JP4345352B2 - Digital broadcasting system and digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital broadcast system and a digital broadcast receiver related to transmission / reception and reproduction of an outline content of an arbitrary program using an electric program guide (hereinafter referred to as EPG).
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the case of a conventional broadcasting system, content information such as dramas and movies scheduled to be broadcast that day is viewed in newspapers and magazines, or in a form known by CMs sent at random times.
[0003]
In addition, as a conventional technique for transmitting / receiving content other than the main broadcast content such as the outline content of the corresponding program of the present invention, the content created by the broadcasting station is taken in from the Internet in response to a request from the viewer There is a technique in which information is combined with the content and transmitted to a viewer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-199375
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional broadcasting system, outline introductions (CM) of dramas, movies, etc. are transmitted only unilaterally at the time determined by the broadcasting station, and can be accessed immediately when the viewer wants to know the outline of those programs. There was a problem of not.
[0006]
In addition, when loading content from the Internet, a system different from the broadcasting system and a special device for the receiver are required.
[0007]
In the present invention, such a problem is solved, the viewer can know the outline of the drama, movie, etc. broadcast on the day at any time without browsing the newspaper, magazine, etc. In this way, it is not only possible to obtain information of only one scene with characters and programs, but it does not necessarily require a special system different from the broadcasting system, and the summary content of a predetermined program such as a digest scene of a drama, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide a digital broadcast system and a digital broadcast receiver capable of knowing the contents in more detail with moving images and voices.
[0008]
Another object of the present invention is to enable a viewer to easily select viewing of the summary content.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the broadcast side must respond to a request for reproducing a summary content such as a drama or a movie scheduled to be broadcast that day at any time from the viewer, so a transport stream (hereinafter referred to as TS) An area inside is secured, and the outline is constantly repeated until the designated program starts. Also, in order to make the receiver recognize that summary content exists in the corresponding program, a program map table (hereinafter referred to as PMT) and an event information table (hereinafter referred to as EIT) in service information (hereinafter referred to as SI) in the corresponding TS. Outline content information is added to the TS information descriptor.
[0010]
On the receiver side, the EPG of the day is received by receiving the TS, but if it is detected that the summary content exists and is available in the EIT, the summary content can be used in a part of the corresponding program column of the EPG. A message to that effect is displayed. When the viewer sees the EPG, knows that the summary content is available for a program such as a drama or movie, and receives a symbol when the summary content displayed on the EPG is selected using the remote control, etc. The machine sets the ID obtained by extracting the summary content information from the PMT and reproduces it.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an EPG displayed on a screen when a TS including outline content transmitted from a broadcasting station is received by a receiver that supports outline content reproduction.
[0013]
In the figure, 1 is an EPG time display field, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are digital broadcast channels Channel A to F, 8 is a certain broadcast time, 9, 14, 17, and 18 are summary contents. Program 8, Program 4, Program 5, Program 3, and 10, 12, 15, 19, and 21 that cannot be used are Program 7, Program 1, Program 2, Program 6, Program 9, and Program 11 and 11, respectively. 13, 16, 20, and 22 are symbol marks indicating that summary contents exist in program 7, program 1, program 2, program 6, and program 9, respectively, 23 is a TS including Channel A, 24 is Channel B, C, and D TS including 25 is a TS including Channel E and F.
[0014]
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the TS 24 at time 8 in FIG. Note that the time 8 indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1 is described in the figure for explanation of the present embodiment, and such a solid line is not necessarily displayed in an actual EPG.
[0015]
In the figure, TS is originally a packet unit configuration with 188 bytes as one unit, and each packet is added with a 4-byte packet header and an adaptation field. However, the present invention is not relevant and easy to explain. In order to achieve this, the structure is captured as shown in the figure. In addition, this figure is configured in accordance with the DVB system in Europe.
[0016]
In particular, in the same figure, the outline content to be added and the descriptors related thereto, which are the features of the present invention, are enclosed in bold lines in the figure, and additional parts are indicated by arrows.
[0017]
First, 26 is SI, 28, 29, and 30 are packets of program 1, program 4, and program 5 at time 8, respectively, and 31 and 32 are programs 2 and 6 that are scheduled to be broadcast after time 8, respectively. Outline contents, 33 is a program association table (hereinafter referred to as PAT), 34 is a PMT, 35 is a conditional access table (hereinafter referred to as CAT), 36 is a network information table (hereinafter referred to as NIT), 37 is an EIT, 38, 39 and 40 are PMTs of program 1, program 4 and program 5, 41 and 42 are PMTs of overview content of program 2 and program 6, respectively, 27 is a service number of program 2, and 43 is a program name and content of program 2. Descriptor describing the genre, etc. 44 is the start time of program 2, 45 is the same broadcast time length, 46 is program 2 Is the status descriptor indicating whether or not it is being broadcast.
[0018]
Further, 47 is an information field about the outline content for the program 2, 55 is a service number of the outline content of the program 2, 48 is a descriptor indicating the presence / absence of the outline content for the program 2, and 49 is the use of the outline content for the program 2. It is a descriptor that indicates availability. Note that the information described in the information field for the summary content is not limited to the information described above, and other information may be described. In the present embodiment, each piece of information is shown in a lump. However, if it is defined that the field describes information about the outline content, these pieces of information are described in a distributed manner in the EIT. It may be.
[0019]
In the figure, 56, 58 and 60 are the IDs of the PMT 38 of the program 1, the PMT 39 of the program 4, and the PMT 40 of the program 5, respectively, 57, 59 and 61 are the service numbers of the program 1, the program 4 and the program 5, respectively. 62 and 64 are IDs of the PMTs of the outline contents of the program 2 and the program 6, respectively, and 63 and 65 are service numbers of the outline contents of the program 2 and the program 6, respectively. Here, 63 indicates 55.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is an image diagram illustrating a state in which the outline content is reproduced from the EPG using the remote control.
[0021]
In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes a receiver having a function capable of reproducing outline contents at an arbitrary time via the EPG, 51 a remote controller for controlling the receiver 50, 52 a cursor on the EPG, and 53a to 53d a cursor on the remote controller 51. A cross key 54 for moving is an enter key.
[0022]
The present invention will be described with respect to the digital broadcast receiver configured as described above.
[0023]
For the outline contents such as dramas and movies, the broadcasting station determines the programs that can be used for one day of the day, but in this description, only the TS24 will be described.
[0024]
Broadcasting stations running TS24 should be provided with a summary content usage service for program 1, program 2, program 6, and program 7, and not a summary content usage service for program 3, program 4, program 5, and program 8. I am thinking. The programs 1 to 8 shown here are not limited to specific programs, but are set by selecting and setting a predetermined program on the broadcasting station side. In order for the receiver 50 to draw up the EPG as shown in FIG. 1, the broadcast station sends program configuration information including summary content addition for 24 hours of the day, but each program information of the EIT 37 in the SI 26 includes each program information. And the outline content information field 47 is added because they all have common specifications. The contents are divided into outline content service No 55, a descriptor 48 indicating the presence or absence of the outline content, and a descriptor 49 indicating the availability of the outline content.
[0025]
The receiver 50 reads the field 47, and adds symbol marks 11, 13, 16, and 20 in the EPG displayed as an example in each program column as shown in FIG.
[0026]
When the receiver 50 performs channel scanning, the SI 26 is read and the EPG information is updated. When the PMT 38 of the program 1 is detected during the PMT 34, those programs are positioned to the position where the EPG program information displayed on the receiver 50 is displayed, but the PMT ID 62 of the outline content of the program 2 is detected by the PAT 33. In addition, when the outline content service No. 63 of the program 2 is also detected and the PMT 41 of the outline content of the program 2 is detected in the PMT, the outline content service No. 63 of the outline content 47 field of the program 2 in the EIT 37 Since it matches the outline content service No. 55, it is recognized as an outline content, not an actual broadcast program, and is positioned at a position for displaying EPG program information displayed on the receiver 50 such as program 1 or program 4. Do not put a symbol mark.
[0027]
When the viewer moves the cursor 52 with the cross key 53 on the remote controller 51, selects the symbol mark 16 on the EPG, and selects it with the enter key 54, the receiver 50 uses the PMT 41 of the outline content of the program 2, A program ID (hereinafter referred to as PID) is set by the receiver 50, and the outline content can be reproduced.
[0028]
Next, a description related to time will be given.
[0029]
FIG. 2 shows the TS 24 that is the source of the EPG at time 8. At this time, since the programs 1 and 7 to which the summary content is added are being broadcast or have already ended, the descriptor 49 indicating whether or not the summary content of each of these programs can be used is in an unusable status. The receiver 50 needs to periodically read the information of the descriptor 49 indicating whether or not the outline content can be used and reflect the information on whether or not the outline content can be used on the symbol marks 11, 13, 16, and 20 on the EPG. There is. For example, when the outline content is available, the symbol mark color is changed to blue, and when it is unavailable, the color is changed to white. If the display color is changed according to the availability of the outline content, the viewer is notified. It becomes easy. It should be noted that the means for indicating whether or not use is possible is not limited to the display color of the symbol. For example, as long as the viewer can recognize the difference, such as changing the design of the symbol, adding characters indicating whether or not use is possible, etc. Good.
[0030]
Before the time 8, for example, at PM 5:00, the overview contents of the program 1 and the program 7 that have not yet started broadcasting are available to the viewer, and in the TS 24, the overview content 31 of the program 2 and the program 6 are included in the payload. In addition to the outline content 32, outline contents of the program 1 and the program 7 also exist. Of course, the PMT 34 of the outline content of the program 1 and the program 7 also exists in the PMT 34 in the SI 26, and a descriptor 48 indicating the presence / absence of the outline content is also included. This is a summary content display, and a descriptor 49 indicating whether or not the summary content can be used is also a usable display. However, when the start time 44 of the program 1 is passed, the status of the descriptor 49 indicating whether or not the summary content can be used is changed to the unavailable display, and the summary content of the program 1 is also deleted from the TS 24. Then, the EPG symbol mark 13 informs the viewer that the outline content cannot be used, although it depends on the specification of the receiver side such that the color changes from blue to colorless.
[0031]
However, if the receiver side has a storage device such as an HDD, playback can be performed any number of times according to the specifications of the receiver side.
[0032]
Note that the information of the descriptor 48 indicating the presence / absence of the summary content and the descriptor 49 indicating whether the summary content can be used is changed on the broadcasting station side that edits the SI 26, but the EPG is displayed. It can also be performed on the receiver side by comparing the time and the start time of the program in the EIT. In addition, if the receiver side has a storage device and records and saves the received summary content once, the summary content exists on the receiver side even after the summary content received at a certain time is deleted. And can be made available.
[0033]
As described above, the outline content is incorporated in the TS as a payload, and the outline content PMT and EIT are set with the outline content service number, the identifier indicating the presence / absence of the outline content, and the identifier indicating the availability of the outline content. Or, by changing it, it is possible to easily show information about the summary content to the viewer in the EPG.
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the viewer can know the outline of the drama, movie, etc. broadcast on the day at any time without browsing the newspaper, magazine, etc. In this way, it is not only possible to obtain information on only one scene with characters and programs, but it does not necessarily require a special system different from the broadcasting system, and the summary content of a predetermined program such as a digest scene of a drama, etc. Can be easily selected by viewers, and the contents can be known in more detail through the use of video and audio.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an image diagram showing an example of an EPG according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration image diagram of a transport stream according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Image diagram showing usage status [Explanation of symbols]
1 EPG time display fields 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Digital broadcast channel 8 Times 9, 14, 17, 18 Programs 10, 12, 15, 19, 21 that cannot use summary content Programs that can use summary content 11, 13, 16, 20, 22 Symbol mark 23, 24, 25 Transport stream 26 Service information 27 Program service number
28, 29, 30 Group of program packets 31, 32 Summary content 33 Program association table 34 Program map table (PMT)
35 Conditional Access Table 36 Network Information Table 37 Event Information Table 38, 39, 40 Program PMT
41, 42 Program Summary Content PMT
43 Descriptor describing the program name, content, genre, etc. of the program 44 Program start time 45 Broadcast time length 46 Status descriptor 47 indicating whether or not the program is being broadcast Information field 55 about the summary content Service No
48 Descriptor indicating presence / absence of summary content 49 Descriptors 56, 58, 60 indicating availability of summary content Each ID of PMT of program
57, 59, 61 Program service numbers
62, 64 ID of PMT of summary content
63, 65 Outline content service No.
52 Cursors 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d on the EPG Cross key 54 Enter key

Claims (3)

Service information (hereinafter referred to as SI) describing information on the packet of the program being broadcast, the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast, the packet of the program being broadcast, and the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast A digital broadcast system including a digital broadcast transmitter that incorporates a transport stream (hereinafter referred to as TS), and a digital broadcast receiver that receives the TS,
The digital broadcast transmitter incorporates a program association table (hereinafter referred to as PAT), a program map table (hereinafter referred to as PMT) and an event information table (hereinafter referred to as EIT) in the SI, and further, the broadcast schedule in the PAT. PMT ID and service no. The PMT of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast to the PMT, and the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast to the EIT. Embedded,
The digital broadcast receiver receives the PMT ID and service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast from the TS through the PAT. And the PMT of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast exists in the PMT, and the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast of the EIT. And the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast in the PAT. When a match is confirmed, a symbol mark is attached to the program table of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast without being positioned at a position where the program information of the program table is displayed as a summary content instead of an actual broadcast program. A digital broadcasting system composed of receivers.   2. The digital broadcasting according to claim 1, wherein the EIT incorporates the availability of the summary content that disables the use of the summary content when the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast is started. system. Service information (hereinafter referred to as SI) describing information on the packet of the program being broadcast, the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast, the packet of the program being broadcast, and the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast Is a digital broadcast receiver that receives a transport stream (hereinafter referred to as TS) in which
The SI includes a program association table (hereinafter referred to as PAT), a program map table (hereinafter referred to as PMT), and an event information table (hereinafter referred to as EIT), and further, the PAT includes a predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast. Summary content PMT ID and service No. However, the PMT of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcasted to the PMT is the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast to the EIT. Is embedded,
The PMT ID and service No. of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast from the TS to the PAT. And the PMT of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast exists in the PMT, and the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast of the EIT. And the service number of the outline content of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast in the PAT. When a match is confirmed, a symbol mark is attached to the program table of the predetermined program scheduled to be broadcast without being positioned at a position where the program information of the program table is displayed as a summary content instead of an actual broadcast program. Digital broadcast receiver.

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