JP2003304477A - Video and voice reproducer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically reproduce a continuation of a program or contents by other apparatus when the program is currently reproduced by one apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The video and voice reproducer comprises a view history memory means for storing the view history information of the contents. The view history memory means is an external memory means (e.g. external memory 14 such as memory cards, etc.), removably attached to the reproducer (e.g. a PDA, hard disc recorder, DVD recorder, DVD player or CD player). It reads view history information stored in the view history memory means and automatically reproduces a continuation of contents. Whether it automatically reproduces the continuation of the contents immediately or after checking it can be made optional in this case. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a digital broadcast receiver, a hard disk recorder, a DVD recorder, and a DVD.
The present invention relates to a video / audio reproducing device for reproducing received content or content stored in a storage medium, such as a player and a CD player.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A content reproduction / reception device that collects viewer preference information when content is reproduced and can use this preference information in another device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-269.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 840. Play this content /
The receiver calculates the preference value for each viewer, records it in a portable storage medium, or transfers it to another device, so that the viewer's preference information can be used in different places and devices.

A TV program reservation system using a mobile phone is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-103406. In this TV program reservation system,
By transferring the viewing program history information accumulated in the broadcast receiver to the mobile phone of the user, the user can check the program in advance and the user can easily reserve the desired program.

Further, a technique for automatically continuing the viewing from a position where the viewing is interrupted when the viewing of the broadcast program is interrupted halfway is disclosed in JP-A-5-122674 and JP-A-11-111.
-205771 gazette.

According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 122722/1993, in a CATV system, a CATV center broadcasts the same broadcast program on different channels at different time zones. The link data for connecting the channels being broadcast and the start time data indicating the broadcast start time for each channel are superimposed and broadcast. Accordingly, when the broadcast program is interrupted, the CATV terminal calculates the viewed time as the interrupt elapsed time based on the start time of the superimposed broadcast, and stores it in the memory of the CATV terminal. Then, when the viewing is resumed by the CATV terminal, the stored link data and the elapsed interruption time are used, and the CPU automatically selects and selects the broadcast program close to the interruption time. As a result, the continuation of the broadcast program whose viewing has been interrupted can be automatically viewed.

In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-205771, among application programs transmitted in synchronism with broadcast programs in digital broadcasting, applications such as games that may not end within the broadcast time. For this purpose, the operation process while watching the program is stored in the EEPROM on the digital broadcast receiver. Then, when the same broadcast program (application) is viewed, the continuation of the application can be executed by reading the operation process stored in the EEPROM.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional technique, the reproduction information is stored in the storage device inside the device. For example, when the power of the broadcast receiver is turned off and then turned on again, the same channel as the channel that was previously watched is automatically selected. In this case, the receiver stores only the channel number when the power is off.

Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-122674, the elapsed time when the viewing is interrupted is recorded in the memory of the CATV terminal. I can't watch the rest of the show. The same applies to the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-205771.
As described above, it is impossible for the conventional video / audio reproduction device to automatically receive / reproduce the continuation of the content viewed by another video / audio reproduction device.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and video / audio capable of automatically reproducing the same program or the continuation of the same content even in a device other than the device currently reproducing the content. An object is to provide a reproducing device.

Specifically, it is possible to automatically receive / reproduce the continuation of a program or content that has been received / reproduced outdoors using a portable device, using another indoor device. It is a thing.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in a video / audio reproducing apparatus for reproducing received content or content stored in a storage medium, a viewing history storage means for storing viewing history information of the content. It is characterized by having.

The video / audio reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is
The viewing history storage means is a shell of external storage means that can be attached to and detached from the video / audio reproduction device.

The video / audio reproducing device according to the present invention is
It is characterized in that it is provided with an automatic reproduction means for reading the viewing history information stored in the viewing history storage means and automatically reproducing the continuation of the content. Here, the automatic playback means can arbitrarily select whether to automatically play the continuation of the content or play it after confirmation.

Further, the video / audio reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an information transfer means for transferring the viewing history information.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a video / audio reproducing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video / audio reproduction device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the video / audio reproduction device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a video / audio reproduction unit 11 for reproducing the video / audio content and a video / audio management unit 12 for designating the video / audio content to be reproduced. A viewing history storage unit 13 for recording viewing history information of the reproduced audiovisual content, and an external storage unit 14 are provided.

Next, a control procedure in the video / audio reproducing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The video / audio reproduction device according to the present embodiment is provided with a storage medium (external storage unit 14 shown in FIG. 1) that can be attached to and detached from the video / audio reproduction device, and stores viewing history information of programs in this storage medium. By attaching a storage medium to a plurality of other video / audio reproduction devices, the contents can be viewed.

For example, assume that a user views a content on an arbitrary device and wants to view the content on another device before the end of the content. In this case, the user views the continuation of the viewing content by moving the recording medium in which the viewing history information up to now is recorded from the device currently used for viewing to the device desired to continue viewing. It becomes possible.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when the viewing is interrupted, the medium being reproduced is confirmed (S21), and the viewing history information corresponding to the medium is recorded in the recording medium (S22). Here, the viewing history information by the video / audio management unit 12 is stored in the viewing history storage unit 13 and the external storage unit 1.
Stored in 4. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the medium to be played is confirmed in the destination device (S3
1) Read the viewing history information from the recording medium (S3
2) It is determined whether or not the viewing history information is recorded, that is, whether or not the viewing history information matches and the same content can be viewed (S33).

Here, if the information about the viewed program is recorded, it is determined that the same content can be viewed on the device, and the same content is reproduced from the interruption position (S34). On the other hand, if the viewing history information regarding the same content is not found in the recording medium, the current content is reproduced from the beginning (S35). In this case, the video / audio management unit 12 reads the viewing history information from the viewing history storage unit 13 and the external storage unit 14, and causes the video / audio reproduction unit 11 to reproduce the content.

Next, a more specific embodiment of the video / audio reproducing apparatus according to the present invention will be described. Figure 4 shows PD
A (Personal Digital Assist)
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) capable of recording digital broadcasts by viewing digital broadcasts using
e) It is a schematic diagram in the case where the continuation is automatically reproduced by the recording / reproducing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 4, the viewing history information in the PDA 42 is the PDA 42 and the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus 4.
The data can be stored in the memory card 43 that can be used in No. 1 and can be taken over by the HDD recording / reproducing device 41. At this time, as information for uniquely determining the program, the network ID, the Original and the program information of the digital broadcast are used.
Network ID, Service ID, Ev
A program having a matching ent ID is searched.

As information for recording the progress status of a program, it is conceivable to store viewing history information such as the program start time, program end time, viewing start time, and viewing end time. An example of storing the viewing history information is as shown in FIG.

When shifting from viewing on the PDA to viewing on the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus, by inserting a memory card in which the viewing history information of the PDA is recorded into the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus, the viewing history information up to the present is stored on the HDD. It can be taken over by the recording / playback device. Also, without using a memory card,
Data may be transferred by wireless communication between the PDA and the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus.

The HDD recording / reproducing apparatus includes information regarding digital broadcasting in the viewing history information inherited from the PDA,
Compare with the program recorded in the HDD, Network
kID, Original Network ID, S
A program having a matching service ID and event ID is searched. As a result of the search, if the same program is not found, the program is not automatically reproduced. If the same program is found and the program is being viewed (when the program viewing end time is before the program ending time), the program is automatically started to be reproduced from that time. At this time, in order to advance the program to the time the user was watching, the program start time of the digital broadcast program in the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus and the time data (not the time at the time of reproduction) simultaneously recorded at the time of recording the program are recorded. Use to cue.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a user broadcasts a broadcast program from 12:34:56 on January 2, 2001 to 13:34:56 on January 2, 2001 by PDA.
Suppose you were watching. At this time, the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus records the same program together with the time.

The user can watch the PDA 200 times.
I stopped at 13:04:56 on January 2, 1st. Then, on the next day (13:00:00 on January 3, 2001), the viewing history information is transferred from the PDA to the HDD in order to view the continuation.
Send to recording / playback device. Then, the HDD recording / reproducing apparatus searches for the same program, and the time (2001
13:04:56 (January 2, 2013) and the time recorded at the same time as the program are compared, and the reproduction is automatically started at the same time. This allows the user to view seamlessly on multiple devices. Here, in the reproduction of the same program based on the viewing history information, the subsequent reproduction is automatically performed by, for example, menu setting, or
It is possible to indicate on the screen that the subsequent reproduction is possible and to instruct the user to execute the reproduction.

Next, let us consider a case where the DVD content is viewed on a portable DVD player and the rest is automatically reproduced on another stationary DVD player. The viewing history information in the DVD player can be handed over to another DVD device by storing it in a memory card common to each DVD device. At this time, for example, the volume ID unique to the DVD title and the viewing time from the start of the chapter may be used as the storage information.

When the DVD being watched is viewed by another DVD device, the memory card in which the viewing history information up to the present is recorded together with the DVD medium is continuously inserted into the DVD device desired to be watched. Takes over the viewing history information up to the present. DVD equipment that inherits information is
DVD title ID and ID recorded in viewing history information
Are compared, and if the DVD titles do not match, playback is performed from the beginning of the title. Also, the ID of the DVD title
If matches, the chapter is automatically played from the continuation of the chapter. This allows the user to view seamlessly on multiple devices.

[0029]

According to the video / audio reproducing device of the present invention, a plurality of devices can be stored by storing or transferring the viewing history information of digital broadcasting or DVD / CD in the external storage means such as a memory card. By using this, it becomes possible to automatically view the same program or the continuation of the same content. By the way, in the conventional technology, since the information when the viewing is interrupted is stored in the memory on the broadcast receiving terminal, the continuation of the interrupted program can be viewed only by the broadcast receiving terminal used for the viewing. Can not. On the other hand, in the video / audio reproduction device according to the present invention, since the viewing information is stored in the external storage means, it is possible to see the continuation of the program interrupted on the other receiving terminal which is not used for viewing. Is possible.

Further, according to the video / audio reproducing device of the present invention, the device for watching the program of which viewing is interrupted is not limited to the broadcast receiving terminal, but a hard disk recorder or a DVD.
A like a recorder, DVD player, CD player, etc.
It is possible to target all V devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video / audio reproduction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in the video / audio reproduction device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in the video / audio reproduction device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the video / audio reproduction device according to the present invention more specifically.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of viewing history information in the video / audio reproduction device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Video and audio playback section 12 Video and audio management section 13 Viewing history storage 14 External storage 41 HDD recording / reproducing apparatus 42 PDA 43 memory card

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Mitsuhiro Nakaizumi             22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka             Inside the company F term (reference) 5C052 AA17 AB03 CC06 DD04 DD06                       GA03 GA04 GE08                 5D044 AB05 BC01 BC02 CC04 FG23                 5D077 AA22 AA23 BA19 BB16 CA02                 5D090 AA01 BB02 BB03 BB04 CC04                       CC16 DD03 FF26

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A video / audio reproducing apparatus for reproducing received content or content stored in a storage medium, comprising: a viewing history storage unit for storing viewing history information of the content. Video and audio playback device. 2. The video / audio reproduction device according to claim 1, wherein the viewing history storage device comprises an external storage device detachable from the video / audio reproduction device. 3. The automatic reproduction unit for reading the viewing history information stored in the viewing history storage unit and automatically playing back the continuation of the content. Video and audio playback device. 4. The video / audio reproduction according to claim 3, wherein the automatic reproduction means is capable of arbitrarily selecting whether to reproduce the continuation of the content automatically or after confirmation. apparatus. 5. The video / audio reproduction device according to claim 1, further comprising an information transfer unit for transferring the viewing history information.