JP2002044619A - Method and system for delivering image information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for delivering a video image capable of displaying flexible on real-time basis and storage for displaying in a plurality of units at remote places at a low cost, a control image adding unit used for a transmitting station and a receiving station of the system of the method and an adapter. SOLUTION: The system delivers image contents, prepared by the transmitting station 2 to a plurality of receiving stations 4. Control information, necessary for controlling by the station 2, is included in an image data part of a frame. Receiving station designating information, capable of designating the station 4 is included in the control information. The station 4 determines whether a receiving frame includes receiving station designating information including an own station at a frame receiving time. When it is included, the station 4 operates based on the control information. As the operations, storage, reproducing, deletion of storage contents, grouping, elimination of a group and the like are included. When sending a static image, a control frame including the control information is disposed, immediately prior to the static image. When sending a dynamic image previous control frame, including a first control information, is disposed immediately prior to the dynamic image, and a post control frame including a second control information is disposed, immediately after the dynamic image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image distribution system for distributing a video image such as a still image or a moving image prepared by a distribution source to a large number of remote receiving devices, and more particularly to a television broadcasting system using satellites. The present invention relates to a video image distribution system for distributing using a terrestrial television broadcasting system or a cable television (CATV) system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been provided a service in which a video monitor is arranged in a store and a moving image or a plurality of still images are displayed in order to provide information to customers, for example, information on discount sales, introduction of new products, and the like. Spreading. There are cases where the above image information is prepared for each store and the service is operated by a stand-alone system, but in a convenience store chain etc., the image information is managed at the headquarters, and it is distributed to each store scattered throughout the country. A system for distributing such image information has been introduced. On the other hand, in recent years, the cost of liquid crystal display devices has been reduced, and liquid crystal televisions have become available at very low prices. And this trend is likely to be even stronger. In view of this point, it can be said that it is extremely realistic to display image information such as advertisements on liquid crystal televisions scattered in remote places by using an appropriate image distribution system. Since such a television device is small and thin, it can be used not only in a store but also as a signboard installed in a place where it can be seen or a display built in a vending machine. The image distribution system required for such a system must be capable of displaying various video images such as still images or moving images prepared by the distribution source on a display device at a remote location as desired by the distribution source. Is desirable. Until now, various methods have been considered for distributing images. For example, there is a method of laying a dedicated line at each store and distributing the data through the line. However, since the maintenance cost of the line is expensive, it is not suitable for simultaneously distributing the same information to a plurality of stores. As another method, there is known a method of transmitting data via the Internet via a public communication network. This method is the easiest, but if image information with a large amount of data is sent to many distribution destinations at once, the traffic will increase and the distribution will take time, so it is necessary to distribute large amounts of image information and distribution to many recipients. Not suitable. Furthermore, a method of distributing using a communication satellite can be considered,
The cost of using satellites and the cost of installing a dedicated receiving terminal at each store are expensive, and clearly overspecified when used for providing information such as advertisements.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has been made in view of the above circumstances. It is intended to provide methods, systems, and application systems.

[0004]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image information distribution method for distributing image content prepared by a transmitting station to a plurality of receiving stations.
The transmitting station includes a control frame transmitting step of including a control frame in which control information necessary for controlling the receiving station is arranged in front of the image data portion in a frame sequence transmitted from the transmitting station, wherein the control information can designate a receiving station. A receiving step for determining whether or not the receiving station specifying information of the control frame includes information specifying the own station, when the frame received by the receiving station is a control frame. And an operation step of operating the receiving station based on the control information when the information for specifying the own station is included in the receiving station specifying information. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image information distribution method according to the first aspect, the receiving station designation information includes an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image information distribution method according to the first or second aspect.
In, the control frame transmitting step, when transmitting a still image, comprises a step of transmitting a distribution control frame including control information indicating distribution of a still image at least immediately before or immediately after the still image, the operation step, At least a predetermined frame immediately before or immediately before the distribution control frame is received. The image information distribution method according to claim 4, wherein in the control frame transmitting step according to claim 1 or 2, when transmitting a moving image, a control frame including first control information is arranged immediately before the moving image, And arranging a control frame including second control information immediately after the moving image, wherein the operation step includes receiving at least a frame sandwiched between the previous control frame and the rear control frame. Features. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image information distribution system, an apparatus for a transmitting station that distributes image content prepared in advance to a plurality of receiving stations arranges control information necessary for controlling the receiving station in front of an image data portion. Control frame transmitting means for including the control frame obtained in the frame sequence transmitted from the transmitting station, wherein the control information includes receiving station designation information capable of designating a receiving station.

[0005] The image information distribution system according to claim 6 is
According to a fifth aspect, the receiving station designation information includes an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations. The image information distribution system according to claim 7 is the same as claim 5.
Or in 6, wherein the control frame transmitting means comprises means for transmitting a distribution control frame including control information indicating distribution of a still image when transmitting a still image, at least immediately before or immediately after the still image. I do. In the image information distribution system according to claim 8, the control frame transmitting means according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, when transmitting a moving image, a control frame including first control information is arranged immediately before the moving image; And a means for arranging a control frame after including the second control information immediately after the moving image. The invention according to claim 9 is an image information distribution system using a receiving station adapter used in the receiving station of the system for distributing image content prepared by the transmitting station to a plurality of receiving stations in the image information distribution system. If necessary, transmits a control frame including control information necessary for controlling the receiving station in front of the image data portion, and if the control information includes receiving station designation information that can designate a receiving station, the adapter When the received frame is a control frame, determining means for determining whether or not the information specifying the own station is included in the receiving station specifying information of the control frame, and the receiving station specifying And operating means for operating the receiving station based on the control information when the information is included. An image information distribution system according to a tenth aspect is the image information distribution system according to the ninth aspect, wherein the receiving station designation information is an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations. An image information distribution system according to claim 11, wherein in transmitting a still image, a transmission control frame including control information indicating distribution of the still image is transmitted at least immediately before or immediately after the still image. The operation means receives at least a predetermined frame immediately after or immediately before the control frame. In the image information distribution system according to claim 12, in the case of transmitting a moving image according to claim 9 or 10, a previous control frame including first control information is arranged immediately before the moving image,
A second control frame including second control information is arranged immediately after the moving image, and the operating unit receives at least a frame sandwiched between the previous control frame and the rear control frame. .

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When the same element is shown in a plurality of drawings, the same reference numeral is given. (Embodiment) In the following description, the present invention will be described in detail using a digital signage system as a specific embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various systems that require a function of displaying content including an image prepared on the transmitting side on a display of a device remote from the transmitting side. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of an electronic signboard system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This is based on the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 028. In FIG. 1, the electronic signage system 1 includes at least one transmitting station 2 and a plurality of receiving stations (that is, distribution destinations).
4 The transmitting station 2 is a terrestrial broadcasting station,
(Broadcast satellite) or CS (communication satellite) broadcast station.
When the transmitting station 2 is a BS or CS broadcasting station, a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite 3 is used as a part of a data transmission path. The transmitting station 2 includes a video reproducing device 21 for transmission,
Control image adding apparatus 2 for including a video frame containing control information characterizing the present invention in a transmission video stream
2. A transmission device (transmission means) 23 for converting a transmission video stream from the control image addition device 22 into a transmission signal of a desired channel, and an antenna 24 for transmitting the transmission signal as radio waves. It is preferable that the control image adding device 22 includes an optical disk drive 25 that reproduces an optical disk on which a still image for distribution to a receiving station is recorded. The video reproducing device 21, the transmitting device (transmitting means) 23, and the antenna 24 may be conventional ones used by ordinary broadcasting stations. On the other hand, the receiving station 4 includes, at least, an antenna 40 for capturing radio waves directly from the transmitting station 2 or via the satellite 3, a tuner 41 for selecting a desired channel from the captured radio waves, and a video stream transmitted from the selected channel. And a video display 44 for displaying a given video signal. The above configuration is sufficient when the receiving station 4 displays only a still image and a real-time moving image. Further, in the case where the moving image is also stored and reproduced in the receiving station 4, a video recording / reproducing device 43 for recording video data is prepared. Of the components of the receiving station 4, the components 40, 41 and 4 other than the adapter 42
4 are all commercially available at low cost by mass production.
What is necessary is just to prepare the S, CS broadcast receiver.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of the adapter 42 of FIG. In FIG.
Is a video input unit 110 that converts a video stream of a channel selected by the tuner 41 into data that can be stored in a memory, and a controller 1 that controls functions of an adapter.
20, an image memory 130 having a capacity capable of storing a predetermined number of video frames, and a video output unit 140 for outputting given moving images and still images as video signals. Video output section 140 includes video memory 142. The received still image can be stored in the memory 142. Note that, in FIG.
In order for the adapter 42 to be installed, it is desirable that the adapter 42 includes, for example, an RS-232C serial interface (IF) 150 as an interface for transmitting a control signal for controlling the video recording / reproducing device 43. In the following description, “distributing” means that the transmitting station 2 transmits image content so as to be used by at least one receiving station 4 according to the present invention. The distribution of the image content can be performed, for example, via a vacant channel. In the case of a system that uses only a small number of still images and does not use moving images to distribute image content, this system allows you to switch between programs and scenes on the channel in use without having to secure an empty channel. It can be used to distribute still images. Further, even in the case of distributing a moving image, the moving image may be transmitted at a time other than the broadcasting time zone of the channel being used, for example, at midnight. When using the used channel, the receiving station 4 can receive the normal transmission content of the channel except for the time when the image content is actually distributed.

The distribution method of the image information distribution system according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a transmission frame sequence when distributing a moving image or a plurality of still images according to the present invention, and a first field of a pre-control frame and a post-control frame used in this sequence. As is well known, in the interlace method, one frame is divided into two and transmitted to form one image.
Here, what is transmitted first is called the first field of the frame, and what is transmitted later is called the second field. As can be seen from FIG. 3, according to the present invention, before and after the image data 210 to be distributed in the transmission frame sequence, the previous control frame (previous control image)
202 and a post-control frame (post-control image) 204 are inserted, and image data 210 is distributed. In this case, the front control frame 202 and the rear control frame 204
The control information required for each of the frames 202 and 204 is included in a scanning line (shown as H1, H2,... In FIG. 3) starting from the left end of a portion displayed in, for example, the first field. Assuming that the number of display dots of each horizontal scanning line is 640 dots and one bit is represented by 4 dots, each scanning line can accommodate 160 bits, that is, 20 bytes. What should be noted here is that the displayed frame itself is used instead of embedding the control information in the blanking period between frames. This makes it easier to insert and detect the control signal as compared to the case where the control signal is included in the blanking interval, thereby simplifying the circuit configuration. Furthermore, since the control signal is handled as image (still image) data, even if the television broadcasting system is changed from, for example, an analog system to a digital system, the control image adding device (transmitting station device) 22 and the adapter 42 according to the present invention. Has the advantage that it can be used as it is.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a transmission frame sequence when image data is distributed according to the present invention (a) and when only control frames are transmitted without image distribution (b). When the image data 210 is transmitted, for example, a delivery control frame 206 is placed before the image data 210 as shown in FIG. In this case, the frame 20
At 6, the display time, the number of display frames, or the stop time can be specified as described later, so that what is equivalent to the subsequent control frame is unnecessary. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, a reproduction command for not distributing an image but reproducing, for example, image contents (still images and moving images are collectively referred to as “image contents”) recorded on the receiving side. It is also possible to send a control frame 208 alone including a (to be described later) or a delete command (to be described later) for deleting recorded image content. FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of control information by scanning lines constituting various control frames that can be used in the electronic signboard system 1 according to the present invention. First from left of table
The column indicates the code of the scanning line, and the second column (“contents” column) indicates the type of data represented by the corresponding scanning line. In the table of FIG. 5, a cell with a horizontal line indicates that data is not included in a corresponding scanning line of a corresponding frame. It is assumed that the blank scanning line of each frame contains the data shown in the content column. According to the table of FIG.
2 to 208 can be broadly classified into four types: a front control frame 202, a rear control frame 204, a distribution control frame 206, and other control frames 208, which can be identified by headers HD1 to HD4 accommodated in the scanning line code H1. I understand. Each scanning line after the scanning line H1 includes the following control information. H2: ID of distribution destination (that is, receiving station) 4 (a plurality of IDs are also possible) H3: Distribution destination group ID (to be described later) H4: Image ID (for the distribution control frames of HD1 to HD3, the image content to be distributed) H5: code for specifying the playback / recording mode H6: command to be transmitted in that frame

The following modes are conceivable as types of the reproduction / recording mode of the H5. 1) Immediate reproduction recording mode: recording is performed while displaying the distributed image content in real time. 2) Immediate reproduction mode: recording is not performed, and only reproduction is performed immediately. 3) Recording mode: Only recording is performed. At this time, the reserved reproduction time SPT can be specified as an argument. In the H5 reproduction / recording mode, various designations are possible as arguments.
When the image content is a plurality of still images, the display time per image, the order of display (transmission order, reverse, or random), the number of display repetitions, and the like can be specified. Examples of the H6 command include the following commands. 1) Playback: Apart from the time of distribution, it is possible to specify an image ID for image contents already distributed and recorded, and to instruct reproduction in the same manner as in the SP mode described above. If it is desired to reproduce a desired sequence using a plurality of image contents, a program representing the desired sequence can be described from H100 by using a predetermined argument following play. Therefore, it is preferable to prepare various control commands so that they can be used in the program. As a result, it is possible to reproduce and display a desired sequence including a moving image and a still image or to perform a cyclic display. 2) Delete image (delete): Deletes the content specified by the image ID of H4 from the recorded image contents. 3) Grouping (group): In the case of the control frame 208 including this command, for example, the distribution destination (receiving station) I of H2
D includes all the distribution destination IDs to be grouped.
The distribution destinations specified in this way are grouped. Specifically, the receiving stations designated as H2 are respectively H3
The group ID accommodated in the local station is described in FIG.
Is added to the belonging group ID list 222 shown in FIG. 4) Dissolve group (dissolve): ID specified in H3
Release the distribution group for. Specifically, the distribution destination group ID of H3 is the belonging group ID list 222 in FIG.
Are assigned to the belonging group ID lists 22 respectively.
2, the distribution destination group ID is deleted.

As described above, since the grouping command and the group release command can be transmitted, the transmitting station 2 can freely group the distribution destinations (that is, the receiving stations) 4. Therefore, every time these commands are sent, the distribution destination group ID and the distribution destination ID as shown in FIG.
Add records to the table to which the list is related,
Delete or keep this table. As described above, since the transmitting station 2 can freely record and delete image contents at the receiving station, each time recording or deletion is performed, the distribution destination (group) ID and the distribution thereof shown in FIG. In the table for associating the ID of the image content recorded in the destination (group), the image ID is added or deleted with respect to the corresponding distribution destination (group). on the other hand,
Each receiving station 4 is assumed to maintain and manage data 300 (hereinafter referred to as “held data”) as shown in FIG.
That is, the holding data 300 includes a receiving station ID 220 permanently assigned when the adapter 42 is manufactured, a list of destination group IDs designated by the transmitting station 2 (that is, a belonging group ID list) 222, and a recorded image. The content ID 224 and the scheduled reproduction date and time of the corresponding image content (if specified) are included.

The operation of the receiving station 4 when receiving a video stream transmitted from the transmitting station 2 in the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 2 while referring to FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the adapter 42 of the receiving station 4. In FIG. 8, when a frame is received after the power (not shown) of the receiving station 4 is turned on or reset, the controller 120 of the adapter 42 receives the frame.
First, in step 252, H of the frame received by the receiving station ID (own station ID) 220 of the held data 300
2 is determined. If not, it is determined in step 254 whether or not the group ID of H3 exists in the belonging group ID list 222 of the held data 300. If it does not exist, it is determined that the frame is not a control frame related to the own station, and the next frame is waited for in step 256 and the process returns to step 252. In step 252 or step 254, the determination result is YES (own station I
In the case of D), in step 258, it is determined whether the header of H1 is HD1 to HD4. Header is HD1
In step 260, in step 260, the subsequent image data is received and processed according to the reproduction / recording mode of H5. Further, in step 262, the receiving station ID of the held data 300 is stored in H2 in the first field of the next frame.
It is determined whether or not (own station ID) 220 is included. If not included, it is determined that the frame is not a control frame related to at least the own station, and the process returns to step 260. If it is determined in step 262 that the received station ID 220 is included (it is determined that the image data has ended), the process waits for the next frame in step 264 and returns to step 252. Step 258
If the header of H1 is HD3 (that is, a still image distribution frame), the next field is processed in accordance with the reproduction / recording mode of H5 in step 266 as described above, and the process proceeds to step 264. Step 258
In step 2, if the header of H1 is HD4,
At 68, the command designated to H6 is executed as described above, and then the process proceeds to step 264. Note that the fact that the H1 header becomes HD2 in step 258 means that
Usually not possible. However, for example, it is conceivable that the power of the receiving side is turned on while the transmitting side is transmitting the image data 210. In this case, the control frame is ignored and the next frame is waited for.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display made in the electronic signage system 1 of the present invention by performing the above-described operation. As shown in FIG.
It is possible to arbitrarily group the distribution destinations 4 and display different displays for each distribution destination group. Since a group and a single distribution destination can be mixed, and a plurality of group IDs can be set for each receiving station, the receiving station 4 can also be assigned to a plurality of groups in an overlapping manner. That is, flexible grouping is possible. Furthermore, since distribution registration, deletion, and reproduction of image content can be performed not only in units of four receiving stations but also in units of flexible groups, it is possible to operate an extremely flexible system. The image information distribution system of the present invention can be realized only by adding the control image adding device 22 to the transmitting station and adding the adapter 42 to the receiving station. Further, since the control information is transmitted as still image data, the adapter 42 can be used as it is for the control image adding device 22 and the receiving station even if the transmission method is changed.

(Modification) In the above-described embodiment, 1
When even a still image is transmitted, at least two frames including the control frame are suddenly included in the frame sequence. When such a frame sequence is displayed on the receiving side, it is perceived as a flicker.
A technique for coping with such a situation will be described with reference to FIG. Occasionally, a period during which no image changes during a television broadcast may last for several seconds. A typical example is a title display at the beginning of a program as shown in FIG. Such a period in which the image does not change at all is temporarily referred to as a “still image frame period”, and the number of frames is Ns. Then, if the first frame of the still image frame period is present in the still image frame period, the remaining (Ns-1) frames need not be received if the first frame is repeatedly displayed.
Therefore, on the transmitting station 1 side, as shown in FIG. 10B, the previous control frame 202 and the image data 21 during the arbitrary period from the second frame of the still image frame period to the Ns-th frame.
0 (Nd frame) and a post-control frame 204 are arranged, and the receiving station 4 changes the frame 201 immediately before the pre-control frame 202 from the pre-control frame 202 to the post-control frame 202 as shown in FIG. After repeated playback and display during the period up to 204 (that is, during the period of (Nd + 2) frames), by returning to normal real-time display, the image can be distributed without disturbing the image. FIG.
As can be seen from the figure, the number of frames distributed in the case of the frame configuration shown in FIG.
3. That is, according to this method, any image frame from 1 to Ns-3 can be distributed. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in order to realize this distribution method, for example, when the previous control frame 202 is received, in order to enable repeated display of the immediately preceding frame 201, for example, the adapter 42 is used for one frame. This is realized by providing a buffer memory (not shown) of FIG.

(Other Modifications) The above is merely an example of the embodiment for explaining the present invention. Therefore, it is easy for those skilled in the art to make various changes, modifications, or additions to the above-described embodiment in accordance with the technical idea or principle of the present invention. For example, it is also possible to distribute a moving image using the distribution control frame 206. In this case,
Since there is no equivalent to the post-control frame 204, the distribution control frame 206 includes the reproduction time or the number of frames of the moving image, and the receiving station reproduces the specified reproduction time or the number of frames after receiving the distribution control frame 206. The reproduction may be stopped at a point in time. Further, in the above-described example, when a still image is reproduced, the reproduction time or the stop time is set in advance and reproduced. Instead of this, when it is desired to end the reproduction, a stop control frame may be sent to end the reproduction. The control information does not necessarily need to be composed of data in units of bytes, and an arbitrary code system can be used. In the above-described example, different control information is stored for each scanning line of one frame. However, various other methods are conceivable for arranging the control information, such as using both the first field and the second field. Can be As the command, various control commands other than those described above, such as setting the activation time and causing the receiving side to sleep, can be used. Although the embodiments have been described with reference to television broadcasting using satellites as an example, the present invention is also applicable to terrestrial television broadcasting and cable television broadcasting systems. Also, if images are distributed using a time other than the broadcasting time zone such as midnight, existing broadcasting facilities can be used at low cost, which is effective in reducing costs. By constructing the system as described above, the following information distribution can be realized. For example, when the receiving station of this electronic bulletin board system is installed in a convenience store:-Blocks are divided into urban areas, suburbs, mountain areas, port areas, etc., and information such as advertisements according to each customer is divided. To deliver.・ The blocks are divided into Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku ... Kyushu, Nansei Islands, etc., and information such as advertisements is distributed according to the needs of each region. -Data obtained by the POS system, for example, "magazine sells well", "soft drink sells well", "lunch sells well", conversely "confectionery sluggish", "stationery sluggish" According to the purchase trend of customers, each store is divided into groups and blocked, and the weight of advertisements such as distributing new product information on top-selling products and delivering advertisements for leveraging poor-selling products can do. The present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, but should be construed in accordance with the appended claims.

[0016]

Since the present invention utilizes television broadcasting, the transmitting side uses the broadcasting equipment of the television broadcasting station as it is, so that the initial cost required for infrastructure maintenance can be kept low. Since the frame format of television broadcasting is 30 frames per second,
With a time of 5 seconds, 150 still images can be transmitted. Therefore, the "broadcasting fee" paid to the television station is very small, and the running cost can be further reduced in a pause time period during which a normal television program is not broadcast. This is due to the function of storing information to be distributed on the receiving station side and displaying image information under the control of the receiving station side. On the other hand, the receiving station only needs to add an adapter to a normal television broadcast receiver, so that the initial introduction cost is low. Further, the transmitting station can flexibly operate the information distribution service by dividing the distribution destination into blocks based on the regional characteristics, living environment, or customer purchasing trends obtained using the POS system. It has a significant effect of being able to do it. As a guidance system at an event venue or the like: In addition, the present invention can display guidance by installing a television at a key point such as an event venue. In this case, the guide image can be changed according to the time schedule of a seminar or a meeting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the structure of an electronic signage system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the adapter 42 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a transmission frame sequence when image data is distributed according to the present invention, and a first field of a control frame before and after used in this sequence.

4A is a diagram illustrating a case where still images are distributed according to the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a transmission frame sequence in a case where only control frames are transmitted without image distribution.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of control information included in scanning lines of various control frames used in the present invention.

6A and 6B are diagrams showing the structure of two tables held by the control image adding device of the transmitting station 2 in FIG. 1; FIG. 6A shows a list of distribution destination group IDs and IDs of receiving stations constituting this group; FIG. 4B shows a table for associating, and FIG. 4B shows IDs of distribution destinations and distribution destination groups and their distribution destinations (ie,
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table relating the ID of a recorded image held by a receiving station (4).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a list of information maintained and managed by the receiving station 4.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation example performed by the adapter 42 of the receiving station 4 according to the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the electronic signboard system 1 displays an advertisement according to the present invention.

10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a method of distributing using a still image frame period.

[Description of Signs] 1 electronic signage system, 2 transmitting station, 3 satellites, 4 receiving stations, 21 video reproducing apparatus, 22 control image adding apparatus of the present invention, 23 transmitting apparatus, 24, 40 antenna, 2
5 optical disk drive, 41 tuner, 42 adapter of the present invention, 43 video recording / reproducing device, 44 video display device, 110 video input unit, 120 controller, 130 image memory, 140 video output unit, 1
42 video memory, 150 RS-232C interface, 202 before control frame, 204 after control frame, 206 distribution control frame, 208 control frame

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A method for distributing image content prepared by a transmitting station to a plurality of receiving stations, wherein the transmitting station transmits a control frame in which control information necessary for controlling the receiving station is arranged in front of an image data portion. Comprises a control frame transmitting step to be included in a frame sequence transmitted from the, the control information includes receiving station designation information capable of designating a receiving station, if the frame received by the receiving station is a control frame, the control frame A determining step of determining whether or not the information specifying the own station is included in the receiving station specifying information, and if the receiving station specifying information includes the information specifying the own station, the receiving station is Operating method based on control information. 2. The image information distribution method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving station designation information includes an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations. 3. The method according to claim 3, wherein the transmitting the control frame comprises transmitting a distribution control frame including control information indicating distribution of the still image at least immediately before or immediately after the still image when transmitting the still image. 3. The image information distribution method according to claim 1, wherein the step receives at least a predetermined frame immediately after or immediately before the distribution control frame. 4. The control frame transmitting step includes arranging a previous control frame including first control information immediately before the moving image when transmitting a moving image, and including second control information immediately after the moving image. 3. The image information distribution according to claim 1, further comprising the step of arranging a post-control frame, wherein the operation step receives at least a frame sandwiched between the previous control frame and the post-control frame. Method. 5. An apparatus for transmitting image contents prepared in advance in an image information distribution system to a plurality of receiving stations, wherein a control information required for controlling the receiving stations is arranged in front of an image data portion. An image information distribution system, comprising: control frame transmitting means for including a frame in a frame sequence transmitted from a transmitting station, wherein the control information includes receiving station specifying information capable of specifying a receiving station. 6. The image information distribution system according to claim 5, wherein said receiving station designation information includes an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations. 7. The control frame transmitting means includes means for transmitting a distribution control frame including control information indicating distribution of a still image at least immediately before or immediately after the still image when transmitting a still image. Claim 5
Or the image information distribution system according to 6. 8. The control frame transmitting means, when transmitting a moving image, arranges a previous control frame including first control information immediately before the moving image and a second control frame immediately after the moving image.
7. The image information distribution system according to claim 5, further comprising means for arranging a control frame after including the control information. 9. An adapter used in the receiving station of the system for distributing image content prepared by the transmitting station to a plurality of receiving stations in the image information distribution system,
When the transmitting station transmits a control frame including control information necessary for controlling the receiving station in front of the image data portion as necessary, and the control information includes receiving station designation information that can designate a receiving station. The adapter, when the received frame is a control frame, determining means for determining whether or not information for specifying the own station is included in the receiving station specifying information of the control frame; and Operating means for operating the receiving station based on the control information when the receiving station designation information is included, the image information distribution system using an adapter. 10. The image information distribution system according to claim 9, wherein said receiving station designation information is an ID of a distribution destination group including a plurality of receiving stations. 11. When transmitting a still image, a transmission control frame including control information indicating distribution of a still image is transmitted at least immediately before or immediately after said still image, and said operating means immediately or immediately before said control frame. 11. The image information distribution system according to claim 9, wherein at least a predetermined frame is received. 12. When transmitting a moving image, a previous control frame including first control information is disposed immediately before the moving image, and a post-control frame including second control information is disposed immediately after the moving image. 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the operation unit receives at least a frame sandwiched between the previous control frame and the post-control frame.
Image information distribution system described.