Abstract: The reception device in two-way digital broadcasting system sends a transmission request for an object via a control channel of a network to a server device that stores a plurality of objects. This plurality of objects includes at least one object that contains data and at least one object that contains a control instruction for a synchronous transmission request requesting the transmission of data that is presently required or an asynchronous transmission request requesting the transmission of data that will probably be necessary in the future. The reception device receives the requested object via the data channel of the network. On receiving an object that includes a control instruction for a synchronous transmission request or an asynchronous transmission request from the server device, the reception device decodes the control instruction in the received object and judges whether a synchronous transmission request or an asynchronous transmission request is to be issued.

Abstract: A focus control device that positions a focus on one of a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) components displayed on a screen includes request receiving means for receiving a request to move the focus, focus permission information storing means for storing focus permission information indicating, for each GUI component, whether the focus can be positioned on the GUI component, and focus moving means for moving the focus in response to the received request to a GUI component where, according to the focus permission information, the focus can be positioned, the focus moving means skipping over GUI components where the focus cannot be positioned.

Abstract: The reception device in two way digital broadcasting system sends a transmission request for an object via a control channel of a network to a server device that stores a plurality of objects. This plurality of objects includes at least one object that contains data and at least one object that contains a control instruction for a synchronous transmission request requesting the transmission of data that is presently required or an asynchronous transmission request requesting the transmission of data that will probably be necessary in the future. The reception device receives the requested object via the data channel of the network. On receiving an object that includes a control instruction for a synchronous transmission request or an asynchronous transmission request from the server device, the reception device decodes the control instruction in the received object and judges whether a synchronous transmission request or an asynchronous transmission request is to be issued.

Abstract: A layout unit refers to a plurality of menu items stored in a menu item information storage unit by a menu item information obtaining unit. The following processes are performed as necessary to display a large number of menu items in a predetermined part of a GUI screen. A character size reducing unit reduces the size of characters used to display menu items. A margin reducing unit determines the layout of menu items so as to reduce the margins in menu items. An abbreviating unit replaces certain character strings in menu items with shorter character strings. In this way, the layout unit determines the layout of menu items. A menu control unit then has the menu items displayed in accordance with the layout determined by the layout unit.

Abstract: Memory is divided into a plurality of banks to store software which is upgraded one bank at a time. By doing so, a memory with the same size as one bank is only needed as the temporary storage used when performing an upgrade. The terminal device only needs a memory that is “1+1/n” times as large as a total software when there are n banks, while a conventional terminal device needs a memory that is twice as large as the total software. Two loader programs are stored in different banks as a master loader program used for download processing and a backup loader program. On receiving a new loader program, one loader program is used to write the new loader program over the other loader program so as to upgrade the loader program. The backup loader program is activated when the new loader program is to be written over the master loader program.