Abstract: For example, in case of distributing contents by BS broadcast and recording a transmitted TS stream into a storage device, even if the stream has been encrypted, a trick play can be easily performed. A start marker packet and an end marker packet are sent just before and just after the start of an I picture. A unique PID is written in each of the start marker packet and end marker packet. Upon reception, a video packet of the I picture is identified by identifying the start marker packet and end marker packet. Upon recording, a TS packet of the I picture is detected from the start marker packet and end marker packet and marked. Thus, upon reproduction, a cluster including the TS packet of the I picture is known and a trick play can be performed by reproducing the I picture.

Abstract: A digital signal receiver includes a distributed information storage unit having a data storage device for storing broadcast information. A menu frame for the information items stored in the data storage device is reformed as table-of-contents information having the same signal format as the received broadcast signal. As a result, it is unnecessary to specially provide a browser for creating a display frame, simplifying the structure of the receiver as a whole.

Abstract: It is an object to deliver contents in a different time from a real time through a digital artificial satellite and reproduce a program at a correct time, thereby transmitting information about contents for a long time by utilizing a limited time or transmitting information about contents in a small band. There is prepared a dummy packet including an adaptation field having the value of a dummy PCR for restoring a real time and time ratio information of a transfer time and the real time. During receipt, time information during output is obtained from the dummy PCR and the time ratio information. The time information during the output is added as a time stamp to a TS packet and is stored in a storage device such as a hard disk drive. During reproduction, data are read from the storage device by referring to the time stamp added during the recording. Consequently, the information about the contents transmitted in a different time base from the real time can be reproduced in a correct time base.

Abstract: In a digital receiver which can easily store broadcast information, a one-period amount of data is separated from a data broadcast signal. The one-period amount of data has an amount of data corresponding to plural frames which are periodically repetitively transmitted in the data broadcast signal. The one-period amount of data is stored in a data storage device, thereby simplifying the construction of the data storage device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device-authentication system capable of efficiently performing authentication before using a service through a network. A CE device (3) includes a browser (9) for accessing a service server (4) and an authentication module (7) for allowing an authentication server (5) to perform device authentication. A device-authentication plug-in (8) is a plug-in having a function of starting the authentication module (7). The device-authentication plug-in (8) can be specified by a predetermined MIME format, and the browser (9) starts the device-authentication plug-in (8) after receiving an EMBED tag having the MIME format.

Abstract: This invention relates to a service providing system and a service providing method for allowing users to receive a service from a service server without having to submit their security-critical information to that server. A CE device 1 requests provision of the service by transmitting authentication information such as a device ID to a surrogate authentication server 2. The surrogate authentication server 2 authenticates the CE device 1 based on the authentication information and transmits a result of the authentication to the service server 3. In turn, the service server 3 provides the CE device 1 with the requested service based on the result of the authentication received from the surrogate authentication server 2. The CE device 1 then uses the service provided by the service server 3. This system can be applied advantageously to network-based marketing systems.

Abstract: Guide information is provided relating to playing/viewing of content retrieved through various modalities such as television broadcasting and a computer network. A unified program list is created that comprehensively handles program content. For a self-recorded program, program metadata retrieved during a recording operation is additionally registered. For a network program, a network program list is periodically retrieved from a service site, modified and recorded. To play the content, a guide screen is created and supplied based on a unified program list. When a self-recorded program is selected, the program is read and played from an HDD. When a network program is selected, the program is played in a streaming manner via the Internet.

Abstract: The protection of data against illicit transfer with respect to specific data can be ensured. An integrated receiver decoder determines whether or not ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) data requiring authentication is contained in selected piece-of-music data in accordance with determination data added into transmitted data. When ATRAC data requiring authentication is contained, the integrated receiver decoder performs an authentication process between it and a storage which is a transfer destination of the ATRAC data, and performs downloading of the ATRAC data after confirming that the storage is a valid apparatus to which the downloading may be performed.

Abstract: The protection of data against illicit transfer with respect to specific data can be ensured. An integrated receiver decoder determines whether or not ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) data requiring authentication is contained in selected piece-of-music data in accordance with determination data added into transmitted data. When ATRAC data requiring authentication is contained, the integrated receiver decoder performs an authentication process between it and a storage which is a transfer destination of the ATRAC data, and performs downloading of the ATRAC data after confirming that the storage is a valid apparatus to which the downloading may be performed.

Abstract: When program data is downloaded through a broadcast wave, the program is prevented from being kept incomplete due to degradation of a reception state. When new program information is detected, a C/N value is observed. It is determined whether the observed C/N value is a specified value or more. If the C/N value is the specified value or more, a program for download control is executed. It is determined whether the download process is ended. The download process is executed until the download process is ended. Since the download process is executed after it is confirmed that the C/N is preferable, a risk that the downloading is interrupted due to degradation of the reception state in the middle of the download process can be avoided.

Abstract: Proper data is selected from a plurality of data which are multiplexed and transmitted to download the proper data. The maker and model of a receiver and the version of a control program are stored in a load section as a maker ID, a model ID, and a version ID. The section number and the total number of sections are also stored. It is checked whether the maker ID and the model ID coincide with those stored in the ROM of the receiver to check whether the version number is newer than that of the control program of the receiver. Therefore, it can be checked whether the program should be downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers which have been downloaded, it can be found whether a program divided into a plurality of sections to be transmitted is completely downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers and the total number of sections, the progress state of downloading can be known.

Abstract: Proper data is selected from a plurality of data which are multiplexed and transmitted to download the proper data. The maker and model of a receiver and the version of a control program are stored in a load section as a maker ID, a model ID, and a version ID. The section number and the total number of sections are also stored. It is checked whether the maker ID and the model ID coincide with those stored in the ROM of the receiver to check whether the version number is newer than that of the control program of the receiver. Therefore, it can be checked whether the program should be downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers which have been downloaded, it can be found whether a program divided into a plurality of sections to be transmitted is completely downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers and the total number of sections, the progress state of downloading can be known.

Abstract: It is an object to deliver contents in a different time from a real time through a digital artificial satellite and reproduce a program at a correct time, thereby transmitting information about contents for a long time by utilizing a limited time or transmitting information about contents in a small band. There is prepared a dummy packet including an adaptation field having the value of a dummy PCR for restoring a real time and time ratio information of a transfer time and the real time. During receipt, time information during output is obtained from the dummy PCR and the time ratio information. The time information during the output is added as a time stamp to a TS packet and is stored in a storage device such as a hard disk drive. During reproduction, data are read from the storage device by referring to the time stamp added during the recording. Consequently, the information about the contents transmitted in a different time base from the real time can be reproduced in a correct time base.

Abstract: In a system for providing information to a user through the use of a BS broadcast, information items can be displayed in an optimum order and the information can be deleted from or stored in a storage device in the optimum order. Attribute information showing information categories may be designated. When the information stored in the storage device is viewed, the number of times the information is viewed is counted for each category of the information by using the attribute information indicating the information category. A user access tendency is determined from the count value of the accessed category, and an access priority is determined from the user access tendency. Attribute information showing the priority of the information may also be designated. In this case, the access priority is determined from the attribute information indicating the information priority.

Abstract: In a digital receiver which can easily store broadcast information, a one-period amount of data is separated from a data broadcast signal. The one-period amount of data has an amount of data corresponding to plural frames which are periodically repetitively transmitted in the data broadcast signal. The one-period amount of data is stored in a data storage device, thereby simplifying the construction of the data storage device.

Abstract: For example, in case of distributing contents by BS broadcast and recording a transmitted TS stream into a storage device, even if the stream has been encrypted, a trick play can be easily performed. A start marker packet and an end marker packet are sent just before and just after the start of an I picture. A unique PID is written in each of the start marker packet and end marker packet. Upon reception, a video packet of the I picture is identified by identifying the start marker packet and end marker packet. Upon recording, a TS packet of the I picture is detected from the start marker packet and end marker packet and marked. Thus, upon reproduction, a cluster including the TS packet of the I picture is known and a trick play can be performed by reproducing the I picture.

Abstract: A digital signal receiver includes a distributed information storage unit having a data storage device for storing broadcast information. A menu frame for the information items stored in the data storage device is reformed as table-of-contents information having the same signal format as the received broadcast signal. As a result, it is unnecessary to specially provide a browser for creating a display frame, simplifying the structure of the receiver as a whole.

Abstract: Proper data is selected from a plurality of data which are multiplexed and transmitted to download the proper data. The maker and model of a receiver and the version of a control program are stored in a load section as a maker ID, a model ID, and a version ID. The section number and the total number of sections are also stored. It is checked whether the maker ID and the model ID coincide with those stored in the ROM of the receiver to check whether the version number is newer than that of the control program of the receiver. Therefore, it can be checked whether the program should be downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers which have been downloaded, it can be found whether a program divided into a plurality of sections to be transmitted is completely downloaded. With reference to the list of section numbers and the total number of sections, the progress state of downloading can be known.

Abstract: A program table guide control apparatus according to this invention generates program table picture including date and hour information, program title information and genre information to display only title of the program relating to broadcasting channel being received in connection with the title information, and to permit user to arbitrarily register genre information displayed. In addition, programs of high viewing frequency of user are automatically registered, thus permitting registered programs to be included in genre information. Thus, Electronic Program Guide (EPG) extremely easy for user to use can be provided.

Abstract: Program information can be obtained quickly and accurately. An area X1 on which date and day are displayed is disposed at the left end of a screen and an area X2 in which time is displayed is disposed adjacent to the area X1 in the right-hand side. An area Y in which title of program, etc., are displayed is disposed adjacent to the area X2 in the right-hand side. An area Z in which genre is displayed is disposed adjacent to the area Y in the right-hand side. Information displayed on the respective areas are sequentially arranged in the longitudinal direction. A user can select information of a desired program by moving cursors 100X1, 100X2, 100Y, 100Z of the respective areas.