JP2001352496A - Digital tv/av control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital TV/AV system that can use the memory of other AV unit connected to an AV bus for a temporary storage area of AV data which are received as a data TV broadcast program. SOLUTION: Upon the receipt of AV data from a broadcast station, a TV receiver 100 makes an inquiries to all AV units 200 connected to the AV bus by a simultaneous notice, registers a replied AV unit to a management information storage section 110 as a storage destination and makes storage request of the AV data. In the case of reading AV data selected by a user, the TV receiver 100 references the management information storage section 110, to make a read request to the storage destination unit and receives the AV data, to conduct reproduction processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a digital TV / AV control system centered on a technique relating to a temporary storage control of AV data received as a data TV broadcast.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digitalization has advanced in the field of TV broadcasting with the advancement of advanced information, and BS digital TV broadcasting was started in 2000, in which interactive processing is provided for user operations. Is scheduled to be provided.

On the other hand, a plurality of AV devices have been provided in homes, and it has become possible to connect these AV devices to mutually transmit and receive information.
As an example, in JP-A-9-149325,
A plurality of AV devices are connected to the TV receiver, and each AV device transfers its own graphic display data to the TV receiver in accordance with a request from the TV receiver, so that the TV receiver performs appropriate graphic display. Is disclosed.

[0004]

In digital TV broadcasting, the size of AV data transmitted from a broadcasting station is much larger than in conventional analog TV broadcasting. In particular, in data TV broadcasting, AV data to be viewed is selected by a user's remote control operation. For this reason,
All the AV data that may be used will be repeatedly transmitted from the broadcasting station, and the TV receiver will pre-process the AV data so that the target AV data can be processed promptly after the user operates the remote controller. You need to save it.

[0005] In order to store a large amount of AV data received from a broadcasting station, it is necessary to increase the memory capacity, which is a temporary storage area of the AV equipment. In this case, the cost of the AV equipment increases. Occurs.

On the other hand, when the memory capacity of each AV device is not increased, when processing for AV data that cannot be stored in the temporary storage area, it is necessary to wait until the necessary AV data is transmitted again from the broadcasting station. This increases the processing delay before the desired information is displayed on the screen,
Problems arise in operation, serviceability, and convenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to provide a temporary storage area for AV data received as data TV broadcast, which is another AV apparatus connected to the TV receiver. An object of the present invention is to realize a digital TV / AV control system capable of temporarily storing a large amount of AV data at the same time by using a memory included in the digital TV and enabling the processing of AV data with a guaranteed real-time property. .

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of digital AV devices are connected to each other via an AV bus, and transmit and receive information between the AV devices. At least one of A is transmitted from a broadcasting station.
Function as a TV receiver that receives V data, and at least one of the plurality of AV devices has the A
A digital TV / AV control system for temporarily storing V data, wherein the TV receiving apparatus includes: an AV data storage unit for temporarily storing received AV data; and transmitting the AV data to the AV apparatus. Write request means for requesting the AV device to temporarily store the transmitted AV data, and requesting reading of the temporarily stored AV data from the AV device, and transmitting the AV data in response to the request. Read request means for receiving AV data;
Deletion request means for requesting the AV device to delete temporarily stored AV data,
The AV device transmits the AV transmitted from the TV receiver.
An AV data storage unit for temporarily storing data; and an AV data storage unit for receiving the AV data according to a write request from the TV receiver.
Write processing means for storing data in the AV data storage means, read processing means for reading AV data stored in the AV data storage means in accordance with a read request from the TV receiver, and transmitting the data to the TV receiver; According to the deletion request from the TV receiver, the AV
And a deletion processing means for deleting the AV data stored in the data storage means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the digital TV / AV control system according to the first aspect, the TV receiver receives the AV data temporarily stored in the AV device and stores the AV data in the storage destination AV device. Identifier and the storage destination AV
Management information storage means for storing management information including AV data storage position information in the AV data storage means in the device, and broadcast notification to all the AV devices connected to the AV bus, The AV apparatus further comprises: an inquiry means for inquiring of an empty area; and a response discarding means having a response waiting timer activated when performing a simultaneous notification, and discarding a response after a timeout of the response waiting timer. Receiving an inquiry about a free area of the AV data storage means from the TV receiving apparatus, determining whether or not there is a free area and, if there is a free area, notifying the TV receiving apparatus that writing of AV data is possible. And response means for responding to the request.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the digital TV / AV control system according to the second aspect, when the TV receiving apparatus receives a response from the AV apparatus, the TV receiving apparatus waits for a response during activation of the response discarding means. The apparatus further comprises a response receiving unit for stopping a timer, determining the AV device that has notified the response as a storage device of the AV data, and registering management information in the management information storage unit. is there.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the digital TV / AV control system according to the second aspect, the AV device transmits the TV signal in accordance with a write request of the TV receiving device.
A storage timer that starts when the AV data received from the receiving device is stored in the AV data storage unit, and stores the AV data stored when the storage timer times out;
It is characterized by further comprising an automatic deletion means for deleting from the V data storage unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the digital TV / AV control system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the AV bus is an IEEE1394 digital interface.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a digital TV / AV control system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram focusing on the connection relationship of the digital TV / AV control system in the present embodiment. The digital TV / AV control system includes a TV receiver 10 connected to an AV bus 14 and a plurality of AV devices (here, AV devices 11 to 1 as representatives).
3) and an antenna 15 connected to the TV receiver 10.

In FIG. 1, for example, an AV bus 14
The digital interface conforms to the IEEE 1394 standard. The TV receiver 10 and each of the AV devices 11 to 13
Data transmission and reception are performed mutually via the V bus 14. As an example of the plurality of AV devices, it is assumed that the AV device 11 is a DVD recorder, the AV device 12 is a DVD player, and the AV device 13 is a digital VTR. The TV receiver 10 holds a digital broadcast tuner, and receives AV data transmitted from a digital TV broadcast station via an antenna 15.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the TV receiver 10 shown in FIG. This TV receiver 10
Digital broadcast tuner unit 20, user interface unit 21, processing control unit 22, memory processing unit 23, remote memory processing unit 24, communication control unit 25, and A (not shown)
It is configured to include a V data storage unit.

The digital broadcast tuner section 20 receives AV data from a digital TV broadcast station via the antenna 15 and notifies the processing control section 22 of the received AV data. The user interface unit 21 performs input processing and output processing. The input process is to receive an instruction from a user using a button, a touch screen, a keyboard, or the like. Input processing can also be performed by pressing a button on the remote controller. The output processing is to display a screen using a display device or output sound using a speaker. By this output processing, screen display and audio output of the AV data received from the digital TV broadcasting station are performed.

The processing control unit 22 is responsive to an instruction from the user interface unit 21 to operate the digital broadcast tuner unit 2.
0 and the AV data received from the communication control unit 25, such as reproduction / recording / transfer to another AV device, and data generation for an interactive service. The memory processing unit 23 includes an AV data storage unit, and according to an instruction from the processing control unit 22 or the remote memory processing unit 24,
It performs storage of AV data, reading of stored AV data, and the like.

When the memory processing unit 23 cannot store the AV data, the remote memory processing unit 24 controls the writing and reading of the other AV device, and instructs the memory processing unit 23 and the communication control unit 25. Notice.
The communication control unit 25 communicates with other AV devices and the AV bus 14 according to instructions from the process control unit 22 and the remote memory processing unit 24.
Control of data transmission / reception via.

FIG. 3 shows a digital TV according to the present embodiment.
In the AV control system, the processing control unit 2 shown in FIG.
2 is a block diagram that embodies the configurations of a remote memory control unit 2 and a remote memory control unit 24. FIG. The processing control unit and the remote memory control unit of the TV receiver 100 shown in FIG.
1, a response timer processing unit 102, a response reception processing unit 103,
It has a write request unit 104, a delete request unit 105, a read request unit 106, and a management information storage unit 110.

The inquiry unit 101 refers to the management information storage unit 110 when there is no free space in the AV data storage unit in the own TV receiver and the AV data received from the digital TV broadcast station cannot be stored. , Received A
When it is determined that the V data has not been stored in any of the AV devices, a free area inquiry is made to all the AV devices connected to the AV bus 14 by simultaneous notification. The TV receiving apparatus 100 inquires an area each time it becomes necessary without holding the area inquiry result notified from the AV apparatus 200. By acquiring the latest status in this way, processing that emphasizes real-time properties can be performed.

The response timer processing unit 102 activates a response waiting timer when the inquiry unit 101 sends a broadcast message,
When a timeout occurs in the response wait time, the response reception processing unit 103 is notified of the response discard. Upon receiving a response to the area inquiry from the AV device 200, the response reception processing unit 103 determines whether or not a response discard has been notified from the response timer processing unit 102. If the response discard has not been notified, the AV device 200 that has transmitted the response is determined as the storage destination AV device, and the management information is registered in the management information storage unit 110.

The management information storage unit 110 stores the other AV device 2
The management information for managing the AV data stored in the AV data storage unit 210 of the 00 is stored. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the storage contents of the management information storage unit 110. The management information includes an AV device identifier indicating a storage destination AV device of the AV data, a storage time, a data identifier and a data type of the AV data, an AV data storage unit 2 in the storage destination AV device.
10 is created by combining the storage position information and the data size in. In the above example, Video, Audio, and Still are used as the notation method of the AV data type, but the present invention is not limited to this. As the AV device identifier, each device type (DVD player, DVD recorder,
Although the numbers (# 1, # 2) are specified for each digital VTR, all the devices may be specified by serial numbers.

The write request unit 104 transmits the AV data received from the broadcasting station to the storage destination AV device determined by the response reception processing unit 103 and temporarily stores the AV data in the AV data storage unit 210 in the storage destination AV device. To store AV data. The deletion request unit 105 refers to the management information storage unit 110, determines the storage destination AV device storing the AV data to be deleted, and sends the AV data storage unit 210 to the determined storage destination AV device. A request is made to delete the data, and the management information to be deleted is deleted from the management information storage unit 110.

The read request unit 106 refers to the management information storage unit 110 to determine a storage destination AV device storing the AV data to be read, and reads the AV data to the determined storage destination AV device. , And receives AV data transmitted from the AV device that has requested reading.

As shown in FIG. 3, the AV device 200 includes a response processing unit 201, a write processing unit 202, a storage timer processing unit 203, a deletion processing unit 204, a read processing unit 205,
It is configured to include the AV data storage unit 210.

The response processing unit 201
Receives an area inquiry from the AV data storage unit 2
If it is determined with reference to 10 that there is free space in the area, T
The response is transmitted to the V receiving apparatus 100. Write processing unit 2
02, when a write request is received from the TV receiver 100, the AV data transmitted from the TV receiver 100 is stored in the AV data storage unit 210, and the T
The completion is notified to the V receiving apparatus 100.

The storage timer processing unit 203 activates the storage timer when the writing processing unit 202 notifies the TV receiver 100 of completion, and automatically deletes the data when the storage timer times out. Notify. Upon receiving the deletion request from the TV receiver 100, the deletion processing unit 204 deletes the AV data to be deleted stored in the AV data storage unit 210. When notified of automatic deletion from the storage timer processing unit 203, the deletion processing unit 204 deletes the AV data to be deleted stored in the AV data storage unit 210.

The read processing unit 205 is provided for the TV receiver 1
When a read request is received from 00, the AV data to be read stored in the AV data storage unit 210 is obtained, and the obtained AV data is transmitted to the TV receiver 100. The AV data storage unit 210 temporarily stores AV data transferred from the TV receiver 100.

FIG. 5 shows a digital TV / A according to the present embodiment.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the TV receiver in the V control system, and particularly shows the operation of the TV receiver 100 when receiving AV data from a broadcast station.

First, when the TV receiver 100 shown in FIG. 3 receives AV data from a broadcast station, the inquiry unit 101 refers to the management information storage unit 110 in step S50,
It is determined whether or not the received AV data is already stored in the AV device. If it is determined that the data is not stored in any of the AV devices, the process proceeds to step S51, and the response timer processing unit 102 starts a response waiting timer. In the next step S52, an area inquiry is transmitted to all the AV devices connected to the AV bus 14 by simultaneous notification. On the other hand, if the AV data has already been stored in the AV device in step S50, the processing here ends.

Next, in step S53, the response timer processing unit 102 determines whether or not a timeout of the response waiting timer has occurred. If no timeout has occurred, the process proceeds to step S54, and waits for reception of a response. When a response is received from one AV device, the response reception processing unit 103
Determines the AV device that has transmitted the response as the storage destination AV device, and registers the management information in the management information storage unit 110. On the other hand, in step S53, if a timeout has occurred, the processing is interrupted.

In the next step S55, the write request unit 104 transmits the AV data received from the broadcasting station to the determined storage destination AV device, and stores the AV data in the AV data storage unit in the storage destination AV device. Is temporarily stored. Finally, in step S56, a write completion is received from the storage destination AV device that transmitted the AV data.

FIG. 6 shows a digital TV / A of the present embodiment.
5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the TV receiver in the V control system, particularly showing an operation when an input operation is performed by a user of the TV receiver 100 and AV data is selected.

First, when there is an input operation from the user and AV data to be displayed is selected, the process proceeds to step 61,
The inquiry unit 101 refers to the management information storage unit 110,
It is determined whether the AV data to be displayed is stored in any of the AV devices. If it is not stored in any of the AV devices, the process branches to step S66, and waits for notification of the AV data to be displayed from the broadcasting station, and receives the AV data. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 61 that the AV data is stored in any one of the AV devices, the process proceeds to step 62 and the response timer processing unit 102
Starts the read timer. And the read request unit 1
06 is a display target A with reference to the management information storage unit 110.
Acquire management information on V data. Next Step 6
In step 3, a request for reading AV data is transmitted to the storage destination AV device 200.

Next, in step S64, it is determined whether or not a timeout of the read timer has occurred. If the timeout has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S65, where the storage destination A
It waits for notification of AV data to be displayed from the V device, and receives the AV data. On the other hand, if a timeout has occurred in step S64, the process branches to step S66, and waits for notification of the AV data to be displayed from the broadcast station.
Receive AV data. In the last step S67, reproduction and display processing of the AV data received from the storage destination AV device or the broadcasting station are performed.

Next, the operation of the AV apparatus in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 7 shows an operation when the AV device 200 of FIG. 3 receives a read request from the TV receiver 100. First, when the read processing unit 205 receives a read request from the TV receiver 100, in step S70, the AV data storage unit 21
0, it is determined whether or not the AV data to be read is stored.

If the AV data to be read is stored, the process proceeds to step S71, where the AV data storage unit 21
From 0, the target AV data is obtained. Next step 72
Then, the acquired AV data is transmitted to the TV receiver 100. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S70 that the AV data to be read is not stored, the process proceeds to step 73.
And sends an error response to the TV receiver 100 that has requested reading.

FIG. 8 shows the operation when the AV device 200 of FIG. 3 receives a write request from the TV receiver 100. First, the writing processing unit 202 sets the TV receiver 1
When a write request is received from 00, the process proceeds to step S80, where the A
It is determined whether there is a free area in which V data can be stored. If there is a free area, the process proceeds to step S81, where the AV data received as the write request is stored and registered in the AV data storage unit 210. Then, the process proceeds to step S82,
The storage timer processing unit 203 starts the storage timer. In the next step 83, when the storage of the received AV data is completed, a write completion is transmitted to the TV receiver 100. On the other hand, if there is no free area in step S80, the process branches to step S84, and the TV that has requested writing
An error response is transmitted to the receiving device 100.

FIG. 9 shows the operation when the AV apparatus 200 of FIG. 3 receives a deletion request from the TV receiver 100. First, when the deletion processing unit 204 receives a deletion request from the TV receiver 100, the process proceeds to step S90, and determines whether or not AV data to be deleted is stored with reference to the AV data storage unit 210. If the AV data to be deleted is stored, the process proceeds to step S91, where the target AV data is deleted from the AV data storage unit 210. Then, the process proceeds to the next step S92, and the completion of deletion is transmitted to the TV receiver 100. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S90 that the AV data to be deleted is not stored, the process branches to step 93, and the T requesting the deletion is performed.
An error response is transmitted to the V receiving device 100.

In this embodiment, the control system is constituted by one TV receiver and a plurality of AV devices, but may be constituted by a plurality of TV receivers. In this case, a TV receiver that receives AV data from a broadcasting station is a host TV receiver, and when receiving AV data of a capacity that cannot be stored in its own AV data storage unit, another TV receiver uses:
The AV data can be temporarily stored. In this case, the other TV receiver is treated as a normal AV device.

In this embodiment, in response to the area inquiry from the TV receiver, the AV apparatus determines whether or not there is an empty area.
It is also possible to limit the size of the V data storage.
Furthermore, a different storage period can be set for each AV data stored in the management information storage unit in accordance with the repetition interval of the AV data notified from the broadcast station. Further, information other than the above information may be added as information to be stored.

[0042]

According to the digital TV / AV control system of the present invention, as a temporary storage area of AV data received as a data TV broadcast, a memory provided in another connected AV device can be used. A large amount of AV data can be temporarily stored at the same time. For this reason, it is possible to process AV data that guarantees real-time properties.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a digital TV / AV according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a connection block diagram of a control system.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a TV receiver used in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a data configuration example of management information stored in a management information storage unit in the TV receiver according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a specific procedure of the TV receiver when receiving AV data from a broadcasting station in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a specific procedure of the TV receiver when AV data is selected in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart (part 1) illustrating a specific procedure of the AV device when receiving each request from the TV receiver in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart (part 2) showing a specific procedure of the AV device when receiving each request from the TV receiver in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart (part 3) showing a specific procedure of the AV device when receiving each request from the TV receiving device in the digital TV / AV control system according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 100 TV receiver 11, 12, 13, 200 AV device 14 AV bus 15 antenna 20 digital broadcast tuner unit 21 user interface unit 22 processing control unit 23 memory processing unit 24 remote memory processing unit 25 communication control unit 101 inquiry unit 102 Response timer processing unit 103 Response reception processing unit 104 Write request unit 105 Deletion request unit 106 Read request unit 110 Management information storage unit 201 Response processing unit 202 Write processing unit 203 Storage timer processing unit 204 Deletion detection unit 205 Read processing unit 210 AV data Memory

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 5/765 H04N 5/91 L 5/91 E 7/025 7/08 A 7/03 7/035 F term (reference) ) 5C025 BA25 BA27 CA09 CB10 DA01 DA04 DA05 DA08 5C052 AA01 AA16 AB03 AB04 AB05 AC08 CC06 DD04 5C053 FA07 FA20 GB06 HA29 JA15 JA22 JA24 KA05 LA06 LA07 LA15 5C063 AA01 AA06 AB03 AB07 AB11 AC03 A110 DA07 DA07 AA29 DA04 DA16 DA17 DA18 DB10 DC15 DD07

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of digital AV devices are connected to each other via an AV bus, and transmit and receive information between the AV devices, and at least one of the AV devices has AV data transmitted from a broadcasting station. Digital TV / AV functioning as a TV receiver for receiving the AV data and temporarily storing the AV data in at least one of the plurality of AV devices
In the control system, the TV receiver includes an AV data storage unit that temporarily stores received AV data, and transmits the AV data to the AV device so that the transmitted AV data is temporarily stored in the AV device. Write request means for requesting that the AV data be temporarily stored; read request means for requesting the AV device to read temporarily stored AV data and receiving the AV data transmitted in response to the request; Deletion request means for requesting the AV device to delete temporarily stored AV data, wherein the AV device temporarily stores the AV data transmitted from the TV receiver. AV data storage means for storing, and a write process for storing received AV data in the AV data storage means in accordance with a write request from the TV receiver. And means, in accordance with a read request from the TV receiver, the AV
Reading processing means for reading the AV data stored in the data storage means and transmitting the AV data to the TV receiving apparatus; and deleting processing means for deleting the AV data stored in the AV data storing means in accordance with a deletion request from the TV receiving apparatus. , A digital TV / AV control system characterized by comprising: 2. The TV receiver, for each AV data temporarily stored in the AV device, stores an identifier of a storage destination AV device and AV data stored in the AV data storage means in the storage destination AV device. Management information storage means for storing management information including location information; inquiry means for inquiring of an empty area of the AV data storage means by simultaneous notification to all the AV devices connected to the AV bus; And a response discarding unit for discarding a response after the response waiting timer has timed out. The AV device further comprises: Upon receiving the free space inquiry, it is determined whether or not there is a free space. If there is a free space, AV data can be written. And response means for responding to the TV receiving apparatus to the effect that,
The digital TV / AV control system according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The TV receiver, upon receiving a response from the AV device, stops a response waiting timer during activation of the response discarding means, and stores the AV device that has notified the response in an AV data storage destination AV. 3. The digital TV / AV control system according to claim 2, further comprising a response receiving unit that determines the device and registers the management information in the management information storage unit. 4. The AV device, further comprising: a storage timer activated when storing the AV data received from the TV receiver in the AV data storage unit in accordance with a write request from the TV receiver, 3. The digital TV / AV control system according to claim 2, further comprising an automatic deletion unit for deleting the AV data stored at the time of timeout from the AV data storage unit. 5. The digital TV / AV control system according to claim 1, wherein the AV bus is an IEEE 1394 digital interface.