EP1280292A2

EP1280292A2 - Digital broadcast receiver and data-downloading method for this receiver

Info

Publication number: EP1280292A2
Application number: EP01121936A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ikeda c/o Intellectual Property Division Shingo
Original assignee: Toshiba Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Corp
Priority date: 2001-07-25
Filing date: 2001-09-12
Publication date: 2003-01-29
Also published as: JP2003037787A; CN1399469A; CN1233162C; EP1280292A3

Abstract

Device information of small receivers (14, 15, 17) is entered into a digital broadcast receiver (11). The digital broadcast receiver receives (11) and stores digital broadcast data to be downloaded to the small receivers (14, 15, 17) whose device information has been entered and then downloads it to the small receivers (14, 15, 17).

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in a digital broadcast receiver adapted for ground-wave-based digital broadcasting or direct digital broadcasting by satellite. Also, the present invention relates to improvements in a method for downloading data, such as programs, to such a digital broadcast receiver.
As is well known, the ground-wave-based digital broadcasting or the direct digital broadcasting by satellite is scheduled to use one or three segments of transmission band mainly for small-sized receivers of high portability.
For such small receivers, it takes long to receive data downloaded from a broadcasting station for updating programs or rewriting data because the transmission band is so narrow as to be one or three segments.
In many cases, the small receivers are used as portable terminals. For this reason, it is difficult for the receivers to receive downloaded data from a broadcasting station continuously and stably over a long period of time.
At present, therefore, there arises the possibility that the use of the narrow transmission band may fail to download data. In such event, another data-downloading method would have to be developed.
Techniques to allow portable terminals to process large quantities of data include those disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publications Nos. 10-336238 and 2000-47968.
The technique disclosed in the former publication involves storing digital data produced by the portable terminal temporarily in a memory and then sending the data in time sequence to a server for storage therein.
The technique disclosed in the latter publication is to selectively accept data according to conditions. In neither of the publications, there is disclosed how to solve problems with respect to the downloading of data.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a digital broadcast receiver and a data downloading method which allow the downloading of data to small receivers whose transmission band is narrow to be effected with stability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital broadcast receiver characterized by comprising: entry means for entering device information concerning receivers to which digital broadcast data is to be downloaded; acquisition means for acquiring and storing digital broadcast data to be downloaded to a receiver whose device information has been entered in the entry means; and transfer means for downloading the digital broadcast data stored in the acquisition means to the receiver.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data downloading method for use with a digital broadcast system including a first receiver and second receivers, the first and second receivers being capable of receiving digital broadcasts, characterized by comprising the steps of: entering device information of the second receivers into the first receiver; causing the first receiver to acquire and store digital broadcast data to be downloaded to a second receiver whose device information has been entered; and downloading the digital broadcast data stored in the first receiver to the second receiver.
This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features so that the invention may also be a sub-combination of these described features.
The invention can be more fully under stood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram for use in explanation of a relationship among a digital broadcast receiver and small receivers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the digital broadcast receiver in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of each of the small receivers in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the digital broadcast receiver to obtain downloaded data for each of the small receivers; and
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the digital broadcast receiver to transfer the downloaded data to a corresponding one of the small receivers.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a stationary digital broadcast receiver, which is a 13-segment broadcast receiver capable of receiving digital signals transmitted from a broadcasting satellite 12 and ground-wave digital signals transmitted from a broadcasting antenna 13.
The digital broadcast receiver 11 is adapted to make data communications with a portable small receiver 14 through its radio communication facility, such as Bluetooth. The receiver 14 is a 1- or 3-segment broadcast receiver capable of receiving the above-mentioned digital broadcast signals.
In the digital broadcast receiver 11, device information concerning the small receiver 14, such as the manufacturer name, the device type, the model number, etc., has been entered in advance. Thus, the digital broadcast receiver 11 is adapted to monitor download notice information for the receiver 14, and, when receiving the notice information, determine, capture and store data to be downloaded to the small receiver 14 according to a downloading schedule appended to the notice information.
After having stored the data to be downloaded to the receiver 14, the digital broadcast receiver 11 shows the completion of downloading and sends the downloaded data to the receiver 14 when it is located within the area covered by the useful range of the radio communication facility and that it is not busy.
Upon receipt of all the downloaded data from the digital broadcast receiver 11, the receiver 14 executes the downloaded data. Thus, the downloading of data to the receiver 14 is completed.
Furthermore, the digital broadcast receiver 11 is allowed to make data communications with a portable small receiver 15 via a communication facility through cable connection by a universal serial bus (USB) by way of example. The receiver 15 is a 1- or 3-segment broadcast receiver capable of receiving the above-described digital broadcast signals.
In the digital broadcast receiver 11, device information concerning the small receiver 15, such as the manufacturer name, the device type, the model number, etc., has been entered in advance. Thus, the digital broadcast receiver 11 is adapted to monitor download notice information for the receiver 15, and, when receiving the notice information, determine, capture and store data to be downloaded to the receiver 15 according to a downloading schedule appended to the notice information.
After having stored the data to be downloaded to the receiver 15, the digital broadcast receiver 11 shows the completion of downloading and sends the downloaded data to the receiver 15 when the cable connection with the receiver 15 is established.
Upon receipt of all the downloaded data from the digital broadcast receiver 11, the receiver 15 executes the downloaded data. Thus, the downloading of data to the receiver 15 is completed.
Moreover, the digital broadcast receiver 11 is allowed to transmit data to or from a portable small receiver 17 through an external storage medium 16 as an information communication medium.
In the digital broadcast receiver 11, device information concerning the small receiver 17, such as the manufacturer name, the device type, the model number, etc., has been entered in advance. Thus, the digital broadcast receiver 11 is adapted to monitor download notice information for the receiver 17, and, when receiving the notice information, determine, capture and store data to be downloaded to the receiver 17 according to a downloading schedule appended to the notice information.
After having stored the data to be downloaded to the receiver 17, the digital broadcast receiver 11 shows the completion of downloading and, when loaded with the external storage medium 16, writes the downloaded data onto it.
The external storage medium 16 stored with the downloaded data is then loaded into the receiver 17, whereupon it reads and executes the downloaded data. Thus, the downloading of data to the receiver 17 is completed.
FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the digital broadcast receiver 11. In this arrangement, digital broadcast signals received by an antenna 18 are applied to a channel selector circuit 19, so that a broadcast signal on a channel told to a central processing unit (CPU) 20 is selected.
The broadcast signal selected by the channel selector 19 is applied to a demodulator circuit 21 where it is subjected to a given demodulation process and then to a video processing circuit 22 where a video display signal is produced. The resulting video signal is displayed by a TV monitor 23. In this case, though not shown, an audio signal is also produced and supplied to a loudspeaker.
Such a digital broadcast receiving operation is controlled totally by the CPU 20, which responds to operating information received from a remote control not shown via a remote control receiver 24.
To the CPU 20 is connected a storage unit 25, which functions as a memory for storing processing programs that cause the CPU 20 to perform control operations, a working memory for storing data while the CPU 20 is executing the control operations, and a cache memory for temporarily storing received program information.
The previously described device information concerning the small receivers 14, 15, and 17 is input through the remote control and then stored into the storage unit 25 via the remote control receiver 24 and the CPU 20. The device information is thus entered into the digital broadcast receiver 11.
The download notice information, the downloading schedule and the downloaded data are extracted by a data extraction circuit 26 from the broadcast signal subjected to the demodulation in the demodulation circuit 21 and then applied to the CPU 20.
When the download notice information from the data extraction circuit 26 is that for the small receiver 14, 15, or 17 for which the device information has been entered, the CPU 20 obtains the downloaded data for the receiver and then stores it into the storage unit 25.
The digital broadcast receiver 11 is equipped with a radio transmitting/receiving unit 27 for radio communication with the receiver 14, an external connector 28 for connection with the receiver 15 by cable, and a slot 29 into which the external storage medium 16 is loaded, which are all linked to the CPU 20.
FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the receiver 15. The other receivers 14 and 17 are nearly similar in arrangement to the receiver 15 and hence descriptions thereof are omitted. Digital broadcast signals received by an antenna 30 are applied to a channel select circuit 31 where a signal on a channel told by a CPU 32 is selected.
The broadcast signal selected by the channel selector 31 is applied to a demodulator circuit 33 where it is subjected to a given demodulation process and then to a video processing circuit 34 where a video display signal is produced. The resulting video signal is displayed by a monitor 35. In this case, though not shown, an audio signal is also produced and supplied to a loudspeaker.
Such a digital broadcast receiving operation is controlled totally by the CPU 32, which responds to operating information received from a remote control not shown via a remote control receiver 36.
To the CPU 32 is connected a storage unit 37, which functions as a memory for storing processing programs that cause the CPU 32 to perform control operations, a working memory for storing data while the CPU 32 is executing the control operations, and a cache memory for temporarily storing received program information.
The previously described device information of the receiver 15 has been stored in the storage unit 37 in the digital broadcast receiver 11. The downloaded data from the digital broadcast receiver 11 is stored into the storage unit 37.
The download notice information, the downloading schedule and the downloaded data are extracted by a data extraction circuit 38 from the broadcast signal subjected to the demodulation in the demodulation circuit 33 and then applied to the CPU 32.
When the download notice information from the data extraction circuit 38 is that for the receiver 15, the CPU 32 obtains the downloaded data for the receiver 15 according to the downloading schedule appended to the notice information and then stores it into the storage unit 37.
The receiver 15 is equipped with an external connector 39 for connection with the digital broadcast receiver 11 by cable, which is linked to the CPU 32.
The receiver 15 is adapted to selectively perform an operation of transferring the downloaded data obtained by the digital broadcast receiver 11 to the storage unit 37 via the connector 39 and the CPU 32 or an operation of sending the downloaded data obtained by the data extraction circuit 38 to the storage unit 37 via the CPU 32.
The receiver 15 is equipped with a radio transmitting/receiving unit 40 for radio communication with external equipment including the digital broadcast receiver 11 and the other small receivers 14 and 17, and a slot 41 into which the external storage medium 16 is loaded, which are linked to the CPU 32.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the digital broadcast receiver 11 to obtain downloaded data for the receiver 14, 15, or 17.
When the procedure is started (step S11), the CPU 20 first makes a decision as to whether a small receiver 14, 15 or 17 for which device information has been entered (step S12) is present or absent. When the decision is that such a receiver 14, 15 or 17 is absent, the procedure is complete (step S19).
In the presence of such a receiver 14, 15 or 17, on the other hand, the CPU 20 obtains the download notice information for the receiver 14, 15 or 17 (step S13). Then, a decision is made in step S14 as to whether or not the information has been obtained successfully.
If the decision is that the download notice information has been obtained successfully, then the CPU 20 obtains the downloaded data and stores it in the storage unit 25 in step 15. In subsequent step S16, a decision is made as to whether or not the downloaded data has been stored successfully.
If the decision is that the downloaded data has been stored successfully, then in step S17 the CPU 20 indicates on the monitor 23 that the downloaded data has already been obtained.
Subsequent to step S17, or if the decision in step S14 is that the downloaded data was obtained unsuccessfully, or if the decision in step S16 is that the downloaded data was stored unsuccessfully, in step S18 the CPU 20 makes a decision of whether or not the downloaded data have been obtained for all of the receivers 14, 15 and 17 for which the device information has been entered. If the downloaded data have been obtained, then the procedure is complete (step S19); otherwise, the procedure returns to step S13.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the digital broadcast receiver 11 to transfer the downloaded data thus obtained to the corresponding receiver 14, 15, or 17.
When the procedure is started (step S20), in step S21 the CPU 20 makes a decision of the presence or absence of a receiver 14, 15 or 17 for which the downloaded data has been obtained and stored in the storage unit 25. In the absence of such a receiver 14, 15 or 17, the procedure is complete (step S34).
In the presence of such a receiver 14, 15 or 17, in step S22 the CPU 20 makes a decision of whether or not that receiver 14, 15 or 17 is ready for radio communication with the digital broadcast receiver 11.
If the receiver is ready, then, in step S23, the CPU 20 makes a decision of whether or not the process of transferring the downloaded data from the digital broadcast receiver 11 to the receiver 14, 15 or 17 has been set automatic.
If the transfer process has been set automatic, then, in step S24, the CPU 20 makes a further decision of whether or not the receiver 14, 15 or 17 is located within the useful range of the digital broadcast receiver 11. If it is not, the procedure is complete (step S34).
If the decision in step S24 is that the receiver 14, 15 or 17 is located within the useful range of the digital broadcast receiver 11, then the CPU 20 carries out a process of starting radio communication with the receiver 14, 15 or 17 in step S25 and then transfers the downloaded data to the receiver 14, 15 or 17 by radio in step S26.
If, in step S22, the receiver 14, 15 or 17 is not ready for radio communication with the digital broadcast receiver 11, or in step S23 the downloaded data transfer process has not been set automatic, then the CPU 20 carries out a process of indicating on the monitor 23 that the downloaded data has already been obtained in step S27 and then makes a decision of by what type of communication facility the receiver 14, 15 or 17 to which the downloaded data is to be transferred is linked with the digital broadcast receiver 11.
If the communication facility is through radio, then the CPU 20 goes to step S25. If the communication facility is through cable, then the CPU 20 issues an instruction to make ready for cable connection with the receiver 14, 15 or 17 in step S29 and then transfers the downloaded data to the receiver 14, 15 or 17 over the cable in step S30.
If the communication facility is through the external storage medium 16, then the CPU 20 issues an instruction to load the medium 16 into the digital broadcast receiver 11 in step S31 and then transfers the downloaded data to the storage medium 16 in step S32. Subsequent to step S26, S30, or S32, the CPU 30 performs a process of completing the downloaded data transfer in step S33. The procedure is then complete (step S34).
According to the aforementioned embodiment, device information of the small receivers 14, 15 and 17 capable of receiving 1 or 3-segment broadcasts is entered into the digital broadcast receiver 11 capable of receiving 13-segment broadcasts so as to allow the digital broadcast receiver to obtain downloaded data on behalf of each of the small receivers and transfer the downloaded data obtained to a corresponding one of the receivers through radio communication, cable communication, or the external storage medium 16.
For this reason, downloaded data can be transferred in a short time to the small receivers whose transmission band is so narrow as to be one or three segments and the downloading of data can be performed with stability.

Claims

A digital broadcast receiver characterized by comprising:
entry means (24, 25) for entering device information concerning receivers (14, 15, 17) to which digital broadcast data is to be downloaded;

acquisition means (25, 26) for acquiring and storing digital broadcast data to be downloaded to a receiver (14, 15, 17) whose device information has been entered in the entry means (24, 25); and

transfer means (27, 28, 29) for downloading the digital broadcast data stored in the acquisition means (25, 26) to the receiver (14, 15, 17).
The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the acquisition means (25, 26) for monitoring download notice information for the receivers (14, 15, 17) whose device information has been entered by the entry means (24, 25) and for determining digital broadcast data to be acquired in accordance with a download schedule appended to the download notice information.
The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer means (27, 28, 29) for downloading digital broadcast data stored in the acquisition means (25, 26) to the receiver (14, 15, 17) by radio.
The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer means (27, 28, 29) for downloading digital broadcast data stored in the acquisition means (25, 26) to the receiver (14, 15, 17) by cable.
The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer means (27, 28, 29) for downloading digital broadcast data stored in the acquisition means (25, 26) to the receiver (14, 15, 17) through an external storage medium (16).
A data downloading method for use with a digital broadcast system including a first receiver (11) and second receivers (14, 15, 17), the first and second receivers (11, 14, 15, 17) being capable of receiving digital broadcasts, characterized by comprising the steps of:
entering device information of the second receivers (14, 15, 17) into the first receiver (11);

causing the first receiver (11) to acquire and store digital broadcast data to be downloaded to a second receiver (14, 15, 17) whose device information has been entered; and

downloading the digital broadcast data stored in the first receiver (11) to the second receiver (14, 15, 17).
The data downloading method according to claim 6, characterized in that the acquisition step includes monitoring download notice information for the second receivers (14, 15, 17) whose device information has been entered in the first receiver (11) and determining digital broadcast data to be acquired by the first receiver (11) in accordance with a download schedule appended to the download notice information.
The data downloading method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in the downloading step, digital broadcast data stored in the first receiver (11) is downloaded to the second receiver (14, 15, 17) by radio.
The data downloading method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in the downloading step, digital broadcast data stored in the first receiver (11) is downloaded to the second receiver (14, 15, 17) by cable.
The data downloading method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in the downloading step, digital broadcast data stored in the first receiver (11) is downloaded to the second receiver (14, 15, 17) through an external storage medium (16).