Display apparatus for providing enhanced electronic program guide and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9277163-B2
Application number	US-201113290327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2011
Priority date	May 4, 2011
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A method of controlling a display apparatus including receiving, via a receiving unit, first metadata corresponding to contents to be displayed on the display apparatus from at least a first source externally connected to the display apparatus, said first metadata including channel information and broadcast programs to be broadcast for each channel included in the channel information; matching, via a controller thumbnail images with the broadcast programs; generating, via the controller, an enhanced program guide including a designated time zone indicating when a broadcast program is to be broadcast and a corresponding matched thumbnail image; and displaying via the display apparatus, the enhanced program guide based on a selection signal requesting the enhanced program guide be displayed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart television comprising:
a tuner configured to receive audio and video data at least one broadcast program;
a network interface configured to receive at least one thumbnail image corresponding to each of the at least one broadcast program;
a user interface configured to receive a first command for executing an electronic program guide from a remote controller; and
a controller configured to display the electronic program guide in response to the first command,
wherein the electronic program guide comprises a single representative thumbnail image corresponding to a specific channel providing multiple broadcast programs within a designated time zone, wherein the single representative thumbnail image is determined based on at least one access history, duration or the number of recommendations in regard to each of the multiple programs, and
wherein the controller is further configured to change from displaying the electronic program guide comprising the single representative thumbnail image corresponding to the specific channel within the designated time zone to displaying another electronic program guide having multiple thumbnail images in regard to the specific channel within the designated time zone, in response to a second command for selecting the designated time zone.

2. A method of controlling a smart television, the method comprising:
receiving audio and video data of at least one broadcast program;
receiving, via a network interface, at least one thumbnail image corresponding to each of the at least one broadcast program;
receiving, via a user interface, a first command for executing an electronic program guide from a remote controller;
displaying the electronic program guide in response to the first command, wherein the electronic program guide comprises a single representative thumbnail image corresponding to a specific channel providing multiple broadcast programs within a designated time zone, wherein the single representative thumbnail image is determined based on at least one access history, duration or the number of recommendations in regard to each of the multiple programs;
receiving, via the user interface, a second command for selecting the designated time zone from the remote controller; and
changing from displaying the electronic program guide comprising the single representative thumbnail image corresponding to the specific channel within the designated time zone to displaying another electronic program guide having multiple thumbnail images in regard to the specific channel within the designated time zone.

3. A network device comprising:
a tuner configured to receive audio and video data of at least one broadcast program;
a network interface configured to receive at least one thumbnail image corresponding to each of the at least one broadcast program;
a user interface configured to receive a first command for executing an electronic program guide from a remote controller; and
a controller configured to output a signal for displaying the electronic program guide in response to the first command, wherein the electronic program guide comprises both of the at least one thumbnail image within a designated time zone and an indicator being changeable according to the number of the at least one thumbnail image within the designated time zone,
wherein a first size of a first thumbnail image of a first broadcast program within the designated time zone is same as a second size of a second thumbnail image of a second broadcast program within the same designated time zone.

4. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a schedule list tab for registering a specific broadcast program corresponding to a specific thumbnail image as a viewing scheduled broadcast program in a memory.

5. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the memory stores time information of the specific broadcast program corresponding to the specific thumbnail image in response to a second command from the remote controller.

6. The network device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to output a signal for displaying a reminder message on the specific broadcast program before the specific broadcast program corresponding to the specific thumbnail image starts.

7. The network device of claim 6 , wherein an arrow indicator corresponding to the second command is movable within the electronic program guide depending on an input signal from a touch sensor or motion sensor of the remote controller.

8. The network device of claim 5 , wherein the time information comprises at least one of a start time of the specific broadcast program.

9. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the electronic program guide comprises at least four designated time zones and a plurality of time zone options for changing the designated time zone.

10. The network device of claim 9 , wherein the designated time zone is changed to indicate another broadcast program for a next four or 24 hours in response to selecting a first time zone option among the plurality of time zone options by the remote controller, and
wherein the first time zone option is closer to a right side than a second time zone option within the electronic program guide.

11. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the designated time zone is changed to indicate another broadcast program for a previous four or 24 hours in response to selecting the second time zone option among the plurality of time zone options by the remote controller, and
wherein the second time zone option is closer to a left side than the first time zone option within the electronic program guide.

12. The network device of claim 4 , wherein the memory stores the specific broadcast program if the network device is in a stand-by state at the specific broadcast program's start time.

13. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the electronic program guide further comprises an exit tab for returning to a former screen instead of displaying the electronic program guide.

14. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a first tab for accessing to the electronic program guide having the thumbnail image and a second tab for accessing another electronic program guide having no thumbnail image.

15. The network device of claim 6 , wherein the reminder message asks whether or not a user wants to view the viewing scheduled broadcast program, and
wherein the controller is further configured to switch a screen corresponding to the viewing scheduled broadcast program.

16. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the first and second sizes are unchangeable regardless of the broadcast program's duration time.

17. The network device of claim 3 , wherein the first size becomes larger than the second size and the first thumbnail image is highlighted in response to selecting the first thumbnail image.

18. The network device of claim 3 , wherein a broadcast time of the first broadcast program is partially overlapped with the designated time zone while a broadcast time of the second broadcast program is fully overlapped with the designated time zone.

19. A network device comprising:
a tuner configured to receive audio and video data of at least one broadcast program;
a network interface configured to receive at least one thumbnail image corresponding to each of the at least one broadcast program, by a network interface;
a user interface configured to receive a first command for executing an electronic program guide from a remote

Assignees

• Kim Ryoung
• Bae Yujin
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Ryoung
• Bae Yujin

Classifications

• H04N21/42222 Primary

  Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device · CPC title

• H04N9/8227

  the additional signal being at least another television signal · CPC title

• H04N21/4622

  Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859) · CPC title

• H04N5/775

  between a recording apparatus and a television receiver · CPC title

• H04N5/76 Primary

  Television signal recording · CPC title