JP2012049727A - Network television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network television receiver allowing a user to simply and quickly select a desired video-on-demand (VOD) and e-commerce service, and capable of restricting a user-selectable VOD and e-commerce service.SOLUTION: A user is allowed to switch to a user-desired VOD or e-commerce service using a channel surfing button and the like by including a channel(s) (e.g., Net (red) and Net (blue) in the figure) corresponding to the user-desired VOD and e-commerce service in channel loop information stored in memory. With this, the user is allowed to quickly and simply select a desired VOD or e-commerce service. Further, a user (viewer) can be restricted from selecting a selectable VOD or e-commerce service by including only a channel(s) corresponding to a VOD or e-commerce service adapted to an attribute(s) (e.g., age and gender) of the user in the channel loop information stored in the memory.

Description

  The present invention is connected to a VOD service providing server that provides a VOD (Video On Demand) service via a network, and includes video content transmitted from the VOD service providing server and a television program transmitted from a broadcasting station. The present invention relates to a network television receiver that displays video.

  Conventionally, an IPTV that can be connected to a service providing server that provides a VOD or e-commerce (network) service via a network such as the Internet and can receive a VOD or e-commerce service from the service providing server ( Network television receivers such as the Internet Protocol Television) are known. In this type of network television receiver, when a user performs an instruction operation to display a menu image for a network, various types corresponding to various VOD services and e-commerce services (hereinafter referred to as network services). A menu image (for example, VIERACAST) including the icon is displayed. When the user selects one of the icons in the menu image, the network television receiver requests the service providing server to transmit an image or sound for providing a network service corresponding to the selected icon. Then, the network service providing image and sound transmitted from the service providing server are reproduced.

  However, in the conventional network television receiver, since many icons composed only of logos are displayed on the menu image, a general user simply looks at each icon and a network corresponding to each icon. It is difficult to determine the contents of the service. Also, even if the user is familiar with the network service logo, until the user selects a desired network service (icon), (1) an instruction to display a network menu image Operation, (2) scroll operation for displaying a desired icon among many icons in the menu image, and (3) time and effort to remember the contents of the network service corresponding to the many icons in the menu image. Since it is necessary, it takes time until the user selects a desired network service, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, the current network television receiver does not have a mechanism for limiting network services that can be selected by the user according to the attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences of the user (viewer).

  By the way, in the field of television receivers, channel selection channel numbers and various processing programs are stored in association with each other, and various processing programs can be started using the channel up key and channel down key. Is known (see cited document 1). In addition, a videophone capable of executing a call application by channel selection operation is known (see cited document 2). Furthermore, there is known a content viewing apparatus that can assign an IP address to a channel number (see cited document 3). However, since these cited references 1 to 3 do not describe linking the channel selection operation to the activation of the VOD service or the e-commerce service, the above problem cannot be solved.

JP 2002-44536 A International Publication No. 2006/115012 JP 2009-100006 A

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and allows a user to easily select a desired VOD service or e-commerce service in a short time, and limits the VOD service or e-commerce service that can be selected by the user. An object of the present invention is to provide a network television receiver capable of performing the above.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 provides a VOD (Video On Demand) service and is connected to a VOD service providing server that distributes video content via a network, and the VOD service providing server. Broadcasting for receiving video content transmitted from a broadcasting station and transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving various commands and responses to / from the VOD service providing server and broadcast signals of a television program transmitted from a broadcasting station Signal receiving means; display means for displaying video content video received by the transmitting / receiving means; and television program video received by the broadcast signal receiving means; and channel up for switching the channel of the television program. Button or channel down button and the channel In a network television receiver comprising channel loop information storage means for storing channels that can be switched by pressing a channel up button or channel down button, the channels stored in the channel loop information storage means include The channel corresponding to the VOD service is included.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the network television receiver according to the first aspect, a plurality of external input terminals for inputting video and audio from a plurality of external devices, and an input from among the plurality of external input terminals An input switching button for selecting an external input terminal as a source and switching the input source; and input loop information storage means for storing an input source that can be switched by pressing the input switching button; The input source stored in the information storage means includes the VOD service.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the network television receiver according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, the network television receiver further comprises a shortcut key setting unit for setting a shortcut key for the VOD service, and the channel loop information storage The channel stored in the means includes a channel corresponding to the VOD service for which the shortcut key is set by the shortcut key setting means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the channel corresponding to the user's desired VOD service is stored in the channel loop information storage means, so that the user can use the channel up button or the channel down button to select the desired VOD service. You can switch to Thereby, the user can easily select a desired VOD service in a short time, and the convenience for the user can be improved. Further, by storing only channels corresponding to VOD services according to user (viewer) attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences in the channel loop information storage means, user selectable VOD services are provided. Since it can be restricted, viewing of video content that does not match the user's attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences can be prevented.

  Further, according to the invention of claim 2, by storing the channel corresponding to the service of the VOD desired by the user in the input loop information storage means, the user can not only use the channel up button or the channel down button, Using the input switching button, it is possible to switch to a desired VOD service.

  According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, since the VOD service to which the shortcut key is set is generally a VOD service frequently used by the user, the VOD frequently used by the user is used. The service can be selected easily in a short time.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the channel corresponding to the e-commerce service desired by the user is stored in the channel loop information storage means, so that the user can use the channel up button or the channel down button to You can switch to an e-commerce service. Accordingly, the user can easily select a desired e-commerce service in a short time, and the convenience for the user can be improved. Further, by storing only channels corresponding to e-commerce services according to the attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences of the user (viewer) in the channel loop information storage means, e-commerce that can be selected by the user is stored. Service can be restricted.

  According to the invention of claim 6, the user-desired e-commerce service is stored in the input loop information storage means as an input source so that the user can use the input switching button to select the desired e-commerce service. You can switch to Thereby, the same effect as that of the fifth aspect can be obtained.

1 is a block configuration diagram of a network service providing system including an IPTV receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a shortcut key setting screen for VOD service and e-commerce service in the IPTV receiver. The figure which shows the content of the channel loop information in FIG. The figure which shows the content of the input loop information in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an example in which the network television receiver of the present invention is an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) receiver will be described. FIG. 1 shows a network service providing system including an IPTV receiver according to the present embodiment. The network service providing system 1 mainly includes a service management server 2, a VOD (Video On Demand) service providing server 3 (generic name of a plurality of service providing servers 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, etc. in the figure), e-commerce ( An electronic commerce) service providing server 4 (generic name for a plurality of service providing servers 4a, 4b, etc. in the figure) and an IPTV receiver 8.

  The service management server 2 is a server for managing network services (mainly VOD service and e-commerce service) accessible from the IPTV receiver 8 operated by the manufacturer of the IPTV receiver 8 or the like. Each VOD service providing server 3 is a server that provides VOD service and distributes video content (distributed to the VOD service provider side), and each e-commerce service providing server 4 is an e-commerce service. A server that provides a service (distributed to an e-commerce service provider). The service management server 2, each VOD service providing server 3, and each e-commerce service providing server 4 are connected to an IPTV receiver 8 via the Internet 5 (network in claims), a router 6 and a LAN (Local Area Network) 7. Connected with.

  The IPTV receiver 8 includes a SoC (System-on-a-chip) 10 that is a semiconductor chip on which various circuits for realizing the main functions of the device itself, and various data and devices such as setting data of the device itself. A memory 13 (channel loop information storage means and input loop information storage means in claims), a liquid crystal module 14 having a liquid crystal panel 14a (display means in claims) on the front surface, and LVDS ( Low Voltage Differential Signaling interface 15 (hereinafter abbreviated as LVDS), speaker 16, remote control signal receiver 17 for receiving a remote control signal (hereinafter abbreviated as remote control signal), It has. The IPTV receiver 8 includes a plurality of external input terminals 18 for inputting video and audio from a plurality of external devices. These external input terminals 18 include two S video terminals, two component terminals, and two HDMI terminals. Furthermore, the IPTV receiver 8 has a remote controller (hereinafter abbreviated as “remote controller”) 20 that transmits a remote control signal corresponding to an instruction operation from the user.

  The SoC 10 includes circuits such as a CPU 11 that controls the entire apparatus and a network card 12 (transmission / reception means and broadcast signal reception means). The CPU 11, the shortcut setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 2, and the remote controller 20 correspond to shortcut key setting means in the claims.

  The network card 12 is for providing various kinds of setting data and software transmitted from the service management server 2, video content transmitted from the VOD service providing server 3, and e-commerce service providing transmitted from the e-commerce service providing server 4. And an interface circuit for transmitting and receiving various commands and responses to the service management server 2, the VOD service providing server 3, and the e-commerce service providing server 4. Further, the network card 12 reproduces images and sounds of video contents transmitted from the VOD service providing server 3 and images and sounds included in various data for providing e-commerce services transmitted from the e-commerce service providing server 4. I do. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the network card 12 also receives and plays back broadcast signals of television programs transmitted from broadcast stations.

  Note that the reception and reproduction of the broadcast signal of the television program transmitted from the broadcast station may be performed by a normal tuner or decoder. The IPTV receiver 8 does not necessarily have the network card 12, and a set-top box having the same function as the network card 12 is arranged between the LAN 7 and the IPTV receiver 8, and the service management server 2, The plurality of VOD service providing servers 3, the plurality of e-commerce service providing servers 4, and the IPTV receiver 8 may be connected via the Internet 5, the router 6, the LAN 7, and the set top box. .

  The memory 13 includes shortcut key setting information 31 which is setting information of shortcut keys (color buttons 25 of the remote controller 20) for the VOD service and e-commerce service accessible from the IPTV receiver 8, and a channel up button 26 of the remote controller 20. Alternatively, channel loop information 32 that is information about channels that can be switched by pressing the channel down button 27, input loop information 33 that is information about input sources that can be switched by pressing the input switching button 23 of the remote controller 20, and the like are stored. ing. The channels stored in the channel loop information 32 include channels corresponding to the VOD service and the e-commerce service. The input sources stored in the input loop information 33 include the VOD service and the e-commerce service.

  The LVDS 15 is a digital interface circuit (digital signal processing circuit) for transmitting a video signal from the SoC 10 to the liquid crystal module 14.

  The liquid crystal module 14 mainly includes a liquid crystal panel 14a, a driving printed board, and a backlight, and displays an image based on a video signal received from the SoC 10 via the LVDS 15 on the liquid crystal panel 14a. The liquid crystal panel 14a displays video content video and television program video received and reproduced by the network card 12.

  The remote control 20 includes a power button 21, a net button 22, an input switching button 23, a numeric input button 24, a color button 25 of four colors of red, blue, yellow, and green, a channel up button 26, a channel down button 27, and a cross button. 28, operation buttons such as a determination button 29 and a menu button 30 are provided. The net button 22 instructs the user to display a menu image (for network) including various icons corresponding to various network services provided from the VOD service providing server 3 and the e-commerce service providing server 4. It is a button. The input switching button 23 is a button for selecting an external input terminal as an input source from the plurality of external input terminals 18 and switching the input source. The channel up button 26 and the channel down button 27 are buttons used for a channel up operation and a channel down operation for switching channels of a television program.

  Next, a shortcut key setting process for the VOD service and the e-commerce service will be described with reference to FIG. The shortcut setting screen 40 shown in the figure mainly includes a net service selection button 41 that is an icon for selecting a network service to be associated with a shortcut key, and names of network services corresponding to the currently selected net service selection button 41. And a guidance screen 42 for displaying the service contents, and a shortcut key selection button 44 for selecting a shortcut key (color button) corresponding to the currently selected net service selection button 41. The guidance screen 42 includes an explanation screen 43 for displaying the contents of the network service corresponding to the currently selected network service selection button 41.

  When performing the shortcut key setting process described above, the user uses the menu button 30 or the cross button 28 of the remote controller 20 to display the shortcut setting screen 40 shown in the figure on the liquid crystal panel 14a. Next, the user selects the net service selection button 41 for setting a shortcut key (associated with the shortcut key) from the net service selection buttons 41 for various VOD services and e-commerce services. Then, after confirming the name and service content of the network service corresponding to the selected network service selection button 41 on the guidance screen 42, it corresponds to each of the four color buttons 25 of red, blue, yellow and green on the remote controller 20. Corresponding to the currently selected network service by selecting the shortcut key selection button 44 corresponding to the currently selected network service selection button 41 (the currently selected network service) from among the four shortcut key selection buttons 44 Select the color button 25 (on the remote control 20). As a result, the VOD service or e-commerce service displayed as the net service selection button 41 can be associated with the color button 25 of the remote controller 20, and the VOD service or e-commerce service is associated with the color button 25 of the remote controller 20. Is stored in the shortcut key setting information 31 of the memory 13 as shortcut key setting information.

  When the user presses the color button 25 of the remote controller 20 after the shortcut key setting process described above, the CPU 11 associates with the pressed color button 25 based on the setting information stored in the shortcut key setting information 31 described above. Start the VOD service and e-commerce service.

  FIG. 3 shows the contents of the channel loop information 32 stored in the memory 13. 5-1 and 5-2 in the figure indicate channels that can be switched by pressing the channel up button 26 or the channel down button 27 of the remote controller 20. Specifically, 5-1 5-2, 7-1, 10-1, 15-1, 15-2 in the figure are all television broadcasts that can be received by the IPTV receiver 8 at that time. It is a signal channel, and HDMI and S video in the figure are one HDMI terminal (external device connected to) and one S video terminal (external device connected to) included in the external input terminal 18. ). Also, the net (red) and net (blue) in the figure indicate the VOD or e-commerce service associated with the red color button 25 of the remote controller 20 and the VOD or e-commerce associated with the blue color button 25. Means service. That is, the channels stored in the channel loop information 32 include channels corresponding to VOD and e-commerce services for which shortcut keys are set by the user using the shortcut setting screen 40 of FIG. .

  When the content of the channel loop information 32 is the content shown in FIG. 3, when the user presses the channel up button 26 of the remote controller 20, the video displayed on the liquid crystal panel 14a is 5-1, 5- 2, 7-1, 10-1, 15-1, and 15-2 after switching to the TV program video sequentially, video input via the HDMI terminal, input via the S video terminal The video, the video of the VOD or e-commerce service associated with the red color button 25, and the video of the VOD or e-commerce service associated with the blue color button 25 are switched in this order, and then the first 5-1 channel Return to the TV program video.

  FIG. 4 shows the contents of the input loop information 33 stored in the memory 13. In the figure, S video 1, S video 2, component 1, component 2, HDMI 1, HDMI 2 are the first S video terminal (connected to the external device) included in the external input terminal 18, two First S-video terminal (external device connected to), first component terminal (external device connected to), second component terminal (external device connected to), first HDMI terminal (external device connected to) and a second HDMI terminal (external device connected to). Also, the net (red) and net (blue) in the figure indicate the VOD or e-commerce service associated with the red color button 25 of the remote controller 20 and the VOD or e-commerce associated with the blue color button 25. Means service. That is, the input sources (external input terminals) stored in the input loop information 33 include VOD and e-commerce services for which shortcut keys are set by the user using the shortcut setting screen 40 of FIG. It is.

  When the content of the input loop information 33 is the content shown in FIG. 4, when the user presses the input switching button 23 of the remote controller 20, the video displayed on the liquid crystal panel 14a is the first S video. Video input via the terminal, video input via the second S-video terminal, video input via the first component terminal, input via the second component terminal Video, video input through the first HDMI terminal, video input through the second HDMI terminal, video of VOD or e-commerce service associated with the red color button 25, blue The video is switched in the order of the video of the VOD or e-commerce service associated with the color button 25, and then the video input through the first S-video terminal is restored.

  As described above, according to the IPTV receiver 8 of the present embodiment, the channel loop information 32 stored in the memory 13 includes the channel corresponding to the user-desired VOD or e-commerce service, so that the user can increase the channel. The button 26 or the channel down button 27 can be used to switch to a desired VOD or e-commerce service. As a result, the user can easily select a desired VOD or e-commerce service in a short time, and the convenience for the user can be improved. In addition, the channel loop information 32 stored in the memory 13 includes only the channels corresponding to the VOD or e-commerce service according to the attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences of the user (viewer). Since possible VOD and e-commerce services can be restricted, viewing of video content and use of e-commerce that do not match user attributes (age, gender, etc.) and preferences can be prevented.

  In addition, according to the IPTV receiver 8 of the present embodiment, by including the user desired VOD or e-commerce service in the input loop information 33 stored in the memory 13, the user can use the channel up button 26 or the channel described above. It is possible to switch to a desired VOD service using not only the down button 27 but also the input switching button 23.

  In addition, as described above, among the channels or input sources stored in the channel loop information 32 or the input loop information 33, the VOD or the shortcut key set by the user using the shortcut setting screen 40 of FIG. The channel or input source corresponding to the e-commerce service was included. Here, since the VOD or e-commerce service to which the shortcut key is set is generally a VOD service frequently used by the user, it is stored in the channel loop information 32 or the input loop information 33 as described above. The channel or input source corresponding to the VOD or e-commerce service for which the shortcut key is set is included in the selected channel or input source, so that the user frequently uses the VOD or e-commerce. The service can be selected easily in a short time.

  In addition, this invention is not restricted to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible in the range which does not change the meaning of invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an IPTV receiver has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a service providing server that provides VOD and e-commerce services via a network different from the Internet. You may apply to the network television receiver connected. In the above embodiment, the channel or input source corresponding to the VOD or e-commerce service set with the shortcut key is included in the channel or input source stored in the channel loop information or the input loop information. However, the channel or input source corresponding to the VOD or e-commerce service for which no shortcut key is set may be included in the channel or input source stored in the channel loop information or the input loop information. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the channel or input source stored in the channel loop information or the input loop information includes not only the channel or input source corresponding to the VOD service but also the channel or input source corresponding to the e-commerce service. Although the input source can be included, the channel or input source stored in the channel loop information or the input loop information includes only the channel or the input source corresponding to the VOD service among the network services. You may be able to do that.

3, 3a, 3b, 3c VOD service providing server 4, 4a, 4b e-commerce service providing server 5 Internet (network)
8 IPTV receiver (network television receiver)
11 CPU (shortcut key setting means)
12 Network card (transmission / reception means, broadcast signal reception means)
13 Memory (Channel loop information storage means, input loop information storage means)
14a liquid crystal panel (display means)
18 External input terminal 20 Remote control (shortcut key setting means)
23 Input switching button 26 Channel up button 27 Channel down button 40 Shortcut setting screen (shortcut key setting means)

Claims (6)

Connected via a network to a VOD service providing server that provides VOD (Video On Demand) services and distributes video content,
A transmission / reception means for receiving video content transmitted from the VOD service providing server and transmitting / receiving various commands and responses to / from the VOD service providing server;
Broadcast signal receiving means for receiving a broadcast signal of a television program transmitted from a broadcast station;
Display means for displaying the video content video received by the transmitting / receiving means and the television program video received by the broadcast signal receiving means;
A channel up button or a channel down button for switching the channel of the television program;
In a network television receiver comprising channel loop information storage means for storing channels that can be switched by pressing the channel up button or the channel down button,
The network television receiver characterized in that the channel stored in the channel loop information storage means includes a channel corresponding to the VOD service. Multiple external input terminals for inputting video and audio from multiple external devices,
An input switching button for selecting an external input terminal as an input source from among the plurality of external input terminals and switching the input source;
Input loop information storage means for storing an input source that can be switched by pressing the input switching button,
2. The network television receiver according to claim 1, wherein the input source stored in the input loop information storage means includes the VOD service. A shortcut key setting means for setting a shortcut key for the VOD service;
2. The channel stored in the channel loop information storage means includes a channel corresponding to the service of the VOD for which a shortcut key is set by the shortcut key setting means. 2. The network television receiver according to 2. A shortcut key setting means for setting a shortcut key for the VOD service;
4. The input source stored in the input loop information storage means includes the VOD service to which a shortcut key is set by the shortcut key setting means. The network television receiver according to any one of the above. It is connected to an e-commerce service providing server that provides an e-commerce (electronic commerce) service via a network,
The transmission / reception means further receives various data for providing an e-commerce service transmitted from the e-commerce service providing server, and transmits / receives various commands and responses to / from the e-commerce service providing server,
The display means further displays an image for providing an e-commerce service included in various data for providing the e-commerce service received by the transmission / reception means,
5. The network according to claim 1, wherein the channel stored in the channel loop information storage means includes a channel corresponding to the e-commerce service. Television receiver. Multiple external input terminals for inputting video and audio from multiple external devices,
An input switching button for selecting an external input terminal as an input source from among the plurality of external input terminals and switching the input source;
Input loop information storage means for storing an input source that can be switched by pressing the input switching button,
connected to an e-commerce service providing server that provides e-commerce services via a network,
The transmission / reception means further receives various data for providing an e-commerce service transmitted from the e-commerce service providing server, and transmits / receives various commands and responses to / from the e-commerce service providing server,
The display means further displays an image for providing an e-commerce service included in various data for providing the e-commerce service received by the transmission / reception means,
2. The network television receiver according to claim 1, wherein the input source stored in the input loop information storage means includes the e-commerce service.

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