CN115066889A

CN115066889A - Receiving apparatus, server, system and method

Info

Publication number: CN115066889A
Application number: CN202180006038.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 西口友美; 辻雅史; 久保力也; 内野聡
Original assignee: Hisense Visual Technology Co Ltd; Toshiba Visual Solutions Corp
Current assignee: Hisense Visual Technology Co Ltd; Toshiba Visual Solutions Corp
Priority date: 2020-12-11
Filing date: 2021-08-18
Publication date: 2022-09-16
Also published as: JP2022093004A; WO2022121364A1

Abstract

Provided are a receiving apparatus, a server, a system and a method for analyzing viewing information in detail. A receiving apparatus which receives and outputs a digital content so as to be viewable and has a unique device identifier capable of identifying the digital content from another apparatus, the receiving apparatus comprising: a viewing log collection unit that collects a viewing log for the digital content; a wireless communication unit that receives wireless terminal information transmitted from a wireless terminal; a detection terminal information creation unit that creates detection terminal information based on the wireless terminal information; and an information management unit that transmits viewing information including the viewing log, the detection terminal information, and the device identifier.

Description

Receiving apparatus, server, system and method

This application claims priority to the filing of japanese patent application having the title 2020-.

Technical Field

The application relates to a receiving device, a server, a system and a method.

Background

A television receiving apparatus that receives digital broadcasts can connect to the internet and receive and view digital contents from not only broadcast signals but also various media. Furthermore, a server on the internet is connected to each television receiving apparatus via the internet, and can collect viewing information (also referred to as a viewing log) from each television receiving apparatus, and analyze the viewing status of the audience rating by analyzing the collected data.

Prior art documents

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2020 and 191587

Disclosure of Invention

However, the user attribute of the television receiving apparatus required for analyzing the viewing information is often input from an attached remote controller by a user as a purchaser when purchasing the television receiving apparatus, and the input is troublesome when a single television receiving apparatus is shared by a plurality of viewers such as a family. Therefore, analysis information reflecting information and the like of each of the plurality of users may not be provided.

An object of the present invention is to provide a receiving apparatus, a server, a system, and a method for analyzing viewing information in detail.

A receiving apparatus which receives and outputs a digital content so as to be viewable and has a unique device identifier capable of identifying the digital content from another apparatus, the receiving apparatus comprising: a viewing log collection unit that collects a viewing log for the digital content; a wireless communication unit that receives wireless terminal information transmitted from a wireless terminal; a detection terminal information creation unit that creates detection terminal information based on the wireless terminal information; and an information management unit that transmits viewing information including the viewing log, the detection terminal information, and the device identifier.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of a configuration example of a system according to an embodiment;

fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a receiving apparatus according to the embodiment;

fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a radio terminal apparatus according to the embodiment;

fig. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a management server device according to the embodiment;

fig. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a utilization server device according to the embodiment;

fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of data exchanged between devices in the embodiment;

fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation when the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1 receives a radio identifier;

fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a database held by the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1;

fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation for registering a user identifier in the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1;

fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a database in which a user identifier held by the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1 is linked to viewing information;

fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing operation for the reception device according to embodiment 1 to transmit data to the management server;

fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of data transmitted from the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1 to the management server;

fig. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation in a case where the management server apparatus according to embodiment 1 receives data;

fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of estimated distance data in the database of the management server device according to embodiment 1;

fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example in which a database of the management server device according to embodiment 1 is displayed for each broadcast program;

fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example in which a database of the management server device according to embodiment 1 is displayed for each user identifier;

fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation when the radio terminal apparatus according to embodiment 2 detects the start of an application;

fig. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing operation for the reception device according to embodiment 2 to transmit data to the management server;

fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a database relating to data received by the management server apparatus according to embodiment 2 from the receiving apparatus.

Description of the reference numerals

1 … receiving apparatus, 1a … wireless terminal apparatus, 3 … management server, 4 … utilization server, 5 … network, 10 … remote controller, 11 … broadcast signal reception processing section, 12 … data processing section, 13 … output control section, 141 … display section, 142 … voice output section, 15 … interface section, 151 … communication section, 152 … remote controller I/F section, 153a … wireless communication section, 16 … control section, 17 … information management section, 171 … information control section, 172 … data storage section, 173 … distance analysis section, 174 … user identifier making section, 175 … viewing log collection section, 18 … application processing section, 101 … recording playback section, 102 … power supply, 103 … power supply.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a system according to an embodiment.

The receiving apparatus 1 is a device for viewing digital content, and is a television receiving apparatus (also referred to as a television apparatus, a television receiver, or a broadcast signal receiving apparatus) that receives a broadcast signal of digital broadcasting such as terrestrial broadcasting and satellite broadcasting, for example, 2K or 4K/8K, acquires a broadcast program from the broadcast signal, and can view the broadcast program. The receiving apparatus 1 may be provided with a computer having a CPU, a memory, and the like.

The receiving apparatus 1 includes an external interface for connecting to a network 5 such as the internet, and can view a content provided by a content server apparatus or the like, not shown, on the network 5. The receiving apparatus 1 may acquire broadcast program data of digital television broadcasting from a storage medium such as a DVD or a hard disk.

In addition, the digital content may be simply referred to as a program. Further, it is also possible to refer to digital content acquired from a broadcast signal as a broadcast program, or to refer to digital content acquired from a device on a network simply as content.

The receiving apparatus 1 may have a recording/playing function, and a broadcast program may be recorded on a hard disk or the like or the recorded broadcast program may be outputted in a viewable manner by the recording/playing function. In addition, a not-shown recording/reproducing device may be connected to the receiving device 1, and the broadcast program may be recorded and viewed in the not-shown recording/reproducing device.

Note that, if the receiving apparatus 1 is a device capable of receiving digital content, it may be a video recorder capable of recording only without a viewable display, a Set Top Box (STB) capable of receiving a broadcast signal, or the like. The receiving apparatus 1 may be a mobile device such as a personal computer or a smartphone as a receiving apparatus having the same receiving function.

The receiving apparatus 1 enables a user to remotely control by using the attached remote controller 10. The receiving apparatus 1 may further include a voice recognition unit, not shown, such as a smart speaker that can be remotely controlled.

The receiving apparatus 1 can acquire attribute information (referred to as broadcast program information) relating to a broadcast program of digital broadcasting, and can be used for creating a viewing log by storing the attribute information in an internal memory or the like. The attribute information relating to the broadcast program may be any information relating to the broadcast program, such as the program name, the presenter, and the broadcast time of the broadcast program.

The receiving apparatus 1 includes wireless communication means such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and is capable of data communication with an external apparatus including the same communication means.

In fig. 1, only 1 receiving apparatus 1 is shown, but a plurality of receiving apparatuses 1 having the same function are usually connected. Hereinafter, when a plurality of receiving apparatuses 1 are described, they may be referred to as receiving apparatuses 1.

The

wireless terminal devices

2A and 2B (referred to as wireless terminal devices 2 without particular distinction) are, for example, portable terminals such as smartphones that are provided with a CPU, a memory, and the like. The wireless terminal apparatus 2 may perform normal voice calls, data communications, and the like via a mobile line such as 3 rd generation (3G), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 4 th generation (4G), 5 th generation (5G), and the like. The wireless terminal device 2 includes wireless communication means such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, independently of the above-described mobile line. The wireless terminal apparatus 2 is given a wireless identifier that is an identifier capable of identifying the wireless terminal apparatus. The radio identifier is determined as a communication standard or an international standard, and is an identifier capable of globally identifying a radio communication unit. The radio identifier includes information for identifying the radio terminal device 2 and the radio communication unit mounted on the radio terminal device 2. For example, when the wireless terminal apparatus 2 mounts two wireless communication means, i.e., Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the wireless terminal apparatus 2 has two wireless identifiers, and may include, for example, a wireless identifier 1 including information for identifying (wireless terminal apparatus 2, Bluetooth) and a wireless identifier 2 including information for identifying (wireless terminal apparatus 2, Wi-Fi).

The management server apparatus 3 is a server on the network 5, and may be constructed by a computer (including a cloud) having a CPU, a memory, and the like. The management server apparatus 3 may collect viewing information (including a viewing log) from a plurality of receiving apparatuses 1 connected to the network 5, form a database, analyze the viewing information as needed, or provide request data from the database to a requesting source in response to a request. The receiving apparatus 1 transmits viewing information to the management server apparatus 3 via the network 5 at an arbitrary timing.

The utilization server device 4 is a server having various purposes connected to the network 5, and may be constructed by a computer (including a cloud) having a CPU, a memory, and the like. The server apparatus 4 may be an analysis server that performs analysis based on data collected by the management server apparatus 3 and provides an arbitrary analysis result. In fig. 1, only one use server apparatus 4 is shown, but a plurality of use server apparatuses may be provided.

The network 5 is a network in which the receiving apparatus 1, the management server apparatus 3, the server apparatus 4, and the like are connected and each device apparatus can communicate with each other, and is, for example, the internet. The network 5 is not limited to the internet, and may be a network including a plurality of different networks if each device can communicate with each other. The wireless terminal apparatus 2 may access the network 5 via a communication means such as Wi-Fi, in addition to the mobile line.

Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a receiving apparatus according to the embodiment.

The broadcast signal reception processing unit 11 has a tuner function, a demultiplexing function, and the like. The tuner function processes broadcast waves received from an antenna, not shown, a cable of a cable television, or the like in accordance with the standard of digital broadcasting, and acquires broadcast signals. The demultiplexing function outputs various digital data streams obtained by separating broadcast signals and the like. The standard of the digital broadcasting may be, for example, the MPEG2TS system used in 2K digital broadcasting, the MPEG Media Transport system (MMT system) used in 4K/8K digital broadcasting, or the like. When a plurality of tuners are present, different standards may be applied to the tuners. The broadcast signal reception processing unit 11 may also have functions such as error correction coding/decoding processing and encryption/decryption processing for decoding encrypted data as processing according to the standard of digital broadcasting.

The data processing unit 12 performs decoding processing and the like on encoded data (video encoded data, audio encoded data, character encoded data and the like) output from the broadcast signal reception processing unit 11, the network data processing unit 19, the recording and playback unit 101 and the like, and outputs digital content data such as video, audio, characters and the like.

The output control unit 13 adjusts output timing, a display method, and the like for the digital content data output from the data processing unit 12, the network data processing unit 19, and the like, and outputs the digital content data to the display unit 141 and the audio output unit 142.

The display unit 141 is a display for displaying images and characters, for example. The display unit 141 outputs the digital content data output by the output control unit 13 as digital content such as video and text which can be recognized by the user.

The sound output unit 142 is, for example, a speaker that outputs sound. The audio output unit 142 outputs the digital content data of the audio output from the output control unit 13 as digital content such as audio that can be recognized by the user. The user views the video, text, and audio output from the display unit 141 and the audio output unit 142, thereby viewing the digital content provided by the broadcast signal, the content server device, the recording and playing unit 101, and the like, not shown, on the network 5. The display unit 141 and the audio output unit 142 may be collectively referred to as a presentation unit to present digital content to the user.

The interface unit 15 includes various interfaces.

The communication unit 151 is an interface for performing data communication with the management server device 3, devices on the network 5 such as the server device 4, and the like, and may include a protocol of TCP/IP, for example.

The remote controller I/F section 152 is an interface for receiving a control signal based on infrared rays or the like output from the remote controller 10. The remote controller I/F section 152 outputs the received control signal to the control section 16. Instead of the remote controller 10, an interface may be provided for receiving a control signal output from a terminal such as a smartphone, not shown.

The

wireless communication units

153A and 153B (which are referred to as wireless communication units 153 without particular distinction) may be wireless interfaces for performing short-range or medium-range communication such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The wireless communication unit 153 can measure and output radio wave intensity data of the received radio wave. The wireless communication unit 153 demodulates the received radio waves to obtain digital data. The obtained digital data may be output to the control unit 16.

The control unit 16 controls each function of the receiving apparatus 1. Specifically, the control unit 16 receives various control signals from the interface unit 15 and controls the functions of the receiving apparatus 1. For example, when the user designates the ON/OFF of the power of the receiving apparatus 1, the recording and playing of a broadcast program, or the like from the remote controller 10, the control unit 16 receives a control signal from the remote controller 10 via the remote controller I/F unit 152, and controls various functions of the receiving apparatus 1 to perform the operation designated by the user. The control unit 16 may extract necessary data from the data received from the interface unit 15 according to a predetermined format, or may output the necessary data to a necessary function. In fig. 2, data may be exchanged between function blocks not connected to the control unit 16.

The information management unit 17 acquires various information necessary for generating and outputting viewing information, and makes and stores the acquired various information into a database. The information management unit 17 generates and outputs viewing information including various kinds of information. The timing of transmission to the management server apparatus 3 may be arbitrary.

For example, when receiving a data transmission request or a transmission trigger from the control unit 16 to the management server device 3, the information control unit 171 creates viewing information, which is transmission data, from the database of the data storage unit 172. The information control unit 171 transmits the created viewing information to the management server device 3 via the network data processing unit 19. When receiving a command (transmission trigger) to transmit the viewing information that has been prepared in advance from the control unit 16, the information control unit 171 may transmit the prepared viewing information without a step of preparing the viewing information. Further, the user may set what kind of information is included in the viewing information from the remote controller 10 or the like.

The control unit 16 may output a transmission trigger for causing the information control unit 171 to transmit the viewing information to the management server apparatus 3 as follows.

When switching the channel to be output to the display unit 141

When the program output to the display unit 141 is ended

Regular transmission (the control unit 16 outputs a transmission trigger at a predetermined timing)

When the estimated number of viewers in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 changes (for example, the information management unit 17 may estimate the number of viewers in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 based on the estimated distance calculated by the distance analysis unit 173)

When the receiving apparatus 1 detects a wireless identifier without specifying or setting a user identifier

The user identifier is an identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier, and is defined as an independent identifier in the receiving apparatus 1 in the system of fig. 1. The details will be described later.

The data storage unit 172 is, for example, a database, and stores data necessary for the information control unit 171 to create information. Further, information such as a device identifier as unique information of the receiving apparatus 1, channel selection information input by the user when purchasing the receiving apparatus 1, and user attributes such as family configuration may be stored in the data storage unit 172.

The distance analysis unit 173 is a function of estimating the distance between the wireless terminal device 2 that transmitted the radio wave and the wireless communication unit 153 (receiving device 1) based on the reception intensity of the received radio wave output by the wireless communication unit 153. For example, when the radio wave of the radio terminal apparatus 2 near the receiving apparatus 1 is received, the estimated distance is small because the reception intensity of the radio wave is large, and it is estimated that the user of the radio terminal apparatus 2 is watching the receiving apparatus 1. Conversely, when receiving the radio wave of the radio terminal apparatus 2 of the user outside the room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located, the reception intensity of the radio wave is small, and the estimated distance is large, so that it can be estimated that the user of the radio terminal apparatus 2 is not watching the receiving apparatus 1. The user in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 2 can be estimated based on the estimated distance obtained by the distance analyzing unit 173.

The user identifier creation unit 174 creates a user identifier, which is an identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier output from the wireless terminal device 2. The wireless identifier is an identifier that is defined globally, but the user identifier may be an identifier that is set in the receiving apparatus 1 or specifically in the system. Note that, when one wireless terminal device 2 has a plurality of (for example, two) wireless identifiers, for example, such as the wireless identifier 1 (wireless terminal device 2, Bluetooth) and the wireless identifier 2 (wireless terminal device 2, Wi-Fi), the user identifiers (for example, the user identifier 1 and the user identifier 2) may be set individually for the wireless identifier 1 and the wireless identifier 2. Note that, considering that both radio identifiers are the same, the radio terminal apparatus 2 may output radio identifiers, and the like, and may collectively establish a link with one user identifier.

The viewing log collection unit 175 collects, for example, a viewing log which is information related to the digital content displayed by the receiving apparatus 1 from the display unit 141. Specifically, for example, the output control unit 13 may collect, as a viewing log, a program name, a broadcast time, a broadcast channel, and the like of the digital content output to the display unit 141 and the audio output unit 142. The viewing log may be a viewing log for recording the digital content played back by the playback unit 101 and the digital content on the network acquired via the network data processing unit 19.

The application processing unit 18 may execute any application software installed in the receiving apparatus 1. When an application cooperating with an external device such as the wireless terminal device 2, the management server device 3, or the use server device 4 is installed, the application processing unit 18 may perform interaction at an application level with the external device.

The network data processing unit 19 transmits and receives various data to and from devices on the network 5 via the interface unit 15. The network data processing unit 19 may include an application for transmitting and receiving data to and from a browser or a content server device not shown. The network data processing unit 19 may transmit the viewing information supplied from the information management unit 17 to the management server apparatus 3 via the network 5.

The recording/playing unit 101 includes a storage unit (not shown) such as an HDD (hard disk drive), is a magnetic disk player or an HDD recorder capable of recording programs, and stores data of digital contents output from the broadcast signal reception processing unit 11, the network data processing unit 19, and the like in the storage unit. The recording/playback unit 101 plays back and outputs digital content in response to a playback request from a user or the like. The recorded/reproduced information of the digital content in the recorded/reproduced portion 101 may be supplied to the information management portion 17 as a viewing log. The viewing log may include the program name, recording date and time, broadcast date and time, and broadcast date and time of the recorded program. In the present embodiment, the recording and reproducing unit 101 is a function of the receiving device 1, but may be an external device.

The power source 102 is a basic power source, and may be a power source that is always effective when the receiving apparatus 1 is connected to an outlet plug. When the power supply 102 is turned on (connected), for example, the interface unit 15, the control unit 16, and other minimum functions are enabled.

The power supply 103 is connected to the receiving apparatus 1 when the user causes the receiving apparatus to receive and output digital content, and is a power supply that is effective only when the basic power supply 102 is effective. For example, when the user presses a button for turning on the power supply from the remote controller 10, a control signal for "turning on the power supply 103 of the reception apparatus 1" may be output from the remote controller 10, and the power supply 103 may be turned on via the interface unit 15 and the control unit 16 that are enabled by the power supply 102. Further, the on/off (on/off) state of the power supply 103 may be managed as the device state by the information management unit.

Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of the radio terminal apparatus according to the embodiment.

The basic unit 21 represents a part that plays a basic function of the wireless terminal apparatus 2. For example, when the wireless terminal device 2 is a smartphone, other functions that the smartphone normally has, for example, a call function by a mobile line, a data communication function, and a camera, are included in the base unit 21. Basically, the basic unit 21 may not include the functions of all the functional blocks other than the basic unit 21 among the functional blocks shown in fig. 3, but the functions may overlap with the functional blocks other than the basic unit 21.

The UI unit 22 is a user interface that a user can input to the wireless terminal device 2, and may include a touch panel, a sensor for authentication such as voice recognition, fingerprint authentication, and face authentication, for example.

The application processing unit 23 may execute any application software installed in the wireless terminal device 2. Normally, the execution of the application software is a basic function of the wireless terminal device 2, and may be included in the basic unit 21, but is explicitly shown as a functional block independent of the basic unit 21. When an application cooperating with an external device such as the reception device 1, the management server device 3, or the use server device 4 is installed, the application processing unit 23 may perform interaction on the application level with the external device.

The

wireless communication units

24A and 24B (which will be referred to as wireless communication unit 24 unless otherwise specified) are wireless communication interfaces other than mobile lines, and may be wireless interfaces for performing short-range or medium-range communication such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, for example. The application processing unit 23 may perform interaction of data at the application level by the application processing unit 18 of the reception apparatus 1 via the wireless communication unit 24.

Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of the management server device according to the embodiment.

The control unit 31 controls various functions in the management server apparatus 3. Various data such as various control signals are received from the external device via the communication unit 32, analyzed and processed as necessary, and output to each function block inside the management server device 3. Various data are received from the functional blocks in the management server device 3, and the data are blocked, formatted, and the like as necessary, and output to the communication unit 32.

The communication unit 32 is an interface for performing data communication with the receiving apparatus 1, apparatuses on the network 5 such as the server apparatus 4, and the like, and may include a protocol of TCP/IP, for example.

The data storage unit 33 is, for example, a database for storing various data. In the present embodiment, the viewing information received from the receiving apparatus 1, and the analysis result obtained from the viewing information, and the like may be stored in the data storage 33.

The application processing unit 34 may execute any application software installed in the management server device 3. When an application cooperating with an external device such as the reception device 1, the wireless terminal device 2, or the server device 4 is installed, the application processing unit 34 may perform interaction on the application level with the external device.

The network data processing unit 35 processes various data received from devices on the network 5. For example, when a data storage request of viewing information is transmitted from a device on the network 5, the network data processing unit 35 may output a reply such as an ACK to the request source, or may receive the viewing information and store the viewing information in the data storage unit 33. For example, when receiving a request for application cooperation connection from the application processing unit 34 to an external device, the network data processing unit 35 may transmit a connection request to the external device to which the connection is to be made, and establish the connection. The network data processing unit 35 may include a browser or the like. The network data processing unit 35 in the present embodiment may receive data including the viewing information or the viewing information supplied from the receiving apparatus 1 via the network 5, perform processing as necessary for extracting the viewing information, and output the processed data to the data storage unit 33 and the application processing unit 34.

Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a server device according to the embodiment.

The control unit 41 controls various functions in the server device 4. Various data such as various control signals are received from an external device via the communication unit 42, analyzed and processed as necessary, and output to each function block inside the server device 4. Various data are received from the functional blocks in the server device 4, and the data are blocked, formatted, and the like as necessary, and output to the communication unit 42.

The communication unit 42 is an interface for performing data communication with devices on the network 5 such as the reception device 1 and the management server device 3, and may include, for example, the TCP/IP protocol.

The data storage unit 43 is, for example, a database for storing various data. In the present embodiment, the viewing information received from the management server apparatus 3, and the analysis result, estimated viewer list, viewing history list, and the like obtained from the viewing information may be stored in the data storage unit 43.

The application processing unit 44 may execute any application software installed in the server device 4. When an application cooperating with an external device such as the reception device 1, the wireless terminal device 2, or the management server device 3 is installed, the application processing unit 44 may perform interaction on the application level with the external device.

The network data processing unit 45 processes various data received from devices on the network 5. For example, when a data storage request of viewing information is transmitted from a device on the network 5, the network data processing unit 45 may output a reply such as an ACK to the request source or may receive viewing information and store the viewing information in the data storage unit 43. For example, when receiving a request for application cooperation connection from the application processing unit 44 to an external device, the network data processing unit 45 may transmit a connection request to the external device to which the connection is to be made, and establish the connection. The network data processing unit 45 may include a browser or the like. The network data processing unit 45 in the present embodiment may receive data including the viewing information or the viewing information supplied from the receiving apparatus 1 via the network 5, perform processing as needed for extracting the viewing information, and output the processed data to the data storage unit 43 and the application processing unit 44.

Fig. 6 shows an example of data exchanged between devices according to the embodiment.

Data exchange is performed among the reception device 1, the wireless terminal device 2, the management server device 3, and the usage server device 4. Basically the arrows indicate the direction of transmission of the data, but it is also possible to transmit in the opposite direction.

(embodiment 1)

In the present embodiment, an example of the case is shown below: the receiving apparatus 1 receives the radio identifier output from the radio terminal apparatus 2, and the receiving apparatus 1 converts the radio identifier into a user identifier which is an identifier unique to the receiving apparatus 1, and transmits viewing information to the management server apparatus 3 including the user identifier. In order to perform this operation, the receiving apparatus 1 may set (issue) a user identifier to the radio identifier. A method (may be referred to as a normal mode) in which the receiving apparatus 1 automatically issues the user identifier to the wireless terminal apparatus 2 when the user is unconscious, a method (may be referred to as a registration mode) in which the user consciously causes the wireless terminal apparatus 2 of the user to issue the user identifier to the receiving apparatus, and the like are conceivable.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation when the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1 receives a radio identifier, and is an example of a case where the receiving apparatus 1 issues a user identifier by a method (normal mode) of automatically issuing the user identifier when the user is unconscious.

The user holds the wireless terminal device 2 and enters a room in which the receiving device 1 is installed. The wireless communication unit 24A (for example, Bluetooth) of the wireless terminal device 2 is enabled. The wireless communication unit 24A outputs, for example, a beacon signal including a wireless identifier (W1). When receiving the beacon signal, the wireless communication unit 153A (referred to as Bluetooth) of the reception device 1 demodulates the data and outputs the obtained data to the information management unit 17. When the information controller 171 analyzes the data and confirms that the wireless identifier is W1, it confirms whether or not the user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier W1 is registered in the data storage 172 (steps S111 and S112). When the user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier W1 does not exist, the information controller 171 causes the user identifier generator 174 to set a new user identifier (UN) for the wireless identifier W1, and registers the wireless identifier W1 and the user identifier UN in the data storage 172 while linking them (no in step S113, step S114). Then, the user identifier UN is linked to the viewing log acquired by the viewing log collection unit 175, and stored in the database of the data storage unit 172 (step S115 and step S116). Steps S115, S116 may also be continued as long as the wireless identifier W1 corresponding to the user identifier UN is detected.

In step S113, when the user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier W1 has been issued, the viewing log acquired by the viewing log collection unit 175 is linked to the issued user identifier and stored in the database of the data storage unit 172 (yes in step S113, step S115, step S116). In step S115, the receiving apparatus 1 can establish a link between the viewing log related to the program displayed on the display unit 141 or the like when the wireless identifier is detected and the wireless identifier, and can further establish a link between the viewing log and the user identifier.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a database held by the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1, and may be stored in the data storage unit 172.

Fig. 8 (a) is an example of setting information for the receiving apparatus 1, in which No in column 1 indicates a line number, column 2 indicates an item of set information, column 3 indicates setting information for the set information, and each information is linked for each line. The contents of the database may not include all of the contents shown, but of course are not limited to only the contents shown.

The device identifier of No1 is an identifier unique to the receiving apparatus 1, and is set to D1. The device identifier may be set to be different for each different receiving apparatus 1. For example, a different identifier such as D2 is set for the other receiving apparatus 1. No2 is the IP address of the receiving device 1. The user attribute of No3 is the main demographic attribute information about the purchaser and viewer of the receiving apparatus 1. The "demographic attributes" refer to personal information of the user of the reception apparatus 1, such as age, sex, combination of age and sex, and "entire region", "entire family", "M3", "M2", "M1", "T", "F1", "F2", and "F3". No4 is personal information or the like with higher privacy than the No3 other than the user attribute.

Fig. 8 (b) shows a wireless identifier and a terminal type linked to a user identifier issued by the receiving apparatus 1, No in the 1 st column indicates a row number, No in the 2 nd column indicates a user identifier issued in the receiving apparatus 1, No in the 3 rd column indicates a wireless identifier, and No in the 4 th column indicates a terminal type. The information is linked for each line.

No1 is an example in which a user identifier U1 is linked to W1 as a wireless identifier and MT1 as a terminal type. MT1 is an abbreviation for Mobile Terminal, and indicates a specific Terminal having a wireless identifier, such as a smartphone or a PC. The radio identifier differs depending on the communication system of the radio communication unit 24 and the terminal on which the radio communication unit 24 is mounted.

No2 is later equally another example where a user identifier, wireless identifier, terminal category is linked up. The wireless identifiers No2 and No3 are W2A and W2B, respectively, but the terminal type is MT2, and therefore, in other words, an example is given in which the same user identifier is set when a specific terminal MT2 has two wireless identifiers W2A and W2B.

Nos

5 and 6 are examples of the case where the terminal type is MT4 and the radio identifiers are W4A and W4B, respectively. That is, in the case where the terminal MT4 has two wireless identifiers, W4A and W4B, different user identifiers are set for each wireless identifier.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation for registering a user identifier in the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1, and is an example of a case where a user identifier is issued in the registration mode.

When the user operates the remote controller 10, a change control signal for changing the state of the receiving apparatus 1 to the "registration mode of the user identifier" is output from the remote controller 10. When the remote controller I/F section 152 of the receiving apparatus 1 receives the change control signal and extracts the change control signal data, the change control signal data is output to the control section 16. Upon receiving the change control signal data, the control unit 16 shifts the state of the receiving apparatus 1 to the registration mode (yes in step S101). The registration mode is a mode for issuing a user identifier, and particularly, the user can view the content through the receiving apparatus 1 as usual even in the registration mode regardless of viewing.

In the registration mode, the user activates the wireless communication unit 24A (for example, Bluetooth) of the wireless terminal device 2 that desires to be registered. The wireless communication unit 24A outputs, for example, a beacon signal including a wireless identifier (W1). When receiving the beacon signal, the wireless communication unit 153A (referred to as Bluetooth) of the reception device 1 demodulates the data and outputs the obtained data to the information management unit 17. When the information management unit 17 analyzes the data and confirms that the wireless identifier is W1, it confirms whether or not the user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier W1 is registered in the data storage unit 172 (steps S102 and S103). When the user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier W1 does not exist, a new user identifier (UN) is set for the wireless identifier W1, and the wireless identifier W1 is linked to the user identifier UN and registered in the data storage 172 (no in step S104, step S105). In step S103, if there is already a user identifier whose wireless identifier corresponds to W1, the registration is ended, and therefore there is no special processing (yes in step S104). When detecting the end of the registration mode, the reception device 1 ends the registration mode, and the registration is ended (yes in step S106). In step S106, the display unit 141 or the like may display "end registration mode? "this content, makes a selection by the user. When detecting that the registration mode is continued, the reception device 1 returns to step S102 to wait for the next reception of the radio identifier (no in step S106, S102). In step S102, the user may set the user identifier to Wi-Fi by, for example, invalidating Bluetooth to which the user identifier is issued, and then validating Wi-Fi of the same terminal. Here, the user identifier for Wi-Fi may be issued so as to be different from the user identifier UN issued for Bluetooth, or the user identifiers may be made the same for the same reason or the like of the wireless terminal apparatuses 2. The user may select which one is set from the remote controller 10 or the like.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a database in which a user identifier and a viewing log held by the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 1 are linked.

Fig. 10 (a) shows an example of estimated distance data between the receiving apparatus 1 and the wireless terminal apparatus 2 calculated by the distance analyzing unit 173 of the information managing unit 17 based on the reception intensity of the radio wave output from the wireless terminal apparatus 2 of the detected wireless identifier, wherein No in column 1 indicates a row number, column 2 indicates a time when the radio wave used for distance calculation is received, and columns 3 and thereafter indicate estimated distances (the unit is meter) calculated for each user identifier. The information is linked for each line.

For example, the row of No1 is an example in which the distances of the receiving apparatuses 1 of the wireless terminal apparatuses 2 associated with the user identifiers U1, U2, U3, and U4 at time T20 are 3m, 10m, and 3m, respectively. The user identifier U5 is displayed with a symbol indicating infinity, and this is an example of a case where the power supply of the wireless terminal device 2 corresponding to the user identifier U5 is turned off, the wireless communication unit 24 is not active, and the wireless terminal device 2 is not present in the room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located. For example, it may be assumed that there is No wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the time in the room by setting the threshold value for the estimated distance to 5m, for example, with the estimated distance for the user identifier U5 of No5 being 21m, and the estimated distance for the user identifier U6 of No6 being 51 m. The receiving terminal 1 can also perform such estimation, but the present embodiment shows an example in which the management server apparatus 3 is implemented.

Fig. 10 (b1) shows an example of data in which information on broadcast programs is linked to wireless identifiers detected by the receiving apparatus 1 when the broadcast programs are broadcast, wherein No in the 1 st column indicates a row number, 2 nd column indicates a broadcast program name, 3 rd column indicates a time at which the broadcast program is broadcast, 4 th column indicates a wireless identifier detected at the time of the 3 rd column, 5 th column indicates a user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier of the 4 th column, and 6 th column indicates a state of the power supply 103 of the receiving apparatus 1 at the time of the 3 rd column, and the linking is established for each row.

For example, in row No1, examples are shown in which the wireless identifiers detected from time T0 to time T1 when the program P1 is broadcast are W1, W2, and W4, and the user identifiers set for these are U1, U2, and U4, respectively. Further, since the device state is on, the power supply 103 is on, and the user of the wireless terminal apparatus 2 having the user identifiers U1, U2, and U4 views the program P1 through the receiving apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the management server apparatus 3 determines whether or not the program P1 is being viewed.

The row No2 is an example of a case where the device state is off, that is, the power supply 103 is off. Is an example in which the wireless identifier is detected because the power source 102 is on even though the power source 103 is off. This example is an example of a case where the wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the user identifiers U1 and U2 is present in the room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located when the receiving apparatus 1 is not displaying the program on the display unit 141.

Line No5 is an example of a case where the device status is off, i.e., the power supply 103 is off, and all wireless identifiers are not detected. This example is an example of a case where the receiving apparatus 1 does not display a program on the display unit 141, a case where the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is not present in a room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located, or a case where the power supply of the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is cut off.

In the above example, when the user enters a room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located and views a program through the receiving apparatus 1, the user must have the wireless terminal apparatus 2 in which the wireless communication unit 24 is enabled, so that more accurate information can be obtained. For example, No5 shows who is not in the room where the receiving apparatus 1 is located.

Fig. 10 (b2) shows an example of the case where the databases in fig. 10 (b1) are arranged in chronological order in column 2. The time is different from the time at which the broadcast program is broadcast, for example, a time every 5 minutes, every 1 hour, or the like. For example, T10 and T11 indicate the time of the watch, and may be absolute time, GPS time, JST time, or the like. The 4 th, 5 th and 6 th columns are omitted. According to the example of fig. 10 (b2), the detection status of the wireless identifier at times T11 to T12 and T12 to T13 is known, for example, as in the broadcast program P3. While the broadcast program P3 is being broadcast, it is not limited to being watched by all users, but in this example, such a situation can be detected. In this example, the time for creating the viewing information in the receiving apparatus 1 is not set for each broadcast time, but for example, the time interval is as short as 1 minute, and more detailed viewing information can be created. The management server apparatus 3 can analyze the viewing information generated by the receiving apparatus 1 at 1 minute intervals to analyze the viewing status of a specific program during the broadcast time in detail.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing operation for the reception device according to embodiment 1 to transmit data to the management server, and is an example of a case where the information control unit 171 transmits data to the management server when the wireless communication unit 153 receives a wireless identifier for which a user identifier has not been set.

The information control unit 171 receives a request (transmission trigger) from the control unit 16 to transmit viewing information to the management server (step S121). When the transmitted viewing information includes the user identifier, the information control unit 171 assigns the user identifier to the wireless identifier received by the wireless communication unit 153, establishes a link with the wireless identifier, and stores the user identifier in the data storage unit 172 (yes in step S122, step S123). The information control unit 171 creates viewing information including the user identifier assigned in step S123 (step S124). The information control unit 171 transmits the created viewing information to the management server device 3 (step S125).

Through the above steps, the viewing information can be given a user identifier corresponding to the wireless identifier and transmitted to the management server apparatus 3.

Fig. 12 is an example of data transmitted from the receiving apparatus to the management server in accordance with embodiment 1, and shows one transmission data in units of lines for each No in column 2. Column 1 indicates the time from time T10 to T11, No in column 2 indicates the line number, and columns 3 and beyond indicate data to be viewing information.

Columns

3 and 4 indicate information on a device (corresponding to the receiving apparatus 1), column 3 indicates a device identifier, and column 4 indicates a device state (on/off of the power supply 103). The 5 th to 8 th columns are information included in the viewing log, the 5 th column indicates the broadcast date and time of the broadcast program, the 6 th column indicates the broadcast channel of the broadcast program, the 7 th column indicates the broadcast time of the broadcast program, and the 8 th column indicates the program name (or an identifier if the broadcast program can be identified) of the broadcast program. Column 9 is information of a user detected within the broadcast time of the broadcast program (detected user information). The detected user information is data indicating { user identifier, terminal type, estimated distance } for each user identifier. Each transmission data will be described more specifically.

The transmission data of No1 indicates that the power supply 103, which is the device status of the device identifier D1, is on. Further, the viewing log of No1 indicates that the broadcast program P1 broadcast through the channel CH1 at the time T0 to T1 of the date and time YMD1 is received and output by the receiving apparatus 1 of the device identifier D1. The viewer information of the program in the viewing log No1 corresponds to column 9. That is, while the receiving apparatus 1 is outputting the broadcast program P1, the MT1 of the wireless terminal apparatus 2 with the user identification number U1 is present in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 at the estimated distance of 2m from the receiving apparatus 1. Further, it also indicates that, while the receiving apparatus 1 is outputting the broadcast program P1, the MT3 of the wireless terminal apparatus 2 of the user identification number U3 is present in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 at the estimated distance of 150m from the receiving apparatus 1.

The transmission data of No2 indicates that the power supply 103, which is the device status of the device identifier D1, is off. Further, the viewing log of No2 indicates that the broadcast program P2 is broadcast through the channel CH1 at times T1 to T2 of the date and time YMD 1. In this case, the apparatus state is off, and therefore the reception device 1 does not receive or display the broadcast program P2. Note that, at times T1 to T2 of the date and time YMD1, the MT3 of the wireless terminal apparatus 2 of the user identification number U3 is present in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 at an estimated distance of 150m from the receiving apparatus 1. Therefore, the data of No2 is an example of a case where, since the power supply 103 is off, the MT3 exists at a position separated by 150m from the receiving apparatus 1, and thus there is No person who views the broadcast program P2. Note that, the data of No2 may not be input to the viewing log data because the power supply 103 is off, but as in this example, information can be input to the viewing log even if the power supply 103 is off, using the broadcast program information received by the receiving apparatus 1 by a broadcast signal or the like.

The transmission data of No5 shows an example of a case where the wireless communication unit 153 detects a wireless identifier with which the terminal type is not discriminated in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1 when the broadcast program P5 is broadcast through the channel CH3 at the time T4 to T5 of the date and time YMD 1. The portion for detecting the terminal type of the user information is set to "-". For example, when the wireless communication unit 153 detects a wireless identifier for which the user identifier has not been set, the terminal type may be transmitted as "-".

No6 indicates an example in which when a broadcast program P6 is broadcast on the channel CH3 at times T5 to T6 of the date and time YMD1, the wireless terminal device 2 is not present in the vicinity of the receiving device 1.

The above transmission data may be transmitted by the management server alone, or a plurality of the transmission data may be transmitted simultaneously. How to transmit may be based on the occurrence of a transmission trigger output from the control unit 16 to the information control unit 171. Hereinafter, an example of transmission timing of transmission data for each occurrence of a trigger is described.

< switching time of channel to output to display unit 141 >

At times T2 and T3, since the channel is switched,

transmission data nos

1 and 2 are transmitted at time T2, and transmission data No3 is transmitted at time T3.

< end of program output to display unit 141 >

Nos

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are transmitted at times T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, respectively.

< periodic Transmission >

At time T11,

nos

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are transmitted.

< estimated viewer number in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus 1. changed >

At times T1, T2, and T5, since it is estimated that the number of viewers changes,

nos

1, 2, and 5 are transmitted at each time, and transmission data No3 is transmitted at time T3.

< when the reception device 1 detects a radio identifier for which a user identifier has not been set >

The example of No5 corresponds to this case. The transmission data may be output at a timing when a radio identifier for which the user identifier is not set is detected.

In the above example, the transmission trigger is generated at the time of the segment of the program broadcast time, but the detection user information and the like are usually changed also at the program broadcast time, for example. In such a case, the detected user information can be acquired for each short time (for example, 5 minutes) shortened by the time of the 1 st column, and can be handled by creating transmission data. Of course, the transmission timing of the viewing information is not limited to the time of the segment of the program broadcast time, and may be any timing.

Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation when the management server device according to embodiment 1 receives data.

The management server apparatus 3 receives the viewing information transmitted from the receiving apparatus 1 (step S131). The received viewing information is acquired by the network data processing unit 35 via the control unit 31 and stored in the data storage unit 33 (step S132).

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of estimated distance data in the database of the management server device according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 14 (a) shows an example of displaying time series data of estimated distances for each user identifier in viewing information in the database of the management server apparatus, and the 1 st column shows the time at which the receiving apparatus 1 receives a radio wave from the wireless terminal apparatus 2 which is a calculation source of the estimated distance. Column 2 is followed by an example of the inferred distance (in m) for each user identifier.

The column of the user identifier U5 indicates an infinite symbol at all times, and indicates that the wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the user identifier U5 is not detected at all times T20 to T25.

Fig. 14 (b) shows a result of the management server apparatus 3 determining, for example, whether or not the wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the user identifier is in the vicinity of (in/out of) the receiving apparatus based on the estimated distance in fig. 14 (a) by the application processing unit 34. In fig. 14 (b), an example of the result is that when the estimated distance is 5m or less, it is determined that "the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus", and when the estimated distance exceeds 5m, it is determined that "the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is not in the vicinity of the receiving apparatus".

The management server apparatus 3 may analyze which wireless terminal apparatus 2 is estimated as the viewer or the like from the change in the estimated viewing distance based on the information of the estimated distance of the wireless terminal apparatus 2. For example, the management server apparatus 3 can estimate the wireless terminal apparatus 2 to which the user identifier a is assigned as a device such as a smartphone carried by the user when the estimated distance changes as a result of observing the chronological data of the estimated distance of a certain user identifier a, and can also estimate how the user moves or the like from the magnitude of the change in the estimated distance. For example, when the estimated distance does not change at all for a certain period or more as a result of observing the time-series data of the estimated distance of a certain user identifier B, it may be estimated that the wireless terminal apparatus 2 to which the user identifier B is assigned is a device such as a speaker wirelessly connected to the room in which the receiving apparatus 1 is located. The management server apparatus 3 can also consider the movement information of the user (wireless terminal apparatus 2) in analyzing the viewing log. For example, the data related to the wireless terminal apparatus 2 to which the user identifier a is assigned may be used as analysis data to estimate that the data has an influence on the viewing behavior, and the data related to the wireless terminal apparatus 2 to which the user identifier B is assigned may not be used as judgment data for analysis by the management server apparatus 3, such as analysis data to estimate that the data has no influence on the viewing behavior.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of displaying a database of the management server device according to embodiment 1 for each broadcast program, and shows viewing information linked to the broadcast program for each line.

The 1 st column indicates a broadcast program, the 2 nd column indicates a broadcast time at which the broadcast program is broadcast, the 3 rd column indicates a user identifier (which may also be read as a wireless identifier) detected by the reception apparatus 1 at the broadcast time, the 4 th column indicates an on/off state of the power supply 103 at the broadcast time, the 5 th column indicates the number of user identifiers detected by the reception apparatus 1 at the broadcast time, and the 6 th column indicates the number of user identifiers which are inferred to actually view the broadcast program among the user identifiers detected by the reception apparatus 1 at the broadcast time.

For example, the 1 st row (excluding the item row) shows an example in which the power supply 103 of the reception apparatus 1 is on, the user identifiers detected by the reception apparatus 1 are U1, U2, and U4, and the detected user identifier is 3 at the broadcast times T0 to T1 of the broadcast program P1. The viewing user identification number is a value obtained from the device state and the number of detected user identifiers, and is the same as the number of detected user identifiers in the example of line 1. Therefore, this is an example in which it is estimated that all users holding the wireless terminal device 2 corresponding to the detected user identifier view the broadcast program P1.

For example, the 2 nd line (except for the item line) shows an example in which the device status is off at the broadcast time of the broadcast program P2. Therefore, it is estimated that the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is present near the receiving apparatus 1 at the broadcast time of the broadcast program P2, but there is no user who actually views the broadcast program, and the viewing user identification number is 0.

Further, line 5 (except for the item line) shows an example of a case where the device status is off at the broadcast time of the broadcast program P5, and the wireless terminal apparatus 2 is not present in the vicinity of the reception apparatus 1. For example, according to the example of line 5, the management server apparatus 3 can obtain information "who does not view the broadcast program P5 at the corresponding receiving apparatus 1".

In fig. 15, data for each broadcast time of a broadcast program is shown, and the number of user identifiers detected in the broadcast time generally varies. By acquiring the information for a shorter time in the receiving apparatus 1 and transmitting the information to the management server apparatus 3, the management server apparatus 3 can perform more detailed analysis.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of displaying a database of the management server apparatus according to embodiment 1 for each user identifier, and (a) of fig. 16 is an example of displaying a database for each user identifier, and is an example of displaying viewing information linked to a user identifier for each line, and a device identification number of the receiving apparatus 1 in which the user identifier is registered. Fig. 16 (b) shows an example of detailed information of the viewing information in fig. 16 (a).

For example, line 1 (except for the item line) of fig. 16 (a) shows an example in which the viewing information of the user identifier U1 is VI1, and the device in which the user identifier U1 is registered is D1. The viewing information VI1 contains the information shown in (b) of fig. 16. The 1 st column in fig. 16 (b) is time (not limited to the broadcast time of a broadcast program), and the 2 nd column is information (program name, program identifier, etc.) of a program viewed at the time of the 1 st column.

Line 3 (except for the item line) of fig. 16 (a) shows an example in which the user identifier U3 establishes a link with 2 device identifiers. In this example, a case is assumed where, for example, a user having the wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the user identifier U3 has two receiving apparatuses 1.

Line 6 (except for the item line) of fig. 16 (a) shows an example of a case where there is no device identifier that establishes a link with the user identifier U6. In this example, a case is assumed where the user holding the wireless terminal apparatus 2 corresponding to the user identifier U6 is close to, for example, the receiving apparatus 1 which has not performed registration by the procedure of fig. 9.

The management server apparatus 3 may provide a list of estimated viewers, a viewing history list, and viewing information obtained by analyzing and processing the viewing information acquired from the receiving apparatus 1 to other companies, or may output the viewing information to the utilization server apparatus 4. The server apparatus 4 may use the information to create recommended content for the user identifier, for example, and transmit the content to the receiving apparatus 1 having the device identifier linked to the user identifier.

Through the above steps, the management server apparatus 3 and the utilization server 4 can collect or analyze the viewing information collected from the receiving apparatus 1 for each wireless terminal apparatus 2, and obtain a more detailed analysis result. Thus, the receiving apparatus 1 can acquire, for example, recommended content for each wireless terminal apparatus 2 from the management server apparatus 3, the utilization server apparatus 4, and the like, and the viewer can obtain content information having more preference from the receiving apparatus 1 by carrying the wireless terminal apparatus 2 with him. Further, according to the present embodiment, the management server apparatus 3 and the use server 4 display the content on the receiving apparatus, but it is also possible to obtain more detailed information with respect to viewer attributes such as a leaving situation in which the viewer moves from a place before the receiving apparatus to a place away from the receiving apparatus or returns to the place away from the receiving apparatus, and a distinction of viewers when a plurality of persons use the apparatus.

(embodiment 2)

In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which, when the receiving apparatus receives the end user attribute and the application identifier output from the wireless terminal apparatus 2, and the receiving apparatus transmits the viewing information to the server, the end user attribute and the application identifier are given and transmitted.

The end-user attribute is an attribute of an individual user such as the user or owner of the wireless terminal apparatus 2, and may be any value such as age, sex, or abbreviation. The terminal user attribute may be information with higher secrecy such as a telephone number or a name of an independent user, or may be information with lower secrecy, so that protection of personal information is realized.

The application identifier is an identifier assigned to an application started by the wireless terminal apparatus 2, and may be basically an identifier defined in the system shown in fig. 1 or an identifier defined in a range including the outside of the system (for example, a global identifier).

Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation when the radio terminal apparatus according to embodiment 2 detects the start of an application.

When the user holding the wireless terminal device 2 is in the vicinity of the receiving device 1, application software (hereinafter, may be referred to as an application) installed in the wireless terminal device 2 from the UI unit 22 is started. The application may be an application used in cooperation with the reception apparatus 1, the management server apparatus 3, or the like. The application processing unit 23 starts an application when receiving an application start instruction from the UI unit 22. When the application is started, the user inputs the terminal user attribute from the UI unit 22 (yes in step S211, S212). The input screen of the terminal user attribute may be automatically displayed when the application is started, or may be displayed independently of the application. The user may input the terminal user attribute from the touch panel of the UI unit 22, or may input the terminal user attribute by voice if voice recognition is available. The end-user attributes are set, for example, as name abbreviations for the users. When the user inputs the end user attribute, the application processing unit 23 transmits data including the end user attribute and the application identifier via the wireless communication unit 24 (step S213). The wireless communication unit 24 may be started at the same time as the application start in step S211.

Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing an example of processing operation for the reception device according to embodiment 2 to transmit data to the management server. In the receiving device 1, when the wireless communication unit 153 receives data from the wireless terminal device 2, the data is output to the control unit 16. The control unit 16 analyzes the received data, and when it is confirmed that the application identifier or the end user attribute exists, the application processing unit 18 starts the application and outputs a transmission command to cause the information control unit 171 to transmit viewing information to the management server (step S221). When the information control unit 171 receives the transmission command, it creates viewing information to be transmitted (step S222). In the present embodiment, the information control unit 171 generates viewing information including an application identifier, an end user attribute, or both. The information control unit 171 transmits the created viewing information to the management server device 3 (step S223). If the application processing unit 18 does not notify the wireless terminal device 2 of the end of the application, the process returns to step S221, and the information control unit 171 waits for the reception of the data of the application identifier and the terminal user attribute (no in step S224). When the application processing unit 18 notifies the end of the application from the wireless terminal device 2, the application processing unit 18 and the information control unit 171 end the processing (yes at step S224). The management server apparatus 3 stores the viewing information received based on the flowchart of fig. 13 in the data storage 33.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a database relating to data received by the management server apparatus from the receiving apparatus according to embodiment 2, in which the 1 st column shows an attribute of the terminal user, the 2 nd column shows an application identifier, the 3 rd column shows viewing information, and the 4 th column shows device information. Further, per row, information is linked.

In the present embodiment, an example in which an abbreviation of name is specified as an end user attribute is shown, and information for establishing a link with a user having the end user attribute is shown in the same row.

For example, line 1 (except for the item line) indicates that the terminal user attribute of a certain user is "TN", the application identifier of the application installed in the wireless terminal apparatus 2 used by the user TN is "AP 1", the viewing information of the user TN using the wireless terminal apparatus 2 to which the application identifier AP1 is assigned is "VI 1", and the device identifier of the receiving apparatus 1 in which the user TN views a program or the like shown in the viewing information VI1 is "D1". The viewing information VI1 is the same data as in (b) of fig. 16. In embodiment 1, an example is shown in which the management server apparatus 3 identifies and estimates a viewer using a user identifier, but in embodiment 2, the management server apparatus 3 can identify and estimate a viewer for each receiving apparatus 1 identified by a device identifier using either or both of an end user attribute and an application identifier.

Line 2 (except for the item line) is an example of a user MT establishing a link with two application identifiers AP1, AP 2. Consider a case where the user MT uses two (a plurality of) wireless terminal apparatuses 2, or two (a plurality of) applications are installed in one wireless terminal apparatus 2, or the like. In this case, since the end user attribute is linked to the device identifier D1, the management server apparatus 3 or the use server 4 can distinguish and estimate the viewer by receiving an arbitrary application identifier.

Line 3 (except for the item line) is an example of a user RK establishing a link with two device identifiers D1, D2. Consider the case where the user RK uses two (multiple) receiving devices 1, etc. In this case, the management server apparatus 3 or the server 4 can specify and estimate the viewer by setting the end-user attribute, the application identifier, or a combination thereof as an identifier unique to the system. Alternatively, when the device identifiers D1 and D2 are linked, the management server apparatus 3 or the server 4 can distinguish and estimate the viewers.

Line 4 (except for the item line) is an example of a case where there is no application identifier to establish a link with the user SU. In this case, the management server apparatus 3 or the utilization server 4 can distinguish and estimate the watcher by the end-user attribute "SU".

Line 5 (except the item line) is an example of a case where there are no end-user attributes to establish a link. In this case, the management server apparatus 3 or the utilization server 4 can specify and infer the viewer by the application identifier "AP 5" linked to the device identifier D1.

Through the above steps, the management server apparatus 3 and the utilization server apparatus 4 can perform analysis for each wireless terminal apparatus 2 by using the terminal user attribute and the application identifier in the viewing information collected from the receiving apparatus 1, and can obtain a more detailed analysis result. By using the end user attribute, even when a plurality of users use the same wireless terminal device 2, the management server device 3 and the use server device 4 can distinguish viewers.

Further, for example, by installing an application to which the same application identifier is assigned in each family in each wireless terminal device 2 in the family and storing the application identifier in the receiving device 1, it is possible to determine whether or not the wireless terminal devices 2 in the vicinity of the receiving device 1 are all in the family.

For example, when the application a is installed in the child wireless terminal apparatus 2 in a family and the receiving apparatus 1 detects the application identifier of the application a, parental control, which is display control of a program to be displayed on the display 141, can be performed.

Also, by using age for the end-user attributes, similar parental control can be performed. Further, as the end user attribute, the user identifier defined in embodiment 1 may be used. The management server apparatus 3 may estimate the viewer based on the application identifier, the end-user attribute, the time of receiving the application identifier, and the like.

Note that the method of estimating the distance between the receiving apparatus 1 and the wireless terminal apparatus 2 described in embodiment 1 may be applied to embodiment 2 in the same manner.

In at least one embodiment described above, a receiving apparatus, a server, a system, and a method for analyzing viewing information in detail can be provided.

The condition parameters, options, numerical values, names, definitions, types, and the like of evaluation indexes, and the like displayed on the analysis screen and the like shown in the drawings are given as examples in the present embodiment, and are not limited to the embodiments shown in the present embodiment.

While the embodiments of the present application have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. These new embodiments can be implemented in other various ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present application. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the present application, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the patent claims and the equivalent scope thereof. Further, in the respective components of the claims, even when the components are expressed in a divided manner, in a combined manner, or in a combined manner, the scope of the present application is defined. Further, even if a plurality of embodiments are combined, examples configured by the combination are also the scope of the present application.

In addition, the drawings are for clarity of explanation, and may schematically show the width, thickness, shape, and the like of each portion as compared with an actual form. In the block diagrams, data and signals may be exchanged between blocks not connected to each other or even between blocks connected to each other in a direction not indicated by an arrow. The processing shown in the flowchart may be realized by hardware (an IC chip or the like), software (a program or the like), or a combination of hardware and software. The device of the present invention is also applicable to a case where the claims are expressed as a control logic, a case where the claims are expressed as a program including instructions to be executed by a computer, and a case where the claims are expressed as a computer-readable recording medium in which the instructions are described. The names and words used are not limited, and other expressions are also included in the present invention if they have substantially the same contents and the same substance.

Claims

A receiving device, wherein,

the receiving device receives digital content, outputs the content in a viewable manner, has a unique device identifier capable of identifying the content with other devices,

the receiving apparatus includes:

a viewing log collection unit that collects a viewing log for the digital content;

a wireless communication unit that receives wireless terminal information transmitted from a wireless terminal;

a detection terminal information creation unit that creates detection terminal information based on the wireless terminal information; and

and an information management unit that transmits viewing information including the viewing log, the detection terminal information, and the device identifier.
The receiving device of claim 1,

the wireless terminal information includes a wireless identifier of the wireless terminal.
The receiving device of claim 2,

the detection terminal information includes a user identifier that is set as an internal unique identifier with respect to the radio identifier.
The receiving device of any of claims 1 to 3,

the detection terminal information includes terminal user attribute information output by the wireless terminal.
The receiving device of any of claims 1 to 4,

the detection terminal information includes an application identifier of an application installed in the wireless terminal.
The receiving device of any of claims 1 to 5,

the detection terminal information includes an inferred distance, which is an inferred value of the distance to the wireless terminal.
A server, wherein the server receives and processes viewing information, and can obtain an analysis result of the viewing information for each piece of detection terminal information,

the viewing information includes: the receiving apparatus includes detection terminal information created based on wireless terminal information transmitted from a wireless terminal, a unique device identifier set in the receiving apparatus so as to be identifiable from another apparatus, and a viewing log for digital content collected by the receiving apparatus.
The server according to claim 7, wherein,

the server receives and processes the inferred distance between the wireless terminal and the receiving device sent by the receiving device.
A system comprising a wireless terminal, a receiving device, and a server,

the wireless terminal outputs wireless terminal information,

the receiving device receives digital content, outputs the content in a viewable manner, has a unique device identifier capable of identifying the content with other devices,

the receiving apparatus includes:

a viewing log collection unit that collects a viewing log for the digital content;

a wireless communication unit that receives wireless terminal information transmitted from a wireless terminal;

a detection terminal information creation unit that creates detection terminal information based on the wireless terminal information; and

an information management unit for transmitting viewing information including the viewing log, the detection terminal information, and the device identifier,

the server receives the viewing information, and can obtain an analysis result of the viewing information for each piece of the detection terminal information.
A method for a system comprising a wireless terminal, a receiving device and a server,

the wireless terminal is provided with a step of outputting wireless terminal information,

the reception apparatus that receives digital content, outputs the digital content in a viewable manner, and has a unique device identifier that can be identified with another apparatus, includes:

a step of collecting a viewing log for the digital content;

a step of receiving the wireless terminal information;

a step of creating detection terminal information based on the wireless terminal information; and

and a step of transmitting viewing information including the viewing log, the detection terminal information, and the device identifier, wherein the server includes a step of receiving the viewing information and obtaining an analysis result of the viewing information for each detection terminal information.