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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The programming of a VCR for unattended recording was greatly simplified by
the introduction of compressed codes for the channel, date, time, and
length (CDTL) data for a desired program. The compressed code of Gemstar
Development Corporation is known as PLUSCODE.TM. compressed code.
The further aid in the programming for unattended recording, the program
guide or schedule of programs to be broadcast over the air or by cable at
a later date are available in the VBI, as full frame video, on tape, on
floppy discs or in ROM. The program guide is displayed to provide the user
with easy access to the guide and as an aid in programming the VCR for
later recording.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The electronic program guide of the present invention provides a video
magazine format with respect to video program listings, and it also
provides video program clips, to enable a user to select a video program
for future viewing or recording. Advantageously, the electronic program
guide of the present invention is employed in conjunction with an indexing
video cassette recorder/player. The indexing video cassette
recorder/player may be of the same general type described in co-pending
applications Ser. No. 08/066,666 filed May 27, 1993 and Ser. No.
08/176,852 filed Dec. 29, 1993, which are incorporated herein by this
reference.
In the practice of the invention, during regular broadcast hours, a
particular channel such as HBO, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc., broadcasts an
electronic program guide listing future programs. The program guide is
preferably in the format of a video magazine, in which the video portion
is divided into video sections or chapters with each chapter representing
the program listings for one of a plurality of categories of programs,
such as movies, sports or comedy, for example. The program listings form a
menu and are arranged in a grid made up of numbered cells. The video
section includes a plurality of such menus separated by a video clip
relating to one of the listed programs.
During the broadcast, program-related information (PRI) is transmitted, for
example, in the vertical blanking interval (VBI), or by other means,
relating to the positions of each numbered cell, the start and stop
addresses of video clips and also the PLUSCODE.TM. number for the
particular program.
The program guide may be recorded on tape or in RAM of the VCR. For
unattended recording, the program guide may have a listed PLUSCODE.TM. for
entry by a user and decoding by the VCR to record when the program guide
is transmitted (either over the air or by cable). The electronic program
guide, when broadcast, is recorded in the VCR at the time of the
broadcast, to be selected at a subsequent time by the user and displayed.
Alternatively, the program guide may be available to the user as a
prerecorded guide on tape purchased on a subscription basis or from a
retail outlet.
The program guide may include PLUSCODE.TM. numbers for ease of programming
for future recording of desired programs or a cursor may be employed upon
display of a selected program guide or a number may be entered that
corresponds to the cell number of the desired program displayed in a
numbered cell of the grid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an indexing video cassette recorder,
using a hybrid indexing system that provides indexing of recorded programs
for home recorded tapes, prerecorded tapes, and retroactively indexed
tapes, of a standard video cassette format, and that has a directory
controller, a bus interface and an output interface and embodies the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram conceptually illustrating the structure of
data stored in the RAM of the directory controller of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustrating a conceptual structure of an in-use
directory in the data structure of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the format of the information
recorded on the magnetic tape in the cassette of FIG. 1 with markers and
directories in the control track;
FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the format of the information
recorded on the magnetic tape in the cassette of FIG. 1 with markers in
the control track and the directories in the fields of the video frames;
FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a remote control unit for operating the
indexing VCR of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic program guide
with a video grid and video clips with an exploded view of a movie guide
portion of the guide;
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the steps employed in the operation of the
indexing VCR for an electronic program guide using a video grid and video
clips where selection is by a cursor;
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a movie guide portion of an electronic
program guide received and recorded on the VCR in accordance with the
invention where selection is by a cursor.
FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the steps employed in the operation of the
indexing VCR for an electronic program guide using a video grid and video
clips where selection is by number of the numbered cells.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an alternative electronic program guide
received and recorded on the VCR in accordance with the invention where
selection is by number of the numbered cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an indexing VCR system 10 which may be used in
conjunction with the concept of the invention, and is of the type
disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 08/176,852 VCR system 10, as
described in the co-pending application, includes a video cassette
reader/recorder (VCR) 1 with a conventional video tape cassette 40, a
video display 50, and a directory controller 30. The VCR 1 is a
conventional indexing video reader/recorder device and uses any one of
many different recording technologies. In particular, the VHS-C indexed
tapes can be played directly on the indexing VCR 1 with full index
functioning. The cassette 40 is a conventional video cassette having a
magnetic tape 42 packaged in a cartridge or cassette housing (hereafter
called cassette). Even though the size and design of the housing is
different for different types of recording technology, the basic
information that goes on the tape itself is similar. The technology and
operation of a VCR are well understood in the art.
The VCR 1 has a button control panel 3 with control buttons, including LOAD
3a, PLAY 3b, STOP 3c, RECORD 3d, and EJECT 3e, for controlling the
operation of the VCR 1. The LOAD button 3a is optional and is not used on
machines which load automatically. The VCR control logic circuit 21
receives control signals from the button control panel 3 and controls the
overall operation of the VCR 1 by sending control signals to a motor and
mechanical control logic circuit 5, a video logic circuit 7, a position
logic and counter circuit 9, and a control and audio track head logic
circuit 11 of the VCR 1, as well as to the video display 50 and the
microprocessor controller 31 of the directory controller 30.
The motor and mechanical control logic circuit 5 controls loading and
ejecting of the cassette 40 and also controls movement of the video tape
42 within the video cassette 40 during recording, reading (playback), fast
forward, and rewind. The video logic circuit 7 controls the operation of a
video read/write head drum 13 in reading from or recording video signals
to the tape 42. The electrical signals are magnetically coupled between
the video logic circuit 7 and the video head drum 13 using a winding 14.
The position logic and counter circuit 9 monitors tape movement through a
cassette tape movement sensor 22 and generates signals that represent tape
position. The control and audio track head logic circuit 11 controls
writing, reading, and erasing of signals on the control or audio track of
the tape 42 through the write head 19, the read head 17, and the erase
head 15.
The directory controller 30 includes a microprocessor controller 31, a
random access memory (RAM) 33 and a directory input/output display and
control panel 32. Preferably the microprocessor controller 31 comprises an
integrated circuit microprocessor, a program store, such as a
read-only-memory (ROM), for storing a control program to implement methods
of the invention, and a clock for generating a clock signal for timing
functions and providing the time. The time may be set using the directory
input/output display and control panel 32 in a manner known in the art.
Alternatively, the VCR 1 may maintain the time. The RAM 33 is a
conventional random access semiconductor memory which interfaces directly
with the microprocessor controller 31. The RAM 33 is preferably
non-volatile. Alternatively, the RAM 33 is battery backed up. A portion of
the RAM 33 shown as system data 33b, is also used for storing the system
software of the microprocessor controller 31. The RAM 33 is also used for
storing the program directory 33a.
The directory input/output display and control panel 32 has an alphanumeric
keyboard 32a and special function keys, such as a SEARCH key 32b for
commanding searches for data in the directory 33a and on the tape 42, a
MODIFY key 32c for modifying or deleting directory information in the RAM
33, and an ENTER key 32d for entering program directory information.
Instead of providing special function keys, functions can also be
initiated by entering predefined sequences of conventional keys on the
alphanumeric keyboard 32a.
Display 32e of control panel 32 is a conventional liquid crystal, or other
type of display, for displaying data being entered on the keyboard 32a,
and to display the directory or other information stored in the RAM 33.
Alternately, as discussed below, an on-screen display 50a can be used. The
directory information stored in the RAM 33 is processed by the
microprocessor controller 31.
The VCR 1 additionally comprises a character generator circuit 23 coupled
to the VCR control logic circuit 21 and to a character generator read-only
memory (ROM) 25. Character generators are well known in the art.
Typically, the character generator ROM 25 stores a data table representing
pixel or bit patterns of a plurality of alphanumeric characters, such as
the Roman alphabet and the Arabic numerals. Upon command by the VCR
control logic circuit 21 and the character generator circuit 23, the data
in the character generator ROM 25 is read and placed in an output signal
to the video display at a position on the display determined by
coordinates generated by the microprocessor controller 31. The end result
is visual display of an alphanumeric character on the display screen.
Character generators are well known for channel display in television
receivers, and for use in professional titling equipment.
As shown in FIG. 1, decoding can be implemented by coupling an input of a
VBI signal decoder 60a to the output of a tuner 61 which is generally
included in the majority of consumer VCR's for off-the-air recording. The
tuner 61 receives a broadcast signal from an antenna 63 or a cable TV
signal source 64. Both the decoder, the tuner, and the interaction of
both, are conventional in the art. Examples of commercially available VBI
decoders include the TeleCaption 4000 Adaptor, commercially available from
National Caption Institute, Falls Church, Va., and Teletext Decoder,
available from Norpak Corporation, Ottawa, Canada. A decoder signal line
65 is coupled from the decoder to the VCR control logic circuit 21 to
carry decoded data to the control logic circuit. The VCR control logic
circuit 21 is commanded by the microprocessor controller 31 to pass the
decoded data to the directory 33a under control of a stored program in the
RAM 33. The program then causes the information to be stored as a program
title in the directory and displayed on the display 50.
VBI data is placed in a broadcast TV signal by a broadcast TV station in a
continuous stream; a user of the VCR 1 cannot stop or slow down the stream
without additional hardware. Thus, it is possible that the first data
received by the antenna 63 is not the program title. This problem can be
overcome by coupling a data buffer memory 62 to the decoder. Under control
of the decoder, all VBI data received by the VBI decoder 60a is stored in
the caption buffer and serially output to the VCR control logic circuit
21. Each data word is displayed in the directory, and the user presses the
ENTER button to accept the word and store it as a program title.
Not only can the information (e.g., title, subtitle, program
identification) transmitted during the VBI portion be displayed in real
time or used to generate a program title for the directory, it can be
utilized to further facilitate operation of the VCR. For example, by
monitoring the transmitted title, the VCR can automatically detect the end
of a program and stop recording thereto. Also by monitoring the VBI
portion used for transmitting the title, the VCR can filter out (in
recording a program) segments that are unrelated to the program (e.g.,
commercials), by temporarily stopping the VCR if changes in the title
portion are detected.
It is disclosed in the preceding paragraphs that the VBI data may be
broadcast at a relatively high repetition rate prior to broadcast,
enabling a suitable decoder to detect the data. In the system of FIG. 1,
the decoder 60a can be designed to receive and store in buffer 62 the
program identification information from line 21 of field 2 of each frame.
Using suitable logic, the program title and other information can be
stored automatically in the directory 33a, without user intervention.
Now the memory structure of the RAM 33 is described by referring to FIG. 2
which is a schematic conceptually illustrating a typical structure of the
data stored in the RAM 33. The RAM 33 can be viewed conceptually as having
an area 1010 for storing operation flags. These flags include a mode flag
(MODEFLAG) 1011 for indicating the operation speed (e.g., SP, LP, or SLP)
of the VCR 1 and which will be changed whenever the operation speed of the
VCR 1 is changed. A tape length flag (TAPELNG) 1012 indicates the length
(e.g., E-60, E-90, E-120) of an inserted tape 42. A second memory flag
1014 (SECMEM) stores access information of a secondary memory which may be
provided on the cassette 40 for storing directory information, as
described in the co-pending application.
The flags also include a feature control field (FTCNTL) 1013 for specifying
the VCR functions that are available to a user. In the simplest case, if a
secondary memory is needed on the cassette for storing directory
information, FTCNTL 1013 will be set in one way if an inserted cassette
has the secondary memory and in another way if the inserted cassette has
no secondary memory. FTCNTL 1013 may also specify other functions, and can
be set by reading a code carried at a predetermined area of the cassette
(e.g., on a magnetic strip on the cassette housing).
Area 1010 also stores a message pointer 1017 pointing to a message area
1022 which stores input and output messages; and a CDTL pointer 1019
pointing to a CDTL buffer 1024 which stores channel-date-time-length
(CDTL) data of future recordings. A library 1023 is also provided in the
RAM 33. The library 1023 stores directories of tapes which users of the
VCR 1 have archived. Each directory stored in the library contains
substantially the same information as the in-use directory. If a library
is present, a library pointer 1015 is provided for pointing to the library
1023.
A directory pointer 1018 is also provided for pointing to an in-use
directory 1021 which stores the directory of the currently inserted tape.
This directory pointer 1018 may actually point to a location in the
library wherein the directory of the tape is located.
In addition, the area 1010 also stores a volume number field (VOLNO) 1016
which stores a counter value representing the number of tape directories
already stored in the library 1023. Other flags may be added as needed.
Referring to FIG. 3, which is a schematic illustrating a conceptual
structure of the in-use directory 1021 in the data structure of FIG. 2,
the in-use directory 1021 stores the directory of the cassette tape
currently inserted into the VCR 1. For each program recorded on the
cassette tape, a corresponding entry 1041 is set up in the in-use
directory 1021. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 3 shows the entry 1041
only for program 1. However, each program similarly has an entry 1041.
Each entry 1041 stores a title or program name (PROGRAM) 1042; a program
address (LOC) 1043 which stores the absolute tape counter value of the
beginning of the program; a program length value (LENGTH) 1044 which
stores the length of the recorded program, represented as a function of
the difference between its address from the address of the next program or
record or a measure of time from a fixed reference point, such as the
beginning of the tape; an optional program type field (TYPE) 1045 which
stores the category of the recorded program; an optional program audience
field (AUDIENCE) 1046 which stores the recommended audience of the
program; and an optional recording speed (SPEED) 1047 which stores the
speed at which the program is recorded.
A current tape location (CURRENT LOC) 1049 is also stored in the directory
for indicating the absolute position from the beginning of the tape 42 in
the cassette 40 where the valid directory is located, or the value of the
tape counter when the tape is ejected. This field is used for setting the
tape counter when the tape is reloaded into the VCR 1. The recording on
the tape of the absolute tape position is described below.
A field 1051 is a pointer pointing to the address of the first entry of the
directory 1021 represented in FIG. 3 by an arrow pointing to the program
name (PROGRAM) 1042. Each entry also has a field 1048 storing the address
of the next entry in the directory also represented in FIG. 3 by an arrow
pointing to program 12. These fields provide a link from one entry to the
next entry and are used for facilitating search, deletion, and addition of
entries. In the preferred embodiment, the directory information is not
stored on the tape 42, but is retrieved from the library 1023. In this
embodiment, a volume label (VOLNO) 1050 is provided in the in-use
directory 1021. This field is used for retrieving the directory
information of the tape from a library 1023 stored in the RAM 33.
Each item in the directory can be modified through the use of the buttons
on the keyboard 32a and the special function keys 32b, 32c, 32d of the
directory controller 32, as will be described below.
By way of background, the format of the tape 42 is now described. FIGS. 4
and 5 illustrate the information content of one example of video tape for
both BETA and VHS format which both use the same general tape layout. The
tape 42 is divided into three areas. A narrow strip running along the
upper edge of the tape 42 is an audio track 42a which contains audio
signals. A second narrow strip running along the bottom edge of the tape
is a control track 42c which contains synchronization ("sync") control
signals. The middle area 42b is for video signals which are recorded in
pairs of parallel fields going up and down the width of the tape at a
slight angle. The markers 110, 112, and 114 may be used to mark sections
of the tape.
The video head drum 13 is fitted with two read/record heads 180 degrees
apart, so that even numbered lines make up one field and odd numbered
lines make up the other field. To reduce flicker on the video screen,
these fields are projected onto the face of the cathode ray tube (CRT)
screen 50a of the video display 50 at alternating intervals.
Video images in cathode ray tube (CRT) type video devices (e.g.,
television) are generated by scanning a beam along a predefined pattern of
lines across a screen. Each time all the lines are scanned, a frame is
said to have been produced. Each video frame is divided into two fields,
referred to as field 1 and field 2.
The VCR control logic circuit 21 or the TV control circuitry scans the beam
typically from the top, left-hand corner across the screen. After it
finishes scanning one line, the beam returns to the left-hand side and
scans along another line which is parallel to but lower than the previous
line. The scanning continues until the beam reaches the center of the
bottom part of the screen, thus completing the lines that form field 1.
From the bottom center of the screen, the beam returns to the top, where it
starts scanning from substantially the center of the screen along lines
which interlace the lines of field 1. These lines form field 2. When the
beam reaches the bottom, right-hand corner of the screen, a picture frame
is formed. In the NTSC protocol widely used in North America, each field
contains 262.5 horizontal lines and a pair of fields constitute a single
525-line video frame and creates one video picture at one instant in time
on the video display 50.
During the time in which the beam returns from the bottom to the top of the
screen, it carries no video or picture signals and thus does not produce
any picture element on the screen. This time interval is generally known
as the vertical blanking interval (VBI). Its duration is generally several
times and typically 21 times the time duration that it takes the beam to
scan across the screen. In other words, the length of the VBI is equal to
the time for the beam to scan several lines. Thus, the VBI typically
contains a plurality of lines and is identified by the field with which it
is associated. Apparatus and methods using these techniques are well known
in the art and therefore are not discussed in detail herein.
Since no image element is produced on a television screen during a vertical
blanking interval, proposals have been made to use the VBI for conveying
auxiliary information from a television network or station to the
audience. For example, Closed-Caption data associated with a television
program are transmitted as encoded composite data signals during VBI line
21, field 1 of the standard NTSC video signal, at a rate of 480 bits per
second.
By way of background, the data in the vertical blanking interval can be
described in terms of the waveform, its coding and the data packet. The
closed caption data waveform has a running clock followed by a frame code,
followed by the data. The coding of the data is non-return-to-zero (NRZ) 7
bit odd parity.
Under mandatory FCC requirements effective July 1993, televisions having a
size 13" and greater must provide closed captioning in two closed
captioning fields which are used for two languages in real time and two
text mode fields. The text mode fields fill the entire screen with texts.
The default mode is an open ended mode in which the page is first filled
up and then scrolled up. The individual recipient of such data has no
control over the data.
Caption data decoding is further described in the following specifications,
which are hereby incorporated by reference herein: Title 47, Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 15 as amended by GEN. Docket No. 91-1; FCC
91-119; "CLOSED CAPTION DECODER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TELEVISION
RECEIVERS"; Title 47, C.F.R., Part 73,682(a) (22), Caption Transmission
format; Title 47, C.F.R. Part 73,699, FIG. 6; "TELEVISION SYNCHRONIZING
WAVEFORM"; Title 47, C.F.R., Part 73,699, FIG. 17A; "LINE 21, FIELD 1 DATA
SIGNAL FORMAT"; and PBS Engineering Report No. E-7709-C, "TELEVISION
CAPTIONING FOR THE DEAF: SIGNAL AND DISPLAY SPECIFICATIONS".
Under the extended data services (EDS) proposed in the Recommended Practice
for Line 21 Data Service, Electronics Industries Association, EIA-608
(drafts Oct. 12, 1992 and Jun. 17, 1993) (hereinafter referred to as
"EIA-608 standard", the subject matter of which is incorporated by
reference, additional data is provided in line 21, field 2 of the vertical
blanking interval. This requirement includes two closed captioning fields,
two text mode fields and the extended data services. Table I shows the
classification of data, the class control code, and the type code. The
extended data includes, among other information, program name, program
length, length into show, channel number, network affiliation, station
call letters, UCT (universal coordinate time) time, time zone, and
daylight savings time. In a typical distribution system upstream at the
network, the network inserts the program name, the length of the show, the
length into the show, the network affiliation, and the UCT time.
Downstream at the affiliate, the affiliate inserts the channel number, the
time zone, the daylight standard time and program names. The network
inserts the data that does not differ for different affiliates.
The data is transmitted in packets. Six classes of packets are proposed in
the EIA-608 standard, including: (1) a "Current" class for describing a
program currently being transmitted; (2) a "Future" class for describing a
program to be transmitted later; (3) a "Channel Information" class for
describing non-program specific information about the transmitting
channel; (4) a "Miscellaneous" class for describing other information; (5)
a "Public Service" class for transmitting data or messages of a public
service nature such as National Weather Service Warnings and messages; and
(6) a "Reserved" class reserved for future definition.
According to the proposed EIA-608 standard, a packet is preceded by a
Start/Type character pair, followed by information/informational
characters pairs until all the informational characters in the packet have
been sent.
Table I lists a subset of the control and type codes of various kinds of
information to be broadcasted in the VBI according to the EIA-608
standard. For example, to transmit the program identification number
(scheduled start time) of a program, a control code of 01 hex, a type code
of 01 hex and a packet of four characters (one character specifying the
minute, one character specifying the hour, one character specifying the
date and one character specifying the month) are sent. Similarly, to
transmit the program name, a control code of 01 hex, a type code of 03
hex, and a packet of between 2 to 32 characters are sent. As another
example, the VBI may also be used to transmit a time-of-day value, by
sending a control code of 07 hex, a type code of 01 hex, and a packet of
two characters. The data format is also encrypted as described in other
patent applications. The inserter 10007 stores data from the video stream
and handles the insertion of such data into the video stream.
TABLE I
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Class Control
Class Code Type
______________________________________
Current Class
Program Identification
01 hex, 02 hex
01 hex
(scheduled start time)
Length/Time-in-show
01 hex, 02 hex
02 hex
Program Name 01 hex, 02 hex
03 hex
Program Type 01 hex, 02 hex
04 hex
Program Rating 01 hex, 02 hex
05 hex
Audio Services 01 hex, 02 hex
06 hex
Caption Services 01 hex, 02 hex
07 hex
Aspect Ratio 01 hex, 02 hex
09 hex
Information
Composite Packet - 1
01 hex, 02 hex
0C hex
Composite Packet - 2
01 hex, 02 hex
0D hex
Program Description
01 hex, 02 hex
10 hex-
row 1 to 8 17 hex
Channel Information Class
Network Name 05 hex, 06 hex
01 hex
(affiliation)
Call Letters (Station
05 hex, 06 hex
02 hex
ID) and Native Channel
Tape Delay 05 hex, 06 hex
03 hex
Miscellaneous
Time of Day 07 hex, 08 hex
01 hex
Impulse Capture ID
07 hex, 08 hex
02 hex
Supplemental Data 07 hex, 08 hex
03 hex
Location
Local Time Zone & DST
07 hex, 08 hex
04 hex
Use
Public Service Class
National Weather Service
09 hex, 0A hex
01 hex
Code
National Weather Service
09 hex, 0A hex
02 hex
Message
______________________________________
Referring back to FIG. 1, the microprocessor controller 31 controls the
sequence and operation of the directory controller 30 and interfaces with
the VCR control logic circuit 21 to implement the necessary functional
capabilities for reading, updating and recording the directory. The
microprocessor controller 31, according to a specific embodiment, is a
microcomputer chip with part number of UPD 78234 from NEC Corporation.
The indexing VCR system described in the co-pending application provides a
hybrid method for indexing recorded programs, which are recorded on a
particular type of tape, such as home recorded tapes and prerecorded
tapes. A home recorded tape (HR tape) is a tape on which the user has made
recordings from broadcast or cable by either real time recording, timer
programming his VCR, or using a VCR PLUS+.TM. programming system. As will
be described below, the directory is created at the time of recording by
the VCR. The second type of tape is a prerecorded tape (PR tape) that is a
commercially purchased tape, such as a Raquel Welch work-out tape, a
karaoke tape, songs, lectures or speeches, that contains many titles on it
or may contain only one program. These tapes are not expected to be
overwritten. The directory is stored on the tape by the video publisher at
the time of the recording.
Each tape has a tape identification number (TID) written at some repetition
rate along the whole tape on a VBI line for both home recorded and
prerecorded tapes. The TID's reference the tape to a corresponding
directory stored in the RAM 33. After the tape is inserted into the VCR,
the VCR ident | | |
