JP2002344854A - Broadcast program storage method, user station and recording medium recording function program of user station - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To record a program that a user prefers without checking a program table. In a broadcast program storage method for receiving and storing a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station at a user station, a control center is provided, the user station transmits data based on user's preference to the control center, and performs control. The center searches a database of metadata and metadata items created in advance from a program table provided by the broadcasting station based on the data, selects a broadcast program that matches the user's preference, and broadcasts the broadcast program. At the time, the control center remotely operates the user station to store the broadcast program, so that the user station can store the broadcast program matching the user's preference.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user station that transmits data based on user preferences to a control center, and the control center searches the transmitted data for a broadcast program that matches the user's preferences. The present invention relates to a method for storing a broadcast program matching a user's preference in a user station by remote operation from a center, a user station, a storage medium storing the functions of the user station, and a program describing the functions of the user station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to reserve a broadcast program, a program guide printed and distributed, an electronic program guide transmitted by broadcast waves as shown in FIG. Had to select a program that matches his / her preference based on his / her own preference, and set a recording time, a channel, and the like based on a program table.

Instead of the user setting a recording time and a channel, there are a method of inputting a number corresponding to a recording time and a channel, such as G code reservation, and a method of reading and inputting a barcode with a dedicated machine. In addition, the user needs to select a program that matches the preference based on his / her preference.

[0004]

In a conventional method in which a user looks at a program table and selects a program by himself / herself based on his / her own preference, it takes time and effort to select a program.
In addition, since it is difficult to check all program listings, there is a possibility that a program to be recorded may be overlooked.

[0005] In addition, if the broadcast time is changed after the program guide is distributed, it is necessary to reset the recording time, and if it cannot be reset, the program cannot be recorded.

According to the present invention, when a user makes a reservation for recording, the user transmits data such as “favorite actress: △ × △ child” that matches his / her preference to the control center via the user station. From the program table sent from the broadcasting station, "Start time: 9:00 pm on December 4, 2000, end time: 2
9:54 PM on December 4, 2000, starring actress: ○ × △
The control center creates a database of metadata and metadata items indicating data attributes such as "child", and the control center searches the metadata and metadata item database based on the data transmitted by the user station, and searches for the user's preference. By selecting a broadcast program that matches the program, and by operating the storage device of the user station from the control center to record the broadcast program when the broadcast time comes, the user can select his favorite program without checking the program guide. The purpose of this is to realize the recording.

[0007]

A feature of the present invention for achieving the above object is a broadcast program storing method for receiving and storing a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station at a user station.
A control center is provided, and the user station transmits data based on the user's preference to the control center. The control center generates metadata and metadata items prepared in advance from a program table provided by a broadcasting station based on the data. Search the database and select a broadcast program that matches the user's preference,
There is a broadcast program storage method in which a control center remotely controls a user station to store a broadcast program during the broadcast time of the broadcast program, so that the user station can store a broadcast program that matches the user's preference.

Another feature of the present invention resides in a user station having display means for receiving a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station and displaying it by at least one of visual and audio, and storage means for storing the broadcast program. Means for transmitting data based on the user's preference to a control center, means for remote control from the control center, and control of the storage means in accordance with the remote control to store a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station. Means at the user station.

Still another feature of the present invention resides in a recording medium recording a functional program for operating the user station.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Overview] Here, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in which a user station records a broadcast program that matches the user's preference, taking FIG. 2 as an example.

[0011] The user station 40 transmits data based on the user's preference to the control center 50. The control center 50 transmits metadata indicating data attributes and metadata items based on a program table previously sent from the broadcast station 20. A database based on the user's preference sent from the user station and a broadcast program matching the user's preference from the database. When the broadcast time of the searched broadcast program comes, the control center When the storage device of the user station is remotely operated to record a broadcast program, a program matching the user's preference is recorded.

As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the transmission from the transmitting device to the user station is performed using a satellite line.
The transmission medium is not limited to satellite links.
It is also possible to transmit using another medium such as a coaxial cable such as CATV or an optical fiber. Furthermore, although the control center uses a telephone network to control the user station, the present invention is not limited to the telephone network, and it is also possible to use a satellite line, an IP network such as the Internet, a CATV network, or the like.

[Explanation of Configuration] FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a system using the present invention. The transmission station, satellite transmission device, satellite transmission antenna, satellite, satellite reception antenna, receiver, television, storage device, control device It consists of a center and a telephone network. Among them, the components that have different functions from the conventional system
A control center that creates data and data attributes based on a program table sent from a broadcast station and a storage device that stores broadcast programs by remote control from the control center.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the user station. The user station includes a receiving antenna, a receiver, a storage device, and a television.

The receiver comprises a reception processing section, a video processing section, and an input / output section, and is the same as a conventional receiver.

The storage device includes a communication processing unit, a storage processing unit, and a storage unit, and a newly added communication processing unit is a communication processing unit.

[Explanation of Function] The function of each component in a system configuration example using the present invention will be described.

The main functions of a broadcasting station are a function of producing a broadcast program and a program guide, a function of transmitting the broadcast program to a satellite transmitting apparatus, and a function of providing a program guide to a control center, which are the same as those in the related art.

The main function of the satellite transmitting apparatus is to transmit a broadcast program sent from a broadcasting station to a satellite via a satellite transmitting antenna, which is the same as the conventional one.

The main function of the satellite is to receive a broadcast program transmitted from a satellite antenna and relay the broadcast program to a user station, which is the same as the conventional one.

The main function of the receiver is to display a broadcast program received from a satellite receiving antenna on a television, which is the same as the conventional one.

The main function of the television is to display a broadcast program, which is the same as the conventional one.

The main function of the storage device is to store broadcast programs. The newly added functions are a function of transmitting data based on the user's preference and a function that can be remotely controlled from a control center via a telephone network.

The main function of the control center is to store a program guide sent from a broadcasting station. Newly added functions are a function of creating a database of metadata and metadata items from a program guide, a function of searching the database based on data sent from a user station, and a storage device via a telephone network. Is a function to remotely control

[System Operation] FIG. 4 shows the system operation in this embodiment. (1) The control center transmits the program guide (10
A database of metadata and data is created based on 1) (102). An example of the database is as follows. Metadata: Data Start time: 9:00 pm on December 4, 2000 End time: 9:54 pm on December 4, 2000 Title: △△△△ Starring actress: △△ ko Channel: 211 (2) User Inputs the data of "favorite actress OO @ ko" on the program reservation screen of the receiver and transmits it to the control center (103). (3) The control center searches the database created in (1) based on the transmitted data to search for a program that matches the user's preference. In the present embodiment, the program of (1) in which "OO" is displayed is selected, and the user name and the information of the program to be stored are stored in the user data storage unit.

Based on the information stored in the user data storage unit, at the start time of (1), the control center remotely controls the receiving channel and storage device of the user station via the telephone network via the telephone network (105). Store in the storage device (10
6).

With the above operation, a method of storing a broadcast program based on the user's preference can be realized.

[0028]

According to the present invention, the user station transmits data based on the user's preference to the control center, so that the control center generates metadata prepared in advance from the transmitted data and a program table provided by the broadcasting station. And a search for a broadcast program that matches the user's preference from the database of metadata items, and the storage device of the user station is remotely operated from the control center to store the broadcast program during the broadcast time of the broadcast program. And a method of accumulating broadcast programs that match the user's preference.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a conventional configuration example based on an electronic program guide.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a system using the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a user station according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a processing flow in a user station according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 broadcast station 30 satellite 40 user station 50 control center 60 telephone network

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/173 640 H04N 5/91 L (72) Inventor Ken Fukabori 2-3-3 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 1 Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Takehiko Kawazoe 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Kazuyasu Okada Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 3-1, Japan Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Kazama 2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term within Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. 5C052 AA01 AB02 CC01 DD04 EE03 5C053 FA20 GB11 JA01 LA06 LA07 5C064 BA01 BB03 BB07 BC06 BC16 BC25 BD03 BD08 BD09

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A broadcast program storage method for receiving and storing a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station at a user station, comprising a control center, the user station transmitting data based on user's preference to the control center, The control center searches a database of metadata and metadata items created in advance from a program table provided by the broadcasting station based on the data, selects a broadcast program that matches the user's preference, and A broadcast program storage method, characterized in that a control center remotely controls a user station to store a broadcast program during a broadcast time, so that the user station can store a broadcast program matching user's preference. 2. The broadcast program storage method according to claim 1, wherein transmission of data based on user's preference to the control center and remote control of the user station by the control center are performed via a telephone network. 3. A user station having a display means for receiving a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station and displaying it by at least one of visual and audio, and a storage means for storing the broadcast program, wherein the user station has: Means for transmitting data transmitted to a control center, means for remote control from the control center, and means for controlling the storage means in accordance with the remote control to store a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcasting station. Characteristic user station. 4. A recording device for recording a function program of a user station, comprising: display means for receiving a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcast station and displaying it by at least one of visual and audio, and storage means for storing the broadcast program. A function program for transmitting data based on user preference to a control center, remotely controlling the control center, controlling the storage means according to the remote control, and storing a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcasting station; The recording medium on which it was recorded.