JP2009152783A - Content reproducing device and content reproduction method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content reproducing device and a content reproduction method which can delete content whose reproduction time has expired from a recording medium so as to make effective use of the recording medium, and moreover, allows a user to refer to an acquiring history to improve the user convenience and practicability. <P>SOLUTION: The device reproduces main information of the searched content, based on information showing a referring point of the content included in content management information (1a to Na) for content (1 to N) whose reproduction time limit has not expired, and deletes the main information of the searched content (1b to Nb) from a recording medium (36a), based on information showing the referring point of the content included in the content management information (1a to Na), leaving the content management information (1a to Na) in the recording medium (36a) for the content (1 to N) whose reproduction time limit has expired, as it is. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a content playback apparatus and content playback method for playing back content recorded with a playback time limit.

  As is well known, in recent years, content distribution systems that use digital broadcasting, network lines, and the like to purchase content from content distribution companies with a reproduction time limit have become widespread. In this type of content distribution system, the purchased content is recorded in a recording / playback device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), for example, and playback from the hard disk is permitted for viewing only within the playback time limit. .

  By the way, when content with a playback time limit is recorded in the recording / playback apparatus in this way, it is important to handle the content that has exceeded the playback time limit. In other words, if the content whose reproduction time limit has expired is deleted from the recording medium, the free capacity of the recording medium can be increased. On the other hand, if the content is deleted from the recording medium, the purchase history of the content cannot be referred to, which impairs convenience for the user.

In Patent Document 1, designated video information downloaded from a video server via the Internet is recorded on a hard disk together with a time limit for permitting the reproduction thereof. It is disclosed that the designated video information is erased from the hard disk if the time limit has elapsed and the user does not extend the time limit.
JP 2003-018535 A

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and content that has exceeded the reproduction time limit can be deleted from the recording medium to effectively use the recording area, and the user can refer to the content acquisition history. It is an object of the present invention to provide a content reproduction apparatus and a content reproduction method that can improve the convenience for the user and are suitable for practical use.

  That is, the content playback apparatus according to the present invention is intended for playback of a recording medium on which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information. Then, a selection means for selecting a predetermined content from a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium, and for the content selected by the selection means, the reproduction deadline included in the content management information and the current date and time are compared, A determination means for determining whether or not the reproduction time limit has been exceeded, and a search for content determined by the determination means that the reproduction time limit has not been exceeded based on information indicating a content reference destination included in the content management information Information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information while the content management information remains on the recording medium with respect to the content that has been reproduced by the discriminating means, Control means for deleting the main content information retrieved based on the recording medium from the recording medium. It is intended.

  The content reproduction method according to the present invention is directed to a method of reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information. Then, the process of selecting a predetermined content from a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium and the reproduction deadline exceeding the reproduction deadline included in the content management information for the selected content are compared. A step of determining whether or not the content has been determined that the reproduction time limit has not been exceeded, and a step of reproducing the content main information searched based on information indicating a content reference destination included in the content management information The content main information searched for based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information while the content management information remains on the recording medium with respect to the content determined that the reproduction deadline has been exceeded. And a step of deleting from the recording medium.

  According to the above-described invention, content that is determined to have exceeded the playback deadline is searched based on information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information while the content management information remains on the recording medium. Since the main content information is deleted from the recording medium, it is possible to delete the content whose reproduction time limit has been exceeded from the recording medium for effective use of the recording area, and the user refers to the content acquisition history. It becomes possible to improve the convenience for the user and to be suitable for practical use.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a main signal processing system of a digital broadcast receiving apparatus 11 described in this embodiment. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus 11 has a function of acquiring and recording content with a reproduction time limit from a content distribution company using digital broadcast or a network line.

  That is, the satellite digital broadcast signal received by the BS (broadcasting satellite) / CS (communication satellite) digital broadcast receiving antenna 12 is supplied to the satellite digital broadcast tuner unit 14 via the input terminal 13. A broadcast signal of a desired channel is selected.

  The broadcast signal selected by the tuner unit 14 is supplied to a PSK (phase shift keying) demodulator 15 to demodulate a TS (transport stream). The TS is supplied to the TS processing unit 16 and decoded into a digital video signal, an audio signal, and the like, and then output to the signal processing unit 17.

  The terrestrial digital broadcast signal received by the terrestrial broadcast receiving antenna 18 is supplied to the terrestrial digital broadcast tuner unit 20 via the input terminal 19 so that the broadcast signal of the desired channel is selected. The

  The broadcast signal selected by the tuner unit 20 is supplied to an OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) demodulator 21 to demodulate the TS. The TS is supplied to the TS processing unit 16, decoded into a digital video signal and audio signal, and then output to the signal processing unit 17.

  The terrestrial analog broadcast signal received by the terrestrial broadcast receiving antenna 18 is supplied to the terrestrial analog broadcast tuner unit 22 via the input terminal 19 so that the broadcast signal of the desired channel is selected. Is done. The broadcast signal selected by the tuner unit 22 is supplied to the analog demodulator 23 and demodulated into an analog video signal and audio signal, and then output to the signal processing unit 17.

  Here, the signal processing unit 17 performs predetermined digital signal processing on the digital video signal and audio signal supplied from the TS processing unit 16 and outputs them to the graphic processing unit 24 and the audio processing unit 25. . The signal processing unit 17 digitizes the analog video signal and audio signal supplied from the analog demodulator 23, and performs predetermined digital signal processing on the digitized video signal and audio signal. Thereafter, the data is output to the graphic processing unit 24 and the sound processing unit 25.

  Among these, the graphic processing unit 24 has a function of superimposing and outputting the OSD signal generated by the OSD (on screen display) signal generation unit 26 on the digital video signal supplied from the signal processing unit 17. Further, the graphic processing unit 24 selectively outputs the output video signal of the signal processing unit 17 and the output OSD signal of the OSD signal generation unit 26, and both outputs constitute half of the screen. Can be output in combination.

  The digital video signal output from the graphic processing unit 24 is supplied to the video processing unit 27. The video processing unit 27 converts the input digital video signal into an analog video signal in a format that can be displayed on the video display 28, and then outputs it to the video display 28 to display the video, and also outputs an output terminal 29. To the outside through

  The audio processing unit 25 converts the input digital audio signal into an analog audio signal in a format that can be reproduced by the speaker 30, and then outputs the analog audio signal to the speaker 30 for audio reproduction. Through the outside.

  Here, in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 11, all the operations including the above-described various receiving operations are comprehensively controlled by the control unit 32. The control unit 32 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 32 a, and the operation information from the operation unit 33 installed in the main body of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 11 or the remote controller 34 sends out the operation information. Each unit is controlled to receive the received operation information and reflect the operation content.

  In this case, the control unit 32 uses the memory unit 32b. The memory unit 32b mainly includes a read only memory (ROM) storing a control program executed by the CPU 32a, a random access memory (RAM) for providing a work area to the CPU 32a, and various setting information and control information. And so on.

  The control unit 32 is connected to an HDD 36. The control unit 32 operates MPEG (moving picture experts group) 2-TS obtained from the TS processing unit 16 based on the operation of the operation unit 33 or the remote controller 34 by the user or the instruction of the control program executed by the CPU 32a. After the digital signal is encrypted by the encryptor / decryptor 37, the digital signal can be supplied to the HDD 36 and recorded on the hard disk 36a.

  Further, the control unit 32 receives the analog video signal and audio signal obtained from the analog demodulator 23 based on the operation of the operation unit 33 or the remote controller 34 by the user or the instruction of the control program executed by the CPU 32a. It can be controlled to be converted into MPEG2-TS by the encoder 38 and encrypted by the encryptor / decryptor 37 and then supplied to the HDD 36 and recorded on the hard disk 36a.

  Further, the control unit 32 causes the HDD 36 to read the MPEG2-TS from the hard disk 36a based on the operation of the operation unit 35 or the remote controller 36 by the user or the instruction of the control program executed by the CPU 32a, and the above encryption After being decoded by the decoder / decoder 37, the data is supplied to the TS processing unit 16, so that it can be controlled so as to be used for the video display and the audio reproduction described above.

  Further, a digital transmission / reception unit 39 is connected to the control unit 32. The digital transmission / reception unit 39 has a digital interface function, and is connected to a network line such as the Internet via the input / output terminal 40, thereby enabling data communication between the control unit 32 and the network line. I have to.

  As a result, the control unit 32 can access the content distributor on the network line via the digital transmission / reception unit 39 and the input / output terminal 40 to purchase and acquire content with a reproduction time limit. The acquired content with a reproduction time limit is recorded on the hard disk 36a by the HDD 36, and can be reproduced from the hard disk 36a for video display and audio reproduction within the reproduction time limit.

  The content with a reproduction time limit can be purchased and acquired using the digital broadcast described above. Then, the content with a reproduction time limit obtained by receiving the digital broadcast is recorded on the hard disk 36a by the HDD 36, and if it is within the reproduction time limit, the content is reproduced from the hard disk 36a and used for video display and audio reproduction. Can do.

  The control unit 32 also includes a timer unit 32c for measuring the current date and time, and a content list display unit 32d for causing the video display 28 to display a list of content recorded on the hard disk 36a in response to a user operation. And a content playback control unit 36e that performs processing to be described later according to the playback time limit when playback is requested for the content recorded on the hard disk 36a.

  FIG. 2 shows a recording form of content on the hard disk 36a. That is, it is assumed that N pieces of content 1, content 2, content 3,..., Content N are recorded on the hard disk 36a. Each of these contents 1 to N is recorded separately into contents management information 1a to Na and contents main information 1b to Nb.

  Among these, in the content management information 1a to Na, for example, various management information indicating a content type, a content title, a total content time, a content reference destination, a recording date and time, a reproduction time limit, and the like are stored. The content reference destination indicates content main information 1b to Nb referred to by the content management information 1a to Na. For example, the content reference destination of the content management information 1a indicates the content main information 1b.

  Also, in the content main information 1b to Nb, streams corresponding to video, audio, and the like include, for example, MPEG2, MPEG4, JPEG (joint photographic experts group), WMV [windows (registered trademark) media video], bitmap, It is stored in various forms corresponding to AVC-1 and the like.

  Further, message information M is recorded on the hard disk 36a. The message information M is information for causing the video display 28 to display a message such as “This content cannot be played because the playback deadline has expired”.

  Here, when the user operates the operation unit 33 or the remote controller 34 to request a list display of the contents 1 to N recorded in the hard disk 36a, the content list display unit 32d of the control unit 32 displays the hard disk 36a. By referring to the content management information 1a to Na recorded in the list, the content titles of all the contents 1 to N recorded on the hard disk 36a are displayed as a list on the video display 28 as shown in FIG.

  When the user designates a desired content title from the list of content titles displayed on the video display 28, the content reproduction control unit 32e of the control unit 32 selects the content corresponding to the designated content title. The reproduction or non-reproduction state is controlled according to the reproduction period.

  The content title is designated by operating the up and down keys of the remote controller 34, selecting the desired content by moving the cursor on the list screen, and operating the enter key.

  That is, when a content title is specified, the content reproduction control unit 32e refers to the content management information 1a to Na including the specified content title, and checks the reproduction time limit included in the content management information 1a to Na. . If the reproduction time limit has not expired, the content reproduction control unit 32e checks the content reference destination from the content management information 1a to Na including the designated content title. Thereafter, the content reproduction control unit 32e retrieves the content main information 1b to Nb indicated by the examined content reference destination, and reproduces the retrieved content main information 1b to Nb for viewing.

  For example, when the content title corresponding to the content 1 is specified on the content title list screen, the content playback control unit 32e determines whether the playback time limit has expired from the playback time limit included in the content management information 1a of the content 1 If the playback time limit has not expired, the content main information 1b is searched based on the content reference destination included in the content management information 1a of the content 1, and the searched content main information 1b is played back and viewed. It is used for.

  On the other hand, as a result of examining the reproduction deadline included in the content management information 1a to Na with reference to the content management information 1a to Na containing the content title specified on the content title list screen, the reproduction deadline has been exceeded. If so, the content reproduction control unit 32e checks the content reference destination from the content management information 1a to Na including the specified content title.

  Thereafter, the content reproduction control unit 32e deletes the content main information 1b to Nb indicated by the examined content reference destination from the hard disk 36a, leaving the corresponding content management information 1a to Na. In addition, the content reproduction control unit 32e rewrites the content reference information of the content management information 1a to Na including the specified content title into the message information M. As a result, the content of the message information M is displayed on the video display 28.

  For example, when the content title corresponding to the content 3 is specified on the content title list screen, the content playback control unit 32e determines whether the playback time limit has expired from the playback time limit included in the content management information 3a of the content 3 If the reproduction time limit has expired, the content main information 3b of the content 3 is deleted from the hard disk 36a as shown in FIG. In this case, the content management information 3a of the content 3 remains on the hard disk 36a.

  Also, the content reproduction control unit 32e rewrites the content reference destination of the content management information 3a including the designated content title so as to indicate the message information M. As a result, the message information M is reproduced instead of the content main information 3b, and as shown in FIG. 5, the video display 28 displays “This content cannot be reproduced because the reproduction period has expired”. Is displayed.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the content main information 1b to Nb is deleted from the hard disk 36a while leaving the content management information 1a to Na for the content whose reproduction time limit has been exceeded. The free space of the hard disk 36a can be increased, and the recording capacity of the hard disk 36a can be effectively used.

  In addition, content management information 1a to Na is left on the hard disk 36a even for content whose reproduction time limit has been exceeded, so a list display of the content recorded on the hard disk 36a is requested. In this case, the content title of the content whose playback deadline has been exceeded is also displayed in the list, so that the user can easily refer to the content acquisition history, improving the convenience for the user. It will be suitable for practical use.

  Further, when the content title of the content whose playback time limit has been exceeded is specified on the list, the message information M indicating that the content cannot be played back due to the playback time limit being played back is displayed so that the user cannot play back. Since the notification is made, it is possible to improve the convenience for the user and make it suitable for practical use.

  FIG. 6 shows a flowchart summarizing processing operations for controlling the content to be reproduced or not reproduced according to the reproduction time limit by the content reproduction control unit 32e. This processing is started (step S1) when the content title is displayed as a list on the video display 28.

  Then, in step S2, the content reproduction control unit 32e determines whether any content title is specified from the list. If it is determined that the content title is specified (YES), it is specified in step S3. The reproduction deadline in the content management information 1a to Na containing the content title is compared with the current date and time to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded.

  If it is determined that the reproduction time limit has been exceeded (YES), the content reproduction control unit 32e checks the content reference destination from the content management information 1a to Na including the designated content title in step S4. Then, the content main information 1b to Nb indicated by the examined content reference destination is deleted from the hard disk 36a, leaving the corresponding content management information 1a to Na.

  Thereafter, the content reproduction control unit 32e rewrites the content reference destinations in the content management information 1a to Na including the designated content title so as to indicate the message information M in step S5.

  Then, after this step S5 or when it is determined in step S3 that the reproduction time limit has not been exceeded (NO), the content reproduction control unit 32e includes the designated content title in step S6. The information (content main information 1b to Nb or message information M) indicated by the content reference destination in the content management information 1a to Na is reproduced, and the process ends (step S7).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart summarizing another example of the processing operation in which the content reproduction control unit 32e controls the content to be reproduced or not reproduced according to the reproduction time limit. When this process is started (step S8), the content reproduction control unit 32e determines whether or not the current date has been updated in step S9, and if it is determined that the date has been updated (YES), in step S10. From the content management information 1a to Na recorded in the hard disk 36a, one content management information 1a to Na is selected based on a preset order.

  Next, in step S11, the content reproduction control unit 32e compares the reproduction deadline in the selected content management information 1a to Na with the current date and time to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded. If it is determined that the playback time limit has been exceeded (YES), the content playback control unit 32e checks the content reference destination from the selected content management information 1a to Na in step S12, and checks the content reference thus checked. The main content information 1b to Nb instructed earlier is deleted from the hard disk 36a, leaving the corresponding content management information 1a to Na.

  Thereafter, the content reproduction control unit 32e rewrites the content reference destination in the selected content management information 1a to Na to indicate the message information M in step S13.

  Then, after this step S13, or when it is determined in step S11 that the reproduction time limit has not been exceeded (NO), the content reproduction control unit 32e, in step S14, displays all the data recorded on the hard disk 36a. For the content management information 1a to Na, it is determined whether or not the processing of steps S11 to S13 has been completed. If it is determined that the processing has not been completed (NO), the processing returns to the processing of step S10 and the next content management information. The selection of 1a to Na is executed, and when it is determined that the selection is completed (YES), the processing is ended as it is (step S15).

  According to the processing operation shown in FIG. 7, when the date is updated, it is automatically determined whether or not the reproduction time limit has expired for all the content management information 1a to Na recorded on the hard disk 36a. If the time limit has expired, the content management information 1a to Na is left, the content main information 1b to Nb is deleted, and the content reference destination is rewritten so as to indicate the message information M.

  In this way, when the playback deadline expires at the timing when the date is updated, the processing when content playback is requested is quickened and the convenience for the user is improved. It can be made suitable for practical use.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by variously modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements according to different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The block block diagram shown in order to demonstrate the embodiment of this invention and to demonstrate the signal processing system of a digital broadcast receiver. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the recording form of the content recorded on the hard disk by the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate an example of the content title list displayed by the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate the recording form after the process with respect to the reproduction expiration of the content recorded on the hard disk by the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment. The figure shown in order to demonstrate an example of the message displayed by the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate the processing operation which the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment performs. The flowchart shown in order to demonstrate the other example of the processing operation which the digital broadcast receiver in the embodiment performs.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Digital broadcast receiver, 12 ... Antenna, 13 ... Input terminal, 14 ... Tuner part, 15 ... PSK demodulator, 16 ... TS processing part, 17 ... Signal processing part, 18 ... Antenna, 19 ... Input terminal, 20 ... Tuner unit, 21 ... OFDM demodulator, 22 ... Tuner unit, 23 ... Analog demodulator, 24 ... Graphic processing unit, 25 ... Audio processing unit, 26 ... OSD signal generation unit, 27 ... Video processing unit, 28 ... Video display 29 ... output terminal, 30 ... speaker, 31 ... output terminal, 32 ... control unit, 32a ... CPU, 32b ... memory unit, 32c ... timer unit, 32d ... content list display unit, 32e ... content reproduction control unit, 33 ... Operation unit 34 ... Remote controller 35 ... Receiving unit 36 ... HDD 36a ... Hard disk 37 ... Encryptor / Decryptor 38 ... Encoder 3 ... digital transceiver, 40 ... output terminal, 1 to N ... content, 1A～Na ... content management information, 1B～Nb ... content main information, M ... message information.

Claims (8)

A content reproduction device for reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information,
Selecting means for selecting predetermined content from a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium;
A discriminating means for comparing the reproduction deadline included in the content management information with the current date and time for the content selected by the selection means to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded;
The content main information retrieved based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information is reproduced for the content determined by the determining means that the reproduction time limit has not been exceeded, and the reproduction time limit is determined by the determining means. The content main information searched for based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information is stored in the recording medium while the content management information is left on the recording medium for the content determined to be exceeded. A content reproduction apparatus comprising: a control means for deleting. A content reproduction device for reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information,
When the current date is updated, for each of a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium, the reproduction deadline included in the content management information is compared with the current date and time to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded. Discriminating means for discriminating;
Content searched for based on information indicating a content reference destination included in the content management information, with the content management information remaining on the recording medium, with respect to the content determined to have exceeded the reproduction time limit by the determination unit A content reproduction apparatus comprising: control means for deleting main information from the recording medium.   The control means includes predetermined message information in which information indicating a content reference destination included in the content management information is recorded in advance on the recording medium for the content determined to have exceeded the reproduction time limit by the determination means. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content is rewritten so as to indicate   4. The content playback apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the message information is information for displaying that the playback cannot be performed because the playback time limit of the content is exceeded. The selection means includes
List display means for creating and displaying a list of a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium with reference to the content management information recorded on the recording medium;
2. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising operation means for selecting a desired content from the list displayed by the list display means. A content reproduction method for reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information,
Selecting a predetermined content from a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium;
Comparing the reproduction deadline included in the content management information with the current date and time for the selected content to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded;
Replaying the content main information searched based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information for the content determined that the reproduction time limit has not exceeded;
The content main information searched for based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information while the content management information remains on the recording medium with respect to the content determined that the reproduction time limit has been exceeded. And a step of deleting from the recording medium. A content reproduction method for reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded separately in content management information and content main information,
When the date is updated, for each of a plurality of contents recorded on the recording medium, the reproduction deadline included in the content management information is compared with the current date and time to determine whether or not the reproduction deadline has been exceeded. And the process of
The content main information searched for based on the information indicating the content reference destination included in the content management information while the content management information remains on the recording medium with respect to the content determined that the reproduction time limit has been exceeded. And a step of deleting from the recording medium.   A step of rewriting information indicating a content reference destination included in the content management information so as to indicate predetermined message information recorded in advance on the recording medium with respect to content determined that the reproduction time limit has been exceeded. 8. The content reproduction method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein:

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