JP3631125B2 - Digital broadcasting system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a digital broadcast system and a digital broadcast receiver for receiving digital broadcast.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus that receives a digital broadcast using a satellite or a terrestrial wave selects an arbitrary broadcast wave from a plurality of broadcast waves received through a dedicated antenna or a terrestrial antenna using a tuner, and selects the selected broadcast wave. A video / audio signal can be output by selecting an arbitrary channel from among a plurality of channels included in the wave by demultiplex processing, extracting a digital signal of the selected channel, and decoding the digital signal.
[0003]
In such digital broadcasting, in addition to transmitting video and audio as in the case of conventional analog broadcasting, the program name, program details, program start time, program end time, genre information, etc. are also transmitted. In this case, an electronic program guide (Electronic Program Guide) screen display using an OSD display circuit can be used to select a program desired by a viewer from multi-channel broadcasting.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the genre search function of the program based on the genre information is a function for searching and displaying a program of the genre designated by the user from the program information (ordinary program guide). As more and more multi-channels / multi-programs are developed through the fusion of BS digital broadcasting, CS digital broadcasting, and terrestrial digital broadcasting, which are expected in the future, the programs desired by the user can be appropriately extracted. It will be difficult to present.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcast system and a digital broadcast receiver that can appropriately extract and present a program desired by a user even when multi-channel / multi-program development is progressing. And
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the digital broadcasting system of the present invention connects an information terminal and a server via a network, and the information terminal is a keyword input by the user and the ID of the user's digital broadcast receiving apparatus. A number is sent to the server, and the server sends the ID number to the digital broadcaster apparatus, and in addition to this, creates an individual program guide comprising the program including the keyword and sends it to the digital broadcaster apparatus, Alternatively, the digital broadcaster apparatus receives a keyword from the server and creates an individual program guide composed of programs including the keyword, and the digital broadcaster apparatus transmits the ID number and the individual program guide on a digital broadcast wave and transmits them. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus acquires the individual program guide addressed to itself based on the ID number. Characterized in that it is configured to utilize the electronic program guide.
[0007]
In the above configuration, the user transmits a keyword for program selection to the server using an information terminal such as a mobile phone. A server or digital broadcaster apparatus creates an individual program guide based on the keyword, and the digital broadcaster apparatus distributes the individual program guide to an individual digital broadcast receiver by an ID number. The home digital broadcast receiving apparatus receives the individual program guide by digital broadcast waves, and displays the electronic program guide using the individual program guide.
[0008]
In the digital broadcasting system of the present invention, the information terminal and the server are connected via a network, and the information terminal transmits the keyword input by the user and the ID number of the user's digital broadcast receiving apparatus to the server. The server sends the keyword and ID number to the digital broadcaster apparatus, the digital broadcaster apparatus sends the ID number and keyword on the digital broadcast wave, and the digital broadcast receiver is based on the ID number. The system is characterized in that a keyword addressed to the own device is acquired, and an individual program guide composed of programs including the keyword is created and used for an electronic program guide.
[0009]
In the above configuration, the user inputs a keyword for selecting a program using an information terminal such as a mobile phone. The keyword is transmitted to the digital broadcaster apparatus through the server, and transmitted to the home digital broadcast receiving apparatus by a digital broadcast wave. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus itself creates an individual program guide with the keyword and displays an electronic program guide using the individual program guide.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Here, a case where a user views a BS (Broadcasting Satellite) digital broadcast is illustrated. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the digital broadcasting system of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation algorithm of the system, and FIG. 3 is an EPG customization displayed on a display of a mobile phone. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcast receiver 29 of this embodiment for receiving BS digital broadcast.
[0013]
In the digital broadcast system shown in FIG. 1, the server 31 connected to the Internet 39 is shown as a component of the digital broadcast provider apparatus 30, but the present invention is not limited to such a form, and the server 31 exists in another place. The information may be transmitted from the server 31 to the broadcaster apparatus 30. That is, it is not essential that the broadcaster apparatus 30 is connected to the Internet 39.
[0014]
The broadcaster apparatus 30 synthesizes the transport stream (TS) sent from the A broadcasting station 36 or the B broadcasting station 37 by the synthesizing unit 33 and uploads it to the satellite (BS) 38 by the modulation / transmission unit 35. Make a link.
[0015]
The server 31 has an HTML file storage unit and a program database (not shown). The storage unit stores “EPG customization page” and the like as an HTML file. When a URL specifying the location of the HTML file is sent from a mobile phone 40 or the like having a Web function, the server 31 takes out the HTML file corresponding to the URL from the storage unit and returns it to the mobile phone 40. .
[0016]
The mobile phone 40 displays the HTML file on the display by the installed browser. When the HTML file is an “EPG customization page”, a display as shown in FIG. 3A is made on the display. For example, if the user wants to customize the program table by focusing on cooking programs using eggs, as shown in FIG. 3 (b) on this page, keywords such as “cooking recipe” and “tamago” are displayed in the keyword input frame. Enter. Further, an ID number (ID number printed on the IC card 16A) is input in the ID number input frame. The keyword and ID number are transmitted to the server 31 through the Internet 39. It is also possible to store the ID number in the mobile phone 40 in advance and automatically input the ID number into the ID number input frame by performing a predetermined operation.
[0017]
When the server 31 receives the keyword, the server 31 is a program including the words “cuisine” or “recipe” from the program database (including various program information other than the program name), and the word “tamago”. The program including the program is listed up to create an individual program guide, which is given to the individual program guide insertion unit 32. Assuming a configuration in which the broadcaster facility 30 and the server 31 are separated, a form in which the server 31 creates an individual program table and gives it to the broadcaster facility 30, and the server 31 sets the keyword as the broadcaster facility 30. It is conceivable that the broadcaster facility 30 creates an individual program guide.
[0018]
The individual program guide insertion unit 32 packetizes the individual program guide and the ID number and gives them to the synthesis unit 33. Note that a mail service is already known as an information distribution service that is individually addressed to the digital broadcast receiving device 29 by an ID number. The synthesizer 33 synthesizes the packet and a packet such as a video, forms a transmission frame, and provides the frame to the modulator / transmitter 35. The modulation / transmission unit 35 modulates the transmission frame, puts it on a radio wave, and sends it to a satellite (BS) 38. The satellite 38 supplies the received radio wave toward the ground.
[0019]
Next, the digital broadcast receiver 29 will be described with reference to FIG. The antenna 1 is arranged outdoors in a predetermined direction, and receives a digital broadcast wave transmitted from the satellite 38. The antenna 1 generally includes a frequency converter, and supplies a received / frequency converted signal to the tuner 2.
[0020]
The tuner 2 extracts a signal of a specific frequency from the high frequency digital modulation signal including video / audio data. That is, a process of selecting one from a plurality of transponders of digital broadcasting is performed. Further, the tuner 2 includes a demodulation circuit, a deinterleave circuit, an error correction circuit, and the like, thereby demodulating the selected digital modulation signal and outputting a transport stream.
[0021]
The demultiplexer (DEMUX) 3 separates the transport stream received from the tuner 2 into MPEG2 (Moving Picture Experts Group 2) video transport packets, audio transport packets, and PSI (Program Specific Information). The demultiplexer 3 supplies the video transport packet and the audio transport packet to the AV decoder 4 and supplies the auxiliary information included in the PSI to the CPU 13. As described above, a plurality of channels are multiplexed in the transport stream, and the process for selecting an arbitrary channel from among the channels is determined based on which arbitrary channel from the PSI is included in the transport stream. It becomes possible by taking out data such as whether the packet ID is multiplexed. In addition, transport stream selection (transponder selection) can also be performed based on PSI information. The attached information includes program information (program contents, program start time, program end time, genre information, etc.) and the like. Furthermore, ID number insertion packets can be separated and acquired based on PSI.
[0022]
The AV decoder 4 includes a video decoder that decodes video transport packets and an audio decoder that decodes audio transport packets. The video decoder decodes the input variable length code to obtain a quantization coefficient and a motion vector, and performs inverse DCT conversion, motion compensation control based on the motion vector, and the like. The audio decoder decodes the input encoded signal to generate audio data. The video data generated by the decoding is output to the video processing circuit 5, and the audio data is output to the audio processing circuit 6.
[0023]
The video processing circuit 5 receives video data from the AV decoder 4 and performs D / A conversion, for example, to convert it into a composite signal in the NTSC format. The audio signal processing circuit 6 receives the audio data output from the AV decoder 4 and performs D / A conversion to generate, for example, a right (R) sound analog signal and a left (L) sound analog signal.
[0024]
The video output circuit 7 and the audio output circuit 8 include an output resistor, an amplifier, and the like. The AV output terminal 9 is provided with an output unit (a set of left and right audio output terminals and video output terminals), and a monitor 18 having an image receiving unit 18a and a speaker 18b by a video / audio code 17 is provided in this output unit. Connected.
[0025]
The OSD (on-screen display) circuit 12 outputs bitmap data based on character information and the like output from the CPU 13 to the adder 20. The adder 20 performs processing for incorporating the bitmap data into the video. The OSD circuit 12 realizes an individual EPG screen display to be described later in addition to a normal EPG (Electronic Program Guide) screen display based on the auxiliary information included in the PSI received by the CPU 13.
[0026]
The IC card 16A stores key information for enabling viewing of pay programs, purchase history information of PPV (pay per view) programs to be charged for each program, and the like. Further, since the ID number is printed on the IC card 16A, the user can know the ID number. The CA module 16 performs various information write processing and read processing between the CPU 13 and the IC card 16A. As a result, the CPU 13 can recognize the ID number of the own device and determine whether the ID of the ID number insertion packet is the ID of the own device. Will do.
[0027]
The memory 14 stores individual program guide data in addition to normal program guide data.
[0028]
The remote control transmitter 10 is a transmitter for sending a command to the broadcast receiving device 29. When a key (not shown) provided on the remote control transmitter 10 is operated, signal light (remote control signal) indicating a command corresponding to the key is transmitted from a light emitting unit (not shown). The remote control light receiver 11 receives the signal light, converts it into an electric signal, and gives it to the CPU 13.
[0029]
Next, the operation algorithm of the digital broadcasting system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The user uses a mobile phone or the like to access the EPG customization page through the Internet, inputs a keyword and an ID number, and transmits it to the server (step S1). The server receives the ID number and the keyword (step S2), searches the program database for the program containing the keyword, and creates an individual program table (step S3). The digital broadcaster apparatus 30 puts the individual program guide and the ID number on the digital broadcast wave and sends them to the satellite (step S4).
[0030]
The user's digital broadcast receiving device 29 receives the individual program guide and ID number carried on the digital broadcast wave (step S5), and determines whether or not the received ID number is the ID number of the own device (step S6). . If it is the ID number of the own device, the individual program guide is taken into the apparatus and the EPG screen is displayed using this individual program guide (step S7). On the other hand, when the ID number of the own device does not exist and the individual program guide is not received, the EPG screen is displayed in the normal program guide (program guide transmitted non-individually) (step S8). The user selects and views a program on any EPG screen display (step S9).
[0031]
As described above, according to the digital broadcasting system, the user browses the EPG customization page distributed from the server 31 by the mobile phone 40, inputs a keyword on the page, transmits it to the server 31, and The individual program guide customized by the digital broadcast receiving device 29 can be received by digital broadcast waves. As a result, the user can quickly select a desired program by looking at the EPG screen display by the individual program guide.
[0032]
In the above example, the keyword is input immediately on the EPG customization page. However, a method of performing keyword search after narrowing down by genre search in the previous stage may be adopted. Also, for example, the number of program hits by search may be returned from the server to the mobile phone to confirm whether or not to create an individual program guide. Regardless of the EPG customization page, the ID number and keyword can also be acquired by the server 31 by entering the ID number and keyword in an e-mail and sending it to the server 31.
[0033]
Moreover, although the example which inputs a keyword using the mobile telephone 40 was shown, you may make it input a keyword etc. using not only this but the personal computer etc. provided with the internet connection environment.
[0034]
In addition, the individual program table created based on the keyword is transmitted to the digital broadcast receiver. However, the keyword itself (including the keyword and / or formula) is individually transmitted to the digital broadcast receiver, and the receiver On the side, a program search by the keyword from the normal program guide may be performed to obtain an individual program guide. The data amount of the keyword itself is much smaller than the data amount of the individual program guide, and the transmission burden on the broadcaster apparatus 30 can be reduced. It is also possible to make it possible to register some keywords (including keyword and / or expressions) received on the receiving device side, and to make such registered keywords available later.
[0035]
Further, instead of giving individual program guides and keywords individually to the digital broadcast receiving device 29 by digital broadcast waves, a character input function is added to the digital broadcast receiving device 29, for example, using the remote control transmitter 10, the receiving device 29. You may make it give a keyword to. The receiving device 29 that has received the keyword operates in the same manner as described above when the keyword is received by broadcast waves. According to this, although the receiving device 29 needs a character input function, the receiving device can generate an individual program guide.
[0036]
Further, although BS digital broadcasting has been described as an example, the present invention can be similarly applied to CS digital broadcasting, terrestrial digital broadcasting, and the like.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the EPG screen is displayed using the program table customized by the user, and the program selection is performed on the narrowed program column. The effect is that it can be done quickly and easily.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation algorithm of the digital broadcasting system.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams showing an example of an EPG customization page displayed on a display of a mobile phone.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Antenna 2 Tuner 3 Demultiplexer (DEMUX)
4 AV decoder 10 Remote control transmitter 13 CPU
16A IC card 29 Digital broadcast receiver 30 Broadcaster apparatus 31 Server 39 Internet 40 Mobile phone

Claims (2)

An information terminal and a server are connected via a network, and the information terminal transmits the keyword input by the user and the ID number of the user's digital broadcast receiver to the server, and the server digitally broadcasts the ID number. In addition to this, an individual program table composed of programs including the keyword is created and sent to the digital broadcasting company apparatus, or the digital broadcasting company apparatus receives the keyword from the server and receives the keyword. An individual program guide composed of programs included is created, the digital broadcaster apparatus sends the ID number and the individual program guide on a digital broadcast wave, and the digital broadcast receiver receives an individual program addressed to itself based on the ID number. A digital camera that is configured to acquire a program guide and use it for an electronic program guide Le broadcasting system. An information terminal and a server are connected via a network, and the information terminal transmits a keyword input by a user and an ID number of the user's digital broadcast receiving apparatus to the server, and the server transmits the keyword and ID number. Sent to a digital broadcaster device, the digital broadcaster device sends the ID number and keyword on a digital broadcast wave, and the digital broadcast receiver acquires a keyword addressed to itself based on the ID number; A digital broadcasting system configured to create an individual program guide composed of programs including the keyword and use it for an electronic program guide.

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