Television – Basic receiver with additional function – Multimode
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-18
2001-09-18
Eisenzopf, Reinhard J. (Department: 2614)
Television
Basic receiver with additional function
Multimode
C348S460000, C348S461000, C348S465000, C348S467000, C348S473000, C348S563000, C348S569000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292226
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a user interface technique for a broadcast reception apparatus used in a TV broadcast system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recently, satellite broadcast techniques have remarkably been developed. The Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 5-284506, “Multimedia Selector for Satellite Broadcasts,” discloses a technique for providing multimedia information being composed of images, voices, and digital data by superposing selectable pieces of digital data on an analog image signal. For example, it is possible with this technique to superimpose a subtitle on a broadcast image, the subtitle being one out of a plurality of languages selected by the user and being provided as digital data. This enables users of a broadcast system to select desired information among information transmitted to the users in one direction by the broadcast system. In other words, user interfaces are achieved as multimedia information transmission systems in which users can select desired information.
However, the above conventional technique discloses one video stream with one fixed user interface (digital data). Such a user interface may not be suited for all users. Also, it is impossible for program providers in the broadcast system to provide high-level, effective programs which are respectively arranged for different users since the system transmits only fixed user interfaces.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a broadcast reception apparatus which can selectively use navigation information to achieve a user interface.
The above object is achieved by a broadcast reception apparatus for receiving broadcast data as a transport stream, where the transport stream includes video data and a plurality of navigation information sequences, each of the plurality of navigation information sequences includes navigation information which includes graphics data to be combined with the video data for display, the broadcast reception apparatus comprising: extracting unit for extracting the video data and navigation information from the transport stream; extract controlling unit for controlling the extracting unit so that the extracting unit extracts navigation information from one out of the plurality of navigation information sequences which is related to the broadcast reception apparatus; navigation information storage unit for storing the navigation information extracted by the extracting unit; and reproduction controlling unit for combining graphics data included in the navigation information stored in the navigation information storage unit with the video data extracted by the extracting unit and displaying a composite image which is a result of this combination.
The above broadcast reception apparatus may further comprise: operation receiving unit for receiving a user operation; and apparatus information storage unit for storing relationships between operation equipments and a plurality of identifiers of the plurality of navigation information sequences, the operation equipments being operated by a user to send user operations to the operation receiving unit, where the operation receiving unit includes: a signal receiving unit for receiving a signal which specifies one out of the operation equipments which is used for the user operation received by the operation receiving unit, and the extract controlling unit includes: an extract condition setting unit for obtaining from the apparatus information storage unit an identifier of a navigation information sequence which corresponds to the operation equipment specified by the signal received by the signal receiving unit and setting a condition for extracting navigation information in the extracting unit.
With the above construction, it is possible for the broadcast reception apparatus to obtain the navigation information which includes graphics data suitable for the user since the user type can be identified from the operation equipment used by the user, achieving a user interface in the display image.
In the above broadcast reception apparatus, each of the plurality of navigation information sequences may include a plurality of sets of pieces of navigation information, the plurality of sets of pieces of navigation information corresponding to respective time periods, and each set of pieces of navigation information being formed by repeatedly multiplexing a piece of navigation information during a corresponding time period, and where the extract condition setting unit sets a condition for extracting navigation information in accordance with a time period.
With such a construction, it is possible to reliably achieve a user interface related to the display image.
In the above broadcast reception apparatus, the operation equipments may be a remote controller for adults and a remote controller for children, and the plurality of navigation information sequences may be a navigation information sequence for adults and a navigation information sequence for children.
With the above construction, it is possible to achieve an optimal user interface since graphics data for adults or children is read from the corresponding navigation information sequences and is superimposed on the video image.
In the above broadcast reception apparatus, each piece of navigation information may include display position information and time information, the display position information indicating a position for displaying graphics data, the time information indicating a time period during which graphics data is displayed, where the reproduction controlling unit combines graphics data with the video data in accordance with the display position information and displays a composite image in accordance with the time information.
With such a construction, it is possible to achieve a user interface with a composite image. In the composite image, the graphics data is superimposed on the video data at an appropriate position and is displayed for an appropriate period, the position and period being determined in accordance with the video data.
The above broadcast reception apparatus may further comprise: apparatus information storage unit for storing relationships between display screens and a plurality of identifiers of the plurality of navigation information sequences, the display screens displaying the composite image combined by the reproduction controlling unit, where the extract controlling unit includes: an extract condition setting unit for receiving information indicating one out of the display screens from the reproduction controlling unit, obtaining from the apparatus information storage unit an identifier of a navigation information sequence which corresponds to the display screen indicated by the information received from the reproduction controlling unit, and setting a condition for extracting navigation information in the extracting unit.
With such a construction, it is possible to extract navigation information suitable for a display screen type to achieve a user interface.
In the above broadcast reception apparatus, the display screens may include a wide screen with aspect ratio 16:9, a normal screen with aspect ratio 4:3, and a small-scale LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), navigation information corresponding to the wide screen includes display position information which indicates a position for displaying graphics data, the position being a right-hand side and a left-hand side blank areas generated when a normal-size image is displayed on the wide screen, navigation information corresponding to the normal screen includes display position information which indicates a position for displaying graphics data, the position being a top and bottom blank areas generated when a wide-size image is displayed on the normal screen, and navigation information corresponding to the small scale LCD includes display position information which indicates a position for displaying graphics data, the position being almost a whole display area, the extract controlling unit includes: a size receiving unit for
Hirai Junichi
Kakiuchi Takashi
Kozuka Masayuki
Kusumi Yuki
Mimura Yoshihiro
Eisenzopf Reinhard J.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Price and Gess
Yencke Brian P.
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