KR20050119319A - Method and apparatus for prohibiting data service in digital broadcasting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a parental control technology of a digital broadcasting system, and stores a rating level pattern of a broadcast program for each rating level, and temporarily stores the selected rating level pattern information when a certain rating level pattern is selected among the stored rating rating patterns. When a predetermined broadcast program is received, the rating program is detected by the received broadcast program. When the detected rating level pattern is higher than the stored rating level pattern by comparing the detected rating pattern and the stored rating pattern, the digital broadcasting system is performed. It is to block the viewing of the broadcast. According to the present invention, when viewing the parental control pattern information displayed on the upper right side of the TV broadcast screen or more than a predetermined grade automatically cuts off the TV, it can be prevented indiscriminate watching TV of children or teenagers.

Description

Restriction apparatus and method of digital broadcasting system {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROHIBITING DATA SERVICE IN DIGITAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for limiting viewing of a digital broadcasting system capable of limiting viewing by determining a rating of a received broadcast.

Recently, with the development of digital technologies such as digital image compression and digital modulation / demodulation, the standardization and commercialization of digital television broadcasting is rapidly progressing. Also, in the conventional terrestrial, satellite, and cable broadcasting, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) Based on this trend, digitalization is on the rise.

In digital broadcasting, a plurality of broadcast programs encoded on the basis of MPEG are multiplexed and transmitted in the form of a transport stream, which is received by a digital broadcast receiver such as a set-top box (STB) installed on the receiving side. The multiple broadcast programs included in the transport stream are demultiplexed.

Therefore, only one broadcast program desired by a user can be selected. Also, in a digital broadcast receiver such as a set-top box, a general television after restoring the selected broadcast program to an original audio and video signal using an MPEG decoder included in the receiver. It transmits to A / V output device such as

In addition, a large-capacity hard disk (HDD) is additionally provided in a digital broadcast receiver such as a set-top box, and a program stored in the hard disk is stored on a hard disk after being transmitted to an A / V output device such as a television. Digital broadcast recording / reproducing functions for reproducing and outputting broadcast programs recorded on a disc, for example, a digital broadcasting system having a function of adding a 'PVR (Personal Video Recorder)' have been developed and released.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a digital broadcasting system capable of accommodating such set-top box and PVR functions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital broadcasting system includes a demultiplexer 100, a parser 102, a buffer memory 104, an MPEG decoder 106, a control unit 108, and a key input unit 110. And the like.

In the demultiplexer 100, a plurality of digital broadcast programs selectively output a transport stream of any one broadcast program among transport streams of a multiplexed multi-program.

The parser 102 separately outputs 188-byte transport packets constituting the transport stream of any one of the broadcast programs described above into video and audio data and navigation data.

The buffer memory 104 temporarily stores video and audio data output through the above-described parser 102. In this case, in the PVR, data of the buffer memory 104 may be recorded and stored in a storage means, for example, a hard disk, in units of a predetermined recording size.

The MPEG decoder 106 decodes the video and audio data temporarily stored in the buffer memory 104 into original video and audio data, and outputs them as video and audio through screens and speakers of a connected general television.

The key input unit 110 is a means for generating a predetermined key signal according to a user's input action, and performs a function of generating a key signal for performing various modes of the digital TV as well as an electronic program guide (EPG) key input signal. .

The control unit 108 performs the overall function of controlling the demultiplexer 100, the parser 102, etc. in response to the key input signal of the key input unit 110. The video and audio data temporarily stored in the memory 104 are controlled to be output through the TV screen and the speaker, respectively.

However, in such a digital broadcasting system, as in general analog broadcasting systems, there has been a problem of unilaterally supplying a broadcasting program to an unspecified majority without considering the gender, age, and status of the viewer.

In order to prevent the indiscriminate supply of programs that are not helpful to the emotions of the youth, a method of limiting viewers' views is proposed by setting a rating level for each broadcasting program. In this way, the broadcasting station provides the rating information on the broadcast program, and the viewer sets the viewing rating of the broadcast program based on the rating information received by the broadcast receiving apparatus so that the broadcast program below the set rating is displayed on the screen and the speaker of the broadcast receiving apparatus. The method of not outputting through is being used.

However, such a conventional program restriction technique requires a viewer to confirm rating information of a broadcast program in advance, and there is a hassle in that the viewing restriction of a broadcast program can only be set with reference to the received rating information.

The present invention has been proposed to overcome the above-mentioned limitations of the prior art. An apparatus and method for viewing restriction of a digital broadcasting system in which a broadcasting program having a predetermined rating or higher is blocked by recognizing a rating pattern in a received broadcasting program. The purpose is to provide.

According to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, as a digital broadcasting system in which the ratings pattern of the broadcast program is stored for each rating, viewing to recognize the ratings pattern of the broadcast program received by the digital broadcasting system Parental control of the digital broadcasting system including a rating pattern recognition means and a control means for comparing the rating rating pattern of the received broadcast program and the previously stored rating rating pattern and block the viewing of the broadcast of the digital broadcasting system according to the comparison result. Provide the device.

According to another embodiment for achieving the object of the present invention, as a parental control method of a digital broadcasting system in which the ratings pattern of the broadcast program is stored for each rating, if any rating rating pattern is selected from the stored ratings pattern Temporarily storing the selected audience rating pattern information, detecting a audience rating pattern in a broadcast program received when a predetermined broadcast program is received, and comparing the detected audience rating pattern with the stored audience rating pattern. When the parental rating pattern is higher than the stored parental rating pattern, the present invention provides a method for restricting viewing of a digital broadcasting system, the method including blocking broadcasting of the digital broadcasting system.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a parental control apparatus of a digital broadcasting system according to the present invention, which includes a demultiplexer 200, a parser 202, a buffer memory 204, an MPEG decoder 206, a controller 208, and a key. It includes an input unit 210, a parental rating pattern recognition unit 212, a parental rating pattern table 214.

In the demultiplexer 200, a plurality of digital broadcast programs selectively output a transport stream of any one broadcast program among transport streams of a multiplexed multi-program.

The parser 202 separately outputs 188 bytes of transport packets constituting the transport stream of any one of the broadcast programs described above into video and audio data and navigation data.

The buffer memory 204 temporarily stores video and audio data output through the parser 202 described above. At this time, in the PVR, data of the buffer memory 204 may be recorded and stored in a storage means, for example, a hard disk, in units of a predetermined recording size.

The MPEG decoder 206 decodes the video and audio data temporarily stored in the buffer memory 204 into original video and audio data, and outputs them as video and audio through the screens and speakers of a connected general television.

The key input unit 210 is a means for generating a predetermined key signal according to a user's input action, and performs a function of generating a key signal for performing various modes of the digital TV as well as an EPG key input signal.

The controller 208 performs an overall function of controlling the demultiplexer 200, the parser 202, etc. in response to the key input signal of the key input unit 210. The video and audio data temporarily stored in the memory 204 are controlled to be output through the TV screen and the speaker, respectively. In addition, as described below, the controller 208 determines whether to block viewing of the TV with reference to the audience rating pattern recognition information of the received broadcast program and the audience rating pattern information stored in the audience rating pattern table 214.

The audience rating pattern recognition unit 212 according to the present invention recognizes the audience rating pattern, for example, the pattern information of "?" Representing "Available for 18 years or older" in the received broadcast program, and controls the recognition result. 208) to serve. This rating pattern information is displayed on the upper right of the TV screen as is well known.

The parental grade pattern table 214 contains a plurality of parental grade pattern information, for example, "⑫, ⑫,? ,,," according to the present embodiment. Such pattern information may be set in advance for each broadcasting company and class type at the time of product shipment of the digital broadcasting system. The pattern information storing process is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, in step S300, a broadcast screen of which a rating is restricted in a broadcasting program for each broadcaster, that is, a rating screen pattern information (“?”) Is captured on the right side of a TV screen, and step S302. Proceed to

In step S302, only the above-described parental level pattern information ("?"), That is, the parental level restriction display portion, is extracted from the captured broadcast screen.

In step S304 and step S306, the extracted parental pattern information is MPEG coded and encoded, and the resultant data is stored in the parental pattern pattern table 214.

Hereinafter, with reference to the above-described configuration, with reference to the flowchart of Figure 4 attached to the parental control process of the digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

First, in step S400, it is determined whether an audience rating corresponding to a certain audience rating, for example, "⑮", is set. If the audience rating is set, the process proceeds to step S402. In this case, the set parental rating may be input through the number key of the key input unit 210 to any of the audience rating pattern information of the plurality of rating rating pattern information stored in the rating rating pattern table 214, the input viewing The grade information may be stored in a separate memory means, such as a flash memory, by the controller 208.

In step S402, it is determined by the viewer whether a predetermined broadcast program is watched, and when the predetermined broadcast program is watched, the process proceeds to step S404.

In step S404, the controller 208 detects a rating pattern in the received broadcast program. That is, the audience rating pattern recognition unit 212 recognizes the audience rating pattern information of the broadcast program received through the demultiplexer 200 and provides the result to the controller 208.

According to the detection result in step S404, the control unit 208 proceeds to step S406 and step S408 to determine the rating. In other words, the audience rating set through the audience rating pattern table 214 is compared with the audience rating of the broadcast program currently being viewed.

If, in step S408, the set rating is higher than the rating of the currently watching broadcast program, it returns to step S402, but if the rating of the currently watching broadcast program is higher than the set rating. In step S410, the TV is blocked to watch.

For example, if the rating is set to "⑮" and the rating of the currently watching program is "⑫", broadcasting is allowed, but if the currently watching program is "?", It is higher than the set rating. Because it is a grade, you should block watching TV.

After the TV viewing is blocked, the process proceeds to step S412 to display a warning message, for example, "a broadcast cannot be viewed" on the TV screen, and displays any preset storage screen.

This step S412 is maintained until the parental level restriction display disappears or the parental level of the broadcast program being viewed is lower than the preset parental level.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below.

According to the present invention, when viewing the parental control pattern information displayed on the upper right side of the TV broadcast screen or more than a predetermined grade automatically cuts off the TV, it can be prevented indiscriminate watching TV of children or teenagers.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a typical digital broadcasting system;

2 is a block diagram illustrating a digital broadcasting system capable of limiting broadcast viewing by recognizing a rating pattern according to the present invention;

3 is a flowchart of a viewer rating pattern storing process according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart of a viewing restriction process of a digital broadcasting system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

200: demultiplexer 202: parser

204: buffer memory 206: MPEG decoder

208 control unit 210 key input unit

212: ratings pattern recognition unit 214: ratings pattern table

Claims (6)

As a digital broadcasting system in which the rating patterns of broadcasting programs are stored for each rating, Viewer rating pattern recognition means for recognizing a rating pattern of a broadcast program received by the digital broadcasting system; Control means for comparing the viewing rating pattern of the received broadcast program and the previously stored viewing rating pattern and block broadcasting viewing of the digital broadcasting system according to the comparison result View limiting device of the digital broadcasting system comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the parental level pattern is numeric information displayed on the upper right of the output screen of the digital broadcasting system. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The control means compares the viewing rating pattern of the received broadcasting program with the previously stored viewing rating pattern to block broadcasting viewing of the digital broadcasting system when the viewing rating of the broadcasting program is higher than the previously stored viewing rating. A viewing restriction device of a digital broadcasting system. As a viewing restriction method of a digital broadcasting system in which a rating pattern of a broadcasting program is stored for each rating, Temporarily storing selected ratings pattern information when a certain ratings pattern is selected among the stored ratings patterns; Detecting a rating pattern in a received broadcast program when a predetermined broadcast program is received; Blocking broadcasting viewing of the digital broadcasting system when the detected viewing rating pattern is higher than the stored viewing rating pattern by comparing the detected viewing rating pattern with the stored viewing rating pattern. Viewing method of the digital broadcasting system comprising a. The method of claim 4, wherein The method further comprises the step of transmitting a warning message indicating that the broadcast viewing is not possible after the viewing of the broadcast is blocked. The method of claim 4, wherein The viewing blocking step of the broadcast viewing method of the digital broadcasting system is maintained until the viewing rating limit display disappears from the currently viewed broadcast program or the viewing rating of the currently viewed broadcast program is lower than the stored viewing rating.