Reception device and reception method

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to a reception device and a reception method that enable reception of a broadcast signal from a more suitable transmission station. Provided is a reception device comprising a control unit and a reception unit that receives a broadcast signal transmitted from each of a plurality of transmission stations, wherein the control unit: acquires first position information indicating a position corresponding to an installation location; acquires second position information indicating the position of a transmission station and frequency information pertaining to the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmission station; performs an evaluation on the basis of the first position information, the second position information, the frequency information, and a reception signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal; and, in accordance with the evaluation results, selects a transmission station to recommend from among the plurality of transmission stations as a recommended transmission station. The present disclosure can be applied to a television receiver, for example.

Description

Receiving device and receiving method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a receiving device and a receiving method, and more particularly to a receiving device and a receiving method that enable reception of a broadcast signal from a more appropriate transmitting station.

[0002] A receiver for terrestrial digital television broadcasting performs a scan and records a list of broadcast services to be received (a channel list), which can then be used to select a desired channel. When scanning, the receiver measures the signal quality and strength, and sets the channel list based on the measurement results (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-191302

[0004] In terrestrial digital television broadcasting, there is a transmitting station for each region. The broadcast areas of transmitting stations may overlap, so terrestrial digital television broadcasting receivers are required to receive broadcast signals from the most appropriate transmitting station.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and makes it possible to receive broadcast signals from more appropriate transmitting stations.

[0006] A receiving device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a receiving unit that receives broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations, and a control unit, wherein the control unit acquires first location information indicating a position corresponding to an installation location, acquires second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station, and frequency information regarding the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station, performs an evaluation based on the received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information, and selects a recommended transmitting station from among the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station based on the evaluation result.

[0007] A receiving method according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a receiving device receiving broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations, acquiring first location information indicating a location according to an installation location, acquiring second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information regarding the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station, performing an evaluation based on a received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information, and selecting a recommended transmitting station from among the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station based on the evaluation result.

[0008] In a receiving device and receiving method according to one aspect of the present disclosure, broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations are received, first location information indicating a position according to the installation location is obtained, second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information regarding the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station are obtained, an evaluation is performed based on the received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information, and a recommended transmitting station is selected from the plurality of transmitting stations as the recommended transmitting station based on the evaluation result.

[0009] It should be noted that the receiving device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be an independent device or an internal block constituting a single device.

[0010] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of an embodiment of a system to which the present disclosure is applied. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of an embodiment of the transmitting device of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of an embodiment of the receiving device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example functional configuration of the control unit of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of an embodiment of the server of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an overall view of processing according to the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a receiver and a transmitting station on a map. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example display of recommended transmitting station information. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of recommended transmitting station selection and display processing. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method for acquiring frequency information of a broadcast area by a recommended transmitting station. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of updating a channel list. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of channel list update processing. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example display of antenna setting information. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a method for transferring antenna setting information to an information terminal. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of antenna setting display processing. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example display of a message according to the state of a received signal. FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of received signal evaluation processing. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another method for selecting a recommended transmitting station. FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of a computer.

[0011] <System Configuration> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of an embodiment of a system to which the present disclosure is applied. In Fig. 1, the system to which the present disclosure is applied is configured to include a transmitting device 10, a receiving device 20, and a server 30. A system refers to a logical collection of multiple devices.

[0012] The transmitting device 10 transmits broadcast content, such as broadcast programs produced by a broadcast station, as a broadcast signal. The broadcasting method may be a terrestrial digital television broadcasting method, such as the next-generation ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting - Terrestrial) method. The transmitting device 10 performs necessary processing on control information and broadcast content data, and transmits the resulting broadcast signal from a transmitting antenna installed in the transmitting station 11.

[0013] The receiving device 20 is a device capable of receiving a broadcast signal, such as a television receiver. The receiving device 20 receives the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station 11 via an antenna 21. The receiving device 20 performs necessary processing on control information and data obtained from the received broadcast signal (received signal), thereby outputting video and audio of broadcast content such as a broadcast program.

[0014] The receiving device 20 also has a communication I / F (Interface) and can be connected to a network 40 such as the Internet. The receiving device 20 receives control information and data transmitted from the server 30 via the network 40. The receiving device 20 performs various processes using the control information and data received from the server 30.

[0015] The server 30 is a server device connected to the network 40 and provides data and services in response to requests from client devices. The server 30 pre-records control information and data to be provided to the receiving device 20, and transmits the control information and data via the network 40 in response to requests from the receiving device 20.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an embodiment of the transmission device 10 of Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the transmission device 10 includes a processing unit 101 and a transmission unit 102.

[0017] The processing unit 101 has a video encoder 111, an audio encoder 112, a control information generating unit 113, and a multiplexing unit 114. Broadcast content data such as broadcast programs provided as a broadcast service is input to the processing unit 101 from an external server connected via a network, storage built into the transmitting device 10, etc. The video encoder 111 encodes the video data of the broadcast content according to a predetermined encoding method and supplies the encoded video data to the multiplexing unit 114. The audio encoder 112 encodes the audio data of the broadcast content according to a predetermined encoding method and supplies the encoded audio data to the multiplexing unit 114.

[0018] The control information generator 113 generates control information and supplies it to the multiplexer 114. The control information generated here is control information related to the transmission of broadcast content, and includes upper-layer control information used when processing data constituting the broadcast content in an upper layer (e.g., a transport layer) that is a layer higher than the physical layer in the protocol stack. The multiplexer 114 multiplexes the video data supplied from the video encoder 111, the audio data supplied from the audio encoder 112, and the control information supplied from the control information generator 113, and supplies the resulting broadcast stream to the transmitter 102.

[0019] The transmitting unit 102 performs physical layer processing, such as encoding using error correction codes, on the broadcast stream supplied from the processing unit 101 (the multiplexing unit 114 thereof). The transmitting unit 102 constructs a physical layer frame using the data signal obtained by the physical layer processing and physical layer control information. The transmitting unit 102 performs necessary processing, such as IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform) and GI (Guard Interval) addition, to modulate the physical layer frame and generate a broadcast signal. The broadcast signal is transmitted from a transmitting antenna installed in the transmitting station 11.

[0020] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an embodiment of the receiving device 20 in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3, the receiving device 20 includes a control unit 201, a receiving unit 202, a processing unit 203, an output unit 204, a communication unit 205, an input unit 206, and a memory 207.

[0021] The control unit 201 is configured with a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 201 controls the operation of each unit of the receiving device 20. For example, the control unit 201 controls the channel selection process by the receiving unit 202 and the separation process by the processing unit 203 based on upper layer control information supplied from the processing unit 203.

[0022] The receiving unit 202 is composed of a tuner and a demodulation device (e.g., a demodulation LSI). The receiving unit 202 demodulates a physical layer frame by performing necessary processing such as GI removal and FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) on the broadcast signal received via the antenna 21. The receiving unit 202 acquires a data signal based on physical layer control information included in the physical layer frame, and performs physical layer processing such as error correction using an error correction code. The receiving unit 202 supplies the broadcast stream obtained by the physical layer processing to the processing unit 203.

[0023] The processing unit 203 is configured with a main SoC (System on Chip) or the like. The processing unit 203 has a demultiplexing unit 211, a video decoder 212, and an audio decoder 213. The demultiplexing unit 211 separates the input broadcast stream into video data, audio data, and upper layer control information, and supplies the video data to the video decoder 212 and the audio data to the audio decoder 213. The demultiplexing unit 211 also supplies the upper layer control information to the control unit 201.

[0024] The video decoder 212 decodes the coded video data supplied from the demultiplexing unit 211 in accordance with a predetermined decoding method, and supplies the decoded video data to the output unit 204. The audio decoder 213 decodes the coded audio data supplied from the demultiplexing unit 211 in accordance with a predetermined decoding method, and supplies the decoded audio data to the output unit 204.

[0025] The output unit 204 has a display 221 and a speaker 222. The display 221 displays video corresponding to the video data supplied from the video decoder 212. The speaker 222 outputs audio (sound) corresponding to the audio data supplied from the audio decoder 213. As a result, in the receiving device 20, video of the broadcast content is displayed on the display 221 and audio synchronized with the video is output from the speaker 222, allowing the user to watch broadcast content such as a broadcast program.

[0026] The communication unit 205 is configured with a communication I / F circuit and the like for connecting to a network 40 such as the Internet. The communication unit 205 accesses the server 30 via the network 40 under control of the control unit 201, receives control information, data, and the like, and supplies the same to the control unit 201. For example, the communication unit 205 is configured to include a circuit that complies with a communication method such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and can connect to the Internet via a home LAN. The control unit 201 performs various processes and controls based on the control information and data supplied from the communication unit 205.

[0027] The input unit 206 is composed of an operation system such as physical buttons and a touch panel. The input unit 206 supplies an input signal corresponding to a user's operation of the operation system to the control unit 201. The control unit 201 performs various processes and controls based on the input signal supplied from the input unit 206. Note that the input signal may be a signal received from an external device such as a remote controller, or a signal such as an audio signal picked up by a microphone. The memory 207 is a non-volatile memory such as NVRAM (Non-Volatile RAM). The memory 207 records various data under the control of the control unit 201.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 201 in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4, the control unit 201 is made up of a received signal input unit 231, a receiver information acquisition unit 232, a transmitting station information acquisition unit 233, an evaluation unit 234, a transmitting station selection unit 235, a display control unit 236, and a channel list setting unit 237. These functional blocks are realized, for example, by a CPU constituting the control unit 201 reading and executing a program recorded in the memory 207 or a storage device.

[0029] The received signal input unit 231 receives the received signal received by the receiving unit 202 as input and supplies it to the evaluation unit 234. The receiver information acquisition unit 232 acquires information about the receiver (hereinafter referred to as receiver information) and supplies it to the evaluation unit 234. The receiver information includes information indicating the location according to the installation location of the receiving device 20 (hereinafter referred to as receiver location information), etc. For example, receiver information such as the receiver location information is pre-recorded in the memory 207, and the receiver information acquisition unit 232 acquires the receiver information recorded in the memory 207.

[0030] The transmitting station information acquisition unit 233 acquires information about the transmitting station (hereinafter referred to as transmitting station information) and supplies it to the evaluation unit 234. The transmitting station information includes information indicating the location of the transmitting station (hereinafter referred to as transmitting station location information), information about the frequency of the physical channel corresponding to the broadcast service (hereinafter referred to as frequency information), etc. For example, the transmitting station information such as the transmitting station location information and frequency information is managed by the server 30, and the transmitting station information acquisition unit 233 acquires the transmitting station information transmitted from the server 30 via the network 40.

[0031] The evaluation unit 234 performs evaluation based on the received signal supplied from the received signal input unit 231, the receiver information (such as receiver position information) supplied from the receiver information acquisition unit 232, and the transmitting station information (such as transmitting station position information and frequency information) supplied from the transmitting station information acquisition unit 233, and supplies the evaluation result to the transmitting station selection unit 235, the display control unit 236, or the channel list setting unit 237. For example, the evaluation unit 234 estimates the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmitting station based on the receiver position information and the transmitting station position information. The evaluation unit 234 also estimates the settings of the receiving system (e.g., antenna 21) based on the receiver position information and the transmitting station position information. Furthermore, the evaluation unit 234 evaluates the state of the received signal.

[0032] The transmission station selection unit 235 selects a recommended transmission station (hereinafter referred to as a recommended transmission station) from among the multiple transmission stations in accordance with the evaluation result supplied from the evaluation unit 234, and supplies the selection result to the display control unit 236. Furthermore, by the transmission station selection unit 235 supplying the selection result to the evaluation unit 234, the evaluation unit 234 can evaluate the recommended transmission station.

[0033] The display control unit 236 controls the display of various information on the display 221 based on the evaluation results supplied from the evaluation unit 234 and the selection results supplied from the transmission station selection unit 235. For example, the display control unit 236 controls the display of information about recommended transmission stations (hereinafter referred to as recommended transmission station information) based on the selection results. The display control unit 236 also controls the display of information about the setting of the antenna 21 (hereinafter referred to as antenna setting information) based on the evaluation results.

[0034] The channel list setting unit 237 sets or resets a channel list based on the evaluation result supplied from the evaluation unit 234. For example, the evaluation result from the evaluation unit 234 includes frequency information of recommended transmitting stations, and if it is the time of an initial scan, the channel list setting unit 237 sets (generates) a new channel list based on the frequency information and records it in the memory 207. Furthermore, if a channel list was set during the initial scan, the channel list setting unit 237 resets (updates) the channel list recorded in the memory 207 based on the frequency information.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an embodiment of the server 30 in Fig. 1. In Fig. 5, the server 30 includes a control unit 301, a communication unit 302, and a storage unit 303.

[0036] The control unit 301 is composed of a processor such as a CPU. The control unit 301 controls the operation of each unit of the server 30. The communication unit 302 is composed of a communication I / F circuit or the like for connecting to a network 40 such as the Internet. The communication unit 302 transmits control information and data to the receiving device 20 that accesses it via the network 40 in accordance with control from the control unit 301. The storage unit 303 is a storage device composed of a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or the like. The storage unit 303 pre-records control information and data to be provided to the receiving device 20.

[0037] While the configuration of FIG. 1 illustrates a single receiving device 20, in practice, multiple receiving devices 20 may be provided, each receiving and processing a broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting device 10. Furthermore, while the configuration of FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration in which the transmitting device 10 includes a processing unit 101 having a video encoder 111, an audio encoder 112, a control information generator 113, and a multiplexer 114, and a transmitting unit 102, these components (blocks) do not need to be provided within a single housing. For example, the transmitting device 10 may be configured as a transmission system (broadcast transmission system) in which at least one of the components illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided in a separate device (broadcast server). Furthermore, while the configuration of FIG. 1 illustrates a single server 30, the transmitting device 10 may also include multiple communication servers.

[0038] <Overall View> Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an overall view of the processing according to the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the processing shown in Fig. 6 is performed by a receiving device 20 that receives a broadcast signal from a transmitting station 11. That is, the receiving device 20 acquires broadcast signal information (D1), receiver location information (D2), and information on the Internet (D3).

[0039] Broadcast signal information is information obtained from the broadcast signal. For example, broadcast signal information includes information such as engineering service (ES) information (e.g., repack information related to frequency repacking), transmitting station identification code, frequency information within the broadcast area, and evaluation results of the received signal (e.g., carrier-to-noise ratio (CN ratio)). Engineering service is a mechanism for broadcasting the latest version of receiver software and data common to all receivers. Repack information, related to frequency repacking, includes information such as the area subject to frequency repacking (regional identification information), date and time, and channels before and after the transition. Information such as the engineering service and transmitting station identification code can be transmitted as control information. Information such as the transmitting station identification code can also be considered transmitting station information.

[0040] The receiver location information is receiver location information that indicates a location according to the installation location of the receiving device 20. For example, information such as latitude, longitude, and postal code recorded in the memory 207 is acquired as the receiver location information. Here, for example, the receiver location information can be acquired by recording information set by the user in the memory 207 when the receiving device 20 is installed.

[0041] The information on the Internet is information obtained from the server 30 via the network 40. For example, the information on the Internet includes information such as transmitting station information and a map showing the broadcast area of ​​the transmitting station. The transmitting station information includes transmitting station location information (e.g., latitude, longitude, and altitude information) showing the location of the transmitting station 11, frequency information (e.g., information on the center frequency of the physical channel) related to the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station 11, a broadcast service ID for identifying the broadcast service, a transmitting station identification code for identifying the transmitting station, and information showing the broadcast area of ​​the transmitting station. Note that the repack information may be provided as information on the Internet.

[0042] The receiving device 20 performs an evaluation based on the acquired information (D1-D3), i.e., an evaluation based on the received signal and other information excluding the received signal (receiver location information, transmitting station location information, frequency information, etc.) (S1), and selects and displays recommended transmitting stations based on the evaluation results (S2). The receiving device 20 can also automatically update the channel list based on the acquired information (D3) (S3). Furthermore, the receiving device 20 can prompt the user to adjust the settings of the antenna, etc., by displaying setting information related to the settings of the receiving system (e.g., antenna 21) that receives broadcast signals based on the acquired information (D2, D3) (S4).

[0043] While FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which receiver location information is acquired as receiver information, other information related to the receiver may be acquired and used for evaluation. Furthermore, while transmitter station location information and frequency information are illustrated as transmitter station information, other information related to the transmitter may be acquired and used for evaluation. While an example in which receiver information is recorded in memory 207 of receiving device 20 is illustrated, receiver information may be acquired from an external device such as server 30. That is, receiver information and transmitter station information may be acquired via communication or broadcast, or may be stored in the receiver itself. The evaluation based on the acquired information (D1 to D3) performed by receiving device 20 includes processing such as comparison of the acquired information (D1 to D3).

[0044] The details of the overall image shown in FIG. 6 will be described below in the first to fourth embodiments.

[0045] First Embodiment The receiving device 20 can select and display recommended transmission stations. For example, the receiving device 20 can select recommended transmission stations from among multiple transmission stations based on receiver location information and transmission station location information. Furthermore, the receiving device 20 can display recommended transmission station information regarding the recommended transmission stations on the display 221.

[0046] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the receiver and the transmitting station on a map. In FIG. 7, the receiving device 20 is installed at position P1, indicated by a circle in the figure. There are multiple transmitting stations, such as transmitting stations 11A to 11F, around the receiving device 20. Also, in FIG. 7, areas A1 and A2, indicated by a dotted pattern, are the broadcast area of ​​the Hiratsuka relay station, which is transmitting station 11A, and areas A1 and A3, indicated by a dotted pattern, are the broadcast area of ​​Tokyo Skytree, which does not exist on the map. In other words, area A1 is an area where the broadcast areas of the Hiratsuka relay station and Tokyo Skytree overlap, and the receiving device 20 is installed within this area A1.

[0047] Therefore, the receiving device 20 can receive broadcast signals from both the Hiratsuka relay station and Tokyo Skytree. In FIG. 7, arrow D1 indicates the direction of Tokyo Skytree, and arrow D2 indicates the direction of the Hiratsuka relay station. At this time, the receiving device 20 estimates the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmitting station from location information about its own position P1 and location information about the locations of multiple transmitting stations (transmitting stations 11A-11F, Tokyo Skytree, etc.), and selects a recommended transmitting station based on the estimation results. For example, if the quality and strength of the received signal received from the Hiratsuka relay station, which is transmitting station 11A, are estimated to be high, the Hiratsuka relay station is selected as the recommended transmitting station.

[0048] The receiving device 20 displays recommended transmission station information about the Hiratsuka relay station selected as a recommended transmission station on the display 221. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, information showing the position P1 of the receiving device 20 and the position P2 of the Hiratsuka relay station (transmission station 11A) that will be the recommended transmission station on a map can be displayed as recommended transmission station information. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, information such as an arrow D2 indicating the direction of the Hiratsuka relay station as the recommended transmission station and an arrow D1 indicating the direction of Tokyo Skytree may be displayed on the map. Furthermore, text or image information explaining that the Hiratsuka relay station is a recommended transmission station may be displayed. Map information can be obtained from the server 30 via the network 40.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display of recommended transmission station information. FIG. 8 shows an example of a list of recommended transmission stations displayed on the display 221 of the receiving device 20. In this example, if the most recommended transmission station is Hiratsuka relay station and the next most recommended transmission station is Tokyo Skytree based on the estimated results of the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmission station, Hiratsuka relay station is displayed as the transmission station with the highest priority, and Tokyo Skytree is displayed as the transmission station with the second highest priority. Note that while FIG. 8 displays multiple transmission stations with high priority, it is also possible to display only the most recommended transmission station (Hiratsuka relay station). Also, while FIG. 8 displays the recommended transmission stations as a list, other display formats may be used.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the recommended transmitting station selection and display process executed by the control unit 201 in the receiving device 20.

[0051] In step S21, the receiver information acquisition unit 232 acquires receiver location information indicating the location corresponding to the installation location of the receiving device 20 from the information recorded in the memory 207. In addition, the transmission station information acquisition unit 233 acquires transmission station location information indicating the location of the transmission station from the server 30 on the Internet.

[0052] In step S22, the evaluation unit 234 estimates the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmitting station based on the acquired location information. Here, for example, as indicators for selecting recommended transmitting stations, indicators such as a signal-to-noise ratio (CN ratio) or an S / N ratio (Signal to Noise Ratio) or a value indicating the strength of the received signal (RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator)) are estimated for each transmitting station. In step S23, the transmitting station selection unit 235 selects a recommended transmitting station from among the multiple transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station based on the estimation results.

[0053] In step S24, the display control unit 236 displays recommended transmission station information related to the selected recommended transmission station on the display 221. Here, for example, as shown in Fig. 7, information indicating the position P1 of the receiving device 20, the position P2 of the recommended transmission station, an arrow D2 indicating the direction of the recommended transmission station, etc. can be displayed on a map. Also, as shown in Fig. 8, a list of recommended transmission stations in order of priority may be displayed.

[0054] As described above, the present disclosure can select a recommended transmission station from among multiple transmission stations and display recommended transmission station information related to the selected recommended transmission station. This allows the receiving device 20 to receive broadcast signals from the recommended transmission station, thereby enabling it to receive broadcast signals from a more appropriate transmission station. For example, in FIG. 7 , if the antenna 21 of the receiving device 20 is facing the direction of arrow D1, i.e., toward Tokyo Skytree, and the received signal from Tokyo Skytree is measured and found to be of good quality and strength, there is a risk that the frequency for receiving broadcast signals from Tokyo Skytree will be set even though the recommended transmission station is the Hiratsuka relay station. In contrast, the present disclosure selects a recommended transmission station based on location information of the receiver and transmission station. Therefore, regardless of the orientation of the antenna 21, the Hiratsuka relay station is selected as the recommended transmission station, and the frequency for receiving broadcast signals from the Hiratsuka relay station will be set.

[0055] Second Embodiment The receiving device 20 can set or reset a channel list based on information acquired from the server 30. For example, if the receiving device 20 has set a channel list during an initial scan, the channel list can be updated (automatically updated) based on frequency information of recommended transmitting stations. A channel list (service list) is a list that associates broadcast services with frequency information (information indicating center frequencies). Broadcast services correspond to broadcast stations (broadcast programs), and center frequencies correspond to physical channels. The channel list is recorded in the memory 207.

[0056] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method for acquiring frequency information for a broadcast area by a recommended transmitting station. In FIG. 10, it is assumed that receiving devices 20-1 to 20-3 are located within the broadcast area A of transmitting station 11A (Hiratsuka relay station), which is the selected recommended transmitting station. Furthermore, receiving devices 20-1 to 20-3 each have a communication function and are capable of exchanging data with server 30 on the Internet. For example, receiving device 20-1 can acquire frequency information corresponding to broadcast area A of transmitting station 11A, which is transmitted from server 30, and update the channel list based on the acquired frequency information.

[0057] 11 is a diagram showing an example of updating the channel list. In FIG. 11, transmitting station and channel information are associated with each broadcast station. The channel information shows the channel and the channel after repacking by frequency repacking (channel repacking). The former channel is the channel set during an initial scan, etc., and the latter channel is the channel reset (updated) based on frequency information obtained from the server 30.

[0058] Specifically, when the Hiratsuka relay station is selected as a recommended transmitting station in the receiving device 20-1, a channel list is set in which the channel of the MHK G broadcast station is channel 19 and the channel of the MHK E broadcast station is channel 26. At this time, a channel change is performed by frequency repacking, and frequency information corresponding to the frequency repacking is provided by the server 30. The receiving device 20-1 can change the channels of the MHK G and MHK E broadcast stations from channels 19 and 26 to channels 28 and 29 by updating the channel list based on the frequency information acquired from the server 30. Note that in FIG. 11 , the channels are physical channels corresponding to the broadcast services (broadcast stations), and the center frequencies of the physical channels (the center frequencies of the frequency bands) are set in the channel list.

[0059] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the channel list update process executed by the control unit 201 in the receiving device 20.

[0060] In step S41, the transmission station information acquisition unit 233 acquires frequency information of recommended transmission stations from the server 30 on the Internet. In step S42, the channel list setting unit 237 updates the channel list recorded in the memory 207 based on the acquired frequency information. For example, as shown in FIG. 11 , the channels in the channel list set during an initial scan or the like (MHK G, MHK E channels 19 and 26) can be updated to the channels after repacking (MHK G, MHK E channels 28 and 29). At this time, the channel list is updated automatically, which does not require user operation.

[0061] As a result, in the receiving device 20, the control unit 201 can control the channel selection operation by the receiving unit 202 based on the updated channel list (a channel list corresponding to frequency repacking). For example, when a desired broadcast service is selected by a user operating the input unit 206, the control unit 201 refers to the channel list recorded in the memory 207 and acquires frequency information (information indicating a center frequency) corresponding to the selected desired broadcast service. The control unit 201 can control the channel selection operation by supplying a control signal to the receiving unit 202 for tuning to the acquired center frequency and selecting the desired broadcast service.

[0062] As described above, in the present disclosure, when frequency repacking is performed, the channel list can be updated based on frequency information of recommended transmitting stations, so that broadcast signals from more appropriate transmitting stations can be received even after frequency repacking. In particular, when frequency repacking is performed, unstable signals from outside the broadcasting area may be registered and reported as reception interference. However, by updating the channel list based on frequency information of recommended transmitting stations, broadcast services within the broadcasting area of ​​the recommended transmitting stations can be preferentially received.

[0063] Third Embodiment The receiving device 20 can display setting information related to the settings of the receiving system. The receiving system includes circuits and devices necessary for receiving broadcast signals transmitted from recommended transmitting stations. For example, if the receiving device 20 is a television set, the receiving system includes an antenna 21 installed on the roof or balcony of the user's home.

[0064] Figure 13 shows an example of antenna setting information display. In Figure 13, similar to Figure 7, the receiving device 20 is installed in area A where the broadcast areas of the Hiratsuka relay station and Tokyo Skytree overlap, and the Hiratsuka relay station is selected as the recommended transmitting station. In this case, if the antenna 21 is facing the direction of arrow D1, that is, toward Tokyo Skytree rather than the Hiratsuka relay station (the recommended transmitting station), the quality and strength of the received signal from the Hiratsuka relay station will be lower than ideal due to directivity, polarization, etc. (there is a risk that the quality will be worse than the received signal from Tokyo Skytree). In other words, the antenna 21 should ideally be facing the Hiratsuka relay station (arrow D2), not the direction of arrow D1.

[0065] In Figure 13, as antenna setting information for setting the state of the antenna 21 to an appropriate state, an arrow D2 indicating the direction of the Hiratsuka relay station, which is a recommended transmitting station, and text T2 explaining the recommended transmitting station are displayed. The text T2 contains information regarding the polarization plane, stating that the Hiratsuka relay station is vertically polarized. As indicated by the arrow D1 and text T1, the direction of Tokyo Skytree and information regarding the polarization plane (horizontal polarization) may also be displayed. Furthermore, as indicated by the arrow D3, a mark encouraging adjustment of the direction of the antenna 21 may be displayed to optimize the quality and strength of the received signal. Alternatively, information such as an image or text encouraging adjustment of the direction of the antenna 21 may be displayed, or more detailed information regarding adjustment may be displayed.

[0066] Since the antenna 21 is often installed in a location different from the receiving device 20 such as a television receiver, the antenna setting information may be displayed on the screen of an information terminal (for example, a smartphone or tablet terminal) owned by the user, allowing the user to adjust the antenna 21 while checking the antenna setting information displayed on the screen of the information terminal.

[0067] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a method for transferring antenna setting information to an information terminal. In FIG. 14 , the receiving device 20 generates a two-dimensional code indicating the source of the antenna setting information and displays the generated two-dimensional code 251 on the display 221. For example, the receiving device 20 uploads the antenna setting information to the server 30 and generates and displays a two-dimensional code from the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) from which the antenna setting information is to be acquired. The two-dimensional code may be a QR Code (registered trademark) or the like. The user uses the camera function of the information terminal 50 to capture an image of the two-dimensional code 251 displayed on the display 221. The information terminal 50 can access the server 30 based on the URL obtained from the captured image, receive the antenna setting information, and display it. The generation of the antenna setting information and the two-dimensional code may be performed by the control unit 201 or by the server 30.

[0068] FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the antenna setting display process executed by the control unit 201 in the receiving device 20.

[0069] In step S61, the receiver information acquisition unit 232 acquires receiver location information from the information recorded in the memory 207. In addition, the transmission station information acquisition unit 233 acquires transmission station location information from the server 30 on the Internet.

[0070] In step S62, the evaluation unit 234 estimates the setting of the antenna 21 based on the acquired position information. Here, for example, the evaluation unit 234 estimates the setting for making the state of the antenna 21 appropriate by evaluating the direction and polarization plane of the recommended transmission station selected by the transmission station selection unit 235. In step S63, the display control unit 236 displays antenna setting information corresponding to the estimation result on the display 221. As described above, the antenna setting information may be displayed on an information terminal 50 such as a smartphone.

[0071] As described above, the present disclosure allows for display of setting information such as antenna setting information to properly receive broadcast signals transmitted from recommended transmission stations. This allows a user to easily configure the reception system, such as antenna settings, by checking the setting information such as antenna setting information. The receiving device 20 can then receive broadcast signals from a more appropriate transmission station (recommended transmission station) and achieve more stable reception. For example, even if the Hiratsuka relay station is located closer to the receiving device 20, if the antenna 21 is facing the direction of Tokyo Skytree, the received signal from Tokyo Skytree may be deemed better than the received signal from the Hiratsuka relay station due to directivity, polarization, etc. However, by presenting antenna setting information, the antenna 21 can be adjusted to point toward the Hiratsuka relay station (the appropriate direction).

[0072] Fourth Embodiment The receiving device 20 may compare a value (actual measurement value) indicating the state of the actually measured received signal with an estimated value estimated as the state of the received signal from the recommended transmission station, and if the value indicating the state of the received signal is less than the estimated value, may display warning information such as an error message to warn the user. The estimated value can also be considered an expected value indicating the state of the received signal obtained from the broadcast signal transmitted from the recommended transmission station.

[0073] Fig. 16 shows an example of a message displayed according to the state of the received signal. In Fig. 16, information on the transmitting station and channel is associated with each broadcasting station, and a message according to the state of the received signal is also associated. The state of the received signal is shown as a message according to the result of a comparison between values ​​(actual values) indicating the state of the received signal, such as the quality and strength of the received signal, which are actually measured, and estimated values ​​(expected values) that estimate the state of the received signal from the Hiratsuka relay station, which is a recommended transmitting station.

[0074] Specifically, when the Hiratsuka relay station is selected as a recommended transmitting station in the receiving device 20, a channel list is set in which the channel of the MHK G broadcast station is channel 19 and the channel of the MHK E broadcast station is channel 26. In this case, for example, if the estimated value of the received signal condition at the Hiratsuka relay station is estimated to be 25 and the value (actual measured value) indicating the state of the received signal for channel 19 is 30, the actual measured value is greater than or equal to the estimated value, and a message indicating "good reception" is displayed. Furthermore, if the value (actual measured value) indicating the state of the received signal for channel 26 is 20, the actual measured value is less than the estimated value, and an error message stating "Please adjust your antenna settings" is displayed. This allows the user to confirm the error message and adjust the settings of the antenna 21. Note that if the actual measured value is greater than or equal to the estimated value, the message (e.g., "good reception") may be hidden.

[0075] FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the received signal evaluation process executed by the control unit 201 in the receiving device 20.

[0076] In step S81, the receiving unit 202 receives a broadcast signal transmitted from a recommended transmitting station via the antenna 21. In step S82, the receiver information acquiring unit 232 acquires receiver location information from information recorded in the memory 207. In addition, the transmitting station information acquiring unit 233 acquires transmitting station location information from the server 30 on the Internet.

[0077] In step S83, the evaluation unit 234 estimates the state of the received signal from the recommended transmission station based on the acquired location information. Here, for example, estimated values ​​of the state of the received signal from the recommended transmission station include a signal-to-noise ratio such as a CN ratio and a value indicating the strength of the received signal such as RSSI. In step S84, the evaluation unit 234 measures the state of the received signal obtained from the broadcast signal received from the recommended transmission station. Here, for example, measured values ​​of the state of the received signal from the recommended transmission station include a signal-to-noise ratio such as a CN ratio and a value indicating the strength of the received signal such as RSSI.

[0078] In step S85, the evaluation unit 234 compares a value (actual measurement value) indicating the state of the received signal received from the recommended transmission station with an estimated value (expected value) obtained by estimating the state of the received signal from the recommended transmission station. Here, the actual measurement value and the estimated value can be compared for each channel (frequency). In step S86, the evaluation unit 234 determines, based on the comparison result, whether the actual measurement value indicating the state of the received signal is less than the estimated value obtained by estimating the state of the received signal. If it is determined in step S86 that the actual measurement value indicating the state of the received signal is less than the estimated value, the process proceeds to step S87.

[0079] In step S87, the display control unit 236 displays warning information on the display 221. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, an error message or the like can be displayed for the channel (frequency) being compared, urging the user to adjust the antenna settings. If it is determined in step S86 that the actual measurement value is equal to or greater than the estimated value, step S87 is skipped. When the processing of step S87 is completed or skipped, the series of processing steps ends.

[0080] As described above, in the present disclosure, broadcast signals from recommended transmitting stations can be received, but if the quality of the received signal is poor, warning information such as an error message can be displayed, thereby enabling more appropriate reception of broadcast signals from appropriate transmitting stations. In other words, if the quality of the received signal is poor even though a received signal of good quality can be received from a recommended transmitting station, a warning is issued. Note that in conventional methods, the state of the received signal was determined only by actual measured values ​​such as the CN ratio, and therefore the above-mentioned warning could not be issued. However, in the present disclosure, the actual measured values ​​are evaluated using estimated values ​​estimated from the position information of the receiver and transmitting station, making it possible to issue the above-mentioned warning.

[0081] <Modifications> The recommended transmission station may be selected by a method other than the above-described selection method. For example, as shown in FIG. 18 , a two-dimensional code 61 printed on a flyer 60 distributed at a retail store such as a consumer electronics retailer may be photographed using the camera function of an information terminal 50 such as a smartphone to acquire information identifying the recommended transmission station (e.g., a transmission station identification code that can identify the recommended transmission station). The information acquired by the information terminal 50 may be transmitted directly to the receiving device 20, or may be transferred via a server 30 on the network 40. The receiving device 20 may acquire the identification information (transmission station identification code) from the information terminal 50 and perform processing related to the transmission station (recommended transmission station) identified by the identification information.

[0082] In the above description, the next-generation ISDB-T standard (Advanced Terrestrial Broadcasting Standard) has been described as a broadcasting standard for terrestrial digital television broadcasting. However, the present disclosure may be applied to other broadcasting standards. Furthermore, in the above description, the receiving device 20 is a television receiver. However, the fixed receiver may be, for example, an electronic device such as a set-top box (STB), a recorder, a game console, or a personal computer (PC). Furthermore, the receiving device 20 is not limited to a fixed receiver, and may be, for example, a mobile receiver such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a tablet computer. Furthermore, the receiving device 20 may be, for example, an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle, such as an in-vehicle television, or a wearable computer, such as a head-mounted display (HMD).

[0083] <Computer Configuration> The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. When the series of processes is executed by software, a program constituting the software is installed in a computer. Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that executes the above-described series of processes by a program.

[0084] In the computer, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1001, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1002, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 1003 are interconnected by a bus 1004. An input / output interface 1005 is further connected to the bus 1004. An input unit 1006, an output unit 1007, a storage unit 1008, a communication unit 1009, and a drive 1010 are connected to the input / output interface 1005.

[0085] The input unit 1006 includes a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, etc. The output unit 1007 includes a display, a speaker, etc. The storage unit 1008 includes a hard disk, a non-volatile memory, etc. The communication unit 1009 includes a network interface, etc. The drive 1010 drives a removable recording medium 1011 such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a magneto-optical disk.

[0086] In a computer configured as described above, the CPU 1001 loads a program recorded in the ROM 1002 or memory unit 1008 into the RAM 1003 via the input / output interface 1005 and the bus 1004 and executes it, thereby performing the above-mentioned series of processes.

[0087] The program executed by the computer (CPU 1001) can be provided by being recorded on a removable recording medium 1011 such as a package medium, for example. The program can also be provided via a wired or wireless transmission medium such as a local area network, the Internet, or digital satellite broadcasting.

[0088] In a computer, the program can be installed in the storage unit 1008 via the input / output interface 1005 by inserting the removable recording medium 1011 into the drive 1010. The program can also be received by the communication unit 1009 via a wired or wireless transmission medium and installed in the storage unit 1008. Alternatively, the program can be installed in advance in the ROM 1002 or the storage unit 1008.

[0089] The processing performed by a computer according to a program includes processing that is executed in parallel or individually (for example, parallel processing or object-based processing). Furthermore, the program may be processed by a single computer (processor) or may be distributed among multiple computers.

[0090] It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting, and other effects may also be obtained.

[0091] The present disclosure can also be configured as follows.

[0092] (1) A receiving device comprising: a receiving unit that receives broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations; and a control unit, wherein the control unit: acquires first location information indicating a location according to an installation location; acquires second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information related to the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station; performs an evaluation based on a received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information; and selects a recommended transmitting station from among the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station based on the evaluation result. (2) The receiving device described in (1), wherein the control unit controls display of recommended transmitting station information related to the recommended transmitting station. (3) The receiving device described in (1) or (2), wherein the control unit: estimates the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmitting station based on the first location information and the second location information; and selects the recommended transmitting station based on the estimation result. (4) The receiving device described in any of (1) to (3), wherein the control unit sets or resets a channel list based on the frequency information of the recommended transmitting station. (5) The receiving device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the control unit controls display of setting information relating to settings of a receiving system that receives broadcast signals transmitted from the recommended transmitting stations. (6) The receiving device according to (5), wherein the receiving system includes an antenna, and the control unit estimates settings of the antenna based on the first location information and the second location information, and controls display of antenna setting information relating to the settings of the antenna according to the estimation result. (7) The receiving device according to (6), wherein the antenna setting information includes information about the direction and polarization plane of the recommended transmitting station. (8) The receiving device according to (6) or (7), wherein the antenna setting information is displayed on a screen of a terminal carried by a user. (9) The receiving device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the control unit compares a value indicating the state of the received signal with an estimated value estimated as the state of the received signal of the recommended transmitting station, and controls display of warning information relating to the state of the received signal if the value is less than the estimated value.(10) The receiving device according to any one of (1) to (9), further comprising a communication unit connectable to a network, wherein the control unit acquires the second location information and the frequency information from a server connected to the network. (11) A receiving method including, by a receiving device, receiving broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations, acquiring first location information indicating a location according to an installation location, acquiring second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information related to the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station, performing evaluation based on a received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information, and selecting a recommended transmitting station from the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station according to the evaluation result.

[0093] 10 transmitting device, 11, 11A to 11F transmitting station, 20 receiving device, 21 antenna, 30 server, 40 network, 101 processing unit, 102 transmitting unit, 111 video encoder, 112 audio encoder, 113 control information generating unit, 114 multiplexing unit, 201 control unit, 202 receiving unit, 203 processing unit, 204 output unit, 205 communication unit, 206 input unit, 207 memory, 221 demultiplexing unit, 211 demultiplexing unit, 212 video decoder, 213 audio decoder, 221 display, 222 speaker, 231 received signal input unit, 232 receiver information acquisition unit, 233 transmitting station information acquisition unit, 234 evaluation unit, 235 transmitting station selection unit, 236 Display control unit, 237 Channel list setting unit, 301 Control unit, 302 Communication unit, 303 Storage unit

Claims

1. A receiving device comprising: a receiving unit that receives broadcast signals transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations; and a control unit, wherein the control unit: acquires first location information indicating a position according to an installation location; acquires second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information regarding the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station; performs an evaluation based on the received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information; and selects a recommended transmitting station from among the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station based on the evaluation result.

2. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display of recommended transmission station information regarding the recommended transmission stations.

3. The receiving device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit estimates the quality and strength of the received signal for each transmitting station based on the first location information and the second location information, and selects the recommended transmitting station according to the estimation result.

4. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets or resets a channel list based on frequency information of the recommended transmitting stations.

5. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the display of setting information relating to the settings of a receiving system that receives broadcast signals transmitted from the recommended transmitting stations.

6. The receiving device according to claim 5, wherein the receiving system includes an antenna, and the control unit estimates the setting of the antenna based on the first location information and the second location information, and controls the display of antenna setting information regarding the setting of the antenna according to the estimation result.

7. The receiving device according to claim 6, wherein the antenna setting information includes information about the direction and polarization of the recommended transmitting station.

8. The receiving device according to claim 6, wherein the antenna setting information is displayed on a screen of a terminal carried by the user.

9. The receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit compares the value indicating the state of the received signal with an estimated value estimated as the state of the received signal of the recommended transmitting station, and controls the display of warning information regarding the state of the received signal if the value is less than the estimated value.

10. The receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit connectable to a network, wherein the control unit acquires the second location information and the frequency information from a server connected to the network.

11. A receiving method including the steps of: receiving a broadcast signal transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitting stations; acquiring first location information indicating a location according to an installation location; acquiring second location information indicating the location of the transmitting station and frequency information regarding the frequency of the broadcast signal transmitted from the transmitting station; performing an evaluation based on the received signal obtained by receiving the broadcast signal, the first location information, the second location information, and the frequency information; and selecting a recommended transmitting station from among the plurality of transmitting stations as a recommended transmitting station according to the evaluation result.

Images