JP5268004B2 - Operation control system in home network - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an interface which can unitarily control the operation of at least one DMS from a DMP or a DMC. <P>SOLUTION: An operation control system includes a television 2001 having a DMP or DMC function and a DVD/HDD recorder 2004 having a DMS function, that configure a network coping with a DLNA, and enables control of the operation of the DVD/HDD recorder from the television. The DVD/HDD recorder includes a control command for indicating one or more functions out of the stipulation range of DLNAv1.5 by an URL and executing each of the one or more functions in a content list and holds it. The television obtains the content list from the DVD/HDD recorder, displays it at a display part, and when the control command is selected and specified on the obtained and displayed content list, accesses the URL related with the selected control command. The DVD/HDD recorder executes the control command specified from the television. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an operation control system in a home network including a device having a digital media player function, such as a television, and a device having a digital media server function, such as a recorder such as a DVD / HDD recorder. .

  In recent years, with the advancement of communication technology and related technologies and the improvement of the environment, a so-called home network environment in which personal computers and home appliances in a house are connected by a wired or wireless LAN is becoming common. As an example of an application in a home network, an application for viewing AV content files such as video and music between a personal computer and a home appliance is provided (Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, in order to promote the development and promotion of home network environment, an organization called DLNA (registered trademark) (Digital Living Network Alliance) has been working to guarantee the interoperability between home appliances, mobile devices, and personal computer devices. And have established guidelines for that.

DLNAv1.5 {DLNA Guideline v1.5 (Networked Device Interoperability Guide lines Expanded: October 2006, hereinafter referred to as DLNAv1.5)} provides methods related to content list acquisition and content playback. Speaking of recorders, it is impossible to realize all the functions of commercial DVD / HDD recorders such as program recording reservation and editing functions.

  Therefore, at present, the user needs to use a remote controller provided for each manufacturer and for each device, and to use these functions separately by different operations.

JP 2007-158854 A

  A program recording reservation system in a conventional DVD / HDD recorder will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 9, a TV 7001 and a DVD / HDD recorder 7003 can make a program recording reservation by operating each other.

  However, the conventional program recording reservation has the following problems.

  The first problem is that the DVD / HDD recorder 7003 is controlled directly by the user by operating the DVD / HDD recorder remote controller 7005 on the DVD / HDD recorder 7003. Unless changed to the HDD recorder 7003, the operation screen of the DVD / HDD recorder 7003 cannot be displayed. Therefore, the user needs to operate both the remote controller (not shown) of the television 7001 and the remote controller 7005 of the DVD / HDD recorder 7003.

While the above description is for the television and DVD / HDD recorder, generally, the television can be regarded as an image display device including a digital media player (Digital Media Player) function, DVD / HDD recorder digital It can be understood as a recording device having a media server (Digital Media Server) function.

In this case, as the second problem, which digital media server provides a digital media player, since only information on the content reproduction, a digital media player program recording reservation and editing functions for digital media server The point that control of etc. cannot be mentioned is mentioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an interface capable of centrally operating and controlling one or more digital media servers from a digital media player or a digital media controller. .

  A specific object of the present invention is to provide an interface capable of controlling operations such as program recording reservation and editing functions of a recorder, such as a DVD / HDD recorder, only by operating a television.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a first electronic device having a digital media controller function or a digital media player function and a second electronic device having a digital media server function constituting a home network are provided. wherein, even before Symbol operation control system for enabling operation control of the second electronic device, said second electronic device, executes the one or more respective functions together represent one or more functions in URL The first electronic device acquires the content list from the second electronic device and displays it on the display unit, and displays the acquired control command on the acquired and displayed content list. When the control command is selected and specified in the URL, the URL associated with the selected control command is accessed, and the second electronic device is connected to the first electronic device. Operation control system and executes the al specified control commands are provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a first electronic device having a digital media controller function or a digital media player function and a second electronic device having a digital media server function, which constitute a home network, are provided. wherein, even before Symbol operation control method for enabling the operation control of the second electronic device, in the second electronic device, perform the one or more respective functions together represent one or more functions in URL A control list for storing the content list in the content list, and in the first electronic device, the content list is acquired from the second electronic device and displayed, and the control command is displayed on the acquired and displayed content list. When the selection is specified, the URL associated with the selected control command is accessed, and the first electronic device is accessed by the second electronic device. Operation control method characterized by performing a specified control commands from the vessel is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, it constitutes a g e beam network includes a recording apparatus and comprising an image display device and a digital media server having a digital media controller or digital media player, before Symbol a operation control method that enables operation control of the recording device, together with the recording device stores the program guide obtained by obtaining the information of the program guide on the Internet or television broadcast wave in the program table storage unit, converts is converted into data of a content list stored in content list holding section by section, the recording device also a control command for executing the one or more respective functions together represent one or more functions in URL, held included in the content list, the image display device, by searching the recording device from the home network, the recording Gets the description information of the location, the time, the recording device is configured to provide a content list stored in the content list holding section to said image display device, commands the possible control commands executed by the digital media server When the digital media player is notified of the information representing the type of the command content as a container to the digital media player at the same time, and then program recording reservation is selected as the command content on the image display device , the digital media player Accesses the URL associated with the command content of the selected program recording reservation, requests the recording reservation unit of the recording device for the specified control and program recording reservation, and the recording device is designated. Operating system characterized by making a recording reservation A method is provided.

According to the present invention, an electronic device having a digital media player or a digital media controller function, for example, a television, an electronic device having another digital media server function in a home network, such as a DVD / HDD recorder, and other various types. The recorder can be controlled and managed centrally.

It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the basic composition of the operation control system by this invention. It is the figure which showed the structure of the 1st Example of the operation control system by this invention. It is the figure which showed the example of a structure of the content list holding the list | wrist of the content used in 1st Example of this invention. It is the figure which showed the specific example of the content list shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the specific example of the content list by 2nd Example of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the container shown in FIG. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the operation | movement outline | summary of 1st Example of this invention. It is the figure which showed the specific sequence in the program recording reservation which is the 1st Example of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the conventional television program recording reservation system.

  In the present invention, functions outside the range of DLNAv1.5, such as program recording reservation and editing functions, are expressed by URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and expressed as content on the content list, so that a common remote controller that is independent of manufacturers and devices Provides functionality and common operability.

For example, in a TV with a DLNA digital media player function and a DVD / HDD recorder with a DLNA digital media server function, the DVD / HDD recorder uses a URL to give a control command for recording a TV program. Express on the content list of the digital media server .

When the digital media player acquires the content list, the digital media player also acquires a list of control commands.

When the user operates the digital media player of the television and selects a control command, the URL related to the control command is accessed, and the digital media server that receives the URL executes the corresponding control command of the DVD / HDD recorder. .

  An example of the operation outline of the operation control system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the operation control system shown in FIG. 2, the digital media player of the television 2001 acquires and selects a control command from the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 to control the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 that is a digital media server .

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration example for controlling operation of program recording reservation of the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 from the television 2001.

A specific method is to use a DLNA to control a DVD / HDD recorder 2004 control command from a DVD / HDD recorder 2004 including a digital media server to a television 2001 including a digital media player. Notify them and notify them.

  Hereinafter, what prescribes and defines a control command as content will be referred to as command content.

  The television 2001 selects the command content to be controlled from the hierarchical content list, and accesses the URL associated with the selected command content, so that the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 recognizes the control command, and the program Perform recording reservation.

  In this way, in the operation control system shown in FIG. 2, the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 is realized by notifying the television 2001 of the control command as command content and notifying it as normal content. Functions such as program recording reservation and editing functions can be realized using the DLNAv1.5 mechanism.

  The case where the embodiment of the operation control system according to the present invention is applied as a program recording reservation system will be described below.

[First embodiment]
(Configuration of the first embodiment)
A connection example in a home network will be described with reference to FIG.

  A television 1001 and a DVD / HDD recorder 1002 are connected via a home network 1005. The television 1001 can be operated with a television remote controller 1003. The home network 1005 is connected to the Internet or can receive TV broadcast radio waves and can acquire a TV program guide.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the configuration of the first embodiment is shown.

A DVD / HDD recorder 2004 (corresponding to the DVD / HDD recorder 1002 in FIG. 1) includes a digital media server 2009 defined by DLNA. A digital media server 2009 in the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 has a content list holding unit for holding a content list to be provided to the digital media player 2002 in the television 2001 (corresponding to the television 1001 in FIG. 1). 2010 is provided.

  An external network 2006 is a device capable of receiving the Internet or TV broadcast waves connected by a home gateway connected to the home network together with the television 2001 and the DVD / HDD recorder 2004, and is a network with the outside in a broad sense. is there.

Further, the DVD / HDD recorder 2004 can acquire a program guide from an external network 2006 such as the Internet or a TV broadcast radio wave by a technique such as EPG (registered trademark) (Electronic Program Guide), and holds the acquired program guide. A program table holding unit 2007 is provided.

  The DVD / HDD recorder 2004 further includes a conversion unit 2008 for converting the program table into a content list.

  The DVD / HDD recorder 2004 further includes a recording reservation unit 2005 that receives a command from the television 2001 and executes a recording reservation.

The television 2001 includes a digital media player 2002 defined by DLNA. A digital media player 2002 in the television 2001 includes a content list display unit 2003 that displays a content list provided from the digital media server 2009.

(Description of content and container)
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a configuration example of a content list 3005 that holds a list of content used in the operation control system according to the present invention. The content list 3005 includes containers 3001 and 3002 and contents 3003 and 3004, and has a tree structure.

  As shown in the upper part of FIG. 3, as a general example, containers 3001 and 3002 correspond to folders, and contents 3003 and 3004 correspond to files.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the DVD / HDD recorder provides the container 3002 as the type information relating to the command content, and the content (control command) 3004 is used as the command content for actually deciding the program recording reservation. As offered.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the container 6014 is associated with another container 6001 and content 6002, and the content 6002 is associated with a URL 6003 where the content 6002 is stored.

(Other configurations)
In the present invention, iEPG (Internet Electronic Program Guide) can be applied in addition to the EPG described with reference to FIG. 9, but this technology itself is well known, and thus the description of the configuration and the like is omitted.

In the above configuration example, a digital media controller may be used instead of the digital media player . As the DVD / HDD recorder, a computer having a digital media server or a program guide receiving function such as EPG on a personal computer may be used.

Although other configuration examples are as described above, the main function of the present invention is to provide a command for controlling the digital media server as a command content to the digital media player , which is realized with the simple configuration as described above. it can.

(Operation of the first embodiment)
(Overall configuration sequence)
Next, the operation outline of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

  First, the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 (2004 in FIG. 2) acquires program guide information from the Internet or a television broadcast wave 9003 using a technique such as EPG or iEPG (FIG. 7, sequence number S1). The acquired program guide is stored in the program guide holding unit (2007 in FIG. 2) in the DVD / HDD recorder 9002, converted into content list data by the conversion unit (2008 in FIG. 2), and then the content list holding unit. (2010 in FIG. 2).

Next, a television 9001 (2001 in FIG. 2) equipped with a digital media player uses a discovery technology defined by DLNA and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play), and a DVD / HDD equipped with a digital media server. The recorder 9002 is searched from the home network, and description information of the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 equipped with the digital media server (information including a URL for the digital media player to acquire the content list) is obtained ( FIG. 7, sequence number S2).

  After that, the TV 9001 uses the Browse action specified by DLNA for the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 to acquire container and content information (sequence number S3 in FIG. 7).

  At this time, the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 provides the content list stored in the content list holding unit (2010 in FIG. 2) to the television 9001 (FIG. 7, response 200OK of sequence number S3).

At this time, the digital media server notifies the digital media player of the contents that are normally playable media and the information of the container in which the media is stored. In the first embodiment, the digital media server executes the information. Possible control commands are set as command contents, and information indicating the type of command contents is simultaneously notified to the digital media player as a container.

  Furthermore, the TV 9001 is operated by the user from the TV remote control (1003 in FIG. 1), and the container and contents at a deeper level are acquired by the Browse action to which the identification information of the selected container is added (FIG. 7, sequence number S3). .

Next, when the user selects command content on the TV 9001, in this example, program recording reservation, the digital media player is defined in HTTP for the URL associated with the selected program recording reservation command content. The HTTP GET method is used to access (FIG. 7, sequence number S4).

At this time, the HTTP GET request requests the recording reservation unit (2005 in FIG. 2) of the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 for the designated control and program recording reservation without going through the digital media server (FIG. 7, Sequence number S4).

  When an HTTP GET success response is received, an image or text indicating that the program recording reservation is successful is output to the television 9001, and the DVD / HDD recorder 9002 makes a recording reservation for the designated program (FIG. 7, FIG. 7). Sequence numbers S4, S5).

(Specific description of recording reservation)
The above is the main operation outline of the first embodiment. A specific sequence for actually proceeding with a reservation from the DVD / HDD recorder will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, in response to an inquiry from the television 0102 (2001 in FIG. 2), the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 (2004 in FIG. 2) notifies the television 0102 of command content in addition to information on media as content and containers (FIG. 2). 8, sequence number SQ1).

  In response to the initial inquiry of the television 0102, the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 notifies a container of a program recording reservation 4001 as shown in FIG. 4 as a root container.

  Next, in order to acquire the contents of the program recording reservation container 4001 designated by the user as shown in FIG. 4 from the television 0102, the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 is inquired again, and the reservation date information containers 4002 and 4003 are inquired. (FIG. 8, sequence number SQ2).

  Next, the contents of date information-1 container (4002) including information such as, for example, XX year × X month △ Δ day as shown in FIG. Therefore, the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 is inquired again to obtain the broadcast station (-1, -2, -3) containers 4004, 4005, 4006 (Fig. 8, sequence number SQ3).

  Next, in order to acquire the contents of the broadcasting station-1 container 4004 including information such as XX broadcasting station as shown in FIG. An inquiry is again made to 0101 to obtain time zone information (-1, -2, -3) containers 4010, 4011 and 4012 (Fig. 8, sequence number SQ4).

  Next, in order to acquire the contents of the time zone information-1 container 4010 including information such as XX hour to XX hour specified by the user as shown in FIG. The DVD / HDD recorder 0101 is inquired again, and the program contents (-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7) 4013, 4014 including the URL information of the program recording reservation command are issued. , 4015, 4016, 4017, 4018, 4019, that is, the command content and the URL related to the command content are acquired (FIG. 8, sequence number SQ5).

  Next, an HTTP GET message is transmitted to the URL acquired above, and the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 that receives the HTTP GET message accepts the program recording reservation, and sends a message indicating that the program recording reservation has been accepted as an HTTP GET response. Transmit (FIG. 8, sequence number SQ6).

Thereafter, the DVD / HDD recorder 0101 makes a program recording reservation (FIG. 8, sequence number SQ7). At that time, by specifying the container of another digital media server terminal such as another DVD / HDD recorder on the home network, control such as program recording reservation from one TV 0102 to multiple DVD / HDD recorders is specified. can do.

(Operation seen from the user)
When the user activates the digital media player of the television, first, a container representing media playback content held by the digital media server of the DVD / HDD recorder and command content related to control commands is displayed on the television screen.

  When the user selects a container related to command content for program recording reservation, a container including date information is displayed. The container including date information is information relating to a date on which a program recording reservation can be made, for example, XX year ×× month ΔΔ day, XX year ×× month □□ day.

  Here, when the user selects a container related to a certain date, a container including information related to a broadcasting station of a television program is displayed next. A container including information related to a broadcast station of a television program is information related to a broadcast station that can be reserved for program recording on a specified date.

  Next, when the user designates a broadcasting station, a container related to time zone information is displayed. A container relating to time zone information is information such as a time zone in which a program recording reservation can be made, for example, 0:00 to 3 o'clock, 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock, and the like.

  Further, when the user designates time zone information, command content for designating a URL for performing program recording reservation, including information such as a program name, is displayed.

  When command content including information such as individual program names is specified, the TV makes a program recording reservation request to the URL associated with the specified command content, and the TV indicates that the program recording reservation has been accepted. A message is displayed on the TV screen, and an actual program recording reservation is made.

  The above is an example of a simple program recording reservation.

At this time, by designating another digital media server device as the container, it is possible to control program recording reservation for all the digital media server devices on the home network.

[Effect of the first embodiment]
As described above, the first embodiment has the following effects.

The first effect is that regardless of the manufacturer or model, whether it is a device with a digital media player or digital media controller function, regardless of the manufacturer or model, whether it is a digital media player or a digital media controller function. Anything can be a controller for a DVD / HDD recorder.

The second effect is that all recorders in the home network, that is, DVD / HDD recorders and other various recorders can be controlled from a digital media player or a device having a digital media controller function, and can be managed centrally.

  The third effect is that any function can be executed regardless of the DLNA definition by expressing the control function (command) of the DVD / HDD recorder as a URL.

The fourth effect is that the first embodiment can be realized only by adding an internal function of the digital media server device, and therefore the system can be realized without changing any DLNA interface.

[Second Embodiment]
The basic configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention is as described above, but the type of command content is devised. The configuration is shown in FIG.

  As a root container 5019, a control command 5001 and media information 5015 are shown.

  When the control command 5001 is selected as described above, containers such as content deletion 5002, content update 5003, and access restriction 5004 are displayed.

  In FIG. 5, it is assumed that the user selects content deletion 5002 and further selects video media 5005. Thereafter, when the user further selects video-1 (5008) of the command content of the video, the media of video-1 is deleted from the content list that can be disclosed by the DVD / HDD recorder.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the control commands are divided into categories and used as containers, and the control commands are provided as command contents. Therefore, any control command can be executed.

  In the second embodiment, the following can be given as other examples of the control command.

  Another example of the first control command is a change of the content public folder.

  Another example of the second control command is changing the content name.

  Another example of the third control command is content addition.

  Another example of the fourth control command is immediate recording.

  Another example of the fifth control command is acquisition of a URL related to the content.

  As another configuration of the second embodiment, the present invention can be implemented even when the television is a DLNA compatible display terminal other than the television, a personal computer, or the like.

As another configuration, the DVD / HDD recorder may be a recorder of a device having a function capable of recording analog TV programs such as VHS (registered trademark) or digital TV programs such as Blu-ray. The invention can be implemented.

The present invention enables control of a digital media server that accommodates content from a digital media player that usually only reproduces content in a home network that constructs DLNA. It is possible to use.

  In the first example, as described above, a DVD / HDD recorder is reserved from a TV-only operation.

The second example is that a DVD / HDD recorder, personal computer, and other digital media server devices can be controlled from a television or other digital media player devices.

1001, 2001 TV 1002, 2004 DVD / HDD recorder 1005 Home network 2002 Digital media player 2009 Digital media server

Claims (7)

Constituting a home network, and a second electronic device having a first electronic device and a digital media server functions of a digital media controller functions or digital media player function, before Symbol operation of the second electronic device An operation control system that enables control,
The second electronic device includes one or more functions represented by a URL and a control command for executing each of the one or more functions included in a content list and retained.
The first electronic device acquires a content list from the second electronic device and displays the content list on the display unit. When a control command is selected and specified on the acquired and displayed content list, the selected control command is selected. Go to the URL associated with
The operation control system, wherein the second electronic device executes a control command designated by the first electronic device. The operation control system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more functions represented by the URL are functions outside a DLNA specified range . The first and second electronic devices are an image display device and a recording device, respectively, and include at least one of program recording reservation and editing as a function outside the regulation range of the DLNA. The operation control system described in. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein when the program recording reservation is specified as the control command from the image display apparatus , the recording apparatus executes the specified control command to reserve recording of a program corresponding to the URL. The operation control system described. The recording device includes means for acquiring program guide information from the Internet or television broadcast radio waves, a program guide holding unit for storing the acquired program guide, a conversion unit for converting the acquired program guide into data of a content list, 5. The operation control system according to claim 4 , further comprising: a content list holding unit for storing the converted data, wherein the content list is sent in response to a request using a digital media player function of the image display device . Constituting a home network, and a second electronic device having a first electronic device and a digital media server functions of a digital media controller functions or digital media player function, before Symbol operation of the second electronic device An operation control method that enables control,
In the second electronic device , one or more functions are represented by a URL and a control command for executing the one or more functions is included in the content list and held.
In the first electronic device, when a content list is acquired from the second electronic device and displayed, and a control command is selected and specified on the acquired and displayed content list, the content list is associated with the selected control command. Access the URL,
An operation control method comprising: executing a control command designated by the first electronic device in the second electronic device. Constituting a g e beam network, and a recording apparatus comprising an image display device and a digital media server having a digital media controller or digital media player, before Symbol operation control to enable operation control of the recording device A method,
The recording apparatus acquires the program guide information from the Internet or TV broadcast radio waves, stores the acquired program guide in the program guide holding unit, converts it into content list data by the conversion unit, and stores it in the content list holding unit And
The recording device also includes one or more functions represented by a URL and a control command for executing each of the one or more functions included in the content list and retained.
The image display device, by searching the recording device from the home network to obtain the description information of the recording apparatus,
At this time, the recording device provides a content list stored in the content list holding unit to the image display device , uses a control command executable by the digital media server as command content, and sets a type of the command content. Informs the digital media player simultaneously as information representing the container,
Subsequently, when a program recording reservation is selected as a command content on the image display device , the digital media player accesses a URL associated with the selected program recording reservation command content, and the recording device Request the designated recording and program recording reservation to
An operation control method, wherein the recording device makes a recording reservation for a designated program.

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