JP4788164B2 - Broadcast program distribution system and control program thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a broadcast program distribution system and its control program, and more particularly to a broadcast program distribution system and its control program for selectively reproducing a desired portion from recorded program data.

Terrestrial digital broadcasting, which started broadcasting in some areas from December 2003, will be digitized in all areas nationwide after 2011. Such digitalization of television broadcasting enables various usage methods. For example, it is possible to select and play only the portion that the user wants to see based on the program index among programs recorded with content such as sports programs such as soccer, news, dramas, movies, and music programs. become.
In a proposed broadcast content index distribution method and broadcast content index distribution system, when a user makes a recording reservation for a program to a client device, the client device transmits the recording reservation information to the server device via the network. . The server device views the program based on the recording reservation information, and creates program time index information including a headline along the time series in the program. Since the client device downloads the program time index information created by the server device via the network, the user of the client device refers to the program time index so that the user can select from the recorded programs. You can easily cue the video and audio you want to watch. (See Patent Document 1)
In another proposed program information recording system and recording medium, the user records the program at the user terminal, and automatically records the program from the user terminal to the program information service server even if the user does not perform any operation. Since the program service server extracts the program mapping data corresponding to the recorded program information and transmits it to the user terminal, the user terminal sends the program mapping data of the corresponding program to the user. It can be obtained easily and reliably without complicating troublesome operations. For example, when the recording start time is “20:58” and the recording end time is “21:58”, the program start time is “21:00” and the program end time is “21:00” according to the program mapping data. If it is "50 minutes", the time from 21:00 to 21:50 is automatically recorded. (See Patent Document 2)
JP 2002-278867 A JP 2003-37811 A

However, in the proposals of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the user grasps the broadcast time of the program in advance using an EPG (electronic program guide) and prepares to record it before the broadcast of the program starts. Is effective, but recording starts after the broadcast of the program starts, recording starts after the beginning of the CM part even when the program starts, or part of the program, for example, a favorite singer Many users record only the part that sings. In such a case, even if the index information corresponding to the program is downloaded, there is a difference between the time axis of the index information and the time axis starting from the recording start time. The part you want to watch cannot be played back selectively.
In addition, when program data input from an external device such as a VTR is recorded, since the program specifying information of the program data is not added, the server device cannot specify the program data, and the program data Index information cannot be transmitted to the user terminal device.
The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and is a program recorded from the time base of the frame time given to the program data on the broadcast station side and the recording start time as a starting point in the user terminal device. It is an object of the present invention to selectively reproduce a portion to be viewed even when there is a shift in the time frame of data frame time.
It is another object of the present invention to selectively reproduce a desired portion even when program specifying information is not included in program data input from an external device and recorded by a user terminal device.

The invention according to claim 1 is an information distribution system for distributing information relating to a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data.
The user terminal device, when recording program data received from a broadcasting station in a predetermined first recording means, a first recording control means for recording along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time; requesting a first information generation means for generating color information of the frame image is designated, the program index of program data recorded in the first recording unit by the frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means a first transmitting means for transmitting to said server device including the color information of the frame image of each frame time created request data by the program specifying information and the first information creating means for identifying the program data, said first a first receiving means for receiving a program index related to the request data transmitted by the transmission means from the server device, to the first receiving means And a reproduction control means for reproducing the program data recorded on the first recording means from the specified frame time based on commentary information of the frame image in the frame time that is included in the program index received Te,
The server device includes: a second recording control unit that records a plurality of program data in a second recording unit together with a program index of each program data; a second receiving unit that receives request data transmitted from the user terminal device; Searching means for searching for program data corresponding to program specifying information included in the request data received by the receiving means from a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means; and the searching means based on the color information of the received frame image by the color information of the retrieved program data frame image and the second receiving means by the time of the frame time in the user terminal device received by the second receiving means Correction means for correcting the axis, and explanation information of the frame image at the frame time in which the time axis is corrected by the correction means A second information generating means for generating a program index comprising, a, and transmitting means for transmitting to the user terminal program indexes created by said second information generating means.

The invention according to claim 6 is an information distribution system for distributing information related to a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data.
The user terminal device, when recording program data inputted from an external device in a predetermined first recording means, a first recording control means for recording along a time axis of a frame time starting from a recording start time; requesting a first information generation means for generating color information of the frame image is designated, the program index of program data recorded in the first recording unit by the frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means a first transmitting means for transmitting to said server device including the color information of the frame image of each frame time created by the to the request data first information generating means, according to the request data transmitted by said first transmission means a first receiving means for receiving a program index from the server apparatus, are included in the program index received by said receiving means Comprising: a first reproduction control means for reproducing the program data recorded on the first recording means from the specified frame time based on commentary information of the frame image in the frame time, and
The server device receives second request control data transmitted from the user terminal device, second recording control means for recording program data of a plurality of systems in a predetermined second recording means together with a program index of each program data. And the request data based on the color information of the frame image included in the request data received by the second receiving means from among a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means a second retrieving means for retrieving program data, based on the color information of the received frame image and the second color information of the frame image of the program data retrieved by the retrieval means and by said second receiving means, said first 2 and correcting means for correcting the time base of the frame time in the user terminal device received by the receiving means, by said correction means the time axis complement Comprising a second information generating means for generating a program index including explanatory information of the frame image in the frame time, and transmission means for transmitting to the user terminal program indexes created by said second information generating means ing.

According to the information distribution system and the control program of the present invention, the time axis of the frame time given to the program data on the broadcast station side and the frame time of the program data recorded from the recording start time as the starting point in the user terminal device Even when there is a deviation from the time axis, an effect of selectively reproducing a desired portion can be obtained.
Further, according to the information distribution system and the control program of the present invention, even if the program identification information is not included in the program data input from the external device and recorded by the user terminal device, the portion to be viewed is selectively selected. The effect that it can reproduce is acquired.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an information distribution system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an information distribution system according to an embodiment. The broadcasting station 1 transmits digital TV broadcast program data and an electronic program guide (EPG) by high-frequency radio waves. The electronic program guide includes a program index that includes the program name, channel, date and time of each program, broadcast start time and broadcast end time of the program, frame time that is the frame image time starting from the broadcast start time, and the like. Yes. The recording / reproducing device 2 is a user terminal device such as a television receiver, and receives program data and an electronic program guide transmitted from the broadcasting station 1, and performs recording and reproduction. The server 4 of the service company can receive and record the program data and the electronic program guide transmitted from the broadcasting station 1 and can be connected to the recording / reproducing device 2 via the network 3 such as the Internet. The recording / reproducing device 2 transmits the program index request data of the recorded program data to the service company server 4 connected via the network 3 and receives the program index from the service company server 4.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed internal configuration of the recording / reproducing device 2 of FIG. The CPU 10 is connected to the ROM 11, RAM 12, HDD (hard disk drive) 13, user I / F (interface) unit 14, communication unit 15, television unit 20, output unit 30, and input unit 40 via the system bus. Data and instructions are exchanged with each unit to control the entire recording / reproducing apparatus 2.

  The ROM 11 stores a control program executed by the CPU 10 and initial data in advance. The RAM 12 is a work area of the CPU 10, and is provided with areas such as registers, flags, and variables necessary for executing the control program. The HDD 13 includes a hard disk and its drive circuit, and records video and audio of program data obtained from the television unit 20 or the input unit 40. The user I / F unit 14 is, for example, a remote controller having a switch group, and inputs a channel selection instruction, a program data recording instruction, a reproduction instruction, and the like to the CPU 10 in accordance with a user operation. The communication unit 15 communicates with the service company server 4 via the network 3.

  The television unit 20 includes a tuner unit 21, an OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) demodulation unit 22, and a decoder unit 23. The tuner unit 21 selects and outputs the OFDM television signal of the channel corresponding to the channel selection signal from the CPU 10 from the radio wave of the broadcasting station received from the antenna 16. The OFDM demodulator 22 demodulates the OFDM television signal output from the tuner unit 21 and outputs an encoded digital television signal. The decoder unit 23 decodes the encoded digital television signal output from the OFDM demodulator 22, separates it into an audio signal and a video signal, and inputs them to the output unit 30. The output unit 30 includes an audio output unit 31 and a video output unit 32. The audio output unit 31 includes a D / A conversion circuit, an amplifier circuit, a speaker, and the like, and generates audio according to the audio signal output from the decoder unit 23. The video output unit 32 includes a video RAM, a video drive circuit, a display, and the like, and displays an image on the display in accordance with the video signal output from the decoder unit 23. The input unit 40 includes an audio input unit 41 and a video input unit 42. The voice input unit 41 includes an A / D conversion circuit and the like, converts a voice signal input from an external device such as a VTR into a digital signal and inputs the digital signal to the CPU 10. The video input unit 42 includes an A / D conversion circuit and the like, converts a video signal input from an external device such as a VTR into a digital signal, and inputs the digital signal to the CPU 10.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of request data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 to the server 4 of the service company. This request data is for requesting a program index for the program data recorded in the HDD 13.
Hereinafter, each data will be described. Requester ID (user_id) for specifying the recording / playback device 2 or user, file name (filename) for specifying program data, recording time of program data (total_time), program received from the broadcasting station and obtained from the television section 20 There is a flag indicating the type of data or the type of program data input from an external device and obtained from the input unit 40. When type = 0, program data from a broadcasting station is shown, and when type = 1, program data from an external device is shown. When type = 0, program specific information (prginfo) is recorded together with program data. The prginfo is composed of a program name (title) of program data, a channel (channel), a date and time (date), and a recording start time (start_time) of the program data. There is also color information (cseqinfo) of a recorded program created every frame time. cseqinfo is composed of the number of color information sequence data (cseq_n) indicating the number of color information, and cseq [1] to cseq [cseq_n] for each frame time. Each cseq [] is the frame time (frame_time), frame image There are an average value (rgb_ave) of the three primary colors RGB and a flag (cm) indicating a commercial frame time. cm = 0 indicates a non-commercial and cm = 1 indicates a commercial. When type = 1, there are average color information (wcolor) of the entire program data and genre group ID (group) of the program data. Depending on the value of group, genres such as drama, movies, sports, theater / performances, music, variety, hobbies / education, etc. are represented. Furthermore, the detailed genre in each genre is represented. For example, sports genres are classified into soccer, baseball, golf, motor sports, tennis, and the like, and a detailed genre is designated by the value of group.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of a program index transmitted from the service company server 4 to the recording / reproducing apparatus 2. Among them, user_id indicating the requester ID, filename indicating the file name, and prginfo indicating the program specifying information when type = 0, the data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 is returned as it is. The program index (iseqinfo) created in the server 4 of the service company is composed of the number of sequence data (iseq_n) of the index information and iseq [1] to iseq [iseq_n] for each frame time, and each iseq [] is a frame It is composed of time (frame_time) and text data (index) explaining the outline of the frame image.

Next, the operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 9 and the index list of FIG. 10 displayed on the display of the video output unit 32.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the main routine of the recording / reproducing device 2. After the initialization process (step SA1), the recording process (step SA2), the index request process (step SA3), the index reception process (step SA4), the playback process (step SA5), and other processes (step SA6) are repeatedly executed. To do.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the recording process in step SA2 in the main routine. It is determined whether or not a recording start instruction has been issued by an operation from the user I / F unit 14 (step SB1). If no recording start instruction is given, the process returns to the main routine. This is an instruction to directly record digital broadcast program data received from the station 1 and input from the TV unit 20, or an instruction to dubbing video of program data input from the external device to the input unit 40. Is determined (step SB2). If it is an instruction to directly record a digital broadcast input from the TV section 20, 0 is set in type (step SB3), and if it is an instruction to record a video input from an external device, 1 is set in type. Set (step SB4).

  After 0 or 1 is set in type, the input data is recorded in the HDD 13 (step SB5). After the recording is started, it is determined whether or not a recording end instruction is given by an operation from the user I / F unit 14 (step SB6). If no recording end instruction is given, the input data recording in step SB5 is continued. When the recording end instruction is given, the recording data program is filed (step SB7). In other words, filename is created, total_time is stored, and type is added. Next, it is determined whether the type of the recorded program file is 0 or 1 (step SB8). If the type is 0, that is, the digital broadcast program data input from the TV section 20 is obtained. If the file is a directly recorded file, prginfo as the program specifying information is extracted and added to the program file (step SB9). After adding prginfo to the program file, or when type is 1 in step SB8, that is, when program data not having prginfo is recorded, the process returns to the main routine.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the index request process in step SA3 in the main routine. It is determined whether or not an index request is instructed by an operation from the user I / F unit 14 (step SC1). If no index request is instructed, the process returns to the main routine. If an index request is instructed, the HDD 13 Is designated (step SC2), and CM detection processing is performed (step SC3). Since the CM portion in the program may differ depending on the broadcast area, it is necessary to delete it in order to increase the accuracy of matching processing described later. There are various methods for the CM detection process. For example, an algorithm that detects a state in which a short silence period continues every 15 seconds or 30 seconds and regards it as a CM is executed. Of course, the CM portion may be detected by other methods.

  Next, cseqinfo is created by extracting average color sequence information at an appropriate frame interval of about several tens to several hundred frames (step SC4). The average color series information is the same as in the mosaic process, and cseqinfo is created by a method of obtaining the average color of the dye of one frame image. That is, a predetermined partial or whole M point pigment in one frame image is extracted, decomposed into RGB of the three primary colors, and all M points of RGB are summed and divided by M and averaged. Find the color and use rgb_ave. Further, the frame time starting from the recording start time of the frame image for which the average color is obtained is set as frame_time. Furthermore, regarding cm, if the frame time is the time detected as the CM portion in step SC3, 1 is set, otherwise 0 is set, and these rgb_ave, frame_time, and cm are used as the configuration data of cseq [] of the frame time. This process is performed at the appropriate frame interval described above until the recording end time of the program data, and is created in order from cseq [1]. Finally, set the number of created cseq [] to cseq_n.

  After creating cseqinfo, it is determined whether the type added to the program file is 0 or 1 (step SC5). If the type is 0, the prginfo added to the program file is extracted (step SC6). If the type is 1, the average color information wcolor of the entire program in the program file and the genre of the program data are extracted. A group ID group is created (step SC7). For example, wcolor is created by calculating the average value of cseq_n rgb_ave from cseq [1] to cseq [cseq_n]. The group is created, for example, when the user selects one of the genres displayed on the video output unit 32 and sets the group corresponding to the selected genre. After extracting prginfo or creating wcolor and group, the request data reqdata shown in FIG. 3 is created (step SC8) and transmitted to the server 4 of the service company (step SC9). That is, when type is 0, reqdata is created by user_id, filename, total_time, type, prginfo, cseqinfo, and when type is 1, user_id, filename, total_time, type, cseqinfo, wcolor, group To create reqdata. After transmitting the request data reqdata, the process returns to the main routine.

  In the index request process of FIG. 7, the request data is transmitted to the server 4 by an operation from the user I / F unit 14, but a midnight time, for example, midnight is set in advance, In this case, the request data may be automatically created and transmitted to the server 4. In this case, there is no need for the user to issue an index request instruction.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the index reception process in step SA4 in the main routine. It is determined whether or not reception of the program index from the server 4 of the service company is started (step SD1). If the reception is not started, the process returns to the main routine, but when the reception is started, the input data is recorded in the HDD 13. (Step SD2). Then, it is determined whether or not the reception is completed (step SD3). When the reception is completed, the recording data is filed (step SD4). That is, it is filed in the data structure of the program index shown in FIG. Next, it is determined whether or not the program file with the filename of the program index filed exists in the HDD 13 (step SD5). When the program file with the program index filename does not exist, the process returns to the main routine, but when it exists, only the extension is corrected to a different file name (step SD6). For example, if the file name of the program file is “soccer050209.rec” and the extension is rec, only the extension of the file name of the program index is changed to idx, and it is corrected to “soccer050209.idx” and recorded. . As a result, it is possible to easily determine whether or not a program index corresponding to the program file existing in the HDD 13 exists. Thereafter, the process returns to the main routine.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the reproduction process in step SA5 in the main routine. First, it is determined whether play is 0 (reproduction stop state) or 1 (reproduction state) (step SE1). If play is 0, it is determined whether or not the program has been selected by the operation of the user I / F unit 14 and the playback switch is turned on (step SE2). If these operations are not performed, the process returns to the main routine. If these operations are performed, it is determined whether or not the program index file exists in the HDD 13 (step SE3). For example, if the file name of the selected program is “soccer050209.rec”, it is determined whether or not a program index with the file name “soccer050209.idx” exists. If a program index file exists, the index list is displayed in a predetermined area of the display (step SE4). FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an index list. This example shows an index list of program files whose recording has started 15 minutes after the start of the soccer game broadcast. This list includes a frame number (No.) at which reproduction is started, a frame time indicating the progress from the start of broadcasting, and text data explaining an outline of the frame image. That is, the time axis from the recording start time in the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 is corrected to the actual time axis from the start of broadcasting, and along with the corrected time axis, the text data explaining the outline of the characteristic scene A list is displayed. After displaying the index list, or if the program index file does not exist in the program file in which video from the external device is recorded, the playback address is set to the first frame position (0001 in the example of FIG. 10) and playback is performed. And play is set to 1 (step SE5).

  When play is 1 in step SE1, that is, in the reproduction state, it is determined whether or not the stop switch is turned on by the operation of the user I / F unit 14 (step SE6). When the stop switch is turned on, playback is terminated, and when the index list is displayed, the display is erased. Also, play is reset to 0 (step SE7). If the stop switch is not turned on in step SE6, the reproduction progress process is continued while updating the reproduction address (step SE8). Then, it is determined whether or not the final frame has been reached (step SE9). When the final frame is reached, the reproduction is terminated, and if the index list is displayed, the display is erased. Also, play is reset to 0 (step SE7). After the reproduction end process in step SE7, the process returns to the main routine.

  If the final frame has not been reached in step SE9, it is determined whether or not a specific index has been selected in the index list displayed on the display (step SE10). When the index is selected, for example, when the frame number 0102 in FIG. 10 is selected, the jump is made to the frame position corresponding to the selected index, and 1:46 has elapsed from the start of the program broadcast. A reproduction address is set at the frame time (step SE11). Then, the process returns to the main routine. Thereafter, when the main routine shifts again to this reproduction process, the reproduction progress process is executed in step SE8. Therefore, the user can selectively reproduce the part he / she wants to see.

Next, the operation of the server 4 of the service company will be described based on the basic data group of the program index shown in FIG. 11 and the flowcharts shown in FIGS.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a format of a basic data group of a program index corresponding to a plurality of program data recorded in the server 4. The program index basic data prgdata [1] to prgdata [PRGMAX] of each program of the number of recorded programs PRGMAX is a program ID prg_id, program time total_time, program specific information prginfo, program color information cseqinfo, overall program average color information wcolor , A program genre group group, and a recorded program index iseqinfo data area.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the main routine of the server 4. After the initialization process (step SF1), it is determined whether or not the index request data reqdata is received from the recording / reproducing device 2 (step SF2). When index request data is received, index creation processing is executed (step SF3). After this index creation process or when index request data is not received in step SF2, other processes are executed (step SF4), and the process proceeds to step SF2 and the above process is repeated.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the index creation process in step SF3 in the main routine. First, a variable nprg for specifying PRGBUFMAX array prgbuf [] consisting of prgbuf [1] to prgbuf [PRGBUFMAX] is set to 0, and a variable n for specifying program data prgdata [] recorded in the server 4 is set to 1. And flag b is reset to 0 (step SG1). Next, it is determined whether the type of the received index request data reqdata is 0 or 1 (step SG2). If the type is 0, it is determined whether there is only one prgdata [] that matches the prginfo between reqdata and the prgdata [] of the server 4 (step SG3), and the matching prgdata [] If there is, the variable nprg is set to 1, n is set to the array prgbuf [nprg] (= prgbuf [1]), and b is set to 1 (step SG4). On the other hand, if type is 1, prgdata [] satisfying the condition that group matches between reqdata and prgdata [] of server 4 and total_time and wcolor match within a predetermined error range. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a maximum of PRGMAX prgdata [] (step SG5). If there is prgdata [] that satisfies this condition, the variable nprg is incremented and n is set in the array prgbuf [nprg]. If nprg = PRGBUFMAX, b is set to 1 (step SG6).

  After setting variables, arrays, and flags in step SG4 or step SG6, or if the designated prgdata [] is not applicable in step SG3 or step SG5, the value of n is incremented (step SG7). . At this time, it is determined whether the value of n exceeds PRGMAX or b is 1 (step SG8). When neither condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step SG2, and the loop process up to step SG7 is repeated for prgdata [n] designated by n. In step SG7, if the value of n exceeds PRGMAX or b is 1, it is determined whether nprg is 0 (step SG9). If nprg is not 0, matching processing is executed (step SG10). After this, or when nprg is 0 and there is no program data to be indexed, the process returns to the main routine.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the matching process in step SG10 in the index creation process of FIG. First, a variable n designating an array prgbuf [] consisting of prgbuf [1] to prgbuf [nprg] is set to 1, and 0 is stored in the register ave (step SH1). Then, a loop process from step SH2 to step SH9 is executed while incrementing the value of n. In this loop processing, prgbuf [n] is set to the pointer idx specifying prgdata [], and 0 is stored in the register d indicating the time difference between the frames of the program data (step SH2). Then, an average value of autocorrelation based on the time difference d between cseqinfo, which is the color information included in the index request data reqdata, and cseqinfo, which is the color information of prgdata [idx] of the server 4, is calculated and stored in the register a ( Step SH3). The autocorrelation average is calculated as follows.
(1) d is added to each frame_time of reqdata.cseqinfo.
(2) rgb_ave of reqdata.cseqinfo corresponding to each frame_time of prgdata [idx] .cseqinfo is calculated by interpolation.
(3) The average value of autocorrelation is calculated between rgb_ave of prgdata [idx] .cseqinfo and rgb_ave of reqdata.cseqinfo calculated in (2).
If the commercial frame is not included in reqdata [idx] .cseqinfo, auto-correlation is calculated after deleting the commercial frame cm = 1 in advance in reqdata.cseqinfo.

  After calculating the average value of the autocorrelation, it is determined whether or not the value of a is larger than the value of ave (step SH4). If the value of a is larger than the value of ave, the value of ave is updated to the value of a, the value of d is stored in the register diff, and idx is set to the variable prgidx specifying prgdata [] (step SH5 ). After this, or when the value of a is less than or equal to the value of ave in step SH4, a predetermined time DD of about several seconds is added to d (step SH6). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the value of d exceeds the recording time total_time of prgdata [idx] (step SH7). If the value of d does not exceed the total_time of prgdata [idx], the process proceeds to step SH3 and the loop process up to step SH7 is repeated. That is, d having the largest autocorrelation average value in prgdata [idx] is searched by this loop processing.

If the value of d exceeds the recording time total_time of prgdata [idx], the value of n is incremented to specify the next prgbuf [] (step SH8). Here, it is determined whether or not the value of n exceeds the maximum value nprg (step SH9). If the value of n does not exceed the maximum value nprg, the process proceeds to step SH2 and loop processing up to step SH9 is performed. repeat. When the value of n exceeds the maximum value nprg, that is, when the average value of autocorrelation of the color information of all prgdata [] specified by the array prgbuf [] is calculated, the value of ave It is determined whether or not the threshold value is larger than AVETHR (step SH10). If the value of ave is greater than AVETHR, a program index is created by correcting frame_time of prgdata [prgidx] .iseqinfo by the time of diff (step SH11). In step SH3, when the autocorrelation is calculated after deleting the CM part (section of cm = 1), it is necessary to correct the frame_time for the deleted CM part. Subsequently, the program index is transmitted to the recording / reproducing device 2 (step SH12). Then, the process returns to the main routine. As a result, for example, when recording is started after 15 minutes have elapsed from the start of the program, the first frame time is recorded on the HDD 13 as 0: 0, but after the time axis is corrected by the server 4 As shown in FIG. 10, the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 can acquire an index list in which the first frame time is corrected to 0:15.
In step SH10, if the value of ave is less than or equal to AVETHR, the self information between cseqinfo that is the color information included in the index request data reqdata and cseqinfo that is the color information of all prgdata [] of the server 4 Since it is determined that there is no correlation, the process returns to the main routine without creating a program index.

  In step SH7 in FIG. 14, the matching process is performed until the value of d exceeds the recording time total_time of prgdata [idx]. However, if the recording time is long, the matching process also takes a long time. For this reason, a threshold value that is the maximum value of the positional deviation may be set, and the matching process may be performed until the value of d reaches the threshold value.

  It is also possible to perform the matching process of FIG. 14 on the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 side. In this case, the program specifying information is transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 to the server 4, and the color information of the frame image for each frame time of the corresponding program data is received from the server 4. It becomes the structure which correct | amends. With such a configuration, the load of matching processing in the server 4 is eliminated, so that it is possible to prevent the server 4 from being overloaded even when program index requests are received from many recording and playback devices.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the CPU 10 of the recording / reproducing device 2 records the program data received from the broadcasting station 1 on the HDD 13 along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time. The program specifying information and frame for specifying the program data in the request data for generating the color information of the frame image specified by the frame time in the recorded program data and requesting the program index of the program data The frame image color information for each time is transmitted to the server 4, the program index corresponding to the request data is received from the server 4, and an outline of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index will be described. Based on the text data, the number recorded in the HDD 13 from the frame time specified by the user To play the data.
The server 4 records the program data of a plurality of systems together with the program index of each program data in a predetermined recording means, and when the request data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 is received, the server 4 records the plurality of systems of the program data recorded in the recording means. The program data corresponding to the program specifying information included in the request data is searched from the program data, the color information of the frame image of the searched program data, and the color information of the frame image received from the recording / reproducing device 2 Based on the matching, the time axis of the frame time in the received recording / reproducing device 2 is corrected, and a program index including an index list that explains the outline of the frame image at the frame time with the corrected time axis is created and recorded. Transmit to the player 2.
Therefore, even if there is a difference between the time axis of the frame time given to the program data on the broadcasting station side and the time axis of the frame time of the program data recorded from the recording start time in the recording / reproducing device 2, the server 4, the corresponding program data is searched according to the program specifying information, the time axis of the frame time in the user terminal device is corrected by the time axis of the frame time of the program data, and the outline of the frame image at the corrected frame time is obtained. By distributing the index list to be described to the recording / reproducing device 2, the user can selectively reproduce the portion to be viewed by specifying the frame time for starting reproduction based on the outline of the index list displayed on the display.

In the above embodiment, the CPU 10 of the recording / reproducing device 2 may create average color information in a plurality of frame images with different frame times in the program data recorded in the HDD 13.
In this case, it is possible to avoid frequent unnecessary matching processing due to fine image changes.

Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the CPU 10 of the recording / reproducing device 2 detects the maximum change in average color between frames of program data recorded in the HDD 13 and creates color information of the frame image after the maximum change. It may be.
In this case, since the matching process is executed only by the scene change, the processing time can be shortened and the communication time with the recording / reproducing device 2 can be shortened.

Further, in the above embodiment, the CPU 10 of the recording / reproducing device 2 detects the frame image of the commercial portion included in the program data recorded in the HDD 13 as shown in step SC3 of the index request process in FIG. Then, color information added with information on the detected commercial part is created and transmitted to the server 4. In the server 4, the time axis is corrected based on the color information to which information regarding the commercial part is added.
Therefore, it is possible to avoid a state in which matching cannot be achieved due to a commercial by deleting in advance the commercial frame image that may vary depending on the region.

In the above embodiment, when the program index is received from the server 4, the CPU 10 of the recording / reproducing device 2 sets the program specifying information of the corresponding program data as shown in step SD6 of the index receiving process in FIG. An extension indicating the program index is added to the program index and recorded in the HDD 13.
Therefore, it can be easily determined whether or not there is a program index corresponding to any program data recorded in the HDD 13.

In the above embodiment, the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 records the program data input from an external device such as a VTR in the HDD 13 along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time. The color information of the frame image specified by the frame time in the program data is created, and the request data for requesting the program index of the program data is transmitted to the server 4 including the color information of the frame image for each frame time. When the program index corresponding to the request data is received from the server 4, the HDD 13 starts from the frame time designated by the user based on the index list that explains the outline of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index. Play the recorded program data.
The server 4 records the program data of a plurality of systems in a predetermined recording means together with the program index of each program data, and when the request data transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 is received, the server 4 records the program data of the plurality of systems. The corresponding program data is searched based on the color information of the frame image included in the request data received from the inside, and based on the color information of the frame image of the searched program data and the color information of the received frame image Then, the time axis of the frame time in the recording / reproducing apparatus 2 is corrected, and a program index including an index list that explains the outline of the frame image in the frame time with the corrected time axis is created and transmitted to the recording / reproducing apparatus 2.
Therefore, even if the program data is not included in the program data as in the case where the program data input from the external device and recorded by the recording / reproducing device 2 is analog broadcasting, the portion to be viewed is selectively reproduced. be able to.

  Also, in the case of type = 1 analog broadcasting, the average color information (wcolor) of the entire program data and the genre group ID (group) of the program data are transmitted from the recording / reproducing device 2 to the server 4, but broadcast. Since the number of programs is enormous, it can be considered that it takes a long time to search the server 4 only by specifying the genre on the user side. For this reason, you may make it the structure which narrows down the conditions of search object on the user side. For example, a proper noun such as a predicted date and time when the program is broadcast, a predicted channel, a person name or a place name is designated and transmitted to the server 4.

In the above-described embodiment, the invention of the apparatus in which the CPU 10 executes the control program stored in advance in the ROM 11 has been described. However, the invention is recorded on an external storage medium such as a flexible disk (FD), CD, MD, or memory card. The control program can be installed in a non-volatile memory such as a flash ROM or a hard disk, or the control program downloaded from the network 3 can be installed in the non-volatile memory, and the CPU 10 can execute the control program. Similarly, the server 4 of the service company can also install and execute a control program recorded in an external storage medium or a control program downloaded from the network 3 in a nonvolatile memory. In this case, the invention of the program and the invention of the recording medium on which the program is recorded can be realized .

The figure which shows the structure of the information delivery system in embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the detailed internal structure of the recording / reproducing machine of FIG. The figure which shows the data structure of the request data transmitted to a server from a recording / reproducing machine. The figure which shows the data structure of the program index transmitted to a recording / reproducing machine from a server. The flowchart of the main routine of a recording / reproducing machine. 6 is a flowchart of recording processing in the main routine of FIG. 6 is a flowchart of index request processing in the main routine of FIG. 6 is a flowchart of index reception processing in the main routine of FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a reproduction process in the main routine of FIG. The figure of the index list transmitted from a server and displayed on a recording / reproducing machine. The figure which shows the basic data group of the program index in a server. The flowchart of the main routine of a server. 13 is a flowchart of index creation processing in the main routine of FIG. 14 is a flowchart of matching processing in the index creation processing of FIG. 13.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Broadcasting station 2 Recording / reproducing machine 3 Network 4 Server of service company 10 CPU
11 ROM
12 RAM
13 HDD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 User interface part 15 Communication part 16 Antenna 20 Television part 21 Tuner part 22 OFDM demodulation part 23 Decoder part 30 Output part 31 Audio | voice output part 32 Image | video output part 40 Input part 41 Audio | voice input part 42 Image | video input part

Claims (9)

An information distribution system that distributes information about a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data,
The user terminal device
First recording control means for recording along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time when recording the program data received from the broadcasting station in the predetermined first recording means;
First information creating means for creating color information of a frame image specified by a frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means;
The request data for requesting the program index of the program data recorded in the first recording means includes program specifying information for specifying the program data and color information of the frame image for each frame time created by the first information creating means. First transmitting means for including and transmitting to the server device;
First receiving means for receiving a program index related to the request data transmitted by the first transmitting means from the server device;
Reproduction control means for reproducing the program data recorded in the first recording means from the frame time specified based on the comment information of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index received by the first receiving means. And comprising
The server device
A second recording control means for recording the program data of a plurality of systems to the second recording means together with the program index for each program data,
Second receiving means for receiving request data transmitted from the user terminal device;
Search means for searching program data corresponding to program specifying information included in the request data received by the receiving means from among a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means;
Based on the color information of the received frame image by the color information and the second reception means of the retrieved program data frame images by said retrieval means, a frame in the user terminal device received by the second receiving means Correction means for correcting the time axis of time;
Second information creating means for creating a program index including commentary information of a frame image at a frame time whose time axis is corrected by the correcting means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the program index created by the second information creating means to the user terminal device. 2. The user terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the first information creating means creates average color information in a plurality of frame images having different frame times in the program data recorded in the first recording means. Information distribution system described in 1. In the user terminal device, the first information creating unit detects a maximum change in average color between frames of program data recorded in the first recording unit, and obtains color information of the frame image after the maximum change. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information distribution system is created. In the user terminal device, the first information creation unit detects a frame image of a commercial part included in the program data recorded in the first recording unit, and adds a color to which information related to the detected commercial part is added. 2. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to creating information, in the server device, the correction unit performs time axis correction based on information related to the commercial part. In the user terminal device, the first recording control means, when the program index is received from the server device by the first receiving means, identifies program specifying information and program index of the corresponding program data The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein information is added to the program index and recorded in the first recording means. An information distribution system that distributes information about a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data,
The user terminal device
First recording control means for recording along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time when program data input from an external device is recorded in the predetermined first recording means;
First information creating means for creating color information of a frame image specified by a frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means;
The request data for requesting the program index of the program data recorded in the first recording means includes the color information of the frame image for each frame time created by the first information creating means, and transmits it to the server device . A transmission means;
First receiving means for receiving a program index related to the request data transmitted by the first transmitting means from the server device;
First reproduction control means for reproducing program data recorded in the first recording means from a frame time designated based on the comment information of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index received by the receiving means. And comprising
The server device
Second recording control means for recording a plurality of program data together with a program index of each program data in a predetermined second recording means;
Second receiving means for receiving request data transmitted from the user terminal device;
Based on the color information of the frame image contained in the request data received by the second receiving means from among a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means, program data corresponding to the request data is obtained. A second search means for searching;
Based on the color information of the received frame image color information of the frame image of the program data searched by said second search means and by said second receiving means, said user terminal device received by the second receiving means Correction means for correcting the time axis of the frame time in
Second information creating means for creating a program index including commentary information of a frame image at a frame time whose time axis is corrected by the correcting means;
Transmitting means for transmitting the program index created by the second information creating means to the user terminal device. The information distribution system according to claim 6, wherein the first information creating unit of the user terminal device creates average color information of frame images in the entire program data. A control program for an information distribution system that distributes information about a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data,
The control program for the user terminal device is:
A first recording step for recording along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time when recording the program data together with the program index of each program data in the first recording means;
A first creation step of creating color information of a frame image specified by a frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means;
The request data for requesting the program index of the program data recorded in the first recording means includes the program specifying information for specifying the program data and the color information of the frame image for each frame time generated by the first generating step. A first transmission step for transmitting to the server device;
A first receiving step of receiving from the server device a program index related to the request data transmitted in the first transmitting step;
A reproduction step of reproducing the program data recorded in the first recording means from a frame time designated based on the comment information of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index received by the first reception step; Run,
The control program of the server device is
A second recording step of recording a plurality of program data in the second recording means together with a program index of each program data;
A second receiving step of receiving request data transmitted from the user terminal device;
A search step for searching for program data corresponding to program specifying information included in the request data received by the second receiving step from a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means;
Based on the color information of the received frame image by the second reception step and the color information of the frame image of the program data searched by said search step, frames at the user terminal device received by the second reception step A correction step for correcting the time axis of time;
A second generating step of generating a program index including explanatory information of the frame image in the corrected frame time axis is corrected time by step,
A second transmission step of transmitting the program index created in the second creation step to the user terminal device. A control program for an information distribution system that distributes information about a broadcast program from a server device connected via a network to a user terminal device that records and reproduces program data,
The control program for the user terminal device is:
A first recording step of recording along the time axis of the frame time starting from the recording start time when recording the program data input from the external device in the first recording means;
A first creation step of creating color information of a frame image specified by a frame time in the program data recorded in the first recording means;
The first transmission for transmitting to the server device the request data for requesting the program index of the program data recorded in the first recording means including the color information of the frame image for each frame time created by the first creation step. Steps,
A first receiving step of receiving from the server device a program index related to the request data transmitted in the first transmitting step;
A reproduction step of reproducing the program data recorded in the first recording means from a frame time designated based on the comment information of the frame image at the frame time included in the program index received by the first reception step; Run,
The control program of the server device is
A first step of recording plural series of program data together with a program index of each program data in the second recording means;
A second receiving step of receiving request data transmitted from the user terminal device;
Based on the color information of the frame image included in the request data received by the second receiving step from among a plurality of program data recorded in the second recording means, program data corresponding to the request data is obtained. A search step to search ;
Based on the color information of the received frame image by the second reception step and the color information of the frame image of the program data searched by said search step, frames at the user terminal device received by the second reception step A correction step for correcting the time axis of time;
A second generating step of generating a program index including explanatory information of the frame image in the corrected frame time axis is corrected time by step,
A second transmission step of transmitting the program index created in the second creation step to the user terminal device.

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