Abstract: A terminal apparatus for interactively switching pieces of presentation data in a system which repeatedly broadcasts pieces of presentation data and corresponding pieces of navigation data including a receiver for receiving the presentation data, a reproduction apparatus, and a cache storage for storing pre-received pieces of presentation data and navigation data. Navigation data is analyzed to detect pieces of link-target presentation data which are presented to an operator. When the operator selects one of the link-target presentation data stored in the cache storage, the reproduction apparatus reproduces the presentation data.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: A data transmission apparatus has a multiplexing unit that cyclically multiplexes presentation information and navigation information stored in a transmission data storage unit according to control by a multiplexing control unit and a transmission unit that transmits the multiplexed stream. The reception control unit of a data reception apparatus sets filter conditions in a filter condition storage unit of a TS decoder unit in accordance with user operation indications. The presentation information and navigation information separated by the TS decoder unit are outputted via a reproduction unit to a display unit and an audio output unit.

Abstract: A terminal apparatus is provided for displaying an image by reproducing a piece of image information and for interactively changing the image using navigation information. The image is a moving picture, a still picture, or a mixture of them. The image information and the navigation information together are broadcast by a broadcasting station to the terminal apparatus. The navigation information indicates a plurality pieces of link-target image information. The cache unit stores a pair of image information and navigation information. The reproducing unit reproduces the image information. The monitoring unit monitors whether an operator has performed a certain operation responding to the image displayed.

Abstract: A data transmission apparatus has a multiplexing unit that cyclically multiplexes presentation information and navigation information stored in a transmission data storage unit according to control by a multiplexing control unit and a transmission unit that transmits the multiplexed stream. The reception control unit of a data reception apparatus sets filter conditions in a filter condition storage unit of a TS decoder unit in accordance with user operation indications. The presentation information and navigation information separated by the TS decoder unit are outputted via a reproduction unit to a display unit and an audio output unit.

Abstract: A data display control apparatus receives a digital broadcast and compares the present time with a time indicated in a Time_Event_Part provided in navigation information used to control the display of the multimedia data composing a broadcast program. When the indicated time has been reached, the data display control apparatus executes instructions to control the display of the multimedia data.

Abstract: A program distribution system, capable of decreasing the load of distributing programs and capable of managing transfer and installation of programs at distribution destinations by the distribution source, is disclosed. Computer software distributed to a PC 116 includes a program for transfer, historical information of program transfer, a program for installation and an application program(s). The transfer program adds both information on a terminal to be a destination of transfer and information on a media used for the transfer to the historical information, and it transfers to a PC 172 the whole software including itself. The installation program transmits the historical information to a distribution management device 103 via a network 151 and an external connection device 104. The distribution management device 103 receives the historical information and makes a response to the PC 172 whether or not installation of the software therein is permitted.

Abstract: A broadcast reception apparatus is provided with a reception unit for receiving broadcast data as a transport stream. The transport stream includes video data and a plurality of navigation information sequences. Each navigation information sequence includes navigation information which includes graphics data to be combined with the video data for display. A TS (Transport Stream) decoder unit extracts the video data and navigation information from the transport stream. A reception control unit controls the TS decoder unit so that the TS decoder unit extracts navigation information from a navigation information sequence which is suitable for the the broadcast reception apparatus. A navigation information storage unit stores the navigation information extracted by the TS decoder unit.

Abstract: A data display control apparatus receives a digital broadcast and compares the present time with a time indicated in a Time_Event_Part provided in navigation information used to control the display of the multimedia data composing a broadcast program. When the indicated time has been reached, the data display control apparatus executes instructions to control the display of the multimedia data.

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.

Abstract: A terminal apparatus is provided for displaying an image by reproducing a piece of image information and for interactively changing the image using navigation information. The image is a moving picture, a still picture, or a mixture of them. The image information and the navigation information together are broadcast by a broadcasting station to the terminal apparatus. The navigation information indicates a plurality pieces of link-target image information. The cache unit stores a pair of image information and navigation information. The reproducing unit reproduces the image information. The monitoring unit monitors whether an operator has performed a certain operation responding to the image displayed.

Abstract: When a program transmission apparatus divides a program into a plurality of partial programs before transmission, a program reception execution apparatus executes a partial program when the partial program has already been received, and, when the execution needs to proceed to from a present partial program to a next partial program, executes the other partial program when the next partial program has been received.

Abstract: A transmitting apparatus for an interactive communication system using a broadcast wave, which includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit, and a transmitting unit. The first storage unit stores a plurality of frames of image data. The second storage unit stores control information which shows links between said plurality of frames of image data stored in the first storage unit, and which indicates a combining of a supplementary design with the image data. These supplementary designs are stored by a receiving apparatus and are combined with the image represented by the image data. The transmitting unit repeatedly transmits a predetermined number of frames of image data together with corresponding control information.

Abstract: A gray scaled data generation device which generates characters and figures of a size which is a fixed number of pixels as gray scaled data, based on outline data which includes outline information which expresses outlines of strokes included in characters and figures and stroke information which shows positions of horizontal and vertical strokes, wherein the gray scaled data generation device has optimizing means for optimizing a position of a stroke, said position being in a coordinate system in which the position is expressed in terms of fine pixels given by dividing every pixel of said size in both a horizontal and a vertical direction, by moving a position of every stroke expressed in the stroke information to a position which satisfies certain criteria related to distances from a border of each pixel; outline generation means for generating outlines in said coordinate system from the outline information, for each stroke which has had its position optimized; and gray scaled data generation means for gene

Abstract: The present invention enables application of the bold process to thicken the data or the outline process to hollow the inside of the data to leave the contour thereof to the gray scale data representing the gray scale font data or image data. Using the gray scale modified data as a result of modification process can make sentences visually appealing. The gray scale modified data comprises an area judging means, a background color area processing means, and a non-background color area processing means. The area judging means judges whether each pixel on the gray scale data to be processed has the background color level. The background color area processing means sets a value calculated by the values of the neighboring pixels of each pixel on the background color area to the value of the mapping pixel on the modified data.

Abstract: A bit map pattern generation apparatus can generate an outline of a character with embedded patterns in the form of a bar code. A printer can print the character images pursuant to the generated bit map pattern. The patterns can provide a verification of the authenticity of the characters on a document.