JPH07107066A - Signal distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a signal distribution system for detecting an unutilization state in a terminal station, receiving a command for instructing distribution cancellation by a master station and cancelling the allocation of a channel for performing distribution from the master station to the terminal station. CONSTITUTION:The distribution cancellation means 35 of the terminal station 22 while receiving distribution signals from a reception means 34 detects the unutilization station of the terminal station 22 and outputs a distribution cancellation request. Then, when a request acquiring means 31 receives the distribution cancellation request, a cancellation deciding means 32 decides the cancellation of the distribution to the terminal station 22 while receiving the distribution signals and a distribution means 33 cancels the allocation of the channel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal distribution system for managing channel allocation for distributing video information and audio information of a master station to a terminal station via a communication path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a technique for digitizing and transmitting a signal having video information and audio information has been developed. The video conference system efficiently encodes and compresses the data by using the encoding / decoding technology of the digitized video signal, transmits the compressed information using the ISDN line, and decodes it on the receiving side. It is to reproduce the video. In addition, a program provider has set up a center (hereinafter referred to as a master station) for providing many video-compressed programs, and accepts service requests for programs to be watched from each terminal station connected by a line. , There is a system for delivering video information. In this example, video on demand (Video
There is a service called "on demand" (hereinafter abbreviated as VOD). The VOD distributes the video while passing through the line, and controls the fast forward, rewind, pause, etc., as if the VTR deck is near, and the video that the user wants to see. It is a service that can be controlled at hand. The master station has transmission capability capable of supplying several tens to several hundreds of programs at the same time and stored video information. At the same time, since video information is transmitted to a plurality of terminal stations, a communication channel having a transmission bandwidth capable of transmitting a plurality of programs is set between the master station and the terminal station. For example, if a compressed video signal requires a transmission rate of 1 megabit / second, a channel having a transmission bandwidth of 100 megabit / second can be used to deliver 100 channels at the same time. 100 kinds of programs can be provided.

A conventional signal distribution system will be described below. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional signal distribution system. In FIG. 6, 1 is a master station, and 2,
3 and 4 are terminal stations, 5 is a communication path connecting the master station 1 and the terminal stations 2, 3 and 4, and 14 is a video service distribution request from the user (hereinafter,
Abbreviated as delivery request. ) Is input means, 15 is a request output means for issuing a distribution request to the master station 1, 16 is a receiving means for receiving signals such as video information distributed from the master station 1, 11
Is a request acquisition means for acquiring a distribution request from the terminal station 2,
Reference numeral 2 is a distribution means for allocating channels according to a distribution request and distributing signals such as video information.

A signal distribution system configured as above will be described. The request output means 15 transmits the distribution request input from the input means 14 of the terminal station 2 to the master station 1. When the request acquisition means 11 of the master station 1 receives the distribution request, it allocates a channel for distributing a signal having video information to the terminal station 2, and notifies the terminal station 2 of the channel. The terminal station 2 receives the signal of the notified channel and acquires the video information. The video information is provided from a storage unit (not shown) in the master station 1 or a device connected to the master station 1. In this example, since there are three terminal stations, distribution requests for different programs may occur simultaneously from the three terminal stations. Therefore, a communication path 5 having a band for enabling distribution of three types of video information is prepared.

Such a signal distribution system is available only from a large-scale system using a public telephone network to a building, a plane with fixed seats, a bus, a train, etc. It can be applied as a system.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the number of channels that can be distributed is limited because the amount of transmission using the communication path is limited. When the number of terminal stations increases, distribution becomes impossible for a distribution request exceeding the allowable amount. On the other hand, not all users of the terminal stations are using the video information for the terminal stations being delivered. On airplanes and trains, users sometimes leave their seats due to toilets and meals. While the user is also delivering to a terminal station that is absent, delivery to the terminal station to a person who wants to use may be delayed until a channel that can be delivered is acquired.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has means for detecting an unused state in a terminal station and instructing to stop the distribution, and requests the distribution stop immediately when the stop is instructed. Then, it is an object of the present invention to provide a signal distribution system in which a master station secures a channel for distributing a distribution signal to a terminal station as soon as possible by determining distribution stop.

[0008]

To achieve this object, in the signal distribution system of the present invention, the distribution canceling means of the terminal station receiving the distribution signal from the receiving means detects the unused state of the terminal station. When the request acquisition means receives the distribution stop request, the stop determination means determines to stop the distribution to the terminal station receiving the distribution signal, and the distribution means releases the channel allocation. Have means.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the distribution canceling means of the terminal station during distribution detects the unused state of the terminal station and the request obtaining means receives the distribution cancel request, the present invention has the above-mentioned structure. The distribution means cancels the allocation of the channel and secures a channel that can be allocated to another terminal station.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 21 is a master station, 22, 23, 24 are terminal stations, 25 is a communication path connecting the master station 21 and the terminal stations 22, 23, 24, 35
Is a distribution stopping means for detecting an unused state and issuing a distribution stop request to the master station 1, 34 is a receiving means for receiving signals such as video information distributed from the master station 21, 31 is a distribution from the terminal station 22 Request acquisition means for acquiring a cancellation request, 32 is a cancellation determination means for deciding distribution cancellation, and 33 is a distribution means for managing allocation of channels to be distributed and setting and canceling. The receiving means 34 and the delivery stopping means 35 are similarly configured not only in the terminal station 22 but also in the other terminal stations 23 and 24 constituting the signal delivery system.

The signal distribution system of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. A channel is allocated from the master station 21 at the request of the user, and the receiving means 34 of the terminal station 22
However, it is assumed that a distribution signal such as video information is received and the distributed video information is output from an attached display device (not shown) to enjoy a video distribution service such as a movie.
Further, it is assumed that the communication path 25 does not have a transmission capacity capable of assigning channels to all of the plurality of connected terminal stations. Therefore, when the transmission capacity of the communication path 25 is exceeded, in response to the request for channel allocation from the new terminal station 24, the channel allocated to another terminal station must be released somewhere before the new terminal station is released. Channel allocation to station 24 is not possible.

A user who uses the terminal station 22 leaves the seat for a long time or sleeps, is assigned a channel, and the receiving means 34 receives the delivery signal delivered from the master station 21. However, the video information may not be used. The delivery stopping means 35 detects the unused state of the user of the terminal station 22 at the time of receiving the delivery signal, and notifies the parent station 21 of the unused state as a delivery stop request. The request acquisition unit 31 of the master station 21 acquires the distribution stop request, the stop determination unit 32 determines to stop the distribution, and the distribution unit 33 releases the allocation of the channel of the distribution signal to the terminal station 22. When the channel allocation is released, the distribution signal to the terminal station 22 cannot be delivered, so that the video information cannot be obtained. If the user wants to obtain the video information again, he must output a distribution request and wait until the distribution means 33 allocates a channel.

The unused state is defined as a state in which the user is absent for a certain time or more, sleep, a failure occurs, the device is unused for a certain time or more, or there is no selection input. In detecting this unused state, it is easy to detect when the user and each terminal station to be used are fixed (aircraft, train, etc., where seats are fixed). This is because it is assumed that the user is sitting in the seat where the terminal station is installed for a certain period (until the arrival destination), so the behavior and operation of the user who uses the terminal station is specified. This is because it is easy to do. The delivery stop means 35 may be configured to send not only the delivery stop request but also the detection information to the master station 21 when the unused state is detected.

The receiving means 34 includes the master station 21 to the terminal station 22.
The broadcast signal is received from the channel assigned to.
The distribution signal includes a video signal, an audio signal, a control signal such as time information, and the like. The terminal station 22 acquires the received distribution signal and outputs the video signal and the like from an output device (not shown). Only one channel is not always assigned to one terminal station 22. There are cases where a plurality of channels are provided for distributing a plurality of signals such as video signals and audio signals, and cases where a plurality of signals are transmitted through the same channel. Therefore, the units of channel allocation and cancellation in this embodiment are applied as one or more channels required to operate the same service.

As described above, the delivery stopping means 35
In response to the request from, the stop determination means 32 determines to stop the distribution. Determinants include the absence of users, sleep, detection of non-use state, and detection of terminal station failure. The delivery stopping means 35 can be configured as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, the delivery stopping means 35 is a presence detecting means 41 for detecting the presence of the user, and a timer activated after the presence detecting means 41 detects the absence. And means 42. When the user leaves the seat, the presence detection unit 41 detects the absence, activates the timer unit 42, and when the absence continues to be detected even after a specific time elapses, a delivery stop request is created. It is possible to configure a signal distribution system that outputs the created distribution stop request to the master station 21 and releases the channel allocation from the master station 21. The specific time which is measured by the timer means 42 and determines the cancellation of the distribution due to absence is dependent on the transmission capacity of the communication path 25, the number of terminal stations, the amount of distributed signal information, etc. Is assumed to be If the user returns to the seat and the absence is no longer detected within a specific time, the timekeeping information of the timer means 42 is cleared.

The following means can be considered in order to detect the presence. By installing a pressure sensor in each seat (backrest, stool, etc.) and detecting a pressure above a certain load, it is possible to detect whether or not the user is present. Further, a temperature sensor is installed at a position where the user sits down on a seat, and when a person sits down, the presence of a seat can be detected by receiving an input that senses heat. Further, the optical sensor can be configured to detect the presence of the person depending on whether or not the optical path is blocked by sitting down. Moreover, not these alone,
With the combined configuration, the probability that the presence detection will not be mistaken can be increased.

Secondly, the delivery stopping means 35 comprises sleep detecting means for detecting the sleep state of the user, and timer means which is activated after the sleep detecting means detects sleep.
It is also possible to configure the sleep detection means to detect sleep and to activate the timer means, to issue a distribution stop request and release the channel assignment when the sleep state is continuously detected after a specific time has elapsed. . It is assumed that this specific time is suitable for about ten minutes to several tens of minutes. When it is detected that the user sleeps lightly and awakens the user within a specific elapsed time, the timekeeping information in the timer means is cleared.

The following means can be considered to detect falling asleep. A pressure sensor is installed in each seat (backrest, stool, etc.) to detect changes in the position where pressure is applied, a temperature sensor to measure body temperature, a sensor to measure heartbeat, a sensor to measure sweating. It can be installed to detect sleep onset by detecting changes in pressure position, changes in body temperature, changes in heart rate, etc., when a person falls asleep. Each sensor does not feel uncomfortable if it is built into a chair, a blanket, or a headphone so that the user does not have to be aware that they are wearing the sensor.

Thirdly, the delivery stopping means 35 comprises a failure detecting means and a failure content notifying means, and the failure detecting means is
When a carelessness by a user or a failure due to an improper usage method is detected, the failure content notifying unit notifies the failure content to issue a distribution stop request, thereby deallocating the channel. be able to. The stop determination means 32 determines the notified failure content,
If distribution to the terminal station is impossible, channel allocation to the terminal station is not necessary unless a repair report is made. Therefore, the request acquisition unit 31 may be configured not to accept the distribution request from the corresponding terminal station thereafter. However, if the failure content is judged and the failure does not depend on the proper usage method by the user of the terminal station 22 and the failure is recovered by the correct usage method, the content is instructed from the display means or It is desirable to have a configuration that can be recovered from a failure state by the staff instructing and using it properly. Further, as an application of this, the stop decision means 32 is
Even if an unauthorized request from the terminal station (such as incorrect communication procedure or not conforming to the correct communication format) is received several times, it will be judged as a failure or unauthorized use and the delivery request from the applicable terminal station will not be accepted. It is also possible to have a configuration in which distribution is not permitted.

Fourthly, the delivery stopping means 35 is used as shown in FIG. 3, a channel use detecting means 43, a timer means 44 which is started after the channel use detecting means 43 detects the use by the user, and And a charging means 45 for managing the usage fee information of the person. Channel usage means terminal station 22
Indicates a state in which an allocation designation of a certain channel is received, a distribution signal is received, and an image reproduced based on the distribution signal received by the user is used. When the channel use detection means 43 detects the use of the terminal station 22, activates the timer means 44, and the charging means 45 charges each time a specific time elapses (for example, in minutes), and reaches the usage charge limit. Can be configured to issue the unsubscribe request and deallocate the channel. As the usage fee information, information such as a prepaid card is read from a magnetic card reader or the like (not shown) connected to the terminal station 22 to obtain usable money information. In this example, the billing information for billing is generated by the timer means 44. As another configuration example, the distribution canceling unit 35 is composed of a channel use detecting unit 43 and a charging unit 45, the charging information is output from the master station side 21, and the charging unit 45 of the corresponding terminal station 22 charges. It is also possible to configure so as to determine whether or not the usage charge limit has been reached.

Fifth, the distribution stopping means 35, the channel unused detection means 46, and the channel unused detection means 46,
Timer means 4 started after detecting unused by user
It is composed of 7 and 7. The receiving means 34 also has a function of receiving a plurality of channels. FIG. 4 shows an example of receiving two types of video signals and forming two types of images. Therefore, in the receiving means 34, the image A reproducing means 48 and the image B
It has a reproduction means 49 and an output means 50 for outputting both images or one of the images. The same terminal station 22 issues a plurality of channel acquisition requests as distribution requests, and the terminal station 22
When a plurality of channels are assigned to the user, the user can enjoy a plurality of programs using the plurality of channels.
Two kinds of images can be enjoyed from the output means 50 at the same time or by appropriately switching both. However, even if the user enjoys a plurality of programs at first, there is a case in which only a single specific program or a requested specific program is used from the middle. The channel unused detector 46 monitors the used state of each channel and detects the unused state of the channel. When the unused state of the channel is detected, the timer means 47 is activated, and when the unused state is continuously detected for a certain period of time, a distribution stop request is issued and the distribution means 33 releases the channel assignment. For example, even if both the image A and the image B are output to the output device 50 at first, when it is desired to watch only one of the programs (for example, the image A) continuously on a large screen, the image B reproducing means 49. You don't need a channel to play the image from. Therefore, the channel unused detecting means 46 changes from the image B reproducing means 49 to the output means 50.
In addition, the unused state can be detected by detecting whether or not a path for image reproduction is set and a signal is input.

Sixth, as shown in FIG. 5, the control signal output means 51 is provided in the master station 21, and the distribution stop means 35 is operated by the user in response to the control signal input from the control signal output means 51. The input waiting control means 52 waits for an input, the timer means 53 is activated when a control signal input is received, and the input means 54 for the user to input. Terminal station 22
Receives the control signal input from the control signal output means 51 of the master station 21, the input waiting control means 52 and the timer means 53 are activated, and the correct input from the user for the requested control signal input is input means. When it is not possible to obtain from 54 within a fixed time, a distribution stop request is issued to cancel the channel allocation. As a specific example, the master station 21
Video information relating to catalog shopping and the like is given from the terminal station 2 and an instruction such as selection is given from the control signal output means 51.
It is transmitted to the 2 side. While viewing the image, the user inputs the presence / absence of selection and the selection number from the input means 54. However, if no input is obtained within a certain period of time, it is determined that no selection has been made, the catalog shopping service is terminated, and channel allocation is canceled.

According to this embodiment, when the request acquisition means 31 receives a distribution stop request from the distribution stop means 35 of the terminal station 22 which is receiving the distribution signal, the stop determination means 32 transfers to the corresponding terminal station 22. It is possible to configure a signal distribution system in which it is decided to stop distribution and the distribution unit 33 releases the allocation of the channel to secure the channel that can be allocated to another terminal station.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a distribution stop request is issued from the distribution stop means which detects an unused state of a terminal station receiving a distribution signal, and the stop determination means sends the request to the corresponding terminal station. By deciding to discontinue the distribution, the distribution means deallocates the channel to secure a channel that can be allocated to another terminal station, and secures it when a usage request is received from another user. It is possible to configure a signal distribution system that can allocate channels and has high utilization efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a first configuration of the delivery stopping means of the signal delivery system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a fourth configuration of the delivery stopping means of the signal delivery system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a terminal station showing a fifth configuration of the delivery stopping means of the signal delivery system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a signal distribution system showing a sixth configuration of the distribution stopping means of the signal distribution system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional signal distribution system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 parent station 22, 23, 24 terminal station 25 communication path 31 request acquisition means 32 stop determination means 33 delivery means 34 reception means 35 delivery stop means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tetsuo Maeda 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A request acquisition unit that comprises a master station, a plurality of terminal stations, and a communication path interconnecting the terminals, and that requests the master station to acquire a distribution stop request from the terminal station. A cancellation determining unit that determines cancellation, a distribution unit that cancels allocation of a channel that distributes a distribution signal to the terminal station, and a reception unit that receives the distribution signal distributed from the parent station to the terminal station. And a delivery stop means for detecting an unused state of the terminal station and outputting a delivery stop request, wherein the delivery stop means of the terminal station receiving the delivery signal from the receiving means is the unused state of the terminal station. And outputs the distribution stop request, and when the request acquisition unit receives the distribution stop request, the stop determination unit determines to stop the distribution to the terminal station receiving the distribution signal, The delivery means will allocate the channel A signal distribution system characterized by being canceled. 2. The delivery stopping means comprises an presence detecting means for detecting the presence of the user and a timer means which is activated after the presence detecting means detects absence. When the presence detecting means detects the absence by activating the timer, the timer means is activated, and when the absence continues to be detected after a lapse of a specific time, the distribution stop request is issued and the channel allocation is released. The signal distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The delivery canceling means comprises sleep detecting means for detecting the sleep state of the user and timer means activated after the sleep detecting means detects sleep, and the sleep detecting means sleeps. 2. The channel allocation is released by detecting the occurrence of the channel, activating the timer means, and issuing the delivery stop request when the sleep state is continuously detected after a specific time has elapsed, and canceling the channel allocation. Signal distribution system. 4. The delivery stop means comprises failure detection means and failure content notification means, and when the failure detection means detects a failure, the failure content notification means notifies the failure content to stop the delivery. The signal distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the request is issued to deallocate the channel. 5. A delivery stop means, a channel use detecting means, a timer means started after the channel use detecting means detects the use of the user, and a charging means for managing the use charge information of the user. The channel use detection means detects the use of the terminal station,
4. The timer means is activated, and when the charging means charges and the usage charge limit is reached at a specific time lapse, a distribution stop request is issued and channel allocation is released. 1. The signal distribution system according to 1. 6. The distribution stop means comprises channel unused detection means and timer means which is activated after the channel unused detection means detects the unused state of a user, and the same terminal station is used. Issue allocation request for multiple channels,
When a plurality of channels are assigned to the receiving means in the same terminal station, the channel unused detection means detects an unused state of a channel which is not used while being assigned, and the timer means is activated. 2. The signal distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, when the signal is activated and continues to detect an unused state for a certain period of time, the distribution stop request is issued to cancel the channel allocation. 7. The delivery stop means is activated when an input waiting control means for waiting for an input from a user in response to a control signal input from the master station and a control signal input from the master station are received. When the terminal station receives the control signal input from the master station, the input waiting control means and the timer means are activated, and the correct input from the user for the requested control signal input is made. The signal distribution system according to claim 1, wherein when the signal cannot be obtained within a certain time, a distribution stop request is issued to cancel the channel allocation. 8. The delivery stopping means comprises a failure detecting means and a failure content notifying means, wherein the failure detecting means detects a failure and issues a failure delivery request by notifying the failure content and delivering means. 5. The signal distribution system according to claim 4, wherein the channel allocation is canceled by the request acquisition means, and the request acquisition means does not accept the channel allocation request from the terminal station in which the failure is detected.