JPH09107530A - Transmitter for isdb and its receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically access a required terminal equipment based on additional information of video information by digitizing various main information such as video, audio and data with additional information such as control information and applying packet processing and multiplex processing. SOLUTION: An ISDB receiver receiving an ISDB broadcast signal has an ISDB tuner 36, plural decoding means 42A-42D decoding respectively video information, audio information and additional information, and plural memory means 50, 68 storing plural decoded information, a signal conversion means 72 converting the decoded information into a specific communication control signal based on service data stored in the memory means 68 and a TCU 60 connecting to a communication line 60, and when the service data are control data to a control terminal equipment connecting to the communication line, the control terminal equipment is controlled automatically. Thus, the specific terminal equipment is automatically controlled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transmitter suitable for application to an ISDB broadcasting system or the like and a receiver thereof. Specifically, as additional information, control information for operating the communication control device connected to the receiving terminal and control information for designating audio information related to video are used as additional information for specific information in the program information. Multiplex transmission is performed, and the receiving side retrieves this additional information so that the other party's terminal can be automatically accessed through the communication control device, and audio information related to the video can be reproduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of digital technology, an interactive integrated digital broadcasting system (ISD) that digitizes various information including broadcasting signals in the broadcasting world
B (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting) system is being researched and developed.

Specifically, the ISDB system is a multi-channel system including current broadcast signals (standard television signals, high-definition signals), data such as software and facsimiles, and voice, characters, figures, images and the like. This is a broadcasting system in which media information is digitized (encoded), integrated and multiplexed, and then subjected to modulation processing that matches the transmission mode and then transmitted and received.

When various kinds of information including a broadcast signal are integrated and multiplexed, in addition to these pieces of information, additional information used as control information on the receiving side can be simultaneously integrated and multiplexed and transmitted. The integrated ISDB broadcast signal (digital signal) is transmitted using a terrestrial wave, a satellite wave, an optical cable, or the like.

On the receiving terminal side, by receiving the integrated ISDB broadcast signal and discriminating the target signal, the signal can be displayed on the monitor and can be enjoyed as a normal television broadcast. It can be used to record (store) or transfer to another terminal.
Further, if the received additional information is used, the received information can be used according to the user's preference such as monitor control, recording control, and processing control for the monitored image. That is, it is possible to construct an interactive broadcasting system.

[0006]

Therefore, this ISD
If the B system is used, various additional information will be transmitted,
The more diverse, the better the service content for users,
A more interactive broadcasting system can be built.

[0007] By the way, in a commercial broadcast program or the like, the program provider may be displayed in the middle of the program, and the user may want to know the information of the program provider.
It may be an introduction of a new product or information on the referral destination. In most cases, most of the details of this information are outline introductions, so there are times when it is desirable to display the detailed information again on a screen or the like. Alternatively, it is quite difficult to accurately and memorize the contact information displayed on the screen instantly and accurately.

In such a case, it is very convenient if the detailed information can be reproduced only by designating the image area in which the information of the inquiry is displayed, or if the inquiry can be automatically accessed.

Alternatively, when a specific key is pressed in a weather forecast program so that the forecast content is informed by voice, the error of the forecast content is eliminated and a useful service form for the user can be realized.

The present invention can realize multi-channel transmission I
Focusing on the signal form of the SDB broadcast signal, the communication control device connected to the receiving terminal side can be automatically accessed to automatically control the connectable terminal through the line connected to the communication control device, or automatically. ISDB with control function for communication control device that can reproduce audio
The present invention proposes a transmitter and a receiver therefor.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the ISDB transmitting apparatus according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, various information such as video, audio, data, and the like, together with additional information such as control information. In an ISDB transmitting device adapted to transmit a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal after being digitized, the video information and audio information are transmitted as additional information related thereto,
The additional information includes at least an image area code and a control code related to the video information, and the control code includes a code for controlling the communication connection device.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 2
In the B transmitter, the area code is a search code corresponding to each area obtained by equally dividing the screen.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 3
In the B transmitter, the control code is related to the area code and is a code for designating a telephone, a fax, or a modem as a control terminal.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 4
In the B transmitter, the control code is related to the area code and is a clause code that specifies voice information in phrase units.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 5
In the B receiver, the ISDB receiver receives a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal after digitizing various main information such as video, audio, and data together with additional information such as control information. The apparatus has an ISDB tuner, a plurality of decoding means for respectively decoding the video information, audio information and additional information, a plurality of memory means for storing a plurality of decoded information, and a storage means for storing in the memory means. Signal conversion means for converting into a specific communication control signal based on the control data, and communication control means connected to the communication line,
When the control data is control data for a control terminal connected to the communication line, the control terminal is automatically controlled.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 6
In the B receiver, the control data is supplied to the signal converting means and converted into telephone call data to perform automatic call processing.

ISD according to the present invention described in claim 7
In the receiving device for B, the control data is supplied to the signal conversion means, converted into data for fax calling, and automatic calling and automatic transmission processing of the image data stored in the memory means are performed. Characterized by what has been done.

The ISD according to the present invention described in claim 8
In the receiving device for B, the control data is supplied to the signal converting means, converted into data for calling the modem, and the automatic calling process and the automatic sending process of the image data are performed. And

An area code is attached to each of the image areas divided into n × m pieces, and a control code (service code) related to the image displayed in the image area is attached to the area code. The additional information including the area code and the control code is transmitted simultaneously with the video and audio.

For example, when the image area of (2, 2) is designated, the control code representing the telephone number of the commercial recipient displayed in this area is transmitted at the same time. Therefore, the TCU (Te
A lecomunication control unit) control signal is sent to the communication control unit (TCU).

In response to this, the communication control means automatically performs access processing (line connection work) according to the control signals (calling signal and dial signal). Therefore, if the called side responds, the call can be made with the telephone at the receiving terminal side.

When the control code is a code for accessing the fax, the fax on the other side in the automatic transmission state is automatically accessed, and the fax information is displayed as an image on the monitor provided on the receiving side or the receiving terminal. Hard copy is made by the fax machine installed on the side.

When the voice information is accessed, the voice information of the additional information is reproduced, for example, in units of phrases. Therefore, it is possible to reproduce the sound related to the image information such as the weather forecast and the TV shopping.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, the ISDB according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of a transmission device for mobile use and a receiving device thereof will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an essential part showing an embodiment of an ISDB transmission device 10 according to the present invention. Information that is integrated and transmitted includes video information such as standard television signals and high-definition signals. , Audio information related to this, and data information related to these video or audio information. Of these, the data information is information related to the video information and the audio information, and is therefore additional information.

Therefore, the video signal is supplied to the terminal 12a and the audio signal accompanying it is supplied to the terminal 14a, and the corresponding coding units 12 and 14 respectively perform appropriate coding processing including compression and the like. In synchronization with this encoding process, the additional information signal (data information signal) given to the terminal 16a is subjected to the encoding process including the similar compression process in the encoding unit 16. The coded video signal, audio signal, and additional information signal are supplied to the multiplexing unit 18 to be multiplexed.

When signals are multiplexed as described above, encoded data is packetized and multiplexed.
An example of multiplexing will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 illustrates a television signal such as a program broadcast as the video signal. Since the program broadcast is composed of image data and audio data, several tens to several tens of frames (for example, 120 frames) are used as a unit as shown in the figure, and an image header is attached to each of these unit frames. In the case of voice data, a voice header is attached in units of several tens of seconds.

On the other hand, in the case of a data signal, it is divided into a slot corresponding to image data and a slot corresponding to audio data. In the slot for image data, the area code is added to the image in the frame to be transmitted. For example, as shown in FIG.
Control information related to each area (coded control information,
This is to add a service code). The area code uses division addresses in the horizontal and vertical directions. The service code is an access code (telephone number, fax number, I
P address (Internet protocol address)
And the communication control means (TC) associated with this access code.
U) is a code for activating (TCU control code).

For example, when the access code is a telephone number, the TCU control code is used to automatically make a call to a telephone as an information providing terminal and obtain a signal (TCU control signal) necessary for connecting a telephone line. Code is used. When the information providing terminal is a fax, the fax number is the access code, and the TCU control signal for connecting the line with the fax is the TCU control code. Besides this, the IP address is a code for accessing the commercial data service.

For voice data, a voice area code and service code are used as the data signal. As for the voice data, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the voice area code designates the phrase by the time t so that it can be designated by the phrase unit (n−1), n, (n + 1), ... . For example, by specifying the phrase n, "It will rain tomorrow and it will be fine. 』You can play the voice.

The service code relating to the voice data includes an access code (such as a telephone number as described above) for accessing the other party who provides the voice information, and a TCU control code (a telephone line is connected to the access line). TCU control signal for).

The above data signal is multiplexed as additional information together with the video signal and the audio signal in the multiplexing unit 18, and the transmission unit 20 processes the multiplexed signal necessary for transmission such as channel codec and modulation. Is applied,
After being modulated into an ISDB broadcast signal suitable for the transmission form (for example, satellite broadcast wave), the up converter 2 is used in this example.
After passing through 2, the signal is transmitted to a broadcasting satellite by a transmission antenna (parabolic antenna) 24.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the receiving apparatus 30 according to the present invention for receiving the above-mentioned ISDB broadcast signal.

The satellite wave received by the receiving antenna (parabolic antenna) 32 is 1 GHz by the down converter 34.
After being down-converted to the z band, it is supplied to the digital demodulator 38 through the ISDB tuner 36, and the tuning operation and the demodulation processing are performed.

The selected ISDB broadcast signal is supplied to the signal separation section 40 and separated into video information, audio information and data information. For example, when a standard television signal is selected, it is separated into a video signal and an audio signal related to the standard television signal and additional information (image area code, service code) attached to this specific channel.

The separated information signals are supplied to the corresponding decoding units (decoders) 42A to 42C for decoding. It is sufficient for the decoding unit to prepare three decoding units for decoding the video signal, the audio signal and the data signal, but it is also possible to prepare two decoding units for the television signal. The decoding unit 42D shown in the figure is provided for that purpose.

The switcher 44 selects specific decoded data from the respective decoded data. The switcher 44 is controlled by a control signal from a control unit 46 containing a computer. The control unit 46 also operates according to an instruction from the keyboard 48. Instead of the keyboard 48,
Instructions may be given from a remote commander (not shown).

Of the signals selected by the switcher 44, the video signal and the audio signal are dedicated memory means (RAM or the like).
After being temporarily stored in 50, the storage signal is read according to an instruction from the memory controller (address controller) 51. The read video signal and audio signal are supplied to a monitor (CRT or the like) 54 via the switching means 52 to display an image and the speaker 56 reproduces the audio signal.

In addition to the above configuration, the present invention is configured so that the communication control unit (TCU) 60 is controlled by the decoded data signal. A communication line 66 is connected to the communication control means 60 in addition to terminals such as a telephone set 62 and a fax 64 so that a communication can be made with a partner terminal (information providing terminal) (not shown). There is.

Therefore, the data signal selected by the switcher 44 is a memory means (RAM or the like) 6 dedicated to data.
The data signal temporarily stored in the memory 8 and read according to the instruction of the memory controller (address controller) 70 is supplied to the TCU conversion means 72, and the data signal corresponding to the designated image area becomes the TCU control signal. Automatically converted.

To realize this automatic conversion process, the TCU conversion means 72 is further supplied with an area designation signal for designating the image area (including the audio area) generated by the control section 46. The TCU control signal (specific terminal access signal) converted by the TCU conversion means 72 is supplied to the communication control means 60. Upon receipt of this TCU control signal, the communication control means 60 starts an automatic access process to the corresponding information provision destination terminal (correspondent terminal).

When the access processing is completed, the communication line 66
According to the transmitted information (voice, data, image information, etc.), the information is reproduced by using the telephone 62, the fax 64 or the monitor 54. When the monitor 54 or the speaker 56 is used, the signal received by the communication control means 60 is supplied to the data conversion means 86, the TCU data is converted into an image signal or an analog audio signal and supplied to the switching means 52. become.

A specific control signal based on which the input data signal is converted into the TCU control signal (terminal access signal) of the specific terminal and used by the receiving side will be described later.

The video signal selected by the switcher 44,
The voice signal and the data signal can be further stored in an external storage device so that the signals can be used when necessary. In that case, the conversion means 76 is adapted so that the video signal, the audio signal, and the data signal are suitable for storage.
Is converted into a signal and stored in the external storage device 78. As the external storage device 78, a VTR, a magneto-optical disk device, a semiconductor memory means or the like can be used.

The signal read from the external storage device 78 is restored to the original signal form by the signal inverse conversion means 80, and then the video signal and the audio signal are rewritten in the AV memory means 50. Similarly, in the case of a data signal, it is rewritten in the memory means 68 for data. The control unit 46 controls the external storage device 78, but is omitted in the figure.

In order to specify a specific image area from the image displayed on the monitor 54, a grid-like dividing line (image frame) as shown by a broken line in FIG. 3 is displayed overlapping the image. It is more convenient to specify the image area accurately. Therefore, the image frame generating means 82 is provided, and this image frame signal is added to the video signal read from the memory means 50 by the adder 84. As a result, an image frame as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 54.

The switching means 52 includes a memory means 50.
The signal itself supplied to the memory means 50 is also directly supplied in addition to the signal from the control unit 46, any one of them is selected by the switching signal from the control unit 46, and the selected signal and the conversion unit 86 are connected to each other. The terminal signal inputted via the communication control means 60 is further selected by the control signal (TCU reception confirmation signal TCU · ACK) generated by the communication control means 60.

A personal information supply means 74 such as a memory card can be connected to the TCU conversion means 72. This is used as an access method when using a commercial database such as Intertec.

Now, the receiving operation of the receiving apparatus 30 configured as described above, particularly the operation of automatically accessing the information providing terminal will be described below. In the received video, it is assumed that useful information (for example, the product content of the program providing destination) for the user (viewer) is displayed, and the information is included in the image area (2, 2) shown in FIG. It is assumed that
In that case, the image area code (actually, the coordinates of the image area) is designated by the keyboard 48.

If the telephone number of the program provider is applied as the service code of the designated image area, this service code is used as the TCU conversion means 7.
At 2, the signal is converted into an off-hook signal for accessing the telephone or a dial pulse signal (push tone signal) related to the telephone number, and this is given to the communication control means 60 as a TCU control signal. The communication control means 60 calls the given telephone number destination (telephone of the information providing destination) and connects the communication line 66. When the communication line 66 is connected,
A call can be made with the telephone 62, and detailed information on the program provider can be obtained. The voice may be reproduced from the speaker 56 instead of the telephone 62.

Even when the service code of the designated image area is the fax number of the program providing destination, the communication control means 60 is automatically controlled by the TCU control signal (same as the telephone number) obtained by analyzing the service code to provide the information. When a call is established with the preceding fax and the communication line 66 is connected, detailed information is hard-copied by the fax 64. Alternatively, since the detailed information is displayed on the monitor 54, it is possible to easily obtain the necessary information in the image received while living.

When the service code is access information (eg, IP address) related to the commercial database, the commercial database is accessed via a modem (not shown) in the communication control means 60, and the information of the desired genre is converted into character information (voice information). May be included). The TCU control signal in this case is a modem command signal and a database access command signal. Information on these search results is stored in the external storage device 78 described above.
You can also store and save using

When it is desired to retrieve voice information as a data signal, a required clause is designated by operating a specific key on the keyboard 48. In this example, the ten keys (0 to 9) and the function keys (s, v, *, #, /, etc.) provided on the keyboard 48 are used to specify the phrase.

The keyboard 4 is used to make these designations.
The relationship between the plural keys of 8 and the function designation can be selected as follows. s: Transition to search state v: Transition to normal state-: To previous frame +: To next frame * nn: Designation of image area (n, n) n is 0 to 9 # +, #-: Audio area designation (+ is Therefore, when the user wants to search and execute the image area (2, 2) as shown in FIG. 3, the designation from the keyboard 48 is (s * 22 /). In addition, as shown in FIG.
When you want to search for (+1), (s # + /)
Should be specified.

[0055]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the ISDB according to the present invention
The transmitting device and the receiving device transmit, as one form of the ISDB broadcast signal, detailed inquiry information about the information providing destination accompanying the video information and the audio information as additional information, and the receiving side automatically determines the information providing destination terminal. It is made accessible.

According to this, when it is determined that the received video contains useful information for the user, the image area is designated so that the information source regarding the information displayed in the image area is automatically acquired. Access processing is performed, and it becomes available to the user as character data and voice data. Therefore, there is a practical advantage that the detailed contents of the product to which the program is provided can be easily obtained without bothering the user.

Further, when the voice area is designated, the voice information prepared in advance can be obtained, so that it has a feature that it can be obtained while keeping details such as a weather forecast (particularly, local weather forecast for each region).

Therefore, the present invention is extremely suitable for application to an ISDB broadcasting system which can multiplex and transmit information acquisition sources related to each other as additional information using a plurality of channels.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a main part showing an embodiment of an ISDB transmission device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data configuration example regarding video, audio, and data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of searching for an image area.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of searching for a voice area.

FIG. 5 is a main part system diagram showing an embodiment of an ISDB receiver according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ISDB Transmitter 12, 14, 16 Encoding Unit 18 Multiplexing Unit 36 ISDB Tuner 42A to 42D Decoding Unit (Decoder) 46 Control Unit 50 AV Memory Means 54 Monitor 60 Communication Control Means 68 Data Memory Means 82 Image Frame Generation means

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Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Various kinds of information such as video, audio, data,
In an ISDB transmitter that transmits a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal that has been digitized together with additional information such as control information, the above video information and audio information are transmitted as additional information related thereto. The additional information includes at least an image area code and a control code related to the video information, and the control code includes a code for controlling the communication connection device.
B transmitter. 2. The ISDB transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area code is a search code corresponding to each area obtained by equally dividing the screen. 3. The ISDB transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the control code is a code related to the area code and designating a telephone, a fax, or a modem as a control terminal. 4. The ISDB transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control code is a clause code that is related to the area code and that specifies voice information in phrase units. 5. An ISDB receiver for receiving ISDB broadcast signals, which are obtained by digitizing various main information such as video, audio and data together with additional information such as control information, and then packetizing and multiplexing. Includes an ISDB tuner, a plurality of decoding means for respectively decoding the video information, audio information and additional information, a plurality of memory means for storing a plurality of decoded information, and a storage means for storing in the memory means. Signal control means for converting into a specific communication control signal based on the control data, and communication control means connected to the communication line, wherein the control data is control data for a control terminal connected to the communication line. In some cases, the IS is characterized in that the control terminal is automatically controlled.
DB receiver. 6. The ISDB according to claim 5, wherein the control data is supplied to the signal converting means and converted into data for telephone call to perform automatic call processing. Receiver. 7. The control data is supplied to the signal converting means, converted into data for fax calling, and automatic calling and image data stored in the memory means are automatically sent. The ISDB receiver according to claim 5, wherein the ISDB receiver is provided. 8. The control data is supplied to the signal converting means and converted into data for calling a modem to perform automatic calling processing and automatic transmission processing of the image data. IS according to claim 5,
DB receiver.