JP2001166971A - Method and device for managing stored information having validity period - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a receiving device for efficiently managing the validity period of stored information. SOLUTION: This receiving device is provided with a storage means 2 for storing contents and a presenting means 3 for presenting the stored contents. This receiving device is also provided with a period confirming means 6 for confirming the validity period of contents to be presented and for deciding the presentation of the contents when the validity period is not expired and an automatic abort means 4 for successively selecting the contents stored in the storing means, and confirming the validity period, and deleting the contents whose validity period is expired. The period confirming means confirms the validity period of the objective contents by locking the contents, and releases the lock after the presentation of the contents is completed. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent the viewing of the contents whose validity period is expired, and to efficiently execute the confirmation of the validity period of the contents to be presented. Also, it is possible to prevent the delay of the presentation of the contents because the priority of processing for confirming the validity period of the contents to be presented is made higher.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for storing and managing received information with an expiration date in a system such as a storage-type data broadcast or the Internet, and an apparatus for implementing the method. Even when the storage amount increases, the expiration date can be managed efficiently.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In digital broadcasting in Japan, video and audio of a broadcast program and data broadcast are multiplexed and broadcast. This data broadcasting is specified in ARIB STD-B24, which is a standard for digital broadcasting in Japan, and has XML (eXtensible Markup Language) as a content description language.
ge) Language-based BML (Broadcast Markup Languag)
e), and a JavaScript-based ECM as a scripting language for instructing processing at the receiving device.
A (European Computer Manufactuers Association) scripting language is specified.

[0003] Based on this data broadcasting system, a transmission type data broadcasting system is being studied under the initiative of the transmission side, in which broadcasted contents are stored in storage means of a receiving device. The content to be stored includes not only character data and still images transmitted by data broadcasting, but also moving images and audio of a broadcast program whose recording time is specified by a script language of data broadcasting. In addition, the transmitting side can set the expiration date of the content to be stored or set a link between the content to the receiving device.

[0004] At a convenient time, a user can display a list of contents stored in the receiving apparatus to reproduce and view favorite contents. However, content with an expiration date is automatically discarded when the expiration date has expired, and therefore cannot be viewed unless the expiration date has passed.

[0005] Such an expiration date limits, for example, the viewable period based on the copyright, the broadcasting period of the product introduction contents in accordance with the sales period of the limited-time product, the broadcast time of the program of the main unit, or the like. The content is provided to the content based on various circumstances, such as when the content of the data broadcast can be referred to only within the content.

[0006] Further, even for the same content, it is possible to operate such that the expiration date is different depending on whether or not the user has a viewing contract.

Conventionally, in order to manage accumulated data with an expiration date, a receiving apparatus previously creates an "expiration date table" in which each content is sorted as a row and in the order of the expiration date. A management method of deleting the corresponding content at the time when it expires is adopted.

[0008]

However, when the amount of stored data is large and the amount of data to be received is large, it takes time to sort the expiration date table, which hinders the user's viewing. Occurs.

Also, a large number of contents received by the receiving device are stored and stored in a large-capacity removable medium such as an optical disk, and the contents are reproduced by attaching the removable medium to the same or another receiving device at the time of viewing. In such a case, since the expiration date management of the stored data is stopped during the storage period of the removable media, it is necessary to perform the expiration date management of all the stored data again when the removable medium is attached to the receiving device. .

[0010] As described above, when the content whose expiration date is to be managed is concentrated, the processing takes a lot of time, and the start of viewing is greatly delayed.

In a system in which a plurality of receiving devices are connected to a home server through a home LAN, the receiving device may receive a large number of contents stored in the hard disk of the home server. It is necessary to check the expiration date of the content based on the viewing contract, and to check the expiration date intensively for a large number of contents.

Also, in a system in which a plurality of users who individually enter into a viewing contract with a broadcasting station use a single receiver, when a new user is added or when the contents of the user's viewing contract are changed, Again, the receiving device needs to confirm the expiration date at once for a large number of contents.

In such a case, if the expiration dates of all the contents are checked and the expired contents are discarded, the processing takes a lot of time, and even if the user tries to view the contents, it is difficult to see the contents. , Occurs.

[0014] The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem. It is possible to efficiently check the expiration date of the stored information, and to appropriately prevent the viewing of the expired information. It is an object of the present invention to provide a management method and to provide an apparatus for implementing the method.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, in a receiving apparatus including storage means for storing content and presentation means for presenting the stored content, the expiration date of the content to be presented is confirmed, and When the expiration date has not expired, expiration date checking means for determining the presentation of the content, and automatic discarding means for sequentially selecting the content stored in the storage means, confirming the expiration date, and deleting the expired content, and The expiration date checking means locks the target content to check the expiration date, and releases the lock after the presentation is completed.

[0016] In the method of managing stored information in a receiving device for storing contents and presenting the stored contents, a first method for confirming the expiration date of the presented content and erasing the expired content is provided. And a second content erasing process for sequentially selecting the stored contents and confirming the expiration date thereof and deleting the expired content is performed asynchronously, and at least the first content is erased. The erasing process is performed by locking the target content.

[0017] In the method of managing stored information in a receiving device used by a plurality of users for storing content and presenting the stored content, an expiration date for a user who presents the content is confirmed. A first content process for stopping presentation of expired content, and a second content for sequentially selecting stored content and checking the expiration date, and deleting the expired content for all users. The processing is performed asynchronously, and at least the first content processing is performed by locking the target content.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the expiration date of the content to be presented is confirmed, it is possible to reliably prevent the viewing of the expired content. Further, since the stored information is organized by deleting the expired ones of the stored contents, the background processing can efficiently confirm the validity period of the content to be presented.

In addition, the content is locked for the process of confirming the expiration date of the content to be presented, and the priority of this process is increased. Therefore, there is no fear that presentation is delayed due to background processing.

Further, even when a single receiving device is used by a plurality of users, it is possible to efficiently manage the expiration dates of contents that may be different for each user.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) Here, a case will be described in which the present invention is applied to a receiver of a storage type data broadcasting system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the receiving apparatus includes a receiving means 1 for receiving a content with an expiration date, a storage means 2 for storing the content, and a presentation means for displaying the content based on a user's instruction. 3, expiration date checking means 6 for checking the expiration date of the content to be presented, and automatic discarding means 4 for automatically discarding the expired content.
And lock management means 5 for managing the lock operation of the expiration date checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4, and mounting means 7 for attaching a home LAN or a removable medium.

In this device, the content with expiration date received by the receiving means 1 is stored in the storage means 2. When presenting the content to the user, the presenting unit 3 sends a request to present the content to the time limit checking unit 6. The expiration date checking unit 6 searches the storage unit 2 for the content and checks the expiration date. If it has not expired,
The content is sent from the storage means 2 to the presentation means 3,
Be presented. If the expiration date has expired, the content is erased by the expiration date checking means 6.

On the other hand, the automatic discarding means 4
The expiration date of the content stored in the storage means 2 is checked asynchronously with the operation of (1), and when the expired content is detected, the content is deleted.

In this way, the expiration of the expired contents is performed by the independent operation of the expiration date checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4.

The time limit checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4 lock and process the contents so that the operations of the time limit checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4 do not conflict. The automatic discarding means 4 cannot lock the content locked by the time limit checking means 6, and conversely, the content locked by the automatic time discarding means 4 Can not be locked.

When the content is locked, the expiration date checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4 issue a request to the lock management means 5 and obtain the permission from the lock management means 5 to execute the lock. The lock management unit 5 does not accept a lock request for the same content from the other when the lock permission is given to one of the time limit checking unit 6 and the automatic discarding unit 4.

As a result, the expiration date checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4 can erase expired contents without conflict.

A removable medium or a home LAN is attached to the mounting means 7, and contents read from the removable medium and contents transmitted from a home server through the home LAN are stored in the storage means 2. The expiration date checking means 6 and the automatic discarding means 4 perform the same processing for these contents as for the received stored contents.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the time limit checking means 6.

Step 1: When the content presented by the presentation means 3 is requested, Step 2: The time limit confirmation means 6 searches for the content requested from the storage means 2, and Step 3: When the search is successful, Step 4 : Attempt to lock the content.

Step 5: When the lock is successful, Step 7: Check whether the content has expired. When the content has expired, Step 8: Delete the content, Step 9: Release the lock, Step 10: End the processing as presentation failure.

If it is determined in step 7 that the content has not expired, step 11: the content is sent to the presentation means 3 for presentation, and step 12: the lock is released.

If the lock is not successful in step 5, step 6: reconfirm the existence of the content. If the content exists, the procedure from step 4 is repeated.

If the search fails in step 3 or if there is no content in step 6, the process proceeds to step 10, and the process ends as presentation failure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic discarding means 4.

Step 21: The automatic discarding means 4 selects one content in order, and Step 22: retrieves the selected content from the storage means 2.

Step 23: If the search is successful, Step 24: Attempt to lock the content.

Step 25: When the lock is successful, Step 26: Check whether the content is not expired. When the content is not expired, release the lock. 27: After erasing the content, release the lock (step 28).

After step 28, or when the search fails in step 23, and when the lock fails in step 25, the process returns to step 21 and the subsequent procedures are repeated.

FIG. 4 shows a time chart when the automatic discarding means 4 completes the lock first and the time limit checking means 6 attempts to lock the locked content. The numbers (st. 4 etc.) in this figure indicate the steps in FIG. 2 and FIG. The expiration date checking means 6 repeatedly tries to lock the content to be presented, but does not succeed in locking until the automatic discarding means 4 releases the lock. Therefore, the viewing process is waited until the lock is released.

FIG. 5 shows a time chart when the expiration date checking means 6 completes the lock first and the automatic discarding means 4 attempts to lock the locked content. If the lock fails, the automatic discarding unit 4 selects the next content and attempts to lock.

As described above, in this apparatus, the expiration date checking means 6 checks whether the content to be presented has expired, and deletes the content if the expiration date has expired. Further, the automatic discarding means 4 searches and deletes the expired contents independently of the operation of the time limit checking means 6, and performs background processing for organizing the search targets of the time limit checking means 6.

By using these two means together, the expired contents stored in the storage means can be arranged, the contents to be presented can be quickly searched, and the expired contents can be surely presented. Can be prevented.

Even if the automatic discarding means 4 happens to lock the content to be presented by the presenting means beforehand, if the user waits only for the time required to confirm the expiration date of the content, the user cannot watch the content. Since the processing can be shifted to, the start of viewing is not greatly delayed.

(Second Embodiment) In the receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the expiration date checking means 6 locks the content and performs the processing. , Without locking the content. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

In this apparatus, since the lock by the automatic discarding means 4 is not performed, the lock by the time limit checking means 6 is
If content exists, it always succeeds. In addition, since the automatic discarding unit 4 operates irrespective of the processing of the time limit checking unit 6, there is a case where the content locked by the time limit checking unit 6 is attempted to be erased. However, the erasure of the content locked by the time limit checking means 6 ends in failure.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the time limit checking means 6 of this apparatus.

Step 31: When the content presented by the presentation means 3 is requested, Step 32: The time limit confirmation means 6 searches for the content requested from the storage means 2, and Step 33: When the search is successful, Step 34 : Lock the content.

Step 35: If the content exists, Step 36: check whether the content has expired. If the content has expired, delete the content. Step 37: Release the lock. Step 39: Terminate the processing as a presentation failure.

If the content is not expired in step 36, the content is sent to the presentation means 3 for presentation, and step 41: the lock is released.

When the search fails in step 33, and when the content does not exist in step 35 (as will be described later, when the content is deleted by the automatic discarding unit 4 after the search is successful). )
Ends the process as a presentation failure (step 39).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic discarding means 4.

Step 51: The automatic discarding means 4 selects one content in order, and Step 52: retrieves the selected content from the storage means 2.

Step 53: If the search is successful, step 54: check whether the content has expired. If the content has expired, try to erase the content. In this case, if the content is locked by the expiration date checking means 6, the erasure attempt fails.

Regardless of whether the erasure is successful or not, the process returns to step 51 after step 55, and when the search fails in step 53 and when the expiration date is not expired in step 54, the process returns to step 51 and the subsequent steps are performed. Repeat the procedure.

FIG. 9 is a time chart showing the relationship between the lock of the time limit checking means 6 and the processing of the automatic discarding means 4. The expiration date checking means 6 attempts to lock the searched content. However, before the lock, the automatic destruction means 4 attempts to delete the content. If the deletion is successful, the content no longer exists. Fail.

FIG. 10 shows a time chart in the case where the validity period of the content has expired after the content has been locked by the time limit confirmation means 6. If it is determined that the locked content has not expired, then the locked content is presented even if the expiration date has expired, and the attempt to erase the automatic discarding means 4 fails.

As described above, in this apparatus, since the lock is not performed during the background processing, the processing for viewing by the time limit checking means 6 does not wait.

(Third Embodiment) In the third embodiment,
A receiving device used by a plurality of users will be described. Here, it is assumed that a different expiration date is set for each user as the expiration date of the content.

As shown in FIG. 11, the receiving apparatus includes a user profile storage unit 8 in which information on an expiration date for each user is stored. The information stored in the user profile storage unit 8 is automatically stored. Disposal means 4
And the expiration date confirmation means 6. Other configurations are second
There is no difference from the embodiment (FIG. 6).

In this apparatus, the content whose expiration date has expired for all users is discarded by the automatic discarding means 4. In addition, the expiration date checking unit 6 checks whether the expiration date set for the user who wants to view the content has not expired, and determines whether to present the content.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the operation of the time limit checking means 6 of this device.

Step 61: When requesting the content presented by the presenting means 3, Step 62: The time limit checking means 6 searches for the content requested from the storage means 2, and Step 63: When the search is successful, Step 64 : Lock the content.

Step 65: If the content exists, Step 66: Check with the current user whether the content has expired. If the content has expired, Step 67: release the lock, Step 68 : The process ends as presentation failure.

In step 66, if the content is not expired for the current user, step 69: send the content to the presenting means 3 for presentation, and step 70: release the lock.

If the search fails in step 63, and if the content does not exist in step 65, the process ends as a presentation failure (step 68).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic discarding means 4.

Step 71: The automatic discarding means 4 selects one content in order, and Step 72: retrieves the selected content from the storage means 2.

Step 73: When the search is successful, Step 74: One user is sequentially selected from the user profile storage means 8.

Step 75: When there is a user to be selected, Step 76: Check whether the selected user has expired, and if it has expired, return to Step 74 and repeat the procedures of Steps 74 to 76. . If the expiration date has not expired for the selected user in step 76, the process returns to step 71, and the subsequent procedure is repeated for the next content.

If the expiration date has expired for all users and there are no more users to select (step 75), step 77: attempt to discard the contents.

As described above, this receiving apparatus can manage the expiration date of the accumulated information when a plurality of users who may have different expiration dates for each content use the content.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the fourth embodiment,
A description will be given of a method of efficiently deleting the expired information in a receiving device used by a plurality of users.

The structure of the receiving apparatus is the same as that of the third embodiment (FIG. 11).

The expiration date checking means 6 of this apparatus, when confirming to the current user who is going to view the content that the content has expired, checks whether the expiration date has been expired for other users as well. Confirmed,
If the expiration date has expired for all users, the content is discarded. The operation of the automatic discarding means 4 is the same as that of the third embodiment (FIG. 13).

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the time limit checking means 6 of this apparatus.

Step 81: When requesting the content presented by the presenting means 3, Step 82: The time limit checking means 6 searches for the content requested from the storing means 2, and Step 83: When the search is successful, Step 84 : Lock the content.

Step 85: If the content exists, Step 86: Check with the current user whether the content has expired. If the content has expired, Step 87: From the user profile storage means 8, One user is selected in order.

Step 88: When there is a user to be selected, Step 89: Check whether the selected user has expired. If the user has expired, return to Step 87 and repeat the procedure of Steps 87 to 89. . If the expiration date has not expired for the selected user in step 89, step 91: the lock is released, and step 92: the presentation is failed, and the process is terminated.

If all users have expired and there are no more users to select (step 88), step 90: discard the content, release the lock (step 91), and present it. The process ends as failure (step 92).

In step 86, if the content has not expired for the current user, step 93: sends the content to the presentation means 3 for presentation, and step 94: releases the lock.

As described above, this receiving apparatus confirms whether or not the expiration date has expired for all users only when the expiration date of the viewing user has expired. For content whose expiration date of the viewing user has not expired, presentation is performed without performing extra processing, so that real-time viewing can be maintained.

If the expiration date of the user who views the content has expired, the expiration date for that user has already been confirmed, so it is sufficient to confirm the expiration date for other users, and the expiration date confirmation process can be made more efficient. Further, when confirming the expiration date of the viewing user, the parameter read out from the storage unit into the cache or the like can be used for confirming the expiration date of another user, and the processing can be made more efficient.

When the order of the expiration dates is clear among the users, depending on the selection of the user, it is not necessary to confirm the expiration dates for other users.

In each of the embodiments, storage-type data broadcasting is described as an example. However, the present invention can be widely applied to other systems such as the Internet that store and use information.

[0087]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention can efficiently manage accumulated information having an expiration date.

In the present invention, the expiration date of the content to be presented is confirmed, so that viewing of the expired content can be reliably prevented. In addition, since the background processing for deleting expired content from the stored contents is also used, the expiration date of the presented content can be efficiently confirmed.

When the expiration date of the content to be presented is checked, the content is locked and processed, so that the priority of this processing is increased, and as a result, the presentation is delayed due to background processing. Can be prevented,
Real-time processing of viewing processing can be maintained.

Further, when one receiver is used by a plurality of users, it is possible to efficiently manage the expiration dates of the contents that may be different for each person and to organize the accumulated information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a term checking unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an automatic discarding unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an operation example of a term checking unit and an automatic discarding unit in the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a time chart illustrating another operation example of the expiration date checking unit and the automatic discarding unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a receiving device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a term checking unit according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of an automatic discarding unit according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a time chart showing an operation example of a term checking unit and an automatic discarding unit according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a time chart showing another operation example of the term checking unit and the automatic discarding unit in the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of a term checking unit according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of an automatic discarding unit according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of a term checking unit according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Receiving means 2 Storage means 3 Presentation means 4 Automatic discarding means 5 Lock management means 6 Expiration date confirmation means 7 Mounting means 8 User profile storage means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Seio Katagani 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B082 CA14 EA10 FA12

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A receiving apparatus comprising a storage unit for storing content and a presentation unit for presenting the stored content, wherein the expiration date of the content to be presented is confirmed, and if the expiration date has not expired, the content The expiration date confirmation means for sequentially selecting the contents stored in the accumulation means, confirming the expiration date thereof, and erasing the expired contents; A receiving device that locks the content, checks the expiration date, and releases the lock after the presentation is completed. 2. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date confirming means deletes the content and releases the lock when the confirmed expiration date of the content has expired. 3. The automatic discarding means locks the selected content and checks an expiration date, and releases the lock when the content has not expired or when the content has been erased. The receiving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The automatic discarding unit according to claim 1, wherein the automatic discarding unit checks the expiration date without locking the selected content so as not to hinder the locking of the content by the time limit checking unit. Receiving device. 5. A storage means for storing profiles of a plurality of users, wherein said expiration date confirmation means confirms an expiration date for a user presenting content based on the information of said profile, and said expiration date has expired. When not
Determine the presentation of the content, the automatic disposal means,
The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein expired content is deleted for all users based on the information of the profile. 6. The expiration date checking means, when the expiration date has expired for the user presenting the content, checks whether the expiration date has expired for other users, and checks the expiration date for all users. The receiving device according to claim 5, wherein the cut content is deleted. 7. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein said storage means stores received content of a storage-type data broadcast. 8. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores contents received from the Internet. 9. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means stores content input from a removable medium. 10. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein said storage means stores contents input through a home LAN. 11. A method for managing stored information in a receiving device that stores content and presents the stored content, wherein a method of checking an expiration date of the content to be presented and erasing the expired content is provided. And the second content erasing process for sequentially selecting the stored contents and confirming the expiration date thereof and deleting the expired content is performed asynchronously, and at least the first content erasing process is performed. A storage information management method, wherein a content erasing process is performed by locking a target content. 12. The stored information management method according to claim 11, wherein the second content erasing process is performed by locking the selected content. 13. The storage information storage device according to claim 11, wherein the second content erasing process is performed without locking the selected content so as not to hinder the first content erasing process. Management method. 14. A method for managing stored information in a receiving device used by a plurality of users for storing content and presenting the stored content, wherein the method includes checking an expiration date for the user who presents the content. A first content process for stopping presentation of expired content, and a second content for sequentially selecting stored content and checking the expiration date, and deleting the expired content for all users. A method of managing stored information, characterized in that processing is performed asynchronously, and at least the first content processing is performed by locking a target content. 15. In the first content processing,
When the expiration date has expired for the user presenting the content, it is confirmed whether the expiration date has expired for other users, and the expired content is deleted for all users. The storage information management method according to claim 14, wherein 16. The storage information management method according to claim 11, wherein the management method is applied to content received from storage-type data broadcasting. 17. The stored information management method according to claim 11, wherein the management method is applied to content received from the Internet. 18. The storage information management method according to claim 11, wherein the management method is applied to content input from a removable medium. 19. The storage information management method according to claim 11, wherein the management method is applied to contents input through a home LAN. 20. A storage-type data broadcasting system including the receiving device according to claim 1.