JP2000032425A - Data transmission control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a server side to inform a client (MHEG engine) of changeover of contents for a carousel. SOLUTION: A client delivers an Event::Subscribe ('DSI-CHANGED') to a server (1), and the server returns an event number set with respect to the ('DSI-CHANGED') event to the client (2). After acquiring the event number, the client delivers an Event::notify to the server to makes a request for any event occurrence notice, including the ('DSI-CHANGED') (3). At the occurrence of a revision in a received DSI of a carousel, that is at the occurrence of the ('DSI-CHANGED'), the server sends (4) an event number corresponding to the ('DSI-CHANGED') event as a reply to the Event::notify (3). Furthermore, the contents of the carousel 1 prior to the occurrence of the event number (4) are continuously used from a period after the server informs the client of the occurrence of the event number (4), until the client transmits a Session:: detach to the server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data transmission control method suitable for use in a system for receiving a data service in, for example, digital satellite broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital satellite broadcasting has been widely used. Digital satellite broadcasting is more resistant to noise and fading than, for example, existing analog broadcasting, and can transmit high-quality signals. Further, the frequency use efficiency is improved, and it is possible to increase the number of channels. Specifically, in the case of digital satellite broadcasting, one satellite can secure several hundred channels. In such digital satellite broadcasting, a large number of specialty channels for sports, movies, music, news, etc. are prepared, and in these specialty channels, programs corresponding to the respective special contents are broadcast.

[0003] The digital satellite broadcasting system as described above is used to enable a user to download audio data such as music, or as a so-called TV shopping, for example, the user purchases a certain product while watching a broadcast screen. It has been proposed that contracts be made. That is, the digital satellite broadcasting system performs data service broadcasting in parallel with ordinary broadcasting contents.

As an example, in the case of downloading music data, the broadcasting side multiplexes and broadcasts the music data in parallel with the broadcast program. When downloading the music data, a GUI (Graphical
User interface) screen (that is, an operation screen for download) is displayed to allow the user to perform an interactive operation, and data for outputting the GUI screen is also multiplexed and broadcast. You. Then, the user who owns the receiving device selects a desired channel, and downloads music data by performing a predetermined operation on the receiving device.
The UI screen is displayed and output. Then, when the user performs an operation on the displayed operation screen,
For example, data is supplied to a digital audio device connected to a receiving device so that the data is recorded.

[0005] By the way, a GUI screen for downloading music data as described above includes, for example, a GUI screen.
In addition to information such as part-like image data and text data forming a screen, unit data (files) such as voice data for voice output according to a predetermined operation are treated as objects, and the output mode of the object Is defined by a scenario description according to a predetermined method, a configuration that realizes a required display mode and an output mode such as sound on the operation screen can be considered. Here, a display screen (including an output of voice or the like) that realizes a function according to a certain purpose by being defined by the description information like the above-described GUI screen is referred to as a “scene”. It is assumed that. Also,
The “object” indicates unit information such as an image, a sound, and a text whose output mode is defined based on the description information. At the time of transmission, here, the data file of the description information itself is also an “object”. Shall be treated as one.

The objects for realizing the scene display and the audio output on the scene display are encoded and transmitted according to, for example, a predetermined transmission system. The receiving device receives the data in accordance with the above-described transmission method and performs a decoding process on the received data to obtain, for example, data as a group for each object required for a scene necessary for display, and use this as a scene. Output.

[0007]

Here, considering the use environment of the user who owns the receiving device, processing of data for data service received by the receiving device in accordance with the above-mentioned predetermined transmission method. It is preferable that the processing is performed as efficiently as possible so that, for example, updating of the scene contents to be displayed and output can be promptly performed with the lightest possible processing.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention forms a cyclic data unit from required data to be transferred and repeatedly transfers the cyclic data unit over a required period. Circular data unit switching processing in which a server that receives the cyclic data unit can notify a client that uses the cyclic data unit that the contents of the cyclic data unit have been switched, in accordance with the system. Is performed to execute the data transmission.

According to the above configuration, at least the client can know that the content of the cyclic data unit has been switched, and the client can execute a necessary corresponding process based on the switching. .

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. An example of a system to which the present invention is applied is a system that broadcasts a program using digital satellite broadcasting and allows the receiving device to download information such as music data (audio data) related to the program. I will list it.

The following description will be made in the following order. 1. Digital satellite broadcasting system 1-1. Overall configuration 1-2. Operation on GUI screen 1-3. Ground station 1-4. Transmission format 1-5. IRD 2. 2. Background of the Invention Carousel switching notification control according to present embodiment 3-1. General processing of U-U API 3-2. First example 3-3. Second example

1. Configuration of Digital Satellite Broadcasting System 1-1. 1. Overall Configuration FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a digital satellite broadcasting system according to the present embodiment. As shown in this figure,
In the ground station 1 of digital satellite broadcasting, a material for television program broadcasting from the television program material server 6, a material of music data from the music material server 7, an additional audio information from the additional audio information server 8, G from GUI data server
UI data is sent.

The TV program material server 6 is a server that provides materials for ordinary broadcast programs. The music broadcast material sent from the television program material server is a moving image and a sound. For example, in the case of a music broadcast program, using the video and audio materials of the TV program material server 6,
For example, a moving image and sound for promotion of a new song are broadcast.

The music material server 7 is a server that provides an audio program using an audio channel. The material of this audio program is only audio. The music material server 7 transmits materials of audio programs of a plurality of audio channels to the ground station 1. In the program broadcast of each audio channel, the same music is repeatedly broadcast for a predetermined unit time. Each audio channel is independent of each other, and various usages can be considered. For example, one audio channel repeatedly broadcasts some of the latest Japanese pops for a certain period of time, and another audio channel repeatedly broadcasts some of the latest foreign pops for a certain period of time. .

The audio additional information server 8 is a server that provides time information of music output from the music material server 7 and the like.

The GUI data server 9 provides "GUI data" for forming a GUI screen used for operation by the user. For example, in the case of a GUI screen related to downloading music as described later, image data, text data, and data for forming a still image of an album jacket for forming a list page of distributed music and an information page of each music. And so on. Further, EPG data used for displaying a program table called a so-called EPG (Electrical Program Guide) on the receiving facility 3 side is also provided from this. The “GUI data” is, for example, MHEG (Multimedia Hypermedia Informati
on Coding Experts Group). MHEG
Is an international standard of scenario description for capturing multimedia information, procedures, operations, etc., and their combinations as objects, encoding those objects, and producing them as titles (eg, GUI screens). You. In this embodiment, MHEG-5 is adopted.

The ground station 1 has the above-mentioned television program material server 6,
Music material server 7, audio additional information server 8, and GUI
The information transmitted from the data server 9 is multiplexed and transmitted. In the present embodiment, the video data transmitted from the television program material server 6 is MPEG (Moving Picture Expe
(rts Group) 2 system, and the audio data is compression-encoded by the MPEG2 audio system. The audio data transmitted from the music material server 7 corresponds to, for example, the MPEG2 audio system and the ATRAC (Adoptive
It is compressed and encoded by either one of the Tranform Acoustic Coding) method and the other method. These data are encrypted using key information from the key information server 10 at the time of multiplexing. An example of the internal configuration of the ground station 1 will be described later.

A signal from the ground station 1 is received by a receiving facility 3 of each home via a satellite 2. The satellite 2 has a plurality of transponders. One transponder has a transmission capacity of, for example, 30 Mbps. As the receiving equipment 3 of each home, a parabolic antenna 11 and an IRD (Int
egrated Receiver Decorder) 12, a storage device 13, and a monitor device 14. In this case, a remote controller 64 for operating the IRD 12 is shown.

A signal broadcast via satellite 2 is received by parabolic antenna 11. This received signal is transmitted to the LNB (Low Noize Blo
ck Down Converter) 15
It is supplied to RD12.

As a general operation of the IRD 12, a signal of a predetermined channel is selected from a received signal, and video data and audio data as a program are demodulated from the selected signal to obtain a video signal and an audio signal. Output as In the IRD 12, a GUI multiplexed with data as a program and transmitted is transmitted.
An output as a GUI screen is also performed based on the data. The output of the IRD 12 is supplied to, for example, the monitor device 14. As a result, in the monitor device 14, I
The RD 12 performs image display and audio output of a program selected and received, and also allows a GUI screen to be displayed in accordance with a user operation as described later.

The storage device 13 is for storing audio data (song data) downloaded by the IRD 12. The type of the storage device 13 is not particularly limited.
An MD (Mini Disc) recorder / player, a DAT recorder / player, a DVD recorder / player, or the like can be used. In addition, a personal computer device is used as the storage device 13, and in addition to a hard disk,
It is also possible to store audio data in a recordable medium such as a CD-R.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the receiving equipment 3 of the present embodiment uses IEEE as a data transmission standard.
M with data interface compatible with 1394
The D recorder / player 13A can be used as the storage device 13 shown in FIG. The IEEE 1394-compatible MD recorder / player 13A shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the IRD 12 via an IEEE 1394 bus 16. As a result, in the present embodiment, audio data (download data) as music received by the IRD 12 can be directly captured and recorded in a state where compression processing has been performed by the ATRAC method. When the MD recorder / player 13A and the IRD 12 are connected via the IEEE 1394 bus 16, it is possible to record not only the audio data but also jacket data (still image data) of the album and text data such as lyrics. Have been.

The IRD 12 can communicate with the accounting server 5 via the telephone line 4, for example. An IC card in which various information is stored is inserted into the IRD 12 as described later. For example, if audio data of a music piece is downloaded, history information relating to the download is stored in the IC card. The information of the IC card is sent to the charging server 5 via the telephone line 4 at a predetermined opportunity and timing. The accounting server 5 sets an amount according to the sent history information, performs accounting, and charges the user.

As can be seen from the above description, in the system to which the present invention is applied, the ground station 1 includes the video data and audio data serving as the music program broadcast material from the TV program material server 6 and the music material server. Audio data as the material of the audio channel from 7,
The voice data from the voice additional information server 8 and the GUI data from the GUI data server 9 are multiplexed and transmitted. Then, when this broadcast is received by the receiving equipment 3 of each home, for example, the program of the selected channel can be viewed by the monitor device 14. First, an EPG (Electrical Program Guide) screen is displayed as a GUI screen using GUI data transmitted together with program data, and a program search or the like can be performed. Second, for example, by performing a required operation using a GUI screen for a specific service other than a normal program broadcast, in the case of the present embodiment, a normal service provided in a broadcast system is provided. Services other than viewing programs can be enjoyed. For example, if a GUI screen for a download service of audio (song) data is displayed and an operation is performed using this GUI screen, the audio data of the song desired by the user is downloaded and recorded in the storage device 13. It becomes possible to save.

In the present embodiment, a data service broadcast that provides a specific service other than a normal program broadcast, which involves an operation on the GUI screen as described above, may have interactivity. Broadcast ".

1-2. Operation on GUI Screen Here, the above-mentioned use example of interactive broadcasting,
That is, an operation example on the GUI screen will be schematically described with reference to FIGS. Here, a case in which music data (audio data) is downloaded will be described.

First, the main operation keys of the remote controller 64 for the user to operate the IRD 12 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 shows an operation panel surface on which various keys are arranged in the remote controller 64. here,
Among these various keys, the power key 101, the numeric key 10
2. The screen display switching key 103, the interactive switching key 104, the EPG key panel unit 105, and the channel key 106 will be described.

The power key 101 is a key for turning on / off the power of the IRD 12. Numeric keys 102
These keys are used to switch channels by designating a number, or to operate, for example, when a numerical input operation is required on a GUI screen. The screen display switching key 103 is a key for switching between a normal broadcast screen and an EPG screen, for example. For example, the screen display switching key 103
While the screen is being called, the EPG key panel unit 10
By operating the keys arranged in 5, a program search using the display screen of the electronic program guide can be performed. Also,
The arrow keys 105a in the EPG key panel unit 105 can be used for moving a cursor on a GUI screen for a service to be described later. The interactive switching key 104 is provided for switching between a normal broadcast screen and a GUI screen for a service accompanying the broadcast program. The channel key 106 is a key provided for sequentially switching the selected channel in the IRD 12 in ascending order and descending order of the channel number.

It should be noted that the remote controller 64 of the present embodiment is configured to be capable of performing various operations on the monitor device 14, for example, and is provided with various keys corresponding thereto. Here, the description of the keys and the like corresponding to the monitor device 14 is omitted.

Next, a specific example of an operation on the GUI screen will be described with reference to FIG. When a desired channel is selected by receiving a broadcast by the receiving equipment 3, the display screen of the monitor device 14 displays a moving image based on the program material provided from the TV program material server 6 as shown in FIG. An image is displayed. That is, normal program contents are displayed. Here, it is assumed that, for example, a music program is displayed. It is assumed that the music program is accompanied by a download service (interactive broadcast) for audio data of the music. Then, for example, if the user operates the interactive switching key 104 of the remote controller 64 while the music program is being displayed, the display screen shows the audio data download as shown in FIG. Is switched to the GUI screen.

In this GUI screen, first, the TV program display area 21A at the upper left of the screen is displayed as shown in FIG.
The image based on the video data from the television program material server 6 displayed in (a) is reduced and displayed.
In addition, a list 21B of songs of each channel being broadcast on the audio channel is displayed in the upper right part of the screen. A text display area 21C is located at the lower left of the screen.
And the jacket display area 21D are displayed. further,
On the right side of the screen, a lyrics display button 22, a profile display button 23, an information display button 24, a reservation recording button 2
5. Reserved list display button 26, recording history display button 2
7, and a download button 28 are displayed.

The user searches for a song of interest while looking at the song name displayed in the list 21B.
Then, when a musical piece of interest is found, the arrow keys 105a of the remote controller 64 (EPG key panel unit 10)
5) to move the cursor to the position where the music is displayed, and then perform an enter operation (for example, press the center position of the arrow key 105a). As a result, it is possible to listen to the music piece with the cursor. That is, in each audio channel, the same music is repeatedly broadcast during a predetermined unit time.
The screen of the TV program display area 21A remains unchanged, and the IR
By switching to the audio channel of the music selected by the above operation by D12 and outputting the sound, the music can be heard. At this time, a still image of the MD jacket of the music is displayed in the jacket display area 21D.

Further, for example, the cursor is moved to the lyrics display button 22 in the above state, and an enter operation is performed (hereinafter, referred to as “enter”).
When the cursor is moved to the button display and the enter operation is performed ("button is pressed"), the lyrics of the music are displayed in the text display area 21C at the timing synchronized with the audio data. Similarly, when the profile display button 23 or the information display button 24 is pressed, an artist profile or concert information corresponding to the music is displayed in the text display area 21C. In this way, the user can know what kind of music is currently being distributed, and can also know detailed information about each music.

The user presses the download button 28 when he wants to purchase the auditioned music. When the download button 28 is pressed, the audio data of the selected music is downloaded and stored in the storage device 13. Along with the audio data of the music, lyrics data, artist profile information, jacket still image data, and the like can be downloaded. Then, every time the audio data of the music is downloaded in this manner, the history information is stored in the IC card in the IRD 12. The information stored in the IC card is taken in by the charging server 5 once a month, for example, and the user is charged according to the usage history of the data service. Thereby, the copyright of the downloaded music can be protected.

When the user wants to make a reservation for download in advance, he presses the reservation recording button 25. When this button is pressed, the display of the GUI screen is switched, and a list of music pieces that can be reserved is displayed on the entire screen. For example, this list can display music searched for in units of one hour, one week, or channel. When the user selects a song to be reserved for download from this list, the information is registered in the IRD 12. Then, when the user wants to check the music whose reservation has already been reserved, the user can press the reserved list display button 26 to display the music on the entire screen. The music thus reserved is downloaded by the IRD 12 at the reserved time and stored in the storage device 13.

When the user wants to confirm the downloaded music, the recording history button 27 can be pressed to display a list of already downloaded music on the entire screen.

As described above, in the receiving facility 3 of the system to which the present invention is applied, a list of music pieces is displayed on the GUI screen of the monitor device 14. When a song is selected according to the display on the GUI screen, the song can be previewed, and the lyrics of the song, the artist profile, and the like can be known. Further, it is possible to perform downloading of music and reservation thereof, display of a download history and a list of reserved music, and the like.

Although the details will be described later, FIG.
The display of the GUI screen as shown in, the change of the display on the GUI screen in response to the user's operation on the GUI screen, and the voice output define the relationship between the objects by the scenario description based on the MHEG method described above. Is realized by: The object here is the one shown in FIG.
Image data as parts corresponding to the buttons shown in FIG. 3B and material data displayed in each display area. In this specification, the relationship between objects is defined by a scenario description such as this GUI screen, thereby realizing an information output mode (image display, audio output, etc.) for a certain purpose. Environment is called a “scene”. It is also assumed that the objects forming one scene include the scenario description file itself.

As described above, in the digital satellite broadcasting system to which the present invention is applied, a broadcast program is distributed and audio data of a musical piece is distributed using a plurality of audio channels. Then, the user can search for a desired music using a list of the music that has been distributed, and can easily store the audio data in the storage device 13. As services other than the program provision in the digital satellite broadcasting system, various other than the above-described downloading of the music data can be considered. For example, it is conceivable that after broadcasting a product introduction program called so-called TV shopping, a GUI screen that allows a purchase contract to be concluded can be prepared.

1-3. Ground Station The outline of the digital satellite broadcasting system according to the present embodiment has been described above, but the system will be described in more detail hereinafter. Therefore, the configuration of the ground station 1 will be described first with reference to FIG.

In the following description, the following is assumed. In the present embodiment, the satellite 2
When transmitting to the receiving equipment 3 via the
M-CC (Digital Storage Media Command and
Control: Digital Strage Media-Command and Con
trol) protocol. DSM-CC (MPEG
-Part6) method, as is known, for example, retrieves (Retrieves) an MPEG coded bit stream stored in a digital storage medium (DSM) via some network, or streams a stream to the DSM. Command and control method for storing (Store). In the present embodiment, the DSM-CC system is adopted as a transmission standard in a digital satellite broadcasting system.
In order to transmit a content (a set of objects) of a data broadcasting service (for example, a GUI screen) by the DSM-CC scheme, it is necessary to define a description format of the content. In the present embodiment, the above-described MHEG is adopted as the definition of the description format.

In the configuration of the ground station 1 shown in FIG. 5, the TV program material registration system 31 registers the material data obtained from the TV program material server 6 in the AV server 35. The material data is sent to the television program transmission system 39, where the video data is compressed by, for example, the MPEG2 system, and the audio data is packetized by, for example, the MPEG2 audio system. The output of the television program transmission system 39 is sent to the multiplexer 45.

In the music material registration system 32, material data from the music material server 7, that is, audio data, is supplied to the MPEG2 audio encoder 36A and the ATRAC encoder 36B. MPEG2 audio encoder 36A, ATRAC encoder 36
In B, the supplied audio data is encoded (compressed and encoded), and then registered in the MPEG audio server 40A and ATRAC audio server 40B. MPEG audio server 40A
Is transmitted to the MPEG audio transmission system 43A, packetized here, and then transmitted to the multiplexer 45. AT
ATRAC registered in RAC audio server 40B
The data is sent to the ATRAC audio transmission system 43B as 4 × speed ATRAC data, where it is packetized and transmitted to the multiplexer 45.

In the additional audio information registration system 33, additional audio information as material data from the additional audio information server 8 is registered in the additional audio information database 37.
The additional audio information registered in the additional audio information database 37 is transmitted to the additional audio information transmission system 41,
Similarly, the packetized data from the multiplexer 4
5 is transmitted.

In the GUI material registration system 34, the GUI data, which is material data from the GUI data server 9, is used.
The I data is registered in the GUI material database 38.

The GUI material data registered in the GUI material database 38 is stored in the GUI authoring system 42.
Here, processing is performed so that the data format becomes a GUI screen, that is, a data format that can be output as a “scene” described in FIG.

That is, the GUI authoring system 42
For example, in the case of a GUI screen for downloading music, still image data of an album jacket, text data such as lyrics, audio data to be output in response to an operation, etc. It is. Each of the above-mentioned data is called a so-called mono-media, but in the GUI authoring system 42, the MHEG
Using an authoring tool, these mono-media data are encoded and handled as objects. Then, for example, a scenario description file (script) defining the relationship between the objects so that the display mode of the scene (GUI screen) and the output mode of image and sound according to the operation as described with reference to FIG. Together with the MHEG-5 content. FIG.
In the GUI screen as shown in (b), image / audio data (M
PEG video data, MPEG audio data)
MPEG based on music material data of music material server 7
Audio data and the like are also displayed on the GUI screen, and an output mode according to the operation is given. Therefore, as the scenario description file, in the GUI authoring system 42, the image / audio data based on the material data of the TV program material server 6 and the MPEG audio data based on the music material data of the music material server 7 are used. Further, the voice additional information based on the voice additional information server 8 is also treated as an object as required, and is defined by the MHEG script.

The data of the MHEG content transmitted from the GUI authoring system 42 includes a script file and various still image data files and text data files as objects. Still image data is, for example, JPEG (Joint). Photograp
h Experts Group), and the data is 640 × 480 pixels, and the text data is a file of, for example, 800 characters or less.

The data of the MHEG content obtained by the GUI authoring system 42 is transmitted to the DSM-CC encoder 44. The DSM-CC encoder 44 converts the data into a transport stream (hereinafter abbreviated as TS (Transport Stream)) in a format that can be multiplexed with a data stream of video and audio data according to the MPEG2 format, and packetizes the data.
5 is output.

In the multiplexer 45, the video and audio packets from the television program transmission system 39 and the MPEG audio transmission system 43
A, the 4 × speed audio packet from the ATRAC audio transmission system 43B, the audio additional information packet from the audio additional information transmission system 41, and the G packet from the GUI authoring system 42.
The UI data packet and the UI data packet are time-division multiplexed and encrypted based on the key information output from the key information server 10 (FIG. 1).

The output of the multiplexer 45 is transmitted to the radio wave transmission system 46, where the output of the multiplexer 45 is subjected to, for example, processing such as addition of an error correction code, modulation, and frequency conversion. To be.

1-4. Transmission Format Next, a transmission format according to the present embodiment defined based on the DSM-CC scheme will be described. FIG. 6 shows an example of data transmitted and output from the ground station 1 to the satellite 2. As described above, each data shown in this figure is actually time-division multiplexed. Further, in this figure, as shown in FIG. 6, one event is between time t1 and time t2, and the next event is from time t2. The event referred to here is, for example, a unit for changing a set of a lineup of a plurality of music pieces in the case of a music program channel, and is about 30 minutes or 1 hour in time.

As shown in FIG. 6, from time t1 to time t2
In the event (1), a program having a predetermined content A1 is being broadcast in a program broadcast of a normal moving image. In an event starting from time t2, a program as content A2 is being broadcast. What is broadcast in this ordinary program is moving images and audio.

MPEG audio channels (1) to
(10) is prepared, for example, for ten channels CH1 to CH10. At this time, the same music is repeatedly transmitted on each of the audio channels CH1, CH2, CH3,... CH10 while one event is being broadcast. That is, during the event period from time t1 to time t2, the music B1 is repeatedly transmitted on the audio channel CH1, and the audio channel CH1 is transmitted.
2, the music C1 is repeatedly transmitted, and similarly, the music K1 is repeatedly transmitted on the audio channel CH10. This is common to the quadruple-speed ATRAC audio channels (1) to (10) shown below.

That is, in FIG. 6, those having the same number in parentheses which are the channel numbers of the MPEG audio channel and the 4 × ATRAC audio channel are the same music. The number in parentheses, which is the channel number of the additional audio information, is the additional audio information added to the audio data having the same channel number.
Still image data and text data transmitted as GUI data are also formed for each channel. These data are time-division multiplexed and transmitted in an MPEG2 transport packet as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, and are transmitted in the IRD 12 as shown in FIGS. 7E to 7H. It is reconstructed using the header information of each data packet.

In the transmission data shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, at least the GUI data used for the data service (interactive broadcasting) is the DSM-CC.
It is logically formed as follows according to the method. Here, the description is limited to the data of the transport stream output from the DSM-CC encoder 44.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the data broadcasting service of the present embodiment transmitted by the DSM-CC system is all included in a root directory named Service Gateway. Service
Objects included in the Gateway include a directory (Directory) and a file (Fil).
e), a stream (Stream), and a stream event (Stream Event).

Of these, the files are individual data files such as still images, sounds, texts, and scripts described in MHEG. The stream is, for example, another data service or an AV stream (TV
MPEG video data and audio data as program material, MPEG audio data as music material, A
TRAC audio data). The stream event also includes link information and time information. A directory is a folder that stores related data.

In the DSM-CC system, FIG.
As shown in (b), these unit information and Serv
The Ice Gateway is regarded as a unit called an object, and each is converted into a format called a BIOP message. In the description relating to the present invention, the distinction between the three objects of file, stream, and stream event is not essential, and therefore, in the following description, these objects will be described as being represented by objects as files.

In the DSM-CC system, FIG.
A data unit called a module shown in (c) is generated. This module is a variable-length data unit formed by adding one or more objects converted into BIOP messages shown in FIG. 8B and adding a BIOP header thereto. It is the unit of buffering the received data on the side. Also, DSM-C
In the C method, when one module is formed by a plurality of objects, the relationship between the objects is not particularly defined or limited. In other words, at the extreme, even if one module is formed by two or more objects between scenes having no relation at all, DS
It does not violate the rules under the M-CC system.

This module is mechanically divided into data units of a fixed length in principle called "blocks", as shown in FIG. 8D, for transmission in a format called a section defined by the MPEG2 format. You.
However, the last block in the module does not need to have a prescribed fixed length. The reason why the block division is performed is that there is a rule in the MPEG2 format that one section must not exceed 4 KB. In this case, the data unit as a block and the section are synonymous.

The block obtained by dividing the module in this manner is converted into a message format called DDB (Download Data Block) with a header added as shown in FIG. 8 (e).

Also, in parallel with the conversion to the DDB, D
SI (Download Server Initiate) and DII (Download
Indication Information) is generated. The DSI and DII are on the receiving side (IRD1
The information required when acquiring a module from the received data in 2), and the DSI mainly includes an identifier of the carousel (module) described below and information related to the entire carousel (time during which the carousel makes one rotation, carousel rotation). Timeout value). In addition, the root directory of the data service (Service Ga
The information also has information for knowing the location of the keyword (the case of the object carousel method).

DII is information corresponding to each module included in the carousel, and has information such as the size and version of each module and a timeout value of the module.

Then, as shown in FIG.
Three types of messages, DB, DSI, and DII, are transmitted periodically and repeatedly in correspondence with the data unit of the section. As a result, the receiver can always receive, for example, a module including an object necessary for obtaining a target GUI screen (scene). In this specification, such a transmission method is referred to as a “carousel method” by comparing it to a carousel, and FIG.
A data transmission form schematically represented as shown in FIG. Here, a plurality of modules may be included in one carousel. For example, a plurality of modules required for one data service may be transmitted by one carousel. The “carousel method” is divided into a “data carousel method” level and an “object carousel method” level. Especially in the object carousel method, files, directories, streams,
This method transfers objects having attributes such as service gateways as data using a carousel, and differs greatly from the data carousel method in that a directory structure can be handled. The system of the present embodiment adopts the object carousel method.

FIG. 9 shows a file (MHEG application) as a data service according to the MHEG method.
2 shows an example of a directory structure of the application file.
As described above, the object carousel method is characterized in that it can handle this directory structure. Usually Se
to become the entry of the service domain (MHEG
application file) must be a Ser
app0 / s, just below the visit Gateway
This will be a file called startup. Basically, Se
service Domain (Service Gate
application) under application way
ory (app0, app1... appN),
An application called startup under it
File and each SC that makes up the application
ene's directory (scene0, scene
e1...). Further scene d
The MHEG scene f
content fi that constitutes ile and scene
le is to be placed.

The GUI data transmitted by the carousel as described above, that is, the DSM-CC shown in FIG.
The data output from the encoder 44 is output in the form of a transport stream. This transport stream has, for example, the structure shown in FIG. FIG. 10A shows a transport stream. This transport stream is MPE
It is a bit string defined in the G system, and is formed by concatenation of fixed-length packets (transport packets) of 188 bytes as shown in the figure.

As shown in FIG. 10B, each transport packet has a header, an adaptation field for including additional information in a specific individual packet, and a payload (video / audio data or the like) indicating the contents of the packet (video / audio data or the like). Data area).

The header is actually 4 bytes, for example. As shown in FIG. 10 (c), the header always has a synchronization byte, and at a predetermined position after this, the identification information of the packet is used. A certain PID (Packet_I
D), scramble control information indicating the presence / absence of scrambling, and adaptation field control information indicating the presence / absence of a subsequent adaptation field and payload.

Based on these pieces of control information, the receiving apparatus can descramble packets in packet units, and can use a demultiplexer to separate and extract necessary packets such as video / audio / data. In addition, time information serving as a reference for synchronous reproduction of video / audio can be reproduced here.

As can be seen from the above description,
Video / audio / data packets for a plurality of channels are multiplexed in one transport stream.
In addition, a signal for controlling channel selection called PSI (Program Specific Information), information (EMM / ECM) necessary for conditional access (reception function for deciding whether or not a pay channel can be received or not according to an individual contract situation), SI (Service Information) for realizing services such as EPG
Are multiplexed simultaneously. Here, PSI will be described.

The PSI is composed of four tables as shown in FIG. Each table is
It is expressed in a section format, which is compliant with the MPEG System. FIG. 11A shows NIT (Net
work Information Table) and CAT (Conditional Acc
ess Table) is shown. In the NIT, the same content is multiplexed on all carriers. Transmission specifications for each carrier (polarization plane, carrier frequency, convolution rate, etc.)
And a list of channels multiplexed there. The PID of the NIT is PID = 0x0010.

The CAT also has the same content multiplexed on all carriers. The PID of an EMM (Entitlement Management Message) packet, which is identification information of the conditional access system and individual information such as contract information, is described. As PID, PID
= 0x0001.

FIG. 11B shows PAT as information having specific contents for each carrier. The PAT describes channel information in the carrier and the PID of the PMT representing the contents of each channel. PID
Is indicated by PID = 0x0000.

As information for each channel in the carrier, a PMT (Program Map T
able) table. In the PMT, content for each channel is multiplexed. For example, as shown in FIG. 11D, components (video / audio, etc.) configuring each channel and an ECM (E
The PID of the PMT in which the PID of the (ncryption Control Message) packet is described is specified by the PAT.

1-5. IRD Next, an example of the configuration of the IRD 12 provided in the receiving facility 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the IRD 12 shown in this figure, a reception signal converted to a predetermined frequency by the LNB 15 of the parabolic antenna 11 is input to the input terminal T 1 and supplied to the tuner / front end unit 51. In the tuner / front end unit 51, a CPU (Central Processing Uni
t) On the basis of a setting signal in which transmission parameters and the like are set from 80, a carrier (reception frequency) determined by the setting signal is received and subjected to, for example, Viterbi demodulation processing or error correction processing, thereby achieving a transformer. You get to get the port stream. The transport stream obtained by the tuner / front end unit 51 is supplied to a descrambler 52. Further, the tuner / front end unit 51 obtains a PSI packet from the transport stream, updates the channel selection information, obtains the component PID of each channel in the transport stream, and transmits it to, for example, the CPU 80. CP
In U80, the acquired PID is used for received signal processing.

In the descrambler 52, the IC card 65
The descramble key data stored in the CPU 8
0, and the PID is set by the CPU 80. Then, a descrambling process is executed based on the descrambling key data and the PID, and transmitted to the transport unit 53.

The transport section 53 comprises a demultiplexer 70 and a queue 71 composed of, for example, a DRAM. The queue (Queue) 71 is formed such that a plurality of memory areas corresponding to each module are arranged in columns. For example, in the present embodiment, a memory area of 32 columns is provided. That is, information of up to 32 modules can be stored simultaneously.

The general operation of the demultiplexer 70 is as follows: according to the filter conditions set by the DeMUX driver 82 of the CPU 80, necessary transport packets are separated from the transport stream supplied from the descrambler 52, and if necessary, Using the queue 71 as a work area, data in the format as shown in FIGS. 7 (e) to 7 (h) is first obtained and supplied to necessary functional circuit units. The MPEG video data separated by the demultiplexer 70 is input to the MPEG2 video decoder 55, and the MPEG audio data is input to the MPEG audio decoder 54. M separated by these demultiplexers 70
The individual packet of PEG video / audio data is P
The data is input to each decoder in a format called ES (Packetized Elementary Stream).

The data of the MHEG content in the transport stream is separated and extracted from the transport stream by the demultiplexer 70 in the unit of the transport packet, and is written into a required memory area of the queue 71 to be written in the unit of the module. It is formed so that it may be put together. And
The data of the MHEG contents organized in units of the module is transmitted to the DSM-CC buffer 91 in the main memory 90 via the data bus under the control of the CPU 80.
Is written and held.

Also, 4 × speed ATRAC data (compressed audio data) in the transport stream is
For example, data necessary for each transport packet is separated and extracted by the demultiplexer 70, and the
Output to the 94 interface 60. Also,
Through the IEEE 1394 interface 60, it is possible to transmit video data and various command signals in addition to audio audio data.

In the MPEG2 video decoder 55 to which the MPEG video data in the PES format has been input, the MPEG5 video decoder 55 uses the memory 55A as a work area, and
The decoding process is performed according to the G2 format. The decoded video data is supplied to the display processing unit 58.

The display processing unit 58 stores the video data input from the MPEG2 video decoder 55 and the MHEG buffer 92 of the main memory 90 as described later.
The video data such as a GUI screen for a data service obtained by the above is input. The display processing unit 58 performs necessary signal processing on the video data thus input, converts the video data into an analog audio signal according to a predetermined television system, and outputs the analog audio signal to the analog video output terminal T2. Thereby, the analog video output terminal T2
By connecting the monitor and the video input terminal of the monitor device 14, for example, the display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

In the MPEG2 audio decoder 54 to which the MPEG audio data by the PES is input, the MPEG4 audio decoder 54 uses the memory 54A as a work area and
The decoding process is performed according to the G2 format. The decoded audio data is supplied to the D / A converter 56 and the optical digital output interface 59.

The D / A converter 56 converts the input audio data into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal to the switch circuit 57. The switch circuit 57 switches the signal path so as to output an analog audio signal to one of the analog audio output terminals T3 and T4. Here, the analog audio output terminal T3
Is provided to be connected to the audio input terminal of the monitor device 14. The analog audio output terminal T4 is a terminal for outputting the downloaded music by an analog signal. The optical digital output interface 59 converts the input digital audio data into an optical digital signal and outputs it. In this case, the optical digital output interface 59 complies with, for example, IEC958.

The main memory 90 is used as a work area when the CPU 80 performs various control processes. In the present embodiment, the main memory 90
In the above, the DSM-CC buffer 91 and the MH
An area as the EG buffer 92 is allocated. The MHEG buffer 92 is a work area for generating image data (for example, image data of a GUI screen) generated according to the description of the script in the MHEG method, and the generated image data is displayed via a bus line. It is supplied to the processing unit 58.

The CPU 80 executes the overall control of the IRD 12. This includes control on data separation and extraction in the demultiplexer 70. In addition, by performing decoding processing on the acquired MHEG content data, processing for configuring and outputting a GUI screen (scene) in accordance with the description content of the script is also executed.

For this reason, the CPU 80 of the present embodiment includes, for example, at least a DeMUX driver 82 and a DS
An M-CC decoder block 83 and an MHEG decoder block 84 are provided. In the present embodiment, at least the DSM-CC decoder block 83 and the MHEG decoder block 84 are configured by software. The DeMUX driver 82 sets a filter condition in the demultiplexer 70 based on the PID of the input transport stream.
The DSM-CC decoder block 83 has a DSM-Man
It has a function as an ager, and DSM-C
The module unit data stored in the C buffer 91 is reconstructed into MHEG content data. Further, according to the access from the MHEG decoder block 84, a process related to a required DSM-CC decoding or the like is executed.

The MHEG decoder block 84 has a DSM
-Data of the MHEG content obtained by the CC decoder block 83, that is, the DSM-CC buffer 91
To access the data of the MHEG content obtained in the above, and perform decoding processing for scene output. That is, a scene is formed by realizing the relationship between objects defined by the script file of the MHEG content. At this time, when forming a GUI screen as a scene, the MHEG
The buffer 92 is used to generate the GUI screen image data in accordance with the contents of the script file.

DSM-CC decoder block 83 and M
The interface between the HEG decoder blocks 84 includes a UU API (DSM-CC UU API (A
pplivation Portability Interface)).
The UU API is, for example, a client (MHEG decoder block 84) side in which a DSM Manager object (a server object that implements the function of DSM;
This is an interface for accessing the DSM-CC decoder block 83).
service Gateway, Directory,
The API is such that an object having attributes such as File, Stream, and Stream Event can be structurally accessed like a file system.

By accessing an object included in the carousel through this API, a program (client) using the carousel can access the object using the bus name without knowing the carousel receiving operation. become.

Since the UU API is a set of interfaces defined so that it can be used regardless of the lower layer data transfer method, the AU API
A program that uses the PI has the advantage that it can be used in any data transfer method that provides a UU API.

Here, an operation example for extracting a target object necessary for forming one scene from the transport stream under the control of the CPU 80 will be described.

In the DSM-CC, an IOR (Interop) is used to indicate the location of an object in a transport stream.
erable Object Reference) is used. In the IOR,
An identifier corresponding to a force ruthel for finding an object, an identifier of a module including the object (hereinafter, referred to as module_id), and an identifier for specifying an object in one module (hereinafter, object)
_Key), and a tag (a) for identifying a DII having information on a module including the object.
association_tag) information. The DII having module information includes information such as module_id, module size, and version for each of one or more modules, and a tag (association_id) for identifying the module.
tag) information.

When the IOR extracted from the transport stream is identified in the CPU 80, the process of receiving and separating the object indicated by the IOR is as follows, for example. (Pr1) In the DeMUX driver 82 of the CPU 80, an elementary stream having the same value as the association_tag of the IOR (hereinafter, referred to as ES)
From the ES loop of the PMT in the carousel to get the PID. The ES having this PID includes DII. (Pr2) This PID and table_id_exte
demultiplexer 7 with nsion as a filter condition
Set to 0. Thereby, the demultiplexer 7
At 0, DII is separated and output to CPU 80. (Pr3) Assoc of module corresponding to module_id included in the previous IOR in DII
Get the iation_tag. (Pr4) An ES having the same value as the association_tag is searched for from the ES loop (carousel) of the PMT to obtain a PID. The target module is included in the ES having this PID. (Pr5) The PID and the module_id are set as filter conditions, and filtering is performed by the demultiplexer 70. The transport module separated and extracted according to the filter condition is stored in a required memory area (column) of the queue 71, so that a target module is finally formed. (Pr6) object_ included in the previous IOR
An object corresponding to the key is extracted from this module. This is the target object. The object extracted from this module is, for example, D
Writing is performed in a predetermined area of the SM-CC buffer 91. For example, by repeating the above operation and collecting and storing target objects in the DSM-CC buffer 91, MHEG content that forms a required scene can be obtained.

The man-machine interface 61 receives the command signal transmitted from the remote controller 64 and transmits it to the CPU 80. CPU80
Then, necessary control processing is executed so that the operation of the device according to the received command signal can be obtained.

The IC card slot 62 has an IC card 6
5 is inserted. Then, the inserted IC card 6
5 is written and read by the CPU 80.

[0099] The modem 63 is connected to the accounting server 5 via the telephone line 4, and is controlled by the CPU 80.
Control is performed such that communication between the RD 12 and the billing server 5 is performed.

Here, the flow of the signal of the video / audio source in the IRD 12 having the above configuration will be supplementarily described with reference to the display form described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, when a normal program is output, MPEG video data and MPEG audio data of a required program are extracted from an input transport stream, and decoding processing is performed for each. Will be applied. The video data and the MPEG audio data are output to the analog video output terminal T2 and the analog audio output terminal T3, respectively, so that the monitor device 14 performs image display and audio output of the broadcast program.

When outputting the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B, the MHEG content data necessary for the GUI screen (scene) is separated from the input transport stream by the transport unit 53. It is extracted and taken into the DSM-CC buffer 91. Using the data, the DSM-CC decoder block 83 and the MHEG decoder block 84 function as described above, so that the scene (G
The image data of the UI screen is created. The image data is supplied to the analog video output terminal T2 via the display processing unit 58, so that the
The I screen is displayed.

When a tune is selected from the tune list 21B on the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B and the audio data of the tune is previewed, the MP of the tune is selected.
EG audio data is obtained by the demultiplexer 70. Then, the MPEG audio data is M
An analog audio signal is output to the monitor device 14 via the PEG audio decoder 54, the D / A converter, the switch circuit 57, and the analog audio output terminal T3.

When the download button 28 is pressed on the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B to download audio data, the audio data of the music to be downloaded is extracted by the demultiplexer 70, and the analog audio is downloaded. The signal is output to the output terminal T4, the optical digital output interface 59, or the IEEE 1394 interface 60.

When the IEEE 1394 interface 60 is connected to the IEEE 1394-compatible MD recorder / player 13A shown in FIG. , IEEE 1394
Recording is performed on the disk loaded in the MD recorder / player 13A via the interface 60. At this time, for example, still image data of the album jacket compressed in the JPEG format, text data such as lyrics and artist profile are also extracted from the transport stream by the demultiplexer 70, and are output to the MD recorder via the IEEE 1394 interface 60. / Player 13A. The MD recorder / player 13A can record these still image data and text data in a predetermined area of the loaded disc.

2. Background of the Invention For example, when digital data broadcasting is being received by the object carousel system, if the contents (broadcast contents) of the carousel are switched during the broadcast, at that point, the carousel before switching is switched. The data is invalidated and the carousel of the new content can be accessed. The data unit forming the carousel is, for example, data corresponding to one event shown in FIG.

However, the DSM-CC system does not have an interface for notifying the client side when the contents of the carousel are switched.
That is, in the case of the IRD 12, even if the contents of the carousel are switched in the received data of the DSM-CC decoder block 83, this is immediately changed to the MHE.
The G decoder block 84 cannot know.

Here, if the client reads the carousel from the server next without being notified of the switching of the contents of the carousel currently used for scene display, data different from the previous carousel is read. Therefore, the display is performed by the carousel. For example, when it is desired to maintain the previous display state irrespective of the switching of the contents of the carousel, such operation on the client side causes inconvenience. This is, for example, when the content of the carousel is switched while performing an input operation related to purchase while the user is watching a broadcast that allows the user to purchase music etc. And the like. That is, when the contents of the carousel are switched, the purchase operation that has been performed until that time is invalidated, and the purchase is not established. On the other hand, if it is necessary to change a part of the current scene display in response to the switching of the carousel contents, the switched carousel is read from the server at a certain opportunity. Means that the display of the scene is not changed. In other words, the timing of switching the display contents of the scene is later than the timing of switching the actual contents of the carousel. In this way, some inconvenience arises because the client is not notified of the carousel content switching.

3. Carousel switching new notification control of the present embodiment 3-1. General processing of UU API Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described below,
The purpose is to enable the client (MHEG decoder block 84) to know the content switching of the carousel so that an appropriate MHEG decoding process corresponding to this can be obtained. The interface for notifying the switching of the contents of the carousel is configured to conform to the UU API.

Here, before describing an interface for notification of content switching according to the present embodiment, a general example of an interface of the UU API will be described with reference to FIG. Here, an example is described in which the MHEG decoder block 84 as a client performs stream reproduction. In this figure, the numbers shown in the circles are the MHEG decoder block 84 and the DSM
14 shows a processing procedure of the CC decoder block 83. Hereinafter, description will be given according to this processing procedure. In the following description, the MHEG decoder block 84 is referred to as a client, and the DSM-CC decoder block 83 is referred to as a server.

(Process 1) The client sends Event :: Subscribe ("str" at a required timing.
event on ") to the server Event :: Subscribe (" stream ")
on ”) is an interface that declares to the server that a“ stream on ”event will be received thereafter.

(Process 2) Event :: Subscr
When an ive ("stream on") is received, the server returns an event number corresponding to the stream on event. Here, Event # 10 is set and transmitted to the client.

(Process 3) Upon acquiring the event number, the client outputs Event :: notify to the server. Event :: notify is an interface that requests a notification from the client side to the server side if any event occurs on the server side.

(Process 4) Notif of (Process 3)
As a response process to y, "stream on" in the received data at a certain timing as shown in FIG.
When an event occurs, the server sends a "stream o
Ev which is the event number set for the n ″ event
ent # 10 is transmitted to the client. (Process 5) The client receives the received Even
At t # 10, it is known that the "stream on" event has occurred. In this case, for example, MHEG decoding processing for stream reproduction is executed.

3-2. First Example Next, carousel switching notification control of the present embodiment based on the UU API interface shown in FIG. 15 will be described. As described above, the DSM-CC does not have information for notifying the client that the content of the carousel has been switched at that timing. Also, information that can directly identify the switched carousel is not transmitted. That is, at present, the client side cannot know the timing at which the content of the received carousel is switched.

However, in the DSM-CC, when the contents of the carousel are switched, this is the same as that described in FIG.
It is reflected in the contents of SI. That is, information on the contents of the carousel in the DSI is changed. This is used in the present embodiment.

As the carousel switching notification control according to the present embodiment, in the first example, U-U A
"DSI_CHANGE" as PI interface
D "event. This" DSI_CHANGE "
The D ″ event means that the server has received a new DSI message whose contents have been changed, and the carousel switching notification as shown in (Process 1) to (Process 4) in FIG. Execute control.

(Process 1) The client uses Even
t :: Subscribe ("DSI_CHANGE
D ″) to the server (Process 2) Event :: Subscribe (″ D
SI_CHANGED "), the server receives" DS
The event number set for the "I_CHANGED" event is returned to the client.
Event # 1 is set and returned for the "HANGED" event.

(Process 3) After acquiring the event number, the client transmits Event :: notify to the server, and makes a request for notifying the occurrence of any event including “DSI_CHANGED”. (Process 4) The server is configured to hold the DSI included in the received carousel data. Then, it is assumed that the DSI included in the received carousel data is changed at a certain timing after receiving the above Event :: notify. This means that the contents of the carousel indicated by the DSI have been switched. In this way, the DSI has changed, that is, "DSI
When the "_CHANGED" event occurs, the server transmits the event number (Event # 1) set for the "DSI_CHANGED" event to the client as a response to the Event :: notify in (Process 3).

Thus, the client can know in real time at least that the carousel has been switched at least in the data service currently being broadcast. Then, in accordance with this notification, it becomes possible to execute some appropriate MHEG decoding processing (such as output control relating to a scene) corresponding to the switching of the contents of the carousel as (processing 5). In the example shown in FIG. 13, the carousel 2 is used as the client when the DSI changes.
It is possible to start the process using the data of (1). Specifically, after the received carousel is received and subjected to required processing, the DSM-CC shown in FIG.
Although the data is read into the buffer 91, the client switches from the carousel 1 to the carousel 2, and the client requests the data of the carousel 1 when the data of the carousel 2 starts to be read. That is, at this time, the data of the carousel 1 (data of the GUI screen) is used in the MHEG buffer 92 for processing. However, in the present invention, the client (process 5)
The timing at which the carousel is switched can be detected by the DSM-CC based on this timing.
The data of the carousel 2 read into the buffer 91 can be requested and stored in the MHEG buffer 92. This makes it possible to construct and output a GUI screen based on the data of the carousel 2 at substantially the same time as the timing of switching to the carousel 2.

Incidentally, Event :: notify shown as (Process 3) in FIG. 13 requests the server to notify the server that an event has occurred, as described above. Event :: notif on server side due to occurrence of certain event
When the notification in response to y is made, at this point, Even
t :: notify becomes invalid. Therefore, in the actual processing shown in FIG. 13, Event :: Subscribe (“DSI_CHA” is firstly executed as (processing 2).
NGED ”), and then“ DSI_
In order to notify the occurrence of the CHANGED "event without missing, once the event notification in response to the issued Event :: notify is performed, the next Event :: notify is immediately issued. On the server side, Event :: not
This is to prevent a period in which ify is invalidated from occurring as much as possible. In this way, during the data service broadcast, every time the DSI is switched, the “DSI__
It is possible to sequentially notify the client that a CHANGED "event has occurred.

Further, the above (Process 1), Eve
nt :: Subscribe ("DSI_CHANGE
D ″) is transmitted from the client to the server by taking into account that the DSI switching during the data service broadcast can be notified without fail, so that the program (MH) of the MHEG decoder block 84 can be notified.
The EG engine is started immediately after startup and when the data contents of the carousel are switched. The MHEG decoder block 8
In the case where the program 4 is started, for example, the channel is switched or the program is changed from a state where a broadcast to which service data broadcast is not attached is received, so that a new data service broadcast is performed. Is received when a program accompanied by is received.

3-3. Second Example Next, carousel switching notification control as a second example will be described with reference to FIG. In the second example, after the event number (Event # 1) is transmitted to the client (process 4), the client transmits the event number for a predetermined period.
The carousel immediately before the DSI is changed can be used continuously. Note that the steps from (Process 1) to (Process 4) are the same as in the first example, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In this example, when the event number (Event # 1) in the client is transmitted (process 4),
Although the carousel 2 following the carousel 1 is received as the IRD 12, the corresponding process (process 6) includes the DSI
Continuously uses the processable data 1 corresponding to the carousel 1 before the change. In this case, the server does not disclose the data corresponding to the newly received carousel 2 to the client, and the data of the carousel (for example, the carousel data taken into the DSM-CC buffer 91 as the processable data 1) (Shaded portions) are disclosed and the client is set to access them. That is, control is performed such that reading of data of the switched carousel is delayed in response to a change in DSI.

Thereafter, the client transmits Session :: detach at a predetermined timing (process 7). This Session :: detach is
The client sets a release request event for requesting release of the processable data 2 corresponding to the carousel 2 not disclosed by the server (Process 6), and transmits the release request event to the server at a predetermined timing. This allows the server to access the processable data 2 corresponding to the carousel 2 to the client. Therefore, after transmitting the Session :: detach, the client can perform required processing based on the processable data 2 of the carousel 2 newly disclosed by the server.

As the timing at which Session :: detach is transmitted, for example, the time from the start of (Process 5) may be set in advance, or the data currently being processed, that is, in this example, It may be determined that the processable data 1 is no longer needed. A factor for determining that the processable data 1 is no longer necessary is, for example, a case where a required operation by the user is detected.

As described above, according to the second example, even after the carousel is switched, the processing can be performed by continuously using the data immediately before the switching. Therefore, the current processing can be prevented from being interrupted when the carousel is switched.

In the present invention, the DSM-CC system is adopted as the data transmission system, and the U-U API is used as the interface between the MHEG client and server.
Is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to any transmission system and interface conforming to the transmission format described in the above embodiment. Also, the system to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a digital satellite broadcasting system, but can be applied to, for example, broadcasting such as cable television and the Internet.

[0128]

As described above, according to the present invention, for example, D
As a data transmission control method on the receiving side of the system that performs data transmission by the object carousel under the SM-CC system, the server that receives and holds data from the carousel indicates that the contents of the carousel have been switched. By using the carousel data to notify the client that realizes the required function, the client can quickly or efficiently execute the processing to be executed in response to the content switching of the carousel according to the notification. It becomes possible to execute it.

In the present invention, as the carousel content switching notification processing for notifying the carousel content switching as described above, for example, control information relating to carousel content switching under an existing interface such as a UU API is used. A control information change event (DSI_CHANGED) indicating a change in (DSI) is set, and the client side notifies the server that the control information has been changed using the control information change event. Is done. In other words, it is possible to realize the notification of the content switching of the carousel while complying with the existing interface without adopting a specialized interface standard, thereby giving versatility to that extent.

A subscribe event (Even
The transmission of t :: subscribe is executed when the client program is started or when the carousel itself is switched. An event notification request (Event :: notify) is transmitted from the server as an event notification. After the response message to the request is obtained, by executing immediately, after the start of the client program, it is possible to obtain a carousel content switching notification almost without missing, for example, The reliability is improved, for example, the content of the GUI screen can be changed almost immediately in response to the content switching of the carousel on the broadcast side.

Further, after the server notifies the client of the occurrence of the control information change event, a predetermined time until the client transmits a session detach (Session :: detach... Release request) to the server. , The contents of the carousel before the occurrence of the control information change event are continuously used. Therefore, even when the contents of the carousel are switched, it is possible to prevent the processing being performed based on the contents of the immediately preceding carousel from being interrupted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital satellite broadcast receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a receiving facility according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of a remote controller for the IRD.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing switching between a broadcast screen and a GUI screen.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a ground station.

FIG. 6 is a chart showing data transmitted from a ground station.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a time division multiplexing structure of transmission data.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmission format by DSM-CC.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a directory structure of a data service.

FIG. 10 is a data structure diagram of a transport stream.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a table structure of a PSI.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an IRD.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing carousel switching notification control as a first example.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing carousel switching notification control as a second example.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a general control operation example of a UU API interface.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ground station, 2 satellites, 3 receiving facilities, 5 billing server, 6 TV program material server, 7 music material server,
8 voice additional information server, 9 GUI data server, 1
0 key information server, 11 parabolic antenna, 13
Storage device, 13A MD recorder / player, 14 monitor device, 16 IEEE1394 bus,
21A TV program display area, 21B list, 21
C text display area, 21D jacket display area, 22 lyrics display button, 23 profile display button, 24 information display button, 25 reservation recording button,
26 reserved list display button, 27 recording history button, 2
8 download button, 31 TV program material registration system, 32 music material registration system, 33 audio additional information registration system, 34 GUI material registration system,
35 AV server, 36A MPEG audio encoder, 36B ATRAC encoder, 37 audio additional information database, 38 GUI material database, 39
TV program transmission system, 40A MPEG audio server, 40B MPEG audio server, 41
Audio additional information transmission system, 42 GUI authoring system, 43A MPEG audio transmission system,
43B ATRAC audio transmission system, 44D
SM-CC encoder, 45 multiplexer, 46 radio wave transmission system, 51 tuner / front end unit,
52 descrambler, 53 transport unit, 54
MPEG2 audio decoder, 54A memory, 5
5 MPEG2 video decoder, 55A memory, 56
D / A converter, 57 switch circuit, 58 display processing unit, 59 optical digital output interface, 60
IEEE 1394 interface, 61 man-machine interface, 62 IC card slot, 63
Modem, 64 remote controller, 65 IC card, 70 demultiplexer, 71 queue, 81
Control processing unit, 82 DeMUX driver, 83 DSM
-CC decoder block, 84 MHEG decoder block, 90 main memory, 91 DSM-CC buffer, 101 power key, 102 numeric key, 103 screen display switching key, 104 interactive switching key,
105a arrow keys, 105 EPG key panel section, 1
06 channel key, T1 input terminal, T2 analog video output terminal, T3 analog audio output terminal, T4 analog audio output terminal

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Junya Saito 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Yasushi Katayama 6-35-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F term (reference) 5C064 BA01 BB01 BB05 BC06 BC10 BC16 BC18 BC20 BC23 BC25 BD02 BD13 DA10

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A cyclic data unit is formed from required data to be transferred, and the cyclic data unit corresponds to a data transfer method of repeatedly transmitting the cyclic data unit over a required period, and the contents of the cyclic data unit are switched. A cyclic data unit switching process in which a server that receives the cyclic data unit can notify a client that uses the cyclic data unit. Method. 2. The cyclic data unit includes control information whose contents are switched according to the switching of the cyclic data unit. The cyclic data unit switching process is performed according to a standard of a predetermined interface. Then, after setting the control information change event which means that the control information has been received, at least the client transmits a subscribe event for declaring the reception of the control information change event to the server. (1) a second process in which the client transmits an event notification request for requesting notification of the occurrence of an event to the server; and (c) controlling when the server receives changed control information as a response to the event notification request from the server. Performing a third process of notifying the client that an information change event has occurred; Data transmission control method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is realized by. 3. The transmission of the subscribe event as the first processing is performed when switching of the contents of the cyclic data unit is performed. Data transmission control method. 4. The data transmission control method according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of the subscribe event as the first processing is executed when the client program is started. 5. After the server notifies the client of the occurrence of the control information change event by the third processing, the client sends to the server a circulation corresponding to the changed control information. A cycle data unit before the occurrence of the control information change event in the third processing is continuously used within a predetermined period until a data unit release request is transmitted. Item 3. The data transmission control method according to Item 2.