JP2001086015A - Method and system for controlling content data reception/reproduction device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content data controller that mass data are distributed through the use of a communication satellite, data are received by multiple reception terminals and plural tuners connected to the reception terminals can be controlled and to provide a control system using the controller. SOLUTION: A controller 202 receiving/storing a content file and a management file where a content file reproduction schedule is described, reproducing/ controlling the content file in accordance with the reproduction schedule and transmitting content data, tuners 208 and 211 and a selector 216 are included. The controller 220 controls the selector 208 and 212 and the selector 216.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling an apparatus for receiving and reproducing content data and a system for controlling such an apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system for distributing music data and the like using a communication satellite or a communication line in a family restaurant or the like has been proposed. In such a system,
A large amount of data is distributed using a communication satellite or the like, data is received and stored in a receiving terminal, and an operator operates the receiving terminal to reproduce desired music data or the like.

[0003]

However, when data is distributed to a large number of receiving terminals using a communication satellite or the like, the contents, order, position, size, and the like of the content to be displayed on the receiving terminals cannot be managed on the distribution side. The operator must operate each of the large number of receiving terminals, which is extremely complicated.

Further, when a large amount of data is distributed using a communication satellite or the like and all the data are once received by individual receiving terminals, data necessary for each receiving terminal is extracted from the large amount of data. Operation is required. In addition, since a large amount of unnecessary data is received, it is necessary to delete the unnecessary data from each receiving terminal. Further, it is necessary to perform an operation of instructing which of the remaining data is to be output to the display means in association with which.

Further, it has been impossible to simultaneously display data already stored in the receiving terminal and data received in real time and to control another receiving terminal.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. One receiving terminal receives content data and reproduction schedule data, another receiving terminal receives only content data, and one receiving terminal receives content data and reproduction schedule data. Provided is a receiving system in which a receiving terminal can control another receiving terminal.

[0007]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a plurality of apparatuses for receiving and reproducing content data, the method comprising controlling the content data and at least the content data. Receiving a management file describing a playback schedule for playback; storing the received content data and the management file; reading a playback start time described in the management file; Starting the reproduction when is equal to the current time, further comprising: at least two or more content reproduction devices, and at least one content display device,
A content reproduction device described as a device to reproduce content data and a content display device described as a device to display content data can be described in the management file as a control target. Reading, content data input from the content reproduction device to the content display device according to the description content of the management file to a selection device capable of inputting a plurality of signals and outputting at least one signal. And instructing to output.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a content data control system for receiving a content file and reproducing the content file, wherein the content file and at least a reproduction schedule for reproducing the content file are described. Receiving means for receiving a file, storage means for storing the received content file and the management file, control means for reproducing at least the content file according to the reproduction schedule, and content data reproduced by the control means. And a control signal for reproducing the content data which is described in the management file and which is not stored in the storage means, the transmission schedule having content transmission means for transmitting the content data not stored in the storage means. With at least one other A content data control device that transmits the content data to the content data reproduction device, and a content data reproduction device that has a function of reproducing received data but does not have a function of managing a reproduction schedule. The content data reproducing device is controlled according to a content data control signal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the content data control system according to the second aspect, further comprising at least one of the content data reproducing device, the content data control device, and at least one of the content data. The content data output from the playback device can be input, and the content data selection device selects at least one content data from the input content data and outputs the selected content data.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention. The content data 102 is edited / encoded 104 to complete a digital material. The completed digital material is transmitted from the broadcasting station 106 to the satellite 108, and furthermore, each store 1 provided with a nationwide reception system.
10 to be delivered. Similarly, the management file 105 is transmitted from the broadcasting station 106 to the satellite 108, and each store 1
10 to be delivered.

[0011] The distribution area is not limited to Japan. A region larger than Japan as a whole, for example, all over Asia may be used. Further, the area may be smaller than the whole of Japan, for example, only the Kanto area. In addition, identification data is given to each store 110,
By including the area code, group code, type code, target code, and the like of each store in the identification data, the content of the content data to be received and the order in which the content data is reproduced can be changed according to the attributes of the area and the like. be able to. The region code is, for example, to distinguish between Kanto and Kansai, the group code is, for example, to distinguish between competitors, and the type code is, for example,
For example, a large store and a small store are distinguished, and the target code is a distinction between a store for young people and a store for families.

The content data 102 includes moving image data,
Still image data, audio data, and character data are included.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The controller 202 receives and accumulates the content data and the management file via the CS antenna 204 and the CS tuner 206. BS
The video tape recorder 208 with a built-in tuner receives the content data via the BS antenna 210. C
The S tuner 212 receives the content data via the CS antenna 214.

The controller 202 controls the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner, the CS tuner 212 and the AV selector 216 according to the description of the received management file. The controller 202 does not only perform reproduction of the stored content data and schedule management thereof. The controller 202 manages the schedule of the content data stored in the controller 202 and the programs and the like received in real time by the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner. The control contents performed by the controller 202 are, for example, as follows.

The CS tuner 212 determines whether or not to output a signal from the CS tuner 212 to the AV selector, and if so, which of the broadcast programs received by the CS tuner 212 to output. .

Regarding the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner, whether or not to output from the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner, and if so, whether to output a broadcast program being received or to a tape set in the video tape recorder In the case of outputting the content recorded on the tape or the number of the content to be output when outputting the content recorded on the tape.

With respect to the AV selector 216, which signal of the input signal from the controller 202, the input signal from the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner, and the input signal from the CS tuner 212 is displayed on the display, or Stereo amplifier 220
Is output from the stereo speaker 222 via the.

The AV selector 216 does not always output only a signal from any one of the CS tuner 212 and the like. The display area of the display 218 may be divided, and the reproduced image of the content data stored in the controller 202 and the video of the program being received by the CS tuner 212 in real time may be displayed simultaneously in different display areas. The size of each display area can be freely changed. The contents of such control are also described in the management file.

That is, in the management file, not only the management information such as the playback method, playback order, and playback time of the content stored in the controller 202 but also the video tape recorder 208 with a built-in BS tuner is received in real time. It also describes management information such as a content playback method, playback order, and playback time.

The controller 202 controls the CS tuner 212 and the like using communication means such as an optical remote controller and serial communication.

As the display 218, a VGA (Vi
deo Graphics Array) monitor, plasma display, etc. can be used. Also, the AV selector 21
6 may be connected to a plurality of displays. In this case, the same type of display may be connected, or a different type of display may be connected.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of the management file. The management file specifies the playback order of the stored content data, the playback channel, the number of repetitions, the playback time, the output of the program being received in real time, and the like.

The management file is made up of sections called sections. Specifically, it includes a channel script section 310, a program section 320, a list section 330, and an item section 340.

In the channel script section 310, the total number of program sections to be used and the name of each program section to be used are written. The channel script section 310 is a basic section of the management file.

In the program section 320, a group number of the program, a time at which the program is started, a program output device, a channel number to be used, a list section name to be used, and the like are written. The program start time is specified in absolute time (GMMT Greenwich Mean Time, Greenwich Mean Time). As the output device, an AV device, a VGA monitor, or the like can be used. Then, for example, when using AV equipment, “OUTPUT = 1”
5 ”,“ OUTPUT ”when using a VGA monitor
= 16 ". Usable channel numbers vary depending on the program output device used. When an AV device is used as an output device, only one channel can be designated between 1 and 2. When using a VGA monitor, only one channel can be designated between 1 and 3.

In the list section 330, list names, item names, etc. specified in the program section are entered. In addition, a still image file to be displayed when the list is switched, whether or not to repeatedly reproduce, and the like may be entered.

The item section 340 includes an item name specified in the list section, an item type, the number of repetitions for repeated reproduction, an X coordinate and a Y coordinate on the upper left of the item display area, and a size of the item display area. Enter the name of the file to be used.
The item type is a type of an item such as a program that the CS tuner is receiving in real time, a program that the BS tuner is receiving in real time, accumulated moving images, still images, and the like. For example, “TYPE = 20” when displaying a program that the CS tuner is receiving in real time, and “TYPE = 2” when displaying a program that the BS tuner is receiving in real time.
1 "and" TYPE = 9 "when displaying a moving image. For the number of repetitions, for example, “REPEAT CNT = 0” for endless, and “REPEAT CNT = n” for any number of times. Where n
Is an arbitrary number from 1 to 99. Also, the X axis in the horizontal direction,
The Y axis is taken in the vertical direction, the left end of the display screen is X = 0, the right end is X = 639, the upper end is Y = 0, and the lower end is Y = 47.
As 9, the X coordinate and the Y coordinate, the size in the X axis direction, and the size in the Y axis direction of the upper left corner of the area displaying the item are specified by the X coordinate and the Y coordinate.

The files used are MPEG (Motion)
Picture Experts Group-2 format, bitmap (Bi
tMaP) format, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)
Format, CGI (Common Gateway Interface) format, TX
T format and EXE format files are included. If the name of the file to be used is omitted, an image specified in advance is displayed. Further, the time until the reproduction of the item is completed may be entered.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of a control process according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the script file is received and stored in the hard disk (S
502). Next, the script execution start time is registered in the schedule data (S504). Then, the current time is read from the clock built in the controller (S5).
06), it is checked whether or not the current time has passed the script start time (S508). When outputting a CS broadcast, a channel of the CS tuner is set (S51).
0), the AV selector is switched (S512), and the signal input from the CS tuner is output from the AV selector. When a BS broadcast is to be output, the channel of the BS tuner is set (S520), the AV selector is switched (S522), and the signal input from the BS tuner is set to A.
Output from V selector. To output the stored data in the controller, switch the AV selector (S53).
0), the data stored in the controller is input to the AV selector (S532), and displayed on the display.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A plurality of tuners, selectors, and the like connected to the receiving terminal can be controlled by a management file created on the distribution side.

Further, the display content can be made to correspond to each area, type, and target by the management file created on the distribution side.

Further, it is possible to simultaneously control the stored content data and the content data received in real time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a management file according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a continuation of the management file of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a control process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 202 Controller 204, 210, 214 Antenna 206, 208, 212 Tuner 216 Selector 218 Display 220 Amplifier 222 Speaker

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Tatsuo Terashima, Inventor 3-12-12 Moriyacho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside (72) Inventor Naohisa Ide 3-12 Moriyacho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Address F-term in JVC Co., Ltd. (reference) 5K061 AA03 AA09 BB10 BB17 BB19 CC45 DD00 EF06 FF05 HH08 JJ07

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling a plurality of apparatuses for receiving and reproducing content data, comprising: receiving a management file in which the content data and at least a reproduction schedule for reproducing the content data are described; Storing the content data and the management file described above; reading a playback start time described in the management file; reading a current time from a clock; comparing the current time with the playback start time; Starting playback after the start time, wherein at least two or more content playback devices and at least one content display device can be described as control targets in the management file, and play back content data. Content described as a device to be Reading a device and a content display device described as a device for displaying content data from the management file; and a selecting device capable of inputting a plurality of signals and outputting at least one signal. Instructing to output content data input from the content reproduction device to the content display device in accordance with the description content of the management file, and a method for controlling the content data reception / reproduction device. . 2. A content data control system for receiving a content file and reproducing the content file, comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive the content file and a management file describing at least a reproduction schedule for reproducing the content file; Storage means for storing the received content file and the management file, control means for reproducing at least the content file according to the reproduction schedule, transmission means for transmitting the content data reproduced by the control means,
Wherein the reproduction schedule of the content data not stored in the storage means is described in the management file, and a control signal for reproducing the content data not stored in the storage means is transmitted to at least one other. A content data control device for transmitting the content data to the content data reproduction device, and a content data reproduction device having a function of reproducing received data but not having a function of managing a reproduction schedule. A content data control system, wherein the content data reproducing device is controlled according to the content data control signal. 3. The content data control system according to claim 2, further comprising: at least one of the content data playback devices; and output from the content data control device and at least one of the content data playback devices. Content data can be input, and at least one content data is selected from the input content data,
A content data control system, comprising: a content data selection device for outputting.