Program data transmission checking method and apparatus

• US 6,279,157 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takasu, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V.
• Application Number:
  US09/026,302
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1-4, 348/722, 348/907, 725/1-22
• US Class Current: 725/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• 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 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]

Abstract

To obtain unique identification data to be added to program data even if different encoders are used, identification data generated by adding serial data specific to an encoder to data (time code) indicating the time of encoding is inserted into program data to be stored in a storage device. Whether the program data has been transmitted is checked based on the thus-generated identification data. By virtue of the use of such an identification data, even if program data are produced at the same time point by using different encoders, they can be clearly distinguished from each other because they are associated with different identification data because serial data of the encoders are different.

Claims

1. A program data transmission checking apparatus for checking whether program data has been transmitted, comprising:

identification data generating means for generating unique program identification data;

encoding means for encoding program data together with the program identification data corresponding to the program data;

decoding means for decoding encoded data that is output from the encoding means; and

output means for outputting decoded program identification data that is output from the decoding means,

said program identification data includes time data and serial data to identify said encoding means.

2. The program data transmission checking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said time data relates to an encoding process and said serial data identifies said encoding means used in said encoding process.

3. The program data transmission checking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for allowing external input of program data and program identification data corresponding to the program data.

4. An apparatus for generating identification data to be used for checking whether program data transmission information coincides with actually transmitted program data, comprising:

identification data generating means for generating unique program identification data;

first output means for outputting the program identification data to encoding means for encoding program data together with the program identification data corresponding to the program data,

said program identification data includes time data and serial data to identify said encoding means; and

second output means for outputting the program identification data to transferring means for transferring the program identification data generated by the identification data generating means.

5. A comparing apparatus for checking whether program data transmission information coincides with actually transmitted program data, comprising:

first input means for receiving data that is output from transferring means for transferring program identification data generated by identification data generating means for generating unique program identification data;

second input means for receiving data that is output from decoding means for decoding encoded data that is output from encoding means for encoding program data together with the program identification data corresponding to the program data means,

said program identification data includes time data and serial data to identify said encoding means; and

comparing means for comparing the program identification data that has been transferred via the transferring means with decoded program identification data that is output from the decoding.

6. A program data transmission checking method for checking whether program data transmission information coincides with actually transmitted program data, comprising the steps of:

generating unique program identification data;

transferring the program identification data;

encoding program data together with the program identification data corresponding to the program data to produce encoded data,

said program identification data includes time data and serial data to identify an encoding means;

decoding the encoded data to produce decoded program identification data; and

comparing the transferred program identification data with the decoded program identification data.

7. A program data transmission checking apparatus for checking whether program data transmission information coincides with actually transmitted program data, comprising:

identification data generating means for generating unique program identification data;

encoding means for encoding program data together with the program identification data corresponding to the program data,

said program identification data includes time data and serial data to identify said encoding means;

decoding means for decoding encoded data that is output from the encoding means;

transferring means for transferring the program identification data generated by the identification data generating means; and

comparing means for comparing the program identification data that has been transferred via the transferring means with decoded program identification data that is output from the decoding means.