JPH0965299A - Receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately conduct investigation of a program rate and charge imposition. SOLUTION: A bit stream relating to a broadcast signal selected by a tuner 203 is outputted to a separator section 206. The section 206 separates a packet of a prescribed slot from the bit stream signal and separates packet data and a packet header from the packet. Packet data forming a packet of a prescribed slot separated by the separator section 206 is fed sequentially to a decoding section 207, in which decoding processing is conducted to obtain a video signal SV and an audio signal SA. Program identification information in the information included in the packet header forming a packet of the prescribed slot separated by the separator section 206 is tentatively stored in a memory 211. When program identification information is on request from a broadcast station or a program rate investigation company via a MODEM 212, the program identification information stored in the memory 211 is sent to the broadcast station or a program rate investigation company via the MODEM 212.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ISDB (Inte
The present invention relates to a receiver suitable for application to grated Services Digital Broadcasting) systems and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a receiving apparatus that is capable of accurately performing an audience rating survey and charging by providing an information storage unit that stores program identification information separated from a received program signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a certain audience rating survey company conducts sampling surveys of audience ratings of television programs and the like sent from broadcasting stations and the like. Further, in conventional broadcasting, a broadcasting station unilaterally transmits a broadcasting source such as a television program to an unspecified number of viewers, and the viewers watch the same broadcasting source.

[0003]

As described above, the audience rating of television programs sent from broadcast stations is sampled and surveyed by a certain audience rating survey company. Therefore, it depends on the number of samplings. Is not accurate,
In the case of recording, there is a problem that it does not appear in the audience rating.
In addition, it is difficult to build a detailed billing system because it is not possible to check whether or not the viewer actually watched. Furthermore, as described above, the broadcasting station unilaterally transmits a broadcasting source such as a television program to a large number of unspecified viewers, and it has been difficult to carry out broadcasting reflecting the viewer's intention.

In view of this, the present invention provides a receiving apparatus that is capable of accurately conducting an audience rating survey and charging. Further, the present invention provides a receiving apparatus capable of broadcasting in which the viewer's intention is reflected.

[0005]

A receiving apparatus according to the present invention is a program signal receiving means for receiving a program signal to which program identifying information is added, and program identifying information from the program signal received by the program signal receiving means. The program identification information separation means for separating the program identification information and the information storage means for storing the program identification information separated by the program identification information separation means. Further, it has signal processing means for processing the program signal received by the program signal receiving means.

The program identification signal separated from the received program signal is stored in the information storage means. That is, the information storage means stores information for identifying what the viewer actually viewed. Further, the viewer sets a processing level in the signal processing means, and the signal processing means processes the received program signal in accordance with the intention of the viewer.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, referring to the drawings,
An embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a transmitter 100.
Is shown. The transmitter 100 shown in FIG.
1_-1~ 101 _-nAnd the header information generation unit 102
Control unit for controlling the entire system.
103 and a packet encoder 104_-1~ 104_-nAnd
Have.

The encoders 101 _{-1 to} 101 _-n are for performing appropriate encoding processing including compression and the like on video signals and audio signals as television signals, respectively. The operations of the encoders 101 _{-1 to} 101 _-n are controlled by the control unit 103, respectively. Packet encoder 10
4 _{-1 to} 104 _-n are for obtaining a uniform packet of a fixed size. Packet encoder 1
The encoders 101 _-1 to 10 _-1 to 04 _{-1 to} 104 _-n , respectively.
1- _n output data is supplied and packetization processing is performed.

FIG. 2 shows one packet. A packet is composed of packet data and a packet header added to the beginning of the packet data. The packet header is for identifying packet data and includes information such as broadcast station identification information (broadcast station ID), program identification information (program ID), broadcast time information, and time code. In the present embodiment, the packet header further includes information on a region range and a time range to be subjected to mosaicing processing when the program is an adult video or the like and includes a target portion of mosaicing processing. The information of the packet header is generated by the header information generation unit 102 under the control of the control unit 103.

The transmitting apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 has a multiplexing section 105, a digital modulation circuit 106, an up converter 107, and a transmitting antenna 108. The multiplexing unit 105 is for multiplexing packets of a plurality of slots. The packets output from the packet encoders 104 _{-1 to} 104 _-n are sequentially supplied in parallel to the multiplexing unit 105 as packets of a plurality of slots, and these packets are multiplexed to form a bitstream signal. . Digital modulation circuit 106
Is for modulating the digital data by a modulation method suitable for the transmission means (broadcast satellite in this embodiment). The digital modulation circuit 106 includes a multiplexing unit 105.
The bit stream signal output by the above is supplied.

In the above configuration, the encoders 101 _-1 to 1 _-1
The television signals (video signals and audio signals) coded by 01- _n are respectively packet encoders 104.
_{-1 to} 104 _-n and packetized. In this case, the header information generation unit 1 is controlled by the control unit 103.
The header information is generated from 02, and the packet encoder 1
When packetization is performed with 04 _{-1 to} 104 _-n , a packet header including program identification information and the like is added to the beginning of each packet data (see FIG. 2).

The packet encoders 104 _-1 to 10 -10
The packets output from 4- _n are sequentially supplied in parallel as packets of a plurality of slots to the multiplexing unit 105 and multiplexed to form a bitstream signal. , The bit stream signal is modulated by the digital modulation circuit 106 and then, for example, 14 GH is generated by the up converter 107.
A z-band signal is transmitted from the transmitting antenna 108 to a broadcasting satellite (not shown).

FIG. 3 shows the receiving device 200. The receiving device 200 shown in FIG. 3 includes a receiving antenna 201 for receiving a 12 GHz band broadcasting signal transmitted from a broadcasting satellite, a down converter 202 for converting a 12 GHz band signal into a 1 GHz band signal, Tuner 2 that performs a tuning process for receiving a desired broadcast signal
03, and a control unit 204 configured to include a microcomputer and controlling the entire system.

The 12 GHz band broadcast signal received by the receiving antenna 201 is supplied to the down converter 202 for down conversion processing. The tuning operation of the tuner 203 is controlled by the control unit 204. Control unit 204
A key operation unit 205 is connected to this, and a viewer (user) can perform channel selection operation with this key operation unit 205. The tuner 203 outputs a bitstream signal (multiplexed signal of packets of a plurality of slots) related to the selected broadcast signal.

The receiving apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 3 has a separating section 206, a decoding section 207, a monitor display 208 including a cathode ray tube, an amplifier 209, a speaker 210, and a memory 211. ing. Separation unit 20
The bit stream signal output from the tuner 203 is supplied to the reference numeral 6. The separation unit 206 separates the packet of the predetermined slot from the bit stream signal, and
A process of separating the packet data and the packet header from the packet is performed. The selection of the predetermined slot in the separation unit 206 is performed by the control of the control unit 204 based on the operation of the key operation unit 205 by the user.

The decoding unit 207 is supplied with the packet data forming the packet of the predetermined slot separated by the separating unit 206. The decoding unit 207 performs a decoding process on the continuous packet data to obtain the video signal SV and the audio signal SA. Monitor display 208
Is supplied with the video signal SV output from the decoding unit 207. Further, the audio signal SA output from the decoding unit 207 is supplied to the speaker 210 via the amplifier 209.

Program identification information is extracted and stored in the memory 211 from the information (header information) included in the packet header forming the packet of the predetermined slot separated by the separation unit 206. Then, when a certain period of time has passed, it is overwritten and erased. In this way, the memory 211 stores the program identification information for specifying what the viewer actually viewed. The header information is sent from the separation unit 206 to the control unit 204.
Is also supplied.

The receiving apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 3 has a modem 212. This modem 212 has a control unit 2
04, and also to a broadcasting station and an audience rating survey company via a telephone network. When a broadcast station or an audience rating survey company requests program identification information via the modem 212, the control unit 204 reads out the program identification information stored in the memory 211 and conducts the broadcast station or audience rating survey via the modem 212. Send to the company.

In the above configuration, the tuner 203 selects a channel under the control of the control section 204 based on the operation of the key operation section 205 by the viewer, and the bit stream signal relating to the broadcast signal selected by the tuner 203. Is output and supplied to the separation unit 206. Then, based on the operation of the key operation unit 205 by the viewer, under control of the control unit 204, the separation unit 203 separates the packet of the predetermined slot from the bit stream signal, and separates the packet data and the packet header from the packet. .

The packet data constituting the packet of the predetermined slot separated by the separation unit 206 is sequentially supplied to the decoding unit 207 and subjected to the decoding process to obtain the video signal SV and the audio signal SA. Then, the video signal SV is supplied to the monitor display 208 to display an image, and the audio signal SA is amplified by the amplifier 209 and supplied to the speaker 210 to output audio.

Further, the program identification information is extracted from the information contained in the packet header constituting the packet of the predetermined slot separated by the separating unit 206 and is temporarily stored in the memory 211. When program identification information is requested from the broadcasting station or the audience rating survey company via the modem 212, the program identification information stored in the memory 211 is transmitted to the broadcasting station or the audience rating survey company via the modem 212. As a result, the broadcasting station can easily check whether or not the broadcasted program is actually viewed, and can calculate a fine viewing fee, for example, in units of programs or units of time.
In addition, an audience rating survey company can collect accurate program rating information by collecting program identification information within a certain period.

FIG. 4 shows another structure of the receiving device 200. 4, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The receiving device 200 of FIG. 4 has a mosaic processing unit 213. The video signal SV output from the decoding unit 207 is supplied to the monitor display 208 via the mosaic processing unit 213.

The operation of the mosaic processing section 213 is controlled by the control section 2.
Controlled by 04. In this case, when the header information supplied to the control unit 204 includes information on a region range and a time range to be subjected to the mosaic processing, the mosaic processing unit 213 performs the mosaic processing on the region range and the time range. . Although not described above, the area range information may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, coordinates (x,
y), the size X in the horizontal direction of the rectangular area L, and the size Y in the vertical direction. The viewer can set the level of fineness of the mosaic (hereinafter referred to as “mosaic level”) by operating the key operation unit 205. The memory 211 includes the receiving device 20 shown in FIG.
Similar to 0, in addition to storing program identification information, corresponding mosaic level information is also stored.

As described above, in this example, when the program further includes the mosaic processing target portion in the mosaic processing packet header, the mosaic processing unit 2
The mosaic processing is performed in the predetermined area range and the time range with 13, and the mosaiced image is displayed on the monitor display 208. In this case, the viewer can set the mosaic level by operating the key operation unit 205 and can view the program at any mosaic level.
When the broadcast station requests the program identification information via the modem 212, the program identification information and the mosaic level information stored in the memory 211 are transmitted to the broadcast station or the audience rating research company via the modem 212. It As a result, the broadcasting station can charge according to the mosaic level.

The receiving apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 4 exemplifies the mosaic processing as the processing, but other processing can be applied. Also,
In the receiving device 200 of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the program identification information and the like stored in the memory 211 is shown to be transmitted to the broadcasting station and the like via the modem 212. Alternatively, the broadcasting station or the like may be allowed to collect the memory card.

[0026]

According to the present invention, since the program identification signal separated from the received program signal is stored in the information storage means, it is possible to accurately specify what the program the viewer actually viewed. It is possible to accurately research and rate audience ratings. Also, by allowing the viewer to set the processing level in the signal processing means, it is possible to perform broadcasting that reflects the viewer's intention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a packet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a receiving device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another configuration of the receiving device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining information on an area range.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 transmitter 101 _{-1 to} 101 _-n encoder 102 header information generation unit 103, 204 control unit 104 _{-1 to} 104 _-n packet encoder 105 multiplexing unit 106 digital modulation circuit 200 receiver 203 tuner 205 key operation unit 206 separation Part 207 Decoding part 208 Monitor display 210 Speaker 211 Memory 212 Modem 213 Mosaic processing part

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A program signal receiving means for receiving a program signal to which program identification information is added, and a program identification information separating means for separating the program identification information from the program signal received by the program signal receiving means. A first information storage means for storing the program identification information separated by the program identification information separating means, the receiving device. 2. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information communication unit for transmitting the program identification information stored in the first information storage unit. 3. The receiving apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising signal processing means for processing the program signal received by the program signal receiving means. 4. The receiving apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising processing level setting means for setting a processing level in the signal processing means. 5. The receiving apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising second information storage means for storing information on the processing level set by the processing level setting means. 6. An information communication means for transmitting the program identification information stored in the first information storage means and the processing level information stored in the second information storage means. The receiving device according to claim 5.