JP2001211431A - Transmitter, receiver, transmission reception system, transmission method, and reception method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily revise data at a receiver on the occurrence of partial revision in transmitted distribution data. SOLUTION: A reception section 301 in a reception terminal receives transmitted contents, update notice information denoting the occurrence of update in the contents and update information denoting contents of the update. A contents reception section 302 receives necessary contents from the information received by the section 301. A contents storage section 303 stores the received contents. An update notice information reception section 306 receives the update notice information from the storage contents of the storage section 303. An update notice information storage section 307 stores the received update notice information. An update information reception section 308 selectively receives update information corresponding to the update notice information out of sets of the information received by the section 301 and supplies the received update information to the storage section 303. Update processing is executed for the contents stored in the section 303 on the basis of the update information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus, a receiving apparatus, a transmitting / receiving system, a transmitting method, and a receiving method used for distributing contents by, for example, a digital broadcasting system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many methods have been proposed as distribution systems for distributing data including content composed of video, audio or text information. For example, on the current Internet, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer P
2. Description of the Related Art Data distribution by WWW (World Wide Web) using rotocols is performed.

In digital broadcasting, EPG
Meta information such as a program title and broadcast time, which are constituent elements of the (Electrical Program Guide), is stored in the EIT (Event Informa
tionTable).

[0004] The content to be distributed includes data that may be partially changed at any time. W
For a WW document, for example, a weather forecast, a news item, and the like often undergo partial changes more frequently than overall changes. Further, the EPG is partially changed due to, for example, a change in a program broadcast schedule (for example, an extension of a baseball broadcast).

[0005]

In order to transmit updated information in response to such a change, the current WWW
In the data distribution and the EPG system, a process of retransmitting the entire document or EPG data is performed. In such processing, there is a problem that transmission efficiency is low.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible for a receiving side to easily update data relating to a change when transmitted data such as a document or EPG data is partially changed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission device, a reception device, a transmission / reception system, a transmission method, and a reception method.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission apparatus for transmitting data for providing content, the update notification information generating means for generating update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated. And update information generating means for generating update information indicating a processing procedure for executing update processing on the content already received on the receiving side, and transmission means for transmitting update notification information and update information. A transmission device comprising:

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in a receiving apparatus for receiving data in order to receive provision of a content, a content receiving means for receiving the content, a content storage means for storing the content received by the content receiving means, and a transmission The update notification information receiving means for receiving the update notification information indicating that the content has been updated on the side, the update notification information storage means for storing the update notification information received by the update notification information receiving means, and the content storage means Update notification information receiving means for receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for performing an update process on the content being updated,
Update information storage means for storing the update information received by the update information reception means, and performing a process of updating the content stored in the content storage means based on the update notification information and the update information. Device.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in a transmission / reception system for transmitting data to provide content and receiving the provided content, update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated is generated. Update notification information generation means, update information generation means for generating update information indicating a processing procedure for performing update processing on content already received on the receiving side, and transmission of update notification information and update information A transmission device comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the content; a content reception unit that receives the content; a content storage unit that stores the content received by the content reception unit; and an update notification information indicating that the content has been updated on the transmission side. Update notification information receiving means, and an update notification information record storing the update notification information received by the update notification information receiving means. Means, update notification information receiving means for receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for performing update processing on the content stored in the content storage means, and storing the update information received by the update information receiving means. And a receiving device for performing a process of updating the content stored in the content storage unit based on the update notification information and the update information. is there.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission method for transmitting data in order to provide content, the step of generating update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated, and the step of generating update notification information which has already been received by the receiving side A transmission method comprising: generating update information indicating a processing procedure for performing an update process on content; and transmitting update notification information and update information.

The invention according to claim 17 is a receiving method for receiving data in order to receive provision of a content, a content receiving step of receiving the content, a content storing step of storing the content received in the content receiving step, and a transmission. The update notification information receiving step of receiving the update notification information indicating that the content has been updated on the side, the update notification information storage step of storing the update notification information received by the update notification information reception step, and the content storage step An update information receiving step of receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for performing an update process on the content; and an update information storing step of storing the update information received by the update information receiving step. Based on information and updates A method for receiving and performing processing of updating the stored contents in Ntsu storage means.

According to the above-described invention, information (script) indicating a process of updating content already received on the receiving side is generated on the transmitting side, and an updating process according to the information is performed on the receiving side.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Information providers 101 ₁ , 10
1 _2, server, HDD (hard disk drive)
And the like, and retains and / or transmits provided content using a database constructed by these configurations.

The content described in XML (extended Mark-up Language) includes, for example, a multimedia document including a WWW page, a video / audio stream, and the like. In this specification, the term XML is referred to as HTML.
(Hyper Text Mark-up Language). The information providers 101 ₁ and 101 ₂ are connected to the broadcasting station 102 via the interactive network 105 and can transmit contents to the broadcasting station 102. Note that the number of information providers is not limited to two.

The information providers 101 ₁ , 101
₂ is a receiving terminal 1 via the bidirectional network 105
03 ₁ and 103 ₂ . Information provider 101 ₁ ,
101 ₂ can transmit the content to the receiving terminal 103 _1, 103 ₂ via the bidirectional network 105. Note that the number of receiving terminals is not limited to two.

The broadcasting station 102 includes a server, an HDD, and the like.
And the database built by these configurations
Above, the content to be transmitted to the broadcast network 104
Hold. As the content, for example,
Pairs. Broadcasting station 102 is broadcast network 1
04 via the receiving terminal 103₁, 103_TwoConnected to
Content and information identifying that content
Can be provided. Also, release
The transmitting station 102 is an information provider 101₁, 101_Two From
Via the directional network 105 or a dedicated line.
Content is received and the received content is
The receiving terminal 103 via the work 104 ₁, 103_TwoTo offer
Can be offered.

The receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ receive the content, and store the received content and / or present the content to the user. Receiving terminal 103
_1, 103 _2, to specify the content to be accessed by the URI. The content specified by the URI includes a program transmitted (broadcast) in real time via the broadcast network 104, a program transmitted in advance via the broadcast network 104 and stored in the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ , Alternatively, there is data or the like which is accessed on demand through an interactive network.

Although the present invention can be applied to the identification processing of contents accessed by any route, the following description mainly focuses on the broadcast network 104.
Is performed as an example in the case of performing the process of identifying the content transmitted via the.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration relating to transmission of content in the broadcasting station 102. The content storage unit 201 stores content to be provided to the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ . Further, the content storage unit 201, there are cases where the content is also temporarily stored to be provided from the information provider 101 _1, 101 _2. Here, the contents are traffic information, weather information, text data, computer programs, and the like. Content storage unit 201
For example, an HDD or the like can be used.

The content input / update unit 202 includes a process of inputting content to the content storage unit 201, a process of updating content stored in the content storage unit 201, and an update notification information generation unit for transmitting information relating to input or update. A process for supplying the information to the update information generation unit 203 and the update information generation unit 204 is performed. The content stored in the content storage unit 201 is further supplied to the update notification information generation unit 203. The update notification information generation unit 203 includes information related to input or update supplied from the content input / update unit 202,
Further, based on the content supplied from the content storage unit 201, update notification information indicating that the process of updating the content has been performed is generated.

Further, the content stored in the content storage unit 201 is further supplied to the update information generation unit 204. The update information generation unit 204 includes information related to input or update supplied from the content input / update unit 202,
Further, based on the content supplied from the content storage unit 201, update information indicating a process of updating the content is generated. Here, the update information is a script for updating the content before the update.

The transmission unit 205 includes a content storage unit 201
, The update notification information from the update notification information generation unit 203, and the update information from the update information generation unit 204, and distributes these information to the broadcast network 104.
To send to. Through the broadcast network 104, the content, the update notification information, and the update information are transmitted to the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ .

Also, in response to requests from the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ , the content stored in the content storage unit 201 and / or the update information from the update information generation unit 204 are transmitted via the bidirectional network 105. It may be done.

Such transmission will be described. Information specifying the content requested by the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ is transmitted on the bidirectional network 105 and received by the communication control unit 206. Communication control unit 206
Converts the received information into information that can be received by the content search unit 207 and supplies the information to the content search unit 207.

The content search unit 207 is a communication control unit 2
06 according to the information supplied from the content storage unit 20
A content is searched for from the data stored in No. 1 and the searched content is supplied to the communication control unit 206. The communication control unit 206, a content supplied, after converting the information to be transmitted to the interactive network 105 on the receiving terminal 103 ₁ via a bidirectional network 105, 1
03 ₂

Similar transmission is possible for update information. That is, the information specifying the update information requested by the receiving terminals 103 ₁ and 103 ₂ is transmitted on the bidirectional network 105 and received by the communication control unit 206. The communication control unit 206 converts the received information into information that can be received by the update information generation unit 204, and supplies the information to the update information generation unit 204.

The update information generation unit 204 includes a communication control unit 20
Update information is generated in accordance with the information supplied from 6, and the generated update information is supplied to the communication control unit 206. The communication control unit 206 converts the supplied update information into information transmitted on the two-way network 105, and sends the information to the two-way network 105. The update information transmitted on the bidirectional network 105 in this way is
03 ₁ and 103 ₂ receive.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows an example of a configuration of a receiving terminal 103 _1. Incidentally, it is possible to use the same configuration as the receiving terminal 103 _2. The receiving unit 301 receives the content, the update notification information, and the update information transmitted via the broadcast network 104.

Also, via the input unit 304, the content to be received by the content receiving unit 302 is specified, and the input information from the user or the like relating to the instruction to browse the content stored in the content storage unit 303 is input to the content receiving unit. 302
Is supplied to the content storage unit 303. The content receiving unit 302 receives necessary content from information received by the receiving unit 301 according to the input information from the input unit 304, and supplies the received content to the content storage unit 303.

[0030] The content storage unit 303 stores the supplied content, and then supplies the stored content to the output unit 305 and the update notification information receiving unit 306.
The output unit 305 performs a process of presenting the supplied content to a user or the like. Also, the update notification information receiving unit 306
Receives the update notification information from the information supplied from the content storage unit 303, and supplies the received update notification information to the update notification information storage unit 307. Update notification information storage unit 30
7 stores the supplied update notification information.

The update notification information is stored in the content storage unit 303.
Is information indicating the fact that the content stored in the file has been updated, together with information designating the content, and the content of the update is described in the update information.

The update information receiving unit 308 selectively receives update information corresponding to the update notification information stored in the update notification information storage unit 307 from the information received by the receiving unit 301, and receives the received update information. Information is stored in the content storage unit 303
To supply. Thereby, the update process according to the update information (script) is performed on the content stored in the content storage unit 303, and the updated content can be reflected.

[0033] The content receiving section 302 includes a receiving section 301.
In addition to receiving the content via the Internet, it is also possible to receive the content via the interactive network 105. In addition, the update information receiving unit 308
1, it is also possible to receive update information via the bidirectional network 105. In order to perform these processes, information transmitted on the bidirectional network 105 and the content receiving unit 30
2 and a communication control unit 309 that controls communication between information handled by the update information receiving unit 308.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the data format of the content. In this example, a content identifier 401 and a version number 402 are added to the content 403. The content identifier 401 is the content storage unit 2
01 is information for identifying the content, and is described by, for example, a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier). The version number 402 is a number that is incremented, for example, by one each time the content is updated, and is data for specifying update information when the content is updated a plurality of times.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the data format of the update notification information. The content identifier 501 is identification information indicating which content has been updated. The version number 502 is identification information for identifying which version of the content is updated. The broadcast schedule information 503 stores information on a location (a channel, a date, and the like) where the update information is broadcast. In this example, the server information 5 is updated so that the update information can be obtained via the interactive network 105.
04 is added. Broadcast schedule information 503,
The server information 504 may have only one of them.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the data format of the update information. The update information stores a content identifier 601 indicating a content to be updated, a version number 602 indicating a version to be updated, and an update script 603 indicating a content update procedure. Content, update notification information, as shown in FIGS.
Update information can be distinguished in the data stream by changing the packet ID. Further, these pieces of information may be transmitted through different channels.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the content described in XML. In this example, weather forecast data is described. That is, 701 describes the weather of today and tomorrow in Tokyo, and 702 describes the weather of today and tomorrow in Osaka. The description content of FIG. 7 can be expressed in a tree structure as shown in FIG. 801 corresponds to the entire document, and 802 and 803 correspond to 701 and 702 in FIG. 7, respectively.
A model of such a tree structure is described in W3C's Document Objec
It is the same as the structural model specified by t Model.

FIG. 9 is an example of a script for accessing the XML document tree structure model as shown in FIG. 8 and updating a part of the document. In this example, ECMAScript is used as a script language. In this case, the part that is “cloudy” in 701 of FIG. 7 is updated to “rain”. The specific update procedure described in the script is as follows. 901, "weather"
Elements 802 and 803 having a tag name of In 902, “Tokyo” is set as the attribute value id in the elements 802 and 803 selected by 901.
The element with "o", ie, 802, is selected.

At 803, the element 80 included in 802
Out of 4, 805 and 806, the one having the tag name “tomorrow”, that is, 806 is stored in the variable e. In 904, “rain” is overwritten on the element of e. As a result, the value of 806 which has been determined to be “cloudy” in FIG. 7 is updated to “rain”.

FIG. 10 shows a script language J
10 is an example of a script similar to that described above with reference to FIG. 9, described using ava. According to 1001, an element having a tag name of “weather” (el
ements) 802 and 803 are selected. In 1002,
All attributes of the elements 802 and 803 selected by 1001 are searched. In step 1003, an id attribute is searched from among the attributes searched in step 1002, and the searched attribute value id is searched.
Is determined to be equal to “Tokyo”.

In 1004, the attribute value id is “Tokyo
o ”, that is, the element 8 included in 802
Those having a tag name of “tomorrow” are searched among 04, 805 and 806. In 1005,
The value of the element 806 retrieved in step 1004 is updated to “rain”.

Referring to FIG. 11, a description will be given of a processing procedure in one embodiment of the present invention for updating contents. As step S1, all Xs in the document
Search all the elements named "weather" from the ML elements. As described above, 701 and 702 in FIG. 7 are searched as a result of step S1.

In step S2, it is determined whether or not the processing after step S3 has been performed on all the elements searched in step S1. If it is determined that the processing after step S3 has been performed, the processing is terminated; otherwise, the processing shifts to step S3. In step S3, “weather” searched in step S1 is used.
It is determined whether or not the id attribute of the element named “r” is “Tokyo”. The id attribute is "Tokyo"
If it is determined to be, the process proceeds to step S4; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S4, if the id attribute is "Tokyo"
For the element “o” (ie, 701 in FIG. 7), an element named “tomorrow” is searched. As a result, the element 806 in FIG. 8, that is, the element “<tomrow> cloudy </ tomrow>” in FIG.
w>.

[0045]

According to the present invention, update information (script) indicating processing for updating content is generated on the transmission side, and update processing according to the update information is performed on the reception side.
As a result, for example, partial update of the content transmitted on the WWW can be easily performed.

In particular, for XML documents, Document Obj
X via an access interface that follows the ect Model
By generating a script for accessing the structure of the ML document on the transmission side and transmitting the generated script, it is possible to easily update the XML document partially on the reception side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a partial configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of another configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a content data format.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a data format of update notification information.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a data format of update information.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of content.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram expressing the description contents of FIG. 7 in the form of a tree structure.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a script as update information.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a script as update information.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

102 ... broadcast station, 103 ₁ , 103 ₃ ... receiving terminal, 201 ... content storage unit, 202 ... content input / update unit, 203 ... update notification information generation unit, 204 ... Update information generation unit, 302: content reception unit, 303: content storage unit, 306
..Update notification information receiving section, 307 ... Update notification information storage section, 308 ... Update information receiving section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/445 7/173 620 (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Takabayashi 6-7-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Yasuaki Yamagishi 6-35, Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Yoshihisa Gono 6-35, Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Soniー Inc. (72) Inventor Kazuo Haraoka 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F-term (reference) 5C025 CA09 CB10 DA01 DA05 5C063 AA01 AB03 AB10 AC03 DA03 DA07 DA13 DB09 5C064 BA01 BC18 BC20 BC23 BC25 BD02 BD09 BD13 5K061 BB06 FF04 FF06 JJ07

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A transmitting device for transmitting data to provide content, an update notification information generating means for generating update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated, and a content already received on a receiving side. A transmission apparatus, comprising: update information generating means for generating update information indicating a processing procedure for performing update processing on the update information; and transmission means for transmitting the update notification information and the update information. 2. The transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising a content storage unit that stores the content. 3. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means is a broadcast network. 4. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means is a broadcast network or a bidirectional network. 5. The transmitting device according to claim 4, wherein the content requested by the receiving side via the two-way network is transmitted via the two-way network. 6. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the update notification information includes information for associating the updated content with the update information related to the update. 7. The content according to claim 1, wherein the content to be transmitted is described by a descriptive word that defines the structure of the document using a tag, and the update information is used for the content already received on the receiving side. A transmitting apparatus, which is a processing procedure for executing an updating process by following a tree structure in a descriptive word. 8. The transmitting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the descriptor is XML, and the update information is a processing procedure for updating the content by following a tree structure in XML. 9. The transmitting device according to claim 7, wherein the update information is created by using an ECMA script as a script language. 10. The transmitting device according to claim 7, wherein the update information is created by using Java as a script language. 11. A receiving apparatus for receiving data to receive provision of content, a content receiving means for receiving the content, a content storage means for storing the content received by the content receiving means, Update notification information receiving means for receiving update notification information indicating that the update has been performed; update notification information storage means for storing the update notification information received by the update notification information receiving means; Update information receiving means for receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for performing an update process on the content, and update information storage means for storing the update information received by the update information receiving means, Based on the update notification information and the update information, the content stored in the content storage Receiver and performs a process of updating the Ntsu. 12. The receiving apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the update notification information includes information for associating the updated content with the update information related to the update. 13. The receiving apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising receiving condition input means for inputting information for designating content to be received by said content receiving means. 14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: search condition input means for inputting information for specifying one or a plurality of contents to be searched from among the contents received by the content receiving means. Characteristic receiving device. 15. A transmission / reception system configured to transmit data for providing content and receive the provided content, and to generate update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated. Update information generating means for generating update information indicating a processing procedure for performing update processing on content already received on the receiving side; and transmitting means for transmitting the update notification information and the update information. A content receiving means for receiving the content, a content storing means for storing the content received by the content receiving means, and an update for receiving update notification information indicating that the content has been updated on the transmission side. Notification information receiving means, and an update report storing the update notification information received by the update notification information receiving means. Information storage means; update notification information receiving means for receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for executing an update process on the content stored in the content storage means; Update information storage means for storing update information; and a receiving device for performing a process of updating the content stored in the content storage means based on the update notification information and the update information. A transmission / reception system characterized by the above-mentioned. 16. A transmission method for transmitting data in order to provide a content, comprising: generating update notification information for notifying that the content has been updated; and updating the content already received on the receiving side. A transmission method, comprising: a step of generating update information indicating a processing procedure for executing a process; and a step of transmitting the update notification information and the update information. 17. A receiving method for receiving data to receive provision of a content, comprising: a content receiving step of receiving a content; a content storing step of storing the content received by the content receiving step; An update notification information receiving step of receiving update notification information indicating that the update has been performed; an update notification information storing step of storing the update notification information received by the update notification information receiving step; and a content stored by the content storage step An update notification information receiving step of receiving update information indicating a processing procedure for performing an update process on the update information receiving step; and an update information storing step of storing the update information received by the update information receiving step. Update notification information and the above update Based on the broadcast, the reception method characterized by performing a process of updating the stored contents in the content storage means.