Program receiver and method of display processing of program explanation screen

Abstract

In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for generating a received program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based on program explanation information added to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent confusion.

1 . A television signal receiver comprising: 
 (a) a receiver section for receiving digital television signals;    (b) a digital interface for receiving digital television signals reproduced and transmitted from an external storage device; and    (c) an on-screen display processor for generating on-screen displays from said digital television signals received from said receiver section and from said external storage device, said on-screen display processor being adapted to generate a first on-screen display on a first screen representing a description of a television program currently received by said receiver section, the first on-screen display being superimposed on the television program being received by said receiver, and a second separate, on-screen display on a separate, second screen representing a description of television program which is reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device through said digital interface, the second on-screen display being superimposed on the television program being reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device.    
   
   
       2 . The television signal receiver according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second on-screen displays are visually substantially the same but at least one of said on-screen displays includes an indicia element to distinguish between said on-screen displays.  
   
   
       3 . The television signal receiver according to  claim 1 , wherein said digital television signals received by said receiver section include television program guide information.  
   
   
       4 . The television signal receiver according to  claim 3 , wherein said digital television signals reproduced and transmitted from said external storage device include television program guide information.  
   
   
       5 . The television signal receiver according to  claim 4 , wherein said on-screen display processor processes said television program guide information included in said reproduced digital television signals to generate said second on-screen display and omits unnecessary information from the television program guide information.  
   
   
       6 . A method of displaying on-screen display signals comprising: 
 (a) receiving digital television signals in a television receiver;    (b) receiving digital television signals reproduced and transmitted from an external storage device in said television receiver via a digital interface;    (c) generating on a first screen a first on-screen display representing a description of a television program currently received by said receiver, the first on-screen display being superimposed on the television program being received by said receiver; and    (d) generating on a separate, second screen a separate, second on-screen display from said digital television signals received from said external storage device through said digital interface representing a description of television program which is reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device, the second on-screen display being superimposed on the television programming being reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device.    
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first and second on-screen displays are visually substantially the same but at least one of said on-screen displays includes an indicia element to distinguish between said on-screen displays.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said digital television signals received by said receiver include television program guide information.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said digital television signals reproduced and transmitted from said external storage device include television program guide information.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising processing said television program guide information included in said reproduced digital television signals to generate said second on-screen display and omit unnecessary information from the television program guide information.  
   
   
       11 . A method of displaying on-screen displays comprising: 
 (a) generating on a first screen a first on-screen display by a receiver upon user request when a receiver is currently receiving broadcast television programming, said first on-screen display including a first set of indicia elements representing a description of the television programming currently received by the receiver, the first on-screen display being superimposed on the television program being received by said receiver; and    (b) generating on a separate, second screen a separate, second on-screen display by the receiver upon user request when said receiver is currently receiving television program transmitted by an external storage device connected to said receiver via a digital interface, the second on-screen display being superimposed on the television programming being reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device, and the second on-screen display including a second set of indicia elements representing a description of the television program transmitted by said external storage device to said receiver, said second set of indicia elements being substantially similar to said first set of indicia elements, but wherein at least one of said first and second sets of indicia elements includes one or more distinguishing indicia elements to indicate to the user the input source of the television program being received by said receiver.    
   
   
       12 . The television signal receiver according to  claim 1 , wherein said first on-screen display is overlaid on the television program currently received and displayed on the first screen and said second on-screen display is overlaid on the television programming transmitted by said external storage device and displayed on said second screen.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said first on-screen display is overlaid on the television program currently received and displayed on the first screen and said second on-screen display is overlaid on the television programming transmitted by said external storage device and displayed on said second screen.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said first on-screen display is overlaid on the television program currently received and displayed on the first screen and said second on-screen display is overlaid on the television programming transmitted by said external storage device and displayed on said second screen.