Method for programming a receiver of television programmes

Abstract: Object of the invention is to make the VCR more user-friendly and to avoid all the tedious preparations for using SHOWVIEW. In order to achieve this, we eliminate all the 3 digit SHOWVIEW numbers from the screen and make the mapping of the SHOWVIEW numbers fully automatic. With the new auto-mapping, the user can skip all the tedious long procedures as mentioned in prior art. Now, the user goes straight to SHOWVIEW programming. The user enters the Show View code. Then the VCR decodes the entered SHOWVIEW code to SHOWVIEW channel. After that the VCR checks and discovers that this SHOWVIEW channel is not mapped. The VCR then prompts the user to identify which program he wishes to record. A picture on the TV in mixed mode will be used for this. That means, the TV program is shown on the background behind the text. The user uses then [ - ] or [ + ] keys on the remote control to scroll through the list of channels to find the program he wants to record. After that he presses [C] the key to confirm. The VCR will automatically map the correct 3 digit SHOWVIEW numbers to the program he selected.

Description: The invention relates to a method to set the broadcast channel on a device according to the introductory part of claim 1. Referring to prior art, the user is required to: 1) read through a long list of instructions in the manual 2) look at a long list of SHOWVIEW numbers (3-digit) 3) complete the mapping table 4) enter the long list of numbers into the VCR before he can use the SHOWVIEW for timer recording. This is very tedious and prone to errors. The user does not generally understand what he is doing and gets confused. Such a prior art channel mapping is described in EP-A-0577283. It is an object of the invention to simplify said attachment process between the 3 digit SHOWVIEW number to the program places of the device and thereby to make it more convenient for the user. The invention relates to a method for programming a broadcast receiver for system wherein each broadcast is provided with an identification signal transmitted during the broadcast and including a code number for said broadcast emitting transmitter station. The invention is characterized by the steps recited in claim 1. An alternative method is claimed in claim 5. Within the invention the already programmed device like a video recorder is used for performing the desired attachment between the 3 digit SHOWVIEW number and the program places of the device. Programming means an attachment or a concordance between a defined transmitter station like ARD, ZDF to an elected program place number 1, 2, 3....Thereby it is no more necessary to enter the 3 digit show view number as the equipment automatically evaluates said number for establishing the concordance between said number and the associated program place. So said programming process becomes much more convenient for the user. Separately said broadcast is displayed on the screen of a television receiver so that the user can look at the screen and detect, if the picture displayed on the screen corresponds to the picture belonging to said entered identification signal. Said broadcast receiver separately is a video recorder. Said attaching process preferably is performed automatically by pushing a button after the receiver has started to display said selected broadcast. A control unit for performing said method includes keyboard means for entering said identification signal, control means for tuning said device to different transmitter stations and control means for establishing said attachment between said code number and said program place of the device. According to a further embodiment of the invention, it can be used for programming a non-programmed device like a video recorder, that means establishing the attachment or concordance between the program places number 1, 2, 3... at the receiver to the different transmitter stations like ARD, ZDF....This embodiment of the invention works in the following way. For the first, the receiver like a video recorder is not programmed. That means the attachment between the program places number 1, 2, 3... at the receiver like a video recorder and the transmitter station which can be received at the place of the receiver like ARD, ZDF is not yet made. For establishing said programming, in the first step the user enters the complete SHOWVIEW number having for example 9 digits into a keyboard of the equipment. In a second step the video recorder which is not programmed starts an electronic tuning control (ETC process). That means, for example, it automatically tunes the receiver to different stations and stops tuning when a receivable station is reached. The user looks at the screen of the television receiver. After one or more tuning processes the screen will show just said broadcast which corresponds to the broadcast which is defined by the SHOWVIEW number which was entered at the beginning. Now the user can make the programming process, that means, for example, attaching the transmitter station which just transmits said broadcast to a desired program place, for example program place number 5. By this procedure there is made simultaneously the programming of a non-programmed video recorder to different transmitter stations and additionally the attachment between said code number for a defined transmitter station and the program place of the receiver. In order that the invention may more readily be understood, a description is now given by means of examples, reference being made to the drawing showing two circuits according to the present invention. In the drawing: Fig.1 - 3 shows prior art mapping pages appears on the television (TV) screen. Fig.4 - 8 shows mapping pages appears on the TV screen. Fig. 1 shows how to map a page appears on the TV screen. It shows the program number PROG, the broadcast channel CHANNEL, the SHOWVIEW number SHOWVIEW (is blinking) and the orders that can be done. Assuming that the user completes entering all the SHOWVIEW numbers in the mapping page. After that he can now perform SHOWVIEW programming. Fig. 2 shows how the SHOWVIEW programming look on the screen. It can be entered a Maximum 9 digits code. Once pressed [C] key on the remote control of the VCR to confirm, the VCR software will decode the number 12345 to the SHOWVIEW channel SV115. Since SV115 is mapped to Program PR 4. Fig. 3 shows the timer option page according to Fig. 2. It can choose the options 1 to 4 and press the [EXIT] key when it is done. Fig. 4 shows the new auto mapping TV screen. The user can skip all the long procedures as mention in Fig. 1. Now the user goes straight to SHOWVIEW programming. He enters the SHOWVIEW code. When he press [C], the video recorder (VCR) decodes 12345 to SHOWVIEW channel SV115. Then the VCR checks and discovers that this SHOWVIEW channel SV115 is not mapped. Fig. 5 shows that the VCR then prompts the user to identify which program he wishes to record. This picture on the TV screen is in mix mode. That means, the TV program is shown on the background behind the text. The user uses the [-] or [+] keys on the remote control to scroll through the list of channels to find the program he wants to record. Then he presses [C] key to confirm. The VCR will automatically map SV115 to the program he selected (e.g. PR 4). Fig. 6 shows the screen which follows after the confirmation. Thus the user can get to the same stage by simply selecting the program he wants to record, instead of spending many minutes filling up tables and keying in a list of numbers into the VCR. He does not need to know SHOWVIEW number refers to what TV program. The next time he enters a SHOWVIEW code for this SHOWVIEW channel SV115 again, he will go directly to the TIMER OPTION PAGE ( Fig. 6) because SV115 has already been mapped to program 4 PR 4. Fig. 7 shows the re-assigning mapping. If the user has somehow selected the wrong program in the selection page, he needs to re-map. He can do this from the TIMER OPTION PAGE (Fig. 6). At this point, he presses the [-] key to move the cursor back to program PROG entry. He then changes program 4 PR 4 to PR05 and the exit. The VCR will automatically re-map SV115 to PR05. A second solution is if the user puts another TV channel into program 4 PR 4, that means, instead of program 4 PR 4 channel 12, he overwrites program 4 PR 4 with channel CH 33. In this case, the VCR will prompt him with the SELECTION PAGE again when he uses SHOWVIEW. Fig. 8 shows the satellite mapping. For mapping of SHOWVIEW numbers to satellite program numbers (NOT VCR program numbers), the concept of auto mapping is unchanged, except that the selection pages are slightly different. This page is in mix mode. The user has to enter the satellite program which he wants to record. If he does not know what program number, he can switch the channels on his satellite receiver and the picture in the background will change. Once he has found the correct program, enter that number into the VCR. The VCR will automatically map the SHOWVIEW number to this satellite program number. In conclusion, it can be seen that now, the user is never exposed to the 3 digit SHOWVIEW number at all. He need not know what the SHOWVIEW number represents. All he need to know basically is which program he wants to record. All the confusing tedious preparations just to use SHOWVIEW is eliminated. All references to "SHOWVIEW" will include VideoPlus+ and G-Code as well.

Claims: Method for programming a broadcast receiver for a system wherein each broadcast is provided with an identification signal transmitted during the broadcast and including a code number for said broadcast emitting transmitter station, characterized by the following steps: a) entering the identification signal for an elected broadcast of a defined transmitter station, b) decoding said identification signal to said code number c) tuning said receiver until it receives and displays a broadcast of said defined transmitter station at a defined tuning program place, d) attaching said code number of the selected transmitter station to said defined program place. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said broadcast is displayed on the screen of a television receiver. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said broadcast receiver is a video recorder. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said attaching process is performed automatically by pushing a button after the receiver has started to display said elected broadcast. Method for programming a non-programmed receiver to different transmitter stations, characterized by the following steps: a) entering an identification signal for a broadcast of a defined transmitter station, b) tuning said receiver across the received frequency band, c) detecting, if the received and displayed broadcast corresponds to the broadcast of said defined transmitter, d) programming a desired program place of the receiver to said defined transmitter and attaching the code number included in said identification signal to said program place. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said tuning process is an electronic tuning control (ETC) process.

Inventors: CHANG CHIEW MUN, TAN BOON TSONG, CHANG, CHIEW MUN, TAN, BOON TSONG
Applicants: THOMSON MULTIMEDIA SA, THOMSON MULTIMEDIA
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, H04N7