Information processing device, information processing system, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, an information processing system, and a program capable of distributing broadcast data more widely.SOLUTION: The information processing device receives broadcast signals containing image data, voice data, and broadcast data sent by a broadcast station, and extracts the broadcast data from the received broadcast signals. With the extracted broadcast data as a target of distribution, the device divides the broadcast data into a plurality of data elements and broadcasts each data element by a radio signal of proximity communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, and a program for processing a broadcast signal. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, broadcast signals distributed by television broadcasting stations have been digitized and include not only video data and audio data, but also data representing character strings, still images, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "broadcast data").

[0003] This broadcast data includes not only information created by broadcasting stations but also emergency information from local governments and the country. In Japan, this information is created by describing it in BML (Broadcast Markup Language), which has been standardized by the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB STD-B24).

[0004] The video signal and audio signal are encoded as video data and audio data by the corresponding encoders, respectively, and are assigned timestamps. Then, they are further encoded together with the broadcast data by the system encoder and divided into a series of packets (TS packets (Transport Stream packets)). These TS packets are then sequentially distributed as a broadcast signal.

[0005] In a typical television receiver or a one-segment receiver installed in a mobile phone, etc. (hereinafter referred to as a receiver), when a broadcast signal is received, the system decoder stores the data extracted from the TS packets, and when each becomes playable, the video data, audio data, and broadcast data are extracted.

[0006] The receiver then plays back the video and audio based on the extracted video and audio data, and also displays and outputs the broadcast data in response to user instructions.

[0007] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for dividing data into a plurality of data elements and distributing the data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Re-tabled publication 2013 / 183645 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, with conventional broadcast data provision methods, reception and playback are only possible when the receiver is in operation, meaning that even if emergency information is being distributed by local governments and other organizations, it cannot be noticed.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide an information processing device, an information processing system, and a program that can distribute broadcast data more widely. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] One aspect of the present invention that solves the problems of the above-mentioned conventional examples is an information processing device that includes a receiving means for receiving a broadcast signal that is sent by a broadcast station and that includes video data, audio data, and broadcast data, an extraction means for extracting the broadcast data from the received broadcast signal, and a distribution means for dividing the extracted broadcast data into a plurality of data elements and broadcasting each data element via a close-proximity communication wireless signal, with the extracted broadcast data being the target for distribution. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, broadcast data can be distributed more widely. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, an information processing system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of information processing devices 1 and a plurality of terminals 2 that are deployed in various locations.

[0015] Here, the information processing device 1 is configured to include a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a broadcast receiving unit 13, and a transmission unit 14. The control unit 11 is a program-controlled device such as a CPU, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12. In this embodiment, the control unit 11 extracts broadcast data based on a broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving unit 13. The control unit 11 also divides the extracted broadcast data into a plurality of data elements to be distributed, and outputs each data element to the transmission unit 14. The detailed operation of the control unit 11 will be described later.

[0016] The storage unit 12 is a memory device, a disk device, or the like, and stores programs executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11.

[0017] The broadcast receiving unit 13 receives and decodes broadcast signals (TS packets) distributed by broadcast stations, and outputs data extracted from the TS packets by decoding to the control unit 11. The broadcast station received by the broadcast receiving unit 13 may be a broadcast station common to all information processing devices 1, or may be a broadcast station determined for each information processing device 1 (which may be different from each other).

[0018] The transmitter 14 broadcasts the data elements input from the controller 11 using a wireless signal for close-proximity communication in accordance with instructions input from the controller 11. Specifically, the transmitter 14 broadcasts the data elements using Bluetooth (registered trademark) broadcast (a communication method that allows reception without prior processing such as authentication).

[0019] Next, we will explain the operation of the control unit 11 of each information processing device 1. Functionally, the control unit 11 of this embodiment is configured to include a storage unit 21, a broadcast data extraction unit 22, a reconstruction unit 23, and a distribution control unit 24, as exemplified in FIG.

[0020] The storage unit 21 temporarily stores data output by the broadcast receiving unit 13. The broadcast data extraction unit 22 reproduces the video data, audio data, and broadcast data from the data stored in the storage unit 21 and extracts the broadcast data from the reproduced data. That is, the broadcast signal distributed by the broadcast station contains the broadcast data divided into multiple TS packets along with the video data and audio data. Therefore, the storage unit 21 stores the data extracted from the TS packets in the number sufficient to reproduce the broadcast data, and then the broadcast data extraction unit 22 extracts the broadcast data.

[0021] Additionally, the broadcast data extraction unit 22 outputs, together with the extracted broadcast data, broadcast identification information that identifies the broadcast data, such as information about the broadcast station being received by the broadcast receiving unit 13 and the genre of the broadcast data. This broadcast identification information can be obtained from the broadcast data.

[0022] The reconstruction unit 23 generates data to be distributed by reconstructing the broadcast data output by the broadcast data extraction unit 22. Specifically, the reconstruction unit 23 selectively extracts partial data from the broadcast data extracted by the broadcast data extraction unit 22 that matches conditions set in advance for each information processing device 1.

[0023] For example, the reconstruction unit 23 refers to broadcast ID information (referred to as corresponding broadcast ID information) associated with the broadcast data output by the broadcast data extraction unit 22, and extracts the broadcast data if the corresponding broadcast ID information indicates that the broadcast data is in the news genre. The reconstruction unit 23 also generates content identification information based on the corresponding broadcast ID information and information identifying the information processing device 1 itself. Specifically, the content identification information includes information indicating the genre and device identification information that is uniquely set in advance for the information processing device 1.

[0024] The reconstructing unit 23 may also selectively extract a portion of the broadcast data. For example, the reconstructing unit 23 may selectively extract only a portion corresponding to the headline from broadcast data in the news genre and output it together with the content identification information.

[0025] For example, if the broadcast data is tagged data such as HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), the tags can be referenced to extract broadcast ID information or parts of the broadcast data (such as headlines). This type of extraction process can be performed using widely known techniques such as web scraping, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here.

[0026] Furthermore, in one example of this embodiment, the reconstruction unit 23 may always extract, from among the broadcast data distributed by the broadcast station, data that meets conditions (called constant extraction conditions) that indicate information that should always be extracted regardless of settings, and output the data together with predetermined content identification information. The constant extraction conditions here may be, for example, conditions that indicate that the data is urgent, specifically broadcast data provided by a local government or the country. Such constant extraction conditions may be fixed, regardless of settings by the installer or administrator of the information processing device 1.

[0027] In the present embodiment, for the broadcast data extracted under such always-extraction conditions, the reconstruction unit 23 generates the predetermined content identification information without including information that is different for each information processing apparatus 1 (for example, apparatus identification information uniquely set for the information processing apparatus 1), and controls to output content identification information that is common to all information processing apparatuses 1. As an example, for broadcast data that matches such always-extraction conditions, the reconstruction unit 23 may use a predetermined hash value of the broadcast data (a hash value obtained by using a hash function common to each information processing apparatus 1) as the content identification information.

[0028] The distribution control unit 24 receives an input of broadcast data to be distributed (or a part thereof, hereinafter collectively referred to as distribution data) from the reconstruction unit 23 and the corresponding content identifier. Then, the distribution control unit 24 makes the received data to be distributed redundant by a predetermined method. Specifically, the distribution control unit 24 performs encoding to divide the data to be distributed into reproducible data elements from any combination of m or more (where m is an integer such that m < N) of N data elements from the first to the Nth (N is an integer of 2 or more).

[0029] As such an encoding method, for example, there is one that uses an erasure code, and various encoding methods such as various block encodings can be adopted. As an example, when bit sequences are given as data to be transmitted, there is a method of calculating a linear combination sum related to a plurality of combinations of bits included in these bit sequences.

[0030] The distribution control unit 24 broadcasts the multiple data elements obtained here via a proximity communication wireless signal. Specifically, the distribution control unit 24 broadcasts a signal including each data element, a signal indicating the ordinal number of the data element (referred to as data element identification information), and a content identifier of the data from which the data element originates, sequentially by the number of data elements via a proximity communication wireless signal. Here, a method for broadcasting via a proximity communication wireless signal is, for example, to use a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) beacon signal. This beacon signal is a signal that can be received without prior authentication, registration, or other processing, and is also a broadcast signal that does not limit the recipients.

[0031] The terminal 2 is, for example, a smartphone, and receives beacon information from each information processing device 1. Then, the terminal 2 extracts the data element, data element identification information indicating the ordinal number of the data element, and a content identifier, which are included in the received beacon information, and stores the extracted information in a memory (not shown) in association with each other.

[0032] Terminal 2 does not need to receive all data elements from 1 to N for data elements having a common content identifier, but continues to receive data from information processing device 1 until the number of data elements associated with mutually different data element identification information that it has received for each content identifier reaches or exceeds the number that can be reproduced (here, m as described above).

[0033] Note that, when multiple information processing devices 1 are distributing the same data elements (data elements having the same distributed content identifier and data element identification information), the terminal 2 may receive m data elements from the multiple information processing devices 1. In other words, when k data elements are received from a first information processing device 1 and j data elements are received from a second information processing device 1 (each data element having the same distributed content identifier and different data element identification information), the sum k+j of these may be equal to or greater than m.

[0034] When terminal 2 stores m or more data elements associated with a common content identifier and having different associated data element identification information in its memory, it plays and displays or sounds a sound for the data to be transmitted based on the values ​​of the received data elements. Since the sound can be implemented by sounding the sound of the text data portion of the data to be transmitted by a general text data read-out process, a detailed explanation will be omitted here.

[0035] [Operation] This embodiment has the above configuration and operates as follows. Broadcast data broadcast from the broadcasting station together with audio data and video data is written in HTML and includes data such as news information created by the broadcasting station itself, program information, etc. This broadcast data may also include emergency information provided by the local government where the broadcasting station is located, the national government, etc.

[0036] The information processing device 1 of this embodiment is installed at each of a plurality of bases. Specifically, the information processing device 1 is installed in, for example, a store, a station, a public facility, or other locations. In one example of this embodiment, the information processing device 1 may be installed on a moving object (such as a bus).

[0037] Each information processing device 1 receives and decodes a broadcast signal (TS packet) distributed by a broadcast station, and extracts data from the TS packet through decoding. As already mentioned, the broadcast station received by each information processing device 1 may be a common broadcast station, or may be a broadcast station specified for each information processing device 1 (which may be different from each other). For simplicity in the following explanation, it is assumed that all information processing devices 1 receive signals from the same broadcast station.

[0038] The information processing device 1 stores the extracted data and plays back video data, audio data, and broadcast data from the stored data. The information processing device 1 extracts the played-back broadcast data and acquires broadcast identification information for identifying the broadcast data, such as the receiving broadcast station and information on the genre of the broadcast data.

[0039] The information processing device 1 reconstructs the extracted broadcast data to generate data to be distributed. The method of this reconstruction may be set for each information processing device 1. In the example here, in any information processing device 1, only the portion corresponding to the headline is selectively extracted from the broadcast data that is of the news genre among the extracted broadcast data. As already described, the identification of the genre and the headline may be determined by referring to the content of the HTML data (for example, if there is "news" in the information identified by the genre tag, the information identified by the headline tag within the range of that tag may be acquired).

[0040] That is, in the normal state (when no emergency information is being received), the information processing device 1 of the present embodiment plays back broadcast data from the received and stored data and extracts the news headline portion therefrom.

[0041] Also, at this time, the information processing device 1 generates content identification information by concatenating information representing the genre as broadcast identification information and device identification information uniquely set for the information processing device 1 itself.

[0042] Then, the information processing device 1 encodes the retrieved data to be distributed (distribution data) with an erasure code and divides it into N data elements D1, D2,..., DN such that the original distribution data can be reproduced from any combination of m or more (where m is an integer less than N) of these data elements.

[0043] The information processing device 1 adds content identification information and data element identification information i (i = 1, 2,..., N) indicating which split the split data element belongs to to each of the plurality of data elements generated here, and sequentially includes each data element added with the content identification information and the data element identification information in the BLE beacon signal for distribution.

[0044] Even if the data elements distributed in this way are encoded with the same headline information of the same news by a certain information processing device 1a and those distributed by another different information processing device 1b (even if the data element identification information matches), the added content identification information will be different from each other.

[0045] In addition, when emergency information from a local government or the government is included in the broadcast data, the information processing device 1 always extracts the emergency information (for example, always sets the condition that the provider is a local government or the government as the extraction condition) as the distribution data. The determination of whether it is this emergency information can also be made by referring to the content of the HTML data (for example, when the genre information included in the HTML information is "emergency news", it is determined that it is emergency information).

[0046] In this case, the information processing device 1 generates content identification information that does not include different information for each information processing device 1. That is, it controls so that the content identification information is common to any information processing device 1. Specifically, here, the predetermined hash value of the broadcast data including the emergency information extracted is used as the content identification information.

[0047] Also in this case, the information processing device 1 encodes the broadcast data (distribution data) including the emergency information extracted as the distribution target with an erasure code, and divides it into N data elements D1, D2,..., DN such that the original distribution data can be reproduced from any combination of m or more (m is an integer where m < N) of these data elements.

[0048] The information processing device 1 adds the content identification information generated by the above method and data element identification information i (i = 1, 2, ... N) indicating which division the divided data element belongs to to each of the multiple data elements generated here, and sequentially distributes each data element with the content identification information and data element identification information added by including it in a BLE beacon signal.

[0049] When data elements related to emergency information distributed in this manner are encoded as distribution data related to the same emergency information, whether it is distributed by one information processing device 1a or another information processing device 1b, the content identification information added will also be identical to each other.

[0050] The terminal 2 is a portable device such as a smartphone or a stationary device installed in a store or home, and receives beacon information from a nearby information processing device 1. If the information processing device 1 is fixed to a store or facility, when the portable terminal 2 comes close or when there is a stationary terminal 2 installed near the information processing device 1, the terminal 2 receives the data element distributed by the fixed information processing device 1.

[0051] Furthermore, when the information processing device 1 is installed in a mobile body such as a bus, a terminal 2 carried by a passenger or crew member of the bus, etc., or a terminal 2 located in the vicinity of the bus, receives the data elements distributed by the information processing device 1 installed in the mobile body such as the bus.

[0052] Terminal 2 stores the data elements for each content identification information to which they are attached (they may be deleted after a predetermined time has passed since they were stored), and when the number of data elements to which different data element identification information is attached for each content identification information reaches or exceeds the number that can be reproduced (the above-mentioned predetermined m), terminal 2 decodes the stored data elements and reproduces the distribution data.

[0053] Here, assume that a person who owns a smartphone operating as the terminal 2 is moving, and the terminal 2 has received and stored k (where k < m) data elements related to the headline X of a certain news from a certain information processing device 1a. The content identification information added to these data elements includes an information part α unique to the information processing device 1a. In this state, the terminal 2 moves to a location where it cannot receive the beacon distributed by the information processing device 1a, and then receives and stores j (where j < m) data elements related to the same news headline X from another information processing device 1b. The content identification information added to these data elements includes an information part β unique to the information processing device 1b. Even if the original distribution data can be reproduced from these data elements, the terminal 2 does not reproduce the distribution data based on these data elements because they are associated with different content identification information. That is, when the terminal 2 is moving, the opportunity to reproduce less urgent information is reduced. Also, even if the terminal 2 is fixed, for example, data elements distributed from an information processing device 1c installed on a bus passing by in the vicinity of the terminal 2 will not be reproduced because if the bus is moving at a sufficiently high speed, the number of data elements that can be received for reproduction is not sufficient.

[0054] On the other hand, the terminal 2 owned by a passenger on the bus has an increased chance of receiving a sufficient number of data elements distributed by the information processing device 1c installed on the bus for reproduction. That is, the terminal 2 of the bus passenger can reproduce the distribution data from the data elements distributed by the information processing device 1c installed on the bus and display the news headline and the like.

[0055] Furthermore, the information processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment adds the same content identification information to the same emergency information. Therefore, unlike the above example, the terminal 2 operates as follows. That is, as described above, a person carrying a smartphone operating as the terminal 2 is moving, and from a certain information processing apparatus 1a, k (where k < m) data elements related to the emergency information E (let the added content identification information be CX) are received and stored. After that, the terminal 2 moves to a place where the beacon distributed by the information processing apparatus 1a cannot be received, and from another information processing apparatus 1b, j (where j < m) data elements related to the same emergency information E (the added content identification information is the same CX as that of the information processing apparatus 1a) are received and stored.

[0056] At this time, if the original distribution data can be reproduced from these data elements, since they are associated with each other by common content identification information, the distribution data based on the data elements is reproduced. That is, even when the terminal 2 is moving and sufficient data elements cannot be received from one information processing apparatus 1, if the number of data elements received from a plurality of information processing apparatuses 1 reaches the number required for reproduction, the distribution data including the emergency information is reproduced.

[0057] Also, in the stationary terminal 2, when the distribution data is reproduced, voice data for reading out the character string data may be generated, and a voice may be emitted based on the voice data.

[0058] According to this embodiment, if the information processing device 1 (which can obviously operate on a battery instead of a commercial power source) is in a location where it can receive broadcasts, it can distribute information to nearby smartphones and stationary terminals 2 without the need to connect to an information and communication network such as the Internet. This makes it possible for the information processing device 1 and terminal 2 of this embodiment to be used as a means of providing information in the event of a disaster. Furthermore, by using the stationary terminal 2 that rings in response to a sound, it becomes possible to receive distribution of various information even if one does not have a smartphone or is in a situation where a television or the like cannot be installed.

[0059] [Example of considering location information] As described above, the information processing device 1 of this embodiment may be portable or may be installed on a moving object. There may also be a need to set the information processing device 1 to extract information based on the current location of the information processing device 1 from the broadcast data and use it as distribution data.

[0060] Therefore, in one example of this embodiment, the information processing device 1 may acquire its own location information, obtain information identifying the area based on the location information (such as place name information), and extract broadcast data containing information identifying the area or emergency information to be distributed as data.

[0061] Here, the information processing device 1 may be provided with a module for acquiring location information from satellite signals such as a GPS (Global Positioning System). Such modules are widely known, and therefore detailed configurations thereof will not be described here. Furthermore, a method for acquiring information specifying a region, such as a place name, from latitude and longitude information as location information can also be a well-known method, such as a method using location reference information distributed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, etc.

[0062] Here, when using location reference information, for example, the information processing device 1 acquires the prefecture name, city / ward / town / village name, town name, and nickname as information for identifying the region. When extracting distribution data based on location information, the information processing device 1 simply extracts broadcast data that includes both the prefecture name and the city / ward / town / village name as distribution data. As a result, an information processing device 1 located near Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, will extract broadcast data that includes "Tokyo" and "Bunkyo Ward" and provide it as distribution data. For example, when information on the seismic intensity of an earthquake is provided, the seismic intensity information for "Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo" will be extracted.

[0063] Note that since the information processing device 1 is often installed indoors, there are cases where it is not possible to receive signals from GPS, etc. Therefore, in one example of the present embodiment, location information may be acquired from a nearby terminal 2.

[0064] In this example, when terminal 2 receives a beacon signal, which is a broadcast signal for close-proximity wireless communication including a data element distributed by information processing device 1, terminal 2 broadcasts and distributes location information acquired by terminal 2 itself through positioning using a wireless signal for close-proximity communication. This broadcast can also be performed using a BLE broadcast signal, as with the information processing device 1. Then, information processing device 1 in this example receives a signal broadcast by terminal 2 in the vicinity and acquires location information for terminal 2.

[0065] The information processing device 1 acquires information specifying the area corresponding to the acquired location information of the terminal 2, and extracts, as distribution data, from the broadcast data, data that includes information specifying the area, in the same manner as described above.

[0066] In addition, when the information processing device 1 receives location information from multiple terminals 2, it may average the latitude and longitude information to generate average latitude and average longitude information, and obtain information that identifies the area corresponding to the average latitude and average longitude information.

[0067] In such an example, even if the information processing device 1 itself cannot obtain its own location information, if a terminal 2 located nearby has obtained that location information, the information processing device 1 can also obtain the location information, and it becomes possible to provide information using that location information.

[0068] [Example of selecting and filtering information on the terminal] Furthermore, it is not necessary to always display or sound the reproduced distribution data on terminal 2. For example, the user of terminal 2 may set it so that distribution data is displayed only for emergency information.

[0069] The terminal 2 having received such settings may be configured to display only the distribution data reproduced based on data elements distributed from, for example, a plurality of information processing devices 1. Alternatively, the terminal 2 may refer to the contents of the reproduced distribution data, and display only the distribution data if it contains information on seismic intensity, information on tsunami, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1 information processing device, 2 terminal, 11 control unit, 12 memory unit, 13 broadcast receiving unit, 14 transmission unit, 21 accumulation unit, 22 broadcast data extraction unit, 23 reconstruction unit, 24 distribution control unit.

Claims

1. a receiving means for receiving a broadcast signal including video data, audio data and broadcast data sent by a broadcasting station; extraction means for extracting broadcast data from the received broadcast signal; a distribution means for dividing the extracted broadcast data into a plurality of data elements and broadcasting each of the data elements by a wireless signal for close-proximity communication; An information processing device comprising:

2. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, The distribution means is an information processing device that broadcasts each of the data elements by adding identification information including information related to the broadcast data to be distributed.

3. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2, The extraction means extracts broadcast data that matches a set condition and broadcast data that matches a constant extraction condition that is previously determined as a condition to be always extracted, The distribution means is an information processing device that broadcasts each data element by adding, as the identification information, identification information that does not include information unique to each information processing device, to broadcast data extracted as meeting the constant extraction conditions.

4. An information processing system including an information processing device and a terminal, The information processing device includes: a receiving means for receiving a broadcast signal including video data, audio data and broadcast data sent by a broadcasting station; extraction means for extracting broadcast data from the received broadcast signal; a distribution means for dividing the extracted broadcast data into a plurality of data elements and broadcasting each of the data elements by a wireless signal for close-proximity communication; Including, The terminal is an information processing system that receives the broadcast data elements, and reproduces and outputs the broadcast data that is the subject of distribution based on the received data elements.

5. Computer, a receiving means for receiving a broadcast signal including video data, audio data and broadcast data sent by a broadcasting station; extraction means for extracting broadcast data from the received broadcast signal; a distribution means for dividing the extracted broadcast data into a plurality of data elements and broadcasting each of the data elements by a wireless signal for close-proximity communication; A program that functions as a

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