HK1160319A - Ip broadcast receiver apparatus - Google Patents

Description

IP broadcast receiving apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus, and more particularly, to a broadcast receiving apparatus capable of receiving an IP broadcast.

Background

In an IP Broadcast receiving apparatus, data for displaying a portal site and the like is generally described by a BML (Broadcast description Language) description. When receiving an IP broadcast, the content side reads a stream status (stream) attribute, which is one of attributes of objects, which are recorded in the BML, and determines whether or not a stream (stream) is input to the broadcast receiving apparatus, thereby confirming whether or not a video is displayed.

Although this attribute can be read/written (read/write) by the content side, it does not make any use of the convenience of viewing.

Patent document 1 describes the following IP broadcasting system: that is, a management device is disposed between the IP broadcast server and the IP broadcast terminals, and even if the number of IPTV broadcast channels and the number of IP broadcast terminals increase, the IP broadcast channel numbers and multicast addresses can be efficiently managed.

Patent document 1: japanese patent application laid-open No. 2008-160199

Disclosure of Invention

Even if the stream state attribute of the object described in the BML is set to reproduction (play), the stream cannot be input immediately because of something. As described above, the stream status attribute is read to check whether or not the video is output. Therefore, in the conventional IP broadcast receiver, when the stream state attribute is requested to be set to reproduction from the content side in the case of display by BML, if there is no input of a stream for a certain period of time from the setting of the stream state attribute to reproduction, the stream state attribute is set to stop (stop). Thus, not only in the case where there is no continued input of a stream later due to some failure, but also in the case where an input delay of a stream occurs occasionally, the following problems are caused: that is, even if a stream is input after a certain period, the stream cannot be received, and a video cannot be displayed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an IP broadcast receiving apparatus that determines whether or not a stream is input next even when a delay occurs in the input of a stream, and that can display a video when a stream is input.

The IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that when a request to set a streaming status attribute to playback is made from the content side in the case of display by BML, it is determined whether channel information is obtained from the IP broadcast server, and if channel information is obtained from the IP broadcast server, the streaming status attribute is set to playback, and if channel information is not obtained from the IP broadcast server, the streaming status attribute is set to stop.

The method of the invention is characterized by comprising: a step of displaying by using BML; receiving a request for setting the streaming status attribute to playback from the content side; a step of judging whether to acquire channel information from an IP broadcast server; a step of setting the stream status attribute as reproduction when the channel information is acquired; and a step of setting the flow state attribute to stop when the channel information is not acquired.

The present invention may also relate to a program for executing the above method in a computer, and may also relate to a computer-readable recording medium recording the program. The program may be acquired via a transmission medium such as the internet.

The IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention can judge whether a stream is input next even if the input of the stream is delayed, and can display a video when the stream is input.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a portal site displayed in an L-shape.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a video object in the BML file.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for setting a stream status attribute as a request for reproduction in a conventional IP broadcast receiving apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing for setting the stream status attribute as a request for reproduction in the IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention.

Reference numerals

A digital broadcast receiving apparatus

1 tuner

3-way demultiplexer

5 video/audio decoding unit

7 sound output unit

11 program information decoding unit

17 Picture synthesizing part

21 display part

25 control part

28 interface part

29 storage unit

NT Internet

B content server

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention. The digital broadcast receiving apparatus a shown in fig. 1 includes: a tuner 1, the tuner 1 receiving a signal of a digital broadcast received from an antenna and performing processing such as channel selection; a demultiplexer 3; a video/audio decoder 5, the video/audio decoder 5 decoding the output from the demultiplexer 3; a picture synthesizing unit 17 for synthesizing the decoded video signal and program table data described later to generate a signal for display; a display unit 21, the display unit 21 being based on the signal synthesized by the screen synthesis unit 17; and a sound output unit 7, the sound output unit 7 outputting sound.

The apparatus further includes a program information decoding unit 11 for decoding the program information outputted from the demultiplexer 3, and an electronic program guide data generating unit 15 for generating an electronic program guide based on the program information decoded by the program information decoding unit 11.

Besides, the method also comprises the following steps: an interface unit 28, the interface unit 28 forming an interface with another external device; a remote control light receiving unit 23 that receives a remote control signal from a remote control device that is a control apparatus; a control unit (CPU)25, the control unit (CPU)25 controlling the whole; a memory section (RAM/ROM)27 that records an application program that is executed in the control section 25 for performing various processes, and develops the program to provide to the CPU; and a storage unit that stores a CDN configuration information file or channel information described later. The interface unit 28 can receive delivered digital content from the content server B via a CDN described later. The control unit 25 can also perform control related to channel selection when IPTV is selected.

In the IP broadcast receiving apparatus, when the power is turned on and a button of the IP broadcast of the remote controller is pressed, a portal site is displayed. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the portal site is displayed by an L-shaped display, and includes an L-shaped static area in which buttons for selecting contents, notification information, and the like are arranged, and a dynamic area for displaying a video of the contents. For example, when a weather forecast button in a static area is pressed by operating a remote controller, the contents of the weather forecast are displayed in a dynamic area.

Data for displaying such portal sites and the like are described by BML (Broadcast description Language). The video displayed in the dynamic region is described by a video object.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a video object in the BML file. In the BML file surrounded by the tag < BML > and the tag </BML >, as a description for configuring a video object, a description of an "object" tag as a portion surrounded by a dotted line in fig. 3 can be made. In the label "object", the attribute "type" can specify the type of video. In the example of fig. 3, an example is shown in which the video is IP broadcast. For the attribute "data", a channel of IP broadcasting can be specified. The attribute "streaming status" can specify "playback" indicating a playback status and "stop" indicating a status in which no display is performed. With regard to the above-described attributes, reading/writing can be performed from the content side using scripts. For example, if the following script is described, that is: when a button for weather forecast in a static area is pressed, a streaming status attribute is set to stop, IP broadcasting is stopped, a data attribute is changed to a channel for weather forecast, and a streaming status attribute is set to reproduce again.

The reproduction of one of the stream state attributes is an instruction to connect a multicast address, and the stop of one of the stream state attributes is an instruction to leave the connected multicast address. In order to connect to the multicast address, it is necessary to acquire channel Information from a SI (Service Information) dedicated TS (Transport Stream), and in order to acquire the channel Information, it is necessary to connect to the SI dedicated TS.

When a request for reproducing the stream state attribute is received, the IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention determines that a stream is input when channel information is present, that is, when the channel information is obtained from the IP broadcast server, and reproduces the stream state attribute. Therefore, even when the input of the stream is delayed, the stream state attribute is kept reproduced, and therefore, the stream can be acquired and the video can be displayed.

The content side reads the stream status attribute, determines whether or not a stream is input to the IP broadcast receiving apparatus based on whether the stream status attribute is reproduced or stopped, and confirms whether or not a video is output. Thus, the flow state attribute needs to be set to stop without continuing the input flow. The IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention determines that an input stream is not continued and does not set a stream state attribute as reproduction when there is no channel information.

A specific process for setting the stream status attribute as a request for playback in the IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention will be described. First, a description will be given of a process for setting a stream status attribute as a request for playback in a conventional IP broadcast receiving apparatus as a comparison target.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for setting a stream status attribute as a request for reproduction in a conventional IP broadcast receiving apparatus. In step S101, CDN configuration information is acquired. In step S102, PF configuration information is acquired based on information described in the CDN configuration information. In step S103, the SI dedicated TS is acquired based on the information described in the PF configuration information. In step S104, a BML file is acquired based on the information described in the PF configuration information. In step S105, it is assumed that an instruction to reproduce the stream status attribute of the IP broadcast object is received from the content side.

In step S106, the stream status attribute is set to reproduction. In steps S107 and S108, it is determined whether or not a stream is input for a certain period. If a stream is input for a certain period of time, the BML file is discarded in step S109, and the operation is terminated. If there is no stream input for a certain period of time, the stream status attribute of the IP broadcast object is set to stop in step S110, and the BML file is discarded in step S109, ending the operation.

According to the above-described conventional processing, when there is no stream input for a certain period of time after the stream state attribute is set to be reproduced, the stream state attribute is always set to be stopped. Therefore, even if a stream is input after a certain period of time has elapsed, the stream cannot be received, and a video cannot be displayed.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the processing for setting the stream status attribute as a request for reproduction in the IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention. In step S201, CDN configuration information is acquired. In step S202, PF configuration information is acquired based on information described in the CDN configuration information. In step S203, the SI dedicated TS is acquired based on the information described in the PF configuration information. In step S204, a BML file is acquired based on the information described in the PF configuration information. In step S205, it is assumed that an instruction to reproduce the stream status attribute of the IP broadcast object is received from the content side. Up to this point, the same processing as in the conventional IP broadcast receiving apparatus is performed.

In step S206, it is determined whether or not channel information exists, that is, whether or not the SI dedicated TS is connected and the channel information is correctly acquired in step S203. If there is channel information, the stream state attribute is set to be reproduced in step S207. If there is no channel information, the flow state attribute is set to stop in step S208. In step S209, the BML file is discarded, and the operation ends.

The IP broadcast receiving apparatus of the present invention determines whether a stream is input based on whether channel information is available. Even if the input of the stream is delayed, if there is channel information, the stream state attribute is allowed to be reproduced as the next input of the stream, and the video can be displayed after the input of the stream. In addition, when there is no channel information, it is determined that the input stream is not continued, and the stream state attribute can be stopped so that no stream input is indicated when the stream state attribute is read out.

Industrial applicability of the invention

The present invention can be applied to an IP broadcast receiving apparatus.

Claims (4)

1. An IP broadcast receiving apparatus, characterized in that,

when the display is performed by the BML, when the streaming status attribute is requested to be reproduced from the content side, it is determined whether or not channel information is obtained from the IP broadcast server, and if the channel information is obtained from the IP broadcast server, the streaming status attribute is set to be reproduced, and if the channel information is not obtained from the IP broadcast server, the streaming status attribute is set to be stopped.

2. A method, comprising:

a step of displaying by using BML;

receiving a request for setting the streaming status attribute to playback from the content side;

a step of judging whether to acquire channel information from an IP broadcast server;

a step of setting the stream status attribute as reproduction when the channel information is acquired; and

and a step of stopping the flow state attribute when the channel information is not acquired.

3. A program, characterized in that,

is a program for executing the method of claim 2 in a computer.

4. A recording medium characterized in that,

is a recording medium for recording the program of claim 3.