JP6918075B2 - Broadcast receiving device, receiving method, transmission method - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a broadcast receiving device, a receiving method, and a transmission method.

In recent years, the development of a system aiming at the fusion of broadcasting by radio waves (broadcast signals) and communication using the Internet and the like has been progressing, and attempts are being made to provide more advanced broadcasting and communication services. One such system is, for example, Hybridcast®.
Then, by using this system, it is possible to utilize and realize both the characteristics of broadcasting such as broadcastability and the characteristics of communication such as individual correspondence on one content. For example, instead of conventional data broadcasting for the purpose of transmitting digital data, SNS (SNS) by transmitting additional program-related information and application information linked to the content of the broadcast program via the Internet and synthesizing them on the broadcast screen. A new form of broadcasting that links services on the Internet such as Social Networking Service) is being realized.

By the way, in data distribution using broadcast signals, even if the number of broadcast receiving devices increases, there is no effect on the data sending side, but in data distribution using communication such as the Internet, data increases as the number of broadcast receiving devices increases. It is necessary to increase the capacity of the distribution server. In particular, when information is provided in conjunction with broadcasting, there is a problem that access to the data distribution server is concentrated from a broadcasting receiving device that receives the same program at the same time as the program starts, causing congestion in the network. In such a system, measures to avoid access concentration are important.

Therefore, in order to avoid the above-mentioned problem of access concentration, information of a plurality of servers to be connected is transmitted by a broadcast signal, and one server to be connected is selected on the broadcast receiving device side. A technology that makes it possible to distribute the servers to be connected is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-148563

However, in the prior art, although it is possible to avoid concentrating access on one server, the amount of communication in the entire network at a specific time does not change, so that the load on the network does not decrease so much and congestion occurs. Probability is high. Further, in the prior art, it is necessary to prepare a number of servers that can deal with the number of accesses that occur at the same time momentarily when data acquisition requests are generated all at once, such as when a program is switched.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to significantly reduce the number of data acquisition requests to be processed at the same time, and it is possible to keep the processing capacity of the server low. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a transmission method.

The broadcast receiving device of the embodiment includes a tuner unit for receiving a broadcast signal, a network interface, and a display unit. Here, the application can be acquired from the server on the network via the network interface. When the application is automatically started, the application information of the application to be executed next is transmitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a signal processing system of the digital television broadcast receiving device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a processing operation in the application downloader. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing operations in the application downloader. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a notebook PC according to a modified example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a signal processing system of the digital television broadcast receiving device 11 according to the embodiment. The digital television broadcast receiving device 11 (referred to as digital television 11) not only displays images based on video signals for normal planar (two-dimensional) display, but also displays stereoscopic (three-dimensional). It is also possible to display an image based on the image signal for the purpose.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital television 11 which is a broadcast receiving device broadcasts a desired channel by supplying the digital television broadcast signal received by the antenna 12 to the tuner unit 14 via the input terminal 13. It is possible to select a signal.

The digital television 11 supplies the broadcast signal selected by the tuner unit 14 to the demodulation unit 15 for demodulation, decrypts the code as necessary by the descrambler unit 16, and then sends the broadcast signal to the separation (Demux) unit 17. Output. The separation (Demux) unit 17 separates the broadcast signal output from the descrambler unit 16 for each type, and outputs the separated video signal and audio signal to the video / audio decoder 18.

The video / audio decoder 18 decodes the separated video signal and audio signal, outputs the video signal to the synthesis processing unit 19, and outputs the audio signal to the audio processing unit 20.

Of these, the synthesis processing unit 19 superimposes and outputs video data or image data input via a browser 21, which will be described later, on the video signal supplied from the video / audio decoder 18.

The digital television 11 supplies the video signal output from the synthesis processing unit 19 to the video processing unit 22. The video processing unit 22 converts the input video signal into an analog video signal in a format that can be displayed by a flat video display unit 23 having, for example, a liquid crystal display panel in the subsequent stage. The digital television 11 supplies the analog video signal output from the video processing unit 22 to the video display unit 23 for video display.

The voice processing unit 20 converts the input voice signal into an analog voice signal in a format that can be reproduced by the speaker 24 in the subsequent stage. Then, the analog audio signal output from the audio processing unit 20 is supplied to the speaker 24 to be used for audio reproduction.

In addition to video signals and audio signals, broadcast signals include program-related information (SI / PSI) such as media information and program information. This program-related information (SI / PSI) is separated from the separation (Demux) unit 17, interpreted by the SI / PSI acquisition unit 25, and stored in the RAM (Random Access Memory) 26.

Further, application information about the application executed by the digital television 11 is superimposed on the broadcast signal. This application information is separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 and output to the application downloader 27. That is, the demodulation unit 15 and the separation (Demux) unit 17 function as information receiving means.

The application downloader 27 functions as a download execution means, downloads an application from the server 30 on the network 29 via the network interface 28 according to the application information separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17, and downloads the application from the RAM 26 or the RAM 26 or Record in FlashMemory31.

The application is described by, for example, HTML. Examples of applications include applications that display L-shaped screens and inverted U-shaped screens that display subtitle information on the broadcast screen in the event of a national election or a natural disaster (typhoon, earthquake, flood, etc.). Be done. In addition, as an application, not only the information created by the broadcasting station as in the precedent, but also an application that displays a list of information posted by general viewers on SNS (Social Networking Service) related to the broadcasting screen, for example. Can be mentioned.

The application recorded in the RAM 26 or Flash Memory 31 is executed on the browser 21 according to the user's instruction or the activation condition described in the application information, and is superimposed on the video signal supplied from the video / audio decoder 18 as video data or image data. NS.

Here, the digital television 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 32 that comprehensively controls all the operations including the various reception operations described above. The CPU 32 constitutes a control unit 33 together with the RAM 26 described above and a Flash Memory 31 storing a control program executed by the CPU 32.

Further, the network interface 28 described above is connected to the control unit 33. The network interface 28 is connected to an external network 29 via an input / output terminal (not shown). A server 30 for providing various applications by using the communication function via the network 29 is connected to the network 29. Therefore, the control unit 33 can use the application provided thereby by accessing the server 30 and performing information communication via the network interface 28 and the network 29.

Next, a transmission method of application information by a broadcast signal will be described. The application information includes the following information. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this, and other information may be included.
-Application name: Name for identifying the application-Icon: Image of the icon representing the application-Application acquisition method: Application acquisition destination (example: Internet, etc.)
-Application position: The position of the file acquired by URI-Application execution time: Scheduled time to execute the application-Application end time: Scheduled time to end the application-Application start condition: Automatic start or manual start

Note that the application execution time and application end time may be expressed in terms of execution time and duration because they can be converted to each other.

Further, for simplification of processing, it is possible to set a flag indicating whether the application indicated by the application information can be executed at present. However, since the above application execution time / application end time and current time can be used. Not used in this embodiment.

As a transmission method using the broadcast signal of the above application information, AIT information is expressed (XML-AIT) using the AIT table in the TS stream and the XML format, and the carousel (DSM-CC: Digital Storage) being broadcast is used. Media-Command and Control: A method of transmitting an XML-AIT file using a server-terminal control protocol), and a method of acquiring an XML-AIT file from a server 30 on the network 29. When expressing in the AIT table, the above information is expressed in the form of a descriptor.

In the present embodiment, regardless of the above transmission method, the transmission of application information is defined as follows. If there is an application to be executed at the current time, the application information is superimposed on the broadcast signal and transmitted, and if there is an application to be executed next, the application information is also continuously superimposed on the broadcast signal. To transmit. If there is a high possibility of simultaneous access to the server, the application will be started automatically. Therefore, the application information of the application to be executed next may be transmitted only when the application execution condition is automatic start. .. Transmission of application information by broadcast signal shall be repeated at regular intervals.

Next, an algorithm in which the application downloader 27 executes application download will be described. When the application downloader 27 receives the application information separated by the separation unit 17, the application downloader 27 attempts to download the application from the server 30 on the network 29 via the network interface 28.

Here, the application downloader 27 prioritizes the download of the application based on the application information corresponding to the application to be executed at the current time among the received plurality of application information, or the application information corresponding to the application to be executed next. Decide whether to prioritize application downloads based on the following policies.

(1) Immediately after the power is turned on or after the channel is changed Here, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram exemplifying the processing operation in the application downloader 27. As shown in FIG. 2, the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 includes application information corresponding to the application to be executed at the current time and application information corresponding to the application to be executed next. And are included. According to the example shown in FIG. 2, during the execution of the application A, the application information a corresponding to the application A to be executed at the current time and the application information b corresponding to the application B to be executed next are included. ing. Here, the application B to be executed next is an application related to a program broadcast following the program on the same channel as the program related to the application A.

As shown in FIG. 2, after the digital television 11 is started or the channel is changed, the application downloader 27 uses the application information b and the application corresponding to the application B from the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17. The application information c corresponding to C is acquired.

Next, the application downloader 27 extracts the application end time (t) from the application information b corresponding to the application B that is executed earliest in time. Then, the application downloader 27 obtains the remaining time tn from the current time (n) to the application end time (t).

As shown in Example 1 of FIG. 2, when the remaining time tn is longer than the predetermined download determination reference time T (tn> T), the application downloader 27 puts the application B on the network 29. Download from server 30.

On the other hand, as shown in Example 2 of FIG. 2, when the remaining time tn is shorter than the predetermined download determination reference time T (tn <T), the application downloader 27 connects the application C to the network 29. Download from the above server 30.

As a result, even if you download an application, if the application execution time is short and you need to start downloading the next application immediately, cancel the download of the previous application and limit the number of downloads to one. Therefore, the load on the server 30 can be reduced.

(2) When the application reaches the application end time during viewing The application downloader 27 acquires the application start time of the application to be executed next to the application currently being executed from the application information, and is predetermined from the application start time. Schedule to start downloading the next application as soon as the hour. Here, the predetermined time is determined according to a uniform random number within the time from the predetermined maximum preparation time to the application end time.

As a result, it is possible to prevent access from each digital television 11 to the server 30 from being concentrated all at once at a time when the application changes, such as the end of a viewing program.

Subsequently, the processing operation in the application downloader 27 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the application downloader 27 determines whether or not the application information (AIT) separated by the separation (Demux) unit 17 has been acquired from the broadcast signal (step S1). In the case of the method of acquiring the XML-AIT file from the server 30 on the network 29, the application information shall be acquired from the server 30 at regular intervals.

Hereinafter, the application executed first in time is referred to as application A, and the application executed after that is referred to as application B. In the present embodiment, as described above, the application information of the application to be executed now and the application information of the application to be executed next are continuously transmitted. In this case, the application to be executed now is the application A. The next application to be executed is application B. If there is no application to be executed at present, the application to be executed next is application A.

When the application downloader 27 determines that the application information (AIT) has been acquired (Yes in step S1), the application downloader 27 determines whether or not the application information has been newly acquired (step S2). For example, this determination means can be realized by setting a flag in association with each application information acquired at the time of stream reception and clearing the flag for the application information determined to be newly acquired in step S2. It is possible.

When the application downloader 27 determines that the application information is newly acquired (Yes in step S2), it determines that it is immediately after the power of the digital television 11 is turned on or immediately after the channel change, and proceeds to step S3 to proceed to the application information. If it is determined that is not a new acquisition (No in step S2), the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S3, the application downloader 27 acquires the application end time t from the application information a corresponding to the application A. After that, the application downloader 27 has a smaller time (tn) between the application end time t and the current time n than the predetermined download determination reference time T (for example, 60 seconds) (Yes in step S4). , The next application, that is, the application B is not downloaded or the download is not reserved (No in step S5), the application B is downloaded (step S6).

The application download method is to download the page (including the image) pointed to by the URL specified in the application information, but the downloaded page may be followed for a patrol download. Further, the download destination of the application is downloaded to RAM 26, Flash Memory 31, or the like, but the method is not limited to this, and a method of directly reading the URL with the browser 21 and hiding it until the execution time is also possible.

Further, in the application downloader 27, even if the time (tn) of the difference between the application end time t and the current time n is smaller than the predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds) (step S4). Yes), if the download of the next application, that is, the application B is completed (Yes in step S5), the process is terminated as it is.

On the other hand, when the time (tn) of the difference between the application end time t and the current time n is larger than the predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds), the application downloader 27 (step). S4 No), the current application, that is, if the application A has not been downloaded or the download is not reserved (No in step S7), the application A is downloaded (step S8).

Further, in the application downloader 27, even if the time (tn) of the difference between the application end time t and the current time n is larger than the predetermined download determination reference time (T: for example, 60 seconds) (step S4). No), if the download of the current application, that is, the application A is completed (Yes in step S7), the process is terminated as it is.

On the other hand, when the application downloader 27 determines that the application information is not newly acquired (No in step S2), the application corresponding to the application information, that is, the application A to be executed earlier in time is executed at the current time. (Step S9).

Specifically, the application downloader 27 determines that the application can be executed if there is a current time between the application execution time and the application end time included in the application information a corresponding to the application A.

If the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is in the execution time at the current time (Yes in step S9) and has not downloaded the application A (No in step S10), the application A is downloaded (No in step S10). Step S11), application A is executed (step S12). Although omitted in the flowchart, if the application A is already being executed, it will not be executed twice.

Further, when the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is in the execution time at the current time (Yes in step S9) and the application A has already been downloaded (Yes in step S10), the application A Is executed (step S12).

On the other hand, when the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is not in the execution time at the current time (No in step S9) and the application A has already been downloaded (Yes in step S13), the application downloader 27 processes as it is. To finish.

Further, when the application downloader 27 determines that the application A is not in the execution time at the current time (No in step S9), and the application A has not been downloaded or the download has not been reserved (No). Step S13 No), when the application reaches the scheduled end time of the application during viewing, the download is performed early so that the access is not concentrated on the server 30.

That is, when the application A has not been downloaded (No in step S13), the application downloader 27 generates a uniform random number in the [0, M] interval when the predetermined maximum preparation time is set to M. T'(step S14), and the application start time of the next application B is T'(step S15). Then, the schedule is reserved so that the download is started at the time of T'-t'(step S16).

If the application information transmission interval is sufficiently long, it is possible to determine the download timing with a uniform random number in consideration of the delay time (however, shorter than the application transmission interval).

In the present embodiment, when the power is turned on or when the viewer changes the channel, it is determined whether or not the application information separated from the broadcast signal by the separation (Demux) unit 17 is newly acquired (step). S2) When the broadcast screen is hidden, or when the digital television 11 has a plurality of tuner units 14, the unused tuner unit 14 is used to set a preset channel (viewable channel, etc.). After tuning, the application is downloaded according to the algorithm shown in FIG.

This eliminates the need to download the application when the power is turned on or when the channel is changed, so that the application can be launched quickly. Also, instead of tuning to preset channels (viewable channels, etc.) for the purpose of downloading applications, in the case of terrestrial digital broadcasting, it patrols to acquire program information described in EIT (Event Information Table). Since tuning is performed, the above application may be downloaded at the same time as the program information is acquired from such EIT.

As described above, according to the broadcast receiving device of the embodiment, before broadcasting a program that is not being broadcast at the current time, the server 30 broadcasts the program according to the start time included in the application information related to the application corresponding to the pre-broadcast program. Since the application corresponding to the previous program is downloaded, the application of the program before the broadcast can be acquired in advance. Therefore, the access time from the broadcast receiving device to the server 30 is staggered and distributed. Therefore, it is possible to significantly reduce the number of requests to be processed at the same time as compared with the conventional case, and it is possible to keep the processing capacity of the server 30 low.

Further, according to the broadcast receiving device of the embodiment, since the viewer accesses the server 30 by using the timing when the channel is switched, the acquisition time can be randomized.

Further, according to the broadcast receiving device of the embodiment, even when the same channel is continuously viewed, the acquisition time can be dispersed by randomly acquiring the same channel within a certain range of time before the end of the program.

In the present embodiment, an example of applying the broadcast receiving device to the digital television broadcasting receiving device 11 has been described. However, for example, the broadcasting receiving device may be applied to an HDD recorder, a tuner, a set-top box, or the like. can.

Further, a notebook type portable computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC) can be applied as a broadcast receiving device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the notebook PC 100. As shown in FIG. 4, the notebook PC 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 that performs information processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102 that is a read-only memory that stores a BIOS and the like, and a RAM that rewritably stores various data. (Random Access Memory) 103, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 104 that functions as various databases and stores various programs, and storage medium 110 are used to store information, distribute information to the outside, and obtain information from the outside. A medium drive device 105 such as a DVD drive, a communication control device 106 for transmitting information by communicating with another external computer via a network 29, and an LCD (Liquid Crystal) for displaying the processing progress and results to the user. Display) and other display devices 107, input devices such as keyboards and pointing devices for users to input commands and information to the CPU 101, and video content (TV programs) broadcast from selected broadcasting stations. From a broadcast receiving unit 111 that receives data via a cable (not shown), an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) connection unit 112 that is an interface for connecting an IPTV server (not shown) and is a broadcast receiving means, an audio output unit 113, and the like. The bus controller 109 arbitrates and operates the data transmitted and received between each of these units.

In such a notebook PC 100, when the user turns on the power, the CPU 101 activates a program called a loader in the ROM 102, and the HDD 104 reads a program called an OS (Operating System) that manages computer hardware and software into the RAM 103. Start the OS. Such an OS starts a program, reads information, and saves information according to a user's operation. Windows (registered trademark) and the like are known as typical OSs. The operation programs that run on these OSs are called application software. The application software is not limited to one that runs on a predetermined OS, and may be one that allows the OS to take over the execution of a part of various processes described later, and constitutes a predetermined application software, OS, or the like. It may be included as part of a set of program files.

Here, the notebook PC 100 stores the broadcast reception program in the HDD 104 as application software. In this sense, the HDD 104 functions as a storage medium for storing the broadcast reception program.

In general, the application software installed on the HDD 104 of the notebook PC 100 stores various optical disks such as DVDs, various magneto-optical disks, various magnetic disks such as flexible disks, and various types of media such as semiconductor memory. The operation program recorded on the medium 110 and recorded on the storage medium 110 is installed in the HDD 104. Therefore, a portable storage medium 110 such as an optical information recording medium such as a DVD or a magnetic medium such as an FD can also be a storage medium for storing application software. Further, the application software may be taken in from the external network 29 via, for example, the communication control device 106 and installed in the HDD 104.

The broadcast reception program executed by the notebook PC 100 includes the above-mentioned units (demodulation unit 15, descrambler unit 16, demux unit 17, video / audio decoder 18, synthesis processing unit 19, audio processing unit 20, browser 21, browser 21 and the like. It has a module configuration including a video processing unit 22, an SI / PSI acquisition unit 25, and an application downloader 27). As actual hardware, the CPU 101 reads a program from the storage medium and executes it, so that each unit is on the RAM 103. The demodulation unit 15, the descrambler unit 16, the separation (Demux) unit 17, the video / audio decoder 18, the synthesis processing unit 19, the audio processing unit 20, the browser 21, the video processing unit 22, and the SI / PSI acquisition unit 25. , The application downloader 27 is generated on the RAM 103.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

11,100 Broadcast receiver 15,17 Information receiving means 27 Downloading execution means 29 Network 30 Server

Claims (3)

In a broadcast receiving device that can receive broadcast signals
The broadcast receiving device has a tuner unit, a network interface, and a display unit.
The broadcast signal is supplied to the tuner unit, and the broadcast signal is supplied.
Applications can be obtained from servers on the network via the network interface.
The application is displayed on the display unit in conjunction with the broadcast program.
The application information that specifies the application is included in the broadcast signal, and is included in the broadcast signal.
The application information includes information that identifies the corresponding application.
The application information is viewed contains information indicating that the application is executable,
When the application is automatically started, a broadcast receiving device to which the application information of the application to be executed next is transmitted. In the reception method of receiving and displaying broadcast signals,
Application information is included in the broadcast signal,
The application specified by the application information is displayed in conjunction with the broadcast program, and is displayed.
The application is retrieved from a server on the network
The application information includes information that identifies the corresponding application.
The application information is viewed contains information indicating that the application is executable,
When the application is automatically started, a receiving method in which the application information of the application to be executed next is transmitted. In the transmission method of broadcast signals including application information
The application specified by the application information is displayed in conjunction with the broadcast program, and is displayed.
The application is retrieved from a server on the network
The application information includes information that identifies the corresponding application.
The application information is viewed contains information indicating that the application is executable,
When the application is automatically started, a transmission method for transmitting the application information of the application to be executed next.

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