JP2809717B2 - Video receiver - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a video receiving device used in a receiving station of a still image transmission system, for example.

(Prior Art) In recent years, various information communication service systems have been developed with the development of communication technology and diversification of communication needs. Among them, like a CATV broadcasting system, a plurality of programs composed of video signals and audio signals are transmitted from a transmitting station,
There is a system that selectively extracts a video signal and an audio signal of a desired program at each subscribed receiving station and displays the extracted signal on a television receiver, for example. The so-called Pay / View method, which is calculated from the type of program viewed and the viewing time, for example, has been applied to the billing method of this type of system.

By the way, as a new information transmission service system, a system for transmitting a plurality of programs constituted by using video signals to a still image using a wireless communication line, particularly a satellite communication line has been considered. FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of this type of system. In FIG. 1, video signals and audio signals constituting programs such as news, living information, educational information, and mail order information transmitted from a plurality of information sources 1 are introduced into a transmitting station 2. Then, after each screen of the video signal and the digitized audio signal are time-division multiplexed or frequency division multiplexed by the transmitting station 2, for example,
FM modulated and transmitted from the transmitting antenna. Here, as a configuration of the video frame of the transmission signal, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the still screens a1, a2, a3,
, B1, b2, b3,..., C1, c2, c3,... Are intermittently inserted into transmission signal time slots at fixed time intervals (for example, several seconds).

The transmission signal transmitted from the transmitting station 2 is transmitted to the communication satellite 3
And is transmitted to a number of receiving stations 4 via a transponder mounted on the receiver. In these receiving stations 4, for example, by specifying a desired program in advance by the receiver, the video signal and the audio signal of the desired program are extracted from the received signal and supplied to a television receiver or the like. Display and audio output. The video signal of the desired program is extracted, for example, as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the transmitting station superimposes the program identification codes (hereinafter referred to as ID codes) IDa and IDb on the vertical blanking interval for each field of the video signal and transmits the superimposed section. On the other hand, each receiving station detects the ID code inserted in the vertical blanking interval every time one field of the video signal is received, and detects the program of the video signal received just from the ID code. Identify.

By using such a system, the receiver can select a desired program from a variety of programs and obtain information on the desired program. Can meet the needs of the people.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in such a system, the Pay / View
The following problems arise when attempting to charge each receiving station by applying the method. Ie Pay / View
The method generally calculates a fee from a fee per unit time predetermined for each program, a time at which the program is selected, and a viewing time. However, the still image transmission system uses a method of intermittently transmitting a still image for each program as described above, except that the video signal of one program is continuously transmitted as its transmission method. In some cases. For this reason, the number of viewed still screens and the viewing time do not always have a fixed relationship. Therefore, when charging the still image transmission system using the Pay / View method, for example, the receiver responded to the viewing time despite the fact that the number of still screens actually viewed, that is, the amount of information used was small. It was very unfavorable because it caused problems such as charges being charged.

Therefore, the present invention focuses on the above circumstances, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a video receiving apparatus that can always perform appropriate charging according to the amount of information actually transmitted, regardless of the video signal transmission method. To provide.

[Configuration of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, a program constituted by video signals of at least a plurality of screens is time-division multiplexed on a screen basis at a transmitting station, and transmitted. A video receiving apparatus used in a video transmission system for receiving a time-division multiplexed signal sent from a station and selectively extracting a video signal of a desired program from the received signal on a screen-by-screen basis. Information output means, the number of screens of the video signal extracted from the time-division multiplexed signal is counted by the screen number counting means, and the count value obtained by the screen number counting means or the count value corresponding to the count value is obtained. The information is output from the charging information output means as charging information.

Further, according to the present invention, a count value obtained by the screen number counting means or information corresponding to the count value is transmitted to a device for managing charging via a communication line, and the screen number counting means obtains the count value. It is also characterized in that the count value or the charge calculated from this count value is inserted into a video signal selectively extracted from the time-division multiplexed signal and displayed on a monitor.

(Operation) As a result, according to the present invention, the number of screens of a video signal actually viewed in the video receiving apparatus is counted, and the counted value or information corresponding to the counted value is output as billing information. Therefore, even if the transmission system is, for example, a system in which video signals of one program are successively time-division multiplexed and transmitted in units of screens, or a system in which video signals of each program are intermittently transmitted one screen each. Even if there is, the fee according to the number of still screens that are truly viewed, that is, the amount of information used, is always calculated. Therefore, in a system in which a program composed of video signals is time-division multiplex-transmitted on a screen basis and a video signal of a desired program is extracted on a screen basis on the receiving side, appropriate billing can always be performed.

(Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a receiving station provided with a video receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a system for collecting billing information from these receiving stations. In the figure, the audio signal reproduction system of the receiving station is omitted for convenience of explanation.

Each receiving station 40 receives the signal relayed and transmitted by the transponder of the communication satellite (3 in FIG. 4), receives the signal by the receiving antenna 41, and frequency-converts the signal from the SHF band to the UHF band by the frequency conversion circuit 42. This UHF band is frequency-converted into an intermediate frequency band signal. The frequency conversion circuit 42 also selects a channel. Then, the signal in the intermediate frequency band is FM-demodulated by the FM demodulator 43 and then separated into a video signal RVS and a digital audio signal RAS.

The video selection circuit 50 is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, the received video signal RVS is
Will be introduced. This ID decoder 81 receives the received video signal RVS
For each field of the video signal, that is, for each still image, an ID code inserted in the vertical blanking interval is detected and decoded. The received video signal RVS is also introduced to the gate circuit 54. The gate circuit 54 includes a control circuit described later.
Gate operation is performed in accordance with the gate control signal GS output from 52, whereby the video signal from the received video signal RVS is passed in units of one field, that is, in units of still images, and supplied to the image memory 55. This image memory 55 has 1
It has a storage capacity for video signals for the field, and stores a still image every time a still image is supplied from the gate circuit 54. Then, the stored still image is repeatedly read and output to the television receiver 60 until the next still image is supplied through the gate circuit 54. The control circuit 52 includes, for example, a microcomputer, and has a video selection control unit 52a as a control function thereof. This video selection control means 52a
Each time the ID code is detected in the above, the received ID code is compared with the ID code of the desired program stored in the ID memory 53 in advance, and if the received ID code matches the stored ID code as a result of the comparison, A gate control signal GS is output to the gate circuit 54 to open the gate circuit 54 for one field period of the received video signal RVS.

By the way, the gate signal output from the control circuit 52
The GS is also introduced into the storage device 70. The storage device 70 is composed of, for example, a binary counter as shown in FIG. 1, and counts the number of times the gate control signal GS is generated, that is, the number of still image screens passing through the gate circuit 54. And
The count value CO is output to the data transmission device 80 as billing information. As shown in FIG. 1, the data transmission device 80 includes a parallel / serial converter (P / S) 81 and a modem (MOD) 82, for example. Then, from the charging center 100 to the public network 9
When polling arrives via 0, the count value from the binary counter 70 is introduced to the parallel / serial converter 81,
The converter 81 converts parallel data into serial data. Then, the serial data is converted into a predetermined signal form by the modem 82 and then transmitted to the charging center 100 via the public network 90.

As the binary counter, for example, a 36-bit counter may be used. With such a counter, you can use it for more than 36 years, even if you watch it 24 hours a day, every day.

Next, the operation of the device configured as described above will be described. Note that, as shown in FIG. 5, each program A,
B, C still images a1, a2, a3, ..., b1, b2, b3, ..., c1, c2, c3, ...
Will be described as being transmitted intermittently and multiplexed at regular intervals.

In the video selection circuit 50, when the received video signal RVS is input, the ID decoder 51 detects an ID code for each field of the received video signal. Then, every time the ID code is detected by the ID decoder 51, the control circuit 52
The ID code of the desired program is read from 53 and the received ID code is compared with the stored ID code. When the two ID codes match, a gate control signal GS is output to the gate circuit 54 at that time, whereby the gate circuit 54 is opened for one field period. Therefore, the received video signal RV
The still image of S passes through the gate circuit 54 and is supplied to the image memory 55. The image is temporarily stored in the image memory 55, read out repeatedly, and displayed on the television receiver 60.

For example, it is assumed that the ID code IDa of the program A is stored in the ID memory 53 as a program that the receiver wants to view. Then, the control circuit 52 generates a gate control signal GS each time a still image a1, a2, a3,... Of the program A is received as shown in FIG. Therefore, the gate circuit 54 is in the gate open state only for the pulse output period (one field) of the gate control circuit GS, and as a result, the reception video signal
Of the RVS, only the still images a1, a2, a3,... Of the desired program A pass through the gate circuit 54 and are supplied to the image memory 53. Each of the still images a1, a2, a3,... Is temporarily stored in the image memory 55, and is thereafter repeatedly read out until the next still image is supplied through the gate circuit 54. As shown by VS2 in FIG. 3, the video signal is supplied to the television receiver 60 and displayed as if it were a continuously received video signal. That is, the still images a1, a2, a3,... Of the desired program A are displayed on the television receiver 60 in real time while being updated at the reception intervals.

The gate control signal GS output from the control circuit 52 is guided to a binary counter 70, and the binary counter 70 counts the number of outputs. In this state, when a polling signal arrives from the charging center 100 via the public line network 90, the count value of the binary counter 70 is converted to serial data by the parallel / serial converter 81 and then supplied to the modem 82. The modem 82 converts the serial data of the count value supplied from the parallel / serial converter 81 into a predetermined signal form, and then sends it out to the charging center 100 via the public line network 90.

The charging center 100 periodically (for example, every month) sends the polling signal to each of the receiving stations 40, and thereby collects count data from each of the receiving stations 40. Then, for example, the previous data is subtracted from the data collected this time to obtain the total number of still screens viewed this month, and the fee corresponding to this number of screens is transmitted to the receiving station 40.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the number of still screens selected by each receiving station 40 is counted, and the counted value is transmitted to the charging center 100 as charging information. Regardless of the signal transmission method,
The charging center 100 can always accurately calculate a fee corresponding to the number of still screens that each receiving station 40 has truly viewed. In addition, according to the present embodiment, the number of screens can be counted by simply counting the gate control signal GS of the gate circuit 54 as it is, which has an advantage that it can be realized with a simple circuit configuration.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.
For example, a charge calculation circuit is provided in the storage device 70 or the data transmission device 80, a charge is calculated from the count value of the binary counter 70 by this circuit, and this charge data is
May be transmitted. Further, each time the viewing of one program ends, the count value and the fee corresponding to the count value may be calculated and transmitted to the charging center 100. Further, the count value and the calculated value of the fee may be superimposed on the video signal by, for example, a superimposition method and displayed on the television receiver. Further, the control circuit 52 may collectively perform the counting of the number of screens, the transmission control to the charging center 100, and the like. Further, in the above-described embodiment, a system using a satellite communication line has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to a terrestrial microwave communication system. In addition, the video signal transmission method, the configuration of the screen number counting unit and the charging information output unit, the form of the charging information, the configuration of the receiving station, and the like can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a screen of a video signal extracted from a time division multiplexed signal transmitted from a transmitting station, comprising a screen number counting means and a billing information output means. The number is counted by the screen number counting means, and the count value obtained by the screen number counting means or the information corresponding to this count value is output as the charging information from the charging information output means, so that the video signal Regardless of the transmission method, the present invention can provide a video receiving apparatus that can always perform appropriate charging according to the amount of information actually transmitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 3 are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a main configuration of a video receiving apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a receiving station and a billing system. FIG. 3 is a timing diagram used to describe the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a still image transmission system, and FIG. 5 is a video transmission system. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission signal. 1 Information source 2 Transmission station 3 Communication satellite 40
... Reception station, 41 ... Reception antenna, 42 ... Frequency conversion circuit, 43 ... FM demodulator, 50 ... Video selection circuit, 51 ... ID decoder, 52 ... Control circuit, 52a ... Video selection control Means, 5
3 ID memory, 54 gate circuit, 55 image memory, 60 television receiver, 70 storage device (binary counter), 80 data transmission device, 81 parallel /
Serial converter, 82… Modem, 90 …… Public network, 100…
... Charging center.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 7/16 H04N 7/08

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transmitting station time-division multiplexes a program composed of at least a plurality of screens of video signals on a screen-by-screen basis and transmits it. A receiving station receives a time-division multiplexed signal sent from the transmitting station. A video receiving apparatus used in a video transmission system for selectively extracting a video signal of a desired program from among the video signals in screen units, wherein the number of screens for counting the number of screens of the video signal extracted from the time division multiplexed signal A video receiving apparatus comprising: counting means; and charging information output means for outputting, as charging information, a count value obtained by the screen number counting means or information corresponding to the count value. 2. The charging information output means transmits the count value obtained by the screen number counting means or information corresponding to this count value to a device for managing charging via a communication line. The video receiving device according to claim 1. 3. The billing information output means inserts a count value obtained by the screen number counting means or a charge calculated from the count value into a video signal selectively extracted from the time-division multiplexed signal. The video receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video is displayed on a monitor.