RECEIVER AND BROADCAST RECEIVING METHOD

Abstract

If a sub broadcast is unavailable so a reception means receives the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast, reception of the sub broadcast is booked. When the sub broadcast is booked and the sub broadcast becomes available, the reception means automatically receives the sub broadcast booked instead of the main broadcast. Accordingly, reception of the sub broadcast can start automatically when the sub broadcast starts, without inputting instructions to select the sub broadcast repeatedly, whereby operation performed by a user can be simplified.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a receiver 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data structures of broadcasts including the main broadcast and sub broadcasts;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing to book a sub broadcast;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing to start reception of a booked sub broadcast;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing to book a selected program; and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing to start reception of a booked program.

Claims

1. A receiver comprising: a selection section for selecting one main broadcast or sub broadcast from broadcasts including the main broadcast and one or a plurality of sub broadcasts;a reception section for receiving the main broadcast or a sub broadcast;an availability determination section for determining, when a sub broadcast is selected by the selection section, whether the sub broadcast is available;an instruction section for instructing the reception section to receive the sub broadcast if the sub broadcast is determined as available, and instructing the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast if the sub broadcast is determined as unavailable; anda booking section for booking reception of the sub broadcast when the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast, wherein if reception of the sub broadcast is booked by the booking section, when the sub broadcast is determined as available by the availability determination section, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the sub broadcast.

2. The receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the reception section is receiving a sub broadcast, the availability determination section determines whether the sub broadcast becomes unavailable, and if the sub broadcast is determined to become unavailable, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast, and the booking section books reception of the sub broadcast.

3. The receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the booking section includes: a selection storage section for storing the main broadcast or a sub broadcast selected by the selection section; and a reception storage section for storing the main broadcast or a sub broadcast received by the reception section, and when a sub broadcast is stored on the selection storage section and the main broadcast is stored on the reception storage section, the booking section books the sub broadcast stored on the selection storage section.

4. The receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein when a sub broadcast is stored on the reception storage section and the sub broadcast stored on the reception storage section is determined as unavailable by the availability determination section, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast, and the booking section books the sub broadcast.

5. The receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast further includes an availability status indicating whether the main broadcast and one or a plurality of sub broadcasts are available, and the availability determination section determines whether a sub broadcast is available based on the availability status.

6. The receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein the booking section includes: a timer booking selection storage section for storing a start time, an end time and a sub broadcast to be received at the start time; anda timer booking reception storage section for storing the main broadcast or a sub broadcast received based on a stored content of the timer booking selection storage section, whereinat the start time stored on the timer booking selection storage section, the availability determination section determines whether the sub broadcast stored on the timer booking selection storage section is available,if the sub broadcast is determined as available, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the sub broadcast, and if the sub broadcast is determined as unavailable, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast,when the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast, the booking section stores the main broadcast on the timer booking reception storage section to thereby book reception of the sub broadcast,if reception of the sub broadcast is booked by the booking section, when the sub broadcast is determined as available by the availability determination section, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the sub broadcast, andat the end time stored on the timer booking selection storage section, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the main broadcast or the sub broadcast stored on the selection storage section.

7. A receiver comprising: a selection section for selecting one program from a broadcast including a plurality of programs;a reception section for receiving a program;an availability determination section for determining, when a program is selected by the selection section, whether the program is available;an instruction section for instructing the reception section to receive the program if the program is determined as available, and instructing the reception section to receive another program instead of the program if the program is determined as unavailable; anda booking section for booking reception of the program selected if the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the other program, whereinif reception of the program is booked by the booking section, when the program booked is determined as available by the availability determination section, the instruction section instructs the reception section to receive the program booked.

8. Broadcast receiving method comprising the steps of: selecting one main broadcast or sub broadcast from broadcasts including the main broadcast and one or a plurality of sub broadcasts;when the sub broadcast is selected, determining whether the sub broadcast selected is available;when the sub broadcast is determined as available, receiving the sub broadcast;when the sub broadcast is determined as unavailable, receiving the main broadcast instead of the sub broadcast,when the main broadcast is received instead of the sub broadcast, booking reception of the sub broadcast;when reception of the sub broadcast is booked, determining whether the sub broadcast booked is available; andwhen the sub broadcast booked is determined as available, receiving the sub broadcast booked.