Apparatus and Method for Creating or Editing a Channel Map

This invention relates to the reception of television signals and more particularly to channel mapping local television channel numbers to regional or network names.

A table mapping network names to local channel numbers, called "a channel map", is used to set a television receiver or a VCR for future unattended operation or the display an on-screen television guide for tuning by title. A television or VCR user can create a channel map by manually keying in the relationship between network names and local channel numbers from a print guide responsive to on-screen prompts. Alternatively, a user can select the proper channel map for his or her geographic area from channel maps transmitted in the VBI of a television signal by keying in the user's zip code as disclosed in the above-referenced PCT application. In the latter case, it sometimes becomes necessary to edit one or more entries in the channel map to account for local anomalies.

According to the invention, a channel map is created and/or edited with the aid of a PIP window in which a real time television program is displayed. The PIP window is displayed on a monitor screen at the same time as a channel map of pairs of network names and local channel numbers. The local channel numbers can be individually changed to create the channel map or edit the pairings of network name and local channel number. When the local channel numbers are changed, the tuner for the PIP window also changes so the television program displayed in the PIP window corresponds to the television program telecast on the local channel number displayed on the screen. This provides verification of the accuracy of the pairing of network names and local channel numbers in the channel map.

The features of specific embodiments of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a television screen illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a television screen illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of a remote controller providing a viewer input device;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are television screens formatted according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a program schedule according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a television receiver according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1 a monitor screen 10 is shown in the format of provisional Application No. 60/053,330 with several minor modifications. Screen 10 is divided into a number of different display areas. A real time telecast television program is displayed in a video area 12. This display preferably appears as a PIP window generated by a conventional PIP chip. As the microprocessor (not shown) changes the television tuner (not shown), it also changes the program displayed in video area 12 to reflect the local channel number to which the tuner is set. Panel ad areas 14 and 16, which do not play a direct roll in the practice of the invention, lie below video area 12. A banner area 18 lies at the top of screen 10 adjacent to area 12. A channel map area 20 occupies the bottom two-thirds of screen 10 to the right of areas 12, 14, and 16. Area 20 comprises a plurality of horizontally extending channel panels or lines that display respectively in separate columns: a network name, e.g. ABC; a local channel number, e.g. "13"; and the status of the channel availability, e.g. ON or OFF. The ON channels have a different background color from the OFF channels. Responsive to up/down arrow keys on the remote controller, one of the channels is highlighted by a cursor 22. Above area 20 lies a horizontally extending menu bar area 24 by which the user can select among a number of different functions. Between menu bar area 24 and banner area 18 lies a detail area 26.

One of the functions of menu bar area 24 is highlighted by a cursor 28. The up/down and right/left arrow keys of a remote controller (not shown) are operated to move cursor 28 to select one of the functions of menu bar area 24. The outwardly pointing arrows indicate that more functions can be selected and displayed by moving the arrow keys to the right or left. If, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the EDITOR function is selected by cursor 28 and then an OK key on the remote controller is pressed, a channel map is displayed in area 20 and cursor 22 highlights one of the channel lines in area 20. The channel map could be downloaded from the VBI of a television signal responsive to the user inputting his or her zip code, as described in the above-referenced PCT application. Alternatively, the network name-local channel number pairs could be keyed in manually from a print guide by the user through the number key pad of the remote controller aided by on-screen prompts if desired. Alternatively, the channel map could be constructed channel by channel by comparing a program displayed in video area 12 with the title displayed in the highlighted channel line in the manner described in Application No. 08/579,643.

By scrolling through area 20 with cursor 22 other channel lines containing network name-local channel number pairs can be displayed. Prompts for operating the EDITOR function are displayed in detail area 26. The prompts in banner area 18 and detail area 26 appear only after a channel line in area 20 is highlighted. The user can turn the channel highlighted by cursor 22 ON or OFF by pressing the number "3" on the keypad of the remote controller as indicated in banner 18. To change the local channel number displayed in the channel line highlighted by cursor 22, the number "2" on the keypad is pressed as indicated in banner area 18 and then the new local channel number is keyed in with the keypad. According to the invention, the tuner is also automatically set to the new local channel number and the program telecast on the new local channel number is displayed in video area 12. Thus, the user can confirm the correspondence between the new local channel number and the network channel name. The user can cancel all the changes made during the current session in the channel editor mode by pressing the number "1" on the keypad, as indicated by banner area 18. Alteratively, instead of number keys, the cancel, change, and on/off commands could be issued by colored keys on the remote controller that correspond to color coded circles in banner area 18.

The described channel mapping technique could be used in conjunction with any television receiver, VCR, or cable box that employs channel mapping. However, the invention is particularly useful with an electronic program guide, such as that disclosed in Application No. 08/579,643 or Application No. 60/053,330. In such case, the titles could also be displayed in the channel lines.

FIG. 2 illustrates a television screen 30 which is the same as screen 10 in FIG. 1, except for the addition of program titles in channel map area 20. The program titles make it easier for the user to confirm the accuracy of the network name-local channel number pairs in the channel map or to create a channel map from scratch. Specifically, if the program displayed in video area 12 corresponds to the title in the highlighted channel line, the local channel number therein is properly paired with the network name.

Although it is preferable to display the television program in a PIP window simultaneously with the channel map, the channel map could be overlaid on the television program or presented in another format that presents both aspects for the user.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3-7.

The viewer input device 1288 preferably takes the form of a hand-held remote infrared (IR) transmitter which communicates with an infrared receiver connected to microprocessor 1284. As shown in FIG. 3, the remote 1310 has a housing on which a number of control buttons are mounted. A GUIDE/TV button 1312, an INFO button 1314, and a VCR PLUS+ button 1316 are located above up and down arrow buttons 1318 and 1320. A row of buttons 1322, 1324, 1326 and 1328 which are marked with the colors red (R), green (G), yellow (Y), and blue (B), respectively, underlie down arrow button 1320. Red, green, yellow, and blue prompts are displayed in area 1253 of the electronic guides. To select a prompt on the screen, the button of the IR transmitter having the corresponding color is pressed, i.e., to select the blue prompt on the screen, blue button 1328 is pressed.

The viewer enters the electronic guide by pressing GUIDE/TV button 1312 on the remote controller. Then the electronic program guide shown in FIG. 4, which is a guide showing programs currently being received, as indicated by NOW in subarea 1257, is displayed on the screen. The user may cursor up and down the program listings in area 1255 to select a particular program. In the program selection mode, a user selects a program by moving a cursor to the corresponding program listing in area 1255. Then the user again presses the GUIDE/TV button 1312 and the program display is switched from the PIP area 1252 to the entire television screen 1250.

The user can enter a channel mapping mode by selecting CHOICE 1256 in area 1253 by pressing a corresponding color coded key on remote 1310, such as green button 1324, which will cause video processor 1296 (FIG. 7) to display on television monitor 1280 (FIG. 7) mode selections (not shown), one of which is a channel mapping mode. One way of displaying mode selections is to use banner area 1253 to display color coded subareas for each mode. Once the channel mapping mode is selected, then the television screen is formatted to appear as shown on FIG. 5 and the banner area 1253 indicates the mode by CHANNEL MAPPING in subarea 1257.

In the channel mapping mode, the tuner 1272 (FIG. 7) is controlled to cycle through each channel with a signal. At each channel the user sees the program on the currently tuned to channel in the 1252 area of the screen and is asked, via message 1261 displayed at the bottom of the screen, to find the title of the currently tuned to program in the program schedule in area 1255. In the channel mapping mode, while the user moves the cursor to the correct program in the program schedule, the channel tuned to does not change and the program on the currently tuned to channel continues to be displayed in area 1252. When the user has positioned the cursor on the program listing that the user thinks corresponds to the displayed channel, the user presses a button on the remote controller of FIG. 3, such as blue button 1328, which is effectively in this mode an ENTER key, to select the listing for channel mapping with the currently tuned to channel. The channel number 1280 is then accessed from the program schedule memory and compared by microprocessor 1284 (FIG. 7) with the currently tuned to channel. If they are the same, then the user has selected the correct program listing. If they do not compare, then the user has selected the wrong program listing and a message is displayed in area 1261 for the user to try again and select another program listing. If the correct program listing is selected, then the compressed code for the selected entry is read from the program schedule memory 1282 (FIG. 7) and decoded to obtain CDTL, in which C is the assigned channel number. Then the assigned channel number is paired with the currently tuned to channel number and stored in a channel map in the remote controller, TV, and/or VCR or wherever the channel map is needed for connecting decoded assigned channel numbers into local channel numbers. This process is repeated for each channel having a signal.

With reference to FIG. 5, suppose the tuner is currently tuned to channel 28. Then the program displayed in area 1252 will be the NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS being shown on PBS channel 28. The cursor 1258 is shown as being positioned at the listing for FOX channel 11 currently broadcasting MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, as shown by highlighted area 1258. As the user moves the cursor to the PBS channel 28 NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS listing 1259, the NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS continues to be displayed in area 1252. The brief program description shown in area 1254 can correspond to the program at which the cursor is currently positioned, as shown by FIG. 5 which shows brief description 1254 which corresponds with the MARRIED WITH CHILDREN program highlighted by cursor 1258. Alternatively, the brief program description displayed in area 1254 during the channel mapping mode, can correspond to the program currently being shown in area 1252, such as a brief program description for the NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS. The latter would further assist the user in finding the program listing in area 1255 that corresponds with the program being shown in area 1252.

Once the user has the cursor positioned at the proper program, and for the example above this would be the NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS on PBS channel 28, then the user presses blue button 1328 on remote 1310 to select the listing for channel mapping. As described above, the program schedule memory is accessed to obtain the compressed code corresponding to PBS channel 28 on February 24 at 6:16 p.m. As shown in FIG. 6, the compressed code for PBS channel 28 NIGHTLY BUSINESS NEWS, which is broadcast on February 24th at 6:00 p.m. for one hour, is 635112. The compressed code is decoded to obtain the assigned channel number, which is then paired with the local channel number, which in this case is channel 28 and then stored in a channel map memory in the remote or, for example, in a memory in microprocessor 1284. The channel map memory can then be accessed at a later time to convert an assigned channel number, that has been decoded from a compressed code, into a local channel number, which can be used, for example, for tuning a VCR, to record a program corresponding to the compressed code. When the user presses the blue key 1228, the tuner 1272 is also commanded to tune to the next channel having a signal, and then the process of channel mapping is repeated for the next channel. This is repeated until channel mapping has been performed for all of the channels containing signals.

Reference is made to the attached Appendix for more information about the operation of the described channel mapping editor.