Television system
View Patent ↗The invention relates to the provision of data to a viewer of a television system. In particular the information is provided in a visual and/or audible indication to the viewer of a selected program as to when the next program in that program series is scheduled to be shown. The identity and schedule data is retrieved from data received relating to the generation of an EPG or alternatively from the data broadcast along with the selected program being viewed.
1. A television system, said system comprising:
a display screen;
a broadcast data receiver connected to said display screen for receiving broadcast digital data in the form or audio, video and/or auxiliary data from a remote broadcaster and for processing said data to allow video and/or text to be selectively viewed on said display screen, said video and tart which can be selected, including details of programs available for selection by a viewer;
means to select a program for viewing which is a part of program; and
at a pre-determined time point during or at the end of the selected program being viewed, an indication is generated by the broadcast data receiver to inform the viewer of the details of the scheduled broadcast of the next episode of said series of programs and is in the form of information provided in a text display in said display screen and wherein said indication is generated with respect to the program being viewing at the time.
2. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication is generated when said broadcast data receiver detects the end of the selected program and said broadcast data receiver searches, or has already searched, through an electronic program guide data in said broadcast data receiver to identify the scheduled showing of the next episode of the program series.
3. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said data relating to the scheduled showing of the next episode of the program series is broadcast by said remote broadcaster in conjunction with the data for the selected program where upon an indication is generated in response to the received data.
4. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication is typically generated from auxiliary data broadcast from a broadcaster and used for the generation of an electronic program guide.
5. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication may include any from the group consisting of the date when the next episode is to be shown, the time at which the next episode is to be shown, the channel on which the next episode is to be shown, and a description of the content or the next episode.
6. A television system according to claim 1 wherein when the next episode is to be repeated a number of times over a time period, said indication includes details of all showings of the next episode, in that period.
7. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication includes details of the showing of the next episode of the program which does not overlap with any other bookmarked program previously selected by the viewer.
8. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication is in the form of a text message displayed on said display screen, and overlaid on video data displayed at that time.
9. A television system according to claim 8 wherein said displayed text is provided on a semi-transparent background.
10. A television system according to claim 1 , wherein during display of said indication on said display screen, the viewer has an option of hiding said indication by using an appropriate control key on control means provided.
11. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication is in the form of an audio message generated by said broadcast data receiver via speakers connected thereto.
12. A television system according to claim 1 wherein the viewer can set a reminder function so that said broadcast data receiver informs them when the next episode is to be shown at a time near the scheduled showing of the next episode.
13. A television system according to claim 1 wherein the viewer can recall said indication prior to the scheduled showing of the episode by depression of a pre-selected key on control means for said television system.
14. A television system according to claim wherein said indication which is generated is displayed for a period of time determined by the user and/or broadcaster.
15. A television system according to claim 1 wherein said indication includes information relating to when a repeat of the selected program is to be shown.
16. A method of indicating to a viewer of a television program when a scheduled showing of the next episode or episodes in a series of television programs is/are to occur on a television system including a broadcast data receiver for receiving broadcast digital data in the form of audio, video and/or auxiliary data from a remote broadcaster and processing said data for viewing on a display screen and/or listening via speakers connected to the broadcast data receiver, said method includes the steps of;
the broadcast data receiver identifying whether a series of programs exist for a program selected for viewing on said system;
the broadcast data receiver searching received data for the scheduled broadcast of the next episode in the series;
wherein when the selected program is being viewed and said program has been identified as an episode of said series of programs, the broadcast data receiver generates an indication to inform the viewer of when the next episode of said series of programs is to be shown and said indication is generated as text on the display screen.
17. A television system said system comprising;
a display screen;
broadcast digital data in the form of audio video and/or auxiliary data including details of a program which may be one in a series of programs available for selection by a viewer; and
a broadcast data receiver for receiving said digital data and for processing said digital data to allow video and/or text to be selectively viewed on said display screen and having indication means for indicating to a viewer at a predetermined time point details of the scheduled display of the next episode in a series of programs and wherein said indication means generate an indication as text on the display screen and said indication is generated upon the identification of the current episode being viewed.
18. A television system, said system comprising;
a display screen;
a broadcast data receiver connected to said display screen for receiving broadcast digital data in the form or audio, video and/or auxiliary data from a remote broadcaster and for processing said data to allow video and/or text to be selectively viewed on said display screen, said video and text which can be selected, including details of programs available for selection by a viewer; and
when a program which is selected for viewing is part of a series of programs, said broadcast data receiver detects the identity of the selected program and searches through said auxiliary data in said broadcast data receiver to identify the scheduled showing of the next episode of the program series and generates an indication to inform the viewer of the details of the scheduled display of the next episode of the series of programs and displays the information provided in a text display screen.