JP2000115165A - Transmission device and transmission method, reception device and reception method, transmission / reception device and transmission / reception method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To suppress an increase in load on a receiving side. SOLUTION: In a broadcasting station, when an object registered in a database 3 is updated, a subject which is data for performing the update and an event which is data for acquiring the subject are generated, and the broadcast is performed. Sent via network 4. On the other hand, the receiving terminal 5 receives the event, and selects an event. Further, based on the selected event, the subject is obtained, and the object is updated. In this case, the event includes a filter mask that can be used as a criterion for selecting the event, and an event link describing the transmission time of the event in which the same filter mask as the filter mask is arranged. In the receiving terminal 5, the event selection process is interrupted until the transmission time indicated by the event link comes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus and a transmitting method, a receiving apparatus and a receiving method, and a transmitting / receiving apparatus and a transmitting / receiving method. In particular, for example, when data is distributed to many databases in a distributed database. A transmission device and a transmission method, a reception device and a reception method, and a transmission / reception device and a transmission / reception method suitable for use in a case of distributing data by IP (Internet Protocol) multicast, a case of distributing an unspecified number of other data, and the like. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various methods have been proposed as data distribution methods. For example, on the current Internet, TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / TCP) such as http (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) has been proposed.
A protocol based on the Internet Protocol is used. In TCP / IP, a call is made from a receiving side receiving data distribution to a data transmitting side, and a connection is established between the transmitting side and the receiving side every time data transmission / reception is performed. Since it is established, highly reliable data distribution can be performed. However, on the other hand, the load on the transmission side and the network increases, and it may be difficult to perform efficient data distribution.

[0003] That is, if the number of terminals receiving data is increased and access to the server that provides the data is concentrated, a heavy load is imposed on the server and the network. In some cases, it took a lot of time.

[0004] Therefore, there has been proposed a method of distributing data using, for example, a satellite line or a CATV network capable of simultaneous broadcasting over a wide area. In this case, an increase in the number of terminals does not affect the load on the server or the network.

[0005]

By the way, when data is distributed using a satellite line or the like, on the receiving side, the desired data is transmitted on which channel (if a satellite line, which transponder, which frequency band, etc.). In addition, since it is not known when the broadcast will take place, it is necessary to constantly monitor all the channels, which increases the load on the receiving side.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to suppress an increase in the load on the receiving side.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transmitting apparatus comprising: notification data for notifying update of content;
Selection criterion information that can be used as a criterion for selecting the notification data, and recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged as the selection criterion information, are arranged at least. It is characterized by comprising a configuration means for configuring, and a transmission means for transmitting notification data.

[0008] The transmission method according to the present invention provides broadcast data for broadcasting update of contents, and selection criterion information that can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and the same as the selection criterion information. The present invention is characterized in that at least recognition information for recognizing notification data in which the selection criterion information is arranged is arranged, and the notification data is transmitted.

[0009] The receiving apparatus according to the present invention is broadcast data for broadcasting update of content, and includes selection criterion information that can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and the same selection criterion information. Receiving means for receiving at least the arrangement information for recognizing the notification data in which the selection criterion information is arranged, and performing selection processing for selecting the notification data based on the selection criterion information, And a processing unit for performing a process for updating the content based on the notification data selected by the selection process.

[0010] The receiving method according to the present invention is broadcast information for broadcasting update of content, and is the same as the selection criterion information which can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data and the selection criterion information. Receiving, at least, the recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the selection criterion information is arranged, performing selection processing of selecting the notification data based on the selection criterion information, and selecting based on the recognition information. The processing is controlled, and processing for updating the content is performed based on the notification data selected by the selection processing.

[0011] The transmission / reception apparatus according to the present invention provides selection criterion information which can be used as a criterion for the transmission apparatus to broadcast the update of the content, the criterion for selecting the broadcast data. Recognition information for recognizing broadcast data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged as the reference information, has a configuration unit that configures at least the arrangement information, and a transmission unit that transmits the broadcast data, and a receiving device includes: Receiving means for receiving the notification data, performing selection processing for selecting the notification data based on the selection criterion information, and selecting means for controlling the selection processing based on the recognition information, based on the notification data selected by the selection processing And processing means for performing a process for updating the content.

[0012] The transmission / reception method of the present invention is broadcast data for broadcasting an update of content, and is the same as the selection criterion information which can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and the selection criterion information. The recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the selection criterion information is arranged is arranged at least, and while the notification data is transmitted, the notification data is received, and the notification data is selected based on the selection criterion information. In addition to performing the selection process, the selection process is controlled based on the recognition information, and the process for updating the content is performed based on the notification data selected by the selection process.

[0013] In the transmitting apparatus according to the present invention, the constituent means is broadcast data for broadcasting the update of the content, and selection criterion information which can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and Recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information is allocated is configured to be at least arranged, and the transmission unit is configured to transmit the notification data.

[0014] In the transmission method of the present invention, selection criterion information, which is notification data for notifying the update of the content and can be used as a criterion for selecting the notification data, and the selection criterion information. Recognition information for recognizing notification data in which the same selection criterion information is disposed is configured at least to be disposed, and the notification data is transmitted.

[0015] In the receiving apparatus of the present invention, the receiving means is broadcast data for broadcasting the update of the content, and selection criterion information that can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and Based on the selection criterion information, the recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged is received at least, and the selection unit performs a selection process of selecting the notification data based on the selection criterion information. At the same time, the selection process is controlled based on the recognition information. The processing means is configured to perform processing for updating the content based on the notification data selected by the selection processing.

In the receiving method according to the present invention, selection criterion information, which is notification data for notifying the update of the content, can be used as a criterion for selecting the notification data, and the selection criterion information. Recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged is received at least the arrangement information, and based on the selection criterion information, a selection process for selecting the notification data is performed, and based on the recognition information, The selection processing is controlled, and processing for updating the content is performed based on the notification data selected by the selection processing.

In the transmitting and receiving apparatus according to the present invention, the constituent means is broadcast data for broadcasting the update of the content, and selection criterion information which can be used as a criterion for selecting the broadcast data, and Recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information is allocated is configured to be at least arranged, and the transmission unit is configured to transmit the notification data. The receiving means receives the notification data, and the selection means performs a selection process for selecting the notification data based on the selection criterion information, and controls the selection process based on the recognition information. The processing means is configured to perform processing for updating the content based on the notification data selected by the selection processing.

In the transmission / reception method according to the present invention, selection criterion information, which is notification data for notifying the update of the content, and which can be used as a criterion for selecting the notification data, and the selection criterion information. Recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information is allocated is configured at least to arrange the notification data, while transmitting the notification data, receiving the notification data, and generating the notification data based on the selection criterion information. In addition to performing a selection process for selecting, the selection process is controlled based on the recognition information, and a process for updating the content is performed based on the notification data selected by the selection process.

[0019]

FIG. 1 shows a data distribution system to which the present invention is applied (in the present specification, a system means a plurality of devices logically assembled, and each component device has the same casing. It does not matter whether or not it is in the body).

The information providers A to C have databases 1a to 1c in which various data are stored. The databases 1a to 1c include, for example, traffic information, weather information, stock price information, and other data that changes in real time, such data that does not change in real time, text data, image data, audio data, computer data, and the like. It is designed to be able to store all kinds of programs and the like (including data in a format provided by pointcasting and data constituting a homepage provided on the WWW (World Wide Web)). Here, for example, a group of information (for example, one file) such as traffic information and weather information is hereinafter referred to as contents or an object as appropriate.

When the objects (contents) stored in the databases 1a to 1c are updated, that is, the objects stored in the databases 1a to 1c are changed, the objects are newly registered there, or When the object stored therein is deleted, the updated object information for updating the object is transmitted to the server 2 constituting the broadcasting station, and the server 2 executes the database 3 based on the updated object information. Is updated.

Here, as the update object information,
When an object is changed, for example, when the object after the change is registered, when a new object is registered, for example, when the new object is deleted, for example, when the object is deleted, an instruction for deleting the object is issued. Are transmitted from the databases 1a to 1c to the server 2. In this case, the updated object information is equal to the changed object when the object is changed, and is equal to the new object when a new object is registered.

When the server 2 updates the registered contents of the database 3 based on the updated object information, the server 2 updates the updated object information with, for example, an analog public network, an IS
The data is transmitted to the mirror server 7 via a DN (Integrated Services Digital Network), the Internet, or a communication network 6 which is a network capable of at least two-way communication, a dedicated line, or the like. The mirror server 7
The update object information is received from the server 2, and the database 8 is updated based on the update object information. Therefore, the registered contents of the databases 3 and 8 are always the same.

Further, when the server 2 updates the registered contents of the database 3, the server 2 updates the updated object information with an identifier for identifying the object to be updated by the updated object information (hereinafter referred to as appropriate).
A subject (subject) (update data) is generated. That is, the objects stored in the database 3 are associated with identifiers for identifying the respective objects, and the identifiers of the objects updated by the update object information are added to the update object information, so that the subject Is generated.

The server 2 also generates data for obtaining a subject. That is, as described later, the subject is transmitted from the server 2 to the broadcast network 4.
In this case, in order to obtain the subject, the time, channel, etc., at which the subject is broadcasted are required. As will be described later, the subject is associated with a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or the like, and may be managed by the server 2 or the mirror server 7. In this case, the URL is required to obtain the subject. Becomes Therefore, in server 2,
Such information is generated as data for acquiring the subject.

Further, the server 2 adds data for acquiring the subject to which an identifier of an object updated by the subject acquired based on the data is added (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as an event). Notification data). Here, since the generation of the subject is performed by the update of the object, the event for obtaining such a subject is the data for obtaining the subject and the data for notifying the update of the object at the same time. It can be said that.

In the server 2, when a subject and an event for acquiring the subject are generated, these are generated according to a predetermined transmission schedule, for example, at least a satellite line, a CATV network, a terrestrial wave, or the like. For example, via a broadcast network 4 which is a one-way (or may be two-way) network capable of broadcasting to many users simultaneously, for example, an IRD (Integrated Receiver an
d Decoder) or STB (Set Top Box).

That is, when a subject is generated and an event for obtaining the subject (an event to which the same identifier as the subject is added) is generated, basically, the event is first transmitted to the broadcast network 4. Sent via Further, in the event transmitted in this way, if there is an event in which the broadcast time or channel of the subject is described, the subject is transmitted via the broadcast network 4 at that broadcast time at that broadcast time. Sent.

Here, in the server 2, for example, a transmission schedule of the subject is set (broadcast time and a broadcast channel are determined), and the broadcast time and the broadcast channel of the subject are added to the event according to the transmission schedule. Is described. And
A transmission schedule for the event is set.

When the subject is associated with, for example, a URL and is under the control of the server 2 or the mirror server 7, an event including the URL is generated and transmitted via the broadcast network 4. . That is, when the subject is under the control of the server 2 or the mirror server 7, the URL having the IP address of the server 2 or the mirror server 7 as the domain name, respectively.
Is generated and transmitted.

The event transmitted (distributed) via the broadcast network 4 as described above is received by the receiving terminal 5 of the user. The receiving terminal 5 selects an object desired by the user from the received events, and obtains a subject based on the selected event.

That is, for example, when the event includes the broadcast time and channel of the subject, the server 2 transmits the broadcast to the broadcast network 4 at that broadcast time at the broadcast time, as described above. Thus, the subject transmitted in this manner is received by the receiving terminal 5.

For example, when the event includes a URL associated with the subject, the receiving terminal 5 sends a request to the server corresponding to the domain name of the URL via the communication network 6. Access, request and receive subjects.

Specifically, if the server corresponding to the domain name of the URL included in the event is, for example, the server 2, the subject is under the control of the server 2, so that the receiving terminal 5 Via the communication network 6,
Access the server 2 and obtain the subject.

If the server corresponding to the domain name of the URL included in the event is, for example, the mirror server 7, the subject is under the management of the mirror server 7, so that the receiving terminal 5 It accesses the mirror server 7 via the network 6 and acquires the subject.

After acquiring the subject as described above, the receiving terminal 5 updates the object stored therein based on the subject.

The subject is transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4 and the server 2
Or under the management of the mirror server 7. Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, only one mirror server 7 is shown, but a plurality of mirror servers performing the same processing as the mirror server 7 can be provided on the communication network 6, and in this case, The subject can also be managed by the plurality of mirror servers. The subject is also transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4.
It may be transmitted not only at a certain time of a certain channel but also at a plurality of channels and a plurality of times.

As described above, when there are a plurality of methods for acquiring a certain subject, the event includes information (broadcast time, broadcast channel, URL, etc.) for each of the plurality of methods. The method of acquiring the subject by the receiving terminal 5
Is determined. That is, for example, if the event includes a plurality of times at which the subject is transmitted via the broadcast network 4, the receiving terminal 5
The subject is acquired by receiving the subject broadcast at the time closest to the current time. Further, for example, when the event includes a plurality of URLs, the server closest to the receiving terminal 5 is selected, and the subject is transmitted to the server via the communication network 6. The subject is obtained by making the request. Further, for example, in a case where the event includes a time at which the subject is transmitted via the broadcast network 4 and a URL,
For example, when the line condition of the broadcast network 4 is bad (S
/ N (Signal / Noise) is low), the subject is acquired based on the URL as described above. In addition, which method to acquire the subject may be determined based on the operation of the user of the receiving terminal 5 or the like.

According to the data distribution system described above, an event describing a method of acquiring a subject is
The distribution is performed via the broadcast network 4, and the receiving terminal 5 obtains the subject based on the event and updates the object. Therefore, efficient data distribution is performed while suppressing an increase in the load on the receiving terminal 5. be able to.

That is, in general, the data amount of a subject including updated object information for updating an object (particularly, changing an object and newly registering the object) is large, and the subject is generated in response to the updating of the object. So you don't know when it will happen. Therefore,
Assuming that such a subject that occurs irregularly and has a large data amount is transmitted as early as possible via the broadcast network 4, the server 2 uses the currently available channel to transmit the subject. Need to send. However, in this case, the receiving terminal 5
In such a case, it is necessary to wait for a subject who does not know when and on which channel the signal is transmitted, which increases the burden.

On the other hand, since an event includes a description of a method for acquiring a subject, its data amount is generally much smaller than that of a subject including updated object information. , And even at a fixed time. Therefore, in this case, the receiving terminal 5 only needs to receive the event on the channel (and transmitted at a fixed time), and the load is smaller than when waiting for the transmission of the subject.
Much smaller.

Further, in this embodiment, the event is
Broadcasting network 4 capable of broadcasting over a wide area
, The increase in the number of receiving terminals 5 does not affect the load on the server 2 or the broadcast network 4.

In the present embodiment, the subject is provided not only via the communication network 6 but also via the broadcast network 4, so that the server 2 and the mirror are used to acquire the subject. Server 7
Access is rarely concentrated, and thus efficient delivery of subjects is possible.

Note that the broadcast network 4 and the communication network 6 need not be physically separate networks. That is, the broadcast network 4 is, for example, CATV
When configured with a network, the CATV network can be used as the communication network 6. Also,
The distribution of data by the broadcast network 4 is performed, for example, by using an IP (Internet Protocol
l) In the case of performing by multicast, the communication network 6 can be constituted by the Internet.

Further, the transmission of data (events and subjects) from the server 2 to the receiving terminal 5 is performed, for example, by scrambling, whereby only a specific user (a user who has made a receiving contract) receives the data. It is also possible to enable reception.

Next, FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the server 2 in FIG.

The communication control unit 11 includes, for example, a modem, T
A (Terminal Adapter) or the like, and controls communication via the communication network 6.
The resource allocating unit 12 is configured to allocate resources for transmitting data via the broadcast network 4.
That is, the resource allocating unit 12 receives the notification of the update of the object from the registration unit 15 and, in accordance with the update, allocates a resource for transmitting the event and the subject via the broadcast network 4 (for example, the event and the object). Of the transmission channel, transmission time (time), data rate, number of transmissions (transmission frequency), and the like. The result of resource allocation for transmission of an event and a subject by the resource allocation unit 12 is supplied to the data configuration unit 17 and the transmission unit 18.

The data search unit 13 is connected to the communication network 6
A request for a subject transmitted from the receiving terminal 5 via the communication terminal 11 is received from the communication control unit 11, and updated object information constituting the subject is searched from the database 3. Then, the data search unit 13 configures the subject in the same manner as the data configuration unit 17 described below,
The information is supplied to the communication control unit 11. The replication management unit 14 manages information for specifying the mirror server 7 (further, a mirror server (not shown) on the communication network 6). That is, for example, when the communication network 4 is the Internet, the replication management unit 14 stores the IP address of the mirror server 7. Then, upon receiving notification of the update of the object from the registration unit 15, the copy management unit 14 reads update object information for the update from the database 3 and controls the communication control unit 11 to update the update object information. The information is transmitted to, for example, the mirror server 7 or another server on the communication network 6 having the IP address managed by itself. The copy management unit 14
Is also configured to supply information managed by itself to the data configuration unit 17 as necessary.

The registration unit 15 receives the updated object information supplied from the databases 1a to 1c of the information providers A to C, and based on the updated object information,
The object (database 3) is updated. That is, the database 1 of the information providers A to C
From a to 1c, the identifier of the object updated by the update object information is supplied together with the update object information. Registration unit 1
5 receives the updated object information and the identifier, and searches the database 3 for an object corresponding to the identifier. Further, the registration unit 15 updates the object searched in this way based on the updated object information, and then notifies the resource allocation unit 12, the replication management unit 14, and the data configuration unit 17 that the object has been updated. Output. The registration unit 15 also registers the updated object information and the identifiers from the databases 1a to 1c in the database 3.

Upon receiving the update of the object from the registration unit 15, the data construction unit 17 reads out the update object information on the updated object from the database 3, and reads the subject in which the update object information is located. It is generated and output to the transmission unit 18. Further, the data configuration unit 17
Generates an event for acquiring the subject, and outputs the event to the transmission unit 18. In addition,
In the data configuration unit 17, the event is generated using the resource allocation result by the resource allocation unit 12 and the information supplied from the replication management unit 14.
In other words, the data configuration unit 17 transmits the channel, time, and data rate at which the subject is transmitted, and information about the server that manages the subject, and the like, to the result of resource allocation by the resource allocation unit 12 and from the replication management unit 14. It is designed to be recognized from information and included in events.

The transmission unit 18 transmits the event or subject from the data configuration unit 17 according to the resource allocation result of the resource allocation unit 12, that is, for example, on a predetermined channel, at a predetermined time, at a predetermined data rate or the like. Thus, the data is transmitted via the broadcast network 4.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the mirror server 7 shown in FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in the server 2 of FIG. That is, the mirror server 7 is basically configured in the same manner as the server 2 except that the resource allocation unit 12, the replication management unit 14, the data configuration unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 are not provided. Note that the registration unit 1 constituting the mirror server 7
The update management information 14 transmitted through the communication network 6 or the like is supplied to the copy management unit 14 by controlling the communication control unit 11 of the server 2.

Next, the server 2 registers the data in the database 3 (updates the registered contents of the database), generates a subject and an event, and transmits the data via the broadcast network 4. 5 receives a request for a subject via the communication network 6, a request data transmission process for transmitting the subject via the communication network 6 is performed, and the mirror server 7 performs a registration process and a request data transmission process. Processing and the like are performed.

First, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The registration process performed by the server 2 will be described.

In the registration process, first, in step S1
In the case where the registration unit 15 determines whether or not the update object information and the identifier have been distributed from any of the databases 1a to 1c of the information providers A to C, and it is determined that the update object information and the identifier have not been distributed. Then, the process returns to step S1. When it is determined in step S1 that the update object information and the identifier have been distributed, the process proceeds to step S2, and the registration unit 15 performs, for example,
The identifier is added to the updated object information and registered in the database 3.

Here, from the databases 1a to 1c, the updated object information and the identifier are, for example, shown in FIG.
It is supplied in a format as shown in FIG.

Here, the identifier is, for example, a unique ID (Identifie) which is assigned in advance for each type of object such as traffic information, weather information, stock price information, and components constituting the information.
r), and version information indicating the newness of the object. As the version information, for example, an integer value that is incremented by one each time an object is updated is used. Therefore, for objects to which the same ID is added, the version information is compared. Thus, the latest object can be recognized.

Here, the ID and the version information are, for example, both fixed length.

The registration unit 15 stores data in the databases 1a to 1c.
When an identifier similarly distributed from the databases 1a to 1c is added (associated) to the updated object information distributed from, an identifier having the same ID as the ID constituting the identifier is added in step S2. Objects in the database 3
And update based on the updated object information. Then, the registration unit 15 stores the version information of the identifier added to the updated object, for example,
Increment by one.

After that, in step S3, the registration unit 15 notifies the resource allocation unit 1 that the object has been updated.
2. Output to the replication management unit 14 and the data configuration unit 17, and return to step S1.

Upon receiving the notification that the supplied object has been updated as described above, the copy management unit 14 reads the updated object information registered in the database 3 and the identifier added thereto in step S2,
The server that it manages, that is, here, for example,
The data is transmitted to the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6. The replication management unit 14 also specifies information for specifying the server that has transmitted the update object information and the identifier, that is, for example, here, the I of the mirror server 7
The P address is output to the data configuration unit 17.

In the mirror server 7, the processing excluding step S3 of steps S1 to S3 in FIG.
This is performed as a registration process. That is, in the mirror server 7,
In step S1, the registration unit 15 determines whether or not the update object information and the identifier have been distributed from the server 2. If it is determined that the update object information and the identifier have not been distributed, the process returns to step S1. If it is determined in step S1 that the updated object information and the identifier have been delivered, the process proceeds to step S2, where the registration unit 15 of the mirror server 7 adds the identifier to the updated object information and registers the updated object information in the database 8. . Further, in step S2, the registration unit 15 of the mirror server 7 searches the database 8 for an object to which an identifier having the same ID as the ID received from the server 2 is added, and searches the object for the object. Update is performed based on the update object information received from the server 2.
Then, the registration unit 15 of the mirror server 7 increments the version information of the identifier added to the updated object by one, skips step S3, and returns to step S1.

The server 2 performs the registration process shown in FIG.
The fact that the object output by is updated is supplied to the replication management unit 14 and the resource allocation unit 12 as described above.
And the data configuration unit 17.

Upon receiving the notification that the object has been updated, the resource allocating unit 12 allocates a resource for transmitting an event and a subject relating to the update via the broadcast network 4, and divides the allocation result into a data structure. The signal is output to the unit 17 and the transmission unit 18. Data configuration unit 17
Receives the update of the object, reads the updated object information on the updated object from the database 3, generates a subject, and outputs the subject to the transmission unit 18. Further, the data configuration unit 17 transmits an event for acquiring the subject to the resource allocation result of the resource allocation unit 12 or the replication management unit 14.
(For example, as described above, the mirror server 7
The IP address is generated using the IP address of the transmission unit 18 and output to the transmission unit 18. Then, in the transmission unit 18, the event and the subject from the data configuration unit 17 are transmitted via the broadcast network 4 according to the resource allocation result of the resource allocation unit 12. That is, the resource allocation unit 12, the data configuration unit 17, and the transmission unit 18 perform a data transmission process as shown in FIG.

That is, in the data transmission process, first,
In step S11, a resource allocation process is performed. Specifically, in step S11, when the resource allocating unit 12 receives notification that the object has been updated, an event and the object related to the update are broadcasted on a broadcast channel for transmitting via the broadcast network 4, a broadcast time, Determine data rate, number of transmissions, etc. These resource allocation results are stored in the data configuration unit 17 and the transmission unit 1.
8 is supplied.

Then, in step S12, the data forming unit 17 generates an event and a subject. That is, the data configuration unit 17 reads from the database 3
The updated object information used for updating the object and the identifier added to the updated object information are read to form, for example, a subject as shown in FIG.
In FIG. 7A (similarly in FIG. 7B), a discrimination flag is arranged immediately after the version information. The discrimination flag indicates whether the data is a subject or an event. Indicates whether there is.

Further, the data forming unit 17 forms an event, for example, as shown in FIG. 7B, in which the same identifier as the identifier added to the subject is added to the subject. That is, the event is configured by sequentially arranging the determination flag, the broadcast schedule information, and the server access information on the same identifier as the identifier added to the subject.

The broadcast schedule information is information necessary for receiving a subject when the subject is broadcast via the broadcast network 4. The broadcast schedule information includes a subject which is a resource allocation result from the resource allocation unit 12. , Broadcast time (time), data rate, number of transmissions, and the like. Therefore, by referring to the broadcast schedule information constituting the event, it is possible to recognize the broadcast channel and broadcast time of the subject for updating the object of the identifier constituting the event,
As a result, the subject can be received.

The server access information indicates that the subject is
When transmitted from the server 2 or the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6,
This information is necessary to request the subject, and includes, for example, the IP addresses of the server 2 and the mirror server 7. The IP address and the like are supplied from the replication management unit 14 to the data configuration unit 17 as identification information for identifying the server 2 and the mirror server 7.

That is, the server 2 and the mirror server 7 form the subject shown in FIG. 7A from the updated object information stored in the databases 3 and 8 and the identifier added thereto, and In response to the request from the server, the subject is transmitted via the communication network 6. In this way, when the subject is acquired, the server access information is referred to in the receiving terminal 5. .

Here, in the server 2 and the mirror server 7, for example, a URL constituted by adding the identifier to the IP address is associated with the subject constituted by the updated object information and the identifier added thereto. Thus, subject management is performed. In this case, the receiving terminal 5 that has received the event can recognize the URL of the subject to which the same identifier as the event is added from the server access information and the identifier that constitute the event.

Note that the subject can be provided only through the broadcast network 4, but in this case, no server access information is arranged in the event for the subject. Conversely, the subject can be provided only via the communication network 6, but in this case, the broadcast schedule information is not arranged in the event for the subject.

When a subject is transmitted on a plurality of channels and a plurality of times via the broadcast network 4, an event for the subject corresponds to the plurality of channels and a plurality of times. Broadcast schedule information is arranged. Similarly, when a subject can be provided from a plurality of servers via the communication network 6, server access information corresponding to each of the plurality of servers is arranged in an event for the subject.

If both the broadcast schedule information and the server access information exist, or if there are a plurality of broadcast schedule information or server access information,
Instead of including them all in one event,
An event may be generated for each of them.

Returning to FIG. 6, when the above-described event and subject are generated in step S12, the event and subject are stored in the data
Is supplied to the transmission unit 18 from In step S <b> 13, the transmission unit 18 transmits the event and the subject from the data configuration unit 17 via the broadcast network 4 according to the resource allocation result from the resource allocation unit 12.
That is, the event or the subject is transmitted via the broadcast network 4 at a predetermined data rate at a predetermined transmission time on a predetermined transmission channel, for example.
Proceed to 14.

In step S 14, the transmission of the event or the subject from the data configuration unit 17 is performed by the resource allocation unit 12.
The transmission unit 18 determines whether or not the transmission has been repeated by the number of transmissions included in the resource allocation result from. If the transmission has not been performed, the process returns to step S13, and the transmission of the event or the subject is repeated. That is, data transmission by the broadcast network 4 is performed only in one direction from the server 2 to the receiving terminal 5 (since it is not performed by a so-called handshake or the like), so that data transmission and reception between them can be accurately performed. It is not possible to confirm whether it has been performed. Therefore, in the server 2, the data transmission is repeated by the number of transmissions, which is the result of the resource allocation by the resource allocation unit 12, whereby the probability that the receiving terminal 5 will receive the accurate data can be obtained. Has been made to improve.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 that the transmission of the event or the subject from the data configuration unit 17 has been repeated by the number of transmissions included in the resource allocation result from the resource allocation unit 12, the data transmission process is terminated. I do.

As described above, in general, an event has a small amount of data and a subject has a large amount of data. Therefore, the resource allocation unit 12 basically increases the number of transmissions for an event and increases the number of transmissions for a subject. Resource allocation is performed to reduce the number. Accordingly, in the receiving terminal 5, the probability of dropping an event transmitted via the broadcast network 4 (the probability of not being able to receive the event) is reduced, and if the event can be normally received, for example, the broadcast schedule information included in the event is included. By referring to, the subject is broadcast network 4
, The channel and time transmitted via the communication device can be recognized, and as a result, the probability of dropping an event with a small number of transmissions can be reduced. Also, suppose that based on the event, even if the reception of a subject that has recognized a broadcast channel, broadcast time, or the like has failed, or even before the broadcast time, if a subject is required, If the event includes server access information, the subject is obtained early and reliably by accessing the server 2 or the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6 based on the server access information. Can be.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
A request data transmission process performed by the server 2 and the mirror server 7 will be described.

In this case, in step S 21, the communication control unit 11 determines whether or not a URL, for example, as a subject request has been transmitted from the receiving terminal 5 via the communication network 6. If it is determined that there is not, the process returns to step S21.
If it is determined in step S21 that the URL has been transmitted, the communication control unit 11 determines that the URL has been transmitted.
Is transferred to the data search unit 13. Data search unit 13
Receives the URL, in step S22, searches for updated object information to which the same identifier as the data identifier making up the URL is added (server 2).
Then, the search is performed from the database 2 and the mirror server 7 is searched from the database 8).

That is, in the present embodiment, as described above, at the receiving terminal 5 receiving the event, the same identifier as the event is obtained from the IP address and the identifier as the server access information constituting the event. The URL of the added subject is recognized. The receiving terminal 5 transmits the URL when requesting the subject via the communication network 6. Therefore, the URL from the receiving terminal 5 includes an identifier, and the server 2 or the mirror server 7 searches for the identifier as a file name of the updated object information.

When the updated object information is searched in step S22, the data search unit 13 adds the identifier stored together with the updated object to form a subject, and the communication control unit 11 Supply. The communication control unit 11 includes the data search unit 1
3 is received, and in step S23, it is transmitted to the receiving terminal (here, receiving terminal 5) that transmitted the URL via the communication network 6, and the process returns to step S21.

Next, FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the receiving terminal 5 of FIG.

The receiving section 21 receives data transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4, that is, here, an event or a subject, and outputs the data to the selecting section 22. The selection unit 22 includes the reception unit 21
It is designed to select events and subjects from. Further, the selecting unit 22 is configured to temporarily store the selected event in the database 23. Further, the selection unit 22 searches the database 23 for an object to which the same identifier as the identifier included in the selected subject is added, and updates the object based on the updated object information included in the subject. I have.

The database 23 is composed of, for example, a large-capacity hard disk, magneto-optical disk, or other recording medium, and stores objects and temporarily stores events from the selection unit 22.

The communication control unit 24 controls the communication via the communication network 6, thereby transmitting the subject request from the request unit 25 to the server 2 or the mirror server via the communication network 6. 7 and receives a subject transmitted from the server 2 or the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6.

The request unit 25 controls the receiving unit 21 to receive the subject transmitted via the broadcast network 4 in accordance with the broadcast schedule information included in the event stored in the database 23. It has been done. Further, the request unit 25 requests a subject from the server 2 or the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6 according to the server access information included in the event stored in the database 23, and responds to the request. The communication control unit 24 is also controlled so as to receive a subject transmitted from the server 2 or the mirror server 7 via the communication network 6. Further, the request unit 25 searches the database 23 for an object corresponding to the identifier included in the subject received by the communication control unit 24, and updates the object based on the updated object information included in the subject. I have. The request unit 25 performs the above-described processing, for example, periodically, and also when the reading unit 26 receives a request for updating an object.

The reading section 26 reads an object stored in the database 23 and supplies it to the output section 27 in response to the operation of the operation section 28.
The output unit 27 includes, for example, a display, a speaker, and the like, and is configured to display an object from the reading unit 26 or the like or output the object as a sound.
The operation unit 28 is operated, for example, when giving a predetermined input to the reading unit 26.

In the receiving terminal 5 configured as described above,
A receiving process for receiving data transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4, a data requesting process for requesting a subject based on an event stored in the database 23, and outputting data registered in the database 23. Output processing and the like are performed.

First, the receiving process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When data is transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4, the receiving unit 21 receives the data, that is, the event or the subject, and supplies it to the selecting unit 22 in step S 31. In step S32, the selecting unit 22 determines whether the event or subject from the receiving unit 21 is to be selected.

That is, if all events and subjects transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4 are to be received, the database 23
A huge storage capacity is required. Also, the users have a preference, and each user rarely needs all the objects stored in the database 3 of the server 2. Nevertheless, it is not preferable to reflect all the registered contents of the database 3 of the server 2 in the database 23.

Therefore, for example, if an ID of an object desired by the user (an ID constituting the above-mentioned identifier) is registered in the selection unit 22, the selection unit 22 will register an event having the same ID as the ID. And only the objects are selected. Therefore, the determination in step S32 is made by comparing the ID registered by the user with the IDs that constitute the identifiers of the events and subjects supplied from the receiving unit 21.

If it is determined in step S32 that the event or subject from the receiving unit 21 is not to be selected, that is, for example, if the I or
If D and the ID described in the event or subject supplied from the receiving unit 21 do not match, the process waits for the next event or subject to be transmitted via the broadcast network 4 and proceeds to step S31. Return. Therefore, in this case, the event is not stored in the database 23, and the database 23 is not updated based on the subject.

On the other hand, in step S32, the receiving unit 2
When it is determined that the event or subject from 1 is to be selected, that is, for example, when the ID registered by the user matches the ID described in the event or subject supplied from the receiving unit 21 ,
Proceeding to step S33, the selection unit 22 determines whether the event or subject is related to a new object.

In step S33, step S32
If the event or subject selected in is determined to be related to a new object, that is, if the event or subject included in the event or subject is
If an object having the same ID as D is not registered in the database 23, the process skips step S34 and proceeds to step S35.

If it is determined in step S33 that the event or subject selected in step S32 is not related to a new object, that is, if the event or subject has the same ID as the ID included in the event or subject, Is registered in the database 23, the process proceeds to step S34, and the selecting unit 22 sets the version information described in the identifier of the object already registered in the database 23 (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a registered object). Is equal to the version information described in the identifier of the event or subject selected in step S32.

In step S34, the version information described in the registered object is stored in step S3.
When the version information is equal to the version information described in the event or the subject selected in 2, ie, here,
As described in the data transmission process of FIG. 6, in order to improve reliability, the same subject is repeatedly transmitted from the server 2 via the broadcast network 4. If the update of the registered object has already been performed by the subject by the transmission performed in the past, skip steps S35 to S37, and then wait for the event or subject to be transmitted. It returns to S31. Therefore, in this case, the event is stored in the database 23
And the database 23 is not updated based on the subject.

On the other hand, in step S34, when it is determined that the version information described in the registered object is not equal to the version information described in the event or the subject selected in step S32, If the subject is related to a new version of the object, the process proceeds to step S35, and the selecting unit 22 executes step S3.
Whether the data selected in 2 is an event or a subject is determined by referring to the determination flag.

In step S35, step S32
When it is determined that the data selected in is a subject, the process proceeds to step S36, and the selecting unit 22 updates the database 23 based on the subject.

That is, when a new object is arranged as updated object information in the subject, the new object is associated with the identifier included in the subject and newly registered in the database 23.

In the case where the updated object information is placed in the subject as the updated object information, the same ID as the ID included in the subject is used.
An object associated with the identifier having D is searched from the database 23, and the searched object is changed to an updated object. further,
The version information associated with the object is incremented, for example, by one.

Further, in the case where a delete instruction of the object is arranged as the updated object information in the subject, an object associated with an identifier having the same ID as the ID included in the subject is searched from the database 23. Is deleted along with the identifier associated with the object.

The updating of the object based on the updated object information, which is performed in step S2 of the registration process described with reference to FIG. 4, is performed in the same manner.

After the database 23 has been updated in step S36 as described above, the process returns to step S31 after waiting for an event or subject to be transmitted.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S35 that the data selected in step S32 is an event, the process proceeds to step S37, where the selection unit 22 supplies the event to the database 23 and temporarily stores the event. Then, after waiting for an event or a subject to be transmitted, the process returns to step S31.

In step S37, the event stored in the database 23 is read from the database 23 by the request unit 25 in a data request process (FIG. 11) and a data output process (FIG. 12) described later. It is made to be deleted later.

Next, the data request processing will be described with reference to FIG. This data request processing is performed, for example, periodically in the receiving terminal 5. However, the data request processing can be performed irregularly.

In the data request processing, first, in step S41, the registered contents of the database 23 are searched by the request unit 25, and the process proceeds to step S42, where it is determined whether or not an event is stored in the database 23. . If it is determined in step S42 that the event has not been stored, the data request process ends.

If it is determined in step S42 that an event is stored in the database 23, the event is read out (if a plurality of events are stored, one of them is read out). ),
Proceeding to step S43, the request unit 25 determines whether it is advantageous to receive the subject based on the event via the broadcast network 4 capable of broadcasting or the communication network 6 capable of two-way communication. Is done.

Here, the determination in step S43 is performed, for example, as follows.

That is, the requesting unit 25 refers to the broadcast schedule information included in the event, and determines the number of transmissions (transmission frequency) in which a subject having the same identifier as the identifier added to the event is transmitted. The transmission time is recognized. Then, for example, when the number of transmissions is large, or when the transmission time is close to the current time, the reception of the subject is performed via the broadcast network 4 where the reception time of the subject and other costs for reception are expected to be low. Is determined to be advantageous.

Further, for example, when the number of transmissions is small,
If the transmission time is far from the current time, it is determined that it is advantageous to receive the subject via the communication network 6.

In addition, for example, when the data amount of the subject is described in the broadcast schedule information included in the event (the data rate and the time required for transmission even if the data amount itself is not described) Is described, the data amount can be recognized). Based on the data amount, whether it is advantageous to receive the subject via the broadcast network 4 or the communication network 6 Can also be determined.

Further, whether the reception of the subject via the broadcast network 4 or the communication network 6 is more advantageous is determined by the user via the operation unit 28.
Can be operated, and it can be determined according to the operation.

When a subject is received via the communication network 6, the communication network 6
Corresponds to a plurality of transmission rates, and the receiving terminal 5
When communication via such a plurality of transmission rate lines is possible, it is possible to change the line to be used depending on the data amount of the subject.

Here, as described above, the event includes
In some cases, only one of the broadcast schedule information and the server access information is included. If the event only contains broadcast schedule information,
In step S43, it is determined that it is advantageous to receive the subject via the broadcast network 4.
Conversely, if the event includes only server access information, it is determined in step S43 that it is advantageous to receive the subject via the communication network 6.

In step S43, when it is determined that it is advantageous to receive the subject via the broadcast network 4, the process proceeds to step S44, and the request unit 2
5 determines whether the receiving unit 21 is in an operable state (for example, whether power is supplied (whether or not it is in a sleep state)). When it is determined in step S44 that the receiving unit 21 is not in an operable state, the process proceeds to step S45, and the request unit 25 waits, for example, until immediately before the transmission time of the subject arranged in the broadcast schedule information of the event. Then, the receiving unit 21 is made operable, and the process proceeds to step S46.

In step S44, the receiving unit 2
1 is determined to be in an operable state, skipping step S45 and proceeding to step S46, the request unit 21 controls the reception unit 21 to read the broadcast schedule information of the event read from the database 23. , A subject transmitted via the broadcast network 4 at the transmission time also set in the broadcast schedule information, ie, a subject having the same identifier as the identifier added to the event Is received and supplied to the selection unit 22. Then, in step S47, the selecting unit 22 selects
0, the database 23 is updated based on the subject from the receiving unit 21, and the data request process ends.

Here, in the receiving terminal 5, data is often missed due to the fact that the power of the receiving unit 21 is turned off. Therefore, as described above, it is determined whether the receiving unit 21 is in an operable state. If not, the receiving unit 21 is set in an operable state, so that the power of the receiving unit 21 is reduced. The subject can be prevented from being missed due to the off state.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S43 that it is advantageous to receive the subject via the communication network 6, the process proceeds to step S48, where the request unit 25 controls the communication control unit 24 Then, the server 2 or the mirror server 7 is requested via the communication network 6 for a subject to which the same identifier as the identifier included in the event read from the database 23 is added.

That is, the request unit 25 determines the same identifier as the identifier from the identifier included in the event read from the database 23 and the server access information (here, the IP address as described above) included therein. By constructing a URL associated with the subject to which the identifier is added and controlling the communication control unit 24, the server 2 and the mirror server 7 are connected via the communication network 6.
To be sent.

In the server 2 or the mirror server 7 to which the URL has been transmitted, the request data transmission processing described with reference to FIG. 8 is performed, whereby the subject associated with the URL is transmitted via the communication network 6. Will be. This subject is received by the communication control unit 24 and supplied to the request unit 25 in step S49. Upon receiving the subject from the communication control unit 24, the request unit 25 proceeds to step S47, updates the database 23 based on the subject as described above, and ends the data request process.

As described above, it is determined whether it is more advantageous to receive the subject via the broadcast network 4 or the communication network 6, and the subject transmitted via the more advantageous one is received. Therefore, the receiving terminal 5 efficiently receives the subject,
And updating of the object.

When a subject is received via the broadcast network 4 and a plurality of transmission times are arranged in the broadcast schedule information of the event, for example, the transmission time closest to the current time (for example) However, the subject transmitted before (excluding the time before (past) the current time) is received. However, it is also possible to have the user operate the operation unit 28 and select the transmission time.

In the case where a subject is requested and received via the communication network 6, if the IP address of a plurality of servers is arranged in the server access information of the event, for example, the receiving terminal 5 of the The URL is configured using the IP address of the server located closest. However, it is also possible to have the user operate the operation unit 28 and select a server.

Next, the data output processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In addition, the data output process is also similar to the data request process of FIG.
Basically, it is started periodically.

In the data output process, first, in step S51, the reading unit 26 determines whether or not the operation unit 28 has been operated to output data (in the present embodiment, an object). If it is determined that such an operation has not been performed, the data output process ends.

In step S51, the operation unit 2
8 is determined to have been operated to output the object, the process proceeds to step S52, and the event for the object whose output is requested, that is, the event to which the same identifier as the identifier of the object is added, The reading unit 26 determines whether the data is stored in the database 23. In step S52, when it is determined that the event of the object whose output has been requested is not stored in the database 23, that is, as the object whose output has been requested, the object that is now stored in the database 23 is updated. If it is determined that the event is not missed (however, it is assumed that no event is missed), the process proceeds to step S53,
Stores the requested object in database 2
3 and supplied to the output unit 27. In the output unit 27, the object from the reading unit 26 is displayed or output by voice, and the data output process ends.

If it is determined in step S52 that the event of the object whose output has been requested is stored in the database 23, that is, the object whose output has been requested has been updated in the server 2. However, in the receiving terminal 5, if the object has not been updated yet, the process proceeds to step S54, and the reading unit 26 determines whether to update the object.

That is, in step S54, the reading unit 2
6 displays a message inquiring whether to update the object on the output unit 27 and prompts the user to operate the operation unit 28. Then, in step S54,
In response to the operation of the operation unit 28, it is determined whether to update the object.

Alternatively, in step S54, the broadcast schedule information of the event for the object whose output has been requested is referred to, and the subject for updating the object is transmitted at the time of transmission via the broadcast network 4. Among them, the one closest to the current time is recognized. Then, in step S54, it is determined whether or not to update the object in accordance with whether or not the transmission time closest to the current time is within a predetermined time set in advance in the receiving terminal 5 from the current time. (For example, if the transmission time is within a predetermined time from the current time, it is determined that the object is updated).

If it is determined in step S54 that the object whose output has been requested is not updated, the process proceeds to step S55, where the reading unit 26 stores the object whose output has been requested, that is, the object before update, in the database. 23, and then output the same to the output unit 27 in the same manner as in step S53, and the data output process ends. In this case, the output unit 27
May output an object and display a message indicating that the object is before the update.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S54 that the object whose output has been requested is to be updated,
Proceeding to step S56, a database update process for updating the object is performed. That is, in step S56, the same processing as in steps S43 to S49 of the data request processing in FIG. 11 is performed using the event for the object whose output has been requested.
Thus, the object whose output is requested is updated. Then, the process proceeds to step S53, where the updated object is output from the output unit 27 as described above, and the data output process ends.

In the case where the server access information of the event includes the IP addresses of a plurality of servers, it is determined which server requests the subject, for example, as described above. If the position is determined in accordance with the operation of the operation unit 28 by the user, access to a certain server may be concentrated.

Therefore, when there are a plurality of servers transmitting the subject to the receiving terminal 5 via the communication network 6 (for example, when the mirror server 7 exists in addition to the server 2 as shown in FIG. 1) For example, when there is a mirror server other than the mirror server 7), the receiving terminal 5 or its user is unique to the receiving terminal 5 in order to distribute the access to the server (to avoid concentrating access to one server). ID (hereinafter referred to as user ID as appropriate)
After the server 2 associates the IP address of each server with a predetermined user ID and allocates it to the event as server access information (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as load distribution processing). , An event can be sent. On the other hand, the receiving terminal 5 is made to perform a process of recognizing a server of an IP address associated with its own user ID (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as an access server determining process), and then requests the subject to the subject. You can do so.

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart of the load distribution processing performed by the server 2. Note that this load distribution processing is performed when there are a plurality of servers that transmit subjects to the receiving terminal 5 via the communication network 6 (transmitting subjects via the communication network 6 other than the server 2). Is performed, for example, as a part of the process of step S12 in the data transmission process of FIG.

In the load distribution processing, first, in step S61, the number N of receiving terminals to be allocated to one server that transmits a subject (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as the allocated number) N via the communication network 6 is calculated. . That is,
In step S61, for example, the total number of receiving terminals is divided by the total number of servers transmitting subjects via the communication network 6, and the division value (the fractional part is rounded up, for example) is set to the number N of allocations. The server 2
Here, it is assumed that the total number of receiving terminals is managed. Further, the server 2 transmits the subject to the communication network 6.
The total number of servers transmitted via the server is recognized from the information managed by the copy management unit 14.

Thereafter, in step S62, one of the plurality of servers transmitting the subject is selected via the communication network 6 (the selected server is hereinafter referred to as a selected server as appropriate), and step S63 is performed.
Then, for example, the receiving terminal located at a position close to the selected server is detected by the assigned number N. It is assumed that the positions of the selected server and the receiving terminal 5 are managed in the server 2.

Then, the process proceeds to a step S64, wherein the user ID of each of the N receiving terminals detected in the step S63 is associated with the IP address of the selected server, and a set of the IP address and the N user IDs is set. , Is placed in the event as server access information. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S65, and it is determined whether or not the processes of steps S62 to S64 have been performed with all of the plurality of servers transmitting the subject as the selected servers via the communication network 6. In step S65, when it is determined that all of the plurality of servers have not been processed as the selected server, the process returns to step S62, and the server not yet selected as the selected server is newly set as the selected server. The same processing is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 65 that the processing has been performed with all of the plurality of servers selected, the load distribution processing ends.

As described above, in the load distribution processing, 1
N (or N-1) receiving terminals are allocated to the server.

In the above case, simply dividing the total number of receiving terminals by the total number of servers transmitting subjects via the communication network 6 is calculated by dividing the total number of receiving terminals by the number of receiving terminals to be assigned to one server. However, the number of receiving terminals to be assigned to each of the plurality of servers may be determined in consideration of, for example, the processing capacity of each server.

Next, the access server determining process performed by the receiving terminal 5 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The access server determination process is performed in the receiving terminal 5 before, for example, configuring a URL to be transmitted in step S48 of the data request process in FIG.

In the access server determination processing, step S
At 71, the receiving terminal 5 selects the user ID assigned to itself from the server access information of the event.
, And the process proceeds to step S72. In step S72, the IP address associated with its own user ID, that is, the server that should request the subject is recognized, and the access server determination processing ends.

In the receiving terminal 5, as described with reference to FIG. 11, in step S48, a URL is constructed and transmitted using the IP address recognized in step S72.

As described above, the server 2 or the receiving terminal 5
In the above, the subject request from the receiving terminal can be distributed to a plurality of servers by performing the load distribution processing or the access server determination processing, and efficient subject distribution becomes possible.

In the above case, the user ID of the receiving terminal is associated with the IP address to limit the server to which the receiving terminal has access.
For example, the user ID of the receiving terminal is associated with a time zone (request timing information) in which the server can be accessed via the communication network 6 so as to limit the time zone in which the receiving terminal accesses the server. For example, the access to the server can be distributed.

The data distribution system to which the present invention is applied has been described above. Such a data distribution system may be used, for example, for distributing data to a large number of databases in a distributed database, or for transmitting data by IP multicast. This is particularly useful when distributing data or when distributing data to an unspecified large number.

In the present embodiment, the event is transmitted via the broadcast network 4. Alternatively, the event may be transmitted via the communication network 6 in response to a request from the receiving terminal 5. You may do it. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is not essential that both the broadcast network 4 and the communication network 6 are provided. That is, the present invention is also applicable to a system including only one of the broadcast network 4 and the communication network 6.

Also, in the present embodiment, the IP address of the server 2 or the mirror server 7 is arranged in the server access information. URL of the subject being managed, server 2 or mirror server 7
It is also possible to arrange a telephone number or the like for accessing.

In the same manner as the receiving terminal 5, the mirror server 7 can receive an event or a subject and update the database 8.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the updated object itself is arranged as the updated object information to be included in the subject. However, as the updated object information, for example, the updated object information is added to the object before the update. Data to reflect the changes made to the object after the update (for example, an executable computer program that changes the object before the update to the object after the update, or the difference between the object after the update and the object before the update) It is also possible to arrange such as.

Next, in FIG. 7, the data configuration unit 17
The outline of the data structure of the event generated in the above has been described, but a format for realizing the event configured by the data configuration unit 17 on, for example, an arbitrary transport protocol will be described in detail.

Here, the format of the event is ANS. 1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One).

Here, ANS. 1 is represented by ASN. 1 coding rule BER (Basic En
coding Rules), CER (Canonical Encoding Rule)
s), DER (Distinguished Encoding Rules), PE
Based on R (Packed Encoding Rules), it can be uniquely encoded (converted into a bit string (transfer syntax)). Further, a processing system for performing the encoding and decoding the encoding result is described in ASN. 1 compliant commercial / public domain software tool Snacc (Sample Neufeld Asn.1 t
o It can be easily configured by using C Compiler).

It should be noted that ANS. 1 is, for example, “Protocol Syntax Specification Language ASN.1”,
Coding rules BER, CE when issuing a cut system, etc.
For R and DER, for example, see ISO / IEC 8825-1: ASN.1
Encoding Rules: Specification of Basic Encoding Ru
les (BER), Canonical Encoding Rules (CER), and Disti
nguished Encoding Rules (DER)
About R, for example, ISO / IEC 8825-1: ASN.1 Encodin
g Rules: Specification of Packed Encoding Rules (PE
R) and the like.

An event EventMessage is defined as follows, for example.

[0158]

Here, SEQUENCE {} indicates that the event (event type) EventMessage is a variable formatVersion, FormatVersion, filteringMasks, t defined in parentheses.
imeToLive, objectIdentifier, objectVersion, subjectLi
It is represented by the sequence of nks. Also, the FormatVersio that is placed second from the left in parentheses
n, FilteringMasks, UTCTime, ObjectIdentifier, INTEGER,
SubjectLinks represents the type of the variable located to the left. OPTIONAL placed in the third from the left in parentheses indicates that the variable defined in that line is an optional variable (an optional variable). Therefore, here, the event EventMessage includes at least the format version formatVersion and the lifetime timeToLiv
e, the object identifier objectIdentifier is configured as a required member.

The type FormatVersion, FilteringMasks, U
Among TCTime, ObjectIdentifier, INTEGER, and SubjectLinks, INTEGER is an integer, and UTCTime is international standard time or local time (for example, at least seconds precision).
Represents each. The definition of other types will be described later.

In the event EventMessage, the format version formatVersion is
Indicates the version of the ssage format. That is, considering that the format of the event EventMessage will be extended in the future, the event
To process a ge, you need to know its format. The format version formatVersion is information (format information) for specifying the format of the event EventMessage. The receiving terminal 5 recognizes and processes the format of the received event EventMessage based on the format version formatVersion.

The type FormatVersion of the format version formatVersion is defined, for example, as follows.

[0163]

That is, the format version formatVers
The ion is represented here by two integers (INTEGER) called a major version and a minor version. In addition, major version majorVersion and minor version minorVersion
It is possible for the operator of the data distribution system to arbitrarily define the proper use of numbers and the way numbers are assigned, but here, for example, the major version majorVersi
In on, information for distinguishing an event from a subject is arranged. That is, for example, as a major version majorVersion for an event, a predetermined value or more is used, and as a major version majorVersion for a subject, a value less than a predetermined value is used. In this case, the format version formatVersion
Represents the version of the format of the event EventMessage, and also serves as the determination flag described with reference to FIG.

Here, the information for distinguishing an event from a subject can be defined in a higher version than the transport layer, for example, in an application layer or a presentation layer, in addition to being arranged in the major version majorVersion.

The filter mask filteringMasks in the event EventMessage is information (selection criterion information) that can be used as a criterion for selecting the event EventMessage in the receiving terminal 5 and has the type Filter.
ingMasks is defined as follows, for example.

FilteringMasks :: = SEQUENCE OF {filteringMaskIdentifier INTEGER, filteringMaskField ANY DEFINED BY filteringMaskIdentifiler}

Here, SEQUENCE OF {} is a filter mask (a type of filter mask filteringMasks) FilteringMas
ks is the variable filteringMas defined in parentheses
Indicates that it is represented by the sequence of the combination of kIdentifier and filteringMaskField. Therefore, the filter mask
filteringMasks is the variable filteringMaskIdentifier and fil
Not only one combination with teringMaskField, but also multiple arrangements can be configured. Also, the variable filterin
The type ANY DEFINED BY of gMaskField indicates an arbitrary type (arbitrary type) depending on the variable placed after BY. Therefore, the type of the variable filteringMaskField can take any type corresponding to the variable filteringMaskIdentifiler located in the previous line.

The mask identifier filteringMaskIdentifier in the filter mask filteringMasks is used to identify the mask field filteringMaskField. Here, a unique integer is used for each mask field filteringMaskField.

Mask Field in FilteringMasks FilteringMaskFields
Is information that can be used as a criterion for selecting an object corresponding to the event EventMessage (an object updated by a subject obtained based on the event EventMessage).
For example, information on the category of the object, the age restriction for viewing the object, the contract content for viewing the object, and the like are arranged therein.

That is, the mask field filteringMaskFie
In ld, for example, information indicating that the object is related to sports or weather forecast is arranged.In addition, when information indicating that the object is related to sports is arranged, Information indicating whether the object is related to baseball or soccer in sports can be arranged. In this case, for example, a category desired by the user is set in the selection unit 22 of the receiving terminal 5 (the category may be set by the user, for example, or the user may set the category in the receiving terminal 5). The viewing history of the object may be stored and performed based on the viewing history.)
Filter the category into a mask field filteringMaskField
Makes it possible to select only the event corresponding to the object of the category desired by the user, and as a result, it becomes possible to receive only the object of the category desired by the user. Conversely, a category that is not desired by the user is set in the selection unit 22 of the receiving terminal 5 and the category is
By comparing with the mask field filteringMaskField, it is possible to select only the event corresponding to the object of the category excluding the category not desired by the user.

The mask field filteringMaskFie
In ld, for example, it is also possible to arrange information relating to age restrictions such as the age of the object. In this case, for example, an age is set in the selection unit 22 of the receiving terminal 5, and the age is set to be compared with the masking field filteringMaskField so that the event corresponding to the adult-oriented object is not selected. Becomes possible.

Further, the mask field filteringMaskF
In the ield, it is also possible to arrange information relating to the contract content such as for the user whose contract content pays a high contract fee or for the user whose contract content pays a low contract fee. In this case, the contract content is set in the selection unit 22 of the receiving terminal 5, and the contract content is
By comparing with the mask field filteringMaskField, it becomes possible to select an object according to the contract content when viewing the object.

Here, the filter mask filteringMasks
Is the mask identifier filteringMaskIdent, as described above.
Since one or more combinations of the ifier and the mask field filteringMaskField can be arranged and configured, for example, there are two mask fields filteringMaskField in which the category of the object and the age restriction for viewing the object are arranged, respectively. Can be sequentially described in combination with the corresponding mask identifier filteringMaskIdentifier. In this case, the selection unit 22 selects only an event that belongs to a predetermined category and corresponds to an object for a predetermined age, and also selects an object belonging to a predetermined category and an object for a predetermined age. Can be selected. In this case, in the selecting unit 22, the filter mask
two mask fields fi located in filteringMasks
Whether each of the lteringMaskFields is related to the category of the object or the age restriction when viewing the object is recognized based on the corresponding mask identifier filteringMaskIdentifier.

Further, the mask identifier filteringMaskIdentif
ier has a different value if the information arranged in the mask field filteringMaskField is different, but may have a different value even if the same information is arranged.
That is, for example, the mask field filteringMaskField
When arranging information on the category of an object, the number of categories increases, and it may be necessary to increase the number of bits allocated to the mask field filteringMaskField in order to represent the increased category. Specifically, the mask field filteringMaskField
However, for example, the number of bits may be increased from 16 bits to 16 bits. In such a case, different mask identifiers filteringMaskIdentifier are associated with the 8-bit mask field filteringMaskField and the 16-bit mask field filteringMaskField. This is because, at the receiving terminal 5, the mask field fi
This is so that the number of bits allocated to lteringMaskField can be recognized.

The filter mask filteringMas
By arranging ks in the event EventMessage, the selection unit 22 can select the event EventMessage, and as a result, the subject has the filter mask fi
Even without including lteringMasks, subjects can be selected. That is, the subject is the event Even
Event EventMes because it is obtained based on tMessage
As a result of selecting sage, subject is also selected. In addition, it also selects objects to be updated by the subject.

Next, the survival time (expiration date) timeToLive in the event EventMessage is
Represents the expiration date. That is, in the receiving terminal 5, the event EventM transmitted via the broadcast network 4
The essage is received. For example, in the receiving terminal 5, the received event EventMessage is once stored in the database 2
3 is not always processed immediately.
Therefore, when the data request processing of FIG. 11 is to be performed for the event EventMessage, the event Ev
entMessage may already be disabled.

That is, for example, in the event EventMessage,
When the broadcast time of the subject is arranged, the start time of the data request process in FIG. 11 may be past the broadcast time. In this case, even if the data request processing of FIG. 11 is performed, the subject cannot be received by the receiving terminal 5 because the broadcast of the subject has already been completed. Therefore, such an unusable event EventMessage is stored in the database 23.
Is wasteful of storage capacity and is not preferred.

The event EventMessage is transmitted to the receiving terminal 5 via the broadcasting network 4 such as a satellite line, for example, and is transmitted via the communication network 6 such as the Internet as described above. However, if the event EventMessage is transmitted via the communication network 6, the event Ev may be sent to the receiving terminal 5 due to the line congestion (traffic).
The entMessage may be received after a considerable time has elapsed since the transmission by the server 2.
Even in such a case, the event EventMessage may already be in an unusable state.

Therefore, the time to discard the event EventMessage is arranged in the survival time timeToLive as an index indicating the freshness of the event EventMessage.

In this case, if the reception time of the event or the time referring to the event stored in the database 23 has passed the time allocated to the time-to-live timeToLive, the receiving terminal 5 uses the event. Discarded as impossible (received event is database 2
3 and the referenced event is deleted from the database 23).

In the server 2, the survival time timeToLive
Is set, for example, as follows. That is, the data configuration unit 17 of the server 2 obtains an average value of the update interval of the object corresponding to the event EventMessage (the time from the update of the object to the next update) and the like, and an integer of the average value. The time obtained by adding the time represented by the double to the creation time of the event EventMessage is arranged in the lifetime timeToLive. Note that the method of setting the survival time timeToLive is not limited to this.

Next, the object identifier objectIdentifier in the event EventMessage is
The tMessage is information (position information) on the position where the object reporting the update exists, and the receiving terminal 5 identifies and recognizes the updated object based on the object identifier objectIdentifier. When the object of the database 3 is updated in the server 2,
In response to the update of that object, the event EventMes
Since the sage is created, according to the object identifier objectIdentifier that identifies the updated object, the event EventMessage that notifies the update can be identified, and therefore, the object identifier objectIden
The tifier corresponds to the ID shown in FIG.

Object Identifier ObjectIdentifier Type
ObjectIdentifier is defined as follows, for example.

[0185]

The available time availableTime is a temporal position where the object whose update has been notified exists, that is,
For example, the updated object is the database 3
, And the time when the object is effectively present, such as the time registered in the database 3 (the time from when the object is updated until the next update). The available time availableTime is optional, so it may or may not be described, and its type Av
airableTime is defined, for example, as follows.

[0187]

The start time startTime indicates, for example, the time at which the updated object is registered in the database 3. The end time endTime is
For example, the updated object represents the next update time. Note that when describing the available time availableTime, the description of the start time startTime is indispensable, but the description of the end time endTime is optional.

[0189] The locator locator in the object identifier objectIdentifier indicates the geographical or logical location where the object whose update has been notified exists. Here, the geographical position of the object means information for specifying the position on the network such as the Internet address of the server 2 that manages the object. The logical position means the position of the object in the table or data structure when the object forms a part of a table or data structure. Specifically, for example, when the object constitutes a column of an EPG (Electric Program Guide) for introducing a television broadcast program in a certain channel in a certain channel, the column of the column on the EPG The position becomes the logical position of the object.

The type of locator locator is, for example,
It is defined as:

[0191]

Here, CHOICE {} means that one of the variables netLocator and dvbSpecificLocator defined in parentheses {} is selected (therefore, Locator is a selection type).

The network locator netLocator specifies a domain resource that can be accessed by the Internet protocol. The type NETLocator is defined as follows, for example.

NETLocator :: = SEQUENCE {nsapSpecificLocator NSAPSpecificLocator OPTIONAL, universalResourceIdentifier EXTERNAL}

Here, EXTERNAL is ASN. It means a data type (external type) defined outside the scope of one module. The definition does not have to follow the syntax of 1.

NSAP Locator nsapSpecificLocator
Is used to identify NSAP (Networks Service Access Point), and its type NSAPSpecificLoca
tor is defined, for example, as follows.

[0197]

The NSAP address nsapAddress is an external type (EXTERNAL), and its syntax is, for example, E.164 NSAPformat or AESA (ATM (Asynchronous).
Transfer Mode) End System Address) NSAPencodeE.1
64format etc. can be adopted. E.164NSA
About Pformat, for example, ISO / IEC8348: Network Ser
vice Definition, AESA NSAPencodeE.164format, for example, ATM User-Network Interface (UNI) Sp
Each definition is described in ecification 3.0 / 3.1.

The additional information additionalInfo is required when accessing the NSAP address nsapAddress, for example, protocol identification information indicating selection of PPP (Point to Point Protocol), information necessary for an authentication protocol, and a modem setting command. Additional information such as a sequence (Haze AT command), whose type is arbitrary (arbitrary type)
(ANY). In addition, additional information additionalInfo
Is optional.

A resource identifier universalResourceIdentifier in the net locator netLocator is a so-called U
RI (Universal Resource Identifier).
According to the URI, the resources provided on the WWW can be uniquely identified, which means that the user can directly connect to the Internet (receiving terminal 5
Is connected directly to the Internet). Where the resource identifier universalResourceIdentif
The syntax of ier is, for example, RFC1630: Universal
Resource Identifiers in WWW: A Unifying Syntax fo
r the Expression of Names and Addresses of Objects
You can use what is defined on the Network as used in the World-Wide Web.

Note that as a net locator netLocator,
The use of both the URI and the NSAP locator nsapSpecificLocator is based on objects in an isolated Internet domain that can be accessed by a dial-up connection (including an ATM connection) using X.25 or a public network. This is to enable access.

DVB locator d in locator locator
vbSpecificLocator is a DVB (Digital Video Broadca
sting) Specifies a resource on a stream of compatible digital broadcasting, and its type is DVBSpecificLocator.
Is defined as follows, for example.

[0203]

The primitive locator dvbPrimitiveLocato
r specifies a data structure / stream defined in DVB, and thus, for example, DVB
-An arbitrary table on the EPG by digital broadcasting specified in SI can be designated. Therefore, the event EventMessage can be used, for example, for updating the contents of an EPG table broadcast in a format defined by DVB-SI. Note that DVB
-For SI, for example, ETC300 468: Digital broad
casting systems for television, sound and data ser
vices; Specification for Service Information (SI) in
The details are described in Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) systems.

The primitive locator dvbPrimitiveLocato
The type DVBPrimitiveLocator of r is defined as follows, for example.

[0206]

Here, the parentheses [] and the numbers arranged therein are tags for identifying each of a plurality of variables of the same type constituting the structural type.

It should be noted that NetworkID, TransportID, packetI
D, serviceID, tableID, tableIDExtention, sectionNu
For mber, eventID, componentTag, for example, ISO
/ IEC13818-1: Information technology-Generic coding o
f moving pictures and associated audio information
-Part1: Systems-International Standard (IS) and E
TC300 468: Digital broadcasting systems for televis
ion, sound and data services; Specification for Ser
vice Information (SI) in Digital Video Broadcasting
Since the details are described in (DVB) systems, the description is omitted here.

Data Carousel Locator in DVBSpecificLocator DVBDataCarouselLocator
Specifies a data structure called a data carousel (Data Carousel), and its type DVBDataCarouselLoc
ator is defined as follows, for example.

[0210]

A DVB locator DVBSpecificLocator
Object carousel locator for dvbObjectCar
ouselLocator is an object carousel
ousel), and its type DVBObjectCarouselLocator is defined as follows, for example.

[0212]

Note that data carousel, object carousel, groupID, moduleID, carouselID, objectKey
About, for example, Digital Video Broadcasting: DVB
Specification for Data Broadcasting-Final Draft 1
2/02/97, and the Implementation Guidelines for Datab
Since the details are described in roadcasting (SI-DAT382 Rev.3), the description is omitted here.

Next, the object version objectVersion in the event EventMessage is
The updated version of the object updated by the subject obtained based on the ntMessage is shown, and corresponds to the version information in FIG. As the object version objectVersion, for example, an integer value that is incremented each time the object is updated, a hash value of the updated object, or the like can be used.

The subject link subjectLinks in the event EventMessage is a subject (object identifier) acquired based on the event EventMessage.
subject to update the object identified by objectIdentifier)
The type SubjectLinks is defined as follows, for example.

[0216]

Subject Identifier subjectIdentifier
Has the same type ObjectIdentifier as the object identifier objectIdentifier described above, in which information (position information) on the position where the subject exists is arranged. Therefore, in the receiving terminal 5, this subject identifier
The subject for updating the object is fetched based on the subjectIdentifier.

The subject identifier subjectIdentif
Since ier is an ObjectIdentifier type, the available time a
There is a case where vairableTime is included, which corresponds to the broadcast time in the broadcast schedule information described with reference to FIG. Also, the subject identifier subjectIdentifier is
It has a locator locator, which is the server access information (the IP address of the server 2, etc.) described in FIG.
(Geographic location of the subject) and the broadcast channel in the broadcast schedule information (logical location of the subject)
Is equivalent to

[0219] Subject version subjectVersion
Is an integer type (INTEGER) and represents the subject version. That is, for example, there is a case where a subject has a so-called bug and a subject whose repair has been repaired is newly created. The syntax of the subject may be changed while the content of the subject remains the same. In such a case, the subject version subjectVersion is used to distinguish between the subject before the bug is fixed and the subject after the bug is fixed, and to distinguish between the subject before the syntax change and the subject after the syntax change.

[0220] In the service specification qosSpecification, information (acquisition determination criterion information) that can be used as a criterion for determining whether to acquire a subject based on the subject identifier subjectIdentifier is arranged. That is, subject links SubjectLinks are SEQUEN
Since it is defined by CE OF {}, one or more combinations of variables defined in parentheses are arranged. Specifically, for example, when the subject is broadcasted via the broadcast network 4 and transmitted by the server 2 via the communication network 6 in response to a request from the receiving terminal 5, the broadcast network 4
Subjec that defines subject links SubjectLinks for each of the subject broadcasted via the communication network 6 and the subject transmitted via the communication network 6.
tIdentifier, subjectVersion, qosSpecification, cli
entIdentifier is described. In such a case, the service specification qosSpecification is referred to to determine whether the subject is to be received using the broadcast network 4 or the communication network 6.

Type QOSSpe of service specification qosSpecification
The cification is defined as follows, for example.

[0222]

[0223] In the QOS type qosSpecType, an integer value representing the type of information used as a criterion for determining whether to acquire a subject based on the subject identifier subjectIdentifier is arranged. That is, the QOS type qosSpecType is the QOS value qos paired with it.
SpecValue indicates what kind of information value it is.

The QOS value qosSpecValue includes, as information used as a criterion for determining whether or not to acquire a subject based on the subject identifier subjectIdentifier, for example, the load status applied to the server 2 and the subject data. Integer values corresponding to the amount, the degree of congestion of the communication network 6, and the like are arranged.

For example, if the QOS value qosSpecValue indicates that the load on the server 2 is large, the subject is transmitted if the subject is requested via the communication network 6. , It can be used as a criterion for judging that it is better to wait for the broadcast to be received via the broadcast network 4 before receiving the broadcast. Also, for example, the QOS value qo
If the sSpecValue indicates that the subject has a large amount of data, requesting the subject via the communication network 6 is expected to require a large communication cost to receive a subject with a large amount of data. Therefore, it can be used as a criterion for judging that it is better to wait for a broadcast via the broadcast network 4 to receive the broadcast. Further, for example, when the QOS value qosSpecValue indicates that the traffic volume of the communication network 6 is small, it is expected that the subject can be obtained immediately and in a short time. Can be used as a criterion for judging that it is better to receive the information via the.

Here, from the above, the QOS value
It can be said that qosSpecValue represents the quality of the service provided by the subject.

In the client identifier clientIdentifier in the subject link subjectLinks, information (user information) on the user permitted to obtain the subject is arranged, and the type ClientIdentfier is defined as follows, for example.

[0228]

[0229] In the group identifier clientGroupIdentifier, an integer value specifying a group of a plurality of receiving terminals is arranged. According to the group identifier clientGroupIdentifier, it is possible to cause only a plurality of receiving terminals specified thereby to acquire a subject.

The client identifiers clientIdentifiers include user IDs of one or more receiving terminals (see FIG. 13 and FIG. 1).
4) is allocated. According to the client identifiers clientIdentifiers, it is possible to cause only one or more receiving terminals specified thereby to acquire the subject. Note that the client identifier clie
SET OF INTEGER, which is the type of ntIdentifiers, represents a set of integer types (set type).

As described above, the client identifier client
According to the Identifier, the receiving terminal from which the subject is obtained can be limited, so that, for example, the subject requests can be prevented from being concentrated on one server.

As described above, the format for realizing an event on an arbitrary transport protocol is defined as AN
S. 1 is represented by an abstract syntax expression, and encoding of an event in such a format is performed, for example, by AS
N. In the case of using the tool Snack of commercial / public domain software conforming to No. 1, for example, the following file may be given as the input.

EventMessage DEFINITIONS :: = BEGIN EventMessage :: = SEQUENCE {formatVersion FormatVersion, filteringMasks FilteringMasks OPTIONAL, timeToLive UTCTime, objectIdentifier ObjectIdentifier, objectVersion INTEGER OPTIONAL, subjectLinks SubjectLinks OPTIONAL} FormatVersion :: = SEQUENCE {majorVersion INTEGER, minorVersionMask INTEGER : = SEQUENCE OF {filteringMaskIdentifier INTEGER, filteringMaskField ANY DEFINED BY filteringMaskIdentifiler} ObjectIdentifier :: = SEQUENCE {avairableTime AvairableTime OPTIONAL, locator Locator} AvairableTime :: = SEQUENCE {startTime UTCTime, endTime UTCTime Locator: NETICE: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator: Locator } NETLocator :: = SEQUENCE {nsapSpecificLocator NSAPSpecificLocator OPTIONAL, universalResourceIdentifier EXTERNAL} NSAPSpecificLocator :: = SEQUENCE {nsapAddress EXTERNAL, additionalInfo ANY OPTIONAL} DVBSpecificLocator :: = CHOICE {dvbPrimitiveLocator DVBPrimitiveCarator, dvd aCarouselLocator, dvbObjectCarouselLocator DVBObjectCarouselLocator} DVBPrimitiveLocator :: = SEQUENCE {networkID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, transportStreamID [1] INTEGER OPTIONAL, packetID [2] INTEGER OPTIONAL, serviceID [3] INTEGER OPTIONAL, tableID [4] INTEGER OPTION INTEGER OPTIONAL, sectionNumber [6] INTEGER OPTIONAL, eventID [7] INTEGER OPTIONAL, componentTag [8] INTEGER OPTIONAL} DVBDataCarouselLocator :: = SEQUENCE {dvbPrimitiveLocator DVBPrimitiveLocator, groupID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, moduleID [1] INTEGER Object Locator = SEQUENCE {dvbPrimitiveLocator DVBPrimitiveLocator, carouselID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, moduleID [1] INTEGER OPTIONAL, objectKey [2] INTEGER OPTIONAL} SubjectLinks :: = SEQUENCE OF {subjectIdentifier ObjectIdentifier, subjectVersion INTEGER OPTIONAL, qosSpecification QOSSpecification OPTIONAL client option :: = SEQUENCE OF {qosSpecType INTEGER, qosSpecValue INTEGER} ClientIdentifier: : = CHOICE {clientGroupIdentifier INTEGER, clientIdentifiers SET OF INTEGER} END

Next, in the above case, the receiving terminal 5
Receives an event transmitted by the server 2, performs selection based on the filtering mask filteringMasks placed in the event, that is, performs filtering of the event, and updates the object based on the selected event. Has been made to do.

Here, the filter mask filteringMasks
Is the mask identifier filteringMaskIdent, as described above.
Identifier and a mask field filteringMaskField. The mask field filteringMaskField is, for example, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No.
No. 130392 (hereinafter referred to as Reference 1 as appropriate).

That is, in Reference 1, a part or all of the information extracted from certain metadata is converted into a format suitable for filtering, and the mask field filteringM
The example used as askField is shown.

When this example is applied, the server 2 transmits the meta information of the object to be updated (the object identified by the object identifier objectIdentifier in the event) to the metadata syntax (PICS or PICS) exemplified in Reference 1. , RDF / XML, etc.), which is extracted and converted by the method also exemplified in Document 1 to generate a value to be arranged in the mask field filteringMaskField. Note that this mask field filteringMas
The schema for interpreting kField is described in the format exemplified in Document 1, and its mask field
Before or at the same time as the filteringMaskField is transmitted, it is transmitted to the receiving terminal 5 (or the receiving terminal 5
However, a schema for interpreting the mask field filteringMaskField by a predetermined protocol such as http is acquired.) On the other hand, the receiving terminal 5 refers to the schema, interprets the mask field filteringMaskField, and performs event filtering.

Specifically, in the server 2, for example,
Considering a case where objects are managed in a directory structure as shown in FIG. 15, event filtering is performed as follows. In FIG. 15, a directory (directory node) is indicated by a circle and a directory entry as an object is indicated by a circle. In FIG. 15, the root directory (root) has two lower directories a and b, and the directory a has three lower directories aa, ab, and ac. Each of the directories aa, ab, and ac has several objects. The directory b has two lower directories ba and bb, and each of the directories ba and bb has some objects. Here, each directory in FIG. 15 corresponds to, for example, a category of an object in the lower hierarchy.

In the directory structure of FIG. 15, two directories a or b of the root directory
Each is assigned, for example, bit 0 or 1. For example, bits 00, 01, and 10 are assigned to each of the three directories aa, ab, and ac of the directory a. Furthermore, two directories ba or bb that the directory b has
Each is assigned, for example, bit 0 or 1.

In such a case, the bits (or bit strings) allocated to the directories that pass through each directory when considering the shortest path from the root directory to the lower hierarchy are sequentially arranged from the upper bits. It is represented by a bit string of 1 byte (8 bits).

In this case, the directory a in the lower hierarchy of the root directory is “0 *******” and the directory a
Directory aa (hereinafter, a.aa as appropriate)
Is described as "000 *****", and the directory ab in the lower hierarchy of the directory a (hereinafter abbreviated as a.ab) is represented as "001 *****" and the directory a. A directory ac (hereinafter abbreviated as a.ac, as appropriate) is represented by “010 *****”. The directory b in the lower hierarchy of the root directory is “1 *
****** ”, the directory ba in the lower hierarchy of the directory b (hereinafter referred to as b.ba as appropriate) is“ 10 ****
** ", the directory bb in the lower hierarchy of the directory b
(Hereinafter referred to as b.bb as appropriate) is "11 ******"
, Respectively. In addition, * mark is don't care (do
n't care).

Then, the filter mask filteringMasks
In the (mask field of filteringMaskField), a bit string as described above, which represents the directory to which the object in which the event in which it is placed notifies the update, belongs, is placed. Therefore, here the filter mask fi
lteringMasks is a one-byte word.

On the other hand, in the receiving terminal 5, the filter mask fi
The mask value for filtering events is set by lteringMasks. That is, in the receiving terminal 5, for example, the directory b. If the frequency of access to the object that bb has is high (therefore, the user has high interest in the object), the directory b. A mask value “11xxxxxx” for masking other than bb is set.

In this case, the receiving terminal 5 ignores the x portion of the mask value and ignores only the event having the filter mask filteringMasks in which the portion of 1 or 0 (hereinafter referred to as a valid bit as appropriate) matches. Is selected. Therefore, when the mask value is “11xxxxxx” as described above, only the event in which the filter mask filteringMasks whose both high-order 2 bits are 1 is arranged, that is,
Here, the directory b. Only those events whose bit string representing bb is placed in the filter mask filteringMasks are selected. As a result, the directory b. Only the object that bb has is updated.

In the receiving terminal 5, for example, the directory a. If the frequency of access to the object held by ab is high, the directory a. A mask value “001xxxxx” for masking other than ab is set.

In this case, the receiving terminal 5 has a filter mask filt whose upper three bits are 0, 0, and 1, respectively.
Only the event where the eringMasks were placed, ie, here, the directory a. Only events where the bit string representing ab is located in the filter mask filteringMasks are selected. As a result, the directory a. Only the objects that ab has are updated.

For example, in the receiving terminal 5, the directory a. aa has objects, directories a. ab has objects and directories a. object that ac has, that is, directory a
If the frequency of access to an object having a common directory is high, a mask value “0xxxxxxx” for masking other than the directory a is set.

In this case, in the receiving terminal 5, only the event in which the filter mask filteringMasks in which the most significant bit is 0 is arranged, that is, here, the directories a, a. aa, a. ab, a. Only those events whose bit string representing any of ac is placed in the filter mask filteringMasks are selected. As a result, only the frequently accessed part is updated.

Incidentally, in the case described above, the receiving terminal 5
In, the event filtering is performed every time an event is received.

However, performing filtering on all events received by the receiving terminal 5 means that all events transmitted from the server 2 must be constantly monitored, as described above. Is a great burden on the receiving terminal 5 and is not desirable from the viewpoint of efficient use of resources of the receiving terminal 5. That is, in the receiving terminal 5, for example, the processing capability of a processor (not shown) that performs processing corresponding to each block illustrated in FIG. 9, the storage capacity of data, and the capacity of a battery when power is supplied from a battery (For example, especially when the receiving terminal 5 is a portable terminal capable of mobile communication), it is a heavy burden for the receiving terminal 5 to constantly monitor the event. .

Therefore, the broadcast station having the server 2 sends the event to be transmitted the same filter mask filt as the filter mask filteringMasks placed there.
Recognition information for recognizing one or more other events in which the eringMasks are arranged can be arranged.

In this case, when the receiving terminal 5 receives a certain event, it becomes possible to recognize the event in which the same filter mask filteringMasks as the event is arranged, from the recognition information arranged therein.

That is, as the recognition information, for example, information including the transmission start time at which the transmission of the event in which the same filter mask filteringMasks as the event is arranged is started after the event in which the recognition information is arranged is adopted. I do. In this case, when the receiving terminal 5 receives a certain event, it is possible to recognize the transmission start time at which the event in which the same filter mask filteringMasks as the event is placed is transmitted from the recognition information placed there. Therefore, when a certain event is received and the event is selected by filtering, the filtering of the event can be interrupted until the transmission start time obtained from the recognition information is reached. As a result, it is not necessary for the receiving terminal 5 to constantly monitor the event, and the processing load on the receiving terminal 5 can be reduced.

More specifically, in the broadcasting station, for example, the directory b. The event that notifies the change of the object belonging to bb includes the filter mask filteringMasks "11 ****
** "is placed. In addition, the event contains the same filter mask filteringMasks "11 ******"
Is also arranged and transmitted, and the event recognition information is arranged and transmitted.

In this case, at the receiving terminal 5, for example,
Directory b. If a mask value “11xxxxxx” for masking other than bb is set, an event in which the filter mask filteringMasks in which both upper 2 bits are 1 is arranged, that is, in this case, the directory b. bb
An event in which a bit string representing is placed in the filter mask filteringMasks is received and selected. In the selected event, as described above, the recognition information of the event to be transmitted after the filter mask filteringMasks “11 ******” is arranged, and the receiving terminal 5 , From this recognition information, the filter mask filteringM
The sending of the event with asks "11 ******" is recognized at the next start time, and the event filtering is suspended until that time (the process for selecting events is performed. No) can be.

Alternatively, in the broadcasting station, for example, a filter mask filteringMasks “0 *******” is arranged in an event for notifying a change of an object belonging to the directory a. That is, in FIG. 15, the objects belonging to the directory a are subordinate directories aa, ab, a
Since the object belongs to the object c, the event for notifying the change of the object has bit 0 corresponding to the directory a as the most significant bit, followed by bits 00 and 0 corresponding to the directories aa, ab and ac.
Three "000 *****" and "001 ****" with 1,10 added
* ”Or“ 010 ***** ”is the filter mask f
Events that are placed as ilteringMasks, and one of the three is placed as a filter mask filteringMasks, are followed by the same filter mask filt
Event recognition information where eringMasks is placed and sent is also placed and sent.

In this case, the “identical” filter mask filteringMasks includes the filter mask filteringMasks.
Is the exact match, and the filter mask filteringM
A case where only one or more upper bits of asks match can be included. That is, "000 *****", "001 *****",
One of "010 *****" is a filter mask filter
Events placed as ingMasks will then have one of these three filter masks
Recognition information of an event arranged and transmitted as ks can be arranged and transmitted.

In this case, at the receiving terminal 5, for example,
Mask value "0xxx" for masking other than directory a
If "xxxx" is set, the event where the filter mask filteringMasks with the most significant bit being 1 is placed,
That is, here, the directories a, a. aa, a. a
b, a. An event in which a bit string representing any of ac is placed in a filter mask filteringMasks is received and selected. As described above, this selected event is followed by “000 *****”, “001 ****
* ”Or“ 010 ***** ”is the filter mask f
Recognition information of an event arranged and transmitted as ilteringMasks is arranged, and the receiving terminal 5 determines from the recognition information any one of the three filter masks fi.
It is possible to recognize the time at which the transmission of the event arranged as lteringMasks will start next, and suspend the filtering of the event (no processing for selecting the event) until that time.

In the manner described above, the receiving terminal 5 only needs to monitor the event at the required timing, and the processing load can be reduced.

Next, FIG. 16 shows an example of the configuration of the broadcasting station shown in FIG. 1 in the case where the processing load on the receiving terminal 5 is reduced as described above. Note that FIG. 16 shows only a part related to the processing related to the event, and other parts related to the processing of the subject, for example,
Since it is the same as the case of the server 2 of FIG. 2, the illustration thereof is omitted.

The transmitting master database 31 corresponds to the database 3 in FIG. 1 and stores various objects. The update detection device 32 detects an update of an object in the transmission-side master database 31 and reports that the object has been updated to an event message / filtering mask (eventMessage / filteringMask) generation device (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a generation device) 33. It is made to inform. Upon receiving the notification that the object has been updated from the update detection device 32, the generation device 33 (configuration means) configures (generates) an event eventMessage for notifying the update by referring to the transmission-side master database 31. And the event message (eventMessage)
The data is supplied to a database (hereinafter, simply referred to as a database as appropriate) 34. The database 34 is configured to temporarily store the event eventMessage from the generating device 33.

An event message (eventMessage) scheduling device (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a scheduling device) 35 sets a transmission schedule of the event eventMessage stored in the database 34. The transmission schedule includes an event link (eventLink) setting device (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a setting device) 36 and an event message (eventMessage).
A broadcast device (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a broadcast device) 37 is provided.

The setting device 36 (configuration means) generates an event link eventLink corresponding to the above-mentioned recognition information based on the transmission schedule from the scheduling device 35, and stores the event eventMes stored in the database 34.
It is arranged (set) in the sage.

The broadcasting device 37 (transmitting means) reads out the event eventMessage stored in the database 34 in accordance with the transmission schedule from the scheduling device 35, and transmits it via the broadcasting network 4.

In the broadcasting station configured as described above, after setting the transmission schedule in the scheduling device 35, the setting device 36 analyzes the filter mask filteringMask arranged in the event eventMessage stored in the database 34. Further, when the format of the filter mask filteringMask is based on the same schema, an event link eventLink member is added to the event where the same filter mask filteringMask is arranged in the setting device 36, and the event link eventLink Next, a transmission start time availableTime at which an event in which the same filter mask filteringMask is arranged is transmitted is embedded in the structure.

That is, here, the event EventMessage
Is defined as follows by adding an event link eventLink to the above definition.

[0267]

[0268] The eventLinks newly added to the event EventMessage is the event eventMessa where the eventLinks is located.
Event ev where the same filter mask filteringMasks as the filter mask filteringMasks placed in ge is placed
This is the recognition information for recognizing the location of the entMessage, so to speak, and its type EventLinks is defined as follows, for example.

[0269]

[0270] In the filter mask filteringMasks of the event link eventLinks, the same value as the filter mask filteringMasks of the event eventMessage is arranged. Also, eventIdentifier is of the type ObjectIdentifier described above.
Where the same value as the filter mask filteringMasks of the event link eventLinks is placed in the filter mask filteringMasks (for the event) even
Information (position information) on the position where tMessage exists is arranged.

As described above, the type ObjectIdentifi
er has avairableTime as a member, and
irableTime has startTime and endTime. In the present embodiment, for example, the transmission start time or the transmission end time of the event eventMessage in which the same value as the filter mask filteringMasks of the event link eventLinks is arranged in the filter mask filteringMasks (of the event),
They are set to startTime or endTime, respectively.

Next, the processing of the broadcasting station in FIG. 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

First, in the update detecting device 32, step S
At 81, it is determined whether or not the object in the transmission-side master database 31 has been updated. If it is determined that there has been no update, the process returns to step S81. Also,
When it is determined in step S81 that the object has been updated, that is, in the update detection device 32,
When the update of the object in the transmission-side master database 31 is detected, the fact is supplied to the generation device 33.

[0274] The generation device 33
Upon receiving notification that the object has been updated, step S
82, by referring to the transmission side master database 31, an event "eventMessa"
Configure ge. That is, for example, the generation device 33
Configure the event eventMessage by placing members such as Version, filteringMasks, and timeToLive. In addition,
The generation device 33 arranges only the members (variables) whose values are known at that time, so that the event eventMessage
Is configured. That is, among the members constituting the event eventMessage, for example, the event link eventLinks set by the setting device 36 is the event eventMes
Not placed in sage.

The event eventMes obtained by the generation device 33
The sage is supplied to the database 34 and stored. Thereafter, the scheduling device 35 determines in step S83 that the event eventM stored in the database 34
The transmission schedule of the essage is set, and the transmission schedule is supplied to the setting device 36 and the broadcasting device 37.

When the setting device 36 receives the transmission schedule of the event eventMessage stored in the database 34, the setting device 36 determines in step S84 the event ev stored in the database 34 based on the transmission schedule.
Recognize the event eventMessage sent within a certain time in entMessage. Further, the setting device 36
The filter mask filteringMasks arranged in the recognized event eventMessage is extracted, and the process proceeds to step S85.

[0277] In step S85, the setting device 36 sets the filtering mask filteringMasks extracted in step S84.
By determining the values of the filter masks, the filter masks having the same value (“same” in the meaning described above) are selected from among them.
The eventMessage in which filteringMasks is arranged (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as the same category event) eventMessage is detected.
Then, the setting device 36 sends the same category event eventM
For essage, create event links eventLinks,
Place it in the same category event eventMessage. As described above, the event eventMessage in which the event link eventLinks is arranged is stored in the database 34.

[0278] Thereafter, the flow proceeds to step S86, where the broadcasting device 37 reads out the event eventMessage stored in the database 34 according to the transmission schedule from the scheduling device 35, transmits it via the broadcasting network 4, and returns to step S81.

With the above processing, the broadcasting station, for example,
The following event eventMessage is constructed and sent.

That is, in the transmission-side master database 31, objects are stored in, for example, a directory structure as shown in FIG. a certain object data1 belonging to ab and the other one object data3 are updated. One object data2 belonging to bb
Then, another object data4 is updated.

In this case, in the generation device 33, the events eventMessage1, eventMessage2, and eventMessas for notifying the update of each of the objects data1 to data4.
ge3 and eventMessage4 are configured.

Further, in the scheduling device 35,
For example, the four events eventMessage1 to eventM
A transmission schedule for transmitting essage4 (for example, a transmission start time, a transmission end time, a transmission rate (transfer rate), and a cycle and a number of times when transmission is repeated) are set.

Then, in the setting device 36,
The required event links eventLinks are generated and the event
eventMessage1, eventMessage2, eventMessage3, eve
Located in ntMessage4 as needed.

Now, the scheduling device 35
In FIG. 18, as shown in FIG.
For example, eventMessage2 is from 12:34 to 12:35 and from 18:34 to 18:35.
For example, 13:42 to 13:43, for eventMessage3, for example, 15:27 to 15:28, and for eventMessage4, 16:42 to 13:43
It is assumed that hours 42 to 16:43 are set as transmission times (transmission times).

In this case, the transmission starts at 12:34 and ends at 12:35.
For example, the following is configured as ge1.

EventMessage1 {formatVersion (?), FilteringMasks (bit string “001 *****” representing directory a.ab), timeToLive (?), ObjectIdentifier (identifier of data1), objectVersion (?), SubjectLinks (?) , eventLinks eventLinks {filteringMasks (bit string “001 *****” representing directory a.ab), eventIdentifier {avairableTime {startTime (15:27), endTime (15:28)}, locator {dvbSpecificLocator (?) }}}}}

The above-mentioned event eventMessage1 (eventMessage2, eventMessage3, eventMessage4 to be described later)
In parentheses), the description in parentheses () after the member indicates the value set for that member. What is the description in parentheses ()? Is
The members not related to the processing of the setting device 36 are shown.

[0288] The same filter mask filteringM as the filter mask filteringMasks placed in the event eventMessage1 transmitted between 12:34 and 12:35.
Of the events where asks was placed, event eventMessa
The earliest (next) transmitted after the transmission of ge1 is the event eventMessage3 transmitted between 15:27 and 15:28 here (FIG. 18),
In the startTime or endTime of the availableTime that constitutes the event link eventLinks of the event eventMessage1, 15:27, which is the transmission start time of the event eventMessage3, and 15:28, which is the transmission end time of the event eventMessage3, are arranged, respectively.

Next, transmission starts at 13:42,
Event event2 that transmission ends at 13:43
For example, the following is configured.

EventMessage2 {formatVersion (?), FilteringMasks (bit string “11 ******” representing directory b.bb), timeToLive (?), ObjectIdentifier (identifier of data2), objectVersion (?), SubjectLinks (? ), eventLinks eventLinks {filteringMasks (bit string “11 ******” representing directory b.bb), eventIdentifier {avairableTime {startTime (16:42), endTime (16:43)}, locator {dvbSpecificLocator ( ?)}}}}}

[0291] The same filter mask filteringM as the filter mask filteringMasks arranged in the event eventMessage2 transmitted between 13:42 and 13:43.
Of the events where asks was placed, event eventMessa
The earliest sent after ge2 is sent here is 1
Event even sent from 6:42 to 16:43
tMessage4 (FIG. 18), and therefore the event event
Avaira that composes event link eventLinks of Message2
bleTime startTime or endTime contains the event e
16:42, which is the transmission start time of ventMessage4, or 16:43, which is the transmission end time, is arranged.

Next, transmission starts at 15:27,
Event that ends transmission at 15:28 eventMessage3
For example, the following is configured.

EventMessage3 {formatVersion (?), FilteringMasks (bit string “001 *****” representing directory a.ab), timeToLive (?), ObjectIdentifier (identifier of data3), objectVersion (?), SubjectLinks (?) , eventLinks eventLinks {filteringMasks (bit string “001 *****” representing directory a.ab), eventIdentifier {avairableTime {startTime (18:34), endTime (18:35)}, locator {dvbSpecificLocator (?) }}}}}

[0294] The same filter mask filteringM as the filter mask filteringMasks placed in the event eventMessage3 transmitted between 15:27 and 15:28.
Of the events where asks was placed, event eventMessa
The earliest sent after sending ge3 is 1
Event even sent from 8:34 to 18:35
tMessage1 (FIG. 18), and therefore the event event
Avaira that composes event link eventLinks of Message3
bleTime startTime or endTime contains the event e
18:34, which is the transmission start time of ventMessage1, or 18:35, which is the transmission end time, is arranged.

Next, transmission starts at 16:42,
Event event4 that transmission ends at 16:43
For example, the following is configured.

EventMessage4 {formatVersion (?), FilteringMasks (bit string “11 ******” representing directory b.bb), timeToLive (?), ObjectIdentifier (identifier of data4), objectVersion (?), SubjectLinks (? )}

[0297] The same filter mask filteringM as the filter mask filteringMasks arranged in the event eventMessage4 transmitted between 16:42 and 16:43.
Of the events where asks was placed, event eventMessa
Since what is sent after sending ge4 does not exist here, event eventMessage4 contains the event link eve
ntLinks are not deployed.

As described above, a certain event eventMessage
If there is a plan to send the same category event where the same filter mask filteringMasks as the filter mask filteringMasks placed in
An event eventMessage contains the event eventMes
An event link eventLinks in which the transmission time of the same category event transmitted next to sage is set is arranged.
The dotted arrow in FIG. 18 indicates the event link ev
Points to the event whose transmission time is represented by entLinks.

[0299] Next, Fig. 19 shows an example of the configuration of the receiving terminal 5 of Fig. 1 when an event eventMessage in which the above-described event link eventLinks is introduced is transmitted.

[0300] The broadcast receiving device 41 (receiving means) receives an event or a subject transmitted via the broadcast network 4, and sends the event to the filtering processing device 42 and the subject to the update information. Each of them is supplied to the acquisition device 47.

Filtering processing device 42 (selection means)
Is configured to perform a selection process of selecting events supplied from the broadcast receiving device 41 based on a mask value set in a filtering mask (filteringMask) setting device (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a setting device) 43. ing. The filtering processing device 42
Is also configured to control the selection processing performed by itself based on the output of the timer device 46.

The event selected by the filtering processing device 42 is supplied to an event message (eventMessage) database (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a database) 44. The database 44 stores the event from the filtering processing device 42. Is temporarily stored.

[0303] The timer setting device 45 includes a database 44.
A timer time to be counted by the timer device 46 is set with reference to the event link eventLinks arranged in the event eventMessage stored in the event message. The timer device 46 measures the timer time set by the timer setting device 45, and supplies the result of the measurement to the filtering device 42.

The update information acquisition device 47 (processing means) reads an event stored in the database 44 and acquires a subject for updating an object whose update has been notified by the event. That is, as described above, the subject is supplied from the broadcast receiving device 41 to the update information acquisition device 47, and the update information acquisition device 47
Selects the subject corresponding to the event read from the database 44 from the subjects from the broadcast receiving device 41. Further, the update information acquisition device 47 controls the two-way communication data acquisition device 48 to request a subject corresponding to the event read from the database 44 via the communication network 6,
Acquire by receiving. Then, the update information acquisition device 47 updates an object in the reception-side local database 49 based on the acquired subject.

[0305] The receiving-side local database 49 is as shown in FIG.
, And stores an object.

Next, the processing of the receiving terminal 5 in FIG. 19 will be described with reference to the flowcharts in FIG. 20 and FIG.

[0307] As shown in the flowchart of Fig. 20, in the receiving apparatus 5, first, in step S91,
The mask value FM is set based on the user's preference and the like. That is, the setting device 43 manages, for example, the access history (viewing history) of the user accessing the local database 49 on the receiving side, and recognizes the category in which the user is interested based on the access history. , A mask value FM is set based on the recognition result. The mask value FM set by the setting device 43 is supplied to the filtering processing device 42.

Here, in the broadcasting station, for example, FIG.
In the case where the objects are managed in the directory structure as shown in FIG.
When it is recognized that the category corresponds to ab,
“001xxxxx” is set as the mask value. Further, the category in which the user is interested is, for example, the directory b. When it is recognized that the category corresponds to bb or a, “11xxxxxx” or “0xxxxxxx” is set as the mask value FM, respectively.

Thereafter, when an event is received by the broadcast receiving device 41, the event is supplied to the filtering processing device. In the filtering processing device 42, in step S42, the event from the broadcast receiving device 41 is selected based on the mask value FM from the setting device 43, and the database 4
4 and stored. That is, the filtering processing device 42 performs the filtering mask filteringMasks placed on the event from the broadcast receiving device 41.
And the mask value FM from the setting device 43 are compared with respect to valid bits. If they match, the event from the broadcast receiving device 41 is supplied to the database 44 for storage. Discard.

Here, in the transmission schedule as described above, events eventMessage1, eventMessage2, eventMes
When sage3 and eventMessage4 are sent,
As the mask value, for example, “001xxxx
When "x", "11xxxxxx", or "0xxxxxxx" is set, the filtering processing device 42 first sets the eventMessage1, the transmission of which has started at 12:34.
EventMessage2 whose transmission has started at 13:42 or eventMessage1 whose transmission has started at 12:34,
Each will be selected.

[0311] Then, the process proceeds to a step S93, where the timer setting device 45 reads the event stored in the database 44, and adds the event link eventLin to the event.
Determine whether ks is located. Step S9
If it is determined in step 3 that the event link eventLinks is arranged in the event, the process proceeds to step S94, and the timer setting device 45 sets the timer from the current time to the startTime in the availableTime of the event link eventLinks as the timer. Set as time. Then, the timer setting device 45 supplies the timer time to the timer device 46, and proceeds to step S95. The timer device 46
Receives the timer time from the timer setting device 45,
Start timing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S93 that the event link eventLinks is not arranged in the event, step S94 is skipped, and the process proceeds to step S95, where the timer device 46 sets the timer time to be counted. Is determined (accordingly, in the timer device 46, the timer time is measured), and when it is determined that the timer time is not set, that is,
If the timer device 46 has not counted the timer time, the process proceeds to step S96, and the timer setting device 45 sets a predetermined short time as the timer time, and sets the timer device 4
6 and the process proceeds to step S97.

In step S95, when it is determined that the timer time to be measured is set in the timer device 46 (accordingly, the timer device 46 is measuring the timer time), that is, If the timer device 46 is counting the timer time, the process proceeds to step S
The process skips step 96 and proceeds to step S97, where a waiting time is set until the timer device 46 finishes measuring the timer time. When the timer device 46 finishes measuring the timer time, the process returns to step S92, and the same processing is repeated.

That is, when the timer device 46 starts measuring the timer time, the timer device 46 transmits a time measurement start message to the filtering processing device 42 to start the time measurement.
When receiving the timekeeping start message, the filtering processing device 42 suspends the processing. When the timer device 46 finishes measuring the timer time, the timer device 46 transmits a time measurement end message to the effect that the time measurement has ended to the filtering processing device 42.
Upon receiving this time-out message, the process is restarted. Therefore, the filtering processing device 42 suspends the processing while the timer device 46 is counting the timer time, and as a result, the event output from the broadcast receiving device 41 during that time is filtered. In the processing device 42, it is not a target of selection and is simply discarded.

By performing the above processing,
For example, in the filtering processing device 42, when the event eventMessage1 whose transmission has been started at 12:34 shown in FIG. 18 is first selected,
Until 15:27 set as startTime in availableTime of the event link eventLinks placed in the event eventMessage1, that is, the event eventMessage1
Until 15:27 when transmission of an event eventMessage3 notifying the update of another object in the same category as the object notifying the update, the filtering processing device 42 stops its operation (for example, enters a so-called sleep state). ). Then, at 15:27, the filtering processing device 42 enters the operating state again.

Also, for example, the filtering processing device 4
In 2, if the event eventMessage2 whose transmission has been started at 13:42 shown in FIG. 18 is selected first, then s in the avairableTime of the event link eventLinks arranged in the event eventMessage2 is selected.
Until 16:42 set in tartTime, that is, an event in which event eventMessage2 reports an update of another object in the same category as the object reporting the update
Until 16:42 when transmission of eventMessage4 starts,
The filtering processing device 42 stops operating. Then, at 16:42, the filtering processing device 4
2 is again in the operating state.

Therefore, the filtering processing device 42 does not need to constantly monitor the event, and as a result, the processing load can be reduced.

Next, in the receiving terminal 5 of FIG. 19, when the event is stored in the database 44, the processing according to the flowchart of FIG. 21 is performed as necessary.

That is, in step S101, the update information acquisition device 47 reads an event stored in the database 44 and acquires a subject for updating an object whose update has been notified by the event. That is, the update information acquisition device 47 uses the database 44
The broadcast receiving device 41 selects a subject corresponding to the event read from the subject from among the subjects received. Alternatively, the update information acquisition device 47
The bidirectional communication type data acquisition device 48 is controlled, and the subject corresponding to the event read from the database 44 is acquired by requesting and receiving the subject. Then, in step S102, the update information acquisition device 47 updates the object in the reception-side local database 49 based on the acquired subject, and ends the processing. The processing according to the flowchart of FIG. 21 is performed again with an event that has not been processed yet stored in the database 44, with the event as a new processing target.

[0320] Here, encoding of the event eventMessage in which the event link eventLinks is introduced is described in ASN. 1-compliant commercial / public domain software tool Sn
When using acc, the following file may be given as the input, for example. In addition,
In the following, a portion that is newly added to the above-described event eventMessage before the event link eventLinks is introduced is marked with * at the end of the line.

EventMessage DEFINITIONS :: = BEGIN EventMessage :: = SEQUENCE {formatVersion FormatVersion, filteringMasks FilteringMasks OPTIONAL, timeToLive UTCTime, objectIdentifier ObjectIdentifier, objectVersion INTEGER OPTIONAL, subjectLinks SubjectLinks OPTIONAL, eventLinks EventLinks OPTIONAL *} FormatVersion :: = EEQUGER {major minorVersion INTEGER} FilteringMasks :: = SEQUENCE OF {filteringMaskIdentifier INTEGER, filteringMaskField ANY DEFINED BY filteringMaskIdentifiler} ObjectIdentifier :: = SEQUENCE {avairableTime AvairableTime OPTIONAL, locator Locator} AvairableTime :: = SEQUENCE {startTime UTCTime: endTime CHOTC {netLocator NETLocator dvbSpecificLocator DVBSpecificLocator} NETLocator :: = SEQUENCE {nsapSpecificLocator NSAPSpecificLocator OPTIONAL, universalResourceIdentifier EXTERNAL} NSAPSpecificLocator :: = SEQUENCE {nsapAddress EXTERNAL, additionalInfo ANY OPTIONAL} DVBSpecificLocator: BP = CHOB ator, dvbDataCarouselLocator DVBDataCarouselLocator, dvbObjectCarouselLocator DVBObjectCarouselLocator} DVBPrimitiveLocator :: = SEQUENCE {networkID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, transportStreamID [1] INTEGER OPTIONAL, packetID [2] INTEGER OPTIONAL, serviceID [3] INTEGER INTEGER [5] INTEGER OPTIONAL, sectionNumber [6] INTEGER OPTIONAL, eventID [7] INTEGER OPTIONAL, componentTag [8] INTEGER OPTIONAL} DVBDataCarouselLocator :: = SEQUENCE {dvbPrimitiveLocator DVBPrimitiveLocator, groupID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, moduleID [1] INTEGER DVBObjectCarouselLocator :: = SEQUENCE {dvbPrimitiveLocator DVBPrimitiveLocator, carouselID [0] INTEGER OPTIONAL, moduleID [1] INTEGER OPTIONAL, objectKey [2] INTEGER OPTIONAL} SubjectLinks :: = SEQUENCE OF {subjectIdentifier ObjectIdentifier, subjectVersion INTEGER OPTIONALIdentifier, Identifier Identifier, QosSpecifier OPTIONAL} QOSSpecification :: = SEQUENCE OF {qosSpecType INTEGER, qosSp ecValue INTEGER} ClientIdentifier :: = CHOICE {clientGroupIdentifier INTEGER, clientIdentifiers SET OF INTEGER} EventLinks :: = SET OF EventLink; * EventLink :: = SEQUENCE {* filteringMasks FilteringMasks, * eventIdentifier ObjectIdentifier *} * END

In this embodiment, the transmission time of only the same category event transmitted next to the event is arranged in the event link eventLinks of the event. It is also possible to arrange the transmission time of the same category event transmitted next, that is, arrange the transmission times of a plurality of the same category events.

[0323]

As described above, according to the transmission apparatus and the transmission method of the present invention, the notification data is for notifying the update of the content, and can be used as a reference for selecting the notification data. At least one of the selection criterion information and the recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged is configured and transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing load on the receiving side for selecting the broadcast data.

Further, according to the receiving apparatus and the receiving method of the present invention, selection criterion information that can be used as a criterion for discriminating the notification data for notifying the update of the content, And at least recognition information for recognizing notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged as the selection criterion information is received, and a selection process for selecting the notification data is performed based on the selection criterion information. Along with the recognition information,
The selection process is controlled. Therefore, the processing load of the selection processing can be reduced.

Further, according to the transmission / reception apparatus and transmission / reception method of the present invention, selection criterion information which is used as a criterion for notifying the update of the content, And at least recognition information for recognizing notification data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged as the selection criterion information, is configured and transmitted. On the other hand, the notification data is received, a selection process for selecting the notification data is performed based on the selection criterion information, and the selection process is controlled based on the recognition information. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the selection process on the receiving side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an embodiment of a data distribution system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a server 2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a mirror server 7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a registration process performed by a server 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a format of data supplied from databases 1a to 1c in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission process performed by a server 2.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a format of a subject and an event.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a request data transmission process performed by a server 2.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a receiving terminal 5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a reception process performed by a reception terminal.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a data request process performed by a receiving terminal 5;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a data output process performed by a receiving terminal 5;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a load distribution process performed by a server 2.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining an access server determination process performed by the receiving terminal 5;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing bit assignment to a directory.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a broadcasting station in FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the broadcasting station in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an event transmission schedule.

19 is a block diagram illustrating another configuration example of the receiving terminal 5 in FIG.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving terminal 5 in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the receiving terminal 5 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a to 1c databases, 2 servers, 3 databases, 4 broadcast networks, 5 receiving terminals, 6 communication networks, 7 mirror servers,
8 database, 11 communication control unit, 12 resource allocation unit, 13 data search unit, 14 replication management unit,
15 registration unit, 17 data configuration unit, 18 transmission unit,
Reference Signs List 21 receiving unit, 22 selecting unit, 23 database, 24 communication control unit, 25 requesting unit, 26 reading unit, 27 output unit, 28 operation unit, 31 transmitting master database, 32 update detecting device, 33
Event message / filtering mask generation device (configuration means), 34 event message database, 35 event message scheduling device, 36 event link setting device (configuration means),
37 event message broadcasting device (transmission means), 4
1 broadcast receiving device (receiving means), 42
Filtering processing device (selection means), 43 filtering mask setting device, 44 event message database, 45 timer setting device, 46 timer device, 47 update information acquisition device (processing means), 4
8 two-way communication type data acquisition device, 49 receiving local database

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) // H04L 29/08 H04L 13/00 307Z (72) Inventor Yoshihisa Gono 6-chome Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 7-35 Inside Sony Corporation (72) Kazuo Haraoka 6-73 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 7-35 Inside Sony Corporation (72) Ikuhiko Nishio 6-7 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo No. 35 Sony Corporation F-term (reference)

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A transmitting apparatus for transmitting data for providing content, wherein the notification data is for notifying an update of the content, and can be used as a reference for selecting the notification data. Structural means for arranging at least recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the selection criterion information and the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information are arranged, and transmitting means for transmitting the notification data A transmission device comprising: 2. In the recognition information arranged in the notification data, transmission of the notification data in which the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information arranged therein is started next to the notification data. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission start time. 3. A transmission method for transmitting data for providing content, wherein the notification data is for notifying the update of the content, and can be used as a reference for selecting the notification data. It is characterized in that at least recognition information for recognizing the notification data in which the selection criterion information and the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information are disposed is arranged, and the notification data is transmitted. Transmission method. 4. A receiving device for receiving data for receiving provision of content, wherein the notification data is for notifying the update of the content, and is used as a reference for selecting the notification data. Possible selection reference information, and recognition information for recognizing the broadcast data in which the same selection reference information as the selection reference information is disposed, receiving means for receiving at least the arrangement information, based on the selection reference information, A selection unit that controls the selection process based on the recognition information while performing a selection process of selecting the notification data, and a process of updating a content based on the notification data selected by the selection process. And a processing unit for performing the processing. 5. In the recognition information arranged in the notification data, transmission of the notification data in which the same selection criterion information as the selection criterion information arranged therein is started next to the notification data. After selecting predetermined notification data, the selection unit suspends the selection process until the transmission start time included in the recognition information arranged in the notification data. The receiving device according to claim 4, wherein 6. A receiving method for receiving data for receiving provision of content, wherein the notification data is for notifying update of the content, and is used as a reference for selecting the notification data. Receiving at least one of the arrangement information and the recognition information for recognizing the broadcast data in which the same selection criterion information is arranged, based on the selection criterion information, And performing a process for updating the content based on the notification data selected by the selection process, while performing a selection process for selecting Receiving method. 7. A transmission / reception device comprising: a transmission device that transmits data for providing content; and a reception device that receives data from the transmission device, wherein the transmission device updates the content. Recognition of notification data for notification, which can be used as a reference for selecting the notification data, and the notification data in which the same selection reference information as the selection reference information is arranged. And a transmitting unit for transmitting the notification data, wherein the receiving device receives the notification data, and the selection criterion information includes: Selecting means for performing the selection processing for selecting the notification data based on the recognition information, and controlling the selection processing based on the recognition information; Based on the notification data selected by the transmission and reception apparatus; and a processing means for performing processing to update the content. 8. A transmission / reception method for a transmission / reception device, comprising: a transmission device for transmitting data for providing content; and a reception device for receiving data from the transmission device, wherein the transmission device includes: Notification data for notifying the update of the notification data, the selection reference information that can be used as a reference for selecting the notification data, and the notification data in which the same selection reference information as the selection reference information is arranged. A configuration in which at least recognition information for recognizing is arranged, transmitting the broadcast data, the receiving device, receiving the broadcast data, and selecting the broadcast data based on the selection criterion information Performing the processing, controlling the selection processing based on the recognition information, and selecting the notification data selected by the selection processing. Based on the data transmission and reception method characterized by performing the process for updating the content.