US-12627855-B2 - Channel prediction method applied to channel change and associated electronic device

Abstract

A channel prediction method applied to channel change includes: selecting multiple candidate prediction channels from multiple channels in a channel database, and storing the multiple candidate prediction channels into a prediction database; comparing the multiple candidate prediction channels with a channel selected by a user to generate a comparison result; and selecting multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into a channel buffer.

Inventors

• Chun-Yi Chen
• Chung-Hsien Wu

Assignees

• REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240606

Priority Date

20230616

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A channel prediction method applied to channel change, comprising: selecting multiple candidate prediction channels from multiple channels in a channel database, and storing the multiple candidate prediction channels into a prediction database; comparing the multiple candidate prediction channels with a channel selected by a user to generate a comparison result; and selecting multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into a channel buffer; wherein the channel buffer comprises a pre-prediction channel, a current prediction channel, and a post-prediction channel, and the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer comprises: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is not one of the multiple prediction channels, utilizing the channel selected by the user, a previous channel of the channel selected by the user, and a next channel of the channel selected by the user to replace the pre-prediction channel, the current prediction channel, and the post-prediction channel in the channel buffer, respectively.
2. 2 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer comprises: in response to an initialization phase, directly storing multiple predetermined prediction channels in the prediction database into the channel buffer.
3. 3 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer comprises: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is the pre-prediction channel, exchanging a position of the pre-prediction channel and a position of the current prediction channel; and in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is the post-prediction channel, exchanging a position of the post-prediction channel and the position of the current prediction channel.
4. 4 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer further comprises: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is not the one of the multiple prediction channels, regarding multiple candidate prediction channels corresponding to the multiple prediction channels in the prediction database as multiple prediction error channels in the prediction database.
5. 5 . The channel prediction method of claim 4 , wherein the step of regarding the multiple candidate prediction channels corresponding to the multiple prediction channels in the prediction database as the multiple prediction error channels in the prediction database comprises: reducing multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels corresponding to the multiple prediction channels, respectively.
6. 6 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer comprises: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is not one of the multiple prediction channels, regarding a candidate prediction channel corresponding to the current prediction channel in the prediction database as a prediction error channel in the prediction database, and utilizing the channel selected by the user to replace the current prediction channel in the channel buffer.
7. 7 . The channel prediction method of claim 6 , wherein the step of regarding the candidate prediction channel corresponding to the current prediction channel in the prediction database as the prediction error channel in the prediction database comprises: reducing a prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel corresponding to the current prediction channel.
8. 8 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer comprises: updating multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels according to the comparison result, to generate an updated result; and selecting the multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the updated result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into the channel buffer.
9. 9 . The channel prediction method of claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels according to the comparison result comprises: in response to the comparison result indicating that a program type of any candidate prediction channel among the multiple candidate prediction channels is equal to a program type of the channel selected by the user, increasing a prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel.
10. 10 . The channel prediction method of claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels according to the comparison result comprises: in response to any candidate prediction channel among the multiple candidate prediction channels being within the channel buffer, increasing a prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel.
11. 11 . The channel prediction method of claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels according to the comparison result comprises: in response to the user changing from the channel selected by the user to any candidate prediction channel among the multiple candidate prediction channels by pressing an up button, a down button, a number button, or a return button on a remote controller, increasing a prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel.
12. 12 . The channel prediction method of claim 8 , wherein the step of updating the multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels according to the comparison result comprises: in response to a residence time of any candidate prediction channel among the multiple candidate prediction channels being less than or equal to a predetermined time, not changing a prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel; and in response to the residence time of the candidate prediction channel among the multiple candidate prediction channels being greater than the predetermined time, increasing the prediction probability of the candidate prediction channel.
13. 13 . The channel prediction method of claim 1 , further comprising: after the multiple prediction channels are stored into the channel buffer, in response to a next channel selected by the user not being one of the multiple prediction channels in the channel buffer, storing a candidate prediction channel corresponding to the next channel selected by the user into the channel buffer.
14. 14 . An electronic device applied to channel change, comprising: a processor, arranged to: select multiple candidate prediction channels from multiple channels in a channel database, and store the multiple candidate prediction channels into a prediction database; compare the multiple candidate prediction channels with a channel selected by a user to generate a comparison result; and select multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and store the multiple prediction channels into a channel buffer; wherein the channel buffer comprises a pre-prediction channel, a current prediction channel, and a post-prediction channel, and the processor is further arranged to: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is not one of the multiple prediction channels, utilize the channel selected by the user, a previous channel of the channel selected by the user, and a next channel of the channel selected by the user to replace the pre-prediction channel, the current prediction channel, and the post-prediction channel in the channel buffer, respectively.
15. 15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further arranged to: in response to an initialization phase, directly store multiple predetermined prediction channels in the prediction database into the channel buffer.
16. 16 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further arranged to: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is the pre-prediction channel, exchange a position of the pre-prediction channel and a position of the current prediction channel; and in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is the post-prediction channel, exchange a position of the post-prediction channel and the position of the current prediction channel.
17. 17 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further arranged to: in response to the comparison result indicating that the channel selected by the user is not the one of the multiple prediction channels, regard multiple candidate prediction channels corresponding to the multiple prediction channels in the prediction database as multiple prediction error channels in the prediction database.
18. 18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further arranged to: reduce multiple prediction probabilities of the multiple candidate prediction channels corresponding to the multiple prediction channels, respectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is related to channel change, and more particularly, to a channel prediction method applied to fast channel change (FCC) and an associated electronic device. 2. Description of the Prior Art When a user performs FCC to change from one channel to another, program content of the other channel will be loaded into a memory only after the channel change, which may cause delays resulting in a poor user experience. A channel prediction method applied to the FCC, which can predict a next channel to which a user desires to change and pre-load program content of the predicted channel into the memory to speed up the FCC, is therefore urgently needed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore one of the objectives of the present invention to provide a channel prediction method applied to channel change, and an associated electronic device, to address the above-mentioned issues. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a channel prediction method applied to channel change is provided. The channel prediction method comprises: selecting multiple candidate prediction channels from multiple channels in a channel database, and storing the multiple candidate prediction channels into a prediction database; comparing the multiple candidate prediction channels with a channel selected by a user to generate a comparison result; and selecting multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and storing the multiple prediction channels into a channel buffer. According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device applied to channel change is provided. The electronic device comprises a processor. The processor is arranged to: select multiple candidate prediction channels from multiple channels in a channel database, and store the multiple candidate prediction channels into a prediction database; compare the multiple candidate prediction channels with a channel selected by a user to generate a comparison result; and select multiple prediction channels from the multiple candidate prediction channels in the prediction database according to the comparison result, and store the multiple prediction channels into a channel buffer. One of the benefits of the channel prediction method and associated electronic device of the present invention is that a next channel to which a user desires to change (e.g., a prediction channel) can be predicted, and program content of the prediction channel can thereby be loaded in a memory in advance according to prediction channels in a channel buffer. In this way, the FCC can be sped up and the user experience can be greatly improved. These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a channel prediction method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a channel control scheme between a channel database, a prediction database, and a channel buffer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a channel control scheme between a channel database, a prediction database, and a channel buffer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a channel control scheme between a channel database, a prediction database, and a channel buffer according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a channel control scheme between a channel database, a prediction database, and a channel buffer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the channel prediction method shown in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating another example of the channel prediction method shown in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Examples of the electronic device 10 may be, but are not limited to: a television (TV) or a set-up box (STB). The electronic device 10 includes a processor 12 and a storage device 14. The processor 12 may be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor, and is equipped with software execution ability. The storage device 14 is arranged to store a program code PROG, wherein the program code PROG may include a channel prediction algorithm. When loaded and executed by the processor 12, the program code PROG instructs the processor 12 t