Patent Application
20080034397
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for television channel configuration setup, and more particularly to providing an automatic channel search and setup that does not interfere with television viewing.
Television systems may include a plurality of different input configurations. When a television is purchased moved or reconfigured, it is often necessarily to program the television channels. This may be performed by doing a channel search. Televisions need to have an auto-program or channel search algorithm run when a set is being set up for the first time.
With today's designs, this can take, for example, 5-20 minutes to find all channels in every configuration. Every television set requires this to be run while someone is watching the program run. This becomes impractical and an inefficient use of the consumer's time.
Accordingly, there is a need for having a channel search routine, which does not interfere with television viewing of a consumer.
A television system is provided. A television includes an off mode and a normal viewing mode. The television has a setup module responsive to a trigger event. The setup module automatically searches a channel listing from an input signal to provide channel assignments for the television system independently of user supervision. This is provided in such a way that an automatic channel search is performed when the television is in the off mode or is run in the background so that the user is unaware of the automatic channel search during viewing mode.
A method for channel searching for a television includes providing a television having a setup module, the television having an off mode and a normal viewing mode. Responsive to a trigger event, automatic searching a channel listing is provided from an input signal to provide channel assignments for the television system independently of user supervision wherein the searching is performed when the television is in the off mode or is run in the background so that the user is unaware of the searching during viewing mode.
The advantages, nature, and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiments now to be described in detail in connection with accompanying drawings wherein:
It should be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and are not necessarily the only possible configuration for illustrating the invention.
The present invention provides a new and useful system and method for enabling a channel search for televisions, which does not interfere with television viewing. A channel search includes scanning inputs to a television set to determine which channels are available from an input or at a given location. These channels are then stored/assigned within the system to permit viewing access to the channels.
In one embodiment, channel searches may be performed immediately following the set being plugged into the wall without the user having to enable a channel search. In this instance, the television display would not have to be on to complete the channel search. Instead, the television could perform the search in an “off” mode.
In another embodiment, the television display may be showing a television program while the channel search is running in the background and not be visible or apparent to the viewer. In particularly useful embodiments, instead of requiring the owner of a TV to enable a channel search when he/she plugs in a new set, the present invention automatically starts a channel search upon plug-in or other triggering event so at least some if not all channels are available by the time the owner is ready to try to view a channel. If a channel is requested during the automatic search, the search can be stopped and the requested channel displayed until the set is turned off. At this point, the television continues the search from where it left off.
Periodically, for example, each day, week, month or other preselected amount of time, the set starts a new tuning search to see if the present channel list is correct. If it is not correct, the automatic routine could add channels but should not remove channels in case the cable or satellite is turned off when the television is turned off. These automatic features could be turned off or partially inactivated by the consumer if they so desire to preserve the present setup. It should be understood that the elements shown in the FIGS. may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software or combinations thereof. Preferably, these elements are implemented in a combination of hardware and software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purpose digital computers having a processor and memory and input/output interfaces. Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same or similar elements and initially to
In one embodiment, system 10 includes an input/power sensing module 22, which senses one of power 18 or an input signal 12-16 to initiate a tuning/setup procedure implemented by a tuning/setup module 24. In one example, a television set is plugged in, module 24 is powered up and awaits an input signal from one or more inputs 12-16. When the input signal is present a channel scan is performed to set up channel assignments within system 10. This procedure may be performed even while the television is off. Alternately, the procedure can be run simultaneously while a viewer watches television.
Module 22 assigns available stations from inputs 12-16 to channels automatically without the need for viewer supervision. Upon set up of a television, sensor module 22 triggers tuning/setup module 24 to begin channel assignments through a timer/bypass 20. Timer/bypass 20 controls access to tuning/setup module 24. In this way, tuning/setup module 24 is operational at startup or at predetermined times. For example, after module 24 programs channel assignments, bypass 20 disables module 24 to prevent reinitiating thereof. In addition, module 24 will not consume power. After timer 20 measures a periodic lapse of time, module 24 is triggered and becomes operational to add new channels or to reassign channels based upon input signals received on inputs 12-16.
In some embodiments, the elapsed time may include a day, week, month or other preselected amount of time. Module 24 starts a new tuning search to see if the present channel list is correct when prompted by timer 20. If the channel list is not correct, the automatic routine may add channels or adjust channels. Module 24 should not remove channels in case cable or satellite inputs are turned off when the television is turned off. These automatic features could be turned off or partially inactivated by the consumer if they so desire to preserve the present setup. In the event that the inputs are off when the timer 20 activates module 24, sensor module 22 senses the inactive input and only permits new channels to be added, which do not erase or delete the channels associated with the inactive input. For example, if channel X is associated with cable and the cable is disconnected according to module 22, then channel X could not be reassigned. However, if channel X+2 was previously available (no associated channel) and a satellite input indicates X+2 as a new channel, X+2 would be assigned and associated with satellite. Other, schemes may also be employed for programming/assigning channels.
System 10 includes a user control feature 26 which operates in accordance with existing user interfaces to program timer/bypass 20, provide a manual override of module 24 to permit user channel assignment and permit viewer television usage even during tuning/setup during operation of module 24.
Advantageously, channel searches may be performed immediately following the set being plugged into the wall without the user having to enable a channel search even when the television is in an “off” mode. Alternately, the television display may be showing a television program while the channel search is running in the background and not visible or apparent to the viewer. In particularly useful embodiments, instead of requiring the owner of a TV to enable a channel search when he plugs in a new set, tuning/setup module 24 automatically starts a channel search upon plug-in or other triggering event so at least some if not all channels are available by the time the owner is ready to try to view a channel. If a user requests a channel during the automatic search, the search can be stopped and the requested channel or channels displayed until the set is turned off. At this point, the television continues the search from where it left off by storing the last searched channel information in a memory 25.
While the present invention has been illustratively described in terms of system 10, the present invention is broader and may include other options or features by providing circuits and software 28 to perform such operations. For example, circuits 28 may include an onscreen status report 31. The status report 31 can be generated automatically or at the prompting of a user using an acceptable user interface, e.g., a remote control and/or interface 26. The status report 31 may include information such as, when the last channel search was performed, the last channel to be searched (if the channel such was interrupted), time until the next such, information about newly discovered channels, etc.
In an alternate embodiment, module 24 may include two or more tuners (modules 24). If multiple tuners are present, one tuner may be dedicated to setting up or finding new channels or channel assignments, while a second tuner is employed to permit a user to view television programs. The tuner module 24 used for finding new channels would be activated in accordance with timer 20. Otherwise, this tuner could be deactivated during normal operations of system 10.
Referring to
In the event a channel has been selected for viewing, a check is made as to the status of the television set in block 110. If the set is on, block 110 checks the status intermittently (using e.g., timer 20 shown in
After a predetermined elapsed time, as programmed or provided for in timer 20, a check is performed to determine whether the television is off in block 114 to prepare for an update check in block 116. Block 114 is optional as an update check may be performed while the television is in normal use.
In block 116, a date or time check is made to determine if an update is needed. If an update is not needed, block 116 is checked intermittently (using e.g., timer 20 shown in
In block 121, a user selectable feature may be implemented, which permits the user to manually select or deselect a given channel. When the channel is selected/deselected by the user, the channel is added/removed to/from a channel list. This feature is particularly useful when a user wishes to add/delete specific channels from the list. This feature may be selectable from an options menu, which are normally provided in television systems. This feature may be employed during a search and provide an automatic query for a given new channel, a channel of a certain type, e.g., pay-per-view, adult, music video etc. These options are preferably user-selectable before or during a search.
Although the embodiment which incorporates the teachings of the present invention has been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US04/15104 | 5/14/2004 | WO | 11/14/2006 |
