JPH07240905A - Television broadcasting system and receiver for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To identify whether a signal under viewing at present is a broadcasting signal under broadcast at present or not by broadcasting data while adding a pilot signal showing the dual sound of a multiplex sound signal to the data when broadcasting the data while multiplexing them to a main broadcasting signal. CONSTITUTION:In the case of a two-way television program, a switch 6a is turned on and corresponding to a control signal S1 from a control signal generating part 3, a data multiplex switch circuit 4a is changed over to the side of a data generating part 1 only during a prescribed horizontal block in the vertical blanking period of a video signal from a video signal generating part 2a. Then, two-way program related information from the data generating part 1 is multiplexed. On the other hand, a switch 4d is turned on corresponding to a control signal S3 from the control signal generating part 3, the dual sound pilot signal is supplied to a TV signal forming part 4b an a TV signal, for which the related information of the two-way program is multiplexed to the video signal, is formed and transmitted. Therefore, whether or not it is the TV broadcasting under broadcasting at present can be identified by detecting the pilot signal showing dual sound at the time of receiving the two-way program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a television broadcasting system and a receiving apparatus for multiplexing sub-broadcasting information such as related information of interactive programs on a main broadcasting signal for broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a television receiver having a video input terminal and an audio input terminal as external input terminals, a user selects an input by, for example, a remote control operation to switch between a television broadcast input mode and a VTR input mode. You can Thus, from the external input terminal to VT
In the case of inputting a reproduction signal such as R to switch the input mode, is the program currently being viewed on the television receiver the one currently being broadcast by the tuner of the own device, or the VTR? The control unit can naturally recognize and identify whether the video signal is reproduced from the video signal.

However, as in the case of a television receiver without a video input terminal, the reproduced video signal of the VTR is
When the RF converter converts an RF signal of an empty channel of the television receiver into an antenna input of the television receiver, it is possible to identify whether or not the signal currently being viewed is a television signal being broadcast. No, and no reliable method is provided.

[0004]

As described above, the reproduction signal of the VTR is converted to the R of the empty channel by the RF converter.
In the case of converting to an F signal and using it as an antenna input, it is necessary for the viewer to be aware of whether or not the program being viewed is currently being broadcast, which is annoying for the viewer himself. .

By the way, in television shopping, questionnaire surveys, viewer participation type quiz programs, etc., the reception telephone number for the response is displayed on the screen by superimposing for a proper time on the television broadcasting side. Interactive television broadcasting has been proposed in which the response from the viewer is made by telephone or facsimile.

For example, in interactive television broadcasting, which is being tested in North America, as a method of providing viewers with information such as a return telephone number required for a response, the information includes bitmap data and the like. Since the amount is huge, in most cases, a method of multiplexing by a character multiplexing system and broadcasting in a vacant horizontal period of a vertical blanking period of a video signal is adopted.

For example, this interactive television program is recorded by a VTR, and when the recorded interactive program is reproduced and watched, for example, one week after the end of broadcasting, the viewer can record this interactive program. When a response operation is performed in response to a response request such as a question provided by the interactive program, the interactive broadcast receiving device starts a reply transmission operation for returning response information to the broadcasting station side. I will end up.

However, in response to a response request such as a question provided to a viewer by an interactive television program, a response is returned.
Usually, it is often effective within the broadcast time of the interactive program. That is, the response request provided by the past interactive program recorded by the VTR disappears when the interactive program becomes a past one, and the immediacy thereof disappears, and the response of the viewer to the response request is effective. There is no sex.

Therefore, the response operation performed by the viewer to the response request provided by the past interactive program recorded by the VTR is meaningless. Then, the reply operation of the response information from the receiving device of the two-way broadcast based on the response operation through the telephone line becomes useless, and the telephone charge is also charged wastefully.

Therefore, it is important for the receiving apparatus of the interactive television broadcast signal to accurately identify whether or not the signal currently being viewed is the television broadcast signal being broadcast.

In view of the above, the present invention determines whether or not the signal currently being viewed is the currently broadcasting signal in the broadcasting and receiving of the broadcasting signal such as interactive television broadcasting where the immediacy is important. It is an object of the present invention to provide a broadcasting system and a receiving device thereof that can surely identify whether or not it is.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a television broadcasting system according to the present invention is a television broadcasting system in which data is multiplexed as a sub-broadcast signal on a main broadcasting signal, and the data is broadcast on the main broadcasting signal. A feature of the present invention is that when the signal is multiplexed and broadcast, a pilot signal indicating a double voice among pilot signals of the voice multiplexed signal is added and broadcast.

Further, in the television broadcast signal receiving apparatus according to the present invention, corresponding to the reference numerals of the embodiments described later, the television broadcast in which the bidirectional program related information is multiplexed with the main broadcast signal as the sub broadcast signal. Receiving means 21 for receiving a signal, separating means 31 for separating the interactive program related information multiplexed in the received broadcast signal, and reproducing means 300 for reproducing the separated interactive program related information. Receiving the supply of the received broadcast signal, detecting an audio multiplex pilot signal and decoding the audio multiplex signal, an audio multiplex decoding unit 23, an input unit 33 for inputting information on a response to a two-way broadcast program, Transmission means 30 and 300 for transmitting the information of the response input by the input means via a telephone line, In, characterized in that which enables only the transmission of information of the response when it detects a pilot signal indicating a duplex voice.

[0014]

In general, when a television broadcast signal is recorded by a VTR and the voice is a multiple voice, only two channels are recorded, and the voice-multiplexed pilot signal is not recorded as it is. However, since the number of channels is two, it is also considered to supply a pilot signal indicating the two-channel stereo to the television receiver. However, the pilot signal indicating the dual voice is not included in the VTR reproduction signal or the laser disc player reproduction signal.

By utilizing this point, the present invention adds a pilot signal indicating a double voice when a broadcasting station side forms and transmits a broadcasting signal of an interactive broadcasting program whose immediacy is important. And broadcast.

Therefore, the above-mentioned broadcast signal receiving apparatus detects whether or not the pilot signal indicating the double sound is added to the input television signal being viewed, and when the pilot signal indicating the double sound is detected. First, the signal is identified as a broadcast signal currently being broadcast.

Then, based on this identification, for example, VT
When viewing an interactive television program recorded by R and played after the broadcast ends, if the viewer erroneously responds to the currently broadcast program, the viewer is warned by the display or voice. . Further, even if the viewer makes an erroneous response operation as described above, control is performed so that the reception device does not start the response information transmission operation.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a broadcasting signal broadcasting method and its receiving apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the interactive television broadcasting of this embodiment will be described. In two-way television broadcasting, a broadcasting station transmits a multiplex television signal that multiplexes various information to be described later, so that a viewer who receives this multiplex television signal can send a response request such as a question and response information. It provides information about the input procedure for entering and reply destination.

In response to the provided response request, the viewer of the interactive television broadcast executes an input operation such as selecting an option for a question based on an input procedure for inputting response information, which will be described later. Create information for such a response.
The created response information can be transmitted to the reply destination on the broadcast station side via the telephone line in real time together with the interactive television broadcast that provided the response request. Further, the information of the response from the viewer is transmitted based on the information regarding the reply destination provided by the multiplex television signal of the interactive television broadcast, and the information about the reply destination multiplexed in the multiplex television signal is transmitted. Automatic dialing can be realized by using the telephone number.

The interactive television broadcasting may be applied to a broadcasting program in which the response from the viewer such as a quiz program, a television shopping, a television auction, and a questionnaire survey needs immediacy for the television broadcasting.

In the interactive television broadcasting used in this embodiment, various information provided to the viewer side is multiplexed during the vertical blanking period (vertical blanking period) of the video signal. FIG. 4 shows an example of the data format of the program-related information as the sub-broadcast information of the interactive television broadcast that is multiplexed in the vertical blanking period of the video signal.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 80 denotes the entire video signal, which is composed of a video signal section 80a and a vertical blanking period 80b. Multiple data 80 that is program-related information
c is an unused 1 of the vertical blanking period 80b.
Up to 4 horizontal scanning periods. The multiplexed data 80c is
It is like a block of a program, and as shown in FIG. 4, it is not possible to superimpose the vertical blanking period for one field alone, and a series of multiplexed data is superposed over the vertical blanking period of a plurality of fields. There is also.

Next, the format of the data multiplexed on the television signal will be described. The data 80c is
The whole program-related information multiplexed in the video signal is shown.
The data 80c is roughly divided into time information 81, selection procedure information 82, reply destination information 83, and remarks 84, and the selection procedure information 82 and reply destination information 83 are further divided into more detailed information.

The time information 81 is time data updated for each field. N currently used in Japan
In TSC television broadcasting, a television signal of 60 fields is transmitted per second, and time information can be transmitted with an accuracy of 1/60 second unit. Further, since the time information 81 is unique information for each field, it can be always multiplexed in the broadcast signal or can be multiplexed only when necessary.

The accuracy of the time information is 1/30 second unit,
When the unit of 1/20 second is sufficient, the time information 81 can be added to each predetermined field such as multiplexing every two fields or every three fields. Further, as described above, even when the data can be multiplexed in only one vertical blanking period, only the time information 81 is multiplexed in each vertical blanking period so that the time accuracy is not degraded. You can also

The selection procedure information 82 is like a block of one program. For interactive television viewers,
The information is information that prompts a selection operation or controls the viewer's selection operation.

When the selection result is transmitted, the selection procedure identification information 82a is added to the reply information and transmitted, so that the selection result is for which question, which questionnaire item, and which quiz question. This is an identifier for determining whether or not it is. Without this information, it is not possible to determine which response request the data returned late is for.

The selection procedure 82b is a program showing the selection procedure to the viewer of the interactive television. Specifically, a menu (consisting of image display, character string display, moving image display, etc.) requesting the viewer's selection operation is displayed on the screen of the television receiver, and the selection procedure is shown and Accepted selection operation. Furthermore, for the selection operation,
Inverted display or blinking display of the selected option,
It is a program that performs processing such as displaying a message such as "end selection operation" on the screen. In addition to the screen display, voice may be used together.

The display / audio data 82c is the selection procedure 82.
Data such as graphics, animations, fonts, moving images, or sounds used in b. It is called and used during the execution of the program described in the selection procedure 82b.

The timeout information 82b is automatically discontinued on the receiver side when no operation is performed in response to the valid time of reply to the selected content displayed by the identifier and the menu display requesting the selection operation. When you do, the time-out time until it is stopped is set.

In the reply destination information 83, the reply destination information of the response information generated by the selection operation performed by the viewer of the interactive television broadcast and the communication environment information are set.

The communication setting information 83a is information relating to communication environment setting such as communication speed at the time of reply, presence / absence of execution of check method such as parity check, setting of protocol type, mode of modem, etc. Based on the information specified in, the environment for sending response information from the viewer is prepared.

The telephone number 83b is the telephone number of the reply destination. Since the telephone number is present, the viewer does not have to perform the dial operation one by one, and the automatic dial is executed by a simple start operation, and You can connect the telephone line with.

Other 82c, Other 83c, Remarks 84
Is provided in consideration of future expandability and is normally unused, but it is also possible to set necessary data at each time.

Next, the information of the response transmitted from the viewer side to the reply destination on the broadcast station side via the telephone line will be described. FIG. 5 shows an example of the format of the response information. The information 90 of the response from the viewer is roughly composed of reply data identification information 91, check data 92, reply data 93, reply destination ID information 94, and reply data end code 95.

The reply data identification information 91 responds as an identifier for discriminating whether the transmitted data is the information of the response from the viewer or the other access at the reply destination on the broadcasting station side. Is located at the beginning of the information.

The check data 92 is for matching whether the data has not changed in response information at the time of transmission from the viewer due to transmission failure or noise, and is consistent with the data length 92a. It is composed of check data 92b. The data length 92a indicates the length of data in the defined data format.
The consistency check data includes parity check and CRC.
This is data for checking used for (redundancy code check) and the like.

The reply data 93 is the selection procedure identification information 93.
a, selection result information 93b, and the selection result information 93b includes selection item information b1 and viewer input data b.
2, the selection operation occurrence time b3, and other b4.

The selection procedure identification information 93a is used to determine which menu and which response request the response information transmitted from the viewer side is. As a result, even if the transmission is delayed due to the state of the telephone line or the like, it is possible to determine which menu and which response information the response request has.

The selection item information b1 is information indicating a menu or response request item finally selected by the viewer. The viewer input data b2 is data input by the viewer through a selection operation or the like. The selection operation occurrence time b3 is
This is the time when the user actually performs a response operation (selection operation) on the interactive program using the remote control commander 33, so that in a quick-press quiz or the like, the viewer does not actually respond to the response information but reaches the reply destination. The time when the selection operation is performed can be determined.

The reply source ID 94 is identification information unique to the viewer, such as the manufacturing number of the television signal receiving device and the viewer's telephone number. By this, the viewer who transmitted the response information can be specified. Is something that can be done. In addition,
The reply source ID is registered in advance in the database of the reply destination by the viewer.

The return data end code 95 is a code indicating the end of the response information.

As described above, the interactive television broadcast provides a response request such as a question to an unspecified number of viewers by the broadcast of the interactive program, and the input procedure of the information of the response to the response request and the Information designating the destination of the response information is also multiplexed and provided to the television signal.

Then, in the receiving device which has received the interactive television program, the data multiplexed with the television signal is extracted and provided to the viewer. However,
Even when recorded by the VTR, the interactive program related information is included in the vertical blanking period as it is, and even when the recorded interactive TV broadcast program is reproduced,
The data multiplexed in the television signal is extracted and provided to the viewer as in the case of receiving the interactive television broadcast during the broadcast.

Therefore, when a viewer who views a program by the reproduction signal of the interactive television broadcast recorded by the VTR inputs a response to the response request provided by the reproduction by the VTR, the telephone line is meaningless. It becomes possible to transmit the response information via the.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the television program being viewed is of the television signal currently being broadcast, by using the dual audio pilot signal of the audio multiplex signal. On the device side, the viewer can be surely identified without being aware of it.

Embodiments of the television broadcasting system and the receiving apparatus thereof according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of an embodiment of a television broadcasting system according to the present invention, and shows a main function as a device for generating and transmitting a television broadcasting signal as a block.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 comprises a data generator 1, a signal generator 2, a control signal generator 3, a television signal generator 4,
It is composed of a transmitter 5 and a switcher 6. The data generator 1 is a data generator that generates the program related information for the above-mentioned interactive television program that is multiplexed in the vertical blanking period of the video signal, and generates the data as shown in FIG. It is supplied to the television signal generation unit 4.

The signal generating section 2 is composed of a video signal generating section 2a and an audio signal generating section 2b. The video signal generator 2a generates a video signal such as an output from a television camera, and supplies the video signal to the television signal generator 4. In addition, the audio signal generator 2
b converts a voice or the like collected by, for example, a microphone into a voice signal and supplies the voice signal to the television signal generation unit 4.

In the case of this example, the audio signal generator 2b can generate the main audio signal (M) and the sub audio signal (S) so as to perform the audio multiplex broadcasting. When it is not audio multiplex broadcasting, the audio signal generation unit 2b supplies only the main audio signal to the television signal formation unit 4b. Further, in the case of audio multiplex broadcasting, depending on the control signal Sa from the control signal generator 3 to be described later, which indicates stereo or dual audio, in the case of stereo broadcasting, the sum signal of the left and right channels as the main audio signal. (L + R), a left / right channel difference signal (LR) is generated as a sub audio signal, and in the case of dual audio broadcasting, the first audio signal (for example, Japanese audio signal) and the sub audio are used as the main audio signals. A second audio signal (for example, a foreign language audio signal) is generated as a signal.

The control signal generator 3 receives a signal from the switcher 6 which will be described later, and controls signals Sa, S1, for controlling the multiplexing of the program-related information on the video signal and the multiplexing of the audio.
S2 and S3 are formed, and the switch circuits 4a and 4c of the audio signal generator 2b and the television signal generator 4 to be described later are formed.
Supply to 4d.

The television signal generator 4 includes a data multiplex switch circuit 4a, a television signal generator 4b,
Stereo pilot signal switch circuit 4c, dual voice pilot signal switch circuit 4d, stereo pilot signal generator 4e, dual voice pilot signal generator 4
and f.

The data multiplex switch circuit 4a supplies either the data from the data generating section 1 or the video signal from the video signal generating section 2a to the television signal forming section 4b. Is switched by the control signal S1 from S., and the process of multiplexing the bidirectional program data in a predetermined horizontal section of the vertical blanking period of the video signal is performed.

Stereo pilot signal generator 4e generates a pilot signal indicating stereo sound, and dual voice pilot signal generator 4f generates a pilot signal indicating dual sound. The stereo pilot signal is supplied to the television signal forming unit 4b via the switch circuit 4c, and the dual audio pilot signal is supplied to the television signal forming unit 4b via the switch circuit 4d.

The switch circuit 4c and the switch circuit 4d are on / off controlled by control signals S2 and S3 from the control signal generator 3, and a stereo pilot signal or a dual audio signal is supplied to the audio multiplex television signal forming unit. Switches between supplying and not supplying the pilot signal.

The television signal forming section 4b receives a video signal, data to be multiplexed on the video signal, a main audio signal, a sub audio signal, and a pilot signal indicating audio multiplexing, and forms a television signal.

The transmitter 5 transmits the formed television signal as a broadcast signal. The method of transmission from the transmission unit 5 is not limited to the case of transmission as broadcast radio waves, but CA
A method of transmitting via a TV cable or a case of hygiene broadcasting may be used.

The switcher 6 gives a trigger for the execution of data multiplex, audio multiplex stereo audio, and dual audio, which are program-related information of bidirectional broadcasting, and when they are respectively executed, the respective switches are turned on. To be
The switch 6a is turned on when broadcasting a two-way program, the switch 6b is turned on for voice-multiplexed stereo sound, and the switch 6c is turned on for voice-multiplexed dual sound.

Next, the operation of the apparatus for forming and transmitting the television signal having the above-mentioned structure will be described. When it is neither an interactive program nor a multiplex audio broadcast, the switches 6a, 6b, 6c are all turned off. At this time, the switch circuit 4a is always switched to the video signal generating section 2a side, and only the main audio signal is supplied from the audio signal generating section 2b to the television signal forming section 4b, and the switch circuits 4c and 4d are Turned off.

For example, in the case of a voice-multiplexed stereo sound, which is not an interactive program, the switch 6c is turned on. Then, by the control signal S1 from the control signal generator 3, the audio signal generator 2b supplies the main audio signal and the sub audio signal at the time of stereo audio as described above to the television signal forming unit 4b, and at the same time, the control signal is generated. The switch circuit 4c is turned on by the control signal S2 from the unit 3, and a pilot signal indicating stereo sound is supplied from the stereo pilot signal generating unit 4e to the television signal forming unit 4b. As a result, a stereo-voice-multiplexed television broadcast signal is formed.

When the program is not a two-way program but has dual sound, the switch 6b is turned on. Then, the main audio signal and the sub audio signal in the case of dual audio are supplied from the audio signal generating section 2b to the television signal forming section 4b, and the switch circuit 4d is operated by the control signal S3 from the control signal generating section 3. It is turned on and the dual voice pilot signal is supplied to the television signal forming unit 4b. As a result, a voice-multiplexed television broadcast signal of dual voice is formed.

When broadcasting the interactive television program, the switch 6a is turned on. Then, by the control signal S1 from the control signal generator 3, the data multiplex switch circuit 4a
The predetermined horizontal section of the vertical blanking period of the video signal supplied from the video signal generating section 2a is switched to the data generating section 1 side, and the predetermined horizontal section of the vertical blanking period of the video signal from the video signal generating section 2a is switched. The interactive program-related information from the data generator 1 as shown in FIG. 4 is multiplexed in the section.

The control signal S from the control signal generator 3
The switch circuit 4d is turned on by 3 and the dual voice pilot signal is supplied to the television signal forming unit 4b. At this time, the audio signal generator 2b may generate an output signal for dual audio, or may generate only a main audio signal.

Thus, a television signal in which the related information of the interactive program is multiplexed with the video signal is formed in a state where the dual-voice pilot signal is superimposed on the audio signal, and the television signal is transmitted as a broadcast signal.

As described above, in the case of an interactive television program, program-related information is multiplexed in the vertical blanking period of a video signal, and a pilot signal indicating dual audio is added to the television signal. Are formed and transmitted. Therefore, in the television signal receiving device, it is possible to identify that the television broadcast is currently being broadcast by detecting the pilot signal indicating the double voice when the interactive program is received. That is, as described above, the pilot signal indicating the dual voice is VT
If it is recorded by R etc., it will disappear, so
If the pilot signal indicating the double sound is detected while watching the interactive program, it can be identified as the television signal being broadcast.

[Structure of Receiving Device] Next, an embodiment of a receiving device for a television broadcast signal according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, 200 is a signal system of the television receiver, and 300 is a control system thereof.

In the signal system 200, the broadcast radio wave received by the antenna is supplied to the tuner 21. Tuner 2
A channel selection signal is supplied from the control system 300 to 1, and a broadcast signal of a desired channel is selected by the tuner 21 and converted into an intermediate frequency signal. This intermediate frequency signal is supplied to the intermediate frequency circuit 22. This intermediate frequency circuit 22
Includes a video demodulator 22V and an audio demodulator 22A, and demodulates a video signal and an audio signal.

The video signal from the video demodulator 22V is supplied to the video signal processing circuit 25 via the input selector 24, and the output signal of the video signal processing circuit 25 is supplied to the picture tube 16.

The audio signal from the audio demodulator 22A is supplied to the audio multiplex decoder 23. In the audio multiplex decoder 23, an audio multiplex pilot signal is detected to detect whether it is stereo audio, dual audio, or not audio multiplex. And in the case of stereo sound, the stereo signals of the left and right channels are
In the case of dual voice, for example, a bilingual signal is decoded and output as a main voice signal M and a sub voice signal S, respectively. Further, the voice-multiplexed pilot detection output obtained at this time is supplied to the control unit 300 through an I / O port 39b described later.

The signals M and S from the audio multiplex decoder 23 are supplied to the audio signal processing section 27 via the input selector 24, respectively.
Output signals are supplied to the left and right speakers 29L and 29R through amplifiers 28L and 28R, respectively.

The input selector 24 is also supplied with the video signal from the video signal input terminal VI as an external input terminal and the audio signals from the audio signal input terminals AU1 and AU2. The input selector 24 selects the video signal from the intermediate frequency circuit 22 and the audio signal from the audio multiplex decoder 23, or the video signal from the external input terminal VI and the audio signal from the external input terminals AU1 and AU2. This is determined by a control signal according to a user's input selection operation from the control unit 300. In the figure, the control signal is input to the input selector 2 via the I / O port 39g.
4 is being supplied.

The external input terminals VI, AU1 and AU2 are connected to
For example, the video output terminal and audio output terminal of the VTR, and the video output terminal and audio output terminal of the video disc player are connected.

In the case of this example, the video signal from the input selector 24 is supplied to the data slicer 31. The data slicer 31 extracts the bidirectional program information multiplexed in the vertical blanking period of the video signal, converts it into a digital signal, and inputs it to the control unit 300 via the I / O port 39c. Therefore, the data slicer 31
Includes a gate circuit for extracting a signal in a horizontal section in which interactive program information is superimposed from a video signal, and a slice circuit for converting the gated signal into a binary digital signal.

The control section 300 comprises a microcomputer, a CPU 38, a program ROM 36,
RAM 37 for work area, I / O port 39a,
39b, 39c, 39d, 39e, 39f, 39g, 3
9h, and these are connected via the system bus 301.

The system bus 301 has a video RA.
M32V is connected. A display controller 32C is provided for the video RAM 32V. This display controller 32C is a video R
It controls reading and writing of video data to and from the AM 32V, and converts the read video data into an analog video signal. Then, the analog video signal obtained from the display controller 32C is supplied to the video signal processing unit 25, and combined with the control of the video signal processing unit 25 from the control unit 300, is superimposed on the video signal from the input selector 24. Or, they are combined by switching.

The ROM 36 stores various control programs in addition to the sub-broadcast information fetch processing program in the character multiplex format as described above, and also stores font and graphic data used for display. Also, R
The OM 36 stores setting information and ID information of the receiving device itself. The RAM 37 is mainly used as a work area for calculation. The video RAM 32V is used for display.

Further, the remote control decoding unit 35 is connected to the system bus 301, and, for example, an infrared remote control signal from the remote control commander 33 is received by the remote control signal receiving unit 34, decoded by the remote control decoding unit 35, and then the control unit 300. Entered in.

The modem 30 modulates and demodulates communication data and is connected to a telephone line connected to a telephone network. It is also possible to connect a telephone terminal via the modem 30, and an NCU (network control unit) for switching between replying to interactive television programs and communication using the telephone terminal is connected to the modem 3
0 is equipped.

Reference numeral 40 is a clock circuit that provides the current time, has a calendar function, and inputs year, month, day, hour, minute, and second information to the control unit 300 via the I / O port 39h. To

Next, in the receiver having the above-mentioned configuration,
The operation at the time of receiving the interactive program will be described.

The video signal output from the input selector 24 is supplied to the video signal processing section 25 as described above, and is also supplied to the data slicer 31 to be multiplexed with the video signal (related to the interactive program). Information) is extracted and converted into a digital signal, and the I / O port 39c
It is taken into the control unit 300 via.

Then, a menu or the like for instructing the selection procedure is displayed on the picture tube 26 by this data, or
A voice input instruction is given. At this time, the information of the reply destination and the information for the communication environment for reply are recorded in the RAM 37.

Thus, the interactive television program is provided to the viewer by the image displayed on the picture tube 26 and the sound output by the speakers 29R and 29L. And
As described above, the response operation such as the selection input of the viewer is required by the selection menu and the sound displayed by the data multiplexed in the video signal.

Corresponding response operations such as selection input by the viewer are performed via the remote control commander 33 and supplied to the remote control signal receiving section 34 as remote control signals. Then, it is decoded by the remote controller decoding unit 35, and the decoded contents are input to the control unit 300 via the I / O port 39e. The contents of selection input operated by the remote control commander 33 are displayed on the menu screen. For example, it is displayed such that the option that is selected and input is highlighted.

When there is a response operation, the control unit 3
00 refers to the voice-multiplexed pilot detection output from the I / O port 39b, and determines whether or not a double-voice pilot is detected. When the dual voice pilot is detected, it means that the interactive television broadcasting currently being broadcast is being received, and the reply destination is dialed via the modem 30 to make the selection made by the viewer. Results etc. are sent.

On the other hand, the output signal from the input selector 24 passes through the external input terminals VI, AU1 and AU2,
For example, in the case of a reproduction signal of a two-way television program recorded by a VTR, referring to the voice multiplexed pilot detection output from the I / O port 39b, the detection output of the double voice pilot is not obtained. Therefore, at this time, the control unit 300 controls so that the response information is not transmitted even if the viewer performs a response operation. In addition, the viewer is warned that the response cannot be accepted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transmission of the response information to the interactive program is controlled by surely determining whether or not the program currently being viewed is currently being broadcast. 7 is a flowchart of the control operation of the control unit 300 to be changed. FIG. 3 will be described below.

In the control unit 300, a viewer who is watching an interactive television program selects, for example, an answer to a question given by the interactive program according to a selection procedure and presses a reply key for replying an answer. When it is detected (step 101), it is determined whether the state of the input selector 34 is the signal input from the tuner 21 (step 1).
02).

If it is determined in step 102 that the signal is not input from the tuner 21, the program being watched is a reproduction signal of, for example, a VTR from the external input terminal. To display a message on the picture tube 26, such as "This program is not currently being broadcast.""Cannot respond because it is a VTR playback program." Or, the audio signal processing section 27 is controlled. , Speaker 29
A warning message is output from R and 29L by voice, and control is performed so that the reply operation, that is, the transmission of the response information is not executed (step 105).

On the other hand, in step 102,
If it is determined that the signal is input from the tuner 21, the presence / absence of detection of a dual voice pilot signal is checked (step 103). Then, in the process of step 103, if a dual-voice pilot signal is detected, a reply operation including automatic dialing is started in the control unit 300, and response information is transmitted via the modem 30 (step 104). ).

If it is determined in step 103 that the dual-voice pilot signal is not detected, the process proceeds to step 105, and the viewer is warned that the response is impossible. Then, the process of transmitting the response information is not executed.

As described above, by using the broadcast signal transmitting system and the receiving apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent meaningless response operation due to an erroneous operation of the viewer for the interactive television broadcast.

The present invention is effective not only for interactive television broadcasting, but also for multiple television broadcasting in which meaningful data at the broadcast date and time is multiplexed in a broadcast signal. For example, as described in the embodiment of the data format superimposed on the video signal of FIG. 4, the time information of this data has meaning only at that time, and the time information superimposed on the video signal is As a result, it is possible to prevent an error such as setting from a signal recorded by a VTR or the like when setting (correcting) the current time in a timer of a device having a built-in timer.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
Will be explained. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the broadcasting system of the television signal according to the present invention, and shows the main function as a device for forming and transmitting the television signal as a block.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 is a system in which a sub audio signal of an audio multiplex signal is used for carrying data of program related information as sub broadcast information. Other parts are the same as the above-mentioned television signal broadcasting system described in FIG. Therefore, in FIG. 6, description will be made focusing on the portion where the sub audio signal is used for carrying data.

In this example, when a two-way television program is broadcast, the format is such that a television signal added with a pilot signal indicating dual audio is formed as an audio multiplex broadcast of dual audio, and the program-related information is transmitted. , As a sub-voice signal of dual voice.

Similar to the above, the data generator 11 is a generator of interactive television program related information, and generates data having the data format shown in FIG. 5, for example. In this example, this data is the audio signal conversion unit 12
And is converted into an audio signal. The data confidence generated from the data generator 11 may be used as a signal in the voice band without providing the voice signal converter 12.

With respect to the data from the audio signal converter 12, in consideration of data extraction on the receiving device side, a specific pattern indicating the start and end of the data is added before and after the data. Good.

The data from the audio signal converter 12 is supplied to one input terminal of the switch circuit 13 of the television signal generator 4. The sub-audio signal from the audio signal generator 2b is supplied to the other input terminal of the switch circuit 13. The switch circuit 13 is switched by the control signal S4 from the control signal generator 3.

The switch circuit 13 operates when the switch 6a operated during the interactive television program broadcast is off.
It is switched to the audio signal generator 2b side. Then, when the switch 6a is turned on, the switch circuit 13 is switched to the side of the audio signal conversion unit 12 by the control signal S4, and the data from this conversion unit 12 forms a television signal as a sub-audio signal of dual audio. It is supplied to the section 4b. At this time, only the main sound of the double sound is supplied from the sound signal generating unit 2b to the television signal forming unit 4b. And
Since the switch circuit 4d is turned on by the control signal S3, the dual-voice pilot signal is supplied to the television signal forming unit 4b.

In this way, the television signal forming section 4b obtains a television signal in the form of dual audio broadcasting in which program related information is superimposed as a sub audio signal, and this is supplied to the transmitting section 5. , Is transmitted as a broadcast signal to the viewer.

Next, a description will be given of a receiving apparatus for a multiplexed television broadcast using the above-described dual audio sub audio signal for carrying the interactive program related information.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the receiving apparatus for the multiplex television broadcast of this example. What is different from FIG. 2 is the extraction and decoding part of the interactive program related information from the television signal.

In this example, the sub audio signal from the audio multiplex decoder 23 is supplied to the input selector 24 and the binarization processing section 40. The binarization processing unit 40 performs a process of converting the sub audio signal into binarized data.

The data detection unit 41 detects the patterned data indicating the start and end of the data from the binarized data from the binarization processing unit 40, and detects and decodes the carried data. Perform processing. The decoded data and program are taken into the control unit 300 via the I / O port 39i and used for the same processing as described above.

Other operations are as described with reference to FIG. 2, and it is determined whether the signal supplied by detecting the pilot signal indicating the double voice is the television signal currently being broadcast. For example, a reply operation due to an erroneous operation is prevented when viewing an interactive television program recorded by a VTR or the like.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment of FIG. 7, data can be multiplexed as a sub-audio signal of dual audio. On the receiving device side, a receiving device for multiple television broadcasting capable of decoding data as a sub audio signal at a lower cost than a receiving device for multiple television broadcasting that decodes data multiplexed in a video signal is provided. Can be realized.

The program-related information of the interactive program is not limited to the method of superimposing it on an empty horizontal section in the vertical blanking period of the video signal and the method of multiplexing it as a sub-audio signal for audio multiplexing. It is also possible to superimpose it on the main broadcast audio signal by using a signal in the audio band that can be easily distinguished from, for example, a DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) signal used in a push line of a telephone or the like.

Further, any of the above-described embodiments is not limited to interactive television broadcasting, and when a program of a multiplex broadcasting in which data that makes sense at the time and date of broadcasting is multiplexed is viewed, it is a program being broadcast, It is also effective when it is necessary to discriminate whether or not the recorded image is reproduced by the VTR or the like. For example, as described above, when the current time is set in the timer built into the receiver of the broadcast signal based on the time information multiplexed in the broadcast signal, the wrong current time is set in the VTR recorded broadcast signal. This can be prevented.

The present invention is also effective in the case of cable television broadcasting. In the case of cable television, the response may be sent via a two-way cable.

[0112]

As described above, according to the present invention, for example, in the case of a multiplexed television broadcast in which data that makes sense at the broadcast date and time is multiplexed, a television signal to which a pilot signal indicating dual audio is added is added. By forming and transmitting the signal, the receiving device side can detect whether the television broadcast is currently being broadcast or the VTR is being reproduced by detecting the double voice without the viewer being aware of it. .

Thus, for example, even if a response operation is mistakenly performed when viewing an interactive television program recorded by a VTR, useless transmission operation can be prevented, meaningless communication can be prevented, and useless. The telephone line can be reduced without using the telephone line. Therefore, no unnecessary telephone charges are incurred.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an embodiment of a television signal broadcasting system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a television signal receiving apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining a portion for preventing malfunction of the television signal receiving apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data format to be superimposed on a video signal in interactive television broadcasting.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a format of reply data transmitted from a viewer side in interactive television broadcasting.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining another embodiment of the television signal broadcasting system according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the television signal receiving apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 data generating section 2 signal generating section 2a video signal generating section 2b audio signal generating section 3 control signal generating section 4 television signal generating section 4a data multiplex switch circuit 4b television signal forming section 4c stereo pilot signal switch circuit 4d dual audio Pilot signal switch circuit 4e Stereo pilot signal generator 4f Dual audio pilot signal generator 5 Transmitter 6 Switcher 21 Tuner 22 Intermediate frequency circuit 23 Audio multiplex decoder 24 Input selector 25 Video signal processor 26 Picture tube 27 Audio signal processor 30 Modem 31 Data slicer 32 Video RAM 33 Remote control commander 34 Remote control signal receiving section 35 Remote control decoding section 36 ROM 37 RAM 38 CPU 300 Control section

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a television broadcasting system for multiplexing data as a sub-broadcast signal on a main broadcast signal, when the data is multiplexed on the main broadcast signal for broadcasting.
A television broadcasting system that broadcasts by adding a pilot signal indicating dual audio among pilot signals of an audio multiplex signal. 2. The television broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein the data is program-related information of an interactive television program. 3. The television broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein the data is multiplexed as a sub audio signal of an audio multiplexed signal of the main broadcasting signal. 4. A receiving means for receiving a television broadcast signal in which bidirectional program-related information is multiplexed as a sub-broadcast signal on a main broadcast signal, and the interactive program-related information multiplexed on the received broadcast signal. Separation means for separating the two-way program related information, reproduction means for reproducing the separated two-way program-related information, and audio for decoding the audio multiplex signal while detecting the audio multiplex pilot signal supplied with the received broadcast signal. The audio multiplex decoding means includes a multiplex decoding means, an inputting means for inputting information on a response to the interactive program, and a transmitting means for transmitting the information on the response input by the inputing means via a telephone line. 2. A television broadcast signal receiving apparatus capable of transmitting the response information only when a pilot signal indicating dual voice is detected. 5. The television broadcast according to claim 4, wherein when the pilot signal indicating the dual voice is not detected by the voice multiplex decoding means, a warning that the interactive program cannot be responded is issued. Signal receiving device.