Broadcast system

Abstract

A broadcast system BS includes a broadcast apparatus 1 and a reception apparatus 2 . The broadcast apparatus 1 first receives and stores therein a proxy request PR including at least an identifier assigned to the reception apparatus 2 and a command to be transmitted to the reception apparatus 2 . Moreover, the broadcast apparatus 1 extracts the set of the identifier of the reception apparatus 2 and the command for the reception apparatus 2 from the proxy request PR stored therein, and assembles a command packet from the set of the identifier and the command. Then, the broadcast apparatus 1 generates a stream in which the assembled command packet is multiplexed, and sends it out to a broadcast channel. The reception apparatus 2 separates the command packet from the stream sent out to the broadcast channel, and restores the set of the identifier and the command of the reception apparatus 2 . Then, the reception apparatus 2 determines whether or not the disassembled command is destined for the present reception apparatus based on the pre-stored identifier of the present reception apparatus and the disassembled identifier of the reception apparatus 2 . If so, the reception apparatus 2 stores therein the command destined for the present reception apparatus. The reception apparatus 2 executes the command, which has bee stored as described above.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . A reception apparatus for receiving a stream from a broadcast apparatus, wherein,
 the broadcast apparatus broadcasts, over a pre-assigned broadcast channel, a stream obtained by multiplexing together a command packet and a set of a video packet and an audio packet, the command packet being assembled from an identifier assigned to the reception apparatus and a command to be transmitted to the reception apparatus, and the set of the video packet and the audio packet forming a program to be broadcast from a predetermined broadcast start time to a predetermined broadcast end time;   the reception apparatus comprises:
 a first tuner section for setting a receiving frequency band thereof to a broadcast channel specified by a user so as to receive a stream sent over the set broadcast channel; 
 an AV packet separation section for separating the video packet and the audio packet from the stream received by the first tuner section; 
 a second tuner section for setting a receiving frequency band thereof to a broadcast channel used for broadcasting a command packet destined for the present reception apparatus so as to receive a stream sent over the set broadcast channel; 
 an apparatus identifier storage section for storing the identifier of the present reception apparatus; 
 a command filtering section for determining whether or not an identifier multiplexed in the stream received by the second tuner section matches the identifier of the present reception apparatus stored in the apparatus identifier storage section; 
 a command packet separation section for separating a command multiplexed in the stream received by the second tuner section if it is determined by the command filtering section that the identifiers match each other; 
 a command storage section for storing the command separated by the command packet separation section; and 
 a command execution section for executing the command stored in the command storage section; and 
   the tuner sections, the apparatus identifier storage section, the command filtering section, the command storage section, the command execution section and the command packet separation section operate if a power supply provided in the reception apparatus is on standby, and the AV packet separation section operates if the power supply is not on standby.   
   
   
       28 . A reception method used in a reception apparatus for receiving a stream from a broadcast apparatus, wherein,
 the broadcast apparatus broadcasts, over a pre-assigned broadcast channel, a stream obtained by multiplexing together a command packet and a set of a video packet and an audio packet, the command packet being assembled from an identifier assigned to the reception apparatus and a command to be transmitted to the reception apparatus, and the set of the video packet and the audio packet forming a program to be broadcast from a predetermined broadcast start time to a predetermined broadcast end time;   the reception method comprises:
 a first reception step of receiving a stream sent over a broadcast channel specified by a user; 
 an AV packet separation step of separating the video packet and the audio packet from the stream received in the first reception step; 
 a second reception step of receiving a stream sent over a broadcast channel used for broadcasting a command destined for the reception apparatus; 
 a command filtering step of determining whether or not an identifier multiplexed in the stream received in the second reception step matches an identifier pre-assigned to the reception apparatus; 
 a command packet separation step of separating a command from the stream received in the second reception step if it is determined in the command filtering step that the identifiers match each other; 
 a command storage step of storing the command separated in the command packet separation step; and 
 a command execution step of executing the command stored in the command storage step; and 
   the second reception step, the command filtering step, the command packet separation step, the command storage step and the command execution step are performed if a power supply provided in the reception apparatus is on standby, and the AV packet separation step is performed when the power supply is not on standby.