TELEVISION START SPEED ENHANCEMENT
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is
subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile
reproduction of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all
copyright rights whatsoever. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
BACKGROUND
When a television receiver device is turned off via a remote controller, it is
generally only placed in a lower power consumption standby mode in which the
remote control receiver remains active and several other functions such as a real-time
clock may remain active. However, users commonly refer to this state as “off”
despite the power consumption not actually being zero.
Due to the increasing complexity of television (TV) sets, the startup time for a
user to get from the off (standby) state to a desired channel and/or input (including
boot time and time to navigate to the desired channel and input) has increased. Prior
generations of television sets often utilized embedded assembler and other techniques
to control the TV processor that operated very quickly resulting a quick boot up time.
However, the complexity of current and future generations of television sets make use
of such techniques unmanageable. As a result, TV sets are now being developed to
utilize a Linux kernel and higher level programming in order to implement the many
complex features of a television. This in turn makes advanced features easier to
implement, but unfortunately results in the TV not being fully responsive for several
minutes. The problem is compounded with digital TV which not only requires a tuner
to tune to a particular frequency, but also requires filtering by packet identifier to
obtain the proper data stream for a major and minor channel, and audio and video
decoding of the channel’s data stream to begin before a channel actually appears
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tuned to the user. Hence, a user could actuate the power switch and not be able to
actually view a desired channel or input for several minutes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Certain illustrative embodiments illustrating organization and method of
operation, together with objects and advantages may be best understood by reference
detailed description that follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is an example simplified block diagram of a television receiver
device consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is an example process depicted in flow chart form for an
implementation consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
FIGURE 3 is an example process depicted in flow chart form for an
implementation consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
FIGURE 4 is an example process depicted in flow chart form of another
implementation consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
FIGURE 5 is an example process depicted in flow chart form of another
implementation consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms,
there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific
embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments
is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the
invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below,
like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts
in the several views of the drawings.
The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one.
The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term
“another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms
“including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open
language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not
necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “program” or
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“computer program” or similar terms, as used herein, is defined as a sequence of
instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A “program”, or
“computer program”, may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object
method, an object implementation, in an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a
source code, an object code, a shared library / dynamic load library and/or other
sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. The term
“processor”, “controller”, “CPU”, “Computer” and the like as used herein
encompasses both hard programmed, special purpose, general purpose and
programmable devices and may encompass a plurality of such devices or a single
device in either a distributed or centralized configuration without limitation.
The term “program”, as used herein, may also be used in a second context (the
above definition being for the first context). In the second context, the term is used in
the sense of a “television program” or “show”. In this context, the term is used to
mean any coherent sequence of audio video content such as those which would be
interpreted as and reported in an electronic program guide (EPG) as a single television
program, without regard for whether the content is a movie, sporting event, segment
of a multi-part series, news broadcast, etc. The term may also be interpreted to
encompass commercial spots and other program-like content which may not be
reported as a program in an electronic program guide.
Reference throughout this document to "one embodiment", “certain
embodiments”, "an embodiment", “an example”, “an implementation” or similar
terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in
connection with the embodiment, example or implementation is included in at least
one embodiment, example or implementation of the present invention. Thus, the
appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, example or implementation.
Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in
any suitable manner in one or more embodiments, examples or implementations
without limitation.
The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning
any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means “any of the following: A;
B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. An exception to this definition will
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occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way
inherently mutually exclusive.
As previously noted, when a television receiver device is turned off via a
remote controller, it is generally only placed in a lower power consumption standby
mode in which the remote control receiver remains active and several other functions
such as a real-time clock may remain active. However, users commonly refer to this
state as “off” despite the power consumption not actually being zero. For purposes of
this document, the terms “off” and “standby” may be used somewhat synonymously
unless the context makes it clear that one actual state or the other is intended.
Due to the increasing complexity of television (TV) sets, the startup time for a
user to get from the off (standby) state to a desired channel and/or input (including
boot time and time to navigate to the desired channel and input) has increased. Prior
generations of television sets often utilized embedded assembler and other techniques
to control the TV processor that operated very quickly resulting a quick boot up time.
However, the complexity of current and future generations of television sets make use
of such techniques unmanageable. As a result, TV sets are now being developed to
utilize a Linux kernel and higher level programming in order to implement the many
complex features of a television. This in turn makes advanced features easier to
implement, but unfortunately results in the TV not being fully responsive for several
minutes. The problem is compounded with digital TV which not only requires a tuner
to tune to a particular frequency, but also requires filtering by packet identifier to
obtain the proper data stream for a major and minor channel, and audio and video
decoding of the channel’s data stream to begin before a channel actually appears
tuned to the user. For purposes of this document, all actions needed to place the TV
in a state capable of tuning and filtering and decoding a selected channel is considered
“tuning”. Hence, a user could actuate the power switch and not be able to actually
view a desired channel or input for several minutes.
This problem can be ameliorated by recognizing that a TV user’s usage pattern
is often quite simple. For example, in the evening the user may often watch a movie
or a late news cast. In the morning the user will often watch the same news program
every morning on the same channel. In accord with certain implementations, this
usage pattern can be utilized to shorten the time to get the user to a useful mode of the
television set. The TV can remember the typical morning usage state and when the
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TV is turned off in the evening, it knows that it will likely be tuned to the same state
that was used that morning (or a corresponding morning of the week). Hence when
the TV is turned on in the morning, before it has fully booted and is responsive to the
user commands, the TV could already be tuned to the desired input source, either by
pre-tuning or by tuning as soon as the tuner is powered up. The user would not have
to wait for the set to finish booting nor wait for the user's input commands since the
TV will power up in the state most often desired by the user.
Thus, in accord with certain implementations, a television receives a command
to power up from a standby mode. This causes the TV to start a boot process, and
while the boot process proceeds. At a that a point in the boot process when the tuner
input switch are operative the process simultaneously determines a current time from
a real time clock and retrieves a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern
database corresponding to the current time. The tuner is tuned to the channel and the
input switch is set. At completion of the boot process the tuner is already tuned to the
channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting corresponding the current time
so that time to viewing a desired channel is often minimized. The state used to set the
input switch and the tuner can be based on the time of day or both time of day and the
day of the week.
In the present discussion, a television set is used as an example, however,
embodiments consistent with the present invention may be implemented using other
television receiver devices such as set top boxes and other devices that do not directly
incorporate a display without departing from implementations consistent with the
present invention.
Referring now to FIGURE 1, a simplified block diagram of a television
receiver device, such as a television set, is depicted as 100. This depiction is
simplified in that all communication is shown as being carried out through a single
bus 104, whereas in a typical television receiver device multiple buses or direct
interconnections of various components may be more advantageous. The operation of
the system is controlled by a central processor or multiple central processors 108 that
interface via the bus to memory and storage 112, which can be any combination of
suitable storage devices, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory
(ROM), flash memory, and disc storage, for example. In this example embodiment,
the memory 112 includes operating system and boot control routines 116, as well as
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program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables 120 and a usage pattern
database 124, the function of which will be discussed later. A television receiver and
tuner circuitry 128 provides for receipt of radiofrequency or Internet TV
programming depending up on the configuration of input switches 132, which control
the source of content being received by television 100. For digital programming,
packet identifier (PID) filters and decoders 136 are utilized to tune to an incoming
transport stream carried on a particular frequency and to extract the relevant segments
of that transport stream corresponding to a particular television channel to be tuned.
Once the digital television signal is decoded, the decoded video is sent to a
display interface 140 for display on a display panel 144, while the audio is decoded
and sent to an audio system 148 for conversion to audible sounds. A real time clock
152 is provided for keeping track of current time, as well as day of the week and date,
etc. A remote control interface 156 receives signals from a remote controller 160 in
order to implement user commands at the television 100. Such commands can
include commands to power the television on to a normal operational state or to
power the television down to what is commonly considered “off”, but in reality is a
low power standby mode in which the remote control interface 156 remains active so
as to be able to receive power on signals from the remote controller 160, and real time
clock 152 is also maintained in an active state so as to continue to keep accurate time.
Other components of the system may be placed in a standby, off, or low power state
as dictated by the needs to keep various systems active or by the lack of such need.
The usage pattern database can directly store frequency and sets of packet
identifiers (PIDs) corresponding to a particular channel to be tuned so that the tuning
process does not depend directly upon the program and system information (PSIP)
tables (e.g., the program map table PMT and program association table PAT). In this
case, the time or time and day of the week is mapped directly to the data needed to
tune the tuner and set the input switch. Alternatively, the usage pattern database can
point to data in the PSIP tables that store the particulars of frequency and PID sets
used to find and decode the channel for a given time or time and day of the week.
In accordance with one implementation consistent with embodiments of the
present invention, a process 200 as shown in FIGURE 2 can be utilized wherein the
television is in the standby mode 204 awaiting a power on command at 208. So long
as a power on command is not received, the television remains in the standby mode at
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212 and 204, and the process awaits receipt of a power on command. Upon receipt of
such power on command, the television’s boot process begins at 216. The boot
process spans the functions shown in the bracketed area 220 including all functions
which are normally required to get the TV into a fully operational state and get the TV
100 and processor 108 “booted”. In accord with this embodiment, at some point in
the boot process, the tuner and input switch are placed in an active state at 224. Once
the tuner and input switch are in this active state at 224, the process need not await
full booting of the system. A parallel process is carried out where in the current time
and day of the week are retrieved at 228 from real time clock 152. Once the time and
day are known at 228, a usage pattern can be retrieved at 232 from the usage pattern
database 124. This usage pattern may include input switch setting and tuner settings
as well as other attributes such as volume at a particular time and day as will be
discussed later. Once this information is known at 232, the process proceeds to 236
where a determination is made as to whether or not the input needs to be switched. If
not, control passes to 240, but if a switch operation needs to be carried out on the
input switch, then the input switch is switched at 244. Control then passes from 244
to 240 where a determination is made as to whether a new channel is to be selected.
This channel is then selected at 240, and the tuner is tuned to this channel at 248.
In the above process, the usage pattern database 124 is used to determine what
channel and what input switch setting a user would normally utilize at a particular
time of day or a particular time of a particular day of the week. Usage patterns are
generally rather simple as discussed above, so prediction of a channel that a user will
desire at a particular time and day of the week is relatively reliable in most instances.
However, in the event the TV is turned on at a time of day that does not correspond to
any known usage pattern, the processor can refer to the Electronic Programming
Guide’s (EPG’s) recording schedule and if a program has been scheduled for
recording, the TV can switch channels and inputs to the channel being recorded
automatically. If there is no other resort, the last channel tuned can be used. Other
variations will occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of these teachings.
Once this information is known, the process from 228 to 248 can be carried
out in parallel with the booting process 220 so that the user does not have to await
sequential tuning and boot operations only to have to subsequently retune the tuner.
The tuner in effect will be tuned to a likely channel for the particular time of day and
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day of the week, as determined by 228. If no tuning is necessary at 240 or if the tuner
is tuned at 248, full control turns back to the boot process at whatever stage it is in
leaving the tuner and input switches set to a likely setting for the particular user’s
usage pattern. Meanwhile, process 220 proceeds through carrying out other boot
operations until the end of the boot process is reached at 256. Once the end of the
boot process is reached, normal operation of the television can proceed at 260 and the
television will begin operation in the mode of being tuned to the most common tuned
channel via the most common input for a particular time of day and day of week.
In order to carry out the operation just described, a usage pattern database 124
is maintained, as described in the process 300 of FIGURE 3. During normal
television operation at 260, whenever an input is switched at 302, the date (day of
week) and time is retrieved from the real time clock 152 at 306. If a switch setting is
to be changed, such change is implemented at 310, then the switch change is logged
to usage pattern database 124 at 314. In a similar manner, when the tuner is changed
to change channels at 318, the date and time are retrieved at 322 from real time clock
152, and the tuner is tuned at 326. This change in tuner setting is logged to the
database at 330 and control returns to normal TV operation at 260 with the tuner
and/or switch having been set to a new setting. If the input switch is not switched at
302 and the tuner is not adjusted at 318, control also returns to 260 to await such
changes. It is also noted that the usage pattern database 124 in certain
implementations may be modified manually via manual input during any time of
operation to the television set at 336.
When utilizing any of the techniques disclosed herein, it is also possible to
record a volume setting in the usage pattern database for use when pre-tuning to a
particular input or channel. This permits the TV to not only adjust the channel and
input setting of the TV to a channel or input that is consistent with the TV’s usage
pattern, but also to adjust the audio volume accordingly. In this manner, it is possible
to automatically compensate for variations in audio from channel to channel, input to
input, and listener preference. This change in volume setting can be implemented
upon changing the switch setting at 310 and/or tuning the tuner at 326 in process 300
or in a decision loop process similar to that disclosed in connection with the input
switch adjustment or tuner adjustment as depicted in process 300.
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Referring now to FIGURE 4, an alternative implementation 400 is depicted
wherein rather than parallel processing the tuner and input switch setting during the
boot process, the tuner and input switch are preloaded with appropriate channel and
switch settings upon power down of the television set to a standby mode. In
accordance with this implementation, during normal TV operation at 260 if an off
command is received (bearing in mind that off command generally takes the
television to a standby mode) at 470, the processor or processors retrieve tuner and
switch state information from the usage pattern database 124 after retrieving the
current time from the real time clock 152 at 474. The information retrieved, however,
is for the anticipated next turn-on time for the television set. This can be deduced
from the current time, and the usage pattern database, which should accurately predict
for the most part based on the viewers’ usage patterns, what time, channel, and input
will be used when the television is next turned on. Based on this information, the
tuner is pre-tuned at 478, and the input switch is pre-switched at 482 before power is
completely taken to the standby state at 486. This can also be implemented by
preloading the information on channel and switch setting and the actual tuning and
switch changes can take place in parallel with the boot process when the TV is turned
on.
It is also possible to automatically compensate for variations in audio from
channel to channel, input to input, and listener preference in the present
implementation. This change in volume setting can be implemented upon pre-tuning
the tuner at 478 and/or changing the switch setting at 482 in process 400 or in a
separate sequential function (not shown)similar to that disclosed in connection with
the input switch adjustment or tuner adjustment as depicted in process 400.
Referring now to FIGURE 5, process 500 begins with the television in the
standby mode 204. When a power on command is received at 506, the boot process
starts at 510. If no power on command is received at 506, the television remains in
the standby state at 516 awaiting receipt of the power on command. Once the boot
process begins at 510, the process extends through the actions depicted as 520.
During this boot process at 524, the tuner and input switch are activated using the pretuned
and pre-switched states discussed in connection with process 400 and possibly
including audio volume settings or other TV attributes. When the boot process
completes at 530, normal TV operation begins at 260 on the channel and input
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determined by the pre-tuning at 478 and pre-switching at 482 as well as possibly presetting
the audio volume or other television attributes. In this manner, the TV begins
operation in a state that is predicted with relatively high confidence to be the state that
the user is likely to desire based on day of week and time of day. The tuning of the
tuner involves both selection of a frequency and selection of packet identifiers (PIDs)
used to tune to the correct frequency and to filter the correct PIDs used to extract a
particular program from the transport stream.
Thus, in accord with certain implementations, a method of starting a television
involves receiving a command to power up the television from a standby mode;
starting a television boot process, and while the boot process proceeds: determining
that a point in the boot process when a television tuner is operative and an input
switch is operative has been reached; determining a current time from a real time
clock; retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the current time; tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the
switch setting at an input switch; and completing the boot process so that at the end of
the boot process the tuner is already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to
the switch setting corresponding the current time.
A tangible non-transitory computer readable electronic storage medium
storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors,
carry out a method involving starting a television boot process, and while the boot
process proceeds: determining that a point in the boot process when a television tuner
is operative and an input switch is operative has been reached; determining a current
time from a real time clock; retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage
pattern database corresponding to the current time; tuning the tuner to the channel and
selecting the switch setting at an input switch; and completing the boot process so that
at the end of the boot process the tuner is already tuned to the channel and the input
switch is set to the switch setting corresponding the current time.
A television receiver device has a remote command receiver configured to
receive a command to power up the television receiver device from a standby mode.
A memory stores a usage pattern database. A real time clock, a television tuner
device and an input switch are provided. A programmed processor is programmed to:
start a television boot process, and while the boot process proceeds: determine that a
point in the boot process when the television tuner device is operative and the input
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switch is operative has been reached; determine a current time from the real time
clock; retrieve a channel and a switch setting from the usage pattern database
corresponding to the current time; tune the tuner to the channel and selecting the
switch setting at an input switch; and complete the boot process so that at the end of
the boot process the tuner is already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to
the switch setting corresponding the current time.
In certain implementations, determining the current time further involves
determining a current day of the week. In certain implementations, retrieving the
channel and the switch setting from the usage pattern database further comprises
retrieving the channel and switch setting corresponding to the current time on the
current day of the week. In certain implementations, the tuning comprises tuning the
tuner to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a
specified set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the
channel. In certain implementations, the specified frequency and set of packet
identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database. In certain implementations, the
specified frequency and set of packet identifiers is stored in program and system
information protocol (PSIP) tables that are indexed in the usage pattern database. In
certain implementations, an audio volume setting is retrieved from the usage pattern
database and the audio volume is set to a level determined by the usage pattern
database so that at the end of the boot process the audio volume is set to a value
corresponding the current time. In certain implementations, the channel and switch
setting correspond to a channel and switch setting for a recording that corresponds to
the current time.
Another method of starting a television involves receiving a command to
power down the television to a standby mode; prior to fully entering the standby
mode: determining a next time of operation of the television from a usage pattern
database with reference to a real time clock; retrieving a channel and a switch setting
from a usage pattern database corresponding to the next time of operation of the
television; pre-tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an
input switch; and completing entry of the television to the standby mode.
In certain implementations, the a television boot process is started and upon
completing the boot process, at the end of the boot process the tuner is already tuned
to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting corresponding the next
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time of operation. In certain implementations, the process further involves retrieving
an audio volume setting from the usage pattern database and pre-setting the audio
volume to a level determined by the usage pattern database. In certain
implementations, the channel and switch setting correspond to a channel and switch
setting for a recording that corresponds to the current time.
A tangible non-transitory computer readable electronic storage medium
storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors,
carry out a method that involves starting a power down process to power the
television to a standby mode; prior to fully entering the standby mode: determining a
next time of operation of the television from a usage pattern database; retrieving a
channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database corresponding to the next
time of operation of the television; pre-tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting
the switch setting at an input switch; and completing entry of the television to the
standby mode.
A television receiver device has a remote command receiver configured to
receive a command to power up the television receiver device from a standby mode.
A memory stores a usage pattern database. A real time clock, a television tuner
device, and an input switch are provided. A programmed processor is programmed
to: receive a command to power down the television to a standby mode; prior to fully
entering the standby mode: determine a next time of operation of the television from a
usage pattern database; retrieve a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern
database corresponding to the next time of operation of the television; pre-tune the
tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an input switch; and complete
entry of the television to the standby mode.
In certain implementations, a television boot process is started and upon
completing the boot process the tuner is already tuned to the channel and the input
switch is set to the switch setting corresponding the next time of operation. In certain
implementations, determining the next time further comprises determining a day of
the week. In certain implementations, retrieving the channel and the switch setting
from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the channel and switch
setting corresponding to the next time of operation including the day of the week. In
certain implementations, the pre-tuning comprises tuning the tuner to a specified
frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a specified set of packet
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identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the channel. In certain
implementations, the specified frequency and set of packet identifiers is stored in the
usage pattern database. In certain implementations, the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database. In certain implementations, the
processor retrieves an audio volume setting from the usage pattern database and sets
the audio volume to a level determined by the usage pattern database so that at the end
of the boot process the audio volume is set to a value corresponding the current time.
In certain implementations, the channel and switch setting correspond to a channel
and switch setting for a recording that corresponds to the current time.
Those skilled in the art will recognize, upon consideration of the above
teachings, that certain of the above exemplary embodiments are based upon use of a
programmed processor. However, the invention is not limited to such exemplary
embodiments, since other embodiments could be implemented using hardware
component equivalents such as special purpose hardware and/or dedicated processors.
Similarly, general purpose computers, microprocessor based computers, microcontrollers,
optical computers, analog computers, dedicated processors, application
specific circuits and/or dedicated hard wired logic may be used to construct
alternative equivalent embodiments.
Certain embodiments described herein, are or may be implemented using a
programmed processor executing programming instructions that are broadly described
above in flow chart form that can be stored on any suitable electronic or computer
readable storage medium including non-transitory storage media, where the term nontransitory
is intended only to preclude propagating waves and not storage that can be
rewritten or storage that loses its stored information when power is removed.
However, those skilled in the art will appreciate, upon consideration of the present
teaching, that the processes described above can be implemented in any number of
variations and in many suitable programming languages without departing from
embodiments of the present invention. For example, the order of certain operations
carried out can often be varied, additional operations can be added or operations can
be deleted without departing from certain embodiments of the invention. Error
trapping can be added and/or enhanced and variations can be made in user interface
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and information presentation without departing from certain embodiments of the
present invention. Such variations are contemplated and considered equivalent.
While certain illustrative embodiments have been described, it is evident that
many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to
those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:
CLAIMS
1. A method of starting a television, comprising:
receiving a command to power up the television from a standby mode;
starting a television boot process, and while the boot process proceeds:
determining that a point in the boot process when a television tuner is
operative and an input switch is operative has been reached;
determining a current time from a real time clock;
retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the current time;
tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an
input switch; and
completing the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the tuner is
already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting
corresponding the current time.
2. The method according to claim 1, where determining the current time further
comprises determining a current day of the week.
3. The method according to claim 2, where retrieving the channel and the switch
setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the channel and
switch setting corresponding to the current time on the current day of the week.
4. The method according to claim 1, where the tuning comprises tuning the tuner
to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a specified
set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the channel.
5. The method according to claim 4, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
6. The method according to claim 4, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
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7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving an audio
volume setting from the usage pattern database and setting the audio volume to a level
determined by the usage pattern database so that at the end of the boot process the
audio volume is set to a value corresponding the current time.
8. The method according to claim 1, where the channel and switch setting
correspond to a channel and switch setting for a recording that corresponds to the
current time.
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9. A tangible non-transitory computer readable electronic storage medium
storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors,
carry out a method comprising:
starting a television boot process, and while the boot process proceeds:
determining that a point in the boot process when a television tuner is
operative and an input switch is operative has been reached;
determining a current time from a real time clock;
retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the current time;
tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an
input switch; and
completing the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the tuner is
already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting
corresponding the current time.
10. The medium according to claim 9, where determining the current time further
comprises determining a current day of the week.
11. The medium according to claim 10, where retrieving the channel and the
switch setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the
channel and switch setting corresponding to the current time on the current day of the
week.
12. The medium according to claim 9, where the tuning comprises tuning the
tuner to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a
specified set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the
channel.
13. The medium according to claim 12, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
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14. The medium according to claim 12, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
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15. A television receiver device, comprising:
a remote command receiver configured to receive a command to power up the
television receiver device from a standby mode;
a memory storing a usage pattern database;
a real time clock;
a television tuner device;
an input switch;
a programmed processor programmed to:
start a television boot process, and while the boot process proceeds:
determine that a point in the boot process when the television tuner
device is operative and the input switch is operative has been reached;
determine a current time from the real time clock;
retrieve a channel and a switch setting from the usage pattern database
corresponding to the current time;
tune the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an input
switch; and
complete the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the
tuner is already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch
setting corresponding the current time.
16. The device according to claim 15, where determining the current time further
comprises determining a current day of the week.
17. The device according to claim 16, where retrieving the channel and the switch
setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the channel and
switch setting corresponding to the current time on the current day of the week.
18. The device according to claim 15, where the tuning comprises tuning the tuner
to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a specified
set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the channel.
19. The device according to claim 18, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
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20. The device according to claim 18, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
21. The device according to claim 18, where the processor retrieves an audio
volume setting from the usage pattern database and sets the audio volume to a level
determined by the usage pattern database so that at the end of the boot process the
audio volume is set to a value corresponding the current time.
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22. A method of starting a television, comprising:
receiving a command to power down the television to a standby mode;
prior to fully entering the standby mode:
determining a next time of operation of the television from a usage
pattern database with reference to a real time clock;
retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the next time of operation of the television;
pre-tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at
an input switch; and
completing entry of the television to the standby mode.
23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:
starting a television boot process; and
completing the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the tuner is
already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting
corresponding the next time of operation.
24. The method according to claim 22, where determining the next time further
comprises determining a day of the week.
25. The method according to claim 24, where retrieving the channel and the
switch setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the
channel and switch setting corresponding to the next time of operation including the
day of the week.
26. The method according to claim 22, where the pre-tuning comprises tuning the
tuner to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a
specified set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the
channel.
27. The method according to claim 26, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
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28. The method according to claim 26, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising retrieving an audio
volume setting from the usage pattern database and pre-setting the audio volume to a
level determined by the usage pattern database.
30. The method according to claim 22, where the channel and switch setting
correspond to a channel and switch setting for a recording that corresponds to the
current time.
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31. A tangible non-transitory computer readable electronic storage medium
storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors,
carry out a method comprising:
starting a power down process to power the television to a standby mode;
prior to fully entering the standby mode:
determining a next time of operation of the television from a usage
pattern database;
retrieving a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the next time of operation of the television;
pre-tuning the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at
an input switch; and
completing entry of the television to the standby mode.
32. The medium according to claim 31, further comprising:
starting a television boot process; and
completing the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the tuner is
already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting
corresponding the next time of operation.
33. The method according to claim 31, where determining the next time further
comprises determining a day of the week.
34. The medium according to claim 31, where retrieving the channel and the
switch setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the
channel and switch setting corresponding to the next time of operation including the
day of the week.
35. The medium according to claim 31, where the pre-tuning comprises tuning the
tuner to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a
specified set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the
channel.
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36. The medium according to claim 35, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
37. The medium according to claim 35, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
-26-
38. A television receiver device, comprising:
a remote command receiver configured to receive a command to power up the
television receiver device from a standby mode;
a memory storing a usage pattern database;
a real time clock;
a television tuner device;
an input switch;
a programmed processor programmed to:
receive a command to power down the television to a standby mode;
prior to fully entering the standby mode:
determine a next time of operation of the television from a usage
pattern database;
retrieve a channel and a switch setting from a usage pattern database
corresponding to the next time of operation of the television;
pre-tune the tuner to the channel and selecting the switch setting at an
input switch; and
complete entry of the television to the standby mode.
39. The device according to claim 38, further comprising:
starting a television boot process; and
completing the boot process so that at the end of the boot process the tuner is
already tuned to the channel and the input switch is set to the switch setting
corresponding the next time of operation.
40. The device according to claim 38, where determining the next time further
comprises determining a day of the week.
41. The device according to claim 38, where retrieving the channel and the switch
setting from the usage pattern database further comprises retrieving the channel and
switch setting corresponding to the next time of operation including the day of the
week.
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42. The device according to claim 38, where the pre-tuning comprises tuning the
tuner to a specified frequency and setting packet filters to select packets having a
specified set of packet identifiers from a transport stream corresponding to the
channel.
43. The device according to claim 42, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in the usage pattern database.
44. The device according to claim 42, where the specified frequency and set of
packet identifiers is stored in program and system information protocol (PSIP) tables
that are indexed in the usage pattern database.
45. The device according to claim 42, where the processor retrieves an audio
volume setting from the usage pattern database and sets the audio volume to a level
determined by the usage pattern database so that at the end of the boot process the
audio volume is set to a value corresponding the current time.
46. The device according to claim 42, where the channel and switch setting
correspond to a channel and switch setting for a recording that corresponds to the
current time.