1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for processing multimedia broadcast-related events in a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and method for informing a user of a start of a frequently watched multimedia broadcast program using a character agent function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable terminal refers to a device which can be carried by a user, and its representative device is a mobile phone. Recently, the mobile phone has been developed so as to provide various additional functions as well as the original phone function. The mobile phone having the additional functions generally includes an LCD unit, and various display methods using character (avatar) image data have been developed in order to effectively display the additional functions and the state of the mobile phone.
A DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) phone, through which satellite/terrestrial broadcasting can be viewed, is an example of a mobile phone having such various additional functions. The DMB is a broadcasting service by which broadcasting contents are transmitted so that various multimedia broadcasting such as video, audio, and data can be heard or viewed through multi-channels using a portable or vehicular receiver, to which a reception antenna is mounted, outside a house or while moving. When watching the DMB through a mobile phone, a user can select a desired broadcasting channel while watching various broadcasting channel guides displayed on the screen of the mobile phone, and can watch a program selected by the user by displaying a program of the selected channel on a display unit.
A portable terminal including the multimedia receiving function receives CDM channel information related to the DMB service from a satellite. The received information includes EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information. Since the EPG information is the information related to broadcasting, and the table information of the EPG is continuously retransmitted by a predetermined interval, a user can receive the EPG information whenever the user uses the DMB service.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary view for illustrating a construction of an EPG. Referring to FIG. 1, the EPG comprises a BIT (Broadcaster Information Table) 101, an SDT (Service Description Table) 103, an EIT (Event Information Table) 105, and a TOT (Time Offset Table) 107. Here, the BIT 101 is used to transmit broadcasting information. Here, notices, the names of broadcasting companies, and the current channel lists are transmitted. Broadcast IDs are used to discriminate between different BITs 101. Further, the SDT 103 is used to transmit information of the channels. The information on channels comprises the names of the channels, URL information on the channels, whether the channels are free or require a fee, and the types of the channels (whether the channels are video channels or audio channels, or whether the channels can be recorded). The SDT 103 is discriminated from another SDT using service IDs. Further, the EIT 105 represents genre information of the programs. Here, the name of the program, URL information of the program, a period of time from the start of the program to the completion of the program, and the viewer rating transmitted and the genre information of the corresponding program is transmitted. The EIT 105 uses event IDs to discriminate different events. The TOT 107 represents information on the present time. The TOT 107 is necessary to compare the time of the currently performed program with the present time or to display the present time. As noted above, a user can be informed of various DMB channel information through the EPG information.
An exemplary portable terminal including the multimedia reception function comprises a broadcast reservation function as well as a multimedia broadcast program watching function. The broadcast reservation function comprises a broadcast start alarm reservation function and a broadcast record reservation function. The broadcast start alarm reservation function is a function for informing a user of the start of a broadcast when a broadcast program starts, provided by registering the broadcast start alarm reservation of the broadcast program in a broadcast reservation menu, while the user is watching the EPG information through the screen of the terminal.
However, according to the broadcast function, a user is required to set the reservation each time, and therefore, there are occasions in which the user does not reserve a favorite program either due to mistake, oversight or delay, and misses the start time of the program and can not watch the program. Further, the complexities involved with a user interface (UI) can make it inconvenient for a user to reserve a favorite program.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for easily and effectively registering a favorite multimedia broadcast program.