JPH0970020A - ISDB receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To enable automatic deletion of broadcast programs according to priority. SOLUTION: In an ISDB receiving device 40 which receives a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal after digitizing various main information such as video, audio and data together with additional information such as control information, the receiving device. The ISDB tuner 46, the decoding units 52 and 66 for decoding the main information and the additional information, the main information storage means 62, and the memory means 70 for the overall priority data indicating the storage priority for the main information. And a control unit 64 for them. When accumulating information that exceeds the capacity of the accumulating means, the accumulating information is deleted from the accumulating means from the low priority main information based on the priority set by the user, so that only user-preferred information is accumulated for a long time. . As data indicating the overall priority, genre priority, individual program priority, and elapsed time are used.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a receiver suitable for application to an ISDB broadcasting system or the like. Specifically, a priority is set for the received information that has been accumulated, and the information is automatically erased sequentially from the accumulated information having a lower priority, so that the user can select the desired information without increasing the capacity of the accumulating means. The information can be accumulated and saved for a relatively long time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of digital technology, an interactive integrated digital broadcasting system (ISD) that digitizes various information including broadcasting signals in the broadcasting world
B (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting) system is being researched and developed.

Specifically, the ISDB system is a multi-channel system including current broadcast signals (standard television signals, high-definition signals), data such as software and facsimiles, and voice, characters, figures, images and the like. This is a broadcasting system in which media information is digitized (encoded), integrated and multiplexed, and then subjected to modulation processing that matches the transmission mode and then transmitted and received.

When various kinds of information including a broadcast signal are integrated and multiplexed, in addition to these pieces of information, additional information used as control information on the receiving side can be simultaneously integrated and multiplexed and transmitted. The integrated ISDB broadcast signal (digital signal) is transmitted using a terrestrial wave, a satellite wave, an optical cable, or the like.

On the receiving terminal side, by receiving the integrated ISDB broadcast signal and discriminating the target signal, the signal can be displayed on the monitor and can be enjoyed as a normal television broadcast. It can be used to record (store) or transfer to another terminal.
Further, if the received additional information is used, the received information can be used according to the user's preference such as monitor control, recording control, and processing control for the monitored image. That is, it is possible to construct an interactive broadcasting system.

[0006]

Therefore, this ISD
If the B system is used, various additional information will be transmitted,
The more diverse, the better the service content for users,
A more interactive broadcasting system can be built.

By the way, in the current television broadcasting, when it is not possible to stay at home in the broadcast time zone of a desired broadcast program, an answering machine is generally set. When there are many programs to be recorded, or when the programs are to be recorded a few days later, it is necessary to determine the setting conditions for the recorded message each time, and it is often experienced that the setting work is very troublesome.

If the receiving terminal is equipped with a large-capacity storage means and the compressed data can be stored / saved in units of days or weeks, the stored data can be searched after the broadcast according to the user's preference. The program can be reproduced, and if the data is deleted later, the broadcast program information can be stored again with the initial capacity.

However, it is almost impossible to mount such a large-capacity storage means on a general terminal device, and there is a considerable number of stored information that does not meet the taste of the user. It can be considered that a considerable amount of time is spent in searching for desired information from among the provided information. In such a case, if the user should set the priority to be saved in advance and the information having lower priority can be automatically deleted in sequence, the broadcast programs remaining in the storage means will be only the information in which the user's preference is gradually reflected. As a result, the number of broadcast programs that hit will increase accordingly, which will shorten the search time.

Therefore, the present invention solves such a problem, in which the user sets a priority for the accumulated received information, and the accumulated information having a lower priority is accumulated as the accumulation time elapses. The information is automatically erased in sequence so that only the information desired by the user can be accumulated and saved without increasing the capacity of the accumulating means. According to this, the program with the highest priority of the user can be saved even after a considerable time has elapsed after being broadcast.

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, in the ISDB transmission apparatus according to the present invention described in claim 1, various main information such as video, audio, data, etc. are added to the control information. An ISDB receiving apparatus for receiving a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal after being digitized together with information is provided with an ISDB tuner and a decoding means for decoding the main information and additional information. , A means for accumulating the main information, a means for storing total priority data indicating a storage priority for the main information, and a control means for them, and the priority is low based on the priority set by the user. It is characterized in that the main information is sequentially deleted from the storage means from the main information.

In the ISDB receiver according to the second aspect of the present invention, the data indicating the overall priority is genre priority, individual program priority and elapsed time.

In the ISDB receiver according to claim 3, the genre priority is semi-fixed data.
The individual program priority is a priority that can be arbitrarily set by the user.

In the ISDB receiver according to the fourth aspect, the data indicating the elapsed time acts as a negative term with respect to the genre priority and the individual program priority.

In this example, one-channel transmission (including one selected channel) is considered for convenience of explanation.
All broadcast program information of the channel is stored / stored in the storage means. At the same time, it can be displayed on the screen and monitored. Since the data indicating the total priority set by the user is stored in the user terminal, if the information is accumulated until the capacity of the accumulating means is exceeded, the total priority is set when the next information to be accumulated is input. Information already stored is automatically deleted by the data shown. The information having the lowest total priority among the already recorded information is to be erased.

The overall priority is set by the genre priority, the individual program priority and the elapsed time, and the genre priority is a priority that is initially set as when the device is loaded and is semi-fixed data. On the other hand, the individual program priority is determined each time while watching the program content, and can be set arbitrarily by the user.

Since the data indicating the elapsed time acts as a negative term with respect to the genre priority and the individual program priority, the stored information having the smallest total priority value is erased first. The larger the total priority value is, the longer the storage time is. By giving this total priority, it is possible to store and store only the program information that suits the taste of the user without increasing the capacity of the storage means too much.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, the ISDB according to the present invention.
An embodiment of an audio receiving device will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a systematic diagram of essential parts showing one form of a broadcast signal transmitting apparatus 10 which is a prerequisite of the ISDB receiving apparatus according to the present invention. The main information is a standard television signal, a high-definition signal and various data information. Then, additional information such as control information can be added to each of them and multiplexed. Various types of additional information can be considered. A time code or the like can be considered for the standard television signal or the high definition signal.

Referring to FIG. 1, the terminal 12a is supplied with the video signal SVN of the standard television signal, and the terminal 12b is supplied with the audio signal SAN accompanying it, and the encoding unit 14 appropriately selects the compression signal and the like. Encoding processing is performed.
The additional information generating means 16 operates in synchronization with this encoding process to generate additional information such as control information. In this example, the additional information may be time code or other video control information. The coded standard television signal and the additional information are supplied to the multiplexing unit 20 and multiplexed with other information.

The video signal SVH of the high-definition signal is supplied to the terminal 22a, and the audio signal SAH accompanying it is supplied to the terminal 22b, and the coding unit 24 performs the same coding process as described above. The additional information generating means 26 is activated in synchronization with this encoding process, and predetermined additional information is generated in synchronization with the encoding process.

Various data such as computer data and facsimile data is supplied to the terminal 28a, and this is encoded by the encoder 30. At the same time, the additional information generating means 32 is activated to generate the corresponding additional information. As the additional information, information such as area designation for enlarging / reducing, telephone numbers for inquiries, and fax numbers can be considered.

The coded information and the additional information obtained from each are multiplexed in the multiplexing unit 20. The multiplexing unit 20 performs, for example, a process of packetizing each of the coded information and multiplexing the coded information for error correction on a transmission frame basis to form a bitstream. FIG. 2 shows an example of packetizing data, and shows a signal form when image information, audio information, and data information are packetized using packet headers.

The multiplexed data is ISD in a transmission form suitable for transmission means (for example, a broadcasting satellite) in the transmission unit 34.
After being modulated into the B broadcast signal, the transmitting antenna (parabolic antenna) 3 is passed through the up converter 36 in this example.
At 8, it is transmitted to the broadcasting satellite.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a receiver 40 according to the present invention for receiving such an ISDB broadcast signal. The satellite wave received by the receiving antenna (parabolic antenna) 42 is down-converted to the 1 GHz band by the down converter 44, and then supplied to the ISDB tuner 46 for channel selection processing. Therefore, the broadcasting signal for ISDB of a specific channel is tuned by the tuning signal SC from the terminal 48.

The selected ISDB broadcast signal is supplied to the signal separating section 50 and separated into the original main information and the additional information. For example, when a specific channel of a standard television signal is selected, it is separated into a standard television signal and additional information (time code etc.) associated with this specific channel.

The standard television signal thus separated is decoded by the decoding unit 52, and the video signal SV (SVN) and the audio signal SA (SAN) are respectively decoded, and these are stored in the memory for the video signal and the audio signal as required. Means (D
(RAM, etc.) 54, and image processing and the like are performed based on a command from the control unit 64. The broadcast signal read from the memory means 54 is supplied to a monitor (CRT, etc.) 58 via a switcher 56, which will be described later, so that an image is displayed on the screen, and an audio signal is reproduced (sound) from the speaker 60. To be done.

The main information signal supplied to the decoding section 52 is also supplied to the accumulating means 62, and the information of all the broadcast programs in this example for one channel selected is stored. The stored signal form remains compressed data because of the storage capacity, but it is also possible to store the decoded data.

Necessary information among the broadcast program information accumulated in the accumulating means 62 is decoded by the decoding section 63 based on a command from the control section 64 and then supplied to the monitor 58 via the switcher 56, and its image is displayed. Is reproduced. Decoding unit 63
Can also use the decoding unit 52.

Information such as data is supplied to a dedicated decoding unit 66 in this example. The decrypted data is supplied to the monitor 58 and displayed on the screen thereof as needed, and is also supplied to the control unit 64 to be used as screen control information and the like. A control unit 64 equipped with a microcomputer is remote-controlled by a commander 68.

The control unit 64 is further provided with a memory means 70, in which the data of the overall priority indicating which information of the stored information is left and which information is preferentially erased is stored. This data, especially data indicating the priority of individual program information, can be set by the user himself / herself by the commander 68. The overall priority is set in consideration of the fact that the storage means 62 has a finite capacity and that the value cannot be set too large. Therefore, the user's favorite information can be displayed without increasing the storage means capacity. This is so that they can be accumulated and saved. Therefore, when the storage capacity is full, the received information stored is automatically erased sequentially from the stored information with the lowest priority.

In this example, as the total priority P, the genre priority x of the broadcast program, the individual program priority y, and the elapsed time t from the time when the accumulation is started or accumulated is adopted. When the total priority P is mathematically expressed using these three items x, y, and t, it becomes as follows. P = ax + by-ct (1) a, b, c: constant

Here, the genre is fixed in advance,
It is a fixed concept such as politics, economy, sports, historical drama, and drama. Information about what kind of genre it is classified into is known, and it is assumed that it is sent from the broadcasting station side. The genre priority x is a semi-fixed value,
When the receiver 40 is loaded and installed, the user sets it as an initial value. It is also possible to set (preset) before loading the device. This value can be changed by the user while the device is in use.

The individual program priority y is an item that can be set by the user, and the priority is determined by referring to the program section of the day. This value is also a value that the user can freely set according to the taste of the user, and this value can be changed at any time. The elapsed time t is counted up from the stage at which the broadcast programs are started to be accumulated or the stage at which the programs have been accumulated. The unit is hour, but it is also possible to use minute.

When the capacity of the storage means 62 is full, the control section 64 determines the storage information to be erased based on the above-mentioned total priority P. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the recording means 1 to 3 of the recording ranks have already been accumulated, and the genre priority x and the individual program priority y are respectively accumulated.
Is set. The elapsed time t from the accumulation also has different values.

Here, the information is also accumulated for the broadcast program with x = 0 and y = 0, but it can be said that this is a program that is of little interest to the user. However, even in that case, all information is accumulated. The coefficients a, b, and c are as shown in the figure, but their values are examples.

As a result of accumulating the contents of the above three broadcast programs, it is assumed that the accumulating capacity of the accumulating means 62 becomes full. When the broadcast program (song program) with the recording rank 4 is to be stored next in this state, the control unit 64 calculates all the total priorities P for the stored information from the memory means 70. At the time of FIG. 4, the priority P becomes lower in the order of drama, sports, and historical drama.

On the other hand, the priority P of the song program to be accumulated from now on is the highest. The genre priority x of the song program is "-1", which is an example when the historical drama priority x is "0". In the example of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the user's interest in ordinary song programs is not so different,
The genre priority x is set to “−1”, but the user is very interested in the song program broadcast this time, and the individual program priority y is set to “2”. Shows.

When such a song program is about to be broadcast, since the storage capacity is full, the total priority P at that time is calculated for all the storage information, and the highest priority among them is calculated. Low accumulated information is determined. When the stored information with the lowest priority is determined, the stored information (historical drama in FIG. 4) is deleted, and at the same time, the storage of song programs is started.

When the capacity becomes full again during the accumulation, the accumulated information of the lowest priority is discriminated by the same method as described above, and the latter half of the song program is accumulated while the accumulated information is erased. Will be. Therefore, after a certain amount of storage time has elapsed, the broadcast programs remaining in the storage unit 62 gradually contain only information in which the user's tastes are reflected, and the number of hit broadcast programs also increases, which shortens the search time. Leads to.

Of course, it is also possible to select the broadcast programs to be stored in the storage means 62 in advance and set the overall priority P for the selected broadcast programs (for the stored broadcast programs). The capacity of the storage unit 62 can be reduced by performing the preliminary selection.

As the storage means 62, a storage device having a relatively large capacity such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, etc., which can be accessed quickly and can be recorded / erased in real time is used. For example, 9G
If you use a hard disk with a byte capacity and use MPEG1 (1.5 Mbps) for image compression,
It can store and save broadcast program information for about 13 hours.

[0043]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the ISDB according to the present invention
The receiver device stores the broadcast program information transmitted as the ISDB broadcast signal, and automatically deletes the stored information of the lower priority according to the program priority set by the user.

According to this, since the program with the lowest priority is automatically deleted, only the broadcast programs that match the user's taste can be stored for a long time, and efficient automatic storage and automatic management can be realized and the storage can be performed. It has a feature that user's favorite information can be accumulated and saved without increasing the capacity of the means.

Therefore, unlike the conventional recording reservation, it is not necessary to perform a complicated work such as searching for a program to be reserved in advance from many programs. By increasing the program genre preferred by the user and the priority of individual programs, it is possible to store and save broadcast programs more in line with the user side. Therefore, the present invention is extremely suitable when applied to an ISDB system for digital broadcasting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of an ISDB transmission device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a signal form example of an ISDB broadcast signal.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of an ISDB receiver according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between an overall priority and a deleted program.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ISDB transmission device 14, 24, 30 Coding unit 16, 26, 32 Additional information generating unit 20 Multiplexing unit 46 ISDB tuner 52, 63, 66 Decoding unit 58 Monitor 62 Storage unit 70 Memory unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ISDB receiver for receiving a packetized and multiplexed ISDB broadcast signal after digitizing various types of main information such as video, audio and data together with additional information such as control information. Includes an ISDB tuner, a decryption unit for decrypting the main information and the additional information, a storage unit for storing the main information, and a storage unit for storing general priority data indicating a storage priority for the main information, An ISDB receiving apparatus, characterized in that it has control means for them, and that the main information is deleted from the storage means in order from the main information having lower priority based on the priority set by the user. 2. The data indicating the overall priority includes:
3. The IS according to claim 1, wherein the genre priority, the individual program priority, and the elapsed time from the accumulation are set.
DB receiver. 3. The genre-specific priority is semi-fixed data, whereas the individual program priority is a priority that can be arbitrarily set by a user while viewing program information and the like. Item 1. The ISDB receiver according to Item 1. 4. The ISDB receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data indicating the elapsed time acts as a negative term with respect to the genre priority and the individual program priority.