JP2006253925A - Display control device and program picture-recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience of a user at a time when a program table is displayed by using EPG data broadcast by severally different broadcasting format. <P>SOLUTION: The EPG data broadcast in each broadcasting format are recorded on a hard disk 151 while the display data of the program table for displaying the program table are generated by using the EPG data and the program table corresponding to a monitor MN is displayed. When the display of the program table is changed over, the previously displayed program table is vignetted gradually (such as by stage) and displayed so as not to be able to be read, and an image is displayed while being transferred so as to be gradually focussed to the program table to be anew displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for causing a display device to display a program guide of a broadcast program broadcast using broadcast waves.

  Conventionally, in terrestrial analog broadcasting, data for displaying a program table called EPG (Electric Program Guide) data is broadcast using a vacant area (for example, Vertical Blanking Interval) of the broadcast band, and the program table is based on this EPG data. And a broadcasting system for making a reservation for recording a broadcast program. Also, in recent years, digital broadcasting has started, and in this digital broadcasting as well, there is a method in which EPG data is included in SI (Service Information) information in a transport stream included in a broadcast wave, and a program guide is displayed using this EPG data. Various proposals have been made (hereinafter referred to as “analog EPG data” and “digital EPG data” in order to specify both EPG data, and simply referred to as “EPG data” unless otherwise specified).

  By the way, the conventional analog EPG data and digital EPG data are created in different formats, and there is a possibility that restrictions on copyright law may be imposed when using the EPG data. When such various restrictions occur, it is difficult to mix program guides corresponding to each broadcast format in one program guide, and it is necessary to display a separate program guide for each broadcast format. turn into. However, from the standpoint of the user who actually uses the program guide, the environment in which a plurality of program guides corresponding to each broadcast format are displayed independently without any relevance is never user-friendly. Can not. That is, in such an environment in which the program guide is displayed independently, there is a possibility that the GUI (graphic user interface) may be remarkably different for each program guide. When the display of the program guide is switched in such an environment. Users may be confused by differences in GUI.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above. As an example of the problem, user convenience in displaying a program guide using EPG data broadcast in different broadcast formats is provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display control apparatus, a display control method, a display control program, an information recording medium, and a program recording apparatus using the display control apparatus that can be improved.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in one aspect of the present application, the display control apparatus according to claim 1 is different from the first electronic program guide information broadcast according to the first broadcast format and the first broadcast format. Receiving means for receiving the second electronic program guide information broadcast according to the two broadcast formats, a first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information, and a second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information; Displays the first program guide and the second program guide using recording means for recording image information for displaying different images and the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information Display control means for displaying on the device, the display control means responding to the image information when switching the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device to the other program guide After the image was displayed it was, characterized in that a program table is displayed in the other.

  In another aspect of the present application, the program recording device according to claim 7 is a first electronic program guide information broadcast according to a first broadcast format and a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format. Receiving means for receiving the second electronic program guide information to be broadcast, and a first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information and an image different from the second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information are displayed. Recording means for recording image information for input, input means for accepting a user's input operation, and the first program guide and the second electronic program guide information using the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information. Display control means for displaying two program guides on a display device, and recording reservation of a broadcast program in accordance with a user input operation based on the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device And a recording control means for recording content data corresponding to the program broadcast at the reserved time on a recording medium, wherein the display control means is the first program guide or the display displayed on the display means. When the second program guide is switched to the other program guide, an image corresponding to the image information is displayed, and then the other program guide is displayed.

  Furthermore, in another aspect of the present application, the display control method according to claim 8 is a display control method in a display control device that receives content data corresponding to various programs broadcast by broadcast waves and displays the content data on the display device. A first step of receiving first electronic program guide information broadcast according to a first broadcast format and second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format; , Corresponding to the first program guide information or the second electronic program guide information corresponding to the first electronic program guide information, using either the received first electronic program guide information or the second electronic program guide information A second step of displaying any one of the second program guides on the display device; and cutting the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device into the other program guide. In this switching step, when the switching is performed, image information recorded in advance is read out, and an image different from the first program guide and the second program guide is displayed based on the image information, and then the other program guide is displayed. And a third step of displaying.

  Furthermore, in another aspect of the present application, the display control program according to claim 9 is the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information broadcast according to the first broadcast format and the first broadcast format. A display control program for causing a computer to display a second electronic program guide corresponding to second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a different second broadcast format on a display device. Receiving means for receiving the program guide information and the second electronic program guide information, an image different from the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information and the second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information. Recording means for recording image information for display, the first program guide and the second program guide using the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information Means for displaying on the display device, when switching the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device to the other program guide, after displaying an image corresponding to the image information, It functions as a display control means for displaying the other program guide.

  Furthermore, in another aspect of the present application, the information recording medium according to claim 10 records the display control program according to claim 9.

[1] Embodiment [1.1] Configuration of Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to FIG. 1 which is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the present embodiment. In the embodiment described below, the present application is applied to a so-called hard disk / DVD recorder including a hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as “HDD”) and a DVD drive in which data is recorded and read. It is an embodiment in the case where it does. In the following, “broadcast program” refers to content provided from each broadcast station via broadcast waves.

First, as shown in the figure, an information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the present embodiment includes a TV receiver 11, a signal processor 12, an EPG data processor 13, a DVD drive 14, and an HDD 15 including a hard disk 151. A decoding processing unit 16, a system control unit 17, an operation unit 18, a recording control unit 19, a reproduction control unit 20, a ROM / RAM unit 21, and a bus 22 for connecting these elements to each other. However, the following functions are realized roughly.
(A) The TV receiver 11 receives broadcast waves broadcast according to various broadcast formats such as analog broadcast (for example, terrestrial digital broadcast) and digital broadcast (for example, terrestrial digital broadcast), and content data corresponding to the broadcast program Is recorded on the DVD and the hard disk 151, while the content data recorded on the DVD and the hard disk 151 is reproduced.
(B) EPG data is extracted from the broadcast wave received by the TV receiver 11, program guide display data for displaying the program guide is generated based on the EPG data, and the program guide is displayed on the monitor MN. Program guide display function.
(C) A recording reservation function for making a recording reservation for a broadcast program in response to an input operation performed on the operation unit 18 in a state where the program guide is displayed by the program guide display function.

Here, as described above, when a situation occurs in which the GUI must be changed for each program table corresponding to each broadcast format, the user feels uncomfortable at the time of switching the display of the program table, which causes a decrease in convenience. It might be. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the following display method is adopted.
< Display method 1 >
First, when the display is switched from a program guide corresponding to one broadcast format to a program guide corresponding to another broadcast format, the two program guides are seamlessly displayed as if they were one program guide. Specifically, the program table that has already been displayed is displayed in a gradually blurred manner (for example, stepwise) so that it cannot be read, and the image is displayed so that the program guide to be newly displayed is gradually focused. The display is performed while making transition (see, for example, FIG. 4).
< Display method 2 >
Even when various restrictions are imposed on the display form of the program guide, a common display format is provided for the parts where restrictions are not imposed, and display format data indicating the display format is recorded in the RAM / RAM 21 in advance. Keep it. Then, by generating the program guide display data based on the display format data, the GUI differences between the program guides are reduced. For example, if no restrictions are imposed on the overall shape of the program table, time column, scroll bar, date switching icon (eg, tag), etc., between these program tables, a common display format for these elements Is provided. Also, for example, if it is obliged to provide an advertisement column or a display column for predetermined information in one program table, and there is a limited space on the image where the program table can be displayed, the other program Also in the table, the display position on the image of the program table is made to coincide. The display form may be fixed or may be changed every time. However, in the present embodiment, the display form is described as being fixed, and the changing form is described in the modification section.

  The input operation that triggers the display switching is arbitrary. For example, a display switching button is provided on a remote control device (not shown) of the operation unit, and the program table being displayed when this button is pressed is sequentially displayed. You may make it switch. In this case, the order of the program table to be switched when the display switching button is pressed is arbitrary. For example, data indicating the switching order is recorded in the ROM / RAM 21, and the switching order is based on this data. May be determined. Further, as another method, a plurality of buttons for displaying a program guide corresponding to each broadcast format is provided (for example, a program guide display button for terrestrial analog broadcasting and a program guide display button for digital terrestrial broadcasting). Each provided) In the display state of a program guide corresponding to one broadcast format, display switching may be performed when a program guide display button corresponding to the other broadcast format is pressed.

  Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the present embodiment for realizing such a function will be described.

  First, the TV receiving unit 11 is a tuner for digital broadcasting such as analog broadcasting such as terrestrial analog broadcasting and digital broadcasting, CS (Communication Satellite) broadcasting, BS (Broadcasting Satellite) digital broadcasting, and the like. Receive. Then, for example, when the broadcast wave to be received is an analog signal, the TV receiver 11 converts the broadcast wave into an IF (intermediate frequency) signal, and the IF signal is converted into a TV video signal and audio signal ( Hereinafter, it is demodulated to "TV signal") and supplied to the signal processing unit 12 and the EPG data processing unit 13. On the other hand, when the broadcast wave to be received is digital, the TV receiving unit 11 converts the received broadcast wave into an IF signal, extracts a transport stream included in the IF signal, and a signal processing unit 12 and the EPG data processing unit 13.

  The signal processing unit 12 performs predetermined signal processing on the signal supplied from the TV receiving unit 11 under the control of the recording control unit 19. For example, when a TV signal corresponding to analog broadcasting is supplied from the TV receiving unit 11, the signal processing unit 12 performs predetermined signal processing and A / D conversion on the TV signal to obtain digital data in a predetermined format. (Ie, content data). At this time, the signal processing unit 12 compresses the digital data into, for example, an MPEG (Moving Picture Coding Experts Group) format to generate a program stream, and the generated program stream is the DVD drive 14, HDD 15, or This is supplied to the decryption processing unit 16. On the other hand, when a transport stream corresponding to digital broadcasting is supplied from the TV receiving unit 11, the signal processing unit 12 converts the content data included in the stream into a program stream, and then the DVD drive 14 and the HDD 15 Alternatively, the data is supplied to the decoding processing unit 16.

  The EPG data processing unit 13 extracts EPG data included in the signal supplied from the TV receiving unit 11 under the control of the system control unit 17, and supplies the extracted EPG data to the HDD 15. For example, when a TV signal corresponding to analog broadcasting is supplied, the EPG data processing unit 13 extracts analog EPG data included in the VBI of the supplied TV signal and supplies it to the HDD 15. When a transport stream corresponding to digital broadcasting is supplied, the EPG data processing unit 13 extracts the digital EPG data included in the stream and supplies it to the HDD 15.

  The DVD drive 14 records and reproduces data with respect to the loaded DVD, and the HDD 15 records and reproduces data with respect to the hard disk 151. Here, as a characteristic matter in the present embodiment, the hard disk 151 of the HDD 15 is supplied from the content data recording area 151 a for recording content data corresponding to the broadcast program and the EPG data processing unit 13. In addition to an EPG data recording area 151b for recording EPG data, a switching image data recording area 151c is provided as a third area. This switching image data recording area 151c is used to switch images as shown in FIG. 4 when the display of the program table is switched, that is, to gradually blur the program table being displayed, and further to the program table to be newly displayed. This is an area provided for storing switching image data for displaying an image to be focused.

  In this embodiment, the reason why the switching image data for display switching is provided separately from the EPG data is as follows. First, when displaying a program guide using EPG data, there may be a problem in modifying EPG data included in a broadcast wave due to a copyright law problem. Therefore, when the display is switched, there is a possibility that the image data used for displaying the mosaic image as shown in FIG. 4 cannot be generated based on the EPG data. From the viewpoint of preventing the occurrence of such a problem, in the present embodiment, when the switching image data is created and recorded in advance and the display of the program table is actually switched, the data is completely different from the EPG data. By using the switching image data, the program guide is gradually blurred and displayed, or displayed while changing the image so as to be focused.

  Note that the content of the switching image data that is actually used is arbitrary. For example, the switching image data corresponding to a moving image that seems to gradually blur the program guide and then gradually focus on the program guide to be newly displayed. May be used. However, in this embodiment, in order to make the description concrete, the description will be made on the assumption that a plurality of switching image data corresponding to mosaic still images represented by blocks of different sizes are used.

  Next, the decoding processing unit 16, for example, separates the program stream format content data supplied from the signal processing unit 12 and read from the DVD and the hard disk 151 into audio data and video data, and decodes each of these data To do. Then, the decoding processing unit 16 converts the decoded content data into an NTSC format signal, and sends the converted video signal and audio signal to the monitor MN via the video signal output terminal T1 and the audio signal output terminal T2. Output. When the monitor MN is equipped with a decoder or the like, it is not necessary to perform decoding or the like in the signal processing unit 15, and the content data may be output to the monitor as it is.

  The system control unit 17 is mainly composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and includes various input / output ports such as a key input port, and controls the overall function of the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP. In such control, the system control unit 17 uses control information (for example, display format data) recorded in the ROM / RAM 21 and an application for realizing the program guide display function, and the ROM / RAM 21 is stored in the ROM / RAM 21. Use as a work area.

  For example, the system control unit 17 controls the recording control unit 19 and the reproduction control unit 20 in accordance with an input operation to the operation unit 18 to record and reproduce data recorded on the DVD or the hard disk 151. Further, for example, the system control unit 17 controls the EPG data processing unit 13 and the HDD 15 at a predetermined timing to extract the EPG data included in the broadcast wave and use the extracted EPG data as the EPG data of the hard disk 151. Recording is performed in the recording area 151b. The EPG data recorded in the EPG data recording area 151 b is updated by the function of the system control unit 17, and the latest EPG data is always maintained in the hard disk 151. Further, when a predetermined input operation is performed on the operation unit 18, the system control unit 17 causes the HDD 15 to read EPG data in accordance with the input operation, and generates program guide display data based on the EPG data. This is supplied to the decryption processing unit 16. As a result, the program table corresponding to the user input operation is displayed on the monitor MN.

  Furthermore, when the user performs an input operation for switching the display of the program guide to the operation unit 18 in a state where the program guide corresponding to a certain broadcast format is displayed on the monitor MN, the system control unit 17 The control signal is output to the HDD 15 to read the switching image data and the EPG data corresponding to the new program table to be displayed, and to display an image as shown in FIG. Change the display.

  The operation unit 18 includes a remote control device having a selection button such as the above-described display switching button and various keys such as numeric keys, a light receiving unit that receives a signal transmitted from the remote control device, and the like. Is output to the system control unit 17 via the bus 23.

  The recording control unit 19 controls the recording of content data on the DVD or hard disk 151 under the control of the system control unit 17, and the reproduction control unit 20 is recorded on the DVD or hard disk 151 under the control of the system control unit 17. Control the playback of content data.

[1.2] Operation of First Embodiment (1) Operation during EPG Data Acquisition and Acquisition Update First, see FIG. 2 for the operation when EPG data included in a broadcast wave is acquired into the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP. However, it will be explained. The processing start timing shown in the flowchart, that is, the EPG data fetching and updating timing is arbitrary. For example, in the case of the current terrestrial analog broadcasting, the analog EPG data is broadcasted at a predetermined time a plurality of times a day. Therefore, the time is recorded in the ROM / RAM 21 and is displayed at the time. The processing shown in 2 may be executed. Further, for example, in the case of digital broadcasting, since digital EPG data is to be updated every day at a predetermined time, the update timing is recorded in the ROM / RAM 21, and the processing shown in the same flow at that time is performed. May be executed.

  In this process, the system control unit 17 first determines whether the current time is the time for taking in analog EPG data or the time for taking in digital EPG data (step S1). The determination method in this step is arbitrary. For example, when the update time is recorded in the ROM / RAM 21 as described above, the current time may be compared with the time. In this determination, if it is determined that it is the time to take in the analog EPG data, the system control unit 17 first outputs a control signal to the TV receiving unit 11 (step S2), and the TV receiving unit 11 receives the signal. The frequency is tuned to the broadcast frequency of analog EPG data. As a result, the TV signal included in the broadcast wave received by the TV receiving unit 11 is sequentially supplied to the EPG data processing unit 13.

  Next, the system control unit 17 outputs a control signal to the EPG data processing unit 13 (step S3), extracts analog EPG data from the TV signal supplied from the TV receiving unit 11, and then outputs the analog EPG data. The recording is awaited (step S4 “no”). As a result, the EPG data processing unit 13 extracts the signal component corresponding to the analog EPG data included in the VBI component of the TV signal supplied from the TV receiving unit 11, converts it into digital data, and then supplies it to the HDD 15. Is done. In the HDD 15, the analog EPG data supplied from the EPG data processing unit 13 is sequentially recorded in the EPG data recording area 151 b of the hard disk 151. This process is continued until the reception of the analog EPG data is completed. When the recording of the analog EPG data is completed, the determination in step S4 is changed to “yes” in the system control unit 17, and the process ends. It will be.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1 that the digital EPG data capture timing has arrived, the system control unit 17 outputs a control signal to the TV receiving unit 11 (step S5), and the TV receiving unit 11 The reception frequency is tuned to the broadcast frequency of digital EPG data. As a result, the transport stream included in the broadcast wave received by the TV receiving unit 11 is sequentially supplied to the EPG data processing unit 13. Next, after outputting a control signal to the EPG data processing unit 13 (step S6), the system control unit 17 waits for completion of recording of analog EPG data (step S7 “no”). As a result, the EPG data processing unit 13 extracts digital EPG data from the SI information of the transport stream and records it in the EPG data recording area 151 b of the HDD 15. When the reception of the digital EPG data is completed, the system control unit 17 determines “yes” in step S7 and ends the process.

(2) Operation when Displaying Program Guide Next, the operation when displaying the program guide corresponding to each broadcast format on the monitor MN using the EPG data recorded on the hard disk 151 by the above processing will be described. In order to display the program guide on the monitor MN, the user first designates the type of program guide to be displayed on the remote controller (not shown) of the operation unit 18 or the operation panel (specifically). In other words, it is necessary to perform an input operation for displaying the program guide (which broadcast format is to be displayed). The contents of the input operation at this time are arbitrary as described above.

  In this way, when an input operation for selecting the broadcast format to be displayed in the program guide is performed, the system control unit 17 outputs a control signal to the HDD 15 and corresponds to the program guide specified by the user. EPG data to be read is read out. Next, the system control unit 17 generates program guide display data based on the read EPG data and supplies it to the decoding processing unit 16. As a result, for example, an image as shown in FIG. 4A is displayed on the monitor MN (details of FIG. 4 will be described later). At this time, the system control unit 17 reads the display format data from the ROM / RAM 21 and determines the display format of the program guide display data.

  In this state, the user can make a recording reservation for the broadcast program based on the displayed program guide. Specifically, according to the program guide, the user performs an input operation to select a predetermined broadcast program and a recording destination (hard disk 151 or DVD), and further performs an input operation to make a recording reservation. Then, the system control unit 17 extracts the recording time and broadcast channel corresponding to the selected program from the EPG data and stores them in the ROM / RAM 21. At the time and date, the system control unit 17 sends a recording channel to the recording control unit 19. The control signal shown is output. Based on the control signal supplied in this way, the recording control unit 19 changes the reception band of the TV receiving unit 11 to tune to the reserved channel, and starts data recording in the DVD drive 14 or the HDD 15. Thus, the content data corresponding to the broadcast program reserved for recording is sequentially recorded on the DVD or the hard disk.

  On the other hand, in the display state of the program guide, the user performs an input operation for switching the program guide to be displayed on the remote control device of the operation unit 18. Then, the system control unit 17 starts the processing shown in FIG. 3 using this input operation as a trigger. The process shown in FIG. 3 is an interrupt process executed when an input operation for switching the display of the program guide is performed, and is executed to realize each function of the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP. It is executed as a subroutine for the main routine to be executed.

  In this process, the system control unit 17 first outputs a control signal to the HDD 15 (step S11), and causes the EPG data corresponding to the program table to be newly displayed and the switching image data described above to be read out. . When the switching image data and the EPG data are read in this manner, the system control unit 17 displays the program table that is already displayed in a gradually blurred manner based on the switching image data so that the already displayed program table becomes unreadable. At the same time, after executing the process for changing the image again so that the program table to be newly displayed is focused (steps S12 to S14), EPG data and display format data corresponding to the program table to be switched to Is generated and supplied to the decoding processor 16 (step S15), and the process is terminated. As a result, the user can make a recording reservation according to the newly displayed program guide.

  The screen transition state in steps S12 to S15 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen transition state based on the display process executed in steps S12 to S15.

  First, it is assumed that a program table as shown in (a) is displayed as a display screen before switching. From this state, the system control unit 17 first displays a first-stage image (specifically, an image as shown in FIG. 4B) composed of fine mosaics based on the mosaic image data. The image is changed (step S12). Next, the system control unit 17 continues the display state of the first stage image for a predetermined time, and then transitions the display screen to the display state of the second stage image (step S13). This second-stage image is made up of a mosaic with larger blocks than the first-stage image (specifically, FIG. 4C), and it is difficult for the user to grasp the contents of the displayed image. It has become.

  After the display state of the second stage image continues for a predetermined time, the system control unit 17 then transitions the display screen to the third stage image (specifically, FIG. 3D) ( Step S14). The third-stage image is composed of a mosaic with finer blocks than the second-stage image, and can be grasped by the user as being as clear as the first-stage image. After continuing the display state of the third stage image for a predetermined time, the system control unit 17 executes the process of step S15 described above to generate program guide display data based on the read new EPG data. The image displayed on the monitor MN is changed to the display image of the switching destination program guide.

  By performing the above series of displays, the user is recognized to focus again on the display state of the new program guide after the image is gradually blurred from the program guide before switching, and the seamless program guide is displayed. Will be switched.

  As described above, the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the present embodiment includes a TV receiver 11 that receives EPG data broadcast according to different broadcast formats, and a program table corresponding to each broadcast format based on the EPG data. Is provided with a system control unit 17 and a decoding processing unit 16 for displaying the image on the monitor MN, and after the image display based on the switching image data is performed at the time of switching the display of the program table, the display is switched to another program table. Has been. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent sudden display switching from the program guide already displayed when switching the display of the program guide to another program guide, thereby preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable. It is possible to improve the convenience for the user.

  Further, in the present embodiment, information corresponding to a plurality of images is recorded as the switching image data, and the program table display switching is performed while sequentially changing the images. Gradually blur the displayed image to make it indistinguishable, and it is possible to display so that the display state of the program table after the new switching is focused, and seamless program table display switching can be performed It becomes possible. In addition, if the content of the image displayed by the switching image data is, for example, a mosaic image as in the present embodiment, the visual discomfort to the user can be further reduced.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a display format that should be common among the program tables corresponding to each broadcast format is determined, and the program table is displayed based on this display format. It is possible to prevent the GUI from being remarkably different every time, thereby further improving user convenience.

  In this embodiment, the case where the display control apparatus according to the present application is applied to the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP that is an HD / DVD recorder has been described. However, a PDP, a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL (Electro Luminescent) panel, and the like The present invention can also be applied to a television receiver equipped with a TV, and an electronic device such as a personal computer.

  In this embodiment, the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP having both the DVD drive 14 and the HDD 15 is described as an example. However, the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP having only one of the DVD 14 and the HDD 15 is also described above. It is possible to execute the same processing as in the embodiment. However, in the case of an electronic device not equipped with the HDD 15, a flash memory for recording EPG data and switching image data is provided, or a DVD-RW is mounted on the DVD drive 14, and the above-mentioned recording medium is loaded with the above-mentioned recording medium. It is necessary to record each data.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a method of recording EPG data in the hard disk 151 is adopted. However, when an environment in which EPG data is constantly broadcast is realized, EPG data is acquired in real time, and a program is recorded. It is also possible to display a table.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the screen transition as shown in FIG. 4, that is, a display method for gradually coarsening a mosaic image has been described as an example. For example, the screen may be gradually changed to white or black and then displayed as if a program table to be newly displayed gradually appears from a white (black) image. .

  In the present embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which image switching data and EPG data are recorded in an information recording / reproducing apparatus, and these are used when switching display of a program guide. However, a recording medium on which a program defining the operation of the processing is recorded and a computer that reads the recording medium may be provided, and the processing operation similar to the above may be performed by reading the program with this computer.

[1.3] Modification of Embodiment The information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the above embodiment employs a configuration in which the display format of the program guide is fixed. However, for example, there is a possibility that display restrictions may be imposed on a program guide corresponding to two broadcast formats among a plurality of broadcast formats due to the provisions of the Copyright Act. In such a case, there is a possibility that the elements (for example, the size of the program guide) that are common between the broadcast formats may be reduced.

  Therefore, in this modification, a configuration is adopted in which a plurality of display formats are set, display format data is generated for each display format, and the display format data to be used is changed according to the order of the program guide to be displayed. It was decided. When such a method is adopted, first, a common display format is set for each broadcast format with restrictions, and with each broadcast format without restrictions.

  For example, there is a program table corresponding to five broadcast formats a, b, c, d, and e, and among these, a program table corresponding to two broadcast formats a, b, and display restrictions are provided. Assume a case. In this case, when displaying a and b, both display restrictions. Therefore, a common display format between c, d and e is determined for each of a and b. . Display format data indicating the display format is recorded on the hard disk 151, and when a program guide corresponding to a or b is displayed first, the program guide display data is displayed using the corresponding display format data. To generate.

  On the other hand, when the unrestricted program guides c, d, e are displayed first, the restricted program guides a, b may be displayed next, and a, Which of b is to be displayed cannot be specified. Assuming such a case, in this modification, the display format data common to the program guide corresponding to all broadcast formats is also recorded, and the program guides c, d, e without restrictions are displayed first. In this case, the program guide is displayed based on the display format data.

  Thus, according to the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP according to the present modification, a plurality of display format data is generated in advance, and the display format data to be used is changed according to the displayed program guide. Even when there are a plurality of broadcast formats that have restrictions on display of the program guide, it is possible to display the program guide while changing the display format corresponding to each program guide, and the user receives when switching the program guide It is possible to alleviate the sense of incongruity. Needless to say, the same configuration as that of the above embodiment can also be adopted in this modification.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information recording / reproducing apparatus RP in 1st Embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by the system control unit 17 when EPG data is taken in the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process performed when the system control part 17 switches the display of a program schedule in the same embodiment. It is a figure which shows the transition state of the display image at the time of the display switching of a program schedule in the same embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

RP ... information recording / reproducing apparatus 11 ... TV receiving unit 12 ... signal processing unit 13 ... EPG data processing unit 14 ... DVD drive 15 ... hard disk 16 ... decoding processing unit 17. ..System control unit 18 ... Operation unit 19 ... Recording control unit 20 ... Reproduction control unit 21 ... OSD processing unit 22 ... ROM / RAM

Claims (10)

Receiving means for receiving first electronic program guide information broadcast according to a first broadcast format and second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format;
Recording means for recording image information for displaying an image different from the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information and the second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information;
Display control means for causing the display device to display the first program guide and the second program guide using the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information,
The display control means displays the image corresponding to the image information when switching the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device to the other program guide, and then displays the other program guide. A display control device that displays In the recording unit, information corresponding to a plurality of images is recorded as the image information,
2. The display control according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays the other program guide after performing image display based on at least two or more image information of the plurality of images. apparatus.   The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of images corresponding to the image information are mosaic images each composed of blocks of different sizes.   Information for displaying a moving image composed of a plurality of frames is recorded as the image information in the recording means, and the display control means displays the moving image based on the image information, and then displays the other program. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a table is displayed. And further comprising display format information recording means for recording display format information indicating a display format to be shared in the display forms of the first program guide and the second program guide,
The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit determines a display form of the first program guide and the second program guide using the display format information. The display format information recording means records a plurality of the display format information,
The said display control means changes the said display format information to be used according to the display restrictions imposed when displaying the said 1st program guide and the 2nd program guide, The said display format information is characterized by the above-mentioned. Display control device. Receiving means for receiving first electronic program guide information broadcast according to a first broadcast format and second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format;
Recording means for recording image information for displaying an image different from the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information and the second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information;
Input means for accepting user input operations;
Display control means for causing the display device to display the first program guide and the second program guide using the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information;
Content corresponding to a program broadcasted at the reserved time, while making a recording reservation for a broadcast program in response to a user input operation based on the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device Recording control means for recording data on a recording medium,
When the display control means switches the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display means to the other program guide, the display control means displays an image corresponding to the image information and then displays the other program A program recording apparatus for displaying a table. A display control method in a display control device for receiving content data corresponding to various programs broadcast by broadcast waves and displaying the content data on a display device,
Receiving a first electronic program guide information broadcast according to a first broadcast format and a second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format;
Using either the received first electronic program guide information or second electronic program guide information, the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information or the second electronic program guide information corresponding to the second electronic program guide information A second step of displaying any one of the two program guides on the display device;
A step of switching the first program guide or the second program guide displayed on the display device to the other program guide, wherein at the time of the switching, the pre-recorded image information is read, and based on the image information A display control method comprising: a third step of displaying an image different from the first program guide and the second program guide and then displaying the other program guide. Corresponding to a first program table corresponding to the first electronic program guide information broadcast according to the first broadcast format and a second electronic program guide information broadcast according to a second broadcast format different from the first broadcast format A display control program for causing a computer to display a second electronic program guide on a display device,
The computer,
Receiving means for receiving the first electronic program guide information and the second electronic program guide information;
Recording means for recording image information for displaying an image different from the first program guide corresponding to the first electronic program guide information and the second program guide corresponding to the second electronic program guide information;
Means for displaying the first program guide and the second program guide on a display device using the received first electronic program guide information and second electronic program guide information, wherein the first program guide information displayed on the display device is displayed on the display device; Display control means for displaying an image corresponding to the image information and then displaying the other program guide when switching one program guide or the second program guide to the other program guide;
A display control program characterized by functioning as   A computer-readable information recording medium having the display control program according to claim 9 recorded thereon.

Images