JP2001069479A - Receiver for digital broadcast system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a receiver for a digital broadcast system where a troublesome registration procedure is not required and a program can immediately be viewed. SOLUTION: The receiver for a digital broadcast system that receives encrypted program information broadcast from a broadcast station as a digital signal and is approved for decoding the encryption of the received program information through the reception of prescribed identification information, is provided with connection means 14b, 21 to connect a PHS or mobile phone 20 to the receiver. A telephone number of the PHS or mobile phone 20 connected by the connection means 14b, 21 is used for identification information to permit decoding of the encryption of the received program information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system for, for example, digitizing a television signal and performing pay broadcasting, and more particularly to an improvement of a receiving apparatus for receiving the pay broadcasting program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a digital broadcasting system such as the one described above is usually configured as shown in FIG.
That is, in FIG. 4, reference numeral 11 denotes a transmission area station. The transmitting district station 11 receives various program materials supplied from the outside, performs predetermined processing such as encryption, and then transmits the program data via the communication satellite 12 or directly by terrestrial broadcasting. 13 is digitally broadcast to a receiver 14 of the receiver 13.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 15 denotes an operator management system. This operator management system 15 controls the access of the viewer 13 to the broadcast program,
The viewing amount information of the viewer 13 is collected. For this,
The operator of the operator management system 15 issues a smart card 16 for permitting the registered viewer 13 to view the program.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 5, the smart card 16 is inserted into a card insertion slot 14 a provided in the receiver 14. Then, the receiver 14 is permitted to decrypt the received program based on the ID (Identifier: identification information) recorded on the smart card 16, and the original program Can be restored.

[0005] The program reproduced by the receiver 14 is supplied to a television receiver or a video deck 17 or to a data receiver 18 such as a personal computer. In addition, the receiver 14
Billing information is generated in accordance with the viewing amount information of the collected program, and the operator management system 15 is generated via the public telephone network 19.
Is transmitted to.

However, in the conventional digital broadcasting system as described above, the viewer needs to register the operator of the operator management system 15 in advance.
There is a problem that the procedure is troublesome. Further, even after the registration, the program cannot be viewed until after the smart card 16 is delivered. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the program cannot be viewed immediately after the registration.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional digital broadcasting system, the use registration procedure is necessary, and even after registration, the program cannot be viewed until the smart card is delivered. have.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a very good digital broadcast system receiving apparatus which can eliminate the troublesome registration procedure and allow the user to immediately watch a program. With the goal.

[0009]

A receiving device of a digital broadcasting system according to the present invention receives encrypted program information digitally broadcast from a broadcasting station, and receives predetermined program identification information to receive the program information. It is intended for those who are allowed to decrypt encrypted program information.

[0010] Further, there is provided a connecting means for connecting communication devices having individual numbers, and the number of the communication device connected by the connecting means is used to permit decryption of the received program information. This is used as identification information.

According to the above configuration, the receiving apparatus includes:
Instead of the conventional smart card, a communication device with an individual number is connected, and that number is used as a substitute for the identification information of the smart card. It is not necessary for the user to make use registration, and the program can be viewed immediately.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. That is, instead of the smart card 16 in the receiver 14,
PHS (Personal Handyphone Sy)
stem) or mobile phone 20 and connect its phone number to
By using it as an alternative to the ID of the smart card 16, it is not necessary to register the operator of the operator management system 15 in advance in order to receive permission to view the pay broadcast, and the program can be viewed immediately. And

When the viewer 13 purchases a pay broadcast program, that is, when an operation for requesting viewing of a pay broadcast program is performed, the receiver 14 connects to the connected PHS or PHS. Mobile phone 20
The telephone number and the billing information are transmitted to the operator management system 15 via the public telephone network 19 or the PHS or the mobile phone 20 by telephone. As a result, the telephone number is charged.

The billing information is not transmitted to the operator management system 15 each time it is generated by the receiver 14, but is recorded in the PHS or the built-in memory of the mobile phone 20. At the time of the accumulation, it is also possible to make a telephone call to the operator management system 15 and collectively transmit them.

Further, for a program with an age restriction, the receiver 14 refers to the personal information registered at the time of the purchase contract of the connected PHS or the mobile phone 20, thereby restricting the purchase of the program. Can be performed automatically.

FIGS. 2A and 2B each illustrate an example of a connecting means between the receiver 14 and the PHS or the mobile phone 20. FIG. First, FIG. 2A shows that the receiver 14
S or a housing portion 14b capable of housing the mobile phone 20 is formed.
Is accommodated, a connector (not shown) to be connected to the external connection terminal is provided. FIG. 2B shows a configuration in which the receiver 14 and the PHS or the mobile phone 20 are connected via a connection cord 21.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a series of operations from when the viewer 13 purchases the receiver 14 to when he / she watches the program. First, the viewer purchases the receiver 14 (step S11), turns on a power switch (not shown) of the receiver 14 (step S12), and connects the PHS or the mobile phone 20 owned by the viewer to the receiver 14 (step S12). Step S13).

Thereafter, when the viewer 13 selects and purchases a paid program (step S14), the receiver 14 determines whether or not the purchased program has an age limit (step S15), and there is an age limit. If (YES),
The personal information of the PHS or the mobile phone 20 is collated (step S16), and it is determined whether or not the user falls under the age limit (step S17).

Then, when the age limit is applied (YE
S), the receiver 14 displays, for example, a television receiver or the like indicating that the user is under the age limit (step S18), and returns to the process of step S14.

On the other hand, when it does not correspond to the age limit (NO)
Alternatively, if there is no age restriction on the program purchased in step S15 (NO), the receiver 14
Alternatively, it is stored in the internal memory of the mobile phone 20 (step S19), and it is determined whether or not the internal memory has exceeded the storage limit (step S20). If the built-in memory does not exceed the storage limit (NO), the receiver 14 starts viewing the program (step S21).

If the built-in memory exceeds the storage limit (YES), the receiver 14 stores the telephone number of the PHS or the mobile phone 20 and the billing information stored in the built-in memory in the operator management system. 15 is transmitted by telephone (step S22), and after receiving the billing completion notification from the operator management system 15 (step S23), the program starts to be viewed (step S21).

Here, in the above-described embodiment, a description has been given of connecting the PHS or the mobile phone 20 owned by the receiver 14 to the receiver 14. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Any communication device can be used.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0024]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a very good digital broadcast system receiving apparatus that does not require a troublesome registration procedure and allows the user to immediately watch the program.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a receiving apparatus of a digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection unit between the receiver and a PHS or a mobile phone according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional digital broadcasting system.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining connection between a receiver and a smart card in the conventional system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: transmitting station, 12: communication satellite, 13: viewer, 14: receiver, 15: operator management system, 16: smart card, 17: television receiver or VCR, 18: data receiver, 19 ... Public telephone network, 20 ... PHS or mobile phone, 21 ... Connection code.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A digital broadcasting system in which encrypted program information digitally broadcasted from a broadcasting station is received, and predetermined identification information is input to permit decryption of the received program information. The receiving device of the above, further comprising a connecting means for connecting communication devices having respective numbers, and for permitting the number of the communication device connected by the connecting means to decrypt the received program information. A receiving device for a digital broadcasting system, wherein the receiving device is identification information. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a PHS or a mobile phone, and the telephone number of the PHS or the mobile phone is identification information for permitting decryption of the received program information. The receiving device of the digital broadcasting system according to claim 1. 3. The telephone number of the PHS or the mobile phone and billing information for program information permitted to be decrypted by the telephone number are transmitted from the PHS or the mobile phone to an operator via a public telephone network. 3. The receiving device of the digital broadcasting system according to claim 2, wherein the receiving device transmits the signal. 4. The charging information is stored in a built-in memory of the PHS or the mobile phone, and stored in a predetermined amount.
4. The digital broadcasting system receiving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data is transmitted from the PHS or the mobile phone to an operator via a public telephone network.