WO2004110065A1

WO2004110065A1 - Reception device, station selection method, and stream distribution system

Info

Publication number: WO2004110065A1
Application number: PCT/JP2004/007334
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hiroshi Oota
Original assignee: Sony Corporation
Priority date: 2003-06-09
Filing date: 2004-05-21
Publication date: 2004-12-16
Also published as: KR20060011932A; KR101014290B1; CN100586171C; JP2004364227A; CN1698378A

Abstract

When viewing of stream data is switched to another input and again switched to input of the stream data, it is possible to easily reproduce the stream data, starting at the position immediately before the position when switched to the another input. When input is switched to a DTV broadcast received by an antenna (2) while reproducing a video stream transmitted from a video server (10), a receiver (1) requests the video server (10) to stop reproduction of the video stream and store the position information where the video stream reproduction is stopped. When the input is switched again to the video stream in the receiver (1), the receiver (1) requests the video server (10) to resume reproduction of the video stream which has been reproduced up to the moment immediately before the previous input switching. Here, the position information stored upon transmission of the reproduction stop request is transmitted to the video server (10) and reproduction of the video stream is resumed at the position of the previous input switching.

Description

Specification

RECEIVING DEVICE, TUNING METHOD, AND STREAM DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus and a channel selecting method suitable for use when receiving by switching between a television broadcast and stream data, and a stream distribution system. Background art

In recent years, with the start of satellite-based digital television (hereinafter abbreviated as DTV) broadcasting and the preparation of terrestrial digital television broadcasting, television broadcasting received as digital television signals has become increasingly popular. DTV receivers for projection are becoming popular. In general, DTV receivers can also receive conventional terrestrial analog television broadcasts.

On the other hand, with the development of a network environment, such as the possibility of high-speed communication on the Internet, streaming data such as video for streaming, which plays back while receiving data, via the network Services have been proposed. The stream data is stored in, for example, a content server on a network. The DTV receiver and the content server are bidirectionally connected via a network. When the DTV receiver requests distribution of the desired video from the content server, the content server transmits the stored stream data. The stream data of the requested video is selected and reproduced from among them, and the stream data is transmitted to the requested DTV receiver via a network, thereby distributing the stream data. The transmitted stream data is D Received by the TV receiver and projected.

In addition, many television receivers in recent years have a plurality of inputs and can receive other signals such as a VTR (Video Tape Recorder) in many cases. A single DTV receiver can switch between digital or analog television broadcasting, stream-distributed video, and video signals output from a VTR, and enjoy viewing.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-253367 discloses that digital content digital television broadcast programs on the Internet can be searched using EPG (Electric Program Guide) data, and based on the search results, It describes a technology that allows the user to switch between different contents for viewing.

In a television receiver having both a function of receiving a television broadcast and a function of receiving stream data transmitted via a network as described above, the input / output operation is performed even during reception of stream data. The power can be switched to another input such as a television broadcast. However, if the input is switched to another input such as television broadcasting while receiving and streaming the stream data, if the stream is still being played on the content server, other Even while watching content by input, the playback of stream data will progress. Therefore, when the user switches from another input to the stream data input again and tries to watch the continuation immediately before switching to another input, it is necessary to return the stream data reproduction position.

As described above, in a television receiver having both a function of receiving a television broadcast and a function of receiving stream data transmitted via a network, the reproduction of the stream data is the same as that of the previous reproduction. There was a need for a function that would automatically resume from where it returned to.

On the other hand, as shown in an example in FIG. 1, digital video data by DTV broadcasting broadcasted via satellite 110 and received by antenna 102 is built into receiver 100 capable of receiving DTV. There has been proposed a DTV reception system in which a hard disk drive (HDD) 101 is temporarily stored. The digital video data stored in the HDD 101 is subjected to predetermined signal processing by the signal processing unit 103, converted into a signal that can be projected by the receiver 120, and supplied to the receiver 120. . According to this configuration, the digital video data received on a certain channel by the antenna 102 is continuously stored in the HDD 101.

In this system, for example, information such as commercials inserted into a program that was broadcast on a certain channel, and information from a data broadcast that is broadcast by being superimposed on video data in a DTV broadcast are displayed in order to see in detail. The system temporarily enters a pause state, and stores the received video data from the television broadcast in the HDD 101. Thereafter, by continuously storing the video data in the HDD 101, when the display pause state is released, the data from the point at which the pause state was set can be sequentially read from the HDD 101. For example, the continuity of the video reproduced before and after the pause state can be maintained.

It is conceivable to add a configuration that enables reception of stream data transmitted via the network to this configuration. Stream data-The stream data being received is stored in the HDD 101 continuously after switching to another input during reception. When the input is returned to stream data from another input, it is stored in HDD 101 By reading the stream data sequentially from the data at the time when the input was switched, the reproduction of the stream data from the position where the input was switched can be resumed.

However, the configuration of FIG. 1 has a problem that the cost increases because the HDD 101 is built in the television receiver. In addition, there is a problem that a load on a device is large because the image data is reproduced while being stored in the HDD 101 while being stored. Furthermore, due to the storage capacity of the HDD 101, there is a possibility that all the received stream data may not be able to be stored, and in this case, there is a problem that the reproduction may be terminated halfway. .

Disclosure of the invention

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reproduce stream data from a position immediately before switching to another input when the stream data is switched to another input while watching the stream data and the input is returned to the stream data again. An object of the present invention is to provide a receiving device and a channel selecting method that can be realized without having a means for storing stream data, and a stream distribution system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a receiving apparatus that can switch between television broadcast and stream data to receive, and a reproducing unit that reproduces the received stream data; Switching means for switching between the input from the reproduction means and another input; and communication means for communicating with the source of the stream data, wherein the input means is provided by the switching means during reproduction of the stream data by the reproduction means. When the input is switched to another input, a stop request to stop the transmission of the stream data is transmitted to the source of the stream data by the communication means, and the switching operation is performed. When the input is switched from another input to the output from the reproduction means again by the stage, a request to start transmission of the stream data from the position where the transmission of the stream data is stopped to the transmission source of the stream data and a receiving apparatus characterized in that is to be sent by the communication unit ₀

Further, the present invention provides a channel selection method for switching between a television broadcast and a stream data to be received, wherein the step of reproducing the received stream data and the step of reproducing the input are performed. And a communication step for communicating with the source of the stream data. The input is reproduced in the switching step during reproduction of the stream data in the reproduction step. When the input is switched from the input from the step to another input, a stop request to stop the transmission of the stream data is transmitted to the source of the stream data in the communication step, and the input is reproduced from the other input again in the switching step. Stream data playback to the stream data source when switching to the output from the step The start request for starting from the position stop the transmission of the stream data is a channel selection method being characterized in that is to be sent by the communication step.

Also, the present invention provides a stream distribution system for distributing stream data to a receiving apparatus that can switch between television broadcast and stream data and receive the stream data. A reproduction means for receiving stream data transmitted from the stream data server and reproducing the received stream data; a switching means for switching an input between an input from the reproduction means and another input; And a communication unit for communicating with the super unit. When an input is switched from an input from the reproducing means to another input by the switching means during the reproduction of the data, a stop request for stopping the transmission of the stream data is sent to the stream data server by the communication means. In response to the stop request, the stream data server stops the stream data transmission by the stream data server, and the receiving device switches the input again from another input to the input from the reproducing device by the switching means. In this case, a request for starting playback of the stream data from the position where the transmission of the stream data is stopped is transmitted to the stream data server to the stream data server by the communication means. The overnight server plays back the stream data from the position where the transmission of the stream data was stopped in response to the start request, and A stream distribution system characterized in that is to be sent for.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the input is switched from stream data to another input while the received stream data is being played, a stop request for stopping the transmission of the stream data is transmitted to the stream data. When the input is switched to stream data from another input again, playback of the stream data is started from the position where the stream data transmission was stopped for the source of the stream data. Because the request is sent, even if the stream data receiving side does not have a means for storing stream data, if the input is temporarily switched to another input and then returned to the stream data, Stream data can be played continuously from the position where the previous stream data was stopped.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 shows a conventional DT with a built-in hard disk drive. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a system using a V receiver, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a stream distribution system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of a DTV receiver according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a stream distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sequence chart schematically showing an example of a process for requesting the video server to suspend the transmission of a stream from the DTV receiver, and FIG. 6 is a DTV receiver. FIG. 7 is a sequence chart schematically showing an example of a process for requesting a video server to start stream distribution from a video camera. FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. The figure is an abbreviation showing the structure of an example of a history table. FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining the operation using the history table according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a sequence chart shown schematically. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of the configuration of a stream distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. For example, a digital television (DTV) broadcast wave broadcast via a satellite 13 is received by an antenna 2, converted into stream data by a reception processing unit (not shown), and supplied to a signal processing unit 3 of the receiver 1. . The signal processing unit 3 performs a predetermined process on the supplied stream data and supplies the stream data to the receiver 4. The receiver 4 displays an image based on the supplied signal.

The video server 10 is managed by, for example, an Internet video distribution company, and has a hard disk drive (HDD) as a video data storage unit. ) 11 Reproduce the video data stored in 1 and output it as stream data. The output stream data is transmitted via the Internet 12 and received by, for example, the receiver 1. In the receiver 1, the received stream data is subjected to predetermined processing in a signal processing unit 3 and is supplied to a receiver 4. The receiver 4 displays an image based on the supplied signal.

In the following, reproducing the stored video data to output it as stream data in the video server 10 is appropriately expressed as "reproducing the video stream data".

The receiver 1 is capable of bidirectional communication with the video server 10 via the Internet 12. The receiver 1 switches between stream data based on the signal received by the antenna 2 and stream data transmitted via the internet 12 according to, for example, a user's operation on the receiver 1, and It can be input to the processing unit 3.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, while the user is watching the video based on the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 at the receiver 4, the user operates the user to operate the signal processing unit 3. When switching from the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 to another input is instructed, the temporal playback position of the stream data at that time is stored, and the video is received from the receiver 1. It requests the server 10 to pause the playback of the video stream data. Then, when the input to the signal processing unit 3 is returned to the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 from another input, the input to the signal processing unit 3 stored in the receiver 1 is changed to another input. The receiver 1 requests the video server 10 to play the video stream data from the playback position immediately before.

The thus configured stream according to the first embodiment of the present invention. According to the video distribution system, even if the receiver 1 does not have a storage device for stream data such as a hard disk drive, the user can input the input to the receiver 1 from the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 to another input. When the input is switched back to the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 from another input, the video based on the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 is switched to the input just before switching to the other input. It can be viewed from the position following the playback position.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a DTV receiver 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The DTV receiver 20 has a structure including the receiver 1 and the receiver 4 described in FIG. 2 in the same housing. The DTV receiver 20 has a BS / CS digital tuner 30 and an analog tuner 31 and performs BS (Broadcasting Satel 1 ite) broadcasting and CS (Communication Satellite 1 ite) broadcasting received by an antenna (not shown). It can receive DTV broadcasts and analog television broadcasts using terrestrial waves.

The BS / CS digital tuner 30 receives the broadcast of the channel selected from the BS broadcast and the CS broadcast based on the channel selection instruction signal supplied from the AV switch 24, and converts the video and audio signals based on the received broadcast. Output. The video and audio signals output from the B SZCS tuner 30 are input to an AV (Audio Video) switch 24.

Similarly, the analog tuner 31 receives the broadcast of the channel selected from the analog television broadcast based on the tuning instruction signal supplied from the AV switch 24, and outputs the video and audio signals based on the received broadcast. I do. The video and audio signals output from the analog tuner 31 are supplied to the AV switch 24.

DTV receiver 20 can also input external video and audio signals. External input terminals (not shown). Video and audio signals output from, for example, a VTR (Video Tape Recorder) 40 connected to an external input terminal are input to an AV switch 24. Furthermore, a video and audio signal output from a stream decoder 26 described later is supplied to the AV switch 24.

The AV switch 24 can respond to input of both analog and digital video and audio signals, for example, by providing an A / D converter inside. Further, more external input terminals can be provided. In the following, video and audio signals will be described mainly with respect to processing of video signals, and description of audio signals will be omitted.

The AV switch 24 selects one of the BS / CS tuner 30, the analog tuner 31, the external input terminal and the stream decoder 26 based on the channel selection control signal supplied from the channel selection control microcomputer 23. At the same time, when the B SZC S tuner 30 or the analog tuner 31 is selected, the tuning instruction signal for specifying the receiving channel is selected based on the tuning control signal of the BS / CS tuner 30 and the analog tuner 31. Supply to the other side.

The video signal selected by the AV switch 24 among the BS / CS tuner 30, the analog tuner 31, and the external input terminal is output from the AV switch 24 and supplied to the signal processing unit 28. The video signal that has been subjected to predetermined signal processing in the signal processing unit 28 is supplied to a display unit 29 such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and a PDP (Plasma Display Panel). Then, an image based on the image signal is displayed.

The tuning control microcomputer 23 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). ry). The tuning control microcomputer 23 performs the above-described tuning control based on a program stored in the ROM in advance, and controls the entire DTV receiver 20. In addition, the channel selection control microcomputer 23 gives a control signal for instructing a stream player 25 to be described later to control the reproduction of the stream data. RAM is used as work memory for the CPU. Further, a memory 32 is connected to the channel selection control microcomputer 23.

The remote control commander 21 (hereinafter abbreviated as the remote control 21) is for remotely controlling the DTV receiver 20 using, for example, an infrared signal, and includes a channel setting key, an input switching key, and a volume setting. Various operation means necessary for operating the DTV receiver 20, such as a key, a power ON / OFF key, and a key for raising / lowering a reception channel by one (an at-down key), are provided. When a key operation is performed by the user, the remote controller 21 modulates a control signal corresponding to the operated key into an infrared signal and transmits the infrared signal.

Here, the operation means provided on remote controller 21 has been described as being a key, but this is not limited to this example. For example, a cross key capable of instructing up, down, left, and right directions, or a touch panel on which an input is made by touching may be used as the operation means. A dial for setting an input value by rotating, or an operating means that combines a rotating operation and a pressing operation may be used.

The infrared signal transmitted from the remote controller 21 is received by the remote control receiver 22 of the DTV receiver 20, and the infrared signal is demodulated. The control signal obtained by demodulating the infrared signal is supplied to the channel selection control microcomputer 23. The channel selection control microcomputer 23 generates, for example, the above-described channel selection control signal based on the control signal, and outputs the signal to the AV switch 24. The transmission / reception control unit 27 is connected to the Internet 12 via a communication line having a communication speed of, for example, several Mps (Mega bits per second) or more, and controls communication with the Internet 12. By performing access using a predetermined protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) via the Internet 12 between the video server 10 and the transmission / reception control unit 27, the video server 1 Stream data transmitted from 0 can be received by the DTV receiver 20, and commands and data can be exchanged between the DTV receiver 20 and the video server 10.

On the other hand, the video server 10 stores video data in a data storage unit (not shown). The video data is compression-encoded by the MPEG2 (Moving Pictures Experts Group 2) method, for example. In the video server 10, for example, video data specified by a title can be read from the data storage unit, reproduced, and output as stream data. The stream data is transmitted over the Internet 12 based on, for example, the stream transmission method defined by the above-mentioned MPEG2. Of course, the compression encoding method and the transmission method for video data are not limited to MPEG2.

The video server 10 also controls reproduction of video data stored in the data storage unit. For example, playback, stop, fast forward, and rewind playback of video data (video stream data) is performed based on external requests. Further, the video server 10 can reproduce video stream data from a temporally designated start position. For example, by providing time information indicating the time from the beginning of the video stream data such as a time code from the outside as a start position, the video stream data can be reproduced from a position corresponding to the time. It should be noted that the video server 10 is provided with a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) indicating a location on the Internet 12, and by providing a URL via the Internet 12, the video server 1 0 can be accessed. The present invention is not limited to this, and a URL may be given to each of the video data stored in the data storage unit of the video server 10. In this case, by specifying a URL via the Internet 12, the video stream data given the URL can be reproduced.

The video stream data read and played back from the video storage unit of the video server 10 is transmitted over the Internet 12. The stream data is received by the transmission / reception control unit 27 and supplied to the stream player 25 and the stream decoder 26.

The stream decoder 26 decodes the supplied stream data and supplies it to the AV switch 24. Further, the stream player 25 controls the reception of stream data based on a control signal from the channel selection control microcomputer 23. For example, the stream player 25 transmits a video data distribution request to the video server 10 via the transmission / reception control unit 27 in accordance with the control signal from the channel selection control microcomputer 23, and the stream decoder 2 Instruct 6 to start decoding the stream data. The video stream data reproduced by the video server 10 in accordance with the distribution request is transmitted via the Internet 12 and received by the transmission / reception control unit 27. The received stream data is supplied to the stream decoder 26, decoded, converted into a video signal, and input to the AV switch 24. The thus configured stream according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the distribution system is explained using the flowchart in Fig. 4. I will tell. In this flowchart, the user initially receives the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 by the DTV receiver 20 and watches the video by the received stream data. In the middle of switching the input to another input (for example, a video signal from the analog tuner 31), watching the video for a while, and then returning the input to the stream data transmitted from the video server 10 for viewing again This is an example.

In the first step S10, the output of the stream decoder 26 is selected by the user as the input of the DTV receiver 20, and the display 29 of the DTV receiver 20 displays the stream transmitted from the video server 10 on the display 29 of the DTV receiver 20. An image based on the data is shown. That is, stream data transmitted from the video server 10 is received by the transmission / reception control unit 27, decoded by the stream decoder 26, subjected to predetermined processing by the signal processing unit 28 via the AV switch 24, and displayed. It is supplied to 29 and projected.

In addition, the video server 10 is, for example, an address on the Internet 12 of the DTV receiver 20 (an IP (Internet Protocol) address, for example, when TCP / IP is used for the connection of the Internet network 12). Based on, stream data is transmitted. The address of the DTV receiver 20 is transmitted to the video server 10 together with the request when, for example, the DTV receiver 20 requests the video server 10 to distribute the video data.

D When the TV receiver 20 receives the stream data transmitted from the video server 10, the user operates the remote controller 21, for example, and inputs another input (here, the analog tuner 3). (Step S1 1) . The remote controller 21 modulates a control signal based on this instruction into an infrared signal and transmits it. This infrared signal is received by the remote control light-receiving unit 22, demodulated and supplied as the original control signal to the channel selection control microcomputer 23. The channel selection control microcomputer 23 interprets the control signal instructing the input switching and determines whether or not the input can be switched. If the channel selection control microcomputer 23 determines that switching can be performed, a channel selection control signal that instructs the AV switch 24 to switch the input from the stream decoder 26 to the analog tuner 31 is output. Is done. At the same time, a signal indicating that the input has been switched is also transmitted to the stream player 25 (step S12).

The AV switch 24 switches the input according to the channel selection control signal received from the channel selection control microcomputer 23 and instructing the input switching. As a result, the output of the analog tuner 31 is supplied to the signal processing unit 28, and an image based on the output of the analog tuner 31 is displayed on the display 29 (step S13). 〉

On the other hand, the stream player 25 requests the video server 10 that is the source of the stream data that has been received up to that point, to temporarily stop the stream data in accordance with the channel selection control signal. In addition, the stream player 25 instructs the stream decoder 26 to stop decoding the stream data, and acquires time information indicating the time point of the pause in the stream data. The time information is information indicating the time from the beginning of the stream data. For example, a time code embedded in the stream data can be used. The time information is not limited to this, and the time information can also be obtained by measuring the time from the beginning of the video in the DTV receiver 20. The acquired time information is the URL of the video server 10 that is the source of the stream and the title of the distributed video. The information is stored in the memory 32 together with the information (step S14).

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart schematically showing an example of a process in which the DTV receiver 20 requests the video server 10 to temporarily stop transmitting a stream. First, the channel selection control microcomputer 23 issues a stream reproduction pause request to the stream player 25 (SEQU 100). The stream player 25 receiving the pause request transmits a request to the video server 10 to pause the reproduction of the video stream data currently transmitted as the stream data (SEQ 101). . Upon receiving this request, the video server 10 performs a process of stopping transmission of stream data to the DTV receiver 20.

For a while after the input of the DTV receiver 20 is switched to the analog tuner 31, the user watches the video by the analog tuner 31 (step S 15).

Thereafter, the user operates, for example, the remote controller 21 to issue an instruction to switch the input from the analog tuner 31 to the stream decoder 26 (step S16). A control signal based on this instruction is modulated into an infrared signal, and the modulated infrared signal is transmitted from the remote controller 21 and received by the remote controller receiver 22. The remote control receiver 22 demodulates the received infrared signal into the original control signal and supplies it to the tuning controller 23. The channel selection control microcomputer 23 interprets this control signal and determines whether or not input switching can be performed. When the channel selection control microcomputer 23 determines that the switching can be performed, the channel selection control microcomputer 23 outputs a channel selection control signal instructing the AV switch 24 to switch the input from the analog tuner 31 to the stream decoder 26. At the same time, the stream player 25 is also notified that the input has been switched from the analog tuner 31 to the stream decoder 26 (step S17). When the AV switch 24 receives a tuning control signal for instructing input switching from the tuning control microcomputer 23, the AV switch 24 switches the input according to the tuning control signal. As a result, the output of the stream decoder 26 is supplied to the signal processing unit 28, and the video based on the output of the stream decoder 26 can be displayed on the display 29 (step S18).

On the other hand, the stream player 25 receives again the video that was being viewed until immediately before switching to the analog tuner 31 according to the channel selection control signal, that is, the distribution stream data received in step S10 described above. In order to be able to do so, it requests the distribution source (the video server 10) of the distribution stream data to start reproducing the stream data. The input of the URL of the video server 10 is stored in the memory 32 when the input is switched from the stream decoder 26 to the analog tuner 31 and the video server 10 is requested to suspend the distribution stream data. ing. In addition, the time information indicating the time point of the temporary stop on the stream data stored in the memory 32 is transmitted to the video server 10 together with the stream reproduction start request (step S19).

FIG. 6 is a sequence chart schematically showing an example of a process of requesting the video server 10 to start stream distribution from the DTVS imager 20. First, a request to start reproduction of stream data is issued from the channel selection control microcomputer 23 to the stream player 25 (SEQ 200). The playback start request includes the URL of the video server 10 from which the input was stored immediately before the input was switched to the analog tuner 31 stored in the memory 32 and the input of the analog tuner 31. The time information on the stream data corresponding to the time at which the video is switched to and the title information of the video are added. The stream player 25 receiving the playback start request responds to the video server 10 indicated by the URL based on the URL, time information, and video title information added to the playback start request. A request to reproduce the video stream data from the time information is transmitted (S EQ 201). Upon receiving this request, the video server 10 reproduces and transmits the video stream data to the DTV receiver 20 from the time indicated by the time information. This stream data is received by the transmission / reception control unit 27 of the DTV receiver 20 via the Internet 12, and is supplied to the stream decoder 26 (S EQ 202).

The stream decoder 26 decodes the received stream data into a video signal, and inputs the video signal to the AV switch 24. Since the AV switch 24 has been switched from the analog tuner 31 to the stream decoder 26 in step S18 described above, the video signal input from the stream decoder 26 is supplied to the signal processing unit 28. After a predetermined signal processing, the signal is supplied to the display 29 and projected.

In the above description, the memory 32 for storing the URL, the title information and the time information is described as being connected to the channel selection control microcomputer 23. However, this is not limited to this example. The memory 32 may be connected to the stream player 25. In this case, when a reproduction start request is supplied from the channel selection control microcomputer 23 to the stream player 25, the stream, the URL, the title information and the time information stored in the memory 32 are read out by the stream player 25, and the reproduction is performed. It is added to the start request and sent to the Internet 12.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment of the present invention is similar to the first embodiment described above. The DTV receiver 20 saves the history of the stream data that has been viewed, so that the previously viewed stream data can be played back from the position where it was paused during the previous viewing. In FIG. 7, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 3 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, detailed description thereof is omitted, and only parts deeply related to the second embodiment of the present invention are shown. Other components are omitted.

The video servers 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D have different URLs (URL (1), URL (2), URL (3), and URL (4)), respectively. Is connected to the DTV receiver 20 via the. By specifying the URL, the DTV receiver 20 requests the video servers 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D to deliver video data, respectively, and receives the requested video. Receives stream data transmitted from servers 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D. Then, the user can view an image based on the received stream data.

In the second embodiment, a history of receiving and viewing stream data is stored as a history table 5 in the D TV receiver 20. The memory 32 can be used as a storage destination of the history table 50. In this case, it is preferable that the memory 32 be a non-volatile memory backed up by a battery, for example, and the history table 50 be retained even when the power of the DTV receiver 20 is off.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the history table 50. In the field “URL”, the UR of the video server that is the source of the received stream data is described. If a URL is attached to the video data itself distributed as stream data, the URL is described. The field “Title” is the title of the video data distributed as stream data. Title information is described. This field “Title” is not limited to the title information of the video data. If it is information that can specify the video data in the video server indicated by the field “URL”, other information such as the file name of the video data may be used. It may be information. If the field “URL” indicates the video data itself, the field “Title” can be omitted.

The field “TC” is switched to another input and distributed to the video server as stream data as described in the first embodiment of the present invention, while viewing the video by the stream data. Yes The time information of the pause position when a request to pause the playback of video stream data is described. The time information is time information indicating the time from the beginning of the video. For example, a time code embedded in the stream data can be used. The time information is not limited thereto, and the time information may be acquired by measuring the time from the beginning of the video in the D TV receiver 20.

An operation using the history table 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 9, parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 3 and 7 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and only parts deeply relevant to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Shown, other configurations are omitted.

The history table 50 shows the URL of the video server that is the source of the stream data viewed in the past on the D TV receiver 20 (URL (1), URL (2), URL (3) and URL (4)). Is associated with the title information of the viewed video data and the time information (TC: time code) indicating the position where the playback of the video stream data distributed by the stream data is paused. Stored in 32 Have been. In FIG. 9, the title information and time information in the history table 50 are omitted.

In the DTV receiver 20, for example, while viewing a video by a distribution stream distributed from a certain video server, the user performs a predetermined operation on the remote control 21 to obtain a stream that has been received in the past. The data can be reproduced from the position where the reproduction was stopped during the previous reception.

If a user performs an operation such as an up / down key operation on the remote controller 21 while receiving stream data transmitted from a certain video server, the user responds to this operation. The generated control signal is modulated into an infrared signal and transmitted. The infrared signal is received by a remote control receiver 22 (not shown), demodulated into an original control signal, and supplied to a channel selection control microcomputer 23.

The tuning controller microcomputer 23 reads a set of URL, title information and time information from the history table 50 stored in the memory 32 based on the control signal. Here, it is assumed that information on URL (2) is read. At this time, the most recently stored information may be read first, or the most recently stored information may be read. Information stored at a predetermined position in the history table 50 can be read first. Based on the information read from the history table 50, the channel selection control microcomputer 23 sends the URL (2) in the history table 50 to the video server 10B indicated by the URL (2). A playback start request is generated so that the video of the corresponding title is played from the time indicated by the time information. The generated reproduction start request is supplied to the stream player 25 and transmitted from the stream player 25 to the corresponding video server 10B, as already described with reference to FIG. Upon receiving this request, the video server 1 OB reproduces the corresponding video stream data and transmits it to the DTV receiver 20 via the Internet. The stream data transmitted from the video server 10 B is received by the D TV receiver 20, decoded by a stream decoder 26 (not shown) under the control of the stream player 25, and passed through an AV switch 24 to a signal processing unit. Supplied to 28. The signal processing section 28 performs predetermined processing on the supplied video signal, and supplies the processed video signal to a display 29 (not shown) to display a video.

Here, the operation when the user further performs an operation of changing the channel using the remote controller 21 will be described with reference to FIG. Initially, it is assumed that the stream day transmitted from the video server (1) is received by the D TV receiver 20 and is being viewed (SEQU 300).

Based on a control signal corresponding to an operation on the remote controller 21, for example, the next set of URLs in the history table 50 stored in the memory 32 is read by the channel selection control microcomputer 23. Then, a reproduction start request is generated based on the read information of the URL set, and supplied to the stream player 25 (SEQU 301). The stream player 25 instructs the stream decoder 26 to pause the decoding of the stream data currently received and to decode the newly received stream data. 25 is to request the transmission source of the currently received data stream (the video server (1) in the example of Fig. 10) to suspend the stream transmission (S EQ 302) and to select the station. The playback start request supplied from the control microcomputer 23 is transmitted to the video server (video server (2) in the example of FIG. 10) corresponding to the URL (S EQ 30 3).

It should be noted that the information of the stream data whose transmission has been suspended by SEQ 302, that is, the URL of the transmission source of the stream data, the video title information, and the time information indicating the time on the suspended stream are shown in the history table 5. Described as 0. At this time, the URL, title information, and time information may be newly described in the history table 50, or the corresponding information in the past may be overwritten.

The video server (1) receives the transmitted stream transmission suspension request and performs stream transmission stop processing. Further, the video server (2) receives the transmitted reproduction start request, reproduces the video stream data indicated by the reproduction start request from the position indicated by the time information, and transmits the reproduced data (SEQU 304). The stream data is received by the DTV receiver 20, decoded by the stream decoder 26 to be a video signal, and supplied to the signal processing unit 28 via the AV switch 24. Then, predetermined processing is performed in the signal processing unit 28, and the image is displayed on the display 29.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, when the operation of switching the channel using the remote controller 21 is performed while the stream data transmitted from the video server is being received, the history table 50 is described. The received stream data can be switched based on the received information, and playback can be started and projected from the position where the previous playback was stopped.

As an example, the operation of the remote control 21 is performed by raising the channel (for example, pressing the “up” key), and one operation for lowering the channel (for example, pressing the “down” key). This may be an instruction to start playback of a new stream. By doing so, it is possible to transfer a plurality of distribution stream data, Can be switched and viewed as if switching.

In the above description, the memory 32 is connected to the channel selection control microcomputer 23, but this is not limited to this example. As described in the first embodiment, the memory 32 may be connected to the stream player 25.

Further, in the above description, it has been described that the channel is selected based on the history table 50 when an operation of switching the channel is performed while receiving the distribution stream data, but this is not limited to this example. For example, it is possible to select a channel based on the history table 50 by operating a predetermined key of the remote controller 21 while viewing a video by the BZZCS digital tuner 30 or the analog tuner 31.

Further, in the above description, both the path for transmitting the stream data from the video server 10 to the DTV receiver 20 and the path for transmitting the request from the DTV receiver 20 to the video server 10 are both included. Although described as being the Internet 12, this is not a limitation. That is, transmission of stream data from the video server 10 to the DTV receiver 20 and transmission of a request from the DTV receiver 20 to the video server 10 may be performed by different communication means. For example, the transmission of stream data from the video server 10 to the DTV receiver 20 is performed using radio waves, and the transmission of a request from the DTV receiver 20 to the video super 10 is performed on a network such as the Internet 12. It can be done through one step.

Furthermore, in the above description, the time information indicating the pause position of the stream data has been described to be stored in the memory 32 of the DTV receiver 20. However, this is not limited to this example. That is, time information indicating the pause position of the stream data can be stored in the video server 10. Sent from DTV receiver 20 to video server 10 When the video server 10 receives the received request for temporarily stopping the stream, the video server 10 stops the playback of the stream according to the received request. At the time of this stop processing, position information on the video stream data corresponding to the stop position is obtained and stored. Next time, when the DTV receiver 20 requests resumption of the reproduction of the video stream data, the reproduction of the video stream data is started based on the stored time information.

As described above, according to the present invention, when an input is switched to another input during viewing of a video in a video stream transmitted from a video server in the receiver, the receiver can send the video to the video server. Request to pause the playback of the video stream data, and when the input is returned to the video stream again, the video stream data is played back from the position where the previous playback was paused. Request to server. Therefore, it is possible to restart the reproduction of the video stream transmitted from the video server from the previous stop position without having a storage device for the video data such as a hard disk drive on the receiver side.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the history of the video stream data received in the past in the receiver is stored together with the pause position information of the video stream data, and the history is stored by the channel switching operation. The video server requests the video server to play back the video stream data from the position where the previous playback was stopped. Therefore, there is an effect that the user can switch and view the video stream data as if switching a normal television broadcast channel.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. In a receiving device that can switch between television broadcast and stream data for reception,

Playback means for playing back the received stream data;

Switching means for switching the input between the input from the reproducing means and another input;

Communication means for communicating with the source of the stream data;

Has,

When the switching unit switches the input from the input from the reproducing unit to the other input during the reproduction of the stream data by the reproducing unit, the stop request for stopping the transmission of the stream data is issued by the switching unit. Send to the sender of the stream data by communication means,

When the input is switched again from the other input to the output from the reproducing means by the switching means, the reproduction of the stream data is stopped for the transmission source of the stream data and the transmission of the stream data is stopped. A receiving request transmitted from the communication unit, the starting request being started from the set position.

2. The receiving device according to claim 1,

Position information acquisition for acquiring position information indicating a position on the stream data reproduced by the reproducing means at the time when the input is switched from the input from the reproducing means to the other input by the switching means. Further comprising:

During the reproduction of the stream data by the reproducing means, after the input is switched from the input from the reproducing means to the other input by the switching means, the input is again switched from the other input by the switching means to the input. When switching to the input from the reproduction means, the position information The start request for starting reproduction of the stream data from a position based on the obtained position information is transmitted to the transmission source of the stream data by the communication means. apparatus.

3. The receiving device according to claim 1,

A receiving apparatus characterized in that reception of stream data and transmission of the stop request or start request are performed by different communication means.

4. The receiving device according to claim 1,

When transmitting the start request, an address of the receiving device is transmitted together with the start request.

5. The receiving device according to claim 1,

When transmitting the start request, the receiving device transmits information of a transmission source together with the start request.

6. The receiving device according to claim 1,

When receiving the start request, the receiving device transmits information indicating stream data together with the start request.

7. The receiving device according to claim 1,

History information storage means for storing information on the transmission source of the stream data reproduced by the reproduction means as a history,

If the input is switched by the switching means during the reproduction of the stream data by the reproducing means, the transmission source is selected from the history storage means in accordance with the switching of the input by the switching means, and the selected transmission is performed. A receiving device wherein the start request is transmitted to the source by the communication means.

8. The receiving device according to claim 7,

The history is characterized by storing the URL of the sender. Receiving device.

9. The receiving device according to claim 7,

The receiving device, wherein the URLs of the streams stored in the transmission source are stored in the history.

10. In the channel selection method in which television broadcasting and stream data can be switched and received,

A reproduction step of reproducing the received stream data; and a switching step of switching the input between the input from the reproduction step and another input.

And a communication step for communicating with a source of the stream data.

Stopping the transmission of the stream data when the input is switched from the input from the reproduction step to the other input during the switching step during the reproduction of the stream data in the reproduction step. Sending a request to the source of the stream data by the step of communication,

When the input is switched from the other input to the output from the reproduction step again by the switching step, the reproduction of the stream data is performed for the transmission source of the stream data. A channel selection method, characterized in that a start request to start from a position where transmission of stream data is stopped is transmitted in the communication step.

1 1. In a stream distribution system that distributes stream data to a receiving device that can switch between television broadcast and stream data,

A stream data server for reproducing and transmitting stream data; and the stream data transmitted from the stream data server. Reproducing means for reproducing the received stream data, switching means for switching an input between an input from the reproducing means and another input, and communication means for communicating with the stream data server. Equipped receiving device and

Has,

The receiving device stops transmission of the stream data when the switching means switches the input from the input from the reproducing means to the other input during the reproduction of the stream data by the reproducing means. Send a stop request to the stream server via the communication means,

The stream data server stops the transmission of the stream data by the stream data server in response to the stop request, and the receiving device returns the input from the other input to the input from the reproducing means by the switching means. In this case, the communication means sends a request to the stream data server to start reproduction of the stream data from the position where the transmission of the stream data is stopped. Sent to

The stream data server reproduces the stream data from a position where the transmission of the stream data has been stopped in response to the start request, and transmits the stream data to the receiving device. 3 Shin system.

12. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the reception of the stream data from the stream data server and the transmission of the stop request or the start request to the stream data server are performed by different communication means. Characteristic stream distribution system

13. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein when transmitting the start request, an address of a receiving device is transmitted together with the start request.

14. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein when transmitting the start request, information indicating a stream data server is transmitted together with the start request.

15. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein, when transmitting the start request, information representing stream data is transmitted together with the start request.

16. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the receiving device is configured to switch the input from the reproducing unit to the other input by the switching unit. Position information indicating position on the stream data to be reproduced by the reproduction means; and a position information acquisition means for acquiring the input from the reproduction means by the switching means while the reproduction means is reproducing the stream data. After the input is switched from the input to the other input, when the input is switched again from the other input to the input from the reproducing unit by the switching unit, the input obtained by the position information obtaining unit is performed. The start request for starting reproduction of the stream data from a position based on the position information is sent to the stream data server by the communication means. String Ichimu distribution system is characterized in that so as to transmit it.

17. The stream distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the receiving device is configured to transmit the stream data reproduced by the reproducing unit. History data storing means for storing as information a history of the stream data server which has transmitted the stream data server. If an input is switched by the switching means during reproduction of the stream data by the reproducing means, The stream data server is selected from the history storage means in response to the input switching, and the start request is transmitted to the selected stream data server by the communication means. Stream distribution system.

18. The stream distribution system according to claim 17, wherein the URL of the transmission source is accumulated in the history.

19. The stream distribution system according to claim 17, wherein URLs of streams stored at the transmission source are stored in the history.