JP2002101061A - Information-transmitting method and information- transmitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To download a software update by way of satellite, by restraining the increase in cost and facilities to a minimum for a CATV subscriber. SOLUTION: In an information transmitting method, a cable television enterprise modulates for the conversion a digital multichannel broadcasting signal on a first network by a satellite broadcasting enterprise to transmit it to a second network. Common information Z and specific individual information A, B among satellite download notice information from the first network are obtained and stored, and also all satellite download notice information A to Z are invalidated, with the result that the cable television enterprise produces CATV download notice information P, Q, R, and CATV download contents p, q, r, and the produced CATV download notice information P, Q, R and the obtained and stored satellite download notice information A, B, Z are multiplexed, to transmit them to the second network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a communication satellite (hereinafter, referred to as a communication satellite).
More particularly, the present invention relates to an information transmitting apparatus and an information transmitting method for redistributing a multi-channel broadcast program from a broadcasting satellite (hereinafter, referred to as a BS) or a terrestrial wave via a cable television network (hereinafter, referred to as a CATV transmission path). The present invention relates to an information transmission method and an information transmission device for redistributing a digital multi-channel broadcast program by a transmodulation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent progress of digital information communication technology, the broadcasting industry is pursuing high definition and multi-channel. To digitize media, MPEG2 (Mo
By using the moving picture compression technology of the ving Pictures Experts Group 2), it can be compressed to a fraction of that in the case of transmission using analog signals. CS has already performed digital broadcasting using this technology, and BS and terrestrial broadcasting are also planned to be digitized.

[0003] Even in CATV, in order to transmit a wide variety of broadcast contents, digitization that can secure a larger transmission capacity is required, and standards have already been standardized so that digital broadcasting and analog broadcasting can be mixed. As a result, a digital program several times as large as an analog program can be added by using an empty channel area of an analog broadcast without increasing the transmission bandwidth.

[0004] In digital broadcasting based on MPEG2, a group of program data is transferred to a transport stream (hereinafter, referred to as a transport stream).
TS). One predetermined frequency band (RF channel) is allocated to one TS, and a plurality of programs are stored therein. Each program is composed of a video signal, an audio signal, and a signal for adjusting the synchronization of these signals. In addition, each TS includes service information (SI) such as EPG (Electronic Program Guide) and NIT (Network Information Table) in addition to each program signal.
For example, control information of PSI (Program Specific Information) is stored.

[0005] NIT is a subscriber home receiving terminal device (hereinafter referred to as STB "set top box").
This is information common to all TSs used for channel selection and the like, and describes physical information about a transmission path such as a list of all programs included in each TS, a modulation method, and a frequency. For conditional access to pay channels, MPEG2
Video and audio signals. The scramble can be canceled by referring to the contract information recorded on the STB IC card and the limited reception information added by the satellite broadcaster.

[0006] By the way, systems for redistributing digital multi-channel satellite broadcasting via a CATV transmission line are roughly classified into a transmodulation system (modulation conversion system) and a remax system (remultiplexing system).

The trans-modulation method uses CAT
V company selects and receives digital multi-channel satellite broadcasting in TS units, rewrites only NIT to one suitable for CATV, and QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation:
, And sends it out to the CATV transmission path. In other words, the CATV operator retransmits a part or all of the digital broadcast only by changing the frequency / modulation method without changing the program in the received TS or changing the conditional access at all. is there.

In this system, a subscriber management system, a conditional access system, a program management system, and the like of a satellite broadcaster can be used, and a new service can be provided with a small capital investment. For conditional access, the STB on the subscriber side determines the receivable programs by analyzing conditional access information added by the satellite operator, and requests a satellite broadcaster to issue an IC card or contract for conditional access. It will be.

In the remax system, a CATV company receives digital multi-channel satellite broadcasting in units of TS, and transmits each TS.
The program in the program is rearranged and re-organized with a necessary program, and control information such as a new CATV EPG and NIT is stored. In addition, the scramble of the received program is once descrambled, and the CATV operator re-scrambles the scramble to replace limited reception. And the multiplexed TS again
Is QAM-modulated and transmitted to the CATV network.

In this system, a CATV operator can freely select and organize programs to meet the needs of subscribers. However, a CATV operator needs to install a subscriber management system, a program management system, a conditional access system, and the like, which are the same as a satellite broadcast operator, and the investment scale increases.

Therefore, the present invention is directed to a CATV digital broadcast by a transmodulation method which requires a small investment scale.

In digital multi-channel broadcasting, it is desired that the broadcaster updates the built-in software of the subscriber home terminal (STB) on the subscriber side. In digital BS broadcasting, direct reception (DTH: Direct To the Hom) which is not already the receiver of the BS broadcasting via CATV
For e), it is specified as a standard that software update is performed from the sending side. The purpose of software update is (1) update and bug fix for functional enhancement of the receiving device, (2) update of data (logo data, etc.) common to all STBs, and (3) programs related to services. Data update.

[0013] Information on software update is stored in SI (Servic).
e Information: SDTT as part of service information)
(Software Download Trigger Table) is transmitted using the notification information. The SDTT includes a download service ID, schedule information, and an STB to be updated.
Information such as the model is included. SDTT is DII
(Download Info Indication Message: download information) and DDB (Download Data Block), and are repeatedly transmitted in a data carousel called DSM-CC.

SDTT is the T of broadcast of a program as announcement information.
It is inserted into S and sent. However, the SDTT is only the notification information, and the specific download content is transmitted not by the program broadcast TS but by another dedicated TS (generally an engineering TS). Also, SDTT
Is transmitted only when the download content exists, and in the above-mentioned rules, as a guideline, the transmission cycle is once / 5 min or more and the transmission capacity is 20 kbps or less.

[0015] There are two types of download: (1) "selection type" which is selectively performed by the subscriber, (2) "forced type" which is forcibly performed by the broadcaster side, and (3) program viewing even during reception of program broadcast. (4) four types of “automatic type”, which are automatically performed without affecting the program, and (4) “notified type”, which is performed by starting up the STB based on the notification information of the download schedule when the program broadcast is not received. is there.

Except for the above (3) “automatic type”, normally, when the STB is in the receiving state of the program broadcast, the software cannot be updated. Therefore, during reception of the program broadcast, the target SDTT is changed to the subscriber's STB.
And then executed later. In addition, the STB is in the OFF state (however, usually, the CP
U, clock and other control circuits are operating), and when the scheduled time for software update comes, the control circuit turns on the power supply of the receiving circuit required for download, and receives the required download content. Perform a software update.

The STB maker provides the broadcaster with
A medium (MO, CD-R, etc.) containing the above information is sent. The broadcaster manages the schedule based on the transmitted medium and sends it out. The broadcaster determines and manages the transmission schedule because a plurality of pieces of download information are transmitted, so it is necessary to adjust the transmission frequency (depending on the latest update data or the update data after a short time). It depends.

The above STB software update is performed directly between a digital broadcasting company using satellites and a satellite broadcasting subscriber, and some of them have already been defined and some have been discussed. .

However, in CATV, a CATV operator once receives a digital satellite broadcast, processes part of the data for CATV, performs modulation conversion, and retransmits the data to a CATV transmission line. The same level of services as those received directly are provided by an unspecified number of own area CATV
It is necessary to provide services to subscribers without omission. As for the download for updating the software described above, in principle, S
It must be for all models of TB.

In the transmodulation type CATV, the download content itself transmitted by the engineering TS of the satellite retransmits all information unconditionally without any modification. However, CATV operators
There are several problems in converting all the SDTT of the download service transmitted from the digital satellite broadcast to CATV and transmitting it to its own CATV subscriber.

One is a download service, CA
It is expected that the TV operator will bear the satellite usage fee in terms of management duplication in terms of cost duplication. Also, CATV
The business has smaller equipment and circuit scale than the satellite broadcasting business, and receiving and managing all download services and retransmitting them have problems in terms of processing capacity and processing speed.

[0022] Therefore, it is conceivable that the download service is provided by the CATV operator itself, not by the digital broadcast operator using satellites. However, in this case, all SDTT notification information from digital satellite broadcasting cannot be deleted. In the notification information of SDTT, all S
Updating of common information (logo data and the like) common to TB is also included. This update of the common information is information necessary for the progress of the program broadcast, and requires real-time processing. Therefore, handling of the update is different from that of the download information to which a certain delay is allowed. Therefore, as for the common information of the SDTT, there is no choice but to use information obtained via digital satellite broadcasting.

As for the common information, it is assumed that information obtained through digital satellite broadcasting is used, and individual information for each of the other STB models is separately obtained from the STB manufacturer, and CAT
It does not mean that the V operator may send the data unconditionally and unprocessed to the CATV transmission line. The CATV operator adds CATV S to the individual information obtained from the STB manufacturer.
The DTT is added and transmitted together with the common information via the satellite broadcast. However, there is a possibility that the transmission frequency may exceed the specified value or the ID may be batted with that via the satellite broadcast.

For this reason, it is necessary to perform processing such as monitoring information via satellite broadcasting in real time and adding necessary restrictions. However, this is close to handling all the individual information obtained via satellite broadcasting, and costs and equipment increase,
There are also problems with memory capacity and processing speed.

[0025]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a transmodulation type CATV which can effectively perform a download service for software update of a subscriber's STB, thereby reducing costs and equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information transmitting apparatus and an information transmitting method in which an increase in the number is minimized.

[0026]

According to an information transmission method of the present invention, a cable television company modulates a digital multi-channel broadcast signal on a first network by a satellite broadcast company and transmits the signal to a second network. In the information transmission method, the digital multi-channel broadcast signal includes download notification information and download content for software update of the subscriber terminal device, and the download notification information and download content are common to all models of the subscriber terminal device. In the above information transmission method including information and individual information that differs depending on the type of the subscriber terminal device, the common information and specific individual information of the satellite download notification information from the first network are acquired and stored, and the satellite Invalidate all download announcement information, cable TV operators More to generate a CATV download notice information and CATV download content,
The generated CATV download notification information and the acquired and stored satellite download notification information are multiplexed and transmitted to the second network.

Also, the case where all the information of the satellite download notification information from the first network is transmitted to the second network as it is, the common information of satellite download notification information and specific individual information are acquired and stored, and the satellite download notification is obtained. All information will be invalidated and CATV download announcement information and C
Switching between the case where ATV download content is newly generated and the case where newly generated CATV download notification information and the acquired and stored satellite download notification information are multiplexed and transmitted to the second network are switched. It is characterized by.

[0028] The information transmitting apparatus of the present invention comprises: a detecting means for detecting satellite download notification information from the first network; an obtaining means for obtaining common information and specific individual information among the detected satellite download notification information; Storage means for accumulating the acquired common information and specific individual information; invalidating means for invalidating all satellite download notification information; notification information generating means for generating CATV download notification information by a cable television company;
It is characterized by comprising a content transmitting means for generating and transmitting ATV download content, and a multiplexing means for multiplexing CATV download notification information, acquired and stored common information and specific individual information.

[0029]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the premise that a CATV operator provides a download service to a subscriber in a transmodulation type CATV. In this case, the common information of the SDTT must be used from a satellite and is transmitted to the transmission line without any modification by the CATV operator. S
Regarding the DTT individual information, transmission of unnecessary individual information received from the satellite must be prevented, and instead, the CATV operator must generate an SDTT and provide it to the subscriber.

However, it is not easy to grasp the SDTT unless there is information from a maker or the like other than the common one.
This means that even if the SDTTs are independent of each other, even if individual information is acquired, it is not known whether the individual information is all or a part of the individual information. In other words, it is not certain how far the sequentially transmitted SDTT should be read to read the entirety, and it may be finally understood if the reading is continued for a long time, but there is no guarantee that it is complete. Therefore, it is not realistic to read out all the individual information of the SDTT and replace it with the SDTT for CATV.

However, if the STB model to be downloaded is known in advance, it is easy to extract the individual information of the model from SDTT. This is the subscriber's STB
Is the same as reading out individual information corresponding to one's model from SDTT for all models.
Therefore, the CATV operator is responsible for CATV in its own area.
If the subscriber knows the STB models used, it can be said that it is easy to obtain individual information limited to these models.

According to the present invention, based on this idea, only specific individual information that can be easily known on the CATV carrier side is selected from all individual information of the SDTT of the satellite broadcasting TS transmitted from the satellite. And other subscribers S
A satellite broadcast TS that is generated and modulated by the CATV carrier only for the SDTT and download content required for TB
And the satellite engineering TS to the CATV transmission path.

The above-described embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of satellite broadcasts TS1 to TS1.
An example is shown in which n and satellite engineering TSe are received and transmitted to the CATV transmission line by the transmodulation method CATV. Note that there is basically no change when receiving a single satellite broadcast TS.

The plurality of satellite broadcasts TS1 to TSn include some SI (Serv) in addition to digital broadcast signals related to program broadcast.
ice Information: service information). SDTT, which is the notification information of the download service,
I, for example, A, B, C,
D, E, and Z information are included. The satellite engineering TSe includes download contents a, b, c, d, e, and z corresponding to each information of the SDTT, and also includes subscriber management information and the like.

Z of these SDTTs is the subscriber ST
B is common information common to all of B, and z is its content. The other A to E and their contents a to e are individual information and their contents that differ depending on the manufacturer, model, and the like of the subscriber STB. Among the individual information A to E, for example, A and B are individual information corresponding to STB used by the subscribers in the CATV business area, but are provided to the CATV subscribers via satellites due to the circumstances of the manufacturer and the like. It is individual information. As for the individual information A and B, information can be easily obtained from the manufacturer, but it is difficult to grasp C, D and E, and the existence of the individual information A and B is sometimes unknown.

The CATV company side has an SDTT (individual information P,
Q, R) are generated, and the download contents p, q, r of the individual information P, Q, R are supplied from the STB manufacturer and inserted into the CATV engineering TS.
Although CATV engineering TS will increase, it may be combined with other information.
In the S system, transmission is performed in a mixed manner with the CATV TS1 to TSn, so that there is substantially no problem in terms of transmission capacity.

In the CATV modulation converter, the satellite broadcasting T
Only the individual information A and B and the common information Z are detected and acquired based on the known information on the CATV carrier side among the SDTTs of S1 to TSn. Then, the individual information P, Q, and R of the SDTT generated by the CATV carrier are inserted and added to the acquired individual information A and B and the common information Z, and C is added.
Generate a new SDTT for ATV. New S
The DTT is multiplexed with the satellite broadcasts TS1 to TSn, modulated and frequency-converted together with other information, and
And transmitted to the CATV transmission line.

Whether it is unnecessary on the CATV operator side,
Or, the individual information C, D, and E which are difficult to recognize are CAT
Do not send to V transmission path and invalidate all. This enables insertion and addition of SDTT with a limited total amount,
An SDTT generated on the V side can be inserted and added. Further, unnecessary individual information does not need to be taken into the memory, so that the memory capacity can be reduced.

The download contents a to z of the satellite engineering TSe are subjected to modulation conversion processing of all information without any particular change and transmitted to the CATV transmission path. The contents c, d, and e corresponding to the invalidated individual information C, D, and E may be invalidated in the same manner, but it is difficult to grasp the content itself and requires time and effort in the processing. Since the extraction of the content is performed based on the SDTT, the individual information C, D, and E are not transmitted, so that the extraction of the contents c, d, and e becomes impossible.
There is no particular problem even if e is not invalidated.

According to the download method described above, C
The ATV company can independently perform a download service for STB models in its own area among download services for all STB models provided via satellite. The download service (one related to the common information Z of the SDTT and one related to the individual information A and B) that is not performed independently by the CATV carrier obtains the one via the satellite on the CATV carrier side and transmits it via the CATV transmission path. Can be provided. Further, when the download service unique to the CATV operator is stopped or cannot be used for some reason, it is possible to switch to the download service via satellite. This switching is based on the satellite SDTT and the SDT arranged for CATV.
This is performed by controlling the transmission of T.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the timing of switching between sending the satellite SDTT and sending the CATV SDTT. Switching of the transmission of SDTT is performed according to the MPEG2 standard 1
This is performed in units of 88-byte TS packets. The first four bytes of the TS packet are header information, and SDTT is written in 184 bytes. However, the SDTT has an indefinite length and may fit within one packet, but may extend over a plurality of packets. However, even if the SDTT extends over a plurality of packets, and other SIs are mixed in the same TS, the SDTT can be identified and separated according to the MPEG2 regulations.

The satellite SDTT which always arrives is CAT
By the V company, it is transmitted to the CATV transmission line as it is (modulated and converted) or switched to CATV SDTT transmission. When transmitting satellite SDTT, L
When the switching to the CATV SDTT is performed at the time point, the transmission is continued until the packet unit of the satellite SDTT ends, and the transmission of the CATV SDTT starts at the time point M at the end. Further, when the CATV SDTT is being transmitted, when switching to the satellite SDTT is performed at the time point N, the transmission is continued until the end of the CATV SDTT packet unit, and transmitted until the end O. However, at the time point O, since the packet unit of the incoming satellite SDTT is in the middle, the transmission of the satellite SDTT is not performed immediately, but when the next packet unit arrives, the transmission starts from the beginning.

There is no problem if the unit information of the SDTT is completed in one packet, but if the information spans a plurality of packets, switching is performed after the transmission of one unit of information is completed. Switching in the middle of unit information is SDTT
Of the satellite, the discontinuity of the counter between the satellite SDTT and the CATV SDTT, and the reversal of the order may cause unstable operation on the subscriber STB side.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for supplementarily explaining the transmission switching of FIG. When a start signal for switching the SDTT transmission is input and instructing the start of the CATV SDTT transmission in step S1, it is determined in step 2 whether or not the satellite SDTT is currently being transmitted.
In step S3, the process waits until the transmission of the currently transmitted SDTT is completed, and returns to step S2. If the satellite SDTT has not been transmitted, the transmission of all the satellite SDTTs is stopped in step S4. In the next step 5, the incoming satellite SD
The common information common to all the STBs of the TT is acquired, and in step 6, this common information is added to the SDTT for CATV and
The data is transmitted to the ATV transmission line and returns to START.

In step 7 following step 4, transmission of individual information of satellite SDTT is determined. This individual information is individual information to be downloaded to the CATV STB via a satellite. When transmitting, the individual information is obtained in step 8, and the SDT for CATV is obtained in step 9.
In addition to T, the signal is sent to the CATV transmission line, and the process returns to START.

If it is instructed in step 1 not to start sending the CATV SDTT (stop sending), it is determined in step 10 whether or not the CATV SDTT is currently being sent. SD currently being sent at 11
Wait until the transmission of the TT is completed, and return to step S2. Currently C
If the SDTT for ATV has not been transmitted, step S
At 12, transmission of all SDTV SDTTs is stopped. Then, in the next step 13, all satellites SDTT
Starts sending.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a specific example of FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a broadcast transmission facility (hereinafter, referred to as a head end) installed by a CATV operator. The head end shown in this figure receives a digital broadcast signal transmitted from a satellite by an antenna 24, changes the transmission frequency and modulation method of the digital broadcast signal,
It is transmitted to a CATV transmission line as an ATV digital broadcast signal.

The head end receives digital program broadcast signals from a plurality of satellite transponders using a program broadcast TS (hereinafter, referred to as a satellite broadcast TS) based on MPEG2, and converts this into a CATV digital broadcast signal. And a modulation conversion transmission device 1 to N for performing the conversion. The satellite broadcast TS stores various kinds of service information and control information in addition to a plurality of program broadcasts.

The modulation conversion transmitting device 1 includes a tuner 11,
Demodulation unit 12, TS multiplexing unit 13, QAM modulation unit 14, frequency conversion unit 15, NIT detection unit 17, SDTT detection unit 1
8, SDTT invalidating section 19, acquisition instructing section 20 (SDTT
Acquisition), memories 21 and 22, NIT, SDTT sending unit 2
3. An interface 25 is provided. The digital multi-channel broadcast received by the antenna 24 is frequency-multiplexed, and a digital broadcast signal in a desired frequency band is selected and frequency-converted by the tuner 11, and the demodulation unit 1
2 given. The demodulation unit 12 demodulates the digital modulation signal from the tuner 11, performs error correction processing, and makes the SDTT invalidation unit 19 and the NIT detection unit 17
Output to the DTT detection unit 18.

The NIT detecting section 17 is for detecting the NIT in the information of the satellite broadcasting TS and replacing it with the CATV. The NIT is physical information on a transmission path such as a frequency and a modulation method.
In S, an NIT suitable for satellite broadcasting is stored. C
In ATV broadcasting, a coaxial cable is usually used for a transmission path.
It needs to be replaced with IT.

The SDTT detecting section 18 is an SDT which is notification information regarding download of the satellite broadcast TS information.
T is detected. The SDTT is detected by detecting common information common to all STBs and individual information different for each STB model. Specifically, the P of the TS packet in FIG.
Detects a packet (SDTT packet) having a matching ID (Packet Identification), and
Kernel_ID and Model_ID that match the specified one are detected and written to the memory 21. This SDTT is used by the satellite broadcaster for the STB of the satellite direct receiving subscriber.
This is notification information for downloading a software update, and the corresponding download content is transmitted by an engineering TS different from the satellite broadcasting TS.

The SDTT invalidating section 19 replaces (overwrites) the TS packets of all SDTTs whose PIDs match from the input satellite broadcast TS with null packets (packets that do not act on anything). Also, as another method, all SDTT
Is extracted from the FIFO memory output without writing to the FIFO (First In First Out) memory input. As a result, the satellite broadcast TS transmitted from the satellite
All SDTTs above will be in an invalidated form. However, the SDTT detected by the above-mentioned SDTT detection unit 18 is stored in the memory 21 and left. Note that, in addition to the acquired satellite SDTT, the NIT detected by the NIT detection unit 17 for replacement for CATV transmission is temporarily stored in the memory 21.

The acquisition instructing section 20 detects the SDTT to be detected and acquired from the satellite SDTTs by the SDTT detecting section 18,
The instruction is given based on a command from the controller 26 described later. The SDTT obtained here is all of the common information and specific individual information of the individual information. The specific individual information is the information that the CATV operator knows,
For example, although it is intended for STB models in the area of the CATV operator, it is individual information set to be downloaded via satellite due to the circumstances of the STB manufacturer. In addition, there is information etc. that cannot be provided by the CATV operator for some reason.

The obtained satellite SDTT is written in the memory 21 and transferred to the controller 26. The SDTT generated for CATV by the controller 26 is appended with schedule information such as a transmission interval (however, the content of the acquired satellite SDTT is not changed), and is stored in the transmission memory 22 and put in a standby state. The memory 22
Although it is prepared for sending out the NIT generated for the CATV transmission created by the controller 26, it is also used as a memory for sending out the SDTT.

The NIT / SDTT transmission unit 23 stores the data in the memory 2
2 for controlling the transmission of the NIT for CATV in standby state and the above-mentioned SDTT arranged for CATV to the TS multiplexing unit 13. The switching between the transmission of the satellite SDTT and the transmission of the CATV SDTT described in FIGS. 2 and 3 is performed by the transmission unit 23 and the SDTT invalidation unit 1.
9 is performed by controlling the null packet replacement by the controller 26.

The TS multiplexing unit 13 multiplexes the common information and specific individual information obtained from the satellite SDTT and the SDTT generated by the CATV carrier into another SI that has not changed the satellite broadcasting TS. Become Specifically, SD
The newly arranged SDTT for CATV is stored (written) on the null packet replaced by the TT invalidating unit 19. As another method,
Time division multiplexing may be performed in which SDTT for CATV is inserted into TS from the FIFO memory output in which SDTT has not been written.

The TS multiplexing unit 13 extracts a predetermined program list from the satellite broadcast TS using PSI or the like, and performs a process of replacing the NIT with the CATV. Also,
When a plurality of TSs are received, these TSs are separated, multiplexed, and output to the QAM modulator 14.

The QAM modulator 14 is a NIT for CATV.
Then, the satellite broadcast TS in which SDTT and SDTT have been replaced is QAM-modulated, and a QAM-modulated signal is output to the frequency conversion unit 15.
The frequency conversion unit 15 performs a frequency conversion process on the QAM modulated signal, and outputs a CATV digital broadcast signal having a predetermined transmission frequency in the VHF band or the UHF band to the multiplexer 16. The other modulation conversion transmitting devices 2... N have the same configuration as the modulation conversion transmitting device 1, and the frequency-converted CATV digital broadcast signals are multiplexed by the multiplexer 16.
It is sent to the transmission path.

The controller 26 controls the entire head end, and includes a display unit 27 for displaying and monitoring an operation state, and an operation unit 28 for performing a control operation. The controller 26 controls the tuning of the tuner 11 in each of the modulation conversion transmission devices 1, 2,... N via the interface 25, and issues commands and controls to the NIT detection unit 17 and the SDTT acquisition instruction unit 20, and the SDTT invalidation unit 19. Invalidation processing, storage of the CATV NIT and the SDTT arranged for the CATV in the memory 22, transmission of the NIT and SDTT to the TS multiplexing unit 13, replacement and multiplexing, and frequency setting of the frequency conversion unit 15. .

In connection with the controller 26, a CATV SDTT generator 29 and a download content transmitting device 30 are provided. The download content transmission device 30 includes a content reception unit 31, a TS generation unit 32,
An AM modulator 33, a frequency converter 34, and an interface 35 are provided.

In the CATV SDTT generator 26, the CA
TV sets CA to provide its own download service
Generates SDTT unique to TV. SD generated here
The TT is temporarily stored in the memory 22 together with the specific SDTT obtained from the satellite SDTT, and the NIT and SDTT transmission unit 23 is controlled by the controller 26 and input to the TS multiplexing unit 13 to be put into a standby state, and then the multiplexing process is performed. It is. That is, generation and transmission of the SDTT are performed separately and asynchronously. The CATV's SDTT is CA
This is only for download contents that can be prepared on the TV side.

[0062] In the content receiving section 31, a medium (MO, CD-R, communication line, etc.) provided by the STB maker is provided.
To receive individual download content. The TS generation unit 32 generates a CATV engineering TS that stores individual download contents corresponding to STBs of different models based on a medium from the manufacturer. This T
S is QAM-modulated by a QAM modulator 33, frequency-converted by a frequency converter 34, and converted to a C at a predetermined transmission frequency.
It is input to the multiplexer 16 as an ATV engineering TS. Then, the C of the modulation conversion transmitting device 1, 2,.
The signal is multiplexed with the ATV digital broadcast signal and transmitted to the transmission path.

The download content transmitting device 3
In addition to 0, an STB setting database and an STB control message transmitting device (not shown) can be provided. In these devices, a CATV TS is generated in the same manner as the CATV engineering TS, multiplexed with the other TS by the multiplexer 16 and transmitted to the transmission path. In addition, these CA
The TS for TV can be combined into one TS or transmitted to a transmission line in a form of TS multiplexing.

In the above-described information transmission method and information transmission apparatus, digital multi-channel broadcasting when the first network is satellite broadcasting (BS and CS) has been described. The system can be similarly implemented as long as the system has a similar system.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention, CATV
CATV specified for the subscriber terminal device in the area of the business operator
Download notification information (SDTT) and download notification information via satellite (SDTT) can be selectively switched and transmitted according to the situation, so that it is possible to respond to the needs. Further, since it is only necessary to perform information processing on the selected specified CATV download notification information (SDTT), the memory capacity for storing the notification information and the CPU processing software are not significantly increased, and the processing speed is increased. be able to.

Further, download notification information (SDT
T) generates new download notification information from the satellite-acquired portion and the CATV-unique portion at the head end. Since the generation and transmission to the transmission path are performed asynchronously, the controller It does not require the high speed of the software. Also, a real-time processing circuit for download notification information is not required, and a conventional memory and multiplexing circuit for a network information table (NIT) can be used. No hardware is required. Therefore, the cost and equipment increase is minimized and the CAT
The download service can be implemented by the V company itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing transmission timing of download notification information.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for supplementarily explaining FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: tuner, 12: demodulation unit, 13: TS multiplexing unit,
14 QAM modulator, 15 frequency converter, 16 multiplexer, 17 NIT detector, 18 SDTT detector, 19
... SDTT invalidation unit, 20 ... acquisition instruction unit, 21, 22, ...
Memory 23, NIT, SDTT transmission unit 24, antenna 25, interface 26, controller 2,
7 display unit, 28 operation unit, 29 SDTT generation unit, 3
0: download content transmission device, 31: content reception unit, 32: TS generation unit, 33: QAM modulation unit, 3
4. Frequency conversion unit 35 Interface

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H04N 7/081 H04N 7/16 Z 7/10 7/08 Z 7/16

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information transmission method in which a cable television operator modulates and transmits a digital multi-channel broadcast signal on a first network by a provider such as a satellite broadcast to a second network. The signal includes download notification information and download content for updating the software of the subscriber terminal device, wherein the download notification information and the download content are common information common to all models of the subscriber terminal device and the model of the subscriber terminal device. In the information transmission method including different individual information, the common information and the specific individual information of the satellite download notification information from the first network are acquired and stored, and all of the satellite download notification information is stored. Disabled, CATV by the cable operator Generating download notification information and CATV download content, multiplexing the generated CATV download notification information with the acquired and stored satellite download notification information, and transmitting the multiplexed download to the second network. How to send information. 2. An information transmission method in which a cable television company modulates and transmits a digital multi-channel broadcast signal on a first network by a company such as a satellite broadcast to a second network. The signal includes download notification information and download content for updating the software of the subscriber terminal device, wherein the download notification information and the download content are common information common to all models of the subscriber terminal device and the model of the subscriber terminal device. In the information transmission method including different individual information, the case where all the information of the satellite download notification information from the first network is transmitted to the second network as it is, the common information of the satellite download notification information and Acquire and store specific individual information and All of the download notification information is invalidated, CATV download notification information and CATV download content are generated by the cable television company, and the generated CATV download notification information is multiplexed with the acquired and stored satellite download notification information. And transmitting the information to the second network. 3. The information transmission method according to claim 2, wherein the switching is performed at a start end and an end of a unit block in which the download notification information is stored. 4. The information transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the specific individual information to be obtained is information downloaded to a subscriber terminal device via a satellite. 5. An information transmitting apparatus in which a cable television operator modulates and transmits a digital multi-channel broadcast signal on a first network by a provider of satellite broadcasting or the like to a second network. The signal includes download notification information and download content for updating the software of the subscriber terminal device, wherein the download notification information and the download content are common information common to all models of the subscriber terminal device and the model of the subscriber terminal device. In the information transmitting device including the individual information different in the above, detecting means for detecting satellite download notification information from the first network, common information and specific individual information among the detected satellite download notification information Acquisition means for acquiring, the acquired common information and identification Storage means for accumulating individual information; invalidating means for invalidating all of the satellite download notification information; notification information generating means for generating CATV download notification information by the cable television operator; and CATV download content generation and transmission Content transmission means to
An information transmitting apparatus, comprising: multiplexing means for multiplexing the CATV download notification information and the acquired and stored common information and specific individual information. 6. A storage means for waiting for transmission of the generated CATV download notification information and the acquired and stored common information and specific individual information, and transmission means for transmitting under control of a controller. The information transmitting device according to claim 5.