KR100791175B1 - Reservation recording method for series of broadcasting program - Google Patents

Abstract

A data structure for series broadcast program information and a reservation recording method using the information are disclosed. The present invention is the event information of the European DVB-SI (Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information) standard and the North American Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) standard, which are protocols for broadcast programs and electronic program guides (EPG). As a descriptor included in an event information table (EIT), a descriptor for a series broadcast program is defined. Accordingly, when recording a series broadcast program during digital broadcasting, it is possible to easily schedule high-quality recording by finding and recording the corresponding program without setting the time basis.

Digital Broadcasting, Service Information, EIT, Descriptor

Description

Reservation recording method using series broadcasting program information {Reservation recording method for series of broadcasting program}

1 is a block diagram of an image signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram showing the structure of an event information table according to the DVB-SI standard; and

3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a content series descriptor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention is the event information of the European DVB-SI (Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information) standard and the North American Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) standard, which are protocols for broadcast programs and electronic program guides (EPG). A descriptor included in an event information table (EIT), which defines a descriptor for a series broadcast program, and makes it possible to easily schedule recording of a series broadcast program and the like, and a data structure for series broadcast program information. It relates to a reservation recording method using the information.

As digital broadcasting has recently been in full swing, the digitalization of broadcasting is rapidly progressing, such as the spread of digital TV is on the rise. Accordingly, the schedule for switching the entire digital broadcast from analog broadcasts around the world is scheduled around 2010.

One of the most useful information for users in digital broadcasting is EPG (Electronic Program Guide). When a user presses one remote control key, the user can view the broadcasting schedule table transmitted from the current broadcasting station, and the user can immediately view the broadcasting by clicking the desired broadcasting using the arrow keys. Like this, EPG or digital terrestrial and satellite broadcasting program guide function (APG) is a core technology of digital broadcasting and can be called basic service.

In addition, the recording technology that has been possible in the existing VCR has been developed, and the technology for recording digital broadcasting under the name of PVR (Personal Video Recorder) or DVR (Digital Video Recorder) has already been commercialized.

By using this EPG function and PVR function, it is easy to schedule recording using time even in digital TV. This scheduled recording may be repeated periodically at a specific time.

However, since the conventional method can be set by the time unit, there is an inconvenience in reservation recording of the series (SERIES). For example, in the case of a time-based reservation method, if the broadcast time is not correct, the previous broadcast, the advertisement, the subsequent broadcast, and the like may be recorded together. In addition, even when a broadcast program is suddenly changed and a broadcast program is changed or disappeared, a wrong broadcast program may be recorded in a method of making a reservation on a time basis.

An object of the present invention is the European Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information (DVB-SI) standard and the Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) standard for North America, which are protocols for broadcast program and electronic program guide (EPG). Descriptor included in an event information table (EIT) table, which defines a descriptor for a series broadcast program, so that reservation recording of the series broadcast program can be easily performed. It is to provide a reservation recording method using the structure and its information.

In order to achieve the above object, a reservation recording method using series broadcast program information according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a reservation recording command for a predetermined series broadcast program; Parsing a Content Series Descriptor for the series broadcast program from a predetermined event information table (EIT) included in the < RTI ID = 0.0 > EIT, < / RTI > based on the content series descriptor and belonging to the series broadcast program. Extracting information on a start time of a program, and recording a program belonging to the series broadcast program at the start time.

Here, the content series descriptor may include a descriptor_tag field, which is an identifier for distinguishing it from other descriptors, a descriptor_length field, which is the number of bytes of a data part, and a series_identifier, which is an identifier for distinguishing the series broadcast program. series_id) field, a series_total field which is the total number of programs of the series broadcast program, and a series_number field indicating how many times the corresponding broadcast program is among the series broadcast program.

The event information table includes a DVB-SI (Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information) standard, which is the basis of an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) for European digital TV, and a PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) standard, which is an SI standard for North America. Preference is given to any one of.

The extracting of the information may include extracting information on the start time by parsing event information included in the event information table and defined by the content series descriptor.

The receiving of the reserved recording command may include parsing a content series descriptor included in the event information table to indicate to a user that a predetermined broadcast program is a series broadcast program that may be a target of a reserved recording. have.

The data structure for the series broadcast program information proposed by the present invention is a descriptor included in a predetermined event information table (EIT) included in a transport stream, which is a digital broadcast signal, and includes information on a predetermined series broadcast program. And a data structure of a descriptor_tag field, a descriptor_length field, a series_id field, a series_id field, a series_total field, and a series_number field. The tag field is an identifier for distinguishing it from other descriptors, the descriptor length field is the number of bytes of the data portion of the descriptor, the series identifier field is an identifier for distinguishing the series broadcast program, and the series field is all. Is the total number of programs of the series broadcast program It said, and the series _ Number field indicates whether the corresponding program many times during the series program.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a block diagram of an image signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The video signal processing apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a digital TV (DTV: digital TV, hereinafter referred to as 'DTV') having a function of receiving a predetermined digital broadcast signal and making a reservation recording on a predetermined storage medium. ”), Set Top Box (STB), and Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Here, the storage medium may correspond to a personal video recorder (PVR), a DVR, another hard disk, a digital video disk (DVD), or the like. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, it is assumed that the image signal processing apparatus 100 is a DTV.

The present invention discloses a new descriptor in an event information table (EIT) of digital video broadcasting-service information (DVB-SI), which is the basis of an electronic program guide (EPG) for European digital TV. The new descriptor contains information about the content produced by the series (hereinafter referred to as 'series content'). For example, it includes information about broadcast content, such as fixed time news and soap opera drama. Hereinafter, a newly defined descriptor for a series object is referred to as a content series descriptor. The content series descriptor is described again below.

However, the content series descriptor proposed by the present invention can be equally applied to PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol), which is an SI standard for North America as well as Europe.

Accordingly, the video signal processing apparatus 100 may conveniently reserve and record the series content by parsing an event information table included in a data stream of an input transport stream (TS).

Referring to FIG. 1, an image signal processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to an external storage medium 300.

The external storage medium 300 can receive and store the A / V stream from the video signal processing device 100, such as a personal video recorder (PVR), and output the stored A / V stream to the video signal processing device 100. Can be played back. In the following description, the storage of the A / V stream by reservation recording to the external storage medium 300 will be described, but it is not necessarily limited to the external storage medium 300, and the video signal processing apparatus 100 The A / V stream may be stored in an internal storage medium.

The video signal processing apparatus 100 includes a demultiplexer 101, a memory 103, a decoder 105, an A / V signal processor 107, a display unit 109, a speaker 111, and a graphics processor. 113, an input unit 115, and a controller 130. As described above, the case where the image signal processing apparatus 100 is a DTV will be described below.

The video signal processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 omits a tuner for receiving a broadcast signal through a wireless channel, a decoder for extracting a transport stream (TS) from the tuner, and the like. In addition, the signal input to the demultiplexer 101 may not be input through a tuner or the like, but may be input through another device such as a set top box or a wired network such as a cable. .

The demultiplexer 101 receives a digital broadcast signal including a Moving Picture Experts Groups (MPEG) Transport Stream (TS), and A / V (Audio / Video) stream and data data in the received MPEG Transport Stream. And print it out. The data is various additional information for digital broadcasting and includes an event information table.

The demultiplexer 101 may output the A / V stream to the external storage medium 300 under the control of the controller 130.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the demultiplexer 101 is illustrated as a device connected to the external storage medium 300. However, the demultiplexer 101 is positioned at a rear end of the demultiplexer to switch the output of the demultiplexer to one of the decoder 105 and the external storage medium 300. It may include a separate switching device.

The memory 103 is an inactive memory 103, and stores various information including data that the demultiplexer 101 separates from the transport stream and outputs.

In addition, the memory 103 stores information on at least one reservation recording by the controller 130, and the information on such reservation recording includes a series content.

The decoder 105 parses the original video signal and the audio signal from the A / V stream output from the demultiplexer 101 and outputs the same to the A / V signal processor 107 under the control of the controller 130.

The A / V signal processor 107 processes the video and audio signals output from the decoder 105 and outputs them to the display unit 109 and the speaker 111, respectively. In this case, the A / V signal processor 107 includes OSD (On Screen Display) data input from the graphic processor 113 in the image signal output to the display unit 109.

The display unit 109 displays the image corresponding to the image signal received from the A / V signal processor 107 so as to be visually recognized, and the speaker 111 displays the audio signal output from the A / V signal processor 107. Outputs it so that it can be recognized acoustically.

The graphic processor 113 generates OSD signals related to broadcast media, channel information, and EPG under the control of the controller 130, and outputs the generated OSD signals to the A / V signal processor 107 to be inserted into the video signals. .

The input unit 115 receives a user's selection regarding various settings of the image signal processing apparatus 100 including channel change information, data broadcasting application selection information, various settings of the display unit 109, and the like. Will output

In addition, the input unit 115 receives a reservation recording command and outputs it to the controller 130.

The input unit 115 includes a wired / wireless interface that may be connected to an external remote controller, a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, and according to an embodiment, a keyboard or the like may be included and mounted in the input unit 115. .

The controller 130 may control the overall operation of the image signal processing apparatus 100 and at the same time, when a reservation recording command of the series content is input from the user, the controller 130 may record the corresponding series content when the series content is broadcast. Hereinafter, the operation of the controller 130 will be described based on the reservation recording of the series content of the present invention, and the description of the digital broadcast reception is omitted.

The controller 130 includes a reservation recording processor 131.

When the reservation recording processing unit 131 receives a reservation recording command for a specific series of contents from the user through the input unit 115, the reservation recording processing unit 131 performs an operation related to the reservation recording.

Here, the content series descriptor will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

2 is a diagram illustrating a structure of an event information table according to the DVB-SI standard.

The event information table provides information about the chronological order of the events included in each service. The event information table includes information on at least one event and information on a schedule of the events, and corresponds to area (a) of FIG. 2.

An event is defined as a start time and an end time and refers to a group of broadcast data streams belonging to a common service. For example, the first half of a football game, the first part of an entertainment show, and so on are examples of events.

The event information table includes information about a program to be broadcast within a predetermined time.

The content series descriptor is included in the descriptor area b of area (a) of FIG. 2, and the data structure of the content series descriptor is shown in FIG.

3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a content series descriptor according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The content series descriptor includes a descriptor_tag, a descriptor_length, a descriptor_length, a series_id, a series_total, and a series_number field.

The 'descriptor_tag' field is an identifier for identifying each descriptor and has an 8-bit field. The 8-bit data included in the 'descriptor_tag' field has a data type of uimsbf (unsigned integer most significant bit first).

The 'descriptor_length' field indicates the number of bytes of the data portion of the descriptor. The 'descriptor_length' field consists of 8 bits.

The 'series_identifier' field is a 16-bit field and is an identifier for identifying each series content.

The 'series_all' field indicates the total number of broadcast programs of the corresponding series content.

The 'series_number' field indicates the number of the current broadcast program among the series contents. Start at 0 and increment by 1.

2 and 3, when the content series descriptor is inserted into the event information table and transmitted, the user who wants to pre-record the series content does not designate the broadcast time of the corresponding broadcast program, but rather the corresponding 'series_identifier' and ' By parsing the series_number 'field, etc., specific series contents can be reserved. Naturally, the user can easily make a reservation recording through a predetermined user interface through the predetermined display unit 109.

The components of the image signal processing apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 will be described again.

When the reservation recording processing unit 131 receives a reservation recording command for a specific series content from the user through the input unit 115, the reserved recording processing unit 131 parses the EIT table to check whether there is a content series descriptor for the corresponding series content in the event information table. Extract and parse the content series descriptor.

The reservation recording processor 131 checks the time at which the series content is received and controls the demultiplexer 101 to output the A / V stream of the series content received at the corresponding time to the external storage medium 300.

The reservation recording processing unit 131 outputs the reservation recording related information of the predetermined series content to the graphic processing unit 113 based on the content series descriptor parsed from the event information table for the convenience of the user's reservation recording command. 109).

The invention can be implemented in methods, devices and systems. In addition, when the present invention is implemented in computer software, the components of the present invention may be replaced with code segments necessary for performing necessary operations. The program or code segment may be stored in a medium that can be processed by a microprocessor and transmitted as computer data coupled with carrier waves via a transmission medium or communication network.

The media that can be processed by the microprocessor include electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices, ROMs, flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), floppy disks, optical disks, and hard disks. (Hard) Includes the ability to transmit and store information such as disks, fiber optics, wireless networks, and the like. Computer data also includes data that can be transmitted over electrical network channels, optical fibers, electromagnetic fields, wireless networks, and the like.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific embodiment, the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

As described in detail above, the present invention provides the European Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information (DVB-SI) standard and the Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) for North America, which are protocols for broadcast programs and electronic service guides (EPG). As a descriptor included in an event information table (EIT) standard, a descriptor for a series broadcast program is defined, so that reservation recording of the series broadcast program can be made simple.

As a result, the video signal processing apparatus capable of receiving and recording a predetermined digital broadcast signal is capable of finding and recording the series program itself without setting and recording a specific time zone in pre-recording a series broadcast program. It will be able to provide more convenient and high quality reservation recording function.

Such a function can effectively cope with a sudden change of program formation, and enables recording of the entire series broadcast program by finding and recording a non-prerecorded program among rebroadcast programs that do not have a predetermined time period.

Claims (6)

Receiving a reservation recording command for a predetermined series broadcast program; An identifier for identifying the series broadcast program for the series broadcast program and a corresponding broadcast program among the series broadcast programs from a predetermined event information table (EIT) included in a transport stream, which is a digital broadcast signal. Parsing a Content Series Descriptor including a number indicating the number of the second number; Extracting information on a start time of a program belonging to the series broadcast program, based on the content series descriptor; And Recording a program belonging to the series broadcast program at the start time; and using the series broadcast program information. The method of claim 1, The content series descriptor, A descriptor_tag field, which is an identifier for distinguishing from other descriptors; A descriptor_length field that is the number of bytes of the data portion; A series_id field which is an identifier for identifying the series broadcast program; A series_total field which is the total number of programs of the series broadcast program; And And a series_number field indicating a number of the corresponding broadcast program among the series broadcast programs. The method of claim 1, The event information table, Characterized in accordance with any one of the Digital Video Broadcasting-Service Information (DVB-SI) standard that is the basis of EPG (Electronic Program Guide) for digital TV for Europe and the PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) standard for North American SI Reservation recording method using the series broadcast program information. According to claim 1, The extracting of the information may include extracting information on the start time by parsing event information included in the event information table and defined by the content series descriptor. . The method of claim 1, Receiving the reservation recording command, Parsing the content series descriptor included in the event information table and displaying to the user that a predetermined broadcast program is a series broadcast program that may be a target of a reserved recording. Way. delete

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