JP2001203998A - Digital catv retransmission device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem such that a receiver which receives digital CATV should be adaptive to program information formats that all networks possibly transmitting and receiving information provide because there are differences in program information format prescribed by individual transmission source networks sent and received in one network of the digital CATV when reception from plural networks is performed and selective transmission is carried out principally like the digital CATV. SOLUTION: This digital CATV retransmission device has a packet detection part for extracting packets containing program information which should be converted and a packet replacement part which replaces the program information detected by the packet detection with contents prepared or converted according to the detected program information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art In satellite digital broadcasting, data is multiplexed in a transport stream, and a data unit is a transport packet, and all information of video, audio, and data is transmitted by this packet. Since the transport stream is time-division multiplexed and transmitted to each transponder of the satellite, programs of several channels are multiplexed on one transponder, so that channel selection, program selection, and program guide display can be easily performed. In general, the information to be transmitted is also time-division multiplexed and broadcast.

[0002] The contents of the program information include, for example, an international standard called the MPEG system and a private standard called the DVB standard, and are usually operated within the range specified therein. Broadly speaking, the following three types of program information are defined. ○ Network information ○ Service information ○ Event information Network information is information transmitted to show the configuration of the network. A network identification number for uniquely identifying the network, a retransmission source for identifying the retransmission source network A network identification number, a transport stream identification number for identifying a transport stream that is a unit of multiplexing in the network, transmission information including a frequency of a frequency band for transmitting each transport stream, and a transport stream identification number A list of channel numbers belonging to each is included.

[0003] Service information is transmitted to indicate information for each channel, and includes information elements such as a channel number and a channel name for uniquely identifying a channel in a network.

[0004] The event information is transmitted to indicate information on a broadcast program for each channel, and includes information elements such as a program identification number, a program name, a program content, a program start time, a program time length, and genre information. . This event information is further divided into short-term event information describing only the currently broadcasted program and the next scheduled program information, and long-term event information describing all program information included in a long period such as one week. .

[0005] These pieces of information are encoded in accordance with a section format defined in the MPEG system. For the program information, a description format using the section format is also specified.

[0006] As described above, it has become very common to multiplex and transmit program information to video and audio in digital broadcasting. However, in actual operation, the program information format differs for each network. Many. This is usually due to the fact that the number of channels to be transmitted and the transmission band that can be secured differ depending on the characteristics of each network.
The elements that determine the program information format are various, but generally include the following. O Encoding method of program information O Transmission method of program information In the following, differences in formats that can occur in each case will be described.

In the program information encoding method, as described above, a binary format called a normal section format is provided, and each information element (generally described in a format called a descriptor) described therein is provided. The same one is not always used. For example, there is a case where a descriptor for describing a program name differs for each network, or a case where a unique descriptor for describing an information element unique to a network is operated. Therefore, a receiver that receives and processes program information transmitted by such an encoding method needs to be aware of differences in encoding methods in individual networks even when using the same program name.

[0008] The program information transmission method means how to transmit the coded program information in each transmission band in the network, which is more independent operation for each network than the encoding method. There are many examples of doing. Here, two representative examples will be described in order to explain that a difference occurs in the program information transmission method for each network.

In one example of the program information transmission method (transmission method example 1), network information, service information, and short-term event information are transmitted in all transport streams, and most of the program information in terms of data amount. Are transmitted together in one transport stream in the network. In a receiver that receives and processes program information transmitted by such a transmission method, for example, if a program table is to be created based on long-term event information, a transport stream from which long-term event information is transmitted is selected. It is necessary to receive it locally.

In another example of the program information transmission method (transmission method example 2), a program such as a network name, service information, short-term event information, and a program name in long-term event information is specified in all transport streams. Only the minimum necessary information (basic event information) is transmitted, and the remaining information (extended event information) of the long-term event information is transmitted for each transport stream only in a portion corresponding to a channel included in the transport stream. . In a receiver that receives and processes program information transmitted by such a transmission method, for example, it is possible to create a simple program guide regardless of which transport stream is selected.

When the transmission method examples 1 and 2 are compared, the transmission method example 2 has a higher proportion of program information in each transport stream. Therefore, it is conceivable that the transmission speed of each program information in the transmission method example 2 is slower than the program information transmission speed of the transmission method example 1 for operation.
Hereinafter, this communication method example 2 is referred to as a shared specification.

As described above, since each program is usually operated in a different program information format for each network, in order to create a receiver capable of receiving a plurality of networks, all the program information provided by all the receiving networks must be provided. It has to deal with the format, and the development is very expensive.

[0013]

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Digital CATV
As described above, when a plurality of networks are received, selected and retransmitted as necessary, the above-described situation applies as it is. That is, due to the difference in the program information format specified for each source network transmitted within one digital CATV network, receivers receiving digital CATV are provided by all networks that may be retransmitted Program information format to be used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a retransmitting apparatus and a retransmitting method which can be realized at low cost without increasing the burden of receiver development.

[0015]

In order to solve this problem, a digital CATV retransmitting apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a packet detecting unit for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described; A packet replacement unit that replaces the program information detected by the unit with the content prepared based on the previously prepared or detected program information.

A packet detector for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described; a program information analyzer for decomposing the program information detected by the packet detector into predetermined information elements; A program information storage unit for storing the program information generated in the program information analysis unit; and a packet generation unit for packetizing the program information stored in the program information storage unit in accordance with a program information description format defined by the program. It is characterized by having a packet transmitting unit that multiplexes a packet generated by the generating unit onto a stream to be retransmitted and broadcasts it.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a digital CATV retransmission apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
A case in which a broadcast according to a shared specification of a program information format such as S110 degree digital broadcast is retransmitted is shown.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, as the network identification number for uniquely identifying the network in the network information in the CATV network, the BS digital broadcasting uses the BS digital network identification number as it is, and the CS 110 degree digital broadcasting Uses the CS 110 degree digital network identification number as it is, the source network identification number also uses BS digital network identification number as it is for BS digital broadcasting, CS 110 degree digital broadcasting uses CS 110 degree digital network identification number as it is, and The transport stream identification number for identifying the transport stream which is a unit of multiplexing in the network and the channel number belonging to each transport stream identification number are the same as the source channel. Use numbers.

As shown in FIG. 3, only the transponder frequency of each digital satellite broadcast is replaced by the CATV 64QAM modulation frequency.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a receiving section, 2 is a packet detecting section, 3 is a packet replacing section, 4 is a replacing information setting section, 5 is a packet transmitting section, 6 is a modulator, 6 is a modulator,
0 On the digital broadcasting side, 7 is a receiving unit, 8 is a packet detecting unit, 9
, A packet replacement unit, 10 is a replacement information setting unit, 11 is a packet transmission unit, 12 is a modulator, and the operation of the digital broadcast retransmission device configured as described above will be described below.

First, the receiver 1 receives a BS digital broadcast wave, and the packet detector 2 detects network information transmitted in the BS digital broadcast stream from the BS digital broadcast stream output from the receiver. Then, the packet replacement unit 3 replaces only the transponder frequency in the network information of the BS digital broadcast stream with the 64QAM modulator frequency used in the CATV network specified by the replacement information setting unit 4. The details are shown in FIG.
The packet transmitting unit 5 multiplexes the packet in which the network information has been replaced into a BS digital broadcast stream,
Broadcast to digital CATV network through

Similarly, the receiving unit 7 receives the CS 110-degree broadcast wave, and the packet detection unit 8 detects the network information transmitted in the CS 110-degree digital broadcast stream from the CS 110-degree digital broadcast stream output therefrom. Then, the packet replacement unit 9 receives the specified CATV from the replacement information setting unit 10.
Replace only the transponder frequency in the network information of the CS110 degree digital broadcast stream with the 64QAM modulator frequency used in the network. The packet transmission unit 11 multiplexes the packet in which the network information has been replaced into a CS110 digital broadcast stream, and broadcasts the digital broadcast stream to the digital CATV network through the modulator 12.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the digital
BS digital broadcasting and C transmitted within the CATV network
It is possible to retransmit a broadcast according to the common specification of the program information format such as S110 degree digital broadcast.

(Embodiment 2) The overall configuration diagram of a CATV retransmission apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is the same as that of FIG. Embodiment 2 is also a digital CATV network
A case where a broadcast according to a shared specification of a program information format such as a BS digital broadcast or a CS 110-degree digital broadcast is retransmitted is shown.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, as the network identification number for uniquely identifying the network in the network information in the CATV network, the BS digital broadcasting uses the BS digital network identification number as it is, and the CS 110 degree digital broadcasting Uses the CS 110 degree digital network identification number as it is, the source network identification number is BS digital broadcasting uses the BS digital network identification number as it is, and CS 110 degree digital broadcasting uses the CS 110 degree digital network identification number as it is, but is different. The channel number belonging to the transport stream identification number is assigned to another channel number which is unique in the transmission source network, and becomes unique in the digital CATV network.

As shown in FIG. 6, the transponder frequency of each digital satellite broadcast is replaced with the CATV 64QAM modulation frequency, as in the first embodiment.

The difference between the first embodiment and the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment, the network information is used in the designated digital CATV network from the replacement information setting unit 4 64
Although only the transponder frequency in the network information of the BS digital broadcast stream was replaced with the QAM modulator frequency, the correspondence information between the channel number uniquely set in the digital CATV network and the channel number in the retransmission source network was changed. Replace with the included network information. The packet transmission unit 9 multiplexes the packet in which the network information has been replaced into a stream to be retransmitted on the BS digital network and broadcasts the multiplexed packet.

Similarly, the same processing is performed on the CS 110-degree broadcast wave stream.

In this case, the STB on the receiving side uses a unique channel number in the received digital CATV network for the channel number to be presented to the viewer, and when processing the program information, the BS digital of the retransmission source is used. Network and CS110
Utilizes channel numbers that are unique in digital networks.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the digital
BS digital broadcasting and C transmitted within the CATV network
It is possible to retransmit a broadcast according to the common specification of the program information format such as S110 degree digital broadcast. (Embodiment 3) FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which broadcasting according to a shared specification of a program information format such as BS digital broadcasting is performed.
A case where a broadcast different from the common specification of the program information format such as CS digital broadcast is retransmitted is shown.

In this embodiment, the network identification number for uniquely identifying the network in the network information is the BS digital network identification number for the BS digital broadcast, the digital CATV network identification number is used for the CS digital broadcast, The identification number is the BS digital network identification number for BS digital broadcasting, the digital CATV network identification number for CS digital broadcasting, and the transport stream identification number for identifying the transport stream that is the unit of multiplexing in that network is: Unique within the source network, channel numbers belonging to each transport stream identification number unique within the source network identification number, multiplexing multiple CS digital network channels into one transport stream identification number If that is the channel number belonging to it for each transport stream identification number is converted to be unique.

In FIG. 8, 15 is a receiving unit, 16 is a packet detecting unit, 17 is a packet replacing unit, 18 is a replacing information setting unit, 19
Is a packet transmission unit, 20 is a modulator, 21 is a reception unit, 22 is a packet detection unit, 23 is a program information analysis unit, 24 is a program information storage unit, 25 is a packet generation unit, 26 is a packet transmission unit, and 27 is a modulation unit. It consists of a container. The operation of the digital broadcast retransmission device configured as described above will be described below.

First, the receiver 15 receives a BS digital broadcast wave, and the packet detector 16 detects network information transmitted in the BS digital broadcast stream from the BS digital broadcast stream output therefrom. Then, the packet replacement unit 17 receives the designated CA from the replacement information setting unit 18.
Replace only the transponder frequency in the network information of the BS digital broadcast stream with the 64QAM modulator frequency used in the TV network. The details are the same as those described in FIG. The packet transmitting unit 19 multiplexes the packet in which the network information has been replaced into a BS digital broadcast stream, and broadcasts it through a modulator 20 to a digital CATV network.

Further, the receiving unit 21 receives the CS digital broadcast wave, and from the CS digital broadcast stream outputted therefrom, the packet detecting unit 22 detects the program information that needs to be converted from the program information transmitted in the CS digital broadcast. Extract the described packet. The program information analysis unit 23 decomposes the CS digital broadcast program information detected by the packet detection unit 22 into information elements defined in advance. The program information storage unit 24 stores the program information in the program information analysis unit 23 shown in FIG.
The program information content shown in (1) is converted from the CS digital broadcast program information to the BS digital broadcast program information and stored. The packet generator 25 packetizes the program information stored in the program information storage 24 according to a program information description format defined by BS digital broadcasting. Packet sending unit 26
Multiplexes the packet generated by the packet generation unit 25 into a stream to be retransmitted and broadcasts it to a digital CATV network.

As described above, according to this embodiment, BS digital broadcasting conforming to the shared specification of the program information format in CATV is used.
Broadcasting different from the common specification of the program information format such as CS digital broadcasting can be retransmitted to the digital CATV network.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention in which a broadcast different from the shared specification of a program information format such as a plurality of CS digital broadcasts is retransmitted in a CATV network. .

In this embodiment, a network identification number for uniquely identifying a network in network information is a digital CATV network identification number, a transmission source network identification number is a digital CATV network identification number, and a multiplexing unit in the network. Both the transport stream identification number for identifying the transport stream and the channel number belonging to each transport stream identification number are unique in the network. 30 is a receiving unit, 31 is a receiving unit, 32 is a packet detecting unit, 33 Is a packet detector, 34 is a program information analyzer, 3
5 is a program information analyzer, 36 is a program information storage, 37 is a packet generator, 38 is a packet transmitter, 39 is a packet transmitter, 40 is a modulator, and 41 is a modulator. About the configured digital broadcast retransmission device,
Hereinafter, the operation will be described.

The receiving unit 30 receives the CS digital broadcast wave, and from the CS digital broadcast stream output therefrom, the packet detecting unit 32 converts the program information that needs to be converted from the program information transmitted in one CS digital broadcast. Extract the described packet. The program information analysis unit 34 decomposes the program information of the CS digital network detected by the packet detection unit 32 into predetermined information elements. The program information storage unit 36 converts and generates the program information contents shown in FIG. 9 from the CS digital broadcast program information to the BS digital broadcast program information in the program information analysis unit 34, and stores the program information.

The packet generator 37 packetizes the program information stored in the program information storage 36 according to a program information description format defined by BS digital broadcasting. The packet transmitting unit 38 multiplexes the packet generated by the packet generating unit 37 into a stream to be retransmitted and performs digital CATV.
Broadcast to network.

Similarly, the receiving unit 31 receives the CS digital broadcast wave, and from the CS digital broadcast stream output therefrom, the packet detecting unit 33 converts the program information which needs to be converted from the program information transmitted in one CS digital broadcast. The packet in which the information is described is extracted.

The program information analyzer 35 decomposes the program information of the CS digital broadcast detected by the packet detector 33 into information elements defined in advance. Program information storage unit 3
6, the program information analysis unit 35 converts and generates the program information contents shown in FIG. 9 from the CS digital broadcast program information to the BS digital broadcast program information and accumulates them.

The packet generator 37 packetizes the program information stored in the program information storage 36 according to a program information description format defined by the BS digital network. The packet transmitting unit 39 multiplexes the packet generated by the packet generating unit 37 into a stream to be retransmitted and broadcasts the multiplexed packet to a digital CATV network.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to retransmit a plurality of nets in the CATV, such as a CS digital broadcast, which is different from the common specification of the program information format.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, digital
Receivers that receive digital CATV due to differences in the program information format specified for each source network transmitted within one network of CATV are provided by all networks that may be retransmitted. It must correspond to the information format. As described above, the advantageous effect of providing a retransmission device and a retransmission method that can be realized at low cost without increasing the burden of receiver development can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a digital broadcast retransmission device and a digital broadcast retransmission method according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an overall information diagram of network information according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of frequency replacement in transmission information in network information according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of network information according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an overall information diagram of network information according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of frequency reassignment in transmission information in network information according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an overall configuration diagram of network information according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a digital broadcast retransmission device and a digital broadcast retransmission method according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an overall configuration diagram of program information converted from CS digital broadcast to BS digital broadcast according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a digital broadcast retransmission device and a digital broadcast retransmission method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 receiving unit 2 packet detecting unit 3 packet replacing unit 4 replacement information setting unit 5 packet sending unit 6 modulator 7 receiving unit 8 packet detecting unit 9 packet replacing unit 10 replacement information setting unit 11 packet sending unit 12 modulator 13 BS digital broadcasting Stream 14 CS 110-degree digital broadcast stream 15 receiving unit 16 packet detecting unit 17 packet replacing unit 18 program information storing unit 19 packet transmitting unit 20 modulator 21 receiving unit 22 packet detecting unit 23 program information analyzing unit 24 program information storing unit 25 packet generation Unit 26 packet sending unit 27 modulator 28 BS digital broadcast stream 29 CS digital broadcast stream 30 receiving unit 31 receiving unit 32 packet detecting unit 33 packet detecting unit 34 program information analyzing unit 35 program information analyzing unit 36 program information storing unit 37 packet generation Part 38 Tsu DOO sending unit 39 the packet sending unit 40 Modulator 41 modulator 42 CS digital broadcast stream 43 CS digital broadcast stream

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H04N 7/24 H04N 7/13 Z 7/20 630 (72) Inventor Koji Takeno 1006 Odakadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Within Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Nakanishi 1006 Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Pref.Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. ) 5C059 KK36 KK39 MA00 RB01 RC01 RD03 SS02 UA02 UA05 5C063 AA20 AB03 AB07 AB11 AC01 AC05 CA34 CA36 DA07 DA13 EB07 5C064 BA01 BB10 BC06 BC16 BC18 BC27 BD07 BD08 BD09 BD13 BD16 DA01 5K028 AA03 BB04 LD08 JA05 BB04

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A packet detector for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described, and contents obtained by converting program information detected by the packet detector based on previously prepared or detected program information. Digital broadcast retransmission device with a packet replacement unit that replaces the data. 2. A packet detection unit for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described, a program information analysis unit for decomposing the program information detected by the packet detection unit into predetermined information elements, A program information storage unit that stores the program information generated by the program information analysis unit; and a packet generation unit that packetizes the program information stored in the program information storage unit according to a program information description format defined by the program information storage unit. A digital broadcast retransmission device comprising a packet transmission unit for multiplexing a packet generated by a generation unit onto a stream to be retransmitted and broadcasting the multiplexed stream. 3. A packet detector for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described, and contents obtained by converting program information detected by the packet detector based on previously prepared or detected program information. Digital broadcast retransmission method that has a packet replacement unit that replaces the data. 4. A packet detecting section for extracting a packet in which program information requiring conversion is described, and information preliminarily defined in accordance with a program information format defined by the packet detecting section according to its own defined program information format. A program information analyzing unit for decomposing the program information into elements, a program information storing unit for storing the program information generated by the program information analyzing unit, and a packet storing the program information stored in the program information storing unit in accordance with a program information description format defined by itself. A digital broadcast retransmission method, comprising: a packet generation unit for converting a packet generated by the packet generation unit into a stream to be retransmitted; 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the program information format defined by the transmission source network and the program information defined by its own network are the same format. Digital broadcasting retransmission method characterized by using the method 6. The program information to be extracted and replaced includes at least frequency information, wherein the frequency information replaces frequency information described at a transmission source with frequency information indicating a frequency band to be transmitted by itself. The digital broadcast retransmission method according to claim 3, wherein: 7. When receiving and retransmitting a plurality of networks transmitting program information different from its own format, the packet detection unit and the program information analysis unit perform separate processing according to the respective formats, and store the program information. 5. The digital broadcast retransmission method according to claim 4, wherein the unit and the packet generator perform the same processing according to their own format. 8. The program information multiplexed in each stream to be retransmitted is provided with source network identification information capable of identifying a retransmission source network, and the format of the program information in the stream is changed to the source network identification information. A digital broadcast retransmission method characterized by making it more distinguishable. 9. When retransmitting a network broadcasting in the same format as its own program information format, the network identification information provided by the transmission source network is added as it is as the transmission source network identification information. When retransmitting a network that is being broadcast on the network, add the network network identification information provided by the source network so that the network is different from its own identification information and has its own program information format. 9. The digital broadcast retransmission method according to claim 8, wherein only the program information according to the retransmission source format is transmitted with a value indicating the correspondence. 10. When a plurality of networks are received and retransmitted, a channel number is assigned so as to be unique within its own network, and correspondence information between a channel number assigned by a transmission source and a channel number assigned by its own network. And retransmitting the same in program information. 11. A receiver for receiving a broadcast retransmitted by the method according to claim 10, wherein the program information is processed using a channel number provided by a received network as a channel number to be presented to a viewer. A digital broadcast rebroadcast reception processing method, wherein a channel number provided by a retransmission source is used.