JP2000013758A - Device and method for transmitting information, device and method for receiving information, providing medium and broadcasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To learn a transmission state of EPG data of schedule to indicate broadcasting schedule of a program in short time at the reception side. SOLUTION: Program information including information on the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule to indicate the broadcasting schedule of the program is generated by an SI/EPG data generator 17. The program information including the information on the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule to indicate the broadcasting schedule of the program is multiplexed on an encoded video signal and an encoded audio signal by a transport stream multiplexer 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information transmitting apparatus and method, an information receiving apparatus and method, a providing medium, and a broadcasting system. The present invention relates to a method, an information receiving apparatus and method, a providing medium, and a broadcasting system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital broadcasting system, EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data for providing program information includes:
DVB / SI (Digital Video Broadcasting / Service Informat
ion: EN300468), EIT (Event Information T
), and other service information (SI: S
ervices Information) together with a transport stream.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an EIT. EIT
Is roughly composed of EPG data of the current and next programs, and EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule for several hours or several days. The EPG data of the current and next programs further includes data of the own station and data of another station. EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule is obtained from data of a plurality of schedules of the own station corresponding to predetermined periods of different lengths and data of a plurality of schedules of other stations corresponding to predetermined periods of different lengths. Is composed. These EPG data
Each has a unique table ID (identification code) and each retransmission cycle. The retransmission cycle of the EPG data of the current and next programs is about several seconds, and has a relatively short cycle. On the other hand, the retransmission cycle of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule is about several minutes, and has a longer cycle than the retransmission cycle of the EPG data of the current and next programs.

[0004]

The EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcasting schedule has a long retransmission cycle and has no data indicating the transmission state. Schedule EPG
If the data transmission is stopped halfway, the information receiving device
It takes a long time to determine the state of the sender.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and enables an information receiving apparatus to know a transmission state of EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule of a transmission side in a short time. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information transmitting apparatus comprising: program information data generating means for generating program information including information on a transmission state of program information; Multiplexing means for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means with the multiplexed audio signal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information transmitting method, comprising: a program information data generating step of generating program information including information on a transmission state of program information; Multiplexing the program information generated in the program information data generating step.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a providing medium, comprising: a program information data generating step of generating program information including information on a transmission state of program information; an encoded video signal and an encoded video signal; And a multiplexing step of multiplexing the program information generated in the program information data generating step with the audio signal.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information receiving apparatus, comprising: separating means for separating program information multiplexed into a video signal and an audio signal; and information on a transmission state of program information included in the program information separated by the separating means. And an extracting means for extracting.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information receiving method, comprising: a separating step of separating program information multiplexed into a video signal and an audio signal; and information on a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated in the separating step. And an extracting step of extracting

[0011] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus, a separating step of separating program information multiplexed into a video signal and an audio signal, and a program information of program information included in the program information separated in the separating step are provided to the information receiving apparatus. A computer-readable program for executing a process including an extraction step of extracting transmission state information.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the broadcast system, the information transmitting apparatus generates program information data generating means for generating program information including information on a transmission state of the program information, an encoded video signal and an encoded video signal. Multiplexing means for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means to the audio signal, wherein the information receiving apparatus separates the program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal; An extracting unit for extracting information on a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated by the separating unit.

[0013] The information transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, and claim 2.
And a providing medium according to claim 3, which generates program information including information on a transmission state of the program information, and converts the program information into an encoded video signal and an encoded audio signal. Multiplex information.

An information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
The information receiving method described in (1) and the providing medium described in (6) separate the program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal, and extract information on the transmission state of the program information included in the program information.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the broadcasting system, the information transmitting apparatus generates program information including information on a transmission state of the program information, and converts the program information into an encoded video signal and an encoded audio signal. The information is multiplexed, and the information receiving apparatus separates the program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal, and extracts information on the transmission state of the program information included in the program information.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In order to clarify the correspondence between each means of the invention described in the claims and the following embodiments, each means is described. When the features of the present invention are described by adding the corresponding embodiment (however, an example) in parentheses after the parentheses, the result is as follows. However, of course, this description does not mean that each means is limited to those described.

That is, the information transmitting apparatus according to the first aspect includes a program information data generating means (for example, the SI / EPG data generator 17 in FIG. 1) for generating program information including information on a transmission state of the program information. Multiplexing means (for example, the transport stream multiplexer 14 in FIG. 1) for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means into the coded video signal and the coded audio signal. Features.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information receiving apparatus which separates program information multiplexed into a video signal and an audio signal (for example, the demultiplexer 3 shown in FIG. 2).
2) and extraction means for extracting information on the transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated by the separation means (for example, FIG.
System controller 38).

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the broadcasting system, the information transmitting apparatus generates program information data generating means (for example, the SI shown in FIG. 1) for generating program information including information on a transmission state of the program information.
/ EPG data generator 17) and multiplexing means (for example, the transport stream multiplexer of FIG. 1) for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means with the coded video signal and the coded audio signal. 14), wherein the information receiving apparatus comprises: a separating unit (for example, the demultiplexer 32 in FIG. 2) for separating the program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal;
Extracting means (for example, the system controller 38 in FIG. 2) for extracting information on the transmission status of the program information included in the program information separated by the separating means.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the information transmitting apparatus of the present invention. Information transmission device 1
Outputs a TS based on a plurality of video and audio signals input from the outside. The MPEG video encoder 11-1 generates a video elementary stream based on a video signal input from the outside, and outputs the video elementary stream to the multiplexer (MUX) 13-1. M
The PEG video encoder 11-2 generates a video elementary stream based on a video signal input from the outside, and outputs the video elementary stream to the multiplexer 13-2.

The MPEG audio encoder 12-1 generates an audio elementary stream based on an audio signal input from the outside, and
X) 13-1. The MPEG audio encoder 12-2 generates an audio elementary stream based on an audio signal input from the outside, and outputs the generated audio elementary stream to the multiplexer 13-2.

The multiplexer 13-1 stores the video elementary stream supplied from the MPEG video encoder 11-1 and the audio elementary stream supplied from the MPEG audio encoder 12-1 in packets of a predetermined fixed length and multiplexes them. And outputs it to a transport stream multiplexer (TSMUX) 14. The multiplexer 13-2 is an MPEG video encoder 11-2.
Elementary stream and MP supplied by
The audio elementary stream supplied from the EG audio encoder 12-2 is stored in a predetermined fixed-length packet, multiplexed, and output to the transport stream multiplexer 14.

The SI database 15 supplies the stored data to the SI / EPG data generator 17. The EPG database 16 supplies the stored data to the SI / EPG data generator 17. The SI / EPG data generator 17 includes data supplied from the SI database 15 and the EPG database 16 and an EPG of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule.
Data indicating the data transmission state is stored in a predetermined fixed-length packet, and the packet is output to the transport stream multiplexer 14.

The schedule database 18 stores video data, audio data, and EP data transmitted at each time.
Data such as the content of each G data, the transmission rate, and the retransmission cycle are supplied to the system controller 19. Based on the data supplied from the schedule database 18, the system controller 19 generates MPEG video encoders 11-1 and 11-2 and MPEG audio encoders 12-1 and 12-2
And controls the bit rates of the video elementary stream and the audio elementary stream output from the MPEG video encoders 11-1 and 11-2 and the MPEG audio encoders 12-1 and 12-2. Also, the system controller 19
The amount of packets output from the / EPG data generator 17 is controlled. Further, the system controller 19 includes multiplexers 13-1 and 13-2,
And transport stream multiplexer 14
And controls the video data occupied band, audio data occupied band, and EPG data occupied band with respect to the transmission path bandwidth.

The transport stream multiplexer 14 multiplexes the packets supplied from the multiplexers 13-1 and 13-2 and the SI / EPG data generator 17, and outputs a transport stream.
The modulator 20 modulates the transport stream output from the transport stream multiplexer 14 by a predetermined modulation method. For example, when the transport stream is transmitted by radio waves, it is transmitted to an antenna (not shown), Output to a predetermined interface.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the information receiving apparatus of the present invention. Information receiving device 2
Inputs a transport stream supplied from a predetermined transmission path, and outputs a predetermined video signal and a predetermined audio signal based on a signal corresponding to an operation on the remote controller 3.

The remote controller 3 transmits a predetermined infrared signal to an Ir (Infrared ray) of the information receiving apparatus 2 based on an operation such as channel selection by the user of the information receiving apparatus 2.
s) Transmit to the receiver 39. The Ir receiver 39 outputs predetermined data corresponding to the infrared signal transmitted from the remote controller 3 to the system controller 38. The system controller 38 receives a packet identifier (PID: packet identification data) based on a user's channel selection operation.
Is supplied to the demultiplexer 32, and data instructing an operation based on the display operation of the user is supplied to the EPG controller 35. The system controller 38 extracts data indicating the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the scheduled program broadcast schedule, which is described in the EPG data descriptors of the current and next programs.

The demodulator 31 demodulates a transport stream modulated in a predetermined format, and supplies the demodulated transport stream to a demultiplexer (DEMUX) 32. The demultiplexer 32 separates the transport stream and outputs a video elementary stream obtained from the packet having the predetermined packet identifier to the video decoder 33, and converts an audio elementary stream obtained from the packet having the predetermined packet identifier into an audio signal. The decoder 34 supplies the EPG data to the EPG controller 35 and the SI data to the system controller 38.

The video decoder 33 decodes the input video elementary stream and outputs a video signal of a predetermined format to the display controller 37. The audio decoder 34 decodes the input audio elementary stream,
An audio signal is output to the outside.

The EPG controller 35 stores the EPG data supplied from the demultiplexer 32 in the EPG memory 36. The EPG controller 35
Under the control of the system controller 38, data stored in the EPG memory 36 is read and output to the display controller 37 in a predetermined manner. The display controller 37 outputs a predetermined video signal to the outside based on the signal supplied from the video decoder 33 and the signal supplied from the EPG controller 35.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the structure of the EIT which defines the description format of the EPG data of the current and next programs. E
The table ID (table_id) in the second row of the IT to the last table ID (last_table_id) in the sixteenth row is a header used for identifying the EIT. Event ID (e
After vent_id), transmission information about the current and next programs is described, and it has a loop structure to repeatedly describe transmission information about a plurality of programs. The transmission information on the current and next programs includes a program start time, a program length, and the like. The information on the program such as the program name or the genre of the program can be described in the descriptor on the 25th line.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the description of the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule, which is described in the EPG data descriptors of the current and next programs. In order to describe the state of a plurality of EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule, the second to sixth lines have a loop structure. The table ID (table_id) in the third row indicates the ID corresponding to the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule. The status flag (status_flag) on the fourth line is "
1 ”, the information transmitting apparatus 1 is transmitting EPG data of a schedule indicating a corresponding program broadcast schedule,
When the information receiving device 2 is “0”, it indicates that the information is not transmitted. The version number (version_number) in the fifth line is
Indicates a value for identifying whether the content is the same as the content of the already obtained descriptor.

As described above, the information receiving apparatus 2 reads out the contents of the EPG data descriptors of the current and next programs, thereby indicating the program broadcast schedule in the retransmission cycle of the EPG data of the current and next programs. The transmission status of the EPG data of the schedule can be known.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining a process of acquiring the data of the transmission status of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule of the information receiving apparatus 2. In step S11, the system controller 38 reads EPG data descriptors of the current and next programs. In step S12, the system controller 38 determines whether the descriptors of the EPG data of the current and next programs include data indicating the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule, and If it is determined that the descriptor of the EPG data of the next program includes data indicating the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the scheduled program broadcast, the process proceeds to step S13,
Read ID and version number.

In step S14, the system controller 38 reads the table read in step S13.
It is determined whether or not there is data relating to the transmission status of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the already obtained program broadcast schedule corresponding to the ID, and there is data regarding the transmission status of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the already obtained program broadcast schedule. When the determination is made, the process proceeds to step S15. Step S1
In 5, the system controller 38 compares the version number included in the data on the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule with the version number read in step S13, and determines whether or not the version number has been updated. If it is determined that the version number has been updated, the process proceeds to step S16 to read the transmission state data of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule, and
8 and stored in a predetermined register.

If it is determined in step S14 that there is no data relating to the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule that has already been acquired, the process proceeds to step S1.
Proceeding to 6, the system controller 38 reads the transmission state data of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule and stores the data in a predetermined register inside the system controller 38.

If it is determined in step S15 that the version number has not been updated, the procedure proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the system controller 38 sets the EPG of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule.
Determines whether the next data indicating the transmission state of the data transmission state is included, and determines that the next data indicating the transmission state of the transmission state of the EPG data transmission schedule of the schedule indicating the scheduled program broadcast is included If so, the procedure proceeds to step S
Returning to step 13, the process is repeated.

If it is determined in step S12 that the descriptors of the EPG data of the current and next programs do not include the transmission status of the transmission status of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the scheduled program broadcast, Ends. If it is determined in step S17 that the next data indicating the transmission state of the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule is not included, the process ends.

As described above, the information receiving apparatus 2 reads out the contents of the EPG data descriptors of the current and next programs, thereby re-transmitting the EPG data of the current and next programs in the latest program broadcast schedule. The transmission state of the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule that indicates

FIG. 6 is a table information table (TIT: Table Information Table) defining the SI description format indicating the presence / absence of each table information such as EIT, the transmission cycle of EPG data, and the update date and time of EPG data. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration. Table ID of the second row of TIT (table_
The description from the (id) to the last table ID (last_table_id) on the 16th line indicates a header portion used for identifying the TIT. The transmission information related to the EIT is described after the table ID (table_id) on the 18th line, and has a loop structure to repeatedly describe the transmission information related to a plurality of EITs. EIT
The transmission information about the EIT includes the EIT retransmission cycle, last update time, and E
It consists of the transmission status of IT.

The E described in the SI in the TIT description format
By using the transmission information on IT, the information receiving apparatus 2 can know the transmission state of the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule by executing the same processing as that shown in FIG. it can.

As described above, the information receiving apparatus 2 can know the transmission state of the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule on the transmitting side in a short time.

In the present specification, the system is
It is assumed that the device as a whole is constituted by a plurality of devices.

Note that as a providing medium for providing a user with a computer program for performing the above-described processing,
In addition to recording media such as magnetic disks, CD-ROMs, and solid-state memories, communication media such as networks and satellites can be used.

[0046]

According to the information transmitting apparatus according to the first aspect, the information transmitting method according to the second aspect, and the providing medium according to the third aspect, the program information including the transmission state information of the program information Is generated, and the coded video signal and the coded audio signal are multiplexed with the program information, so that the information receiving apparatus transmits the EPG data of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule of the transmitting side. Can be known in a short time.

[0047] The information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, and claim 5.
According to the information receiving method described in (1) and the providing medium described in (6), the program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal is separated, and the information on the transmission state of the program information included in the program information is extracted. Therefore, the information receiving apparatus sets the EP of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule on the transmitting side.
It becomes possible to know the transmission state of G data in a short time.

According to the broadcasting system of the seventh aspect,
An information transmitting apparatus generates program information including information on a transmission state of the program information, multiplexes the program information with an encoded video signal and an encoded audio signal, and the information receiving apparatus includes a video signal and Since the program information multiplexed in the audio signal is separated and the information on the transmission status of the program information included in the program information is extracted, the information receiving apparatus can transmit the EPG of the schedule indicating the program broadcast schedule on the transmitting side.
It becomes possible to know the data transmission state in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an information transmitting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the information receiving apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an EIT that defines a description format of EPG data of a current and a next program.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a description of a transmission state of EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule, which is described in a descriptor of EPG data of a current and a next program.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of acquiring data on a transmission state of EPG data of a schedule indicating a program broadcast schedule of the information receiving apparatus 2.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a table information table that defines a description format of SI.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an EIT.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 information transmitter, 2 information receiver, 14 transport stream multiplexer, 17 SI / EPG
Data generator, 32 demultiplexer, 3
8 System controller

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masahiko Sato 6-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F-term (reference) 5C063 AB03 AB07 CA09 DA20 EB07 EB33

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An information transmitting apparatus for multiplexing program information into a video signal and an audio signal and transmitting the multiplexed program information, comprising: a program information data generating means for generating the program information including information on a transmission state of the program information; Multiplexing means for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means to the coded video signal and the coded audio signal. 2. An information transmission method for multiplexing and transmitting program information to a video signal and an audio signal, wherein: a program information data generating step of generating the program information including information on a transmission state of the program information; Multiplexing the program information generated in the program information data generating step to the coded video signal and the coded audio signal. 3. A program information data generating step of multiplexing the program information into a video signal and an audio signal and generating the program information including information on a transmission state of the program information in an information transmitting apparatus for transmitting the program information. A multiplexing step of multiplexing the program information generated in the program information data generating step with the coded video signal and the coded audio signal. A providing medium characterized by: 4. An information receiving apparatus for receiving program information multiplexed on a video signal and an audio signal and displaying the program information simultaneously with the video signal, wherein the program multiplexed on the video signal and the audio signal is provided. An information receiving apparatus comprising: a separating unit that separates information; and an extracting unit that extracts information on a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated by the separating unit. 5. An information receiving method for receiving program information multiplexed on a video signal and an audio signal and displaying the program information simultaneously with the video signal, wherein the program multiplexed on the video signal and the audio signal is provided. An information receiving method, comprising: a separating step of separating information; and an extracting step of extracting information on a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated in the separating step. 6. An information receiving apparatus for receiving program information multiplexed on a video signal and an audio signal and displaying the program information simultaneously with the video signal, wherein the program multiplexed on the video signal and the audio signal is provided. To provide a computer-readable program for executing a process including: a separating step of separating information; and an extracting step of extracting information of a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated in the separating step. A providing medium characterized by the above-mentioned. 7. An information transmitting apparatus which multiplexes program information into a video signal and an audio signal and transmits the multiplexed program information, and a program information multiplexed into the video signal and the audio signal.
In a broadcast system comprising an information receiving device that receives and displays program information simultaneously with a video signal, the information transmitting device generates the program information including information on a transmission state of the program information. And multiplexing means for multiplexing the program information generated by the program information data generating means on the coded video signal and the coded audio signal, wherein the information receiving apparatus comprises: A separating unit that separates the program information multiplexed into a signal and the audio signal; and an extracting unit that extracts information on a transmission state of the program information included in the program information separated by the separating unit. Broadcast system characterized.