WO2002052846A1

WO2002052846A1 - Broadcast-program recording programming device and method, broadcast-program organizing device, and receiving terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2002052846A1
Application number: PCT/JP2001/011022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Masataka Sumikura
Original assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Infocity
Priority date: 2000-12-26
Filing date: 2001-12-17
Publication date: 2002-07-04
Also published as: JPWO2002052846A1; JP3878133B2

Abstract

Broadcast-program recording programming information is supplied to a recording terminal not through a telephone line. A broadcast signal is sent from a broadcast facility (10) to a receiving terminal (40). A recording programming terminal (30) is connectable to a recording programming center (20) through an existing communication network (80). The recording programming terminal (30) registers broadcast-program recording programming information in the recording programming center (20). The recording programming center (20) sends the broadcast-program recording programming information to the broadcast facility (10). The broadcast facility (10) broadcasts the broadcast-program recording programming information as at least a part of a broadcast content. The receiving terminal (40) acquires the broadcast-program recording programming information that is being broadcast and programs the recording of a broadcast program by using the information.

Description

Specification

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a program reservation device and method, a program organization device and a receiving terminal.

The present invention relates to a technique for providing program reservation information. Background art

In recent years, with the development of personal computer performance and the development of compression technology, it has become possible to watch television broadcasts or record programs on personal computers.

On the other hand, in the past, program guides were mainly provided on paper media, but recently, TV program guides have been provided on the Internet and program guides have been distributed using radio waves. The device (PC or TV set with recording function, set-top box, or video tape recorder) accesses the Internet or receives the broadcast program guide, and records the program you want to record from the program guide. It is possible to make reservations. Recently, a mobile phone connects to a program information provider to reserve a program, and a recording terminal connects to the provider at regular intervals using a telephone line, retrieves the reservation information reserved by the user, and retrieves the information. It provides a function and service for executing scheduled recording based on the scheduled information.

However, in this method, each recording terminal device must be connected to a telephone line, and must access the provider at regular intervals and download information. However, if the number of accesses to the provider is reduced, the reserved information cannot be obtained at the required time, and scheduled recording cannot be performed at present.

According to the present invention, program reservation to be recorded from a mobile terminal or a portable terminal is performed from a place where the user is away from home, and the program reservation information is broadcast rather than being retrieved from each recording terminal device using a telephone line. By using broadcasts such as radio waves and CATV (cable TV), it is broadcast as a part of the overnight broadcast, so that the recording terminal that is receiving even in the standby state can always receive the recording reservation information and record. It makes it possible to execute reservations. Disclosure of the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a program reservation information providing technology that can supply program reservation information to a recording terminal device without using a telephone line. The purpose is.

In the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object and other objects, the configuration as described in the claims is adopted.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-described object, a program reservation device is registered in advance with respect to an access request to a program reservation server performed from a terminal device using a communication network. Means for performing user authentication based on the user ID and password obtained; and (a) a reservation date and (b) a broadcast date necessary for the program reservation server to make a recording reservation for a program desired by the user. (C) After entering the program name or reservation start time and end time, means for checking whether the entered information is correct; and not the reservation start time and end time. If you make a reservation by inputting the broadcast station name, channel number, and program name, you can search for the relevant program from the program information database and determine the broadcast start time and end time. Means for associating the program reservation contents input to make the recording reservation with the user ID of the user who made the recording reservation and the program reservation contents as program reservation information in a program reservation database; A means for sending the reservation information to the program organizing device in the transmission facility and requesting the broadcast registration as broadcast content is provided.

A terminal device for making a program reservation is, for example, a mobile terminal, but is not limited to this.

In this configuration, if the program reservation information is registered, the program reservation information is received as a broadcast content by a receiving terminal such as a television receiver, a VTR, a set-top box, etc., and the program is recorded based on this. It can be carried out.

At this time, the broadcasting station-side organizing device converts the program reservation information requested to be broadcast-registered into content corresponding to the broadcast media, and organizes the broadcast for actual broadcasting. In the receiving terminal, terrestrial analog digital broadcasting, terrestrial digital broadcasting, BS (broadcasting satellite) digital data broadcasting, CS (communication satellite) digital data broadcasting, or arbitrary broadcasting to digital CATV, etc. Receiving the above program reservation information broadcast by means, and selecting whether the received program reservation information is addressed to the user by the user ID or model identifier included in the received program reservation information, and selecting the program addressed to the user. Make a program recording reservation using the reservation information.

The present invention can be realized not only as an apparatus or a system, but also as a method. In addition, it goes without saying that a part of such an invention can be configured as software. Further, it is natural that a software product (recording medium) used to execute such software at a short time is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The above-mentioned aspects of the present invention and various other aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, and will be described in detail below using examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention as a whole.

FIG. 2 is a processing block diagram in the reservation center.

Figure 3 is a processing block diagram in the sending device

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating reservation information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a reservation process from a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a receiving terminal processing flow.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the flow of content generation and composition registration processing. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

The broadcast waves described here can be used for terrestrial analog broadcasting, terrestrial digital broadcasting, BS digital broadcasting, CS digital broadcasting, and CATV, and therefore no identification is performed. In addition, the reservation server accessed from the mobile terminal is XML (Extensible Markup Language), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), Comp act—Holds pages (documents) written in HTML, Ext nsible HTML, etc. Since the reservation information sent by broadcasting is generated and sent as content corresponding to the media to be broadcast, if the broadcast is terrestrial analog data broadcasting, VB I (Vertical Linking Internva 1 ) Or in the case of digital broadcasting, it is superimposed on TS (Tr> ansform Stream). In some cases, the format of the information itself may be overnight.

[Configuration of Example]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention as a whole. In this figure, a broadcast wave (broadcast signal) is transmitted from a transmitting device 10 to a receiving terminal 40. On the other hand, the reservation terminal 30 can be connected to the reservation center 20 via the existing communication network 80. The reservation terminal 30 registers the program reservation information in the reservation center 20. The reservation center 20 sends the program reservation information to the transmission facility 10 (specifically, a knitting apparatus 120 described later). A dedicated line, a virtual private network, the Internet, a telephone line, and the like can be connected between the reservation center 20 and the transmission facility 10. The transmission facility 10 broadcasts the program reservation information as at least a part of the broadcast content. The receiving terminal 40 makes a program recording reservation using the program reservation information to be broadcast.

The sending facility 10 has a sending device 100, a broadcast content database 110, a knitting device 120, and the like.

The reservation center 20 has a program reservation server 200, a user information database 210, a broadcast program information database 220, a program reservation database 230, and the like. The user information database 210 holds, for registered users, user IDs, passwords, information on regions where the recording devices are used, and the like. The broadcast program information database 220 holds program information of each station to be broadcast. The reservation server 200 may use a web server to provide a web-based (HTTP) interface, or use a CTI (computer-telephony. Integration) server to provide a call-based interface. It may be one that provides a face. The reservation terminal 30 uses a mobile terminal 300 such as a mobile phone or another mobile terminal 310. Can be Of course, it is also possible to make a reservation at the office @ home using an ordinary fixed personal computer or other information terminal.

The communication network 80 is an existing telephone line or the like. (4) When using a web-based interface, use the Internet connection network. When using a CTI interface, use a telephone line.

The receiving terminal 40 is a personal computer 410 for making program recording reservations, a TV with a recording function, or an STB 400, which can be used for terrestrial analog data broadcasting, terrestrial digital data broadcasting, BS digital data broadcasting, and CS digital broadcasting. After receiving the program reservation information broadcasted by data broadcasting or digital CATV, the program reservation information is discriminated whether it is addressed to the user by an identifier such as a user ID or a model, and then the program reservation information addressed to the user is determined. Use to record programs.

When using a web-based interface, the communication network 80 is not limited to the Internet, but may be an IP network, a packet network, or the like, which is uniquely provided by a communication carrier. Is also good.

[Specify reserved program]

First, a process for making a program reservation from the mobile terminal 300 (or the mobile terminal 310) will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. FIG. When making a program reservation from outside, the mobile terminal 300, which is the reservation terminal 30, is used to connect to the program reservation server 200 in the reservation center 20 (S1001). When the connection is established, a user ID and password input screen is displayed for user authentication, and the user ID and password are input according to the screen (S1002). The command receiving unit 201 that has received the user ID and the password searches for the user information DB 210 and performs authentication (S1003). If the user is successfully authenticated, the user specifies whether to make a reservation with the program name or a start time and end time (S1004). In the case of a program name reservation, the (a) number of the program to be reserved is specified. Enter the group name and (b) broadcast station name or channel number and make a reservation request (S

1 0 5). Then, using the input broadcast station name or the channel number and the program name, the program search unit 202 is requested to search for the program start time and the end time.

In 202, a search is performed in the broadcast program information DB (S106), and the corresponding program is opened. The program search unit 202 requests the information creation unit 203 to create reservation information after obtaining the start time and the end time. If it is not a program name reservation, enter (a) broadcast station name or channel number, (b) reservation start time and (c) end time, and make a reservation request (S

1 0 7). Then, using the input broadcast station name or channel number, reservation start time, and end time for the input broadcast program information DB 220, the program search unit 202 searches for the corresponding program name. Requesting a search, the program search unit 202 searches the broadcast program information DB (S1008), and requests the program search unit 202 to create the reservation information from the program search unit 202. . The information creating unit 203 creates the reservation information 250 (FIG. 4) based on the user ID and the contents of the original reservation (S1009), and registers it in the program reservation DB 230 (S100). 1 0 1 0), Registration completion is broadcast registration processing section 204 and command reception section

Notification is made to 201 (S101), and completion is notified to the requested portable terminal 300 (S101).

In the above example, the input of the date and the like has not been particularly described. However, it is needless to say that the date and the day of the week are input as needed. The default day of the week may be specified as the default day. The reservation information shown in FIG. 4 is an example, and it suffices that the reservation information includes the user ID and data specifying some reservation contents.

[Reservation program of receiving terminal]

Next, the processing on the receiving terminal side will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and FIG. The processing will be described by taking, as an example, a personal computer 410 having a TV reception and recording function as the receiving terminal 40.

The receiving terminal PC 410 is always receiving data broadcast in the standby state (standby state) (S1102). When the receiving terminal PC 410 receives the program information 250 (FIG. 4), it looks at the user ID included in the information and matches the user ID registered in the receiving terminal PC 410 with the user ID. It is determined whether or not they match (S111), and if they do not match, reception is repeated until they match. However, general data broadcasting may also be received, and this description does not describe general data broadcasting reception. If they match, the terminal identifiers are compared next to determine whether they match (S111). If they match, the reservation information is fetched (S111), and this reservation information is read. A recording reservation is executed based on the command (S111). [Processing of sending device]

Next, the processing in the transmitting device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 7. FIG.

In response to a request from the broadcast registration processing unit 204 in the program reservation server 200, the program reservation information 250 (FIG. 4) extracted from the program reservation DB is passed to the content generation device 122 (S2001). ). The received content generation device 122 generates the content corresponding to the broadcast media (S2002) and registers the content in the broadcast content DB (S2003). Next, in order to broadcast the registered program information, the program scheduling registration device 122 is requested to broadcast the program reservation information (S204). The program scheduling registration device 122 that has received the request performs transmission registration of the program scheduling information with respect to the program scheduling information broadcasting frame that has been scheduled in advance (32005). When the registration is completed, it is broadcast by the transmitting device 100 as soon as the preparation is completed (S200).

As described above, according to this embodiment, program reservation to be recorded from a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal is executed from a place where the user is going out, and the information is retrieved from each recording terminal device using a telephone line. Instead, the program reservation information is broadcast as a part of the data broadcast using broadcast radio waves and CATV, etc. This has the effect that the recording terminal device that is receiving can always receive the recording reservation information and can execute the recording reservation.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in addition to reservation of a broadcast program, control of various devices is registered in a server, the registered content is transmitted as at least a part of the broadcast content, and a desired device is controlled based on the broadcast content. You may do so. The device that receives the broadcast may be the control target, or another device may be the control target. When the receiving device and the device to be controlled are different, it is necessary to transmit the control data by a predetermined method. It may be transmitted via a LAN or the like, or may be communicated using weak radio waves or infrared rays. Communication using Blue Tooth (trademark) Both are possible. It is also possible to control devices that start up or stop operating in an emergency. Such control can be set for each user's device, or can be set collectively for a predetermined range of devices.

Although the sending equipment 10 and the reservation center 20 are arranged separately, they may be arranged at the same place.

In addition, the program reservation information and control reservation information relating to recording and playback may be individually registered as necessary, or may be registered in advance as default reservation items in units of a predetermined period such as a week. good. In the case of program reservation, the reservation may be made irrespective of the day and time based on the profile of the program and the attributes of the performers, etc., instead of using the day and time. Reservations may be made using both the day of the week and time and the attributes of the program. Industrial applicability

As described above, according to the present invention, registered program reservation information and the like can be easily transmitted to the user device using broadcast, and call charges and the like become unnecessary.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. means for registering program reservation information in association with the user based on the user's instruction;

Means for supplying the program reservation information associated with the user as broadcast content to a program organizing device of a broadcast transmitting facility.

2. A means for receiving program reservation contents necessary for making a program recording reservation desired by a user from a terminal device via a communication network;

Means for registering in the program reservation database program reservation information in which the user ID of the user is associated with the program reservation content;

Means for sending the program reservation information to a program organizing device in a transmission facility and requesting broadcast registration as broadcast content.

3. A means for performing user authentication in response to an access request to a program reservation server made from a terminal device using a communication network based on a previously registered user ID and a password.

(A) Reservation date, (b) broadcast station name or channel number, (c) program name, or reservation start time necessary for the user to make a recording reservation for the program desired by the program reservation server. After entering the and the end time, a means to check that the information entered is correct,

If a reservation is made using the broadcast station name, channel number, and program name instead of the reservation start time and end time, the corresponding program is searched from the program information database to determine the broadcast start time and end time. Means for registering, as program reservation information, the program reservation contents in the program reservation database by associating the program reservation contents input to make the recording reservation with the user ID of the user who made the recording reservation and the program reservation contents. When,

4. The program reservation device according to claim 3, wherein the program reservation information includes an identifier of a device that performs recording, in addition to the user ID and the program reservation content.

5. The program reservation device according to claim 4, wherein the identifier of the device is the model of the device that performs the recording.

6. Registering program reservation information at a reservation center based on a request from a reservation terminal;

Broadcasting a broadcast signal including program reservation information registered in the reservation center;

Receiving a broadcast signal;

Performing a program reservation based on program reservation information included in a received broadcast signal.

7. means for generating content corresponding to broadcast media based on the program reservation information requested for broadcast registration;

Means for organizing the content to be broadcast at least as part of the broadcast content.

8. A means for receiving program reservation information broadcasted by terrestrial analog data broadcasting, terrestrial digital data broadcasting, BS digital broadcasting or CS digital data broadcasting, digital CATV,

Means for selecting whether the received program reservation information is addressed to the user by an identifier such as a user ID or a model,

Means for making a program recording reservation using the program reservation information addressed to the user.

9. Program reservation details and scope of application that specifies the range of receiving devices to which the program reservation applies A broadcast device for transmitting a broadcast signal including information.

10. An information acquisition means for acquiring program reservation contents and application range information for specifying a range of a receiving device to which the program reservation is applied,

A broadcasting device, comprising: means for transmitting a broadcast signal including the program reservation contents and the applicable range information.

11. The broadcasting device according to claim 10, wherein said information acquiring means acquires said program reservation contents and said applicable range information from a user via the Internet.

12. The broadcasting device according to claim 10, wherein said information acquiring means acquires said program reservation contents and said applicable range information from a user via a telephone line.

13. The broadcasting device according to claim 9, wherein the applicable range information includes user identification information.

1. The coverage according to claim 9, wherein the applicable range information includes identification information of the receiving device.

15. The broadcasting device according to claim 9, wherein the applicable range information includes identification information of a group registered in advance.

16. A broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting device and containing program reservation content and coverage information for specifying a range of a receiving device to which the program reservation is applied is received, and the coverage included in the broadcast signal is received. A receiving apparatus for selectively recording a program based on program reservation contents included in the broadcast signal according to information.

17. Receive a broadcast signal transmitted from the broadcasting device and including the program selection content and the application range information for specifying the range of the receiving device to which the program selection is applied, and include the broadcast signal in the broadcast signal. A receiving apparatus for selectively receiving and reproducing a broadcast signal of a program based on program selection content included in the broadcast signal according to the applicable range information.

18. A means for acquiring program reservation contents and coverage information for specifying a range of receiving devices to which the program reservation is applied, based on a user's instruction;

A server computer comprising: means for including the program reservation contents and the applicable range information in a broadcast signal.

1 9. A means for extracting the program reservation content included in the broadcast signal and the application range information for specifying the application range of the program reservation included in the broadcast signal from the broadcast signal, the program reservation content and the application range information And a broadcast content recording unit for recording broadcast content based on the broadcast content.

20. A means for extracting the program reservation content included in the broadcast signal and the application range information for specifying the application range of the program reservation included in the broadcast signal from the broadcast signal; the program reservation content and the application range information Broadcast content reproducing means for receiving a broadcast signal based on the broadcast signal and reproducing the broadcast content.

2 1. acquiring program reservation contents and coverage information for specifying a range of receiving devices to which the program reservation is applied;

Transmitting a broadcast signal including the program reservation contents and the applicable range information.

2 2. Means for acquiring device control information for controlling a device connected to the broadcast signal receiving device;

Means for transmitting a broadcast signal including the device control information.

2 3. Broadcast including device control information for controlling devices connected to the broadcast signal receiving device Means for extracting the device control information from the signal,

Means for controlling a corresponding device using the device control information.