JP2002368704A - Information distributor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information distributor that receives a digital broadcast wave including program guide information, automatically receives information associated with the program guide information from an information distributor on the Internet and outputs information to identify a program and the retrieved information. SOLUTION: The information distributor has; functions of receiving (1) a digital broadcast wave, extracting (20) information associated with a broadcast program from the received signal, retrieving (21) information on the Internet by using the extracted information, and distributing information (23) for identifying the program and a retrieval result (24); functions of retrieving the information on the Internet, storing the retrieved result to a storage means (11) and distributing a schedule (22) according to the providing status of broadcast programs; and further a function (5) of providing priority to retrieve the information associated with a broadcast program from the received signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information distribution apparatus for searching and distributing information on the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In BS digital broadcasting, program arrangement information (ARIB STB-
The program guide information (SI: Service Information) in B10) is used. This information describes a title, a business, a genre, a broadcast time, and the like for guiding a program to a viewer. This information is multiplexed on the broadcast wave together with the main program. Conventionally, a receiver creates an electronic program guide on the basis of this information and displays it on a television screen to guide the program to a viewer. In order for a viewer to obtain information related to a program from the Internet, a method is used in which the viewer himself inputs a keyword into a search engine on the Internet and obtains a result by using the information displayed on the screen.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional system. The digital broadcast receiver 2 separates the program-related information 10 received from the broadcast wave 1 to create an electronic program guide, and
Had been displayed. The viewer creates a keyword 11 determined from the electronic program guide or the program itself, inputs the keyword 11 to the Internet connection terminal 6, and obtains desired information 12 from the information distribution device 9 on the Internet 8.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional system, a viewer of a digital broadcast checks information related to a program on a television, creates a keyword, and inputs the keyword to an Internet connection terminal of the viewer. Had to be carried out in the procedure to get.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an information distribution station which automatically creates a keyword related to a program from program guide information multiplexed on a digital broadcast wave, searches and accumulates information on the Internet, and sends it to a desired viewer. In order to reduce the burden on the viewer and to perform this information acquisition,
The purpose is not to require an Internet connection terminal at the viewer's home.

[0006]

An information distribution apparatus according to the present invention receives a digital broadcast wave, extracts related information of a broadcast program from a received signal, searches information on the Internet using the extracted information, It has a function of delivering search results and information specifying programs.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is also preferable to have a function of searching for information on the Internet, storing the searched result in a storage medium, and distributing a schedule in accordance with the provision status of a broadcast program.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the present invention, it is also preferable to have a function of assigning a priority for searching to related information of a broadcast program from a received signal.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In this embodiment, in BS digital broadcasting, program guide information (SI: Se) in program arrangement information (ARIB STB-B10) used for digital broadcasting standardized by the Radio Industries and Businesses Association.
rvice Information). This information describes a title, a cast, a genre, a broadcast time, and the like for guiding a program to a viewer. This information is multiplexed on the broadcast wave together with the main program. This program guide information is separated from the broadcast wave, and information on the Internet is searched using the information included in this information as a keyword, and is stored in the distribution server. The stored information is distributed as a package to a user who enjoys the service at the timing when a certain program starts in satellite broadcasting.

Table 1 shows an example of the program guide information. The program guide information of this example is made up of individual elements.

[0011]

[Table 1]

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.
The digital broadcast wave 1 is received by the digital broadcast receiving circuit 2, the program guide information 20 is extracted from the received signal by the separation circuit 3, and the program guide information 20 is input to the keyword creation circuit 5. The keyword creation circuit 5 assigns priorities to the individual elements of the program guide information 20 and outputs the individual elements alone or a combination thereof as the keywords 21. For example, it is conceivable that the individual element having the highest priority is output as a program name, then a business name, and then as genre information. The search circuit 7 searches the content from the information distribution device 9 on the Internet 8 according to the priority of the keyword 21 to obtain information. The search ends when the upper limit of the search result is exceeded. The search result is stored in the storage medium 11. The distribution management circuit 12 creates a distribution schedule 22 according to the broadcast program table, and distributes the information 23 stored in the storage medium 11 and the number 24 specifying the program to a specific viewer.

[0013]

According to the present invention, a broadcast program can be automatically associated with information on the Internet, and information can be distributed to a viewer. Thereby, it is possible to perform the procedure of the viewer collectively, to reduce the burden on the viewer, and not to require an Internet connection terminal at the viewer's house in obtaining this information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional system.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital broadcast wave 2 Digital broadcast receiver circuit 3 Separation circuit 4 Television 5 Keyword creation circuit 6 Internet connection terminal 7 Search circuit 8 Internet 9 Information distribution device 10, 20 Program related information 11, 21 Keyword 12 Distribution management circuit 22 Distribution schedule 23 Number specifying program 24 Searched information

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazuyasu Okada 2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroshi Kazama 2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F term (reference) 5B075 ND20 PP25 PQ02 UU34 5C025 BA14 CA02 CA06 CA09 CA11 CB05 CB06 CB07 CB08 CB09 DA01 DA04 DA05 5C064 BA01 BA07 BB05 BB07 BC06 BC10 BC18 BC25 BC27 BD02 BD05 BD08 BD09

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A function of receiving a digital broadcast wave, extracting relevant information of a broadcast program from a received signal, searching for information on the Internet using the extracted information, and distributing a search result and information for specifying the program. An information distribution device, comprising: 2. The information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of searching for information on the Internet, storing the searched result in a storage medium, and distributing a schedule according to a broadcast program providing situation. Delivery device. 3. The information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of assigning a search priority to a broadcast program related information from a received signal.