Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system with upstream communication – Having link to external network
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-07
2002-03-05
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system with upstream communication
Having link to external network
C725S109000, C725S112000, C725S139000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353930
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital broadcasting has been developed in recent years so that a wide variety of programs can be provided on a large number of channels. For satellite digital broadcasting, large numbers of channels are possible by multiplexing the channels together into a single frequency band. This multiplexing is performed using what is called a “transport stream” under MPEG2 (Moving Pictures Experts Group2) standard. This technique is described in detail in the documentation for ISO/IEC Standard 13818-1 (MPEG2 system).
These satellite digital broadcasts consist of the one-way transmission of image information and other data from a transmitter station, so that no interaction with the receiver is possible. However, a greater variety of services would be possible if it were possible to enable the user of a receiver terminal to perform interactive operations for the image information.
As a result, various interactive systems have developed which use a telephone line or the like to connect the receiver terminal to the transmitter station. However, these systems require the provision of a separate communication line between each receiver terminal and the transmitter station, incurring significant connection charges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the stated problems, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide digital broadcasting system which can achieve the effects of interactive reproduction of received image information in a two-way communication system using image information which is transmitted by a transmitter in a one-way communication system.
The stated object can be achieved by a digital broadcasting apparatus which achieves simulated interaction using a digital broadcast, the digital broadcasting apparatus including: an image information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of image data, each of which has an image data identifier; a control information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of control information, each of which has a control information identifier, and each of which includes link destination information that shows a set of image data and a set of control information for a link destination for a corresponding set of image data; and a transmission unit for repeatedly transmitting a plurality of sets of the image data and a plurality of sets of the control information.
The stated object can also be achieved by a digital broadcasting apparatus which achieves simulated interaction using a digital broadcast, the digital broadcasting apparatus including: an image information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of image data, each of which has an image data identifier; a control information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of control information, each of which has a control information identifier, and each of which includes link destination information that shows a set of image data and a set of control information for a link destination for a corresponding set of image data; and a multiplexing transmission unit for repeatedly transmitting a plurality of sets of the image data and a plurality of sets of the control information as a multiplexed stream.
With the stated construction, a user can freely switch from a displayed set of image data to another set of image data in accordance with the link destination information when image data is one-directionally transmitted from a digital broadcasting apparatus. An interactive digital broadcast can thereby be achieved.
Here, the digital broadcasting apparatus may also include a correspondence information storage unit for storing correspondence information showing correspondence between the sets of image data and the sets of control information, the multiplexing transmission unit including a retrieval unit for retrieving a set of image data and a corresponding set of control information shown in the correspondence information, and a multiplexing unit for successively multiplexing image data and control information retrieved by the retrieval unit.
With the stated construction, a plurality of sets of image data and control information can be repeatedly transmitted.
Here, the link destination information may show a combination of an image data identifier of the set of the image data for the link destination and a control information identifier of a corresponding set of control information for the link destination.
With the stated construction, the image data of a link destination and the corresponding control information can be specified.
Here, the multiplexing unit, when multiplexing a set of image data and a set of control information, may assign and write first image data identification information into the set of image data and control information identification information into the set of control information.
With the stated construction, a digital broadcast reception apparatus can extract a desired set of image data and control information using the respective sets of identification information.
Here, at least one set of control information may include supplementary image information which is used to select a set of image data for a link destination indicated by the link destination information.
With the stated construction, interactive operations can be easily achieved by the user.
Here, at least one set of control information may include script information for supporting an interactive function performed by a reception apparatus which receives the digital broadcast.
With the stated construction, the interactive function of the digital broadcast reproduction apparatus can be better supported.
Here, the digital broadcasting apparatus may also include an entry information storage unit for storing entry information which shows a combination of a set of image data and a set of control information which are to be reproduced first for a program, with the multiplexing transmission unit repeatedly transmitting the entry information.
With the stated construction, the image data and control information which are to be reproduced at the start of a program can be clearly established, thereby facilitating user interactive operations by the digital broadcast reception apparatus.
The stated object can also be achieved by a digital broadcasting apparatus which achieves simulated interaction using a digital broadcast, the digital broadcasting apparatus including: an image information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of image data, each of which has an image data identifier; a control information storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of control information, each of which has a control information identifier, and each of which includes link destination information that shows a set of image data and a set of control information for a link destination for a corresponding set of image data, the link destination information showing a combination of an image data identifier of the set of the image data for the link destination and a control information identifier for the set of the control information; a correspondence information storage unit for storing correspondence information showing correspondence between the sets of image data and the sets of control information; and a multiplexing transmission unit for repeatedly transmitting a plurality of sets of the image data and a plurality of the control information as a multiplexed stream, the multiplexing transmission unit including: a retrieval unit for retrieving a set of image data and a corresponding set of control information shown in the correspondence information; a multiplexing subunit for successively multiplexing image data and control information retrieved by the retrieval unit, in doing so assigning and writing first image data identification information into the set of image data and control information identification information into the set of control information, an image correspondence table generation unit for generating an image correspondence table for each
Hirai Junichi
Inoue Shinji
Kakiuchi Takashi
Kozuka Masayuki
Kusumi Yuki
Bui Kieu-Oanh
Faile Andrew
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Price and Gess
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