U.S. patent application number 11/196744 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for program receiver and method of display processing of program explanation screen.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Hamada, Ichiro, Inoue, Hajime, Murayama, Naoki, Wakahara, Tatsuya.
Application Number | 20050276575 11/196744 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18189950 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050276575 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Murayama, Naoki ; et
al. |
December 15, 2005 |
Program receiver and method of display processing of program
explanation screen
Abstract
In a program receiver and a method of display processing of a
program explanation screen, it is possible to display a reproduced
program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program
explanation screen when reproducing received program explanation
information after recorded. Unrelated and unnecessary information
is not displayed in reproduction when program explanation screen
generating means for generating a received program explanation
screen based on program explanation information added to the
received program data is employed to generate a reproduced program
explanation screen based on program explanation information added
to the reproduced data. This enables efficient graphics processing
and helps the user distinguish the received program explanation
screen from the reproduced program explanation screen to prevent
confusion.
Inventors: |
Murayama, Naoki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Hamada, Ichiro; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Wakahara, Tatsuya; (Tokyo, JP) ; Inoue, Hajime;
(Chiba, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER, DAVID, LITTENBERG,
KRUMHOLZ & MENTLIK
600 SOUTH AVENUE WEST
WESTFIELD
NJ
07090
US
|
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
18189950 |
Appl. No.: |
11/196744 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11196744 |
Aug 3, 2005 |
|
|
|
09438630 |
Nov 12, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
386/212 ;
348/E5.105; 348/E5.108; 348/E7.054; 386/297; 386/E5.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4334 20130101;
H04N 21/4821 20130101; H04N 21/84 20130101; H04N 5/9201 20130101;
H04N 21/426 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101; H04N 21/485 20130101;
H04N 7/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
386/083 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/91 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 17, 1998 |
JP |
P10-326630 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A television signal receiver comprising: (a) a receiver section
for receiving digital television signals; (b) a digital interface
for receiving digital television signals reproduced and transmitted
from an external storage device; and (c) an on-screen display
processor for generating on-screen displays from said digital
television signals received from said receiver section and from
said external storage device, said on-screen display processor
being adapted to generate a first on-screen display on a first
screen representing a description of a television program currently
received by said receiver section, the first on-screen display
being superimposed on the television program being received by said
receiver, and a second separate, on-screen display on a separate,
second screen representing a description of television program
which is reproduced and transmitted by said external storage device
through said digital interface, the second on-screen display being
superimposed on the television program being reproduced and
transmitted by said external storage device.
2. The television signal receiver according to claim 1, wherein
said first and second on-screen displays are visually substantially
the same but at least one of said on-screen displays includes an
indicia element to distinguish between said on-screen displays.
3. The television signal receiver according to claim 1, wherein
said digital television signals received by said receiver section
include television program guide information.
4. The television signal receiver according to claim 3, wherein
said digital television signals reproduced and transmitted from
said external storage device include television program guide
information.
5. The television signal receiver according to claim 4, wherein
said on-screen display processor processes said television program
guide information included in said reproduced digital television
signals to generate said second on-screen display and omits
unnecessary information from the television program guide
information.
6. A method of displaying on-screen display signals comprising: (a)
receiving digital television signals in a television receiver; (b)
receiving digital television signals reproduced and transmitted
from an external storage device in said television receiver via a
digital interface; (c) generating on a first screen a first
on-screen display representing a description of a television
program currently received by said receiver, the first on-screen
display being superimposed on the television program being received
by said receiver; and (d) generating on a separate, second screen a
separate, second on-screen display from said digital television
signals received from said external storage device through said
digital interface representing a description of television program
which is reproduced and transmitted by said external storage
device, the second on-screen display being superimposed on the
television programming being reproduced and transmitted by said
external storage device.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first and second
on-screen displays are visually substantially the same but at least
one of said on-screen displays includes an indicia element to
distinguish between said on-screen displays.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said digital television
signals received by said receiver include television program guide
information.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said digital television
signals reproduced and transmitted from said external storage
device include television program guide information.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising processing
said television program guide information included in said
reproduced digital television signals to generate said second
on-screen display and omit unnecessary information from the
television program guide information.
11. A method of displaying on-screen displays comprising: (a)
generating on a first screen a first on-screen display by a
receiver upon user request when a receiver is currently receiving
broadcast television programming, said first on-screen display
including a first set of indicia elements representing a
description of the television programming currently received by the
receiver, the first on-screen display being superimposed on the
television program being received by said receiver; and (b)
generating on a separate, second screen a separate, second
on-screen display by the receiver upon user request when said
receiver is currently receiving television program transmitted by
an external storage device connected to said receiver via a digital
interface, the second on-screen display being superimposed on the
television programming being reproduced and transmitted by said
external storage device, and the second on-screen display including
a second set of indicia elements representing a description of the
television program transmitted by said external storage device to
said receiver, said second set of indicia elements being
substantially similar to said first set of indicia elements, but
wherein at least one of said first and second sets of indicia
elements includes one or more distinguishing indicia elements to
indicate to the user the input source of the television program
being received by said receiver.
12. The television signal receiver according to claim 1, wherein
said first on-screen display is overlaid on the television program
currently received and displayed on the first screen and said
second on-screen display is overlaid on the television programming
transmitted by said external storage device and displayed on said
second screen.
13. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first on-screen
display is overlaid on the television program currently received
and displayed on the first screen and said second on-screen display
is overlaid on the television programming transmitted by said
external storage device and displayed on said second screen.
14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said first on-screen
display is overlaid on the television program currently received
and displayed on the first screen and said second on-screen display
is overlaid on the television programming transmitted by said
external storage device and displayed on said second screen.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/438,630 filed on Nov. 12, 1999, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a program receiver and a
method of display processing of a program explanation screen, and
more particularly, is suitably applied to a receiver/decoder in a
digital satellite broadcasting system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] In digital satellite broadcast systems which have provided
hundreds of programs to users, broadcast waves from the transponder
of a communications satellite are received via a receiver/decoder
(hereinafter referred to as integrated receiver decoder (IRD)) and
program data of a selected channel is decoded so that the image and
voice are outputted from a monitor.
[0004] The IRD receives program explanation information that
explains the contents of programs, as well as program data of
digital broadcasts such as communications satellite (CS)
broadcasts, broadcasting satellite (BS) broadcasts, and ground wave
broadcasts, and that, when the program explanation button on a
remote control is pressed by the user, the program explanation
screen is generated by applying graphics processing to the program
explanation information for display on the monitor.
[0005] When recording program data and program explanation
information received by the IRD, for example, a video tape, the IRD
decodes received program data and program explanation information
and converts those into an analog video signal, then outputs the
signal, for example through a coaxial cable, to an analog video
tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as the VTR) and records the
signal on the video tape by the VTR.
[0006] Because the IRD having the configuration mentioned above
does not have input/output ports for digital data, when the IRD
uses the VTR to record received program data and program
explanation information on a video tape, program data and program
explanation information must be converted to an analog video signal
by the IRD and recorded on the video tape by the VTR. This problem
complicates the process and prevents high-definition digital
recording.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to
provide a program receiver and a method of display processing of
program explanation screen with a simple configuration which can
provide, when recording and reproducing the received program
explanation information, a reproduced program explanation screen as
high-definite as the received program explanation screen.
[0008] The foregoing object and other objects of the invention have
been achieved by the provision of a program receiver and a method
of display processing of a program explanation screen in which
unrelated and unnecessary information is not displayed in
reproduction when program explanation screen generating means for
generating a received program explanation screen based on program
explanation information added to the received program data is
employed to generate a reproduced program explanation screen based
on program explanation screen added to the reproduced data. This
enables efficient graphics processing and helps the user
distinguish the received program explanation screen from the
reproduced program explanation screen and prevents confusion.
[0009] Furthermore, in reproduction, information indicating a
reproduced screen in reproduction can be displayed on the
reproduced program explanation screen in order to let the user know
that the displayed picture is a reproduced picture. Moreover, a
reproduced program explanation screen as high-definite as a
received program explanation screen directly displayed in reception
is generated and displayed, it is possible to provide a reproduced
program explanation screen as high-definite as a received program
explanation screen to the user in reproduction as well.
[0010] The nature, principle and utility of the invention will
become more apparent from the following detailed description when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like
parts are designated by like numerals or characters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In the accompanying drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a
digital data recording/reproduction system according to the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing a program
explanation screen and a contents display screen;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration showing the actual
display example of a program explanation screen 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing the actual
display example of a program explanation screen 2;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration showing the reproduced
program explanation screen and the reproduced contents display
screen; and
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of
the CPU when displaying the received program explanation screen and
the reproduced program explanation screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a digital data recording/reproduction
system 1 is shown as a whole, which is configured by an antenna 2,
an IRD 3 as a program receiver of the present invention, an
institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE) 1394 cable
4, and a digital video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as
digital VTR) 5.
[0020] The digital data recording/reproduction system 1, in a
reception mode where received program data is decoded in real time
and directly displayed on a monitor 15, receives broadcast waves
from communications satellites (not shown) via the antenna 2 and
sends the waves to a tuner 7 of a receiving selector 80 in the IRD
3. In the IRD 3, each circuit operates according to the control by
the CPU 6 and a received signal S1 from a transponder selected by
the tuner 7 is sent to a front end 8.
[0021] The front end 8 demodulates the received signal S1, applies
error correction processing to resulting received data, then sends
the data as a received data stream D2 to a descramble circuit 9.
The descramble circuit 9, based on the encryption key information
stored in an IC card (not shown) inserted in the IRD 3 main unit,
descrambles the received data stream D2, and then sends a resultant
received data stream D3 to a demultiplexer 10.
[0022] The demultiplexer 10 extracts out of received data stream D3
program data of a channel specified by the user, and sends a video
stream D4 comprising packets of image part of the program data to
an MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 while sending an
audio stream D5 comprising packets of audio part to an MPEG audio
decoder 12.
[0023] The MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 restores
video data D7 before compressed and encoded by decoding the video
stream D4, then sends this to a national television system
committee (NTSC) encoder 13.
[0024] The NTSC encoder 13 converts the video data D7 to an
NTSC-compliant luminance signal and color difference signal and
sends these signals as NTSC data D8 to a digital-to-analog
converter 14. The digital-to-analog converter 14 converts the NTSC
data D8 to an analog signal S9 and outputs this signal as a program
picture to the monitor 15.
[0025] The MPEG audio decoder 12 restores pulse code modulation
(PCM) audio data D10 before compressed and encoded by decoding the
audio stream D5 and sends the data to a digital-to-analog converter
16.
[0026] The digital-to-analog converter 16 generates an L-channel
audio signal S11A and an R-channel audio signal S11B by converting
the PCM audio data D10 to an analog signal and outputs these
signals as broadcast voice via speakers of the monitor 15 (not
shown).
[0027] When a program explanation button (not shown) on a remote
control 30 is pressed by the user and program explanation screen
request data outputted via infrared rays from the remote control 30
is sensed by an infrared sensor 31, the IRD 3 sends the data to a
CPU 6.
[0028] At this time, the CPU 6 controls the demultiplexer 10 and
the MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 based on the program
explanation screen request data. That is, the demultiplexer 10
extracts the program explanation information stream comprising
packets that contain description of the program explanation
information and supplies the stream to the MPEG video decoder and
graphics circuit 11 as a received program explanation generating
means for graphics processing.
[0029] In this way, the MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11
superimposes the received program explanation screen obtained by
graphics processing on the video data of the received channel to
send it to the NTSC encoder 13.
[0030] Consequently, as shown in FIG. 2, a received program
explanation screen 50 is displayed covering the picture of a
program on the monitor 15 as a display means.
[0031] The received program explanation screen 50 shows that "the
Blue Berg News" on channel 250 received by the IRD 3 is
broadcasted, including for example Picture 1 (front angle), Picture
2 (right angle), Picture 3 (left angle), Voice 1 (Japanese), Voice
2 (English), Voice 3 (French), Data 1 (English translation), Data 2
(French translation), and Data 3 (Italian translation).
[0032] Thus a viewer identifies the received screen explanation
screen 50 and selects a desired angle, voice, and translation by
using the remote control 30 before pressing a select button 51.
This lets the CPU 6 of the IRD 3 control the MPEG video decoder and
graphics circuit 11 for graphics processing of the program
explanation information stream to generate a received contents
display screen 55 that provides detailed explanation on the Blue
Berg News and switches from the received program explanation screen
50 to the contents display screen 55 to display on the monitor
15.
[0033] The received contents display screen 55 shows the time
intervals, and the broadcasting hour of the Blue Berg News and the
contents of the news. On the screen, icons 56 and 57 are displayed
that indicate the presence/absence of charge amount and age limit
at the right upper portion and an off timer button 58 for setting
the off timer that automatically stops program reception, in the
upper-center area.
[0034] Moreover, the received screen explanation screen 50 and the
contents display screen 55 display a logo 61 of the broadcast
provider at the right lower portion to indicate which broadcast
provider is broadcasting the Blue Berg News.
[0035] When the viewer selects a signal switching button 59 on the
received contents display screen 55, the CPU 6 of the IRD 3
controls the MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 to return
to the received program explanation screen 50. When the viewer
selects a return button 60 on the received contents display screen
55, the CPU 6 of the IRD 3 controls the MPEG decoder and graphics
circuit 11 to return the display on the monitor 15 from the
received contents display screen 55 to the program picture.
[0036] Actually, on the received program explanation screen 50,
Picture 1 is broadcasted as one type of picture and TV Voice and
NEWS RADIO as two types of voice in "the Blue Berg News" on Channel
250 as shown in FIG. 3. And Picture 1 is broadcasted as one type of
picture and STEREO as one type of voice in "the Tokyo TV: The Wide
Show" on channel 210, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0037] Next, in the digital data recording/reproduction system 1,
in a recording mode where received program data is sent to the
digital VTR 5 to be recorded on a video tape 23, the demultiplexer
10 sends a stream containing video packets, audio packets, and
additional information packets of the program to be recorded to an
IEEE1394 interface 17 of a transceiver 82.
[0038] Once recording of program data is instructed by the
operation of the remote control 30 of the user, the CPU 6 generates
recording control data S15 that controls recording operation of the
digital VTR 5 and sends the data to the IEEE1394 interface 17.
[0039] The IEEE1394 interface 17 sends the streams received from
the demultiplexer 10 to an error correction encoding circuit 20 via
the IEEE1394 cable 4 and an IEEE1394 interface 19 of the digital
VTR 5 while sending the recording control data S15 to a CPU 18 via
an IEEE1394 cable 4 and the IEEE1394 interface 19.
[0040] In the digital VTR 5, each circuit operates based on the
control by the CPU 18. The error correction encoding circuit 20
adds error correction codes to the stream received from the
IEEE1394 interface 19 based on the recording control data S15.
[0041] The stream D16 to which the error correction codes are added
is sent to recording system 22 via a switch circuit 21. The
recording system 22 comprises a magnetic head that records the
stream D16 to which error correction codes are added on the video
tape 23 as a recording medium.
[0042] In other words, the digital VTR 5 also records packets
having additional information such as program explanation
information on the video tape 23, by adding error correction codes
to the stream received from the IEEE1394 interface 19 before
recorded on the video tape 23.
[0043] The stream to be recorded must include the additional
information such as program association table (PAT) associated with
the program to be recorded, program map table (PMT), network
information as to the broadcast provider of the program to be
recorded, copyright information, information indicating the stream
is a partial transport stream, and information indicating
unsuccessive points of the stream.
[0044] Additional information to be optionally recorded includes
the title of program data to be recorded, program explanation
information on the program data to be recorded according to the
present invention, broadcast time information of the program to be
recorded (e.g., one-hour broadcast from 12:00, Oct. 23, 1998), and
age limit information of the program etc.
[0045] By the way, additional information that is not recorded
includes conditional access (CA) information as key information for
descrambling, various table information provided by broadcasts
other than PAT/PMT, such as network information table (NIT),
service description table (SDT), event information table (EIT),
conditional access table (CAT), and time description table (TDT),
and streams that have not been descrambled yet.
[0046] The digital VTR 5 can record video signals inputted not via
the IRD 3 but via an analog tuner of a television (not shown) to an
external input terminal 32 and also can record audio and video
signals received by the analog tuner 27.
[0047] The audio and video signals supplied from the analog tuner
27 or the external input terminal 32 undergoes signal processing by
a signal processor 28, and those signals are sent to a recording
system 22 via the switch circuit 21. The recording system 22
analog-records the signals from the signal processor 28 on the
video tape 23.
[0048] Next, in a reproduction mode where the stream recorded via
the digital VTR 5 on the video tape 23 are reproduced, the digital
data recording/reproduction system 1 obtains a reproduced encoded
stream D20 by playing back the video tape 23 by a reproduction
system 24 having a magnetic head, and sends the stream to an error
correction decoding circuit 26 via a switch circuit 25. p The error
correction decoding circuit 26 applies error correction decoding
processing to the reproduced encoded stream D20, then sends the
stream as a stream D23 to the IEEE1394 interface 19.
[0049] The IEEE1394 interface 19, based on control by the CPU 18,
supplies the video stream D23 from the IEEE1394 cable 4 to the
demutiplexer 10 via IEEE1394 interface 17 of the IRD 3. The
demutiplexer 10 supplies video packets to the MPEG video decoder
and graphics circuit 11 with reference to the PID of the packets in
the stream D23 received from the IEEE1394 interface 17, while
supplying audio packets to the MPEG audio decoder 12.
[0050] The MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 restores the
reproduced video data D26 before compressed and encoded by decoding
the video packets supplied from the demultiplexer 10 based on
control by the CPU 6, then sends the data to the NTSC encoder
13.
[0051] The NTSC encoder 13 converts the reproduced video data D26
to the NTSC-compliant luminance signal and color difference signal
and sends these signals to the digital-to-analog converter 14 as
reproduced NTSC data D27. The digital-to-analog converter 14
converts the reproduced NTSC data D27 to an analog signal S28 and
outputs this signal as a reproduced picture to the monitor 15.
[0052] The MPEG audio decoder 12 restores PCM audio data D29 before
compressed and encoded by decoding the audio packets supplied from
the demutiplexer 10 under control by the CPU 6 and sends the data
to the digital-to-analog converter 16.
[0053] The digital-to-analog converter 16 generates an L-channel
audio signal S30A and an R-channel audio signal S30B by converting
the PCM audio data D29 to an analog signal, and outputs those
signals as voice through the speakers of the monitor 15 (not
shown).
[0054] When the program explanation button (not shown) on the
remote control 30 is pressed by the user during reproduction and
program explanation screen request data via infrared rays from the
remote control 30 is sensed by the infrared sensor 31, the IRD 3
sends the data to the CPU 6.
[0055] At this time, the CPU 6 controls the demultiplexer 10 and
MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 according to the program
explanation screen request data, and supplies packets in which
program explanation information is described as additional
information out of the stream received via the IEEE1394 interface
17 to the MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11.
[0056] The MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 generates
program explanation screen data D31 for reproducing by applying
graphics processing to the program explanation information in the
packets, and superimposes the data on the reproduced video data
D26. This superimposed data is sent to the NTSC encoder 13.
[0057] The NTSC encoder 13 converts the superimposed signal to an
NTSC-compliant luminance signal and color difference signal, then
sends these signals as reproduced NTSC data D32 to the
digital-to-analog converter 14. The digital-to-analog converter 14
converts the reproduced NTSC data D32 to a reproduced analog signal
S33 and displays the signal as a reproduced program explanation
screen 70 shown in FIG. 5, on the monitor 15.
[0058] At this time the reproduced program explanation screen 70 is
displayed on the monitor 15 as a graphical user interface (GUI)
screen that is nearly the same as the received program explanation
screen 50 (FIG. 2) when broadcast data is displayed in real time.
However, the reproduced program explanation screen 70 has the
display of character 71 that reads "Under Reproduction" at the
right upper portion of the reproduced program explanation screen 70
as well as the logo 78 of the broadcast provider so that the user
can easily discriminate the received program explanation screen 50
on broadcast data being displayed in real time from the reproduced
program explanation screen 70.
[0059] When a select button 72 is pressed by the viewer on the
reproduced program explanation screen 70, the CPU 6 of the IRD 3
generates a reproduced contents display screen 75 that provides
explanation of specific contents of the Blue Berg News by using the
MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 to apply graphics
processing, then switches from the reproduced program explanation
screen 70 to the reproduced contents display screen 75 which is
displayed on the monitor 15.
[0060] On the reproduced contents display screen 75, the CPU 6 also
displays character 76 that reads "Under Reproduction" at the right
upper portion of the reproduced program explanation screen 75 as
well as the logo 77 of the broadcast provider. The CPU 6 does not
display icons that indicate the presence/absence of the charge
amount and age limit and an off timer button for setting the off
timer that automatically stops the reception on the reproduced
contents display screen 75, but does display the logo 77 of the
broadcast provider at the right lower portion.
[0061] This represents that it is not necessary, when the digital
VTR is in reproduction, to provide icons indicating the
presence/absence of the charge amount and age limit and the off
timer button for setting the off timer that automatically stops the
reception, and therefore those are not displayed in order to
prevent the user from being confused.
[0062] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of
the CPU 6, which starts with step SP1 and proceeds to step SP2. In
step SP2, the CPU 6 determines whether the current mode is a
reception mode. After determining it is the reception mode the CPU
6 proceeds to step SP3 and controls the MPEG video decoder and
graphics circuit 11 to turn on the displays of charge amount icon
56, age limit icon 56 and off timer button 58.
[0063] On the contrary, if the CPU 6 determines it is not in the
reception mode in step SP2 (that is, it is in the reproduction
mode), it proceeds to step SP4, and controls the MPEG video decoder
and graphics circuit 11 to turn off the displays of charge amount
icon 56, age limit icon 56 off timer button 58.
[0064] After that, the CPU 6 proceeds to step SP5 and controls the
MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11 to display "under
reproduction" and then proceeds to step SP6 to finish the
processing.
[0065] In the above configuration, in the recording mode, the IRD 3
sends concerning the program of a specified channel and a stream
comprising video part packets and voice part packets concerning the
program of a specified channel to the digital VTR 5 through the
IEEE1394 cable 4 and which are digital-recorded on the video tape
23.
[0066] At this time, the packets where program explanation
information is described as additional information are also
digital-recorded on the video tape 23.
[0067] In the reproduction mode, the stream reproduced from the
video tape 23 is sent back to the MPEG video decoder and graphics
circuit 11 and the MPEG audio decoder 12 via the IEEE 1394 cable 4
and the demultiplexer 10.
[0068] When the program explanation button on the remote control 30
is pressed by the user, the IRD3, similarly to in the reception
display mode, uses the MPEG video decoder and graphics circuit 11
to apply graphics processing to the program explanation information
in packets where program explanation information is described as
additional information in the stream D23 sent back from the digital
VTR 5, then displays the information as the reproduced program
explanation screen 70.
[0069] In this way, the IRD 3 is connected to the digital VTR 5 by
the IEEE1394 cable 4 and uses the MPEG video decoder and graphics
circuit 11 in common to apply graphics processing to the program
explanation information both in the reception mode and reproduction
mode. Thus, the graphics processing can be performed efficiently by
minimizing the differences between the processing in the reception
mode and in the reproduction mode. In addition, as the program
explanation information is digital-recorded on a video tape, the
reproduced program explanation screen 70 (FIG. 5) can be displayed
on the monitor 15 as the GUI screen as high-definite as the
received program explanation screen 50 (FIG. 2).
[0070] The digital data recording/reproduction system 1 allows the
user to easily discriminate the reproduced program explanation
screen 70 and the reproduced contents display screen 75 from the
received program explanation screen 50 and the received contents
display screen 55 (FIG. 2) which are all displayed as the same GUI
screen both in the reception display mode and the reproduction
mode, by displaying the characters 71 and 76 "under reproduction"
at the right upper portion of the reproduced program explanation
screen 70 and the reproduced contents display screen 75 (FIG. 5)
which are displayed as the GUI screen in the reproduction mode on
the monitor 15.
[0071] According to the above configuration, graphics processing
can be performed efficiently by minimizing the differences between
the reproduced program explanation screen 70 and the received
program explanation screen 50.
[0072] In the above embodiment, it has described a case where the
characters 71 and 76 "Under Reproduction" are displayed at the
right upper portion of the reproduced program explanation screen 70
and reproduced contents display screen 75 (FIG. 5). However, the
present invention is not restricted to this case. Various
indication displays of reproduction such as characters "Reproduced
Picture" or a vide tape mark can be used as long as such characters
let the user easily recognize the reproduced program explanation
screen 70 and the reproduced contents display screen 75 obtained by
playing back the video tape 23.
[0073] Further in the above embodiment, it has described a case
where the digital data recording/reproduction system 1 sends the
stream from the IRD 3 to the digital VTR 5 through the IEEE1394
cable 4, and records the stream on the video tape 23. However, the
present invention is not restricted to this case. Recording can be
made on a predetermined recording medium via various other
recording/reproduction means, such as recording on a
magneto-optical disk loaded in a magneto-optical disk
recording/reproduction apparatus.
[0074] Further, in the above embodiment, a stream in which audio
packets, video packets and additional information packets are
multiplexed is recorded in the digital VTR 5. However, it is
possible to record a stream in which audio packets and additional
information packets are multiplexed on a magneto-optical disk such
as a mini disk (trademark) and a compact disc recordable (CD-R) for
instance.
[0075] Further in the above embodiment, it has described a case
where a stream is sent to the digital VTR 5 via the IEEE1394
interface 17, the IEEE1394 cable 4 and the IEEE1394 interface 19 as
transmission/reception means. However, the present invention is not
restricted to this case. Radio transmission/reception means can
also be used as long as digital data can be sent at high speed.
[0076] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, the
program explanation screen generating means for generating a
received program explanation screen based on the program
explanation information added to the received program data is used
to generate the reproduced program explanation screen based on the
program explanation information added to the reproduced data, and
when displaying a reproduced program explanation screen,
information unrelated and unnecessary for reproduction is not
displayed. Thus it is possible to prevent confusing the user.
[0077] Also, during reproduction, information for identifying the
reproduced screen is displayed on the reproduced program
explanation screen, which facilitates identifying of the
currently-displayed picture as the reproduced picture by the user.
Moreover, by generating and displaying a reproduced program
explanation screen which is as high-definite as that the received
program explanation screen directly displayed in reception, it is
possible to provide a reproduced program explanation screen as
high-definite as the received program explanation screen to the
user in reproduction as well.
[0078] While there has been described in connection with the
preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be
aimed, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes
and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
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