Data broadcasting system, receiving terminal device, contents providing server, and contents providing method

• US 20030003899A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tashiro, Shigeru, Kataoka, Tsutomu, Hirakawa, Shuji, Suzuki, Osami
• Granted Patent: US 6,975,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/40 characterised in that additional data relating to the broadcast data are available via a different channel than the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• 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 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 : Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

A data broadcasting system of the present invention transmits contents used in a program and presentation control data specifying the manner of presentation of each content, in multiplex by assigning in arbitrary channels in each program. In this system, plural contents groups composed of at least one of real time reception type contents selectively received and reproduced in real time in the receiving terminal device, first store type contents reproduced after being stored as reception is started by selection, second store type contents read and reproduced when selected as being automatically received and stored, and parallel contents combining the real time reception type contents and the first or second storing type contents are provided a series of program.

Claims

1. A data broadcasting system comprising:

program providing means for providing data broadcast programs by broadcasting plural contents to be used in programs and presentation control data specifying the manner of presentation of each content, by assigning and multiplexing in arbitrary channels in each program, and

a receiving terminal device which receives the data broadcast programs provided by the program providing means, separates the contents and presentation control data, and presents the contents on the basis of the presentation control data,

wherein in the receiving terminal device, the program providing means provides plural contents groups as a series of programs, the plural contents groups comprising at least real time reception type contents selectively received and reproduced in real time, first store type contents reproduced after being stored as reception is started by selection, second store type contents read and reproduced when selected as being automatically received and stored, and parallel contents combining the real time reception type contents and first or second storing type contents.

2. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, comprising:

program selecting means for selecting a program desired by a user from the series of programs, and

reproducing and storing means for receiving and demodulating selectively or simultaneously the plural contents group comprising at least the real time reception type contents, first and second store type contents and parallel contents, depending on the selection operation of the program selecting means to reproduce or store.

3. A server used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, which provides the contents or information relating to the contents provided by the data broadcast through a communication line.

4. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 3, further comprising communication means for accessing the server through the communication line and acquiring the contents or information provided from the server.

5. A server used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 3, which provides a reproduction key necessary for reproduction of the contents as the information relating to the contents.

6. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 5, wherein the communication means acquires the reproduction key from the server when the content provided by the data broadcast requires the reproduction key for its reproduction.

7. An accounting method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 5, which charges an account to the user of the receiving terminal device when the receiving terminal device acquires the reproduction key.

8. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 2, further comprising noticing means for noticing the user when a content relating to the content being reproduced is broadcast in real time in another channel, or when stored in the receiving terminal device.

9. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 3, which registers the second contents relating to the first contents provided by the data broadcast in the server, and provides the first and second contents by relating to each other through the data broadcast and the communication line.

10. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, which connects to the server through the communication line to validate individually when acquiring or reproducing the contents provided by the data broadcast in the receiving terminal device.

11. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, which extracts only principal still pictures in the moving picture and broadcasts in synchronism with sound when broadcasting contents composed of moving picture and sound.

12. A receiving terminal auxiliary device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 2, further comprising coupling means for coupling with the receiving terminal device, and data storage means for reading out and storing the data stored in the receiving terminal device coupled by the coupling means, wherein the data stored in the data storage means is provided to the receiving terminal device coupled by the coupling means according to a request.

13. A receiving terminal auxiliary device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 12, further comprising charging means for charging a battery when coupling when the receiving terminal device is portable and incorporates the battery.

14. A receiving terminal auxiliary device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 12, further comprising receiving means for receiving the data broadcast, wherein the data storage means stores the data obtained by the receiving means.

15. A receiving antenna device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, having an antenna device which receives the data broadcast and an interface for outputting a reception signal by connecting with an external interface of an information processing apparatus.

16. A computer program product for making use of a computer in the receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, comprising:

computer program code readable means for selecting a program desired by a user from the series of programs, and

computer program code readable means for reproducing and storing for receiving and demodulating selectively to simultaneously the plural contents group comprising at least the real time reception type contents, first and second store type contents and parallel contents, depending on the selection operation of the program selecting means to reproduce or store.

17. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 1, which provides second stream data composed of second audio data to reproduce plural still pictures of a first image group and the sound in synchronism with the still pictures as the data broadcast program, to first stream data composed of a first image group to reproduce a specified moving picture, and first audio data to reproduce a specified sound in synchronism with the specified moving picture.

18. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 17, which registers the first stream data in a server, and provides the data from the server through the communication line.

19. A contents providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of validation of the provider and accounting is executed when the server provides the first stream data.

20. A server used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 17, wherein the first stream data is provided through the communication line.

21. A server used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of validation of the provider and accounting is executed when providing the first stream data.

22. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 18, further comprising means for receiving and reproducing second stream data provided by the data broadcast, and means for acquiring and reproducing first stream data provided from the server through the communication line.

23. A receiving antenna device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 22, further comprising means for processing at least one of validation procedure and accounting charge checking when acquiring the first stream data from the server.

25. A data broadcasting system according to claim 24, further comprising information control means for permitting acquisition of detail information in the receiving terminal device by charging an account when the detail information is provided as pay information, and the detail information is requested from the receiving terminal device having received the brief information.

26. A receiving terminal device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 24, being a mobile receiving terminal device for receiving brief information broadcast by the data broadcast, further comprising communication means for transmitting an acquisition request of the detail information on the basis of the guidance information.

27. A receiving terminal auxiliary device used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 24, being connected to a mobile receiving terminal device which receives brief information broadcast by data broadcast and records the information stored in the receiving terminal device, wherein the receiving terminal auxiliary device is connected to the broadband broadcast receiving apparatus or communication terminal, and the detail information presented by the broadband broadcast or communication is downloaded and recorded according to a request from the receiving terminal device, and issued to the receiving terminal device.

28. An information providing apparatus used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 24, wherein detail information is preliminarily distributed and recorded, the apparatus is connected to a mobile receiving terminal device which receives brief information broadcast by the data broadcast, and the detail information is downloaded according to a request from the receiving terminal device.

29. An information providing method used in the data broadcasting system according to claim 24, wherein brief information extracting part of detail information provided by the broadband broadcast or communication is broadcast together with guidance information including presence or absence of detail information and access site, by using data broadcast which provides information at lower transmission rate as compared with broadband broadcast or communication which provides information by broadcast or communication at high transmission rate.

24. A data broadcasting system which provides information by data broadcast of lower transmission rate as compared with broadband broadcast or communication for providing information by broadcast or communication at high transmission rate, wherein brief information extracting part of detail information provided by the broadband broadcast or communication is broadcast together with guidance information including presence or absence of detail information and access site.