KR20060058392A - Digital broadcasting cable tv set top box capable of detection of program audience rating - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a set-top box, a cable viewing information generating apparatus, and a method of a cable television for digital broadcasting, which can be used to examine a broadcast rating. A set top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a signal detecting unit, a tuning and extracting control unit, and a broadcasting information generating unit. The signal detector generates a channel selection command and an operation control command in response to a control signal input from the outside. The tuning and extraction control unit selectively receives a broadcast signal input through a communication line in response to the channel selection command and an operation control command, extracts image data from the received broadcast signal, and outputs the image data to an external monitor. The broadcast information generation unit outputs generation time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on the time when the channel selection command is generated, through the communication line, and a predetermined reference time elapses. If the channel selection command is changed afterwards, the end time data, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on the time when the channel selection command is changed, are outputted through the communication line. The set-top box and the broadcasting viewing information generating method according to the present invention do not need the number of people surveyed, there is an advantage that the complete viewer rating investigation without any error with the actual viewer ratings without viewing time.

Description

Digital broadcasting cable TV set top box capable of detection of program audience rating}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to better understand the drawings cited in the detailed description of the invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a set top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a broadcast information generator of FIG. 1.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of generating broadcast viewing information according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for surveying broadcast ratings, and more particularly, to a set-top box of a cable television for broadcasting, and an apparatus and method for generating broadcasting viewing information for digital broadcasting capable of investigating broadcasting ratings of digital broadcasting using cable television.                         

It is necessary to examine the ratings of the broadcast as a basic material for calculating the advertising fee or to grasp the popularity of the program. One of the methods of investigating the audience ratings of general over-the-air broadcasting is to randomly select a telephone number, mobilize a large number of people, and call the selected telephone number in a short time to ask about the broadcasting program being watched and answer the question. There is a way to get it.

Currently, research firms have been established and commissioned by audience rating surveys.

However, the audience rating research method through such a telephone question has many problems. First, it is necessary to identify the program that is currently being watched, so it is necessary to mobilize a large number of investigators at a time, which increases the economic burden on investigators and requesting agencies, makes it difficult to manage human resources efficiently, and uses non-resident investigators. There is a problem that must secure a large number of people at a time.

Second, in order to investigate the relative audience ratings between broadcasting stations, the audience ratings of the same time zone must be examined, but the number of samples for the audience rating survey is limited because the broadcast time of the program is limited. Therefore, randomly selected samples may be biased to a certain class (age, gender, residence, etc.), and in this case, the overall rating may not be reflected, which may result in an inappropriate rating survey.

Third, although the broadcast program to be watched can be easily and frequently changed by the remote controller, by determining whether the viewer is watching the program at the present time in response to a telephone question or not, the viewer rating is calculated. A deviation from the actual audience rating may occur.

Fourthly, if the respondents answering the call do not respond to the audience rating survey or are children who cannot give an accurate answer, there is a problem in that an unnecessary loss of time and line fees is required. Fifth, since the reliability of the survey object to answer the phone must be premised, if the ancestor subject deliberately inaccurately answers to conceal his or her inclination, it may be an inaccurate audience rating survey.

Sixth, the audience rating survey of the previous program may be conducted by a questionnaire or a telephone regardless of the currently broadcast program. However, in this method, the reliability of the audience rating survey is deteriorated due to the inaccurate memory of the survey subjects. In the case of a research subject who has watched, there is a problem that can generate an audience rating error as mentioned above.

As another method for the audience rating survey, a separate remote control receiver called the People Meter and a modem are installed in a certain number of sample homes. A method of transmitting data with information to an external server.

However, the following method also exists in the irradiation method using a people meter. Firstly, the scope of the investigation is limited to where the people meter is installed, so that a large number of samples cannot be taken. Secondly, before selecting a channel, viewers must select their own age, gender, etc., causing inconvenience to the examinee.

Third, if the user selects the other person as the user selection button, the reliability of the data is low. Fourthly, since the stored data is transmitted to the people meter through a modem for a certain time, there is a problem that the viewer rating cannot be investigated in real time.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a set-top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting that does not need a separate research personnel, regardless of the viewing time zone, and can investigate in real time the audience rating of the broadcast actually being viewed.

Another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an apparatus for generating broadcast viewing information, which does not require a separate survey person, is not limited to a viewing time period, and can survey the viewer's rating of a broadcast that is actually being viewed in real time.

Another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a broadcast viewing information generation method that does not need a separate research personnel, regardless of the viewing time zone, and can survey in real time the viewer rating of the broadcast actually being viewed.

The set top box of the cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem is provided with a signal detector, a tuning and extraction control unit and a broadcast information generation unit.

The signal detector generates a channel selection command and an operation control command in response to a control signal input from the outside. The tuning and extraction control unit selectively receives a broadcast signal input through a communication line in response to the channel selection command and an operation control command, extracts image data from the received broadcast signal, and outputs the image data to an external monitor.                     

The broadcast information generation unit outputs generation time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on the time when the channel selection command is generated, through the communication line, and a predetermined reference time elapses. If the channel selection command is changed afterwards, the end time data, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on the time when the channel selection command is changed, are outputted through the communication line.

The broadcast viewing information generating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention for achieving the another technical problem comprises a recognition unit, a buffer unit, a microprocessor and an interface unit.

The recognition unit receives a channel selection command and an operation control command. The buffer unit stores the channel selection command and the operation control command output from the recognition unit and outputs the stored channel selection command and the operation control command in response to an output control signal.

The microprocessor stores information about a reference time, a unique identification code, and control data, and when the channel selection command is input, generation time data, the output control signal, and the unique identification which are information about a time when the channel selection command is generated. Information about a time at which the channel selection command is changed when the channel selection command is changed after the reference time has elapsed by determining whether the channel selection command is changed after generating the code and the control data and the reference time has elapsed. Generating end time data, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data.                     

The interface unit outputs the channel selection command and the operation control command generated in the buffer unit, the generation time data, the end time data, the unique identification code, and the control data generated in the microprocessor through a communication line. .

Broadcast viewing information generating method according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the another technical problem relates to a broadcast viewing information generating method using a set-top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting.

The broadcasting viewing information generating method receives a channel selection command and an operation control command, and generates the time data from which the channel selection command is generated, the channel selection command, the operation control command, a predetermined unique identification code and control data in the set-top box. Outputting through a communication line connected to the terminal; determining whether the channel selection command is changed after a predetermined reference time elapses; and when the channel selection command is changed after the reference time elapses, Outputting end time data which is information, the channel selection command before the change, the operation control command, the unique identification code and the control data through the communication line, and the broadcasting is invalid when the channel selection command is changed before the reference time elapses. Generating the data.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcast viewing rating research and analysis system including a set top box and a web server for receiving a command and data output from the set top box and analyzing the broadcasting rating.                     

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In order to fully understand the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention, and the objects achieved by the practice of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and the contents described in the drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a set top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the set-top box 100 of a cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a signal detector 110, a tuning and extraction controller 120, and a broadcast information generator 130. do. In FIG. 1, although not a component of the set-top box 100 of a cable television for digital broadcasting, a monitor 140 and a web server 150 are shown together for convenience of description.

As the TV broadcasting method is converted to digital broadcasting, the set top box for watching the current cable broadcasting is also being converted into a set top box capable of receiving digital broadcasting. A cable television for watching cable broadcasts must have a set top box, and the broadcast viewer controls the set top box using a remote controller to watch the broadcast.

The set-top box 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention transmits information about the time at which the broadcast viewing is started to the web server 150 when the broadcasting viewing is started, and the broadcasting viewing continues for a predetermined reference time and is recognized as the broadcasting viewing. If it is determined that the broadcast viewing is judged, the web server 150 transmits the information about the time when the broadcast watching ends. As a result, broadcast viewership can be accurately measured.

The signal detector 110 of the set-top box 100 of the cable television for digital broadcasting according to an embodiment of the present invention may respond to a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command in response to an externally input control signal R_CTRL. OPCTRL). Here, the control signal R_CTRL is a signal generated from a user's remote controller (not shown) to control broadcast viewing and includes various commands for controlling the operation of the set top box 100.

That is, the control signal R_CTRL may include a channel selection command for the viewer to select a channel for viewing the broadcast, a volume selection command for determining the volume, and a command regarding a picture quality or a screen position of the broadcast. . In addition, a purchase command or a password input command may be provided when watching TV home shopping.

The tuning and extraction control unit 120 selectively receives the broadcast signal TVS input through the communication line TL in response to the channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command OPCTRL, and receives the received broadcast signal TVS. ) Extracts the image data IDATA and outputs it to the external monitor 140.

The broadcast signal TVS includes image data of various channels. The tuning and extraction control unit 120 selects the broadcast signal TVS of the corresponding channel in response to the channel selection command CHSEL, extracts image data from the selected broadcast signal, and transmits the image data to the monitor 140. The operation control command OPCTRL may be various commands for controlling the selected broadcast signal, but it is assumed herein as a command for controlling the volume size.                     

The communication line TL is a coaxial cable. The cable broadcaster transmits the broadcast signal TVS to the set top box 100 of each home through the coaxial cable TL. The coaxial cable TL has an internet line INL separate from a line for transmitting a broadcast signal TVS therein.

The broadcast information generation unit 130 generates generation time data TGD, channel selection command CHSEL, operation control command OPCTRL, unique identification code ID, and the like, which are information on the time when the channel selection command CHSEL is generated. The control data CD is output via the communication line TL.

In addition, if the channel selection command CHSEL is changed after a predetermined reference time elapses, the broadcast information generation unit 130 may include the end time data TED and the operation control command OPCTRL, which are information about a time when the channel selection command CHSEL is changed. ), A unique identification code (ID) and control data (CD) are output via the communication line (TL).

Occurrence and end time data (TGD, TED), channel select command (CHSEL), motion control command (OPCTRL), unique identification code (ID) and control data (CD) are the Internet lines (INL) embedded in the coaxial cable (TL). Is sent through).

When a broadcast is selected by the channel selection command CHSEL, the broadcast information generation unit 130 generates time data TGD, channel selection command CHSEL, operation control command OPCTRL, unique identification code ID, and control data. (CD) is output through the communication line (TL).

The unique identification code ID is stored in the broadcast information generation unit 130 as a code for distinguishing the set top box 100 on which the broadcast information generation unit 130 is mounted from other set top boxes. By having a unique identification code (ID) for each set-top box 100, it is possible to pinpoint the area where the set-top box 100 is installed.                     

The control data CD includes an address of the web server 150 that receives generation time data TGD, a channel selection command CHSEL, an operation control command OPCTRL, and a unique identification code ID, and a protocol for communicating with the Internet. protocol) and the like.

By the generation time data TGD, the web server 150 stores a time at which the user starts watching the selected broadcast. If the channel select command CHSEL is changed after a certain reference time, the broadcast corresponding to the channel select command CHSEL before the change is considered to be viewed. Then, the broadcast information generator 130 outputs the end time data TED, the operation control command OPCTRL, the unique identification code ID, and the control data CD through the communication line TL.

By the end time data TED, the web server 150 stores a time at which viewing of the selected broadcast is ended. The web server 150 may know the start time and the end time of watching the broadcast selected by the generation time data TGD and the end time data TED, and the exact area where the broadcast was watched by the unique identification code ID. Since it is possible to know the ratings of the broadcast accurately.

If the channel selection command CHSEL is changed before a predetermined reference time, the broadcast information generation unit 130 does not recognize the broadcast viewed before the change as a valid broadcast viewing, and thus the channel selection command CHSEL before the change is not a valid broadcast viewing. Broadcast invalid data (not shown) that is information is output through a communication line TL.

In addition, if the changed channel selection command CHSEL is the same as the channel selection command CHSEL before the change, the broadcast information generation unit 130 cancels the changed channel selection command CHSEL and leaves the channel selection command CHSEL before the change. Keep it.

The broadcast information generation unit 130 performing such an operation is described further with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a broadcast information generator of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the broadcast information generation unit 130 includes a recognition unit 210, a buffer unit 220, a microprocessor 230, and an interface unit 240.

The recognition unit 210 receives a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command OPCTRL. The recognition unit 210 receives a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command OPCTRL transmitted from the signal detection unit 110. The buffer unit 220 stores the channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command OPCTRL output from the recognition unit 210 and stores the channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command in response to the output control signal OUTCTRL. Output (OPCTRL) The buffer unit 220 may be a register or a memory device.

The microprocessor 230 stores information about the reference time REREF, a unique identification code ID, and control data CD. The control data CD includes a protocol for the interface unit 240 to communicate with the outside and an address of the web server 150.

When the channel select command CHSEL is input, the microprocessor 230 may generate generation time data TGD, an output control signal OUTCTRL, a unique identification code ID, and information about a time when the channel select command CHSEL is generated. Generate control data (CD). The output control signal OUTCTRL transmits the channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command OPCTRL stored in the buffer unit 220 to the interface unit 240.                     

The interface unit 240 includes a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command OPCTRL generated by the buffer unit 220, generation time data TGD and a unique identification code ID generated by the microprocessor 230. And outputting control data CD to the web server 150 via the Internet line INL of the communication line TL.

The microprocessor 230 determines whether the channel selection command CHSEL is changed after the reference time REREF has elapsed. If the channel select command CHSEL is changed before the reference time REREF has elapsed, the broadcast selected by the channel select command CHSEL before the change is considered not to be watched.

Here, the reference time REREF is a minimum time that the viewer can regard as watching the broadcast through the monitor 140 and is externally adjustable. By doing so, it is possible to solve the problem of erroneously deeming that the selected broadcast is watched for a very short time due to a channel change.

At this time, the broadcast information generation unit 130 outputs broadcast invalid data (not shown) to the web server 150 through the communication line TL. The web server 150 removes generation time data TGD, unique identification code ID, and the like corresponding to the channel selection command CHSEL stored in response to the broadcast invalid data.

When the channel selection command CHSEL is changed after the reference time REREF has elapsed, the microprocessor 230 may include the end time data TED and the operation control command OPCTRL, which are information about a time at which the channel selection command CHSEL is changed. The unique identification code (ID) and control data (CD) are transmitted to the web server 150.                     

If the channel selection command CHSEL is changed, the changed time is the time at which viewing of the broadcast selected by the previous channel selection command CHSEL is ended, and when the data related thereto is sent to the web server 150, the total viewing time for the selected broadcast is displayed. Able to know. Then, the web server 150 may know the time at which the broadcast selected by the channel selection command CHSEL is watched and the watched region, and thus may analyze the viewer rating.

The microprocessor 230 performs the same operation as described above with respect to the channel select command CHSEL after the change. That is, the buffer unit 220 stores the new channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command OPCTRL after the change, and in response to the output control signal OUTCTRL, the new channel selection command CHSEL and the operation control command OPCTRL. Outputs

The microprocessor 230 outputs generation time data TGD, unique identification code ID, and control data CD of the new channel selection command CHSEL.

The interface unit 240 includes a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command OPCTRL generated by the buffer unit 220, generation time data TGD, and end time data TED generated by the microprocessor 230. The unique identification code ID and the control data CD are output via the internet line INL of the communication line TL.

The interface unit 240 may bidirectionally communicate. That is, in addition to transmitting signals and commands from the set-top box 100 to the web server 150 via the Internet line INL, signals or commands from an external web server 150 or a device connected to the Internet line INL may be transmitted. May be received.                     

The web server 150 may store the signals and commands transmitted from the set-top box 100 in real time, and store the transmitted signals and commands in a state that cannot be forged or modulated, such as log data.

The set-top box 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention does not need the number of people surveyed by telephone surveys, and is not limited to the broadcast viewing time, and it is possible to perform a full audience rating survey without any error in the actual rating.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of generating broadcast viewing information according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The broadcast viewing information generating method 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention relates to the broadcasting viewing information generating method using the set-top box 100 of the cable television for digital broadcasting shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The method for generating broadcast viewing information 300 first determines whether the set-top box 100 is turned on (step 310), and receives a channel selection command CHSEL and an operation control command OPCTRL. The selection command CHSEL is a command input from an external remote controller (not shown) as described above. In addition, the channel selection command CHSEL also includes screen selection contents that are generated when the power of the set-top box 100 is turned on.

That is, when the set-top box 100 is turned on, a broadcast that was selected just before the turn-off is displayed on the monitor screen. When the set top box 100 is turned on, a channel selection command CHSEL corresponding to a broadcast selected immediately before the turn off is received.

The set-top box 100 stores the generated time data TGD, the channel select command CHSEL, the operation control command OPCTRL, the predetermined unique identification code ID, and the control data CD from which the channel select command CHSEL is generated. In operation 330, when the broadcast is first selected, operation 330 corresponds to an operation of the broadcast information generator 130.

It is determined whether the channel selection command CHSEL is changed after the predetermined reference time REREF (step 340). If the channel selection command CHSEL is changed after the reference time REREF has elapsed, the channel selection command CHSEL is changed. End time data (TED), channel selection command (CHSEL) before operation, operation control command (OPCTRL), unique identification code (ID), and control data (CD), which are information on the changed time, are connected to the Internet line of the communication line (TL). Output through the INL (step 350) Step 350 is a case where the broadcast selected by the channel selection command CHSEL before the change is regarded as effectively viewed.

If the channel selection command CHSEL is changed before the reference time RETR has elapsed, broadcast invalid data (not shown) is generated. (Step 380) In step 380, the broadcast selected by the channel selection command CHSEL before the change is valid. Is considered to have not been watched.

It is determined whether the set-top box 100 is turned off (360). If it is not turned off, steps 330 to 350 and 380 are repeated with respect to the changed channel selection command CHSEL. If turned off, it communicates turn-off time data indicating the turn-off time, channel selection command CHSEL at the time of turn-off, operation control command OPCTRL, unique identification code ID and control data CD. The web server 150 outputs the line TL to the web server 150 (step 370).                     

The channel selection command CHSEL at the moment of turn-off is stored in the set top box 100 and is then input as a new channel selection command CHSEL when the set top box 100 is turned on again. In this way, broadcast viewing information can be analyzed in real time with low cost. A broadcast viewership survey and analysis system may be implemented by using the set top box 100 and the web server 150 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, optimal embodiments have been disclosed in the drawings and the specification. Although specific terms have been used herein, they are used only for the purpose of describing the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims or the claims. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

As described above, the method of generating the set-top box and the broadcasting viewing information according to the present invention does not require the number of surveying persons, and has a merit in that it is possible to perform a complete viewer rating without any error from the viewing rate actually viewed. In addition, the viewer rating survey can be performed without inconvenience to the viewer, and the viewer rating survey can be performed anywhere regardless of the viewer rating position.

Claims (20)

In the set-top box of cable television for digital broadcasting, A signal detector for generating a channel selection command and an operation control command in response to an externally input control signal; A tuning and extraction control unit selectively receiving a broadcast signal input through a communication line in response to the channel selection command and an operation control command, extracting image data from the received broadcast signal, and outputting the image data to an external monitor; And The generation time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on the time when the channel selection command is generated, are output through the communication line, and the channel selection is performed after a predetermined reference time elapses. And a broadcast information generation unit for outputting the end time data, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information on a time when the channel selection command is changed, when the command is changed through the communication line. Set-top box of cable television for digital broadcasting. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal, And a variety of commands for controlling the operation of the set-top box as a signal generated from a user's remote controller to control broadcasting viewing. The method of claim 1, The communication line is a coaxial cable, The generation and end time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code and the control data are transmitted via an internet line embedded in the coaxial cable. box. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information generation unit, If the channel selection command is changed before the reference time elapses, broadcast invalid data, which is information indicating that the channel selection command before the change is not a valid broadcast viewing, is output through the communication line, And canceling the changed channel selection command if the changed channel selection command is the same as the channel selection command before the change. The method of claim 4, wherein the broadcast information generation unit, A recognition unit for receiving the channel selection command and the operation control command; A buffer unit for storing the channel selection command and the operation control command output from the recognition unit and outputting the stored channel selection command and the operation control command in response to an output control signal; Stores the information about the reference time, the unique identification code and the control data, and generates the generation time data, the output control signal, the unique identification code and the control data when the channel selection command is input, and the reference It is determined whether the channel selection command is changed after elapse of time, and when the channel selection command is changed after elapse of the reference time, the end time data, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data are generated. Microprocessor; And An interface for outputting the channel selection command and the operation control command generated in the buffer unit, the generation time data, the end time data, the unique identification code and the control data generated in the microprocessor through the communication line; And a set top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting. The method of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor, And generating the broadcast invalid data if the channel selection command is changed before the reference time elapses. The method of claim 5, wherein the control data, And a communication protocol necessary for the interface unit and address data to which commands and data output from the interface unit arrive. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference time is, A set-top box for cable television for digital broadcasting, characterized in that the minimum amount of time that a viewer can view as viewed through the monitor, which is externally adjustable. A recognition unit for receiving a channel selection command and an operation control command; A buffer unit for storing the channel selection command and the operation control command output from the recognition unit and outputting the stored channel selection command and the operation control command in response to an output control signal; Information about a reference time, a unique identification code and control data, and when the channel selection command is input, generation time data, the output control signal, the unique identification code and the information on the time when the channel selection command is generated; An end time which is information about a time at which the channel selection command is changed when the channel selection command is changed after generating the control data and determining whether the channel selection command is changed after the reference time has elapsed. A microprocessor for generating data, the operation control command, the unique identification code and the control data; And An interface unit for outputting the channel selection command and the operation control command generated in the buffer unit and the generation time data, the end time data, the unique identification code and the control data generated in the microprocessor through a communication line; Broadcast viewing information generating device, characterized in that provided. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel selection command and the operation control command, And a command generated from a remote controller of a user in order to control broadcast viewing. The method of claim 9, The communication line is a coaxial cable, And the generation and end time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data are transmitted through an internet line embedded in the coaxial cable. The method of claim 9, wherein the control data, And communication protocol data necessary for the interface unit and address data for the command and data output from the interface unit. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference time is, A minimum amount of time that a viewer can regard as watching a broadcast, which is externally adjustable. In the broadcasting viewing information generation method using a set-top box of a cable television for digital broadcasting, Receives a channel selection command and an operation control command, the generation time data generated by the channel selection command, the channel selection command, the operation control command, a predetermined unique identification code and control data through a communication line connected to the set-top box Outputting step; Determining whether the channel selection command is changed after a predetermined reference time elapses; When the channel selection command is changed after the reference time elapses, the end time data, the channel selection command before the change, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data, which are information about a time when the channel selection command is changed, are read. Outputting through a communication line; And And generating broadcast invalid data when the channel selection command is changed before the reference time elapses. The method of claim 14, When the set-top box is turned off, turn off time data indicating a time to turn off, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code and the control data at the moment of turning off through the communication line And outputting the broadcasting viewing information. The method of claim 14, wherein the channel selection command and the operation control command, The broadcast viewing information generation method, characterized in that the command is generated from the user's remote controller to control the broadcast viewing. The method of claim 14, The communication line is a coaxial cable, And the generation and end time data, the channel selection command, the operation control command, the unique identification code, and the control data are transmitted through an internet line embedded in the coaxial cable. The method of claim 14, wherein the control data, And broadcast data required for the interface unit, address data outputted through the communication line, and address data to which the data arrives. The method of claim 14, wherein the reference time is, A minimum amount of time that a viewer can regard as watching a broadcast, which is externally adjustable. A set top box having the configuration of claim 1; And And a web server for receiving a command and data output from the set top box and analyzing a broadcast viewer rating.

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