JP2002191040A - Contents receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents receiver that receives a plurality of contents and can surely exclude contents undesirably used more effectively than in a conventional receiver. SOLUTION: The contents receiver that receives a plurality of contents is provided with a designation section that receives contents received via any of channels and designates a channel whose use is permitted among the channels according to an operation. The receiver permits the use of contents only received via the designated channel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a content receiving apparatus for receiving a plurality of contents.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of content receiving apparatuses have been used. For example, television receivers (hereinafter abbreviated as “TV”) have become widespread at home, and this TV has a large number of broadcast programs input through a plurality of channels (each of these broadcast programs is Is one type of content). In recent years, personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as “PCs”) have been spreading to homes.
C also receives contents such as various programs and data packets via a telephone line or the like. Therefore, such a PC is also a type of content receiving device. Some PCs have a function of receiving television broadcasts.

[0003]

At present, various types of content receiving apparatuses are being widely used in homes. On the other hand, from an educational point of view, broadcast programs to be shown to children, programs or data used by children, etc. Many parents want to keep packets under control.

[0004] From such a point of view, a content which is considered not to be allowed to be used by children is marked, for example, to prohibit the use of children under the age of 18, or a parent prohibits the use by children. The use of children is restricted or considered by designating contents to be performed.

[0005] However, there is a temporal or physical limit to the number of contents from which a parent can judge whether or not to show to a child, and in view of the current situation in which a large number of contents are flowing, there is a problem. In the method described above, no matter how much attention is paid by the parent, leakage may occur, and a situation may occur in which the content that may adversely affect the child is easily used by the child.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a content receiving apparatus capable of more reliably excluding contents that the user does not want to use than conventional ones.

[0007]

The first content receiving device of the content receiving device of the present invention that achieves the above object is input via any one of a plurality of channels. A receiving unit for receiving a plurality of contents, a specifying unit for designating a channel to be used among the plurality of channels according to an operation, and using only contents received via the channel specified by the specifying unit. And a permission unit for permitting

In the past, leakage was often caused by designating a device whose use was prohibited. However, in the case of the first content receiving apparatus of the present invention, a channel permitted to be used was designated, so that it was excluded. By excluding a channel that may include the content that the user wants to specify from the designation, the content that the user wants to exclude can be reliably excluded.

Here, in the first content receiving apparatus of the present invention, the content received by the receiving unit is a content including a moving image and a sound, and a moving image display unit for displaying a moving image constituting the content; An audio output unit that outputs audio may be provided, and the permission unit may permit only the content received via the channel specified by the specification unit to display the moving image and output the audio.

[0010] The content receiving apparatus of this aspect can be applied to, for example, a TV.

[0011] In the first content receiving apparatus of the present invention, there is provided a distribution unit for distributing the content, wherein the permission unit permits distribution of only the content received via the channel specified by the specification unit. May be used.

In this case, the distribution unit distributes content corresponding to each distribution destination to a plurality of distribution destinations, and the designation unit provides the content for each distribution destination by the distribution unit. Specifying a channel, wherein the permission unit permits distribution of the content received via the channel specified for each distribution destination by the specification unit to only the distribution destination. Is also good.

In this way, for example, a plurality of home appliances (eg, TVs, PCs, etc.) can be managed collectively.

[0014] In the first content receiving apparatus of the present invention, the specifying unit may specify a channel for which use is permitted and specify a time for which use is permitted.

By doing so, it is possible to restrict not only from the content but also from the viewpoint of time.

[0016] In the first content receiving apparatus of the present invention, the specification unit specifies a channel to be permitted to use and permits use of contents input via the permitted channel. The content can be specified, and the permission unit uses only the content that has been specified to be used by the specification unit among the contents received via the channel specified by the specification unit. May be permitted.

[0017] By doing so, the content to be eliminated can be more precisely and reliably eliminated.

Alternatively, in the first content receiving apparatus according to the present invention, the specifying unit specifies a channel to be permitted to use, and prohibits use even if the content is input via the permitted channel. The permission unit can avoid designation of prohibition of further use of the content received through the channel specified by the specification unit. The use of only the content may be permitted.

If the available channels are limited to specific channels, the contents to be excluded can be sufficiently excluded from the available channels, even if the contents to be prohibited are specified.

[0020] A second content receiving apparatus among the content receiving apparatuses that achieve the above object is a receiving section that receives a plurality of contents, and permits use of the plurality of contents received by the receiving section. And a permission unit for permitting use of only the content specified by the specification unit.

The present invention can also be applied to a content receiving apparatus such as a PC without the concept of a plurality of channels. Alternatively, even in the case of a content receiving device such as a TV in which the concept of multiple channels exists,
The present invention can also be applied to a case where the content to be used is directly specified, instead of the channel to be used.

Here, in the second content receiving apparatus, like the first content receiving apparatus described above, the content received by the receiving unit is a content including a moving image and a sound, and And a sound output unit for outputting sound,
The permission unit may permit display of a moving image and output of sound only for the content designated by the designation unit.

In the second content receiving apparatus, a distribution unit for distributing the content may be provided, and the permission unit may permit distribution of only the content designated by the designation unit. In the above, the distribution unit,
The distribution unit distributes content corresponding to each distribution destination to a plurality of distribution destinations, and the specifying unit specifies content to be used for each distribution destination by the distribution unit, and the permission unit includes: The content specified for each distribution destination by the specification unit may be permitted to be distributed only to the distribution destination.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a plurality of information receiving apparatuses arranged in a certain home, including an embodiment of the content receiving apparatus of the present invention.

[0026] In this home, TV server 10 and two T
V11, 12, a PC server 20, two PCs 21,
22 are deployed. Here, the TV server 10 and the PC server 20 are each embodiment of the content receiving apparatus of the present invention, and the TV server 10 itself is also one TV, and the PC server 20 is one PC. Also,
The PC 22 also has a TV reception function.

The TV server 10 receives a television broadcast program sent from an external cable television broadcast station, and enjoys the broadcast program on the TV server 10, or
The received television broadcast program is distributed to TVs 11 and 12 by wireless communication at home. TV11, TV12
Then, the user can watch the distributed television broadcast program. Also, the PC 22 receives the distribution of the television broadcast program from the TV server 10, and can also watch the television broadcast program there. The TV server 10 can receive a huge TV broadcast program of, for example, 100 channels.

Here, the TV server 10 has been described as receiving a TV broadcast program transmitted from a cable TV broadcast station by wire. However, the TV server 10 is provided with a TV antenna, and broadcasts a TV broadcast received by the TV antenna. You may receive it. Further, a BS broadcast, a CS broadcast, or the like may be included.

The PC server 20 receives various programs, data packets, and other contents sent via a telephone line network or the like, and uses them by itself or
It has a role to distribute to C21 and C22. PC
In 21 and 22, the content is wirelessly received from the PC server 20, and the content is used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the TV server.

In the receiving unit 101 of the TV server 10,
A television broadcast program of about 100 channels is received, and the received television broadcast program is sent to the permission unit 103.

The designating section 102 designates a channel for permitting viewing of a television broadcast program from among as many as 100 received channels. The designation section 102 also designates other items, but a detailed description of the designation section 102 will be given later.

In the permitting unit 103, only the television broadcasting program filtered by the channel or the like designated by the designation unit 102 out of the many television broadcasting programs received by the receiving unit 101, the display 104 and the speaker 10
5 or to the wireless transmitter 106.

The display 104 and the speaker 105 are
The TV server 10 itself is used as a TV, and a moving image and a sound of a television broadcast program that has passed through the permission unit 103 are output.

Further, the wireless transmitter 106 includes the permission unit 1
03 is transmitted to TV1 shown in FIG.
1 and 12 and the PC 22.

Here, the wireless transmitter 106 is a TV
Instead of broadcasting all of them to the PCs 11, 12, and the PC 22 in a manner that can receive any of them, the TVs 11, 12,
2. Individually for each of the PCs 22, for example, TV1
For TV 1, only TV 11 receives distribution, TV 12, P
Delivered towards the TV11 in a manner that can not be received in the C22, as well towards each of TV12, PC22,
The distribution is performed individually in such a manner that the distribution can be received only individually.

In response to this, the designation unit 102 determines the destination of each TV broadcast program, that is, the TV server 10 itself (display 104 and speaker 105), TV1
1, 12 and the PC 22 can be individually designated for use permission channels and the like.
03 indicates each destination (TV server 10 itself, TV 11, 1
2, PC 22) to permit use of a television broadcast program selected for each destination.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the designation unit shown by one block in FIG.

The designation unit 102 is a remote controller (remote controller) 1 for designating a channel or the like permitted to use.
021 and a designated storage unit 1022 for storing a channel or the like designated according to the operation of the remote controller. The remote control 1021 is also used as a remote control attached to a normal TV and has functions such as turning on / off the power of the TV server 10 and selecting a channel when watching TV on the TV server 10. You may.

The contents stored in the designation storage unit 1022 are the permission unit 1
Reference numeral 03 is used to select a television broadcast program to be permitted to use from among the television broadcast programs received by the receiving unit 101.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the contents stored in the designated storage unit 1022. FIG.

In FIG. 4, the TV server 10, the TVs 11, 1
2. The PC 22 (herein, these are referred to as devices) are identified by the symbols # 1, # 2, # 3, and # 4, respectively, and are channels that are permitted to be used by any device (here, channel 2). , 5, 7,... N) and which devices each channel can be used with.

For example, here, channel 2 is a device #
1, # 2, and # 3, indicating that channel 5 is available for devices # 1, # 2. Here, the channel N can be used by the devices # 1, # 2, and # 3, but can be used by the device # 4 only under certain restrictions.

FIG. 5 is a table showing a use restriction when the channel N is used by the device # 4. In this table, the use of the program broadcast on the channel N by the device # 4 is permitted. Programs are listed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the available time is limited to 7:00 am to 11:00 pm for device # 3 and 8:00 am to 9:00 pm for device # 4.

Remote controller 102 of designation unit 102 shown in FIG.
In FIG. 1, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a channel to be used is designated for each device, and, if necessary, a television broadcast to be used among television broadcast programs of the channel to be used is permitted. The program and the time during which use is permitted are specified. A password is registered in the remote controller 1021 in advance, and in order to cancel or change the designation by the remote controller 1021, it is necessary to input a password registered in advance.

The permission unit 103 of the TV server 10 shown in FIG.
For example, according to the designations shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the TVs 11 and 12 and the PC
22, a broadcast program corresponding to the device is distributed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of a table indicating a use restriction when the channel N is used by the device # 4.

The table shown in FIG. 6 is a table which can be adopted in place of the table shown in FIG. 5, but the table shown in FIG. Programs whose use is prohibited are listed.

As described above, in the remote controller 1021 of the specifying unit 102 shown in FIG. 3, when restricting the use of the broadcast program received via the channel for which use has been permitted, A program whose use is prohibited may be specified.

Next, the PC server 20 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

The PC server 20 is different from the receiving section 101 in FIG. 2 in that the receiving section 101 receives a broadcast program of a plurality of channels. Instead, the PC server 20 does not have the concept of a channel (or has only one channel). ) Except that it receives
New illustrations and descriptions of the configurations corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3 are omitted.

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a table stored in the designated storage unit corresponding to the designated storage unit 1022 in FIG. 3 in the PC server 20 instead of FIGS. 4 to 6.

In FIG. 7, the PC server 20, PC2
1 and 22 are identified by devices # 1, # 2 and # 3, respectively.

Here, contents (contents A, B, and A) that can be used by any of devices # 1, # 2, and # 3
C,..., X) are listed, and indicate on which device each content can be used. For example, the content A can be used only on the device # 1 and the content B
Can be used in any of the devices # 1, # 2, and # 3.

As described above, when the concept of the channel does not exist, or even when the concept of the channel exists, the content to be used may be directly designated.

Here, the TV server 10 and the TV 1
Although an example has been described in which homes 1, 12 and PC 22 and PC server 20 and PCs 21 and 22 are connected by home wireless communication, they may be connected by wire.

In this case, TV (television receiver) and P
Although the example of C (personal computer) has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be applied to various content using devices.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Inadvertent use of content that the user does not want to use is reliably prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a plurality of information receiving devices including a content receiving device according to an embodiment of the present invention, which are arranged in a certain home.

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

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a designation unit indicated by one block in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing storage contents of a designated storage unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing storage contents of a designated storage unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of a table indicating a use restriction when a channel N is used by a device # 4.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a table stored in a designated storage unit corresponding to the designated storage unit of FIG. 3 in the PC server in place of FIGS. 4 to 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 TV server 11, 12 TV 20 PC server 21, 22 PC 101 Receiving unit 102 Designating unit 103 Permitting unit 104 Display 105 Speaker 106 Wireless transmitter 1021 Remote controller (remote controller) 1022 Designating storage unit

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A receiving unit for receiving a plurality of contents, each of which is input via any one of a plurality of channels, and a channel permitted to use among the plurality of channels according to an operation. A content receiving apparatus, comprising: a specifying unit that specifies using a channel specified by the specifying unit; and a permission unit that permits use of only the content received via the channel specified by the specifying unit. 2. The content received by the receiving unit is a content including a moving image and a sound, and includes a moving image display unit that displays a moving image constituting the content, and an audio output unit that outputs a sound. The content receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the unit permits display of a moving image and output of audio only for the content received via the channel specified by the specifying unit. 3. A distribution unit for distributing contents, wherein the permission unit permits distribution of only contents received via a channel designated by the designation unit. 2. The content receiving device according to 1. 4. The distribution unit distributes content corresponding to each distribution destination to a plurality of distribution destinations, and the designation unit designates a channel to be used for each distribution destination by the distribution unit. Wherein the permission unit permits distribution of the content received via the channel specified for each distribution destination by the specification unit to only the distribution destination. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein 5. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit is capable of specifying a channel for which use is permitted and a time for which use is permitted. 6. The specification unit is capable of specifying a channel to be permitted to use and a content to be permitted to be used among contents input via the permitted channel. The permission unit is characterized by permitting use of only the content received through the channel specified by the specification unit and specified by the specification unit. The content receiving device according to claim 1. 7. The designating unit is capable of designating a channel to be permitted to use and specifying a content to be prohibited even if the content is input via the permitted channel, The permission unit is configured to permit use of only the content received through the channel specified by the specification unit and which has been further prohibited from being prohibited from being used by the specification unit. The content receiving device according to claim 1, wherein 8. A receiving unit that receives a plurality of contents, a specifying unit that specifies, in accordance with an operation, a content to be used among the plurality of contents received by the receiving unit, and a specifying unit that specifies the content. And a permission unit for permitting use of only the content. 9. The content received by the receiving unit is a content including a moving image and a sound, comprising: a moving image display unit that displays a moving image that constitutes the content; and an audio output unit that outputs a sound. 9. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the unit permits display of a moving image and output of audio only for the content designated by the designation unit. 10. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a distribution unit that distributes the content, wherein the permission unit permits distribution of only the content designated by the designation unit. 11. The distribution unit distributes content corresponding to each distribution destination to a plurality of distribution destinations, and the specification unit specifies content to be used for each distribution destination by the distribution unit. 9. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the permission unit permits distribution of the content designated for each distribution destination by the designation unit to only the distribution destination. apparatus.