Patent Abstract:
A method to directly tune to a specific station. Each number of a TV remote control keypad represents certain letters. A viewer enters the number that corresponds to each letter of the call letters of a desired TV station, and the TV uses metadata such as program and system information protocol (PSIP) information in received programming streams to dynamically correlate the station name to a channel number and tune to the channel number.

Full Description:
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to selecting a TV channel by inputting a name or call sign of the channel instead of its channel number. 
       II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention critically recognizes that it is easier for humans to remember the name of something instead of a number. For example, it is easy to remember the call letters “ABC” as a TV station name but not always what channel number it is associated with in the local channel lineup. This is especially true when visiting someone who lives in an area with a different channel lineup from one&#39;s own. 
         [0003]    As understood herein, a TV or set-top box can provide an on-screen guide which the user can access to search for a particular channel. However, this is slower than being able to key in the call letters directly and tune right away. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A method includes receiving, at a TV, a signal from a wireless commander, and determining an alphabetic station identification from the signal. Metadata in incoming TV signals is accessed to determine a channel number associated with the station identification. Then, the TV is tuned to the channel number. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments the metadata is accessed dynamically after receipt of the signal from the wireless commander. The wireless commander can be, e.g., a wireless telephone or a TV remote control. The station identification typically is alphanumeric in that it includes at least one letter, and the metadata that is accessed to correlate the station identification to a channel number can be program and system information protocol (PSIP) data. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, a system includes a TV display and a processor associated with the TV display. A tuner is controllable by the processor to cause programming from a tuned-to channel number to be presented on the display. The processor receives user-generated signals and correlates the signals to a station call sign. The processor then correlates the call sign to a channel number using information received in TV programming. 
         [0007]    In still another aspect, an apparatus for obviating the need for a viewer to remember a channel number of a desired station having an alphabetic identification includes a TV receiving a signal from a viewer-operated input device. The signal is input by manipulation of one or more number keys. A processor associated with the TV correlates the signal to a character string that typically includes one or more letters of an alphabet. The processor causes the TV to tune to a channel number understood by the processor to be the channel number of the desired station based on metadata contained in television programming. 
         [0008]    The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a non-limiting block diagram of a system in accordance with present principles; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a non-limiting remote control that can be used in accordance with present principles; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of logic that may be employed by the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , which includes a television  12  defining a TV chassis  14  and receiving, through a TV tuner  16  from a cable or satellite or other source or sources  18  audio video TV programming. The tuner  16  may be contained in the set box described below. 
         [0013]    The TV  12  typically includes a TV processor  20  accessing a tangible computer readable medium  22 . The tangible computer readable medium  22  may be established by, without limitation, solid state storage, optical or hard disk storage, etc. The medium  22  may store software executable by the TV processor  20  to, e.g., control a display driver  24  that drives a TV visual display  26  in accordance with one or more settings such as brightness, contrast, and the like that may be stored in, e.g., the medium  22 . The display  26  may be a flat panel matrix display, cathode ray tube, or other appropriate video display, and typically is associated with one or more audio speakers  27 . The medium  22  may also contain additional code including backend software executable by the TV processor  20  for various non-limiting tasks. One or more of the processors described herein may execute the logic below, which may be stored as computer code on one or more the computer readable media described herein. 
         [0014]    In the non-limiting embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  the TV  12  may receive programming from external components such as but not limited to a video disk player  28  such as a Blu-Ray or DVD player and a personal video recorder (PVR)  30  that can contain audio-video streams on a hard disk drive. 
         [0015]    Additionally, the TV  12  can communicate via a network such as the Internet with a server  32 . To this end, the TV  12  preferably is Internet-enabled, although it is to be understood that the server  32  may be combined with the TV program source  18  when the source  18  is a remote entity accessible over a wide area network, in which case no modem need be provided, with the TV sending signals through a reverse link to the source  18 /server  32 . 
         [0016]    In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the server  32  is separate from the source  18  and the TV  12  communicates with the server  32  through a set-back box (SBB)  34 . In some implementations a set-top box (STB) may be used, and the SBB/STB may itself include the tuner  16  or otherwise communicate with the source  18 . 
         [0017]    In any case, the SBB  34  shown in  FIG. 1  may include a SBB processor  36  and SBB computer readable medium  38 , The SBB  34  may also include a network interface such as but not limited to a modem  40  to communicate with the server  32  over the Internet. In other implementations the modem  40  may be incorporated into the TV chassis  14 . 
         [0018]    A wireless remote control  42  can be provided to input commands such as the below-described station commands into the system  10 . The remote control  42  can be a conventional remote control or other portable hand-held device such as a wireless telephone upgraded with an IR transmitter for TVs to permit a viewer to tune to a TV channel in accordance with principles below. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows an example remote control that includes ten number keys  44  with each number key being associated with respective alphabetic letters. In the embodiment shown, the number keys  44  are associated with the same letters typically associated with the number keys of a telephone. Accordingly, it will readily be appreciated that pressing the number “3”, for instance, can represent the numeral “3” and can also represent any one of the letters “d”, “e”, “f”. Less preferably, the remote control  42  may bear keys dedicated exclusively to letters. 
         [0020]    For the embodiment shown, a “Mode” key  46  is also presented on the remote control  42 . A viewer manipulates the mode key  46  to generate a signal indicating that the viewer is using the remote in a letter input mode, so that signals from the number keys  44  are interpreted by the TV to represent letters. The mode key  46  may be a special purpose key or it may be an existing key not normally used for TV input, e.g., a star key on a wireless telephone. 
         [0021]    With this understanding in mind, attention is now drawn to  FIG. 3 , showing logic that may be employed by one or more of the processors described above to obviate the need for a viewer to remember which channel number a desired station is on. At block  48  the TV acquires available TV stations using, e.g., a Gemstar guide or through program and system information protocol (PSIP) data provided by the broadcaster. Proceeding to block  50 , the call letters (which may also include symbols such as exclamation marks, which may be correlated to the numeral “1” on the keypad of the remote control) are correlated to sequences of number keys when a remote control such as the one shown in  FIG. 2  is to be used that has only number keys. Thus, for instance, when a ten numeral keypad remote control  42  is to be used, “ABC” would be correlated to a number sequence “1”, “1”, “1”. Similarly, “ESPN”, assuming the remote control  42  shown in  FIG. 2  is to be used, would be correlated to “3”, 7, “7”, “6”. If an available local station is determined to be an affiliate of a national network, the call sign of the local station may be correlated to both the number string representing the call sign and to the number string representing the call sign of the national network. 
         [0022]    As understood herein, a viewer preferably has the option to input the channel number of a desired station directly or to input the call sign of a desired station, and to this end if the viewer wishes to alert the TV that the command is for the latter, the viewer first manipulates the “mode” key  46  shown in  FIG. 2 . The “mode” key  46  may act as a toggle. When it is toggled to “call sign” input, as opposed to “channel number” input, a user interface can be displayed on the TV so indicating. For example, an icon in the channel display banner can be presented indicating “call sign input mode”. 
         [0023]    Assuming the viewer has entered the call sign entry mode, at block  52  remote commands are received from the remote control  42 . The received string of commands from the number keys  44  are correlated at block  54  to the associated call sign letters. The channel number associated with the call sign letters is then determined at block  56  and the TV tuned to the channel at block  58 . As numbers are entered, a user interface is displayed to list a choice of matching channels in alphabetical order. The user at this point can select one of the choices using the cursor keys or continue entering additional numbers to narrow down the list until only one entry exists at which point the TV can automatically tune to that entry. If no channel numbers are correlated to the call sign, the viewer is so informed by, e.g., an error message or audio cue, and the TV remains tuned to the current channel. 
         [0024]    In one implementation, a lookup table derived from, e.g., an electronic program guide (EPG) that associates station call signs with channel numbers can be accessed to undertake the function of block  56 , but more preferably the association is undertaken dynamically after receiving the command representing the call sign input mode or even after receiving the desired station call sign. In one implementation metadata in the received televised stream is used to determine which station call sign is associated with which local channel number. For example, in digital TV signals, program and system information protocol (PSIP) data can be accessed, which indicates, for the stream on a given channel number, the call sign of the associated station. 
         [0025]    While the particular CHANNEL SELECTION BY NAME is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7