JP2003153105A - Channel switching device, channel switching method, channel switching program, and recording medium therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To automatically switch to a channel of a high-viewing-rate program so that a user can quickly view a program with high popularity or interest. SOLUTION: Means 10 for connecting to a network 20
0, means 101 for receiving / acquiring audience rating data of a program being broadcast in real time from the data center 30 of the network 20, selecting a channel having a high audience rating based on the received / acquired audience rating data, Means 105 for adjusting the current video reproduction channel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a channel switching device and method for automatically selecting and switching a channel of a program having a high audience rating by utilizing a combination of broadcasting and a network.
A program and a recording medium therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, television (TV) ratings are often presented to viewers through media after a while after being broadcast as a posterior report. Also, viewers are viewing the program regardless of the audience rating on the spot.

[0003]

As described above, in the prior art, even if a viewer wants to watch a currently popular program, there is no means for discriminating it. Recently, not only terrestrial broadcasts, but also programs on many channels such as satellite broadcasts using BS and CS, cable television, and broadcasts using the Internet can be viewed, but popular programs among them are randomly selected. I switched between channels and searched, but I couldn't find what I wanted. Further, since the audience rating changes from moment to moment, there is a possibility that important information such as an emergency program that the world is paying attention to may be overlooked.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to automatically select a currently broadcast channel based on a real-time audience rating acquired from a network. Then, by playing back a program with a high audience rating, it is possible to automatically view popular programs and emergency news programs with a high audience rating.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a device for receiving a broadcast signal from a broadcasting network such as a television and reproducing an image of a specific channel, in real time from a means for connecting to a network, a data center of the network, or the like. Main features are that it has means for receiving audience rating data of a program being broadcast, and means for selecting a channel having a high audience rating based on the received audience rating data and matching a video reproduction channel to the selected channel. . In other words, by determining the channel with the highest rating from the rating data acquired from the network and automatically adjusting the video playback channel to that channel, it is possible to watch the popular program without missing it. To do.

Further, according to the present invention, a timer means for monitoring a time interval is used to select a channel having a high audience rating based on the received audience rating data at regular time intervals.
The feature is that the video reproduction channel is matched to that channel. That is, by automatically obtaining audience rating data using a timer and selecting the channel with the highest audience rating, it is possible to more quickly and accurately perform automatic follow-up viewing of popular programs and the like.

Further, according to the present invention, a clock means for monitoring the time is used to select a channel having a high audience rating based on the received audience rating data at a set time, and a video reproducing channel is selected as the channel. It is characterized by matching. That is, by using the clock to obtain the audience rating data and update the channel at the desired time, it is possible to prevent the program being currently viewed from being frequently played back being disturbed.
The audience rating data is acquired at a desired timing, and the popular programs at that timing can be automatically viewed.

Further, the present invention comprises an input interface means for receiving an input of the user, acquires the audience rating data of the condition designated by the user, and selects a channel having a high audience rating based on the audience rating data. The video reproduction channel is matched to the channel. That is, it is possible to automatically view the program with the highest audience rating under the condition that suits the user's preference.

For example, by obtaining audience rating data for each age group from the network, determining the highest audience rating of the age of the audience rating desired by the user, and matching the video playback channel to this determined channel, the same age group as the user is obtained. Also, it enables automatic viewing of the program with the highest audience rating within the range of the target age. Alternatively, by obtaining the audience rating data for each region from the network, determining the highest audience rating in the region of the user's desired audience rating, and matching the video playback channel to this determined channel, the Allows automatic viewing of programs with a high audience rating. Furthermore, by obtaining audience rating data and program guides from the network, determining the highest audience rating of the program genre desired by the user, and matching the video reproduction channel to this determined channel, It is possible to automatically watch the program with the highest audience rating.

As described above, according to the present invention, since a high audience rating program is automatically tuned, the user misses a popular program or a highly popular program, or a popular program most suitable for a genre, a region or an age. It is possible to watch the program at the timing when it is being broadcast.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Here, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that a channel for television broadcasting using radio waves is selected, but the medium for transmitting the image is not limited to radio waves, and is intended for cable broadcasting such as cable television and broadcasting using the Internet. Become. Although it is assumed that the audience rating, age-specific audience rating, region-specific audience rating, and program information will be distributed from a data center connected to the network, it is possible to use a different data center for each information. is there.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a channel switching device according to the present invention, 20 is a network such as the Internet, 30 is a data center for distributing various data, and 50 is a monitor such as a television receiver. In the first embodiment, the channel switching device 10 includes a network interface unit 100 connected to a network 20 typified by the Internet, and an audience rating reception unit for receiving television broadcast audience rating data via the network interface unit 20. A unit 101, a broadcast receiving unit 102 that receives a broadcast signal from the broadcast network 40, a video reproduction unit 103 that reproduces a video from the received broadcast signal, and a video output interface unit 104 that outputs the video to the monitor 50.
Based on the audience rating data received by the audience rating receiving unit 101, the channel selecting unit 105 that determines the channel having the highest audience rating at the present time and performs processing for matching the channel of the video reproducing unit 103 with the channel having the highest audience rating. Composed. A microcomputer, for example, is used for the channel selection unit 105.

FIG. 2 is an operation flow of the channel switching device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, in the data center 30, for example, information (audience rating data) such as a momentary audience rating, a channel, a program and the like is provided to a pre-registered viewer (registered user) via the network 20 in real time. It is supposed to be delivered.

First, the audience rating receiving unit 101 is connected to the network 20 by the network interface unit 10.
Through 0, the data center 30 receives the audience rating data of the television program distributed moment by moment (S101).
The channel selection unit 105 receives the audience rating data from the audience rating receiving unit 101, and determines the channel having the highest audience rating (S102). In the channel selection unit 105, the video playback unit 103 manages the channel currently playing back the video, and determines whether the channel determined to have the highest audience rating is the same as the channel currently played back by the video playback unit 103. If not (S103), the channel of the video reproducing unit 103 is changed to the channel determined to have the highest audience rating (S104). Then, the channel selection unit 105 newly holds (manages) the changed channel.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the same components will be denoted by the same reference symbols and the description thereof will be omitted. Second
The channel switching device 10 of this embodiment has a timer unit 116 for monitoring the elapsed time in addition to the configuration of the channel switching device 10 of the first embodiment of FIG. The channel selection unit 115 monitors the elapsed time of the timer unit 116, and at every preset time interval (for example, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.), the audience rating reception unit 10 receives.
Based on the audience rating data received from 1, the channel having the highest audience rating at the present time is determined, and the channel of the video reproducing unit 103 is matched with the channel having the highest audience rating. The timer unit 116 resets at the set time and starts counting again.

FIG. 4 is an operation flow of the channel switching device 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. That is, the timer unit 116 is used for every constant time t1 (S115-S
116), the same processing as the first embodiment of FIG. 2 (S10).
1 to 104), and the channel selection unit 115 matches the channel of the video reproduction unit 103 with the channel having the highest audience rating.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the configuration of the channel switching device 10 of the first embodiment of FIG. 1, the channel switching device 10 of the third embodiment has a clock unit 117 for monitoring time.
It has a. The channel selection unit 125 monitors the time of the clock unit 117, and at a preset time (for example, 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock, etc.), the audience rating reception unit 1 outputs.
Based on the audience rating data received from 01, the channel having the highest audience rating at the present time is determined, and the channel of the video reproducing unit 103 is matched with the channel having the highest audience rating.

FIG. 6 is an operation flow of the channel switching device 10 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. That is, when the time T reaches the set time T2 using the clock unit 117 (S117), the same processing (S101 to 104) as in the first embodiment of FIG.
Then, the channel of the video reproducing unit 103 is matched with the channel having the highest audience rating. Although FIG. 6 shows the case where the set time T2 is one, it is possible to set a plurality of times (for example, 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock, 19:00, 20:00).
It is also possible to perform the same processing a plurality of times.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The channel switching device 10 according to the fourth embodiment has an input interface unit that takes in user's buttons and remote controller inputs in addition to the timer unit 116 and the clock unit 117 in addition to the configuration of the channel switching device 10 according to the first embodiment. It has 126.
Further, in place of the audience rating receiving unit 101 that only receives the audience rating data up to now, a data transmitting / receiving unit capable of transmitting / receiving various information to / from the data center 30 via the network 20 via the network interface unit 100. 121 is used. Channel selector 13
5 acquires various information including the audience rating from the data center 30 by the data transmitting / receiving unit 121, determines the channel with the highest audience rating in the range according to the user's condition input from the input interface unit 126, and displays the video. Playback unit 103
Performs processing to match the playback channel of to the channel with the highest rating within the condition range. Although the input interface unit 126 is composed of a keyboard, a mouse, a display, etc., the monitor 50 may serve as the display.

FIG. 8 shows an operation flow of the channel switching device 10 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. First, the user uses the input interface unit 126 to select conditions such as the region, the age of the viewer, and the genre of the program (S12).
0). The selected condition is transmitted to the data center 30 of the network 20 using the data transmitting / receiving unit 121 (S1
21), the audience rating and the program guide of the selected condition are acquired from the data center 30 (S122). Channel selector 1
35 determines the channel with the highest audience rating under the conditions designated by the user (S123), and performs the process of matching the determined channel with the channel played back by the video playback unit 103 (S103, S104).

As for the method of acquiring the audience rating, both the method of acquiring all the audience rating by age, the viewing probability by region, and the audience rating by genre from the network, and the method of acquiring only the audience rating of the index designated by the user from the network. Can be considered.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a selection screen for age, region, genre, and sex. The viewer (user) selects each index and sends the index to the data center of the network. The data center creates and returns the audience rating data based on the received index, and the channel selection device acquires the returned audience rating data. Although the prefecture is used for area selection in the screen example of FIG. 9, a postal code or a telephone number can be used. In addition, a plurality of ages can be selected, and a pull-down menu is used as an example of selection. However, it is also possible to directly input text.

It should be noted that the present invention can be realized by configuring a program of a computer for a part or all of the processing functions of each part in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 7, and executing the program using the computer. Can be realized, or the processing procedure shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 8 can be configured by a computer program,
It goes without saying that the program can be executed by a computer. Further, a program for realizing the processing function in such a computer or a program for causing the computer to execute the processing procedure is a computer-readable recording medium, for example, FD (floppy (registered trademark)). disk)
Also, it is possible to record on a MO, ROM, memory card, CD, DVD, removable disk, etc., and save or provide it, as well as distribute the program through a network such as the Internet. is there.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a television receiver or other broadcast receiving device or terminal device, a program having a high audience rating is followed and viewed without fail, so that the user can keep watching a program of high popularity or interest. It becomes possible to watch quickly. In addition, it is possible to flexibly follow the change in the audience rating by updating the information finely at regular intervals using a timer. Also, by using a clock,
Without being able to forcefully change the program you are currently watching,
It is possible to select the channel for the program with the highest audience rating at the desired timing.

Furthermore, by setting the age, it is possible to view the channel with the highest audience rating flexibly corresponding to different tastes between generations, and by setting the region, it is possible to specify the region It becomes possible to automatically view the highest rated channels among regions, such as information on. In addition, by setting the genre, it is possible to automatically watch the highest rating channel in the user's favorite genre such as sports, news, drama and variety, and more faithful to the purpose and range of the viewer. It is possible to watch all popular programs without exception.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flow diagram in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation flow chart in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an operation flow chart in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operation flow chart in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows an era, a region, and a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
It is an example of a selection screen for genre and gender.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 channel switching device 20 networks 30 data centers 40 broadcasting network 50 monitors 100 network interface section 101 Viewership receiver 102 Broadcast receiver 103 Video playback unit 104 Video output interface section 105,115,125,135 Channel selector 116 timer section 117 Clock Department 121 Data transmitter / receiver 126 Input interface section

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Koichiro Yamamoto             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Wataru Inoue             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Shoji Matsukawa             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5C025 AA23 DA05                 5C061 BB03 CC05

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A network interface means for connecting to a network, an audience rating receiving means for receiving audience rating data of a program being broadcast in real time from the network via the network interface means, and a broadcast signal from a broadcasting network. A broadcast receiving means, a video reproducing means for reproducing a video of a specific channel from the received broadcast signal, a video output interface manual for outputting the video reproduced by the video reproducing means to a monitor, and the audience rating receiving means for receiving A channel switching device, comprising: a channel selection unit that selects a channel having a high audience rating based on the audience rating data and matches the video reproduction channel of the video reproduction unit with the selected channel. 2. The channel switching device according to claim 1, further comprising timer means for monitoring the time interval, wherein the channel selecting means is based on the audience rating data received by the audience rating receiving means at regular time intervals. A channel switching device characterized by selecting a channel having a high audience rating. 3. The channel switching device according to claim 1, further comprising: clock means for monitoring time, wherein the channel selecting means, at a predetermined time, is based on the audience rating data received by the audience rating receiving means. Channel switching device characterized by selecting a high channel. 4. The channel switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an input interface for receiving a user's input, wherein the channel selecting means acquires audience rating data under a condition designated by the user. A channel switching device, wherein a channel having a high audience rating is selected based on the audience rating data. 5. A channel switching method in a device for receiving a broadcast signal from a broadcast network and reproducing a video of a specific channel, the method comprising receiving audience rating data of a program being broadcast in real time from the network, A channel switching method comprising: a step of selecting a channel having a high audience rating based on received audience rating data; and a step of matching a video reproduction channel to the selected channel. 6. The channel switching method according to claim 5, wherein a channel having a high audience rating is selected based on the received audience rating data at regular time intervals. 7. The channel switching method according to claim 5, wherein time is monitored, and when a predetermined time comes, a channel having a high audience rating is selected based on the received audience rating data. . 8. The channel switching method according to claim 5, wherein the audience rating data under the condition designated by the user is acquired, and a channel having a high audience rating is selected based on the audience rating data. A channel switching method characterized by: 9. The channel switching method according to claim 8, wherein at least one audience rating data of an age, region, and genre designated by a user is acquired, and a channel having a high audience rating is selected based on the audience rating data. A channel switching method characterized by: 10. A channel switching program for causing a computer to execute the channel switching method according to claim 5. 11. A recording medium on which a channel switching program for causing a computer to execute the channel switching method according to claim 5 is recorded.