Page switching method and device, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

This application provides a page switching method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium. The method includes: receiving a first channel switching instruction when displaying a page showing a first live channel; determining a first target channel to be switched to based on the first channel switching instruction; and switching from the page of the first live channel to the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) homepage if the first target channel is one of a predetermined live channel; wherein the navigation address of the predetermined live channel points to the EPG homepage. Therefore, the embodiments of this application can solve the problem in the prior art where the user's contact rate with the IPTV system EPG homepage is low, thereby reducing the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a page switching method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) is based on the broadband high-speed Internet Protocol (IP) network. It uses network video resources as the main body and uses televisions, personal computers and handheld devices as display terminals. It connects to the broadband network through set-top boxes or computers to realize digital TV, time-shifted TV and interactive TV services.

[0003] With the rapid development of IPTV services, IPTV value-added services have also become exceptionally diverse, bringing substantial profits to operators and service providers (SPs). This has led to some excessive marketing practices, prompting stricter regulation. Currently, upon powering on, IPTV users are directly presented with a live channel page, significantly reducing user interaction with the IPTV system's EPG homepage from 100% to an average of 15%. This has severely impacted the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a page switching method, apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium to address the problem in the prior art where the user's contact rate with the IPTV system EPG homepage is low, thereby reducing the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a page switching method, the method comprising:

[0006] When the page displaying the first live channel is active, receive the command to switch to the first channel;

[0007] Based on the first channel switching instruction, determine the first target channel to be switched to;

[0008] If the first target channel is one of the pre-selected live channels, switch from the page of the first live channel to the homepage of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG);

[0009] The navigation address of the pre-selected live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage.

[0010] Optionally, switching from the first live channel page to the EPG homepage includes:

[0011] Send a first command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the first command is used to indicate leaving the multicast live broadcast;

[0012] Send a second command to the second service node, wherein the second command is used to indicate leaving the live broadcast channel;

[0013] Request the EPG homepage from the second service node;

[0014] Receive the first data of the EPG homepage sent by the second service node;

[0015] The EPG homepage is based on the data displayed in the first data set.

[0016] Optionally, after switching from the page of the first live channel to the homepage of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), the method further includes:

[0017] Receive the second channel switching command;

[0018] Based on the second channel switching instruction, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to;

[0019] If the second target channel does not belong to the predetermined live streaming channel, switch from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live streaming channel corresponding to the second target channel.

[0020] Optionally, the step of switching from the EPG homepage to the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel includes:

[0021] Send a third command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the third command is used to instruct to join the multicast live broadcast;

[0022] Send a fourth command to the second service node, wherein the fourth command is used to instruct to join the live broadcast channel;

[0023] Receive the second data of the second live channel page sent by the first service node;

[0024] The second data is used to display the page of the second live streaming channel.

[0025] Optionally, when the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number should be increased by a first step or decreased by a second step, determining the second target channel to be switched according to the second channel switching instruction includes:

[0026] Based on the second channel switching instruction and the third live channel, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to;

[0027] The third live streaming channel is the live streaming channel of the page displayed before the most recent switch to the EPG homepage.

[0028] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0029] If the second target channel belongs to the predetermined live streaming channel, the EPG homepage will continue to be displayed.

[0030] Optionally, the first channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following:

[0031] The channel number is increased by a third step, the channel number is decreased by a fourth step, and then one channel number is added.

[0032] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a page switching device, the device comprising:

[0033] The first receiving module is used to receive the first channel switching instruction when the page displaying the first live channel is shown.

[0034] The first determining module is used to determine the first target channel to be switched to based on the first channel switching instruction;

[0035] The first switching module is used to switch from the page of the first live channel to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) when the first target channel is one of the predetermined live channels.

[0036] The navigation address of the pre-selected live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage.

[0037] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a memory, a transceiver, and a processor:

[0038] The memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer programs in the memory and execute the page switching method described in the first aspect above.

[0039] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a readable storage medium on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the page switching method described in the first aspect above.

[0040] In this embodiment of the application, when the page of the first live channel is displayed, a first channel switching instruction can be received, and the first target channel to be switched to can be determined according to the first channel instruction. Thus, when the first target channel belongs to one of the predetermined live channels, the page of the first live channel can be switched to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), wherein the navigation address of the predetermined live channel points to the home page of the EPG.

[0041] Therefore, in this embodiment of the application, the EPG homepage is made into a live channel, so that from the user's perspective, the EPG homepage is a live channel. That is, several pre-selected live channels point to the EPG homepage. In this way, users can switch from the live channel page to the EPG homepage by switching channels, which can greatly increase the probability of users seeing the EPG homepage, and thus increase the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a page switching method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the buttons on the IPTV remote control in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of switching the EPG homepage in a specific embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of incorporating multicast live streaming in a specific embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall flow of a specific implementation of the page switching method according to an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a structural block diagram of the page switching device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 7 A structural block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0050] In the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" describes the relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following associated objects have an "or" relationship.

[0051] In the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more, and other quantifiers are similar.

[0052] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] This application provides a page switching method and apparatus to solve the problem in the prior art where the user's contact rate with the IPTV system EPG homepage is low, thereby reducing the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage.

[0054] The method and apparatus are based on the same concept of the application. Since the methods and apparatus solve problems in similar ways, the implementation of the apparatus and methods can refer to each other, and the repeated parts will not be described again.

[0055] Figure 1 The diagram shows a flowchart of a page switching method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method may include the following steps 101 to 103:

[0056] Step 101: While the page displaying the first live channel is active, receive the first channel switching command.

[0057] The First Live Channel is one of the IPTV live channels.

[0058] Optionally, the first channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following:

[0059] The channel number is increased by a third step, the channel number is decreased by a fourth step, and then one channel number is added.

[0060] The first channel switching command can be sent by the remote control device; for example, if the remote control device has multiple control buttons, it can send the first channel switching command when it detects a touch operation on a certain control button.

[0061] For example Figure 2As shown, the IPTV remote control has directional keys 201, a channel + key 202, a channel - key 203, and multiple channel number setting keys 204. Specifically, when the first directional key 2011 of the IPTV remote control is pressed, the IPTV remote control sends a command to increase the channel number by a third step; when the second directional key 2012 of the IPTV remote control is pressed, the IPTV remote control sends a command to decrease the channel number by a fourth step; when the channel + key 202 of the IPTV remote control is pressed, the IPTV remote control sends a command to increase the channel number by a third step; when the channel - key 203 of the IPTV remote control is pressed, the IPTV remote control sends a command to decrease the channel number by a fourth step; when one or more channel number setting keys 204 of the IPTV remote control are pressed, the IPTV remote control sends the channel number corresponding to that channel number setting key 204.

[0062] Furthermore, the page switching method of this application embodiment can be applied to IPTV terminals. An IPTV terminal is a terminal device that simultaneously supports IPTV network layer and IPTV service layer access, also known as a set-top box. The IPTV terminal interacts with application functions to obtain service information such as EPG, content copyright license, and keys; interacts with the content distribution platform to receive IPTV services and complete decryption and decoding functions; and is responsible for receiving control commands from terminal users. The IPTV terminal is either directly connected to the telecommunications network or connected to the telecommunications network through a home gateway.

[0063] Understandably, if the IPTV terminal has a display function, in step 101, the IPTV terminal displays the page of the first live channel; in step 103, the IPTV terminal displays the EPG homepage. If the IPTV terminal does not have a display function, in step 101, the display device connected to the IPTV terminal displays the page of the first live channel; in step 103, the IPTV terminal sends the first data to the display device, so that the display device displays the EPG homepage.

[0064] It should be noted that the EPG homepage refers to the main page used by the IPTV service operation platform to provide service navigation to users through an EPG page created using web technology. The IPTV terminal displays the EPG page and performs related operations via its embedded browser. The EPG page used in the IPTV service operation platform is implemented using technologies such as Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, Document Object Model (DOM), and custom extended JavaScript.

[0065] Step 102: Determine the first target channel to be switched according to the first channel switching instruction.

[0066] For example, when the first channel switching command instructs the channel number to increase by a third step, the first target channel can be determined based on the currently displayed first live channel's channel number and the third step (i.e., the channel number of the first target channel = the channel number of the first live channel + the third step).

[0067] For example, when the first channel switching command instructs the channel number to decrease by the fourth step, the first target channel can be determined based on the currently displayed first live channel's channel number and the fourth step (i.e., the channel number of the first target channel = the channel number of the first live channel - the fourth step).

[0068] For example, when the first channel switching command specifies a channel number, the channel number of the first target channel is the channel number specified by the first channel switching command.

[0069] Step 103: If the first target channel is one of the pre-selected live channels, switch from the page of the first live channel to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG).

[0070] It should be noted that the EPG homepage combines multiple digital TV programs according to different classification rules. Users can view and browse them using the remote control, or switch directly to the currently playing program from the EPG homepage.

[0071] The navigation address of the reserved live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage. It is understood that the reserved live streaming channel may include one or more live streaming channels.

[0072] In this embodiment of the application, by pointing the navigation address of the predetermined live channel to the EPG homepage, the EPG homepage is essentially made into a live page. In this way, the channel can be switched to the EPG homepage through the channel switching command.

[0073] It is understandable that if the first target channel is not one of the pre-selected live streaming channels, the user switches from the page of the first live streaming channel to the page of the first target channel.

[0074] In addition, in this embodiment, the IPTV live channel ranking on the local IPTV service management platform can be considered. Several channels without program content can be assigned to the IPTV service management platform. For example, there are 799 live channel numbers, numbered from 1 to 799, with 799 being the last. This means that when the remote control presses the up button on channel 1, it will jump to the last channel 799, making the trigger probability high; therefore, channel number 799 is chosen. Furthermore, to increase user engagement with the EPG homepage, more channels can be assigned based on actual needs. For example, besides the last channel, channels such as 2 and 12, which are easily accessible to users, can be selected, as shown in Table 1.

[0075] Table 1. Examples of programs corresponding to channel numbers.

[0076]

[0077] It should be noted that the IPTV service management platform, as a core functional module of the IPTV service system, mainly provides management functions related to users and services, including user management (account opening and closing), authentication and authorization, content provider (CP) / SP management, portal services, service management, and functions such as EPG address and channel address management, statistical analysis, and platform management.

[0078] As can be seen from steps 101 to 103 above, in this embodiment of the application, when the page of the first live channel is displayed, a first channel switching instruction can be received, and the first target channel to be switched can be determined according to the first channel instruction. Thus, when the first target channel belongs to one of the predetermined live channels, the page of the first live channel can be switched to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), wherein the navigation address of the predetermined live channel points to the home page of the EPG.

[0079] Therefore, in this embodiment of the application, the EPG homepage is made into a live channel, so that from the user's perspective, the EPG homepage is a live channel. That is, several pre-selected live channels point to the EPG homepage. In this way, users can switch from the live channel page to the EPG homepage by switching channels, which can greatly increase the probability of users seeing the EPG homepage, and thus increase the subscription rate of IPTV value-added services based on the EPG homepage.

[0080] Optionally, in step 103 above, switching from the first live channel page to the EPG homepage includes the following steps A-1 to A-5:

[0081] Step A-1: ​​Send a first command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the first command is used to indicate leaving the multicast live broadcast;

[0082] Step A-2: Send a second command to the second service node, wherein the second command is used to indicate leaving the live broadcast channel;

[0083] Step A-3: Request the EPG homepage from the second service node;

[0084] Step A-4: Receive the first data of the EPG homepage sent by the second service node;

[0085] Step A-5: Display the EPG homepage based on the first data.

[0086] It's important to note that in an IPTV system, a multicast replication point refers to the location within the network where multicast data packets are replicated. The purpose of a multicast replication point is to reduce network traffic and prevent the same data stream from being transmitted multiple times, thereby saving bandwidth and reducing network load. In IPTV systems, multicast replication points are typically located at the network edge, close to the user access point, ensuring that only users requesting specific content receive the corresponding multicast stream.

[0087] The multicast replication point setting is crucial for IPTV system performance, as it directly impacts network resource utilization efficiency and user experience. Setting the multicast replication point too high (close to the core network) can increase bandwidth pressure on the core network, affecting the transmission of other services. Setting it too low (close to users) may require more multicast replication in the access network, increasing the processing burden on network devices.

[0088] In actual IPTV deployments, the multicast replication point may be optimized and adjusted based on factors such as network topology, user distribution, and service requirements. For example, as the number of users increases, it may be necessary to move the multicast replication point from the Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS) to a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) or an access switch closer to the users to adapt to the expansion of the network and changes in user needs.

[0089] In summary, multicast replication points in IPTV systems involve multiple aspects such as network design, optimization, and resource management. By properly configuring multicast replication points, the performance and user experience of the IPTV system can be effectively improved.

[0090] Therefore, when an IPTV terminal displays a live channel page, the content of the displayed page is transmitted to it by the first service node, which acts as a multicast replication point. Thus, when the IPTV terminal needs to switch from the first live channel page to the EPG homepage, the IPTV terminal needs to notify the first service node that it needs to leave the multicast live broadcast.

[0091] Furthermore, the aforementioned second service node is used to provide data for the EGP homepage. Therefore, when an IPTV terminal needs to switch from the first live channel's page to the EGP homepage, if its first service node has sent the aforementioned first command, it can inform the second service node that it has currently left the live channel. In this way, the IPTV terminal can request the EGP homepage from the second service node.

[0092] Furthermore, in the IPTV system, the EPG service system is divided into the EPG system and the application service system. The EPG system provides users with the entry interface for business services. Through this system, users can browse programs, watch programs on demand, and complete some user-related self-service tasks (such as checking account balances and modifying service types). The application service system is responsible for user authentication within the region, checking the legitimacy of set-top boxes, and providing users within the region with service interfaces from upper-level servers (such as checking program prices and generating usage detail records).

[0093] As can be seen, in an IPTV system, the EPG service system can provide the EPG homepage, so the aforementioned second service node can be the EPG service system. It should be noted that the EPG service system can also be understood as the server that configures the EPG service system.

[0094] Optionally, the IPTV terminal may send a request to the EPG service system to access the EPG homepage via the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) GET method.

[0095] HTTP is a protocol used for communication between clients and servers, defining the specifications for clients to send requests and servers to return responses; GET is used to retrieve resources from the server.

[0096] Optionally, after switching from the page of the first live channel to the homepage of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), the method further includes the following steps B-1 to B-3:

[0097] Step B-1: Receive the second channel switching instruction.

[0098] Step B-2: Determine the second target channel to be switched to according to the second channel switching instruction;

[0099] Step B-3: If the second target channel does not belong to the predetermined live channel, switch from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel.

[0100] In step B-1, optionally, the second channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following:

[0101] Increase the channel number by the first step length, decrease the channel number by the second step length, and then add a channel number.

[0102] The second channel switching command can be sent by the remote control device; for example, if the remote control device has multiple control buttons, it can send the second channel switching command when it detects a touch operation on a certain control button.

[0103] In step B-2, optionally, when the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number should be increased by a first step length or decreased by a second step length, determining the second target channel to be switched according to the second channel switching instruction includes:

[0104] Based on the second channel switching instruction and the third live channel, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to;

[0105] The third live streaming channel is the live streaming channel of the page displayed before the most recent switch to the EPG homepage.

[0106] For example, when the second channel switching command instructs the channel number to increase by the first step length, the second target channel can be determined based on the channel number of the third live channel and the first step length (i.e., the channel number of the second target channel = the channel number of the third live channel + the first step length).

[0107] For example, when the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number decreases by the second step, the second target channel can be determined using the channel number of the third live channel and the second step (i.e., the channel number of the second target channel = the channel number of the third live channel - the second step).

[0108] It is understandable that when the second channel switching command specifies a channel number, the channel number of the second target channel is the same as the channel number specified by the second channel switching command.

[0109] As can be seen from steps B-1 to B-3, in this embodiment of the application, when the EPG homepage is displayed, the channel switching command can also be responded to, switching from the EPG homepage back to the live channel.

[0110] Optionally, in step B-3, the switching from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel includes the following steps C-1 to C-4:

[0111] Step C-1: Send a third command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the third command is used to indicate joining the multicast live broadcast;

[0112] Step C-2: Send a fourth command to the second service node, wherein the fourth command is used to instruct the user to join the live broadcast channel;

[0113] Step C-3: Receive the second data of the second live channel page sent by the first service node;

[0114] Step C-4: Display the second live channel page based on the second data.

[0115] As mentioned earlier, when an IPTV terminal displays a live channel page, the content of the displayed page is transmitted to it by the first service node, which acts as a multicast replication point. Therefore, when the IPTV terminal needs to switch from the EPG homepage to the second live channel page, the IPTV terminal needs to notify the first service node that it needs to join the multicast live broadcast so that the first service node can provide it with the data of the second live channel page.

[0116] Additionally, the second service node provides data for the EGP homepage. Therefore, when an IPTV terminal needs to switch from the EGP homepage to the second live channel page, it needs to be informed that it needs to join the live channel. In this way, the second service node no longer needs to provide the EGP homepage data to the IPTV terminal.

[0117] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0118] If the second target channel belongs to the predetermined live streaming channel, the EPG homepage will continue to be displayed.

[0119] Therefore, after step B-2 above, if the second target channel belongs to the pre-selected live channel, the EPG homepage will remain displayed.

[0120] In summary, the specific implementation method of the page switching method in this application can be described as follows:

[0121] This implementation provides users with a new way to enter and exit the EPG homepage by pointing the navigation addresses of several specific channels of the IPTV system's live broadcast service to the EPG homepage and switching channels back to the live channel page from the EPG homepage. This makes it easier to operate IPTV programs and subscribe to value-added services, significantly increasing the likelihood of users seeing the EPG homepage and improving their perception of using IPTV services.

[0122] The main implementation steps are: S1: Select several channel numbers without program content on the IPTV service management platform; S2: Redesign the interaction process between the EPG service system and the set-top box; S3: Modify the WEB page of the EPG service system to respond to new button events.

[0123] The specific implementation of the above three steps is as follows:

[0124] Regarding step S1: Based on the IPTV live channel ranking on the local IPTV service management platform, assign several channel numbers without program content to the IPTV service management platform. For example, there are 799 live program channels, numbered from 1 to 799, with channel 799 being the last. This means that when the remote control presses the up button on channel 1, it will jump to the last channel 799, resulting in a high probability of being triggered. Therefore, channel number 799 is selected. Additionally, to increase user engagement with the EPG homepage, more channels can be assigned based on actual needs. For example, besides the last channel, channels such as 2 and 12, which are easily accessible to users, can be selected, as shown in Table 1 above.

[0125] Regarding step S2: Redesign the interaction process between the EPG service system and the set-top box.

[0126] To ensure continuity of viewing and operation for users, a new method has been added that allows users to switch directly from the live channel page to the EPG homepage using the channel + / - buttons on the remote control, and also allows them to return to subsequent live channel pages from the EPG homepage.

[0127] When the remote control initiates a channel change to a specific channel number on the set-top box, such as 799, 2, or 33, the web application running on the set-top box's browser redirects the user to the EPG homepage. Similarly, when the user is on the EPG homepage, the system also responds to the channel + and - commands on the remote control. When the user presses the channel + or - buttons on the remote while on the EPG homepage, the EPG service system can switch the user's EPG homepage to the corresponding live channel (added or subtracted). The channel number is determined by the user's last channel number. For example, if the user's last channel was 22, pressing the channel + button will switch to channel 23, and pressing the channel - button will switch to channel 21.

[0128] Regarding step S3: Modification of the EPG service system.

[0129] The IPTV service operation platform provides service navigation to users through EPG pages created using web technologies. IPTV terminals then use an embedded browser to view the EPG pages and perform related operations. Furthermore, the EPG pages used in the IPTV service operation platform are implemented using technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, DOM objects, and custom extended JavaScript.

[0130] In addition, when an internal event is generated, the IPTV terminal uses virtual buttons to transmit the event message and simultaneously generates detailed information about the event. For example, in a JavaScript web page, the event can be retrieved using the `Utility.getEvent()` method. If the event type is `EVENT_GO_CHANNEL` (which can be customized), it indicates that the user pressed a channel + (CH+), channel - (CH-), number key, or page link button on the remote control. Therefore, to implement the above functionality, the processing flow corresponding to the CH+, CH-, number key, scroll up, and scroll down button events in the EPG service system's web page needs to be modified one by one.

[0131] The utility.getevent() function mentioned above is typically used to retrieve information related to events.

[0132] Specifically, the modified process is as follows:

[0133] (1) CH+ event:

[0134] If, during live streaming, the channel number increments by 1 to a previously preset channel number (e.g., 799, 2, 22, etc.), then the IPTV terminal first sends an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) LEAVE command to the IPTV system's multicast replication point to leave the multicast live stream. Simultaneously, the IPTV terminal's browser sends a "Leave Live Channel" event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page within that system). Then, it initiates a request to the EPG service system to access the EPG homepage via an HTTP GET request. Figure 3 The process is shown below.

[0135] If, in the EPG page state, the channel number incremented by 1 is not the previously preset channel number, the IPTV terminal joins the multicast live stream provided by the multicast replication point via the IGMP JOIN command. The IPTV terminal's browser then sends a join live channel event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page within that system). The requested channel number is the channel number last viewed by the user plus 1. Figure 4 The process is shown below.

[0136] Understandably, if the channel number increases by 1 to the previously preset channel number while in the EPG page state, it will remain in the EPG page state.

[0137] It should be noted that the IPTV basic service capability platform's streaming media service capabilities and IPTV terminals control and interact with audio and video media streams according to signaling protocols. Unicast services use the Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) based on the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), while multicast services use the IGMP protocol. The existing IPTV service system uses multicast for live streaming services. The main commands are IGMP JOIN, IGMP LEAVE, and IGMP query.

[0138] in addition, Figure 4 In IPTV, a multicast source refers to the source that sends multicast data packets over a network. Multicast is a network transmission method that allows a single data source to send data to multiple destinations simultaneously without needing to send a separate copy of the data to each destination. This method is particularly useful in IPTV systems because it can efficiently deliver television signals to tens of thousands of users without consuming excessive network bandwidth.

[0139] A multicast source's function is to replicate a single data stream multiple times so that it can be sent simultaneously to multiple receivers requesting the same content. In IPTV systems, this is typically done by media servers or streaming media servers, which encode television signals into IP packets and send them to a specific multicast address. User devices (such as IPTV set-top boxes) subscribe to this multicast address to receive streaming content.

[0140] In actual deployments, the location and configuration of multicast sources may vary depending on the network topology, user distribution, and service provider policies. For example, a multicast replication source may be located at the core, distribution, or access layer of the network, depending on the network design and optimization objectives.

[0141] (2) CH-Event:

[0142] If, during live streaming, the channel number minus 1 is the previously preset channel number (e.g., 799, 2, 22, etc.), then the IPTV terminal first sends an IGMP LEAVE command to the IPTV system multicast replication point to leave the multicast live stream. At the same time, the IPTV terminal's browser sends a leave live channel event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page in the system), and then initiates a request to access the EPG homepage to the EPG service system via HTTP GET.

[0143] If the channel number is decremented by 1 in the EPG page state, the IPTV terminal joins the multicast live broadcast provided by the multicast replication point via the IGMP JOIN command, and the IPTV terminal's browser sends a join live channel event to the EPG service system (such as the program playback control page in that system). The requested channel number is the channel number last viewed by the user minus 1.

[0144] Understandably, if the channel number minus 1 in the EPG page state is the previously preset channel number, then it will remain in the EPG page state.

[0145] (3) Number keys (i.e.) Figure 2 The channel number setting key 204 event shown:

[0146] If, during live streaming, the channel number entered by the user is a pre-set channel number (e.g., 799, 2, 22, etc.), then the IPTV terminal first sends an IGMP LEAVE command to the IPTV system multicast replication point to leave the multicast live stream. At the same time, the IPTV terminal's browser sends a leave live channel event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page in that system). Then, it initiates a request to access the EPG homepage to the EPG service system via HTTP GET.

[0147] If the channel number entered by the user on the EPG page is not the previously preset channel number, the IPTV terminal joins the multicast live broadcast provided by the multicast replication point via the IGMP JOIN command, and the IPTV terminal's browser sends a join live channel event to the EPG service system (such as the program playback control page in that system). The requested channel number is the one entered by the user.

[0148] Understandably, if the channel number entered by the user in the EPG page state is a previously preset channel number, then the user will remain in the EPG page state.

[0149] (4) Up button event (i.e. Figure 2 The event where the first direction key 2011 of the middle direction key 201 is pressed:

[0150] If, during live streaming, the channel number increments by 1 to a previously preset channel number (e.g., 799, 2, 22, etc.), then the IPTV terminal first sends an IGMP LEAVE command to the IPTV system multicast replication point to leave the multicast live stream. Simultaneously, the IPTV terminal's browser sends a "Leave Live Channel" event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page within that system). Then, it initiates a request to the EPG service system to access the EPG homepage via an HTTP GET request. Figure 3 The process is shown below.

[0151] If, in the EPG page state, the channel number incremented by 1 is not the previously preset channel number, the IPTV terminal joins the multicast live stream provided by the multicast replication point via the IGMP JOIN command. The IPTV terminal's browser then sends a join live channel event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page within that system). The requested channel number is the channel number last viewed by the user plus 1. Figure 4 The process is shown below.

[0152] Understandably, if the channel number increases by 1 to the previously preset channel number while in the EPG page state, it will remain in the EPG page state.

[0153] It should be noted that when the aforementioned scroll-up event occurs, the channel number is incremented by 1.

[0154] (5) Scroll down key event (i.e. Figure 2 The event where the second direction key 2012 of the middle direction key 201 is pressed:

[0155] If, during live streaming, the channel number minus 1 is the previously preset channel number (e.g., 799, 2, 22, etc.), then the IPTV terminal first sends an IGMP LEAVE command to the IPTV system multicast replication point to leave the multicast live stream. At the same time, the IPTV terminal's browser sends a leave live channel event to the EPG service system (e.g., the program playback control page in the system), and then initiates a request to access the EPG homepage to the EPG service system via HTTP GET.

[0156] If the channel number is decremented by 1 in the EPG page state, the IPTV terminal joins the multicast live broadcast provided by the multicast replication point via the IGMP JOIN command, and the IPTV terminal's browser sends a join live channel event to the EPG service system (such as the program playback control page in that system). The requested channel number is the channel number last viewed by the user minus 1.

[0157] Understandably, if the channel number minus 1 in the EPG page state is the previously preset channel number, then it will remain in the EPG page state.

[0158] It should be noted that when the aforementioned scroll-down event occurs, the channel number is decremented by 1.

[0159] In short, such as Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, when a user is on the IPTV live streaming page, pressing the channel + / - or page up / down buttons on the remote control will cause the IPTV terminal to determine whether the changed channel number is a preset channel number, such as 799, 2, 22, etc. If so, the IPTV terminal requests the EPG homepage from the EPG service system and switches to the EPG homepage. If not, the set-top box will switch to the corresponding live channel. After that, the user can browse the EPG homepage and then press the channel + or - buttons on the remote control to return to the live program and continue watching.

[0160] In summary, the embodiments of this application introduce a new method for entering and exiting the EPG homepage, making the EPG homepage a live channel. This is achieved by directing several specific channels of the IPTV system's live streaming service to the EPG homepage. Users can then return to the live streaming page from the EPG homepage by switching channels on their remote control. This significantly increases the likelihood of users seeing the EPG homepage, thereby increasing the probability of users subscribing to value-added services and thus increasing revenue.

[0161] That is, the embodiments of this application have the following advantages:

[0162] 1. A new method has been added to access the EPG homepage from the live streaming channel. Compared with the existing technology, this method redirects several specific channels of the EPG service system's live streaming business to the EPG homepage, so that from the user's perspective, the EPG homepage is a live streaming channel. This can significantly increase the probability of users contacting the EPG homepage from the current average of 15% to almost 100%, thereby enabling the efficient and orderly development of IPTV value-added services, increasing the service subscription rate, and thus increasing corporate revenue.

[0163] 2. A new method has been added to exit from the EPG homepage to the live TV page via channel switching. This allows the system to respond to the channel + and - commands on the remote control even when the user is on the EPG homepage. That is, when the user presses the channel + or - button on the remote control while on the EPG homepage, the EPG service system can switch the user's EPG homepage to the corresponding live TV channel. This makes it easier for users to operate IPTV programs and subscribe to value-added services, improving the user experience of using IPTV services.

[0164] The page switching method provided by the embodiments of this application has been described above. The page switching device provided by the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0165] See Figure 6 This application also provides a page switching device, the device comprising:

[0166] The first receiving module 601 is used to receive a first channel switching instruction when the page displaying the first live channel is shown.

[0167] The first determining module 602 is used to determine the first target channel to be switched according to the first channel switching instruction;

[0168] The first switching module 603 is used to switch from the page of the first live channel to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) when the first target channel is one of the predetermined live channels.

[0169] The navigation address of the pre-selected live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage.

[0170] Optionally, the first switching module 603 switches from the page of the first live channel to the EPG homepage, including:

[0171] Send a first command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the first command is used to indicate leaving the multicast live broadcast;

[0172] Send a second command to the second service node, wherein the second command is used to indicate leaving the live broadcast channel;

[0173] Request the EPG homepage from the second service node;

[0174] Receive the first data of the EPG homepage sent by the second service node;

[0175] The EPG homepage is based on the data displayed in the first data set.

[0176] Optionally, the device further includes:

[0177] The second receiving module is used to receive the second channel switching command;

[0178] The second determining module is used to determine the second target channel to be switched to according to the second channel switching instruction;

[0179] The second switching module is used to switch from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel when the second target channel does not belong to the predetermined live channel.

[0180] Optionally, the second switching module switches from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel, including:

[0181] Send a third command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the third command is used to instruct to join the multicast live broadcast;

[0182] Send a fourth command to the second service node, wherein the fourth command is used to instruct to join the live broadcast channel;

[0183] Receive the second data of the second live channel page sent by the first service node;

[0184] The second data is used to display the page of the second live streaming channel.

[0185] Optionally, when the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number should be increased by a first step or decreased by a second step, the second determining module determines the second target channel to be switched to according to the second channel switching instruction, including:

[0186] Based on the second channel switching instruction and the third live channel, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to;

[0187] The third live streaming channel is the live streaming channel of the page displayed before the most recent switch to the EPG homepage.

[0188] Optionally, the device further includes:

[0189] A persistence module is used to maintain the display of the EPG homepage when the second target channel belongs to the predetermined live channel.

[0190] Optionally, the first channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following:

[0191] The channel number is increased by a third step, the channel number is decreased by a fourth step, and then one channel number is added.

[0192] Optionally, the second channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following:

[0193] Increase the channel number by the first step length, decrease the channel number by the second step length, and then add a channel number.

[0194] It should be noted that the division of units in the embodiments of this application is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used. Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated units described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional units.

[0195] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a processor-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0196] It should be noted that the apparatus provided in this application embodiment can implement all the method steps implemented in the above method embodiment and can achieve the same technical effect. Here, the parts that are the same as those in the method embodiment and the beneficial effects will not be described in detail.

[0197] Embodiments of this application also provide an electronic device, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the electronic device includes a memory 720, a transceiver 710, and a processor 700;

[0198] Memory 720 is used to store computer programs;

[0199] Transceiver 710 is used to receive and send data under the control of processor 700;

[0200] The processor 700 is used to read the computer program in the memory 720 and execute the page switching method described in the first aspect above.

[0201] Among them, Figure 7 In this context, the bus architecture can include any number of interconnected buses and bridges, specifically linking various circuits together, represented by one or more processors (processor 700) and memory (memory 720). The bus architecture can also link various other circuits such as peripheral devices, voltage regulators, and power management circuits, which are well known in the art and therefore will not be described further herein. The bus interface provides an interface. The transceiver 710 can be multiple elements, including transmitters and receivers, providing a unit for communicating with various other devices over transmission media, including wireless channels, wired channels, optical fibers, etc. The processor 700 is responsible for managing the bus architecture and general processing, and the memory 720 can store data used by the processor 700 during operation.

[0202] The processor 700 can be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). The processor 700 can also adopt a multi-core architecture.

[0203] It should be noted that the apparatus provided in this application embodiment can implement all the method steps implemented in the above method embodiment and can achieve the same technical effect. Here, the parts that are the same as those in the method embodiment and the beneficial effects will not be described in detail.

[0204] Embodiments of this application also provide a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the page switching method described in the first aspect above.

[0205] The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium or data storage device that the processor can access, including but not limited to magnetic storage (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, magneto-optical disks (MO), etc.), optical storage (e.g., compact disks (CDs), digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), Blu-ray discs (BDs), holographic versatile optical discs (HVDs), etc.), and semiconductor storage (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), non-volatile memory (NAND FLASH), solid-state disks (SSDs), etc.).

[0206] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage and optical storage) containing computer-usable program code.

[0207] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-executable instructions. These computer-executable instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0208] These processor-executable instructions may also be stored in a processor-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the processor-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0209] These processors can execute instructions that can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device, causing a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable device for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0210] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A page switching method characterized by comprising: The method includes: When the page displaying the first live channel is active, receive the command to switch to the first channel; Based on the first channel switching instruction, determine the first target channel to be switched to; If the first target channel is one of the pre-selected live channels, switch from the page of the first live channel to the homepage of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG); The navigation address of the pre-selected live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage; After switching from the page of the first live channel to the homepage of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG), the method further includes: Receive the second channel switching command; Based on the second channel switching instruction, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to; If the second target channel does not belong to the predetermined live streaming channel, switch from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live streaming channel corresponding to the second target channel; When the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number should be increased by a first step or decreased by a second step, the step of determining the second target channel to be switched according to the second channel switching instruction includes: Based on the second channel switching instruction and the third live channel, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to; The third live streaming channel is the live streaming channel of the page displayed before the most recent switch to the EPG homepage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The step of switching from the first live streaming channel page to the EPG homepage includes: Send a first command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the first command is used to indicate leaving the multicast live broadcast; Send a second command to the second service node, wherein the second command is used to indicate leaving the live broadcast channel; Request the EPG homepage from the second service node; Receive the first data of the EPG homepage sent by the second service node; The EPG homepage is based on the data displayed in the first data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, The process of switching from the EPG homepage to the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel includes: Send a third command to the first service node, wherein the first service node is a multicast replication point, and the third command is used to instruct to join the multicast live broadcast; Send a fourth command to the second service node, wherein the fourth command is used to instruct to join the live broadcast channel; Receive the second data of the second live channel page sent by the first service node; The second data is used to display the page of the second live streaming channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: If the second target channel belongs to the predetermined live streaming channel, the EPG homepage will continue to be displayed.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first channel switching instruction is used to indicate one of the following: The channel number is increased by a third step, the channel number is decreased by a fourth step, and then one channel number is added.

6. A page switching apparatus characterized by comprising: The device includes: The first receiving module is used to receive the first channel switching instruction when the page displaying the first live channel is shown. The first determining module is used to determine the first target channel to be switched to based on the first channel switching instruction; The first switching module is used to switch from the page of the first live channel to the home page of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) when the first target channel is one of the predetermined live channels. The navigation address of the pre-selected live streaming channel points to the EPG homepage; The device further includes: The second receiving module is used to receive the second channel switching command; The second determining module is used to determine the second target channel to be switched to according to the second channel switching instruction; The second switching module is used to switch from the EPG homepage to the page of the second live channel corresponding to the second target channel when the second target channel does not belong to the predetermined live channel. When the second channel switching instruction indicates that the channel number should be increased by a first step or decreased by a second step, the step of determining the second target channel to be switched according to the second channel switching instruction includes: Based on the second channel switching instruction and the third live channel, determine the second target channel that needs to be switched to; The third live streaming channel is the live streaming channel of the page that was displayed before the last time the user switched to the EPG homepage.

7. An electronic device, comprising: Includes memory, transceiver, and processor: The memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor. A processor for reading a computer program from the memory and executing the page switching method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A readable storage medium, characterized by, The readable storage medium stores a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the page switching method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images