JP2002094407A - Digital broadcast receiving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital broadcast receiving device, which can be modified in matching with a user's preference, after its purchase and whose model type can be changed after its purchase. SOLUTION: A receiving device 30 is a device of model type A loaded with a software A. A system controller 13 monitors information, contained in PSI separated by a demultiplexer 3, and if programs are requested to be downloaded, the controller 13 receives the downloaded programs. At this point, assume that there is a software B as a downloaded contents which modifies a model type A into a model type B. The system controller 13 determines whether a model change is designated by a user. When it is found that a model change is designated, a software B is downloaded and stored in a non-volatile memory 14B, and a model ID (model-id) is rewritten as a model-type B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast, and more particularly to a digital broadcast receiving apparatus configured to download an upgrade program or the like on a broadcast wave.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A digital broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast using a satellite or a terrestrial wave selects an arbitrary broadcast wave from a plurality of broadcast waves received through a dedicated antenna or a terrestrial antenna using a tuner. , An arbitrary channel is selected from a plurality of channels included in the selected broadcast wave by demultiplex processing,
Take out the digital signal of this selected channel,
By decoding this, a video / audio signal is output.

[0003] In such a digital television broadcast, it is possible to transmit not only video and audio but also other information in the same manner as conventional analog broadcast. Other information includes program information and the like, and can further include a program necessary for various processes of the receiving apparatus (a version-up program with added functions and bug countermeasures, update data, and the like). According to the BS Digital Broadcasting Operational Regulations, "Repair receiver software. Correct bugs, fix bugs caused by differences in interpretation of transmission and operation between receivers, improve display, improve response speed, and improve operability. Etc. "and" Update the broadcaster's logo data, program genre code table, and program characteristic code table common to all receivers. "

In downloading the above-mentioned program, the receiving apparatus determines whether or not the program is a download program for its own device, and if the download program is for its own device, stores the program in a writable nonvolatile memory. become. Then, after storing all the download programs in the non-volatile memory, the receiving apparatus is started by the new program.

[0005]

By the way, the download operation regulations for digital broadcasting do not particularly specify the type of information to be sent or the text length. Also, the download information includes “maker_id” (8 bits) which is a value for identifying a maker, “model_id” (8 bits) which is a value for identifying a receiver model, and “group” which is a value for grouping downloads.
_Id (4 bits) and version_id (12 bits), which is the value of the system version. Among these, as for the make_id, an id assigned to each maker is used. on the other hand,
In distributing download information, model
_Id, group_id, and version_id
Is to be managed by each receiver manufacturer, and the content is not specified.

Here, since the model of the receiver is a fixed model, m given to a receiver of a certain model
model_id (hereinafter, referred to as a model ID) is also fixedly provided. For example, a type A equipped with software A in which various settings can be finely performed by a user is fixedly provided with a model ID representing A, and software B having a simplification function that saves trouble of setting on the user side is provided. The mounted type B is given a model ID representing B in a fixed manner. If the current state of the type A receiver is version V. 2 and the distributed download information is version V.2 for type A. If the number is 3, the receiver determines that the receiver is a download program addressed to the receiver itself and downloads the receiver. Also, type B
Of the receiver of version V. 4 and the distributed download information is version V.4 for type B. If the number is 5, the receiver determines that the receiver is a download program addressed to the receiver itself and downloads the receiver.

[0007] Even if such a download is performed, the model ID of each receiver does not change, and a certain type of device will repeatedly upgrade its version while maintaining that type.

On the other hand, at the point of sale of the receiver, both the software A and the software B are installed, and after the purchase, the user selects one of the software so that the receiver becomes a type A or a type B receiver. It is possible. According to this, it is not necessary to wonder whether to make the type A or the type B at the time of purchase, and the type can be designated by thinking slowly after purchase. However, this requires a large-capacity memory, which makes the receiver expensive and increases the user's cost burden.

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can be changed to suit the user's preference after purchase,
It is another object of the present invention to provide a digital broadcast receiving apparatus capable of changing its model type after purchase.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention provides an information presenting means for indicating to a user the existence of download software, and a user as to whether or not to take in the download software. And selecting means for selecting.

[0011] For example, a model A receiving device equipped with software A is sold, and two types (three or more types) of upgraded software A are included in the broadcast wave as contents for model type A.
a and software Ab are present. It is assumed that software Aa is software that allows a user to set a certain functional portion of software A in detail, and software Ab is software that automatically sets a certain functional portion of software A automatically. . On the display screen of the receiving device A or on the external monitor, the software A
a and the existence of the software Ab are presented. The user selects the software Aa if he or she wants a function that can be set finely by himself, and selects the software Ab if he wants the simple setting function. With this selection, the corresponding software is downloaded, and the receiver is changed to a device that meets the user's preference.

Further, the digital broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention has a rewritable nonvolatile storage means for storing model ID information of its own device, and stores the model ID information in the software when the software for changing the model is downloaded. And rewriting means for rewriting correspondingly.

For example, it is assumed that a receiving device of model type A and a receiving device of model type B are sold, and have the same hardware configuration but differ only in installed software. In this case, the receiving device of the model type A stores the model ID information indicating the type. Further, it is assumed that the broadcast wave includes software A + 1 that has been upgraded and software B that requires a model change as contents for the model type A. Then, for example, if the user who purchased the receiving device of the model type A specifies the model change for the receiving device, the receiving device downloads the software B when the software B exists on the broadcast wave. , The model ID information indicating the type B. That is, after purchasing the receiving device of the model type A, the receiving device of the model type can be changed to the receiving device of the model type B.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG.
3 will be described with reference to FIG.
(Broadcasting Satellite) illustrates a case where a digital broadcast is viewed. FIG. 1 shows B
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcast receiving apparatus 30 according to this embodiment for receiving S digital broadcasts. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating download information, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing model changes due to download. .

In FIG. 1, an antenna 1 is arranged outdoors in a predetermined direction, and receives a digital broadcast signal transmitted from a BS. This antenna 1
Generally has a frequency converter, and provides a tuner 2 with a received / frequency-converted signal.

The tuner 2 extracts a signal of a specific frequency from a high-frequency digital modulation signal including video and audio data. That is, a process of selecting one from a plurality of digital broadcast transponders is performed. In addition, the tuner 2 includes a deinterleave circuit, an error correction circuit, and the like, and thus demodulates the selected digital modulation signal and outputs a transport stream.

The demultiplexer (DEMUX) 3 converts the transport stream received from the tuner 2 into an MPEG2 (Moving Picture Ex
Parts Group 2) video transport packet, audio transport packet, PSI
(Program Specific Information
and download program packets. The demultiplexer 3 converts the video transport packet and the audio transport packet into AV
The information is supplied to the decoder 4 and the service information and the download program included in the PSI are supplied to the system controller 13. As described above, a plurality of channels are multiplexed in the transport stream, and a process for selecting an arbitrary channel from the multiplexed channel is performed by selecting an arbitrary channel from the PSI in the transport stream. This becomes possible by extracting data such as whether the data is multiplexed by the packet ID. Also, the download program itself and the ID for extracting it are:
Can be retrieved from the PSI. Further, the selection of the transport stream (the selection of the transponder) can also be performed based on the information of the PSI.

The AV decoder 4 includes a video decoder for decoding video transport packets and an audio decoder for decoding audio transport packets. The video decoder is
The input variable length code is decoded to obtain a quantization coefficient and a motion vector, and inverse DCT transform and motion compensation control based on the motion vector are performed. The audio decoder generates audio data by decoding the input coded signal. The video data generated by the decoding is output to the video processing circuit 5, and the audio data is output to the audio processing circuit 6.

The video processing circuit 5 receives video data from the AV decoder 4, performs D / A conversion, and performs, for example, NTSC.
Convert to a composite signal of the format. The audio signal processing circuit 6 receives the audio data output from the AV decoder 4, performs D / A conversion, and generates a right (R) sound analog signal and a left (L) sound analog signal. The video output circuit 7 and the audio output circuit 8 include an output resistor, an amplifier, and the like. The AV output terminal 9 is provided with an output unit (a set of left and right audio output terminals and a video output terminal).

An OSD (On Screen Display) display circuit 12 adds bitmap data based on character information output from the system controller 13 to the adder 2.
Output to 0. The adder 20 performs a process of incorporating the bitmap data into a video signal output from the video processing circuit 5. The OSD display circuit 12 receives an EPG (Electronic Pr) based on service information included in the PSI received by the system controller 13.
(Guide Guide) screen is displayed, and an operation guide screen and a download software selection screen can also be displayed.

The remote control transmitter 10 is a transmitter for sending a command to the broadcast receiving device 30. When a key (not shown) provided on the remote control transmitter 10 is operated, a signal light (remote control signal) indicating a command corresponding to the key is transmitted from a light emitting unit (not shown). The remote control light receiver 11 receives the signal light, converts the light into an electric signal, and supplies the electric signal to the system controller 13.

The system controller 13 performs a program selection process by a user using the remote control transmitter 10 and the like. The processing according to the present invention includes a download program, a model ID (model_id),
A process of writing version information (version_id) and data in the nonvolatile memory 14B, a process of receiving a download software selection command by a user operation, a process of reading and executing information stored in the nonvolatile memory 14B and the volatile memory 14A ( (EPG screen display, etc.). Hereinafter, a specific description will be given.

When a system information display command is issued by a user's operation of the remote controller transmitter 10, the system controller 13 presents model type information, model changeable information indicating which model can be changed, and each model. The OSD display circuit 12 reads out the outline explanation information and the like of the function from the non-volatile memory 14B, and incorporates the information into the video signal. In addition, a process of receiving a request for changing to a model desired by the user is performed by a user's operation of the remote control transmitter 10.

The system controller 13 monitors the information contained in the PSI separated by the demultiplexer 3 to determine whether there is a program download request. If there is no download request, normal processing is executed. on the other hand,
If there is a download request, for example, if it is just software for fixing a bug, download it immediately, but for software that requires a model change, check the model change request from the user, and if there is a change request, change it to the changed model. Download the corresponding software. When the software for changing the model is downloaded, a process of rewriting the model ID (model_id) in the nonvolatile memory 14B is performed.

Here, it is assumed that the receiving device 30 is a model type A equipped with software A at the time of purchase. Also, a model type A receiving device and a model type B
And the receiving devices are sold with the same basic hardware configuration and different installed software.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the broadcast wave, there are software A + 1 that has been upgraded and software B (download information 1) that is a model change as contents targeting the model type A.
It is assumed that software B + 1 whose version has been upgraded and software A (download information 2) whose model is to be changed exist as contents targeted for the model type B.

Under the above conditions, as shown in FIG. 3, if the user does not want to change to the model type B, the upgraded software A + 1 is downloaded, and the software A
If the user wants to change to model type B, the software B is downloaded, the model is changed to model type B, and the model ID (model_id) is also rewritten to B. Become. Then, if there is no subsequent instruction to change the model by the user, the receiver of the model type B downloads the upgraded software B + 1 in the download information 2 in FIG. Become a built-in receiver.

Although not shown, it is assumed that two (or more than three) upgraded versions of software Aa and software Ab exist as contents for model type A in the broadcast wave. what if,
The software Aa is software that allows a user to set a certain functional part of the software A in detail, and the software Ab is software that automatically sets a certain functional part of the software A automatically. The receiving device displays software A as download software on its display or monitor.
a and the existence of the software Ab, and prompts the user to select which software to select. If users want more personalized features,
If the user selects the software Aa and desires the simple setting function, the user selects the software Ab. With this selection, the corresponding software is downloaded, and the receiver is changed to a device that meets the user's preference. In this case, it is not a model change, but a model I
D is not rewritten, and version information is rewritten.

In this embodiment, the case where the user watches BS digital broadcasting has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to the case of viewing terrestrial digital broadcasting or CATV broadcasting. is there.

[0030]

As described above, according to the digital broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention, the desired software is downloaded by the user's selection, and the receiver is changed to a device that suits the user's preference. In addition, there is an effect that a receiving device of a certain model type A can be changed to a receiving device of another model type by a user's intention after the purchase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating download information.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a model change due to download.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Tuner 3 Demultiplexer (DEMUX) 4 AV decoder 5 Video processing circuit 6 Audio processing circuit 12 OSD circuit 13 System controller 14A volatile memory 14B nonvolatile memory

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/081

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A digital broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: information presenting means for indicating to a user the existence of download software; and selecting means for allowing the user to select whether or not to download the download software. 2. A rewritable non-volatile storage means for storing model ID information of its own device, and a rewriting means for rewriting the model ID information corresponding to the software when a software for changing the model is downloaded. A digital broadcast receiving device comprising: