Method and apparatus for providing a virtual channel service

摘要

A method and an apparatus for providing a virtual channel service are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a contents list recorded in a personal video recorder and a virtual channel information, determining a playback order of recorded contents included in the list in accordance with a preset algorithm, and playing back in sequence the recorded contents through a predetermined virtual channel. As a result, a user may approach easily to the recorded contents.

主权项

1. A method of providing a virtual channel service in a broadcasting terminal, the method comprising:
maintaining a list of contents recorded by a personal video recorder and a virtual channel information based on recording requests received on the personal video recorder from a user; determining a playback order of recorded contents included in the list in accordance with a preset algorithm using weight for the recorded contents, wherein at least one recorded content related to a content being viewed at present through a broadcasting channel by the user has higher weight; playing back in sequence the recorded contents through a predetermined virtual channel; and displaying the recorded contents played back through the virtual channel on a sub-picture area while a user views the broadcasting channel, wherein the sub-picture area displaying recorded contents previously recorded by the user is displayed during a preset period of time when playback of one of the recorded contents is started or playback of the recorded contents related to contents of the broadcasting channel being viewed at present by the user is started, the recorded contents related to contents of the broadcasting channel being viewed at present by a user including (n−1)th contents before a nth contents of the broadcasting channel or contents having the same genre as the contents of the broadcasting channel, and wherein when there are recorded contents related to a content of the broadcasting channel currently being viewed by a user among the recorded contents included in the list, the related recorded contents are determined to be contents to be played back preferentially.