JPH09224230A - Method and device for controlling transmission of program related information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain the transmission control of program related information predicting the access tendency of viewers in the future by collecting viewing history information obtained corresponding to the viewing operations of viewers and controlling the transmission conditions of program related information based on that information. SOLUTION: Concerning an EPG system with which the program related information such as the titles, channels and time of multichannel broadcasting programs is displayed on a television monitor 115 of viewer, when the viewer selects a program by operating a remote controller 116 while displaying the EPG information, that viewing history is transmitted through a public telephone line network to a customer management system 102 together with charging information. Based on the collected information, a database center 101 instructs the improvement of density of the EPG information concerning a program with a high audience rating or a promotion program and sends that instruction to an up-link center 107 together with the EPG information and a transmission control signal, etc. The center 107 improves the transmission frequency of the designated EPG information, superimposes it on an AV data stream sent from a program supplier 109 and transmits it toward a satellite 112.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, an EPG (Electronic) for displaying an on-air schedule such as titles, channels and times of programs to be broadcast on a television via a set top box on the viewer side.
The present invention relates to a program-related information transmission control method and device for controlling transmission of program-related information required in a Program Guide system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, commercial services for digital television broadcasting have been started, which digitize and transmit television signals of a plurality of channels via satellites such as broadcasting satellites and communication satellites or CATV (cable television) networks. There is. In this case, the television signal of each channel is compressed by a predetermined data compression method and then multiplexed for each plurality of channels, and the multiplexed data stream is transmitted via a transbonder of a satellite. On the other hand, the transmitted data stream is received by the parabolic antenna installed in the viewer's house, and then IR
D (Integrated Receiver / Dec)
After being demodulated and decoded by a set top box called an ode), it is displayed on a television monitor. Here, the data compression method is generally an international standard ISO / ITC (International Oral).
ganization for Standardiz
ation / International Elect
rotechical Commission) 13
818 MPEG (Moving Picture)
Experts Group 2 MP @ ML (Ma
in Profile @ Main Level) is used.

In such a digital television broadcasting system, television signals of a plurality of channels are digitized, data compressed, and further multiplexed into a data stream of one transmission channel.
Then, since the data streams of the plurality of transmission channels are transmitted in parallel via the plurality of transponders provided in the satellite, for example, as a whole, 100 streams are simultaneously transmitted.
It is possible to broadcast programs over channels.

Here, in the present specification, the program does not simply mean a program of television broadcasting, but is summarized as a unit having a significant meaning as a whole such as computer program data distributed by data broadcasting. It is used as a meaning that also includes the data.

In such a multi-channel digital television broadcasting system, the total number of programs that can be transmitted increases dramatically, so that a viewer can easily find and select a desired program. It is indispensable to introduce a so-called EPG system, which is a program navigation system for doing so. In this case, for example, on-air schedule information (hereinafter, referred to as EPG information) such as the title, channel, and time of the broadcast-scheduled program is transmitted together with the program, and the television monitor screen is displayed via the set-top box on the viewer side. To be displayed as a program guide on. The viewer operates a pointing device or the like provided on the remote controller while looking at the program guide displayed in a grid like a printed matter such as a newspaper or a TV guide magazine, for example. Then, the viewer finds a desired program and performs a selection operation of the remote controller, so that the IRD side performs a switching operation to the channel in which the selected program is broadcast, and the television monitor screen is displayed. Displays the selected program. Here, for example, when a program scheduled to be broadcast in the future is selected,
Program reservation processing is performed.

In such a conventional EPG system, EPG information is always transmitted based on static scheduling with a fixed bandwidth, and the EPG information of all channels over the next few weeks has a constant transmission cycle. Are repeatedly transmitted. Here, the bandwidth does not simply mean a transmission amount of a satellite transponder per unit time, but means a repetitive transmission amount indicating how many times the same EPG information can be repeatedly transmitted per unit time. To do.

Here, for example, considering the case where a data stream is transmitted via a transponder of a satellite, since the transmission amount of one transponder per unit time is constant, it takes several weeks for all channels. A lot of E
When trying to transmit PG information, it takes a long time to transmit all data. In other words, the transmission cycle until the information related to a specific program is repeatedly transmitted becomes long. This means that the receiving side IR
In D, if the EPG information regarding a specific program fails for some reason such as a transmission error, the time until the EPG information is captured again and the normal program guide is displayed becomes long. Means That is, it means that the response from the time when the power of the IRD is turned on to the time when all the data regarding the latest EPG information is fetched and the latest program guide is displayed is lowered.

[0008] On the other hand, from the request of the viewer, it is preferable that the period in which the program table can be viewed at once is as long as possible in the future. However, since there is a trade-off relationship between the amount of EPG information transmitted as a program guide and the improvement of the IRD response, the EPG of an appropriate period can be taken into consideration while considering these advantages and disadvantages.
There was no choice but to transmit information at a transmission cycle determined based on the period.

[0009]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional EPG system, since EPG information is always transmitted with a fixed bandwidth and according to static scheduling, it relates to programs on all channels and all periods. All the EPG information is transmitted in the same transmission cycle regardless of the access frequency by the viewer.
Therefore, EPG information regarding programs that are likely to be accessed by a large number of viewers, that is, programs with high predicted audience ratings, is not transmitted preferentially or frequently. Therefore, no matter which program the viewer accesses to the EPG information, the program guide is displayed on the television monitor with the same response as the IRD.

Under such restrictions, in order to improve the access response of the IRD, it is necessary to adaptively control the transmission sequence of EPG information according to the viewer's access. That is, an E related to a program with a high audience rate depending on the taste and fashion of the viewer side, or a promotional program that the broadcast service side wants to intentionally watch.
It is necessary to minimize the transmission cycle of PG information and increase the transmission frequency. In particular, in a home set-top box such as an IRD in which a sufficient memory capacity for storing EPG information cannot be secured due to manufacturing cost constraints, it is important to optimize the transmission cycle of EPG information. Although it is an important issue in controlling the interactive performance of the user interface in the selection operation, there is a problem that the above-mentioned conventional EPG system cannot handle it.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and controls the sending condition of the program-related information based on the past viewing history of the viewer so that the future viewer's access tendency. It is an object of the present invention to provide a program-related information transmission control method and apparatus capable of realizing transmission control in anticipation.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the above object is related to a program on the data distribution side for transmitting program related information related to each program broadcast to the data receiving side via the data transmitting means. In the information transmission control method,
From the data receiving side, collecting viewing history information obtained according to the viewing operation, based on the viewing history information,
This is achieved by controlling the transmission conditions of the program related information of each program.

According to the above-mentioned configuration, the transmission control of the program-related information is performed according to the dynamic scheduling with the variable bandwidth according to the viewing history, so that the program is likely to be accessed by many viewers. Since the program-related information is frequently sent, it is possible to improve the overall access response to the viewer even when the program-related information is transmitted via a transmission channel having a constant transmission amount.

[0014]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following description. It is not limited to these forms unless otherwise stated. Reference numerals used in the drawings and the embodiments have three or more digits, the lowest two digits indicate each component in the drawing, and the remaining digits indicate the drawing number. Therefore, the components with the reference numeral 230 are first shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital satellite broadcasting system to which the program related information transmission control device of the present invention is applied. In the database center 101 that integrates all systems, a customer management system 102 that manages end-user viewing contract information and the like, a conditional access management system 103 that generates viewing permission information of a program based on the user viewing contract, A program information management system 104 that manages all program information including transmission control information and an EPG management system 105 that generates EPG information (program related information) based on the program information are connected to a LAN.
They are connected to each other via a (local area network) 106 in a state capable of exchanging data with each other. The EPG management system 105, based on information such as the broadcast schedule (channel, broadcast time, program title), cast, and outline of the program obtained by referring to the program information management system 104, broadcasters in Europe, DVB-SI (Digital Video B), which is a European standard for digital broadcasting standardized mainly by manufacturers.
roadcasting-Service Info
(Mation) format and generates EPG information having a data structure conforming to this format. And the EPG management system 1
05 transmits the generated EPG information to the MPEG2 encoder / multiplexer control system 108 of the uploading center 107 together with the transmission control parameters regarding the transmission cycle of each program.

Here, the transmission cycle is assigned to each program so as to have an optimum value in consideration of the expected access frequency based on the viewing history of the viewer, and the MPEG2 transport is determined by this transmission cycle. The insertion period of EPG information of each program in the stream is determined.

The AV data stream, which is the video information of each program supplied from the program supplier 109, is supplied to the MPEG2 encoder / multiplexer control system 108 via the program transmission system 110, and the MPEG2 encoder / multiplexer control system 108 is supplied here.
Data is compressed and multiplexed by two methods, and EPG information is multiplexed in a transmission cycle for each program based on a transmission control parameter supplied from the EPG management system 105. The data stream generated by the MPEG2 encoder / multiplexer control system 108 is transmitted via the parabolic antenna 111 of the uplink center 107 and the transponder mounted on the satellite 112.

On the other hand, the transmitted data stream is received by the parabolic antenna 111 installed in each viewer's house, demodulated and decoded by the IRD 114, and the image is displayed on the television monitor 115. . Here, when the remote controller 116 is operated to instruct to display the program guide, the IRD 114 extracts the data received as the data stream from the EPG information temporarily stored in the memory. For example, text screen information such as the title, channel, and time of a broadcast-scheduled program is generated and displayed as a program guide on the screen of the television monitor 115.

Then, the viewer operates a pointing device or the like provided on the remote controller 116 while watching the program guide displayed in a grid like printed materials such as newspapers and TV guide magazines, and a desired program is displayed. By moving the cursor to the vicinity of the title and performing a selection operation of the remote controller 116, a switching operation to the channel on which the selected program is being broadcast is performed on the IRD 114 side, and the television monitor 115 is operated. The video of the selected program is displayed on the surface.

Here, the viewer is the remote controller 1
The operation history when a program is selected by operating 16 is a viewing history, together with billing information on pay broadcast programs, and an EEPROM (Elec built in the IRD 114 for a certain period of time).
trially Erasable Program
Able Read Only Memory) 117
Stored and saved in. In this EEPROM 117, I
Even after the power of the RD 114 is turned off, for example, the viewing history and billing information of the viewer for 4 weeks are retained.
Further, the IRD 114 has a built-in modem 118, and the IRD 114 is, for example, once every two weeks, the EEPROM 1 when the telephone line is relatively idle at midnight.
The latest two-week viewing history and billing information stored in 17 are transferred to the customer management system 102 via the public telephone line network 119 together with the customer ID number registered in advance. After confirming that this transfer is completed, EEPR
The transferred data in the OM 117 is deleted.

As described above, the viewing history associated with the viewing operation of the viewer is stored in the database center 1 from the IRD 114.
01 is transferred to the customer management system 102, and the viewing history is collected.

Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the program-related information transmission control device of the present invention. First, the correspondence relationship between each component of the conceptual block diagram shown in FIG. 2 and each component of the more specific block diagram shown in FIG. 1 is as follows. Data distribution means 210 = database center 101+
Uplink center 107 + Program supplier 109 Program structure / accumulation section 211 = Program transmission system 110 + Program supplier 109 Program / EPG information multiplexing section 212 = MPEG2 encoder / Multiplexer control system 108 Program related information input / management section 213 = Program related Information management system 104 EPG information generation unit 214 = EPG management system 105 Customer viewing information management unit 216 = Customer management system 102 Communication control unit 215 = Downstream MPEG2 encoder /
Part of the multiplexer control system 108, part of the customer management system 102 in the up direction Transmission medium 230 = satellite 112 in the down direction, public telephone line 119 in the up direction Data receiving means 220 = IRD 114 + television monitor 115 Communication control section 221 = Front end / decoder part of IRD 114 in the down direction, built-in modem 118 customer viewing information storage unit 223 = EEP in the IRD 114 in the up direction
ROM 117 data display control unit 222 = television monitor 115+
Remote controller 116

Next, in FIG. 2, the data distribution means 210, which is the data distribution side, and the data reception means 220, which is the data reception side, are connected via a transmission medium 230, which is the data transmission means. Data distribution means 21
0 is a program P that is organized and accumulated by the program organization / accumulation unit 211.
R is sent to the program / EPG information multiplexing unit 212, and the program-related information IP that is the source of the EPG information IE of the program PR input and stored and managed by the program-related information input / management unit 213 is generated as EPG information. It is sent to the section 214.

The EPG information IE according to the program-related information IP generated by the EPG information generation unit 214 is converted into program / EP
It is sent to the G information multiplexing unit 212. And the program / EP
The program PR and EPG information IE multiplexed by the G information multiplexing unit 212 are sent to the communication control unit 215 and transmitted to the data receiving unit 220 via the transmission medium 230. On the other hand, the communication control unit 215 sends the customer viewing history information IC transmitted from the data receiving unit 220 via the transmission medium 230 to the customer viewing information management unit 216. Then, the viewing statistic information IS created by the viewing history information IC input and managed by the customer viewing information management unit 216 is changed to the EPG.
It is adapted to be sent to the information generation unit 214.

The data receiving means 220 comprises a communication control section 22.
In step 1, the program PR and EPG information IE transmitted from the data distribution unit 210 via the transmission medium 230 are sent to the data display control unit 222. This data display control unit 2
The viewing history information IC of the program PR and EPG information IE displayed at 22 is sent to the customer viewing information storage unit 223. Then, the viewing history information IC stored in the customer viewing information storage unit 223 is sent to the communication control unit 221 and transmitted to the data distribution unit 210 via the transmission medium 230. As the transmission medium 230, for example, a data transmission means such as a communication satellite, a telephone line, an optical fiber cable or the like is used.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed embodiment of the EPG information generator 214. The EPG information generation unit 214 is realized by a computer program, and sends the program-related information IP from the program-related information input / management unit 213 input by the program-related information input unit 341 to the EPG information creation unit 342. To do. And
The EPG information IE according to the program-related information IP created by the EPG information creation unit 342 is sent to the EPG information output unit 343. On the other hand, the viewing statistics information IS from the customer viewing information management unit 216 input by the viewing statistics information input unit 344 is sent to the transmission information creating unit 345. Transmission information creation unit 345
The transmission information IB according to the viewing statistics information IS created in
It is sent to the EPG information output unit 343. Then, according to the transmission information IB input by the EPG information output unit 343, the EPG
The information IE is sent to the program / EPG information multiplexing unit 212.

An example of the entire operation including the data distribution means 210 and the data reception means 220 in such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the program organization / accumulation unit 211 organizes the program PR, and the organized program PR
A program ID is allocated to and stored in the program / EPG information multiplexing unit 212 (step S
TP1).

Next, in the program related information input / management section 213, a program composed of the program ID of the program PR organized by the program organization / accumulation section 211, the transmission time, the content and category of rough lines, performers, etc. The related information IP is input, stored and managed as a database, and the stored and managed program related information IP is EP.
It is sent to the EPG information creation unit 342 via the program-related information input unit 341 of the G information generation unit 214 (step STP).
2). In the EPG information creation unit 342, the program-related information IP from the program-related information input / management unit 213 is transferred to the EPG information I.
E format, for example DVB-SI (Digital
l Video Broadcasting-Serv
(ICE Information) standard-compliant format, and the converted EPG information IE is sent to the EPG information output unit 343 (step STP3).

On the other hand, in the data receiving means 220, the program P currently on-air by the data display control section 222.
The viewing history information IC of the data receiver for R, that is, the program ID list of the viewed program PR is stored in the customer viewing information storage unit 223 (step STP4). The customer viewing information storage unit 223 periodically stores the viewing history information IC stored therein in the communication control unit 221, the transmission medium 230, and the communication control unit 2.
It is sent to and transmitted to the customer viewing information management unit 216 via 15 (steps STP5, STP6). In the customer viewing information management unit 216, the viewing history information IC from the customer viewing information storage unit 223 is statistically created to create viewing statistics information IS, and the created viewing statistics information IS is input to the viewing statistics information of the EPG information generation unit 214. It is sent to the transmission information creation unit 345 via the unit 344 (step STP7).

The transmission information creation unit 345 creates the transmission frequency of the transmission information IB, that is, the EPG information IE, based on the viewing statistics information IS from the customer viewing information management unit 216,
The created transmission information IB is transferred to the EPG information / transmission information output unit 3
It is sent to 43 (step STP8). And EPG
In the information output unit 343, the EPG information IE from the EPG information creation unit 142 is sent to the program / EPG information multiplexing unit 212 based on the on-air schedule of the program PR while considering the transmission information IB from the transmission information creation unit 345. It is sent (step STP9).

Here, the creation of the transmission information IB based on the viewing statistics information IS in the transmission information creating section 345 will be described. The viewing statistics information IS is made up of the attributes of programs, evaluations of audience ratings in a predetermined program on-air time zone for each attribute of each program, and the like. Then, the transmission information creation unit 345
The importance of each attribute of each program and the like, the weighting parameter of each attribute, and the like are set in advance.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, each program A, B,
C attribute class a (Aa, Ba, Ca) is "category"
And attribute class b (Ab, Bb, Cb) is "cast"
Then, the attribute class c (Ac, Bc, Cc) is defined as “importance as viewed from the data distributor”. It should be noted that the reason why the types of programs and attribute classes are set to the above three types is to simplify the description, and the present invention is not limited to this. First, attribute class a
The priority of transmission of EPG information of each program A, B, and C is calculated. As shown in FIG. 6, the sum of the audience ratings of the programs A, B, and C belonging to the attribute class a that is on-air during a time period from 0:00 to 12:00 on a certain day is 10%,
It is assumed that they are 30% and 60%. The weighting parameter of the attribute class a at this time is set to 5 as shown in FIG.
If it is 5%, each program A, B, for attribute class a
The transmission priority of the C EPG information is 0.1 * 0.55,
It becomes 0.3 * 0.55 and 0.6 * 0.55.

Next, each program A for the attribute class b,
The transmission priorities of B and C EPG information are obtained. As shown in FIG. 6, the sum of the audience ratings of the programs A, B, and C belonging to the attribute class b that is on-air during the above-mentioned time period is 30 as shown in FIG.
%, 10% and 60%. Then, if the weighting parameter of the attribute class b at this time is 35% as shown in FIG. 7, each program A for the attribute class a,
The transmission priority of B and C EPG information is 0.3 * 0.3
5, 0.1 * 0.35, 0.6 * 0.35.

Finally, the transmission priority of the EPG information of each program A, B, C for the attribute class c is obtained. It is assumed that the attribute class c is appropriately set by the data distributor and is 10%, 30%, and 60% as shown in FIG. Then, assuming that the weighting parameter of the attribute class c at this time is 10% as shown in FIG. 7, the transmission priority of the EPG information of each program A, B, and C for the attribute class c is 0.1 * 0. .1, 0.3 * 0.1, 0.
It becomes 6 * 0.1.

Therefore, the transmission frequency of the EPG information of each program A, B, C is the sum of the transmission priorities of the attribute classes a, b, c, and is 0.1 * 0.55 + 0.3 * 0. ．
35 + 0.1 * 0.1 = 0.17, 0.3 * 0.55 +
0.1 * 0.35 + 0.3 * 0.1 = 0.23, 0.6
* 0.55 + 0.6 * 0.35 + 0.6 * 0.1 = 0.
It becomes 6. That is, the EPG information of each program A, B, C is set to 1
It will be transmitted at a ratio of 7:23:60.

The program / EPG information multiplexing unit 212 multiplexes the program PR from the program organization / accumulation unit 211 and the EPG information IE from the EPG information output unit 343, and transmits them via the communication control unit 215 and the transmission medium 230. Communication control unit 2
It is sent to and transmitted to 21 (step STP10).

Then, in the communication control section 221, the program / E
Program PR and EPG information I from the PG information multiplexing unit 212
E is separated and sent to the data display control unit 222 (step STP11). The data display control unit 222 displays the EPG information IE from the communication control unit 221 on an information output device (for example, a display) to the data receiver (step STP12), and the data receiver receives the EPG information IE.
It is confirmed whether or not is selected (step STP13).
When the data receiver selects the EPG information IE,
The selection operation is detected and the desired program PR is displayed on the information output device (for example, display) to the data receiver (step STP14). Then, the process returns to step STP4 to repeat the above operation.

As described above, since the day is segmented into several hours and the EPG information of the popular program is frequently transmitted in each segment, dynamic scheduling is performed in a variable band. The access response of the data receiver can be improved.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the viewing history information obtained according to the viewing operation is collected from the data receiving side, and based on this viewing history information,
Since it is configured to control the transmission condition of the program-related information of each program, it is possible to dynamically control the transmission of the program-related information according to the viewing schedule with a variable bandwidth according to the viewing history. It is possible to realize the sending control that anticipates the access tendency of. Therefore, by frequently sending program-related information about a program that is likely to be accessed by a large number of viewers, even if this program-related information is transmitted through a transmission channel having a certain transmission amount, the viewer The overall access response to can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital satellite broadcasting system to which a program-related information transmission control device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the entire system including the program-related information transmission control device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration example of a main part of the program-related information transmission control device shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart for explaining an operation example of the entire system including the program-related information transmission control device shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing an example of parameters for determining a transmission cycle used in the program-related information transmission control device shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing an example of parameters for determining a transmission cycle used in the program-related information transmission control device shown in FIG.

7 is a diagram showing an example of parameters for determining a transmission cycle used in the program-related information transmission control device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of Codes] 101 ... Database Center, 102 ... Customer Management System, 104 ... Program Related Information Management System, 105 ... EPG Management System, 107 ... Uplink Center, 108 ... MPEG2 encoder / multiplexer control system, 109 ... Program supplier, 110 ... Program transmission system, 112 ... Satellite, 114 ... IRD, 115 ... Television monitor, 116 ... Remote controller, 117 ...
・ EEPROM, 118 ... Modem, 119 ... Public telephone line network, 210 ... Data distribution means, 211 ...
..Program organization / accumulation unit, 212..Program / EPG information multiplexing unit, 213 ... Program related information input / management unit, 21
4 ... EPG information generation unit, 215 ... Communication control unit,
216 ... Customer viewing information management unit, 220 ... Data receiving means, 221 ... Communication control unit, 222 ... Data display control unit, 223 ... Customer viewing information storage unit, 23
0 ... Transmission medium

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical indication H04N 7/081

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A program related information transmission control method on a data distribution side for transmitting program related information related to each program broadcast to a data receiving side via a data transmitting means, the viewing operation from the data receiving side. A program-related information transmission control method, comprising: collecting viewing history information obtained according to the above, and controlling transmission conditions of program-related information of each program based on the viewing history information. 2. A program related information transmission control device on a data distribution side for transmitting program related information related to each program broadcast to a data receiving side via a data transmitting means, wherein the data receiving side performs its viewing operation. Viewing history information collecting means for collecting viewing history information obtained according to the above, and sending condition control means for controlling sending conditions of program-related information of each program based on the viewing history information. Program related information transmission control device. 3. The program related information transmission control device according to claim 2, wherein the program related information includes any one of contents, channels and time schedules of each program to be broadcast. 4. The program-related information transmission control device according to claim 2, wherein the data transmission means is a transmission system via a satellite or a cable television network. 5. The viewing history information collecting means collects viewing history information obtained from the data receiving side in response to the viewing operation via the public telephone line network. The program-related information transmission control device described. 6. The program-related information transmission according to claim 2, wherein the viewing history information collecting means collects a history of a channel selection operation of a viewer on the data receiving side as the viewing history information. Control device. 7. The program related information transmission device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission condition is a transmission cycle of the program related information. 8. The program-related information transmission control device according to claim 7, wherein the transmission cycle is the number of times the program-related information is transmitted per unit time. 9. The transmission condition control means generates viewing statistic information for each attribute of each program based on the viewing history information, and the viewing statistic information and each preset attribute of each program. 3. The program-related information transmission control device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission condition of the program-related information for each program is determined based on the weighting parameter of.