JP6400783B2 - Broadcast receiving apparatus, receiving method, and transmitting method - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a broadcast receiver, a reception method, and a transmission method.

  In recent years, development of a system aiming at fusion of broadcasting using radio waves (broadcast signals) and communication using the Internet has been progressing, and attempts to provide more advanced broadcasting communication services have been made. One example of such a system is Hybridcast (registered trademark). If this system is used, it is possible to use and realize both the broadcast property of broadcasting and the individual correspondence of communication on one content. For example, instead of conventional data broadcasting for the purpose of transmitting digital data, program-related additional information and application information linked to the contents of the broadcast program are transmitted via the Internet and synthesized on the broadcast screen, so that SNS ( New forms of broadcasting that are linked to Internet services such as Social Networking Service are being realized.

  By the way, in data distribution using broadcast signals, even if the number of broadcast receiving devices increases, there is no effect on the data transmission side. However, in data distribution using communication such as the Internet, data increases as the number of broadcast receiving devices increases. The capacity of the distribution server needs to be increased. In particular, when information is provided in conjunction with broadcasting, there is a problem that access to the data distribution server is concentrated from a broadcast receiving apparatus that receives the same program simultaneously with the start of the program, resulting in network congestion. In such a system, measures to avoid concentration of access are important.

  Therefore, in order to avoid the problem of access concentration as described above, by transmitting information of a plurality of servers that are connection destinations by broadcast signals, by selecting one server that is a connection destination on the broadcast receiving device side, A technique is disclosed that makes it possible to distribute servers as connection destinations.

JP 2006-148563 A

  However, in the prior art, it is possible to avoid concentration of access to one server, but since the communication amount of the entire network at a specific time does not change, the load on the network does not decrease so much and congestion occurs. Probability is high. In the prior art, when data acquisition requests are generated all at once, such as when a program is switched, it is necessary to prepare a number of servers that can cope with the number of accesses that occur instantaneously simultaneously.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to greatly reduce the number of data acquisition requests to be processed at the same time, and to reduce the processing capacity of the server, and An object of the present invention is to provide a reception method and a transmission method.

The broadcast receiving apparatus according to the embodiment is a broadcast receiving apparatus that receives broadcast signals related to various programs and is network-connected to a server for providing an application associated with the program. The broadcast receiving apparatus can receive a broadcast signal and includes a tuner unit, a network interface, and a display unit. The broadcast signal is supplied to the tuner unit, and an application can be acquired from a server on the network via the network interface. The application is displayed on the display unit in conjunction with a broadcast program, and the application is designated. The application information to be executed is included in the broadcast signal. When the application is automatically activated, the application information of the application to be executed next is transmitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a signal processing system of a digital television broadcast receiver according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram exemplarily showing processing operations in the application downloader. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing operations in the application downloader. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a notebook PC according to a modification.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a signal processing system of a digital television broadcast receiver 11 according to an embodiment. The digital television broadcast receiver 11 (referred to as the digital television 11) not only displays a video based on a video signal for normal planar view (two-dimensional) display but also displays stereoscopically (three-dimensionally). It is also possible to perform video display based on the video signal for use.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a digital television 11 as a broadcast receiving device supplies a digital television broadcast signal received by an antenna 12 to a tuner unit 14 via an input terminal 13, thereby broadcasting a desired channel. The signal can be selected.

  The digital television 11 supplies the demodulator 15 with the broadcast signal selected by the tuner 14 and demodulates it. The descrambler 16 decrypts the encryption as necessary, and then sends it to the demultiplexer 17. Output. The separation (Demux) unit 17 separates the broadcast signal output from the descrambler unit 16 for each type, and outputs the separated video signal and audio signal to the video / audio decoder 18.

  The video / audio decoder 18 decodes the separated video signal and audio signal, outputs the video signal to the synthesis processing unit 19, and outputs the audio signal to the audio processing unit 20.

  Among these, the synthesis processing unit 19 superimposes and outputs video data or image data input via the browser 21 described later on the video signal supplied from the video / audio decoder 18.

  The digital television 11 supplies the video signal output from the synthesis processing unit 19 to the video processing unit 22. The video processing unit 22 converts the input video signal into an analog video signal in a format that can be displayed on a flat-type video display unit 23 having, for example, a liquid crystal display panel. The digital television 11 supplies the analog video signal output from the video processing unit 22 to the video display unit 23 for video display.

  The audio processing unit 20 converts the input audio signal into an analog audio signal in a format that can be reproduced by the speaker 24 at the subsequent stage. The analog audio signal output from the audio processing unit 20 is supplied to the speaker 24 for audio reproduction.

  In addition to the video signal and the audio signal, the broadcast signal includes program related information (SI / PSI) such as media information and program information. The program related information (SI / PSI) is separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17, interpreted by the SI / PSI acquisition unit 25, and stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory) 26.

  Further, application information related to an application executed on the digital television 11 is superimposed on the broadcast signal. The application information is separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 and output to the application downloader 27. That is, the demodulator 15 and the demultiplexer 17 function as information receiving means.

  The application downloader 27 functions as a download execution unit, downloads an application from the server 30 on the network 29 via the network interface 28 in accordance with the application information separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17, and the RAM 26 or Record in FlashMemory 31.

  The application is described in, for example, HTML. Examples of applications include applications that display L-shaped screens or inverted U-shaped screens that display caption information on broadcast screens in the event of national elections or natural disasters (typhoons, earthquakes, floods, etc.). It is done. In addition, as an application, there is an application for displaying a list of information posted by general viewers on SNS (Social Networking Service) or the like in relation to the broadcast screen as well as information created by a broadcasting station as in the previous example. Can be mentioned.

  The application recorded in the RAM 26 or the FlashMemory 31 is executed on the browser 21 in accordance with a user instruction or a start condition described in the application information, and is superimposed on a video signal supplied from the video / audio decoder 18 as video data or image data. The

  Here, the digital television 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 32 that comprehensively controls all the operations including the various reception operations described above. The CPU 32 constitutes a control unit 33 together with the above-described RAM 26 and FlashMemory 31 storing a control program executed by the CPU 32.

  Further, the above-described network interface 28 is connected to the control unit 33. The network interface 28 is connected to an external network 29 via an input / output terminal (not shown). The network 29 is connected to a server 30 for providing various applications using a communication function via the network 29. For this reason, the control unit 33 can use the application provided there by accessing the server 30 via the network interface 28 and the network 29 to perform information communication.

Next, a transmission method of application information using broadcast signals will be described. The application information includes the following information. In addition, it is not restricted to this, You may include other information.
-Application name: Name used to identify the application-Icon: Icon image representing the application-Application acquisition means: Application acquisition destination (eg, Internet, etc.)
-Application position: Location of file acquired by URI-Application execution time: Scheduled time to execute application-Application end time: Scheduled time to terminate application-Application start condition: Automatic start or manual start

  The application execution time and the application end time can be converted into each other even if they are expressed by the execution time and the duration time.

  Furthermore, for simplification of processing, it is possible to provide a flag indicating whether the application pointed to by the application information can be executed at present. However, since the above application execution time / application end time and current time can be used, It is not used in this embodiment.

  As a transmission method of the application information by a broadcast signal, a method using an AIT table in a TS stream, an AIT information is expressed using an XML format (XML-AIT), and a carousel (DSM-CC: Digital Storage) being broadcast is used. There are a method of transmitting an XML-AIT file using Media-Command and Control (server-terminal control protocol), and a method of acquiring an XML-AIT file from the server 30 on the network 29. When expressed in the AIT table, the above information is expressed in the form of a descriptor.

  In the present embodiment, transmission of application information is defined as follows regardless of the transmission method described above. If there is an application to be executed at the current time, the application information is superimposed on the broadcast signal and transmitted. If there is an application to be executed next, the application information is also continuously superimposed on the broadcast signal. To transmit. In addition, since it is a case where an application is automatically started when the possibility of simultaneous access to a server is high, the application information of the application to be executed next may be transmitted only when the application execution condition is automatic start. . The transmission of application information using a broadcast signal is repeated at regular intervals.

  Next, an algorithm for the application downloader 27 to download an application will be described. When the application downloader 27 receives the application information separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17, the application downloader 27 attempts to download the application from the server 30 on the network 29 via the network interface 28.

  Here, the application downloader 27 gives priority to the download of the application based on the application information corresponding to the application to be executed at the current time among the received plurality of application information, or the application information corresponding to the application to be executed next. Determine whether to prioritize application download based on the following policy.

(1) Immediately after power-on or after channel change Here, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram exemplarily showing processing operations in the application downloader 27. As shown in FIG. 2, the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 includes application information corresponding to the application to be executed at the current time and application information corresponding to the application to be executed next. And are included. According to the example shown in FIG. 2, during execution of the application A, application information a corresponding to the application A to be executed at the current time and application information b corresponding to the application B to be executed next are included. ing. Here, the application B to be executed next is an application related to a program broadcast on the same channel as that of the program related to the application A and following the program.

  As shown in FIG. 2, after the digital television 11 is started or the channel is changed, the application downloader 27 uses the application information b and application corresponding to the application B from the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17. Application information c corresponding to C is acquired.

  Next, the application downloader 27 extracts the application end time (t) from the application information b corresponding to the application B that is executed the earliest in time. Then, the application downloader 27 obtains the remaining time t−n from the current time (n) to the application end time (t).

  As shown in Example 1 of FIG. 2, the application downloader 27 moves the application B on the network 29 when the remaining time t−n is longer than the predetermined download determination reference time T (t−n> T). Download from server 30.

  On the other hand, as shown in Example 2 of FIG. 2, the application downloader 27 transmits the application C to the network 29 when the remaining time t−n is shorter than the predetermined download determination reference time T (tn <T). Download from the server 30 above.

  As a result, even if an application is downloaded, if the execution time of the application is short and it is necessary to immediately start downloading the next application, the previous application download is canceled and the number of downloads is limited to one. Therefore, the load on the server 30 can be reduced.

(2) When the application reaches the application end time during viewing The application downloader 27 acquires the application start time of the application to be executed next to the application being executed at the current time from the application information, and determines a predetermined time from the application start time. Set a schedule to start downloading the next application as soon as possible. Here, the predetermined time is determined according to a uniform random number within a period from a predetermined maximum preparation time to an application end time.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent the access from the digital television 11 to the server 30 from being concentrated at a time when the application changes such as the end of the viewing program.

  Next, the processing operation in the application downloader 27 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the application downloader 27 determines whether or not the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 has been acquired from the broadcast signal (step S1). In the case of using the method of acquiring the XML-AIT file from the server 30 on the network 29, the application information is acquired from the server 30 at regular intervals.

  Hereinafter, the application executed first in time is called application A, and the application executed after that is called application B. In the present embodiment, as described above, the application information of the application to be executed now and the application information of the application to be executed next are continuously transmitted. In this case, the application to be executed is the application A. The application to be executed next is application B. When there is no application to be executed at present, the application to be executed next is application A.

  If the application downloader 27 determines that the application information (AIT) has been acquired (Yes in step S1), the application downloader 27 determines whether the application information is newly acquired (step S2). For example, this determination means can be realized by setting a flag in association with each piece of application information acquired at the time of stream reception, and clearing the flag for the application information determined to be newly acquired in step S2. Is possible.

  If the application downloader 27 determines that the application information is newly acquired (Yes in step S2), the application downloader 27 determines that the digital television 11 has just been turned on or has just changed the channel, and proceeds to step S3. Is determined not to be a new acquisition (No in step S2), the process proceeds to step S9.

  In step S3, the application downloader 27 acquires the application end time t from the application information a corresponding to the application A. Thereafter, the application downloader 27 has a difference time (t−n) between the application end time t and the current time n smaller than a predetermined download determination reference time T (for example, 60 seconds) (Yes in step S4). If the next application, that is, application B has not been downloaded or if download has not been reserved (No in step S5), application B is downloaded (step S6).

  The application download method downloads the page (including the image) indicated by the URL specified in the application information. However, the download may be performed by tracing the downloaded page. Further, the download destination of the application is downloaded to the RAM 26, the FlashMemory 31, or the like. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to directly read the URL with the browser 21 and hide it until the execution time.

  In addition, the application downloader 27 has a time difference (t−n) between the application end time t and the current time n smaller than a predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds) (step S4). If the download of the next application, that is, the application B has been completed (Yes in step S5), the processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if the time (t−n) between the application end time t and the current time n is greater than the predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds), the application downloader 27 (step). If the current application, that is, application A has not been downloaded or if download has not been reserved (No in step S7), application A is downloaded (step S8).

  In addition, the application downloader 27 has a time difference (t−n) between the application end time t and the current time n greater than a predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds) (step S4). No), if the download of the current application, that is, the application A has been completed (Yes in step S7), the processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if the application downloader 27 determines that the application information is not newly acquired (No in step S2), the application corresponding to the application information, that is, the application A that is executed earlier in time is executed at the current time. (Step S9).

  Specifically, the application downloader 27 determines that execution is possible if there is a current time between the application execution time and the application end time included in the application information a corresponding to the application A.

  If the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is in the execution time at the current time (Yes in step S9) and the application A is not downloaded (No in step S10), the application downloader 27 downloads the application A ( Step S11), application A is executed (step S12). Although omitted in the flowchart, when the application A is already being executed, it is not executed twice.

  If the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is in execution time at the current time (Yes in step S9), and the application A has already been downloaded (Yes in step S10), the application A Is executed (step S12).

  On the other hand, if the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is not in the execution time at the current time (No in step S9), and the application A has already been downloaded (Yes in step S13), the process is performed as it is. Exit.

  In addition, when the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is not in the execution time at the current time (No in step S9), and the application A has not been downloaded or the download has not been reserved ( If the application reaches the scheduled end time of the application during viewing, the download is performed early so that the access is not concentrated on the server 30.

  That is, when the application A has not been downloaded (No in step S13), the application downloader 27 generates a uniform random number in the [0, M] interval, where M is a predetermined maximum preparation time. T ′ (step S14), and the application start time of the next application B is T ′ (step S15). Then, a schedule is reserved so as to start downloading at the time T′-t ′ (step S16).

  If the application information transmission interval is sufficiently long, the download timing can be determined by adding a delay time (which is shorter than the application transmission interval) with a uniform random number.

  In the present embodiment, when the power is turned on or when the viewer changes the channel, it is determined whether or not the application information separated from the broadcast signal by the separation (Demux) unit 17 is newly acquired (Step S1). S2) When the broadcast screen is not displayed, or when the digital television 11 has a plurality of tuner sections 14, the unused tuner sections 14 are used to set channels (such as viewable channels) set in advance. Tuning is performed, and the application is downloaded according to the algorithm of FIG.

  This eliminates the need to download the application when the power is turned on or when the channel is changed, so that the application can be started up quickly. In addition, in the case of digital terrestrial broadcasting, the program information described in the EIT (Event Information Table) is acquired in order to obtain program information instead of tuning to preset channels (viewable channels, etc.) for the purpose of downloading applications. Since tuning is being performed, the application may be downloaded simultaneously with the acquisition of program information from such an EIT.

  Thus, according to the broadcast receiving apparatus of the embodiment, before broadcasting a program that is not broadcast at the current time, broadcast from the server 30 according to the start time included in the application information related to the application corresponding to the program before the broadcast. Since the application corresponding to the previous program is downloaded, the application of the program before broadcasting can be acquired in advance, so that the access time from the broadcast receiving apparatus to the server 30 is shifted and distributed. Therefore, the number of requests to be processed at the same time can be greatly reduced as compared with the prior art, and the processing capability of the server 30 can be kept low.

  In addition, according to the broadcast receiving apparatus of the embodiment, since the viewer 30 accesses the server 30 using the timing when the channel is switched, the acquisition time can be randomized.

  In addition, according to the broadcast receiving apparatus of the embodiment, even when the same channel is continuously viewed, the acquisition time can be dispersed by acquiring at random within a certain range of time before the end of the program.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the broadcast receiving apparatus is applied to the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus 11 has been described. However, for example, the broadcast receiving apparatus can be applied to an HDD recorder, a tuner, a set top box, and the like. it can.

  In addition, a notebook portable computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC) can be applied as the broadcast receiving apparatus.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the notebook PC 100. As shown in FIG. 4, the notebook PC 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 that performs information processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102 that is a read-only memory that stores BIOS, and a RAM that stores various data in a rewritable manner. (Random Access Memory) 103, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 104 that functions as various databases and stores various programs, and storage medium 110 for storing information, distributing information outside, and obtaining information from outside A medium drive device 105 such as a DVD drive for communication, a communication control device 106 for communicating information with other external computers via a network 29, an LCD (Liquid Crystal) for displaying processing progress and results to the user Display) 107 such as Display) and the user inputs commands and information to the CPU 101 An input device 108 such as a keyboard or pointing device for receiving power, a broadcast receiving unit 111 for receiving video content (TV program) broadcast from a selected broadcast station via an antenna or cable (not shown), an IPTV server ( An IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) connection unit 112 serving as a broadcast receiving means and an audio output unit 113 are connected to the bus controller 109. Data transmitted and received between these units is transmitted to the bus controller 109. Operates with mediation.

  In such a notebook PC 100, when the user turns on the power, the CPU 101 activates a program called a loader in the ROM 102, loads a program for managing the hardware and software of an OS (Operating System) from the HDD 104 into the RAM 103, and Start the OS. Such an OS activates a program, reads information, and stores information in accordance with a user operation. As a representative OS, Windows (registered trademark) and the like are known. These operation programs running on the OS are called application software. Note that the application software is not limited to one that runs on a predetermined OS, but may be one that causes the OS to execute some of the various processes described below, or constitutes predetermined application software or OS. It may be included as part of a group of program files.

  Here, the notebook PC 100 stores a broadcast reception program in the HDD 104 as application software. In this sense, the HDD 104 functions as a storage medium that stores the broadcast reception program.

  In general, application software installed in the HDD 104 of the notebook PC 100 stores various optical disks such as DVDs, various magnetic disks such as various magneto-optical disks and flexible disks, and various types of media such as semiconductor memories. The operation program recorded on the medium 110 and recorded on the storage medium 110 is installed in the HDD 104. Therefore, the portable storage medium 110 such as an optical information recording medium such as a DVD or a magnetic medium such as an FD can also be a storage medium for storing application software. Furthermore, the application software may be imported from the external network 29 via the communication control device 106 and installed in the HDD 104, for example.

  The broadcast reception program executed on the notebook PC 100 includes the above-described units (demodulation unit 15, descrambler unit 16, demux unit 17, video / audio decoder 18, synthesis processing unit 19, audio processing unit 20, browser 21, The module configuration includes a video processing unit 22, an SI / PSI acquisition unit 25, and an application downloader 27). As actual hardware, the CPU 101 reads a program from the storage medium and executes the program so that each unit is stored on the RAM 103. , Demodulator 15, descrambler 16, demultiplexer 17, video / audio decoder 18, synthesis processor 19, audio processor 20, browser 21, video processor 22, SI / PSI acquisition unit 25. The application downloader 27 is generated on the RAM 103.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

11, 100 Broadcast receiving device 15, 17 Information receiving means 27 Download executing means 29 Network 30 Server

Claims (3)

In a broadcast receiver capable of receiving broadcast signals,
The broadcast receiving apparatus has a tuner unit, a network interface, and a display unit,
The broadcast signal is supplied to the tuner unit,
An application can be acquired from a server on the network via the network interface,
The application is displayed on the display unit in conjunction with a broadcast program,
Application information specifying the application is included in the broadcast signal,
A broadcast receiving apparatus to which the application information of an application to be executed next is transmitted when the application is automatically activated. In a receiving method for receiving and displaying a broadcast signal,
Application information is included in the broadcast signal,
The application specified by the application information is displayed in conjunction with the broadcast program,
The application is obtained from a server on the network,
A reception method in which the application information of an application to be executed next is transmitted when the application is automatically started. In a broadcast signal transmission method including application information,
The application specified by the application information is displayed in conjunction with the broadcast program,
The application is obtained from a server on the network,
A transmission method for transmitting the application information of an application to be executed next when the application is automatically started.

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