Information processor, information processing method as well as broadcasting system and broadcasting method

• US 6,278,493 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yasushi, Fujiwara, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US09/193,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5445, H04/N.550, 348/7, 348/8, 348/9, 348/10, 348/6, 348/12, 348/13, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/569, 348/5.5, 348/460, 348/476, 348/461, 348/423, 348/731, 348/906, 345/327
• US Class Current: 348/569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

There is provided an information processor and an information processing method for effectively utilizing EPG data. Identification codes for identifying specific character parts such as names of the cast of a program described in a description text describing the detail of the program in EPG data are inserted within the description text and are transmitted by a transmitter. Based on the identification codes inserted in the EPG data, the specific character parts are sampled from the description text and predetermined processing steps are performed based on the sampled result in a receiver. That is, the display color of the specific character parts is differentiated from that of the other part in displaying the description text on a monitor for example. Or, a list of the names of the cast of the program is displayed as the sampled specific character parts and when the user selects a certain player, EPG of the program in which the player appears is displayed.

Claims

1. An information processor for processing transmitted data including electronic program guide information having program descriptions therein and identification codes inserted into said program descriptions of said electronic program guide information for identifying key words of said program descriptions, comprising:

separating means for separating said electronic program guide information from said transmitted data;

sampling means for sampling said key words of a program description identified by said inserted identification codes; and

processing means for implementing predetermined processes based on the sampling result of said sampling means;

wherein said program description comprise at least text information, and said identification codes identify words of said text information according to the content of said text information, include a plurality of types corresponding to said key words of said text information, and comprise identifiers for identifying the position of the key words within said text information and classification information for classifying the key words.

2. The information processor according to claim 1, wherein said classification information is arranged in a hierarchical structure.

3. An information processing method for processing transmitted data including electronic program guide information having program descriptions therein and identification codes inserted into said program descriptions of said electronic program guide information for identifying key words of said program descriptions, comprising the steps of:

separating said electronic program guide information from said transmitted data;

sampling said key words of a program description identified by said inserted identification codes; and

implementing predetermined processes based on the sampling results;

wherein said program descriptions comprise at least text information, and said identification codes identify key words of said text information according to the content of said text information, include a plurality of types corresponding to said key words of said text information, and comprise identifiers for identifying the position of the key words within said text information and classification information for classifying the key words.