Broadcast receiving equipment, server equipment, information recording and playback equipment, and display systems

Abstract

Provided are a broadcast receiving device, a server device, an information recording and playback device, and a display system that can prevent the commercial portion from being displayed with inappropriate settings. The broadcast receiving device includes a first receiving unit, a first determining unit, a changing unit, and a display control unit. The first receiving unit receives flag information and display setting information, the flag information setting whether to distinguish between the main portion and the commercial portion according to each characteristic of the image quality of the main portion contained in the content, and the display setting information indicating the display setting for each characteristic of the image quality of the main portion contained in the content. The first determining unit determines whether to distinguish between the main portion and the commercial portion of the content based on the flag information and the characteristics of the image quality of the main portion contained in the content to be played. The changing unit changes the display settings of the main portion and the commercial portion based on the display setting information according to the scene of the content. The display control unit displays the content based on the display settings.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to the Japanese patent application filed with the Japan Patent Office on December 17, 2020, with application number 2020-209483 and invention name “Broadcast receiving device, server device, information recording and playback device, first display system and second display system”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to a broadcast receiving device, a server device, an information recording and playing device, and a display system. Background Art

[0003] Conventionally, there are broadcast receiving devices for viewing broadcast content. Such broadcast receiving devices acquire information from an external server in order to display the content with display settings that match the image quality of the main body included in the content.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-015877

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-336317

[0008] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-028871 Summary of the Invention

[0009] However, content includes not only the main body but also images other than the main body, such as commercials. Furthermore, if a broadcast receiving device displays content with a display setting that matches the image quality of the main body, the commercials will be displayed with a display setting that does not match the image quality of the commercials.

[0010] The problem to be solved by the present application is to obtain a broadcast receiving device, a server device, an information recording and playback device, and a display system that can prevent a commercial portion from being displayed with inappropriate settings.

[0011] The broadcast receiving device of the embodiment of the present application includes a first receiving unit, a first determining unit, a changing unit, and a display control unit. The first receiving unit receives flag information and display setting information, wherein the flag information sets whether to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part according to each characteristic of the image quality of the main part contained in the content, and the display setting information indicates the display setting for each characteristic of the image quality of the main part contained in the content. The first determining unit determines whether to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part of the content based on the flag information and the characteristics of the image quality of the main part contained in the content to be played. When it is determined that the main part and the commercial part are to be distinguished, the changing unit changes the display setting of the main part based on the display setting information and the display setting of the commercial part according to the scene of the content. The display control unit displays the content on the display unit based on the display setting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image quality adjustment system according to the first embodiment;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management server according to the first embodiment;

[0014] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of characteristic content information;

[0015] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of content characteristic information;

[0016] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of display setting information;

[0017] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the television device according to the first embodiment;

[0018] Figure 7 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of each device in the image quality adjustment system according to the first embodiment;

[0019] Figure 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of display processing executed by each device of the image quality adjustment system according to the first embodiment;

[0020] Figure 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image quality adjustment system according to the second embodiment;

[0021] Figure 10This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a video recorder according to the second embodiment;

[0022] Figure 11 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of each device in the image quality adjustment system according to the second embodiment;

[0023] Figure 12 This is a sequence diagram showing an example of display processing executed by the image quality adjustment system according to the second embodiment.

[0024] Description of Reference Numerals

[0025] 1. 1a… Image quality adjustment system, 10. 10a… Management server, 20. 20a… Television device, 40… Television system, 41… Cable, 50… Recorder, 106… Feature content information, 107… Content characteristic information, 108… Image adjustment data packet, 109… Display setting information, 110… Content scene information, 1001… Storage control unit, 1002… Update unit, 1003, 1003a… Communication unit, 2001… Content acquisition unit, 2 002…Receiving unit, 2003…Operation control unit, 2004…Content management unit, 2005…Scene management unit, 2006, 2006a…Acceptance unit, 2007…Image quality change unit, 2008…Display control unit, 2009…Connection control unit, 5001…Content acquisition unit, 5002…Receiving unit, 5003…Operation control unit, 5004…Content management unit, 5005…Scene management unit, 5006…Acceptance unit, 5007…Connection control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] First embodiment

[0028] Figure 1 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the image quality adjustment system 1 according to the first embodiment. The image quality adjustment system 1 includes a management server 10 and a television device 20. The management server 10 and the television device 20 are connected to each other via a network 30 so as to be communicable. Figure 1 The image quality adjustment system 1 shown includes one management server 10 and one television device 20. However, the image quality adjustment system 1 is not limited to including one of these devices, and may include a plurality of these devices.

[0029] The management server 10 is a server device such as a personal computer or cloud computing. In addition, the management server 10 is not limited to a single server device, but may be composed of a plurality of server devices. The management server 10 stores characteristic content information 106 (refer to Figure 2); Content characteristic information 107 for determining the characteristics of the image quality of the content (refer to Figure 2 ); Display setting information 109 indicating display settings matching the characteristics of the image quality of the content (refer to Figure 2 ); and content scene information 110 (refer to Figure 2 ). Furthermore, the management server 10 transmits the characteristic content information 106 , the content property information 107 , the display setting information 109 , and the content scene information 110 to the television device 20 connected via the network 30 .

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the management server 10 stores characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, display setting information 109 and content scene information 110 is used as an example for explanation, but the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, display setting information 109 and content scene information 110 can also be stored in different server devices.

[0031] The television device 20 is a broadcast receiving device that displays broadcast content in a viewable format. Upon receiving display setting information 109, the television device 20 changes the display settings that have not been changed by the user to the settings indicated in the display setting information 109. This allows the television device 20 to display content using display settings that match the content contained in the broadcast content.

[0032] Here, the content includes not only the main body of the content but also the commercial part. The so-called commercial part is an image different from the content. That is, the commercial part is not limited to an image of an advertisement, but can also be other images. Because the main body and the commercial part are different images, if the television device 20 displays the commercial part with a display setting that matches the image quality of the main body, it will result in the commercial part being displayed with inappropriate display settings. Here, the television device 20 does not apply the display settings of the content obtained from the management server 10 to the commercial part. Moreover, the television device 20 displays the commercial part with the display settings set in the television device 20. In addition, without applying the display settings that match the image quality of the main body obtained from the management server 10, the television device 20 can also display the commercial part with any display settings. In this way, the television device 20 can prevent the commercial part from being displayed with inappropriate settings.

[0033] Next, the hardware configuration of each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 will be described. Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management server 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0034] The management server 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 , a RAM (Random Access Memory) 102 , a ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 , a storage unit 104 , and a communication unit 105 .

[0035] CPU 101 controls the various components of management server 10 by executing various computer programs. RAM 102 temporarily stores various programs and data while CPU 101 executes them. ROM 103 is a storage medium that stores programs and data. CPU 101 uses RAM 102 as a work area (operating area) to execute programs stored in ROM 103 or storage unit 104.

[0036] The storage unit 104 is a storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) and stores characteristic content information 106 , content property information 107 , an image adjustment data packet 108 , and content scene information 110 .

[0037] The characteristic content information 106 is information indicating the characteristics of each content's image quality. Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an example of the data structure of characteristic content information 106. Characteristic content information 106 associates an image quality characteristic code with content information. The image quality characteristic code is identification information used to identify the image quality characteristics of the content. Content information is information indicating the image quality characteristics identified by the image quality characteristic code. Administrators of the image quality adjustment system 1 and others can understand the intent behind the creation of the image quality characteristic code by referring to the content information.

[0038] The content characteristic information 107 is information for specifying characteristics of the image quality of the content. Figure 4This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the data structure of content characteristic information 107. Content characteristic information 107 is associated with image quality classification, image quality characteristic code, broadcast method, SID, genre (Genre), code, keyword, exclusion keyword, and detection flag. Image quality classification is information indicating the category name of image quality characteristics. For example, image quality classification includes cel animation, simple animation, standard animation, full-color animation, normal animation, movie, drama, track and field, winter sports, swimming / water sports, sumo, golf, baseball / softball, outdoor games, soccer / rugby, and fighting. Image quality characteristic code is identification information used to identify the image quality characteristics of content. Broadcast method is information indicating the broadcast method of content. SID is broadcast station identification information such as service ID used to identify broadcast stations. Genre is information indicating the genre of content specified by the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB). Code is identification information used to determine the genre. Keywords are information representing character strings. For example, the title name of the broadcast content and the name of the game are set. For example, it is determined whether the title and summary included in the meta-information of the broadcast content contain keywords. Exclusion keywords are character strings that make keyword matching invalid. For example, even if the title and summary included in the meta-information of the broadcast content contain keywords, it is determined as a mismatch if the exclusion keywords are included. The detection flag is flag information that sets whether the detection target of the commercial part is the main part according to each characteristic of the image quality of the main part included in the content. In other words, the detection flag is flag information that sets whether the main part and the commercial part included in the content are distinguished. For example, in the case of the detection target of the commercial part, the detection flag is set to "1". On the other hand, in the case of not being the detection target of the commercial part, the detection flag is set to "0".

[0039] The image adjustment packet 108 includes display setting information 109 for each model of the television device 20. The display setting information 109 is information indicating display settings of content for each characteristic of image quality. Figure 5 This diagram illustrates an example of the data structure of display setting information 109. Display setting information 109 includes display settings for each image quality characteristic code. The display settings contain multiple items. Specifically, the display setting information 109 displays the set value for each display setting item for each image quality characteristic code.

[0040] Content scene information 110 is information indicating the content of each content scene. Here, content is divided into multiple scenes by chapter. For example, content is divided into the main content section and the commercial section. Content scene information 110 associates the scene information indicating each content scene with content information used to identify the content. The scene information specifies whether each content scene is a commercial section.

[0041] The communication unit 105 is an interface for communicating with other devices via the network 30. For example, the communication unit 105 is a network card connected to the network 30 by wire or wirelessly.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the television device 20 according to the first embodiment. The television device 20 includes an antenna 201, a first input terminal 202a, a second input terminal 202b, a third input terminal 202c, a tuner 203, a demodulator 204, a demultiplexer 205, an A / D (analog / digital) converter 206, a selector 207, a signal processing unit 208, a speaker 209, a display panel 210, an operation unit 211, a light receiving unit 212, an IP communication unit 213, a CPU 214, a memory 215, a storage 216, a microphone 217, and an audio I / F (interface) 218.

[0043] Antenna 201 receives a digital broadcast signal and supplies the received broadcast signal to tuner 203 via first input terminal 202a. Tuner 203 selects a broadcast signal of a desired channel based on the broadcast signal supplied from antenna 201 and supplies the selected broadcast signal to demodulator 204. Broadcast signals are also called broadcast waves.

[0044] The demodulator 204 demodulates the broadcast signal supplied from the tuner 203 and supplies the demodulated broadcast signal to the demultiplexer 205. The demultiplexer 205 separates the broadcast signal supplied from the demodulator 204 into metadata, an image signal, and an audio signal, and supplies the generated metadata, image signal, and audio signal to the selector 207.

[0045] The selector 207 is configured to select one signal from a plurality of signals supplied from the demultiplexer 205 , the A / D converter 206 , and the third input terminal 202 c , and supply the selected signal to the signal processing unit 208 .

[0046] The signal processing unit 208 is configured to perform predetermined signal processing on the image signal supplied from the selector 207 and supply the processed image signal to the display panel 210. The signal processing unit 208 is configured to perform predetermined signal processing on the audio signal supplied from the selector 207 and supply the processed audio signal to the speaker 209.

[0047] The speaker 209 is configured to output speech or various sounds based on the speech signal supplied from the signal processing unit 208. The speaker 209 also changes the volume of the speech or various sounds to be output based on control by the CPU 214.

[0048] The display panel 210 is configured to display images such as still images and moving images based on an image signal supplied from the signal processing unit 208 or controlled by the CPU 214. The display panel 210 is an example of a display unit.

[0049] The second input terminal 202b receives externally input analog signals (metadata, image signals, and audio signals). Furthermore, the third input terminal 202c is configured to receive externally input digital signals (metadata, image signals, and audio signals). For example, the third input terminal 202c can receive digital signals from a recorder (BD recorder) equipped with a drive device that drives a recording and playback storage medium such as a BD (Blu-ray Disc) (registered trademark) for recording and playback. The A / D converter 206 performs A / D conversion on the analog signal supplied from the second input terminal 202b, generating a digital signal that is then supplied to the selector 207.

[0050] The operation unit 211 receives an operation input by the user. The light receiving unit 212 receives infrared rays from the remote controller 119. The IP communication unit 213 is a communication interface for performing IP (Internet Protocol) communication via the network 30.

[0051] The CPU 214 is a control unit that controls the entire television device 20. The memory 215 includes a ROM that stores various computer programs executed by the CPU 214 and a RAM that provides a work area for the CPU 214. Furthermore, the storage 216 is an HDD, SSD, or the like. The storage 216 records, for example, the signal selected by the selector 207 as video data.

[0052] The microphone 217 captures the voice uttered by the user and sends it to the audio I / F 218 .

[0053] The audio I / F 218 performs analog / digital conversion on the sound acquired by the microphone 217 and sends the digital sound to the CPU 214 as a sound signal.

[0054] Next, the function of each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 7 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of each device in the image quality adjustment system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0055] The CPU 101 of the management server 10 reads and executes programs stored in the ROM 103 or the like, thereby generating various functional units in the RAM 102. Specifically, the management server 10 includes a storage control unit 1001, an update unit 1002, and a communication unit 1003 as functional units.

[0056] The storage control unit 1001 causes the storage unit 104 to store content characteristic information 107, which includes a detection flag that specifies whether to distinguish between the main content and the commercial content according to each characteristic of the image quality of the main content contained in the content, and display setting information 109, which indicates display settings for each characteristic of the image quality of the main content contained in the content. The storage control unit 1001 is an example of a storage control unit. Furthermore, the storage control unit 1001 causes the storage unit 104 to store characteristic content information 106 indicating the characteristics of each content's image quality. Furthermore, the storage control unit 1001 causes the storage unit 104 to store content scene information 110 indicating the content of each scene in the content.

[0057] The update unit 1002 updates the characteristic content information 106, the content characteristic information 107, the display setting information 109, and the content scene information 110. Furthermore, the update unit 1002 may update the characteristic content information 106, the content characteristic information 107, the display setting information 109, and the content scene information 110 at the same time or at different times. That is, the update unit 1002 updates at least any one of the characteristic content information 106, the content characteristic information 107, the display setting information 109, and the content scene information 110, including the detection flag. The update unit 1002 is an example of an update unit. The method of updating the various information performed by the update unit 1002 is not limited. For example, the update unit 1002 may update the various information based on operations performed by the administrator of the image quality adjustment system 1, may update the various information using a learning model generated through deep learning, or may update the various information based on received data.

[0058] The communication unit 1003 transmits the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, display setting information 109, and content scene information 110 to the television device 20. More specifically, if the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 stored in the storage unit 104 are newer than the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 held by the requesting television device 20, the communication unit 1003 transmits the information to the television device 20. Furthermore, when transmitting the display setting information 109, the communication unit 1003 transmits the display setting information 109 that matches the model of the requesting television device 20.

[0059] Furthermore, when the characteristic content information 106 , the content property information 107 , and the display setting information 109 are all not updated by the updating unit 1002 , the communication unit 1003 may not transmit the unupdated information.

[0060] Furthermore, upon receiving content information from the television device 20, the communication unit 1003 transmits scene information determined based on the received content information to the television device 20 that transmitted the content information. More specifically, upon receiving content information identifying content from the television device 20, the communication unit 1003 extracts scene information associated with the content information from the content scene information 110. The communication unit 1003 then transmits the extracted scene information to the television device 20 that transmitted the content information. Specifically, the communication unit 1003 transmits at least one of the characteristic content information 106 including the detection flag, the content characteristic information 107, the display setting information 109, and the content scene information 110. The communication unit 1003 is an example of a transmitting unit.

[0061] The CPU 214 of the television device 20 reads and executes programs stored in a ROM or the like, thereby generating various functional units in the RAM. Specifically, the television device 20 includes a content acquisition unit 2001, a reception unit 2002, an operation control unit 2003, a content management unit 2004, a scene management unit 2005, a reception unit 2006, an image quality change unit 2007, and a display control unit 2008 as functional units.

[0062] The content acquisition unit 2001 receives broadcasts to acquire content including metadata, image signals, and audio signals, and then causes the memory 216 or the like to store the acquired metadata and content.

[0063] Receiving unit 2002 receives content characteristic information 107, which includes a detection flag indicating whether to distinguish between the main body and the commercial portion of the content based on the image quality characteristics of the main body portion of the content, and display setting information 109 indicating display settings for each image quality characteristic of the main body portion of the content. Receiving unit 2002 is an example of a first receiving unit. Receiving unit 2002 also receives characteristic content information 106.

[0064] More specifically, every time a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the receiving unit 2002 determines whether the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 stored in the storage unit 104 of the management server 10 are newer than the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 held by the television device 20. Specifically, the receiving unit 2002 determines whether the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 have been updated since the last time the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 were received. Then, if the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 stored in the storage unit 104 of the management server 10 are newer than the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 held by the television device 20, the receiving unit 2002 requests the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and display setting information 109 from the management server 10. Thus, the receiving unit 2002 receives the characteristic content information 106 , the content property information 107 , and the display setting information 109 .

[0065] The operation control unit 2003 receives various operations by controlling the operation unit 211. For example, the operation control unit 2003 receives an operation to play a specified content. Furthermore, the operation control unit 2003 receives an operation to change the playback position within the currently playing content. In other words, the operation control unit 2003 receives an operation to change the scene to be played within the currently playing content.

[0066] The content management unit 2004 manages content. More specifically, when content is stored in the storage unit 104 or the like, the content management unit 2004 divides the content into chapters. Specifically, the content management unit 2004 determines the locations where the content is divided for each scene. For example, the content management unit 2004 determines the playback locations where the main part and the commercial part contained in the content are divided. Furthermore, the content management unit 2004 generates chapter information indicating the locations where each scene contained in the content is divided. Furthermore, the content management unit 2004 notifies the scene management unit 2005 of the chapter information. Furthermore, the content management unit 2004 transmits content information indicating the content to be played to the management server 10.

[0067] The scene management unit 2005 manages the scenes of the content being played. More specifically, in response to content information sent by the content management unit 2004, the scene management unit 2005 receives scene information of the content identified based on the content information. Furthermore, the scene management unit 2005 obtains section information from the content management unit 2004. Based on the scene information and section information, the scene management unit 2005 determines whether the scene of the content being played has been changed.

[0068] In addition, the scene management unit 2005 detects the commercial part based on the content. The scene management unit 2005 is an example of a detection unit. In more detail, the scene management unit 2005 detects the commercial part from the content based on the scene information and the section information. The scene management unit 2005 determines the scene to which the changed playback position belongs by comparing the section information with the changed playback position. Then, the scene management unit 2005 determines whether the scene to which the changed playback position belongs is the main part or the commercial part by comparing the scene information with the scene to which the changed playback position belongs. In this way, the scene management unit 2005 detects the commercial part based on the content. Then, the scene management unit 2005 notifies the receiving unit 2006 whether the changed scene is the commercial part or the main part. In addition, the above-mentioned method of detecting the commercial part is an example, and the scene management unit 2005 can use any method to detect the commercial part.

[0069] When the scene management unit 2005 determines that the scene of the content being played has been changed, the reception unit 2006 determines whether the display setting of the display setting information 109 is applied to the content.

[0070] More specifically, based on the content characteristic information 107, the receiving unit 2006 determines a quality characteristic code, which indicates the quality characteristics of the main portion of the content being played. The content includes metadata representing information about the content. This metadata includes information such as the broadcast method, SID, genre, and code, as well as the content title and explanatory statements that outline the content. The receiving unit 2006 compares the content characteristic information 107 with the metadata of the content being played to determine which row matches. The receiving unit 2006 then determines the quality characteristic code of the matching row as the quality characteristic code of the content being played. If a new program or broadcast method is added, a new row is added to the content characteristic information 107. The receiving unit 2006 then determines whether the row matches the new row according to the order in which the row is added. This allows the receiving unit 2006 to select an appropriate quality characteristic code. In other words, the receiving unit 2006 determines the quality characteristics that match the main portion of the content.

[0071] Acceptor 2006 determines whether to distinguish between the main content and the commercial content based on the detection flag in content characteristic information 107 and the image quality characteristics of the main content contained in the content being played. In other words, acceptor 2006 determines whether to detect the commercial content from the content based on the detection flag in content characteristic information 107 and the image quality characteristics of the main content contained in the content being played. Acceptor 2006 is an example of a first determination unit. If the detection flag is "0," meaning that the content is not subject to detection for the commercial content, acceptor 2006 determines that the display settings of display setting information 109 apply.

[0072] On the other hand, when the detection flag is "1," that is, when the commercial section is detected, the receiving unit 2006 determines that the display setting information 109 is not applicable to the display setting, based on the fact that the scene after the change is the commercial section. That is, when the detection flag is "1," the receiving unit 2006 determines that the display setting information 109 is applicable to the display setting, based on the fact that the scene after the change is the main section.

[0073] If the receiving unit 2006 determines that the content is eligible for application, it notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of a quality characteristic code indicating the quality characteristics of the main portion of the content being played. If the receiving unit 2006 determines that the content is not eligible for application, it notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the non-applicable status.

[0074] If it is determined that the main body and commercial parts are to be distinguished, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings for the main body and the commercial parts in the display setting information 109 based on the context of the content. In other words, if the receiving unit 2006 determines that a commercial part has been detected from the content, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings for the main body and the commercial parts in the display setting information 109 based on the context of the content. The image quality changing unit 2007 is an example of a changing unit. If the receiving unit 2006 determines that a distinction is to be made by detecting the commercial part, the image quality changing unit 2007 excludes the commercial part detected by the scene management unit 2005 from the application of the display settings in the display setting information 109, thereby changing the display settings to those of the commercial part. In other words, the image quality changing unit 2007 does not apply the display settings of the display setting information 109 to the commercial part.

[0075] If the reception unit 2006 determines that a commercial portion is not detected and notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the image quality characteristic code, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings to those specified by the image quality characteristic code based on the display setting information 109. Alternatively, if the reception unit 2006 determines that a commercial portion is detected but the image after change is the main body portion and notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the image quality characteristic code, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings to those specified by the image quality characteristic code based on the display setting information 109.

[0076] Furthermore, if the reception unit 2006 determines that a commercial portion has been detected and that the scene after the change is not applicable because it is a commercial portion, the image quality change unit 2007 does not apply the display settings of the display setting information 109. In other words, the image quality change unit 2007 does not apply the display settings based on the display setting information 109 to the commercial portion. When the display settings based on the display setting information 109 are not applied, the image quality change unit 2007 is free to choose which display settings to use. For example, the image quality change unit 2007 may apply the display settings already set in the television device 20 or may apply pre-set display settings.

[0077] Here, the user changes the display settings of the television device 20 based on his or her preferences. When displaying content, the television device 20 preferably displays it in the display settings that match the user's preferences. Here, the image quality change unit 2007 can also change the display settings that the user has not changed.

[0078] The display control unit 2008 displays the content on the display panel 210 based on the display settings set by the image quality changing unit 2007. The display control unit 2008 is an example of a display control unit. Thus, the display control unit 2008 displays the commercial portion and main body portion included in the content using display settings that match the image quality characteristics of each portion.

[0079] Next, the processing executed by each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 8 This is a sequence diagram showing an example of display processing executed by each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0080] The operation control unit 2003 of the television device 20 receives an operation to play content (step S1 ).

[0081] The content management unit 2004 transmits content information indicating the content to be played to the management server 10 (step S2). In addition, the content management unit 2004 notifies the scene management unit 2005 of the section information of the content to be played (step S3).

[0082] The communication unit 1003 of the management server 10 transmits the scene information of the content specified based on the transmitted content information to the television device 20 (step S4 ).

[0083] The scene management unit 2005 of the television device 20 determines whether the scene of the content being played has been changed (step S5) based on the section information notified from the content management unit 2004 and the scene information received from the management server 10. If the scene has not been changed (step S5: No), the scene management unit 2005 waits.

[0084] When the scene is changed (step S5: Yes), the scene management unit 2005 notifies whether the changed scene is the commercial part or the main part (step S6).

[0085] The receiving unit 2006 determines whether it is an application object based on the display setting of the display setting information 109 (step S7). In more detail, the receiving unit 2006 determines the image quality characteristic code based on the content characteristic information 107, and the image quality characteristic code indicates the characteristics of the image quality of the content being played. In addition, the receiving unit 2006 determines whether the content is a detection object for detecting the commercial part based on the detection flag associated with the determined image quality characteristic code. In the case of content outside the detection object, the receiving unit 2006 determines that it is an application object. In the case of content that is a detection object, the receiving unit 2006 determines that it is an application object based on the condition that the scene after the change is the main part. In the case of content that is a detection object, the receiving unit 2006 determines that it is outside the application object based on the condition that the scene after the change is the commercial part.

[0086] The receiving unit 2006 notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the result of the determination of whether the image is eligible for application (step S8). If the image is eligible for application, the receiving unit 2006 notifies the image quality characteristic code. If the image is not eligible for application, the receiving unit 2006 notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the fact that the image is not eligible for application.

[0087] The image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings based on the determination result notified by the receiving unit 2006 (step S9). If the image quality characteristic code is notified, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings to the display settings specified by the image quality characteristic code. If the image quality changing unit 2007 is notified that the display is not applicable, the display settings based on the display setting information 109 are not applied.

[0088] As described above, each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 executes display processing.

[0089] As described above, the television device 20 of the first embodiment receives the content characteristic information 107 and the display setting information 109 from the management server 10. Furthermore, the television device 20 determines whether to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part based on the detection flag in the content characteristic information 107 and the image quality characteristics of the content being played. The television device 20, based on whether the scene being distinguished is the main part or the commercial part, changes the display settings depending on whether the scene being distinguished is the main part or the commercial part. The television device 20 then displays the content on the display panel 210 based on the display settings. Consequently, the television device 20 can prevent the commercial part from being displayed with inappropriate settings.

[0090] Second embodiment

[0091] The image quality adjustment system 1a of the second embodiment includes a television system 40 connected to a television device 20a and a recorder 50. Components identical to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0092] Figure 9 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image quality adjustment system 1a according to the second embodiment. The image quality adjustment system 1a includes a television system 40. The television system 40 is a system for displaying content provided from a video recorder 50 on a television device 20a in a viewable manner.

[0093] The recorder 50 is an information recording and playback device that stores broadcast content in a storage medium such as an HDD. The recorder 50 then outputs the stored content to the television device 20a. The television device 20a then displays the content stored in the recorder 50 in a viewable manner.

[0094] The management server 10a is connected to the television device 20a and the recorder 50 included in the television system 40 via the network 30. Here, the image adjustment data packet 108 includes display setting information 109 for each model of the television device 20a. Specifically, the display setting information 109 specifies the display settings for each model of the television device 20a. Therefore, the management server 10a transmits the display setting information 109 to the television device 20a but not to the recorder 50. The content output from the recorder 50 is then displayed based on the display settings set in the display setting information 109 of the television device 20a.

[0095] The television device 20a and the video recorder 50 are connected by a cable 41 such as an HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface). The cable 41 is not limited to the HDMI (registered trademark) and may be a cable connected in accordance with other standards.

[0096] Next, the hardware structure of the video recorder 50 will be described. Figure 10 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the recorder 50 according to the second embodiment. The recorder 50 includes a tuner 501 , a control unit 502 , a connection interface 503 , a storage unit 504 , and an optical disk reader / writer 505 .

[0097] The tuner 501 selects a broadcast signal of a desired channel from the broadcast signals and demodulates the selected broadcast signal to generate metadata, an image signal, and an audio signal.

[0098] The control unit 502 is a SoC (System on a Chip) that controls the entire recorder 50. It includes a CPU, RAM, and ROM. The CPU controls the various components of the recorder 50 by executing various computer programs. The RAM temporarily stores various programs and data while the CPU executes them. The ROM is a storage medium that stores programs and data. Furthermore, the CPU uses the RAM as a work area to execute programs stored in the ROM and other devices.

[0099] For example, the control unit 502 causes the storage unit 504 to store content including metadata, image signals, and audio signals generated by the tuner 501, or causes the optical disc reader / writer 505 to write the content onto an optical disc. Furthermore, the control unit 502 causes the connection interface 503 to transmit content stored in the storage unit 504 or content read from an optical disc by the optical disc reader / writer 505.

[0100] The connection interface 503 is an interface for performing communication with the television device 20 a via the cable 41 .

[0101] The storage unit 504 is a storage device such as an HDD or an SSD, and stores content including metadata, image signals, and audio signals generated by the tuner 501 .

[0102] The optical disc reader / writer 505 reads and writes information from and to optical discs such as DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) and Blu-ray Discs.

[0103] Next, the function of each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 a according to the second embodiment will be described. Figure 11 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of each device in the image quality adjustment system 1 a according to the second embodiment.

[0104] The CPU 101 of the management server 10a reads and executes programs stored in the ROM 103 or the like, thereby generating various functional units in the RAM 102. Specifically, the management server 10a includes a storage control unit 1001, an update unit 1002, and a communication unit 1003a as functional units.

[0105] The storage control unit 1001 and the update unit 1002 have the same functions as those in the first embodiment.

[0106] The communication unit 1003a transmits the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, display setting information 109, and content scene information 110 to the television device 20a. Meanwhile, the communication unit 1003a transmits the characteristic content information 106, content characteristic information 107, and content scene information 110 to the video recorder 50. That is, the communication unit 1003a does not transmit the display setting information 109 to the video recorder 50.

[0107] The CPU included in the control unit 502 of the recorder 50 reads and executes programs stored in a ROM or the like, thereby creating various functional units in the RAM. Alternatively, the control unit 502 may implement all or part of the various functional units using an integrated circuit. Furthermore, the recorder 50 includes a content acquisition unit 5001, a receiving unit 5002, an operation control unit 5003, a content management unit 5004, a scene management unit 5005, a reception unit 5006, and a connection control unit 5007 as functional units.

[0108] The content acquisition unit 5001 has the same function as that of the content acquisition unit 2001 .

[0109] Receiving unit 5002 has the same function as receiving unit 2002. Specifically, receiving unit 5002 receives content characteristic information 107, which includes a detection flag indicating whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion of the content based on the image quality characteristics of the main body portion. Receiving unit 5002 is an example of a second receiving unit.

[0110] The operation control unit 5003 has the same function as the operation control unit 2003 .

[0111] The content management unit 5004 has the same functions as the content management unit 2004. Based on the content characteristic information 107 with the detection flag and the image quality characteristics of the main content contained in the content being played, the content management unit 5004 determines whether to distinguish between the main content and the commercial content of the content. The content management unit 5004 is an example of a second determination unit.

[0112] The scene management unit 5005 has the same function as the scene management unit 2005.

[0113] The reception unit 5006 has the same function as the reception unit 2006 .

[0114] The connection control unit 5007 controls the connection with the television device 20a via the cable 41. For example, the connection control unit 5007 controls the HDMI (registered trademark) CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) connection. For example, the connection control unit 5007 receives compatible model information and function status information from the television device 20a. The compatible model information indicates whether the model has the function of displaying content based on the display setting information 109 obtained from the management server 10a. The function status information indicates whether the function of displaying content based on the display setting information 109 obtained from the management server 10a is enabled.

[0115] In addition, the connection control unit 5007 outputs the determination result of the acceptance unit 5006. The connection control unit 5007 is an example of an output unit. More specifically, the connection control unit 5007 outputs a determination result of whether or not it is an application object based on the display setting of the display setting information 109. That is, when the acceptance unit 5006 determines that it is an application object, the connection control unit 5007 outputs a determination result having a picture quality characteristic code that indicates the characteristics of the picture quality of the main part of the content being played. In addition, when the acceptance unit 5006 determines that it is not an application object, the connection control unit 5007 outputs a determination result indicating that it is not an application object. In addition, the determination result indicating that it is not an application object may also be a picture quality characteristic code indicating that it is not an application object.

[0116] Furthermore, the connection control unit 5007 outputs the content. More specifically, the connection control unit 5007 reads the content from the storage unit 504 or the optical disc reader / writer 505. When the reception unit 5006 identifies the image quality characteristic code for the read content, the connection control unit 5007 outputs the image quality characteristic code and the content to the television device 20a.

[0117] The connection control unit 5007 may also transmit source information to the television device 20a. Source information indicates the source of the content being output to the television device 20a. For example, source information indicates a source such as a Blu-ray Disc, DVD, or terrestrial digital broadcast. In some cases, the data constituting the content may differ depending on the source. Therefore, by transmitting source information, the connection control unit 5007 can use this information to determine the characteristics of the content's image quality.

[0118] The CPU 214 of the television device 20a reads and executes programs stored in a ROM or the like, thereby creating various functional units in the RAM. Specifically, the television device 20a includes a content acquisition unit 2001, a reception unit 2002, an operation control unit 2003, a content management unit 2004, a scene management unit 2005, a connection control unit 2009, a reception unit 2006a, an image quality change unit 2007, and a display control unit 2008 as functional units.

[0119] The content acquisition unit 2001 , the reception unit 2002 , the operation control unit 2003 , the content management unit 2004 , the scene management unit 2005 , the image quality change unit 2007 , and the display control unit 2008 have the same functions as those in the first embodiment.

[0120] The connection control unit 2009 controls the connection with the video recorder 50. More specifically, the connection control unit 2009 receives input of the determination result determined by the reception unit 5006. The connection control unit 2009 is an example of an input unit. The connection control unit 2009 receives input of the determination result including an image quality characteristic code indicating the image quality characteristics of the main portion of the content being played, and content from the video recorder 50. The image quality characteristic code indicates the image quality characteristics of the main portion of the content being played. The connection control unit 2009 may also receive input of source information from the video recorder 50. Furthermore, the connection control unit 2009 transmits the device's corresponding model information and function status information to the video recorder 50 using CEC.

[0121] The receiving unit 2006a has the same functions as the receiving unit 2006 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, when connected to the recorder 50, the receiving unit 2006a notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the determination result received by the connection control unit 2009. Specifically, the receiving unit 2006a notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the determination result along with an image quality characteristic code indicating the characteristics of the image quality of the main portion of the content being played.

[0122] As in the first embodiment, when the reception unit 2006a determines that a commercial portion is detected from the content, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings of the main body portion and the commercial portion in the display setting information 109 according to the context of the content. In other words, when the connection control unit 2009 determines that the main body portion and the commercial portion are to be distinguished based on the determination result received, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings of the main body portion and the commercial portion in the display setting information 109 according to the context of the content.

[0123] As in the first embodiment, the display control unit 2008 displays the content on the display panel 210 based on the display settings set by the image quality changing unit 2007. Thus, the display control unit 2008 displays the commercial portion and main body portion included in the content using display settings that match the characteristics of their respective image qualities.

[0124] Next, the processing executed by each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 a according to the second embodiment will be described. Figure 12 This is a sequence diagram showing an example of display processing executed by the image quality adjustment system 1 a according to the second embodiment.

[0125] The operation control unit 5003 of the recorder 50 receives an operation to play back content (step S21).

[0126] The content management unit 5004 transmits content information indicating the content to be played to the management server 10a (step S22). In addition, the content management unit 5004 notifies the scene management unit 5005 of the section information of the content to be played (step S23).

[0127] The communication unit 1003a of the management server 10a transmits the scene information of the content specified based on the transmitted content information to the recorder 50 (step S24).

[0128] The scene management unit 5005 of the recorder 50 determines whether the scene of the content being played has been changed based on the section information notified from the content management unit 5004 and the scene information received from the management server 10a (step S25). If the scene has not been changed (step S25: No), the scene management unit 5005 waits.

[0129] When the scene is changed (step S25: Yes), the scene management unit 5005 notifies whether the changed scene is the commercial part or the main part (step S26).

[0130] The acceptance unit 5006 determines whether it is an application object based on the display setting of the display setting information 109 (step S27). In more detail, the acceptance unit 5006 determines the image quality characteristic code based on the content characteristic information 107, and the image quality characteristic code indicates the characteristics of the image quality of the content being played. In addition, the acceptance unit 5006 determines whether the content is a detection object for detecting the commercial part based on the detection flag associated with the determined image quality characteristic code. In the case of content outside the detection object, the acceptance unit 5006 determines that it is an application object. In the case of content that is a detection object, the acceptance unit 5006 determines that it is an application object based on the condition that the scene after the change is the main part. In the case of content that is a detection object, the acceptance unit 5006 determines that it is outside the application object based on the condition that the scene after the change is the commercial part.

[0131] The reception unit 5006 outputs the result of the determination of whether the display is an application target based on the display setting information 109 to the connection control unit 5007 (step S28). In other words, if the display is an application target, the connection control unit 5007 outputs the image quality characteristic code to the television device 20a. If the display is not an application target, the reception unit 2006 notifies the television device 20a of the non-application target status.

[0132] The reception unit 2006a notifies the image quality changing unit 2007 of the determination result received by the connection control unit 2009 (step S29).

[0133] The image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings based on the notified determination result (step S30). If the image quality characteristic code is notified as a determination result, the image quality changing unit 2007 changes the display settings to the display settings specified by the image quality characteristic code. If the image quality changing unit 2007 is notified as a determination result that the display is not applicable, the display settings specified in the display setting information 109 are not applied.

[0134] As described above, each device of the image quality adjustment system 1 a executes display processing.

[0135] As described above, the recorder 50 of the second embodiment receives the content characteristic information 107 and the display setting information 109 from the management server 10. Furthermore, the recorder 50 determines whether to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part based on the detection flag of the content characteristic information 107 and the image quality characteristics of the content being played. The recorder 50 then outputs the determination result to the television device 20a. The television device 20a receives the input of the determination result. Based on the situation where the scene being distinguished is the main part, the television device 20 changes the display settings when the scene being changed is the commercial part or when the scene being changed is the main part. Furthermore, the television device 20 displays the content on the display panel 210 based on the display settings. Therefore, the television device 20 can prevent the commercial part from being displayed with inappropriate settings.

[0136] Furthermore, the program executed by each device (the management server 10, the management server 10a, the television device 20, the television device 20a, and the video recorder 50) of this embodiment can be provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc)-ROM (Read Only Memory), a floppy disk (FD), a CD-R (Recordable Disc), or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). Furthermore, the program can be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0137] While the embodiments of the present application have been described, these embodiments are provided as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. These new embodiments may be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the main purpose of the application. These embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and main purpose of the application, and are also included in the technical solutions described in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving device, wherein: have: a first receiving unit configured to receive flag information indicating whether to distinguish between a main body portion and a commercial portion according to each characteristic of image quality of the main body portion included in the content, and display setting information indicating display settings for each characteristic of image quality of the main body portion included in the content; a first determination unit for determining whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion of the content based on the flag information and characteristics of image quality of the main body portion included in the content to be played; a changing unit that, when it is determined that the main body portion and the commercial portion are to be distinguished, changes the display setting of the main body portion and the display setting of the commercial portion based on the display setting information according to the scene of the content; a display control unit configured to display the content on a display unit based on the display setting; Before executing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body part from the commercial part of the content, the first determination unit is further configured to: obtain a result of a scene change of the content; The broadcast receiving device further includes a content management unit and a scene management unit: The content management unit sends the content to the server device and sends the section information to the scene management unit; the scene management unit, after receiving the content scene information determined by the server device through the content, determines whether the scene of the content being played has changed based on the content scene information and the section information; and, in the case of a scene change, sending a scene change result indicating that the changed scene is a commercial part or a main part to the first determination unit; In performing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body of the content from the commercial part, the first determination unit is specifically configured to: Determining a quality characteristic code based on the characteristics of the image quality of the content, and judging whether the content is a detection target for detecting a commercial portion based on flag information associated with the determined quality characteristic code; If the content is the content of the detection object and the changed scene is the commercial part, it is determined to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part of the content.

2. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein The changing unit is further used to: When the first determination unit determines that the commercial section is distinguished by detecting the commercial section, the commercial section detected by the scene management unit is not applied to the display setting based on the display setting information, but is changed to the display setting of the commercial section.

3. An information recording and playback device, wherein: have: a second receiving unit configured to receive flag information indicating whether to distinguish between a main body portion and a commercial portion according to characteristics of image quality of the main body portion included in the content; a second determination unit for determining whether to distinguish between the main body and the commercial portion of the content based on the flag information and characteristics of the image quality of the main body contained in the content to be played; an output unit configured to output a determination result of the second determination unit; Before executing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body part from the commercial part of the content, the second determination unit is further configured to: obtain a result of a scene change of the content; The information recording and playing device also includes a content management unit and a scene management unit: The content management unit sends the content to the server device and sends the section information to the scene management unit; the scene management unit, after receiving the content scene information determined by the server device through the content, determines whether the scene of the content being played has changed based on the content scene information and the section information; and, in the case of a scene change, sending a scene change result indicating that the changed scene is a commercial part or a main part to the second determination unit; In performing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body of the content from the commercial part, the second determination unit is specifically configured to: Determining a quality characteristic code based on the characteristics of the image quality of the content, and judging whether the content is a detection target for detecting a commercial portion based on flag information associated with the determined quality characteristic code; If the content is the content of the detection object and the changed scene is the commercial part, it is determined to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part of the content.

4. A server device, wherein: Used to communicate with the device according to claim 1 or 3, comprising: a storage control unit configured to cause the storage unit to store flag information indicating whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion for each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content, and display setting information indicating display settings for each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content; an updating unit configured to update at least one of the flag information and the display setting information; The communication unit transmits at least one of the flag information and the display setting information, and receives the content to be played.

5. A display system comprising a server device and a broadcast receiving device for displaying content based on information transmitted from the server device, wherein: The server device has: a storage control unit configured to cause the storage unit to store flag information indicating whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion for each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content, and display setting information indicating display settings for each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content; an updating unit configured to update at least one of the flag information and the display setting information; a communication unit configured to transmit at least one of the flag information and the display setting information, and receive content to be played; The broadcast receiving device comprises: a first receiving unit configured to receive the flag information and the display setting information; a first determination unit for determining whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion of the content based on the flag information and characteristics of image quality of the main body portion of the content to be played; a changing unit that, when it is determined that the main body portion and the commercial portion are to be distinguished, changes the display setting of the main body portion based on the display setting information and the display setting of the commercial portion according to the scene of the content; a display control unit configured to display the content on a display unit based on the display setting; Before executing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body part from the commercial part of the content, the first determination unit is further configured to: obtain a result of a scene change of the content; The broadcast receiving device further includes a content management unit and a scene management unit: The content management unit sends the content to the server device and sends the section information to the scene management unit; the scene management unit, after receiving the content scene information determined by the server device through the content, determines whether the scene of the content being played has changed based on the content scene information and the section information; and, in the case of a scene change, sending a scene change result indicating that the changed scene is a commercial part or a main part to the first determination unit; In performing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body of the content from the commercial part, the first determination unit is specifically configured to: Determining a quality characteristic code based on the characteristics of the image quality of the content, and judging whether the content is a detection target for detecting a commercial portion based on flag information associated with the determined quality characteristic code; If the content is the content of the detection object and the changed scene is the commercial part, it is determined to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part of the content.

6. A display system comprising a server device, an information recording and playback device storing content, and a broadcast receiving device displaying the content based on information transmitted from the server device, wherein: The server device has: a storage control unit configured to cause the storage unit to store flag information indicating whether to distinguish between the main body portion and the commercial portion according to each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content, and display setting information indicating display settings for each characteristic of the image quality of the main body portion included in the content; an updating unit configured to update at least one of the flag information and the display setting information; a communication unit configured to transmit at least one of the flag information and the display setting information, and receive content to be played; The information recording and playing device comprises: a second receiving unit, configured to receive the flag information; a second determination unit for determining whether to distinguish between the main body and the commercial portion of the content based on the flag information and characteristics of the image quality of the main body contained in the content to be played; an output unit configured to output a determination result of the second determination unit; Before executing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body part from the commercial part of the content, the second determination unit is further configured to: obtain a result of a scene change of the content; The information recording and playing device also includes a content management unit and a scene management unit: The content management unit sends the content to the server device and sends the section information to the scene management unit; the scene management unit, after receiving the content scene information determined by the server device through the content, determines whether the scene of the content being played has changed based on the content scene information and the section information; and, in the case of a scene change, sending a scene change result indicating that the changed scene is a commercial part or a main part to the second determination unit; In performing the determination of whether to distinguish the main body of the content from the commercial part, the second determination unit is specifically configured to: Determining a quality characteristic code based on the characteristics of the image quality of the content, and judging whether the content is a detection target for detecting a commercial portion based on flag information associated with the determined quality characteristic code; If the content is the content of the detection object and the changed scene is the commercial part, it is determined to distinguish between the main part and the commercial part of the content.

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