JPH11261917A - Information processing unit, its method and served medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To discriminate a program already viewed, purchased, or reserved. SOLUTION: A control CPU 44 stores the resource number of a program already viewed, purchased, or reserved in a viewed program memory 50. When the resource number corresponding to a program to be displayed in an EPG (electronic program guide) is included in the viewed program memory 50 in the case of displaying the title of a prescribed program in the EPG, an on-screen display(OSD) control section 49 displays a symbol denoting that the program has already been viewed, purchased, or reserved superimposed on a title via a display processor 48.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a providing medium, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus and method capable of easily discriminating a viewed, purchased, or reserved program. , As well as providing media.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, television broadcasting has been digitized, particularly in the field of satellite broadcasting, and the number of channels has been increased to 100 or more. When the number of channels increases, it becomes difficult to select a desired program from programs on a large number of channels. Therefore, in order to support program selection, the EPG (EPG
Electronic Program Guide) has been proposed to be transmitted together with the program. Using this EPG, the user can quickly and reliably select a desired program, display and receive it,
If the program is a paid program, it can be purchased.

[0003] In such a television broadcast, NVOD (Near Video On), a service for repeatedly broadcasting only a desired program, so that the viewer can freely select and view a desired program as long as possible. Demand). For example, by repeatedly broadcasting only the same movie A on one channel, even if it is already being broadcast at a predetermined time, if the content is 2 hours, the movie will be broadcasted at least 2 hours later. A can be watched from the beginning.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, it has been proposed to repeatedly broadcast the same program on a plurality of channels at different start times. In this example, channel 1, channel 2, and channel 3
In the three channels, movie A is repeatedly broadcast with a start time shifted by 40 minutes from each other. For example, at time 10:10, movie A broadcast on channel 1 has elapsed 50 minutes from the start, and movie A broadcast on channel 2 has elapsed 10 minutes from the start. Is time 10 minutes after 30 minutes
At time 40, movie A can be watched on channel 3 from the beginning. That is, the viewer can watch the movie A from the beginning by waiting at least 40 minutes. As a result, the waiting time until the start time can be reduced to one third as compared with the case where the movie A is broadcasted on only one channel.

[0005]

By the way, such a problem is solved.
The same program is broadcasted over and over again, such as NVOD and rebroadcast programs, and as in drama and educational courses,
If a program having the same title and different contents is broadcast in a series, the viewer may forget that he or she has watched the program in the past, and may select the program again using the EPG. In addition, when the program is a pay program, the fee is paid twice.

However, in the conventional EPG, it has not been possible to determine a program which has been viewed, purchased, or reserved.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to be able to discriminate a program which has been viewed, purchased or reserved.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus, comprising: storage means for storing a program which has been viewed, purchased or reserved at least once, and information of a predetermined program displayed on an EPG. In the case of causing the program stored in the storage unit to exist, the determination unit determines whether there is a program stored in the storage unit, and the determination unit determines that the program stored in the storage unit exists among the programs displayed on the EPG. Display control means for displaying when the program has been viewed, purchased, or reserved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method comprising: a storage step of storing a program which has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once; and a storage means for displaying information of a predetermined program on an EPG. A determining step of determining whether or not a program stored in the EPG is present; and in the determining step, when it is determined that the program stored in the storing step is present in the programs to be displayed on the EPG, the program is viewed and viewed. And a display control step of displaying that purchase or reservation has been completed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium, comprising: a storage step of storing a program which has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once, and a storage means for displaying information of a predetermined program on an EPG. A judgment step of judging whether or not the stored program exists; and in the judgment step, when it is judged that the program stored in the storage step exists among the programs to be displayed on the EPG, the program is viewed and purchased. Or a display control step of displaying that a reservation has been made. A computer-readable program is provided.

[0011] The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, claim 4
In the information processing method described in the above, the program that has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once is stored, and information of a predetermined program is stored.
In the case of displaying in the EPG, when there is a program to be displayed among the stored programs, it is displayed that the program is viewed, purchased, or reserved.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In order to clarify the correspondence between each means of the invention described in the claims and the following embodiments, each means is described. When the features of the present invention are described by adding the corresponding embodiment (however, an example) in parentheses after the parentheses, the result is as follows. However, of course, this description does not mean that each means is limited to those described.

The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention has a storage means for storing a program which has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once (for example, a viewed program memory 50 in FIG. 3), and a predetermined information stored in the EPG. In the case of displaying the information of the program, the determining means for determining whether or not the program to be displayed includes the program stored in the storage means (for example,
In step S4 in FIG. 7, when the determination means determines that there is a program stored in the storage means among the programs to be displayed, it is displayed that the program has been viewed, purchased, or reserved. Display control means (for example, step S6 in FIG. 7).

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a transmission / reception system to which the information processing apparatus of the present invention is applied. In this example, the transmission device 1 as a program provider (broadcasting station) multiplexes program data and EPG data for supporting the selection of the program, and uses the multiplexed data as radio waves via the antenna 2 Send to The satellite 21 receives the radio wave transmitted from the transmitting device 1 via the antenna 22 and changes the frequency to a predetermined frequency using the transponders 23-1 to 23-5. To the receiving devices 31-1 to 31-3. The receiving devices 31-1 to 31-3 receive the radio waves transmitted from the satellite 21 via the antennas 32-1 to 32-3 as reception signals. In each receiving device, the program data and the EPG data are appropriately separated and selected from the received signal and displayed on a monitor or the like.

In FIG. 1, the receiving device 31-1
Although three receiving devices 31 to 31-3 are illustrated, it is conceivable that a larger number of receiving devices actually exist.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the transmitting device 1 of FIG. In this transmitting device 1,
In the program generation section 11, data (audio data and video data) of a broadcast program is generated. The main system processor 12 supplies the program data supplied from the program generation unit 11 to the encoder 13, encodes the data, and generates a reference clock, time information, and the like.
The information is supplied to the system information processor 15, the operation system processor 16, the EPG system processor 17, the multiplexer 14, and the like. The encoder 13 encodes the program data supplied from the program generator 11 via the main system processor 12 in accordance with, for example, the MPEG system and outputs the encoded data to the multiplexer 14.

The system information processor 15 generates system information and controls a multiplexing process of the multiplexer 14. The operation system processor 16 processes a command corresponding to an input from a keyboard, a mouse, and the like (not shown), and outputs the command to the main system processor 12 as necessary.

The EPG data supply unit 18 generates EPG data and outputs the generated EPG data to the editing unit 19.
The editing unit 19 receives the EPG data supplied from the EPG data supply unit 18.
The data is edited according to a predetermined format and output to the EPG system processor 17. The EPG system processor 17 is a main system processor 1
2 in synchronization with the reference clock supplied from
Processes the EPG data supplied from the
4 is output. The multiplexer 14 combines the program data composed of audio data and video data supplied from the encoder 13 with the EPG data supplied from the EPG system processor 17, and outputs the combined data to the satellite 21 as a transport stream. Has been made.

FIG. 3 shows the receiving apparatus 31 shown in FIG.
1 illustrates an example of the internal configuration of the -1. This receiving device 31-
Reference numeral 1 denotes a tuner 41 that receives a radio wave transmitted from the satellite 21 and outputs a received signal to the demodulation unit 42. The demodulation unit 42 demodulates the signal supplied from the tuner 41 and converts the demodulated signal into a demultiplexer 43
Output to The demultiplexer 43 includes a demodulation unit 42
The audio and video data that make up the program data are extracted from the data supplied by
Extract data. The audio data is supplied to the audio decoder 46, the video data is supplied to the video decoder 45, and the EPG data is supplied to the control CPU 44.

The audio decoder 46 decodes the input audio data and, for example, a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) connected to the receiver 31-1.
r) 63 and output to the monitor 62. The video decoder 45 decodes the input video data and outputs it to the display converter 47. The display converter 47 is a control CPU
In response to the control from 44, the size of the image based on the video data supplied from the video decoder 45 is reduced to a predetermined size and output to the display processor 48. Further, the display converter 47 converts the video data not synthesized with the EPG into the VCR 63 without reducing the image.
Output to

The OSD control unit 49 is controlled by the control CPU 44 and controls the OSD for superimposing and displaying the video data.
(On Screen Display) data is generated and output to the display processor 48. The display processor 48 adds the video data supplied from the display converter 47 under the control of the control CPU 44 to the video data.
The OSD data supplied from the OSD control unit 49 is synthesized and output to the monitor 62.

The watched program memory 50 has at least one
The degree, the material number of the program that has been viewed, purchased, or reserved is stored as the viewed program history. The EPG data memory 51 stores the EPG data supplied from the demultiplexer 43 by the control CPU 44. The program memory 52 stores programs necessary for the control CPU 44 to execute various processes. The work memory 53 stores data and programs necessary for the control CPU 44 to execute various processes as appropriate. The operation unit 54 receives an infrared signal input from the remote controller 61 or an input from a button or switch (not shown) provided on the main body of the receiving device 31-1, and controls the detection signal. Output to CPU44.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed configuration example of the display converter 47. The display size converter 81 responds to a command from the control CPU 44 with the size of one screen composed of the luminance signal Y and the color difference signals Cb (BY) and Cr (RY) supplied from the video decoder 45. Then, it is reduced to a predetermined size and output to the video encoder 82. The video encoder 82 converts the video data supplied from the display size converter 81 into, for example, NTSC video data and outputs the video data to the D / A converter 83. The D / A converter 83
The input video data is D / A converted and output to the display processor 48. The display processor 48 processes the input video data, synthesizes a symbol (figure) corresponding to the EPG supplied from the OSD control unit 49, and outputs the resultant to the monitor 62, as described above. ing.

On the other hand, the video data input from the video decoder 45 is converted to NTSC video data by a video encoder 84, further converted from a digital signal to an analog signal by a D / A converter 85, and supplied to the VCR 63. Have been. Since the video signal supplied to the VCR 63 does not pass through the display processor 48, the EPG
Is not included in the video signal.

The display converter 47 is also connected with an SDRAM 91 as a memory for temporarily storing image data for the display size converter 81 to change the display size.

The configurations of the receiving device 31-2 and the receiving device 31-3 in FIG. 1 are the same as those of the receiving device 31-1, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the operation will be described. In the transmission device 1, the program data generated by the program generation unit 11 is supplied to the encoder 13 via the main system processor 12, and is encoded. On the other hand, the EPG data supply unit 18 generates, for example, EPG data of a program for two weeks scheduled to be broadcast, and outputs this to the editing unit 19. The editing unit 19 executes an editing process of the EPG data. Here, the EPG data is subjected to an editing process according to a format called a table.

FIG. 5 shows an example of this table.
The table shown in FIG. 5A includes a program for each channel (in this case, channels 1 to 3), similar to the format defined by DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) _SI, which is a standard format. The format is such that names and program information are arranged in order of start time. For example, when the same program is repeatedly broadcast, such as NVOD, the same contents will be described repeatedly except for the start time. On the other hand, the table shown in FIG. 5B divides the program information into a program content (program content table) and a start time (program start time table). (Identification number), and a common program content table is used for each program having the same material number. That is, this table is designed so that the program contents are not described redundantly. As a result, the amount of information can be reduced, thereby improving transmission efficiency.

The EPG system processor 17 includes the editing unit 1
After processing the EPG data supplied from 9 into a predetermined format, it outputs it to the multiplexer 14. The multiplexer 14 packetizes the program data supplied from the encoder 13 and the EPG data supplied from the EPG system processor 17, respectively, combines them as a transport stream, and transmits them to the satellite 21 (FIG. 1).

In the receiving device 31-1, the control CPU 44 controls the tuner 41 in response to a command from the remote controller 61 or the operation unit 54, and receives a radio wave from a predetermined transponder of the satellite 21. The demodulation unit 42 demodulates the received signal output by the tuner 41 and outputs the demodulated signal to the demultiplexer 43.
The demultiplexer 43 converts audio data, video data, and EP
G data is extracted, and the audio decoder 46,
To the video decoder 45 or the control CPU 44,
Output each.

The audio decoder 46 decodes the packet of the input audio data and outputs it to the VCR 63 and the monitor 62. The video decoder 45 decodes the video data of the input video packet and outputs it to the display converter 47.

The display size converter 81 of the display converter 47 converts the input video data
A process of storing the data in the SDRAM 91 and changing the display size to a display size corresponding to a command from the control CPU 44 is executed. Then, the video data changed to the predetermined display size is converted into NTSC video data by the video encoder 82 and then D / A converted by the D / A converter 83.
It is converted and input to the display processor 48.

The video encoder 84 of the display converter 4 encodes the video data input from the video encoder 45 into NTSC video data without changing the display size, and outputs the video data to the D / A converter 85. I do. The D / A converter 85 performs D / A conversion on the input video data and outputs the video data to the VCR 63.

The control CPU 44 stores the EPG data supplied from the demultiplexer 43 in the EPG data memory 5.
1 is stored.

When a predetermined instruction is input from the remote controller 61 or the operation unit 54, the control CPU 44 reads out the EPG data stored in the EPG data memory 51 and outputs it to the OSD control section 49. The OSD control unit 49 converts the input EPG data into image data and outputs the image data to the display processor 48. The display processor 48 outputs the image data supplied from the OSD control unit 49 to the monitor 62 alone or superimposed on the video image data supplied from the display converter 47. This allows monitor 6
The image of the EPG is displayed in 2.

When the viewed program memory 50 stores the material number of the viewed (purchased or reserved) program, the control CPU 44 controls the OSD control unit 49 to store the EPG image data. Display processor 48
Of the program corresponding to the material number (ie, the program which has been watched) is changed and displayed so as to be distinguishable from other programs (programs which have not been watched yet). (This point will be described later).

As described above, for example, the EPG as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the monitor 62. In this example, in the 107th to 110th channels, the program “Engagement in English Conversation”
OD broadcast. Among them, the program "Intermediate English Conversation # 3"
And the title corresponding to the program "Intermediate English Conversation # 4", a symbol indicating that it has been viewed (in this case, a symbol imitating the eyes) is superimposed and displayed. That is, they indicate that they have been viewed. Similarly,
The title corresponding to the program "Mori Motonari 6" on the 111th to 114th channels and the title corresponding to the program "White Bird # 5" on the 115th channel have symbols indicating that they have been watched, respectively. It is superimposed and displayed. Thus, the viewer can visually determine the program that has been viewed.

Next, an EPG as shown in FIG.
2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 (or the OSD control unit 49 may execute this process). First, in step S1, control
The CPU 44 draws an EPG frame as shown in FIG. 6 on the VRAM (not shown) of the OSD control unit 49. Next, proceeding to step S2, the control CPU 44 reads information of a program to be displayed from the EPG data memory 51. Step S
In 3, the control CPU 44 draws the title of the program read in step S2 on the VRAM incorporated in the OSD control unit 49 at the corresponding time.

Next, the process proceeds to step S4, where control is performed.
The CPU 44 searches the watched program memory 50 and determines whether there is a material number corresponding to the program to be displayed (that is,
If it is determined whether the program to be displayed has been viewed) or not, and if it is determined that the corresponding material number does not exist in the viewed program memory 50 (the program to be displayed has never been viewed), The process skips S5 and proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, in step S4, the watched program memory 5
If the corresponding material number exists in 0 (the program to be displayed has been viewed), the process proceeds to step S5, and the control CPU 44 displays a symbol indicating that the viewing has been completed on the title drawn in step S3. Is synthesized.

Next, in step S6, it is determined whether or not the title has been drawn for all the display portions of the frame.
If there is a display portion that has not been drawn yet, the process returns to step S2, and the subsequent processes are repeatedly executed. Accordingly, channels 108 to 11 of FIG.
Drawing of the EPG of five channels is sequentially executed. If it is determined in step S6 that the drawing of the title has been completed for all the display units in the frame, the process proceeds to step S6.
In step 7, the control CPU 44 controls the OSD control unit 49 to read out the image data drawn in the VRAM, and causes the monitor 62 to output and display the image data via the display processor 48. As a result, the EPG shown in FIG.
2 is displayed.

FIG. 8 shows another display example of the EPG.
In this example, as in the case shown in FIG. 6, a symbol indicating the viewed status is superimposed and displayed on the title of the viewed program. Also, instead of displaying a symbol indicating that the program has been viewed on the title of the viewed program so as to be superimposed on the title, the character (or luminance) of the title of the viewed program or the display unit is changed as shown in FIG. You may.

Next, an example of processing when a predetermined program is selected by a viewer will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S21, the viewer operates the operation unit 54 or the remote controller 61.
To select the title of the program to be viewed, purchased, or reserved from among the programs (titles) displayed on the EPG in FIG. 6, for example. In step S22, it is determined whether the selected program has been viewed (ie, whether the material number corresponding to the selected program is stored in the viewed program memory 50), and the selected program is viewed. When it is determined that the content number has not been purchased (or purchased or reserved) (the corresponding material number is not stored in the watched program memory 50), the process proceeds to step S23, where the control CPU 44 determines that the corresponding material number has been viewed. After being stored in the program memory 50, the process proceeds to step S26.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S22 that the selected program has been viewed (the corresponding material number is stored in the viewed program memory 50), the process proceeds to step S24, and the OSD control unit 49 Displays a warning indicating that the user has already viewed, purchased, or reserved, and a confirmation as to whether or not to make a selection, on the EPG via the display processor 48 in a superimposed manner. Here, the viewer inputs a command as to whether or not to execute the selection. In step S25, it is determined whether to execute the selection (whether an instruction to execute the selection is input by the viewer) or not, and the selection is not executed (an instruction to cancel the selection is input by the viewer). Was done)
If it is determined, the process is terminated. Step S25
In, when it is determined that the selection is performed (a command indicating that the selection is performed by the viewer is input),
Proceed to step S26. In step S26, the control CPU 44 executes processing such as display, purchase, or reservation of the selected program.

Note that the EP shown in the above embodiment is
The present invention can be applied even when an EPG other than G is used. In addition, although the signal is transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device via the satellite, the present invention is also applicable to the case where the signal is transmitted by terrestrial wave or transmitted through a cable such as CATV. The invention is applicable. Further, although the program is identified using the material number, the program may be identified using the program name.

As a providing medium for providing a user with a computer program for performing the above various processes, a recording medium such as a magnetic disk, a CD-ROM, and a solid-state memory, as well as a communication medium such as a network and a satellite can be used. .

[0046]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, the information processing method according to claim 4, and the providing medium according to claim 5, at least once,
When a program that has been purchased or reserved is stored and information of a predetermined program is displayed in the EPG, when there is a program to be displayed in the stored programs, the program can be viewed, purchased, Alternatively, the fact that the program has been reserved is displayed, so that it is possible for the viewer to easily discriminate between a program that has not been viewed and a program that has been viewed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a transmission / reception system to which an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a transmission device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a receiving device 31-1 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the display converter of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an EPG table.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example on the monitor of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an EPG display process.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another display example of the monitor of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing still another display example of the monitor of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a program selection execution process.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating NVOD.

[Description of Signs] 1 transmission device, 11 program generation unit, 12 main system processor, 13 encoder, 14 multiplexer, 17 EPG system processor, 18 E
PG data supply unit, 19 editing unit, 21 satellites, 3
1-1 to 31-3 receiver, 41 tuner,
42 demodulator, 43 demultiplexer, 44 control CPU, 45 video decoder, 46 audio decoder, 48 display processor,
49 OSD control unit, 50 watched program memory, 51
EPG data memory, 54 operation unit, 62
Monitor, 63 VCR

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for selecting a program to be viewed using an EPG, comprising: storage means for storing a program which has been viewed, purchased or reserved at least once; and information of a predetermined program stored in the EPG. In the case of displaying, the determination means for determining whether the program stored in the storage means is present, and, by the determination means, in the program to be displayed on the EPG,
An information processing apparatus, comprising: display control means for displaying that the program has been viewed, purchased, or reserved when it is determined that the program stored in the storage means exists. 2. The display control means according to claim 1, wherein said program is viewed,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a symbol indicating purchase or reservation has been superimposed on a title of the program and displayed. 3. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display control means changes the color or brightness of the title of the program to indicate that the program has been viewed, purchased, or reserved. Information processing device. 4. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus for selecting a program to be viewed using an EPG, comprising: a storage step of storing a program that has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once; When displaying program information, a determining step of determining whether or not the program stored in the storing step exists; and, in the determining step, among programs to be displayed on the EPG,
A display control step of displaying that the program has been viewed, purchased, or reserved when it is determined that the program stored in the storage step exists. 5. An information processing apparatus for selecting a program to be viewed using an EPG, a storage step of storing a program that has been viewed, purchased, or reserved at least once, and information of a predetermined program is stored in the EPG. In the case of displaying, in the determination step of determining whether the program stored in the storage step is present, in the determination step, among the programs displayed on the EPG,
When it is determined that the program stored in the storing step is present, a display control step of displaying that the program is viewed, purchased, or reserved is executed. A providing medium characterized by being provided.