JP2000115095A - Broadcasting data transmitter and receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a broadcasting data transmitter capable of interesting a viewer without any sense of boredom by transmitting waiting time video data to be displayed in a communication time for returning response to a broadcast station together with response request video data which requires the response of the viewer. SOLUTION: Navigation information 200 consists of an image object 300 constituting an image to be presented to the viewer, a procedure aggregation 301 and an object defining table 302 fixing the attribute of the image object 300. The image object 300 is constituted of a quiz image object 303 constituting a quiz image object 303 constituting the quiz questions and a waiting time image object 304 to be presented in waiting time during connection to a public line. Then it is transmitted to navigation information 200 including a waiting time image to be presented in a connection waiting time to the public line and a program to be displayed in the waiting time. Thus, the viewer does not feel any sense of boredom while the viewer is waiting for connection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a broadcast data transmitting apparatus for providing an interactive television program to which a viewer can participate and respond, and receives and reproduces broadcast data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus. Related to a receiving device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is desired to provide an interactive television program in which a viewer himself can participate. For example, the viewer not only watches the program broadcast from the broadcasting center, but also wants to answer the quiz, send the answer to the broadcasting center, and proceed with the program according to the answer, or if the answer is correct. An example is a quiz program or the like that wins a prize in the case of (1).

[0003] For this purpose, in addition to a transmission path for transmitting a video of a quiz program question from a broadcasting center to a home terminal,
A two-way communication system including a transmission path for transmitting the quiz answer from the home terminal to the broadcasting center is required. FIG.
1 shows a configuration of a conventional system for realizing viewer participation type quiz program broadcasting. This system includes a transmitting device 801 installed in a broadcasting center 800 and a transmitting device 80.
Broadcast data from each home 103 by wireless communication.
a, a communication satellite 102 for broadcasting to 103b, 103c;
At home 103a, 103b receiving the broadcast data,
Terminals 802a, 802b, 802 installed at 103c
c and the answer to the quiz
01 to the public line 105 for transmission to the Internet.

[0004] In such an interactive communication system, broadcast data, which is an image of a question of a quiz program, is transmitted to a satellite broadcast 102.
From the broadcast center 800 to each home 103a, 103b,
In addition to being sent to terminals 802a, 802b, 802c in 103c, the answer of the viewer is sent from terminal 802a, 802b, 802c to broadcast center 800 using public line 105. Since the broadcast center 800 can specify the correct answer based on the received answer of the viewer, it is possible to realize a viewer participation type quiz program broadcasting system that gives a prize to the correct answerer of the quiz.

[0005]

However, in the above system, the answers of many viewers are concentrated at the same time and sent to the broadcasting center 800 using the public line 105, so that the load on the public line 105 is considerable. There is a problem of becoming high. As a result, it takes a considerable amount of time before the viewer's answer is sent.

When a quiz program proceeds based on the viewer's answer, the viewer cannot proceed to the next quiz until the viewer's answer is sent to the broadcasting center. On the other hand, in a case where the quiz answer is not transmitted to the broadcasting center when the program configuration is not such, the terminals 802a, 802b, 80
2c needs to store questions and answers of a plurality of quizzes and manage and process them. Therefore, the terminal 80
In 2a, 802b, and 802c, it is not possible to move on to the next quiz until the transmission of the answer of one quiz is completed due to the limitation of the storage capacity and the processing capacity.

[0007] As described above, the viewer who has answered the quiz has to spend a long time waiting for the terminal 802a, 802b, 803c to finish transmitting the answer, which is boring. Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and has been made in view of the above problem, and is intended to transmit broadcast data that can attract the interest of a television program such as a quiz program in which the viewer can participate without boring the viewer. It is an object to provide a device and a receiving device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention transmits broadcast data for requesting a response from a viewer from a broadcast station to a receiver of the viewer, and returns the response to the broadcast station. A broadcast data transmitting apparatus in a broadcast system constructed to be capable of two-way communication, comprising a video for a waiting time to be displayed in a communication time for returning a response to a broadcast station together with video data for a response request for a viewer response. A transmission unit for transmitting data is provided.

The present invention also relates to a broadcast data receiving apparatus corresponding to the broadcast data transmitting apparatus, wherein the video data for response request transmitted from the broadcast data transmitting apparatus;
A broadcast data receiving means for receiving broadcast data including the waiting time video data and the program, a video signal output means for converting the received response request video data and the waiting time video data into a video signal, and outputting the video signal; Remote control signal receiving means for receiving a remote control signal shown, image object specifying means for specifying, based on the remote control signal, a plurality of image objects constituting the response request video data specified by a viewer, Executing means for executing steps in the program corresponding to the image object.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 relates to a broadcast system for realizing a quiz program of a viewer participation type that does not give a viewer a feeling of boredom.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a quiz program broadcasting system of a viewer participation type according to the first embodiment.
The system includes a transmitting device 101 installed in a broadcasting center 100 and broadcast data transmitted to each home 10 by wireless communication.
Communication satellite 102 for broadcasting to 3a, 103b, 103c
And 103a, 103 in the home receiving the broadcast data
b, 103c installed terminals 104a, 104b, 1
04c and a public line 105 for transmitting the answer of the viewer to the broadcasting center 100. This system differs from the conventional system in that the functions of the transmitting device 101, the functions of the receiving devices 104a, 104b, 104c,
3 shows a structure of broadcast data transmitted from the transmission device 101.

FIG. 2 shows the transmitting apparatus 101 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminal 104a. The transmission device 101 is a device for creating and transmitting broadcast data 215 for a quiz program, and includes navigation information 200 including an image object such as a quiz question screen and a procedure program, a background image of the quiz program, and background music. And a multiplexing unit 202 for multiplexing the compression-encoded video / audio data 201 and a carousel repeater transmitting unit 2 for transmitting the multiplexed broadcast data 215 in a carousel system which is repeatedly transmitted at a constant period.
03, a line connection unit 213 for connecting to the public line 105, and a tallying unit 214 for tallying the answer 216 of the viewer.

The terminal 104a includes a receiving device 204, a remote controller 210 for inputting a response by a viewer, and a television 2
And 11. The receiving device 204 has a function of executing a procedure program in addition to a function of receiving video and audio and outputting it to the television 211.
02, a receiving unit 205 for receiving the broadcast data 215 broadcasted via the H.02, a separating unit 206 for separating the multiplexed broadcast data 215 into video / audio data 201 and navigation information 200, and recording the navigation information 200. A video / audio reproduction unit 208 that converts video / audio data 201 and image objects in the navigation information 200 into video / audio for television;
Various procedures in navigation information 200 and remote control 2
10. The bytecode execution unit 209, which is a virtual machine that executes processing in accordance with the input from
And a line connection unit 212 for performing connection processing with the public line 105 for transmission to the public line 01.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the navigation information 200 shown in FIG. The navigation information 200 is
Image object 30 constituting a video to be presented to a viewer
0 and a set 3 of procedures executed in the terminal 104a
01 and an object definition table 302 that defines the attributes of the image object 300. The image object 300 is composed of a quiz image object 303 constituting a quiz question and a waiting time image object 304 presented during the waiting time during connection to the public line.

A set of procedures 301 includes a procedure 305 for presenting a quiz question, a procedure 306 for receiving a quiz answer, and a procedure 307 for connecting to a broadcast center.
And a procedure 308 for presenting information for waiting time, and a procedure 309 for transmitting an answer via a public line. These procedures are described in a bytecode program which is executed by the virtual machine in the terminal 104a. The bytecode program is a program that is executed without depending on the type of the CPU included in the computer, and is described by a sequence of instructions (bytecodes) of the virtual machine.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a detailed structure of the object definition table 302 shown in FIG. Each attribute in the object definition table 302 will be described below. The object ID 406 indicates an ID given to each image object. Type 407 indicates the type of the object, whether the image object is text, graphics, or animation. The image objects 403 and 404 whose type in the table is animation indicate the graphics of the first frame and the second frame, respectively, constituting the animation tenkianime. X coordinate 40
8, the Y coordinate 409 indicates the display position of the image object on the television screen. The pointer 410 to the bytecode handler represents a pointer to a bytecode program to be executed when the image object is selected. The address 411 to the object data and the byte length 412 of the object data indicate the offset address of the data area occupied by the substantial part of the image object in the navigation information 200 and the data length, respectively.

FIG. 4B shows a bytecode handler hand.
It is a figure showing ler1405. The handler 1405 is a bytecode program executed when a quiz answer is selected.
And a procedure 308a for starting presentation of waiting time information
(Part of the procedure 308 for presenting the waiting time information),
Procedure 307a for establishing a connection to the broadcasting center (part of the procedure 307 for connecting to the broadcasting center), and procedure 308b for ending presentation of the waiting time information (part of the procedure 308 for presenting the waiting time information) ), A procedure 309 for transmitting the answer via a public line, and a procedure 307b for disconnecting the connection to the broadcast center (a part of the procedure 307 for connecting to the broadcast center).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a general operation of the bytecode execution unit 209, that is, a common repetition operation independent of the contents of the bytecode handler. First, an initial bytecode program which is a program for displaying a quiz question screen is executed. The bytecode execution unit 209 specifies the image object in the object definition table 302 according to an instruction to display the image object included in the initial bytecode program. Then, the bytecode execution unit 209 refers to the object definition table 302, reads out the image object from the storage unit 207 from the address to the object data and the byte length of the object data, and, together with the X coordinate and the Y coordinate, displays the image / image data. A quiz question screen is displayed by sending the quiz to the audio reproduction unit 208 (step S500).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 monitors whether there is an input from the remote controller (step S50).
1). Next, when there is a remote control input, the bytecode execution unit 209 specifies the image object selected by the remote control input (Step S502). next,
The bytecode execution unit 209 specifies a bytecode handler corresponding to the image object from the object definition table (Step S503).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 executes the bytecode program with reference to the pointer to the bytecode program (step S504). Here, the above-mentioned bytecode program is executed by a virtual machine used as a technique for absorbing a difference in computer architecture. Next, a specific operation when the present system configured as described above is applied to a quiz program will be described.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the television 211 of the terminal 104a. Here, a screen 600 for displaying a quiz question and screens 601 and 602 for displaying wait time information are shown. FIG.
6 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the navigation information 200 in FIG.

A multiplexing unit 202 in the transmitting apparatus 101 multiplexes the navigation information 200 and the video / audio data 201. The carousel repeater transmitting section 203 delivers the multiplexed data to the terminal 104a as broadcast data 215 by the carousel method. The receiving unit 206 in the receiving device 204 selects and receives a quiz program from the broadcast data 215 and outputs it to the separating unit 206 (step S70).
0).

Next, the separation unit 206 outputs the broadcast data 215
More video / audio data 201 and navigation information 20
0, and the navigation information 200 is stored in the storage unit 207.
And outputs the video / audio data 201 to the video / audio reproduction unit 208 (step S701). Next,
In the audio reproduction unit 208, the bytecode execution unit 209 decodes the video / audio data 201, converts the video / audio data 201 into video and audio signals for television, and reproduces the background video and music. A series of processing such as presentation of a quiz question is performed (steps S702 to S71).
0).

The bytecode execution unit 209 presents a quiz question according to the procedure 305 for presenting a quiz question. The screen displayed on the television 211 at this time is the screen 600. The bytecode execution unit 209 follows the bytecode program for presenting a quiz question, and displays an image object (text of question content) having an object ID of msg1400, an image object having a button1 401 (Yes button), and a button2 402 (No button).
Is sent to the video / audio playback unit 208,
The screen 600 is displayed by being superimposed on the background video by the video and audio reproduction unit 208 (step S702).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 accepts the viewer's operation of the remote controller 210 (→ ←) for the viewer to input an answer. When the image object 401 or 402 is selected by the viewer, FIG.
The handler 1405 shown in (b) is executed. handle
According to the procedure 306 for accepting the answer of the quiz in r1, the image object 40 is
If 1 (Yes button) is selected, the answer (kaito) is set to Yes, and if the image object 402 (No button) is selected by the → key input of the remote control, the answer (k
aitou) is set to No (steps S703 and S70).
4).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 executes
The presentation of the waiting time information (animation) is started according to the procedure 308a (part of the procedure 308 for presenting the waiting time information) in the ler 1405 for starting the presentation of the waiting time information. The screens displayed on the television 211 at this time are the screens 601 and 602. Byte code execution unit 20
9 transmits the screen 601 including the image object 403 of the first frame of the animation tenkianime to the video / audio reproduction unit 208, and the video / audio reproduction unit 208 displays the screen 601 superimposed on the background video. And 1
After 0 seconds, a screen 602 including the image object 404 of the second frame of tenkianime is displayed.
A screen composed of image objects of the next frame is sequentially displayed, and the animation proceeds (step S7).
05).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 executes
According to the procedure 307a for establishing a connection to the broadcast center in the ler 1405 (part of the procedure 307 for establishing a connection to the broadcast center), processing is performed for connection to the public line 105, and the completion of the connection is waited for (step S706, S70
7). Upon completion of the connection, the bytecode execution unit 209 terminates the presentation of the waiting time information in the handler 1405 (procedure 308b (procedure 3 for presenting the waiting time information).
08), the presentation of the waiting time information (animation) ends. Ie animation tenk
The reproduction of ianime ends (step S708).

Next, the bytecode execution unit 209 executes
Procedure 3 for sending the answer in ler1405 over the public line
09, the answer (kaitou) is transmitted to the broadcasting center 100 (step S709), and the connection with the public line 105 is made according to the procedure 307b for disconnecting the connection with the broadcasting center (a part of the procedure 307 for connecting to the broadcasting center). The connection is disconnected (step S710).

As described above, in the transmitting apparatus 101, the waiting time image presented within the waiting time for connection to the public line,
In the receiving device 204, the navigation information 200 is read by the bytecode execution unit 209, and the program is executed.

As described above, according to the present system, the viewer can see the information for the waiting time within the waiting time for connection to the public line. That is, the present system displays not only the question screen of the quiz program from the broadcast center 100 to the terminals 104a to 104c in each home but also the answer of the viewer within the connection time to the public line when transmitting the answer to the public line. By sending information and a program that performs processing such as displaying it, and running the program on the terminal, it takes a long time to connect to the public line, and even if the progress of the quiz is stagnant, This is a system that prevents users from feeling bored while waiting for a connection.

In the present embodiment, the carousel repeater system is used as the transmission unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this system, and the quiz video data and the program for the above processing are transmitted together. Other possible broadcasting schemes may be used. Further, in the present embodiment, the waiting time information is presented until the connection to the public line is completed. However, when the data amount of the answer to be transmitted to the broadcasting center is large and the transmission takes time, Alternatively, even after the connection is completed, the waiting time information may be presented until the transmission of the answer is completed.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a two-way communication system in which broadcast data for requesting a response from a viewer is transmitted from a broadcast station to a receiver of the viewer, and the response is returned to the broadcast station. A broadcast data transmission device in a broadcast system constructed so as to transmit a response request video data for a viewer response and a wait time video data to be displayed in a communication time for returning the response to a broadcast station. It is characterized by comprising transmitting means for performing the above.

[0033] This makes it possible to present the waiting-time video data to the viewer even during the communication time in which the response of the viewer is returned to the broadcasting station via the public line, so that the viewer can be interested without being bored. Broadcast data transmitting apparatus capable of attracting the user. In this case, the transmitting means acquires (a) a viewer's response to the response request video data together with the response request video data and the waiting time video data, and (b) obtains a response. Making a communication connection to a broadcasting station later; (c) displaying the waiting time video data on the receiving device at least until the communication connection is completed; and (d) completing the communication connection. Sending back the response to the broadcasting station after the completion of the transmission.

Thus, the program for displaying the video data for the waiting time is sent to the receiving device during the waiting time. Therefore, even if the receiving device is a general-purpose device which does not originally have the program, By executing the received program, the receiving apparatus can present the waiting time image to the viewer within the waiting time and prevent the viewer from being bored.

Here, each of the steps (a) to (d) of the program may be characterized in that its processing timing is associated with one of a plurality of image objects constituting the video data. With this, the receiving device can execute the program corresponding to the image object by the selection of the image object by the viewer, so that the video presented to the viewer and the program can be easily advanced in synchronization. This has the effect of improving the interactivity.

The present invention also relates to a broadcast data receiving apparatus corresponding to the broadcast data transmitting apparatus, wherein the response request video data transmitted from the broadcast data transmitting apparatus;
A broadcast data receiving means for receiving broadcast data including the waiting time video data and the program, a video signal output means for converting the received response request video data and the waiting time video data into a video signal, and outputting the video signal; Remote control signal receiving means for receiving a remote control signal shown, image object specifying means for specifying, based on the remote control signal, a plurality of image objects constituting the response request video data specified by a viewer, Executing means for executing steps in the program corresponding to the image object.

As a result, the broadcast data receiving apparatus realizes a television program of the participant viewer type that does not impose a load on the public line by simply executing the program transmitted from the broadcast data transmitting apparatus faithfully. Further, the present invention is a method for providing a quiz program in a digital broadcasting system constructed to be capable of two-way communication, wherein broadcast data transmitted from a broadcasting station includes quiz video data indicating a quiz, and a viewer's answer. (A) displaying the quiz video data on the receiving device; and (b) displaying a viewer response to the quiz video data. Acquiring, (c) making a communication connection to a broadcast station after obtaining a response, and (d) displaying the waiting time video data on the receiving device at least until the communication connection is completed. And (e) returning the response to the broadcast station after the communication connection is completed. Wherein the made to contain what is executed.

[0038] This makes it possible to present the video data for the waiting time to the viewer even during the communication time in which the answer of the viewer is returned to the broadcasting station via the public line. A quiz program using digital broadcasting that can attract users can be provided. As described above, according to the present invention, in interactive television program broadcasting in digital broadcasting, even in a communication waiting time such as when a public line is connected, it is possible to present information that attracts the interest of the viewer so as not to be bored. This makes it possible to promote the spread of interactive television program broadcasting, and its practical effect is extremely large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a quiz program broadcasting system of a viewer participation type according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a transmitting apparatus 101 and a terminal 104a shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a structure of navigation information 200 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4A is an object definition table 302;
FIG. 4B shows the bytecode handler handler14.
FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a general operation of a bytecode execution unit 209.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen displayed on the television 211 of the terminal 104a.

FIG. 7 shows navigation information 2 in receiving apparatus 204.
10 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the 00.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional viewer participation type quiz program broadcasting system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Broadcasting center 101 Transmitting device 102 Communication satellite 103 a-c Home 104 a-c Home terminal 105 Public line 200 Navigation information 201 Video / audio data 202 Multiplexing unit 203 Carousel repeater transmitting unit 204 Receiving device 205 Receiving unit 206 Separating unit 207 Storage Unit 208 video / audio playback unit 209 bytecode execution unit 210 remote controller 211 television 212 line connection unit 213 line connection unit 214 tally processing unit 215 broadcast data 216 answer 300 image object 301 set of procedures 302 object definition table 303 quiz image object 304 Image object for waiting time 305 Procedure for presenting quiz question 306 Procedure for accepting quiz answer 307 Procedure for connecting to broadcast center The procedure 309 answers to present the 08 waiting time for information sent by the public line procedure 800 broadcast center 801 transmission device 802a~c household terminal

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Eiji Takai 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Soft Research Inc. (reference) 5C064 BA01 BA07 BB05 BB10 BC10 BC16 BC18 BC20 BC23 BD01 BD02 BD07 BD08 BD09

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A broadcast data transmitting apparatus in a broadcasting system constructed to be capable of two-way communication for transmitting broadcast data requesting a response from a viewer from a broadcast station to a receiver of the viewer and returning the response to the broadcast station. Broadcasting data transmission means for transmitting video data for a waiting time to be displayed in a communication time for returning the response to a broadcasting station together with video data for a response requesting a response of a viewer. apparatus. 2. The transmission means transmits, together with the video data for response request and the video data for waiting time, a program including the steps listed below, which is executed in the receiving device. The broadcast data transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (A) obtaining a viewer's response to the response request video data; (b) making a communication connection to a broadcast station after obtaining the response; and (c) at least until the communication connection is completed. Displaying the waiting time video data on the receiving device; and (d) returning the response to the broadcasting station after the communication connection is completed. 3. Each step (a) of the program
3. The broadcast data transmitting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in (d), the processing timing is associated with any one of a plurality of image objects constituting the response request video data. 4. A broadcast data receiving apparatus corresponding to the broadcast data transmitting apparatus according to claim 3, comprising video data for response request, video data for waiting time, and a program transmitted from the broadcast data transmitting apparatus. Broadcast data receiving means for receiving broadcast data, video signal output means for converting received response request video data and waiting time video data into a video signal, and outputting the same, and remote control signal reception for receiving a remote control signal indicated by a viewer Means, image object specifying means for specifying, based on the remote control signal, a plurality of image objects constituting the response request video data specified by a viewer, and the program corresponding to the specified image object in the program A broadcast data receiving apparatus comprising: an execution unit that executes steps. 5. A method for providing a quiz program in a digital broadcasting system constructed to be capable of two-way communication, wherein quiz video data indicating a quiz and a viewer's answer are broadcasted on broadcast data transmitted from a broadcasting station. A quiz program characterized by including waiting time video data to be displayed in the communication time returned to the station, and a program including the steps listed below, which is executed in the viewer's receiving device. How to provide. (A) displaying the quiz video data on the receiving device; (b) obtaining a viewer response to the quiz video data; and (c) making a communication connection to a broadcast station after obtaining the response. (D) displaying the waiting time video data on the receiving device at least until the communication connection is completed; and (e) returning the response to the broadcast station after the communication connection is completed.