JP2008312084A - Vod transmission and reception system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a VOD transmission and reception system that allows users of TV receiver to view more easily desired VOD content or VOD content group. <P>SOLUTION: The VOD transmission and reception system comprises a VOD server for storing and transmitting the VOD content, and a VOD reception device for receiving the VOD content. The VOD server receives a digital broadcast, and creates and stores VOD content list data in which an ID for identifying the received digital broadcast program is related to the VOD content stored in the VOD server. When the VOD reception device transmits a program identification ID received from the digital broadcast to the VOD server, the VOD server transmits the VOD content list data having a program identification ID matching the transmitted program identification ID to the VOD reception device. The VOD reception device displays the VOD content list data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a VOD transmission / reception system that provides digital broadcast receiver users with VOD content related to or similar to specific digital broadcast content in a digital broadcast receiver.

  In recent years, a broadband environment using ADSL and an optical fiber network has been improved, and various services using the network are rapidly expanding. Among them, VOD (Video On Demand) has been attracting attention as a service that allows users to see videos when they want to see them. VOD is a service for receiving and reproducing moving image data via an IP network by designating distribution start time and moving image content to be distributed from the user side. It is also called streaming broadcasting in that playback is performed while receiving data via a network.

  VOD is significantly different from conventional TV broadcasting using ground and sanitary radio waves. In conventional television broadcasting, the broadcast station selects the content that the receiver user expects to match, and the selected (produced) content is broadcast to all receiver users. Watch. On the other hand, in VOD, a viewer can select and view desired content at a desired timing from a content group stored in the VOD server according to individual preferences.

  The currently provided VOD service is to access a dedicated portal site from a receiver or PC, and select and view desired content from a group of contents categorized and stored in a server. It is common. Such a service form is performed by actively accessing a dedicated portal site from the user side after clearly defining in advance the content that the user wants to view.

  However, a series of operations for receiving provision of these VOD services is more complicated than the operation of receiving conventional television broadcasts, and becomes a major obstacle to expanding the users of VOD services. If the VOD service can be received with a simpler operation that is easily accepted by conventional TV broadcast users, more people can benefit from the VOD service.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228867, information on content provided by a VOD server is received as program information using the same method as program information by an EIT section multiplexed in a TS (Transport Stream) used in digital broadcasting. It proposes a method of accumulating data and presenting it to users. As a result, the user can select and use the content stored in the VOD server in the same manner as selecting a broadcasting station by looking at a program guide for digital broadcasting.
JP 2004-134847 A

  However, the number of VOD broadcast contents is very large compared to conventional TV broadcasts broadcast from limited broadcast stations, and is not broadcast in time series like conventional TV broadcasts. Program information cannot be displayed in the same electronic program guide as in conventional television broadcasting. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to select a desired VOD content from among a large number of VOD content.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a VOD transmission / reception system that presents a VOD content or a content group desired by a user more simply.

  The present invention is a VOD transmission / reception system comprising a VOD server for storing and transmitting VOD content and a VOD receiving device for receiving VOD content. The VOD server receives a digital broadcast and receives a program identification ID of the received digital broadcast. And VOD content list data in which the VOD content stored in the VOD server is created and stored, and the VOD receiving device transmits the program identification ID received from the digital broadcast to the VOD server, the VOD server transmits the transmitted program. VOD content list data having a program identification ID that matches the identification ID is transmitted to the VOD receiving device, and the VOD receiving device displays the VOD content list data.

  With this configuration, the user can easily select the VOD content to be viewed.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a VOD system including a television receiver 10 capable of receiving VOD and a VOD server 20 as an embodiment of the present invention.

  The television receiver 10 can receive a TS used in digital broadcasting, and can obtain an EIT section multiplexed and distributed in the TS in the TS decoder unit 1 of FIG. And

  In the EIT section, as shown in FIG. 2, in order to generate an electronic program guide (EPG) such as a program start time, broadcast time, title (event ID), category, program overview, and ES organization The necessary information is described.

  The television receiver 10 temporarily stores the EIT section decoded by the TS decoder unit 1 in the main storage unit 2, converts it into program information shown in FIG. 3, and stores it in the nonvolatile storage medium 3. When the user activates the electronic program guide, the program information stored and stored in the nonvolatile storage medium 3 is read, and the electronic program guide is presented to the user.

  The program information will be further described. In digital broadcasting, an ID is assigned to each of a network, a TS, a service, and an event (program). As the ID indicating the network, a Network ID for identifying the network that distributes the TS is assigned. As an ID indicating a TS, a TSID for identifying the TS is given in one network. As an ID indicating a service, a Service ID for identifying a multiplexed service is assigned in one TS. As an ID indicating an event, an Event ID for identifying each event (program) being broadcast by one service is given.

  By using these four IDs, it is possible to uniquely identify a program that is currently being broadcast (or that is scheduled to be broadcast).

  In the television receiver 10 in the present embodiment, the EIT section is converted into program information including an ID (NetworkID, TSID, ServiceID, and EventID) for identifying a program in the main storage unit 2 and stored in the nonvolatile storage medium 3. To do. Thereby, the program pointed to by the user can be uniquely represented by the above four IDs.

  The VOD server 20 collects digital broadcast program information. As a specific method of collection, digital broadcasting radio waves may be received in real time as in a television receiver, or may be obtained directly from a broadcasting station through an IP network or the like.

  Furthermore, a content group that the VOD server 20 holds a content group that can be predicted that the user is interested from the program information stored in the nonvolatile storage medium 3 of the television receiver 10 or a content group that the user wants to recommend. The contents are selected from among them, are associated by a content ID that uniquely identifies the VOD content in the server, and the program information and the content ID are stored in the nonvolatile storage medium 8 as list data. By storing the list data in the nonvolatile storage medium 8, when a specific program is selected, the associated VOD content group is instantly referred to by referring to the list data having program information of the selected program. Can present. An example of the list data is shown in FIG. The program information shown in FIG. 4 includes drama A first episode with content ID 0100, drama A second episode with content ID 0101, drama B first episode with content ID 0200, drama B first episode with content ID 0201. Two episodes are associated with movie A whose content ID is 0300.

  Next, a method in which the user of the television receiver 10 points to a specific program from the provided program group will be described. For the user to select a program, for example, an electronic program guide is used. The electronic program guide generally has a form in which grid data is arranged in a matrix or a list, and each grid block is a block that uniquely indicates a broadcast program. The user selects one program information from the displayed programs by performing a cross key operation with the remote controller (see FIG. 5A).

  Furthermore, it is possible to enlarge and display detailed information on the selected program by operating a remote control key such as a decision button. As an example of a trigger unit for using VOD content by the television receiver 10 in the present embodiment, when displaying the program detail screen, OSD (On Screen Display) is used on the same screen to display “Related Content. The button “Search by VOD” is displayed, and the user selects the button and decides with the decision button or the like (see FIG. 5B).

  Next, FIG. 6 shows operations of the television receiver 10 and the VOD server 20 from the designation of the program identification ID to the viewing of the VOD content.

  When the television receiver 10 is activated by a user operation (S1), first, the program identification ID (NetworkID, TSID, ServiceID, and EventID) selected when the television receiver 10 is activated is set to the VOD server 20. (S2).

  The VOD server 20 identifies list data having a program identification ID that matches the program identification ID sent from the television receiver 10 among the list data stored in the non-volatile storage medium 8, and uses the identified list data as the identified list data. A VOD content list indicating the VOD content describing the stored content ID and the content name corresponding to the content ID is sent back to the television receiver 10 (S3).

  The television receiver 10 presents the returned VOD content list data to the user. The VOD content list data is displayed as shown in FIG. 7, for example.

  The 10 users of the television receiver select a desired content from the displayed VOD content list and press the enter button to send the content ID to the VOD server 20 (S4).

  The VOD server 20 starts sending the stream data of the content corresponding to the sent content ID to the VOD client via the IP network (S5).

  Through the above flow, the user of the television receiver 10 can receive the VOD content related to the television broadcast program.

  According to such a configuration, by using the TV broadcast program itself as a window to the VOD, the user can present the VOD content list without considering any words for searching for the VOD content. Thereby, the user can easily select the VOD content to be viewed.

  For example, suppose that a user who was watching a movie on television broadcasts became very interested in the movie when it finished watching. It can be inferred that the user may be interested in other series of the movie, other works of the produced director, other works in which the film performers appear. On the VOD server, it is possible to create a content list based on the analogy that "If you are a viewer of this program, you will be interested in such content." Can present content. In addition, since it is possible to generate a related content list after truly interpreting the meaning of the contents of a broadcast program, rather than simply a content list created by matching with keywords, etc. There are few mismatches.

  In addition, if a service form that introduces movies, dramas, etc. through TV broadcasting and charges them to VOD and provides them to users, or IP re-broadcasting of TV broadcast programs is possible, programs that users missed As a window for enabling viewing later, it is possible to select a desired broadcast program from program information (EPG) that has already been broadcast, and provide a service form that provides the broadcast itself as a VOD. .

  By using a TV broadcast program as an introduction to the VOD service, the threshold for using the VOD service can be lowered, and the number of VOD users can be expanded. In addition, there is a possibility that a new service model in which TV broadcasting and VOD are linked can be developed.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the VOD transmission / reception system by one embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the EIT section memorize | stored in the main memory part 2 shown in FIG. The figure which shows the program information memorize | stored in the non-volatile storage medium 3 shown in FIG. The figure which shows the list data memorize | stored in the non-volatile storage medium 8 shown in FIG. Figure showing an example of an electronic program guide The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the VOD transmission / reception system by one Embodiment of this invention. Figure showing an example of a VOD content list

Explanation of symbols

1 TS decoder section 2 Main storage section 3 Non-volatile storage medium 4 Network I / F
5 Network I / F
6 Main memory 7 CPU
8 Nonvolatile storage medium 10 Television receiver 20 VOD server 30 IP network

Claims (2)

In a VOD transmission / reception system comprising a VOD server for storing and transmitting VOD content and a VOD receiving device for receiving VOD content,
The VOD server receives a digital broadcast, creates and stores VOD content list data in which a program identification ID of the received digital broadcast is associated with the VOD content stored in the VOD server,
When the VOD receiving apparatus transmits a program identification ID received from a digital broadcast to the VOD server, the VOD server sends VOD content list data having a program identification ID that matches the transmitted program identification ID to the VOD receiving apparatus. To
The VOD receiving apparatus displays the VOD content list data. 2. The VOD transmission / reception system according to claim 1, wherein when the VOD content is selected using the VOD content list displayed on the VOD receiving device, the selected VOD content is transmitted from the VOD server. .

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