Patent Application
20130022336
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus capable of transmitting information about programs, and a receiving apparatus capable of receiving information about programs. Additionally, the present invention relates to a transmitting method, more particularly to a transmitting method capable of transmitting information about programs.
2. Related Art
In recent years, receiving apparatuses capable of timer recording a series program have proliferated. The “series program” refers to a group of programs for when the programs are categorized by various conditions, i.e., a group of programs having a common characteristic in terms of the content of the programs.
For a receiving apparatus handling such a series program, there is, for example, a recording and playback apparatus described in JP 2010-56861 A. The recording and playback apparatus described in JP 2010-56861 A receives information about a series program and thereby grasps a copyright protection scheme of the series program.
An object of the present invention is to provide a transmitting apparatus, a receiving apparatus and a transmitting method each with a more improved user convenience in terms of recording and playback operation for a series program.
A transmitting apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores series association information, the series association information associating a piece of series information with a name of the piece of series information and the piece of series information indicating association between a plurality of programs having a common characteristic; and a transmitting unit that transmits the series association information.
In addition, a receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives series association information, the series association information associating a piece of series information with a name of the piece of series information and the piece of series information indicating association between a plurality of programs having a common characteristic; and an output unit that outputs the name of the piece of series information based on the received series association information.
In addition, a transmitting method according to the present invention is one at a transmitting apparatus. The transmitting method include storing in a storage unit series association information, the series association information associating a piece of series information with a name of the piece of series information and the piece of series information indicating association between a plurality of programs having a common characteristic; a control unit reading the series association information from the storage unit; and the control unit transmitting the read series association information to the external.
According to the present invention, by presenting the name of series information to a user, the user can more easily grasp the name of programs managed as a series program. By this, the convenience of the receiving apparatus improves more.
An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a transmitting apparatus and a recorder will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the present embodiment, a configuration for enabling all-at-once recording of a series program will be described. The “series program” refers to a group of programs for when the programs are categorized by various conditions, i.e., a group of programs having a common characteristic in terms of the content of the programs. For example, when the programs are categorized by genre, a group of programs belonging to “news”, “sports”, “drama”, etc., is a series program. For a drama that is broadcast, split into a plurality of parts, for example, all the episodes, from the first one to the last one, of the drama are a series program. In addition, for baseball game live programs, all programs of games played by a predetermined baseball team are also a series program. In addition, all programs in which a predetermined person appears may be a series program. The “series program” is hereinafter also simply referred to as a “series”.
A transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment transmits an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) as program information for identifying a program. The transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment provides pieces of program information of programs belonging to the same series program with identification information (hereinafter, referred to as a “series ID”) indicating that they are included in the same series, and then transmits program information. That is, programs provided with the same series ID belong to the same series. Thus, by a series ID, programs belonging to a series program associated with the series ID are identified. In addition, the transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment further associates a series ID with name information of the series ID and then transmits program information.
A recorder of the present embodiment receives program information and series IDs which are transmitted from the transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment, and performs all-at-once timer recording operation based on the series IDs. For example, when the transmitting apparatus of the present embodiment transmits program information where all pieces of program information of professional baseball programs are provided with the same series ID, the recorder of the present embodiment can identify all professional baseball programs by referring to the series ID provided to the programs and can make an all-at-once timer recording of the programs. In addition, based on name information associated with a received series ID, the recorder of the present embodiment can display the name of a series program associated with the series ID on an external television, etc.
The configurations of a transmitting apparatus and a recorder of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
A recorder 100 includes a digital terrestrial tuner 110, a BS digital tuner 120, a CS digital tuner 130, an LSI 140, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 150, an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) 160, an operating unit 170, a remote control receiving unit 180, and a remote control 185.
The digital terrestrial tuner 110 of the recorder 100 receives, through an antenna, digital terrestrial broadcasts transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 200 in the broadcast station. The BS digital tuner 120 receives, through an antenna, BS digital broadcasts transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 200. The CS digital tuner 130 receives, through an antenna, CS digital broadcasts transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 200.
The LSI 140 includes an encoder, a decoder, an image processing block, a CPU, a built-in memory, etc. (these elements are not shown). The LSI 140 performs various types of processes on video data received by the digital terrestrial tuner 110, the BS digital tuner 120, or the CS digital tuner 130. Specifically, the LSI 140 performs encoding, decoding, image processing, etc., on the video data. The LSI 140 records compressed video data having been subjected to an encoding process, on the HDD 150. The LSI 140 performs a decoding process on the compressed video data stored on the HDD 150. The LSI 140 outputs the decoded video data to an external television 190, etc. through the HDMI 160.
The HDD 150 is a storage apparatus that stores data. The HDMI 160 is an interface for outputting video data and audio data to the external television 190, etc.
The operating unit 170 accepts user operation and inputs information about the operation to the LSI 140. The remote control 185 receives user operation and inputs information about the operation to the LSI 140 through the remote control receiving unit 180.
As described above, the transmitting apparatus 200 transmits program information provided with series IDs and information about the series IDs. For the information about the series IDs, there are series ID association information, valid/invalid information, and main/sub-level information.
The series ID association information will be described with reference to
In addition, the series ID association information 300 includes an associated program list 320. The “associated program list” is a list showing a list of programs included in program information (EPG) transmitted at substantially the same period, and assigned the same series ID. The associated program list 320 includes information indicating a network ID, a broadcast station ID, an event ID, and broadcast date and time. The “network ID” is an ID for distinguishing the types of broadcasts such as a digital terrestrial broadcast, a BS digital broadcast, and a CS digital broadcast. The “broadcast station ID” is an ID for distinguishing broadcast stations such as NHK and BS NHK. The “event ID” is an ID for distinguishing programs. The “broadcast date and time” is information indicating the date and time on which a program is broadcast. Such series ID association information 300 is provided for each series ID.
In the present embodiment, as a series ID, for example, 16-bit information (“0x0000” to “0xFFFE”) is used. Each series is assigned any of the pieces of 16-bit information. That is, in the present embodiment, 65535 (=2 to the 16th power−1) series can be distinguished. Note that “0xFFFF” is used as a series ID set to invalid. The ID “0xFFFF” is hereinafter referred to as an “invalid ID”. The validity/invalidity of series IDs will be described next.
Valid/invalid information 400 will be described with reference to
In the case of a scheme in which a series ID having been assigned to a series once is continuously used, every time a new series comes out, a new series ID needs to be assigned to the series. Repeating this eventually results in running out of series IDs. To solve such a problem, in the present embodiment the valid/invalid information 400 is used.
The transmitting apparatus 200 notifies the recorder 100 that a specific series ID has become invalid, by transmitting the valid/invalid information 400. Thereafter, the transmitting apparatus 200 associates a new series with the series ID having become invalid and can thereby transmit the series ID again as valid. By this, the transmitting apparatus 200 can associate a new series with a series ID having been associated with another series once and thus can reuse the series ID.
In addition, the transmitting apparatus 200 continues to transmit information indicating that a specific series ID is invalid, for a predetermined number of days (e.g., 100 days). This is because if the transmitting apparatus 200 transmits the valid/invalid information 400 only once, then when the recorder 100 has been unable to receive that one transmission, the recorder 100 cannot properly recognize that the series ID has become invalid. If the power to the recorder 100 is turned off at the time of transmission of the valid/invalid information 400, then such an event occurs. Continuous transmission of the information indicating that the series ID is invalid, for the predetermined number of days increases the chance that, when a certain series ID has become invalid, the recorder 100 can properly recognize that the series ID has become invalid.
Next, main/sub-level information 500 will be described with reference to
4-1. Operation of Receiving Program Information, Series ID Association Information, etc.
The operation of receiving program information, series ID association information 300, etc., by the recorder 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to
4-2. Series Timer Recording Operation (the Case of Making a Timer Recording from an EPG)
Next, the series timer recording operation of the recorder 100 will be described. Here, particularly, the case of making a series timer recording through an EPG will be described with reference to
When the LSI 140 accepts an instruction to display an EPG from the user through the operating unit 170 or the remote control 185, the LSI 140 outputs program information (EPG) stored in the built-in memory to the external television 190 through the HDMI 160 to display TV listings such as those shown in
When the LSI 140 accepts an instruction to make a timer recording of a program from the user (YES in step S210), the LSI 140 outputs information about a selection screen that allows the user to select whether to make a single timer recording where only a selected program is timer recorded or a series timer recording including the selected program, to the external television 190 through the HDMI 160 (S220). Specifically, the LSI 140 outputs a selection screen such as that shown in
When the LSI 140 outputs the selection screen to the external television 190, the LSI 140 waits until the user selects either a single timer recording or a series timer recording (S230). If the LSI 140 determines that a single timer recording has been selected (“single timer recording” in step S230), then the LSI 140 makes a timer recording of only the program selected by the user (S240) and ends the timer recording operation.
On the other hand, if the LSI 140 determines that a series timer recording has been selected (“series timer recording” in step S230), then the LSI 140 obtains name information associated with series IDs provided to the selected program, from series ID association information 300 (S250). Then, the LSI 140 creates new character strings where the obtained name information and a specific character string (in the present embodiment, the character string “recording all”) are combined. The LSI 140 outputs information indicating a selection screen including options which use the new character strings as their names, to the external television 190 through the HDMI 160 (S250). Specifically, the LSI 140 outputs a selection screen such as that shown in
When the LSI 140 outputs the information indicating a series selection screen to the external television 190, the LSI 140 waits until a series selection is made by the user (S260). When a series selection is made (YES in step S260), the LSI 140 adds the selected series ID, as a target of a series timer recording, to a series timer recording list 600 such as that shown in
When the series ID is added to the series timer recording list 600, the LSI 140 makes a timer recording of programs included in an associated program list 320 in series ID association information 300 associated with the added series ID (S280).
4-3. Series Timer Recording Operation (the Case of Making a Timer Recording from a Start Menu)
Next, the operation for the case of making a series timer recording from a start menu will be described with reference to a flowchart of
When the LSI 140 accepts an instruction to display a start menu screen form the user through the operating unit 170 or the remote control 185, the LSI 140 outputs information indicating a start menu screen such as that shown in
When the information indicating a start menu screen is outputted, the LSI 140 determines whether the option “series timer recording” has been selected by the user (S310). If the LSI 140 determines that any other option than “series timer recording” has been selected (NO in step S310), then the LSI 140 performs a function associated with the selected option and thereafter returns again to the operation of determining whether a series timer recording has been selected (S310). Description of functions associated with other options than “series timer recording” is omitted here. On the other hand, if the LSI 140 determines that a series timer recording has been selected (YES in step S310), then the LSI 140 outputs information indicating a main series selection screen such as that shown in
When the LSI 140 outputs the main series selection screen, the LSI 140 determines whether a main series has been selected by the user (S330). If the LSI 140 accepts a main series selection made by the user (YES in S330), then the LSI 140 outputs information indicating a sub-series selection screen such as that shown in
Therefore, when “Major League Baseball” is selected as a main series, the options “World Series”, “Orioles games”, “Yankees games”, and “Rays games” are displayed in the list of sub-series.
When the LSI 140 outputs the sub-series selection screen, the LSI 140 determines whether a sub-series has been selected by the user (S350). When the LSI 140 accepts a sub-series selection, the LSI 140 adds the selected series, as a target of a series timer recording, to a series timer recording list 600 such as that shown in
4-4. Series ID Update Operation
Next, series ID update operation will be described with reference to a flowchart of
When the LSI 140 stores program information, information about series IDs, etc., in the built-in memory of the LSI 140, for example, as does in step 5140 of the flowchart of
If the LSI 140 determines that there is an invalid series ID in the series timer recording list 600 (YES in step S410), then the LSI 140 replaces the invalid series ID in the series timer recording list 600 with an invalid ID (0xFFFF) (S420). Then, next time when the user displays a list of series timer recordings (series timer recording list 600), the LSI 140 allows the external television 190 to display a screen such as that shown in
Note that the configuration is not necessarily the one shown in
On the other hand, if the LSI 140 determines that there is no invalid series ID (NO in step S410), then the LSI 140 maintains the series timer recording list 600 as it is without performing any process on the information on the series timer recording list 600 (S430).
As such, in the transmitting apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, series ID association information 300 includes name information 310 indicating the name of a series. By this, when one program is provided with a plurality of series IDs as in the example shown in
In addition, series ID association information 300 transmitted by the transmitting apparatus 200 of the present embodiment includes, as shown in
In addition, when a series timer recording is selected by the user, the recorder 100 of the present embodiment adds a specific character string to name information 310 associated with a series ID provided to a selected program, and outputs the specific character string as an option. By this, the recorder 100 can inform the user about the description of series timer recording operation in a more understandable manner. For example, the recorder 100 adds the character string “recording all” to name information 310 provided to a series ID and outputs the character string. By this, the recorder 100 can allow the user to recognize that programs related to a series selected by the user can be timer recorded all at once. Note that without adding a specific character string, only name information 310 associated with a series ID may be displayed as an option.
In addition, when a series timer recording is selected by the user, the recorder 100 of the present embodiment adds a series ID which is a target of the series timer recording and name information 310 associated with the series ID to a series timer recording list 600. By this, even when program information transmitted from the transmitting apparatus 200 in a broadcast station, etc., has been changed, the recorder 100 can continue to make a timer recording of programs provided with a series ID for which a series timer recording is made.
As described above, the transmitting apparatus 200 of the present embodiment includes the HDD 210 that stores series association information 300 which associates a series ID indicating association between a plurality of programs having a common characteristic, with name information 310 for the series ID; and the transmitting unit 230 that transmits the series association information 300.
In addition, the recorder 100 of the present embodiment includes the tuners 110, 120, and 130 that receive series association information 300 which associates a series ID indicating association between a plurality of programs having a common characteristic, with name information 310 for the series ID; and the HDMI 160 that outputs a name of the series ID based on the received series association information 300.
By such a configuration, the recorder 100 of the present embodiment presents name information 310 associated with a series ID instead of the series ID which is simply a series of numbers to the user, enabling to allow the user to more easily grasp the name of a series program indicated by the series ID. By this, the convenience of the recorder 100 improves more.
Although programs targeted by the above-described embodiment are moving images, the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to programs with only audio.
In addition, although in the above-described embodiment the recorder 100 includes three tuners (the digital terrestrial tuner 110, the BS digital tuner 120, and the CS digital tuner 130), the present invention is not limited thereto. The recorder 100 may include only one of them or may include four or more tuners. In addition, the recorder 100 may include a receiving unit connectable to Internet, together with tuners, or instead of tuners, through which series association information 300 etc. can be received. A receiving unit connectable to Internet can be realized based on a module connectable to a wireless LAN or to a wired LAN.
In addition, although in the above-described embodiment an interface used by the recorder 100 to output video data and audio data to the external television 190 is the HDMI 160, the present invention is not limited thereto. The interface may be other than the HDMI 160. An RGB interface, a USB interface, etc., may be used. Alternatively, a radio interface may be used.
The present invention can be applied to receiving apparatuses such as recorders, broadcast apparatuses that broadcast broadcast waves, etc.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-158268 | Jul 2011 | JP | national |
