JP2000041226A - Program information receiver, program information display method, program information transmitter and program information transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display characters of a program on a small screen at an optional position independently of a size of the small screen. SOLUTION: A TS decoder 7 separates audio, image and private packets. A packet analysis section 29 analyzes the private packet, a control circuit decoder 31 decodes character information, and an auxiliary image storage section 37 stores auxiliary image information. A character quality improvement processing section 33 converts an output of the character decoder 31 into a character pattern selected among magnified, standard and reduced fonts, and a character display state revision section decides magnification, reduction, display color and display position. An image decoder 15 decodes the image packet and a small screen generating section 17 generates a small screen for each channel and a multi-screen generating/image position replacement section 19 generates a multi-screen. A composition section 21 composites the multi-screen and character data from a display generating section 39.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program information receiving apparatus, a program information displaying method, a program information transmitting apparatus, and a program information transmitting method in digital broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital terrestrial broadcasting in the United States and digital BS (broadcasting satellite) broadcasting in Japan have become active, but digital CS (communication satellite) broadcasting has already started in Japan. . In this CS broadcast,
Since there are many channels, a program guide channel is provided to make it easier for the viewer to select a channel.

[0003] This program guide channel is obtained by reducing images of a plurality of channels and combining them into one image.
The image data is transferred to one program guide channel (hereinafter, referred to as a channel).
Promotion channel). Viewers can use the promotion channel as one of the means for selecting a channel.

[0004] When the images of a plurality of programs are reduced and synthesized and multi-displayed on a TV screen, for example, about nine or sixteen reduced images are often displayed on the TV. The image of the promotion channel is obtained by synthesizing a plurality of reduced images and encoding and transmitting the resultant as one image data.

[0005] For this reason, in one promotion channel, all of a large number of channels cannot be naturally viewed in one promotion channel, and a multi-screen that matches viewer's preference cannot be created.

By the way, since such a promotion channel composed of nine or sixteen small screens allows a user to visually search for a desired program, a program guide including only characters is displayed on the screen to search for the desired program. It is easier for the user to understand than a user interface screen like this,
Easy to use for children and the elderly.

[0007] However, such a promotion channel uses a full screen image of 9 or 16 for each channel.
Since the screen is reduced to the divided small screen, the characters such as the subtitles on the screen are too small or are crushed and become invisible.

[0008] Digital broadcasts are transmitted as MPEG transport streams. Transport streams are not only transport stream packets of image information and audio information appearing on the screen, but are also called private packets. A transport stream packet for transmitting accompanying information for the program of each channel is also sent.

[0009] In these private packets, subtitle information to be displayed on the screen by synthesizing with an image signal and program sub-information such as a program title, genre information such as news, drama, movie or sports program, and appearances. Information etc. are included.

The information contained in such a private packet is replaced with display data via a character decoder or the like, separately from a normal image signal, and is combined with image information and output to a screen.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional program information receiving apparatus, and shows a case where a multi-screen formed in advance on the broadcast side is received via a promotion channel.

Referring to FIG. 13, a program information receiving apparatus 501 is provided.
Is a transport stream (hereinafter, TS and TS) that separates a tuner 3, a descrambler 5, and a transport stream into audio packets, video packets, and private packets, and converts the video packets and audio packets into packetized elementary streams (PES). Abbreviated) decoder 7, audio decoder 9, D / A converter 11, audio output unit 13, image decoder 15, multi-screen generation / screen position switching unit 19, synthesizing unit 41, D / A converter 23, image receiving unit for displaying images 25, a character decoder 31 is provided.

A digital broadcast signal input from an antenna or the like (not shown) passes through a tuner 3 and is descrambled by a descrambler 5 and a TS decoder 7 to decode a TS of an image signal of the MPEG2-TS to a PES stream. To the image decoder 15.

The output image of the image decoder 15 is already a multi-screen. On the other hand, the character information of the private packet in the TS is converted into character display data by the character decoder 31 and is combined with the image output of the image decoder 15 by the combining unit 41. The output of the synthesis unit 41 is
The multi-screen generation / screen position interchange unit 19 directly outputs the data to the D / A converter 23 without any processing, converts the data to analog by the D / A converter 23, and outputs the image to the image receiving unit 25.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving apparatus when receiving a broadcast signal transmitted for each normal channel and forming and displaying a multi-screen on the receiving apparatus side.

Referring to FIG. 14, a program information receiving device 502
Is a TS decoder 7, an audio decoder 9, a D / A converter 11, an audio output unit that separates a tuner 3, a descrambler 5, and a TS into audio packets, image packets, and private packets, and converts the image packets and audio packets into PES. 13, an image decoder 15, a plurality of synthesizing sections 41, a plurality of small screen generating sections 17, a multi-screen generating / screen position switching section 19, a D / A converter 23, an image receiving section 25 for displaying an image, and a character decoder 43. I have.

The image packet separated by the TS decoder 7 is decoded into image data of a plurality of channels by the image decoder 15 and is input to one input terminal of the synthesizing unit 41, respectively. The private packet is sent to the character decoder 4
At 3, the data is decoded into character data for each channel and input to the other input terminal of the synthesizing unit 41.

The images and characters are synthesized for each channel by the synthesizing sections 41, and these synthesized images are reduced to small screens by the small screen generating sections 17 respectively. The images are combined into one screen and the positions of the small screens are exchanged. Then, it is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 23,
The image is displayed on the screen by the image receiving unit 25.

[0019]

However, in the conventional program information receiving apparatus, a plurality of small screens such as a promotion screen of a program guide created on the broadcast side and a multi-screen created on the receiving side are simultaneously displayed. However, there is a problem that the displayed characters are too small or are crushed and cannot be read.

Further, since it is not possible to output important subtitles and title display on the screen at a desired size at any time, the user can view important character information such as traffic information, earthquake information, etc. while viewing a plurality of screens simultaneously. Program title,
There has been a problem that it is not possible to enjoy character information of a genre suitable for a viewer's taste such as a score of a game.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a program information receiving apparatus capable of easily reading display characters even when a plurality of small screens such as a promotion screen and a multi-screen are simultaneously displayed. That is.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a program information receiving apparatus capable of displaying important character information such as traffic information and earthquake information and character information of a genre to which a viewer's taste is suited while simultaneously displaying a plurality of screens. It is to provide.

[0023]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a receiving and demodulating means for receiving and demodulating encoded video and audio information constituting a program and private information relating to the program. Small-screen generating means for generating small-screen images each having a reduced image size from an image obtained by decoding image information of a program, and multi-screen generating means for synthesizing a multi-screen in which the small-screen images are arranged at different positions The character information transmitted by the private information related to the program corresponding to the specific small screen of the plurality of small screens is independent of the display size of the specific small screen in the independent arbitrary size. And a private information synthesizing means for synthesizing on a screen.

The present invention also provides a receiving and demodulating means for receiving and demodulating a packet in which multi-screen image information in which a plurality of programs are each made into a small screen and a packet in which private information of each of the plurality of programs is encoded. A private information synthesizing means for synthesizing a screen so that an image display of the private information can be displayed on a screen corresponding to a position of a small screen of each program; and a private information synthesizing means for a specific small screen among the small screens of the plurality of programs. A program information receiving apparatus, comprising: a size changing unit configured to change a size of information so that the information is displayed on the screen at an independent size regardless of the display size of the small screen.

According to the present invention, there is provided an image storage means for storing in advance specific image information and identification information indicating the category thereof, an identification information detecting means for detecting the identification information added to the transmitted program, An image display unit for reading image information corresponding to the category of the identification information from the image storage unit and displaying the read image information on a screen.

According to the present invention, specific image information and identification information indicating its category are stored in advance in an image storage means,
A program information display method comprising detecting the identification information added to a transmitted program, reading image information corresponding to the category of the detected identification information from the image storage means, and displaying the read image information on a screen. is there.

The present invention also provides a small screen generating means for generating a plurality of small screens each having a reduced screen size from image signals of a plurality of channels, and a multi-screen in which the plurality of small screens are arranged on the same screen. Multi-screen synthesizing means, image encoding means for compression-encoding the multi-screen image signal, character information generating means for generating character information corresponding to each of the plurality of small screens, and characters of the character information A character information ID generating means for generating a character information ID based on the attribute; a packetization of the compression-encoded image signal, the compression-encoded audio signal, the character information and the character information ID; And a transmitting device for transmitting the program data as the program data.

According to the present invention, a plurality of small screens each having a reduced screen size are generated from image signals of a plurality of channels, and a multi-screen in which the plurality of small screens are arranged at different positions is synthesized. Compression encoding of an image signal, generating character information corresponding to each of the plurality of small screens, generating a character information ID based on a character attribute of the character information, generating the compression-encoded image signal, Encoded audio signal, the character information and the character information I
This is a method of transmitting program information whose main point is to packetize D and transmit it as program data of a promotion channel.

(Operation) According to the present invention having the above configuration, even when displaying a plurality of screens, such as a program guide, such as a promotion screen, characters are displayed in a favorite size readable by the user regardless of the small screen size. This prevents the display characters from being too small or from being crushed and unreadable. In addition, important subtitles and title display can be displayed on the screen in any size at any time.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, there are roughly two cases: (A) a case where a plurality of small screens are created by a receiving device from a broadcast signal transmitted for each normal channel and synthesized and displayed on a multi-screen; There are two types of broadcasting, that is, a case where a multi-screen is already formed on the broadcasting side and transmitted on a promotion channel.
The case of (A) in the sixth to sixth embodiments and the case of (B) in the seventh and eighth embodiments will be described. In the following description, a digital broadcasting environment using the MPEG system will be described, but this is not intended to limit the present invention.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention. An example in which a program information receiving apparatus which receives a normal broadcast of each channel forms a multi-screen. Is shown. In FIG. 1, a program information receiving apparatus 1 separates a tuner 3, a descrambler 5, and a transport stream into audio packets, image packets, and private packets, and converts the image packets and audio packets into packetized elementary streams (PES). Transport stream decoder (hereinafter abbreviated as TS decoder) 7, audio decoder 9, D / A converter 1
1. audio output unit 13, image decoder 15, multiple small screen generation units 17, multi-screen generation / screen position replacement unit 19, synthesis unit 21, D / A converter 23, image reception unit 25 for displaying images, private packets It has a private packet processing unit 27 for processing.

The private packet processing unit 27 is a unique component of the present invention, and includes a packet analyzing unit 29 for analyzing the contents transmitted in the private packet, and a character decoder for decoding a character code extracted by the analysis of the packet analyzing unit. 31, a character quality improvement processing unit 33 for improving the display quality of decoded characters by selecting a font, contour correction, and the like; a character display state change unit 35 for changing the character display state such as the size and display color of character display; An auxiliary image storage unit 37 for storing packets and auxiliary images supplied from a medium (not shown), and a display generation unit 39 for generating a display based on a private packet by combining or switching display characters and auxiliary images.

Next, the operation of the program information receiving apparatus 1 will be described. Unillustrated antenna or unillustrated cable terminal (CATV
The digital broadcast signal input from (at the time of reception) passes through the tuner 3, the descrambler 5 descrambles the pay broadcast, and the TS decoder 7 separates the TS.

Of the MPEG2-TS, the TS of the audio signal
Is converted to a PES stream, decoded by the audio decoder 9, converted to an analog audio signal by the D / A converter, and output from the audio output unit 13. The TS of the image signal is decoded and changed to a PES stream, and is input to the image decoder 15. This output image is input to a plurality of small screen generation units 17 and each small screen generation unit 17
Forms one of the small screens constituting the multi-screen.

If the image decoder 15 can decode only one stream at the same time, the time is
Every 2 seconds, scan the channel to decode ch1, ch3, ch4, ch6
... Are sequentially decoded, and the small screen of ch1, the small screen of ch3, the small screen of ch4, c
The small screen of h6... The small screen is sequentially generated in the small screen generation unit 17.
Generated by

The multi-screen generation / screen position replacement unit 19 generates a multi-screen in which the output images of the small screen generation units 17 are arranged on one screen. For example, when performing 9 divisions of 3 × 3 = 9, the small screen of ch1
The small screen of No. 3 is set at the center of the screen, the small screen of ch4 is set at the right of the screen, the small screen of ch6 is set at the center left of the screen,.

The position of the small screen can be arbitrarily changed by the multi-screen generation / screen position switching unit 19 under the control of a microcomputer (not shown) which receives an instruction from a remote controller (not shown). As described above, a multi-screen can be generated for an image, and a promotion screen can be created.

On the other hand, of the TS separated by the TS decoder 7, the private packet enters the private packet processing unit 27. Details of the private packet processing unit 27 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The character information of the private packet is decoded by the private packet processing unit 27 into character display data, the outline is corrected by the character quality improvement processing unit 33, and the character size is changed by the character display state changing unit 35.
The display generation unit 39 converts the character display data to be displayed on an actual screen.

The display generation unit 39 determines whether the character information of the private packet is to be displayed at any of the above-mentioned small screen positions, that is, the display position of the character information is adjusted to the screen located at the corresponding program of the multi-screen. Will be Then, the character display data output from the display generating unit 39 and the multi-screen generated by the multi-screen generating / screen position replacing unit 19 are synthesized by the synthesizing unit 21, and then the D / A converter 2
In step 3, the signal is converted to analog, output to the image receiving unit 25, and displayed on a screen.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be given of the private packet processing unit 27 which is a central processing unit of the present invention. In the figure, the private packet processing unit 27
A packet analyzing unit 29 for analyzing the contents transmitted in the private packet, a character decoder 31 for decoding a character code extracted by the analysis of the packet analyzing unit 29,
A character quality improvement processing section 33 for improving the display quality of the decoded characters by interpolation or the like; a character display state changing section 35 for changing the character display state such as the size and display color of the character display;
An auxiliary image storage unit 37 for storing a private packet or an auxiliary image supplied from a medium (not shown), and a display generating unit 39 for generating a display based on the private packet by synthesizing or switching the display characters and the auxiliary image. .

The packet analysis unit 29 extracts character information and character attributes from the private packet and passes them to the character decoder 31 and the character display state changing unit 35 based on the user command. The character decoder 31 receives character information and character attributes from the packet analysis unit 29 and uses them to create a display character string for a program appearing on a small screen. The character quality improvement processing section 33 receives the display character string on the small screen from the character decoder 31, and processes the display character string so as to prevent the deterioration of the character quality in the processing in the character display state changing section 35 described later.

Since the character information itself transmitted from the broadcast is character data assuming that it is displayed on one screen, if the character is reduced as it is, characters may be broken. This is a process of reducing the original character data for one screen so as not to be crushed by thinning or smoothing the edge. In this regard, a detailed embodiment will be described later.

The character display state changing unit 35 receives the display character string on the small screen from the character quality improvement processing unit 33 and changes the display state based on the display state control signal from the packet analysis unit 29. In other words, it is processing for enlarging or reducing characters. The display generation unit 39 generates image data of a character string from the character string generated by the character display state changing unit 35, and determines a character display position at a position corresponding to a small screen.

When the private packet of the promotion channel separated by the TS decoder 7 (not shown) is input to the packet analyzer 29, the packet analyzer 2
9 extracts the character information and the character information ID when the private packet includes the character information, and outputs the character information to the character decoder 31.

The character information ID is transmitted from a broadcasting station, and according to the character information ID or a user command from a viewer, the following display state control signals (a) to (c) are used. And the character display state changing unit 35
Is instructed to change the display state.

(A) If the character information ID or the user command is “character display mode = normal”, a control signal for displaying the small screen character information of all the small screens in a default state is generated. In other words, this is a case where the characters are also reduced at the same ratio and at the same ratio as the small screen ratio when displaying the normal character when the small screen before reduction is displayed on the entire original screen. It is in a state of being reduced as it is including the display character string, and all the small screens can be seen uniformly, but character information is difficult to distinguish. This is equivalent to the display according to the prior art. The default state may be the attribute specified by the character information ID. At this time, the screen display is as shown in FIG. 9A.

(B) If the character information ID or the user command is "display character enlargement", a control signal for displaying the small screen character information of all the small screens with the character size enlarged is generated. In this case, the fact that the original one screen is displayed at the same character size as when it is displayed on the screen (= not reduced) is also included here.

In the case where the character information ID does not fit in the small screen area due to the enlargement, the importance attribute of the character information ID is read, and characters with low importance are deleted, so that the character information ID is included in the small screen area. The number of display characters may be limited. In this case, readability is improved without missing important characters, and it becomes easy to select a program using a promotion channel. If "display characters as much as possible when enlarging characters" is specified in the user command option, display is performed by increasing the number of display lines by inserting a line feed at the end of the small screen area. At this time, the screen is displayed as shown in FIG.

The enlarged character display position may be displayed at an arbitrary size regardless of the small screen size, that is, beyond the boundary with the adjacent small screen.

(C) When the character information ID or the user command is "reduced display character", a control signal for displaying the small screen character information of all the small screens by reducing the character size by one step from the immediately preceding size. Generate

By pressing the "character enlargement button" of the program information receiving apparatus itself or its remote controller, a "display character enlargement" command is issued, and the "character reduction button" is issued.
By pressing, a “display character reduction” command is issued. Also, the character information I contained in the signal from the broadcasting station
Similarly, when the "character enlargement" command is issued to D and the character information ID includes "character reduction" information, the "display character enlargement" command is issued from the character attribute detection unit of the packet analysis unit.

It should be noted that the user interface including the button names and the command names does not necessarily have to be as described above. In particular, the button name is easy for the user to use when the button is displayed on the screen as an icon.

The determination of the character style and color of the character is also determined by the following processing. The character decoder 31 receives the character code from the packet analysis unit 29, determines the character type from the character state control signal, and generates a character pattern. The generated character pattern is converted by the character quality improvement processing unit 33 into a character pattern suitable for enlargement / reduction processing. The character display state changing unit 35 determines the color and size of the character from the character state control signal, and converts the character pattern received from the character quality improvement processing unit 33.

The display generator 39 determines the display position of the character string generated as described above from the character state control signal and generates a character string to be displayed. The character string is superimposed on the multi-screen image by the combining unit 21 (not shown) and displayed by the image receiving unit 25 (not shown), so that the user can view the multi-screen including the character string in a state easy to see on each small screen. Can be.

(Second Embodiment) The second embodiment described below relates to selection of display characters in the private packet processing unit 27 shown in FIG. That is, in the present embodiment, an important character detection unit (not shown) is provided in the packet analysis unit 29 that analyzes a private packet given from the TS decoder 7. This important character detection unit performs important character determination. Then, the character decoder 31 decodes only character information determined as important characters by the important character detection unit.

In this important character determination, the character enlargement / reduction processing as in the present invention can be performed only for the character information of the program of the genre specified by the user according to the preference, for example. That is, the following display state control signal is generated and instructed to the character display state changing unit 35.

(A) When the user command is “character display mode = employed favorite genre”, small screen character information of a small screen belonging to a program of a user's favorite genre registered in advance is displayed in an emphasized manner. , A control signal for displaying the small screen character information of the small screens of other genres as it is in a default state. Small screen character information belonging to the desired classification attribute is displayed in a larger size than the default state, changes the color, makes the font different from the default, makes it bold, italic, and underlines Emphasize that. The character state at the time of highlighting is the same as described in (a) of the first embodiment.
It can also be specified by the user.

The user's favorite classification attributes include:-the user's explicit designation in advance;-the classification attributes of programs viewed by the user are statistically processed, and the program information receiving apparatus automatically To determine. The statistical processing means that, for example, when the total viewing time that the user has viewed a program of each category up to the present has a percentage of the total viewing time, for example, when it exceeds 20%, the classification attribute is “ This is a process of determining that the user's preference. At this time, the screen display is as shown in FIG. Other operations are the same as in the first embodiment.

As described above, when the user selects a program to be viewed using the small screen of the promotion channel, the user can easily select a small screen of the program that matches his / her preference. A character string in a small screen as a candidate can be read in an easily readable state, and a program can be easily selected.

(Third Embodiment) In the present invention, the user designates a displayed small screen with a cursor or the like, and performs the above-described enlargement / reduction processing only on character information corresponding to the small screen. You can also. This third embodiment will be described below.

When displaying a multi-screen (promotion channel), the program information receiving apparatus highlights and displays one of the small screens therein and selects the highlighted small screen at present. Small screen.
The user moves the small screen to be selected by a cursor movement key of the program information receiving device or the remote controller,
A small screen on which a channel that the user actually wants to watch is displayed is selected and highlighted, and the channel to be watched is selected by pressing the enter key. The program information receiving device changes the screen display from the promotion channel to the selected channel.

In FIG. 3, when a private packet of the promotion channel is input from the TS decoder 7 to the packet analyzer 29, the packet analyzer 29, when the private packet contains character information, transmits the character information to the packet. The character information ID is extracted, and the character information is output to the character decoder 31. Further, it generates a display state control signal as shown in the following (a) to (b) according to the selection state of the small screen, and instructs the character display state change unit 35.

(A) For a small screen that is not highlighted, a display state control signal is generated so that the small screen character information of the small screen is not displayed. (B) The small screen character information of the highlighted small screen generates a display state control signal for enlarging and displaying the character information. It is also effective to reduce the size of the other small screen and enlarge and display the highlighted small screen itself.
At this time, the screen display is as shown in FIGS. 9D and 9E. Other operations are the same as those of the first and second embodiments.

As described above, when the user selects a program to be viewed using the small screen of the promotion channel, the user reads the character strings in the candidate small screen in an easily readable state and easily selects the program. Will be able to do it.

(Fourth Embodiment) Next, an embodiment in which an auxiliary image is handled by a private packet will be described. In the fourth embodiment, an auxiliary image storage unit 37 in which specific auxiliary image information and character information indicating a category or an identifier are stored in advance on the program receiving apparatus side, and the character information or Means for sending a program with an identifier added thereto, and the transmitted character information or identifier is detected by a program information receiving device, and the stored image information corresponding to the category of character information or identifier is stored from a storage unit. It has means for reading and displaying on the screen.

Specifically, for example, the content attribute is included in the character information ID coming from the broadcasting station. The content attributes include the content of the program (drama, news, music, etc.)
It is an attribute representing a cast name or the like. On the broadcast station side, the character information and the character information ID are packetized into a private packet and transmitted. Further, the auxiliary image information can be packetized into private packets as needed. The auxiliary image information is image information that simply represents the content of each small screen, such as a portrait of a performer, a program title logo, a television station logo, and the like. An auxiliary image information ID indicating the type may be added to the auxiliary image information. The packet structure is shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the private packet processing unit 27 in the program receiving apparatus, and the basic functions of each block are the same as those in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, portions different from the first embodiment will be described.

The packet analyzing unit 29 separates the auxiliary image information in addition to the character information and the character information ID, and
Send to 7. The auxiliary image storage unit 37 stores the auxiliary image information received from the packet analysis unit 29, the auxiliary image information previously held in the non-volatile memory of the receiving device, and the auxiliary image information input from outside the program information receiving device. Can be.

Here, the auxiliary image storage section 37 may of course store only auxiliary image information previously stored in the program information receiving apparatus without inputting auxiliary image information from a broadcasting station or an external device. In this case, auxiliary image information such as icons for each genre is stored in the auxiliary image storage unit 37 in advance, and the genre of the program on each small screen is detected by the packet analysis unit 29, and the auxiliary genre of the corresponding genre is detected. If there is image information (icon), it is displayed.

Further, a system for sending auxiliary image information to the display generation unit 39 in accordance with a user command may be used. The operation according to the user command is as shown in the following (a) and (b).

(A) If the user command is “character display mode = icon”, the auxiliary image information belonging to the default auxiliary image information ID is displayed on the small screen. This display may be simultaneous with the small-screen character information or may be exclusive.

(B) The user command “icon type =
A], the auxiliary image information of the small screen is
The auxiliary image information ID is switched to A. For example, the one displaying the program title icon is changed to a program performer icon.

By pressing the "icon display button" of the program information receiving apparatus itself or its remote controller, the commands (a) and (b) are issued in order.
That is, every time the icon display button is pressed, “a” →
“B (type = A)” → “b (type = B)” →… → “a”
→ A command is issued as “b (type = A)”.

The above user interface is merely an example, and is not necessarily limited to the above. Other operations are the same as those of the first and second embodiments.

As described above, when the user selects a program to be viewed using the small screen of the promotion channel, the user uses the auxiliary image information (icon) representing the contents of the candidate small screen, A program can be easily selected.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the private packet processing of the packet analysis unit. First, the packet header is extracted (step S10), and it is determined whether or not the packet has ended (step S12). If the packet has ended, the process ends. If the packet has not ended (NO in step S12), the information ID is extracted (step S14).

Next, it is determined whether the information ID is a character information ID or an auxiliary image information ID (step S16).
If it is D, it is determined whether or not the character information ends (step S18). If the character information ends, the process ends. If not, the character information ID is extracted and output to the character display state changing unit (step S20), and then the character information is extracted (step S22). S18
Return to

The auxiliary image information ID is determined in step S16.
If so, it is determined whether or not the auxiliary image has ended (step S24). If the auxiliary image information has ended, the process ends. If not, the auxiliary image information ID is taken out and the auxiliary image stored. (Step S2)
6) Then, the auxiliary image information is extracted (step S2)
8) Return to step S24. As described above, the packet analysis unit separates the character information and the auxiliary image information and assigns them to the character processing system and the auxiliary image processing system.

(Fifth Embodiment) In the fifth embodiment, there are provided three types of font tables including an enlargement font table, a standard font table, and a reduction font table in accordance with the display resolution of characters. It is a form.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the fifth embodiment, and relates to the character quality improvement processing section 33 in the block diagram of the private packet processing section of FIG.

In FIG. 4, the character quality improvement processing section 33
Are the font table for enlargement 53, the font table for standard 54, the font table for reduction 55, the selector 5
6. A font replacement means 57 is provided.

The character information decoded by the character decoder 31 (not shown) is input to a character code input terminal 52. Upon receiving the user command, a signal for enlarging, standardizing, and reducing the character display on the screen is generated by an enlargement / reduction instruction unit (not shown), and input to the enlargement / reduction signal input terminal 51. One of the fonts in the font tables 53, 54, 55 is selected according to the character code input information.
The font data is converted by the font replacing means 57 and output to the display font output terminal 58.

According to the character code data input to the character code input terminal 52, the font tables 53, 54, 5
5 is output. If the size of the input character code data does not need to be changed, that is, if no scaling is performed, the standard font table 54
Select and output to the display font output. In this case, the character information is output to the character display state changing unit 35 in a default state.

To reduce the size of the input character code data, select the reduction font table 55 and
Output to the display font output terminal 58. In the reduction font table 55, font data (not shown) that optimizes the display quality at the time of reduction is registered in advance. In this case, the character information is output to the character display state changing unit 35 in an optimal state when the character information is reduced.

To enlarge the size of the input character code data, select the font table 53 for enlargement,
Output to the display font output terminal 58. Font data (not shown) is registered in the font table for enlargement 53 so as to optimize the display quality at the time of enlargement. In this case, the character information is output to the character display state changing unit 35 in an optimal state when the display is enlarged.

As described above, by using the display character information passed through the character quality improvement processing section 33, it is possible to obtain the optimum display character information according to the enlargement / reduction or the default display state. Can be.

(Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and relates to a character quality improvement processing section 33 in the block diagram of the private packet processing section of FIG. Things. In FIG. 5, the character quality improvement processing unit 33 includes a font table 63, an outline correction unit 64, and a font replacement unit 65.

The character information decoded by the character decoder 31 (not shown) is input to a character code input terminal 62. In response to the user command, a signal for enlarging / reducing the display on the screen is generated by an enlarging / reducing instructing unit (not shown) and input to the enlarging / reducing signal input terminal 61. The font is output from the font table 63 in accordance with the character code input information. After the outline is corrected by the outline correcting means 64, the font data is converted by the font replacing means 65 and output to the display font output terminal 66.

The font table 63 outputs character information according to the character code data input to the character code input terminal 62. If the size of the input character code data does not need to be changed, that is, if the enlargement or reduction is not performed, the data of the font table 63 is output to the display font output terminal 66 as it is. In this case, the character information is output to the character display state changing unit 35 in a default state.

When the size of the input character code data is to be enlarged or reduced, the data of the font table 63 is subjected to contour correction by the contour correcting means 64 and then output to the display font output terminal 66. The outline correcting means 64 corrects the outline of the font data so that the display quality becomes optimum when the font data is enlarged or reduced. In this case, the character information is output to the character display state changing unit 35 in an optimal state when the character information is enlarged or reduced.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of contour correction according to the present embodiment. FIGS. 10A to 10D show examples in which enlargement / reduction is performed without performing contour correction, and FIGS. 10E to 10F.
Is an example in which enlargement / reduction is performed after contour correction. Various methods are widely known as the outline correction method by the outline correction means 64.
Uses a method of compensating for the lack of resolution of the outline with gradation (color density). A display without contour correction uses only two gradations. In the display after the contour correction, the contour portion is divided into 16 gradations, and the contour is displayed in a pseudo manner in shades according to the degree of the contour.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. This shows a situation in which the step portion of the contour is replaced by the gradation of the gradation. Here, a method of replacing with a shade (gradation) is used as a means of contour correction, but of course, another contour correction method may be used. In such a case, it is needless to say that means for optimizing the final character display quality must be selected.

(Seventh Embodiment) Next, an embodiment in which a promotion screen (multi-screen) is already formed by broadcasting and input by the program information receiving apparatus will be described.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the program information transmitting apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, a program information transmitting apparatus 201 includes an image input terminal 203 for inputting image information, a character information input terminal 205 for inputting character information, and a character attribute input terminal 207 for inputting character attributes, respectively, from a content source (not shown). , An auxiliary image input terminal 209 for inputting an auxiliary image, and an audio input terminal 2 for inputting audio information
11. a plurality of small screen generating units 213 for generating small screens from input image information; an image packetizing unit 219 for generating a multi-screen image packet by combining outputs of the small screen generating units 213; A character information ID generation unit 217 for generating a character information ID from character attributes, a small screen character information generation unit 215 for generating character information for each small screen, and a private information packetizing unit for packetizing the small screen character information and auxiliary image information 221, an audio packetizer 223 for packetizing an audio signal, a transmitter 225 for transmitting image, audio, and private packets as a broadcast, and a broadcast output terminal 227.

The original content (image) signals of a plurality of channels are reduced by a plurality of small screen generation units 213 to generate a small screen for each channel.
Generate a packet that combines images on one multi-screen. A channel for transmitting a program in which image signals of a plurality of channels are combined on one screen on the transmission side is referred to as a promotion channel. For each small screen,
Each small screen ID is assigned. Also, character information for each small screen in the promotion channel will be referred to as small screen character information.

The character information ID generating section 217 generates a character information ID from the character information for each small screen provided to the program transmitting apparatus and the character attribute of the character information. The small-screen character information generation unit 215 generates small-screen character information described later from the character information ID and the character information.

The image packetizer 219, the private information packetizer 221 and the audio packetizer 223 packetize the image signal, character information and character information ID, and the audio signal, respectively.

The data of the promotion channel input to the sending unit 225 is an image signal, an audio signal, character information, and a character attribute, and these are input to each block as shown in FIG.

[0100] The character information ID generation unit 217 includes a font,
From character attributes such as size, position, color, classification, importance,
A character information ID for each character information is generated and given to the small screen character information generation unit 215. The character information ID is the simplest one in which corresponding attribute codes are sequentially arranged in a corresponding small screen ID, font code, size code, position code, color code, classification code, importance code, and the like. FIG. 7C shows the structure of the character information ID.

However, the character attribute is not limited to the attribute described above, and may be any attribute. In addition, the format of the character information ID is not limited to the above-described example, and may be any format as long as the attribute can be specified, such as a combination code of each code. In addition, the character information ID is not limited to being assigned to each character as exemplified above, but if a character attribute for each character can be specified, such as assigning one character information ID to a group of two or more characters. Any method is acceptable.

The small-screen character information generation unit 215 assigns one character information ID to one or more continuous character information having the same attribute, adds the number of character information corresponding to the character information ID, and adds Generate screen text information. FIG. 7B shows the structure of the small-screen character information. In FIG. 7B, a character information ID is assigned to each character. However, a single character information ID may be used as a group of several characters. The small screen character information header includes a small screen ID for identifying the small screen, and the total number of pieces of character information in the small screen information.

However, the assignment of the character information is not always required to be as described above, and there is a method of assigning one character information ID to all the character information. This method has a disadvantage that the amount of character information ID is larger than that of the above method, but has an advantage that processing of small-screen character information on the program information receiving apparatus side is simplified. In addition, the small screen information header does not necessarily need to include all the elements described above, and may include other elements.

The image packetizing section 219 converts the image signal into an image packet, and outputs a private information packetizing section 221.
Packetizes the character information and the character information ID into a private packet, and the voice packetizer 223 packetizes the voice information.

FIG. 7A shows the structure of a private packet. The private packet includes a packet header and one or more pieces of small-screen character information. The program data of the promotion channel is generated as described above.

(Eighth Embodiment) The present embodiment relates to the seventh embodiment.
It is an embodiment of a program information receiving device corresponding to the program information transmitting device of the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the program information receiving apparatus of the present embodiment. In the figure, a program information receiving device 51 converts a tuner 3, a descrambler 5, and a transport stream into audio packets, image packets,
Image packets and audio packets are separated into private packets and packetized elementary streams (PE
S), a transport stream decoder (hereinafter abbreviated as a TS decoder) 7, an audio decoder 9, a D / A
Converter 11, audio output unit 13, image decoder 15,
Combining section 41, multi-screen generating / screen position replacing section 19, D
An A / A converter 23, an image receiving unit 25 for displaying images, and a private packet processing unit 27 for processing private packets are provided.

The private packet processing unit 27 is a unique component of the present invention, and includes a packet analysis unit 29 for analyzing the contents transmitted in a private packet, and a character decoder for decoding a character code extracted by the analysis of the packet analysis unit. 31, a character quality improvement processing unit 33 for improving the display quality of decoded characters by selecting a font, contour correction, and the like; a character display state change unit 35 for changing the character display state such as the size and display color of character display; An auxiliary image storage unit 37 for storing packets and auxiliary images supplied from a medium (not shown), and a display generation unit 39 for generating a display based on a private packet by combining or switching display characters and auxiliary images.

A broadcast signal of a promotion channel on which a promotion screen (multi-screen) has already been formed on the broadcast side is input from an antenna (not shown), passes through a tuner 3, and is transmitted by a descrambler 5 and a TS decoder 7.
Of the MPEG2-TS, the TS of the image signal is decoded and converted into a PES stream, which is input to the image decoder 15. This output image is already a multi-screen.

On the other hand, in the TS, the private packet includes a character information ID corresponding to the small screen and character information for each small screen. This signal is input to the private packet processing unit 27 and is synthesized by the image output of the image decoder 15 and the synthesizing unit 41. At this time, the character display state changing unit 3
5. The display generation unit 39 adjusts the display position of the character information to the screen located at the corresponding program in the multi small screen. Thereafter, the data is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 23 and
Output to the screen.

[0111]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even when displaying multiple screens such as a multi-screen where the screen of multiple channels is reduced and arranged on one screen on the receiving side, or a multi-screen is created on the broadcasting side and broadcast on the promotion channel, etc. , Without being too small or squashed and unreadable, in whatever size the user can read, regardless of the small screen size,
Also, characters of a small-screen program can be displayed at an arbitrary position. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to output important subtitles and titles on a screen at a desired size when desired.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a program information receiving apparatus according to the present invention, showing a case where a multi-screen is formed on the program information receiving apparatus side.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an eighth embodiment of a program information receiving apparatus according to the present invention, showing a case where a multi-screen formed on a transmission side is broadcast.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating details of a private packet processing unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating details of a character quality improvement processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating details of a character quality improvement processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a packet analysis unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a character information packet.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a private packet including auxiliary image information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating various character display examples.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying characters of each size.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of improving character quality by gradation display.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a program information transmitting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional program information receiving device.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional program information receiving device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Program information receiving apparatus, 3 ... Tuner, 5 ... Descrambler, 7 ... TS decoder, 9 ... Audio decoder, 11 ... D
/ A converter, 13 audio output unit, 15 image decoder, 17 small screen generation unit, 19 multi-screen generation / screen position replacement unit, 21 synthesis unit, 23 D / A converter,
25: image receiving unit, 27: private packet processing unit, 2
9: Packet analysis unit, 31: Character decoder, 33: Character quality improvement processing unit, 35: Character display state change unit, 37: Auxiliary image storage unit, 39: Display generation unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masakazu Fukumoto 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside of Toshiba Multimedia Engineering Laboratory (72) Inventor Hideyuki Naka 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Address: Toshiba Multimedia Technology Research Laboratories (72) Inventor Shuji Abe 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Toshiba Multimedia Technology Research Laboratories (72) Kenji Tomizawa 3-chome, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo No. 3-9 Toshiba E-Buoy Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C023 AA02 AA14 BA11 CA01 CA05 5C025 CA06 CA09 DA05 5C063 AB03 AB07 AC03 DA03 DB02 EB01 EB35 EB38 EB40

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A receiving and demodulating means for receiving and demodulating encoded video and audio information constituting a program and private information relating to the program, and reducing an image size from an image obtained by decoding image information of a plurality of programs. A small screen generating means for generating a small screen image, a multi-screen generating means for synthesizing a multi-screen in which the images of the respective small screens are arranged at different positions, and a specific small screen among the plurality of small screens Private information synthesizing means for synthesizing the character information transmitted by the private information relating to the program to be displayed on the multi-screen in an independent arbitrary size regardless of the display size of the specific small screen. Characteristic program information receiving device. 2. A receiving and demodulating means for receiving and demodulating a packet in which multi-screen image information in which a plurality of programs are each made into a small screen and a packet in which private information for each of the plurality of programs is encoded, Private information synthesizing means for synthesizing a screen so that an image display of information can be displayed on a screen corresponding to the position of the small screen of each program, and private information of a specific small screen in the small screens of the plurality of programs, A program information receiving apparatus, comprising: a size changing unit configured to change a size of the small screen so as to display the screen at an independent arbitrary size regardless of the display size of the small screen. 3. The program information according to claim 1, further comprising a character display quality improving means for size conversion for improving the quality of display characters when the private information is resized and displayed. Receiver. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein only private information that matches a user's preference category stored in advance is detected from the private information corresponding to each of the small screens displayed on the multi-screen, and is displayed in an arbitrary size. 3. The program information receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 5. The small screen specified by a small screen selecting means which is an input means for specifying a small screen from a multi-screen.
Or the program information receiving device according to claim 2. 6. The specific small screen is a small screen corresponding to a program having private information matching a user's favorite genre stored in advance from among a plurality of screens. The program information receiving device according to claim 1 or 2. 7. An image storage means for previously storing specific image information and identification information indicating the category thereof; an identification information detection means for detecting the identification information added to the transmitted program; A program information receiving apparatus comprising: image display means for reading image information corresponding to the category of identification information from the image storage means and displaying the read image information on a screen. 8. A specific image information and identification information indicating the category thereof are stored in advance in an image storage means, and the identification information added to the transmitted program is detected. A program information display method comprising reading relevant image information from the image storage means and displaying the read image information on a screen. 9. A small screen generating means for generating a plurality of small screens each having a reduced screen size from image signals of a plurality of channels, and a multi-screen for synthesizing a multi-screen in which the plurality of small screens are arranged on the same screen. A synthesizing unit; an image encoding unit that compresses and encodes the multi-screen image signal; a character information generating unit that generates character information corresponding to each of the plurality of small screens; and a character attribute of the character information. Character information ID generating means for generating a character information ID; packetizing the compression-encoded image signal, the compression-encoded audio signal, the character information and the character information ID, And a transmission device for transmitting the program information. 10. A plurality of small screens each having a reduced screen size are generated from image signals of a plurality of channels, and the plurality of small screens are arranged on the same screen to synthesize a multi-screen. Compression encoding a signal, generating character information corresponding to each of the plurality of small screens, generating a character information ID based on a character attribute of the character information, the compression-encoded image signal, compression code A program information transmitting method, comprising: converting a converted audio signal, the character information, and the character information ID into a packet and transmitting the packet as program data of a promotion channel.