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

• US 20020056106A1
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yasushi, Fujiwara, Yoshihito
• Granted Patent: US 7,080,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/44
• 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 porcessor for processing guide information for giving a guide on programs, comprising inserting means for inserting identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of said guide information into siad guide information.

2. The information processor according to claim 1, wherein said guide information comprises a text and said inserting means inserts the identificaiton codes for identifying predetermined character parts composing said text into said guide information.

3. The information processor according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of types of identification codes are prepared and said inserting means inserts said identification codes of the type corresponding to the contents of said predetermined character parts into said guide information.

4. The information processor according to claim 3, wherein said identification code comprises identifiers for identifying the position of the predetermined character part within said text and classification information for classifying the predetermined character part.

5. The information processor according to claim 4, wherein said classification information is arranged in a hierarchical structure.

6. The information processor according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting said guide information in which said identification codes have been inserted together with said program.

7. An information processing method for processing guide information for giving a guide on programs, comprising a step of inserting identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of said guide information into said guide information.

8. An information processor for processing transmitted data, comprising, when said transmitted data contains guide information for giving a guide on programs and identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of the guide information are inserted in said guide information:

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

sampling means for sampling said predetermined parts out of said guide information based on said identification codes inserted into said guide information; and

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

9. The information processor according to claim 8, wherein said guide information comprises a text and identification codes for identifying predetermined character parts composing said text are inserted in said guide information.

10. The information processor according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of types of identification codes are prepared and said identification codes of the type corresponding to the contents of said predetermined character parts are inserted into said guide information.

11. The information processor according to claim 10, wherein said identification code comprises identifiers for identifying the position of the predetermined character part within said text and classification information for classifying the predetermined character part.

12. The information processor according to claim 11, wherein said classification information is arranged in a hierarchical structure.

13. The information processor according to claim 8, wherein said processing means controls display of said predetermined part in displaying said guide information.

14. The information processor according to claim 8, wherein said processing means retrieves said predetermined part or retrieves said guide information containing said predetermined part.

15. An information processing method for processing transmitted data, comprising steps of, when said transmitted data contains guide information for giving a guide on programs and identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of the guide information are inserted into said guide information:

separating said guide information from said transmitted data;

sampling said predetermined part from said guide information based on said identification codes inserted in said guide information; and

implementing predetermined processes based on the sampling result of said sampling means.

16. A broadcasting system comprising a transmitter for transmitting transmission data and a receiver for receiving the transmission data from said transmitter, wherein said transmitter comprises:

inserting means for inserting identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of said guide information into said guide information; and

transmitting means for transmitting said guide information in which said identification codes have been inserted by containing in said transmission data; and

said receiver comprises;

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

sampling means for sampling said predetermined parts out of said guide information based on said identification codes inserted in said guide information; and

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

17. A broadcasting method of a broadcasting system comprising a transmitter for transmitting transmission data and a receiver for receiving the transmission data from said transmitter, said broadcasting method comprising steps of:

inserting identification codes for identifying predetermined parts of said guide information into said guide information; and

transmitting said guide information in which said identification codes have been inserted by containing in said transmission data in said transmitter; and

separating said guide information from said transmitted data;

sampling said predetermined parts from said guide information based on said identification codes inserted in said guide information; and

implementing predetermined processes based on the sampling result in said receiver.