JP2000331465A - Information processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] When producing content for data broadcasting,
Improve operability by reflecting the creator's intentions. SOLUTION: A menu 33 is displayed on a display screen 331 for creating data broadcasting contents of digital broadcasting.
2. A scene selection screen 333, a scene editing screen 334, a media selection screen 335, an object attribute / operation setting screen 336, and a message display area 337 relating to the amount of information are presented. In the display area 337, a message indicating the total information amount of the created data is displayed. When the total information amount exceeds the maximum information amount of the data receiving unit in the receiver, a message notifying the editor to that effect is displayed. As a result, content can be created efficiently,
It is possible to prevent the risk of causing an on-air accident by accidentally violating the information volume constraint.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called authoring tool and the like, and relates to an information processing apparatus and method for creating broadcast contents to be broadcast together with video information such as MHEG contents.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital satellite broadcasting has been widely used. Digital satellite broadcasting is more resistant to noise and fading than, for example, existing analog broadcasting, and can transmit high-quality signals. Further, the frequency use efficiency is improved, and it is possible to increase the number of channels. Specifically, in the case of digital satellite broadcasting, one satellite can secure several hundred channels. In such digital satellite broadcasting, a large number of specialized channels such as sports, movies, music, and news are prepared, and programs corresponding to the respective specialized contents are broadcasted on these specialized channels.

[0003] By using such a digital satellite broadcasting system, a user can download audio data such as music and the like, or as a so-called TV shopping, for example, the user can make a purchase contract for a certain product while watching a broadcast screen. It has been proposed to do so. That is, a digital satellite broadcasting system performs data service broadcasting in parallel with ordinary broadcasting contents.

[0004] As an example, in the case of downloading music data, the broadcasting side multiplexes and broadcasts the music data in synchronization with a broadcast program (video information). When downloading the music data, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen (that is, an operation screen for downloading) is displayed to allow the user to perform an interactive operation. The data for outputting the GUI screen is also multiplexed and broadcast.

[0005] The user who owns the receiving apparatus displays a GUI screen for downloading music data by a predetermined operation on the receiving apparatus while a desired channel is selected. And
When the user performs an operation on the displayed operation screen, data is supplied to, for example, a digital audio device connected to the receiving device, and the data is recorded.

GU for downloading music data
As the I screen, for example, in addition to information such as part-like image data and text data forming a GUI screen, unit data (file) such as voice data for voice output in accordance with a predetermined operation are each set as an object. By handling and controlling the output mode of this object by the description of a script according to a predetermined method, it is conceivable to realize a configuration in which a required display mode and an output mode such as sound on the operation screen are realized. In other words, the above-described GUI screen is realized by broadcasting so-called multimedia contents.

[0007] Here, a display screen (including a sound output or the like) that realizes a function according to a certain purpose, such as a GUI screen, which is defined by descriptive information is called a "scene". Shall be. The term “object” refers to unit information such as an image, a sound, and a text whose output mode is defined based on the description information. At the time of transmission, the data file of the description information itself is also treated as one of the “objects”.

[0008] For example, as a standard for describing such a GUI screen broadcast content, MHEG (Mull
timedia Hypermedia Information Coding Experts Grou
It is possible to adopt the p) method. In the MHEG standard, for example, one MHEG content (MHEG content)
An application file) is formed of one or more scenes, and a script is described so that a synchronous output with the broadcast video and a transition between the scenes are defined. The script is controlled so that one or more objects are displayed in a predetermined display form as one scene. That is,
The MHEG content can be regarded as having a hierarchical structure composed of scenes and objects.

On the broadcast side, MHEG contents are created according to the broadcast contents. Such MH
The creation of the EG content is performed, for example, by activating application software (hereinafter collectively referred to as an MHEG authoring tool) as a so-called script creation tool or authoring tool on a personal computer device.

In the MHEG authoring tool described above, for example, when editing in scene units, objects to be displayed for a scene are selected, and these objects are displayed as a scene in a desired display form. In this way, the scenario (script) is described by the editor. Alternatively, as a result of creating a scene by performing an operation on a GUI screen as an authoring tool, the edited result is finally described as a script.

[0011]

It is preferable that the function of the MHEG authoring tool be as convenient as possible for the editor in correspondence with the work that is assumed to be performed by the editor. Conventionally, MHEG
Most authoring tools are used for storage media such as CD-ROMs and communication media such as the Internet, and there is no tool corresponding to the above-mentioned characteristics of digital broadcasting media.

If all the data of the MHEG content is stored in a large-capacity storage medium, it can be immediately read and displayed. However, in a receiver that sequentially receives MHEG content multiplexed on a broadcast signal, a large-capacity memory capable of storing all data of the received MHEG content cannot be provided in terms of cost. In addition, in order to allow a viewer to comfortably receive an interactive service, an editing operation must be performed while constantly checking the information amount of a receiving unit of a receiver, and a method of transmitting MHEG content must be considered.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide, for example, MHE
An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and a method for automatically monitoring the total information amount of the created content and enabling the editor to easily recognize the information amount of the content when creating the G content.

[0014]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for creating digital broadcast data broadcasting contents.
Means for displaying the total information amount of the created data on the data creation screen of the data processing unit in the digital broadcast receiver, and notifying on the screen when the maximum information amount of the data reception unit in the receiver is exceeded Means.

According to the above configuration, the total information amount of the created contents is monitored, and when the maximum information amount of the data reception unit of the receiver is exceeded, the fact is notified to the editor on the editing screen. Notified.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. This embodiment can cope with a system that broadcasts a program using digital satellite broadcasting and allows the receiving device to download information such as music data (audio data) related to the program. . In other words, the system broadcasts (interactive broadcast) GUI data for a download operation screen or the like to be attached in a form that can be synchronized with a program (video information) using a broadcast medium such as digital satellite broadcasting.
In this broadcasting system, the GUI used by the broadcasting side
An authoring system for creating content as data corresponds to the information processing apparatus of the present invention. Also, it is assumed that the authoring system is a system for creating MHEG content (MHEG application). Hereinafter, description will be made in the following order.

1. Digital satellite broadcasting system 1-1. Overall configuration 1-2. Operation on GUI screen 1-3. Ground station 1-4. Transmission format 1-5. IRD 2. Authoring system 2-1. Structure of MHEG content 2-2. Configuration of MHEG authoring system 2-3. Monitoring function of information amount of MHEG authoring system Configuration of Digital Satellite Broadcasting System 1-1. Overall Configuration First, prior to describing the MHEG authoring system according to an embodiment, a digital satellite broadcast system using MHEG contents created by the MHEG authoring system will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a digital satellite broadcasting system according to one embodiment. As shown in this figure, the ground station 1 for digital satellite broadcasting includes a material for television program broadcasting from a television program material server 6, a material for music data from a music material server 7, and an additional audio information server 8 , And the GUI data from the GUI data server. The TV program material server 6 is a server that provides a material of a normal broadcast program. The music broadcast material sent from the TV program material server is a moving image and a sound. For example, in the case of a music broadcasting program, for example, a moving image and a sound for promotion of a new song are broadcast using the moving image and sound material of the television program material server 6.

The music material server 7 is a server that provides an audio program using an audio channel. The material of this audio program is only audio. The music material server 7 transmits materials of audio programs of a plurality of audio channels to the ground station 1. In the program broadcast of each audio channel, the same music is repeatedly broadcast for a predetermined unit time. Each audio channel is independent, and various usages can be considered. For example, one audio channel repeatedly broadcasts some of the latest Japanese pops for a certain period of time, and another audio channel repeatedly broadcasts some of the latest foreign pops for a certain period of time. .

The audio additional information server 8 is a server that provides time information of the music output from the music material server 7 and the like. The GUI data server 9 provides “GUI data (broadcast content data)” for forming a GUI screen used by the user for operation. For example, in the case of a GUI screen related to downloading music as described below, image data, text data, and data for forming a still image of an album jacket for forming a list page of distributed music and an information page of each music. And so on. Further, a so-called EPG (Electri
EPG data used to display a program guide called “cal Program Guide” is also provided here.

As the “GUI data”, for example, MHE
G (Multimedia Hypermedia Information Coding Expert
s Group) method. MHEG is an international standard for scenario description for creating multimedia information, procedures, operations, etc. and their combinations as objects, encoding these objects, and producing them as titles (eg, GUI screens). Is done. In one embodiment, MHEG-5 is adopted.

The ground station 1 includes a television program material server 6, a music material server 7, an additional audio information server 8, and a GUI.
The information transmitted from the data server 9 is multiplexed and transmitted. Video data transmitted from the television program material server 6 is compression-encoded by the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 2 system, and audio data is compression-encoded by the MPEG 2 audio system. The audio data transmitted from the music material server 7 corresponds to, for example, an MPEG2 audio system and an ATRAC (Adoptive Tranform Acoustic) for each audio channel.
Coding) compression encoding is performed by one of the two methods. These data are encrypted using key information from the key information server 10 at the time of multiplexing. An example of the internal configuration of the ground station 1 will be described later.

The signal from the ground station 1 is received by the receiving equipment 3 of each home via the satellite 2. The satellite 2 has a plurality of transponders mounted thereon. One transponder has a transmission capacity of, for example, 30 Mbps. As the receiving equipment 3 of each home, a parabolic antenna 11 and an IRD (Int
egrated Receiver Decorder) 12, a storage device 13, and a monitor device 14 are prepared. Also, IR
A remote controller 64 for performing an operation on D12 is shown.

A signal broadcasted via the satellite 2 by the parabolic antenna 11 is received. This received signal is transmitted to the LNB (Low Noize Blo
ck Down Converter) 15
It is supplied to RD12.

As a general operation of the IRD 12, a signal of a predetermined channel is selected from a received signal, and video data and audio data as a program are demodulated from the selected signal to obtain a video signal and an audio signal. Output as In the IRD 12, the GU transmitted and multiplexed with data as a program is transmitted.
It also outputs a GUI screen based on the I data. The output of the IRD 12 is supplied to, for example, the monitor device 14. Thereby, in the monitor device 14,
The IRD 12 performs image display and audio output of the program selected and received, and also allows a GUI screen to be displayed according to a user operation as described later.

The storage device 13 is for storing audio data (song data) downloaded by the IRD 12. The type of the storage device 13 is not particularly limited.
An MD (Mini Disc) recorder / player, a DAT recorder / player, a DVD recorder / player, or the like can be used. In addition, a personal computer device is used as the storage device 13, and in addition to a hard disk,
It is also possible to store audio data in a recordable medium such as a CD-R, a flash memory (memory card), or the like.

As the receiving equipment 3, as shown in FIG. 2, an MD recorder / player 13A having a data interface compatible with IEEE 1394 as a data transmission standard may be used as the storage device 13 shown in FIG. Have been able to. An IEEE 1394 compatible MD recorder / player 13 shown in FIG.
A is connected to the IRD 12 via the IEEE 1394 bus 16. This allows, in one embodiment, the IRD 12
, Audio data (download data) as music can be directly captured and recorded in a state where it has been subjected to compression processing by the ATRAC method. In addition, MD recorder / player 13A and IRD1
2 is connected by the IEEE 1394 bus 16, it is possible to record not only audio data but also jacket data (still image data) of the album and text data such as lyrics.

The IRD 12 can communicate with the accounting server 5 via the telephone line 4, for example. An IC card in which various information is stored is inserted into the IRD 12 as described later. For example, if audio data of a music piece is downloaded, history information relating to the download is stored in the IC card. The information of the IC card is sent to the charging server 5 via the telephone line 4 at a predetermined opportunity and timing. The accounting server 5 sets an amount according to the sent history information, performs accounting, and charges the user.

As described above, the ground station 1 includes the video data and audio data as the material of the music program broadcast from the television program material server 6, the audio data as the material of the audio channel from the music material server 7, Voice data from the voice additional information server 8 and a GUI
The GUI data from the data server 9 is multiplexed and transmitted.

When the broadcast is received by the receiving equipment 3 of each home, the program of the selected channel can be viewed by the monitor device 14, for example. A GUI using GUI data transmitted together with program data.
First, EPG (Electrical Program Gui)
de; electronic program guide) screen can be displayed to search for programs and the like. Second, by performing a required operation using, for example, a GUI screen for a specific service other than the normal program broadcast, in one embodiment, other than viewing and listening to the normal program provided in the broadcast system, Service can be enjoyed. For example, audio (music)
If a GUI screen for a data download service is displayed and an operation is performed using this GUI screen, the user can download audio data of a desired music, record the audio data in the storage device 13, and save the audio data. Become.

In one embodiment, G as described above is used.
A data service broadcast that provides a specific service other than a normal program broadcast that involves an operation on the UI screen may have interactivity and may be referred to as an “interactive broadcast”.

1-2. Operation on GUI screen The above-mentioned use example of interactive broadcasting, that is,
An operation example on the GUI screen will be schematically described with reference to FIGS. Here, a case in which music data (audio data) is downloaded will be described.

First, main operation keys of the remote controller 64 for the user to operate the IRD 12 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
5 shows an operation panel surface on which various keys are arranged in the remote controller 64. Among these various keys, power key 101, numeric key 102, screen display switching key 103, interactive switching key 104, EP
The G key panel unit 105 and the channel key 106 will be described.

The power key 101 is a key for turning on / off the power of the IRD 12. Numeric keys 102
The key is operated when a channel is switched by designating a numeral or when a numerical input operation is required on a GUI screen, for example. The screen display switching key 103 is a key for switching between a normal broadcast screen and an EPG screen, for example. For example, if a key arranged on the EPG key panel unit 105 is operated while the EPG screen is called by the screen display switching key 103, a program search using the display screen of the electronic program guide can be performed. Also, EP
The arrow keys 105a in the G key panel unit 105 can be used for moving a cursor on a GUI screen for a service to be described later. Interactive switching key 1
Reference numeral 04 is provided for switching between a normal broadcast screen and a GUI screen for a service attached to the broadcast program. The channel key 106 is a key provided for sequentially switching the selected channel in the IRD 12 in ascending order and descending order of the channel number.

The remote controller 64 is capable of performing various operations on the monitor device 14, for example.
Various keys corresponding to this are also provided, but the description of the keys and the like corresponding to the monitor device 14 is omitted here.

Next, a specific example of an operation on the GUI screen will be described with reference to FIG. When a desired channel is selected by receiving a broadcast by the receiving equipment 3, a moving image based on the program material provided from the television program material server 6 is displayed on the display screen of the monitor device 14 as shown in FIG. 4A. Is done. That is, normal program contents such as music programs are displayed. This music program is accompanied by a download service (interactive broadcast) for audio data of the music. If, for example, the user operates the interactive switching key 104 of the remote controller 64 while the music program is being displayed, the display screen is displayed on a GUI screen for downloading audio data as shown in FIG. 4B. Switch.

In this GUI screen, first, the TV program display area 21A at the upper left of the screen is displayed on the screen shown in FIG.
The image based on the video data from the television program material server 6 displayed in the above is reduced and displayed. Also,
In the upper right part of the screen, a list 21B of songs of each channel being broadcast on the audio channel is displayed.
A text display area 21C and a jacket display area 21D are displayed at the lower left of the screen. Further, a lyrics display button 22, a profile display button 23, an information display button 24, a reservation recording button 25, a reservation list display button 26, a recording history display button 27, and a download button 28 are displayed on the right side of the screen.

The user searches for a song of interest while looking at the song name displayed in the list 21B.
Then, when a musical piece of interest is found, the arrow keys 105a of the remote controller 64 (EPG key panel unit 10)
5) to move the cursor to the position where the music is displayed, and then perform an enter operation (for example, press the center position of the arrow key 105a). As a result, it is possible to listen to the music piece with the cursor. That is, in each audio channel, the same music is repeatedly broadcast during a predetermined unit time.
The screen of the TV program display area 21A remains unchanged, and the IR
By switching to the audio channel of the music selected by the above-described operation by D12 and outputting the sound, the music can be heard. At this time, a still image of the MD jacket of the music is displayed in the jacket display area 21D.

For example, when the cursor is moved to the lyrics display button 22 and the enter operation is performed (hereinafter, the operation of moving the cursor to the button display and performing the enter operation is referred to as "pressing a button"), the music is displayed in the text display area 21C. Is displayed at the timing synchronized with the audio data. Similarly, when the profile display button 23 or the information display button 24 is pressed, an artist profile or concert information corresponding to the music is displayed in the text display area 21C. In this way, the user can know what kind of music is currently being distributed, and can also know detailed information about each music.

The user presses the download button 28 when he wants to purchase the auditioned music. When the download button 28 is pressed, the audio data of the selected music is downloaded and stored in the storage device 13. Along with the audio data of the music, lyrics data, artist profile information, jacket still image data, and the like can also be downloaded. Then, every time the audio data of the music is downloaded in this manner, the history information is stored in the IC card in the IRD 12. The information stored in the IC card is taken in by the accounting server 5 once a month, for example, and the user is charged according to the usage history of the data service. Thereby, the copyright of the downloaded music can be protected.

When the user wants to make a reservation for download in advance, he presses a reservation recording button 25. When this button is pressed, the display of the GUI screen is switched, and a list of music that can be reserved is displayed on the entire screen. For example, this list can display music searched for in units of one hour, one week, or channel. When the user selects a song to be reserved for download from this list, the information is registered in the IRD 12. And
If you want to check the music that has already been reserved for download, press the reserved list display button 26,
It can be displayed on the entire screen. The music piece reserved in this way is downloaded by the IRD 12 at the reserved time and stored in the storage device 13. When the user wants to check the downloaded music, the recording history button 27 is pressed,
A list of songs that have already been downloaded can be displayed on the entire screen.

In the receiving facility 3 of the system to which the present invention is applied, a music list is displayed on the GUI screen of the monitor device 14. When a tune is selected according to the display on the GUI screen, the tune can be previewed, and the lyrics of the tune and the profile of the artist can be known. Further, it is possible to perform downloading of music and reservation thereof, display of a download history and a list of reserved music, and the like.

Although the details will be described later, the display of the GUI screen as shown in FIG. 4B, the change of the display on the GUI screen in response to the user's operation on the GUI screen, and the voice output are based on the MHEG method described above. This is realized by defining the relationship between objects by the described scenario description. The object is image data as a part corresponding to each button shown in FIG. 4B and material data displayed in each display area. In this specification, the relationship between objects is defined by a scenario (script) description, such as the GUI screen, so that information is output according to a certain purpose (image display, audio output, etc.). An environment in which is realized is referred to as a “scene”. It is also assumed that the objects forming one scene include the scenario description file itself.

As described above, in the digital satellite broadcasting system to which the present invention is applied, a broadcast program is distributed, and audio data of music is distributed using a plurality of audio channels. Then, the user can search for a desired music by using a list of the distributed music and the like, and can easily store the audio data in the storage device 13.

As services other than the program provision in the digital satellite broadcasting system, various other than the downloading of the music data can be considered. For example, it is conceivable that after broadcasting a product introduction program called so-called television shopping, a GUI screen that allows a purchase contract to be concluded is prepared.

1-3. Ground Station The outline of the digital satellite broadcasting system has been described above, and the system will be described in more detail below. Therefore, first, the configuration of the ground station 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the following description, the following is assumed. That is, when transmitting from the ground station 1 to the receiving equipment 3 via the satellite 2, the DSM-CC (Digital Storage Media-Command and Control) protocol is adopted. DSM-CC (MPEG-part
6) As is known, for example, a digital storage medium (D
A command and control method for retrieving (Retrieve) an MPEG encoded bit stream stored in the SM) or storing the stream in the DSM (Store). In one embodiment, this DSM
-The CC system has been adopted as a transmission standard in digital satellite broadcasting systems. In order to transmit a content (a set of objects) of a data broadcasting service (for example, a GUI screen) by the DSM-CC scheme, it is necessary to define a description format of the content. The above-mentioned MHEG is adopted as the definition of the description format.

In the configuration of the ground station 1 shown in FIG. 5, the TV program material registration system 31 registers the material data obtained from the TV program material server 6 in the AV server 35. The material data is sent to the television program transmission system 39, where the video data is compressed by, for example, the MPEG2 system, and the audio data is packetized by, for example, the MPEG2 audio system. The output of the television program transmission system 39 is sent to the multiplexer 45.

The music material registration system 32 supplies material data from the music material server 7, that is, audio data, to the MPEG2 audio encoder 36A and the ATRAC encoder 36B. MPEG2
Audio encoder 36A, ATRAC encoder 3
In 6B, after encoding processing (compression encoding) is performed on the supplied audio data,
Register with the audio server 40A and ATRAC audio server 40B.

The MPEG audio data registered in the MPEG audio server 40A is transmitted to the MPEG audio transmission system 43A, packetized here, and then transmitted to the multiplexer 45. ATRAC data registered in the ATRAC audio server 40B is sent to the ATRAC audio transmission system 43B as quadruple-speed ATRAC data, where it is packetized and transmitted to the multiplexer 45.

In the additional audio information registration system 33, additional audio information, which is material data from the additional audio information server 8, is registered in the additional audio information database 37.
The additional audio information registered in the additional audio information database 37 is transmitted to the additional audio information transmission system 41,
Similarly, the packetized data from the multiplexer 4
5 is transmitted.

Further, in the GUI material registration system 34, the GUI data
The I data is registered in the GUI material database 38.
The GUI material data registered in the GUI material database 38 is transmitted to the GUI authoring system 42,
Here, the processing is performed such that the data is in a data format that can be output as a GUI screen, that is, the “scene” described in FIG. As the data transmitted to the GUI authoring system 42, for example, in the case of a GUI screen for downloading music, still image data of an album jacket, text data such as lyrics, and further, are output according to an operation. And audio data.

These data are called so-called mono-media, but in the GUI authoring system 42, M
Using the HEG authoring tool, these mono-media data are encoded and handled as objects. For example, a MHEG together with a scenario description file (script) defining the relationship between objects is provided so that the display mode of the scene (GUI screen) and the output mode of image and sound according to the operation as described with reference to FIG. 4B can be obtained.
Create content of -5.

On the GUI screen as shown in FIG. 4B, image / audio data (MPEG video data, MPEG audio data) based on material data of the TV program material server 6 and music material of the music material server 7 are displayed. MPEG audio data and the like based on the data are also displayed on the GUI screen, and an output mode according to the operation is given. Therefore, as the scenario description file, in the GUI authoring system 42, image / audio data based on the material data of the TV program material server 6, MPEG audio data based on the music material data of the music material server 7,
Further, the audio additional information based on the audio additional information server 8 is also treated as an object if necessary, and the MHEG
Is defined by the script.

The data of the MHEG content transmitted from the GUI authoring system 42 includes a script file, various still image data files as objects, text data files (and audio data files), and the like. Still image data is, for example, J
The data is 640 × 480 pixel data compressed by the PEG (Joint Photograph Experts Group) method, and the text data is a file of, for example, 800 characters or less.

The data of the MHEG content obtained by the GUI authoring system 42 is transmitted to the DSM-CC encoder 44. The DSM-CC encoder 44 converts the data into a transport stream (hereinafter abbreviated as TS (Transport Stream)) in a format that can be multiplexed with a data stream of video and audio data in accordance with the MPEG2 format.
5 is output.

In the multiplexer 45, the video and audio packets from the television program transmission system 39 and the MPEG audio transmission system 43
A, a 4 × speed audio packet from the ATRAC audio transmission system 43B, an audio additional information packet from the audio additional information transmission system 41, and a G from the GUI authoring system 42.
The UI data packet and the UI data packet are time-division multiplexed and encrypted based on the key information output from the key information server 10 (FIG. 1). The output of the multiplexer 45 is transmitted to the radio wave transmission system 46, where the output is subjected to processing such as addition of an error correction code, modulation, and frequency conversion, and then transmitted from the antenna to the satellite 2.

1-4. Transmission Format Next, a transmission format according to an embodiment defined based on the DSM-CC scheme will be described. FIG. 6 shows an example of data transmitted and output from the ground station 1 to the satellite 2. As described above, each data shown in this figure is actually time axis multiplexed. Also, in this figure, as shown in FIG. 6, one event is from time t1 to time t2, and the next event is from time t2. An event is, for example, a unit for changing a set of a lineup of a plurality of music pieces in the case of a channel of a music program, and is temporally about 30 minutes or 1 hour. FIG.
As shown in the above, in the event from time t1 to time t2,
A program having a predetermined content A1 is broadcast in a normal moving image program broadcast. In the event starting from time t2, a program as content A2 is being broadcast. What is broadcast in this ordinary program is moving images and audio.

MPEG audio channels (1) to
(10) is prepared, for example, for ten channels CH1 to CH10. At this time, the same music is repeatedly transmitted on each of the audio channels CH1, CH2, CH3,..., CH10 while one event is being broadcast. That is, during the event period from time t1 to time t2, the music B1 is repeatedly transmitted on the audio channel CH1, and the audio channel CH1 is transmitted.
2, the music C1 is repeatedly transmitted, and similarly, the music K1 is repeatedly transmitted on the audio channel CH10. This is common to the quadruple-speed ATRAC audio channels (1) to (10) shown below.

That is, in FIG. 6, those having the same number in parentheses which are the channel numbers of the MPEG audio channel and the 4 × ATRAC audio channel are the same music. The number in parentheses, which is the channel number of the additional audio information, is the additional audio information added to the audio data having the same channel number.
Still image data and text data transmitted as GUI data are also formed for each channel. These data are represented by M as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D.
It is time-division multiplexed and transmitted in the transport packet of PEG2, and IRD1 is transmitted as shown in FIGS.
In 2, data is reconstructed using the header information of each data packet.

Further, of the transmission data shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, at least a GUI used for a data service (broadcast of MHEG content synchronized with TV broadcast (or audio broadcast) or interactive broadcast).
The data is logically formed as follows according to the DSM-CC system. Here, DSM-C
The description is limited to the data of the transport stream output from the C encoder 44.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the data broadcasting service of one embodiment transmitted by the DSM-CC system is as follows.
It is all contained in the root directory named Service Gateway. ServiceGat
The objects included in the “eway” include a directory (Directory), a file (File), a stream (Stream), and a stream event (St).
There is a type such as “ream event”.

Of these, the files are individual data files such as still images, sounds, texts, and scripts described in MHEG. The stream is, for example, another data service or an AV stream (TV
MPEG video data and audio data as program material, MPEG audio data as music material, A
TRAC audio data). The stream event also includes link information and time information. A directory is a folder that stores related data. And DSM-
In the CC system, as shown in FIG. 8B, the unit information and the Service Gateway are each regarded as a unit called an object, and each is converted into a format of a BIOP message.

In the description relating to the present invention, the distinction between the three objects of file, stream, and stream event is not essential. Therefore, in the following description, these objects will be described by representing the object as a file.

In the DSM-CC system, a data unit called a module shown in FIG. 8C is generated. This module includes one or more objects converted into BIOP messages shown in FIG.
This is a variable-length data unit formed by adding a BIOP header, and serves as a buffering unit for received data on the receiving side described later. In the DSM-CC system,
When one module is formed by a plurality of objects, the relationship between the objects is not particularly defined or limited. At the extreme, even if one module is formed by two or more objects between completely unrelated scenes, it does not violate the rules under the DSM-CC system.

This module is divided into data units of a fixed length in principle called "blocks", as shown in FIG. 8D, for transmission in a format called a section defined by the MPEG2 format. However, the last block in the module does not need to have a prescribed fixed length. As described above, the block division is performed in the MPEG2 format by 1
This is due to the provision that the section must not exceed 4 KB. In this case, the data unit as a block and the section are synonymous. The block obtained by dividing the module in this way is shown in FIG.
The header is added as shown in
Data Block).

In parallel with the conversion to DDB, the DSI
(Download Server Initiate) and DII (Download In
dication Information) is generated. The DSI and DII are information required when the receiving side (IRD 12) acquires a module from received data. The DSI is mainly an identifier of a carousel (module) to be described below, and information related to the entire carousel ( The information includes information such as the time required for the carousel to make one rotation and a timeout value for the carousel rotation. In addition, the root directory of the data service (Service Gate)
(way) is also known (in the case of the object carousel method). DII is information corresponding to each module included in the carousel, and includes information such as the size and version of each module and a timeout value of the module.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8F, DDB, DDB
The three types of messages, SI and DII, are transmitted periodically and repeatedly according to the data unit of the section. As a result, on the receiver side, the target GU
A module including objects necessary for obtaining an I-screen (scene) can be received at any time. In the present specification, such a transmission system is referred to as a carousel system by comparing it to a carousel, and a data transmission form schematically represented as shown in FIG. 8F is referred to as a carousel.

A plurality of modules may be included in one carousel. For example, a plurality of modules required for one data service may be transmitted by one carousel. The “carousel method” is divided into a “data carousel method” level and an “object carousel method” level. In particular, the object carousel method is a method in which objects having attributes such as files, directories, streams, and service gateways are transferred as data using the carousel, and is largely different from the data carousel method in that the directory structure can be handled. In one embodiment, the object carousel method is adopted.

FIG. 9 shows a file (MHEGApplicatio) as a data service according to the MHEG method.
3 shows an example of a directory structure of “file”. As described above, the object carousel method is characterized in that it can handle this directory structure. Usually Service
Domain entrance (MHEGApplic
) is always Service Ga
This is a file called app0 / startup immediately below “tway”. Basically, Service D
application directory (app) under "main" (Service Gateway).
0, app1... AppN), under which
application file called rtup and a
dir of each scene that constitutes the application
ect. (scene0, scene1...). In addition, the scene director
Below y, MHEG scene file and sce
It is assumed that each content file constituting ne is placed.

As described above, the broadcast data including the GUI data transmitted by the carousel, that is, FIG.
The data output from the multiplexer 45 of
It is output in the form of a transport stream. This transport stream has, for example, the structure shown in FIG. FIG. 10A shows a transport stream. This transport stream is M
This is a bit string defined in the PEG system, and is formed by concatenation of fixed-length packets (transport packets) of 188 bytes as shown in the figure. As shown in FIG. 10B, each transport packet includes a header, an adaptation field for including additional information in a specific individual packet, and a payload (data area) indicating the content of the packet (eg, video / audio data).

The header is actually 4 bytes, for example. As shown in FIG. 10C, there is always a synchronization byte at the beginning, and a PID (PID) which is identification information of the packet is provided at a predetermined position after the synchronization byte. Packet_ID), scramble control information indicating the presence / absence of scramble, and adaptation field control information indicating the presence / absence of a subsequent adaptation field and payload are stored.

Based on these pieces of control information, the receiving apparatus can descramble packets in packet units, and can use a demultiplexer to separate and extract necessary packets such as video / audio / data. In addition, time information serving as a reference for synchronous reproduction of video / audio can be reproduced here.

As can be seen from the above description, a single transport stream has multiplexed video / audio / data packets for a plurality of channels, but other than that, a channel selection called PSI (Program Specific Information) Signal to control communication and limited reception (reception function that determines whether or not paid channels can be received depending on individual contract status)
(EMM / ECM) and SI (Service Information) for implementing services such as EPG are simultaneously multiplexed.

The PSI is composed of four tables as shown in FIG. Each table is
It is expressed in a section format, which is compliant with the MPEG System. FIG. 11A shows NIT (Network
Informataion Table) and CAT (Conditional Acces
s Table) is shown. In the NIT, the same content is multiplexed on all carriers. Transmission specifications for each carrier (polarization plane, carrier frequency, convolution rate, etc.)
And a list of channels multiplexed there. The PID of the NIT is PID = 0x0010. 0x is a notation for indicating a hexadecimal number.
The CAT also has the same content multiplexed on all carriers. EMM as individual information such as identification of conditional access system and contract information
(Entitlement Management Message) The PID of the packet is described. PID = 0x0001 is set.

FIG. 11B shows PAT as information having specific contents for each carrier. In PAT,
Channel information in the carrier and a PMT PID indicating the contents of each channel are described. PID = 0x
It is assumed to be 0000.

As information for each channel in the carrier, there is a PMT (Program Map Table) table shown in FIG. 11C. In the PMT, contents for each channel are multiplexed. For example, as shown in FIG. 11D, components (video / audio, etc.) configuring each channel and an ECM (Encryption Co.) required for descrambling.
ntrol Message) PM in which the PID of the packet is described
The PID of T is specified by PAT.

Although not shown, the SI is a table in the form of a section similar to the PSI, in which information relating to the EPG is described. On the IRD side, necessary information is extracted from this table and displayed on the screen. As a typical table of this SI, S
DT (Service Description Table) and EIT (Event Inf
ormation Table). The SDT represents channel information, and describes a channel number, a channel name, channel contents, and the like. PID = 0x0011 is set. The EIT indicates program information, and describes a program name, a program start time, a synopsis of a program, a genre, and the like. PID is set to 0x0012.

1-5. FIG. 1 shows an example of the IRD 12 provided in the IRD receiving facility 3.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In the IRD 12 shown in FIG. 12, the LNB of the parabolic antenna 11 is connected to the input terminal T1.
The received signal converted into a predetermined frequency by 15 is input and supplied to the tuner / front end unit 51. In the tuner / front end unit 51, a CPU (Central
ssing Unit) Based on a setting signal in which transmission specifications and the like are set from 80, a carrier (reception frequency) determined by the setting signal is received and subjected to, for example, Viterbi demodulation processing and error correction processing. Get the transport stream.

The transport stream obtained by the tuner / front end unit 51 is transmitted to a descrambler 52.
Supplied to Further, the tuner / front end unit 51 obtains a PSI packet from the transport stream, updates the channel selection information, obtains the component PID of each channel in the transport stream, and transmits it to, for example, the CPU 80. C
In the PU 80, the acquired PID is used for the reception signal processing. In the descrambler 52, the IC card 6
5 stores the descramble key data stored in the CPU 5
80, and the CPU 80
Is set. Then, a descrambling process is performed based on the descrambling key data and the PID, and transmitted to the transport unit 53.

The transport section 53 comprises a demultiplexer 70 and a queue 71 composed of, for example, a DRAM. The queue 71 is formed such that a plurality of memory areas corresponding to each module are arranged in a row, and includes, for example, 32 rows of memory areas. That is, information of up to 32 modules can be stored simultaneously.

The general operation of the demultiplexer 70 is as follows: the descrambler 52 according to the filter conditions set by the demultiplexer driver 82 of the CPU 80.
Necessary transport packets are separated from the transport stream supplied from the
1 is used as a work area, data in a format as shown in FIGS. 7E to 7H is obtained, and supplied to necessary functional circuit units.

The MP separated by the demultiplexer 70
The EG video data is input to the MPEG2 video decoder 55, and the MPEG audio data is
Input to the G audio decoder 54. The individual packets of the MPEG video / audio data separated by the demultiplexer 70 are PES (Packeti
zed Elementary Stream) is input to each decoder.

MHE in Transport Stream
For the data of the G content, the demultiplexer 7
0 is written in a required memory area of the queue 71 while being separated and extracted from the transport stream in units of transport packets, thereby being formed in units of modules. Then, the data of the MHEG content collected in the module unit is controlled via the data bus under the control of the CPU 80.
The data is written and held in the DSM-CC buffer 91 in the main memory 90.

[0086] The quadruple speed ATRAC data (compressed audio data) in the transport stream is also separated and extracted by the demultiplexer 70 in, for example, a transport packet unit and output to the IEEE 1394 interface 60. IEEE13
Through the 94 interface 60, video data and various command signals can be transmitted in addition to audio audio data.

In the MPEG2 video decoder 55 to which the MPEG video data in the PES format has been input, the MPEG5 video decoder 55
The decoding process is performed according to the G2 format. The decoded video data is supplied to the display processing unit 58.

The display processor 58 receives video data input from the MPEG2 video decoder 55 and video data such as a data service GUI screen obtained in the MHEG buffer 92 of the main memory 90 as described later. Is done. The display processing unit 58 performs necessary signal processing on the video data thus input, converts the video data into an analog audio signal according to a predetermined television system, and outputs the analog audio signal to the analog video output terminal T2. Thus, by connecting the analog video output terminal T2 and the video input terminal of the monitor device 14, for example, the display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

The MPEG2 audio decoder 54 to which the MPEG audio data by PES is input performs a decoding process according to the MPEG2 format while using the memory 54A as a work area. The decoded audio data is supplied to the D / A converter 56 and the optical digital output interface 59.

The D / A converter 56 converts the input audio data into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal to the switch circuit 57. The switch circuit 57 switches a signal path so as to output an analog audio signal to one of the analog audio output terminals T3 and T4. The analog audio output terminal T3 is provided to be connected to the audio input terminal of the monitor device 14. The analog audio output terminal T4 is a terminal for outputting the downloaded music by an analog signal. The optical digital output interface 59 converts the input digital audio data into an optical digital signal and outputs it. The optical digital output interface 59 conforms to, for example, IEC958.

The main memory 90 is used as a work area when the CPU 80 performs various control processes. In the main memory 90, areas as the DSM-CC buffer 91 and the MHEG buffer 92 described above are allocated. MHEG buffer 92
Is a work area for generating image data (for example, image data of a GUI screen) generated according to the description of the script in the MHEG method, and the generated image data is sent to the display processing unit 58 via a bus line. Supplied.

The CPU 80 executes the overall control in the IRD 12. This includes control on data separation and extraction in the demultiplexer 70. Further, by performing decoding processing on the acquired MHEG content data, processing for configuring and outputting a GUI screen (scene) according to the description content of the script is also executed.

For this reason, the CPU 80 includes, for example, at least a demultiplexer driver 82, a DSM-CC decoder block 83, and an MHEG decoder block 84 in addition to a control processing section 81 for executing main control processing. In one embodiment, at least the DSM-CC decoder block 83 and the MHEG
The decoder block 84 is configured by software. The demultiplexer driver 82 sets a filter condition in the demultiplexer 70 based on the PID of the input transport stream. D
The SM-CC decoder block 83 includes a DSM-Mana
It has a function as a ger, and has a DSM-CC
The module unit data stored in the buffer 91 is reconstructed into MHEG content data.
Further, according to the access from the MHEG decoder block 84, a process related to a required DSM-CC decoding or the like is executed.

The MHEG decoder block 84 has a DSM
-Data of the MHEG content obtained by the CC decoder block 83, that is, the DSM-CC buffer 91
MHEG content data is accessed to perform decoding processing for scene output. That is, the MHE
A scene is formed by realizing the relationship between objects defined by the G content script file. At this time, when forming a GUI screen as a scene, the MHEG buffer 92 is used to generate image data of the GUI screen according to the contents of the script file.

The interface between the DSM-CC decoder block 83 and the MHEG decoder block 84 has a UU API (DSM-CC UU API (A
pplication Portability Interface)).
The UU API is, for example, a client (MHEG decoder block 84) side in which a DSM Manager object (a server object that implements the function of DSM;
This is an interface for accessing the DSM-CC decoder block 83).
serviceGateway, Directory, F
A that allows objects having attributes such as file, stream, and stream event to be structurally accessed like a file system
PI. By accessing an object included in the carousel through this API, a program (client) using the carousel can access the object using the bus name without knowing the carousel reception operation. Also, this U-
The U API is a set of interfaces defined so that it can be used regardless of the data transfer method of the lower layer. Therefore, a program that uses this API can use any data transfer that provides the U-U API. It has the advantage that it can be used in a system.

Here, an operation example for extracting a target object necessary to form one scene from a transport stream under the control of the CPU 80 will be described.

In DSM-CC, an IOR (Interop) is used to indicate the location of an object in a transport stream.
erable Object Reference) is used. In the IOR,
An identifier corresponding to a carousel for finding an object, an identifier of a module including the object (hereinafter, referred to as module_id), and an identifier for specifying an object in one module (hereinafter, object)
_Key) and a tag (a) for identifying a DII having information on a module including the object.
association_tag) information. In addition, the DII having module information includes information such as module_id, module size and version for each of one or more modules, and a tag (association_id) for identifying the module.
tag) information.

When the IOR extracted from the transport stream is identified in the CPU 80, the process of receiving and separating the object indicated by the IOR is as follows.

(Pr1) In the demultiplexer driver 82 of the CPU 80, the IOR association
An elementary stream (hereinafter referred to as ES) having the same value as _tag is searched for from the ES loop of the PMT in the carousel to obtain a PID. E with this PID
S contains DII.

(Pr2) This PID and table_i
d_extension is set to the demultiplexer 70 as a filter condition. As a result, the demultiplexer 70 separates DII and outputs it to the CPU 80.

(Pr3) In DII, an association_tag of a module corresponding to module_id included in the previous IOR is obtained.

(Pr4) association_t
An ES having the same value as ag is searched for from the ES loop (carousel) of the PMT to obtain a PID. The target module is included in the ES having this PID.

(Pr5) PID and module_id
Are set as filter conditions, and the demultiplexer 7
Filtering by 0 is performed. By storing transport packets separated and extracted in accordance with the filter conditions in a required memory area (column) of the queue 71, a target module is finally formed.

(Pr6) o included in the previous IOR
An object corresponding to bject_key is extracted from this module. This is the target object. The object extracted from this module is written in a predetermined area of the DSM-CC buffer 91, for example.

By repeating the above operation and collecting the desired objects and storing them in the DSM-CC buffer 91, MHEG contents forming the required scene can be obtained.

The man-machine interface 61 receives the command signal transmitted from the remote controller 64 and transmits it to the CPU 80. CPU80
Then, necessary control processing is executed so that the operation of the device according to the received command signal is obtained. An IC card 65 is inserted into the IC card slot 62. And
Information is written to and read from the inserted IC card 65 by the CPU 80. The modem 63 is connected to the charging server 5 via the telephone line 4, and is controlled by the CPU 80 so that communication between the IRD 12 and the charging server 5 is performed.

The signal flow of the video / audio source in the IRD 12 having the above configuration will be supplementarily described with reference to the display form described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, when a normal program is output, MPEG video data and MPEG audio data of a required program are extracted from the input transport stream, and are subjected to decoding processing. .
The video data and the MPEG audio data are output to the analog video output terminal T2 and the analog audio output terminal T3, respectively, so that the monitor device 14 performs image display and audio output of the broadcast program.

When outputting the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B, the MHEG content data necessary for this GUI screen (scene) is separated and extracted by the transport unit 53 from the input transport stream, and the DSM is output.
-Take in the CC buffer 91. Using this data, the DSM-CC decoder block 83 and the MHEG decoder block 84 function as described above, so that the MHEG buffer 92 creates image data of a scene (GUI screen). Then, this image data is supplied to the analog video output terminal T via the display processing unit 58.
2, a GUI screen is displayed on the monitor device 14.

When a tune is selected from the tune list 21B on the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B and the audio data of the tune is previewed, MPEG audio data of the tune is obtained by the demultiplexer 70. Then, the MPEG audio data is converted to an analog audio signal via the MPEG audio decoder 54, the D / A converter, the switch circuit 57, and the analog audio output terminal T3, and output to the monitor device 14.

When the download button 28 is pressed on the GUI screen shown in FIG. 4B to download audio data, the audio data of the music to be downloaded is extracted by the demultiplexer 70, and the analog audio output terminal T4 It is output to the digital output interface 59 or the IEEE 1394 interface 60.

In particular, IEEE 1394 interface 6
0, an MD corresponding to IEEE 1394 shown in FIG.
When the recorder / player 13A is connected,
In the demultiplexer 70, the quadruple speed A of the downloaded music is
The TRAC data is extracted, and recording is performed on the disc loaded in the MD recorder / player 13A via the IEEE 1394 interface 60. At this time, for example, still image data of the album jacket compressed by the JPEG method, text data such as lyrics and artist profile are also extracted from the transport stream by the demultiplexer 70,
The data is transferred to the MD recorder / player 13A via the IEEE 1394 interface 60. MD recorder /
In the player 13A, these still image data and text data can be recorded in a predetermined area of the loaded disc.

[0111] 2. Authoring system 2-1. Structure of MHEG Content Next, an MHEG authoring system according to an embodiment will be described. The MHEG authoring system described below corresponds to the GUI authoring system 42 in FIG. 5 described above. However, in practice, authoring is performed by creating or importing GUI material data (images as objects, text files, etc.) by a personal computer device, so that functionally, the GUI authoring system is used. In addition to 42, a GUI material registration system 3
4 and the GUI material database 38 can be considered to be included.

Prior to the description of the MHEG authoring system, M
The structural concept of the HEG content (MHEG application) will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 13 shows three scenes, MHEG scene 1 to MHEG scene 3. These scenes are formed by, for example, pasting and combining objects in an image area for one screen.

An object is, as described above,
It refers to image information (for example, a still image file such as JPEG or GIF), text information, and part image files such as operation buttons (and may also include an audio data file). These scenes are switched, for example, in synchronization with a TV broadcast, or other scenes are switched by operating an operation button. Such a scene transition is also referred to as a “transition”. And
For example, assuming that these three MHEG scenes 1 to 3 are in a united relationship, for example, a transition is possible, these relationships are grouped as a unit of the MHEG application (MHEG content).

Then, MHEG which is a set of scenes
If the content is related to a broadcast program, for example, as used in a digital satellite broadcast system as in one embodiment, one or more MHEG contents that are assumed to be associated with one broadcast program By defining the relationship, a unit called a project is formed. In this figure, the project is MHE
A case is shown in which the content is composed of three pieces of G content 1, MHEG content 2, and MHEG content 3. And
The MHEG content 1 includes three scenes of MHEG scenes 1, 2, 3 and the remaining MHEG content 2, MH
EG contents 3 are MHEG scenes 4 and 5, respectively.
It is assumed to have.

For example, in practice, the MH shown in FIG.
When the EG content is displayed on the receiving side in synchronization with the digital satellite broadcast program, the MHEG content 1, the MHEG content 2, and the MHEG content 3 are set according to the interactive operation performed by the user or the broadcast time of the broadcast program. When the MHEG content 1 is output,
Transitions are performed between the MHEG scenes 1 to 3 according to the interactive operation performed by the user or the passage of the broadcast time of the broadcast program.

In the following, for convenience of explanation, a plurality of MHEG contents (MHEG applications) that are put together as a project, especially when it is not necessary to distinguish it from a single MHEG content (MHEG application), will be referred to as a project. It is simply referred to as MHEG content (MHEG application).

As shown in FIG. 13, an object is used to form a scene.
Standard, the shared object (shared objec
t) is defined as usable.

A shared object is one MHEG
An object that can be shared and used between a plurality of scenes forming a content. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, assuming that there are two scenes of MHEG scenes 1 and 2 in 1MHEG content, objects 1 to 3 and objects 4 to 4
It is assumed that in addition to the six objects 6, three share objects 1 to 3 are prepared. Objects 1-3 are used to create only MHEG scene 1 and objects 4-6 are
This is an object used to create only G scene 2.

On the other hand, shared objects 1 to 3
Is an object set to be commonly usable for MHEG scene 1 and MHEG scene 2. Therefore, in the case shown in FIG. 15, the MHEG scene 1 can be created by using six objects of the objects 1 to 3 and the shared objects 1 to 3, and the MHEG scene 2 is created by the objects 4 to 6 and the shared object It can be created using six objects 1-3.

2-2. Configuration of MHEG Authoring System The configuration of the MHEG authoring tool of one embodiment will be described. The concept of the processing configuration as an MHEG authoring system will be briefly described as follows.

The processing performed by the MHEG authoring tool is roughly divided into an editing processing for creating an MHEG application file (MHEG content) by processing according to a unique internal format in the MHEG authoring tool, and The MHEG content created by the editing process according to the internal format is divided into a conversion process of converting the MHEG content into a format called MHEG-IS, which is a format compliant with the actual MHEG standard, and outputting the converted format. The MHEG-IS refers to MHEG content having a content according to the MHEG standard, and corresponds to a format at the time of transmission and output of data broadcast content.

That is, since the MHEG authoring tool is configured to execute editing processing according to the internal format in the MHEG authoring tool, the actual M
It is possible to define a share scene that is not in the HEG standard, and implement an editing process using these. Conversely, even if the worker does not perform advanced work such as writing a script in accordance with the MHEG standard, for example, a GUI-like operation form is realized, and advanced editing can be performed by a simpler operation. It can be carried out. However, MHE
Edited content of MHEG content according to the internal format of G authoring tool (that is, description content such as definition sentence)
Is valid only in the MHEG authoring tool, so that it can be decoded and displayed on the receiving side by converting the description according to the internal format into the description according to the MHEG standard. There is a need to. For this purpose, the description contents created by the internal format are
-IS format and output.

FIG. 16 shows an example of the actual configuration of the MHEG authoring system 42. MHEG
The authoring system 42 includes, for example, a personal computer 201 and the personal computer 201.
MHEG authoring software 2 launched on
10.

As shown in the figure, the personal computer 201 constituting the MHEG authoring system 42 is provided with hardware 202 which physically constitutes the personal computer 201. CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2 as hardware 202
02a, RAM (memory) 202b, ROM 202c,
An interface 202d is provided.

The CPU 202a executes various control and processing operations, and the RAM (memory) 202b holds an activated application program, information generated by the processing executed by the CPU 202a, a calculation result, and the like. The ROM 202c stores necessary information for operating the personal computer 201. The interface 202d is provided for exchanging information between the hardware 202 and an externally connected device or an external operator described later. As the hardware 202,
In addition, various devices may be provided.
By running a program as the operation system 203 on the hardware 202, M
An environment in which the HEG authoring software can operate is constructed.

The personal computer 201 is provided with a display 231, a mouse 232, a keyboard 233, a speaker 234, a recording device 235, and a video device 236 as externally connected devices or external controls. The display 231 displays an image output from the personal computer 201. In particular, the MHEG authoring software 210 described later
A GUI screen (operation screen) is also displayed. The mouse 232 and the keyboard 233 are provided as operators for inputting operation information performed by the editor to the personal computer 201. The speaker 234 is provided for outputting an audio signal output from the personal computer 201 to the outside as audio.

The recording device 235 stores, as information required by the personal computer 201, for example, an operation system, predetermined application software including the MHEG authoring software 210, and the like. In one embodiment, the MHEG content itself, and image files, audio files, text files, and the like as objects forming each MHEG content are also stored. MHEG
The authoring software 210 creates a file as an object, saves it in the recording device 235, and performs an editing process using the saved object file.

The types of the recording device 235 are as follows.
Although not particularly limited, for example, it is preferable to use a storage device such as a hard disk drive that can store a relatively large amount of data.

The video device 236 is, for example, a VTR, and has a configuration capable of recording and reproducing corresponding to a video tape, a video disk, and the like. For example, as the MHEG content, there is a case where a scene change or the like is performed in synchronization with a broadcast program using image and sound. When editing MHEG content synchronized with such a broadcast program, the video device 236 can be used to reproduce a broadcast program using image and sound.

Next, the MHEG authoring software 210 will be described. As mentioned earlier, MHE
The G authoring software 210 is application software that operates on the personal computer 201. For example, the program is stored in the recording device 2
35. When read out from the recording device 235 and activated, the program as the MHEG authoring software 210 can be represented as a functional block as shown in the figure. Although the relationship between the respective functional blocks shown in this figure is not shown, it is assumed that information is mutually exchanged between the respective functional blocks in practice, and thus the required configuration of the MHEG authoring software 210 is obtained. It is configured to be able to execute the function of.

In the MHEG authoring software 210 shown in the figure, the object creating unit 211 is a functional block including a program for creating a file as an object. For example, the editor can create a file as an object using a keyboard, a mouse, and the like on a program serving as the object creating unit 211 (on a GUI screen displayed on the display 231). For example, if the object is an image, the function of the object creation unit 211 can draw and create an image file as the object. Further, the object is defined to include a text file (and an audio file) in addition to the image file. In the object creating section 211, these text files (and audio files) can also be created as object files. This object creation part 2
11 can be recorded and stored in the recording device 235.

The share scene creating section 212 is constructed by a program for creating a share scene using the object file created by the object creating section 211. Although detailed description is omitted, MHEG
In the authoring tool, a “share scene” is defined in the internal editing process. The share scene is a concept defined in consideration of easy editing of the shared object described above with reference to FIG. 15, and is a virtual scene created using one or more arbitrary objects. It is a scene. The share scene is
It is treated as a layered editing material that is used (displayed) so as to overlap the prepared MHEG scene,
In addition, it can be commonly used for MHEG scenes forming one MHEG content.

The edited result is the MHEG script (MHEG script).
-IS), objects included in a shared scene used for a certain MHEG scene are managed as shared objects used for the MHEG scene. Again, in this case,
The editor selects and uses one or more arbitrary object files created so far by using a keyboard, a mouse, and the like on the program serving as the share scene creating unit 212, for example, on the MHEG authoring software. It is possible to edit one or more arbitrary number of share scenes within the upper limit number specified in.

[0134] The MHEG scene creation section 213 performs
This is a functional block as a program used when editing a scene. Here also, on the program of the MHEG scene creation unit 213, a file to be used is selected from the object files created by the object creation unit 211, and for example, various settings and the like for these objects are performed to determine the hierarchy of the MHEG scene. Can be edited. MHEG
The editing result of the scene obtained by the scene creation unit 213 is as follows:
For example, it is composed of visible objects such as images and text used for the scene, and scene management information including objects as various kinds of control information for controlling the output mode of these visible objects.

On the program as the share scene processing section 216, the editor performs a process for editing the relationship between each MHEG scene and the share scene in accordance with the operation performed on the GUI screen. That is, the program is a program for realizing editing for setting a share scene to be used for an MHEG scene, and specifying an overlapping order among a plurality of share scenes to be used for each MHEG scene. You. For example, the editing result here is created as a definition sentence (share scene definition sentence) for setting a share scene.

The MHEG application creation unit 214
Is a program for performing editing at the level of the MHEG application. For example, in the 1MHEG application, editing of transition between scenes according to the passage of time or interactive operation, and the like can also be performed by this M
A program as the HEG application creation unit 214 controls the program. The editing result of the scene obtained by the MHEG application creating unit 214 includes, for example, scenes used for the MHEG application and MHEG application management information including various control information for controlling an output mode between the scenes.

With the MHEG authoring software,
One or more MHEG applications associated with one digital broadcast program are referred to as “projects”. The project creation unit 215 is a program for editing the output mode of the MHEG application as this project. For example, when a plurality of MHEG contents edited by the MHEG application creating unit 214 are to switch the scene output in synchronization with the broadcast time of the broadcast program, the editing for this synchronization is performed here. It is. Such an editing result is project management information.

The time control section 221 includes a project creation section 215 and an MHEG application creation section 21.
4, in cooperation with a program such as the MHEG scene creation unit 213, to edit various controls corresponding to the progress time axis of the broadcast program in each layer of the project, the MHEG application, or the MHEG scene. The program used for

The interactive control unit 222
By operating in cooperation with programs such as the project creation unit 215, the MHEG application creation unit 214, and the MHEG scene creation unit 213, the project, the MHE
This is a program used for editing various controls corresponding to interactive operations in each layer of the G application or the MHEG scene.

The project management unit 220, MHE
The G application management unit 219 and the MHEG scene management unit 218 respectively
2 (including project management information), MHEG application creation unit 2
14, the MHEG application file (MHEG application management information), and the MHE
This is a program used when executing directory management and storage processing for the MHEG scene file (MHEG scene management information) created by the G scene creation unit 213. Actually, each management information such as project management information, MHEG application management information, and MHEG scene management information corresponds to a certain one project or one MHEG application, and is written as an authoring script as an internal format. It is managed integrally as "management information."

The information as the MHEG contents (MHEG application file) created by the MHEG application creating section 214 and the information as the project file created by the project creating section 215 (that is, the authoring management information) are stored in the MHE.
It is handled in a unique internal format as G authoring software. MH created by this internal format
The EG application (project) file can be output to the outside as an internal format file by the processing of the internal format file output control unit 217.

For example, the internal format file output control unit 21
7, the internal format file of the MHEG application can be recorded and stored in the recording device 235. By doing so, it is possible to read the stored internal format file into the personal computer 201 and change the editing content on the MHEG authoring software 210.

The MHEG script output control unit 226
It receives the data of the MHEG application file (or project file) in the internal format, converts it into the description of the script (control information) according to the actual MHEG standard, and outputs it to the outside. That is, the regular MHEG
Output as an application file (MHEG-IS). For example, this MHEG script output control unit 2
11 through the DSM-CC encoder 44 of FIG.
Is output to M as MHEG-IS obtained by the MHEG script output control unit 226
The HEG application file is stored in the recording device 21
6 and, in practice, the MHEG application file as the MHEG-IS stored in the recording device 216 is transmitted to the DSM-CC encoder 44 of the ground station 1 at a required occasion. provide.

The TN processing unit 227 is a source code for describing a MHEG script.
ation). This TN processing unit 22
With the program as No. 7, for example, a description file as “authoring management information” in an internal format or a script file to be output in the MHEG-IS format can be converted to TN and output. Also, for example, when editing the MHEG application using the description as a TN, the TN processing unit 22
The program as No. 7 is used.

In the MHEG standard, the format as MHEG-IS output by the MHEG script output control unit 211 for a file in TN format is “ASN.1 DER (Abstract Syntax Notati).
on No.1 Distinguished Encoding Rule: ISO / IEC8824,88
25) ”. So to speak, TN is the source language, whereas ASN. 1 DER (hereinafter simply "DER"
Is described as binary data compiled according to the MHEG-IS format. In other words, MHE
In the G authoring software 210, the script file described in the format as TN is M
When transmitted as HEG-IS or packaged (for example, MHEG content is packaged on a CD-ROM or the like), it is converted to DER and output.

Further, the intermediate language processing unit 228
It is a program for processing a programming language uniquely prepared for authoring software. The intermediate language is a language in a format that is simpler than TN. For example, when editing a MHEG application (and project) at the text level using a script, the intermediate language is prepared in consideration of the fact that the editor can handle it more easily than TN. It was done. Although a detailed description is omitted, for example, the editor can edit the MHEG application by describing the intermediate language on the MHEG authoring software.

[0147] The MHEG viewer 240 displays the created M
It is a viewer for displaying and outputting the HEG application, and the image display control unit 223 and the MHEG reproduction unit 22
4. An MHEG synchronous reproduction unit 225. This MHEG
The viewer 240 basically has, for example, a function similar to a function for decoding, reproducing, and outputting MHEG information provided in the IRD.

The video display control unit 223 reads information as a broadcast program supplied from, for example, a server (corresponding to the recording device 235 in this case) and, for example, displays the information on the display 231 in this case. This is a display control program. The MHEG regeneration unit 2
24 reads and decodes MHEG content information in a DER (MHEG-IS) format supplied from a server (corresponding to the recording device 235 in this case), and reproduces the information on the display 231 in this case, for example. It is a program for outputting. MHEG
The program as the synchronous playback unit 225 displays the MHEG application played back and output by the MHEG playback unit 224 in synchronization with the program image, for example, in a state where the program image is displayed and output by the video display control unit 223. This is a control program for outputting.

The MHEG viewer 240 is shown as being included in the authoring software 210. However, the MHEG viewer 240 and the authoring software 210 including programs other than the MHEG viewer 240 are independent application software programs. May be.

The information amount integrating section 250 is a program for integrating the total information amount of the created scene. As will be described later, the information amount accumulating unit 250 accumulates the total information amount of the scene every time the parts constituting the scene are arranged at the time of scene editing, and the total information amount is displayed on the display 231.

2-3. A function of monitoring the amount of information of the MHEG authoring system Hereinafter, the production process of the MHEG content, a processing process and a transmission method on the transmission side, and a processing process on the receiver side will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG.
Reference numeral 321 denotes the created MHEG data in scene units. The data has various information amounts corresponding to the scenes S1 to S5. One thing to consider when transmitting this is the amount of data that can be captured at once by the receiver. This corresponds to the capacity of the buffer memory in the receiver, which will be described later, and the unit taken in at a time is the above-mentioned module, and this defines the maximum information amount.

Basically, it is desirable that the module corresponds to a scene for the sake of the operation in the receiver described later. However, there may be a case where one scene wants to include information that is equal to or more than the maximum information amount of one module. In this case, when the scene unit data 321 is converted into the module unit data 322, data is divided for a scene exceeding the maximum information amount of the module. Splitting is for some still images,
Part data such as characters is made to be a separate module. Module data to be transmitted is generated by this division processing. After adding a header so that a necessary module can be taken out by the receiver, the data in the unit of a module is transmitted to the satellite transmission line 324 by a repetitive transmission mechanism called a data carousel 323.

On the receiver 325 side, data from the satellite transmission line 324 is transmitted to the packet filter 3 as shown in FIG.
At 26, only the specified module is passed and stored in the buffer memory 327. In this case, the repeatedly transmitted module is passed only once. When the module data is stored in the buffer memory 327, it is immediately notified to the MHEG engine 328, and the MHEG engine 328 downloads the module data and processes the data. If a script is included, the script is executed and the display specified on the television monitor 329 is performed.

The MHEG engine 328 determines whether or not the data to be newly displayed or the scene to be newly transitioned during the execution of the script is present in the buffer memory. When it is determined, a necessary module is designated to the packet filter 326, an instruction to fetch a new module is issued, and a standby state is entered. In this case, the packet filter 326
Writes the specified module from the satellite transmission path only once, overwriting the data of the module received immediately before in the buffer memory 327 of the module 327, and notifies the MHEG engine 328 of the arrival of the module. The MHEG engine 328 fetches the new module and resumes operation. The scenario is executed in the receiver by repeating the above operation.

What should be noted here is the operational feeling of the viewer. First, for example, after a channel including MHEG data is selected, a module corresponding to the first scene is stored in the buffer memory 327 until the first scene is displayed.
It takes the least time to store in. Since the module is repeatedly transmitted by the data carousel, depending on the timing, this time is the maximum repetition period of the module. After the operation for instructing the transition of the next scene is performed, it takes time to acquire a new module until the screen is switched, so that it takes a maximum of the module repetition period.

Further, when one scene is divided into a plurality of modules, first, a module including a script is obtained and the scene is displayed. At this point, the parts which have become separate modules are not displayed. It will only be displayed after the time of the module repetition cycle. However, if there is room in the buffer memory 327, a module which is likely to be required next is acquired in advance without waiting for an instruction from the MHEG engine 328, and the acquired module is stored in an empty area of the buffer memory 327. It is also possible. In this case, if the MHEG engine 328 requests a module and the module has already entered the buffer memory 327 at the time, the above-mentioned time is not required.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a user interface of the authoring apparatus in this embodiment, that is, an operation screen. If 331 is the entire screen, screen 331
A menu 332 for selecting various functions is displayed at the top of the menu. On the scene selection screen 333, the scene configuration of the target content is displayed. This screen 333
When a scene configuration is set and a scene to be worked is specified, a corresponding scene editing screen 334 is displayed.

Reference numeral 335 denotes a media selection screen for selecting various parts to be arranged in the scene. Here, a file of an intended part is specified and confirmed. Thereafter, the scene editing screen 33 is operated by so-called drag and drop operation.
4 places the selected component. Further, on the object attribute / operation setting screen indicated by 336, the object to be defined for the state / operation, that is, each part or scene, is displayed.
By specifying in the scene edit screen 334, the state,
Display and enter actions. By accumulating these operations, the work of creating the scene proceeds. In the process of making, a message relating to the amount of information is displayed in the display area 337.

FIG. 20, FIG. 21, and FIG. 22 show display examples of the information amount. In the course of the scene editing work, the display of the total information amount of the scene is updated in the message displayed in the display area 337 every time a component is set on the scene. FIG. 20 shows an example. The editor edits the scene while referring to this display so that the scene can be contained in one module as much as possible.

As a result of the scene editing operation, the scene is 1
When the capacity of the module is exceeded, a warning is displayed as a message displayed in the display area 337 as shown in FIG. In this case, the editor can take two types of actions. One is to reduce the amount of excess information, and the other is to replace the excess with another module.

In the case where the excess is made into another module, the display of the parts made as a separate module is postponed as described in the operation of the receiver described above. Need to reflect the intentions of Therefore, as shown in FIG. 22, a part to be made as a separate module is selected on the scene edit screen 334, and the setting to be made as a separate module from the scene is input on the displayed setting screen 336. As a result, a message indicating the information amount of the scene excluding the excluded parts is displayed in the display area 337. By looking at this message, the editor can check whether the maximum value has been exceeded.

If the setting screen 334 does not select that the excess is to be replaced by another module, an operation of deleting the excess information amount is required. Also,
When an excess occurs, software processing is performed such that a setting operation for setting the excess as a separate module is omitted, and a predetermined component, for example, the last selected component is set as another module so that the excess is automatically eliminated. You may do it.

Further, in one embodiment, as the message relating to the information amount displayed in the display area 337, the information amount of the scene and the excess amount are represented by the number of bytes.
In addition to the number of bytes, a display such as a bar display may be used.
Further, not only the display but also a beep sound may be generated when an excess occurs.

[0164]

As described above, the present invention provides an MH
Since the editor can always explicitly confirm restrictions on the information amount specific to multimedia data broadcasting such as EG, content can be efficiently produced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the risk of causing an on-air accident by erroneously violating the information volume constraint. Further, according to the present invention, even when the information amount of the module is exceeded, the editor can select a component to be another module, so that the display priority on the receiver side can be controlled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital satellite broadcast receiving system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a receiving facility according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of a remote controller for the IRD.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating switching between a broadcast screen and a GUI screen.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a ground station.

FIG. 6 is a chart showing data transmitted from a ground station.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a time-division multiplexing structure of transmission data.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a transmission format according to DSM-CC.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a directory structure of a data service.

FIG. 10 is a data structure diagram of a transport stream.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a table structure of a PSI.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an IRD.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of MHEG content.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of MHEG content.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the concept of a share object in MHEG content.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an MHEG authoring system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating production and transmission processing of MHEG content.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating display processing of the MHEG content on the receiver side.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display example of a user interface screen of the authoring device.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display example of a user interface screen of the authoring device.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display example of a user interface screen of the authoring device.

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display example of a user interface screen of the authoring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... ground station, 2 ... satellite, 3 ... receiving equipment, 6
... TV program material server, 9 ... GUI data server, 31 ... TV program material registration system, 39
..TV program transmission system, 42 ... GUI (MH
EG) Authoring system, 51 Tuner / Front end unit, 90: Main memory, 201: Personal computer, 202: Hardware, 2
10 MHEG authoring software, 213
... MHEG scene creation unit, 250 ... information amount integration unit, 323 ... data carousel, 324 ... satellite transmission path, 326 ... packet filter, 327 ...
Buffer memory, 328... MHEG engine, 32
9: Television monitor, 333: Scene selection screen, 334: Scene editing screen, 335: Media selection screen, 337: Message display area related to information amount

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 7/081 F term (reference) 5C053 FA14 FA20 FA29 JA01 5C063 AB03 AB05 AC01 AC05 AC10 DA01 DA05 DA20 5D110 AA29 CA06 CD07 CF13 CL02 CL03 FA07 5E501 AA30 AB10 AC34 BA02 CA03 DA04 EB05 FA47

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for creating digital broadcast data broadcast content, wherein a total information amount of created data is displayed on a data creation screen of a data processing unit in the digital broadcast receiver. An information processing apparatus, comprising: means for notifying on a screen when a maximum information amount of a data reception unit in the receiver is exceeded. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the information amount of the created data processing unit exceeds the maximum information fee of the data receiving unit, the created information processing unit automatically or during the data processing unit. An apparatus comprising: means for designating one or a plurality of separable data units to divide the data into a plurality of data reception units not exceeding the maximum information amount of the data reception units. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data creation screen includes a configuration selection screen for setting a screen configuration, a media selection screen for selecting a component, and the selected component. An editing screen for arranging the parts in a set screen configuration, and a message display screen for an information amount for integrating and displaying the data amount each time the part is selected. 4. An information processing method for creating digital broadcast data broadcast content, comprising: displaying a total information amount of created data on a data creation screen of a data processing unit in the digital broadcast receiver; An information processing method comprising: notifying on a screen when a maximum information amount of a data receiving unit in the receiver is exceeded. 5. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein when the information amount of the created data processing unit exceeds the maximum information charge of the data reception unit, the information processing unit automatically or during the data processing unit. By dividing one or more of the separable data units into a plurality of data reception units that do not exceed the maximum information amount of the data reception unit.