Program-Based Electronic Program Guide System for IPTV
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing channel-based electronic program guides (EPGs) become inefficient as the number of channels increases, requiring users to scan multiple channels to find desired programs, especially with the advent of IPTV, which is expected to expand the number of available channels significantly.
Innovation Solution
A program-based EPG system that includes a search unit, collection unit, classification unit, alignment unit, filtering unit, and display unit to provide users with program guide information organized by program codes, allowing users to quickly select programs by time and channel, with features like mini-guides and ancillary information display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If channel-based EPG is used to display programs, then programs can be organized by channel, but the time required for users to select desired programs increases as the number of channels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional channel-based EPG organization by implementing a program-based EPG where programs are the primary organizing unit rather than channels. The system collects program information from multiple channels, classifies programs by type (news, sports, entertainment, etc.), and displays them in a program-centric interface. This inversion allows users to browse programs by category and content rather than scanning through channels, fundamentally changing the navigation paradigm from channel-oriented to program-oriented selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a program information management system as an intermediary between the broadcast channels and the user interface. This intermediary system collects program information from multiple channels, processes and classifies it by program codes and categories, and presents it in an organized manner to users. The intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of multiple channels behind a unified program-based interface, enabling efficient program discovery without requiring users to navigate through individual channels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of channels is increased to provide diverse broadcasts, then more program options are available, but the complexity of navigating through channels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the program information from its traditional channel-based context and presents it as an independent, standalone organization. Instead of displaying programs nested within channel structures, the system extracts program metadata (titles, descriptions, categories, timestamps) and reorganizes them by program codes and content types. This extraction separates the program content from the channel container, allowing users to access programs directly without navigating channel hierarchies, thereby reducing navigation complexity while preserving channel diversity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal program-based interface that serves multiple functions: it displays programs from numerous channels simultaneously, categorizes content by type, provides program information aggregation, and enables cross-channel program discovery. The single program-based EPG interface replaces multiple channel-specific guides, providing a unified access point to diverse broadcasts across all channels. This multi-functional approach handles channel diversity through a single organizational paradigm, reducing the complexity users would otherwise face navigating multiple channel interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A program-based electronic program guide (EPG) system is provided, the EPG system including a search unit which searches for and finds programs broadcast within a predetermined time period around a predetermined time, a collection unit which collects program information of programs found by the search unit, a classification unit which classifies the program information collected by the collection unit based on program codes, and a display unit which displays program guide information, including the program information classified by the classification unit.