private transmit- ters . The user can then generate a screen picture via remote control, which shows an overview of the position and name of the individual channels. This page is formed on the basis of the channel name which is present on the teletext pages of the individual channel. The applica- tion thus does not describe a solution where an individ^¬ ual combination of several different teletext pages is displayed simultaneously.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to improve the facilities for teletext users, which particularly remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the known systems .

The object of the invention is achieved by a method of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1, which is characterized in that users of the stored data transfer control signals to one of the television receivers with a view to having shown an individual combination of data. The individual users hereby have the possibility of using the stored data individually. They may then combine data which just contain information of their interest.

When, as stated in claim 2, the storage in the television receivers is performed by a scanning of the data sources, which is performed repeatedly, the users will always have the possibility of viewing the most recently updated data.

When, as stated in claim 3, the users specify an individual combination of data, information on the specified combination of data is stored, and information on the individual combination of data is recalled and used for displaying the individual combination of data, the information will be available more rapidly, other things being equal, since the user need not specify the indi^¬ vidual combination of data each time the information is to be used.

When, as stated in claim 4, the transferred data and the stored data are in the form of teletext pages which are transferred from the channels of a plurality of television suppliers, some data are used which are already be- ing transferred in connection with the television signal .

Additionally, in connection with claim 4, it is an advantage, as stated in claim 6, if parts of several teletext pages are displayed simultaneously on the screens of the television receivers, as this allows the user to get a quite good overview of the programme options available, e.g. right now, even when it is possible to receive a very large number of television chan- nels. To increase the user friendliness additionally, it is an advantage, as stated in claim 7, that the screen picture contains a subarea with a menu which contains a plurality of graphic function keys for use for individual dis- play of combinations of data.

It is hereby possible to sort and search in the stored data in an individual manner.

For more individual user-specified operations, it is an advantage, as stated in claim 8, that at last some of the graphic function keys, e.g. a graphic function key showing "all day", when activated, cause display of an additional menu having a plurality of specific func- tions.

This makes it possible to provide search criteria for the teletext pages which give an unprecedented flexibility.

As is known, today there are not many individuals who are able to program a video correctly, which means that the users, although they have tuned the programmes on the video device, in many cases never have anything re- corded from the desired channel.

If, as stated in the introductory portion of claim 9, a recorder is connected for the storage of pictures or picture sequences, such as a video device for the tele- vision receiver, which may be of the VHS type or of the CD/DVD type, it is an advantage if the television receiver is arranged such that control signals may be transferred from the television receiver to a video timer in the video device, and that this process takes place automatically. This allows simple programming of the video device for recording television signals from various television channels, without a major procedure having to be initi^¬ ated, as is known with the video programming facilities found in known video devices.

To facilitate the programming of a video device additionally, it is an advantage, as stated in claim 10, that the user marks one or more programmes on the screen picture by means of the graphic function keys, following which the video is activated for recording and/or reproduction on the television receiver.

It is also expedient, as stated in claim 11, that the required recording time for the marked programmes is displayed on the screen picture, which means that the user can check whether there is sufficient recording capacity on the video receiver.

Finally, the initially mentioned apparatus is arranged as described in the characterizing portion of claim 12. Preferred embodiments of the device are defined in claims 13-19.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which

fig. 1 shows a set-up of ordinary television equipment,

fig. 2 illustrates the structure of a data collector unit,

fig. 3a shows a flowchart for the scanning of the individual channels, fig. 3b shows how data are fetched from teletext and digital channels, respectively,

fig. 4 shows an example of teletext pages and the fil- tering of them in connection with a subsequent collec^¬ tion of data for the formation of an individual combina^¬ tion,

figs. 5-8 show examples of the display of teletext pages according to the invention on the screen of a television receiver,

fig. 9 shows a screen picture where programmes to be re^¬ corded are marked, and

fig. 10 shows a screen picture with status functions for a video timer incorporated in a video device.

As will be seen in fig. 1, a television system 1 con- sists of a television apparatus 2, which is connected to a receiver 4 according to the invention, and a video device 3.

As will be seen, an antenna, shown here as a VHF antenna 9, is connected to the television receiver 2 via a cable 5 to the video device 3, from which television signals are transferred via the plug 6 to the television apparatus. Additionally, a receiver 4, here shown as a satellite receiver, is connected to the television apparatus 2 and the video 3, respectively, the connection to the television receiver 2 and the video 3 taking place by means of scart cables 7, 8. Further, two parabolic antennas 10, 11 are shown for the receiver, which are adapted to receive satellite channels. Of course, noth- ing prevents connection of more parabolic reflectors than the two shown in fig. 1. When using e.g. the above-mentioned television system, it is a large amount of channels that can be received. It is of interest to get an overview of the programmes transmitted on the individual channels. Thus, it is of interest to combine information on several channels to a survey which is specific for the individual user. In addition, the user can store his individual combinations, so that they may be used again and do not have to be specified prior to each use.

Fig. 2 illustrates a collector unit for collecting data from a plurality of data sources. The collector unit comprises a receiver 202. This receiver 202 may be con- nected to data sources, e.g. the television network, the Internet or other sources containing information on the programmes transmitted on the individual television channels, e.g. in the form of so-called home pages on the Internet or teletext pages. The receiver 202 is con- nected to a channel database 203. The channel database 203 comprises data which describe the channels/Internet pages to which tuning is to performed and from which data are subsequently fetched. When the receiver 202 has been tuned to receive a given channel/Internet page, the channel information is filtered through a filter 204. The filter 204 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 crite- ria stored in the channel database 203 are specific for the individual channel. The data passing through the filter are subsequently stored in the programme database 205. The type of information which may e.g. be stored in the channel database 203 and the programme database 205, respectively, is shown in the two tables below.

Channel database

Channel ID

Update time

Data type

Filtering criterion

Channel time zone

Marking field

Table 1 Table 2

Table 1 shows the data which are stored in the channel database 203 comprising a channel ID which is used for attaching the subsequent information to the individual channel. The update time is used for telling the re- ceiver 202 when it is to tune to the channel concerned and update the programme information. The update takes places repeatedly, which may e.g. be every third time or each time the data source is updated. This time is individual for the individual channel, and in the case where teletext is the data source, 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 represented. Finally, there is a marking field which may be marked and demarked, re^¬ spectively. The field is marked as soon as an update has been performed, and is demarked as soon as a new update day begins. It is hereby possible to keep track of which channels are updated.

Table 2 shows the data which are stored in the programme database 205. The programme database 205 is arranged such that it attaches some descriptive data to a given broadcast. Channel name and number are used for identi^¬ fying to the user the channel on which the stated broad^¬ cast is sent. The time indicates when the broadcast begins, 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 al- lotted to the storage of additional relevant information.

Fig. 3a shows a flowchart which illustrates how the individual channel is updated. In step 301, the system is initialized, which means that the channel database is filled as described above. Thus information on which channels are to be scanned and which items of informa^¬ tion on the individual channel are to be scanned, are stored. The channel name and its update time are thus stored in the channel database, and the channel database is searched in step 302. The channel having the closest update time to the actual time is the next one to be updated. Step 303 comprises waiting for the actual time to correspond to the update time, and in step 304 data are fetched from the channel which had the first update time. After the channel has been updated, an update mark is provided for the channel concerned in the channel database, followed by returning to step 302. In an embodiment, a predefined time span, e.g. 24 hours, has been coded, and as soon as this time has elapsed, all update marks associated with the individual channels in the channel database are removed, and a new update period can begin.

Fig. 3b illustrates the data download in detail in the case where the received data may come from either teletext or digital television. It is checked in step 305 on the basis of the information in the channel database whether the data to be fetched from the channel concerned originate from teletext. If so, switching is performed in step 306 to the teletext pages relevant ac^¬ cording to the channel database, followed by waiting until the page is ready. The lines relevant according to the channel database are scanned in step 307, and these are stored in step 308. Finally, the channel is marked as being updated in step 309. If it is not teletext, it must be digital television, and step 310 switches to the channel concerned. Data from a flow of data are filtered in step 311, and in 312 and 313 the information is stored and the channel is marked as being updated, re- spectively.

Fig. 4 illustrates collection of programme data from a plurality of teletext pages. It has been defined in advance on which lines the information of interest is po- sitioned. Information, such as advertisements and the like, are sorted. The data are collected by the collector unit 401 and are used for a subsequent user-defined presentation of data. This user-defined presentation of data takes place in that the user transfers control sig- nals to the collector unit. These control signals may e.g. come from an operating panel capable of communicat- ing with the collector unit. The control signals may be IR signals or other forms of signals.

Fig. 5 shows a first example of the display of a teletext page which is combined from data collected by the collector unit according to the invention.

This teletext page is the result of the processing of the data which have been collected by the collector unit in e.g. a television receiver.

As will be seen, this teletext page consists of three subareas 501, 502, 503. These subareas are formed by a display area 502, cf. also fig. 5, a function area 503, and an area 501 which shows television channels, here shown as TV 3 Danmark. Teletext information from channels may be transferred to the area 502. In the case concerned, the function area has been tuned to the function "shown now", and, as will be seen, it is shown in the area 501 that TV 3 Danmark broadcasts a programme called "Magnum", shown at 504, at 16.05.

Fig. 6 shows a picture corresponding to that of fig. 5, where the function key "next" shown at 601 is activated, which means that TV 3 Danmark broadcasts the programme "Ricki Lake" as the next programme.

Fig. 7 shows a further function option, it being shown for TV 3 which television programmes are broadcast in the evening, and, as will be seen on the picture 701, the programmes broadcast in the period of time from 19.00 to 03.05, are shown.

The functions in the area 503 shown in figs. 5-7 are shown in an overall view in fig. 8, in which the various options of selecting programmes shown at 801 in the function area 501 are present.

Although the foregoing has been explained in connection with the display of teletext pages from a single programme, here TV 3 Danmark, nothing, of course, prevents listing of more television programmes in the left-hand column in the area 501. At the same time, various programmes from the various channels may be displayed by the display unit 502, and the programmes will of course be marked by a text indicating the channel to which the programme belongs.

The screen picture from fig. 8 is shown again in fig. 9, but now with an additional facility which allows marking of individual programmes. This is shown at the programmes marked 901, 902 and 903 in the form of an "*" on the display unit 502. This marking is used for transferring information from the teletext page in fig. 9 to the programmes from fig. 10 shown on the screen picture of a video timer. As will additionally be seen in fig. 10, the screen picture 1001 shows the ordering of three programmes which require an overall 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.

Although the invention has been explained in connection with a preferred embodiment of the invention, nothing prevents it from containing other options within the scope of the claims, such as searching proper of programmes by means of the so-called key word technique, which e.g. allows listing of programmes within a given topic, e.g. "sport" or the more specific "soccer".

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i s

1. A method of transferring data from a plurality of data sources to a plurality of television receivers (2,

3 or 4), the transferred data being stored in the television receivers (2, 3 or 4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that users of the stored data transfer control sig^┬¼ nals to one of the television receivers (e.g. 4) with a view to having shown an individual combination of data.

2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the stored data are provided by a scanning of the data sources, which is performed repeatedly.

3. A method according to claims 1-2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the users specify an individual combination of data, that information on the specified combination of data is stored, that the information on the individual combination of data is recalled and used for displaying the individual combination of data.

4. A method according to claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the transferred data and the stored data are in the form of teletext pages which are transferred from the channels of a plurality of television suppliers.

5. A method according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that teletext pages from e.g. satellite channels, VHF/UHF channels and/or cable-distributed television channels are stored in the television receivers .

6. A method according to claims 4-5, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that parts of several teletext pages are displayed simultaneously on the screen of the television receivers.

7. A method according to claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the screen picture contains a subarea with a menu which contains a plurality of graphic function keys (503) for use for individual display of the combinations of data.

8. A method according to claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, when activated, at least some of the graphic function keys, e.g. a graphic function key showing "all day", cause display of a further menu (801) having a plurality of specific functions.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, and wherein the television receiver has connected to it a recorder for the storage of pictures or picture sequences, such as a video device which may be of the VHS type or of the CD type, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that control signals are transferred from the television receiver (e.g. 4) to a video timer in the video device.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the recorder is a video device, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the user marks one or more programmes (901, 902, 903) on the screen picture by means of the graphic function keys, and then the video is activated for recording and/or reproduction on the television receiver.

11. A method according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the required recording time (1002) for the marked programmes is shown on the screen picture.

12. An apparatus capable of receiving and storing data from a plurality of data sources, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises means for receiving control signals from a user and may show an in- dividual combination of data on the basis of the control signals .

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises means for scanning the data sources, capable of performing scanning repeatedly.

14. An apparatus according to claims 12-13, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises means allowing the users to specify an individual combination of data, that the apparatus comprises storage means in which the specified combination of data may be stored, and that the apparatus comprises means allowing the information on the individual combination of data to be recalled and displayed.

15. An apparatus according to claims 12-14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the apparatus comprises means capable of transferring data from a plurality of televi- sion suppliers and of storing data, where data are in the form of teletext pages.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises means capable of storing teletext pages from e.g. satellite channels, VHF/UHF channels and/or channel-distributed television channels .

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that it comprises means capable of displaying parts of several teletext pages simultaneously on a television screen.

18. An apparatus according to claims 12-17, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises means capable of displaying a screen picture containing a subarea with a menu which contains a plurality of graphic function keys (503) for use for individual display of combinations of data.

19. An apparatus according to claims 12-18, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises means allowing at least some of the graphic function keys, e.g. a graphic function key showing "all day", when activated, to cause display of a further menu (801) having a plurality of specific functions.