JP4272546B2 - Digital broadcast receiving system and digital broadcast receiving apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital broadcast receiving system and a digital broadcast receiving apparatus that allow an unspecified number of users to view a digital broadcast whose viewing is restricted in an accommodation facility such as a hotel or an inn or a hospital facility.

  Television receivers and tuner devices compatible with satellite digital broadcasting that receive BS digital broadcasting, 110 ° CS digital broadcasting, and terrestrial digital broadcasting have a built-in viewing control system function called CAS (Conditional Access System). By making a contract with a predetermined contractor (BS Conditional Access Systems Co., Ltd.), a dedicated IC card (hereinafter referred to as “B-CAS card”) issued and managed by the contractor When inserted into a predetermined card slot, viewing, use, and copy control of programs such as interactive services based on free broadcasting and data broadcasting can be performed.

  Furthermore, by paying a separate contract with a broadcaster, pay broadcasts including pay-per-view can be viewed.

  For the user registration related to the B-CAS card, a postcard for registration attached to the apparatus together with the B-CAS card at the time of purchase of a product such as a television receiver or a tuner apparatus is sent to the predetermined contractor, Registration is executed by filling in a predetermined item such as a 20-digit ID number (hereinafter referred to as “card ID”) written on the back of the B-CAS card on a website established by .

  For viewing paid programs, the card ID, etc., can be specified on the subscription application form of each broadcaster attached to the device at the time of product purchase, the telephone, or the website opened on the Internet by each broadcaster. Viewing is possible by entering or notifying items and making a contract.

  This point will be explained in more detail. After the broadcaster accepts the contract, if the user waits for the broadcaster's program contracted with the television receiver or tuner device, it will be several tens of minutes at the earliest. A transport stream (TS) transmitted from the provider is received, and the received transport stream is demultiplexed by the demultiplexer with information such as video and individual information EMM (Entitlement Management Message) ) Information, program information, and control information ECM (Entitlement Control Message) information.

  Contracted pay program by decoding the separated EMM information, storing contract information in the B-CAS card, decoding scrambled ECM information, and executing descrambling of information such as video Can be watched.

  In satellite digital broadcasting provided by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “NHK”), a text message that prompts a user who has installed a device capable of receiving satellite digital broadcasting to inform the user of the installation. Is displayed superimposed on the receiver screen. When a specific item such as a card ID is actually communicated, information for deleting the character message is superimposed on the program data and transmitted as described above, and received and stored in the B-CAS card. Thereafter, the text message is erased from the screen.

The technology relating to this B-CAS card is described in detail in the following patent documents. (For example, Patent Document 1)
JP 04-138735 A

  In a facility where an unspecified number of users such as accommodation facilities such as hotels and inns or hospital facilities are expected, when receiving a digital broadcast receiver as described above, each receiver installed in each guest room or hospital bed For each necessary channel, it is necessary to store pay broadcast contract information and information for deleting the NHK text message in the B-CAS card.

  However, even with a single digital broadcast receiving device, after selecting a broadcaster's program or NHK that has subscribed to a pay broadcast, the contract information is actually superimposed on the broadcast program and transmitted. At least several tens of minutes must be spent before the registration is completed after being stored in the B-CAS card.

  Therefore, in order to perform registration work using a B-CAS card for each program or for each channel so that a plurality of pay broadcasts and NHK can be received for each of a large number of digital broadcast receivers installed in a large-scale facility. Requires a tremendous amount of time and effort, and is not realistic considering human costs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to restrict viewing and listening within a facility where a large number of unspecified users are installed and where a large number of digital broadcast receivers are installed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital broadcast receiving system and a digital broadcast receiving apparatus capable of efficiently and inexpensively executing an operation of storing registration information for arbitrarily viewing a received digital broadcast in a B-CAS card.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium that is installed in a guest room of a passenger accommodation facility and that can be used for an unspecified number of passengers and that can store broadcast release information that is subject to viewing restrictions. Check-in and check-out states of a plurality of digital broadcast receivers having setting means for storing the release information obtained by reception in the storage medium, and a guest room in which each of the plurality of digital broadcast receivers is installed First usage management device that manages the usage status as a usage status, usage status acquisition means for acquiring the usage status of a guest room in which each of the plurality of digital broadcast receiving devices is installed, and the usage status acquisition depending on the usage of each of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus obtained by means on the digital broadcast receiving apparatus installed in the room in a state of a check-out Characterized by comprising a second and premises management apparatus having an instruction means for instructing the storage setting to the storage medium of the release information by the reception of digital broadcasting.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the second on-site management device is configured to provide the instruction means at a time zone set in advance according to check-in and check-out operations at the accommodation facility. To instruct the plurality of digital broadcast receiving apparatuses to store the release information in the storage medium by receiving the digital broadcast.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital broadcast receiving apparatus which is installed in a facility and is used by an unspecified number of users, a storage medium capable of storing release information of a broadcast whose viewing is restricted, and a card A card medium reading means capable of at least reading information stored in the card-like medium by inserting a card-like medium, and a receivable selection stored at least in advance from the card-like medium inserted by the card medium reading means. Is it possible to read the program selection information of the broadcaster indicating the station information, the channel selection time information for performing the channel selection operation continuously in order to obtain the release information, and the operation period information indicating the broadcast receivable period? determine whether, where it was able to read, and instruction means for instructing the storage setting to the storage medium of the release information by the reception of digital broadcasting, response to this instruction means The release information obtained by the reception of digital broadcasting, characterized by comprising a setting means for storing in the storage medium.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, digital broadcasting that is subject to viewing restrictions is installed in a passenger facility such as a hotel or an inn where a large number of digital broadcasting receivers used by an unspecified number of passengers are installed. Usage status of each digital broadcast receiving apparatus without causing any inconvenience to the guest who is a user, etc., in order to store registration information for arbitrary viewing in a storage medium represented by a B-CAS card Can be efficiently executed based on the automatic control of the second premises management device in consideration of the above, can reduce human costs to a minimum, and set up a new digital broadcasting reception environment be able to.

According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, the release information is taken into account in consideration of the operation time zone corresponding to the check and check-in operations of each digital broadcast receiving apparatus. By instructing the storage setting to the storage medium, it is possible to provide the user with a newer digital broadcast reception environment.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, registration information for arbitrarily viewing a digital broadcast that is subject to viewing restrictions in a facility where a large number of digital broadcast receiving devices are installed and used by an unspecified number of users. Can be performed efficiently by automating the operation for storing the data in a storage medium represented by the B-CAS card for each device terminal, and the human cost can be kept extremely low . A setting operation such as contract information can be instructed only by inserting a card for setting operation instead of a prepaid card inserted by a general user, and the operation for setting can be simplified.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment when the present invention is applied to, for example, a digital broadcast receiving system including a digital broadcast receiving apparatus installed in a hotel facility will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the entire digital broadcast receiving system in a hotel building. In the figure, an intermediate frequency signal received by the BS / CS broadcast antenna 1 and frequency-converted by a converter (not shown) and a signal received by the terrestrial digital broadcast antenna 2 are arranged on the same frequency axis by the mixer 3. After being mixed, it is sent to the mixer 6.

  The mixer 6 is also connected to a bidirectional communication data line BT from the front computer 4. The front computer 4 is also connected to a host computer 5 that manages the overall business of the hotel, and can acquire check-in / check-out information for each guest room GR.

  However, the mixed signal from the mixer 6 is transmitted to the digital broadcast receiver 8 disposed in each guest room GR in the hotel hall through the coaxial transmission line 7 constituting the distribution network of this system.

  The digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 performs a channel selection operation corresponding to the operation on the remote control pad 10 and reproduces and outputs images and sounds on the monitor apparatus 9.

  Next, a detailed circuit configuration of the digital broadcast receiving device 8 in the cabin GR will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, a signal sent from a coaxial transmission line 7 is demultiplexed by a demultiplexer 11 into an intermediate frequency signal of BS · 110 ° CS broadcast and a reception signal of terrestrial digital broadcast. To a BS · 110 ° CS digital tuner and a terrestrial digital tuner (not shown).

  The digital broadcast receiving unit 12 selects a channel corresponding to the channel selection operation on the remote control pad 10 with the BS · 110 ° CS digital tuner or the terrestrial digital tuner based on a signal from the control unit 17 described later. The transport stream (TS) of the corresponding channel is demodulated and output.

  However, in the digital broadcast receiving unit 12, the demodulated transport stream is separated into information such as video multiplexed by a demultiplexer, EMM information of individual information, program information, and ECM information of control information.

  The separated EMM information is decoded to acquire contract information, the acquired contract information is stored in a B-CAS card (not shown) inserted into the CAS card slot 15, and the scrambled ECM information is decoded. Thus, descrambling control of information such as video is performed, video data and stereo audio data that are temporally continuous in the digital broadcast receiving unit 12 are generated, and the generated video data is transmitted from the video output terminal 13 to the audio. Data is output from the audio output terminal 14, respectively.

  The video output terminal 13 and the audio output terminal 14 are connected to the video input terminal and the audio input terminal of the monitor device 9 installed in the guest room together with the digital broadcast receiving device 8. Is reproduced and output, so that a user (such as a guest) in the guest room GR can view the digital broadcast.

This digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 includes the CAS card slot 15 as described above , and is capable of viewing digital broadcast programs and channels set by the hotel management side by inserting a B-CAS card as a storage medium. However, the CAS card slot 15 is not exposed at all on the outer surface of the digital broadcast receiving device 8 so that the user cannot easily remove the B-CAS card.

Note that a unique master key (Km) is stored in advance in the B-CAS card, which is a storage medium, and information for deleting the above-mentioned character message of NHK when paying a new program or renewing a contract. If the master key is matched, the contract information and the like are stored.

  Further, a telephone line connection terminal 16 is connected to the digital broadcast receiver 8. The telephone line connection terminal 16 is connected to a modem (not shown) in the digital broadcast receiving unit 12, and request information is provided when a data broadcasting interactive service is performed based on the control in the digital broadcast receiving unit 12. Etc. can be transmitted via a telephone line (not shown).

  The control unit 17 includes a CPU, a ROM that stores the CPU operation program in a nonvolatile manner, a RAM that operates as a work memory, and the like. The digital broadcast reception unit 12, the high-frequency modem 18, and the remote control light-receiving unit 19 Connected, the control operation of the entire digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 is executed.

  A unique address number of the digital broadcast receiving device 8 is stored in the ROM of the control unit 17, and the front computer 4 identifies the digital broadcast receiving device 8 of another guest room GR based on the address number. Is possible.

  The high frequency modem 18 realizes a bidirectional communication function by both the upstream computer and the downstream data communication by the high frequency FSK modulation and the front computer 4 connected via the coaxial transmission line 7 and the bidirectional communication data line BT. Control information such as viewing restrictions for the digital broadcast receiver 8 and various setting information are received from the front computer 4 by downlink data communication, and charging information and response information for watching a pay program via uplink data communication to the front computer 4 Send.

  The remote control light receiving unit 19 receives and demodulates an infrared modulation signal corresponding to a key operation on the remote control pad 10 and sends the operation content to the control unit 17.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
When the digital broadcast receiving system is introduced, the hotel manager selects a desired pay program as appropriate, and applies for a subscription contract to the program broadcaster. The broadcaster accepting this broadcasts the program with the contract information multiplexed and broadcasts for a certain period or regularly.

  In addition, in the digital broadcast receiving device 8 in each guest room GR, a B-CAS card is inserted in the CAS card slot 15 in advance, and the CAS card slot 15 is in the digital broadcast receiving device 8 as described above. Since it is not exposed to the outside, the user of the guest room GR cannot be easily extracted.

  In addition, each of the plurality of digital broadcast receiving devices 8, 8,... Has an address number corresponding to the number of the guest room GR fixedly stored in the ROM in the control unit 17, and the front computer 4 An address number corresponding to the room number of the room is stored as a table, and normally communicates with each digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 individually by a polling process.

  First, referring to FIG. 3, the processing contents required for reception of contract information and storage in the B-CAS card including the received contract information, which are executed by the front computer 4 for a plurality of digital broadcast receivers 8, 8,. explain.

  Initially, each data of the pay program and NHK channel selection information, program channel selection operation time information, and operation period information is input and set (step A01).

  Specifically, for example, as with the BS digital broadcast pay program 1, viewing of the BS digital broadcast pay program 2 and deletion of the text message when viewing NHK are set as channel selection information, and the channel selection operation time is set to 15 minutes. It is assumed that the operation start time and operation end time constituting the operation period information are set in month, day, hour, and minute, respectively.

  The front computer 4 repeatedly determines whether or not the operation start time set in step A01 is the month, day, hour, and minute, and waits until that time is reached (step A02). Then, the use status of check-in / check-out of all the guest rooms GR, GR,... Is acquired from the host computer 5 (step A03).

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is a guest room GR, GR,... That is in a checked-out state based on the acquired usage status (step A04). Wait until the guest rooms GR, GR,.

  If it is determined in step A04 that there is at least one guest room GR that is in the checked-out state, one guest room GR is selected and a table including the guest room number and the address number of the digital broadcast receiver 8 is used. The status item column is updated and stored as being checked out (step A05).

  FIG. 5 exemplifies the contents of the table TB stored in the front computer 4, and items “room number”, “usage status”, “receiving device address”, and “reception completed” are stored for each room. Indicates the state. Here, information on either (check) out or (check) in is stored in the “use status” item, but this item is initially blank.

  After updating and storing the table TB, on the basis of the contents of the receiving device address, the digital broadcast receiving device 8 corresponding to the guest room GR starts operating the setting information and the operation flag data input in the above step A01. It is updated to “1” shown and transmitted by polling (step A06).

  Thereafter, it is determined whether or not a notification indicating that the contract information receiving operation has been completed is sent from the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 (step A07).

  Here, when the reception operation is not completed in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 and the notification is not received, after confirming that the operation time is not completed (step A08), the contract information In order to continue the setting operation for the digital broadcast receiving device 8 of the guest room GR for which the reception operation has not been completed, the process returns to step A03 again.

  If it is determined in step A07 that a notification indicating that the receiving operation in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 8 has been completed is received, the “reception completed” column corresponding to the room in the stored table TB is updated. After storing (step A09), it is determined whether or not the contract information reception operation for all the guest rooms GR, GR,... Has been completed (step A10). In order to continue the same operation with respect to the apparatus 8, the process returns to step A03.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the contents of the table TB stored in the front computer 4 at this time. Compared with the state shown in FIG. 5 above, the guest room where the reception operation of the contract information is completed in the item of “reception completed” Indicates that “OK” indicating that is stored.

  Thus, when it is determined in step A08 that the contract information reception operation has ended, or in step A10 it is determined that the contract information reception operation for all the guest rooms GR, GR,. In this case, the operation flag is set to “0” and transmission is performed to all digital broadcast receiving apparatuses 8, 8,..., And the processing of FIG.

  Next, the contents of the operations required for receiving contract information and storing it in the B-CAS card including the received contract information, mainly executed under the control of the control unit 17 on the digital broadcast receiving device 8 side of each guest room GR will be described with reference to FIG. To do.

  Initially, the downlink data communication information demodulated by the high-frequency modem 18 is analyzed by the control unit 17 to determine whether or not the data for setting the reception operation of the contract information and the operation start flag “1”. (Step B01).

  If it is determined that the received content is data for setting the contract information receiving operation and the operation start flag “1”, a predetermined setting program is started, the read data is set, and the operation is started. (Step B02).

  Subsequently, the digital broadcast receiving device 8 is turned on (step B03). At this time, normally, the power supply of the monitor device 9 is also turned on in conjunction with the digital broadcast receiving device 8, but the control unit 17 assumes that only the digital broadcast receiving device 8 is turned on at the time of receiving the contract information. Control.

  By turning on the power of the digital broadcast receiver 8, the channel selection information of the pay program 1 of the contracted broadcaster is transmitted to the digital broadcast receiver 12, and the BS · 110 ° CS in the digital broadcast receiver 12 is transmitted. The digital tuner selects and receives the broadcast, and separates the decoded transport stream into information such as video multiplexed by the demultiplexer, EMM information, and ECM information (step B04).

  The separated EMM information is decoded using a unique master key stored in the B-CAS card inserted in the CAS card slot 15, and the contract information receiving operation is performed depending on whether or not the decoding is correctly performed. Whether or not can be completed is determined (step B05).

  Here, if the decoding can be correctly performed, the contract information is stored in the B-CAS card, and the contract is made by decoding the scrambled ECM information and controlling the descrambling of information such as video. The program can be viewed and the contract information receiving operation is completed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step B05 that decoding cannot be performed correctly and it is determined that the contract information receiving operation cannot be completed, it is confirmed that the operation has not been repeated continuously for 15 minutes (step B06), the process returns to step B05.

  Accordingly, it is determined that the program has been correctly decoded in step B05, and the contracted program can be viewed. After the reception operation of the contract information is completed, or it cannot be correctly decoded in step B06, the contract information is received. In any case where it is determined that 15 minutes have passed without completing the operation, the result is transmitted to the front computer by upstream data communication via the high-frequency modem 18, the coaxial transmission line 7, and the bidirectional communication data line BT. 4 is notified (step B07).

  Thereafter, it is determined whether the operation flag is still “1” or not (step B08). If the operation flag is within the operation period, a contract with another broadcaster is made next. It is determined whether or not to continue the contract information receiving operation (step B09).

  Here, since the receiving operation of the contract information for viewing the pay program 2 is still necessary, the control unit 17 transmits the channel selection information of the pay program 2 to the digital broadcast receiving unit 12 and the above-described step B04. The above process is executed in the same manner.

  In this way, the processing of steps B04 to B08 is executed in the same manner as described above in order to execute the receiving operation of the contract information of the pay program 2, and in the subsequent step B09, it is determined that the character message of NHK is to be deleted. When the control unit 17 transmits the channel selection information of NHK to the digital broadcast receiving unit 12 in step B04, information for erasing the character message of NHK is obtained by repeating the processing of steps B04 to B08 in the same manner. Store in B-CAS card.

  The information for deleting the NHK text message is different from the contract information of other paid programs, and even if the information is not stored in the B-CAS card, the NHK digital broadcast can be received and viewed. Although it is possible, since there is no information, a character message prompting notification of a card ID or the like is continuously displayed at a predetermined position in the video for a predetermined time from the beginning of selecting NHK.

  If it is determined in step B09 that there is no pay program contracted with a further broadcaster in the process of repeating steps B04 to B09, the contract information receiving operation for pay program 1 and pay program 2 and NHK It is determined whether or not there is an incomplete operation for acquiring information for deleting the text message (step B10).

  If it is determined that there is at least one incomplete, the process from step B04 is executed again to complete the operation.

  If it is determined in step B10 that all necessary operations for receiving contract information have been completed, or if the operation flag “0” is sent from the front computer 4 in step B08, it is determined that the operation period has ended. In that case, the power of the digital broadcast receiving device 8 is turned off (step B11), and the control unit 17 ends the processing of FIG.

  As described above, the work for storing and setting the contract information and the like in the B-CAS card is efficiently performed based on the automatic control of the front computer 4 in consideration of the use situation of each of the digital broadcast receiving devices 8, 8,. Can be executed automatically, and the human cost can be minimized.

  Further, in particular, the front computer 4 takes into consideration the operation time zone of each digital broadcast receiving device 8, 8,... To be controlled, as the start time and end time of the operation are set in FIG. By instructing the storage setting of the release information in the storage medium, it is possible to provide the user with a newer digital broadcast reception environment, for example, by completing the setting operation of the contract information in accordance with the check-in time of the hotel. it can.

  Furthermore, particularly in passenger accommodation facilities such as hotels and inns, the user, who is a user, is installed in the digital broadcast receiving device 8 in a checked-out state that is not in the guest room, with the check-in / check-out state being used. By storing and setting new contract information or the like in the B-CAS card, a new digital broadcast receiving environment can be set without causing any inconvenience to guests and the like.

  The front computer 4 normally communicates with a plurality of digital broadcast receivers 8, 8,... Normally by polling processing, but all digital broadcast receivers depend on the information to be transmitted. It is assumed that it has a function of performing simultaneous transmission for transmitting to 8, 8,.

  In particular, during the installation period when the system is introduced into a newly-built hotel or the like, the connection between the front computer 4 and the host computer 5 is not established, or the user who uses the guest room GR, GR,. In such a case, there is no need to acquire the use status of each guest room GR, GR,... , 8,..., It is desirable to collectively set the reception settings for contract information and the like.

  3 and FIG. 4, when it becomes necessary to cancel the operation for some reason on the front computer 4 side or the digital broadcast receiving device 8, 8,. It is assumed that the operation can be canceled by a side operation.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the front computer 4 is connected to the digital broadcast receivers 8, 8,... Of each guest room GR, GR, ... via the bidirectional communication data line BT, the mixer 6, and the coaxial transmission line 7. Although it has been described as being connected to, it is assumed that a local LAN connected to the Internet is laid in the hotel facility, and connected to each digital broadcast receiving device 8, 8,... It may be a thing.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment when the present invention is applied to, for example, a digital broadcast receiving apparatus installed in a hotel facility will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 7 mainly shows the configuration of one of the digital broadcast receiving apparatuses that receive broadcast signals via the digital broadcast receiving system in the hotel hall. In the figure, the intermediate frequency signal received by the BS / CS broadcast antenna 31 and frequency-converted by a converter (not shown) and the signal received by the terrestrial digital broadcast antenna 32 are arranged on the same frequency axis by the mixer 33. After being mixed, the signal is transmitted to the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 disposed in each guest room in the hotel hall through the coaxial transmission line 34 constituting the distribution network of this system.

  The digital broadcast receiving device 35 performs a channel selection operation corresponding to the operation on the remote control pad 36, and reproduces and outputs images and sound on a monitor device not shown here.

  More specifically, the signal transmitted from the coaxial transmission line 34 is demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 41 into an intermediate frequency signal of BS · 110 ° CS broadcast and a reception signal of terrestrial digital broadcast, and a digital broadcast receiver 42 is sent to a BS 110 ° CS digital tuner and a terrestrial digital tuner (not shown).

  The digital broadcast receiving unit 42 selects a channel corresponding to the channel selection operation on the remote control pad 36 by the BS / 110 ° CS digital tuner or the terrestrial digital tuner based on a signal from the control unit 47 described later. The transport stream (TS) of the corresponding channel is demodulated and output.

  However, in the digital broadcast receiving unit 42, the demodulated transport stream is separated into information such as video multiplexed by a demultiplexer, EMM information of individual information, program information, and ECM information of control information.

The separated EMM information is decoded to acquire contract information, and the acquired contract information is stored in a B-CAS card which is a storage medium ( not shown) inserted into the CAS card slot 45 and scrambled. By decoding the ECM information, descrambling control of information such as video is performed, and temporally continuous video data and stereo audio data are generated in the digital broadcast receiver 42, and the generated video data is output to a video output terminal. From 43, the audio data is output from the audio output terminal 44, respectively.

  The video output terminal 43 and the audio output terminal 44 are connected to the video input terminal and the audio input terminal of the monitor device (not shown) installed in the guest room together with the digital broadcast receiving device 35. By reproducing and outputting the sound, a user in the guest room (such as a guest) can view the digital broadcast.

As described above, the digital broadcast receiver 35 includes the CAS card slot 45, and by inserting a B-CAS card as a storage medium, the digital broadcast program and channel set by the hotel management side can be viewed. However, the CAS card slot 45 is not exposed at all on the outer surface of the digital broadcast receiver 35 so that the user cannot easily remove the B-CAS card.

Note that a unique master key (Km) is stored in advance in the B-CAS card, which is a storage medium, and information for deleting the above-mentioned character message of NHK when paying a new program or renewing a contract. If the master key is matched, the contract information and the like are stored.

  Further, a telephone line connection terminal 46 is connected to the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35. The telephone line connection terminal 46 is connected to a modem (not shown) in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35. Request information is provided when a two-way data broadcasting service is performed based on the control in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35. Etc. can be transmitted via a telephone line (not shown).

  The control unit 47 includes a CPU, a ROM that stores the CPU operation program in a nonvolatile manner, a RAM that operates as a work memory, and the like. The digital broadcast receiving unit 42, the magnetic card reader / writer 48, and a remote control light receiving unit. Connected to the unit 49, the control operation of the entire digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 is executed.

The magnetic card reader / writer 48 normally inserts a prepaid card, which is a card-like medium that is purchased by a user (guest or the like) using the hotel room to view a pay program.

When the prepaid card as a card-like medium is inserted, the control unit 47 reads the frequency data magnetically recorded on the prepaid card from the magnetic card reader / writer 48 and stores it in the memory in the control unit 47. , as well as allow the viewing of the pay program, by subtracting the frequency corresponding to the rates, by sending the remaining power or the like to a magnetic card reader-writer 48 when the button (not shown) is operated writing to the prepaid card Then , the magnetic card reader / writer 48 is ejected.

At the time of introduction setting or operation change setting of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35, a setting card storing various setting data instead of the prepaid card is inserted into the magnetic card reader / writer 48 as one card-like medium. Thus, the setting can be changed at the time of new / update.

  The remote control light receiving unit 49 receives and demodulates an infrared modulation signal corresponding to the key operation on the remote control pad 36 and sends the operation content to the control unit 47.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
When the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 is introduced, the hotel manager appropriately selects a desired pay program and applies for a subscription contract to the program broadcaster. The broadcaster accepting this broadcasts the program with the contract information multiplexed and broadcasts for a certain period or regularly.

In addition, in the digital broadcast receiving device 35 in each guest room , a B-CAS card as a storage medium is inserted in advance in the CAS card slot 45. As described above, the CAS card slot 45 receives the digital broadcast. Since it is not exposed on the outer surface of the device 35, the user of the cabin GR cannot be easily extracted.

FIG. 8 shows a setting card SC as one card-like medium inserted into the magnetic card reader / writer 48 for setting a receiving operation for storing contract information or the like in the B-CAS card as the storage medium . FIG. 8A is a view of the setting card SC as viewed from the surface thereof. Each data shown in FIG. 8B is stored in the broken line portion MT in which the magnetic tape on the back surface of the setting card SC is embedded as seen through in FIG. Hereinafter, each of these data will be described in advance.

  The “system code” is a code for identifying the type of card, and is a code unique to the setting card SC.

  The “ID code” is a code for identifying each user in units of hotels, for example.

The “paid program 1”, “paid program 2”, and “NHK” of the contracted broadcaster are composed of the pay program of the contracted broadcaster and the channel selection information of the NHK, respectively.

  “Channel selection operation time” is data that specifies how many hours the program selection of the contracted broadcaster is performed.

  “Operation end time” is the reception operation end time data to be stored in the B-CAS card after receiving the contract information of the broadcaster and NHK broadcasting the contracted pay program, that is, the setting card SC is inserted. The time of day.

  The “operation period (number of days)” is a period of time during which the operation is continued after the reception operation for receiving the contract information and the like of the broadcaster that broadcasts the contracted pay broadcast and the NHK is stored in the B-CAS card. That is, the number of days from the day when the setting card SC is inserted.

  “CRC” is detection data capable of detecting a burst error in accordance with a redundancy code check method (Cyrclic Redundancy Check).

  Next, referring to FIG. 9, the operation required for receiving the contract information and storing it in the B-CAS card including the received contract information and the like, which is mainly executed by the control unit 47 on the digital broadcast receiver 35 side of each guest room. The contents will be described.

  In the following operation, as shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to view “paid program 1” and “paid program 2” of BS digital broadcasting and delete the above-mentioned character message of “NHK”. The “channel selection operation time” is 15 minutes, the “operation end time” is “00:00”, and the “operation period (number of days)” is 10 days.

  One of the “operation end time” and “operation period (number of days)” is selected based on the data value, and 10 days is valid for the “operation period (number of days)”. In addition, it is assumed that various types of data of “system code” are stored in advance in the ROM of the control unit 47 and “ID code” is stored in advance in the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 by another card.

  Initially, when a magnetic card is inserted into the magnetic card reader / writer 48, the magnetic card reader / writer 48 reads the stored magnetic signal and sends it to the controller 47.

  After confirming that the read data is normal, the controller 47 instructs the magnetic card reader / writer 48 to eject the inserted magnetic card (step C01).

  At this time, when the control unit 47 determines that the read data is abnormal, the control unit 47 notifies the error by a display unit that is provided in the digital broadcast receiving device 35 and that is configured by an LED (not illustrated) of several-digit day-shaped segments. 9 is completed without performing the following operations.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the data read from the magnetic card inserted into the magnetic card reader / writer 48 is normal, the control unit 47 further analyzes the system code located at the head of the data and inserts the magnetic card Is a setting card SC, it is determined by comparison with the system code stored in the ROM in the control unit 47 (step C02).

  If it is determined that the inserted magnetic card is not the setting card SC, for example, if it is determined that the magnetic card is a normal prepaid card, an operation corresponding to the card is performed, but the operation is omitted here. Then, the process of FIG.

  If it is determined that the magnetic card inserted in step C02 is the setting card SC, a predetermined setting program is started, the read data is set, and the operation is started (step C03).

  Subsequently, the power of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 is turned on (step C04). At this time, normally, the power of a monitor device (not shown) is also turned on in conjunction with the digital broadcast receiving device 35. However, when the contract information is received, only the digital broadcast receiving device 35 is turned on. 47 controls.

  By turning on the power of the digital broadcast receiver 35, the channel selection information of the pay program 1 of the contracted broadcaster is transmitted to the digital broadcast receiver 42, and the BS · 110 ° CS in the digital broadcast receiver 42 is transmitted. The digital tuner selects and receives the broadcast, and separates the decoded transport stream into information such as video multiplexed by a demultiplexer, EMM information, and ECM information (step C05).

  Then, the separated EMM information is decoded using a unique master key stored in the B-CAS card inserted in the CAS card slot 45. Depending on whether or not the decoding is correctly performed, the contract information receiving operation is performed. Is determined whether or not can be completed (step C06).

  Here, if the decoding can be correctly performed, the contract information is stored in the B-CAS card, and the contract is made by decoding the scrambled ECM information and controlling the descrambling of information such as video. The program can be viewed and the contract information receiving operation is completed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step C06 that decoding cannot be performed correctly and the contract information reception operation cannot be completed, it is confirmed that the operation has not been repeatedly executed for 15 minutes (step C07), the process returns to step C06 again.

  Accordingly, it is determined that the program has been correctly decoded in step C06, and the contracted program can be viewed. After the reception operation of the contract information is completed, or in step C07, the contract information cannot be correctly decoded. In any case where it is determined that 15 minutes have passed without completing the operation, whether or not the operation is once ended and then within the operation period is determined by the above “operation period (number of days)”. Is determined based on whether or not the content “10 days” has elapsed since the month and date set in step C03 (step C08). It is determined whether or not to continue the contract information receiving operation (step C09).

  Here, since the receiving operation of the contract information for viewing the pay program 2 is still necessary, the control unit 47 transmits the channel selection information of the pay program 2 to the digital broadcast receiving unit 42, and the above-described step C05 is started. The above process is executed in the same manner.

  In this way, the processing of steps C05 to C08 is executed in the same manner as described above in order to execute the receiving operation of the contract information of the pay program 2, and in the subsequent step C09, it is determined that the character message of NHK is to be deleted. When the control unit 47 transmits the channel selection information of NHK to the digital broadcast reception unit 42 in step C05, the information for erasing the character message of NHK is obtained by repeating the processing of steps C05 to C08 in the same manner. Store in B-CAS card.

  The information for deleting the NHK text message is different from the contract information of other paid programs, and even if the information is not stored in the B-CAS card, the NHK digital broadcast can be received and viewed. Although it is possible, since there is no information, a character message prompting notification of a card ID or the like is continuously displayed at a predetermined position in the video for a predetermined time from the beginning of selecting NHK.

  If it is determined in the process of repeating steps C05 to C09 that there is no pay program or the like contracted with a further broadcaster in step C09, then the contract information receiving operation for pay program 1 and pay program 2, and NHK It is determined whether or not there is an incomplete operation for acquiring information for deleting the character message (step C10).

  If it is determined that there is at least one incomplete, the processing from step C05 is executed again to complete the operation.

  If it is determined in step C10 that all necessary operations for receiving contract information have been completed, or if it is determined in step C08 that the operation period (number of days) has been exceeded, the digital broadcast receiving device 35 is turned off. (Step C11), the control unit 47 ends the processing in FIG.

  Note that the “operation period (number of days)” data by the setting card SC may be appropriately set by the hotel manager in consideration of the installation work of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 and the application timing of a contract for a pay program. Shall.

  Further, when the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35 needs to cancel the operation for some reason during the operation shown in FIG. 9, a setting clear card prepared in advance instead of the setting card SC is used as the magnetic card. It may be inserted into the reader / writer 48.

  In this way, contract information or the like for arbitrarily viewing a digital broadcast that is subject to any viewing restrictions in a facility where a large number of digital broadcast receiving devices 35 are installed, which is used by an unspecified number of users, is B-. The operation for storing and setting in the CAS card can be automated and executed efficiently in units of the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 35, and the human cost can be kept extremely low.

  In addition, the operation of storing and setting the contract information and the like in the B-CAS card can be started only by inserting the setting card SC into the magnetic card reader / writer 48 instead of the prepaid card inserted by a general user. The work necessary for the hotel manager can be simplified.

  In the second embodiment, the magnetic card reader / writer 48 is provided in the digital broadcast receiver 35, and the prepaid card, the setting card SC, and the setting clear card are all magnetic cards. The present invention is not limited to this, and other card-like media such as an IC card in which connection terminals are formed on the card surface and a wireless IC card enclosing a wirelessly-operated IC chip called a so-called “IC tag” or the like are used. It may be used.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

  Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, at least one of the problems described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and described in the column of the effect of the invention. In a case where at least one of the obtained effects can be obtained, a configuration in which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an entire system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the detailed circuit structure of the digital broadcast receiver which concerns on the same embodiment. The flowchart which shows the processing content with respect to each digital broadcast receiver by the front computer which concerns on the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the processing content regarding reception of contract information in each digital broadcast receiver which concerns on the embodiment. The figure which illustrates the content of the table which the front computer which concerns on the same embodiment memorize | stores. The figure which illustrates the content of the table which the front computer which concerns on the same embodiment memorize | stores. The block diagram which mainly shows the circuit structure of the digital broadcast receiver which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which illustrates the setting card | curd which concerns on the embodiment, and the structure format of the data memorize | stored in the card | curd. The flowchart which shows the processing content regarding reception of the contract information in the digital broadcast receiver which concerns on the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... BS / CS broadcast antenna, 2 ... Terrestrial digital broadcast antenna, 3 ... Mixer, 4 ... Front computer, 5 ... Host computer, 6 ... Mixer, 7 ... Coaxial transmission line, 8 ... Digital broadcast receiver, 9 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Monitor, 10 ... Remote control pad, 11 ... Divider, 12 ... Digital broadcast receiving part, 13 ... Video output terminal, 14 ... Audio output terminal, 15 ... CAS card slot, 16 ... Telephone line connection terminal, 17 ... Control part , 18 ... high frequency modem, 19 ... remote control light receiving unit, 31 ... BS / CS broadcast antenna, 32 ... terrestrial digital broadcast antenna, 33 ... mixer, 34 ... coaxial transmission line, 35 ... digital broadcast receiver, 36 ... remote control pad , 41 ... duplexer, 42 ... digital broadcast receiver, 43 ... video output terminal, 44 ... audio output terminal, 45 ... CAS card slot, 46 ... Telephone line connection terminal, 47 ... control unit, 48 ... magnetic card reader-writer, 49 ... remote control light receiving unit, BT ... interacting data lines, GR ... rooms, SC ... setting card, TB ... table.

Claims (3)

A storage medium that is installed in a guest room of a passenger accommodation facility and is used by an unspecified number of passengers and that can store broadcast release information that is subject to viewing restrictions, and the release information obtained by receiving digital broadcasts. A plurality of digital broadcast receivers having setting means for storing in the storage medium;
A first premises management device that manages the check-in and check-out states of a guest room in which each of the plurality of digital broadcast receiving devices is installed as a usage status ;
The usage status acquisition means for acquiring the usage status of the guest room in which each of the plurality of digital broadcast receiving devices is installed from the first premises management device, and the usage status of each digital broadcast receiving device obtained by the usage status acquisition means. And a second premises management device having an instruction means for instructing the digital broadcast receiving device installed in the guest room in the checkout state to store the release information in the storage medium by receiving the digital broadcast, A digital broadcast receiving system comprising: The second on-site management device is configured to release the cancellation information by receiving digital broadcasts to the plurality of digital broadcast reception devices by the instruction means during a time zone set in advance according to check-in and check-out duties at the accommodation facility. 2. The digital broadcast receiving system according to claim 1, wherein the storage setting to the storage medium is instructed. A digital broadcast receiver installed in a facility and used by an unspecified number of users,
A storage medium capable of storing the release information of the broadcast whose viewing is restricted;
Card medium reading means capable of at least reading information stored in the card-like medium by inserting the card-like medium;
Channel selection operation for continuously acquiring broadcast channel program selection information indicating the receivable channel selection information stored at least in advance from the card-like medium inserted by the card medium reading means and the release information. It is determined whether or not the channel selection time information to be performed and the operation period information indicating the broadcast receivable period can be read . An instruction means for instructing the memory setting;
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: setting means for storing the release information obtained by receiving the digital broadcast in the storage medium in correspondence with the instruction means.

Images