Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-12
2001-11-06
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C725S032000, C725S092000, C725S114000, C725S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314571
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program guide data collection and delivery system for providing electronic program guide data (hereinafter referred to just as “EPG data”) which is the data concerning the programs being broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting stations to the program guide viewers of their respective stations, and also relates to a program guide data collection and delivery device that performs transmission and reception of the EPG data to and from these broadcasting stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13
is a schematic diagram showing a conventional program guide data transmitting device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-289267. In the figure, reference numeral
701
denotes a switcher that selects signals of predetermined plural numbers of broadcasting channels among image signals and audio signals provided in the digital form received from a plurality of broadcasting stations, numeral
702
denotes a promotion channel generating device, which transforms the signals of a predetermined limited number of channels among those of a plurality of channels input to this switcher
701
into a sole signal to be displayed on one single monitor screen. Reference numerals
703
a,
703
b
and
703
c
each denotes an encoder for coding the image signals and audio signals fed from the switcher
701
by use of MPEG method (Moving Picture Expert Group method), numeral
709
denotes an EPG data generating device for generating EPG data, numeral
708
denotes a program transmission control device for outputting control signals for controlling the switcher
701
and the EPG data generating device
709
and so on, numerals
704
a,
704
b,
704
c
and
704
d
each denotes a multiplexing device (abbreviated to “MUX” in the figure”) for respectively multiplexing the signals input from the promotion channel generating device
702
, encoders
703
a
to
703
c
and from the EPG data generating device
709
, and outputting thereafter these multiplexed signals. Further, reference numerals
705
a,
705
b,
705
c
and
705
d
each denotes a digital converter circuit that converts the multiplexed signals fed from each of the multiplexing devices
704
a
through
704
d
into digital signals, numeral
706
denotes a combiner circuit that combines the signals fed from the digital converter circuits
705
a
through
705
d,
and numeral
707
denotes a satellite-transmission antenna for transmitting the signals fed from the combiner circuit
706
to a corresponding satellite.
The operation of the above conventional program guide data transmitting device is as follows.
In
FIG. 13
, the EPG data generating device
709
generates EPG data consisting of bit map data such as icons, promotion logos, categories and so on which are to be transmitted under control of the program transmission control device
708
, and outputs the thus generated EPG data to the promotion channel generating device
702
and also to the multiplexing devices
704
a
through
704
d.
The promotion channel generating device
702
superimposes the bit map data fed from the EPG data generating device
709
on the image signals for a small screen each input through the switcher
701
. The multiplexing devices
704
a
through
704
d
multiplex the image signals and audio signals fed thereto from the promotion channel generating circuit
702
and the encoders
703
a
through
703
d.
The digital converter circuits
705
a
through
705
d
convert the input signals to digital signals by a predetermined converting method, and output the converted signals to the combiner circuit
706
. The combiner circuit
706
combines the signals output from the digital converter circuits
705
a
through
705
d,
and transmits the thus composite signal to the satellite by way of an antenna
707
.
However, as explained above, since the conventional program guide data transmitting device is provided as an individual equipment in each of the broadcasting stations within a program guide data collection and delivery system, and is not considered in relation to other broadcasting stations, in a case that there are already many broadcasting stations within the system, each of the stations is not capable of providing the latest EPG data of other stations for the program guide viewers of its own station.
Further, in a case that there is a modification of EPG data in each broadcasting station, the modified EPG data can be directly broadcast to all other stations in order that each broadcasting station can provide other stations with the latest EPG data of itself. However, in this case, if the modification of EGP data frequently occurs in each broadcasting station, the frequency of inter-access among the plurality of broadcasting stations is thereby made higher, and in addition to this, each time a broadcasting station is newly founded, the already existing plurality of stations have to change their respective system configurations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems aforementioned, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an EPG data collection and delivery system and a program guide data collection and delivery device therein, wherein the modification in the EPG data of each of the broadcasting stations within the system occurs frequently, the rate of inter-access among the stations is not made high, and that each station is capable of providing the program guide viewers of its own station with the latest EPG data of other stations without changing the individual system configuration, even when there is an increase in the number of broadcasting stations within the whole system.
In order to achieve the above object, the program guide data collection and delivery system according to the first aspect of the present invention is constructed such that it comprises: a program guide data collection and delivery device for collecting and delivering program guide data of a plurality of broadcasting stations respectively broadcasting their own programs, a plurality of program guide data transmitting devices respectively corresponding to each of the plurality of broadcasting stations for transmitting the program guide data of their respectively own broadcasting stations to the program guide data collection and delivery device; and a plurality of program guide data providing devices for providing the program guide data of all of the plurality of broadcasting stations delivered from the program guide data collection and delivery device to the program guide viewers of their own broadcasting stations.
The program guide data collection and delivery system according to the second aspect of the present invention having the above configuration comprises; a data collecting division for collecting program guide data of each of the broadcasting stations transmitted from the plurality of program guide data transmitting devices, a program guide data storing section for storing the program guide data of each of the broadcasting stations collected by the data collecting division, and a data delivering division for delivering the program guide data of each of the broadcasting stations stored in the program guide data storing section to a plurality of program guide data providing devices, and wherein each of the plurality of program guide data transmitting devices comprises; an own-station program guide data storing section for storing the program guide data broadcast from its own broadcasting station, and a data transmitting section for transmitting the own-station program guide data of its own broadcasting station to the program guide data collecting division of the program guide data collection and delivery device, and further wherein each of the plurality of program guide data providing devices comprises; a data receiving section for receiving the program guide data delivered from the program guide data delivering division of the program guide data collecting device, an all-station program guide data storing section f
Kato Yoshiaki
Ogawa Michiyo
Faile Andrew
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Tran Hai V.
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