Abstract:
A system for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob includes a knob ( 10 ), a control apparatus ( 11 ) and a television tuner ( 12 ). The knob can be rotated and pressed, and generates rotation signals and press signals which can be received by the control apparatus. The control apparatus generates channel-tuning signals, and automatically selects and sets favorite channels according to the rotation signals and press signals. The channel-tuning signals include signals that control the television tuner to tune to favorite channels and to non-favorite channels. The television tuner is used for tuning television channels according to the channel-tuning signals. A related method for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling television channels, and particularly to a system and method which can control favorite television channels with a single knob.  
         [0003]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0004]     Television is perhaps the main electronic medium through which people can know about the outside world and relax at the same time, and greatly influences many people&#39;s lives. With the ongoing development of television technology, especially with the advent of satellite television and cable television, viewers now have more choices and can tune to more channels than before. Everyone has his/her own interests, and many or even most viewers tend to focus on particular channels. Many viewers want to quickly tune to their favorite channels when watching television. In bygone days, viewers used a tuner button to sequentially tune to channels one by one until they found the desired channel. More recently, viewers have been using remote control devices to tune to particular channels whose channel numbers they remember. Those two manual means for tuning to channels are unduly time-consuming. Further, viewers using remote control devices are liable to forget the correct numbers of their favorite television channels.  
         [0005]     These problems have been largely solved with the advent of so-called favorite technology in television. With favorite technology, a viewer can preset a number of channels as his/her favorite channels, and directly tune to such favorite channels without the need for sequentially tuning to channels one by one or remembering channel numbers. However, presetting favorite channels is itself a manual operation that can be unduly time-consuming. Furthermore, the operation has to be repeated each time the viewer wants to preset a new favorite channel or remove a channel that is no longer favored.  
         [0006]     Moreover, the usual means for invoking favorite technology is to add buttons to the television set or to the remote control device. Non-favorite channels are generally controlled using other buttons. The multiplicity of buttons uses up excessive materials and leads to oversized remote control devices.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a system and/or method which can overcome the above-described problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Accordingly, a main objective of the present invention is to provide a system and method for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob, which can tune favorite and non-favorite channels, update viewing records, automatically select favorite channels, and automatically set or delete favorite channels.  
         [0009]     To accomplish the above objective, a system for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob (“the system”) in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein. The system includes a knob, a control apparatus, and a television tuner. The knob is used for performing of press and rotational operations by users, and generates corresponding press signals and rotation signals. The knob includes an operation part for performing the press and rotational operations, and a circuit for generating corresponding press signals and rotation signals. A rotation signal includes a rotational direction signal and a rotation range signal. The rotation range signal is generated according to a number of continuous rotation pulses which indicate a range of a rotational operation. When the number of the continuous rotation pulses generated by the circuit is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of rotation pulses, the rotation range is regarded as a large one; otherwise, the rotation range is regarded as a small one.  
         [0010]     The control apparatus is used for generating corresponding channel-tuning signals and selecting favorite channels automatically according to the rotation signals, and setting or deleting favorite channels automatically according to the press signals. The control apparatus includes a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) ports, a counter, a timer, a Random Access Memory (RAM), and a Central Processing Unit (CPU). The I/O ports are used for receiving press signals and rotation signals, and for outputting channel-tuning signals. The counter is used for counting a number of continuous rotation pulses. The timer is used for timing a viewing time of a current channel. The RAM is used for storing: a channel list; viewing records of channels in the channel list; a sequence of the channels according to their viewing records; and a plurality of predetermined parameters. The channel list includes channel identifiers and favoritism identifiers of channels. The predetermined parameters include a predetermined number of pulses, a predetermined viewing time, and a predetermined parameter that is used for determining whether a channel is included in automatically selected favorite channels. The CPU is used for updating the viewing records of channels according to the rotation signals, determining the rotational direction and rotation range and generating corresponding channel-tuning signals, automatically selecting favorite channels according to the viewing records, and automatically setting or deleting favorite channels according to the press signals. The television tuner is used for tuning the channels according to the channel-tuning signals generated by the control apparatus.  
         [0011]     Further, the present invention provides a method for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a signal from a knob; (b) determining whether the knob signal is a press signal or a rotation signal; (c) automatically setting or deleting a favorite channel by modifying the favoritism identifier of a current channel if the knob signal is a press one; (d) updating viewing records and a sequence of channels if the knob signal is a rotation one; (e) determining a rotational direction; (f) determining whether a rotation range of the knob is large or small if the rotational direction is counter-clockwise; (g) tuning to an immediately preceding favorite channel according to the viewing records and favoritism identifiers of channels if the rotation range is large; (h) tuning to an immediately preceding channel if the rotation range is small; (i) determining whether the rotation range of the knob is large or small if the rotational direction is clockwise; j) tuning to a next favorite channel according to the viewing records and favoritism identifiers of channels if the rotation range is large; and (k) tuning to a next channel if the rotation range is small.  
         [0012]     In summary, the system and method of the present invention can tune favorite and non-favorite channels according to operations of a single knob, update viewing records of channels, automatically select top viewed channels as favorite channels, and automatically set and delete favorite channels according to operations of the knob.  
         [0013]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and a preferred method of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of hardware and software infrastructure of a system for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of the preferred method for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob according to the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of implementing one of steps of  FIG. 2 , namely updating viewing records of channels and sequencing the channels;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of implementing another of the steps of  FIG. 2 , namely tuning to an immediately preceding (or a next) favorite channel; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of implementing still another of the steps of  FIG. 2 , namely automatically setting or deleting a favorite channel. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of hardware and software infrastructure of a system for controlling favorite television channels with a signal knob (hereinafter “the system”) in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a knob  10 , a control apparatus  11 , and a television tuner  12 . The knob  10  is used for performing of press and rotational operations by users, and for generating press signals and rotation signals. The knob  10  includes an operation part  100  for performing the press and rotational operations, and a circuit  101  for generating corresponding press signals and rotation signals. A rotation signal includes a rotational direction signal and a rotation range signal. The rotation range signal is generated according to a number of continuous rotation pulses which indicate a range of a rotational operation. When the number of continuous rotation pulses generated by the circuit  101  is greater than or equal to a predetermined number of rotation pulses, the rotation range is regarded as a large one; otherwise, the rotation range is regarded as a small one. The control apparatus  11  is used for updating viewing records of channels according to a rotation signal, generating a channel-tuning signal according to the rotation signal, automatically selecting a favorite channel according to the updated viewing records of channels, and automatically setting or deleting a favorite channel according to a press signal. In the preferred embodiment, the channel-tuning signal is generated by the control apparatus  11 , and may be an immediately preceding channel-tuning signal, a next channel-tuning signal, an immediately preceding favorite channel-tuning signal, or a next favorite channel-tuning signal, depending on a rotational direction and a rotation range of the rotation signal.  
         [0020]     The control apparatus  11  includes a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) ports  110 , a counter  111 , a timer  112 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  113 , and a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  114 . The I/O ports  110  are used for receiving press signals and rotation signals from the knob  10 , and outputting channel-tuning signals generated by the control apparatus  11  in order to control the television tuner  12 . The counter  111  is used for counting a number of continuous pulses that the circuit  101  generates during a rotational operation. The timer  112  is used for timing a viewing time of a current channel. The RAM  113  is used for storing: a channel list; viewing records of channels in the channel list; a sequence of the channels according to their viewing records; and a plurality of predetermined parameters. The channel list includes channel identifiers and favoritism identifiers of the channels. The channel identifiers are used for differentiating the channels, and the favoritism identifiers are used for marking whether the channels have been automatically set as favorite ones. A value of “1” of a favoritism identifier of a channel means that the channel is an automatically set favorite channel, and a value of “0” means that the channel is not an automatically set favorite channel. The viewing records of the channels record each channel&#39;s view count, total viewing time, and view value. The view value of a channel is a calculated result based on the view count and total viewing time of the channel. The predetermined parameters include a predetermined number of pulses, a predetermined viewing time, and a predetermined parameter N that is used for determining whether a channel is included in automatically selected favorite channels.  
         [0021]     The CPU  114  is used for updating viewing records of channels when receiving rotation signals, determining a rotational direction and a rotation range according to each rotation signal, generating corresponding channel-tuning signals, automatically selecting favorite channels according to the viewing records, and automatically setting and deleting favorite channels when receiving press signals. Each channel-tuning signal is generated by the CPU  114 , and may be an immediately preceding channel-tuning signal, an immediately preceding favorite channel-tuning signal, a next channel-tuning signal, or a next favorite channel-tuning signal, depending on a rotational direction signal and a rotation range signal. The television tuner  12  is used for tuning the channels according to the channel-tuning signals generated by the control apparatus  11 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a preferred method for controlling favorite television channels with a single knob in accordance with the present invention. In step S 200 , the control apparatus  11  receives a signal from the knob  10 . In step S 201 , the CPU  114  determines whether the knob signal is a rotation signal or a press signal. If the knob signal is a press signal, in step S 202 , the CPU  114  searches in a channel list stored in the RAM  113 , and automatically sets or deletes a favorite channel by modifying the favoritism identifier of the current channel. Then the procedure is ended. If the knob signal is a rotation signal, in step S 203 , the CPU  114  updates viewing records and a sequence of channels. Updating the viewing records includes updating each channel&#39;s view count, total viewing time, and view value; the view value being a calculated result based on the channel&#39;s view count and total viewing time. In step S 204 , the CPU  114  determines a rotational direction according to the rotation signal. If the rotational direction is clockwise, the procedure goes to step S 208  described below. If the rotational direction is counter-clockwise, in step S 205 , the CPU  114  determines whether the rotation range is large or small according to the rotation range signal. If the rotation range is large, in step S 206 , the CPU  114  generates an immediately preceding favorite channel-tuning signal, and controls the television tuner  12  to tune to an immediately preceding favorite channel, which is the next lowest favorite channel in numerical sequence relative to the current channel. If the rotation range is small, in step S 207 , the CPU  114  generates an immediately preceding channel-tuning signal, and controls the television tuner  12  to tune to the immediately preceding channel, which is the next lowest channel in numerical sequence relative to the current channel.  
         [0023]     In step S 208 , the CPU  114  determines whether the rotation range is large or small according to the rotation range signal. If the rotation range is large, in step S 209 , the CPU  114  generates a next favorite channel-tuning signal, and controls the television tuner  12  to tune to the next favorite channel, which is the next highest favorite channel in numerical sequence relative to the current channel. If the rotation range is small, in step S 210 , the CPU  114  generates a next channel-tuning signal, and controls the television tuner  12  to tune to the next channel, which is the next highest channel in numerical sequence relative to the current channel.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of details of step S 203  of  FIG. 2 , namely updating viewing records of channels and sequencing the channels according to the updated viewing records. The procedure starts when the control apparatus  11  receives a rotation signal or when the television powers off. In step S 300 , the CPU  114  obtains a viewing time of the current channel as timed by the timer  112 . In step S 301 , the CPU  114  compares the viewing time of the current channel with a predetermined viewing time. If the viewing time is less than the predetermined viewing time, the procedure is ended. If the viewing time is greater than or equal to the predetermined viewing time, in step S 302 , the CPU  114  searches for the viewing records in the RAM  113 . In step S 303 , the CPU  114  increases the view count, total viewing time and view value of the current channel. The increased view value of the current channel is calculated according to a formula based on two predetermined parameters “A” and “B.” The formula is: increased view value=A+B*the viewing time. In step S 304 , the CPU  114  decreases the view counts, total viewing times and view values of other channels. The decreased view value of each other channel is calculated according to a formula based on two predetermined parameters “C” and “D.” The formula is: decreased view value=C+D*the viewing time. In step S 305 , the CPU  114  sequences the channels according to their view values. In step S 306 , the CPU  114  updates the viewing records and the sequence of channels stored in the RAM  113  according to the new viewing records and the new sequence of channels.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of details of step  206  (or step S 209 ) of  FIG. 2 , namely tuning to an immediately preceding (or a next) favorite channel. In step S 400 , the CPU  114  sets a value of a variable E as “1.” In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the value of the variable E is to be increased in increments of “1,” and is used for indicating how many channels have been searched when searching for an immediately preceding (or a next) favorite channel. In step S 401 , the CPU  114  searches for an immediately preceding (or a next) channel according to channel identifiers which are stored in the channel list in the RAM  113 . In step S 402 , the CPU  114  determines whether the immediately preceding (or the next) channel is an automatically set favorite channel according to its favoritism identifier. That is, the CPU  114  determines whether the value of the immediately preceding (or the next) channel&#39;s favoritism identifier is “1.” If the value of the immediately preceding (or the next) channel&#39;s favoritism identifier is “1,” in step S 403 , the CPU  114  generates an immediately preceding (or a next) favorite channel-tuning signal, and controls the tuner  12  to tune to the favorite channel, whereupon the procedure is ended. If the value of the immediately preceding (or the next) channel&#39;s favoritism identifier is “0,” in step S 404 , the CPU  114  determines whether the immediately preceding (or the next) channel is included in a top N viewed channels according to the sequence of channels which is stored in the RAM  113 . If the immediately preceding (or the next) channel is included in the top N viewed channels, the procedure goes to step S 403  described above. If the immediately preceding (or the next) channel is not included in the top N viewed channels, in step S 405 , the CPU  114  increases the value of the variable E by “1.” In step S 406 , the CPU  114  determines whether the value of the variable E is less than or equal to the number of channels in the channel list. That is, the CPU  114  determines whether all channels in the channel list have been searched. If the value of the variable E is less than or equal to the number of channels in the channel list, the procedure returns to step S 401  described above. If the value of the variable E is greater than the number of channels in the channel list, the procedure is ended.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of details of step S 202  of  FIG. 2 , namely automatically setting or deleting a favorite channel by modifying the favoritism identifier of the current channel. In step S 500 , the knob  10  generates a press signal. In step S 501 , the CPU  114  searches for a favoritism identifier of the current channel in a channel list stored in the RAM  113 . In step S 502 , the CPU  114  determines whether the current channel is an automatically set favorite channel or is a non-favorite channel, according to the favoritism identifier of the current channel. That is, the CPU  114  determines whether the value of the favoritism identifier of the current channel is “1” or “0.” If the current channel is an automatically set favorite channel, in step S 503 , the CPU  114  changes the value of the favoritism identifier from “1” to “0.” If the current channel is a non-favorite channel, in step S 504 , the CPU  114  changes the value of the favoritism identifier from “0” to “ 1.” 
         [0027]     Although the present invention has been specifically described on the basis of a preferred embodiment and a preferred method, the invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment and method without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.