JPH10164551A - Program-providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide flexible program information meeting a customer's request by allowing the customer to select desired program information through the transmission line of CATV and allowing a center device to send selected information of individual program information for each customer to each terminal device. SOLUTION: A program information controller 206 of the center device 201 generates program managing information for selecting a program and individual program information, based on the request of a terminal device to transmit to the terminal devices through a mixing distributor 211. The device 201 fetches the program of a large number of requests from a satellite center or a video- reproducing device 204. A video sending and switching device 205 demodulates and multiplexes the video signal of each program to limited channels and transmits it via a mixing distributor 211.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program providing system for transmitting program management information for selecting a program from a center device via a wired transmission path, and for selecting a program in a terminal device using the program management information. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to receive radio waves from terrestrial broadcasting, broadcasting satellites, communication satellites, etc. and to view a desired program, VH is required.
An F antenna, a UHF antenna, a BS antenna, and a required number of CS antennas must be provided so that the TV receiver can receive radio waves of different frequency bands radiated from different locations. In the case of pay broadcasting, it is necessary to make a receiving contract with each private broadcasting company, attach a different tuner, and pay the receiving fee of each broadcasting company.

In order to avoid such a troublesome procedure and to prevent the aesthetic appearance of a building from being impaired by providing a plurality of antennas, a CATV capable of receiving all the above-mentioned broadcasting systems via one transmission line. The system is drawing attention. Also, in the city center where there are many high-rise buildings, there are many places where the electric field strength of the radio wave is insufficient, and mainly in houses located in such places, apartment houses and hotels, etc.
CATV systems are widely used.

As described above, in a broadcasting medium having a wide-band transmission path such as a satellite broadcast / cable television (CATV), multi-channel transmission using many video bands has become possible. Therefore, in recent years, it has become indispensable to provide a method for effectively extracting only the information necessary for a customer from a large amount of information transmitted from a broadcast medium.
uide) has been proposed. In this method, a program guide such as transmission content is transmitted from a center device to all terminal devices with the same content, and the terminal device acquires the program guide as image information or the like.

[0005] As a result, it is considered that necessary information can be selected by an easy operation. Furthermore, these program information is dynamically changed to reflect the requests from customers, and a program guide organized around programs with many requests,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-2 provides a method of providing the same contents to all customers.
03194 and the like.

On the other hand, in order to effectively utilize the transmission band of cable broadcasting, a cable broadcasting company that provides a broadcasting service for each region has to make use of many programs provided by satellite broadcasting and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art A program is allocated to a specific frequency band in units of a set of programs (broadcasting companies) to provide a service as one channel.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, when a program is selected in a terminal device, only a program guide common to all terminal devices can be provided, and the result of an individual request is transmitted to the corresponding terminal device. It has not been possible to provide a program guide that reflects only on the device. In addition, when a cable broadcaster selects necessary information from many programs provided by satellite broadcasting or the like and allocates it to an available frequency band (channel) of the cable broadcast, the selection is performed only by the cable broadcaster. Therefore, there is a problem that the intention of the customer is not reflected, and at the same time, effective information cannot be provided.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and provides program information reflected in a request for each customer, and performs frequency allocation in a cable broadcasting station. It is another object of the present invention to realize a program providing system for effectively providing program information.

[0009]

In order to solve this problem, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a center device and a plurality of terminal devices are connected via a transmission line, and a video signal and a program are transmitted from the center device. A program providing system for transmitting program information for selection, and the terminal device selects a program using the program information, thereby providing a program desired by a viewer preferentially. A broadcast receiving means for receiving a broadcast wave from a broadcast station including a satellite center; an upstream signal receiving means for receiving an upstream signal including program selection information of the terminal device; A program information control device that manages the program information and performs program scheduling so as to give priority to a program selected by a viewer with reference to the program information; and a built-in signal source or a broadcast video signal. A terminal for transmitting the uplink signal, and generating program selection information for a viewer, and transmitting the video signal from the center device. It is characterized by having a program information control unit for receiving program information, and a screen control unit for displaying the program information and outputting a video signal.

[0010] In the invention according to claim 2 of the present application, the video signal transmitting device of the center device has a function of selecting and transmitting an empty frequency band for a specific program selected by a viewer. Is what you do.

In the invention according to claim 3 of the present application, the video signal transmitting device of the center device has a function of selecting and transmitting a free time band for a specific program selected by a viewer. Is what you do.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is characterized in that the assignment of video signals to each channel is performed for each broadcaster.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is characterized in that the video signal is assigned to each channel in units of program attributes.

[0014] In the invention according to claim 6 of the present application, the video signal transmitting device of the center device retransmits a video signal being received from the broadcast station to a program requiring real time performance. It is characterized by the following.

Further, in the invention according to claim 7 of the present application, the video signal transmitting device of the center device has a video storage device for storing a video signal, and broadcasts a program that does not require real-time performance. A video signal received by a receiving means is recorded in the video storage device, and when a free channel occurs in the transmission path, the program is read out from the video storage device and transmitted.

Further, in the invention according to claim 8 of the present application, the center device has a modulation device and a demodulation device for performing data communication with a satellite center for performing satellite broadcasting, and selects one of the viewer's selected programs. In the case of either a desired program or a program to be broadcast to a wide-area terminal device, the satellite center is instructed to broadcast the program to the terminal device by satellite broadcasting.

Further, in the invention according to claim 9 of the present application, the center device extracts a program provided from a satellite broadcast according to a frequency of program selection.

[0018] In the invention according to claim 10 of the present application, the center device directly broadcasts the program to the terminal device by satellite broadcasting by transferring program selection information from the terminal device to the satellite center. Or the satellite center determines whether to transmit the program to the terminal device from the center device via the transmission path.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Embodiment 1) A program providing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an overall configuration of a program providing system according to the present embodiment. The program providing system includes a satellite center 101 for transmitting video or data to a satellite 102, a CATV center 103 for receiving video or data transmitted from the satellite 102, and a transmission path 104.
And a number of terminal devices 105 that receive programs transmitted from the CATV center 103 via the Internet. CATV
The center 103 is installed, for example, in each city or county in each prefecture, and the terminal device 105 is installed in each home in each city or county.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the center device 201 in the CATV center 103, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the terminal device 105. FIG.
, The center device 201 includes the antennas 202a, 202
02b, receiving units 203a and 203b, video playback device 20
4. Modulation units 208a to 208c, video transmission switching device 20
5. Program information control device 206, program information storage device 20
7, a modulator 209, a demodulator 210, and a mixer / distributor 211.

The antennas 202a and 202b are for receiving radio waves such as terrestrial broadcasting and satellite broadcasting. Receiving sections 203a and 203b are provided with antennas 202a and 202, respectively.
The video signal is demodulated from the radio wave received at b. The video reproducing device 204 is a device for reproducing the video stored in the storage medium. The video transmission switching device 205 is connected to the program information control device 206 and the modulation units 208a to 208c, and receives the reception units 203a and 203b or the video reproduction device 20.
4 is a device for switching the video signal input from the control unit 4 and transmitting the video signal based on the program information of the program information control device 206.

The program information storage device 207 is a device for storing program management information and individual program information as program information. The program information control device 206 is a device that manages program information such as program management information and individual program information, and organizes programs based on the information, and is connected to the modulation unit 209 and the demodulation unit 210. The mixer / distributor 211 includes modulation units 208a to 208c, a modulation unit 209, and a demodulation unit 210.
3 for multiplexing video signals and program information and demultiplexing program selection information sent from the terminal device 105, and transmitting and receiving video signals and program information to and from the terminal device 105 of FIG. Is what you do.

The terminal device 105 connected to the center device 201 via the transmission line 104 includes a video receiving unit 212, a modulation unit 213, a demodulation unit 214, a program information control unit 216, and a screen control unit 215. .

The video receiving section 212 receives a video signal transmitted from the center device 201. Demodulation unit 21
4 demodulates the program information transmitted from the center apparatus 201 and supplies the data to the program information control unit 216. The modulation unit 213 modulates data of viewer's program selection information (request) and transmits the data to the center device 201. When program management information or individual program information is input, the program information control unit 216 transmits the data to the screen control unit 2.
15 as well as the request data of the viewer and the like to the modulating unit 213.

The terminal device 105 is connected to a TV receiver 217. The screen control unit 215 receives a video signal from the video reception unit 212 and performs screen control including image display in the TV receiver 217 based on a signal from the program information control unit 216.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the program management information 301 stored in the program information storage device 207 of FIG.
In the program management information 301, for example, the broadcasting means and fee of each program are recorded. Here, the program is a set of related continuous images, such as one movie, sports broadcast, news, and the like.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the data contents of the individual program information 401 for each customer stored in the program information storage device 207. In the individual program information 401, an ID of each customer, a program reservation status, a request status, and the like are recorded.

First, the program information control unit 206 transmits the program management information 301 as shown in FIG. 6 and, if necessary, transmits the individual program information 401 paired with the program management information 301 to the terminal device 105. In the terminal device 105, the program information control unit 216 receives the program management information 301 and the individual program information 401 addressed to itself. Screen control unit 2 based on the information
15 creates a screen prompting the customer to make a request, and displays a part of the screen on the TV receiver 217 as shown in FIG. If there is a program to be viewed, the customer makes a request for transmission of a request by operating a remote controller or the like. The program information control unit 216 modulates the request data with the modulation unit 213 and transmits the request data to the center device 201.

In the center device 201, the program information control device 2
06 receives and manages the request data from the customer. The program information control device 206 receives a request for a certain period and counts the requests. Then, the program information control unit 206 allocates the programs to the available channels in the order of the requests, for example, based on the result of counting the requests, and determines the transmission time and the transmission channel of each program. Then, it transmits the determined program scheduling to the terminal device 105 and, if necessary, data as shown in the individual information display section 602 in FIG. 7, and controls the video transmission switching device 205.

The program information control unit 216 of the terminal device 105
Receives the transmitted program scheduling and the individual program information 401 addressed to itself. As in the screen image of FIG. 7, the screen control unit 215 uses the program guide unit 601 based on the program schedule.
Is displayed, and the individual information display unit 602 is displayed on the TV receiver 217 based on the individual program information 401 to guide the customer. The customer can freely refer to the determined programming at any time during the validity period, and can freely reserve viewing of the program desired by the customer until the broadcast starts or ends. On the other hand, the video transmission switching device 205 transmits each program by allocating to the channel to be transmitted when the time to transmit each program comes based on the determined program scheduling.

In the center unit 201, the receiving unit 2
Numerals 03a and 203b constitute a broadcast receiving means for receiving a broadcast wave from a broadcast station including a satellite center. In addition, the mixer / distributor 211 and the demodulation unit 210 constitute an upstream signal receiving unit that receives an upstream signal including program selection information of the terminal device 105. In addition, the video transmission switching device 205, the modulation units 208a to 208c, and the mixing / distributing unit 211 constitute a built-in signal source or a video signal transmission device that transmits a broadcast video signal. In the terminal device 105, the modulation unit 213 constitutes a transmission unit for transmitting an uplink signal.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, flexible program organization can be realized by receiving a request from a customer. In addition, CAT
Even when a satellite broadcast channel exceeding an available channel of the V center 103 is transmitted, or when the number of programs that can be provided is increased by increasing the number of video playback devices 204, the program information control device 206 and the video transmission switching device 205 Assign popular programs to available channels. In this case, the frequency band can be effectively used for the program to be transmitted, and flexible program organization corresponding to the customer's request can be achieved. Furthermore, individual program information 401 for each terminal device 105
, Each customer can grasp his / her current program reservation status and request status. Thus, a flexible user interface can be provided according to each terminal device 105.

(Embodiment 2) Next, a program providing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the center apparatus 201 according to the present embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. Note that the configuration of the terminal device 105 is the same as that shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the center device 201 has a video storage device 70 for storing and reproducing video signals.
1 is connected to the video transmission switching device 205. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

As in the first embodiment, the program information control device 206 determines a program schedule. At this time, if popular programs are concentrated in the same time zone, some programs may not be allocated to empty channels. Therefore, the program information control device 206 selects a program whose real-time property is not important based on the program management information 301, and temporarily stores the received program in the video storage device 701. Then, the broadcast time is allocated to another free time zone and transmitted. In this way, the program information control device 206 determines the program organization. Then, when the time to be transmitted comes, the program stored in the video storage device 701 is transmitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a program that cannot be broadcast at the actual broadcast time is temporarily stored in the video storage device 7.
01 and played back using the free time zone, flexible program organization becomes possible. In the present embodiment, a program with high popularity is stored in the video storage device 701. However, a program with a small number of requests may be stored and played back during an idle time of broadcasting.

(Embodiment 3) A program providing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of the program providing system according to the present embodiment. The satellite center 101 includes a satellite center device 801 that controls a program to be transmitted, and a demodulation unit 802 and a modulation unit 803 that communicate with the CATV center 103.
It is composed of

The CATV center 103 is provided with a center device 201 as shown in FIG. 2 and a modulator 804 and a demodulator 805 for modulating and demodulating a signal. Terminal device 10
5 is provided with an antenna 806 for receiving satellite broadcasting and a video receiving unit 807, and is connected to the center device 201 via the transmission line 104. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

The operation of the program providing system having such a configuration will be described. As in the first embodiment, the program information control device 206 determines the program organization. At this time, the center apparatus 201 transmits a request to the satellite center apparatus 801 to broadcast certain conditions, for example, a program without locality (national broadcast) or a program for which a certain number or more of requests have been made, from the satellite center 101. . The satellite center apparatus 801 prepares for program transmission based on the program composition of the requested program, and transmits the program when the time to transmit it comes. The center device 201 organizes programs and transmits individual program information 401 to the terminal device 105 if necessary. Terminal device 1
05 informs the customer of the programming based on the information.
The customer can freely refer to the programming at any time during the validity period, and can reserve a program to view from among the programs. The terminal device 105 receives the program reserved for viewing from the antenna 806 or the transmission path 104.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, center device 201 can transmit a program broadcast request to satellite center 101 in accordance with the number of requests. By broadcasting a nation-wide program that can be expected by a large number of viewers from the satellite 102, the broadcast band of the satellite 102 can be used to make effective use of the frequency band. Further, in the present embodiment, since the satellite center 101 and the CATV center 103 can communicate via the demodulation unit 802, the modulation unit 803, the modulation unit 804, and the demodulation unit 805, a plurality of CATV centers 103 can communicate with the satellite center 101. Thus, the satellite center 101 can collectively manage more customer requests. Therefore, in response to the request, the satellite center 101 transmits a common program to many areas, and each CATV center 1
In 03, it is possible to respond to the request of the request peculiar to the region. For this reason, a flexible program organization can be achieved, and at the same time, the frequency can be effectively used.

In this embodiment, the center device 2
The condition for sending a program transmission request from 01 to the satellite center device 801 is not limited to a request of a certain number or more, but may be a request of a certain number or less, or no condition. The transmission time and the order of the programs transmitted by the satellite center device 801 are as follows.
The satellite center device 801 may determine it.

In the first to third embodiments, the program organization is created for each program. However, it is needless to say that the channel organization can be changed for each channel. Further, the center device 201 is not limited to the CATV, but may be a center device of a terrestrial line base station such as a telephone station. The transmission path 104 is not limited to the CATV, but may be a public line network or a wireless network. In FIG. 2, the antennas 202a and 202b and the
03a, 203b, or one of the video playback devices 204 may be provided. Further, if the function of the receiving units 203a and 203b is provided in the video transmission switching device 205, the receiving unit 2
03a and 203b are not necessarily required.

[0043]

According to the program providing system of the present invention, when a customer selects a desired information from a wide frequency band represented by satellite broadcasting, a cable broadcasting facility is used, so that a request from the customer for program transmission can be obtained. At the same time, program information including selection information of individual information can be provided. As a result, flexible program provision according to customer requirements can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a program providing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a center device in the program providing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a terminal device in the program providing system according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of program management information in each embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of individual program information in each embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of transmitting program management information and individual program information in each embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen image of the terminal device according to each embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a center device in a program providing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram in a program providing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 101 satellite center 102 satellite 103 CATV center 104 transmission line 105 terminal device 201 center device 202a, 202b, 806 antenna 203a, 203b receiver 204 video playback device 205 video transmission switching device 206 program information control device 207 program information storage device 208a to 208c , 209, 213, 803, 804
Modulation sections 210, 214, 802, 805 Demodulation section 211 Mixing / distributing section 212 Video receiving section 215 Screen control section 216 Program information control section 217 TV receiver 301 Program management information 401 Individual program information 601 Program guide section 602 Individual information display section 701 Video storage device 801 Satellite center device

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A center device and a plurality of terminal devices are connected via a transmission line, and a video signal and program information for selecting a program are transmitted from the center device, and the terminal device uses the program information to transmit a program. A program providing system that preferentially provides a program desired by a viewer by making a selection, wherein the center device includes: a broadcast receiving unit that receives a broadcast wave from a broadcast station including a satellite center; and the terminal. Uplink signal receiving means for receiving an uplink signal including program selection information of the apparatus, and manages the program information for each viewer based on the uplink signal, and selects a viewer with reference to the program information. A program information control device for performing program scheduling so as to give priority to a program; and a video signal transmitting device for transmitting a built-in signal source or a broadcasted video signal. Transmitting means for transmitting the uplink signal; a program information control unit for generating program selection information of a viewer and receiving the program information transmitted from the center device; display of the program information and a video signal And a screen control unit for outputting a program. 2. The video signal transmitting device of the center device has a function of selecting and transmitting an empty frequency band for a specific program selected by a viewer.
The program providing system described in the above. 3. The program providing system according to claim 1, wherein the video signal transmitting device of the center device has a function of selecting and transmitting a free time band for a specific program selected by a viewer. . 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the assignment of the video signal to each channel is performed on a broadcaster basis.
Or the program providing system according to 3. 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the video signal is allocated to each channel in units of program attributes.
Or the program providing system according to 3. 6. The video signal transmitting device of the center device retransmits a video signal being received from the broadcast station for a program that requires real-time performance. 6. The program providing system according to claim 5. 7. The video signal transmission device of the center device has a video storage device for storing a video signal, and for a program that does not require real-time performance, transmits a video signal received by the broadcast receiving means to the program. 6. The program according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the program is recorded in a video storage device, and the program is read out from the video storage device and transmitted when an empty channel occurs in the transmission path. system. 8. The center device has a modulator and a demodulator for performing data communication with a satellite center that performs satellite broadcasting, and among the programs selected by the viewer, programs having a large number of desired selections or wide-area terminals. 8. The program providing system according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of any of the programs to be broadcast to the device, the satellite center is instructed to broadcast the program to the terminal device by satellite broadcasting. 9. The program providing system according to claim 8, wherein said center device extracts a program provided from a satellite broadcast according to a frequency of program selection. 10. The center device transfers the program selection information from the terminal device to the satellite center, thereby directly broadcasting the program to the terminal device by satellite broadcasting or via the transmission path. 9. The program providing system according to claim 8, wherein the satellite center determines whether to transmit the program from the center device to the terminal device.