Storage type broadcast system, transmitter and receiver

Abstract

Providing a broadcast system wherein storage of contents on the receiving side and use restriction on the stored contents, etc. can be performed per service provided by contents providers. In a storage-based digital broadcast system wherein contents transmitted from a sending side are stored on a receiving side then reproduced, the sending side transmits service structure information for describing relational structure between services provided by contents providers and reference information for associating the contents with the service structure information in advance, and the receiving side receives and stores service structure information and reference information and uses the received service structure information and reference information to manage storage of contents. It is possible to control contents per service based on service structure information and information that can be reorganized from reference information.

1 . A transmitter of a storage-based digital broadcast system, comprising: 
 service structure information generating means for generating service structure information representing a relational structure between services provided by contents providers,    reference information generating means for generating reference information for associating the contents with the service described in said service structure information,    service information adding means for adding said reference information to service information, and    transmission means for transmitting service information containing said reference information, said service structure information and the contents.    
     
     
         2 . A transmitting method of a storage-based digital broadcast system, comprising the steps of: 
 generating service structure information representing a relational structure between services provided by contents providers,    generating reference information for associating the contents with the service described in said service structure information,    adding said reference information to service information, and    transmitting service information containing said reference information, said service structure information and the contents.    
     
     
         3 . A receiver of a storage-based digital broadcast system, comprising: 
 demultiplexing means for demultiplexing contents, service structure information describing the relational structure between services provided by contents providers and service information containing references information associating contents with the service described in said service structure information from received signals,    contents storage means for storing demultiplexed contents,    service structure storage means for storing demultiplexed service structure information,    service information storage means for storing said demultiplexed service information and,    service management means for managing storage of said contents by using service structure information and reference information in said service information.