JP2006060406A - Digital broadcast receiver and control method of recording device therefrom - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user-friendly erasing technique when a video recording content is erased, by managing the video recording content recorded in a recording device through a digital broadcast receiver connected to the recording device, even if there is no special function in the recording device. <P>SOLUTION: The digital broadcast receiver includes an external communication interface means for connecting with a recording device; a data base management means for obtaining information of video recording content, which is recorded in the recording device, from the recording device connected through the external communication interface means, and forming or managing the data base for managing the video recording content based on the obtained information of video recording content; and a control means for controlling the operation of the recording device based on the content of the data base. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for controlling a recording apparatus connected to a digital broadcast receiving apparatus through an external bus from the digital broadcast receiving apparatus.

  In digital television broadcasting, television signals are digitized and distributed, and high-quality programs are distributed, so a large-capacity recording device is required. For this reason, HDD recorders and DVD recorders have been developed as large-capacity recording devices.

  These HDD recorders and DVD recorders can record a large number of contents (programs). Further, since HDDs and DVDs can be accessed randomly, there is an advantage that it is easy to cue up recorded contents, and further, it is possible to record in non-continuous free areas.

  Such HDD recorder and DVD recorder can easily erase the recorded content. Also, in these devices, it is generally possible for the user to arbitrarily set whether or not the recorded content can be erased by specifying, for example, locked or unlocked. .

The recording apparatus (recording / playback apparatus) has the above functions, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-101793 discloses various erasing methods for recorded contents by having a memory area for storing the importance. ing.
JP 2001-101793 A

  By the way, in the recording / reproducing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the recording / reproducing apparatus has both the function of the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus and the function of the recording apparatus, and can manage and control the recorded content in consideration of the importance. Are pre-installed in the recording / playback apparatus.

  However, when a digital television broadcast receiver and a recording device such as an HDD recorder or a DVD recorder are separate and an arbitrary recording device is connected to the digital television broadcast receiver via an external bus, the digital television broadcast receiver Conventionally, not much consideration has been given to constructing a user-friendly operating environment when recording and erasing are performed by the recording device by the control from.

  A recording device such as an HDD recorder or a DVD recorder is connected to a digital television broadcast receiver by an IEEE 1394 bus. Under the control from the digital television broadcast receiving apparatus side, it is possible to cause the recording apparatus to record content or to play back the recorded content by a recording reservation function or the like. Is incorporated in a digital television broadcast receiver.

  However, the erasability / erasability setting for the recorded content can be performed from the digital TV broadcast receiving device connected to the recording device. However, the digital TV broadcast receiving device records the recorded content recorded in the recording device. It has not been possible to provide a user-friendly erasing method to the user when erasing the recorded content with appropriate management.

  In other words, for example, when the remaining capacity (free space) of the HDD or the like is reduced, an appropriate recorded content is automatically presented to the user as a candidate for erasure, and the user instructs erasure using this presentation. , It has not been possible to provide users with a user-friendly erasing technique. In addition, when erasing by selecting a plurality of recorded contents from a recording device, there is no choice but to take a technique of erasing the contents one by one. Further, the operation procedure is long and the operation is complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to record a digital broadcast receiving device connected to the recording device on the recording device even if the recording device has no special function. The recorded content is preferably managed so that a user-friendly deletion method can be provided to the user when deleting the recorded content.

In order to achieve the above-described object, one representative invention according to the present application provides:
In a digital broadcast receiving apparatus that is connectable to a recording apparatus and has at least a function of recording the received digital broadcast content on the recording apparatus and a function of causing the recording apparatus to delete the recorded content recorded on the recording apparatus.
External communication interface means for connecting to the recording device;
A database for acquiring recorded content information recorded in the recording device from the recording device connected through the external communication interface means, and managing the recorded content based on the acquired recorded content information Database management means for creating or updating
Control means for controlling the operation of the recording device based on the contents of the database;
Prepared,
The control means includes
The capacity of the recording device required for the content to be recorded by the recording device is calculated, the current free capacity of the recording device is acquired, and the capacity required for the content to be recorded and the recording Means for comparing the current free capacity of the device;
When the recording device has insufficient current free space, the recorded content that is a candidate for erasure for securing the space required for the content to be recorded is searched from the database and searched. Means for presenting the recorded content of the candidate for erasure on the display means;
Means for causing the recording device to delete the recording content of the erasure target candidate that the user has agreed to delete,
Have.

  According to the present invention, even if the recording device does not have a special function, various functions can be added to the digital broadcast receiving device by storing the recorded content information in the recording device in a database. As a result, it is possible to obtain an effect of avoiding a mistake in erasing the recorded content due to a user's operation mistake or a recording failure due to a lack of capacity of the recording device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital television broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) and a recording device connected thereto. 1 is a digital television broadcast receiver. Reference numeral 2 denotes a recording device (data recording / reproducing device) including an HDD recorder connected to the receiving device 1.

  In the receiving apparatus 1 of FIG. 1, 3 is an antenna, 4 is a channel selection unit (tuner unit) that selects a signal of a desired channel from a digital television broadcast signal received by the antenna 3, and 5 is a demodulation that demodulates a digital modulation signal. 6, a separation unit that separates the demodulated transport stream into video, audio, and data streams, 7 a video decoder that decodes the video stream, 8 an audio decoder that decodes the audio stream, and 9 a data stream 10 is a receiving unit including a channel selection unit 4, a demodulation unit 5, a separation unit 6, and decoders 7 to 9, and 11 is a display / audio output display of the video decoder 7 and the audio decoder 8. Display / sound output of the output decompressed by the compression / decompression unit 12 and display / sound of the video / audio data generated by the processing of the main control unit 17 A display unit 12 that compresses the output of each of the decoders 7 to 9 when recording a program (content), and a compression / expansion unit 13 that decompresses playback data from the recording device 2 during playback. Is an external communication interface unit according to the IEEE 1394 standard, 14 is an input operation interpreting unit that interprets an input operation by a user from a remote controller (not shown), and 15 acquires information of recorded content recorded in the recording device 2. The database management unit 16 creates or updates the database 16 for managing the recorded content based on the acquired recorded content information. The database management unit 16 includes a database for managing the recorded content constructed and stored in an appropriate memory, Reference numeral 17 denotes a main control unit that controls each unit in the receiving apparatus 1 and manages the overall management of the receiving apparatus 1. Reference numeral 17 denotes display / audio output processing of received content (program) based on various programs prepared in advance in a ROM (not shown) or the like, and a recording device 2 for recording the received content. Various processing such as processing, display / audio output processing of content reproduced by the recording device 2, generation / display processing of various OSD images, various arithmetic processing, and the like are executed.

  In the recording apparatus 2 of FIG. 1, 21 is an external communication interface unit according to the IEEE 1394 standard connected to the external communication interface unit 13 of the receiving apparatus 1 via an external bus, and 22 is based on a command from the receiving apparatus 1. The control unit 23 controls each unit in the recording device 2, the recording / reproducing unit 23 performs recording / reproduction on the HDD 24 under the control of the control unit 22, and 24 records the content, and the recorded recording The HDD 24 a that reproduces content is a management table provided in a predetermined area of the HDD 24.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the contents of the database 16 constructed and stored in the receiving device 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the database 16 includes a recording device number 31, a program name 32, a service name 33, a service ID 34, a recording date and time 35, a lock state 36, a content capacity 37, a last playback date and time 38, and a playback count 39. , Stored for each recorded content.

  Next, a method for creating / updating the database 16 for managing recorded contents will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of processing when the database 16 is created / updated.

  First, in step S1, the external communication interface unit 13 of the receiving device 1 and the external communication interface unit 21 of the recording device 2 are physically connected via an external bus. At this time, the receiving device 1 acquires information such as the name of the connected recording device 2 and the manufacturer of the recording device 2. Next, in step S2, when an operation target device is selected by the user's operation and the recording device 2 is selected as the operation target device, a logical connection between the receiving device 1 and the recording device 2 ( (Hereinafter referred to as a link) is established. When the link is established, in step 3, the receiving device 1 requests the recording device 2 to transfer the list information of the recorded video content. Thereby, in step S4, the content list read from the management table 24a of the recording device 2 is transferred from the recording device 2 to the receiving device 1, and the receiving device 1 acquires the content list.

  Next, in step S5, the contents of the content list obtained in step S4 are compared with the contents of the current database 16. Here, if there is a matching recorded content, in step S6, the detailed information of the corresponding recorded content in the acquired content list is confirmed, and the contents of the changed items are updated to update the database 16. Register with. On the other hand, if the recorded content in the acquired content list does not exist in the database 16, management data for the recorded content that did not exist in the database 16 is newly registered in the database 16 in step S 7.

  Then, in step S8, it is confirmed whether or not the comparison process for all the recorded contents in the content list acquired in step S4 has been completed. If the comparison process has not been completed, the processes in steps S5 to S7 are repeated. The process proceeds to step S9.

  In step S9, all management data of the recorded content that exists on the database 16 but does not exist in the content list acquired in step S4 is deleted from the database 16. Finally, in step S10, the created or updated database 16 is stored in an appropriate storage area of the internal memory of the receiving device 1.

  Next, a method for selecting and deleting recorded content recorded in the recording device 2 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an erasing operation screen on the display unit 11 of the receiving apparatus 1 that is presented to the user in order to select recorded content to be erased. This erasure operation screen is displayed on the display unit 11 when the user operates a remote controller (not shown) to instruct the erasure operation of the recorded content. The deletion operation screen shown in FIG. 4 includes, for example, a program name, a service ID, a recording date and time, a selection field 41 for a recording content item to be deleted, a band program deletion button 42, a deletion execution button 43, and the like. It is displayed and can be operated by the user interactively with the erase operation screen using the remote control.

  FIG. 5 shows a first example of the flow of processing when deleting recorded content.

  First, in step S11, the user operates a remote controller (not shown) to display an erase operation screen. This deletion operation screen is created by the main control unit 17 based on the contents of the database 16.

  Next, in step S12, the recorded content to be deleted by the user is selected in the selection column 41, and the delete execution button 43 is pressed. Thereby, in step S13, data related to the recorded content to be deleted is acquired from the database 16. Next, in step S14, the recording device 2 is instructed to delete the recorded content selected by the user, and in response to this, the recording device 2 executes the instructed deletion of the recorded content. The management data related to the erased recorded content is erased from the management table 24a.

  In step S15, it is confirmed whether or not the erasure process has been completed for all the recorded contents acquired in step S13. If not, the processes in steps S14 and 15 are repeated. Proceed to step S16.

  In step S16, the management data regarding all the recorded contents selected in step S12 is deleted from the database 16, and finally, in step S17, the updated database 16 is stored in an appropriate storage area of the internal memory of the receiving device 1. To do. At this time, the contents of the management table 24a of the recording apparatus 2 are compared with the contents of the database 16 in the same way as when creating the database 16, and it is confirmed whether the updated contents of the database 16 are correct. It is also possible.

  Next, deletion of recorded content (hereinafter referred to as “band program content”) having the same day of the week, time zone, service ID, and the like will be described.

  FIG. 6 shows a second example of the flow of processing when deleting recorded content. FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing that is executed when the user selects the recorded content to be deleted on the deletion operation screen of FIG. 4 and also instructs the deletion of the band program content. .

  First, in step S21, the user operates a remote controller (not shown) to display an erase operation screen. Next, in step S22, the user selects a recorded content to be erased in the selection column 41, and presses the erasure program erase button 42 to instruct the batch erasure of the recorded content of the obi program to which the selected recorded content belongs.

  Thus, in step S23, data such as day of the week, time zone, service ID, etc., regarding the recorded content selected to be deleted is acquired from the database 16. Next, in step S24, recorded contents having data matching the day of the week, time zone, and service ID acquired in step S23 are searched from the database 16, and all recorded contents having matching data (that is, deleted by the user). Data relating to all the recorded contents belonging to the band program to which the recorded content to which the item is selected is acquired from the database 16.

  Next, in step S25, the recording device 2 is instructed to delete the recorded content belonging to the belt program designated by the user, and in response to this, the recording device 2 records the recorded content belonging to the designated belt program. In addition, the management data related to the erased recorded content is erased from the management table 24a.

  In step S26, it is confirmed whether or not the erasure process has been completed for all the recorded contents acquired in steps S22 and S24. If not, the processes in steps S25 and S26 are repeated. If so, the process proceeds to step S27.

  In step S27, the management data regarding all the recorded contents acquired in step S22 and step S24 is deleted from the database 16, and finally, in step S28, the updated database 16 is stored in the internal memory of the receiving apparatus 1 as appropriate. Save to area.

  In addition, as a function similar to the above-described erasing function of the band program content, for example, it is possible to have the user set a time zone and have a function of erasing all the recorded contents that match this. .

  Next, an operation when a new recording reservation is executed will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of processing when a new recording reservation is executed.

  When a recording reservation operation is performed, first, in step S31, the receiving apparatus 1 communicates with the recording apparatus 2 and confirms the current free capacity of the HDD 24 of the recording apparatus 2. Next, in step S32, the maximum bit rate or video information and program time of the recording reserved program (content) obtained from the electronic program information multiplexed in the broadcast, or the recording resolution setting and recording time by the user are set. The setting information and the like are acquired, and in step S33, based on the information acquired in step S32, the capacity in the recording apparatus 2 required for the program to be recorded by the recording apparatus 2 (the capacity required for execution of the recording reservation). The capacity of the recording device 2 is calculated.

  In step S34, the free space of the recording apparatus 2 acquired in step S31 is compared with the capacity necessary for execution of the recording reservation calculated in step S33, which is sufficient to execute the recording reservation in the recording apparatus 2. If the recording device 2 has enough free space, the process proceeds to step S41 to end the process. If the recording device 2 has insufficient free space, the process goes to step S35. move on.

  In step S35, with reference to the database 16, in order to secure the capacity required for the program to be reserved for recording, the recorded content as a candidate for erasure is searched from the recorded content recorded in the recording device 2. . As an example of the search condition for the erasure target candidate, a recorded content that has been reproduced with the same day of the week, the same time zone, and the same service ID as the erasure target candidate is extracted. In addition to this, the search condition for the candidate to be erased may be recorded content with the oldest recording date and time, recorded content that has been played back, or a combination thereof.

  Next, in step S36, a message that informs the user that the free space of the recording device 2 is low and the data of the first erasure target candidate recorded content extracted in step S35 are presented. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the operation guidance screen presented to the user in step S36. When the user agrees to delete, the user presses the “Yes” button 51, and when the user does not agree to delete, the “No” button. Press 52.

  Next, in step S37, it is confirmed whether or not the erasure candidate recording content presented by the user has been agreed, and if agreed, the process proceeds to step S38, and if not agreed, the next erasure is erased. The processing of steps S35 to S37 is repeated by sequentially presenting the data of the target candidate recorded content.

  In step S38, the receiving apparatus 1 instructs the recording apparatus 2 to delete the recorded content that the user has agreed to delete, and in response to this, the recording apparatus 2 executes deletion of the instructed recorded content, At the same time, the management data relating to the erased recorded content is erased from the management table 24a. Next, in step S39, the management data relating to the recorded content deleted from the recording device 2 is deleted from the database 16, and in step S40, the updated database 16 is stored in an appropriate storage area of the internal memory of the receiving device 1. Then, it progresses to step S41 and complete | finishes a process.

  It should be noted that the search condition set by the user can be used for the search / extraction of the recorded content that is the candidate for erasure. In this case, the recorded content that matches the search condition set by the user is selected in step S35. Search by.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and the recording device connected to it. It is explanatory drawing which shows one example of the content of the database in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process at the time of creating / updating a database in the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the screen for deletion operation displayed with the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 1st example of the flow of a process at the time of deleting the recorded content in the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 2nd example of the flow of a process at the time of deleting the recorded content in the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when performing the new recording reservation in the digital television broadcast receiver which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the operation guidance screen shown by step S35 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Digital TV broadcast receiver (receiver)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Recording device 3 Antenna 4 Channel selection part 5 Demodulation part 6 Separation part 7 Video decoder 8 Audio decoder 9 Data decoder 10 Reception part 11 Display part 12 Compression / decompression part 13 External communication interface part 14 Input operation interpretation part 15 Database management part 16 Database 17 Main control unit 21 External communication interface unit 22 Control unit 23 Recording / playback unit 24 HDD
24a management table

Claims (6)

From a digital broadcast receiving device that is connectable to a recording device and has at least a function of recording the received digital broadcast content on the recording device and a function of causing the recording device to delete the recorded content recorded on the recording device. A method for controlling a recording apparatus,
Establishing a connection with the recording device;
Obtaining information of recorded content recorded in the recording device from the recording device;
Creating or updating a database for managing recorded content based on the acquired recorded content information;
Controlling the recording device based on the contents of the database;
A method of controlling a recording apparatus from a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, comprising: In the control method of the recording device from the digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1,
The step of controlling the recording device based on the contents of the database comprises:
Obtaining a current free capacity of the recording device;
Calculating the capacity of the recording device required for the content to be recorded by the recording device;
Comparing the capacity required for the content to be recorded and the current free capacity of the recording device;
Searching the database for recorded content that is a candidate for erasure for securing the capacity required for the content to be recorded when the current free capacity of the recording device is insufficient;
Presenting the retrieved recorded content information to the user;
Causing the recording device to erase the recorded content of the candidate for erasure that the user has agreed to erase,
Equipped,
A method for controlling a recording device from a digital broadcast receiving device, wherein a free space required for recording is secured in the recording device. In the control method of the recording device from the digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2,
A method for controlling a recording apparatus from a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein any recorded content can be erased from the recording apparatus. A digital broadcast receiving device that is connectable to a recording device and has at least a function of recording the received digital broadcast content on the recording device and a function of causing the recording device to delete the recorded content recorded on the recording device. And
External communication interface means for connecting to the recording device;
A database for acquiring recorded content information recorded in the recording device from the recording device connected through the external communication interface means, and managing the recorded content based on the acquired recorded content information Database management means for creating or updating
Control means for controlling the operation of the recording device based on the contents of the database;
A digital broadcast receiver characterized by comprising. The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 4, wherein
The control means includes
The capacity of the recording device required for the content to be recorded by the recording device is calculated, the current free capacity of the recording device is acquired, and the capacity required for the content to be recorded and the recording Means for comparing the current free capacity of the device;
When the recording device has insufficient current free space, the recorded content that is a candidate for erasure for securing the space required for the content to be recorded is searched from the database and searched. Means for presenting the recorded content of the candidate for erasure on the display means;
Means for causing the recording device to delete the recording content of the erasure target candidate that the user has agreed to delete,
Equipped,
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus characterized in that an empty area necessary for recording is secured in the recording apparatus. The digital broadcast receiver according to claim 1 or 2,
An arbitrary digital broadcast content can be erased from the recording device.

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