Patent ID: 8296798

Claim:
A channel searching system comprising: a head end for broadcasting a broadcasting signal over a broadcasting medium, the broadcasting signal comprising a multi-channel video containing a plurality of menu display videos edited from multiple channels and video configuration information on the videos; and a receiver for receiving the broadcasting signal over the broadcasting medium and showing a viewer a channel searching view displaying menu display videos corresponding to multiple channels, the menu display videos edited from the multi-channel video based on the video configuration information and searching screen configuration information, and producing a plurality of rearranged videos in response to a channel searching view generating request, wherein the receiver provides highlights of one of said menu display videos in response to a selection, and an entire TV screen display in response to the selection, wherein the viewer may change the highlighted one of menu display videos into another one by pressing a first key corresponding to a highlighted one of menu display videos moving command while still viewing the multiple channels in the channel searching view, and enabling changing the highlighted video and enabling the viewer to select and tune a highlighted channel, wherein the video configuration information comprises first location information indicating a location of each video in the multi-channel video, and first size information indicating a size of each menu display video in the multi-channel video, wherein the searching screen configuration information is sent to the receiver, while being included in the broadcasting signal as at least one channel, wherein the searching screen configuration information comprises second location information indicating a location of each video in the channel searching view arranged on the TV screen, and second size information indicating a size of each menu display video in the channel searching view arranged on the TV screen, wherein the receiver obtains videos for the channel searching view by clipping the menu display videos from the multi-channel video based on the first location information and the first size information, scales the clipped menu display videos according to the second size information, and locates the scaled menu display videos on the channel searching view according to the second location information, wherein if the receiver receives a channel searching start command, the receiver rearranges the menu display videos contained in a multi-channel video according to the second location information and the second size information, and wherein the display of the clipped menu display videos provide the viewer with the channel searching view which enables the viewer to intuitively select a desired channel while watching a current video without delay in channel change, with the use of the multi-channel video reduces loss in bandwidth from a menu display function.