KR20000006285A - Information transmitting device and method, information receiving device and method, and distribution medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Information transmitting/receiving devices and methods and providing media are provided to rapidly acquire program information to be wanted. CONSTITUTION: A reference data comprises a reference main data which is described by a content control unit(12) and a reference local data which is described by a content producing unit(2). In the reference main data, a tag and a text information which are used in high frequency together in program providing devices(1-1, 1-2, 1-3) are described in such a manner that the text information corresponds to the tag. In the reference local data, a tag and a text information which are used in high frequency together in each program providing device are described in such a manner that the text information corresponds to the tag. A content data comprises a content tag data described by the content producing unit. and a content description data. In the content tag data, a tag is described to specify the reference main data or the reference local data. In the content description data, a text information of low reuse frequency is described. Thereby, program information to be wanted can be acquired quickly.

Description

Information transmitting device and method, information receiving device and method, information receiving device and method, and distribution medium

The present invention relates to an information transmitting apparatus and method, an information receiving apparatus and method, and a providing medium, and in particular, an information transmitting apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving program information described using a tag, an information receiving apparatus and method, and providing It is about the medium.

In conventional digital multi-channel broadcasting, program information indicating a program name, broadcast time, and genre is, for example, service information specified in MPEG2 (ITU-TH.222.0.ISO / IEC 13818-1) or DVB (prETS300 468). It is created based on the broadcast. In this service information, one genre for each program is described using a 2-byte parameter. Information different from the genre of service information is described using text information instead of parameters.

In addition, it is possible to describe in the program information such that the text information includes various information in addition to the program name, broadcast time and genre as described above.

In this regard, the transmission of the program information is not executed only once for transmitting the programs, but is repeatedly executed a predetermined number of times.

The program information may include text having a large amount of information. In the case of transmitting such program information using limited bands of a transmission wave, when the retransmission frequency of the program information is increased, there is a need to reduce the retransmission frequency because the transmission ratio of programs different from the program information is reduced. As a result, there is a problem that the time required to accommodate the required program information becomes long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-described situation, and describes program information using a tag specifying a reference data transmitted earlier so as to reduce the amount of program information, and also suppresses a decrease in retransmission frequency due to the reduced program information amount. To obtain the desired program information quickly.

1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a digital multi-channel broadcasting system to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a diagram showing a data structure for program information.

3 is a diagram for explaining program information.

4 is a diagram illustrating an acquisition process for reference data of the reception device 31.

5 is a diagram for explaining display processing for program information of the reception device 31;

6 is a diagram for explaining program information.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

11: broadcast device 21: communication satellite

31: receiving device 41: display

An information transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: generating means for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; First creating means for creating reference information associated with the video information generated by the generating means; Second creating means for creating tag information specifying the reference information created by the first creating means; Encoding means for encoding video information generated by the generating means, reference information created by the first creating means, and tag information created by the second creating means; And transmitting means for transmitting the reference information encoded by the encoding means and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies.

An information transmitting method according to claim 2, comprising: a generating step for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; A first creating step for creating reference information related to the video information generated in the generating step; A second creating step for creating tag information specifying the reference information created in the first creating step; An encoding step for encoding the video information generated in the generating step, the reference information created in the first creating means, and the tag information created in the second creating step; And a transmitting step for transmitting the reference information encoded in the encoding step, and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies.

A providing medium according to claim 3, comprising: a generating step for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; A first creating step for creating reference information relating to video information generated in the generating step; A second creating step for creating tag information specifying the reference information created in the first creating step; An encoding step for encoding the video information generated in the generating step, the reference information created in the first creating means, and the tag information created in the second creating step; And a program for causing the information transmitting apparatus to execute the processing comprising the reference information encoded in the encoding step and the transmitting step for transmitting the tag information at different retransmission frequencies.

An information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, comprising: decoding means for decoding a transport stream; First extracting means for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Storage means for storing reference information extracted by the first extraction means; Second extraction means for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Reading output means for reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted by the second extracting means from the reference information stored by the storing means; And display control means for controlling the display of the reference information read out by the readout output means.

An information receiving method according to claim 5 comprising: a decoding step for decoding a transport stream; A first extraction step for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A storage step for storing the reference information extracted in the first extraction step; A second extraction step for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A read-out step of reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted in the second extracting step among the reference information stored in the storing step; And a display control step for controlling the display of the reference information read out in the readout output step.

A providing medium according to claim 6 comprising: a decoding step for decoding a transport stream; A first extraction step for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A storage step for storing the reference information extracted in the first extraction step; A second extraction step for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A read-out step of reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted in the second extracting step among the reference information stored in the storing step; And a display control step for controlling the display of the reference information read out in the readout output step, so as to cause the information receiving apparatus to execute a process.

In the information transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, the information transmitting method according to claim 2, and the providing medium according to claim 3, information to be broadcasted as a program is generated, and reference information relating to video information to be generated is created. Further, tag information specifying the created reference information is created, the generated video information, the created reference information, and the created tag information are encoded, and the encoded reference information and the tag information are transmitted at different retransmission frequencies.

An information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, an information receiving method according to claim 5, and a providing medium according to claim 6, wherein a transport stream is decoded, reference information is extracted from the decoded transport stream, and the extracted reference information. Is remembered. Further, tag information is extracted from the decoded transport stream, information corresponding to the extracted tag information of the stored reference information is read out, and the display of the read out reference information is controlled.

In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described, in order to clarify the correspondence between the following embodiments and the respective means of the invention described in the claims, the features of the invention are enclosed in parentheses after each means. It will be described by adding a corresponding embodiment (one example).

That is, the information transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 comprises: generating means (for example, the content producing unit 2 of FIG. 1) for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; First creating means (e.g., content control means 12 in Fig. 1) for creating reference information relating to video information generated by the generating means; Second creating means (for example, content producing unit 2) for creating tag information specifying the reference information created by the first creating means; Encoding means (eg, encoder 14 of FIG. 1) for encoding video information generated by the generating means, reference information created by the first creating means, and tag information created by the second creating means; And transmitting means (e.g., uplink unit 16 in FIG. 1) for transmitting the reference information encoded by the encoding means and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies.

An information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, comprising: decoding means for decoding a transport stream (e.g., decoder 35 of FIG. 1); First extraction means (eg, step S2 in FIG. 4) for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Storage means (for example, step S3 in Fig. 4) for storing the reference information extracted by the first extraction means; Second extraction means (e.g., step S11 in Fig. 5) for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Read-out means (for example, step S13 in Fig. 5) for reading out and outputting information corresponding to the tag information extracted by the second extracting means among the reference information stored by the storage means; And display control means (e.g., display control means 38 in Fig. 1) for controlling the display of the reference information read out by the readout output means.

Of course, this description does not imply that the present invention is limited to the meaning described for each means.

Referring to Fig. 1, the configuration of a digital multi-channel broadcasting system to which the present invention is applied is described. In this regard, the term system herein refers to an overall device comprised of multiple devices, means, and the like.

The content producing unit 2 in the program supplier's program supply device 1-1 converts the program and the program information into the content of the program (video data, audio data, animation data and local service information data (hereinafter referred to as "LSI")). Each of these is recorded in a recording medium of the servers 3-1 to 3-4 corresponding thereto for storage, in a form that can be transmitted by satellite broadcasting, so as to create a. In addition, the content producing unit 2 controls the content recorded and stored in the recording medium of the servers 3-1 to 3-4 under the control of the content control unit 12 of the broadcasting apparatus 11 of the entrusted broadcaster. It is adapted to be supplied to the unit.

The content control unit 12 is adapted to edit in the order of broadcast using the supplied content, generate main service information (hereinafter described as MSI), and output it to the baseband unit 13. The base band unit 13 executes a predetermined process on the contents and outputs it to the encoder 14. The encoder 14 encodes the contents based on the MPEG2 system and outputs them to the multiplexer 15. The multiplexer 15 multiplexes the encoded contents and outputs them to the uplink unit 16. The uplink unit 16 is adapted to modulate this multiplexed content into a high frequency signal and to supply it as a transport stream to the receiving device 31 via the communication satellite 21.

The tuner 32 in the receiving device 31 is adapted to receive the transport stream and output it to the demodulator 33. The demodulator 33 demodulates the transport stream thus input corresponding to the processing by the uplink unit 16 and outputs it to the demultiplexer 34.

The demultiplexer 34 separates the encoded content from the multiplexed transport stream and outputs it to the decoder 35. Decoder 35 is adapted to decode the encoded content and output it to content controller 36.

The content controller 36 causes the memory 37 to temporarily store service information (LSI and MSI) among the content decoded by the decoder 35. The content controller 36 outputs the LSI stored in the memory 37 to the display control unit 38 and outputs other contents to the display control unit 38 in response to a predetermined operation by the viewer.

The display control unit 38 converts contents such as input video data into a display signal that can be displayed by the display 51 and outputs the same to the display 51. The input unit 39 is activated when the user inputs various types of commands. The display 51 displays the contents based on the input display signal.

Since the program supply apparatuses 1-2 and 1-3 are the same as the program supply apparatus 1-1, the description is abbreviate | omitted.

2 shows a detailed data structure of program information consisting of MSI and LSI. The program information is composed of reference data (reference_data) and content data (content_data). The reference data includes information having a large amount of information to transmit within the timing at which the content data is transmitted (a predetermined transmission time) and information to be referenced from other content data as a tag. The reference data is composed of reference main data (reference_main_data) to be described by the content control unit 12 and reference local data (reference_local_data) to be described by the content producing unit 2. In the reference main data, text information having a high frequency of use in common to the tag related information and the program supply devices 1-1 to 1-3 is described, and the text information is described corresponding to the tags. In the reference local data, tag related information and text information having a high frequency of use for each program supply apparatus are described, and the text information is described corresponding to the tag. Thus, the text information can be referenced by the tag information.

On the other hand, the content data (content_data) is composed of the content tag data (content_tag_data) and the content description data (content_description_data) described by the content production unit 2. In the content tag data, a tag specifying the content main data or the content local data is described. In the content description data, text information having a low reuse frequency is described.

FIG. 3 shows suppliers who have created the program information shown in FIG. That is, the reference main data is information transmitted from the entrusted broadcaster corresponding to the broadcast apparatus 11, and the reference local data A (reference_local_data_A) and content data A (content_data_A) correspond to the program supply apparatus 1-1. It becomes the information transmitted from the program provider A. The reference local data B and the content data B, the reference local data C and the content data C also become information transmitted from the program providers B and C corresponding to the program supply apparatuses 1-2 and 1-3, respectively. .

The retransmission frequency of reference data and content data is described. Since the reference data includes a large amount of textual information as described above, the information amount is relatively large. However, if the retransmission frequency is set low by storing and using the reference data in the memory 37 of the receiving device 31, no problem arises in actual use. In this regard, when setting the retransmission frequency of the reference data low, for example, a transmission time such as transmission at 4 am every day is determined, and the reception device 31 adjusts to automatically receive the reference data at the transmission time. It is preferable.

On the other hand, in the content data, information corresponding to each program is described. Although the content data includes content description data which is text information, it is mainly composed of tags (content tag data), and the amount of information is small. Therefore, the content data is retransmitted at a high frequency.

Next, in FIG. 4, the reference data acquisition process of the reception apparatus 31 is described. This processing starts at a predetermined time (the above-mentioned reference data transmission time) or when the user instructs to acquire the reference data. The transport stream supplied from the uplink unit 16 of the broadcasting device 11 to the receiving device 31 via the communication satellite 21 is demodulated by the demodulator 33 and separated by the demultiplexer 34, It is also decoded by the decoder 35 and input to the content controller 36.

In step S1, the content controller 36 determines whether the input content includes the reference main data. If it is determined that reference main data is not included, steps S2 and S3 are skipped, and if it is determined that reference main data is included, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, the content controller 36 determines whether the input reference main data is newer than the reference main data stored in the memory 37. If it is determined that the input reference main data is not newer than the reference main data stored in the memory 37, step S3 is skipped, and if the input reference main data is newer than the reference main data stored in the memory 37, The process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the content controller 36 updates the reference main data stored in the memory 37 using the input reference main data.

In step S4, the content controller 36 determines whether the input content includes reference local data. If it is determined that no reference local data is included, steps S5 and S6 are skipped, and if it is determined that reference local data is included, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the content controller 36 determines whether the input reference local data is newer than the reference local data stored in the memory 37. If it is determined that the input reference local data is not newer than the reference local data stored in the memory 37, step S6 is skipped and the input reference local data is newer than the reference local data stored in the memory 37. If so, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the content controller 36 updates the reference local data stored in the memory 37 using the input reference local data.

Next, the program information display processing of the reception device 31 will be described with reference to FIG. This processing is started when the user operates the input unit 39 to instruct the receiving device 31 to display program information. In this regard, the reception device 31 executes the above-mentioned reference data acquisition process in advance, and assumes that, for example, the reference data as shown in FIG. 6 is stored in the memory 37. The transport stream supplied from the uplink unit 16 of the broadcasting device 11 to the receiving device 31 via the communication satellite 21 is received by the tuner 32, demodulated by the demodulator 33, and demultiplexer. And is decoded by the decoder 35 and input to the content controller 36.

In step S11, the content controller 36 extracts content data from the transport stream input from the decoder 35.

In step S12, the content controller 36 determines whether the content tag data exists in the extracted content data. If it is determined that the content tag data does not exist in the extracted content data, step S13 is skipped, and if it is determined that the content tag data exists in the extracted content data, the flow advances to step S13.

In step S13, the content controller 36 reads out the reference main data (recommended today) corresponding to the content tag data (e.g. tag_main 0) from the memory 37 and outputs it to the display control unit 38. . The content controller 36 also outputs the content description data (e.g., text information indicating the title "Banger") to the display control unit 38.

In step S14, the display control unit 38 converts the input information into a display signal and outputs it to the display 51. The display 51, as shown in FIG. The display is performed based on the input display signal such as "Title" Wanderer "", "Today's Recommendation" and "Continuous Drama".

Reference data is transmitted prior to this approach, thereby enabling standardization and sharing of program information.

In this regard, the computer program which executes each of the above-described processes can be provided to the user through a network providing medium such as the Internet and a digital satellite, in addition to a providing medium consisting of an information recording medium such as a magnetic disk and a CD-ROM. .

As described above, according to the information transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, the information transmitting method according to claim 2, and the providing medium according to claim 3, reference information relating to generated video information is created, and the created reference information is generated. The tag information to be specified is created, and the reference information and the tag information are transmitted at different retransmission frequencies, thereby reducing the retransmission frequency by reducing the amount of information on the program information.

According to the information receiving apparatus according to claim 4, the information receiving method according to claim 5, and the providing medium according to claim 6, the reference information can be extracted from a decoded transport stream to be stored, and corresponds to the extracted tag information. Information to be read out. Therefore, desired program information can be obtained immediately.

Claims (10)

An information transmitting apparatus for performing digital multichannel broadcasting: Generating means for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; First creating means for creating reference information associated with the video information generated by the generating means; Second creating means for creating tag information specifying the reference information created by the first creating means; Encoding means for encoding the video information generated by the generating means, the reference information created by the first creating means, and the tag information generated by the second creating means; And And transmitting means for transmitting the reference information encoded by the encoding means and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies. In the information transmission method for performing digital multi-channel broadcasting: A generating step for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; A first creating step for creating reference information related to the video information generated in the generating step; A second creating step for creating tag information specifying the reference information created in the first creating step; An encoding step for encoding the video information generated in the generating step, the reference information created in the first creating means, and the tag information generated in the second creating step; And And a transmitting step for transmitting the reference information encoded in the encoding step, and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies. A providing medium for supplying a program to an information transmitting apparatus that executes digital multichannel broadcasting, comprising: A generating step for generating video information to be broadcast as a program; A first creating step for creating reference information related to the video information generated in the generating step; A second creating step for creating tag information specifying the reference information created in the first creating step; An encoding step for encoding the video information generated in the generating step, the reference information created in the first creating means, and the tag information generated in the second creating step; And A providing medium for supplying the program for executing a process including a transmission step for transmitting the reference information encoded in the encoding step and the tag information at different retransmission frequencies; An information receiving apparatus for receiving a transport stream of digital multichannel broadcasting, comprising: Decoding means for decoding the transport stream; First extraction means for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Storage means for storing the reference information extracted by the first extraction means; Second extraction means for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded by the decoding means; Reading output means for reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted by the second extracting means from the reference information stored by the storing means; And And display control means for controlling the display of the reference information read out by the readout means. In the information receiving method for receiving a transport stream of a digital multi-channel broadcast: A decoding step for decoding the transport stream; A first extraction step for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A storage step for storing the reference information extracted in the first extraction step; A second extraction step for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A read-out step of reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted in the second extraction step of the reference information stored in the storage step; And And a display control step for controlling the display of the reference information read out in the readout step. A providing medium for supplying a program to an information receiving apparatus for receiving a transport stream of digital multi-channel broadcasting, comprising: A decoding step for decoding the transport stream; A first extraction step for extracting reference information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A storage step for storing the reference information extracted in the first extraction step; A second extraction step for extracting tag information from the transport stream decoded in the decoding step; A read-out step of reading out information corresponding to the tag information extracted in the second extraction step of the reference information stored in the storage step; And A providing medium for supplying the program for executing a process including a display control step for controlling the display of the reference information read out in the readout step; A broadcast system comprising a broadcast device for broadcasting a video signal and its reference information, and a receiving device for displaying the video signal and the reference information, The broadcast equipment is: Program supply means for transmitting tag information specifying first reference information and second reference information relating to a program; And A content control unit for reproducing first reference information stored in advance on the basis of the tag information to broadcast the tag information, the first reference information, and the second reference information, The receiving device is: A storage unit for storing the received first reference information; And And display means for reproducing the first reference information from the storage unit based on the tag information received to display together with the second reference information broadcast from the broadcasting equipment. 8. The broadcast system according to claim 7, wherein the content control is capable of broadcasting data to be broadcast as tag information and second reference information. In a broadcast receiving device: A storage unit for storing first reference information included in the received broadcast signal; And And a content control unit for reading out the first reference information from the storage unit having tag information included in the broadcast signal so as to be combined with a second reference signal included in the broadcast signal for display. 10. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 9, wherein, when the broadcast signal includes the first reference information and the tag information, the storage unit can store the first reference information.