JP4249814B2 - Information access method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information access technology that makes it possible to access desired information selected from information acquired through communication, broadcasting, and recording media from any site.
[0002]
[Prior art]
With advances in communication technology, broadcasting technology, and information recording technology, individuals have come into contact with a wide variety of information. Such a situation induces flooding of information, and those who come in contact with information are required to select information efficiently. Under such circumstances, a search engine is provided on the Internet, a CD-ROM for homepage information is provided, or a bookmark function is added to a WWW browser (also called WWW: World Wide Web, Web browser). Have been. By the way, computer users are increasingly accessing computers at home, at work, or in mobile environments. Under such circumstances, the selection of information previously performed at different sites cannot be used. For example, even if information accessed by a computer at home is held locally, the information cannot be used at work or in a mobile environment unless a communication access means is prepared. Further, even if a bookmark is registered with a WWW browser of a computer at one site, the bookmark cannot be used with a WWW browser of a computer at another site.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information access technology that allows easy access to selected information from any site.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to this invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the step of multiplexing the content information and the feature information of the content information on the broadcast signal, the step of transmitting the multiplexed broadcast signal, and the multiplexing Receiving the broadcast signal, extracting the content information and the feature information from the received broadcast signal, executing an audiovisual operation based on the extracted content information, and the extracted feature information And a step of storing the selected feature information in a storage device via a communication medium.
[0005]
Since the feature information of the content information such as map position information and telephone number is stored in a remote storage device, the feature information can be easily obtained from any site.
[0006]
Further, according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the application executes a step of extracting information stored in a predetermined storage location and a step of storing the extracted information in a remote storage device I am doing so.
[0007]
In this configuration, information used by an application in a local environment can be stored in a remote storage device, and desired information can be used from any site in the environment of the application. If the stored information is stored for another application, the other application can be used from any site.
[0008]
The present invention can also be realized as a broadcasting method, an information access device, a broadcasting device, and a program package.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Examples of the present invention will be described below.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows an outline of a broadcast and information processing system to which this embodiment is applied. In this figure, a television broadcast station 10 includes a broadcast server 11, a content production terminal 12, a transmission facility 13, and the like. Is provided. The broadcast program created by the broadcast server 11 is broadcast via the transmission facility 13. The transmission signal of the broadcast program of this embodiment includes a normal television signal and content information multiplexed in the vertical blanking period of this television signal. On the reception side, a broadcast signal is received via an antenna (not shown) or the like, and the broadcast signal is reproduced by a television receiver or a personal computer having a television reception function. In the figure, a personal computer 20 having a television receiving function is shown as an example. The personal computer 20 has a function of demodulating a broadcast signal, and reproduces a television image using all or part of the screen based on the demodulated signal. The personal computer 20 is connected to a telephone line via a modem 21 as shown. The personal computer 20 is connected to the Internet 30 by a model 21 or the like (via an Internet service provider if necessary). Various servers are connected to the Internet 30. In this example, a WWW server 31 for providing information and a server 32 for storing user selection information are connected.
[0011]
The user of the personal computer 20 can access the Internet 30 using the mobile computer 40. The mobile computer 40 can supply map position information and the like to a GPS (global positioning system) car navigation system 40b mounted on the vehicle 40a, for example. Of course, the car navigation system 40b may have a mobile computing function.
[0012]
The recording medium 20b such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM is used to install the Bitcast software 48 (Bitcast is a trademark of Infocity Corporation), which will be described later, on the personal computer 20. Further, a data recording / reproducing device such as a CD-ROM drive device or a DVD (digital video disk) drive device, a BS broadcast, a CS broadcast, a cable television broadcast tuner or a set top box 20a supplies data to the personal computer 20. It is supposed to be.
[0013]
In this embodiment, the broadcast station 10 receives web information (web page) described in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) from the WWW server 31 and multiplexes it with a broadcast signal of a normal broadcast program and broadcasts it. . In this case, the web information may not be transmitted directly, but may be processed and transmitted by the content production terminal 12, or information prepared individually by the content production terminal 12 may be transmitted.
[0014]
FIG. 2 shows an operation in the broadcast station 10, and in this figure, for example, a content body (web information) produced by the content production terminal 12 is extracted (S11). Next, additional information related to the content / body, for example, information such as display time is added (S12). Furthermore, content feature information such as title, creator, map position information, location, telephone number, mail address, related URL, etc. is added (S13). This characteristic information is suitable for the user to clip to the user selection information storage server 32 or a local storage device, and is determined in advance according to the user's needs. As will be described later, the feature information may be derived on the receiving side without adding the feature information.
[0015]
The integrated content body and additional information are collectively referred to as a message (FIG. 3A). This message is packetized (S14, FIG. 3B), and is made into a VBI signal (Vertical Blanking Interval signal) for each packet and multiplexed into a broadcast signal at a predetermined horizontal period in the vertical blanking period (S15, FIG. 3). 3 (c)), video is recorded as necessary, and then broadcast (S16, S17).
[0016]
FIG. 4 shows a configuration for receiving and displaying a message in the personal computer 20 of FIG. 1, in which the personal computer 20 includes a television signal tuner 41, a waveform equivalent circuit 42, an A / D converter 43, A packet extraction unit 44, a program data generation unit 45, a B-HTTP service unit 46, a Bitcast browser unit 47, and the like are included. In this example, the B-HTTP service unit 46 and the Bitcast browser unit 47 are provided as the Bitcast software product 48.
[0017]
The tuner 41 selects and demodulates a television signal that is modulated and transmitted. The waveform equalizer 42 corrects the waveform disturbance and signal level of the television signal. The A / D converter 43 samples a signal in a specific horizontal scanning period in units of 1/364 fH (fH is a horizontal scanning frequency) second, and generates digital information. The packet extraction unit 44 packetizes the digital information and performs transmission errors and corrections. The program data property western 45 generates a data block by combining the extracted packets.
[0018]
Data blocks are grouped together and processed as a data group (message).
[0019]
The B-HTTP service unit 46 analyzes the message received from the program data generation unit 45 and temporarily stores it in the cache 51. The Bitcast browser unit 47 receives information about the contents of the cache 51 from the B-HTTP service unit 46, and based on this information, retrieves the message from the cache 51 at the message display time and displays it on the screen of the display device. The cache 51 is controlled by the cache control unit 52 according to a predetermined rule.
[0020]
FIG. 5 shows a content information receiving operation. In this figure, first, a broadcast signal is received (S21), and a VBI signal in the vertical blanking period is extracted (S22). 43 is converted into digital information (S23). This digital information is converted into packet information by the packet extractor 44 (S24), and further converted into data blocks by the program data generator 45 (S25). The B-HTTP service unit 46 stores a message including a group of data blocks in the cache 51 according to the additional information.
[0021]
If no feature information is added to the message, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 5, the content / body is scanned to extract the feature information (S26) and added to the message. Good (S17). Usually, character information such as a title or URL is acquired while referring to the tag of the content / body.
[0022]
FIG. 6 shows a message display operation. In the example of FIG. 6, the message is displayed in synchronization with the broadcast of the broadcast program. In this case, the message includes additional information indicating the display time in addition to the content body. In FIG. 6, when the display time comes (S31), the corresponding content body is read from the cache 51 (S32), and the content body is analyzed according to the HTML grammar and displayed on the display device (S33, S34). . For example, the display is as shown in FIG. 7, where a television broadcast is displayed in the area 47b, and a content body is displayed in the area 47a. The content body is web information or the like written in HTML, and by clicking on the reference area 47c, the address information indicated by the anchor information (information held locally or information held by a server on the Internet) Can be accessed.
[0023]
The display mode shown in FIG. 7 is an example, and display can be performed in various modes according to designation by a user or designation by additional information of a message. The menu bar is provided with a clip button 47e, and when this button 47e is clicked, a clip pull-down menu is displayed. This will be described in detail later.
[0024]
FIG. 8 shows the processing of the cache control unit 52. In this figure, when data is acquired, the overflow of the capacity of the cache 51 is checked (S41). If it is necessary to delete entries as a result of checking for overflow, one or more entries are deleted from the cache 51 in a predetermined order based on the rules (S42). Thereafter, the acquired data is stored in the cache 51 (S43). Then, display data is created (sorting, etc.) and displayed in the display area 47d (S44, S45).
[0025]
Next, the clip of the feature information of the displayed content will be described. FIG. 9A shows a state where the clip button 47e in FIG. 7 is clicked. When the clip button 47e is clicked, a pull-down menu is displayed, and selection items “view”, “local”, and “remote” are displayed. When “view” is selected, each piece of feature information data is displayed as shown in FIG. 9B, and the user can know the contents of the feature information. In the case of an image title or the like, double-clicking on the item displays detailed information such as image information. The user can click each data of the feature information to mark it as a clip target. Click again to remove the mark. Clicking on the item “All” allows all feature information to be marked. The items “local” and “remote” in FIG. 9B are the same as “local” and “remote” in FIG. 9A. “Local” means storage in a local storage device (hard disk or the like), and “remote” means storage in the user selection information storage server 32.
[0026]
FIG. 10 shows a clip operation. In this figure, when the clip button 47e (FIG. 7) is clicked, the feature information of the currently active content is taken out of the cache (S51), and FIG. The pull-down menu of a) is displayed (S52), and the selective storage flag is reset (S53). When this selective transfer flag is set, only marked feature information is stored, and when it is reset, all feature information is stored. Thereafter, when the user selects an item in the view, the pull-down menu is deleted, the selection storage flag is set, and the feature information is displayed (S54, S55, S56, S57). Based on the display of the feature information, the user marks the feature information item (S58). It should be noted that a function of selecting which feature information of the currently displayed content (which may include the main broadcast itself or not the content of the active window) to be clipped may be provided.
[0027]
Thereafter, when “local” or “remote” is selected in FIG. 9B, the process proceeds to step S59. Similarly, if “local” or “remote” is selected without selecting “view” in FIG. 9A, the process proceeds to step S59.
[0028]
If the selection item is “local” in step S59, the feature information is stored in the local recording device (S60). In this case, all feature information is stored if the selective storage flag is reset. On the other hand, when the selective storage flag is set, only the marked feature information is stored. The feature information stored in the storage device can be accessed by clicking a predetermined button, for example. For example, the feature information entry is displayed first, and the detailed feature information of the selected entry is displayed.
[0029]
If the selection item is “remote” in step S59, the feature information is transferred to the user selection information storage server 32. This transfer can be performed by FTP. The stored feature information is the same as in the case of “local”.
[0030]
Next, an operation (clip extraction) of extracting information from the user selection information storage server 32 will be described with reference to FIG. Although this operation can be performed from any site, it is assumed here that the mobile computer 40 accesses the operation.
[0031]
In FIG. 11, when a clip retrieval button (not shown) on the display screen (browser) of the mobile computer 40 is clicked, the mobile computer 40 accesses the user selection information storage server 32 (S71). Then, the server 32 transfers the entry list of one or more pieces of feature information stored in the past one or more sessions by the user to the mobile computer 40 based on the user ID information or the like (S72). The browser of the mobile computer 40 displays this list (S73). The user selects an entry of desired feature information from this list (S74). Based on this selection, the browser of the mobile computer 40 requests the user selection information storage server 32 to transfer the selected feature information (S75). Based on this request, the user selection information storage server 32 transfers desired feature information to the mobile computer 40 (S76), and the browser of the mobile computer 40 displays this to the user (S77). Further, when the user selects an operation mode (S78), a corresponding operation is executed in the mobile computer 40 (S79). If the operation mode is, for example, transfer of map position information to the car navigation system 40b, this is transferred to the car navigation system 40b. In response to this, the car navigation system 40b registers the target position. When the operation mode is a telephone call, a call is made with a telephone number that is characteristic information. When the operation mode is access to a home page of a WWW server on the Internet, a URL that is characteristic information is used. When the display of the feature information is sufficient, the end may be specified as the operation mode.
[0032]
Although the operation when using clip information in a remote environment has been described with reference to FIG. 11, information can be acquired with a similar user interface even when clipped to a local storage device.
[0033]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned Example, A various change is possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the content information is multiplexed on the television broadcast has been described. However, the content information may be multiplexed on various broadcast signals such as a radio broadcast. In addition to terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting and satellite broadcasting may be used. The broadcast may be a digital broadcast or an analog broadcast. Further, it may be a data communication broadcast in which the content information itself is the main broadcast. In the case of cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and data communication broadcasting, a dedicated set top box (20a in FIG. 1) can be used. Of course, the function of the set top box may be implemented in the personal computer 20.
[0034]
Further, feature information may be added to the content of the main broadcast (for example, digital TV data or analog TV signal) so that the feature information can be clipped when the content is displayed. Further, feature information added in advance to an HTML document extracted from a WWW server, feature information obtained by analyzing an HTML document, or feature information acquired based on information from a browser may be clipped. Further, feature information added to content recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or feature information obtained by analyzing the content may be clipped.
[0035]
The user selection information may be stored in a user selection information storage server connected to the LAN via the LAN.
[0036]
Further, the information stored in the local storage device by the application may be extracted and stored in the remote user selection information storage server, and the same or different application may use the information from any site.
[0037]
For example, bookmarks (a list of URLs) held in a local computer may be transferred and stored in a user selection information storage server and used from any site. In this case, a local bookmark and a remote bookmark may be used selectively or simultaneously.
[0038]
Further, the mail opened on the local computer may be transferred and stored in the user selection information storage server so that the mail can be read again from any site.
[0039]
Further, the mail address list stored in the local computer may be transferred and stored in the user selection information storage server so that it can be used for mail transfer at any site.
[0040]
Alternatively, the telephone number list of the call start software may be stored in the user selection information storage server, and the call start software at another site may make a call using this telephone number list. This call system may be applied to a telephone system using the Internet.
[0041]
It should be noted that the telephone directory stored in the telephone of the normal telephone network and the telephone of the mobile communication network is transferred and stored in the user selection information storage server, and is taken out by the normal telephone and used for outgoing calls. It can also be.
[0042]
Further, a channel (distinguishable by an identifier or the like) may be set according to the type of user selection information (corresponding application or the like), and various user setting information may be stored and retrieved in various modes. Also, the application may have a function for storing and retrieving user selection information, may be provided in basic software, or may be realized by dedicated software.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to make it possible to access desired information selected from any site when accessing content acquired via communication, broadcasting, or recording media. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention as a whole.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a transmission operation in a broadcasting station.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a message configuration.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving apparatus according to this embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a receiving operation of the receiving apparatus according to this embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a data display operation on the receiving apparatus side in this embodiment.
7 is a diagram for explaining the display operation of FIG. 6. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining processing of a cache control unit 52;
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a clip operation in this embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the above-described clip operation.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a clip extraction operation of this embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 broadcasting station 11 broadcasting server 20 personal computer 31 WWW server 32 user selection information storage server 40 mobile computer 40a vehicle 40b car navigation system 41 tuner 42 waveform equalizer 43 A / D converter 44 packet extractor 45 program data generator 46 B-HTTP service unit 47 Bitcast browser 51 Cache 52 Cache control unit

Claims (11)

A multiplexing means on a broadcast station side multiplexes content information and feature information that can be individually assigned for each content information, and the feature information that is actually assigned to the content information , into a broadcast signal;
The transmitter on the broadcast station side transmits the multiplexed broadcast signal;
Receiving means of a receiving device receiving the multiplexed broadcast signal;
A step of taking out the content information and the feature information from the broadcast signal received by the receiving means of the receiving device;
The output means of the receiving device outputting the contents of the content based on the extracted content information so that the user can view the content;
Based on the user-designated operation for the output content, the receiving device selection means uses the content information for the content information used to output the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation . Selecting feature information;
A transmission unit of the receiving device transmitting the selected feature information to the storage device side via a communication medium, and storing the selected and transmitted feature information in the storage device An information access method characterized by the above.   2. The information access method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of retrieving the characteristic information stored in the storage device via a communication medium by a communication means.   3. The information access method according to claim 1, wherein the feature information includes map position information related to the content information.   4. The information access method according to claim 1, wherein the feature information includes storage address information related to the content information. A broadcasting device used in the information access method according to claim 1,
Means for multiplexing content information and feature information that can be individually assigned to each content information, and the feature information actually assigned to the content information , into a broadcast signal;
Means for transmitting the multiplexed broadcast signal,
The feature information is based on a user-designated operation for the content output on the receiving device side, and the receiver uses the content information used for outputting the contents of the content output at the timing of the specified operation. The broadcasting apparatus characterized by being selected by the side. Means for receiving a broadcast signal in which content information and feature information that can be individually assigned for each content information and the feature information actually assigned to the content information are multiplexed;
Means for extracting the content information and the feature information from the received broadcast signal;
Means for outputting the contents of the content based on the extracted content information so that the user can view the content;
Means for selecting feature information of the content information for the content information used for outputting the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation based on a user specified operation for the output content ;
An information access apparatus comprising: means for storing the selected feature information in a storage device via a communication medium. A broadcasting station side multiplexing means for transmitting a broadcast signal including content information and feature information that can be individually assigned to each content information, and the feature information actually assigned to the content information;
Receiving means of a receiving device receiving the broadcast signal;
A step of taking out the content information and the feature information from the broadcast signal received by the receiving means of the receiving device;
The video output means of the receiving device outputting the contents of the content based on the extracted content information so that the user can view the content;
Based on the user-designated operation for the output content, the receiving device selection means uses the content information for the content information used to output the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation . Selecting feature information;
The storage control means of the receiving device has a step of storing the selected feature information in a storage device in the receiving device or a storage device outside the receiving device.   8. The information access method according to claim 7, wherein the storage device is a remote storage device accessed via a communication medium. The storage means of the server computer stores the content information and the feature information that can be individually assigned for each content information and the feature information that is actually assigned to the content information;
A transmitting means of the server computer transmitting the content information and the feature information;
A receiving unit of a receiving device receives the transmitted content information and the feature information;
The output means of the receiving device outputting the contents of the content based on the received content information so that the user can watch;
Based on the user-designated operation for the output content, the receiving device selection means uses the content information for the content information used to output the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation . Selecting feature information;
The storage control means of the receiving device has a step of storing the feature information in a storage device in the receiving device or a storage device outside the receiving device. Means for receiving a broadcast signal including content information and feature information that can be individually assigned to each content information , and that includes the feature information actually assigned to the content information;
Means for extracting the content information and the feature information from the received broadcast signal;
Means for outputting the contents of the content based on the extracted content information so that the user can view the content;
Means for selecting feature information of the content information for the content information used for outputting the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation based on a user specified operation for the output content ;
An information access apparatus comprising: a storage device in the main body of the information access device or a storage device outside the main body of the information access device. Means for receiving a broadcast signal including content information and feature information that can be individually assigned to each content information , and that includes the feature information actually assigned to the content information;
Means for extracting the content information and the feature information from the received broadcast signal;
Means for outputting the contents of the content based on the extracted content information so that the user can view the content;
Means for selecting feature information of the content information for the content information used for outputting the content of the content output at the timing of the specified operation based on a user specified operation for the output content ;
A computer program to be executed by a computer for realizing the selected feature information in a storage device in the information access device main body or in a storage device outside the information access device main body is recorded so as to be readable by the computer Recording medium.

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