JP4852581B2 - Content information display device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content information display device, and more particularly to a content information display device that can easily extract desired content information from content information.

  In recent years, with the spread of broadcasting satellites, communication satellites, cable TVs, etc., digital broadcasting services that can receive digitized video information and electronic program guide information have become widespread. Also, with the recent development of video recording technology, a large amount of video information can be recorded on an HDD (hard disk device) or DVD (digital video disk device). Since these recording devices have a large capacity, it is difficult to extract arbitrary content information from the recorded content information.

  Therefore, in the prior art, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-6042 (Patent Document 1), a content display area for displaying content in a list form and a search item in a higher hierarchy of content are displayed. The first and second search areas are displayed on one screen, and in the first and second search areas, the display content of the lower search area is changed according to the selection item selected by the operation of the respective scroll keys, and the content display area In some cases, a plurality of contents are selected by operating a scroll key, and the contents are shifted to the next determining operation by operating a determination key.

JP 2005-6042 A

  However, according to the above-described conventional example, since a hierarchical search item is selected, a troublesome operation is required.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a content information display device that can easily extract desired content information.

State like the present invention for achieving the above object, an information receiving unit that receives content information, a recording unit for recording the received content information, a display unit for displaying the content information, the operation signal An input unit for inputting and a control unit for comprehensively controlling the input unit, and the control unit displays content information before and after the time of the selected one piece of content information on the display unit at a predetermined time interval. The content information before and after the time of the one content information in the time interval after the change is received from the input unit and displayed as a plurality of content images arranged in time series in Are set as content images in a time series, and a plurality of images can be simultaneously displayed as selectable content images for each changed time interval. When other content information different from the information is divided into a plurality of stages for each other content information, the content image is displayed, one content image is selected, and the time interval changing operation signal is received from the input unit The content images related to other content information displayed in other stages are also controlled to be displayed in a state where a predetermined time series relationship is maintained in conjunction with the operation for changing the time interval of the selected content information. The time interval changing operation signal sets the time interval to “frame mode”, “second mode”, “minute mode”, “time mode”, “date mode”, or any time in between. It is a certain content information display device.

Examples more preferred specific configuration of state like the present invention are as follows.
(1) Displaying content images of a plurality of channels or categories side by side in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the plurality of content images are arranged.
(2) Display the recording information read from the recording unit as the content image before the current time, and display program guide information as the content image after the current time.
(3) The plurality of content images are moved and displayed in the time lapse direction on the horizontal axis as time elapses.

  According to the content information display device of the present invention, desired content information can be easily extracted.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a content information display apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  First, an outline of the content information display device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the content information display device 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the input unit 130 in the operation of the content information display device 1.

  In FIG. 1, a content information display system includes a content information display device 1 that records and reproduces content information, a content management server 300 that provides various types of content information such as electronic program guide information (EPG information), and movies and animations. A WWW server 400 that provides content information is connected through a communication line 200. The communication line 200 includes the Internet, a public line other than the Internet, a dedicated line, and the like.

The content information display device 1 is composed of, for example, a personal computer, a television receiver, and the like. The content information display device 1 is a recording / reproducing device 100 for recording / reproducing content information, a display unit 120 for displaying content information, and an operation signal. Input unit 130 and a communication unit 104 for providing a communication function with an external device.

  The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 includes an information receiving unit 101, a recording unit 102, a control unit 103, and a communication unit 104, and forms the core of the content information display device 1. The information receiving unit 101 includes a tuner 105 and a camera information reading unit 106. The recording unit 102 includes an HDD 107 and a DVD 108. An information browsing program 109 is attached to the HDD 107.

  The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 can receive a terrestrial broadcast by connecting a terrestrial antenna 110 to the tuner 105, and can also receive a satellite broadcast by connecting a satellite broadcast antenna, and can connect a cable TV. By doing so, you can receive cable TV broadcasts. The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 has a function corresponding to digital broadcasting, receives various content information such as EPG information in addition to TV image information through the digital broadcasting, stores them in the recording unit 102, and stores them. Various searches can be performed from the content information. The tuner 105 can receive a digital television broadcast wave from the television antenna and convert it into a video signal, and a tuning process is performed under the control of the control unit 103.

  Further, the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 is connected to the communication line 200 through the communication unit 104, and can receive various content information such as EPG information from the content management server 300 via the communication line 200, and from the WWW server 400. It is configured to be able to receive content information such as movies.

  In addition, the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 can receive the video captured by the monitoring camera 150 as content information by connecting the monitoring camera 150 to the camera information reading unit 106. A plurality of monitoring cameras 150 can be connected to the camera information reading unit 106, and a plurality of captured images can be received simultaneously as content information.

  The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 includes at least a remote control light receiving unit for receiving an infrared signal from the input unit 130 and a DVD loading / unloading table for loading / unloading a recording medium such as a DVD. A status display unit and various operation switches are disposed on the housing surface of the recording / reproducing apparatus 100.

  In the recording / reproducing apparatus 100, the communication unit 104 includes a USB terminal, and can be connected to an expansion device 140 such as an expansion recording unit 141 or an expansion personal computer 141. More types of content information can be recorded / reproduced by adding the additional recording unit 141 and performing control in the same manner as the HDD 107 and the DVD 108. Furthermore, by adding an additional personal computer 141 having a recording unit and a display unit and controlling it in the same manner as the HDD 107 and DVD 108, more types of content information can be recorded and reproduced, and the display unit 120 By performing the same control, the display unit 120 can be substituted.

  The display unit 120 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display device, a CRT display device, and the like, and is connected to the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 via a code and displays a content image generated by the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 on a display screen.

In this embodiment, the input unit 130 is composed of a remote controller, and sends an operation signal to an infrared light receiving unit (not shown) of the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 via an infrared signal to control the operation of the content information display device 1. Can be done. The remote control light receiving unit may be provided in the display unit 120, and the content information display device 1 may be operated via the display unit 120.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the remote controller 130 is a pair of up / down movement keys 131 for moving the cursor up and down to select a content image of a predetermined channel, and a content image at a predetermined time by moving the cursor left and right. A pair of right and left movement keys 132 for selecting the screen, a determination button 133 for determining the selected state, an on-air button 134 for returning to the broadcast display screen, and the time interval of the content information to be displayed side by side on the screen. A time scale changing dial 135 for changing the setting. When the left / right movement key 132 is operated, the displayed content image is moved left and right without changing the position of the cursor on the display screen. When the time scale changing dial 135 is rotated to the right, the time interval is set to be short, and when it is rotated to the left, the time interval is set to be long. The time scale changing dial 135 can set “frame mode”, “second mode”, “minute mode”, “time mode”, and “date mode”, and can also set an arbitrary time between them.

  Next, a specific configuration of the content information display device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the database of the HDD 107 of this embodiment.

  In this embodiment, an operation instruction signal by infrared rays from the input unit 130 is received by the remote control light receiving unit, the operation instruction signal is input to the control unit 103, and the control unit 103 displays the content information display based on the operation instruction signal. The apparatus 1 is comprehensively controlled. The control unit 103 is composed of a microcomputer and has a clock function for counting the current time.

  The tuner 105 is a known one that can receive a broadcast wave with overlapping EPG information. The EPG information includes a channel number, a program broadcast time (start time to an end time), a program name (title), a program content (genre), a performer, and a desired program from a stream in which those programs are multiplexed. A program ID and a program table necessary for extraction are included. The broadcast wave may be any of a ground wave, a satellite broadcast wave, and a cable broadcast wave.

  In this embodiment, the tuner 105 includes a plurality of (eight in the illustrated example) tuners, and a plurality of broadcast waves are simultaneously received by the plurality of tuners 105 and stored in the recording unit 102 as a plurality of types of content information. It can be done. The HDD 107 and the DVD 108 are provided as the large-capacity recording unit 102. The content information received by the broadcast wave can be stored in the DVD 108 or the HDD 107, and the content information stored in the HDD 107 or the DVD 108 can be reproduced. it can.

  Broadcast waves received by each tuner 105 are separated into video information and EPG information by a program information extraction unit (not shown), and stored in the HDD 107 and DVD 108 of the recording unit 102. As shown in FIG. 3, the content information stored in the HDD 107 includes video information stored in the recorded video database 107a and EPG information stored in the EPG information database 107b. Since the storage of the content information on the DVD 108 is performed in the same manner as the storage on the HDD 107 described above, the description thereof is omitted.

  The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 performs various searches from the search information, the storage time, and the EPG information, and displays the content information stored in the DVD 108 or the HDD 107 on the display unit 120 as a content image based on the search results. Can do.

On the other hand, the video received by the camera information reading unit 106 is stored in the recording unit 102 as content information like the broadcast wave, and is handled in the same manner as the handling of the content information.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 12, the content information that is a feature of this embodiment is displayed on the display unit 120 so as to be selectable as a plurality of content images arranged in time series at predetermined time intervals. This will be described in detail.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the separation of the screen display form (graphical user interface: GUI) for extracting content information in this embodiment. In the GUI of this embodiment, the control unit 103 controls the display unit 120 to display content information before and after the selected time as a plurality of content images 150 arranged in time series at a predetermined time interval. To do. Thereby, desired content information can be extracted very easily. Specifically, in the GUI of this embodiment, the time selected on the display screen based on the operation signal with the vertical axis as the content information type axis and the horizontal axis as the time axis under the control of the control unit 103. A plurality of types of content information before and after are displayed in a selectable manner as a plurality of content images 150 arranged in time series in the time axis direction at predetermined time intervals and arranged by type in the type axis direction. Thereby, desired content information can be extracted very easily from a plurality of types of content information. The displayed content image 150 is displayed on the display screen in small screen units. In FIG. 4, the type of content information is a television channel, but it may be by genre or by other type.

  In the GUI of this embodiment, video information and EPG information are displayed side by side on the time axis so as to be selectable as content images for each television channel. This makes it possible to select either one of the video information and the EPG information while viewing them in time series, which is convenient. Note that the past video includes recorded video information and EPG information, the current video includes video information currently being broadcast and EPG information, and the future includes EPG information.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the separation related to the selected time in the GUI of this embodiment. In the GUI of this embodiment, the content information before and after the time selected by the operation signal from the remote control 130 is time-sequentially shown in the content image 150 in an enlarged manner in the central part of FIG. It is set and handled as. In other words, in the GUI of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5B, content information at a time ΔT before and after a certain time T selected by an operation signal from the remote controller 130 is time-series content image 150. It is set and handled as. This before and after time ΔT can be easily changed by operating the time scale changing dial 135 of the remote controller 130. That is, when the time scale changing dial 135 is rotated to the right, the front and rear time ΔT is set short. In other words, when the length of the time axis of the display screen and the size of the displayed content image 150 do not change, the time interval of the displayed content image 150 is set short. Further, when the time scale change dial 135 is rotated counterclockwise, the front and rear time ΔT is set longer. In other words, the time interval of the displayed content image 150 is set to be long. By expanding or reducing the time range of the content image 150 to be displayed in this way, the desired content image 150 can be extracted more quickly.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of basic operations by the GUI of this embodiment. In this embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 6A, a plurality of content images 150 are displayed in a small screen of the display screen. In FIG. 6A, the on-air image (video image) 151 at the current time is displayed on the small screen at the center, the video image 152 at the past time is displayed on the left small screen, and the EPG image 153 at the future time is Displayed on the small screen on the right. The on-air image 151 at the current time is a moving image being broadcast, and the video image 152 at the past time is a recorded still image. With such a configuration, it is possible to easily grasp the time relationship between a plurality of small screens simply by visually recognizing these small screens at the start, and to easily move to the next operation. In the illustrated example, five small screens for displaying the content image 150 are shown, but the number of the small screens may be large or small.

  In the state of FIG. 6A, for example, when the time is 3:00 pm, each small screen is shifted to the left as shown in FIG. 6B. That is, the on-air image 151 at the current time is continuously displayed on the middle small screen as a moving image, and the video images at 2 pm and 3 pm are displayed as still images on the left small screen. The EPG images 153 at 4 pm and 5 pm are displayed on the small screen. In this way, even if time elapses, the on-air image 151 at the current time is continuously displayed as a moving image, so that the time relationship among a plurality of displayed small screens can be easily grasped continuously. .

  Further, in the state of FIG. 6A, for example, when a video image at a past time (for example, a video image at 2 pm) is selected, all the small screens are shifted to the right as shown in FIG. The selected video image at 2:00 pm is displayed as a still image on the small screen, and the video images at 12 pm and 1:00 pm, past the selected 2:00 pm, are frozen on the left small screen. On the right small screen, the on-air image 151 at the current time that is in the future from the selected time is continuously displayed as a moving image that is being broadcast, and at 3 pm that is in the future from the current time. A time EPG image 153 is displayed. In this way, even if a small screen with a past time is selected, the time series relationship is maintained on a plurality of small screens, so that the time relationship between the plurality of small screens to be displayed can be easily grasped continuously. Can do.

  In the state of FIG. 6A, for example, when a video image at 1 pm is selected, all small screens are shifted to the right, and the selected small image at the center is 1 pm. The video image is displayed as a still image, the video images at 11 am and 12:00 pm past the selected time are displayed as still images on the left small screen, and the selected image is displayed on the right small screen. The video image at 2:00 pm, which is in the future (the past compared to the current time) from the time, is displayed as a still image, and the on-air image 151 at the current time, which is in the future after 1:00 pm, continues as the broadcast video. Is displayed.

  Further, in the state of FIG. 6A, for example, when an EPG image at a future time (for example, a video image at 3 pm) is selected, all the small screens are shifted to the left, and the left small screen is displayed. Shows the on-air image 151 of the current time that is past from the selected 3 pm is continuously displayed as a moving video, and the video image at 2 pm that is past is displayed as a still image. On the small screen on the right side, EPG images 153 at 4 pm and 5 pm, which are in the future from the selected time, are displayed. In this way, even when a small screen with a future time is selected, the time series relationship is maintained on multiple small screens, so the time relationship between the multiple small screens displayed can be easily grasped continuously. Can do.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a variation of the display example using the GUI according to this embodiment.

  FIG. 7A shows the same state as that in FIG. 6 for comparison, and redundant description is omitted.

FIG. 7B shows a display example in which the center small screen is made larger than the other small screens and the selected content image is displayed. With such a screen configuration, the selected content image can be displayed with emphasis at the center, and the visibility can be improved. When the content information selected and displayed in the center is a video, a moving image is displayed as a content image to be displayed. This makes it easier to select a desired content image.

  FIG. 7C shows a display example in which small screens of content images are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of rows, and a small screen at the center is selected and displayed in time series from the upper left. . By adopting such a screen configuration, a wider range of content images can be displayed, so that it is possible to further easily select a desired content image.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining display examples having different time resolutions (in other words, time intervals for arranging content images on the display screen) by the GUI of this embodiment.

  FIG. 8A illustrates a display example with the finest resolution. In this embodiment, the content image obtained by dividing the content information video into 30 in one second is set as the minimum frame, and the content image is displayed as a small screen on the display screen. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, it is possible to select a content image with a resolution increased to 1/30 second.

  FIG. 8B is a diagram for explaining a display example of resolution at intervals of 1 second. When a small screen is displayed with a resolution of one second interval, as shown in FIG. 8B, the small screen is displayed at intervals of 30 frames from the arrangement of the minimum unit frames.

  FIG. 8C shows an example in which a small screen having a resolution of 1 minute is displayed on the display screen. This example is different from the case of FIG. 6 in the displayed time and time interval, but is the same in other respects, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 8D is an example in which a small screen with a resolution of one day interval is displayed on the display screen. This illustrated example is different from the case of FIG. 6 and FIG. 8A in the displayed time and time interval, but is the same in other points, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a display example of the dynamic reference mode by the GUI according to this embodiment.

  For example, when 4 o'clock is selected in the “hour mode” state, as shown in FIG. 9A, the content image at 4 o'clock is centered, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock The exact content image is displayed on the display screen. When the state is changed to the “minute mode” using the time scale changing dial 135 of the remote controller 130 from this state, the content image at 4:00 is centered as shown in FIG. Minutes, 3:59, 4:00, 4:01, 4:02, so that the content image is displayed. From this state, when the content image is moved using the left / right movement key 132 of the remote controller 130 and 4:14 is selected, the content image at 4:14 is centered as shown in FIG. A content image of just 4:12, 4:13, 4:14, 4:15, 4:16 is displayed. When the state is changed to the “hour mode” state using the scale change dial 135 of the remote controller 130 hours from this state, the central content image is switched to a moving image displayed from 4:14. In this way, a desired content image can be easily extracted in a short time by performing a search using the dynamic reference mode.

Note that when 4 o'clock is selected in the “hour mode” of FIG. 9A, the selected content image may be displayed as a moving image. In this case, FIG. In the case of switching to the “minute mode” as shown in (b), the content image after a predetermined time is switched so as to be displayed in the center. For example, in the case of switching to the minute mode of FIG. 9B 23 minutes after selecting 4 o'clock in the “hour mode” of FIG. 9A, the content image of 4:23 is centered, Images of 4:21, 4:22, 4:23, 4:24, and 4:25 are displayed. Thus, when the time scale is changed, an image corresponding to the passage of time of the content image that was in the selected state before the change is displayed as the selected content image on the scale after the change. As a result, the display of the content image in the selected state is not switched before and after the change of the time scale (reproducible continuously in the case of a moving image), so that a switching display without a sense of incongruity is possible.

  FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the separation of a plurality of types of content information related to the selected time in the GUI of this embodiment. 10 differs from FIG. 5 in that it is an example in which a plurality of types of content information (content information of a plurality of channels in the illustrated example) are segmented as a plurality of stages of content images. Is the same as in FIG. The content images of the respective channels in FIG. 10 are handled in association with each other. When a certain content image is selected in a certain channel, the content images of other channels are also changed in association with the selected content image. Thereby, it is possible to always visually recognize a plurality of stage content images in a predetermined time series relationship, and it is possible to easily extract a desired content image.

  FIG. 11 shows an example in which content images of a plurality of types of channels in this embodiment are displayed on a display screen in a plurality of stages. FIG. 11A shows an example of a screen on which content images of a plurality of channels are displayed in a plurality of stages, and FIG. 11B shows that content images of a plurality of categories are displayed in a plurality of stages from FIG. An example of a screen switched to is shown. It is also possible to switch from FIG. 11 (b) to FIG. 11 (a).

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the selected image in the GUI of this embodiment is enlarged and displayed as a moving image. In this embodiment, in the example in which the content images of a plurality of types of channels as shown in FIG. 11A are displayed on the display screen in a plurality of stages, a certain time, a certain channel (in the illustrated example, two channels 3 pm ), The content image is enlarged and displayed as a preview video repeated from 3 pm to 4 pm. This makes it possible to extract a desired content image more easily. Note that the playback time of the preview video can be adjusted by changing the time mode.

  Further, in this embodiment, when the channel is up / down operated, the channel moves up / down, and when the cursor is moved left / right, the left / right position of the cursor does not change, and the entire screen moves left / right. Immediately after moving, playback of the preview video is started.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the preview screen, which is the selection screen, is determined, the full screen is displayed and playback is continued until it is stopped. Thereby, the extracted content image can be browsed easily.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a plurality of content images in which content information before and after the selected time is arranged in time series at predetermined time intervals on the display unit 120 under the control of the control unit 103. Since it is displayed so as to be selectable, desired content information can be easily extracted.

It is a block diagram of the content information display apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the input part (remote control) in the content information display apparatus of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram of the database of HDD in the content information display apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a screen display form (GUI) for extracting content information in this embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram of isolation | separation in the time when the GUI of this embodiment was selected. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of basic operation | movement by GUI of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the variation of the example of a display by GUI of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example of a display from which the time resolution differs by GUI of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the dynamic reference mode by GUI of this embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the division | segmentation of the multiple types of content information regarding the selected time in GUI of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example which displays the content image of the multiple types of channel in this embodiment on a display screen in multiple steps. It is a figure explaining the example by which the selection image in GUI of this embodiment is expanded and displayed with a moving image.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Content information display apparatus, 100 ... Recording / reproducing apparatus, 101 ... Information receiving part, 102 ... Recording part, 103 ... Control part, 104 ... Communication part, 105 ... Television tuner, 106 ... Camera information reading part, 107 ... HDD, 107a ... recorded video database, 107b ... electronic program guide information (EPG information) database, 108 ... DVD, 109 ... information browsing program, 110 ... TV antenna, 120 ... display unit, 130 ... input unit (remote control), 131 ... vertical movement Key: 132: Left / right movement key, 133: Enter button, 134: On-air button, 135: Time scale change dial, 140: Additional equipment, 141: Additional recording unit, 142: Additional personal computer, 150: Content image, 151: On-air Image, 152 ... Video image of past time, 153 ... Came the time of the EPG image, 200 ... communication line, 300 ... content management server, 400 ... WWW server.

Claims (4)

An information receiving unit for receiving content information;
A recording unit for recording the received content information;
A display unit for displaying the content information;
An input unit for inputting operation signals;
A control unit that controls these in an integrated manner,
The controller is
The display unit displays content information before and after the selected one piece of content information in a selectable manner as a plurality of content images arranged in time series at a predetermined time interval,
The time interval changing operation signal is received from the input unit, the content information before and after the time of the one content information in the changed time interval is set as a content image in time series, and the changed time interval Can be selected simultaneously as a small screen content image,
Further, the content image is divided into a plurality of stages for each of the other content information different from the one content information, and the content image is displayed.
When one content image is selected and a signal for changing the time interval is received from the input unit, the time of the selected content information is also displayed for the content image related to the other content information displayed in another stage. In conjunction with the change operation of the interval, control to display in a state maintaining a predetermined time series relationship,
The signal for changing the time interval is to set the time interval to “frame mode”, “second mode”, “minute mode”, “time mode”, “date mode”, or any time in between. Content information display device characterized by the above. The content information display device according to claim 1,
A content information display device, wherein content images of a plurality of channels or categories are displayed side by side in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of content images are arranged . The content information display device according to claim 1 or 2,
A content information display device that displays recording information read from the recording unit as the content image before the current time, and displays program guide information as the content image after the current time . The content information display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A content information display apparatus, wherein the plurality of content images are moved and displayed in a time lapse direction along a horizontal axis as time elapses .

Images