CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-248576, filed on Aug. 30, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to image rendering techniques for an apparatus which reproduces digital contents multiplexing a plurality of contents having different information, and more particularly to image rendering techniques for reproduction control of digital contents by using user operation interfaces.

A conventional digital broadcasting compatible HDD/DVD decoder which is a digital content reproduction apparatus requires, in addition to channel tuning, reproduction control keys for linear contents such as video and audio, the keys including â€œreproduceâ€ , â€œstopâ€ , â€œfast forwardâ€ , â€œfast backwardâ€ , â€œtemporary stopâ€ and other operation keys. The apparatus further requires â€œupâ€ , â€œdownâ€ , â€œrightâ€ , â€œleftâ€ , â€œdecideâ€ and four-color keys for operation control of data broadcasting. In order to deal with all functions, a number of remote keys are required. It takes learning time in order for a user master an operation method, or there is an issue of not easy to use.

As described in JP-A-2005-73022, there is known a broadcast receiving apparatus which provides a user with illumination of a usable key of a remote controller in accordance with information on digital contents. Typical apparatus which perform reproduction control by graphical user interface (GUI) digital include a digital broadcasting compatible personal computer and a DVD reproduction compatible personal computer. In these apparatus, reproduction keys for linear contents and interactive contents are displayed on a screen and unusable keys are disabled so that it is possible to improve user easy to use performance. However, in order to display all keys, a large panel rendering area is required. Since linear contents and interactive contents are multiplexed and transmitted for digital broadcasting, these contents are also recorded in a multiplexed state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus described in JP-A-2005-73022 is required to mount all keys so that a remote controller having a large area is used. Similarly, the apparatus using GUI is also required to display all keys so that a wide operation panel rendering area is used.

Information on data added digital broadcasting includes up-to-date news, weather forecast and the like. There arises an issue of a lapse of an appreciation term, when reproduction is made.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to display automatically only usable operation keys in accordance with information on digital contents. Accordingly, a user operation learning time can be shortened, since the panel rendering area is made small, a mouse motion distance can be shortened, and an easy to use performance can be improved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital content reproduction apparatus capable of having a relatively large image display area by making small a panel rendering area. It is another object of the present invention to provide a digital content reproduction apparatus capable of reproduction within an appreciation term by monitoring information on digital contents.

According to the digital content reproduction apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of user operation interfaces of the same size are provided, information on digital contents is monitored, and upon occurrence of a change in the information, the user operation interfaces are automatically and exclusively displayed in the same panel rendering area so that only usable operation keys can be displayed. Information on digital contents is monitored and display is controlled in accordance with digital content attributes.

According to the present invention, a plurality of user operation interfaces of the same size are provided, information on digital contents is monitored, and upon occurrence of a change in the information, the user operation interfaces are automatically and exclusively displayed in the same panel rendering area so that only usable operation keys can be displayed and a user operation learning time can be shortened.

According to the present invention, since the panel rendering area is made small, a mouse motion distance can be shortened so that a user easy to use performance can be improved.

According to the present invention, since the panel rendering area is made small, the image display area can be made relatively large.

According to the present invention, only information within an appreciation term can be presented by controlling the display state in accordance with information on digital contents.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram showing the layout of a screen of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative diagram showing a linear content operation panel of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram showing an interactive content operation panel of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an illustrative diagram showing the layout of screens of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an illustrative diagram showing digital content attributes according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the digital content reproduction apparatus records broadcast data received at a broadcast receiving unit 1 in a data record unit 3 with involvement of a data input/output control unit 2. The data input/output control unit 2 reads data from the data record unit 3 and supplies the read data via a data extraction (demultiplex) unit 4 to a content decode unit 6 which decodes the supplied data and sends the decoded data to an image rendering unit 7. A data monitor unit 5 always monitors information on digital contents in the data extraction unit 4, and in accordance with a change in the information, instructs the image rendering unit 7 to perform rendering of an user operation interface corresponding to the information on the contents. The decoded contents and the user operation interface are superposed and output as image data by the image rendering unit 7. A user input to the displayed user operation interface from a mouse, a keyboard or a remote controller is sent to a user operation input unit 8 which transfers the user operation information to a system control unit 9. In accordance with the user operation information, the system control unit 9 controls the broadcast receiving unit 1, data input/output control unit 2, data extraction unit 4, content decode unit 6 and image rendering unit 7.

Next, description will be made on the user operation interface during digital broadcast reproduction.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show image display states during digital broadcast reproduction. A monitor Al has a content display area A2 and an operation panel display area A3. During reproduction of linear contents such as moving image contents, a linear content operation panel A4 is displayed in the operation panel display area A3, the linear content operation panel providing functions of reproduce, stop, temporary stop, fast forward, fast backward, previous skip, next skip and the like.

During reproduction of interactive contents such as data broadcast contents, an interactive content operation panel A5 is displayed in the operation panel display area A3, the interactive content operation panel providing functions of numerical keys from 0 to 9, up/down/right/left keys, a decide key, blue/red/green/yellow keys and other keys.

The linear content operation panel A4 and interactive content operation panel AS are displayed exclusively and are not displayed at the same time. The functions provided by the linear content operation panel A4 and interactive content operation panel A5 are not limited to those described above, but the functions may be increased or decreased in accordance with the apparatus function.

Next, by taking Japanese terrestrial digital broadcasting as an example, description will be made on a specific digital content monitoring method.

TV type services, data broadcasting services and data added TV services are defined for Japanese terrestrial digital broadcasting (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses: Terrestrial Digital Television Broadcasting Operational Guideline TR-B14). Program specific information (PSI) on digital broadcasting contains a program map table (PMT). PMT contains a data encode descriptor which contains an auto_start_flag.

In data added TV services, if the auto_start_flag is â€œ1â€ , data broadcasting is automatically displayed, whereas if it is â€œ0â€ , data broadcasting is displayed upon instruction from a user. The data monitor unit monitors the auto_start_flag, and when the flag becomes â€œ1â€ , the interactive content operation panel A5 is displayed, and when the flat becomes â€œ0â€ , the linear content operation panel A4 is displayed.

In this embodiment, the linear content operation panel and interactive content operation panel are provided, information on digital contents is monitored, and upon occurrence of a change in the information, the panels are automatically and exclusively displayed in the operation panel display area A3 of the same panel rendering area size. Accordingly, only usable operation keys can be displayed, a user operation learning time can be shortened, since the panel rendering area is made small, a mouse motion distance can be shortened, and an easy to use performance can be improved. Further, since the panel rendering area is made small, the image display area can be made relatively large.

In this embodiment, although terrestrial digital broadcasting has been described, the embodiment is also used for reproduction of other digital contents. Also in this case, the operation panel can be switched automatically by monitoring the content switching flag.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Description will be made on only different points from the description described so far.

In the above description, although data is supplied to the apparatus by using broadcasting waves, in this embodiment, digital content services via a network B1 are assumed. In this case, data can be acquired via a network connection unit B2 connected to the network B1. The data input/output control unit 2 and other succeeding units are similar to those described above, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Description will be made on only different points from the foregoing description.

In the foregoing description, although data acquired by the network connection unit B2 connected to the network B1 is recorded in the data record unit 3, in this embodiment, video on demand (VOD) type services are assumed and a data record unit is not provided in the reproduction apparatus. The data input/output unit 2 requests a VOD service center about necessary data via the network connection unit B2 and network B1. The data input/output control unit 2 and other succeeding units are similar to those described above, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of a digital content reproduction apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Description will be made on only different points from the foregoing description.

In the foregoing description, although data acquired by using broadcasting waves is recorded in the data record unit 3, in this embodiment, the broadcast receiving unit 1 is not provided and only data recorded beforehand in the data record unit 3 is reproduced. This embodiment assumes an apparatus dedicated only to reproduction. The data input/output control unit 2 and other succeeding units are similar to those described above, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 8 is an illustrative diagram showing the layout of screens of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9. In the foregoing description, although a single monitor is used which has both the content display area and operation panel display area, in this embodiment, a first monitor A6 has a content display area A2 and a second monitor A7 has an operation panel display area A3. If a remote controller or the like has the operation panel display area A3, the number of keys of the remote controller can be reduced. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the structure of the digital content reproduction apparatus of this embodiment.

A different point from the foregoing description resides in that a content rendering unit 7b and an operation panel rendering unit 7c are independent. Other points are similar to the foregoing description, and the description thereof is omitted. FIGS. 10 to 12 show the structures that the content rendering unit 7b and operation panel rendering unit 7c are made independent as different from the foregoing description. Other points are similar to the foregoing description, and the description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 10 to 12 are similar to those figures described above. In the foregoing description, although the data monitor unit monitors the auto_start_flag, in this embodiment, attributes of digital contents are recorded and a data broadcasting descriptive language BML (Broadcast Markup Language) is analyzed.

FIG. 13 shows examples of the attributes and language analysis results. Information on data added digital broadcasting includes up-to-date news, weather forecast and the like. These contents have a nature of an appreciation term and it is difficult to consider that these contents are referred to after, e.g., one month. In this embodiment, therefore, a content appreciation term is set beforehand in accordance with record days and times and information on the contents. If contents are within the appreciation term, data broadcasting is not displayed even if the auto_start_flag is â€œ1â€ , but the linear content operation panel is displayed. If the contents are within the appreciation term and a user does not still view the contents, the data broadcasting is automatically displayed even if the auto_start_flag is â€œ0â€ and the interactive content operation panel is displayed. Only new information can be presented for viewing, by controlling the display state in accordance with information on digital contents.

It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.