JPH099245A - CATV system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] CATV system video distribution service (VO
The present invention relates to D), and an object thereof is to solve the problem that in the conventional CATV system, the program requester and the program receiver must be the same. [Structure] Delivery service acceptance unit 105, which accepts input of program information, delivery date and time, and delivery destination, delivery service acceptance unit 1
Delivery reservation management unit 1 that manages the delivery reservation input in 05
10. By providing the distribution service execution unit 115 that executes the distribution execution request from the distribution reservation management unit, the conventional V
It is possible to realize a video distribution service to a third party, which could not be realized by the OD system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CATV system which provides a video-on-demand service which provides a video distribution service in response to a request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional CATV system is disclosed in JP-A-4-3.
As described in Japanese Patent No. 24784, a subscriber transmits a request for a program to be watched to a head end side via a set top box. The headend side notifies the requesting set top box of the distribution channel in order to distribute the specified program to the subscriber, and when the set top box tunes to this channel, the specified program is transmitted. Start. In this way, the subscriber who made the distribution request can view the program.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional CATV system, the subscriber who makes the program distribution request and the subscriber who receives the distribution must be the same. For example, the subscriber A is the program on the headend side. A VOD service of selecting a program to be viewed from among the programs held for distribution and distributing it to the subscriber B, or a group of subscribers A having a plurality of subscribers designated and distributed to the group It is not possible to provide a VOD service that makes a request.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A menu information reception function for outputting a distributable program information menu and inputting selected program information, and distribution for inputting a distribution date and time and a distribution period of program information input by the menu information reception function. Reservation notification that requests registration of the delivery date information and delivery date information and delivery destination information that inputs the delivery destination information of the program information that was input by the menu information reception function A delivery service reception unit having a function, a reservation registration reception function that receives a request from the delivery service reception unit, a reservation activation function that requests execution of a delivery reservation that has reached the delivery reservation date, and a delivery reservation that has passed the delivery reservation period. Reservation management that updates the reservation suspension function that requests execution suspension, reservation registration acceptance function, reservation activation function, and reservation suspension function Distribution reservation management means provided with a table, a reservation execution reception function that receives requests from the distribution reservation management means, a distribution notification processing function that notifies distribution to the program distribution destination set top box, and a program distribution program to the program distribution destination set top box. Distribution service execution means having a distribution processing function for performing distribution processing, a distribution cancellation processing function for stopping program distribution reservation processing, and a transmission management means for controlling / managing automatic transmission equipment in the headend,
Program material management means for managing program material, subscriber name,
It is equipped with subscriber information management means for keeping subscriber information such as subscriber address and installed set-top box address, channel management means for managing distribution channels, and communication function with the headend, and remote control is possible. It has a set top box.

[0005]

The CATV system of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration.
It is possible to provide a VOD service in which one CATV subscriber distributes the programs accumulated on the headend side to another CATV subscriber, which cannot be realized by the conventional CATV system.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a CATV system of the present invention. Reference numeral 101 denotes a menu information receiving unit that outputs a distributable program information menu and inputs selected program information. Reference numeral 102 denotes a distribution date and time that inputs a distribution date and time and a period of the program information input by the menu information receiving unit 101. Reference numeral 103 denotes a distribution destination information reception unit for inputting distribution destination information of the program information input at the menu information reception unit 101, and reference numeral 104 denotes a registration request for the program information, distribution date / time information, and distribution destination information input at each unit Reservation notifying section for performing, and 105 for menu information receiving section 1
01, delivery date and time acceptance unit 102, and delivery destination information acceptance unit 103
And a delivery service reception unit including a reservation notification unit 104.

Reference numeral 106 denotes a reservation registration reception unit that receives a request from the distribution service reception unit 105, 107 a reservation activation unit that requests execution of a distribution reservation that has reached the distribution reservation date and time, and 108 has passed the distribution reservation period. A reservation stop unit that requests execution of distribution reservation, 109 is a reservation registration reception unit 106, a reservation management unit 107, and a reservation management table updated by the reservation stop unit 108. 110 is a reservation registration reception unit 106 and a reservation start unit. 107 and reservation stop unit 108
And a delivery reservation management unit including a reservation management table 109.

Reference numeral 111 is a reservation execution acceptance unit that accepts a request from the delivery reservation management unit 110, 112 is a delivery notification processing unit that notifies the program delivery destination set top box of delivery, and 113 is a program delivery destination set top box. A delivery processing unit 114 for performing program delivery processing, a delivery cancellation processing unit 114 for performing program delivery reservation stop processing, 115.
Is a delivery service execution unit including a reservation execution acceptance unit 111, a delivery notification processing unit 112, a delivery processing unit 113, and a delivery cancellation processing unit 114.

Reference numeral 116 designates a transmission management unit for controlling / managing automatic transmission equipment in the headend, and 117
Reference numeral 118 denotes a program material management unit that manages program material, and 118 denotes a subscriber information management unit that keeps subscriber information such as subscriber name, subscriber address, and installed set-top box address.
Reference numeral 19 denotes a channel management unit that manages a distribution channel, reference numerals 120a and 120b denote set-top boxes that have a communication function with a head end, and can also be remotely controlled.
Reference numeral 122 denotes a delivery service reception unit 105, a delivery reservation management unit 110, a delivery service execution unit 115, and a delivery management unit 116.
And program material management unit 117 and subscriber information management unit 118
A computer LAN 121 connected between the head end and the set top box 120 is a CATV transmission line.

A method of providing a video distribution service by the CATV system of the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

The set top box 120a sends a video distribution service request to the head end. This video distribution service request is received by the distribution service reception unit 105, and the processing of the menu information reception unit 101 is activated. The operation until the menu information receiving unit 101 obtains the distribution menu selection information will be described with reference to FIG. The menu information of the program for which the video distribution service is available is received from the program material management unit 117 (201). The menu information is transmitted to the set top box 120a, and the selection information is waited for (202). The selection information is received from the set top box 120a (203). Through the above processing of the menu information receiving unit 101, the distribution service receiving unit 105 can obtain the information of the video to be distributed. Next, the distribution service receiving unit 105 activates the processing of the distribution date / time information receiving unit 102 in order to obtain the distribution date / time information. The operation until the delivery date / time information receiving unit 102 obtains the delivery date / time information will be described with reference to FIG. An input request for desired distribution date / time information is transmitted to the set top box 120a (301). Set top box 120
The desired distribution date and time information is received from a (302). Through the above processing of the delivery date / time information receiving unit 102, the delivery service receiving unit 105 can obtain the delivery date / time information.

The distribution service receiving unit 105 receives from the channel management unit 119 the channel allocation for distributing the specified distribution material at the specified date and time. If the allocation cannot be accepted, an error message is transmitted to the set top box 120a, and the process of the delivery date / time information receiving unit 102 is activated again.

The distribution service receiving unit 105, which has received the allocation of the distribution channel, activates the processing of the distribution destination information receiving unit 103 to obtain the distribution destination information. The operation until the delivery destination information receiving unit 103 obtains the delivery destination information will be described with reference to FIG. An input request for delivery destination information is transmitted to the set top box 120a (401). Receive delivery destination information from the set top box 120a (4
02). The input destination information is the subscriber information management unit 1
It is checked whether or not it is managed by 18, and if there is no error, the process proceeds to the next step, and if there is an error, the process returns to the step 401 of FIG. When the delivery destination information is input until the delivery destination can be specified, the process is terminated, and when the information is insufficient, the process returns to step 401 (40
4). Through the above processing of the delivery destination information receiving unit 103, the delivery service receiving unit 105 can obtain the delivery destination information.

Through the processing up to this point, the distribution service receiving unit 105 has been able to obtain all the information necessary for the distribution service. Here, it is assumed that the subscriber who has installed the set top box 120b is designated as the delivery destination information.

Next, the distribution service reception unit 105 activates the processing of the reservation notification unit 104 in order to register the distribution reservation content in the distribution reservation management unit 110. This reservation notification unit 104
The operation up to the delivery reservation registration will be described with reference to FIG. A final confirmation request of the delivery reservation content is issued to the set top box 120a (501). Receive a reservation confirmation response from the set top box 120a (5
02). The process branches depending on whether the reservation content confirmation response is received or the reservation content cancellation is received (503). When the reservation content cancellation response is received, the distribution reservation cancellation message is transmitted to the set top box 120a, and the processing is terminated (504). When the confirmation of the reservation content is received, the reservation content is transmitted to the distribution reservation management unit 110 and a distribution reservation registration request is made (505).

The process branches depending on whether the registration process ends normally or abnormally (506). If the reservation registration process ends normally, a registration completion message is sent to the set top box 120a and the process ends (50).
7). If the reservation registration process ends abnormally, a registration error message is sent to the set top box 120a and the process ends (508). With the above processing, the distribution service receiving unit 105 ends the processing for receiving the distribution reservation from the set top box 120a.

The distribution reservation registration request from the distribution service reception unit 105 is received by the distribution reservation management unit 110,
The processing in the reservation registration receiving unit 106 is activated. The operation until the reservation registration acceptance unit performs the reservation registration will be described with reference to FIG.

Distribution material information, distribution destination information, distribution date / time information, distribution channel information, and distribution request source information are received from the distribution service reception unit 105 (601). The received delivery reservation information is registered in the reservation management table 109 (60
2).

The delivery reservation management unit 110 periodically checks the reservation management table 109, and when it detects a reservation that has reached the designated delivery date and time, activates the processing of the reservation activation unit 107. The operation of the reservation activation unit 107 will be described with reference to FIG.

The distribution service execution unit 115 has distribution material information, distribution destination information, distribution date / time information, distribution channel information,
The distribution request source information and the activation command are transmitted (701).
The start request end information is added to the reservation management table 109 (702).

Further, the delivery reservation management unit 110 periodically checks the reservation management table 109, and when it detects a reservation for which a designated delivery period has elapsed, the reservation stop unit 1
The processing of 08 is started. The operation of the reservation stopping unit 108 will be described with reference to FIG. Distribution service execution unit 11
5, the distribution material information, the distribution destination information, the distribution date and time information, the distribution channel information, the distribution request source information, and the stop command are transmitted (801). Stop request end information is added to the reservation management table 109 (802).

A reservation activation request (FIG. 7) and a reservation stop request (FIG. 8) from the reservation management unit 110 are received by the reservation execution acceptance unit 111 of the distribution service execution unit 115, and when the reservation activation request is received here. When the reservation stop request is received, the process of the delivery notification processing unit 112 is activated, and the process of the delivery cancellation processing unit 114 is activated.

The operation when the reservation activation request is received will be described below. The delivery notification processing unit 112 sends the delivery material information, the delivery request source (subscriber of 120a) information, and the delivery message to the delivery destination set top box 120b.

The operation of the set top box 120b at this time will be described with reference to FIG. The distribution material information, the distribution request source information, and the distribution message are received from the headend side (901). The received message is displayed on the monitor (902).

The operation of the set top box 120b when the user of the set top box 120b inputs a distribution data reception instruction will be described with reference to FIG. Send a distribution request to the headend side (100
1). A distribution receiving channel and a channel switching command are received from the headend side (1002). By switching the receiving channel to this channel, the distributed program can be received from the headend side (1003).

Here, the distribution service execution unit 115 receives the distribution request 1001 and the processing of the distribution processing unit 113 is activated. The operation of the distribution processing unit 113 will be described with reference to FIG. The distribution channel and the channel switching command are transmitted (1101). Transmission management unit 11
6 is notified of the transmission channel and the transmission program information (1102). Upon receiving the transmission channel and the transmission program information, the transmission management unit 116 executes the transmission of the program.
Through the above processing, the user of the set top box 120a
I was able to deliver messages and programs.

[0027]

As described above, the CA of the present invention
In the TV system, the program delivery requester can specify the delivery destination and delivery date and time of the program.
Can be realized on V.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a CATV system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of obtaining the selection information of the distribution menu of the menu information receiving unit 101.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation until a delivery date / time information receiving unit 102 obtains delivery date / time information.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation until a delivery destination information receiving unit 103 obtains delivery destination information.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation until a reservation notification unit 104 performs delivery reservation registration.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation until a reservation registration acceptance unit 106 performs reservation registration.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the reservation activation unit 107.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of a reservation stopping unit.

9 is a set top box 1 when the set top box 120b receives distribution material information, distribution request source information, and a distribution message from the distribution notification processing unit 112. FIG.
Flowchart showing operation of 20b

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the set top box 120b when a distribution data reception instruction is input from the user of the set top box 120b.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the distribution processing unit 113.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Menu Information Receiving Section 102 Delivery Date and Time Receiving Section 103 Delivery Destination Information Receiving Section 104 Reservation Notification Section 105 Delivery Service Receiving Section 106 Reservation Registration Receiving Section 107 Reservation Starting Section 108 Reservation Stopping Section 109 Reservation Management Table 110 Delivery Reservation Management Section 111 Reservation Execution Reception unit 112 Delivery notification processing unit 113 Delivery processing unit 114 Delivery cancellation processing unit 115 Delivery service execution unit 116 Delivery management unit 117 Program material management unit 118 Subscriber information management unit 119 Channel management unit 120a Set top box 120b Set top box 122 Computer LAN 121 CATV transmission line

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Nagao 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A menu information reception function for outputting a distributable program information menu and inputting selected program information, a distribution date and time reception function for inputting a distribution date and time and a period of program information input by the menu information reception function, It has a distribution destination information reception function that inputs the distribution destination information of the program information input by the menu information reception function, and a reservation notification function that requests registration of the program information, distribution date and time information, and distribution destination information input by each of the above functions. A delivery service reception means, a reservation registration reception function that receives a request from the delivery service reception means, a reservation activation function that issues a distribution reservation execution request that has reached the distribution reservation date and time, and a distribution reservation execution stop request that has exceeded the distribution reservation period. It has a reservation suspension function, a reservation registration reception function, a reservation activation function, and a reservation management table updated by the reservation suspension function. Distribution reservation management means, a reservation execution acceptance function for receiving a request from the distribution reservation management means, a distribution notification processing function for notifying distribution to the program distribution destination set top box, and a program distribution processing for the program distribution destination set top box A distribution service execution means having a distribution processing function and a distribution cancellation processing function for stopping the program distribution reservation, a transmission management means for controlling / managing the automatic transmission equipment in the headend, and a program for managing program materials A subscriber information management means that keeps subscriber information including material management means, subscriber name, subscriber address, and installed set-top box address, channel management means that manages distribution channels, and headend. CA having a communication function and a set-top box capable of remote control
TV system. 2. The CATV according to claim 1, further comprising a function of notifying a subscriber who has made a distribution reservation of a program distribution result.
system.