Mobile terminal having functions of program reception through broadcasting and through network communication, and program reception controlling method

• US 20050153650A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hikomoto, Satomi
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/11 Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/53 of destinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/06 using space diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile terminal is provide for achieving continuous program viewing/listening by appropriately switching between program reception through broadcasting and program reception through communication with a broadcast receiving function and a communication function working cooperatively. A receiver (11) receives a program broadcasted from a broadcasting station (11). A reception state monitoring section (23) monitors a state of receiving the broadcast program in the receiver (21). If the reception state is in a satisfactory state, the broadcast program is reproduced by the reproducing section (12). Upon determination by the reception state monitoring section (23) that the reception state has been deteriorated, a program information generating section (14) generates program information specifying the broadcast program being currently received by the receiver (11), and then gives the program information to a communication section (15). The communication section (15) communicates with a program distribution center (5) to receive program data corresponding to the generated program information by streaming. The program data received through communication is reproduced instead of the broadcast program by the reproducing section (12).

Claims

1. A mobile terminal which receives a broadcast program and receives program data identical in content to the broadcast program through communication with a program distribution center via a network, the mobile terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving the broadcast program;

a state determining section operable to determine whether the mobile terminal has entered a predetermined state;

a program information generating section operable to generate program information specifying the broadcast program received by the receiver;

a communication section operable to transmit the program information to the program distribution center and receive the program data corresponding to the broadcast program specified by the program information from the program distribution center; and

a reproducing section operable to switch from reproduction of the broadcast program received by the receiver to reproduction of the program data received by the communication section, upon determination by the state determining section that the mobile terminal has entered the predetermined state.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the state determining section includes a reception state monitoring section operable to monitor a state of receiving the broadcast program in the receiver, and

the predetermined state is a state in which a state of receiving the broadcast program is deteriorated.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the state determining section includes a reception state monitoring section operable to monitor a state of receiving the broadcast program in the receiver, and

the predetermined state is a state in which a state of receiving the broadcast program will be deteriorated after a predetermined period of time.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the state determining section includes:

a position specifying section operable to specify a position to which the mobile terminal will move; and

a reception state estimating section having information on weak-signal areas and being operable to estimate that a position to which the mobile terminal will move after a predetermined period of time will be within a weak-signal area, and

the predetermined state is a state in which the mobile terminal is in a position where the mobile terminal will move into the weak-signal area after the predetermined period of time.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising

a recording section operable to record the program data received by the communication section, wherein

the reproducing section reproduces the program data recorded in the recorder during a period of time required for switching from the reproduction of the broadcast program to the reproduction of the program data received by the communication section.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 5, wherein

the period of time required for reproduction switching by the reproducing section includes a period of time for changing image setting required based on a difference in image resolution between the broadcast program received by the receiver and the program data received by the communication section.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the program information further includes information specifying a reproducing point in the broadcast program at a time when the mobile terminal enters the predetermined state.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the program information further includes information specifying a reproducing point desired by a user in the broadcast program.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

upon determination by the state determining section that the mobile terminal has been recovered from the predetermined state, the reproducing section again switches to reproduction of the broadcast program received by the receiver.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

upon determination that the mobile terminal has entered the predetermined state, the state determining section reports the determination to a user, and

in accordance with a switching instruction given from the user, the reproducing section continues reproduction by switching from the broadcast program received by the receiver to the program data received by the communication section.

11. A program reception controlling method performed by a mobile terminal which receives a broadcast program and receives program data identical in content to the broadcast program through communication with a program distribution center via a network, the method comprising:

a broadcast receiving step of receiving the broadcast program;

a determining step of determining whether the mobile terminal has entered a predetermined state;

a generating step of generating program information specifying the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step;

a communication receiving step of transmitting the program information to the program distribution center and receiving the program data corresponding to the broadcast program specified by the program information from the program distribution center; and

a reproducing step of switching, upon determination in the determining step that the mobile terminal has entered the predetermined state, from reproduction of the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step to reproduction of the program data received in the communication receiving step.

12. A computer program for causing a mobile terminal to perform program reception control, the mobile terminal receiving a broadcast program and receiving program data identical in content to the broadcast program through communication with a program distribution center via a network, the computer program comprising:

a broadcast receiving step of receiving the broadcast program;

a determining step of determining whether the mobile terminal has entered a predetermined state;

a generating step of generating program information specifying the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step;

a communication receiving step of transmitting the program information to the program distribution center and receiving the program data corresponding to the broadcast program specified by the program information from the program distribution center; and

a reproducing step of switching, upon determination in the determining step that the mobile terminal has entered the predetermined state, from reproduction of the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step to reproduction of the program data received in the communication receiving step.

13. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for causing a mobile terminal to perform program reception control, the mobile terminal receiving a broadcast program and receiving program data identical in content to the broadcast program through communication with a program distribution center via a network, the computer program comprising:

a broadcast receiving step of receiving the broadcast program;

a determining step of determining whether the mobile terminal has entered a predetermined state;

a generating step of generating program information specifying the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step;

a communication receiving step of transmitting the program information to the program distribution center and receiving the program data corresponding to the broadcast program specified by the program information from the program distribution center; and

a reproducing step of switching, upon determination in the determining step that the mobile terminal has entered the predetermined state, from reproduction of the broadcast program received in the broadcast receiving step to reproduction of the program data received in the communication receiving step.