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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to television receivers and, more
particularly, is directed to a television receiver in which information
concerning the viewer's life style is obtained.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing television receivers receive BS programs in addition to general
UHF programs or are used as monitors to display pictures of VTR (video
tape recorder), a laser disk or teletext. Also, when in use, existing
television receivers are operated in accordance with a viewer's life
style. For example, there is a trend that television programs that viewers
watch in a certain time zone are fixed at every week and/or day in
accordance with viewer's life style, such as those who watch an education
program of broadcasting station A early in the morning at every certain
day of every week and those who regularly watch a documentary broadcast by
broadcasting station C on a particular day after a particular news program
broadcast by broadcasting station B at night.
It is frequently observed that viewers having such life styles will miss
favorite programs if they enjoy a video program from the VTR or watch a
sports program broadcast by another broadcasting station until their
favorite program is started after the television receiver had been powered
on.
In such case, if the television receiver is programmed to operate in the
timer-activated recording mode, then it is possible to solve the
above-mentioned problem that the viewer will miss the favorite television
program. However, a timer-activated recording is generally cumbersome in
operation. There is then the trend that most of the viewers do not use
such timer-activated recording functions inasmuch as a television program
is not of great importance to the viewer.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved
television receiver in which the aforementioned shortcomings and
disadvantages encountered with the prior art can be eliminated.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
television receiver in which viewers can be prevented from missing desired
programs inadvertently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a television
receiver in which viewers can select desired television channels with
ease.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
audio video apparatus with intelligence for learning a history of user
control which comprises a control circuit for controlling an operation of
an apparatus, a memory means for memorizing a program and/or data of the
control circuit, a user control circuit controlled by a user, and a signal
generating circuit for generating a signal for getting the attention of
the user.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
television receiver with intelligence for learning a history of user
control which comprises a display device for displaying a picture, a video
processing circuit for processing a video signal, a loudspeaker for
generating a sound signal, a sound generating circuit for processing the
sound'signal, a control circuit for controlling an operation of an
apparatus, a memory for memorizing a program and/or data of the control
circuit, a user control circuit controlled by a user, and a signal
generating circuit for getting the generating a signal for attention of
the user.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of learning a history of user control which comprises
the steps of recognizing a present time and/or date and/or day if a user
selects a new channel of which time a timer count turns on, memorizing a
channel number and the present time and/or date and/or day if a timer
count value reaches a predetermined time period and the user does not
change the new channel, and calculating data for a frequency in use.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of
illustrative embodiments thereof to be read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a television receiver according to a
first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart to which reference will be made in explaining
operation of a control unit of a microcomputer in which weekly tuning
information is stored according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram used to explain a frequency of tuning
registered in a weekly tuning information memory;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart to which reference will be made in explaining
operation done when advice information is formed;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the television receiver according to a
second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of memorized contents of a
personal data memory used in the second embodiment of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a block diagram of an embodiment
of a television receiver according to the present invention. In FIG. 1,
reference numeral 1 denotes a tuner for selecting a broadcasting station,
2 an intermediate frequency amplifying unit and 3 a video signal
processing circuit. The video signal processing circuit 3 processes in a
variety of ways a demodulated video signal, such as separating a color
signal, forming color difference signals, extracting a synchronizing
signal and so on. Also, the video signal processing circuit 3 supplies RGB
signals to a CRT (cathode ray tube) 4 which then displays a picture.
There is provided a control unit 5 which supplies control signals to the
above-mentioned respective function circuits. The control unit 5 carries
out a variety of control operations, such as selection of the broadcasting
station, volume up/down, and control of the picture quality or the like on
the basis of an operation signal supplied thereto from an input key switch
(operation button) 6 or an operation signal supplied thereto from a remote
controller 8 through a light sensing device 7.
A character (graphic pattern) generator 9 is adapted to output various
information in such fashion that various information are superimposed upon
a displayed picture of the CRT 4. The character generator 9 generates
characters in order to display the identity of the operations performed
when control data is output from the above-mentioned control circuit 5.
According to the television receiver of the present invention, the
insertion of a picture, such as one displaying an external video signal, a
BS (broadcast from satellite) signal input to the video signal processing
circuit 3 in the form of a main picture/sub picture or the like, can be
carried out.
The control circuit 5 of the present invention incorporates therein a timer
in addition to a CPU (central processing unit), and a semiconductor memory
such as a RAM (random access memory), a ROM (read-only memory) or the like
to effect a time administration at the unit of one week. Then, on the
basis of this time administration, tuning information of the television
receiver is memorized in a weekly tuning information storage member as
will be described later on.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a sound generator, 11 an amplifier,
and 12 a loudspeaker, all of which are used when advice information is
output in the form of sound.
The television receiver according to the present invention includes the
above-mentioned respective circuit blocks so that a power switch is turned
on or off, a broadcasting station is selected and a sound volume is
adjusted by using, for example, a remote controller 8 similar to the
ordinary television receiver.
In the television receiver according to the present invention, if it is
determined that the viewer becomes able to watch a broadcast program after
a certain broadcasting station was selected, then data representing the
viewing day, date and the selected broadcasting station are successively
compiled by a calculating unit and data representative of a familiar
broadcasting station whose program is frequently viewed in daily life can
be stored in the weekly tuning information storage unit on the basis of
the compiled data.
More specifically, as shown in a flowchart of FIG. 2, following the start
of operation (i.e., when the television receiver is energized), the
control unit 5 reads present day data and time data from the timer and
sets present day and time in step S1. In the next decision step S2, it is
determined whether or not the channel is selected. If the channel is
selected, as represented by a YES at decision step S2, then the processing
proceeds to the next decision step S3. If a NO is output at decision step
S2, step S2 is repeated. It is determined in decision step S3 whether or
not predetermined m minutes passed. If the predetermined m minutes passed,
as represented by a YES at decision step S3, then it is determined that
the viewer becomes able to view a program of this channel, and the
processing proceeds to step S4, whereat the corresponding channel number
and the present time are stored in the memory. If a NO is output at
decision step S3, then the processing returns to decision step S2. In the
next step S5, the number of tunings are compiled by using day, time and
selected channel as parameters. Alternatively, in step S5, a sound volume
in this viewing state may be stored in the memory simultaneously, and the
sound volume level also may be added as data together with the
broadcasting channel data. Then, the processing is ended.
Therefore, the above-mentioned compiled data can be considered to express
the viewer's life style, such as when and what program the user using this
television receiver according to this invention views.
Further, if it is determined that the compiled result, e.g., data
representative of the number of tunings using day and time as parameters
is relatively higher than that of another selected channel, then such data
is stored in the above-mentioned weekly tuning information storage unit.
The number of tunings in which the corresponding broadcasting channels are
selected in these time periods by those who watch a program of a Japanese
chess players' tournament at 10:00 on Sunday morning without fail or those
who watch documentaries of a broadcasting station A at 8:00 on Monday
evening by using a remote controller or the like is about four to ten
times larger than that number of tunings for selecting other broadcasting
channels. Then, this selection information is stored in the
above-mentioned weekly tuning information storage unit.
Accordingly, the number of tunings is stored in the weekly tuning
information storage unit at its area in which data is stored at every day
as height direction data using the broadcasting channel number and the
time as address as shown in FIG. 3. Then, data in which the height
direction data becomes a predetermined value is stored in the weekly
tuning information storage unit.
Operation of the television receiver according to the present invention
will further be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 4. As
shown in FIG. 4, following the start of operation, it is determined in
decision step S10 whether or not broadcasting channel information stored
in the weekly tuning information storage unit reaches a predetermined time
of a certain day. If a YES is output at decision step S10, then a
registered broadcasting channel number is read out, and the processing
proceeds to the next decision step S11, whereat the broadcasting channel
number thus read and the present tuning channel number are compared with
each other.
If the above-mentioned two channel numbers are not coincident with each
other, as represented by a NO at decision step S11, then the processing
proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the present time and the registered
broadcasting channel are displayed at the corner of the picture screen
(may be displayed in a blinking fashion as an advisory message). Then, the
displayed message is cleared after a predetermined time in step S13.
Accordingly, when the viewer watches another broadcasting program that is
unusual, if the viewer's favorite broadcasting program is output from the
above-mentioned weekly tuning information storage unit, then the above
advice message is displayed on the picture screen of the television
receiver, which informs the viewer that the viewer's favorite television
program has just started. Therefore, the viewer can be prevented from
missing the viewers favorite broadcasting program.
Incidentally, when the television receiver is placed in the external input
state (i.e., a picture from a video tape recorder is being played back on
the picture screen of the television receiver), if the power switch is in
its off-state, then it is determined on the basis of the compared result
that the broadcasting channel number read out is not coincident with the
present selected channel. Then, the above-mentioned advice information is
displayed on the picture screen of the television receiver. Particularly,
when the power switch of the television receiver is in its off-state, it
is preferable that the power switch is not turned on to display the
above-mentioned advice information on the picture screen of the television
receiver and that only the audio circuit shown in FIG. 1 is energized to
output notice information to the sound generator 10 so as to produce, for
example, a sound message "at 9:00, NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) News program
now begins".
Furthermore, it is preferable that the broadcasting channel that is output
when the television receiver is first turned on becomes the broadcasting
channel registered in the above-mentioned weekly tuning information
storage unit under the control of the control unit.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a circuit arrangement of a
second embodiment of the television receiver according to the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 5, there is provided an antenna 102 to which a
number of television signals are supplied. Of these television signals, a
tuner 106 receives a television signal of a channel instructed by tuning
data output from a tuning data output circuit 104. A video signal in the
television signal received by the tuner 106 is processed by a video signal
processing circuit 108 and a picture represented by such processed video
signal is displayed on a CRT 110 thereby. An audio signal in the
television signal received by the tuner 106 is processed by an audio
signal processing circuit 112 and a sound represented by such processed
audio signal is emanated from a loudspeaker 114.
Personal remote controllers R1, R2, . . . , RN are respectively prepared
as, for example, father's remote controller, mother's remote controller, .
. . , N'th child's remote controller. When these personal remote
controllers R1, R2, . . . , RN emit signals for operating the television
receiver, they generate signals representing identification (ID) codes
ID1, ID2, . . . , IDN which are different from one another. Output signals
(infrared-ray signals) from the personal remote controllers R1, R2, . . .
, RN are received by a receiving unit 116 and then analyzed by a remote
control data analyzer 118.
The remote control data analyzer 118 analyzes not only tuning data, sound
volume data and so on provided when the personal remote controllers R1,
R2, . . . , RN are operated by the respective viewers to effect the tuning
control and the sound volume control but also the identification codes
ID1, ID2, . . . , IDN output from the personal remote controllers R1, R2,
. . . , RN. Then, the remote control data analyzer 118 supplies analyzed
data to a controller 120. The controller 120 learns the favorite channels
of respective viewers and compiles the number of channels that are watched
by respective viewers during respective time zones in accordance with a
weekly time table with reference to clock data generated by a clock
generator to thereby make channel priority order data of each time zone
for every viewer. Channel priority order data thus made are stored in a
personal data memory 122.
Further, the controller 120 learns the favorite volume of each viewer and
compiles the number of viewers' favorite volumes in respective time
periods in accordance with the weekly time table with reference to a clock
generated from the clock generator 124 to thereby make volume distribution
data of respective time zones for every viewer. Volume distribution data
thus made are stored in the personal data memory 122.
FIG. 6 shows an example of contents of data stored in the personal data
memory 122 used in the second embodiment of FIG. 5. In this example, there
are stored a father's personal totalized data table FD, a mother's
personal totalized data table MD and a child's personal totalized data
table CD. Each of the tables FD, MD and CD includes channel priority order
data at every time zone and volume level distribution data at every time
zone per day. An upper left graph of FIG. 6 shows a father's channel
priority order from 19:00 to 20:00. A lower left graph of FIG. 6 shows a
daily volume distribution on Monday.
When the television receiver is turned on by any one of the personal remote
controllers R1, R2, . . . , RN, the remote controller data analyzer 118
checks the identification code output from the corresponding personal
remote controller and supplies a checked result to the controller 120. The
controller 120 specifies on the basis of the reported identification code
a viewer who had operated the personal remote controller. Then, the
controller 120 reads out from the personal compiled data table of the
specified viewer from the personal data memory 122, and supplies tuning
data representing the channel whose priority order is highest in that time
zone through the tuning data output circuit 104 to the tuner 106 in
response to the clock supplied thereto from the clock generating circuit
124. Therefore, the viewer can watch their favorite program of a
particular time merely by turning on the television receiver.
Further, the controller 120 reads out the personal compiled data table of
the specified viewer from the personal data memory 122 to check a past
volume in that time zone and controls the audio signal processing circuit
112 such that a sound of the same volume thus checked is produced from the
loudspeaker 114.
As described above, according to the above-mentioned second embodiment, the
viewer can select the favorite channel and volume without carrying out
cumbersome tuning operation and volume adjusting operation.
Incidentally, if a channel-up operation and a channel-down operation of the
remote controller are carried out in order to select the priority order,
then a channel can be selected more easily.
As described above, under normal conditions of use, since the television
receiver according to the present invention checks the viewer's program
watching trend in one-week units, stores viewer's favorite program data in
the weekly tuning information storage unit and compares the broadcasting
channel program registered in the weekly tuning information storage unit
with the present selected channel program by using day and time zone as
parameters so that, only if they are not coincident, notice information is
output, the viewer can be prevented from inadvertently missing either a
favorite program that the viewer watches habitually or an interesting
serial teleplay.
Furthermore, since the television receiver according to the present
invention include the storage means for storing the channel priority order
for each viewer, detects a viewer who operates the television receiver,
reads out channel data having highest priority order for the detected
viewer and communicates the read-out channel to the tuner, even a
plurality of viewers can select favorite channels with ease.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to
the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is
not limited to those precise embodiments and that various changes and
modifications could be effected therein by one skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims.
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