Electronic Program Guide Channel Selection via Tuner Request
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic program guides (EPG) do not facilitate easy channel selection when a program section corresponding to a non-broadcasted program is operated, leading to user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a tuner, receiver, display controller, selection module, and request module that displays an electronic program guide and allows users to select a broadcasting station by operating on a program section, requesting the tuner to select the corresponding station for channel selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an electronic program guide is displayed showing program sections for multiple broadcasting stations, then users can view program information from different stations, but users cannot easily select a channel when a program is not currently being broadcast
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares channel selection in advance by displaying program information for future broadcasts across multiple stations in the EPG. When a user selects a program section, the system proactively offers to switch to the corresponding broadcasting station, eliminating the need for manual channel searching later.
Solution Approach 2:
The EPG interface acts as an intermediary between the user and the tuner. By incorporating a selection module that responds to user operations on program sections, the EPG mediates the channel selection process, automatically communicating the user's intent to the tuner to switch to the appropriate broadcasting station.
2Device complexity
If the electronic program guide displays only currently broadcasted programs, then the tuner can be kept simple, but users lose access to program information from other broadcasting stations
Solution Approach 1:
The tuner is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple broadcasting stations. Instead of being limited to a single channel, the tuner can switch between multiple stations based on user selections from the EPG, making it a universal device that serves various programming needs across different stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tuner's channel selection is made dynamic rather than static. The tuner can change its selected broadcasting station in response to user interactions with the EPG, allowing it to adapt to different program viewing requirements while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a apparatus includes a tuner configured to receive a broadcasting wave that is broadcasted from a broadcasting station, an receiver configured to receive program information corresponding to programs, a display controller configured to display an electronic program guide includes program sections corresponding to programs based on the program information, a selection module configured to display a first window includes a first operation area, when it is detected that a first program section is operated, and the first program which corresponds to the first program section is not broadcasted, and a request module configured to request the tuner to select the first broadcasting station when the first operation area is operated.