Apparatus and method for searching tv program

Abstract

A TV program searching apparatus includes: an image receiving unit that receives an image having additional information from an external device; an additional information reading unit that reads the additional information from the image received from the image receiving unit; and a TV program searching unit that searches for a TV program related to the additional information using the additional information read by the additional information reading unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display apparatus comprising:
 a receiving unit that receives an image having additional information from an external source;   an additional information reading unit that reads the additional information from the received image, the additional information including geographical region information;   a display unit that displays an image; and   a controller that
 generates a recommendation for a television (TV) program based on the geographical region information included in the additional information and TV program information provided by a broadcasting station, and 
 displays the recommended TV program on the display unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the geographical region information comprises global positioning system (GPS) information and the image comprises at least one of a photographic image and a motion picture. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays the recommended TV program by directly tuning to a corresponding TV channel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an information comparing unit that compares the geographical region information included in the additional information with the TV program information provided from the broadcasting station; and   a TV program searching unit that searches for the TV program related to the geographical region information based on the result of the comparison by the information comparing unit.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the display unit displays the result of the search by the TV program searching unit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the display unit displays the result of search by the TV program searching unit by directly tuning to a related TV channel, by displaying an arrayed representative set of pictures of related TV channels currently broadcasting on the entire screen or by displaying a list of channels which will be broadcasted in the future. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the result of the search is displayed to enable a reservation for viewing in advance or a reserved recording. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a memory that stores the image having the additional information, the TV program information and various kinds of data and programs. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the image having additional information is a user query received from the external device by the receiving unit,
 further comprising a TV program searching unit that searches for TV programs being broadcast by program channels based on the additional information without the received image, where the additional information is extracted from the query.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit broadcasts the TV program currently being provided by a TV channel, wherein the TV program matches the additional information provided from the external device as user input and wherein the TV program comprises at least one of travel guides, fishing, food, tourist resort for the location identified by the additional information. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a TV program searching unit that compares the additional information extracted from the image received as user query from the external device with TV program information provided by broadcast stations. 
     
     
         12 . A displaying method of a display apparatus comprising:
 receiving an image having additional information from an external source;   reading the additional information from the received image, the additional information including geographical region information;   generating a recommendation for a television (TV) program based on the geographical region information included in the additional information and TV program information provided by a broadcasting station; and   displaying the recommended TV program on a display unit.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the geographical region information comprises global positioning system (GPS) information and the image comprises at least one of a photographic image and a motion picture. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , the displaying comprises displaying the recommended TV program by directly tuning to a corresponding TV channel 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 comparing the geographical region information included in the additional information with the TV program information provided from the broadcasting station; and   searching for the TV program related to the geographical region information based on the result of the comparison.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the displaying comprises displaying the result of the search. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the result of the search by directly tuning to a related TV channel, by displaying an arrayed representative set of pictures of related TV channels currently broadcasting on the entire screen or by displaying a list of channels which will be broadcasted in the future. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the displaying further comprises displaying the result of the search to enable a reservation for viewing in advance or a reserved recording. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising storing the image having the additional information, the TV program information and various kinds of data and programs. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the image having additional information is a user query received from the external device, and
 further comprising searching for TV programs being broadcast by program channels based on the additional information without the received image, where the additional information is extracted from the query.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising broadcasting the TV program currently being provided by a TV channel, wherein the TV program matches the additional information provided from the external device as user input and wherein the TV program comprises at least one of travel guides, fishing, food, tourist resort for the location identified by the additional information. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising comparing the additional information extracted from the image received as user query from the external device with TV program information provided by broadcast stations.