Data display control apparatus for controlling the display of data, a data transmission apparatus for transmitting information which is used to control the display of data, and a data display control information editing apparatus for editing information used to control the display of data

Abstract

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

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data and a set of time control information, and for controlling the display of the sets of multimedia data, the plurality of sets of multimedia data composing a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, and the set of time control information being used for controlling a display of the sets of multimedia data, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting at least one set of multimedia data and the set of time control information from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus and storing the received sets of multimedia data and the set of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information including an expression of a current time;    time information judging means for judging whether control relating to a display of the sets of multimedia data is possible by comparing the set of current time information with the set of time control information; and    display control means for controlling the display of the sets of multimedia data based on a judging result of the time information judging means.    
     
     
         2 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein 
 the set of time control information is repeatedly transmitted by the broadcast program transmission apparatus.    
     
     
         3 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a new content to be displayed; and    link instruction executing means for displaying the new content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means.    
     
     
         4 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein 
 the receiving means also extracts the set of current time information from the data transmitted from the broadcast program transmission apparatus, and    the current time information obtaining means obtains the current time information from the receiving means.    
     
     
         5 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein 
 the data storage means stores a time difference value which indicates a time difference between the expression of the current time in the set of current time information and a standard control time in the set of time control information, and    the control judging means refers to the time difference value and corrects a content of the current time information using the time difference when comparing the set of current time information with the set of time control information.    
     
     
         6 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 5   , wherein 
 the receiving means extracts the time difference value and the set of current time information from the data transmitted from the broadcast program transmission apparatus and storing the extracted time difference value in the data storage means, and    the current time information obtaining means obtains the set of the current time information from the receiving means.    
     
     
         7 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data that compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, and for controlling a display of the sets of multimedia data, the data display control apparatus comprising: 
 data storage means;    receiving means for extracting, from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus, the plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction for executing a certain operation, and at least one set of time control information for controlling execution of at least one related instruction, the receiving means storing the separated sets of multimedia data, instructions, and sets of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information including an expression of a current time;    time information judging means for judging whether execution of an arbitrary instruction is possible by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the arbitrary instruction;    display control means for executing the arbitrary instruction based on a judging result of the time information judging means;    link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a content to be displayed; and    link instruction executing means for displaying the content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means.    
     
     
         8 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 7   , wherein the instructions are instructions that control a display of the sets of multimedia data.  
     
     
         9 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data and a plurality of sets of time control information, and for controlling the display of the sets of multimedia data, the plurality of sets of multimedia data composing a plurality of contents which are elements of a broadcast program, each of the plurality of sets of time control information being related to a set of multimedia data and being used for controlling a display of the related set of multimedia data, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting at least one set of multimedia data and at least one set of time control information from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus and for storing the sets of multimedia data and the sets of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information including an expression of a current time;    time information judging means for judging whether control relating to a display of an arbitrary set of multimedia data is possible by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the arbitrary set of multimedia data;    display control means for controlling the display of the arbitrary set of multimedia data based on a judging result of the time information judging means;    link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a content to be displayed; and    link instruction executing means for displaying the content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means.    
     
     
         10 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data and a plurality of sets of time control information and controlling display of the sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, and each set of time control information corresponds one of the plurality of contents, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting at least one set of multimedia data and at least one set of time control information from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus and storing the sets of multimedia data and the sets of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information including an expression of a current time;    link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a content to be displayed;    link instruction executing means for displaying the content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means;    time information judging means for judging, when the link instruction executing means displays the content, whether control relating to a display of the content is possible by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the displayed content; and    display control means for controlling the display of the content based on a judging result of the time information judging means.    
     
     
         11 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and one set of time control information related to each instruction, and for controlling display of the sets of multimedia data by executing the instructions, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, and wherein each set of time control information is used for controlling execution of the related instruction, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting at least one set of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and at least one set of time control information from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus and storing the received sets of multimedia data, the received instructions, and received sets of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information including an expression of a current time;    time information judging means for judging whether an execution of an arbitrary instruction is possible by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the arbitrary instruction;    display control means for executing the arbitrary instruction based on a judging result of the time information judging means;    link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a content to be displayed; and    link instruction executing means for displaying the content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means.    
     
     
         12 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 11   , wherein 
 the sets of time control information are also related to the contents, and    the display control means executes the arbitrary instruction when a content related to the set of time control information compared by the time information judging means is being displayed.    
     
     
         13 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 11   , wherein 
 each set of time control information indicates an absolute control time and the set of current time information includes an absolute current time as the expression of a current time, and    the time information judging means judges that execution of the arbitrary instruction is possible when the control time is equal to or earlier than the absolute current time.    
     
     
         14 . The data display control apparatus of    claim 11   , wherein 
 each set of time control information indicates a control elapsed time and the set of current time information indicates an elapsed time from a start of a display of a current content as the expression of a current time, and    the time information judging means judges that execution of the arbitrary instruction is possible when the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the control elapsed time in a set of time control information for the arbitrary instruction.    
     
     
         15 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and at least one set of time control information, and for controlling display of the sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, wherein the instructions are used to control a display of the sets of multimedia data, and wherein each set of time control information is used for controlling execution of a related instruction and is also related to a grouping of sets of multimedia data, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting, from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus, at least one set of multimedia data, at least one instruction, at least one set of time control information, and a set of identification information for a grouping of sets of multimedia data, and for storing the sets of multimedia data, the received instructions, the received set of time control information, and the received set of identification information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information for a current time;    time information judging means for judging whether execution of an arbitrary instruction is possible by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the arbitrary instruction;    display control means for referring to the received set of identification information, and, when a set of multimedia data belonging to the grouping of sets of multimedia data identified by the set of identification information is being displayed, executing the arbitrary instruction based on a judging result of the time information judging means;    link instruction receiving means for receiving an instruction input by a user which specifies a content to be displayed; and    link instruction executing means for displaying the content according to the instruction received by the link instruction receiving means.    
     
     
         16 . A data display control apparatus for receiving a plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and at least one set of time control information, and controlling a display of the sets of multimedia data according to an operation indication input by a user, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the instructions control a display of the sets of multimedia data, and each set of time control information relates to an execution of an instruction, 
 the data display control apparatus comprising:    data storage means;    receiving means for extracting at least one set of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and at least one set of time control information from data transmitted from a broadcast program transmission apparatus and storing the received sets of multimedia data, the received instructions, and the received sets of time control information into the data storage means;    current time information obtaining means for obtaining a set of current time information for a current time;    operation indication receiving means for receiving the operation indication input by the user;    time information judging means for judging, when the operation indication receiving means receives the operation indication, whether execution of an arbitrary instruction is possible by comparing the set of time control information related to the arbitrary instruction with the set of current time information; and    display control means for executing the arbitrary instruction based on the judging result of the time information judging means.    
     
     
         17 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data and a set of time control information used for controlling display of the plurality of sets of multimedia data; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data and the set of time control information.    
     
     
         18 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 17   , wherein 
 the transmission means repeatedly transmits the set of time control information.    
     
     
         19 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 17   , wherein 
 the transmission data storage means further stores a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents, and    the transmission means also transmits the set of link information.    
     
     
         20 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 17    further comprising: 
 time measuring means for measuring a current time, wherein  
 the transmission means further transmits a set of current time information showing the current time.  
 
     
     
         21 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 17   , wherein 
 the transmission data storage means stores a time difference value which indicates a time difference between the current time and a standard control time in the set of time control information, and    the transmission means further transmits the time difference value.    
     
     
         22 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction for executing a certain operation, at least one set of time control information for controlling an execution of a related instruction, and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the instructions, the sets of time control information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         23 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 22   , wherein 
 each of the instructions controls a display of a set of multimedia data.    
     
     
         24 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data, a plurality of sets of time control information that each correspond to one set of multimedia data and are used to control a display of a corresponding set of multimedia data, and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the plurality of sets of time control information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         25 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data, a plurality of sets of time control information that each correspond to one content and are used to control a display of a corresponding content, and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the plurality of sets of time control information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         26 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing, the plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction for controlling display of the sets of multimedia data, at least one set of time control information for automatically starting an execution of a related instruction; and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the instructions, the sets of time control information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         27 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 26   , wherein 
 each set of time control information indicates a control time which is an indicated time.    
     
     
         28 . The data transmission apparatus of    claim 26   , wherein 
 each set of time control information indicates a control elapsed time showing an elapsed time from a start of display of a predetermined content.    
     
     
         29 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction for controlling a display of the sets of multimedia data, at least one set of time control information, and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents, wherein each set of time control information is composed of time information for an automatic start of execution of one of the instructions and is related to a grouping of sets of multimedia data; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the instructions, the sets of time information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         30 . A data transmission apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sets of multimedia data, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data transmission apparatus comprising: 
 transmission data storage means for storing the plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction for controlling a display of the sets of multimedia data, at least one set of time control information which is used as a criterion by a reception apparatus in judging whether to execute a related instruction; and a set of link information which shows interrelations between contents in the plurality of contents; and    transmission means for transmitting the plurality of sets of multimedia data, the instructions, the sets of time control information, and the set of link information.    
     
     
         31 . A data display control information editing apparatus for displaying interrelations between a plurality of contents on a display screen and for editing, in accordance with a user operation, sets of time-related information that are used for controlling the interrelations, 
 the data display control information editing apparatus comprising:    data storage means for storing a plurality of pairings of a set of link information and a set of valid period information and storing a set of content control information, wherein each set of link information indicates a change in display from a first content to a second content, each set of valid period information indicates a valid period of a corresponding set of link information, and the set of content control information is used for controlling display and processing of contents;    time receiving means for receiving an indicated time input by a user; and    content relation displaying means for displaying interrelations between contents at the indicated time received by the time receiving means, based on the pairings of a set of link information and a set of valid period information which has a valid period that includes the indicated time received by the time receiving means.    
     
     
         32 . The data display control information editing apparatus of    claim 31   , further comprising: 
 content specification receiving means for receiving a specification of a content input by a user; and    link information updating means for updating a set of valid period information of a set of link information which indicates a change in display to the content specified by the user so that the set of link information is made invalid at the indicated time received by the time receiving means.    
     
     
         33 . The data display control information editing apparatus of    claim 32   , wherein 
 the sets of link information and the sets of valid period information are transmitted from a transmission apparatus used in a digital broadcast system to a data display control apparatus which displays contents.    
     
     
         34 . A recording medium on which a data display control program is recorded, the data display control program controlling a data display control apparatus which receives a plurality of sets of multimedia data and a set of time information and controls display of the sets of multimedia data using the set of time control information, wherein the plurality of sets of multimedia data compose a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, the data display control program comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a set of current time information for a current time;    judging whether control should be performed by the data display control apparatus to display the sets of multimedia data by comparing the set of current time information with the set of time control information; and    having the data display control apparatus control a display of the sets of multimedia data based on a judging result of the judging step.    
     
     
         35 . A recording medium on which a data display control program is recorded, the data display control program controlling a data display control apparatus which receives a plurality of sets of multimedia data, at least one instruction, and at least one set of time control information related to each instruction, and controls a display of the sets of multimedia data using the instructions, the plurality of sets of multimedia data composing a plurality of contents which make up a broadcast program, and each set of time control information being used for controlling an execution of the related instruction, 
 the data display control program comprising the steps of:    obtaining a set of current time information for a current time;    judging whether an arbitrary instruction should be executed by the data display control apparatus by comparing the set of current time information with a set of time control information related to the arbitrary instruction;    having the arbitrary instruction executed by the data display control apparatus based on a judging result of the judging step.    
     
     
         36 . A recording medium on which a data display control information editing program is recorded, the data display control information editing program controlling a data display control information editing apparatus which displays interrelations between contents on a display screen and edits a set of time information used for controlling the interrelations, 
 the data display control information editing program comprising the steps of:    instructing the data display control information editing apparatus to receive an input of an indicated time from a user; and    referring to content control information for controlling a display of a content and execution of a predetermined process and to sets of link information that each indicate a switching of display from a first content to a second content, and instructing the data display control information editing apparatus to display interrelations between pairs of contents on the display screen at the indicated time, based on the sets of link information that are valid at the indicated time.